Category Archives: 2nd Chance

#WOTR24 #Review – A Bargain With The Shadow Prince by Genevieve Jack

It takes a monster to stop a monster.

Light the candle.
Stand naked before the symbol.
Offer your blood.

The advocate will come.
🌹

I left my abusive crime boss husband expecting to start over from nothing. After all, the prenup I signed when I married him is ironclad. But when Tony uses a loophole in the law to go after my ancestral family home—the one I’m currently living in and my grandmother is dying in—I’m desperate to stop him.

My witch best friend Maeve offers a solution. She lends me a family spell to call a supernatural advocate to deal with Tony. After all, it takes a monster to stop a monster.

But when I follow her instructions, I’m not expecting the darkly handsome Damien to form from the shadows, or to learn that he’s been a prisoner of Maeve’s family for centuries. From the moment he accepts my bargain and drinks my blood, he awakens a passion in me, one charged with latent magic. Magic formidable enough to restore my true self. Magic that holds the promise of Damien’s freedom.

Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Kelly

6 stars!!!! Grief, turmoil, secrets, vampires, witches, magic, love, and a million other things are within these pages!

Eloise has been left in quite the position. She left her abusive husband and her grams is dying. Everything she thought she knew about her soon-to-be ex-husband is false, everything she thought she knew about her best friend is false, and the world as she knows it is about to turn completely upside down.

Eloise is a pure spirit and soul. She just wants things to be made right. Unfortunately, she has been looking at things through rose colored glasses. When she calls on the advocate for help, she doesn’t realize exactly what she bargained for. Everything within her being tells her the situation is wrong, but it feels all so right.

The story took just a tad bit to really get going but I think that is necessary for the beginning of a series to ensure that the character and world building are solid. Then when I got to the point of no return, I could not put this book down! This is a unique spin on the supernatural and I am excitedly looking forward to the next!

Visit Genevieve Jack Store on Amazon

USA Today bestselling and multi-award winning author Genevieve Jack writes wild, witty, and wicked-hot paranormal romance and romantic fantasy. She believes there’s magic in every breath we take and probably something supernatural living in most dark basements. You can summon her with coffee, wine, and books, but she sticks around for dogs and chocolate. Her novels feature badass heroines, fiercely loyal heroes, and fantasy elements that will fill you with wonder. Learn more at www.genevievejack.com.

Get a free book at http://www.freeparanormalromancebook.com/

#review #shortstory #partofaseries #christmasread Naughty or Nice (Santa’s Coming Short Stories) by Laney Powell

The last time I saw Cate Morgan, she called me a name not fit for public consumption and walked away. This time wasn’t much better, since I was dressed in a Santa suit and had a kid reciting her list of wants in my ear.

Of course, the last time, I’d told her to go, but that was beside the point. She was here, now, in front of me – right where I’d always wanted her. Well, there are other places I want her, but in front of me is a good place to start. Now that she’s here – I’m going to do things differently. I don’t want to lose her again.

The challenge is getting her to see that we’re perfect for each other. I’m stuck playing Santa, so maybe I just need to get her to sit on my lap and tell me what she wants for Christmas. Then I can show her how nice it is to be on Santa’s Naughty List.

Santa comes once a year … or does he?

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43232571-naughty-or-nice

Amazon https://amzn.to/3Ve1SrJ

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book and here is my honest review

the mall at Christmas time is the worst, Cate had just gotten her doctorate degree in marine biology but when she hasn’t heard back from the jobs she applied for after college she moved back in with her parents and got a job in the mall till her applications was accepted. but when she noticed that Santa was a ghost from Christmas past how she will handle it. Will Cate be able to overcome the hurt from her past and if so, will Santa put her on the naughty or nice list this Christmas

I’m a Midwestern lady, a USA Today bestselling author living life in the Rocky Mountains. Cowboys, bad boys, billionaires, demons, shifters, witches, warlocks – I write them because I love them all. Everyone deserves a steamy, happily ever after.

#WOTR24 #Audiobooks #SerialKillers #Paranormal #FatedMates #Shifters #FootballPlayer #BestFriendsSibling #Hockey #Pirates #ForcedMarriage #BDSM – Twinsie Angie top 5…errr 6 books from January – June 2024, Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver, Devoted by AJ Renee, Shadows of Timber Creek by SJ Chaynie, Ryker by Samantha Lind, Scallywag by Sophie Stern, and Corrupted Innocents by Measha Stone

Attending authors for WOTR24 -AJ Renee, Measha Stone, Sophie Stern, SJ Chaynie, and Samantha Lind

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver This book has massive trigger warnings so check them before reading.

