Tropes: friends to lovers, fake relationship, forced proximity, soulmates
So let’s get all of the good stuff out of the way when talking about Adriana Locke’s Fling:
*it has some fire, but if you’ve read Adriana Locke, you know she doesn’t smut all over her books. She doles it out and balances it well with her characters’ stories.
*I just can’t with this Carmichael clan. I mean, all of these characters feel familiar, yet different. I will not mention the youngest Carmichael because apparently he’s taken up space in other reviews. However, Locke has taken the most unlikely of wizened guides and gifted him with the wisdom to share with her MMC, Maddox. But, honestly, he isn’t everything. Instead, the Carmichaels are the foundation for every character we’ve met thus far. Each of them brings an angle to the story. I know Maddox is Locke’s fav to date. And I imagine others will choose the brother I refuse to name here as their favorite. Personally, I cannot WAIT for the reclusive Foxx’s story.
*Ashley is the every person FMC. She’s independent, compassionate, and intelligent. She’s also fun-loving and sensual. Yet, like most of us, she’s a little bent from a messy relationship with her father. As we know from the real world, daddy problems often breed relationship issues, and she has this in spades before her relationship with Maddox. What I love about Fling is she breaks this pattern with Maddox, once the two of them realize that relationships are messy even if you adore your partner. Her life has been messy, yet Ashley perseveres, thanks to two best friends and an insightful mother. This is also what I love about her characterization: the strong female bonds that heal the wounds of patriarchy.
*Ashley and Maddox are a perfect combination of fun, feral, and fabulous. Seriously. These two heat the pages of Fling. They make you laugh with their banter. They are also believable as friends becoming more. I know that isn’t a popular trope for many, but Locke writes it well. This is another shade of the trope much like we were gifted with Moss and Brooke. From the very beginning of this book, you want Ashley and Maddox to be end goals, and it never feels manufactured. It absolutely makes sense even if you know they should have figured it out sooner. But people are dumb, so this type of story works.
*Oh…and there are pigs. Ashley and Maddox swim with the pigs in the Bahamas. What’s not to love about that!
*And…who is the mystery person sending texts about penguins and flamingos? I have a suspicion but I’m impatient for the texts in Jess’s story, the next book of this series.
Now, if I have any criticism, it’s the insertion of Eton to complicate Ashley and Maddox’s journey. I would have preferred if Locke had developed his interruptions more. This is the one aspect of the story that felt manufactured to create the inciting incident to trouble their relationship. It did not feel as organic to the story as I think it could have been had Eton hounded Ashley more. It was the one miss for me in Fling.
Honestly, reading Fling feels like going home. Adriana Locke has found her magic treasure chest of stories in romancelandia, and she continually gifts pieces of gold from it with her stories. Don’t miss out on Maddox and Ashley. Fling brought a big smile to my day.
Grab your suitcase and prepare for the time of your life in this swoony tale that’s as hot as the tropical destination itself. Fans of runaway brides, close-proximity, one-bed, and friends-to-lovers tropes will fall hopelessly in love with this fling-to-forever romance.
I realize that a social media post isn’t the usual way to secure a date to your honeymoon—for obvious reasons—but here we are.
My wedding was canceled. What’s not canceled is the nonrefundable, ten-thousand-dollar all-inclusive vacation at a luxury resort, and I’m not about to let it go to waste.
I’m packed and ready to hit the beach. ButI can’t deny that it might be more interesting to honeymoon with someone.
Since my track record of picking dates isn’t exactly golden, I’ve done something that I hope I don’t regret. In a moment of weakness—mixed with panic and fueled by margaritas—I agreed to let my friends choose someone to go with me.
It’ll be a blind date / postnuptial vacation—without the nuptials. A few fun days in paradise with no expectations. No obligations.
Before you say, “pick me for a free vacay!” a few things to consider …
The perfect candidate will be single. He won’t talk too much on the plane. And he’ll be able to leave town quickly.
He will also be okay with sharing a bed. It’s a honeymoon suite, after all.
If you want to be considered, email Rebecca and Sara your application at the address below. (Get creative. There’s a free vacation on the line.)
