The Baller has everything I look for in a sports romantic comedy: a ballsy heroine, a cocky athlete, banter up the wazoo, real integration of the sport, and a mature relationship. Placing a checkmark in all those columns makes it seem formulaic; however, the characters really help elevate this story.
Licked is the first book I’ve read by Brooke Blaine, and I’ve got to say I love her writing style. It’s very reminiscent of Alice Clayton in its sexy humor, but with a quirky, irreverent flair.
Whew! Well, this book is aptly named. Virtually every chapter in the first half contains sex scenes. We’re talking panty melting, grab your fan, look-up-erotica-in-the-dictionary-and-see-this-book’s-cover sex scenes.
This was kind of meh for me. I didn’t love it; I didn’t hate it. The plot is strong, and I found the first half really intriguing. I got sucked in by Mina’s hardships and Lev becoming her guardian angel. A lot of wonderful conflicts are set up, and I was looking forward to everything coming to a boil.
Volume One is now free! Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks Review Reasonable Doubt is one of my all-time favorite erotica series. There’s always a bit of trepidation when I re-read a favorite book—a concern that it won’t be as good as I remember. I had the perfect excuse to re-read Reasonable Doubt Full Series (Vol. 1-3) when I was gifted an audiobook copy, but I was still hesitant. I had a specific voice in mind for the anti-hero, Andrew, and much like movie adaptations of books, I was worried it wouldn’t live up to my expectations. My fears were completely unfounded because I loved the book even more the second time around, and the voice actors are spot on.
When I finished Marni Mann’s Unblocked Collection, I had this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. It felt like moving away from your best friends—their lives keep going on, but you drift apart and you no longer know what they’ve been up to. Marni Mann has gifted fans with a mini reunion in Wild Aces, but it is a standalone that can easily be enjoyed without reading the other books.
I’m a huge Kate Stewart fan. I loved Loving the White Liar, and I was so spellbound by The Fall that it made my Top Ten of 2015 list. We are introduced to Rose and Grant in The Fall (the prequel to this book), and I was looking forward to the story of their whirlwind romance. The blurb makes it clear that the book isn’t intended for readers who dislike Insta-love – admittedly, something I’m not crazy about. The romantic in me appreciates the dedication: “For those who still believe in love at first sight.” The cynic in me, though, rejects that notion. Do I believe in attraction at first sight? Absolutely! Love? Not so much.
One day. I devoured this book in one day. Actually, less than a day, and when I finished I wanted to start over the next day and read it again. It’s that good. You could say it’s a friends to lovers story, but it’s so much more. It’s a dramedy with real depth. Don’t expect a light romance where the main characters suddenly hook up in the first five chapters, or a minor conflict is easily resolved. It’s not that kind of book.
“We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.” I officially have a girl crush on Melanie Harlow. I’m in love with her writing style, and in awe of all the original, entertaining characters she creates. I have yet to read a book of hers I haven’t liked, and with Some Sort of Love the streak remains unbroken. It’s the third book in the Happy Crazy Love series, but you don’t need to read the previous books to enjoy the story.
I must be addicted to college sports romances because even though they tend to be somewhat formulaic, I can’t seem to get enough of them. There’s usually a hot shot, sexy athlete (typically a football or hockey player) who enjoys bonking a different co-ed each night and is allergic to commitment—that is until he meets a pretty girl who doesn’t date athletes. He wants to get in her pants, but she’s unimpressed by him. That challenge makes him want to win her over even more. She finally relents and he is transformed into a committed, love addicted man, and they both live happily ever after. The End.
I really enjoyed the premise of this fun little story. Lila is proof that you can’t keep a good woman down. Her life changes in an instant when she catches her husband cheating in an unexpectedly humorous way. Suddenly, she goes from being a sensible stay at home mom of twins to being a feisty investigative photographer devoted to catching unfaithful partners in flagrante delicto.
After a disappointing book two I’m happy to say things are back on track with the quality of storytelling. For one thing, this time around Charlie is actually in the book full-time – not as a guest star. The mystery of Silas and Charlie’s recurring memory loss is just as intriguing as ever, and while I still consider it to be a page-turner, the story unfolds at a more languid pace. It’s a welcome break from the Xanax inducing tension in the previous two books. The developing relationship between this version of Silas and Charlie is fun and sweet. I’ve liked Silas from the beginning, and I really adore him in this book.