Synopsis –

Every serial killer needs a friend.
Every game must have a winner.

When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, the two find something elusive—the friendship of a like-minded, pitch-black soul. From small town West Virginia to upscale California, from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country. But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match?

Butcher & Blackbird is the first book in the Ruinous Love Dark Romance trilogy of interconnected stand-alone dark romantic comedies. This dual POV novel ends on a HEA.

Amazon Link

Goodreads Link

My Review –

I purchased the audiobook.
The narration was amazing. I haven’t listened to a story by either narrator but thought the killed it 8see what I did there* with the story.
My friend Kate messaged me and was like “GIRL you need this book.” I opened Goodreads to get the blurb and was SOLD….serial killers who kill other serial killers and fall in love…DUH This is a no-brainer.8 I looked up the triggers and was like WTF list was that. I laughed even. But when I downloaded the book and they read the list of triggers I laughed so hard. Like crazy hard. I knew I was going to be in for an epic ride when the story began.
So Blackird/Sloane is caught when Butcher/Rowan finds her. They have a bit of a chat and decide t have to “friendly” competition every year. And this is how the delicious story begins.
Sloane is a neurotic mess and Rowan is a bit of one too. They two of them grow to be friends and even kinda wanna be with the other…granted Rowan admits this right away in the beginning but Sloane was a little thick to get the point.
The chemistry was a slow simmer until the pot was boiling. I was dying much like they were for “more” to happen…when I does KABOOM. Hold on to your butts because this rocket is full throttle. They two are soon exploring each other and what could be.
Of course we have some drama and a mega plot twist but the story made my heart so happy. I also am looking forward to book 2 with Lachlan and Lark. These two are going to be a riot. I feel like the banter will be just as amazing and Rowan and Sloane.
I didn’t think the story was super dark until about chapter 21 and I got a little squeamish BUT I have read way worse. I will say I don’t know that I can eat Cookies and Cream ice cream again…IYKYK!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Devoted by AJ Renee

Synopsis –

No matter how much you try, you can’t outrun the past.

Opening old wounds is the last thing Ignacio Lupita wants to do. He’d literally and figuratively shed his blood, sweat, and tears to pull himself out of the darkness and open an auto shop in Boston. At last, business is picking up, so he’s working with a local pack to keep his life moving forward.

Pepper Michaels is living her best life in Vermont. One of her best friends has returned after three years in captivity, she’s working on her teaching degree, substitute teaching, and life on Malite land has been carefree to say the least. She thought she couldn’t be happier, but then she spotted him, her mate.

When the past is thrust before Ignacio, Pepper witnesses a side of him she can’t ignore. She knows she only gets one chance at a mate, but she hadn’t expected she’d need to be so careful around hers. Meanwhile, someone or something has been lurking on pack grounds. Can Ignacio confront enough of his demons before everything closes in?

Amazon Link

Goodreads Link

My Review –

I was given this book by the author for an honest review.
I am a GIANT fan of this series. I think I fall in love with each character and pairing to be honest.
We briefly met Ignacio when he took Carrie on a date last book…woops good things Lance didn’t kill him. LOL But this book we learn it is because he smelled his mate and thought it was her. Needless to say, he was wrong. He left the pack with a very grumpy wolf who demanded they find and claim their mate.
Pepper was stunned when she felt the mark on her hip and even more shocked when she realized it was the man who asked Carrie out. She loves her friend and lets her go knowing nothing would come of it. However, Pepper was going crazy not knowing who her mate WAS and when he would return.
To say the chemistry exploded when they finally got face to face is an understatement. These two were all about the sex and then the “get to know ya”. That may have caused issues when they didn’t know each other except between the sheets. Ignacio’s tragic past comes back and causes issues with Peter’s pack.
I loved the way the story turned, and we see so much past trauma and hurt. Ignacio learns the truth about what he THOUGHT he knew. He also must fix the bonds with his new mate due to his reactions to everything because they didn’t really know one another. The story takes another twist when we find out someone is after Ignacio. Pepper is bound and determined to find her mate with the help of our other pack friends.
Seriously I loved this book. I had planned on getting a few chapters in but didn’t stop reading until it was done. I was captivated by the story, the packs growing, the family ties between the 2 packs, and the love story of Pepper and Ignacio.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shadows of Timber Creek by S.J. Chaynie

Synopsis-

Seven years.
Seven years ago, I did the right thing. I broke her heart. I had always planned to come back. Planned to make things right. But time wasn’t on my side anymore. She was engaged. Another man’s ring was on her finger, and it was time to fight for what I’d always known was meant to be mine. Our history was painted with regret and unspoken truths, but now, I finally have the chance to close the distance between us. To show my best friend’s little sister she’s always been my end game. But something comes lurking out of the shadows. Something neither of us saw coming.
Book 3 of the Timber Creek Series. Series will contain interconnected standalones.
Please read reader note for TW.

