Read my 4 1/2 ⭐️review HERE.

K.K. Allen is a USA Today
bestselling and award-winning author who writes heartfelt and inspirational
contemporary romance stories. K.K. graduated from the University of Washington
with an Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences degree and currently resides in
central Florida with her ridiculously handsome little dude who owns her heart.

K.K. published her first contemporary romance, Up in the Treehouse, in
2016 which went on to win the Romantic Times 2016 Reviewers’ Choice Award for
Best New Adult Book of the Year.

With K.K.’s love
for inspirational and coming of age stories involving heartfelt narratives and
honest emotions, you can be assured to always be surprised by what K.K.
releases next.

Author Links

AMAZON
GOODREADS
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
MAILING LIST
INSTAGRAM
BOOKBUB
WEBSITE

Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

“‘But’ — he lowered the main halyard, and the sail started to come down —’if you’re one with nature, like this…’ He continued to take tension off the left downhole before cranking the main halyard back up then replacing the main sheet with the reef line. The sheet puffed as wind filled it with a heavy thwack. He’d just made a smaller sail out of a bigger one to work better with the changing winds. ‘Then the wind will always be on your side.’”

When I met K.K. Allen as an author for the first time, it was after reading an ARC of Defying Gravity. I love dance. I love watching it and doing it (when given the opportunity, which isn’t often). There is something beautiful about the art form that captures my heart, so when I realized she was writing a series about dancers, I HAD to read the books. When I applied for the ARC of Defying Gravity for an honest review, I was excited. As I started reading it, I fell deeply in love with Allen as a writer because she is doing something that other romance writers aren’t: incorporating multi-media to help our imaginations understand the dances of her book. In my review for that book, I was effusive about her brilliance in doing this. When the blogger sign-up for The Trouble with Gravity hit my email, I knew that I would once again traverse into Allen’s universe of dancers. There was absolutely no doubt in mind because I knew she would take us on a journey of dance and romance. And The Trouble with Gravity did NOT disappoint. 

This book follows the dancer, Kai. This book begins with a flashback, a moment in the past that becomes a moment of change for Kai. It affects her emotionally, causing her a fear that potentially derails her future. As Kai’s journey begins, we know a couple of things: she’s a hardworking dancer and she desperately needs work as her bank account is low. She isn’t destitute, as she has fellow dancer friends who will help her, but Kai is independent, and she wants to earn a living by dancing. A job opportunity becomes available, something different than her normal auditions. She doesn’t know the details behind it prior to her audition but she knows she needs the work. On the day of the audition, a reckless motorcyclist takes a corner sharp and splashes water onto her, potentially wrecking her look for the audition. Angry, with little time to change, she quickly prepares herself, fixing the problem, only to find that the unapologetic motorcyclist, Sebastian — the bad boy of Broadway,  is the creator, composer, and pianist for the musical that Kai is auditioning for. Remaining professional, she dances her heart out and earns one of the lead spots. Needing the job, Kai expects to accept the offer even though she doesn’t like the creator of the musical; however, her fear, the one created in her youth, makes her deny it. 

Recognizing that Kai is the best fit for his musical and trying to avoid casting the former dancer who originated Kai’s role, Sebastian needs Kai for his musical. He pursues her, intent on helping her overcome her fear while casting her in his musical. Attracted to her, he struggles to remain professional instead of falling under her spell. Kai and Sebastian’s love-hate relationship creates much of the spark of this story, and you wonder if these two can ever find their happy ending. 

What are the reasons that you should read K.K. Allen’s The Trouble with Gravity?

