Category Archives: Standalone

#wotr #attendingauthor #partofaseries Drunk Girl (Lyrics and Love 2) by Samantha Lind

A NEW STANDALONE Title from Samantha Lind in her Lyrics and Love Series!

NICK

Beautiful, broken, and abandoned.

The second I see her in my bar,

With cover charge stamps plastering her hands,

I know what I have to do.

Take her home,

Get her into bed,

Where I know she’ll be safe.

I do exactly that.

Leaving her keys and my number,

As I lock the door behind me.

She deserves more,

So much more.

ASHLEY

Shattered, vulnerable, and alone,

Trapped in a lifetime of hurt,

Trying to break the cycle.

But he came in,

Saved me,

From myself,

From my circumstances.

Showing me compassion,

And respect.

Proving I am so much more.

More than just a pathetic drunk girl.

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43466246-drunk-girl?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=AklPnLgZe4&rank=11

Amazon https://amzn.to/2Xp3GCJ

Review by Twinsie Dee

I bought this book and this is my honest opinion

Take a drunk girl home,isnt that what any good bartender would do or at the very least make sure she gets home safe. Well that’s exactly what Nick does when he eyes a drunk girl crying in a booth at his bar. Little does he know that she’s going to change his life upside down. Ashley was down on her luck she just lost her job and came home to find out her boyfriend was cheating on her, a night out with her best friend was what he needed and was what she did. She just didn’t know that the nice cute bartender was what she needed and from there their love bloomed into something either of them seen coming and they wouldn’t have ever thought it was because of a drinking night at a bar. This was a cute quick read while the song by Chris Jansen plays in your head the entire time.

Samantha Lind is a contemporary romance author. Having spent the first 27 years of her life in Alaska, she now calls Iowa home where she lives with her husband and two sons. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, reading, watching hockey (Go Knights Go!), and listening to country music.

#REVIEW – Tainted by Andi Jaxon

It’s a chance that leads me here.
To him.
The grumpy mechanic with a chip on his shoulder and a secret.
I’m drawn to him.
This shell of a man, gripping onto who he is by his fingertips.
If anyone finds out who he really is, who he used to be, he’ll become another statistic.
Luckily I know how to hide my truth in the dark.
I should stay away from him, not get caught up in his family drama, but I crave him.
I need him.
Am I strong enough to fight for the man who needs me?
*Tainted is an mm transgender romance that deals with transphobia, homophobia, and past abuse. There will be parts of the story that contain triggers surrounding these issues. It is for an 18+ audience.
*This book follows Taylor’s journey after Bully King: An MM Bully Romance, it is a stand alone and does not have to be read in order.

When I found out that Andi was writing Taylor’s book, I was super excited. He had been through a lot in Bully King, so it just seemed fitting that he get his chance at his own happiness too. Well, poor guy had to work for that also.

This book…wow. After reading the prologue, I knew that it was going to hurt. I can’t imagine. I just can’t.

Dean is transgender and what he goes through, what he believes about himself, what his parents made him believe…it’s heartbreaking. All of it is heartbreaking. I just wanted to wrap my arms around him and keep him safe. He’s grumpy, hates life, is mean and holds people at arm’s length. He believes he’s unworthy of love even though that is so far from the truth. Braxton is his best friend and man, I love this character. I think we all need a Braxton in our lives.

When Taylor meets Dean for the first time, there’s an instant connection but of course Dean wants nothing to do with him. Why would Taylor want him, when no one else had? But I gotta give Taylor it. He’s persistent and patient. I knew I would love his character just from reading Bully King but I actually love him more than I thought I would.

Reading the way Taylor was with Dean, was awe inspiring. I wish more people could be like him. He’s a safe place and more people need that.

Andi did a really good job portraying Dean’s thoughts and feelings. My heart broke for him.

I am also super proud of Mikey, Dean’s brother. I won’t say why as I don’t want to give any spoilers but I ended up liking him near the end of the book.

It was so fun to see Roman and Jonah again. And I can’t believe I’m saying this but I think Tainted is my favourite of these books thus far.

I loved all of the side characters. Braxton is my favourite but Whitney is on a whole other level. I would love for these two to get books. But I believe Mary’s book is next? And if Andi is still going to do what she told me she’s going to do, I don’t think any of us are ready.

If I’m ever blessed with children, I want to be their safe space. I want them to know that they can come to me and tell me anything at all. I want them to know that whatever they identify as, I will support them. And if having kids isn’t in the cards for my husband and I, then I hope others know that they can come to me. No matter what. I am safe.

