Promoting and reviewing romance novels one book at a time
Author: professorromance
I teach students to write for college. I love to read writers who write romance. Why not review and promote the writing of people who love to write romance? Win-win for me
American Angie Donovan has never wanted much. When you grow up getting bounced from foster home to foster home, you learn not to become attached to anything, anyone, or any place. But it only took her two days to fall in love with Australia. With her visa clock ticking, surely she can fall in love with an Australian—and get hitched—in two months. Especially if he’s as hot and funny as her next-door neighbor…
Jace Walters has never wanted much––except a bathroom he didn’t have to share. The last cookie all to himself. And solitude. But when you grow up in a family of seven, you can kiss those things goodbye. He’s finally living alone and working on his syndicated comic strip in privacy. Sure, his American neighbor is distractingly sexy and annoyingly nosy, but she’ll be gone in a few months…Except now she’s determined to find her perfect match by checking out every eligible male in the town, and her choices are even more distracting. So why does it suddenly feel like he—and his obnoxious tight-knit family, and even these two wayward dogs—could be exactly what she needs?
Neat is a stand-alone book in the Becker Brothers Series.
➔ Small town
➔ Country
➔ Romeo & Juliet vibes
➔ Angst paradise
➔ Holiday romance
BLURB:
My life is over.
I swore I would never work at the whiskey distillery with my last name on it, that I would never be a part of my father’s legacy. But when I graduated with my art degree and realized there were no jobs, the devil appeared, and I sold my soul, agreeing to work in the family business if he’d give me the art studio I’d always dreamed of.
It can’t be that bad, I thought.
Until I realized my new boss was Logan Becker.
The Becker brothers have a reputation for being trouble, and since I love trouble, it’s no surprise to me that I’m infatuated by that forbidden fruit the first day I walk into the distillery. That lean, whiskey-eyed, too-hot-for-his-own-good man hates me — and I can’t blame him. His family has been at war with mine for decades, and for good reason.
The Beckers and the Scooters are the Montagues and Capulets of Stratford, Tennessee.
But if he’s Romeo, and I’m Juliet? Well… we all know how that story ends — and for that reason, I tell myself to steer clear.
Because if my father finds out I’m falling for Logan Becker, my life actually will be over.
USA Today bestselling OVERTURE, a must read forbidden romance from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren, has a gorgeous special edition paperback available this fall only from the Hello Lovely book box!
This illustrated cover and handcrafted formatting is a must-have for anyone with a shelf of beautiful books.
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**This special edition paperback will only be available through the fall Hello Lovely Box.
Each empowering parcel is filled with up to 4 items including: exclusive, handcrafted accessories, luxurious body products, & beloved books. Hello Lovely is more than a box full of happy items. It’s as much a self care package as it is a network of sisterhood.
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Liam North got custody of the violin prodigy six years ago. She’s all grown up now, but he still treats her like a child. No matter how much he wants her.
People say a broken heart can kill, but it’s really the secrets that take you down.
~Alexander Rockingham II
Invincible, an all-new steamy standalone in the Elite Doms of Washington Series from Elizabeth SaFleur is coming September 17th, and we have the gorgeous cover!
Alexander Rockingham keeps the secrets of Washington DC’s most elite players, but none are as devastating as his own. Forty years ago, the Wynters ripped away everyone he’d loved. When the family’s matriarch dies, he completes a promise to walk through the gates of their Connecticut estate as the owner, and with sledgehammer in hand, erase the name of Wynter. He also gives his beloved Charles—in the family graveyard—the goodbye he’d been denied decades earlier.
He didn’t expect to find Rebecca, the third in their lovers’ trio, standing there. He didn’t expect the man who is helping him settle the Wynter estate to offer himself to him and Rebecca as a stopgap to recapture a happier time. He didn’t expect to fall in love again—with both of them.
But sometimes love isn’t enough. Sometimes ghosts from the past are just too strong to counter even for three people united in beating them.
Invincible is a polyamory/menage (M/F/M and M/M/F) romance stand-alone Elite Doms of Washington novel.
Award-winning author of contemporary romance, Elizabeth SaFleur promises all the “feels” in her emotional, plot-rich stories.
