Category Archives: Contemp. Romance

#Review – Winning the Witch by Tori Ross


Eliza Owl is all about helping her community. When her friend, Lily Jane, talks her into being a prize in the annual children’s hospital date raffle, she worries something will happen at the event that she can’t control. It’s not that she doesn’t like helping her community or children. The raffle is on Halloween, the one day of the year when her witch power is full and things just…happen.

Jake Salt thinks Christmas has come early on Halloween when he finds out he’s holding Eliza’s ticket. He immediately sets out to make their date a perfect night. But dating a witch on Halloween has its downfalls.

Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Modern day witches get their day too! This was such a humorous and quirky read; I couldn’t put it down! Poor Eliza has done some crazy things on Halloween! She has such a difficult time controlling her powers on Halloween and things always go wonky! Boiled Koi fish in the pond and made the ex-girlfriend’s tongue disappear, I mean, what else could go wrong? Jake is an amazing guy who just can’t get enough of Eliza but when she tries to convince him that she really is a witch, things just get weirder and weirder. However, with each outrageous obstacle that they face together, he is able to show her how much he really cares and wants to explore Eliza for who she is, not what she is.

This is a super sweet Halloween read that you will love so hard that you won’t be able quit turning the pages and put down until the very very end! You will be able to see how it feels for a witch to be on the other side of a bonfire!

 

Tori Ross profile image

Tori Ross is an Amazon bestselling and award-winning author of steamy contemporary romance and romantic comedy. Her book, The Cuffing Season Contract, won the National Indie Excellence Award for romantic comedy, and she’s written several shorts, novellas, full-length books, and serials. She lives with her family and two rescue dogs.

 



#WOTR25 #SecretRelease #Prequal #SiblingBestFriend #Contemporary #HolidayNovella – Secrets of Timber Creek, Book 5 by SJ Chaynie

This wasn’t the Christmas I had in mind. I didn’t plan on having no electricity, no heat, and for the man I’d spent the majority of my life running from to find me. But here I am. Freezing, bleeding, and standing on the doorstep of Adam Harper’s cabin. The cop who happens to be my best friend’s older brother. I should be anywhere else but here. I should have taken his silence for the last two years for what it was. But I’m desperate. The one night we shared may have been a mistake, and he may be Timber Creek’s biggest playboy, but I need help. One knock on his door, one simple question, and I’m suddenly swept back into his arms. But this was just temporary, and once Christmas was over, I’d be back to my normal life.
Except it appears Adam Harper may have other plans……he wants all of my secrets. And he wants to expose ours.

Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Angie

I received this book from the author for an honest review.

I was so excited when I got an email saying SUPRIZE to this novella drop.  I was so not ready to say goodbye to the gang of Timber Creek, so this gem was appreciated and needed.

We have always seen Bekka and Adam together in the series and NOW we get their book.

Bekka and Tilly have been BFFs since Bekka and her mom moved to town.  Bekka is quiet but appreciates all Tilly and family have done to accept her with open arms.  The only things Bekka doesn’t appreciate is being another notch in Tilly’s manwhore brother’s bed.    Ouch the way he ignored her.

Adam is a man who loves women and not being tied down.  When a chance encounter with Bekka one-night flips him off his kilter he is not sure what to do when he discovers who she really is.  So he does what nay man does and stalks her…LOL  but really that is what the town police officer does.  I mean he calls it duty but whatever.

I freaking loved this story.  The chemistry was amazing, and the storyline kept me turning each page of the kindle wanting to know when they would just admit it all to each other……STUBBORN people.

Since I am not ready for a goodbye can we have another surprise book…I mean a surprise baby would be great in the spring!!  LOL

Review by Twinsie Melinda

I received this book from the author for an honest review.

I absolutely love when I am having a bad day and see that S.J. Chanynie sends me a surprise book about a series I absolutely love. How can you not love the characters from Timber Creek.

This is Adam and Bekka’s book and I could not be happier to hear their story.

When Bekka and her mother came to Timber Creek she hooked up with a stranger for one night. Little did she know that he would turn out to be the big brother of her best friend. Bekka became a part of Tilly’s family. Bekka was able to hide how things were going in own family from everyone in the town even her BFF and her family. When Bekka’s past comes knocking on her face literally. With nowhere else to turn she finds herself on her one-night stands porch.