Universal: smarturl.it/TaintedAndiJaxon
US: https://amzn.to/3xcdLAz
CA: https://amzn.to/3arf5G4
UK: https://amzn.to/2RInle3
AU: https://amzn.to/3eic0cw

TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56595179-tainted

Candi Kane PR: https://forms.gle/oDwoknSpoFUCkjoD6

#wotr #attendingauthor #mm #seriesstarter A Real Good Lie (A Real Good Lie 1) by Kate Hawthorne

Name – Callahan McMillian

Age – 31

Relationship status – Very single, and I like it that way.

Looking for – Someone to make my ex-boyfriend jealous for the weekend.

Biggest regret – Rhys St. George

Hobbies – N/A

Name – Jace Dare

Age – 26

Relationship status – DTF

Looking for – a good time, not a long time

Biggest regret – kissing that hottie at the bar two weeks ago and letting him leave without getting his phone number

Hobbies – art, photography, dancing, hanging out with my friends

Callahan and Jace couldn’t be less compatible, but they’ve been set up for the weekend and there’s no going back. Callahan’s pride is on the line, his mouth is all over Jace, and they need to put in the performance of a lifetime if they’re going to make their very fake relationship look convincing. To sell the lie, Jace and Callahan reach an agreement: real attraction, pretend emotion. But when make believe turns into making love, the only people they’re fooling are themselves

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57582765-a-real-good-lie?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=rnMVmueLvK&rank=15

Amazon  https://amzn.to/3srwiHa

Review by Twinsie Dee

I bought this book and this is my honest opinion

When Callahan’s father died he end up with the family business and now has more shit on his plate then he ever wanted. Now he has to go to the unveiling of a new wing at his college to reveal the new wing named after his family. But his best friend Sebastian came up with a plan to have him bring a fake boyfriend to the event to make Callahan’s ex jealous not that he wanted him back. And Sebastian has the perfect guy in mind. Jace was your basic normal guy next door he loved photography lived with his best friend and hated asking his family for money when he was in a bind but his job at the local coffee shop helped a bit. After meeting up a a club and Sebastian ditching him Callahan doctor go to the bathroom before he left and in that line, he ran into a hot as hell guy who wanted to take him home. One kiss was all Callahan would allow him and wow what a kiss it was, it would be a kiss that neither one would forget and would be wondering if they would run into each other again. Wow this was a great read and the emotions really pulled you in from the beginning and wow was this book steamy so good ready for the next one.

Born and raised in Southern California, Kate Hawthorne woke up one day and realized she had stories worth sharing. Now existing on a steady diet of wine and coffee, Kate writes stories about complicated men in love that are sometimes dirty, but always sweet. She enjoys crafting hard-fought and well deserved happy endings with just the right amount of angst and kink.

From estate sale shopping to shoe worship, there’s something in at least one of her books that’ll tickle your fancy.

#REVIEW – The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry

Washington Post and Amazon Charts bestseller.
A page-turning debut of suspense about a young couple desperate to have a child of their own—and the unsettling consequences of getting what they always wanted.
Christopher and Hannah are a happily married surgeon and nurse with picture-perfect lives. All that’s missing is a child. When Janie, an abandoned six-year-old, turns up at their hospital, Christopher forms an instant connection with her, and he convinces Hannah they should take her home as their own.
But Janie is no ordinary child, and her damaged psyche proves to be more than her new parents were expecting. Janie is fiercely devoted to Christopher, but she acts out in increasingly disturbing ways, directing all her rage at Hannah. Unable to bond with Janie, Hannah is drowning under the pressure, and Christopher refuses to see Janie’s true nature.
Hannah knows that Janie is manipulating Christopher and isolating him from her, despite Hannah’s attempts to bring them all together. But as Janie’s behavior threatens to tear Christopher and Hannah apart, the truth behind Janie’s past may be enough to push them all over the edge.



This book was insane!
I kept messaging a friend, losing my mind over this story. I tried predicting things and for the most part, I was wrong.
This book left me enraged at parts. I have to say that I haven’t had an emotional response to a book like this in such a long time, it was nice and definitely needed.
The story follows Hannah and Christopher who foster-to-adopt a little girl. Janie had been neglected and abused to the point you feel sorry for her right? Yeah, keep telling yourself that.
Without giving too much away, I have to say that this is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Yes there were parts that made me mad, I yelled at the characters, had to put the book down at times to collect myself and was ripping my hair out (not literally) trying to figure out what was going to happen next. I couldn’t read fast enough.
This book is one that will stick with me for a while. So much so that it even gave me nightmares, which has only ever happened one other time while reading.
If you have triggers, please please please go into this book with caution. It’s not light and fluffy. It’s not a romance. Things happen and things are mentioned in detail, so please be careful while reading this book.
My only beef is how it ended. But I’ve come to learn that most of Lucinda’s books end in a certain way. I’m still so used to romance books that I find that I’m always looking for an epilogue. So that’s just me and it doesn’t change my love of this book at all.
If you’re looking for an unputdownable read, a book that will have you guessing and unable to turn the pages fast enough, pick up this book.
My mind is still reeling from it.

