This Week's New Releases

August is almost over and it is going out with a bang! So many new releases this week - how on earth will I ever catch up on my reading? Well, I'm ready if the Zombie Apocalypse ever happens. I can survive with my Gardetto's and my TBR pile. :)

I've been looking forward to this one. I've truly enjoyed the previous books in this series (can't believe I'm actually current!) Can't wait to see how Denys and Lola find their Happy Ever After.

No Mistress of Mine
Laura Lee Gurhke
Historical Romance
An American Heiress in London/Book 4

After spending his youth as one of the wildest rakes in the ton, Lord Denys Somerton has devoted the past six years to putting his past behind him. He is determined to fulfill his duties, find a suitable wife, and start a family, but that plan changes when Lola Valentine—the red-haired temptress from his past—returns to London, sparking the same irresistible desires that almost ruined his life once before.

Lola is a woman with no romantic illusions. She knew love would never be enough for a British lord and an American girl from the wrong side of the tracks. For Denys’s sake, she walked away from him and the glittering life he offered. But when an unexpected inheritance brings her back to London, Lola discovers the passion between them is as hot as ever. Can they vanquish it, or will it burn out of control again and destroy them both?

I have not read anything by Emma Cane but I like the blurb and the hero is a professor and an author. Not the most common of hero occupations. Could be interesting!

At Fairfield Orchard
Emma Cane
Contemporary Romance
Fairfield Orchard Series/Book 1

For Amy Fairfield, the family orchard is more than a business. With its blossom-scented air and rows of trees framed by the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, it’s her heritage and her future. But right now, it’s also a headache. Putting a painful breakup behind her, Amy has come home to help revitalize Fairfield Orchard. She doesn’t have time for the handsome—distracting—professor who wants to dig into her family’s history for his research.

Jonathan Gebhart knows he needs the Fairfields’ cooperation to make his new book a success. As for Amy—nothing in his years of academia could have prepared him for their sudden and intense attraction. He doesn’t want to complicate her life further, especially since she seems uneasy about his poking around in the past and he knows he’s not the sort of man built for forever. But some sparks can’t help but grow, and Jonathan and Amy may just learn that unexpected love can be the sweetest of all.

I couldn't help but laugh after reading the first sentence of the blurb. It sounds like something that might happen to me, except I'd go into anaphylactic shock since I'm allergic to almost everything. I do like the cover - it has a festive look to it. I imagine this will be a "feel good" romance. Something we can all use.

Run to You
Rachel Lacey
Contemporary Romance
Risking it All Series/Book 1

ONE LITTLE LIE. A WHOLE LOTTA TROUBLE.

Moments after meeting the most gorgeous guy ever, Gabby Winters promptly gets stung by a zillion yellowjackets and falls-not gracefully-into a stream. Yup, Ethan Hunter is trouble with a capital "hot," and Gabby definitely needs to keep her distance. Except in the small town of Haven, there's nowhere to hide from Ethan's sexy, infectious grin . . . and all the residents are conspiring against her.

At the center of the town's matchmaking is Ethan's grandmother, who's convinced their relationship is a done deal. Rather than break her heart, Gabby and Ethan find themselves cornered into pretending to be falling in love. The problem: there's serious sizzling attraction between them. And if this charade continues, they won't fool just the entire town - they might fool themselves too . . .

I've been enjoying this series from the beginning and eagerly waiting for Yancy's story. The wait is over! And the cover - like this one too! It's so pretty!

Sunrise Crossing
Jodi Thomas
Contemporary Romance
Ransom Canyon Series/Book 4

Yancy Grey is slowly putting his life back together after serving time for petty theft. As he rebuilds an old house, he finally has a sense of stability, but he can't stop thinking of himself as just an ex-con. Until one night, he finds a mysterious dark-haired beauty hiding in his loft. But who is she, and what secret is she protecting?

The art gallery Parker Lacey manages is her life—she has no time for friends, and certainly not lovers. But when her star artist begs Parker for help, she finds herself in a pickup truck, headed for the sleepy town of Crossroads. A truck driven by a strong, silent cowboy…

Gabe Snow has been a drifter since he left Crossroads at seventeen after a violent incident. When he accepts a job in his hometown, he'll have to decide whether he can put the worst night of his life behind him and build a future in the community that raised him.

I've read the first book, which is a novella, have the first complete book on the TBR pile so of course I'll be getting this one. I like this author's writing style -funny, sexy and with just the right amount of snarky humor!

