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The Sophomore by Monica Murphy is now live!

Jackson Rivers.

My not so secret crush.

He’s popular. Gorgeous. Talented.

Also my biggest weakness.

I’ve stood by him for years. Been a friend every time he needed one, but he doesn’t see me. Not like I want him to.

Move on, my friends said. Find someone new. Someone who sees your worth. Someone who gets you. I know they’re right. I’m only a friend to him. He’s never going to see me like I see him. So I take their advice, and try to move on.

But Jackson is always right there. In my face. Running to my rescue. And when I meet someone else, Jackson isn’t having it. For some reason, he’s suddenly determined to stay in my life. Right by my side.

Now he says he wants me, but does he want an actual relationship? Or is that he can’t stand the thought of losing me to another guy?

It’s time to find out what Jackson truly wants…and I’m going to make him work for it.

For me.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

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 Meet Monica

Monica Murphy is a New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling romance author. Her books have been translated in almost a dozen languages and have sold over two million copies worldwide. Both a traditionally published and independently published author, she writes young adult, new adult and contemporary romance. She’s also known as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.

A native Californian, she lives on fourteen acres in the middle of nowhere with her husband, two kids, one dog, and four cats. When she’s not writing, she’s an assistant coach for her daughter’s high school cheer team, which is a two season sport. Meaning, she’s at practice with a bunch of teenage girls all the time. Or she’s at a football game. Or a basketball game. Maybe someday, she’ll even write about this experience.

Connect with Monica

Website: http://monicamurphyauthor.com

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyGR

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Facebook: http://bit.ly/MonicaMurphyFB

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/monicamurphyreadergroup/

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JUST OUT OF REACH (The Just Series #1) by Xavier Neal

Re-Release: June 10th

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32061436-just-out-of-reach

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3wH5zqT

Other Retailers: https://books2read.com/u/3k5oo6

Blurb:

From best-selling author Xavier Neal comes a slow-burn romance that’s full of the unexpected…

They say all the best things in life are free.

I say all the best things in life are easy.

That is until easy gets me put on house arrest where I’m stuck with an estranged aunt, a needy cat, and drinking lemonade instead of tequila.

Easy suddenly becomes hard.

I basically have to sweat to get paid.

I finally realize that great cheesecake doesn’t magically materialize.

And I have to deal with a law-appointed babysitter constantly showing up to c-block my chance of proving to the drop-dead gorgeous neighbor – who I want screaming my name every night – that I’m more than just the crime I committed.

All the best things in life may be easy, but I’m slowly learning that all the greatest require real work.

Real effort.

And most importantly, real sacrifice.

About the Author:

Xavier Neal is a best-selling romance author who enjoys hopping from sub genre to sub genre like a game of Hopscotch she can’t resist.

In between writing, she loves to read (everything from romance to self improvement books), watch movies (old and new), eat too much Tex-Mex (her Chuy’s t-shirt collection is out of control), and watch AHL hockey games LIVE (preferably against the glass whenever possible).

She currently resides happily in Texas with her bearded husband “Lumberjack” and their two fur babies.

Connect w/Xavier:

Website: https://www.xavierneal.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XavierNealAuthorPage

Twitter: http://twitter.com/xavierneal87

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorxavierneal

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4990135.Xavier_Neal

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2KAOA4z

Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2KA7tEW

NL Signup: https://www.xavierneal.com/newsletter

Dangerous Romance Club is thrilled to present the exclusive edition of The Wild by K Webster! This special edition is the perfect collector’s item for a taboo romance book lover. You can get them in the Dangerous Romance Club summer boxes — the STANDARD, GRAND, and LUXE size comes with The Wild.

SUBSCRIBE HERE:

www.dangerousromanceclub.com

Use coupon code KWEBSTER15 for new customers to save 15% off!

Ebook is available on Eden Books:

https://edenbooks.org/product/the-wild/

Blurb:

I brought them to the wilderness because we couldn’t cope with our reality.

The plan was to make a new life that didn’t include heartache.

No people. No technology. No interference.

Just us.

A chance to piece together what was broken.

But the wilderness is untamed and harsh.

Brutal and unforgiving.

It doesn’t give a damn about your feelings.

Tragedy lives there too.

No escaping the truths that won’t let you go.

All you can do is survive where love, no matter how beastly, is the only thing you can truly count on.

Confusing. Wrong. Twisted. Beautiful. Sick.

Love is wild.

And we’re going to set it free.

