Author: professorromance

Savage (adjective):
1) Not domesticated; wild and untamed
2) A brutal or vicious person
3) Malek Antonov

Savage Hearts, the highly-anticipated third standalone in the Queens & Monsters mafia romance series by JT Geissinger is available now!

Read my review HERE.

Savage (adjective):
1) Not domesticated; wild and untamed
2) A brutal or vicious person
3) Malek Antonov

When my older sister calls out of the blue to announce she’s getting married, it’s a shock. She’s
not the settling-down kind, and we haven’t spoken in almost three years.
Even more of a shock? Sloane wants me to visit her and meet her new fiancé. Curious, I decide
to take her up on the offer.
I should’ve known something was wrong when she wouldn’t tell me where I’d be going. I
should’ve known things were odd when she sent a private jet to pick me up. But there’s no way
in hell I could’ve ever guessed what would happen when I finally meet her fiancé.
Declan O’Donnell.
Head of the Irish Mob.
Target of a savage Bratva assassin who wants revenge for the murder of his brother.
Now, I’m thousands of miles from home, I’m smack in the middle of a mafia war, and I’ve got a
Russian assassin who’s decided he likes the looks of me.
They say revenge is a dish best served cold.
They never met Malek Antonov.

Excerpt

“Yeah. Oh—can I ask you a favor? Will you please not hurt him? Kieran, either. He’s the other bodyguard. The bigger one. They’re both really nice.”
Malek stares at me in disbelief.
“Sorry. Is that asking too much? It’s just that I’d never get over it if they got hurt because of me. They’re only trying to do their jobs.”
After a moment, he says angrily, “You know who I am. You know what I do. Correct?”
“Yes. I’ve been filled in on the particulars.”
“And you’re lying there with my hand around your neck asking me not to hurt your bodyguards.”
He says it like my sanity is in question.
“I know it’s maybe a little unorthodox.”
“No,” he says flatly.
“Please?”
He growls, “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“There’s no need to get testy.”
“Testy?”
“I’m just saying. You don’t have to get all mad about it.”
Furious again, he glares at me, grinding his jaw and probably calculating how much pressure it will take to snap the brittle bird bones in my neck.
Before he does, I say, “I also want to thank you for the rose you left me. That was really nice. I’ve never had a man bring me flowers before. I know it was only the one, and also you thought I was a captive prostitute at the time, but still. It was thoughtful. So thank you.”
He stares at me with an expression somewhere between confusion and amazement, with a healthy dose of disgust on the side.
“Now is probably a good time to remind you that I’m still the same person you left the rose for. So if you did kill me, you’d be killing her, too. Just a thought.”
“Are you on drugs?”
“Not at the moment, no. Why, do you have any?”
“There’s something wrong with you. Mentally. Right?”
That makes me laugh. “Oh, totally. I’ve got more than a few screws loose. At least that’s what my dad tells me. But he’s super uptight, zero imagination, so his opinion doesn’t really count. Not that he’s wrong, because he isn’t, but normies shouldn’t judge creatives. They just have no idea how we’re wired. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I’ve never had a conversation with an insane person before.”
“Very funny.”
“It wasn’t a joke.”
“Ouch.”
We stare at each other in silence. His hostile, mine hopeful. He still hasn’t murdered me, so things are looking up.
“Malek?”
“What.” He says it flatly. With dread.
“Thank you for not killing me.”
He says emphatically, “Don’t thank me yet.”
“You’re still deciding?”
“If only to get you to shut up, yes.”
“In that case…” I make a zipper motion across my lips.
He watches with outrage, astonishment, and absolute disbelief.
“Actually, before I shut up, I also want to say that it was really sweet that you tried to save me from being a sex worker. I mean, what a gentleman! A gentleman killer who gives strangers big wads of cash in restrooms. You’re quite the puzzle, Mr. Ghost. Or is it just Ghost? I’m never sure how the nickname thing works, except between me and my sister, but that doesn’t count because my whole family is a little weird. I’ll just call you Malek, if that’s all right. Or Mal for short, since we’re such buds now, what with you breaking into my various bedrooms for midnight visits and all. Okay, I’m shutting up now. Here I go.”
I press my lips together and gaze up at him, watching him struggle with dueling urges to cut off my air supply or break something over my head.
Maybe he’s right about me being insane, because rather than terrifying, I find his indecision understandable.
He’s not the first man I’ve driven to the brink of murder. He’s just the most capable of actually going through with it.
“Oh, one more thing—”
“I know a way to keep that mouth quiet,” he snaps.
Then he kisses me.

