Category: Uncategorized

Fan-favorite, Damien Stark, is back in an all-new emotional holiday novella.
Delight Me from New York Times and #1 International bestselling author J. Kenner is available now!

Read my review HERE!

There’s one special gift Damien wants to give his wife Nikki and their daughters for Christmas . . . but with a crisis brewing and time running out, can he make it home in time for the holidays?

Don’t miss this all-new, deeply emotional short story!

While Damien tries to bring something wonderful home to his family, this book is JK’s special treat for Nikki and Damien fans. Dive deep into bonus content you may have missed over the years, including a love note from Damien, text messages between Nikki and Damien, fan-favorite quotes from the books, several fun and sexy scenes, and the all-new holiday short story!

And don’t miss JK’s special note to readers!

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DOmIFR
AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2Lq0VZh
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/DelightMe
Nook: http://bit.ly/2rYAB1v
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2rYAvXH
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2DRPXrf
Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/33YJncX

Excerpt:

A few moments pass, and I consider going back inside. But I can’t bring myself to do it. All day we’ve been surrounded by people, and now that it is just the two of us, I want to wallow in the pleasure of having claimed this man. I want to watch him rounding the side of the house. I want to see the possessiveness with which he approaches it, knowing full well that he owns the property, the house, and everything inside it.

Including me.

I want to see the heat that will flare in his eyes when he sees that I’m waiting for him, and I want to feel the brush of his lips on mine when he kisses me.

I want it—and Damien doesn’t disappoint.

The moment I see him, I feel the breath catch in my throat, his impact upon me no less intense after having been married now for years. He walks with a casual confidence, his body straight and strong, his chin high. He radiates power and control, but at the same time there is an easiness to him. A weekend quality that suggests that even though he can command a board room, he is equally skilled on a tennis court or the ski slopes.

Or in a bedroom.

I shiver, thinking about his particular skills in that area, and when his eyes meet mine and he flashes that slow, easy smile, I’m certain he knows exactly what I’m thinking.

“Why, Mrs. Stark,” he says, sliding one hand around my waist and pulling me to him. “You look like a woman with something on your mind.”

“I am,” I admit. I’m breathless now, my skin tingling in response to his touch.

“Whatever could you be thinking about?”

“You,” I admit, then rise onto my toes to meet his mouth. The kiss is deep, claiming, and I melt against him, more than willing to surrender to his touch.

I want to simply let go. To lose myself and the rest of this afternoon in his arms.

About J. Kenner

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.

Connect with J. Kenner

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JKennerBooks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliekenner/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-kenner
Stay up to date with J. Kenner by joining her mailing list: http://juliekenner.com/contact/subscribe-to-the-julie-kenner-newsletter/
Website: www.jkenner.com

Avoiding Temptation, an all new contemporary romance in the Bro Code series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken, is LIVE!

I hit on her first.

Realized she was my best friend Finn’s little sister second.

And got a bloody nose third — compliments of Finn after he watched me nearly score with the new underclassman.

After all I did have a reputation on campus, word on the street was that a girl could orgasm within one minute just watching me eat Lucky Charms.

You can’t make this stuff up — even though it was at least four minutes and included outside circumstances. Ahem, I digress.

Point is, not only did I earn the attention of the worst sort of girl for me — my best friend’s only sibling — but now she’s out to seduce me.

Me! One of the most famous Pleasure Ponies of them all!

I can’t shower — she follows me to the bathroom. Literally.

I can’t sleep — Lucky me, she lives in the same dorm.

And I can’t focus on anything except for her taunting eyes every single time something goes her way.

I want her, but I don’t want her to know I want her, and I definitely don’t want to die before graduation, which is looking more and more likely considering we can’t keep our hands off each other.

Something’s gotta give, and I have an inkling I should probably start writing my eulogy now because that something is probably going to be me.

Download your copy today or read free in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/36GN1Kv

Amazon Worldwide: mybook.to/AvoidingTemptationRVD

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/38Fg8j1

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!