Wheels up next week!
Godspeed, honeymooners.
Grab your suitcase and prepare for the time of your life in this swoony tale that’s as hot as the tropical destination itself. Fans of runaway brides, close-proximity, one-bed, and friends-to-lovers tropes will fall hopelessly in love with this fling-to-forever romance.
About the Author:
USA Today and Washington Post bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.
She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather’s nice and there’s always a piece of candy in her pocket.
Charmed by You, an all-new must-read novella set in the Stark Security world from New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner and 1,001 Dark Nights is available now!
Former vigilante-for-hire Simon Barré has one steadfast rule: stay far away from celebrities. Too bad Simon’s first assignment at Stark Security is to protect A-list actress Francesca Muratti. He can’t even turn down the assignment, as that would be violating his second rule—never fail a woman. Now he finds himself up-close-and-personal with a high-maintenance diva whose flash and sass drives him crazy—but whose touch he undeniably craves.
The world might believe that Francesca Muratti leads a fairy tale life, but the truth is far darker. For years, she’s kept a horrible secret about her best friend’s death. Now someone is threatening to kill Francesca if she doesn’t reveal all. She needs protection, but there’s no way she’s going to tell the sexy Stark Security agent what she did or why she’s being threatened. Which means that in order to survive and protect her secrets, Francesca must pull off the biggest acting job of her career: she’s going to have to let Simon close, but not let him see her true heart.
**For fans of J. Kenner’s Stark Security series, Charmed By You is book nine in that series.**
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
He didn’t want to like her. He really, really, really didn’t want to like her. She was a self-involved, conceited, money-hungry star who lived in a fantasy world and didn’t know a damn thing about real people or real problems. Just like every other actor in this fucked-up town. He knew it. Was certain of it. He was familiar with the type, after all. Hadn’t they destroyed his childhood? Ripped away his fiancée? Oh, yeah. He knew better than to like or trust this breed, and Francesca Muratti was no exception. She was just one more spoiled actress who’d caught the eye of a nut job with a grudge against spoiled actresses. And yet… He bit back a grimace, hating that he had to acknowledge those two little words. And yet… And yet this spoiled, insufferable star was willing to put her life on the line to keep her fans happy. This self-involved woman who made a living play-acting actually understood that the only reason she could enjoy the privilege of the life she had built was because she’d been lifted onto her pedestal by those fans. More than that, she not only understood it, but she was willing to risk literally everything to offer her thanks to those fans the only way she knew how—by being there for them. He didn’t have to like her. Hell, he didn’t like her. But he damn well respected her. “All right,” he said, hopping down from the buffet and moving to stand opposite her across the table. “We’ve settled that you’re going to the con.” He glanced around the room, making sure no one intended to keep up the argument. When all remained silent, he nodded. “Good. That means we’re to the final point on today’s agenda.” He met Francesca’s eyes. “Who sent the note? And what does he want you to reveal?” He kept his attention locked on her, so there was no missing either the way her eyes widened just a hair or the slash of fury that cut across her undeniably beautiful face. “Do I need to write you a song?” she snapped. “Do a tap dance? Or maybe you want me to tattoo the answer on my forehead. Some asshat wants me to say some magic words or else he’s going to kill me, and I. Do. Not. Know. What. They. Are.” A tear snaked down her cheek, and she swiped it away, the gesture both angry and impatient. “I can’t tell what I don’t know.” She spoke directly to him, and he took the challenge, moving closer until he was breathing her air and could smell the lilac in her perfume. “That’s kind of my point, sweetheart,” he said, studying her expression. Every tiny tick, every movement of her eyes. “I think you do.” “Excuse me?” She glared at him. The kind of look designed to melt a lesser man. Too bad for her, he wasn’t a lesser man. “You heard me,” he repeated. Sparks flew from her eyes. Not literally, but he could damn sure imagine them. He said nothing. Just looked back at her mildly, keeping his own temper in check. He was an expert at not showing his feelings, and that was a skill that would come in handy with Francesca Muratti. Probably more than his dead-on aim with