Warning:

The Wild is an extremely taboo story. Most will find that the themes in this book will make you incredibly uncomfortable. This book is only for the brave, the open-minded, and the ones who crave love in even the most dismal of situations. Extreme sexual themes and violence in certain scenes, which could trigger emotional distress, are found in this story. If you are sensitive to heavy taboo themes, then this story is not for you.

About K. Webster:

K Webster is a USA Today Bestselling author. Her titles have claimed many bestseller tags in numerous categories, are translated in multiple languages, and have been adapted into audiobooks. She lives in “Tornado Alley” with her husband, two children, and her baby dog named Blue. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and researching aliens.

Connect w/K. Webster:

Website: https://www.authorkwebster.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkwebster

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KristiWebster

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkwebster

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7741564.K_Webster

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/k-webster

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/K-Webster/e/B00JOJ86CW

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“Emotional, layered, sexy, and deeply satisfying, with stunning prose and a sweeping storyline, REEL is everything that has Kennedy Ryan fans devouring her books.”
— Lexi Ryan, New York Times bestselling author

Reel, an all new epic CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE love story from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kennedy Ryan, is available now!

Read my review HERE.

One moment in the spotlight.

For months I stood by, an understudy waiting in the wings, preparing for my time to shine.
I never imagined he would watch in the audience that night.
Canon Holt.
Famous film director.
Fascinating. Talented. Fine.
Before I could catch my breath, everything changed.
I went from backstage Broadway to center stage Hollywood.
From being unknown, to my name, Neevah Saint, on everyone’s lips.
Canon casts me in a star-studded Harlem Renaissance biopic, catapulting me into another stratosphere.

But stars shine brightest in the dead of night.
Forbidden attraction, scandal and circumstances beyond my control jeopardize my dream.
Could this one shot—the role of a lifetime, the love of a lifetime—cost me everything?

Grab your copy today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3xwekW8
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/Reel
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3dWwUyG
Kobo: https://bit.ly/2QCKcHS
Nook: https://bit.ly/3nsKKfr
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3gHMDUc
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2RpXgAe
Barnes and Noble Paperback: https://bit.ly/3nsKKfr

ORDER YOUR SIGNED PAPERBACK NOW>> http://bit.ly/EagleEyePB

ALSO AVAILABLE IN AUDIO NOW!

“Bravo . . .A true literary audio experience!”
— Alexandria House, Amazon & Audible bestselling author

Narrated by Eboni Flowers and Jakobi Diem
Featuring Nicole Small
Vocal Performance by April Christina

➜ Audible: http://mybook.to/ReelAudio

Excerpt

“Turn around.”

It’s a guttural command.
 He bends me over the arm of the couch, and my hands hit the cushion for support, to steady myself. At the sound of the condom tearing, my inner muscles contract, bracing for him. He spreads my cheeks and, slipping his whole hand between my legs, cups the trembling flesh. I’m unprepared for the swipe of his tongue. For the subtle abrasion of his beard scraping the inner skin of my thighs. For the sound of him eating me. I push back against his face, helpless, no shame. Digging my nails into the cushions, I widen my legs to give me more, to take more for myself. He grips my thighs, holding me steady for his devouring mouth until, with a sob that sails over the rooftop, over the city, I contract around his delving tongue. The orgasm hits hard, tightening the muscles in my thighs and calves. With staccato breaths, I bury my face in the couch, biting my lip to the point of pain.


“Canon,” I beg. “Stop teasing me and—”


He shoves in, and the words tumble back down my throat, recessing into the shock of this pleasure.


“Jesus.” Need shreds my voice to ribbons. 


He coasts his hand up my back, gently cuffs my neck. Ass in the air, I rise up on my toes, begging for breath, petitioning for more dick. He gives it to me, pushing impossibly deeper.


“So damn good,” he grunts behind me.


I hope I never get over how perfect he feels inside me, like I was molded to his specifications. Shaped for his dimensions. I moan and reach my hand back to pull at one of my cheeks, widening the way for his cock. It feels like he goes where no dick has gone before, deeper, better. Somehow I feel each thrust in my heart. His every touch plays on my emotions, and tears sting my eyes. His hand tightens at my hip, and he slides the other hand up my arm, finds my hand on the couch and laces our fingers together. He sets a frenetic pace that sends the blood singing through my body again. The cushion absorbs my scream as I come, and I punish the soft cotton with clawing nails. With his voice strangled, his fingers fisted in my hair, he comes. 


Collapsing against my back, a heavy, happy burden, his breath stilted and warm at my neck, he snakes one muscled arm around my middle, clutching me. After the urgent, feral coupling, it’s a cherishing hold. I cross my arm over his at my waist and tangle our fingers. It’s fragile and sweet, this moment, like flakes of sugar disintegrating on your tongue when you’ve barely had time to taste.