Amazon Link

Goodreads Link

My Review –

I was given this book by the author for an honest review.
Oh boy. Greyson Roy you are one naughty and swoon worthy man. Look I am coming out of the gates with my favorite lines….”You are everything” followed by “Sit on my face NOW Rosie!!” Yes girls the same man who made me swoon also made my knees a little bit weak.
I gotta say Easton is still my main man but damn did Grey give him a run for his money.
This book is EVERYTHING you want with a Best Friend’s sibling and a little bit enemy to lover. The chemistry and sexual tension between Tilly/Rosie and Grey are OFF THE CHARTS!! Holy Moly. These two are meant to be together and yes there are legit reasons why Grey does the shady when he leaves 7 years ago…but he makes it up to her in so many ways as we discover through the novel. Every single time we learned of the ways Greyson “took care of Rosie” made my heartbeat faster. For real this book….swooooooooon. Tilly, as any heartbroken woman does…hides behind another man. LOL The story of her and Blaine is a wild ride.
The twists and turns of this story are great. I really had no clue who the bad guy was and was shocked when it all played out at the end. The end of the story gives us a glimpse into the next books and LAWD is it going to be good!! Whit is in trouble in a lot of ways.
I do want to say this is the 6th book I have read by this author. I love how her writing style is developing and her writing is just getting so much better. The first books were GREAT. I loved them but I feel like she is more confident. Her story telling had improved with each book. Her flow is much better. She is blowing me away with each additional story she is writing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ryker by Samantha Lind

Synopsis –

After years of trying to get back home to be closer to my daughter, I finally secured a spot on the newly expanded San Francisco Shockwaves.

Juggling being the newly appointed Captain of the team and taking on full-time fatherhood to a teenager sends my life into chaos.

I quickly find myself needing someone who can pick up the pieces and keep my life in order as I certainly can’t do it alone.

I just never thought my savior would be the sexy woman next door- the one I can’t keep my mind or eyes off every chance I get.

Amazon link

Goodreads link

My Review –

I purchased this audiobook.
I want to start by saying that the narration was great. I enjoyed both James and Aria’s Voiced during the story. They both did a great job voicing the characters for the story.
I am a huge fan of Samantha’s stories. She does a great job writing characters that are relatable to me. This story is another one that I enjoyed as well.
Ryker and his daughter are looking for a place after she decided to live with him when he meets his super kind neighbor Avery. Avery is excited to meet the new neighbor and shocked at how sexy he is.
Fast forward to Ryker and Avery spending time together regarding his daughter and Avery helping him with her. I enjoyed Rykers daughter Ellie trying to push her dad and Avery together. She seemed a little more mature than a 15-year-old but still I loved her persistence.
Avery and Ryker have normal relationship issues and thankfully there wasn’t any OWD because I can’t stand that. LOL I loved the story and how Avery and Ryker were so supportive of each other. They are what an older couple in life would be concerned with….finances, kids, and time.
I enjoyed the start of the series and look forward to another story from the characters and the new players from the expansion team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scallywag by Sophie Stern

Synopsis

ou won’t catch him spending the night.

The Dread Pirate Stone takes no survivors. He’s ruthless. Fearless.

He’s unstoppable, especially now that he’s so close to finding the Cat’s Eye – an emerald so big it will buy him a thousand ships. Or, in his case, pay off his debt to the man who’s been holding his sister hostage. Stone will do anything to get that damn rock. He’ll fight. He’ll pillage. He’ll even kill if he has to.

Nothing can stand in his way, but then he finds a stowaway on his ship.

Eleanor knows she’s nobody to write home about. She’s plain. Homely. A little boring. There’s nothing very special about her. She was training to be a teacher before she witnessed the murder of the town mayor. Now she’s on the run and the only person who can keep her safe is one the entire world has labeled a villain.

Oh yes, she’s heard all about the Dread Pirate Stone, but the stories have missed a couple of important details. The legends don’t talk about how stunning his deep green eyes are. They don’t talk about his long, wavy locks. The stories all missed the part about his steely abs or the fact that just one look from him is enough to make her knees quiver.

Nobody warned her about that.

Nobody would warn her that she might start to care about the man who could throw her out to sea – but doesn’t.