Experience luxurious, glamorous escapes in her Elite Doms of Washington series
Fall in love with her alpha men who always leave a woman satisfied
Meet the heroines who take charge in the Justice Series, her Femme Domme romance books
Join her burlesque & gangster book world in the Shakedown series debuting in 2019
Many of her books were inspired from her thirty years as a PR practitioner in and around Washington, DC. She writes, tweets and posts under a pseudonym since her business clients might be (WOULD be) shocked at her new career choice.
New York Times Bestselling Authors Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland
BLURB
It started out like any normal day.
Then the fender bender happened.
The guy I collided with drove an expensive car and was drop-dead gorgeous. Too bad he was also a total jerk. We argued over whose fault it was and any other thing that came out of his condescending mouth.
Eventually, the police came and we went our separate ways. The insurance companies would have to figure things out. I had a job interview to get to anyway—one I was excited about.
Though that excitement changed to disappointment the moment the person interviewing me walked in. The guy from the accident.
Whoops!
Yeah, so I didn’t get the position.
The problem was, I really wanted it. No, I needed it. Anything to get me out of my current career and back into working with kids.
So, even though Hollis LaCroix was as intimidating as he was devastatingly handsome, I went back to see him and begged for a chance.
To my surprise, he gave me a shot taking care of his troubled niece.
At least my attraction to him wouldn’t be able to go anywhere. I wasn’t about to jeopardize my job or the strong bond Hailey and I formed.
But resisting the magnetic pull between us wasn’t that simple. (Then there was our little underwear game—don’t ask.)
We continued to flirt without crossing the line—until it finally happened.
This is the part of the story where we fall in love and live happily ever after, right?
Well, life has a way of throwing some major curveballs.
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.
She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.
With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over twenty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty-five languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.
In the power struggle between two elite groups, one feisty girl will bring them to their knees…
Twisted Betrayal, the next story in the dark, bully romance Rydeville High Elite Series from USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis is available now!
He thinks he’s broken me. That I’m finally under his complete control. But I’m biding my time, gathering intel, making plans, and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. So, when an unexpected savior appears—offering me a way out—I grasp it with both hands.
But the man I love refuses to let me go, and he’s hell-bent on protecting me at all costs.
Except he’s far too late.
Kaiden’s betrayal fuels the anger flowing through my veins, and now our roles are reversed—I’m the hunter, and he’s my prey. I enjoy torturing him, lying to him, and letting him believe in false truths that were never our reality.
Until the stakes are raised, and I’m forced into playing their game again. Only this time, it’s not just my life hanging in the balance.
I thought he’d done his worst. That he didn’t have the power to hurt me anymore.
But I was wrong.
His depravity knows no bounds, and now, he’s taken everything from me.
This time, it means war, and I’m taking no prisoners.
Download your copy or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited today!
He shoots me a shit-eating grin Jackson would be proud of as he locks the door and stalks toward me. “What the fuck does it look like?”
“Like you’re crazy as shit and have a death wish,” I say, backing away from him.
His eyes are thick with lust, his body cloaked in anger, and he wears it proudly like body armor.
I scramble around desks as I avoid capture. All the while he advances. Like this menacing form hell-bent on punishing me.
Liquid lust races through me, and my core pulses with a desperate need.
I love it when he’s like this.
Looking at me like he wants to fuck me so hard I’ll bleed.
My body purrs in anticipation as my back slams against a solid obstacle.
I know I’m sick and twisted, but I think that’s why we’re so well matched.
He wants to punish me, and I want to be punished.
About Siobhan
USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis writes emotionally intense young adult and new adult romantic fiction with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She is the author of the international bestselling Kennedy Boys, Saven, and True Calling series’.
Siobhan’s family will tell you she’s a little bit obsessive when it comes to reading and writing, and they aren’t wrong. She can rarely be found without her trusty Kindle, a paperback book, or her laptop somewhere close at hand.
Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.
She resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.
Men and women can be friends. At least that’s what I’ve been telling myself since George walked into my life. We bicker as much as we have each other’s backs. We’re inseparable. So, she left to find herself and I feel like I can’t breathe without her. It’s okay, it’s only temporary. But when she walks back into my life, it’s on the arm of a stranger. Her fiancé. Seriously, I just realized I’m in love with her and she’s engaged?
I have six weeks to convince George we’re meant to be together—not only in the kitchen or be forced to watch her marry another man. Time is running out, and soon, she’ll be gone from my life. I’m risking everything, will that be enough?