• This book is a multi-media experience just like Defying Gravity. To ensure that her readers understand the movement of the dance and its significance in her story, Allen incorporates the YouTube links for the dances that inspire the dance in the book. As someone who loves this art form, I love this extra component of her book, as it sets her writing apart. It heightens the reading experience, helping us connect more with her characters and their stories. There aren’t many other writers adding this layer to their books. 
• You’ll love to hate Sebastian, the hero of this story. Sebastian is a complicated character in that he’s struggling with his past and its issues. He wants retribution against his producer for the sins of their pasts, and this causes him to be hot-headed and impulsive in his treatment of others. He’s unapologetic in his early treatment of Kai. This causes you to initially want to throw your book across the room. He makes choices that self-sabotage their journeys, and it’s frustrating at times. One minute, he adores Kai, working to help her overcome her fear. In the next minute, he becomes cruel, creating distance between them due to their roles in the musical. When he finally accepts his longing for Kai, it transforms him, and the Sebastian later in the story becomes one of your favorite characters. He falls deeply for Kai, and it changes him. The later Sebastian is a composite of people who finally forgive themselves and others for the hurts perpetrated against us. 
• Kai is the crowned jewel of The Trouble of Gravity. She is the impetus for change in Sebastian’s life, but she represents inner strength. Through her journey, we recognize the message of Allen’s book: that trying to control every variable of our lives leads us to miss out on the opportunity to live a full life. Both Sebastian and Kai struggle with “gravity” (control). As Kai begins to let go of her fear, she models for Sebastian a bigger and better life. She is passionate, determined, and the epitome of strong womanhood. She is the only character able to challenge Sebastian to become a better person, as such she was my favorite person in this story because she exudes strength and power. 

Many of us struggle with giving up control. It weighs us down, anchoring us to our pasts, our fears, or our sins. When we allow ourselves to fully live life, no matter the circumstances, we become free, weightless, connected fully to our emotions. K.K. Allen’s The Trouble with Gravity illustrates this message beautifully through dance, character development, and a plot that pulls you in from the first page. There is something special with Allen’s voice in the romance world, and readers far and wide should take advantage of the stories she’s peddling. They will challenge and entertain you in ways that other romance writers simply don’t. 

In love and romance,

Professor A

Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

It’s very easy to take on a reductive view of romance. I just had a conversation this morning wherein my brother was demeaning it, dropping it to the level of “smut.” I don’t try to defend it vehemently because the reality is that people want to believe romance only serves one purpose: propagate $ex. While there are some authors who revel in that cause, I contend that more and more authors see an opportunity to share important messages through the vehicle of romance. They understand there is an audience for this genre, and they use it to enlighten their readers of various social issues. 

This is very true of Siobhan Davis’s newest book, Releasing Keanu. This book is the newest offering from her Kennedy Boys series of standalones. It would have been easy to play it safe with Keanu and Selena, the hero and heroine of this book. Yet, she doesn’t. Instead, Davis finds space in her romance series to tackle the heady topic of human trafficking, and she does it in such a way that it is profound and enlightening. I have not read her Kennedy Boys series. I’ve read other books from her booklist, so this was my first entree into this world. If you are worried that you have to read the first books of this series to understand Releasing Keanu, rest in the knowledge that it isn’t necessary. While I would love more background of the other relationships mentioned in this book, it did not confuse me for the main relationship between Keanu and Selena. 

Releasing Keanu brings us up to the present in the Kennedy Boys world. It has been a few years since Keanu and Selena broke up. However, every day is a torture for each of them. Selena has spent the past few years working on her career and her mental health, while Keanu has continued to grow his profile in the modeling world. Both of them have entered college, and their future seems bright. Yet, every day, Keanu and Selena miss each other. Selena doesn’t believe she’s quite ready to reconnect with Keanu, but she feels closer to it than before. She presumes that she has more work to do, and she fears that he has moved on from her. Keanu knows that he has a Selena-sized hole in his heart that no amount of partying or sleeping with women will fill. He mourns a little bit for her every day, and, given the way that Selena broke up with him, he isn’t sure that she ever loved him, making it difficult for him to reach out to her. Selena knows that she will eventually cross Keanu’s path, but for the moment, she’s not provoking that meeting. Until her life changes in one day. 

Underlying Keanu and Selena’s story is the story of human trafficking. As a tween, Selena was abducted and became a $ex slave to powerful men. Thankfully, she is able to escape, but the years of abuse follow her. In the midst of Releasing Keanu, Selena is faced with her past, and she runs to the protection of Keanu. It is there that she begins to accept her soul-level connection to Keanu. In the arms of Selena, Keanu knows he will do anything to protect her from her past.