Soon their worlds are colliding in ways Eleanor never thought possible…

And she doesn’t know if she’s going to make it out alive.

Amazon Link

Goodreads Link

My Review –

I purchased this book.
I have to admit I love a good Sophie book. I love the worlds and the characters. When I grabbed this book, it was to read on vacation. I needed a shorter read for the drive. It was the perfect book!
The book starts right away with major drama. The dream pirate Smith is attaching her family boat. Eleanor escaped with the cook. He saved her and took her home to raise as his own with his wife. They loved Eleanor with all they had. When things go bad, Eleanor is on the run. She joins a pirate ship to escape and hide.
Pirate Stone is taken by the beautiful and PURE woman. He can’t say no to her and makes a very nice bargain for himself. Eleanor agrees as she has zero other opportunities. The first night with the two was a nice and delicious treat for more night ahead.
Stone is looking for his sister who was kidnapped by Pirate Smith. When he finds a witch to help him, parts of Eleanor’s past sneak up on her and I was like WHOOOOO! The twist of the book had my mouth wide open because you think you have part of it figured out and then NOPE you don’t!!
The story was a great read, and I would totally read more from them or even the crew members.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Corrupted Innocence by Measha Stone

Synopsis-

He wouldn’t take my money. He wanted my innocence instead.

When Nikolai Romanov came looking for my brother, I emptied my savings hoping I could pay off his debt. But it wasn’t even close to enough, so Nikolai Romanov decided to take me instead.

I didn’t expect a Russian mafia boss like him to be gentle with me… and he wasn’t.

Not when he spanked me for daring to wear panties under the dress he chose for me, and certainly not when he stripped me out of that same dress and made me scream in his bed.

He told me I would be his for a month, but the way he looks at me says I’m his forever…

Amazon Link

Goodreads Link

My Review – 

I bought this audiobook.
OHH This book!! I have read one other book from Measha and it was hella dark so I felt this one was a light dark?? Is that a thing? LOL
Charlie’s DB brother, Oliver, ran into some trouble. That trouble was in the name of Nikolai. I gotta admit. I loved Nikolai when he was refusing to take Charlie’s money and well when he made the “deal”, I was a little excited for what would happen.
Nikolai and Charlie are both amazing characters. They both love their family and will do anything for them. I also loved how Charlie pushes Nikolai’s limits and sometimes it was a good result and other times it wasn’t so nice…or maybe it was?? LOL
As the story progressed seeing them two develop feelings and then of course have miscommunications. But I loved how possessive Nikolai was with her. I can’t wait to read more from the series.
The narration was great for the 2 characters. I enjoyed the life they brought to the characters and story.

Twinsie Dee top 5 January- June #ya #thriller #romcom #rh

GOODREADS- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211301664-once-upon-a-paperback

AMAZON- https://amzn.to/3UqJBHb

Going home isn’t easy.

Finding my comatose aunt deep in debt is harder.

What really sucks, though, is cleaning up the mess she’s made of her finances while living next to the enemy I moved away from.

He’s loathsome. Always wrong. And still an arrogant jerk like he was in high school.

I’ve got two weeks to turn in my aunt’s expected manuscript to her publisher and hope it helps with the money issue.

The catch?

She never wrote it. There is no book. Unless I try to save the day and write it on a deadline.

So, really, how hard can it be to whip up a paperback about falling in love…while tolerating a sexy man who doesn’t believe in it?

the last thing Ava wanted to do was be driving back home but here she was heading to her aunts, as she was now jobless, homeless and found out her boyfriend wasn’t just hers. Life up in flames and on the way home she gets a call that her aunt was in an accident and in critical condition. But she’s alive and can fight to get better. having to find any kind of medicine or proof of insurance, Ava was now in way over her head then she ever imagined she would be coming back home. Gage the jock that was an ass to nerdy Ava back in high school found out that she was next door when her broom met his nuts and fresh thigh tattoo, these two will butt heads and have all the sexual tension between them but will they give each other the shot they secretly want or continue to throw gasoline on the fire. Oh, and on top of everything else she now needs to write her aunt’s new romance novel, so she doesn’t get in trouble and have to pay back the publishing company the advance they gave her aunt. Ava’s world is getting flipped upside down rather she’s ready for it or not. OMG great rom-com perfect banter and the AC needs to be cranked for some of those hot and spicy I hate you moments. this is a fast pace read i couldn’t stop AMAZING….