Grab your copy today!
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About J.T. Geissinger

J.T. Geissinger is a #1 internationally bestselling author of twenty-seven novels. Ranging from funny, feisty rom coms to intense, edgy suspense, her books have sold over five million copies and been translated into more than a dozen languages.
She is a three-time nominee in both contemporary and paranormal romance for the RITA® Award, the highest distinction in romance fiction from the Romance Writers of America®. She is also a recipient of the Prism Award for Best First Book and the Golden Quill Award for Best Paranormal/Urban Fantasy.
She’s a Southern California native currently living in Nevada with her husband and rescue kitty, Zoe.

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Website: http://www.jtgeissinger.com

Overall Grade: 4.5 ⭐️

If you’re a Melanie Harlow fan OR have read her before, keep scrolling. You are fully aware of the storytelling genius of Melanie Harlow. Go. Buy. Grab Ignite. It’s everything you love about her stories. This review is for anyone who has yet to read her AND/or Melanie Harlow herself. I expect that she doesn’t read her own reviews, but I’m probably wrong too. 

In simplistic, reductive terms, Ignite is a small-town romance between a twenty-something young woman/ post-college graduate who is trying to figure out her next steps in life AND a divorced dad of two precocious young girls whose life hasn’t been the easiest and has made him fairly pessimistic. While he loves his girls, to him, there will be no fairy tales in his life. Dex and his girls move in next door to Winnie, the sweet, kind heroine. At first glance, there is a clear attraction between these two, but there is also an age gap, and Mr. Pessimism initially only sees her as someone too young and idealistic for him. Thankfully, his daughters along with some serious $exual chemistry bring these two together, but it’s a bit of a rocky road with denials of true feelings as its pathway. 

Melanie Harlow is imprinted all over this story. The charm she infuses in her characters along with the simplicity of her story makes for a read that is mostly sweet with a big side of $exy. And Dex, a former SEAL, is one of her more aggressively spirited in the bedroom heroes. He’s fairly dirty in contrast to the heroes of Cloverleigh Farms, and it contrasts nicely with the innocence of Winnie. 

The true catnip of Ignite, though, is the contrast of their personalities. This is your grump/sunshine trope, yet don’t mistake Winnie for naivete. Yes, she’s younger than Dex, and she’s still solidifying her path. Yet, the issue isn’t that she doesn’t know what she wants. She does. Instead, it’s the societal expectations for someone her age that she shouldn’t want to be a young wife and mother. Pushing back against that while finding her space in the expanded Sawyer family world causes her confusion. But make no mistake, Harlow has crafted her with tenacity, mature introspection, and drive. While she is young compared to Dex’s gruff age, she teaches him vulnerability and honesty in relationships. The evolution of their relationship is filled with sweetness, steam, pitfalls, and happily ever afters, and it is the best part of this book (besides the characters of Hattie and Luna who inflect the true humor into Harlow’s story.)

Ignite is the perfect weekend read. The only criticism I have is the predictability of Harlow’s tropes, but that’s also why her dedicated readers (readers like me) continue to inhale her books. There is the knowledge that you will adore her characters and their story, and by the end, they will have left your heart bigger than when it started. 