Add Reel to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3p28fwL

About Kennedy Ryan

A USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Kennedy Ryan and her writings have been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Glamour, Cosmo, TIME, O Mag and many others. A RITA® Award winner, Kennedy writes empowered women from all walks of life and centers those who have found themselves perennially on the margins of traditional storytelling.

Her Hoops Series (Long Shot, Block Shot and Hook Shot) and All the King’s Men Series (The Kingmaker, The Rebel King and Queen Move) have been optioned for television.

An autism mom, Kennedy co-founded LIFT 4 Autism, an annual charitable initiative, and has appeared on Headline News, Montel Williams, NPR and other media outlets as an advocate for autism families. She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son.

Connect with Kennedy

Text KennedyRyan to 797979 for release alerts!
Subscribe to Mailing List: subscribepage.com/kennedyryan
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BookBub: bookbub.com/authors/kennedy-ryan
Website: http://kennedyryanwrites.com

 Rebecca Jenshak has revealed the cover for Broken Hearts!

Releasing: July 13, 2021

Cover Design: Lori Jackson Designs

Photography: Michelle Lancaster

Model: Lochie Carey

She’s a figure skater. He’s a hockey player. Things are about to heat up on the ice.

Rhett Rauthruss is single for the first time in six years. He’s fresh off a long-term, long-distance relationship and ready to make the most of what’s left of college.

Party with his boys, get to the Frozen Four with his team, and maybe play the field for a change.

Sienna Hale knows a thing or two about heartbreak. She’s a college athlete about to skate for the last time, and nothing is going to throw her off course. Not her worries about finding a job after college, not the whispers of last year’s accident on the ice, and not the cute hockey player who keeps asking her out.

They think they want different things, but when it heats up between them, there’s no denying they have something in common–even if it’s just for a night.

Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3gi7wDE

Apple Books: https://apple.co/31YTMHj

Nook: https://bit.ly/2PrYQBk

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3fFqdCs

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3yDpU27

Meet Rebecca

Rebecca is a new adult romance author, caffeine-addict, and lover of all sports. She’s a Midwest girl at heart, but currently resides in Arizona.

Connect with Rebecca

Website: https://www.rebeccajenshak.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16681160.Rebecca_Jenshak

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-Jenshak/e/B074F258NP/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccajenshak

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1523746940998401

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeccajenshak

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/rebeccajenshak

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rebecca-jenshak

Overall Grade: All the ⭐️

“And Canon and Monk and Verity and all the storytellers, musicians, and artists who benefit from the path she forged. From the way she and so many others made for us during untenable circumstances, in adversity and against impossible odds. She carried me and I carry her, and somehow, we are knitted together in a way that reaches across generations, across years, binding our hearts.”

Anticipation. Adulation. Affecting. 

These words explain the feelings going into Kennedy Ryan’s Reel. 

Reading Kennedy Ryan is a viscerally profound experience. The palpability of her words that bleed into scenes that grow into pages and metamorphize into fully realized stories overwhelms your senses and makes you feel the depth of emotion. Ryan’s newest story, Reel, is quintessential Ryan.  The turn of the page is a taunt. What will you encounter? What emotion will she evoke? What tragedy will she dispense? Reel is all of that. It’s real emotion, it’s real thinking, and it’s real life. 

The profundity of Ryan’s Reel is her attention to storytelling. There is always something more in her stories. It isn’t simply a romance in this newest book. It’s an interrogation of ideas such as art as a savior, the responsibility of representation and the need to amplify marginalized voices, storytelling as a marker of truth, equity for women, workplace innovations, and the gravity of disease. These ideas are emphatically drawn by Ryan to challenge readers, to stoke thinking,  and to change the genre of romance. Reel makes us transcend the genre, focusing us on its art form through Ryan’s exacting and brilliantly crafted storytelling. Those ideas, though, are but a single part of this book. With that, Ryan challenges people to live life in the moment, culling out every second since the past is dead and the future is but a promise. She utilizes her hero, Canon, and her heroine, Neevah to mete out that truth. Ryan underscores this truth with the power behind ambition if used for good to show the impact of her characters. And these are only Reel’s messages. This book is philosophical and didactic giving it a weight that sets it miles beyond other romances. 