GOODREADS- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/87375990-protect-me-not

AMAZON- https://amzn.to/3xFDLJ8

At Fairview-Teller High, light mixes with dark. Good with evil. And heroes with villains. But there’s a reason students call it Fairy Tale High. They’ll get their happily ever after– even if they have to fight for it.

Popular girl Jessa is caught off guard when the school bad boy—the guy she hates—moves into her house temporarily.
Not knowing how her friends, or the rest of the school, will react, she keeps her new housemate a secret.
Though Jessa loathes Adam for humiliating her at school last year, the more they’re around each other, the more her hatred starts to wane.
And when Adam kisses her?
She doesn’t hate it—or him.
But it does ruin everything.

Welcome to Fairy Tale High well not really but that’s what everyone calls it. You have the queens, wolves, kings and of course a beast, everyone has their roles a d they know how to stay in their own lanes. Jessa got stuck with Adam for a present or fail project and when he didn’t show up to class, she failed and weeks later she still hasn’t let it go, it’s the only time she’s failed at something, and it wasn’t even her fault. Jessa’s dad wanted her with Jay who is from a powerful family and wanted them to rule the kingdom together, but Jessa isn’t having any of that. Jessa wants her own happily ever after even if it’s with someone her dad probably won’t approve of. this queen is her own hero and maybe with the right guy by her side she can truly do good. this was such a cute great story with a plot twist you might not see coming. who will truly rule the kingdom and how will it all play out.

GOODREADS- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/191342252-the-panty-plot

AMAZON- https://amzn.to/3xLPy8U

what happens when your brother’s best friend buys your dirty panties.

Laney Wyatt has problems. She’s just been fired from her brand-new paralegal job. To make matters worse, her student loans are coming due and her medical bills from a past skiing accident are piling up.

When Laney learns about a website where she can sell her dirty panties, she initially laughs at off as a lark. But it’s no lark when she starts making hundreds of dollars a week and has more than enough to pay her medical bills and rent.

Too bad Milo Coulson, her old crush from high school and her brother’s best friend, finds her page and buys her underwear for his own naughty use…

Someone needs to take a cold shower after reading this book. Laney just got fired from her job and can barely pay her half of the rent now. her besties take her out to get drunk and they call her brother Landon and his super-hot friend Milo to come meet them at the bar. Landon and Milo will do anything to help Laney out, but Milo will do anything he’s always found her attractive, but lately it’s just hit him that she’s not just his best friend’s little sister but a woman. After a bit of a pity party Laney gets set up with a temp job with Milo’s help when one of his coworkers is about to have her baby. still needs more cash so she’s going to start selling her dirty panties online after her friend said it as a joke. Little does she know Milo is her biggest buyer after he overheard her 2 best friends talking about her profile on the site. but when both Milo and Laney finally tell each other about their feelings for each other will Milo’s obsession with her panties come between them or will it continue to be his dirty secret. Also, how will Landon take it when he finds out about his best friend and his sister. All the sexy time, talk and that time of the month are happening. You might want a fan on high to cool you off while reading this sexy, steamy book.

GOODREADS- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61381555-run-on-red

AMAZON- https://amzn.to/3Ju0VFa

A rural country road. No cell signal for miles. A terrifying game of cat-and-mouse.

By the time Laura and Olivia notice the headlights tailing them through the hills, it’s too late. What seems, at first, like a case of road rage quickly unfolds into a heart-pounding chase—and a battle for survival.

Who are the men in the truck? What do they want? And can Laura and Olivia outrun—and outsmart—them long enough to call for help, even if it means taking their chances in the hills on foot?

As their situation grows more perilous, the girls realize that the real terror has only just begun. But flight won’t save them from their pursuers. If they’re going to make it home alive, they’ll have to fight.

Olivia and Laura were on their way to a bonfire out in the middle of nowhere going on backroads, twist, turns and hills. Olivia was getting car sick in the old beat-up Volvo that Laura’s sister let them take for the night. Olivia noticed a truck following super close to them and was able to grab the plate number and text it to her bestie you know to be safe in her true crime mind you can’t be careful enough in a time like this, well this wasn’t because they were in the middle of nowhere she did it all the time so they didn’t think too much of it but she wanted them to have a lead just in case something bad were to happen to her. next thing the truck passes them and sits in wait blocking them from their path and now the girls were in their very own Dateline episode that they didn’t want to be in, with 2 mask men coming towards their car what happens next you will never see coming. What do these guys want to hurt them, or possibly kill them, what did they do. So many twists, turns, and gut retching pain that will have you on the edge of your seat till the last page.