a pistol. With a huff, she turned to face Ryan, then Damien. “Assign another agent, or I’m firing the lot of you.” “And here I thought you liked me. What with convincing them to let you go to the con.” She whirled on him. “You insufferable prick. Don’t you dare—” “Frannie. Calm down.” Damien’s voice was low. Reasonable. And Simon was absolutely positive that was the wrong approach to take. “Are you fucking kidding me, Stark? The man just called me a liar to my face. I have no idea—zero theories—as to what’s going on, and he’s accusing me of…well, fuck him. Fuck all of you. Dammit.” She blinked, her lips pressed tight together as she spun away, giving all of them her back. And for a moment—a very, very fleeting moment—Simon had the urge to put his hands on her shoulders and tell her that it would all work out. “Frannie,” Damien said softly, “we’re going to get to the bottom of this.” Her shoulders shook, and as much as she grated on him, he also knew that she was truly afraid. And because he was a damned idiot, his heart softened a little. At least until she spoke again. “I don’t want him here.” The words were low. Barely audible. “He’s an arrogant prick, and I don’t want him in my home. For that matter,” she added, turning to look at Damien and Ryan in turn, “I don’t want anyone here. I got some stupid note, and I freaked, okay? But I shouldn’t have, because there’s nothing for me to tell. Nothing. Which means it’s a prank. A joke. I’m safe. So go. All of you.” She shifted, eyeing everyone in the room. “Go on,” she snapped, her voice rising. “Get out of my house.” Nobody moved.
About J. Kenner J. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over one hundred novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.
Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, and paranormal mommy lit.
JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A six time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy) and in 2017 for Wicked Dirty in the same category. Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development as a television show.
Her books have sold over three million copies and are published in over twenty languages.
In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.
From USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR Xavier Neal comes a brand-new, smoking hot, age-gap romance that you DON’T wanna miss!
Waiting.
As in wey-ting.
As in a verb.
As in a synonym for anticipating.
As in the very thing I didn’t realize I was doing for a man ten years younger than me…
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.
BB Easton has revealed the cover for Devil of Dublin!
Releasing: September 27, 2022
Cover designer: Damonza
Photographer: Regina Wamba
Cover Model: Jered Sternaman
From the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of 44 Chapters About 4 Men (inspiration for the Netflix Original series Sex/Life) comes a dark mafia romance steeped in Irish folklore.
I can’t remember anymore if my grandfather’s eyes were blue or green, but I’ll never forget the way they wrinkled at the corners when he laughed at one of his own jokes. Or the way they sparkled with mischief when he told me tales about the magical creatures that dwelled in the forest behind his humble Irish sheep farm—shy fairies who liked to eat tea biscuits, cruel witches who liked to eat children, a moody lake spirit with a taste for expensive gifts.
As a child, I believed every fantastical word. But when he warned me about the mute boy who also lurked in those woods, the one the priest had declared to be the spawn of Satan himself, I refused to listen. Kellen wasn’t evil. He was kind, and beautiful, and special, and hurting. He was my friend. And with every summer I spent stolen away with him in those enchanted woods, he grew to become so much more.
But when I return to Glenshire as an adult, grieving and engaged to someone else, all those legends quickly morph into nightmares.
My grandfather had been right about everything, especially the boy.
If only I had listened.
WARNING: If you are a sensitive reader or find certain subject matter triggering, please exercise self-care and select a different book. Devil of Dublin is a dark romance, intended for mature audiences who enjoy high emotional intensity, explicit adult content, graphic violence, heart-pounding suspense, fairy-tale worthy love, and gorgeous Irish scenery. If that sounds like you, then … welcome to Glenshire!
Wall Street Journal bestselling author BB Easton lives in the suburbs of Atlanta with her long-suffering husband, Ken, and two adorable children. A few years ago, she quit her job as a school psychologist to write books about her punk rock past and deviant sexual history full-time. Ken wasn’t super excited about that, but now that he’s appeared in three of her books and inspired a TV show character, he’s incredibly supportive.