In love and romance,

Professor A

Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Banter. It is the cornerstone of chemistry. If the banter between a hero and heroine sparks instantly in a romance, then it’s almost guaranteed to make sparks build into flames. J.T. Geissinger’s Savage Hearts, the third story in her Queens & Monsters series is a textbook story of the power of banter to the growing relationship of a hero and heroine. In fact, throughout this entire series, banter is the foreplay, the impetus for the building connection between the heroes (the Monsters) and the heroines (the Queens). 

Prior to Savage Hearts, I was certain that Sloan was my favorite heroine thus far. But then, Riley happens in this book, and Sloane has been displaced from her reign. In this book, Sloane disappoints. As the older sister of Riley, she’s self-absorbed and misses the hurts of their past for reconciliation. Therefore, you find yourself drawn to Riley. What ultimately makes you fall in love with her is her ability to see the truth of Malek aka Mal. You realize for much of the story that Riley seems marginalized, by her sister, by her family, by society. As such, she has a preternatural capacity to recognize the best in Mal even though society would deem him a villain. He isn’t, though. 

That becomes the driving force for falling in love with a character like Mal. Riley’s observation of his life and his actions highlights his anti-heroic nature. On the outside, he is seemingly “bad,” someone whose entire existence has been grounded in violence. Yet, as we see in romancelandia time and time again, there are qualities in an antihero such as Mal that are heroic. It is Riley’s interest in him that allows him to see the good in himself.

On its surface, Geissinger has written a steamy, violent affair. This is the string that binds Savage Hearts to the predecessors of the Queens & Monsters series. If you love aggression in the bedroom, then this IS your book. But that’s but a small part of Geissinger’s story. 

Geissinger is a master storyteller in Savage Hearts. One of my favorite aspects of her writing is her lyrical quality, the way that she puts words together to create impactful moments. Even more, in this book, she uses an allusion to birds that highlights Riley’s journey. Mal calls Riley “little bird.” There is a moment when Riley is flying to her sister when the plane encounters a bird strike, a decimation of a flock of birds, which seems to foreshadow Riley’s troubles. Then, Mal has a pet crow who is still wild yet also bends to Mal’s care, again an allusion to Riley and Mal’s relationship. And this is but one of the many reasons that this romance is so beautifully crafted. 

I long for J.T. Geissinger’s stories. Her capacity as a writer coupled with her ability to craft multi-dimensional characters who force your love draw you into her romances. There is more to come in the Queens & Monsters series, and I simply cannot wait: more independent wily “queens” who know how to slay the hearts of their “monsters.”

In love and romance,

Professor A

Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Jana Aston’s sixth Reindeer Falls story, The Bachelor on The Shelf, is exactly what we all need for a Christmas story. It includes a nerdy but cute librarian heroine, Lexi, and a gorgeous professional baseball player, Carter. It also adds in an adorable, older pup, Rudy, the dog that Carter inherits after his uncle’s death. Lexi’s awkwardness makes for some adorable moments with Carter who needs her help to rehabilitate his image as a playboy. When she decides to pretend to be his fake fiancee to gain custody of Rudy, the hijinks of this story kick in. It also brings some fierce chemistry that scorches the pages. There is plenty of Christmas in this story (not as much as book 4), there is some steam, and there is the sweetest of happy endings, as Carter and Lexi are clearly fated for each other.

If you’re looking for $exy and sweet, then you will adore Jana Aston’s The Bachelor on The Shelf.

In love and romance,

Professor A

Overall Grade: 4.5 ⭐️

I have to be honest. I’ve been sitting on my thoughts about Penny Reid’s Beard in Hiding, not because I didn’t love the story. I did. It’s because it hit so close to home with my life that I almost cannot be unbiased about it. At its core, Beard in Hiding exists to provide the story of Jason “Repo” Doe and Diane Donner. Their story has been teased in other Reid books, but it has never been fleshed out. What you find with Repo and Diane is an opportunity for second chances in life: for Repo to love and care for someone and for Diane to live as a better version of herself, while loving a man who has never felt fully loved. The beauty of that is lost on someone in their twenties and thirties, the time when we make those bad decisions that mete out consequences in our forties and fifties. Repo and Diane have regrets, obviously, but they recognize that the curves of their paths were necessary for them to find each other. 