Yes, Releasing Keanu is a romance, but more importantly, this book is a magnifying glass to the travesty of human trafficking. As Davis pulls us into Keanu and Selena’s love story, she highlights the horror of the sale and abuse of people for purposes of $exual gratification. She aptly illustrates the damaging effects of this crime on the lives of the survivors. This book is really a love story for those people who have lived to talk about this devastating practice. It feels like every moment of Selena’s story is intentional. And more than any of her other books, she crafts Keanu is such a way that he does nothing to add to Selena’s “mental illness.”

Having read Davis’s other stories, it’s interesting to find a male character like Keanu who is so compassionate, loving, and caring. I’ve read many of her other heroes who are bullies to their heroines. In this book, there is very little strife (if any) between Keanu and Selena. Keanu’s sole purpose in this story is loving Selena through her trauma and for her healing. What I loved about Davis’s depiction of him is the insistence on showing Selena’s healing in herself by only giving Keanu a part to play in loving her through her journey toward healing; Keanu is NOT the reason for it. Instead, he’s her helpmate, which makes it easy to fall into their story. Keanu loves Selena so that she can be her best self, but her power comes from within herself. If you had to note the strength of this book, it’s that. Selena saves herself. 

Keanu and Selena’s romance in Releasing Keanu is a beautiful treatise on overcoming trauma and re-discovering love again. Their love is peaceful, endearing, and something so very special. You fall into their story so easily, even when Selena’s past is frightening. But it’s her past and what it represents that makes this book special. As a populace, we NEED these stories because they remind us to open our eyes to the reality of others. We need to be aware, and we need to speak up to protect those who cannot protect themselves. And romance is the genre that can highlight these social ills well. Even if you haven’t read any of the other Kennedy Boys series, you MUST read Releasing Keanu. 

In love and romance,

Professor A

Down and Dirty

By Kendall Ryan

Release Day: March 9, 2020

About the Book

Your favorite hot jocks are back with an all new stand-alone novel.

Whoops.

Last night in Vegas is a blur. There were drunken shenanigans … And now I’m waking up naked wrapped around Landon freaking Covington, my incredibly hot younger guy friend, with a wedding ring on my finger and a marriage certificate on the table next to me.

Like I said, whoops. I’m thirty. I should know better, but what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right?

Well, apparently not.

Because I’ve married the last alpha-male virgin on the planet. Yep, virgin. And my stubborn, oddly traditional new husband doesn’t want a divorce. He wants me.

If you like sexy, confident men who know how to handle a stick (on and off the ice), and smart women who are strong enough to keep all those big egos in check, this series of athlete romances is perfect for you!

(Books can be enjoyed in any order.)

Preorder Today!

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About Kendall Ryan

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 70 times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.

She lives in Texas with her husband and two sons.

Visit her at: www.kendallryanbooks.com for the latest book news, and fun extras.

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“A powerful story of growth and healing. Five amazing stars!” Coralee June, International bestselling author

Releasing Keanu, and all-new second chance romantic standalone in the fan-favorite Kennedy Boys Series from USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis, is available now!

KEANU

Selena played me.

Confirming I wasted years loving someone who didn’t love me back.

It should be easy to move on, but since she dumped me, I can’t shake her from my thoughts, no matter how hard I try.

Dates and random hookups don’t help, because no one measures up to the girl I still love with my whole heart.

When she appears at my door, begging me for help, I can’t turn her away. My protective instincts kick in, and I grasp this second chance with both hands.

This time, I’m determined to open her eyes.

To help her realize she made a mistake throwing what we had away.

To prove our love is the real deal.

SELENA

Keanu has it all wrong.

I let him go because I love him too much to continue holding him back.

And I’ve paid for it every day since.

I didn’t think it was possible to miss someone this much, but my entire being aches for him in a way that isn’t healthy.

It’s why I continue to keep my distance even though it’s killing me inside.

No one understands me the way he does, so, when my ugly past returns, threatening to undo years of progress, he’s the first person I run to.

If anyone can keep me safe, it’s the love of my life.

Maybe, this time, I’m strong enough to be the woman he deserves.

If my past doesn’t take me from him first.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

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About Siobhan

USA Today bestselling author Siobhan Davis writes emotionally intense young adult and new adult romantic fiction with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She is the author of the international bestselling Kennedy Boys, Saven, and True Calling series.