For Better or Worse
Lauren Layne
Contemporary Romance
Wedding Belles Series/Book 2

When small-town girl Heather Fowler finally gets promoted from assistant to actual wedding planner, she’s determined to make it as one of Manhattan’s elite Wedding Belles. Unfortunately, her first client demands an opulent black-tie affair at the Plaza…in five months’ time. Heather’s days quickly become a flurry of cake tastings, dress-fittings, RSVP cards, and bridal tantrums. But what she’s really losing sleep over is the live music blaring from her playboy neighbor’s apartment all night.

Five years ago, Josh Tanner was an up-and-comer on Wall Street, complete with the penthouse and the migraines. But a grim cancer diagnosis made him realize there is more to life than the corner office. If only he could convince his pretty, workaholic neighbor to let loose, too. As Heather lets down her guard, Josh is surprised when he starts falling for the sweet, vulnerable woman hiding beneath those power suits. Soon, it’s Heather’s turn to convince Josh to take the biggest risk of all: love.

New-to-me author with the first in a series. Small town romance between a former NFL player and a high school physical therapist. Didn't know high school football teams had physical therapists. Interesting...

Winner Takes All
Erin Kern
Contemporary Romance
Champion Valley Series/Book 1

THE LOVE OF THE GAME

Money. Fame. Endorsements. Blake Carpenter had it all—before his professional football career spiraled out of control. Determined to rebuild his life, he takes on coaching the high school team in his Colorado hometown. Despite a few fumbles, Blake knows he can lead these boys to victory. As long as he can keep his eyes on the prize and off the team's distractingly gorgeous physical therapist.

Annabelle Turner knows all about the scandal that cost Blake his NFL career, and she'll be damned if she's going to let mistakes hurt her team. What she doesn't count on is the intense attraction that turns every heated run-in they have into a wildly erotic competition. Point by point, play by play, kiss by kiss, they try to keep things professional for the good of the team. But when the score is this close—and the passion this fierce—it's anybody's game...

Absolutely, positively LOVED the first book, An Ember in the Ashes and I've been waiting impatiently for this one! You must read the first book before this one.


***SPOILERS*** in the blurb if you have not read the first book.

A Torch Against the Night
Sabaa Tahir
Fantasy/Young Adult
An Ember in the Ashes Series/Book 2

Elias and Laia are running for their lives.
After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire.

Laia is determined to break into Kauf - the Empire's most secure and dangerous prison - to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars' survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom.

But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against Laia and Elias. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies: the bloodthirsty Emperor Marcus, the merciless Commandant, the sadistic Warden of Kauf, and, most heartbreaking of all, Helene - Elias's former friend and the Empire's newest Blood Shrike.

Bound to Marcus's will, Helene faces a torturous mission of her own - one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturius and the Scholar slave who helped him escape... and kill them both.

This Week's New Releases

So many good contemporaries coming out this week! Since I started this weekly feature I have added a bunch to my TBR pile. As usual, plenty of contemporary romances. I have no problem finding these because it's what I read the most of. I would love to see more historical releases so if anyone knows of any, please let us know in the comments.

I have read one Lauren Layne book so far (Blurred Lines) and enjoyed the heck out of it. While To Have and To Hold is the first book in a new series, there is a prequel of sorts, the novella, From This Day Forward. I have yet to read it but like the blurb as well as the blurb for this one. And for some reason the term "fancy-pants" has always cracked me up!

To Have and To Hold
Lauren Layne
Contemporary Romance
The Wedding Belles/Book 1

USA TODAY bestselling author Lauren Layne is the “queen of witty dialogue and sexy scenes” (Rachel Van Dyken)! Now, Sex and the City meets The Wedding Planner in The Wedding Belles, her sizzling brand new contemporary romance series about three ambitious wedding planners who can make any bride’s dream come true... but their own.

Discovering her fiance is an international con man just moments before they exchange vows devastates celebrity wedding planner Brooke Baldwin's business—and breaks her heart. Now a pariah in Los Angeles, she seeks a fresh start in New York City and thinks she’s found it with her first bridal client, a sweet—if slightly spoiled—hotel heiress. Then she meets the uptight businessman who’s holding the purse strings.