Adam is the town playboy never staying with one girl. When he realizes he had a one-night stand with her little sister’s best friend, Bekka. He knows he has to put and keep distance between him and Bekka. No way he was getting involved with his little sister’s friend.  He does a good job of ignoring and avoiding her since that night. That is until she shows up on his porch with a busted face everything changed after that night.

Like any police officer it is his job to find out what happened to Bekka and help her even if she doesn’t want him nosing around in her business. He finds out about the secrets she has been keeping from their family. He now on a mission to make things better for her.

I love these two as much as I do the other characters. These two made my heart happy they have such amazing chemistry. I loved their 10 get to know you questions. My favorite question and answer was about her Blue and white shirt. AWWW. This is one series I cannot get enough of and sure am going to miss it. I loved this Surprise book.

S.J. Chaynie is a small-town Texas girl who has found a love for writing. She enjoys writing romance, with a sprinkle of suspense, and a little humor. If she is not busy writing her newest ideas, she is spending time with her husband and two beautiful daughters. She believes a good book and a lot of laughs is the best medicine. She brings suspense, love, angst, and sometimes the occasional heartbreak to her stories. Always a HEA, but every character and story she holds close to her heart and hopes they touch yours as well.

#Review – Cadillac Cowboy: A Standalone Runaway Bride-Cop-Roadtrip (Diamond Lake, Texas Book 2) by Cynthia D’Alba

From NYT-USA Today Best Selling Author comes a story of a cop, an antique Cadillac, and a bride on the run from her mob fiancé. What could possibly go wrong?

Relocating from Chicago to Texas, cop Shade Gruber agrees to drive his grandmother’s prize car to his new home in Diamond Lakes. He expects some car issues. He doesn’t expect to pick up a runaway bride.

Bride Victoria Vaught dashes from the church thirty minutes before the I Dos. Stranded in her bridal attire when her car breaks down, she starts walking, desperate to get as far from Chicago as possible.

Their road to love is filled with twists, turns and bumps…and a stolen flogger! Hanging on to the one you love can be a roller coaster ride with surprising results.

This was previously published in 2016 as part of a Kindle World. This edition has been re-edited and additional material added.

Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Kelly

I picked this book up on a whim while it was free, then it just sat there. I was scrolling through my kindle trying to find something that caught my eye and thought, “why not” and gave it a try. I am now kicking myself for not picking this up sooner. Holy H E double hockey sticks! The way these two meet is may have been fate or purely by chance. But whatever you believe, believe it because these two were meant to meet. She tries to hide who she really is but with Shade being a cop from Chicago, he knows exactly who she is.

These two are from two completely different worlds. Cops and Mobs just don’t mix. She is used to the finer things and he is used to working for them. He agrees to take her to Texas, however, he plans to ditch her the next morning before she wakes. She is smarter than our good friend Shade and slept in the car! Ha! They come to an agreement and she is part of the roadtrip for the long haul. There are a ton of hilarious moments throughout. The fact that she had never been in a Walmart or just a regular bar will have you literally laughing out loud. But also watching their romance bloom is absolutely swoon-worthy!  She even gets to meet the fam!

Never fear, there will be an appearance from the ex-fiance’ mob douche guy. But as this is a standalone romance, we can all figure out what happens. But the journey there, in the antique Cadillac, with a runaway bride and a cowboy, will have you feeling ALL the feels!

I couldn’t put this book down. I started it reading it and next thing I knew, it was over, like no time had passed at all!  It had all the desirable elements and ended perfectly!

This is a new to me author and I am so happy I took a chance. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Cynthia D'Alba profile image

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Cynthia D’Alba started writing on a challenge from her husband in 2006 and discovered having imaginary sex with lots of hunky men was fun. She was born and raised in a small Arkansas town. After being gone for a number of years, she’s thrilled to be making her home back in Arkansas living in a vine-covered cottage on the banks of an eight-thousand acre lake. When she’s not reading or writing or plotting, she’s doorman for her border collie, cook, housekeeper and chief bottle washer for her husband and slave to a noisy, messy parrot. She loves to chat online with friends and fans.

#WOTR24 #Review – ‘Pistol Fire’ in Rocks: The Complete Series by Tori Ross

Rocks: The Complete Series

The complete series is now available!