GOODREADS- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/199264768-honed-in-havoc

AMAZON- https://amzn.to/3JNuAcJ

They want an heir and I’m the only way they can get it. With or without my cooperation.I thought Cadieux Island would be a new beginning, but the privileged estates and elite college turned into a nightmare.My once tormentor and his twin brother somehow became my unlikely saviors while the grandparents, I didn’t know existed, lured me here with the promise of family have shown themselves to be the true tyrants.The Umbra’s want an heir and I’m the only way they can get it, but I’m not the same girl I was when I stepped onto this island. The Morningstar twins have honed me, sharpened me into something my family will never see coming. Honed in Havoc is the final book in the Corrupt Credence series. A dark college romance with mature content for adult readers.

With the Umbra’s having kidnapped Nova, Lucian and Nox are on a mission to get her back and never let her out of their sights again. When 7 students die tragically Nova is allowed to leave the house with her captures, I mean grandparents to attend the memorial. Her heart breaks when Lucian and Nox barely look at her, but little does she know that’s all a part of their plan. 1 gps tracker placed and unknown Lucian is ready to get his lam back at all costs and who knows how much blood will be shed. OMFG this book WOW, swoon, makes you all hot and bothered, and have all the feels the Morningstar twins are so perfectly written Nova is definitely one lucky lady.

#review #shortstory #chrsitmasread Santa’s Christmas Cracker (Santa’s Coming Short Stories) by Angel Devlin

From Ho Ho Ho to Oh Oh Oh…

It’s been six years since Casey last saw her best friend’s brother…

Now her coffee shop is quiet at Christmas and her bestie, Audrina, has recruited Jared to come play Santa. Hot Spiced Pumpkin lattes versus Hot Santa, it’s a no-brainer for the women of NYC.

So Casey has to watch as the crush she’s never forgotten lets woman after woman sit on his lap. Even more humiliating is that she’s dressed in the worst outfit ever – as a British Christmas Cracker.

Can Casey get all she wants for Christmas?

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43284300-santa-s-christmas-cracker?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=gZeRhzDDS0&rank=1

Amazon https://amzn.to/4dUme0I

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book here is my honest review

Casey owned a local coffee shop, and she can’t stand Christmas because really what Christmas flavor is going to beat pumpkin spice. She needed a huge idea to get her costumers back in the shop, and her best friend and employee knew just the person to help bring this Christmas miracle to life. but is this the Christmas wish Casey was wanting or will she get a bigger surprise that she couldn’t ever wish for. this was a cute little story fast read.

Angel Devlin likes to write about bad boys and billionaires. She lives in Sheffield in the UK with her partner, son, and furbaby.

Angel also writes paranormal romance as Andie M. Long and psychological suspense as Angel Devlin.

#WOTR24 #Review – Heart of Glass by Michele Shriver

Darcy Caldwell’s world shatters when, on her deathbed, her enigmatic mother, Meredith, bequeaths her a handcrafted glass heart. With her cryptic plea to uncover its origins, Meredith leaves Darcy with more questions than answers. Driven by a desperate need to understand the woman she never truly knew, Darcy embarks on a poignant journey with her estranged husband, Mattox.Their quest takes them to a skilled glass artist in New England, unraveling a tale of intense, ill-fated love in 1970s Boston. As the pieces of the puzzle fall into place, Darcy discovers that the heart’s secrets may lie closer to home than she ever imagined—tied to Meredith’s enduring friendship back home in West Virginia.More than a quest for the truth behind the glass token, it transforms into a cathartic exploration of Meredith’s past, revealing hidden facets of her character and the choices that shaped her. In retracing her mother’s footsteps, Darcy grapples with her own vulnerabilities and untangles the complexities of love and loss.The journey not only unveils Meredith’s secrets but forces Darcy to confront her fractured marriage. Heart of Glass is a soul-stirring exploration of family, love, and self-discovery—a tale that resonates across generations and leaves readers with the enduring power of healing and redemption.

Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Death has a way of stirring up some very intense emotions but also seems to bring up secrets. Darcy and her mother, Meredith, don’t have the best of relationships. I think this occurs with a lot of families, but when Meredith is on her death bed she asks for her daughter specifically and gives her a hand blown glass heart with a cryptic message just before she passes. Darcy is drawn to find out more about her mother, in hopes of finding about what made her mom the way she was and why their relationship was so strained at time. This journey into her mother’s past also brings a lot of emotional baggage as she is accompanied by her soon to be ex. The exploration of her mother’s past, the prejudices she endured and overcame, and learning more about her mother prior to death really shows Darcy how closed off she has become, both emotionally and physically.