BB’s debut memoir, 44 Chapters About 4 Men, went on to inspire the Netflix original series, Sex/Life, which was viewed by 67 million households worldwide within the first month making it the 3rd most-watched Netflix original series of all time. Because she had so much fun writing 44 Chapters, BB went on to publish four more wickedly funny, shockingly steamy, and heartwarmingly autobiographical books, one for each man in her memoir—Skin, Speed, Star, and Suit.
The Rain Trilogy—a dark, immersive, end-of-the-world romance—was BB’s first work of fiction. Or at least, that’s what she thought when she wrote it in 2019. Then, 2020 hit, and all of her dystopian plot points started coming true. Hoping to fix everything, BB returned with a fun, feel-good romantic comedy called Group Therapy, but alas, the world is still on fire … and so is BB’s desire to write intense, us-against-the-world romances. Her next release,Devil of Dublin, isa dark Irish mafia romance steeped in folklore and family secrets.
You can find BB procrastinating in all of the following places:
Tropes: grump/sunshine, opposites attract, instant attraction, orphan, some found family, return to hometown, surprise royalty
“Life changes constantly, and if you live in the past, you’re going to miss it.”
There is decadence in the physicality of Meghan Quinn’s newest romance, Royally Not Ready. Quinn flexes her chemistry-building muscle by drawing out and adding fuel to the fire of her two main characters, Lilly and Keller. This is Quinn at her best as she takes two opposites, crafting a precarious situation and an inferno of attraction between her main characters. She moves Lilly and Keller from disdain to ardor in the space of her story, investing her readers in their journey from almost the first page. The back and forth between these two is a delight, the mechanism that breathes light into a tense situation. She mixes in some suspense and intrigue along with a sweet reconciliation of a family broken apart. Royally Not Ready is quite the romance stew.
Keller and Lilly are two sides of the same coin. They must endeavor to undertake change. For Lilly, she must learn to become royal when she was raised as an American with no knowledge of her mother’s country. And Keller must learn to leave behind the rules of his youth to become the man that Lilly needs at her side. Their exchanges at the beginning, when they are seated in opposition to each other, provide the comedic relief of the book. As they draw closer to connecting emotionally, they reach the zenith of their individual journeys almost simultaneously, drawing them closer together. Lilly reaches her character maturation before Keller, adding some emotional tension to the story. For me, their journeys were my favorite parts of the book.
My other favorite part is Lilly’s connection with her grandparents and, by extension, her mother’s country. The compassion and connection between them add another layer of emotion to Royally Not Ready. That isn’t promised early in the story, so Quinn’s ability to create trepidation in their meeting draws you into the moment’s emotion. In fact, each carefully curated moment of this book is magnetic, causing the book to be a fast read.
For me, Meghan Quinn’s Royally Not Ready is the read of the week. It has everything: humor, spice, and everything in between. It simply makes you want to read more Megan Quinn stories.
Tropes: Friends to Lovers, Afraid to commit, Fake relationship/wing-woman, Never marry
Sara Ney’s The Make Out Artist continues her Accidentally in Love series, focusing on main characters who tend to fall into love while trying to stay away from it. This is definitely the case for Elias and Molly in this Ney’s newest offering. Eli and Molly meet at a small get-together at Molly’s house. Not keen on a weekday party, Molly hides away to complete some work. She is interrupted by Elias/Eli who was brought to the party by his sister. When a woman at the party tries to hit on him, he decides to hide upstairs when he encounters Molly. He likes that she is forthright and doesn’t suffer fools. When she tries to get him to leave her alone, he decides he wants her to act as his wing woman, a protection against women who are trying to get him to ask them on dates. At first, Molly has no interest, but when her old friend, Tripp Wallace, invites them both to a function as each other’s dates, she relents. As Molly and Eli spend more time together, they realize they are more alike than different, and their situationship moves into a relationship. When Eli’s ex threatens their newfound happiness, you wonder if a happy ending is in the “cards” for this couple.