Deep in the sticks of Missouri is a bar called Rocks where the bartenders are only similar in the fact that they’re all unlucky in love…

Cherry Burn – Dylan Wilcox has been gone from Highlight, Missouri for ten years. Nobody has seen him or even received an email as to his location. Worse, he left his high school girlfriend, Cherry Moss, without saying goodbye when he disappeared. When Dylan shows back up in town, clearly changed in the past ten years, Cherry needs to decide if his story is worth her forgiveness and if she can get over her own demons about him leaving.

Blue Balls – Piper Peck loves her life, her friends, and her job. There’s only one problem. The local sheriff, Creed McDuffy, has it in for her over her grandma’s old hot tub that’s considered an eyesore by county enforcement. Unknown to Piper, Creed has had a crush on her since high school and will do anything to get her to look his way. When Creed goes too far and arrests Piper in a last-ditch effort to get her attention, can he ever grovel enough to get in her good graces?

Pistol Fire – Libby Dean is known for being the town pistol. Brock Carpenter is known for being the town’s hero fireman. When a fire at Rocks Tavern throws Libby for a loop, Brock wants to comfort her. Libby’s not used to comfort, though, and runs away from any affection as fast as she can. But when Brock needs his own comfort, will Libby put aside her pride and step up?

Each short is 12-14k words. HEA or HFN guaranteed!

Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Pistol Fire wraps this series up perfectly! Libby gets her time with this book. Libby is known around town as the hardass but she just about broke when her bar catches on fire. Who better to help her than the town hottie fireman, Brock! Yes girls! His description alone will make your panties wet! Well, Libby can’t think straight when he is around and I completely understand why.

Libby and Brock both have their own demons and their own reasons for not pursuing long term romantic quests. Neither will accept help and certainly not from each other. There is a lot of tit for tat with these two. A tragedy strikes, and BOY this will grab your heart strings and pull hard, but even then, they can’t quite get it together for each other. It can be difficult when you don’t know who or what hurt someone to make them so cold. However, when the ice starts to thaw, the dam will break and these two collide!

I love that these two ultimately come around to each other. And their commitment to each other, while unconventional for some, is perfect for them. Absolutely love it!

Tori Ross profile image

Tori Ross is an Amazon bestselling and award-winning author of steamy contemporary romance and romantic comedy. Her book, The Cuffing Season Contract, won the National Indie Excellence Award for romantic comedy, and she’s written several shorts, novellas, full-length books, and serials. She lives in Missouri with her family and two rescue dogs.

#WOTR24 #Review – ‘Cherry Burn’ in Rocks: The Complete Series by Tori Ross

Deep in the sticks of Missouri is a bar called Rocks where the bartenders are only similar in the fact that they’re all unlucky in love…

Cherry Burn – Dylan Wilcox has been gone from Highlight, Missouri for ten years. Nobody has seen him or even received an email as to his location. Worse, he left his high school girlfriend, Cherry Moss, without saying goodbye when he disappeared. When Dylan shows back up in town, clearly changed in the past ten years, Cherry needs to decide if his story is worth her forgiveness and if she can get over her own demons about him leaving.

Blue Balls – Piper Peck loves her life, her friends, and her job. There’s only one problem. The local sheriff, Creed McDuffy, has it in for her over her grandma’s old hot tub that’s considered an eyesore by county enforcement. Unknown to Piper, Creed has had a crush on her since high school and will do anything to get her to look his way. When Creed goes too far and arrests Piper in a last-ditch effort to get her attention, can he ever grovel enough to get in her good graces?

Pistol Fire – Libby Dean is known for being the town pistol. Brock Carpenter is known for being the town’s hero fireman. When a fire at Rocks Tavern throws Libby for a loop, Brock wants to comfort her. Libby’s not used to comfort, though, and runs away from any affection as fast as she can. But when Brock needs his own comfort, will Libby put aside her pride and step up?

Each short is 12-14k words. HEA or HFN guaranteed!

Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Kelly

***Review is for Cherry Burn***

Cherry and Dylan were high school sweethearts 10 years ago. Dylan did the unthinkable. He took Cherry’s virginity and then was abducted by aliens the next day! 10 years later he pops back up and wants to give Cherry an explanation. But a lot has happened to Cherry over these 10 years and she has become cold toward men. She has responsibilities and she doesn’t think Dylan deserves the time of day.