Someday, Somehow is a sexy romantic comedy that’s equal parts funny and flirty. Made of Honor clashes with When Harry Met Sally in a sweet and seductive love story of hopeful hearts and second chances. Bring the laughs and the tissues!
Claudia is an award-winning, international bestselling author. She lives in Colorado, working for a small IT. She has three children and manages a chaotic household of three confused dogs, and a wonderful husband who shares her love of all things geek. To survive she works continually to find purpose for the voices flitting through her head, plus she consumes high quantities of chocolate to keep the last threads of sanity intact.
She’s been expecting this ever since their latest showdown. She had good reason.
Hottest guy she’s ever seen.
Former fling.
Dumped her in front of her friends.
At her own party.
So no, she’s not about to forgive and forget just because he sits next to her in class.
He thinks all he has to do is turn on those baby blues, and she’ll melt right back into his arms. Please.She’d be crazy to let this cocky player affect her again. (Tell that to her body.)
Charisma Rossi.
Nerd girl with a dash of bad.
The one who got under his skin.
The one he cut loose.
Blaze knows she’s the riskiest prospect at Waylon University, but none of the interchangeable girls he hooks up with have ever made him feel the way she did. There’s absolutely no way he can have the girl and the game.
So why can’t he stop trying to win her back?
Can this wide receiver score the girl or will he make the biggest fumble of his life
Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
I’m on my tiptoes when the question comes, trying to reach a book on the top shelf in the bookstore at the student center.
My heart does a nosedive off a cliff as that familiar gruff voice washes over me, his accent a smooth drawl that’s reminiscent of hot summer nights and slow kisses—kisses we never had…well, except for that one time freshman year.
I ignore him and try to grab the book.
“You’re too short. Let me,” Blaze says, this time closer, his voice soft.
I ease back on my feet and whip around, internally wishing I’d worn something more I hate you and don’t you wish you still had me, but sadly, I’m not in my kickass shoes and itchy dress. Today it’s flat-soled red Converse, black joggers, and a Yankees sweatshirt. I blow at a piece of hair in my face. Shit.
Of course, he looks magnificent in a tight long-sleeved black shirt that clings to his broad chest and tapered jeans molded to those leg muscles. His face is unshaven, the darkness on his jawline adding a broody look.
Curse him and his hotness.
I stare at him a little too long, until I snap out of it.
“I don’t need help,” My voice is strangled as I move to brush past him—forget the textbooks—but he reaches out and takes my elbow.
“Charisma—”
His fingers are a hot brand on my skin—it’s the first time we’ve touched in three months—and I pull away. A tremble starts in my legs. How dare he?It was one thing to see him in a social setting and pretend I was fine, but when we’re face to face without people watching… “Don’t put your hands on me. I’m not your hookup anymore, football player.”
His face reddens, and he drops his arms. “I didn’t mean—” he stops, not finishing as he studies my face.
I wonder what he sees. You know what he sees, Charisma—someone who wasn’t up to his usual standards.
Everything I didn’t say last night rushes out. “Didn’t mean to what? Dump me in the middle of my own sorority’s party in front of all my friends and half of campus? And you know, that’s totally fine. We both knew I wasn’t enough to keep your attention.”
His jaw clenches and he frowns, his brow furrowing. “I didn’t plan for things to happen that way.”
“How did you want to break up with me? Over candlelight? A text would have worked just fine,” I bite out.
The silence builds between us, and he watches me intently, as if trying to figure me out. He starts at my hair and works his way down to my feet, then comes back to my face. Just when I think I might combust from the intensity of his eyes, he looks away.
“What?” I cock my hip. “You look like you want to say something.”
He taps his hand against his leg. Ice-blue eyes, ones I used to stare into and get butterflies from, glitter down at me. “You just can’t handle thatended things, sweetheart.”
“Not your sweetheart.”
“Never were.”
Shit…shit…my heart feels like an anvil just landed on it, heavy and hard, and I can’t breathe for a second at his words, part of me pissed, the other part devastated. I wanted to be his sweetheart, I did, but he…
You’re not my type.
“Thanks for the reminder,” I say quietly, my anger folding away piece by piece and slipping into that horrible self-pity I despise.
He closes his eyes and scrubs his face with those talented hands, strong and big and capable, skillful with a football.
He steps in front of me, much like he did last night, and I tilt my head back to take him in. At my height of five feet, three inches, it’s hard to glare at a guy who towers over you and not look ridiculous, but I manage—until his eyes flicker with lingering emotion.
