I am a USA Today bestselling author and I write emotionally intense young adult and new adult fiction with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime!
My family will tell you I am little bit obsessive when it comes to reading and writing, and they aren’t wrong. I can rarely
be found without my trusty Kindle, a paperback book, or my laptop somewhere close at hand.
Prior to becoming a full-time writer, I forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.
I reside in the Garden County of Ireland with my husband and two sons.
You know when you read an author for the first time and you realize quickly that you’ve been missing out on their voice. Well, this happened to me this week, as I was reading T.K. Leigh’s Royal Games. This is the fifth book in her Dating Games series, and I know I’ve missed out…until now.
There is so much I want to say about Royal Games. Let me begin with the general message of this book because it’s an important one. Through the story of Anderson North aka Prince Gabriel and Nora, Leigh articulates a poignant message about loss. At its surface, loss is presented as literal death. There is quite a bit of death in this book, to be honest, and it’s those deaths that wreak havoc for Leigh’s hero and heroine. Both of them are living their lives in the past, instead of the present, and Leigh reminds us through their adventure together that living in the present is the only part of life we can control. Besides loss through death, Leigh intensifies this message through the loss of a marriage, the loss of health, and the loss of expectations (Nora’s relationship with her mother). Loss covers this book, and in the end, we are reminded that we can only live in the here and now, controlling our mindsets especially when outside influences cannot be contained. Leigh’s expression of loss showcases her storytelling, and this is what inspired goosebumps as I was engaged in Nora and Anderson’s story.
Even more, I loved this book for the emotions it created in me. I have a huge confession to make in Leigh’s review. I’m a cheater. As a reader, I oftentimes cannot suspend my disbelief, and “good” writers invest me easily in their stories. Accordingly, I have to oftentimes read the end to allay my anxiety because I “feel” for the writer’s characters. When a writer crafts believability that develops my feelings for their characters, I know the writing is strong. For Leigh’s book, I was so invested that I had to read a few chapters out of order. There are secrets in this book, and as it came close to the revelation of those secrets, my emotions felt out of control. This is a nod to Leigh’s writing prowess. I felt a part of Anderson and Nora’s adventure, and each chapter pulled me deeper and deeper into it that I could empathize with their emotions, creating a profound and oftentimes fraught reading experience. There will be another book for Nora and Anderson, and I both relish and worry about it because I need the happiest of happy endings for these two.
Lastly, Leigh’s style grabs bits of your soul. She has written exquisite moments in Royal Games that underscore the depth of her message. Time and time again, my heart would pound and butterflies flew in my stomach because Leigh’s prose enthralled me. The deeper the story ventures, the more profound her style. There are lessons about life to be learned through Leigh’s words. If nothing else, people should read this book for the beauty of her writing.
I could tell you more about the extravagance of characterization in Royal Games. Anderson and Nora’s experiences are the foundation of T.K. Leigh’s story. Yet, it’s a culmination of parts that make the beauty of the whole of this book. When we are surrounded right now with so much loss, there is a lesson that we can learn through Leigh’s Royal Games, and it’s about temporality and the need to be our best “right now.” Not in living in the past, not pushing for the future, but making choices right now that can change ourselves, change people, and change the world. If you look deep enough into T.K. Leigh’s newest offering, you find that message, and hopefully, it touches your soul, as it touched mine. I began this review acknowledging that, until this past week, T.K. Leigh’s storytelling had missed my TBR. Needless to say, that stops now.
From her first book in the Hot Jock series, Kendall Ryan has hooked me. If I knew more about hockey, I’m sure I could use some simile or metaphor to allude to the series’ impact, but I’m not that astute. I could easily say, though, that this series in general is a clear goal putting a win in Kendall Ryan’s column. And her last book, Taking His Shot is the hockey stick to knock it in there.
Let me be clear, though. Of the series, this book feels the most innocuous. With the other books in the series, the tropes are clear ranging from best friend’s sister to sexual abuse survivor to forbidden (I see you Morgan) to reverse age gap. Quite honestly, there is a book in this series for any reader of romance. With Taking His Shot, I think what Kendall Ryan is offering us is a two-fold goal: (1) given that we’ve been dealing with a professional hockey team, we need a story with the coach’s daughter (I’ve read enough sports romance to know that this is often forbidden) and (2) she needed one more story to neatly wrap up this series.