Dylan has had enough and won’t take no for an answer. He finally gets to give his explanation. While it wasn’t as explosive as I thought it would be, it was different.

Next comes the inner turmoil of these two before they can finally get through their own crap to realize they are in love. Their long lost love is super sweet and hawt!

This was a great quickie read with some laughs, witty comments, sweet and swoony, with the mouth of a sailor… this is it!

Tori Ross profile image

Tori Ross is an Amazon bestselling and award-winning author of steamy contemporary romance and romantic comedy. Her book, The Cuffing Season Contract, won the National Indie Excellence Award for romantic comedy, and she’s written several shorts, novellas, full-length books, and serials. She lives in Missouri with her family and two rescue dogs.

#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 #Review – Conner: A Hockey Romance (Glendale Magic Book 1) by Mary Warren

Sasha Maloof was a successful plus-size influencer, but she left it all behind after an incident with a stalker. She finds a new job managing social media for a hockey team. It might just be the fresh start she was looking for, the only problem is the infuriating team captain. But she can’t hide from her past forever.

Conner McPhee is captain of the Glendale Magic. He has devoted his whole life to hockey and is focused on finally bringing home the cup. That focus is tested when the Magic hire a new social media manager who is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen … and a distraction he didn’t need. But when her safety is at stake, he can’t help but be her knight in shining hockey pads.

Despite their rocky start, Sasha learns Conner is someone she can depend on and he learns there is more to life than hockey.

Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Kelly

Very sweet story about overcoming the past and moving forward. Sasha moves to a new place to get a new start. Just about all of us can relate to that. Well, her new start is being the social media manager for the Magic hockey team. **wags eyebrows** As Conner is passing her in the hall, the chemistry starts to crackle. They are instantly attracted to each other. As things progress further in the story, Conner fights the attraction because he had a bad relationship in the past and is now ALL HOCKEY, ALL OF THE TIME. The only problem is that he keeps acting like a complete d**k whenever he is around Sasha. It almost starts off as if they become instant enemies. Sasha has had some setbacks with people thinking she “plays” on the internet so she is trying her hardest to show everyone exactly what she can do and that she is contributing. Finally, they both stop for five seconds and realize that the other isn’t really so bad. This, my friends, is when the chemistry start heating up. They stop hiding all of their emotions and feelings to start exploring this path with each other. But then, BAM, things really turn when Sasha’s stalker starts popping back up from her past. She is done hiding and Conner helps her overcome. The chemistry between them is undeniable. Without giving away the story, this happens and that happens, and some more things happen, LOL! I will tell you that there is an HEA and it definitely is swoon worthy. <3

I did struggle at times because there were times where the struggle between Conner and Sasha felt like it was repetitive and drawn out.  At times it was a bit frustrating. Overall, the story has its thrilling moments, but is adorable with some especially spicy sexy time.

Mary Warren profile image

Mary Warren lives in Illinois with her family. When she’s not writing stories of fat women, she’s reading them and advocating for better fat representation. Mary founded Fat Girls in Fiction, pointing out positive fat representation for femmes and non-binary people in books. This project became a community and is something she is immensely proud of and happy to be working on.

#WOTR24 #Review – Comma Kaze: A Neurodivergent Professor Romance (Nerd Love Book 1) by Mellanie Szereto

Loss brings them together. Will their pact help them find love and happily-ever-after?

English professor Elijah M. Clayton, Jr., (34) has promised his dying cousin he’ll raise her unborn daughter, but his search for a wife has failed miserably. Social awkwardness related to being on the autism spectrum leads to his only decent speed-dating prospect—Beatrix-35—calling him a pervert before the start of their first official date.
Plumber Beatrix Glouster (35) likes Elijah-34 and has high hopes she’s found a good guy until he asks questions that trigger painful memories of losing her premature son, her subsequent inability to have children, and her husband leaving her. An early morning plumbing emergency brings her face-to-cute-backside with last night’s disappointment.
Their lives are forever changed when a call from Elijah’s cousin summoning him to the hospital for the birth of her child interrupts an unexpectedly hot kiss. Only deep commitment will help Elijah and Beatrix avoid the prospective emotional risk of an impromptu marriage, his communication issues, and raising their orphaned newborn charge together.

Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Kelly

OMG!! ALL THE FEELS!!!! If there is ever a book or story that makes you believe in fate or love at first sight, then this is it for me! Elijah and Beatrix meet at a speed dating mixer and decide to meet afterward. Not realizing that Elijah is on the spectrum, when he starts to ask some weird questions, she decides to cut her losses and just walk away. They are then thrown back into each other’s space when she, a plumber, ends up at Elijah’s house to fix his bathroom faucet. She is with Elijah when he gets the call that his cousin is about ready to pass and Beatrix accompanies him to the hospital. Chloe, his cousin, just knows that she is the one and these two are going to be the best parents for her child. The only problem is, these two literally just met! However, the chemistry, not just sexual, is there and it gets intense. They just calm each other…they just fit.

“Chloe was right. Fate had played a part in her introduction and subsequent meeting with Eli, but this child was the catalyst – not romance, love, or even sexual attraction. The interaction with him been a means to an end. Only Eve mattered – and Chloe passing from the world knowing someone would cherish her baby.”

“A plumber and an English professor walk into a marriage for the wrong reason. And baby makes three. There’s a bad joke if I ever heard one. A deep breath didn’t calm the butterflies in her stomach. And I’m gonna do it anyway.”

One takeaway I have from this story is that average is boring! Parenting means making sacrifices and falling in love has no guarantee of a happily-ever-after, but these two are truly meant to be. Life isn’t always fair but it doesn’t have to be. However, when your instinct takes over and you know you found your person, you will truly be happy.

Please pick up this book. It is an incredible story with ALL THE FEELS!

I received a copy of this book from Booksprout in exchange for an honest review.

Mellanie Szereto profile image

Mellanie Szereto is the USA Today Bestselling Author of over fifty romcoms and contemporary romances, most with characters who have plenty of life experience like herself. Whether you call them older, seasoned, mature, experienced, or later-in-life protagonists, they deserve love too! Her stories are often set in small towns with quirky main characters, fun secondary casts, and lots of humor. She enjoys gardening, cooking, and baking—as well as hiking to work off the fruits of her labor—and incorporates food into all of her stories. She lives in an old farmhouse in rural Indiana with her husband of thirty-seven years.

#WOTR24 #SeriesStarter #Contemporary #ThrowbackReview – If I Loved You, Hollywood Hearts Book 1 by Jean C. Joachim

Does love always mean total truth? Successfully shunning the limelight was one way for Megan Davis to keep her family secret. The press intruded on her life when her twin brother, Mark, became the star quarterback for the Delaware Demons. Disrespectful of tabloid superstars, financial advisor, Meg, was shocked when she was tapped to launch a celebrity division in the prestigious investment firm, Dillon & Weed. The biggest surprise: the charisma of her first client.
Gorgeous, magnetic movie star, Chaz Duncan, wary of women who wanted to bask in his fame or sell his secrets to the media, valued privacy above all else. Would attractive Megan Davis, his new financial advisor charm the truth from him or would he continue his high profile but lonely existence to keep his secret safe? Jealousy, deceit and scandal threaten two careers and the quest for true love and trust in this roller-coaster-ride contemporary romance.

Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Angie

I received this book from the author for an honest review.
I actual rating is a 3.75 but I rounded up.

I met this wonderfully kind author while at a book convention. She is so warm and friendly that when she reached out to me after the convention, I had to read these books. The blurbs of the books seemed “up my alley”. Who DOESN’T follow the heart breaks and loves of celebrities.

Chaz is the celebrity that everyone wants and everyone assumes (ya know you should’nt do that right???) is a mega playboy. He meets Megan/Meg to talk to her about investing his money. He is totally taken with her and had to convince her to go out on dates. Meg has a famous brother and she wants NOOOOO part of a celebrity relationship.

Well the couple feel an attraction. Meg is so insecure that she cant believe this hottie really wants her. Chaz is sooo broken he cant believe someone as kind and caring actually likes him for him and not his money.

Well the two end up falling in L…..wait not the L word…friends with benefits. Neither will admit their love for the other out of fear. When they finally do, they are arguing and I had to laugh about it. The couple is happy and trying to figure out the logistics of how to make it work when…grrrr….the conflict of the story hits. a co-worker frames Meg and sets off a bunch of bad press for Chaz which is turns threatens his career. Poor Chaz has to decided love or a career. Poor Meg has to decide Love for me or let him go for his own career.