Siobhan’s family will tell you she’s a little bit obsessive when it comes to reading and writing, and they aren’t wrong. She can rarely be found without her trusty Kindle, a paperback book, or her laptop somewhere close at hand.

Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.

She resides in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.

Connect with Siobhan

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JUST ONE YEAR

(A standalone)

Release date: 2/24/2020

A Contemporary Romance Novel

New York Times, USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author

Penelope Ward

SYNOPSIS

The beginning of my sophomore year in college was off to a rough start.

On the first day of orientation, I had an altercation with an infuriating British dude.

(In the men’s room. Don’t ask.)

I got home later that night and realized that the foreign student we were expecting

to rent a room in my parents’ house was allergic to our cat.

So, the spare room went to someone else: Caleb—the British guy from the men’s

room.  

And so it began…my love-hate story with Caleb Yates. Or was it hate-love in that

order?

The guy knew how to push every one of my buttons.

Sometimes I’d email him to express my aggravation and disdain.

He’d actually rewrite my own words and send them back to me.

That was the type of infuriating person Caleb was.

So frustrating.

And…

Sometimes incredibly funny and endearingly sweet.

And hot.  

He eventually grew on me, and Caleb soon became one of my best friends that year.

Too bad he was headed back to England soon, so nothing could happen between

us—for so many reasons.

I definitely couldn’t fall in love with him, especially since all we had was just one

year.

COVER CREDITS::

Model: Chase Mattson

Photographer: Derick Smith

Cover designer: Letitia Hasser, RBA Designs

  PURCHASE LINKS:

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**No Amazon e-book preorder. Will go live on/around release day.

BIO:

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.  

With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over twenty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:  

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/penelopewardauthor

Facebook Private Fan Group:

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BOOKS BY PENELOPE WARD:

The Day He Came Back: Amazon: https://fave.co/2NcLeGh Apple Books: https://fave.co/2ScFey5 Nook: <https://fave.co/2MKredQ Kobo: https://fave.co/2Rj0JMU Google Play: https://fave.co/2YIBLN9 Audio: https://adbl.co/2YaupCK	When August Ends: Amazon: https://fave.co/2WOsEWr Amazon Print: https://fave.co/2x37hWQ Apple Books: https://fave.co/2KpxcAO Nook: https://fave.co/2x0gqiL Kobo: https://fave.co/2Rq3PyP Google Play: https://fave.co/2xbd8tn Audio: https://fave.co/2WO5DTi	Love Online: Amazon: https://fave.co/2x2Hi1A Apple Books: https://fave.co/2Kq72Oo B&N: https://fave.co/2RsbAo4 Kobo: https://fave.co/2Rj0JMU Google Play: https://fave.co/2KpYVBs Audio: https://fave.co/2WLLw8t

Gentleman Nine: Amazon: https://fave.co/2KlJREE Apple Books: https://fave.co/2RlJ5bl Nook: https://fave.co/2RmoaVI Kobo: https://fave.co/2WOnAkL Google Play: https://fave.co/2Rm84LS Audio: https://fave.co/2x0Nwiz	Drunk Dial: Amazon: https://fave.co/2Rq4vnR Apple Books: https://fave.co/2Kop8jK Nook: https://fave.co/2WK3s3a Kobo: https://fave.co/2RkOgZf Google Play: https://fave.co/2KoX3Zs Audio: https://fave.co/2Rvfexz	Mack Daddy: Amazon: https://fave.co/2wZadUi Apple Books: https://fave.co/2KsSAFc B&N: https://fave.co/2Rm8LEY Kobo: https://fave.co/2x3Fc1r Google Play: https://fave.co/2WO6ovC Audio: https://fave.co/2WSn2KR

RoomHate: Amazon: https://fave.co/2x3n6wM Apple Books: https://fave.co/2x3FdCJ B&N: https://fave.co/2WKZrLP kobo: https://fave.co/2x0Wtsf Google Play: https://fave.co/2WO8rQn	Stepbrother Dearest: Amazon: https://fave.co/2KqyP0Q Apple Books: https://fave.co/2x2Iimm B&N: https://fave.co/2Rmtbxv kobo: https://fave.co/2WOuUNp Google Play: https://fave.co/2WO6Zxm	Neighbor Dearest: Amazon: https://fave.co/2WP3C9p Apple Books: https://fave.co/2RqgBxs B&N: https://fave.co/2wZbbQq Kobo: https://fave.co/2WPNVyG Google Play: https://fave.co/2Rq5jJl