Seth Tyler wishes he could write a blank check and be done with his sister Maya's fancy-pants wedding. Unfortunately, micromanaging the event is his only chance at proving Maya’s fiance is a liar. Standing directly in his way is the stunning blonde wedding planner whose practiced smiles and sassy comebacks both irritate and arouse him. He needs Brooke’s help. But can he persuade a wedding planner on a comeback mission to unplan a wedding? And more importantly, how will he convince her that the wedding she should be planning... is theirs?

A heroine named Vivian Leigh? I can't resist! And the hero has a heart attack? I'm curious as to how old he is. And I like what I've previously read from Ms. Gibson. All reasons to add to the list!

Just Kiss Me
Rachel Gibson
Contemporary Romance

"Hello, Ms. Vivian . . . it's been a long time.

And with those words, Vivian Leigh Rochet nearly melted. It's been years since she last saw Harrison Whitley-Shuler. She was a teenager scrubbing houses for a living. He was the gorgeous son of rich parents, not fit for the likes of her.

Vivian had vowed to get out of Charleston, become a big Hollywood star, and stick it to the snooty girls who made her cry.

She got what she wanted—and more—but why does her glamorous life seem so trivial?

Harrison got out too . . . making it all the way to Wall Street, until a heart attack forced him to trade in his cufflinks for a good set of hand tools.

Making furniture soothes his soul, but escaping the Whitley-Shuler heritage is nearly impossible. And now he's come face-to-face with the one who got away. He's not looking for love. He's not even looking for sex . . . so why is resisting her the hardest thing he's ever done?

I decided to get this next release from Netgalley so I have a little head start on reading it. So far, the heroine's experiences with her neighbors are much better than mine have ever been!

Don't Tempt Me
Lori Foster
Contemporary Romance
The Guthrie Brothers/Book 1

Love comes along when it's least wanted.

Jason Guthrie has no time for entanglements—between helping out his widowed brother and teenage nephew and getting his hometown back on its feet, his days are spoken for. But his nights are another story… And when his lovely new neighbor, Honor Brown, reluctantly accepts his help in remodeling her house, Jason finds himself wishing his handyman skills could knock down the defenses she keeps building around herself.

Martial arts teacher Sullivan Dean knows real danger when he sees it—even when it takes the form of the gorgeous blonde helping her friend move in across the street. After putting his wayward past behind him to focus on teaching control to troubled kids, Sullivan has learned to avoid party girls like Lexie Perkins. But Sullivan can't seem to keep his hands off the real woman behind that flirty charm—or keep his heart from landing at her feet…

Kasie West is a favorite Young Adult author of mine. She writes characters who are genuine in their feelings and situations. Love the premise of this one. Can't wait to dive in!

P.S. I Like You
Kasie West 
Young Adult/Contemporary

What if the person you were falling for was a total mystery?

While Lily is spacing out in Chemistry one day, she picks up her pencil and scribbles a line from one of her favorite songs on the desk. The next day, someone else has written back to her on the desk! Soon enough Lily and the mystery student are exchanging notes, and lyrics, and even sharing secrets. When Lily finds out that her anonymous pen pal is a guy, she's flustered -- and kind of feels like she's falling for him. She and her best friend set out to unravel the identity of the letter writer -- but when the truth is revealed, the guy is the LAST person Lily could have ever imagined it to be. Now that Lily knows the truth, can she untangle her feelings and gather the courage to listen to her heart? 

 From beloved author Kasie West (The Distance Between Us) comes an utterly charming story about mixed messages, missed connections, and the magic of good old-fashioned secret admirer notes. 

I've been waiting for this book ever since reading the first book in the series, All Hell Breaks Loose. There was enough of a teaser for the second book to make me want it right now.

Hell Breaks Loose
Sophie Jordan
Contemporary Romance
Devil's Rock Series/Book 2

Hell hath no hunger like a man let out of a cage . . .

Shy and awkward, First Daughter Grace Reeves has always done what she’s told. Tired of taking orders, she escapes her security detail for a rare moment of peace. Except her worst nightmare comes to life when a ruthless gang of criminals abducts her. Her only choice is to place her trust in Reid Allister, an escaped convict whose piercing gaze awakens something deep inside her. Reid is nothing like her other captors.

He’s tougher, smarter…and one blistering look from him makes her hotter than any man ever has.