I enjoyed the story and the overall plot. I am very excited to meet and read about Quinn, Chaz’s best friend, in book 2.

I’ve been making up stories for as long as I can remember. When other kids wanted to be doctors, teachers or firemen, I wanted to be a writer.
As soon as I could read, I began devouring books. I’d read anything I could get my hands on, but Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” and Nancy Drew mysteries were early favorites.
In school, term papers were my favorite homework. While others bemoaned the amount of work involved, I jumped in, burying myself in research and writing the document with care.
Still fiction was my first love. After college and a degree in English, I fell into the world of advertising. After many years in corporate America, I went my own way. Working and raising two kids took all my energy and creativity. But when the youngest went off to school, all the stories ideas in my head came to life. Mac Caldwell and Callie Richards landed in my head and refused to leave. So I told their story. What started as one book has become six. Now I greet my characters every morning at six and jump back into their story, enjoying every minute. I’m blessed to be able to work at something I love. More than 70 books later, I’m still up at the crack of dawn, crafting the tales of the people who live in my head while nursing a cup of tea and a few pieces of black licorice.

#WOTR24 #Review – Under Your Skin (The O’Malley Family Book 1) by Shannyn Schroeder

Nothing gets under your skin quite like love…

Norah O’Malley has way too much on her plate to even consider romance. Being home for the first time in ten years—single and pregnant—is more than enough. Too bad her heart has other ideas when she first lays eyes on her brother’s tattooed, grumpy, and entirely too sexy boss…

Kai Ellis knows that no one (least of all him) gets a fairy tale, happily ever after ending in this life. But Norah, the woman who lights up a room like sunshine, hasn’t learned that lesson yet. So, he has no business thinking about her in any kind of romantic capacity. He is, though…

But all the chemistry in the world won’t help Norah with the hard decisions she needs to make—or help her prove to Kai that happy endings really can happen. When it matters most, will Kai put his faith in in Norah—and in love? Or will they go their separate ways forever?

Under Your Skin, book 1 in The O’Malley Family series, is a steamy, lightly angsty, grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract contemporary romance full of big, Irish families, even bigger emotions, and a guaranteed happily ever after. Download today and welcome to the O’Malleys’ neighborhood!

Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Kelly

This book gave me a ton of FEELS! This book was free at the time I picked it up and I thought I’d try out a new to me author. Man am I glad I did! This story is about Norah O’Malley and she is the only girl in a home full of guys. Being careful was one thing that she sucked at. Kai Ellis owns a tattoo shop that Norah’s brother works at. Kai made some poor choices in his past life but is working to not be the bad person he should be. These two have demons, although different, the demons can be all consuming, nonetheless. Norah is single and pregnant. She doesn’t believe that she would be making the right decision trying to raise the baby and has to make some very, very difficult decisions. Understanding that she made mistakes and trying to make up for them is incredibly courageous of her and I cannot give this character more kudos for that. She is instantly relatable and real. Now Kai, where do we start with him? He is trying to keep his life on the straight and narrow. He compartmentalizes everything and all things have to be in order, his order. His life is flipped upside down when he has to take his mother into his home while she rehabs from surgery. However, this puts a giant kink in things due to his schedule. Kai ends up hiring Norah to help his mother. This starts off as a good gig. But the more these two are around each other, the more the electricity crackles until everything finally explodes! In good ways and bad. There are so many things that are great about this story and without giving you a full-on book report, just know that there is a ton of wit, sass, arguments, heartache, angst and sexy time!!!! There is literally a little bit of everything in this story. I am just giddy inside that I get to continue this series as there are three more books that are currently out after this one! Woohoo!!!! Now excuse me while I go find the next!

Shannyn Schroeder profile image

Shannyn is a part-time English teacher, part-time editor, and full-time mom (even though her kids are about grown).

She writes contemporary romances (almost all set in the city of Chicago) about family, friends, and love. Whether it’s a sprawling Irish American family with a ton of siblings or a group of friends who are found family, how everyone functions (or not) is often a core of her stories.

Shannyn is represented by Frances Black of Literary Counsel. Check out the O’Learys series, the For Your Love series, Daring Divorcees or Hot & Nerdy. Shannyn also writes heist romances under the name Sloane Steele https://www.amazon.com/Sloane-Steele/e/B08NFLHV9M