Connect with Rachel:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachelVanDyken
Website: http://rachelvandykenauthor.com
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/RVDNewsletter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachvd
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachVD
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2cNVwL9
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/RVDGR
Rachel’s Rockin’ Readers: http://bit.ly/RachelsRockinReaders

Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

There is one truth I hold self-evident: if J. Kenner releases anything Damien Stark and Nikki Fairchild-Stark-related, I’m in. This series is a one-click quick decision for me. No doubts, no hesitations. Thankfully, Kenner decided to provide a Christmas blessing for her Stark Universe of readers, Delight Me, the newest tome by Kenner. Here is why you should one-click quick this book:

*This book has newly revealed bonus scenes. These are little tidbits from past newsletters that you, the dedicated Stark reader that you are, might have missed. Now, you’ll find them in Delight Me. 

*Cute little text exchanges between Damien and Nikki. It’s fun to see the steam between these two as imagined by Kenner. It also brings a different flavor to her books. As we move more and more into writing that boasts multi-media, I think this is engaging and relevant. We all know that Nikki and Damien are fiery on the page; why shouldn’t they $ext each other?

*The piece de resistance of Delight Me: a holiday novella. With romancelandia currently saturated in holiday bonus scenes and a plethora of books, why shouldn’t Damien and Nikki have their holiday story? And it is typical Damien and Nikki with Damien seeking to give Nikki and their daughters all of their dreams. In this short story, there is adventure, sweetness between the two, and the $exual heat we’ve come to love and crave. All of these collude to entertain you, pull you further into their universe, and leave you with the biggest smile on your face. 

I ended Delight Me having my Stark Universe thirst quenched for the time. I love that J. Kenner continues to feed our insatiability for Damien and Nikki. I don’t think I’ll ever be tired of their lives, and I’m thankful that Kenner, just like her titular character, Damien, gives us exactly what we want. 

In love and romance, 

Professor A

Manhattan, a standalone in the Becker Brothers series, a small town, country, friends-to-lovers romance, is LIVE!

The fire… the guitar… THE FEELS!

Everyone knows not to fall in love with your best friend.

But when your best friend is Michael Becker, it’s impossible not to.

He’s everything our town knows a Becker brother to be: devastatingly handsome, charming as a thief, and the icing on the cake — a sentimental musician who’s never without his guitar.

And he was mine. At least, that’s what I’d convinced myself.

Our bond was born in elementary school, strengthened by circumstance and the promise to always be there for each other, no matter what. And the best thing about my life was being friends with Michael Becker.

Until it was the worst.

I watched him fall in love with someone else, and helped patch him back up when she left him behind. But when he drops the bomb that he’s moving to New York, I realize it’s my last chance to tell him how I feel. And I ask him to make one more promise.

One summer. One list of adventures to remind him that our small town has more to offer than memories of the girl who left him behind.

One last chance to tell him I’m in love with him.

And I’m just dumb enough to believe that maybe he could love me, too.

You’ll love this book if you love:

➔ small town romance

➔ country romance

➔ summer romance

➔ romantic mystery

➔ friends-to-lovers

➔ slow burn

➔ angst

Download your copy today or read FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2M8G0dD

Amazon Worldwide: mybook.to/ManhattanKS

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2ONdVZA

About Kandi:

Kandi Steiner is a bestselling author and whiskey connoisseur living in Tampa, FL. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.

An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. She started writing back in the 4th grade after reading the first Harry Potter installment. In 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.” She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a diehard hopeless romantic, and likes to highlight all the challenges of love as well as the triumphs.

When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, talking with her extremely vocal cat, and spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys live music, traveling, anything heavy in carbs, beach days, movie marathons, craft beer and sweet wine — not necessarily in that order.