Let’s talk about that second point. What Kendall Ryan has done with Taking His Shot is bring us back into the other players’ stories. I love that all of them are represented in the book. That isn’t the case with the other books in the series. Even more exciting is the way that Ryan has framed this series. The first book offers the story of Justin and Elise, and she crafts their happy ending in this book. I love when writers book-end their stories, and it’s clear that Ryan planned this from the beginning. This epitomizes her writing ability. Besides Justin and Elise, though, she gifts us with more of Owen, Grant, Morgan, Teddy, and Asher. We know who is married now, who has kids, and where each of them is going. When you end Taking His Shot, you feel ready for it. Kendall Ryan has created a complete series, and the only sadness lies in having to say that final goodbye. However, Kendall Ryan being Kendall Ryan, we know there are more stories in other worlds ahead for us, so don’t feel too sad.
Now, let’s deal with my first idea: a story with the coach’s daughter. Beyond that storyline,Taking His Shot is basic contemporary romance: boy meets girl, boy tries to bed girl, girl resists, boy has to win her over, boy wins girl over after quite a bit of work but quickly proceeds to muck it up, boy has to work to win girl over again while both of them are depressed over losing each other, and boy and girl finally reconcile and live happily ever after. Who doesn’t love that storyline? This is Kendall Ryan’s niche; it’s her superpower in the world of romance. Now, complicating this is the idea of pursuing the coach’s daughter. In most sports romance, this is a forbidden storyline, and Ryan touches on that briefly, but that isn’t the situation in this romance. Instead, Jordie, the hero, is forthright in his pursuit of Harper. In being “mostly” honest with Harper’s father, the coach helps Jordie, and he acts as Jordie’s “father figure.” This upends that common sports romance trope, so, instead, this story becomes about two people fighting each other to find a relationship. It’s in this fight where the chemistry builds, eventually pouring off the page. Ryan’s ability to evolve Harper’s interest is a nod to her craftsmanship. She takes a character who is “anti-hockey players” to a mighty degree and offers up a beautiful relationship between Harper and Jordie. This is where Ryan impresses you the most, I think.
Even more, Ryan weaves in lessons about fathers. Both Jordie and Harper’s fathers have imprinted themselves on their worldviews. As they are drawn together, they must challenge what they’ve learned to get to the root of their issues. The personal evolutions of Jordie and Harper are insightful and suggest that we could all look inward, challenging our personal biases.
Am I sad to say goodbye to Kendall Ryan’s Hot Jocks series? I mean, I wouldn’t be upset if Ryan, in the future, crafted a bonus scene to update us on our favorite Seattle hockey players. However, she shows her writing acumen in Jordie and Harper’s romance and her ability to invest her readers in her characters. While Jordie and Harper end this series well, I think Kendall Ryan was her best earlier in the series with Owen’s and Grant’s stories. In the end, though, she made me fall for this band of professional hockey players. If you love sports romance, Ryan is a great place to land.
Royal Games, a brand-new epic road
trip contemporary romance by USA Today Bestselling author T.K. Leigh is NOW
LIVE!
Every girl dreams of falling in love with a prince.
When I met Jeremy, I thought he was my prince.
Caring. Compassionate. Sensitive.
And, unfortunately for me, not attracted to women.
So here I am, thirty years old and divorced when most of my
friends are just getting married. In desperate need of a restart, I set off on
a road trip to learn how to love myself again.
The last thing I expected was to meet him.
Anderson North.
Mysterious. Enigmatic. Sexy as hell.
And, after a malfunction with my rental car, my new road
companion.
Can I give this man a piece of my heart after having it
broken?
Can I learn to trust again after having that trust betrayed?
When he reveals his deepest secret, can I look beyond the lies and toward the
only thing that matters?
I’ve always dreamed of finding my very own Prince Charming.
T.K. Leigh, otherwise known as Tracy Leigh Kellam, is a USA
Today Best-Selling author of the Beautiful Mess series, in addition to several
other works. Originally from New England, she now resides in sunny Southern
California with her husband, dog, and three cats, all of which she has rescued
(including the husband). In late 2015, she gave birth to her first (and only)
baby. When she’s not planted in front of her computer, writing away, she can be
found training for her next marathon (of which she has run over fifteen fulls
and far too many halfs to recall) or keeping her daughter entertained.
A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than three dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 3 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world.
Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than 100 times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.
I’ve just signed a two-year lease on an apartment I can barely afford. My job hit a brick wall so I need the place to be perfect to help me get my life back on track. But the first night in, and I already know my neighbor isn’t going to make it easy on me.