This story is very emotional. It shows the characters in very vulnerable situations while confronting and understanding their own emotions. There is a lot of reflection and a time of second chances. Sometimes it really is better to be late than never to show up. I will caution readers that if you have strained personal relationships, it will really touch those heartstrings. I highly recommend as this is a wonderful soul touching story.

Michele Shriver profile image

Michele Shriver is an International bestselling author of women’s fiction and contemporary romance. Her books feature flawed-but-likeable characters in real-life settings. She’s not afraid to break the rules, but never stops believing in happily ever after. Michele counts among her favorite things a good glass of wine, a hockey game, and a sweet and sexy book boyfriend, not necessarily in that order.

#wotr24 #attendingauthor #standalone Once Upon a Paperback by A.M. Daniels

Going home isn’t easy.

Finding my comatose aunt deep in debt is harder.

What really sucks, though, is cleaning up the mess she’s made of her finances while living next to the enemy I moved away from.

He’s loathsome. Always wrong. And still an arrogant jerk like he was in high school.

I’ve got two weeks to turn in my aunt’s expected manuscript to her publisher and hope it helps with the money issue.

The catch?

She never wrote it. There is no book. Unless I try to save the day and write it on a deadline.

So, really, how hard can it be to whip up a paperback about falling in love…while tolerating a sexy man who doesn’t believe in it?

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211301664-once-upon-a-paperback

Amazon https://amzn.to/440hIZH

Review by Twinsie Dee

i was given this book by the author for an honest review

the last thing Ava wanted to do was be driving back home but here she was heading to her aunts, as she was now jobless, homeless and found out her boyfriend wasn’t just hers. Life up in flames and on the way home she gets a call that her aunt was in an accident and in critical condition. But she’s alive and can fight to get better. having to find any kind of medicine or proof of insurance, Ava was now in way over her head then she ever imagined she would be coming back home.  Gage the jock that was an ass to nerdy Ava back in high school found out that she was next door when her broom met his nuts and fresh thigh tattoo, these two will butt heads and have all the sexual tension between them but will they give each other the shot they secretly want or continue to throw gasoline on the fire. Oh, and on top of everything else she now needs to write her aunt’s new romance novel, so she doesn’t get in trouble and have to pay back the publishing company the advance they gave her aunt. Ava’s world is getting flipped upside down rather she’s ready for it or not. OMG great rom-com perfect banter and the AC needs to be cranked for some of those hot and spicy I hate you moments. this is a fast pace read i couldn’t stop AMAZING….

USA Today Bestselling Author A.M. Daniels lives in Ottawa Hills with her husband, three young girls, and too many cats and dogs. She lives for coffee, loves witty sass, and always writes a HEA. Previously writing under the name of Amabel Daniels, she carries on with the Awkward in Love series: romcoms loaded with heat and plenty of laugh-out-loud scenes.

#wotr #attendingauthor #seriesstarter Perfect Risk (Mason Creek 1) by C.A. Harms

Mason Creek, Montana is my home. It always has been and truth is, there is no place like it.

I can hide away in a big city, pretend as if I’m not drowning. I can ignore the sadness inside my heart that is begging for a change. But if I’m being honest, my sense of belonging has disappeared. I thought I wanted the big city life, the fast track and all the glamorous things. Turns out, there’s nowhere I’d rather be than home.

Coming back to help run my mom’s business gave me the perfect escape.

But there is one problem.

An unresolved past has a way of haunting anyone. Things can sure get complicated when the man that broke your heart all those years ago is now your new landlord.

It may get a little messy, I may regret my decision to stay…
But then again, this might just be the Perfect Risk.

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57290237-perfect-risk

Amazon https://amzn.to/3SdTuHn

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book here is my honest review

Sadie had enough of the big city life and once she got the call that her mom broke her hip, and she found her boyfriend cheating on her that was all it took for her to pack up her and head back home to Mason Creek. Moving home brought excitement and joy it also brought back the memoires of high school and bring made fun of for being dumped and humiliated by the high school quarterback Wyatt Murphy who was now the town deputy. Wyatt first found out that Sadie was back in town when he ran into her spilling her coffee all over the front of her, and then Sadie found the perfect cottage to rent not reading the fine print that Wyatt was the owner. Will these two leave their past in the past or will they make it awkward in town, it could be the risk that they both need to take. omg this is the perfect book to introduce someone into the best town that is Mason Creek.

C.A. Harms is an avid romance and mystery reader. She’s always had a love for books, getting lost in writing and storytelling even as a young girl. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories.