I appreciate a series that focuses on accidental love pairings, and they’ve been fairly interesting reads, but Ney’s stories, quite frankly, feel just a bit messy. Did I like Elias and Molly? Yes, for the most part. Quite honestly, I didn’t believe their chemistry until it became physical. Even then, I don’t entirely believe that they fell hard for each other in love. And I want to believe them, but for much of the story, Eli seems more attracted to Molly than Molly is attracted to Eli. Then, all of a sudden, she likes and then suddenly loves him. For me, there is a consistency issue in her character development.
Secondly, the eventual issue with Elias’s ex- feels like an add-on, a way to add drama to the story. It doesn’t seem organically integrated or developed. It creates a “hiccup” for Elias and Molly’s future, which seems unnecessary to the story. There would have been other ways to create the tension such as the demands of Eli’s job within the context of a relationship. I would have loved to see more of this built into the story.
Lastly, I love Molly. She saved Tripp in his romance, and I’m not sure that Ney did her justice here. Some moments are cute between these two, but Molly, with the fire of her former book, was missing that fire in her own story.
I have to be real here. I struggled with The Make Out Artist. I’m a fast reader, and this was a bit of a slug in reading because I didn’t feel Elias and Molly’s spark until the end. It may be me and my reading interests, so if you love yourself some Sara Ney, then you may want to grab this one.
J. Kenner’s Charmed By You returns us easily to Damien Stark’s Security series world. With cameos from Damien and Ryan, Charmed By Love marries the world of Hollywood with the world of the Stark Security series. As it follows Simon Barré protecting the starlet, Francesca Muratti, from a stalker, the sparks fly from their initial meeting. This chemistry makes the story intriguing: “will they/won’t they consummate their attraction.” Once the suspense portion of the story hits, it’s a quick downhill from there, devolving into a happy ending for Frannie and Simon.
Charmed By You has all the components of the other Stark Security series novellas: intrigue, insta-attraction, and the chemistry of opposites. I will say that I was hoping for a bit more story development, but alas, this is a novella. If you’re looking for a quick read in the world of Damien Stark, then you won’t want to miss Charmed By You.
“You might be a future queen, but when it comes to the bedroom, I’m your king.”
ROYALLY NOT READY, a brand new sexy, enemies-to-lovers standalone romance from USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn, is Now Available in all formats, including the illustrated hardcover edition! Fall in love with this fresh take on a royal romance with a twist. Laugh out loud funny and full of some of her steamiest scenes yet, Quinn takes you on an unexpected, sizzling fairytale journey. One-click your copy today!
Emma Wilder and John Hartley narrate ROYALLY NOT READY in duet, and their performances are perfection! Grab your earbuds and dive into this aural sensation today!
ABOUT MEGHAN QUINN:
USA Today Bestselling Author, wife, adoptive mother, and peanut butter lover. Author of romantic comedies and contemporary romance, Meghan Quinn brings readers the perfect combination of heart, humor, and heat in every book.
Never miss another NEW RELEASE, text READ to 474747.
Charmed by You, an all-new steamy standalone Stark Security novella from New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner and 1,001 Dark Nights is available now!
Former vigilante-for-hire Simon Barré has one steadfast rule: stay far away from celebrities. Too bad Simon’s first assignment at Stark Security is to protect A-list actress Francesca Muratti. He can’t even turn down the assignment, as that would be violating his second rule—never fail a woman. Now he finds himself up-close-and-personal with a high-maintenance diva whose flash and sass drives him crazy—but whose touch he undeniably craves.
The world might believe that Francesca Muratti leads a fairy tale life, but the truth is far darker. For years, she’s kept a horrible secret about her best friend’s death. Now someone is threatening to kill Francesca if she doesn’t reveal all. She needs protection, but there’s no way she’s going to tell the sexy Stark Security agent what she did or why she’s being threatened. Which means that in order to survive and protect her secrets, Francesca must pull off the biggest acting job of her career: she’s going to have to let Simon close, but not let him see her true heart.
**For fans of J. Kenner’s Stark Security series, Charmed By You is book nine in that series.**
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
About J. Kenner J. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over one hundred novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.
Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, and paranormal mommy lit.
JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A six time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy) and in 2017 for Wicked Dirty in the same category. Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development as a television show.
Her books have sold over three million copies and are published in over twenty languages.
In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.
Professor Romance 