Jaded and Tyed (A novelette): Amazon Print only: https://fave.co/2wZo9h7 Audio: https://fave.co/2WPO0lY	Sins of Sevin: Amazon: https://fave.co/2KqUczk Apple Books: https://fave.co/2RjW2Tg B&N: https://fave.co/2Rq5sMX kobo: https://fave.co/2x2UaVA Google Play: https://fave.co/2Rn1fJY	Jake Undone (Jake #1): Amazon: https://fave.co/2KqA1RU Apple Books: https://fave.co/2KmcmSV B&N: https://fave.co/2x2DU6U kobo: https://fave.co/2RlliIR Google Play: https://fave.co/2Kq8Rec

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Hate Notes: Amazon: https://fave.co/2WO8WtG	THE RUSH DUET: Rebel Heir (Rush, Book 1): Amazon: https://fave.co/2KrzwHd	Rebel Heart (Rush, Book 2): Amazon: https://fave.co/2WPOCbg

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Mister Moneybags: Amazon: https://fave.co/2RjeCuy	British Bedmate: Amazon: https://fave.co/2x4yrwk	Park Avenue Player: Amazon: https://fave.co/2NurkHL

The Setup, an all new contemporary romance by #1 New York Times bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken, is LIVE!

The first day she was sitting by herself — I felt sorry for her. After all, it couldn’t be easy wrangling all the testosterone at Wingman Inc as one of the only female office managers.

The second day she literally counted her carrots during break — she had seven by the way, right along with seven sips of her drink in between taking seven tiny little bites of the first carrot.

Now I’m not one to brag, or maybe I am, but math and science fascinate me, so do problems. And this woman screamed puzzle from the way she ducked her head every time anyone looked at her, to the way she counted food and tapped the table when she didn’t think anyone was watching.

I’d like to think I took pity on her that day when, in fact, she was the one that took pity on me and asked if I needed a friend. She assumed I had a learning disability since I’d been staring so damn hard.

Things would have ended there, except, my bosses need someone to test the new Wingman App and since I was the only single guy on the floor — I was nominated, right along with the only single woman, the same one who thinks I need to use my fingers to count.

Apparently rumors of my sexcapades throughout college reached even her ears, because she wants nothing to do with me, which makes beta testing a bitch. I have thirty days to win her over and prove myself to my bosses.

One thing’s for certain, I’m going to have to buy a hell of a lot of carrots.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

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About Rachel:

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.

She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!

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Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

And she’s brought it. Rachel Van Dyken’s The Setup, the last of the stories for the Pleasure Ponies, is coming. We’ve read Knox’s, Leo’s, and Slater’s stories, all of them offering some humor, some $exy, and a lesson meant to highlight some of the challenges we face daily. Whether it’s a lesson about forgiveness, loving yourself, or creating your family with the people who love you most, the guys of Wingmen Inc. have entertained, titillated, and admonished us along the way. 

Van Dyken’s The Setup is the story for the last of the Pleasure Ponies, Finn. We know that he’s wealthy with a healthy trust fund, a crazy aunt, a sister who he adores and seeks to protect, and a tortured relationship with his parents who see him as only a bank. What The Setup shows us is another secret about Finn, one that may surprise the most ardent fan of Van Dyken’s Bro Code series. In this story, Finn finds himself attracted to Jillian, the office manager for Wingmen Inc. As Wingmen Inc. prepares to release a new app, Jillian and Finn, the only single people in management, are tasked with testing it for a last-minute glitch. Forced to act as each other’s “wingmen” with dates acquired through the app, Jillian and Finn recognize quickly that they are attracted to each other. However, given that they work for the same company and Jillian’s financial situation is precarious, Jillian tries to ignore her feelings for Finn. Even more, she feels unworthy of him because he’s wealthy and incredibly attractive. Will Jillian spurn Finn and his advances, or will these two accept their growing attraction and feelings for each other and find their HEA?