Reid spent years plotting escape and revenge . . .years without a woman in his bed. For this hardened felon, Grace Reeves isn’t just out of his league—she’s from another planet, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting her. Escaping Devil’s Rock was tough, but resisting this woman could be the end of him. For a man with nothing to lose, protecting her . . . claiming her as his own, becomes more necessary than his next breath.

When I was a little kid, I would fall asleep with my mom while we listened to a radio mystery show. I don't remember any of the stories but I've always loved a good mystery. Maybe that's where I first got my love of mysteries.

The Unseen World
Liz Moore
Mystery/Contemporary

The moving story of a daughter’s quest to discover the truth about her beloved father’s hidden past. 

Ada Sibelius is raised by David, her brilliant, eccentric, socially inept single father, who directs a computer science lab in 1980s-era Boston. Home-schooled, Ada accompanies David to work every day; by twelve, she is a painfully shy prodigy. The lab begins to gain acclaim at the same time that David's mysterious history comes into question. When his mind begins to falter, leaving Ada virtually an orphan, she is taken in by one of David's colleagues. Soon after she embarks on a mission to uncover her father’s secrets: a process that carries her from childhood to adulthood. What Ada discovers on her journey into a virtual universe will keep the reader riveted until The Unseen World's heart-stopping, fascinating conclusion.

Look! It's an urban fantasy!

Thunder Road
Sierra Dean
Urban Fantasy

Being Chosen was supposed to be a gift. 

That’s what Tallulah Corentine’s parents told her when they handed her over to the Rain Chasers on her seventh birthday. It was an honor to be born with a destiny, to be hand selected by the gods before taking her first breath. She should be overjoyed.

Twenty years later, Tallulah is still waiting for the gift. She might have the power of the storm at her fingertips, but she’s spent her whole adult life living under a cloud. 

 A cross-country trip to find the wayward son of Seth, god of the storm, turns into a fight for her life when she dupes Death out of a valuable treasure. With only a wily con man, a dangerously handsome bad-luck priest, and a lot of lightning to help her, can she deliver the package and keep herself out of an early grave?

Or will Seth be looking for a new Rain Chaser before it’s all over?

This Week's New Releases

The first full week of June and it's been terribly hot here, triple digits, which means it's a great time to stay inside and read!

Please add any new releases I missed in the comments! Thanks. :)

No, I haven't read the first book in the series, Kick, Push, but it is on my Kindle just waiting for me to obtain the superpower of reading 10 books a day. Then I might get caught up on my TBR pile. Until then, I will continue to happily add anything Jay McLean writes to my buy list.

*This is a continuation of the story begun in book one. Same hero & heroine so please read in order.*

Coast
Jay McLean
Contemporary Romance
Kick Push Series/Book 2

One life-changing summer.
One boy.
The boy.
The boy who offered me safe touches and heart-stopping - smiles he shared with his son.
We filled our days with porch-step kisses,
filled our ears with laughter,
filled our hearts iwth love.
Deep, soul-aching, desperate love.
But love is misleading.
It's an invisible, fleeting moment.
Somewhere between false adoration and pure hatred comes an
emotion, a vulnerable need, a single desire.
It lives within the ones who miss it, who crave it,
who know better than to expect it.
Love is relentless.
Even when that love turns to hate, turns to loathing,
turns to pain.
Love should heal you.
But it can also break you.
Believe me, I know...
Because I'm Becca Owens - a broken girl...
...And he's Josh Warden - the boy who broke me.

Another second book in a series. Another series I have yet to read the first book. Another first book I have waiting patiently for me on my Kindle. I sense a trend here.

The Fixer, book 1, comes highly recommended from Nath with an A- grade. I need to get on this!

The Long Game
Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Young Adult/Suspense
The Fixer Series/Book 2

For Tess Kendrick, a junior at the elite Hardwicke School in Washington D.C., fixing runs in the family. But Tess has another legacy, too, one that involves power and the making of political dynasties. When Tess is asked to run a classmate's campaign for student council, she agrees. But when the candidates are children of politicians, even a high school election can involve life-shattering secrets.

Meanwhile, Tess's guardian has also taken on an impossible case, as a terrorist attack calls into doubt who can--and cannot--be trusted on Capitol Hill. Tess knows better than most that power is currency in D.C., but she's about to discover first-hand that power always comes with a price.

This next one sounds like the perfect read for a summer day. I have read one other book from Ms. Swank, Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes, which I remember enjoying.