This doesn’t even speak to the stylistic choices of Reel. There is brilliance afoot. Reel is cinematic in and of itself thanks to Kennedy Ryan’s careful craftsmanship. She has made choices for this book that will thrill you because it plays with the narrative of romance. Add to that her already famous style, and you find yourself lost to her story. Her ability to paint the story into being with her words makes you surrender your heart to Canon and Neevah. This book set in the world of movies feels cinematic in its expression. Vivid moments carefully crafted to evoke specific emotions from its reader. There is intent with every word, every moment, and every page of this book. From word choice to allusion, from intentionally curated phrases to images wrought with fierce possession, you see Canon and Neevah’s journey fashioned on the pages of Reel.

It amazes me how Reel makes me think of the mantel of responsibility sitting firmly on the shoulders of a BIPOC author such as Kennedy Ryan. Based on her newest book, she wears it well, and as its book’s reader, I feel privileged to have spent time in it, to have been challenged and titillated by it. But that’s what she does so impressively. 

Kennedy Ryan’s Reel is a story about stories. It’s a reminder that all stories need space, and I found as I became lost in her book that I needed this one. I needed to feel challenged and mesmerized. I needed to be reminded of how much more the romance genre can be. I needed this book at this moment right now: a story about the past living fully whole in the present. And the promise of more stories in her Hollywood Renaissance series leaves me anticipatory for the rest.

In love and romance,

Professor A

A steamy, female-centered dramedy series, Sex/Life, is coming to Netflix June 25th, and we cannot get enough of the hot new trailer!

Check it out!
https://youtu.be/x580mowu5Gs

  Inspired by BB Easton’s book, 44 Chapters About 4 Men

A suburban wife and mother takes a fantasy-charged trip down memory lane that sets her present on a collision course with her wild-child past.

#Netflix #SexLife #valentineprlm @netflix @sexlife @valentine_pr_

Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Adulting in romancelandia can be tough. I’ve read numerous romances where the hero and heroine deserved a severe can of whoopa$$ for their, oftentimes, bald-faced lies. Pettiness becomes the source of tension, and while entertaining, at some point, it frustrates the reader. 

And then, there is Staci Hart’s newest book, Friends with Benedicts. There are choices that Hart could have made for the sake of the drama of this story. Given that it’s touted as a romantic comedy, I understand her choices. But what I love about her intention for this book is her seeming insistence on allowing her hero, Sebastian, and her heroine, Presley, to act as adults…at least for most of the story. There is no romantic comedy without angst, and FWB has its share. In the midst of the tension, you really do want to backhand Sebastian and Presley over their stubbornness. But it comes down to vulnerability, and that is a struggle for humankind, really. We, people, also struggle to speak our feelings, and Hart brilliantly captures that through Sebastian and Presley’s struggles. 

This book, like Hart’s other books, has so much deliciousness in it. Let me make a list of all the ways you’ll love this story. 

• Sebastian and Presley, quite frankly, are sweet. Except for one main issue, there is no real trouble between them. It’s easy. They support each other; they are each other’s favorite people. This makes for a romance that is both steamy and adorable. Except for a stubborn inability to share their full truths (there are reasons for it that make sense even though it might frustrate the reader)  these two are completely and utterly fated for each other, and you can’t help but want to cheer them on. 
• There is a serious female brigade of support in this book. I am excited for more of the Blum Sisters’ stories because they intrigue me. From their mama to Presley’s mama to each of the cousins, there is a group of women who help Presley raise her daughter to be an independent young girl. What’s not to love about that?
• There is diversity in this story, not just racial but $exual. I love that we have a Latinx hero in Sebastian, and his culture is splayed on the page. I love that Wayne, who from the outside is the furthest from the perceived notion of a gay man, finding a place in this story in his longing for Manny and their eventual coupling. Staci Hart is so careful to include characters that look like underrepresented people. It’s thoughtful and necessary. 
• Priscilla is precocious and the glue of this story. I could say the message about living in the present, taking each moment at a time would be the tie that binds this book together, but honestly, it’s Priscilla, and she will make you laugh as you want to cry over her parents.

Over and over again, Staci Hart crafts these treasures of stories. Friends with Benedicts, in any other hands, would lack its magic. From its cover to its craftsmanship, this book will easily steal your time while it also steals a little piece of your heart. Don’t miss out on this story!

In love and romance, 

Professor A

Overall Grade: 4.5 ⭐️

Let’s talk about J. Kenner and her insistence on writing more stories in her Stark Universe. For this reader, I’m ecstatic. Any chance I get at peeking more into Nikki and Damien Stark’s world, I’m a fan. The Stark Security stories, the books that elaborate on the people on Damien and Ryan’s security team, add even more to the Stark universe in guaranteed edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense. And I’ve been front and center for each of them. 