What I love most about The Setup and this series, in general, is its love for Van Dyken’s fans. She wrote these books because her fans wanted the stories of the other male characters from Co-Ed, Knox’s story. I love that Van Dyken listened and offered up Seducing Mrs. Robinson, Avoiding Temptation, and The Setup. In doing so, she created a series that tickles your funny bone, steams up your metaphorical glasses, and makes you think over everyday challenges. 

In this book, Finn and Jillian are funny. From the outset, each teases the other in ways that ensure page-after-page chemistry. It’s clear that these two need to end up together because it seems easy. As Finn and Jillian double date while on blind dates, it’s clear that they are meant for each other. They cajole, challenge, and fight with each other as a means to foreplay, and it makes for a fun read. 

Coupled with the humor of this book is a real lesson about accepting one’s body. Jillian is every woman. We get a sense of her when she says, “…plain old Jillian,” or “[b]ut not for me. I looked like a bowling ball that forgot her pants.” Through Jillian, we realize she’s not a size 0 or 4 for that matter and she probably looks like your average girl next door. She struggles to see herself with Finn who is a walking Adonis. Yet, once we see Jillian through Finn’s eyes, we know that he finds himself instantly attracted to her “curves” and “@ss.” This is a man who knows what he likes even when Jillian doesn’t love herself enough to accept it. In fact, Finn challenges Jillian’s thinking when he says, “That’s the problem, Jillian. You say you see me. But you really don’t. And in that case, you’re right, we would never work. Because I see you. But you don’t see me.” This is the challenge of Van Dyken’s story: learning to accept yourself and expecting that others will love and accept you too. I love when romance writers like Van Dyken couple a “better than average” person with someone perceived to be a Venus or Adonis. It’s a reminder that there are no “types” for someone, and it admonishes us to love for inner beauty over falling for one’s outer beauty. 

Like Leo and Slater, I fell in love with Finn. Honestly, to me, he feels like the most insecure Pony. There is something special about his challenge in The Setup that intrigues you and pushes you to root for a happy ending for him. Add in his Aunt Nadine, the antics of the Wingmen Inc., and one cute chihuahua, and you can’t help but fall in love with his and Jillian’s story. 

Once again, Rachel Van Dyken has pleased us with the stories of her Pleasure Ponies through The Setup. I think she’s easily fulfilled her duty to her fans (although I’d love a bonus scene where all of the PP find themselves in a quadruple wedding a la Jane Austen). Finn and Jillian’s story, like the ones that came before it, once again titillates and makes you laugh out loud. These guys who seem so secure and strong show us that no one is ever really set. There is always a challenge to overcome or a happy ending to be found. The Setup is just another Van Dyken story that leaves you satisfied and with a huge smile on your face. 

In love and romance,

Professor A

Hurting You by JL Beck & C. Hallman

Release Date: January 17th

Cover Designer: T.E. Black Designs

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BLURB

It was such a shame that she was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

She knew that we would come for her.

We had seen her delicate face that night, hidden in the shadows, and she had seen what we did, her gasp of horror giving her away.

She was perfection, beauty, and oozed goodness but that wasn’t going to save her from us.

No one could ever find out our secret, which meant we needed to get rid of her.

But killing her wasn’t an option and scaring her into silence wasn’t as easy of a feat as we expected. She was strong, resilient , and smart doing whatever she could to evade us.

Thus without even knowing it she turned it into a game, and so we became blood thirty wolves.

Run and we’ll find you. Keep our secret and you might live.

That is until someone else finds out what we did…

**This is a standalone DARK bully romance. This book contains scenes that may be triggering to some readers. This is not a YA romance novel and should be read by those only 18+ or older. **

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About JL Beck

J.L. Beck loves good books, wine, and coffee. She’s a lover of words and when she isn’t writing you can find her working on her newest book baby. She started her publishing journey back in 2014 and hasn’t stopped writing since. Living in Wisconsin with her husband, two kiddos, and dogs she wouldn’t trade them for anything. Well, maybe…

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About C. Hallman

Born and raised in Germany, C. Hallman moved to the United States when she was eighteen. She’s now a stay-at-home-mom to three boys, and happily married to her husband of 13 years. With a love for reading, that love slowly transpired into writing she put fingers to the keyboard and started writing about the dark side of romance.