For me, Beard in Hiding is an epic love story in that it allows its hero and heroine to find their happy ending even though it’s wrapped in bittersweet. The only “newness” to Beard in Hiding in terms of story relates to Repo and Diane’s points of view. Up to this point, we understand their coupling through the unreliable perspectives of Cletus and Jennifer. In this book, Reid allows you to fall in love with Repo and Diane who seem like characters who would be difficult to love. Yet, by the end of this story, your heart has been given over to them as they “ride off into the sunset” together to avoid having to undermine the other person’s livelihood. 

Where I connected with this story is in the characterization of Diane Donner. This is a woman who has lived a life at the mercy of her husband. She is incredibly independent; she owns the Donner Lodge and runs it well. Yet, in her home, she is a second-class citizen who must oversee her home under her husband’s rules. There has been little personal freedom there, and it has had unintentional consequences: the emotional wounding of her daughter and the estrangement with her son. And these things, after the split from her husband and shuffling of her priorities, have left her with gaping holes in her soul. Thankfully, Reid gives her the space of this story to rectify this situation, but, by the story’s end, Diane has to accept that she can never go back but she must look forward to a future that is grounded in the love from Repo. It feels bittersweet, having to say goodbye to her children who she adores with a mother’s heart knowing she may never see them again, and I ended Penny Reid’s Beard in Hiding with a heart hurting for her while also celebrating her new love. I understand the challenges of loving adult children and the space it necessitates when all you want to do is attach them to you forever. I a

lso understand a world reduced to the whims of a husband. Reid’s storytelling in this book captures these hurts so beautifully. 

Beard in Hiding is the perfect addendum to the SmartyPants Romance Fall 2021 release. Did I know I needed this story in my life? No…but every turn of the page underscored my own feelings and made me feel seen, the true mark of a strong, emotional story. 

In love and romance, 

Professor A

“This is the funniest setup I’ve read all year! You’ll be cheering for Winnie and Dex!”
—Sarina Bowen, USA Today bestselling author

Ignite, an all-new sexy, grumpy single dad meets the sunshine girl next door romantic comedy from USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author Melanie Harlow, is now live!

My new neighbor is a firefighter—and a scorching hot single dad—but I swear I didn’t set off that smoke alarm on purpose.

(And I was beyond mortified when he rushed in and saw me naked.)

Nothing happened, of course—because I, Winnie MacAllister, romance junkie and owner of a constantly broken heart, have sworn off men for one solid year.

Even protective men with chiseled jaws, bulging biceps, and deep brown eyes that make my breath come faster. Even former SEALs with broad chests and strong hands that make my skin sizzle. Even gorgeous, grumpy guys who have their hands full raising two adorable little girls and claim they don’t believe in love.

Until Dex kisses me one night, and I drop all my defenses.

(Also my underwear.)

He says he’s not gentle, and he’s right. He says I should take the dream job I’m offered in another state, and he’s right. He says he’s too old for me and could never be the man I deserve.

He’s wrong.

Dex and I might be twelve years apart, but the fire between us is the kind that will never burn out.

How can I convince him to give happily-ever-after with me a chance?

Fall in love with Winnie and Dex for ZERO PENNIES in Kindle Unlimited today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3kePkO0
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/IgniteHarlow

Audio Coming Soon, narrated by Stephen Dexter & Kirsten Leigh

About Melanie Harlow
USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she’s not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like Ted, Lasso, Schitt’s Creek, and Fleabag. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.

Melanie is the author of the BELLAMY CREEK series, the CLOVERLEIGH FARMS series, the ONE & ONLY series, AFTER WE FALL series, the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, and the FRENCHED series. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.

Connect with Melanie
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Website: http://www.melanieharlow.com

Coming Home Project Announcement

Graphic Designer: Kari March

Let love guide you home.