Enter the 1,001 Dark Nights novella, Memories of You. This is Abby’s story, the partner in Nikki Stark’s tech business. A second chance story with the boy next door turned heavenly hunk is everything you love about J. Kenner. There is suspense here: Abby seems to have a stalker or the seeming appearance of one. As the story begins, we find that Abby is receiving phone calls from a person who breathes heavily into her phone. Added to that is a splash of paint thrown over her car. All of these bring unease, and she reaches out to Nikki for help. With Nikki comes Damien Stark and his security resources. It also brings Renly Cooper, the one who got away. Renly has recently left Hollywood. A stunt man who found himself ready for something different, Renly’s SEAL background makes him the perfect candidate to work for Stark Security. It also connects him to Abby, the girl next door and his secret crush, as he steps in to protect her. However, Renly has a secret, and it keeps him from ever acting upon his crush. As Renly and Abby work to deny their attraction, Abby finds herself in further danger. Will Renly be able to protect Abby, or will he lose her forever?

There are three tenets of J. Kenner’s Stark stories: suspense (which this book has in droves), steam, and a satisfying story. Kenner presents all three of these in a quick story. She gets in and gets out, sometimes at the expense of developing Renly and Abby’s story. Honestly, I wish there was a bit more here because, while an ancillary character, Abby has taken up some space in this world. Even more, the culprit of this book is fairly easy to find. That isn’t always the case with her Stark stories. 

Beyond that, Memories of You was enjoyable. I love jumping back into this world, peeking on some of my favorite Stark characters. There is one guarantee with a J. Kenner book: you are never disappointed. And Memories of You definitely doesn’t disappoint. 

In love and romance,

Professor A

Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Melanie Ting’s Snowballed does what most of the other Moo U stories don’t: allows us to dream over an Asian-American hero, one so self-possessed that you can’t help but love the depth of his seriousness. For me, as I reflected on Noah, I likened him to a character from Grey’s Anatomy: Nico Kim, the incredibly handsome, but serious orthopedic surgeon resident. Like Nico, Noah’s focus oftentimes diminishes his ability to live a full life. With that comes his perceived expectations from his father, a former NHL hockey star. When Noah determines that he cannot remove the shadow of his father and his brother’s successes with hockey, he makes a choice to join the Moo U Hockey team for his final playing season. His father, angered by his son’s choice, cuts him off financially, and Noah is forced to live and work on a farm so that he has a place to live. There, he meets the heroine of Snowballed, Zoe, a vibrant, seemingly happy, and positive go-getter of a heroine. What we find as this story progresses is Zoe’s exterior is a mask to hide a depth of grief that she has never fully processed. With Noah’s too serious, too disciplined persona and Zoe’s erstwhile identity, it’s obvious that they will be a fiery match. 

Ting is so careful in crafting Zoe and Noah’s journeys. Noah’s freedom allows him to gain an independence that was lacking under his father’s plan. As he engages in farm work and skates for a team wildly different from his last, he begins to gain confidence in his decision-making that allows him to move past his father’s rules for his life. In that, he is able to self-advocate. Through Noah’s story, Ting deftly reminds her readers that people must make their own choices and live their best lives without regret. 

Zoe’s story, while wrapped in a package of vivacity and ambition, illustrates the importance of the grieving process. At a surface level, Zoe works hard, always puts a smile on her face, and she radiates positivity. But there are cracks. As the story progresses, Noah uncovers those fractures. Through her story, we recognize the power of therapy to delve into the difficult parts of our lives. As Ting does with Noah, she aptly crafts a heroine who is seemingly strong and motivated on the outside but has a much darker inner spirit. Ting’s careful pacing of their story allows the story to be elaborated at the right timing. 

Where the story suffers, though, is in the chemistry between Noah and Zoe. Honestly, I was never quite sure that Noah was passionate about Zoe. It’s clear that he grows to like her, but the depth of their “love” is difficult to believe, mostly because Noah reads like an automaton. And, as Zoe’s mental health unravels a bit, she reads as desperate for him. With Noah’s emotional distance and Zoe’s messy feelings, their chemistry gets lost to some degree. The epilogue for this story saves it, but I don’t feel a burning passion between Zoe and Noah, which might be difficult for some readers. 

I love that Melanie Ting brought Noah into the World of True North. We need diverse characters with diverse backgrounds. With Noah, we are treated to part of the Japanese culture through his bachan. Beyond that, though, Zoe and Noah’s story about letting go of parental expectations is the meat and potatoes of Snowballed, and it’s a worthy read just on that measure. 

In love and romance,

Professor A