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Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“‘Family…’ She put her finger under my chin. ‘…is what you make it. Blood or no blood, you choose who you surround yourself with — now take a look around you, my dear — you’re surrounded by love.’”

Now, you’re probably thinking, Professor Romance, why are you pointing us to this quote when this is a romance, and this quote isn’t steamy, $exy, or romantic? Well, if you’ve read any of my reviews before, you’ll realize that I look for the deeper messages inherent to romance. Yes, I can tell you all the great romantic qualities of Rachel Van Dyken’s Avoiding Temptation:

• Slater, as the hero, is an interesting combination of gorgeous, arousing, compassionate, and quirky. Of Knox, Leo, and Slater, I think he’s the most relatable. He will still steal your breath (or at least the breaths of the women in the story), but he has all of these great Slater-isms. My personal favorite is his issues with hair. I swear, when Van Dyken has Slater tell us his personal struggle with hair in the shower or sink, I died a little simply because I too have the same quirk. It was as though Van Dyken placed a little bit of me in her character. There is a reason he is the “best friend” of the Pleasure Ponies. He has the ability to empathize with the people who need it. In Avoiding Temptation, this person is Tatum, Finn’s little sister. When he is being true to himself, you will adore him as a hero. 
• Tatum is a heroine whom you can’t help but fall in love with. As Slater tells us, she’s brave and independent. But she is also a survivor. While we don’t get all of the specific details of her journey, Van Dyken provides enough of it that, once you move beyond her initial insistence to seduce Slater, you will admire her journey. She is also funny, and she antagonizes Finn and Slater in ways that provide some comic relief within the story. 
• For Tatum and Slater, this is a slow-burn romance. Yes, they “fool around;” however, it takes most of the story for them to finally consummate their relationship. When this moment finally comes, to be honest, it’s a bit anti-climactic. I think the story is best when these two are struggling with their attraction for each other. That is one of the best parts of this romance. 

As you can see, this story has many of the qualities you love in a good romance. However, there are two other aspects of it that draw you in more deeply, that make it a Rachel Van Dyken original. 

• For one, the relationship between the Wingmen Inc. guys is probably the best part. We get a little bit of Leo in this one, and he torments Slater in all the ways that make the Pleasure Ponies a Van Dyken favorite. Even more, Finn and Slater’s relationship is special. Over the course of Seducing Mrs. Robinson and Avoiding Temptation, these two seem like the most obvious friend pair. They rib each other mercilessly, but they love each other more. There is a particular scene with these two that will make you laugh out loud. Everything you love about the Pleasure Ponies is here in Avoiding Temptation. 
• The overall message is bigger than the romance or the relationships between the guys. In this book, Van Dyken shows us the power of the people in our lives. Finn and Tatum have horrible parents, but they have people in their lives who love them as a family should. Whether it’s Slater helping Tatum heal from her trauma, or Finn and Tatum’s extended family stepping up to love them when their parents are emotional vampires, Van Dyken is suggesting that we can make our own family, finding love in other places. That the people who have our best interests in mind don’t have to be blood-related, but family can be fulfilled from other places. It’s this message that adds depth and breadth to a story that Van Dyken wrote for her fans. She could have easily kept it simple, giving us exactly what we love about the Wingmen Inc. guys. Instead, she developed significance in Avoiding Temptation that challenges our own thinking about families. 

Rachel Van Dyken’s Avoiding Temptation has everything you love about her romantic comedies. Slater’s characterization will make you laugh out loud and sigh with contentment. Tatum’s ability to “give as good as she gets” will show you the power of women to challenge men. The fun storyline of “denying your attraction to your best friend’s younger sister” coupled with the depth of understanding about the construction of family adds a layer that shows us Van Dyken’s range. If you’ve read any of the books on her booklist, you know her brilliance lies in her ability to take a story with some humor and wrap it in a message that connects with her readers. If you’re a fan of the Pleasure Ponies with Wingmen Inc., Avoiding Temptation should be an easy one-click choice.

In love and romance,

Professor A