Join twelve of your favorite romance authors next year for heartwarming (and spicy!) stories about what it means to come home. One author a month will deliver a new story that will have you falling in love. ❤️

January – Cora Brent

February – Rochelle Paige

March – Grahame Claire

April – Melanie Moreland

May – Suzanne Halliday

June – Kaylee Ryan

July – Leslie Pike

August – Laramie Briscoe

September – Adriana Locke

October – Ella Fox

November – Brynne Asher

December – Layla Frost

PREORDER IS AVAILABLE FOR THESE TITLES!!!

Ready for Moore by Rochelle Paige: https://mybook.to/ReadyforMoore

Shattered Secrets by Grahame Claire: https://readerlinks.com/l/2172226

Shelter by Laramie Briscoe: https://geni.us/ShelterLB

Join their new reader group for a giant giveaway and even more fun! https://geni.us/aKmA

Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I want to first start this review with a word of praise for Jolie Vines, the author of the newest book, Betrayed, book 4 of her Wild Mountain Scots series. You see, I found Jolie with her second-ever book, and over the course of the past couple of years, I’ve gobbled every one since. While I was reading Betrayed, I found myself lost in her story but also reflective about her evolution as an author. Honestly, for me, Betrayed is her best bit of storytelling yet. There is a cohesion and story-pacing that feel polished in this book. I’ve always enjoyed her as a writer, but, in the past, there were moments in her stories that felt like the story peaked too soon and lost steam or felt disconnected at times. With this newest series, each moment showed maturity in story development: the right pacing, the most-developed characterizations, and her continued acknowledgment of her brand. In other words, over time, Jolie Vines has become a better storyteller, and I feel pride in reading her books and offering up reviews to promote them. 

Betrayed follows Max, the twin to Maddock and the son of Scarlet and Ally. In the other books of the Wild Mountain Scots series, in a word, Max has been angry. There are reasons: he seems to have feelings for Rory, his brother’s eventual girlfriend, but Maddock kisses her first and it’s clear that she’s meant for Maddock, not Max. He and his brother are like the yin and yang symbol, constantly at odds with each other while also symbiotic. And, years earlier, Maddock accidentally has a drunken one-night stand with Max’s ex-girlfriend whom he still loves. Therefore, Max has been a sullen man and isolated himself from his brother and his family in the earlier books of the series. 

As you enter Betrayed, there is more of this; however, Vines doesn’t make us wade too long in Max’s angry pool. Instead, she forces us to jump into the deep end fairly quickly, and she deftly untangles Max and Lia’s complicated mess of a past, throwing her reader a life preserver. What happens is true to Jolie Vines form: their insta-love is rekindled, and Max shows us his true heroic nature, one filled with the capacity to love his secret daughter and fall deeply in love with his former girlfriend. Underpinning the romance of this story is a more complicated one involving Lia’s father and some type of secret society intent on keeping him in his job. It was all well-developed, hinting at more stories in the future. In fact, by the end of Betrayed, you will know the hero and heroine of her next book of the series. I won’t divulge the details here, but my interest is already piqued for Tormented, book 5 of this series.

So here’s the thing: if you love burly, Scottish heroes who fall in insta-love with their heroines (I mean these guys fall hard while steadfastly holding onto their masculinity) and heroines who can be a bit messy but worthy of the adoration of this type of hero, then you should run fast into Betrayed and its predecessors. Honestly, there is lots of suspense with the stories of this series, interesting situations that draw you in and keep you engaged. Once I began reading Betrayed, I simply couldn’t put it down, and there is nothing better than a hero who adores his daughter and the love of his life. Well done, Jolie. Well done! I feel honored to be one of your diehard readers. 

In love and romance, 

Professor A

Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

“I want to choose. I’m not the nanny you can send away whenever you’re finished with me. And I’m not your prisoner. I belong to myself before I belong to you.”