One Paris Summer
Denise Grover Swank
Young Adult/Contemporary

Most teens dream of visiting the City of Lights, but it feels more like a nightmare for Sophie Brooks. She and her brother are sent to Paris to spend the summer with their father, who left home a year ago without any explanation. As if his sudden abandonment weren't betrayal enough, he's about to remarry, and they’re expected to play nice with his soon-to-be wife and stepdaughter. The stepdaughter, Camille, agrees to show them around the city, but she makes it clear that she will do everything in her power to make Sophie miserable.

Sophie could deal with all the pain and humiliation if only she could practice piano. Her dream is to become a pianist, and she was supposed to spend the summer preparing for a scholarship competition. Even though her father moved to Paris to pursue his own dream, he clearly doesn't support hers. His promise to provide her with a piano goes unfulfilled.

Still, no one is immune to Paris’s charm. After a few encounters with a gorgeous French boy, Sophie finds herself warming to the city, particularly when she discovers that he can help her practice piano. There’s just one hitch—he’s a friend of Camille’s, and Camille hates Sophie. While the summer Sophie dreaded promises to become best summer of her life, one person could ruin it all.

This next one should be a quick read, 100 pages, and is a prequel for a new series by Lauren Layne. I recently read and reviewed my first Lauren Layne novel, Blurred Lines, and found it entertaining.

*Note: I just love Ms. Layne's author pic on Goodreads. She looks so happy! Why do some authors post those serious pictures that look like they don't enjoy what they do?

From This Day Forward
Lauren Layne
Contemporary Romance
The Wedding Belles Series/Book 0.5

Up-and-coming wedding photographer Leah McHale’s career is on the rise–thanks in no small part to the Wedding Belles, the elite New York wedding planning agency that always throws top-tier business Leah’s way. So when one of the Belles asks Leah to fill in at the former First Daughter's wedding, Leah is overjoyed to say yes–until she finds out who she’ll be working with.

Jason Rhodes is the one man who was able to capture Leah’s heart and, once he had it, promptly stepped all over it and left her broken. Now he’s working side-by-side with her at the biggest wedding of the season and Leah is determined to give him the cold shoulder. Despite his persistence, she is not going to fall for his charming, impish ways again. Not even if he still has that killer, irresistible smile...

Review: Blurred Lines ~ Lauren Layne

Blurred Lines
Lauren Layne
Contemporary Romance
Love Unexpectedly/Book 1
Loveswept/August 25, 2015

When Parker Blanton meets Ben Olsen during her freshman year of college, the connection is immediate—and platonic. Six years later, they're still best friends, sharing an apartment in Portland's trendy Northwest District as they happily settle into adult life. But when Parker's boyfriend dumps her out of the blue, she starts to wonder about Ben's no-strings-attached approach to dating. The trouble is, even with Ben as her wingman, Parker can't seem to get the hang of casual sex—until she tries it with him.

The arrangement works perfectly . . . at first. The sex is mind-blowing, and their friendship remains as solid as ever, without any of the usual messy romantic entanglements. But when Parker's ex decides he wants her back, Ben is shocked by a fierce stab of possessiveness. And when Ben starts seeing a girl from work, Parker finds herself plagued by unfamiliar jealousy. With their friendship on the rocks for the first time, Parker and Ben face an alarming truth: Maybe they can't go back. And maybe, deep down, they never want to.

My first Lauren Layne and it won't be my last! Don't you just love it when you find a new author whose voice flows so well from the page? And Blurred Lines is a friends-to-lovers romance which is one of my favorite tropes!

From the first, it's obvious Parker and Ben should be more than roommates. There is a deep, lasting love based on friendship but neither of them seem inclined to take it further. It's as if their subconscious minds are afraid becoming romantically involved might break their friendship, which is important to both of them. People will go from friends to lovers, pledging if it doesn't work out, they'll stay friends. We all know it's not true and you can never go back to how things were. Parker and Ben make that vow and then break it.

Parker is all about control. She likes to control her environment and her relationships. She likes lists and predictability in her life. It's cute and I can totally relate. I felt sorry for Parker when she gets blindsided by her boyfriend. I was angry for her, for what he did and how he made her feel. It was heartbreaking but necessary for Parker to get out of her rut and get into something different with Ben.