#WOTR21 – #Review – Outbreak: A Zombie Novel by L.C. Mortimer aka Sophie Stern

Outbreak: A Zombie Novel

Emily thought she could survive the apocalypse and save her sister from hordes of undead. She was wrong. By the time she found her sister, it was too late. All hope was shattered. Heartbroken and disillusioned, Emily returns home. There’s just one problem: her haven is no longer empty. Someone has moved in.

Neil was a leader long enough to know when to cut his losses. Surviving in the city was one major loss. He gathered his friends and hoofed it to the forest. He knew there would be abandoned farmhouses and plenty of land. The fewer inhabitants before the apocalypse struck, the fewer zombies to deal with after.

The house they find is incredible. It’s isolated, well stocked with food, and Neil even finds a few loaded guns. Soon it becomes obvious that the home isn’t as empty as they originally thought, however. When the owner returns, she demands that Neil and his friends move out. She seems to have no problem with the idea of tossing them out on their asses, but there’s a major problem.

A storm is coming, and it carries with it a greater threat than just zombies.

Goodreads

Review by Twinsie Kelly

I received this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Zombies! Need I say more? This is a standalone novel that gives you a bit of everything. There are so many emotions that are part of this journey, and everyone has their own story with their own demons to fight. This story brought a rag tag group of travelers together and they almost made it work. You know that saying “When it rains, it pours”? Well, just when this group seems to catch a break, the sh!! hits the fan. The characters are very relatable. They are regular people like you and me who were trying to figure life out. Then, BAM! They are forced to survive. Each character’s back story will humble you. It’ll really make you wonder what would really happen and how would you handle it. Each had their vices and crazy as it may seem, they even had some happy times during the Z apocalypse. This story will make you laugh, will give you the warm and fuzzies, and some of it can be a bit gory. Best of all, you will NOT see what is coming and are definitely not ready for the end. I swear that when I finished this book, I had one of these moments that just made me sit there, like wow, that happened. I had a book hangover! I am still going over this in my head going, how could that have happened? Seriously, you need to read this!

L. C. Mortimer

L.C. Mortimer likes zombies, shifters, and things that go bump in the night. When she’s not busy dreaming up her next story, Mortimer can be found dancing, traveling, or curled up with a cozy mystery.

#wotr #attendingauthor #standalone Mister Manhattan (Cocky Hero Club) by Alexandria Sure

My Thursday afternoon meeting was a no show. Imagine my surprise when a drenched, flustered brunette slipped into the booth across from me, acting like she was supposed to be there.

When she slipped back out with a snappy goodbye, I never thought I’d see her again.

Until I walked into my Friday morning meeting.

At first, I didn’t recognize her—she was dry this time. But from the look on her face, she recognized me.

When she gave the worst pitch I’ve ever sat through, I thought my boss, and mentor, was going to show her the door—except he accepts the proposal and tells me we have to work together.

I didn’t anticipate I would like her, let alone be interested in her. Sure, she was hot and sassy.

But something about her rubbed me the wrong way.

And yet I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

So, when she leaves the room and her phone chimes with a new text, I knew I wasn’t supposed to look.

I also knew I wasn’t supposed to cancel her date for later that evening.

And I definitely knew I wasn’t supposed to delete the entire exchange, so she had no idea what I’d done.

But I did. And then I showed up at the restaurant, pretending like this was all a big coincidence.

When the date is over, I want more. I need more.

We start pretend-dating because she needs practice, and I tell myself, New York’s most eligible billionaire bachelor, that this is just a bit of fun.

What could possibly go wrong?

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53153433-mister-manhattan?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=j3wNrNKlEI&rank=4

Amazon https://amzn.to/37fR1DQ

Review by Twinsie Dee

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

Jurnee went to New York to experience life and practice date for 6 weeks he to try and pitch an idea of opening a single coffee shop. After getting caught in the rain on her way to her first blind date and then him being rude as can be she doesn’t even know what to do. Well when she lands a business meeting with a huge firm over her coffee shop she runs into her date there and wonders what i going on. Anderson is a high most influential bachelor in New York, and tried very hard not to end up in the tabloid so he live a very low key life if at all possible. But when Jurnee coming into his life and she has no idea who he is and he starts to wonder if she is real at all he has never met a woman who didn’t know who he was or wanted his money. Will they both be able to lower there walls that were built after past breakups and things that were said to them and be able to actually be happy or will it blow up in their faces. Thi book was so good i loved it from the beginning Jurnee’s sass and determination just files off the pages and Anderson’s cocky swag flies off as well i loved it so much.