Connect with Kandi:

Mailing List: bit.ly/NewsletterKS

Facebook: facebook.com/kandisteiner

Facebook Reader Group: (Kandiland): facebook.com/groups/kandischasers

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kandisteiner

Twitter: twitter.com/kandisteiner

Pinterest: pinterest.com/kandicoffman

Website: www.kandisteiner.com

Kandi Steiner may be coming to a city near you! Check out her “events” tab to see all the signings she’s attending in the near future:

www.kandisteiner.com/events

Release Date: January 9, 2020

Cover Design: Najla Qamber Designs

Photographer: Regina Wamba

Synopsis

He was my uncle’s friend, and I was too young for him.

But in the heat of the moment, against the wall in a darkened hallway of an illicit club, none of those things mattered. It was just one night of giving in to what we both wanted.

I never expected to see him two years later, sitting across me during a family dinner, encouraging me to do my internship for his business.

On day one we both agree that repeating that night would be a mistake. But it’s a mistake we can’t help but make again and again.

The rules are simple. We can’t tell my uncle. We have to be content with our hotel rendezvous. And we won’t fall in love.

But we both know we’re liars.

Add to Goodreads

http://bit.ly/2sCEgSG

Excerpt

Kent stood in the doorway, watching my uncle and dad until they disappeared. Then he stepped back into the kitchen and turned to face me.

I ignored his stare and focused on rinsing the dishes. I didn’t want to meet his eyes and let him see the fire that still simmered in my chest. I peeked from the side of my eye and took in the way he stood tall with his hands shoved into his pockets. He didn’t say anything until he was only a couple feet away.

“Did you have a good time with your boyfriend?”

“He’s not my boyfriend. And it was fine.” I paused when I set the plate in the dishwasher, giving him my full attention. “Why do you care?” I asked like a challenge. Maybe the same heat that singed me at the thought of him with another was burning through him too.

His brows lowered like he was also confused about why he’d asked. Finally, he shook his head and answered. “I don’t. It was just a friendly question.”

A friendly question?

I snorted at his bullshit answer. He’d stayed back just to ask a friendly question? I doubted it. I closed the dishwasher and stood to my full height, shoulders back like I was preparing for battle. He wanted to ask about my night, so I figured I’d return the favor.

“Well, then, as your friend, did you have a good night with your lady-friend at Voyeur?” The fire burning through me intensified as images of our night at Voyeur assaulted me. Did he get her off in the hall? Did he use kid-gloves with her?

He pulled his shoulders back to match my pose. We stood like we were preparing for a duel, and I didn’t even know what we were battling over. Who would cave first and admit to the jealousy? Who would give in to the tension tugging between us?

“Good enough, I didn’t have to close my eyes and imagine someone else.”

Everything in me froze and pulled tight like a screw was twisting the muscles in my body. My jaw clenched around the blow that almost knocked the wind out of me. His stance softened when he noticed the hurt his words had caused.

But I didn’t want his kid gloves.

I didn’t want his pity.

I wanted to land my own blow.

I wanted to make him squirm.

I relaxed my body and licked my lips, knowing I’d already won when his eyes dropped to track the movement of my tongue. “What would you say if I told you I imagined you?” His eyes widened a fraction, and the first drop of victory spread, urging me to go further. “As I sat astride him, I closed my eyes and thought about being tied down and at your mercy.”

“Careful, Olivia,” he managed to squeeze out past his tight lips and clenched jaw.

I smiled at his warning. I’d only just begun.

Giveaway

One of Five ARC’s for Liar

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About the Author

Fiona Cole is a military wife and a stay at home mom with a degree in Biology and Chemistry. As much as she loved science she decided to postpone her career to stay at home with her two little girls and immersed herself in the world of books until finally deciding to write her own. Where You Can Find Me is Fiona’s debut novel and will hopefully be the first of many.

Connect with Fiona

Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/2tvtGIV

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Goodreads Author Page: http://bit.ly/2ur1d9S

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2vCovZ5

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2v0ToJE

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2uqWZ2k

BookBub Author Page: http://bit.ly/2yL3Bui

A Secret for a Secret, an all-new forbidden standalone hockey romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is coming May 12th, and we have the sexy new cover!