She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. She holds an addiction for Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha’s and KitKat when she should really be focusing on water and maybe a fruit or two to make herself feel less guilty, but that feeling quickly passes…thankfully.

She is easy going, fun, and although she may seem like one of the quiet ones at first, you just wait until she gets to know you better…that quietness changes, fast

#Review – Silver Bush (Awkward Series Book 3) by JB Heller


Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Super funny and sweet! How do you handle things when the love of your life becomes your step sibling? Yep, you freak the F out! However, when what you two have is true love, will you let the step sibling stuff get in the way? Well, Tilly and Lee split up because their parents screwed things up royally for these two. Three kids and six years later they are going to see if they can make it work. Tilly is a divorcee with three kids and her stepbrother, Lee, wants to be her baby-daddy too! The chemistry between these two is palpable and you know they truly love each other. The extra craziness the kids bring to the party is soooo pure and sweet. The banter and wit with the entire crew is sure to keep you turning the pages with a smile on your face.

J B Heller profile image

Join Heller’s Bookwhorders reader group on Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/groups/hellersbookwhorders

*****

USA Today Bestselling Author JB Heller is an average Aussie housewife and Mumma in her 30’s with a wicked sexy imagination. As well as the owner of a randy Eclectus parrot with boundary issues.

These days she writes mostly contemporary romance and romantic comedies, drawing inspiration from her everyday life.

Monday to Friday you can find JB glued to her laptop weaving words or trolling Pinterest for her next potential muse. Come the weekend, it’s family time. (And of course lots of reading and Netflix binges.)

Want to know more?

Monthly Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/3FtVhyd

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jbtheindie

Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hellersbookwhorders

#WOTR24 #MM #KU #2ndChance #AgeGap – Daybreak by Kate Hawthorne, narrated by Kirt Graves and Kale Williams

When a sunny young musician gets stranded with a grumpy mechanic during a snowstorm, a lack of heat is the least of their problems…

Liam Luckett is on an adventure. He’s dropped out of his Master’s program without telling his overbearing parents and set off on a road trip across the country. Armed with little more than his guitar, he’s looking for his best life. He never expected his car to break down in the middle of nowhere Vermont with a huge storm pending, leaving him stranded and at the mercy of a hunky local mechanic.

Jasper Cunningham is in a holding pattern. Three years after the death of his husband, he still hasn’t moved on. A hot, younger stranded tourist is exactly the sort of complication this mechanic has been avoiding. But he also can’t leave him in the snow. He brings Liam home and lets him sleep on the couch. The air is heavy with more than snow, and when the power goes out, the two men become closer than either of them expects.

Every silken note Liam sings on that guitar thaws Jasper’s heart a little. Suddenly, Liam’s itchy feet aren’t so eager to move on. When their feelings get too big to ignore, the bond they’ve formed is tested. Will daybreak leave them going their separate ways?

This opposites attract, hurt/comfort romance features a grumpy widower who is only soft for one specific blue-eyed musician, a remote farmhouse, a friendly dog, and enough snow to knock the power out until love catches fire.

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Angie

I purchased this audio book from Audible through my monthly subscription for free.

I haven’t read an MM in AGES!!  I read so many that I burned out a few years ago.  I met Kate at an author event and absolutely love her. SO I was like I’m gonna read a dirty book by Kate.  I looked through her catalogue.  Jasper and Laim just kinda called to me…so here we are.

Jasper, man did he hurt my heart.  From the first chapter you feel his hurt and his pain is still evident 3 years after the loss of his husband.  They had been together for YEARS so I can only imagine how difficult it would be to pick up and move on.

Liam is just a lot of fun.  He is a flirt but also feels the pain and hurt Jasper has.  He is a fun light that Jasper did not know he needed in his life.  Good thing his friends Ty and Emmet knew it.

The story of these two is a great slow burn.  We see the attraction building between them.  We can see the sight touches and once Jasper commits to moving forward with his life, Liam is there to see him though his desires…on the couch *wink wink*

I loved the couple and how they grew but also feared the skeletons in their closets. I mean Liam has no clue where Jasper’s husband is and Jasper has no clue WHO Liam is.    Woof the chapter where everything shakes out, I wanted to nut punch Jasper but loved the ending chapters.

With over two dozen published romances to her name, Kate Hawthorne has built a recognizable brand around telling emotional stories that pack a figurative (and sometimes literal) punch.

Existing on a steady diet of wine and coffee, Kate spends her days dreaming up angsty stories full of heat, kink, and heart. Kate now lives in Louisville, where she writes romance, reads romance, and hides from the humidity.

Visit her website at http://www.katehawthornebooks.com