Alexandria Sure is from Michigan and adores her supportive family, her two rescue pups, and her mighty Spartans. Her coffee obsession leads her to writing in local coffee shops where characters come alive between salted caramel lattes and large cups of “cold brew extra cream two Splenda,” which are usually on the counter when she walks in because the baristas know her car. (Thanks, Biggby!)

When she is not writing, she spends a great deal of her time perfecting her craft. She is an active member of Capital City Writers Association and attends several writing conferences each year.

Sure’s first novel, Before Him Comes Me, is an unconventional romance of self-discovery, described by readers as “the first BDSM book with no sex.”

#Review – The Best Of Friends by Lucinda Berry

An unthinkable tragedy forever changes a group of teens and turns family against family in this edge-of-your-seat thriller that begs to be read in one sitting.
Best friends Lindsey, Kendra, and Dani endure every parent’s nightmare when a tragic accident befalls their teenage boys, leaving one dead, another in a coma, and a third too traumatized to speak.
Reeling from the worst night of their lives, the three mothers plunge into a desperate investigation of the bizarre incident. How could something so horrible happen in their wealthy Southern California suburb?
They soon discover that the accident was just the beginning, and troubling discoveries lead to chilling questions: Do they really know their children? Do they even know each other? As more secrets surface, a fog of doubt and suspicion threatens to poison their families, their friendships, and the whole community.
With the illusion of happiness and safety long gone, these women must now confront the hazards of heartbreak, the consequences of jealousy, and the dangers of living double lives.

I just…wow….I have no words. This is my 3rd book by Lucinda Berry and I’m obsessed. I thought I loved the other books I read by her but this one is my absolute favourite thus far.

It’s every parent’s worst nightmare and more.

This book follows three families. They were all friends since they were kids. Grew up in a small town together. Everyone knows everyone, kind of thing. Their kids played together, grew up together too, went to the same schools, played on the same teams, etc.

One night a horrible accident takes place and it’s a case of “Who did it and why??”

As the story unfolds, we of course find out that these families are harboring secrets outside of the horrible accident that took place.

An abusive husband.

A husband looking for a companion outside of his marriage and kids.

A wife who gave her kid meds without her husband knowing.

So many secrets.

So many lies.

I enjoyed the different perspectives and I also liked seeing the hidden drama outside of that accident. It showed how real they are. As the chapters went on, I found I was glued to the pages near the end, trying to figure out what was going on. I can’t even tell you how many times I gasped. The characters’ raw emotions bled onto the pages.

But when I read that last paragraph, I was like “Whaaaaat????” I did not see that coming. It’s one of the many things I love about Lucinda’s books. I can’t predict them. At all. And I’m not complaining in the least.

#wotr #attendingauthor #standalone Amusement by Albany Walker

She’s everything I shouldn’t want, but exactly what I crave.

She bleeds innocence the way I radiate darkness. The moment she walked into my club, she was mine. She just didn’t know it. I’ll be the one to ruin her, and she will love every second.

Innocence lost can’t be regained.

My life seems rather simple from the outside. I’m the devoted daughter to a former rodeo champion. I never wanted to follow my mother’s footsteps into the arena. My boots are firmly planted in the dirt on our family farm, but an accident changed everything.Now I spend my nights on a stage, and my days in the barn. Dancing has paid the bills for the past two years, but no one knows my secret. Or so I thought.

Amusement is the darkly sweet duel POV stalker romance you didn’t know you needed

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53908799-amusement?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=eupSRY9UgG&rank=9

Amazon https://amzn.to/3wvVrBI

Review by Twinsie Dee

I bought this book and this my honest opinion

Oh my i can’t even put into word how amazing this book was. So Lucy is the sole provider for her family after her mom was in a car accident and couldn’t work so at 18 he did what she had to do she just didn’t know it would be working at a strip club, but the rule was they could look but couldn’t not touch her. She was doing whatever she could to make sure she could pay the bills to keep her family ranch. One day at the store she ran into Rafe and he was determined to get to know her to get her to be his. Little did Lucy know that he already knew way more about her then she knew and he was stalking her to make sure no one else would have her. Will Rafe get what he want without her finding out who he truly is or will Lucy run in the other direction. This story was wow it kept me in on my toes with each page, I’m so glad I choose to get this book it definitely wont be the last time I read Albany’s books

Albany lives in Michigan where she’s happily married to her high school sweetheart. She spends most of her time juggling her four children’s extracurricular activities, with her nose stuck in a book. When not reading you can find her writing her very own book boyfriends. Albany’s passion is writing romance with real characters that are far from perfect, but always seem to find their own happily ever afters

#wotr #attendingauthor #seriestarter Makin’ Bacon (homegrown cafe 1) by Mellanie Szereto


The women of The Homegrown Café Book Club are over 40, single, and loving it. Fate, however, has a different plan with a younger man for every last one of them.