I dart my eyes around the store, searching for a way out, but I’m stuck between him and a bookshelf. “You’re blocking my path.” I focus on his legs. No sexiness there—well, except for the tight muscles under that denim.
“This is what I know,” he says in a low voice, ignoring my statement. “You told me we were just messing around. You set all the rules. Isn’t that how you operate? So why does me ending things with you even matter?”
“You never asked for more. You could have.” The revealing words fall around us, tinged with hurt, and I want to pull them back.
The silence between us crackles, yet I’m aware of other people around us. There are a few girls on another aisle, and I glance over as one of them pulls out her phone. No doubt she’s taking a picture of him. Part of me retreats, anxious she’ll get me in that photo—a girl who clearly doesn’t belong. He doesn’t notice. Everyone knows who he is, and they’re probably wondering why he’s talking to me.
“No, I didn’t,” he finally says, the words taut as if pulled from him unwillingly. He taps his leg, his tell that he’s anxious or angry. We weren’t together long, but every moment we spent together, I studied him like a wine connoisseur given a glass of rare cabernet. I know what makes him laugh, usually random things that make no sense. I know that groan he makes deep in this throat when he slides inside me, like he’s home. I know the feel of his hand when he cups my face and stares at me, a hesitant expression on his face—
“You can’t even look at me anymore. I wonder why,” he says, his voice a challenge.
Steeling myself, I face those baby blues. “You know why. I wish we’d never met up last fall. I wish you’d never flirted with me. I wish I’d never fucked you that first time in the library—”
“Same page. Same fucking page, Charisma.” And then he’s walking away, broad shoulders swaying as he stalks down the aisle…
About Ilsa Madden-Mills
Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies.
Eight of her eleven novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Best-seller List: Dirty English #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You #2; I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things #6; Boyfriend Bargain #8; The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, #4.
A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.
She’s addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.
Bully romance. A strange trope. I mean, falling in love with the person who bullies you? In real life, that would rarely, if ever, fly. In romance, it makes for some hot reading. In my recent observation, this seems like a “hot” trope. A lot of people seem to be writing it. And I’m not unhappy about that (yeah…that’s a double negative…so what). In fact, I kind of love this trope because it’s messy and painful and usually has a happy ending and lots of hot angry $ex.
Siobhan Davis just released Twisted Betrayal, the second book of, I believe, a trilogy, The Rydeville High Elite. In reviewing the first book, Cruel Intentions, I noted the abuse that seems heaped on the heroine, Abby. At times, in that book, it seemed overwhelming. Yet, she always seemed to rise above. This really doesn’t change in this second book, but the abuse seems progressive and downright dastardly. Abby’s father is still the biggest villain, and there will be no redeeming this man. Someone, quite frankly, is going to have to kill him to end the abuse on her and everyone else in the story. However, Kai who perpetrated some nefarious bullying on her in the first book has tamed in this one. Their progression into a deeper love balances, to a degree, the destruction of her father. It gives the reader a bit of a reprieve from the continuous action of this story.
That being said, one of the struggles with this book is the constant action. There are a lot of characters in this story between the old elite and the new elite. At any time, one of them is working against the “plan.” It oftentimes is overwhelming as a reader to follow everyone’s motives. Even more, the constant running and fighting is exhausting. I found myself needing to take breaks from the “push and pull” of Abby and Kai’s relationship.
Also, I’d really really like a happy ending for Abby. I am not one to cringe at dark romances or heroines being bullied. Abby clearly has the strength to endure it. However, I am not a huge fan of the impotence to really change everything that seems fraught through this book, One minute, she finds out something else her father has rained down her; the next minute, she vows revenge through a “plan” with little, if any, resolution.
This book ends in a cliff-hanger that makes it seem as if there is no way out for her. I trust in Siobhan Davis that this ending is a part of the “plan.” I need it to be so because, as of right now, Abby’s happily ever after is far off in the distance. And the woman has endured enough by these men.
After reading this review, clearly, I’m invested. Even though at times the storyline is cringe-worthy because it is heavy bullying (specifically by her father), I know that Siobhan Davis will deliver us a beautiful ending where all is right with the world of Rydeville High. And if you think these “kids” are high schoolers, you might question that. No one is really going to school because they are trying to simply survive this heinous world that Davis has created.
Buckle up for this one…Twisted Betrayal is a crazy ride.