Tall, sexy, irresistible (and did I mention the British accent?), Shane Logan likes his nightly activities…a lot. I can hear everything through the paper-thin walls. I’m about to tell him that in not-so-friendly terms when I realize he isn’t just sexy, he’s also friendly and eager to be of help. Maybe having a neighbor like him isn’t such a bad idea. I’m a writer in desperate need of inspiration. Shane so happens to turn into mine. With a deadline approaching fast, his offer to do me a favor turns into two and three. Before I know it, he’s forced his way into my life with the tenacity of a whirlwind.
I can deal with the fact that he’s far too loud and far too sexy. But when my dog likes him more than me, I start to get a little suspicious. Soon it becomes clear Shane Logan has secrets. Plunged into the suspicions surrounding my neighbor, suddenly the only thing I can be sure of is that Shane is fiercely determined to hide the truth about himself.
Remember when I said the lease should have come with a warning? Well, mine should also have come with a big, red, flashing signal.
Author’s note – Neighbors and Favors is a full-length romantic comedy with no cliffhanger.
I stare at the six-foot-three British guy, taking in his lopsided grin and the cleaning gloves and garbage bags in his hands. He’s wearing a white, snug T-shirt and jeans that hang low on his hips—nothing remarkable, really, but for some reason, he looks like he’s stepped straight out of a fragrance advertisement—you know, the expensive kind.
And for some reason, the realization annoys the heck out of me. No one looks so good in the middle of the night. I know I certainly don’t.
“What do you want?” I squeeze through gritted teeth. My good manners have apparently deserted me.
“Ah, now that’s neighborly friendliness if I ever saw some.” His lips stretch into a stunning smile with perfect, white teeth and two little dimples.
I suck in my breath as another wave of annoyance hits me.
Dimples.
Does he have to have a perfect pair of those?
I mean, why toss him a good thing or two from the genes pool when he can win the whole darn lottery?
I bet his personality sucks.
Apparently, Sammy doesn’t think so because she’s instantly stopped her barking and is now making those tiny wailing sounds that signal elation and are usually reserved for her best friends.
Aka me.“Like I said, what do you want?” I really want to slam the door in the guy’s face but that goes against everything I stand for. So, I take a deep breath and begin my inner chant.
Patience. Forbearance. I treat my neighbor as I want to be treated.
“Anyone ever told you not to open the door to strangers when they come knocking in the middle of the night?” The guy’s grin widens.
AUTHOR INFO Kate Davis is a real-life coffee lover with her very own Pomeranian who was her biggest inspiration for this book. Yes, Sammy is real and her favorite command is “cheese.” In fact, it might just be the only command she obeys. Kate loves to play matchmaker, transporting readers to a place where her bold heroines have endearing flaws, the men are fierce and protective, the world isn’t always a safe place, and chivalry is alive and thriving! You can visit both Kate and Sammy online at katedavisauthor.blogspot.com or connect with her on Facebook. Stay in touch. She loves to hear from her readers!
Sign up to Kate’s newsletter for more info on her next release here
Dr. Rebecca Sharp has revealed the gorgeous cover for Revolution, a hot and angsty enemies-to-lovers romance written in K. Bromberg’s Driven World.
Releasing on August 5, 2020
They told me I didn’t belong. I would race to prove them wrong.
No tits in the pits! You can grab my pole, Kacey! If Kacey Snyder was a lady, she’d be at home!
I’d heard it all before–all the ways I didn’t belong–and it never stopped me. Until a well-deserved punch to a fellow driver banned me from NASCAR for the season. Now, my only chance to drive is at the Indianapolis 500–the most prestigious race in the country. And I’m the only woman competing.
Unfortunately, my contract didn’t mention the suffocating publicity nor the abrasive mechanic building the car.
Garret Gallagher guards many secrets behind his callous attitude–how much he dislikes me isn’t one of them. That’s fine with me. I can’t stand him either. Especially the way his Irish brogue makes me melt over words that chill me to the bone.
In my world, nothing matters except power and speed and proving myself. Until him. Until us. As obstacles unfold and secrets unravel, suddenly I’m fighting for more than the finish line.
They say revolutions begin with a single spark. One driver on the track. One desire that can’t be stopped. But in a revolution driven by love, What if he was the only prize worth winning?
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/rebeccasharp Dr. Rebecca Sharp’s Revolution is written in New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg’s Driven World, which is one of two KB Worlds projects that are launching this August. With over 100 authors, who were selected by and are working with K. Bromberg, these stories will be fan fiction at its finest—and sexiest. Devoted fans of the Driven and Everyday Heroes series will have the opportunity to revisit their favorite characters and settings. Dr. Rebecca Sharp is returning to the Driven racetrack and putting her spin on this smoking hot, fast-paced and addictive world. You can find out more about Bromberg and the KB Worlds at kbworlds.com. Join the KB Worlds Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/KBWorlds/
Meet Rebecca: Rebecca Sharp is a dentist by day and author of addictive contemporary romance by night.