Skye Warren’s Best Kept Secret is the sweeping conclusion to her Rochester Trilogy, a trilogy loosely based on Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. Just as we see in that story, tragedy and distance must help our heroines find their strength and allow them to stand in it in the face of overpowering, alpha-heroes. Best Kept Secret exists to finalize the story for Beau and Jane as well as show the internal power that Jane has realized since the first book of the series, Private Property. Jane has developed a strong sense of self and endeavors to live the best possible life whether she’s with Beau or not. The female power that exudes from this story makes it a solid ending to the trilogy. 

Warren has been so careful in crafting this trilogy that there are moments in Best Kept Secret that felt a bit messy. I won’t divulge the story details because there are various plot points that are spoilers. Even with parts that felt a bit underdeveloped and skimmed over, there are sweeping cinematic moments of the book that floor you. You can see them so distinctly in your mind that they grow goosebumps on your skin. 

Thankfully, everything ends well but there is quite an emotional and eventful journey to that point. Warren makes her readers wait for it until the final chapter. When she does, she provides a simple epilogue to tie up the story with the promise of future chapters on Radish, a new story-based app. I love this because I hated leaving Beau and Jane. Their epic love isn’t fully realized even by the Best Kept Secret’s end, and you leave this story wanting more of these characters. Additionally, there is another love affair teased in this story that requires some additional storytelling. While you will be happy with Beau and Jane’s happy ending, you won’t feel satiated with their end. 

All in all, as a lover of Jane Eyre, I appreciate the way that Skye Warren developed a story inspired by that book. That she choose a Latinx heroine added another layer; however, I would have liked to see that distinction unpacked a bit more in this story as it had in the first two books. I do think Best Kept Secret brought an apt finality to this trilogy, but don’t be surprised if you want more. 

In love and romance,
Professor A

Overall Grade: 4.5 ⭐️

“That’s how I felt – like somehow we were what each other needed, in bed and out of it.”

There is nothing better to read than the redemption of a grumpy hero at the hand of a positive, insightful heroine. Louise Bay’s The 14 Days of Christmas offers up this trope in spades as she spoons all the delights of a Christmas romance. While this is no Hallmark Christmas story, it offers up the smells and sounds of Christmas as the backdrop to Sebastian and Celia’s love affair.

What did I love the most about this story?

*There is nothing better than an ambush. Sebastian’s grandmother, Ivy, and the Snowsly Christmas committee conspiring to draw Sebastian and Celia together make for some funny moments in The 14 Days of Christmas. 

*Bay’s insistence on keeping Sebastian stalwart and capable as she softens him through Celia’s influence makes for a powerful characterization. Had she made him seem incapable, then I think she would have lost me as a lover of this story. 

*Celia’s journey towards letting go of the past underpins the story well. That it takes Sebastian to force her hand at this might seem troublesome, but the choice always remains with Celia with Sebastian’s simple encouragement. 

*The general story is sweet. I loved the tension between Sebastian and Celia, and Bay doesn’t hurry them too quickly into a physical relationship. She allows it to marinate for a bit before they jump into the steam bath.

*Sebastian’s final understanding of his parents’ relationship and his mother’s love for him provides a nice sentimental touch to The 14 Days of Christmas. I love that Bay takes most of the story before he’s able to process the truth of that situation. 

My only struggle with the book is Sebastian’s continued want to go to Barbados. Over the course of the story, Sebastian begins to accept Christmas, and he starts to relish it, especially through the eyes of Celia. It felt a bit out of character that he would hold fast to his initial quest. I know that Louise Bay requires him leaving to move him to a conversation with his mother, but I was disappointed in his inflexibility. Thankfully, Louise Bay remedies the situation brilliantly, and she crafts a meaningful and beautiful happy ending for the two, but that moment felt too manipulative for the story. 

For a reader such as myself who is reticent to read a Christmas romance, Louise Bay has inserted enough grit and humor into it that it undermines the oftentimes sickly sweet sentimentality of this sub-genre. The 14 Days of Christmas is a perfect weekend read as we approach the holidays.

In love and romance,

Professor A