Divorcée Tate Madison wasted fifteen years of her life with a liar and a cheat. Now she’s returned to her hometown to open The Homegrown Café, find a sperm donor, and spend time with her family and new friends. Encouraged by her fellow middle-aged book-club buddies, she begs a favor from her younger brother’s best friend—father the child her ex-husband denied her. Complications abound when she discovers she’s attracted to the man who wasn’t supposed to be more than an anonymous profile at the clinic.

Pig farmer Jim Cochon knows all about in-vitro fertilization, but he’d rather do things the old-fashioned way with the irresistible redhead he’s wanted to marry since he was five. Too bad she refuses his proposal the morning after their attempt to make a baby. He’ll have to convince her second chances are worth taking when happily-ever-after is at stake.

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55738894-makin-bacon?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=IrzaId05VG&rank=3

Amazon https://amzn.to/34Q7pK7

Review by Twinsie Dee

I bought this book and this my honest opinion

Tate just got out of a 15 year long relationship/ marriage after trying hard for a child but finding out not only had her husband been lying to her, and cheating on her but he also went and got a vasectomy without her knowing. No wonder she wasn’t able to get pregnant, so she got divorced and went back home to open a restaurant. Well little did the pig farmer who had a major crush on Tate since he was 5 know that she was back in town. Jim was Tate’s little brother’s best friend and was head over heel in love with her and she thought he was the perfect donor for her to get a kid from. Will she get the sperm she’s hoping for or will he think she’s crazy and run for the hills. This was such a cute small town story.

 

When her fingers aren’t attached to her keyboard, Mellanie Szereto enjoys hiking, Pilates, cooking, gardening, and researching for her stories. Many times, the research partners with her other hobbies, taking her from the Hocking Hills region in Ohio to the Colorado Rockies and the Adirondacks of New York. Sometimes, the trip is no farther than her garden for ingredients and her kitchen to test recipes for her latest steamy tale. Mellanie makes her home in rural Indiana with her husband of thirty-four years and their son.

 

#REVIEW – Appetite For Innocence: A Dark Psychological Thriller by Lucinda Berry

Be careful what you post online. Your next check-in might lead him right to you…

A serial rapist is kidnapping teenage girls. But he’s not interested in just any teenage girls—only virgins. He hunts them by following their status updates and check-ins on social media. Once he’s captured them, they’re locked away in his sound-proof basement until they’re groomed and ready. He throws them away like pieces of trash after he’s stolen their innocence. Nobody escapes alive.

Until Ella.

Ella risks it all to escape, setting herself and the other girls free. But only Sarah—the girl whose been captive the longest—gets out with her. The girls are hospitalized and surrounded by FBI agents who will stop at nothing to find the man responsible. Ella and Sarah are the key to their investigation, but Sarah’s hiding something and it isn’t long before Ella discovers her nightmare is far from over.

Fans of The Butterfly Garden and The Girl Before will devour Appetite for Innocence

Warning: Contains sexual violence which may be a trigger for some readers.



This book was insane. I kept trying to guess what was going to happen and how it would end because I knew that there was going to be a twist of some sort.
The book is written in both Ella’s point of view along with Sarah’s. We learn how Ella was taken by “John” and how Sarah was conditioned over the years. Both of their stories are tragic in the same way but also different. Sarah had been with John for four years, ever since she was 12 years old. So of course, it makes sense for him to have control over her in a much different way than he does with the other girls.
Parts of the book were quite frustrating but I also understood as well. I’m not a mom but I know that if it had been my child who was taken and I finally got them home, I would want to do everything I could to help them get through it. I would probably do what Ella’s mom did as well, even though it drove me crazy at times and I felt like she wasn’t listening to her daughter until it was almost too late.
I do like the desperation Ella’s mom faced when trying to make her daughter feel better. And to try and get things back to normal for her. While it was a little much at times, I get it and would probably do the same. You can be the strongest person and something like this could still break you.
This is only my second book by Lucinda Berry but I’m loving this journey into her the worlds she creates and I can’t wait to read more of her words!