She is addicted to coffee, puts hot sauce on everything, and loves Disney movies!
She lives with her husband in Northeastern PA and when she’s not writing or treating patients, she loves to cook, travel, and snowboard.
For a Good Time Call by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward
Ever see For a good time call scribbled on the bathroom wall of a bar? Sure you have. Ever wonder what would happen if you had a few too many drinks and actually called the number? Well now you don’t have to wonder anymore, because I’ll tell you… It blows up in your face when you suddenly realize who Mr. Good Time is.
Eternal Sunshine by L.J. Shen
Adam Mackay is my brother’s best friend, turned Hollywood heartthrob, who is now my brand new, infuriating boss.
Sounds complicated? You have no idea…
Stay Right Here with Me by Willow Winters
I can’t tell you how many mistakes I’ve made sitting in this very spot in this small town bar. Watching the iron doors swing closed as the broad-shouldered man who just walked in sits across from me, I already know he’s on that list of, “I shouldn’t have done that…”
Damsel Dude in Distress by Helena Hunting
I thought I was helping a damsel in distress. Turns out my damsel was actually a hot dude with some bad luck. It started with a broken-down car and ended with a gross motel, an indoor campout and a set of Kama Sutra sheets.
The Beach R.S. Grey
I’m not supposed to be on vacation with my best friend’s older brother. I’ve wanted him for so long, and now we’re unexpectedly alone in a tropical paradise. Naturally, I packed a lot of bikinis, but I should have brought armor if I want to have any hope of surviving my week away with Noah Martin…or should I say, Dr. Martin.
Lucky Shotby Sarina Bowen
Rookie sports agent Bess Beringer gets a real education on the night of her first glitzy New York business dinner. But the things she learns have nothing to do with roster rules or contract negotiation. Luckily, rookie hockey player Mark “Tank” Tankiewicz is a pro-level teacher…
COVER CREDIT:
Cover designer: Sommer Stein, Perfect Pear Creative
Dexter Daniels prefers gems over women. Emeralds over girlfriends. Diamonds over marriage.
He might be the most successful jeweler of his generation, a loyal friend and some say the most handsome man in London, but his past means he doesn’t deal in love.
When Hollie Lumen enters the ballroom where exquisite royal jewels are on display, she brings Dexter’s world to a screeching halt. Despite her hand-me-down dress and borrowed shoes, Hollie is even more stunning than the jewelry. Feisty, funny and ferociously independent, she’s all Dexter can see.
Hollie Lumen can’t catch a break. She thought an internship in London was her chance to escape her responsibilities back in Oregon and for her dreams to come true. When she’s fired only a few weeks after touching down, she’s ready to give up and go home. Hollie never asks for help. She knows the only person she can rely on is herself.
So what’s she going to do about the tall, dark, handsome stranger who keeps rescuing her?
She’s going to rescue him right back.
Mr. Knightsbridge is a stand-alone romance.
About the Author: USA Today bestselling author, Louise Bay writes sexy, contemporary romance novels – the kind she likes to read. Her books include the novels Faithful (not currently on sale as undergoing maintenance!), Hopeful, The Empire State Series, The Royals Series, The Nights Series (both series of standalone books each following different characters) and the standalone Gentleman series.
Ruined by romantic mini-series of the eighties, Louise loves all things romantic. There’s not enough of it in real life so she disappears into the fictional worlds in books and films.
Louise loves the rain, The West Wing, London, days when she doesn’t have to wear make-up, being on her own, being with friends, elephants and champagne.
That’s what my mom is always saying: “The bigger you are, the harder you fall.” She’s talking about love—I’ve never been in it myself, but that doesn’t stop me from secretly matchmaking for my friends. Who would suspect me, a world class athlete, of meddling in other people’s love lives? I love Love, especially when it’s not me who’s doing the falling…
“No Thanks.”
That’s what Hollis Westbrooke said when I asked her on a date. Well, propositioned her, actually—but it was all a big joke; one she doesn’t think is funny. My stomach is in knots since I might actually like this girl so the joke is on me. Hollis’s father is my boss—and she doesn’t date players.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall—especially when biggest player is me.
Sara Ney is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the How to Date a Douchebag series, and is best known for her sexy, laugh-out-loud New Adult romances. Among her favorite vices, she includes: iced latte’s, historical architecture and well-placed sarcasm. She lives colorfully, collects vintage books, art, loves flea markets, and fancies herself British.
Professor Romance 