Ben is such a good guy. He's a good friend to both his male friends and to Parker whom he treats like one of the guys - to a certain point. He's there to comfort her when she gets dump. A very broad shoulder to cry on. It was awesome to see Ben start to notice Parker as more than a best friend and roommate. When he starts to notice how sexy and attractive she is, it's satisfying to see him struggle with his attraction to Parker. His brain tells him one thing but he's not always thinking with his brain.

I could easily see this as a romantic comedy. It has two wonderfully engaging main characters complete with passion, wit, and flaws. We get both Parker and Ben's point of views which makes getting into their heads that much easier. Neither are perfect and both make mistakes when it comes to their arrangement of casual sex. The mistakes are not about their physical side, that's smoking hot, but the messy emotions that always seem to creep in, even when you tell yourself it's just sex.

What complicates matters is the six year history that Parker and Ben have. Casual sex would be far easier if they didn't care so deeply about each other. We see the pain they go through when they realize the arrangement has become more than sex but they're both afraid to tell the other how they feel. It's frustrating because as the reader, you know what is in both of their hearts and you want to tell them both to "Wake up! You're screwing up the best thing either of you will ever have." I did yell at them but it took them awhile to listen to me. Kind of like my kids. ;)

Blurred Lines is a charming friends to lovers romance. There are a couple of bumps in the road which could have been avoid if only Parker and Ben had talked. The estrangement between Parker and Ben went on a bit too long but in the end, they found their Happily Ever After.

Rating: B+

Love Unexpectedly Series ~

Blurred Lines
Good Girl

Tomorrow's New Releases

This week's releases on my radar have two releasing today and the others tomorrow. There is a good variety with some contemporary, mystery, young adult and fantasy. At first there weren't too many on the list but as I kept hunting I found some very promising releases!

L. H. Cosway is an auto-buy for me. After flying through her Hearts series, highly recommend, I can't get enough of her writing. Her heroes are unusual and her heroines are smart, funny and you want to be friends with them. Cosway writes characters you wish were real people.

Showmance
L. H. Cosway
Contemporary Romance

Damon Atwood was Hollywood’s golden boy. Having won an Oscar at the tender age of thirteen, he had the life many could only dream about. But his success came at a price, and after a short but fruitful film career, he chose to live a life of obscurity on a remote Scottish island. Almost a decade later he’s finally ready to make his return, starting with a lead role in a musical on London’s West End.

As a choreographer’s assistant, Rose Taylor has always faded into the background. She watches shows come to life from the side lines, but has never craved the attention of stardom. When rumours begin circulating of Damon’s involvement in her latest gig, she doesn’t predict how she will be thrust into the limelight, nor how the mysterious and strangely introverted man will need her to teach him how to be a star again.

Rose knows that show crushes don’t last. Actors fall for each other during the intensity of a production, often losing themselves in their roles. These kinds of affairs burn bright and then they fade. The question is, should Rose let herself shine with Damon, or guard her heart from being broken after the final curtain call?

Even though this is the third book in a series I haven't started yet, I'm putting on my list. 1) Because I've enjoy Ms. Madsen's writing and 2) I have the first two books on my TBR pile. It only makes sense to get the third book.

The Bad Boy's Baby
Cindi Madsen
Hope Springs/Book 3

There are certain words that have always described Cam Brantley: Town bad boy. Soldier. Protector. But never, ever dad. Until he returns home from his latest military tour to discover the girl he had one smoking-hot night with is now mom to the adorable two-year-old Zoey. Who has his eyes.

Plenty of words could describe Emma Walker these days. Mom, dutiful granddaughter, budding designer, the town’s golden child. But when her longtime crush Cam Brantley comes back to town, she knows the perfect word to describe herself: screwed.

Cam and Emma are both shocked to discover he truly wants Zoey in his life. But Cam’s not sure he’s ready to be a dad, and Emma can’t gamble her daughter on maybes. As the long-simmering heat between Cam and Emma reaches a boiling point, he’ll have to work past his demons in order to be the man both girls need.

Daddy duty might be his toughest mission yet…

As much as I've enjoyed this series, I'll be getting this from the library. It's a hardcover novella. Goodreads lists it at 208 pages. Amazon has the Kindle version priced at $10.99. Nope.

The Highwayman
Craig Johnson
Walk Longmire Series

Sherriff Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear embark on their latest adventure in this novella set in the world of Craig Johnson’s New York Times bestselling Longmire series—the basis for the hit drama Longmire, now on Netflix.

When Wyoming highway patrolman Rosey Wayman is transferred to the beautiful and imposing landscape of the Wind River Canyon, an area the troopers refer to as no-man's-land because of the lack of radio communication, she starts receiving “officer needs assistance” calls. The problem? They're coming from Bobby Womack, a legendary Arapaho patrolman who met a fiery death in the canyon almost a half-century ago.

With an investigation that spans this world and the next, Sheriff Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear take on a case that pits them against a legend: The Highwayman.

I have not read anything by Ms. Kubica but boy does this one sound good! The blurb has me itching to find out what happened to Esther. Maybe she ran away and became Pearl? Or maybe Pearl is evil and did something horrible to Esther and now she has her sights on Alex. And Quinn gets too close to the truth and is in danger. Yep, got all that from the blurb. Now I need to read it and find out if any of what I speculated is true.

Don't You Cry
Mary Kubica
Mystery/Suspense

In downtown Chicago, a young woman named Esther Vaughan disappears from her apartment without a trace. A haunting letter addressed to My Dearest is found among her possessions, leaving her friend and roommate Quinn Collins to wonder where Esther is and whether or not she's the person Quinn thought she knew.

Meanwhile, in a small Michigan harbor town an hour outside Chicago, a mysterious woman appears in the quiet coffee shop where eighteen-year-old Alex Gallo works as a dishwasher. He is immediately drawn to her charm and beauty, but what starts as an innocent crush quickly spirals into something far more dark and sinister than he ever expected.

As Quinn searches for answers about Esther, and Alex is drawn further under Pearl's spell, master of suspense Mary Kubica takes readers on a taut and twisted thrill ride that builds to a stunning conclusion and shows that no matter how fast and far we run, the past always catches up with us in the end.

This one is a friends to couple romance, which is one of my favorite tropes. I'm certainly curious about what Mallory's nightmare was and how Rider is connected to it.

The Problem with Forever
Jennifer L. Armentrout
Young Adult/Contemporary

For some people, silence is a weapon. For Mallory “Mouse” Dodge, it’s a shield. Growing up, she learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it’s been four years since her nightmare ended, she’s beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime.

Now, after years of homeschooling with loving adoptive parents, Mallory must face a new milestone—spending her senior year at public high school. But of all the terrifying and exhilarating scenarios she’s imagined, there’s one she never dreamed of—that she’d run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn’t seen since childhood, on her very first day.

It doesn’t take long for Mallory to realize that the connection she shared with Rider never really faded. Yet the deeper their bond grows, the more it becomes apparent that she’s not the only one grappling with the lingering scars from the past. And as she watches Rider’s life spiral out of control, Mallory faces a choice between staying silent and speaking out—for the people she loves, the life she wants, and the truths that need to be heard.

It's a historical. It takes place in Russia. And there's magic! I love the whole description. The battle with magic. The two young men falling for the young woman. And it takes place in Russia! (Yes, I have a fascination for Russia.)

The Crown's Game
Evelyn Skye
Young Adult/Fantasy

Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the Tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.

And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the Tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.

Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?

For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.

And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love... or be killed himself.

As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear... the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.

I just started listen to my first Lauren Layne and am genuinely enjoying her writing. So I'm adding the next book in the series to my list. Although, the h/h are new characters so I'm not sure how it links to the first book. Still, I like the blurb so on the list it goes!


Good Girl
Lauren Layne
Contemporary Romance

Country music’s favorite good girl is hiding away from the world—only to find herself bunking with a guy who makes her want to be a little bad.

Jenny Dawson moved to Nashville to write music, not get famous. But when her latest record goes double platinum, Jenny’s suddenly one of the town’s biggest stars—and the center of a tabloid scandal connecting her with a pop star she’s barely even met. With paparazzi tracking her every move, Jenny flees to a remote mansion in Louisiana to write her next album. The only hiccup is the unexpected presence of a brooding young caretaker named Noah, whose foul mouth and snap judgments lead to constant bickering—and serious heat.

Noah really should tell Jenny that he’s Preston Noah Maxwell Walcott, the owner of the estate where the feisty country singer has made her spoiled self at home. But the charade gives Noah a much-needed break from his own troubles, and before long, their verbal sparring is indistinguishable from foreplay.

But as sizzling nights give way to quiet pillow talk, Noah begins to realize that Jenny’s almost as complicated as he is. To fit into each other’s lives, they’ll need the courage to face their problems together—before the outside world catches up to them.