From New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting comes a new romance about trading secrets, breaking the rules, and playing for keeps.

My name is Ryan Kingston, and I’m a rule follower. I’ve never been in a fistfight. I always obey the speed limit. I don’t get drunk, and I definitely don’t pick up random women at bars.

Except the night I found out that my whole existence has been a lie.

I got drunk. And picked up a stranger.

Her name was Queenie, and she was everything I’m not: reckless, impulsive, and chaotic. We did shots and traded secrets. And ended up naked at my place.

She left me a thank-you note in the morning and her panties as a parting gift. But no way to contact her.

Six weeks later I’m sitting in the first official team meeting of the season, and there she is. I neglected to mention that I’m the goalie for Seattle’s NHL team.

And Queenie? Turns out she’s the general manager’s daughter.

Pre-order your copy today!

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

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/SecretforSecret

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2PwTgec

Amazon Audio: https://amzn.to/2YYr8U2

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2Q3mzDU

Be notified FIRST when A Secret for a Secret goes live:

http://bit.ly/38LNIE9

About Helena Hunting

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She’s writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

Connect with Helena

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kN5wdZ

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Facebook Fan group: http://bit.ly/2kN5yCD
Website: http://www.helenahunting.com/

Website link: https://helenahunting.com/books/a-secret-for-a-secret/

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“I devoured every delicious word. Absolutely unforgettable.”

—Ava Harrison, USA Today bestselling author

Devious Lies, an all-new intense, slow-burn romance from USA Today bestselling author Parker S. Huntington, is available now!

Read my 5+⭐️review HERE.

“She could enjoy her pretty, perfect world a little longer. Soon enough, everything she owned would be mine.”

I had a plan to escape the friend zone.

Step one: sneak into Reed’s room.

Step two: sleep with him.

But when the lights turned on, it wasn’t familiar blue eyes I saw.

These were dark, angry, and full of demons.

And they belonged to Reed’s much older brother.

Four years later, Nash Prescott is no longer the help’s angry son.

I’m no longer the town’s prized princess.

At twenty-two, I’m broke, in need of a job.

At thirty-two, he’s a billionaire, in need of revenge.

Who cares if my family ruined his?

Who cares if he looks at me with pure loathing?

Who cares if every task he assigns me is designed to torture?

I need the money.

Simple as that.

I’ll suffer his cruelty in silence, knowing there’s one thing he wants more than revenge…

Me.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/35rf6oM

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/DeviousLies

Amazon Audio: https://amzn.to/36Bl1Yp

Amazon Special Edition Alternate Cover Paperback: https://amzn.to/2LXdsnf

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2KUk2ug

Excerpt

I blinked away the post-orgasm haze as the light flickered on. When my sight cleared and I finally got a look at him, I froze. Shock bulldozed into my body, nearly pushing me back had I not been gripping his flesh.

Black spots scattered across my vision, and for a second, I thought I’d faint—and it would still be less mortifying than this.

Anything would be less mortifying than this.

It was almost too much to process.

To make it worse, he was still inside me.

This wasn’t Reed Prescott.

This was a six-foot-two, hazel-eyed Adonis with short black hair and bedroom eyes that made you picture him naked if you looked long enough. Only he was actually naked and, I repeat, still. Inside. Me.

Nash Prescott.

Reed’s older brother.

His nearly thirty-year-old brother.

“You’re soaking my brother’s bed,” Nash remarked as he leaned back against his pillow and took in the sight of me. He looked annoyed, liked I was a pest who had royally fucked up his weekend plans.

“You—I—What—” I floundered, my mouth opening and closing like a fish.

You slept with Nash Prescott.

Nash Fucking Prescott.

And it felt amazing.

Don’t freak out.

Don’t freak out.

Don’t freak out.

I was totally freaking out.

Nash raked his fingers through his hair, leaned over to snatch my robe, and tossed it to me. “Just fucking relax, would you? You’d think the goddamn orgasm would loosen you up.”

For a split second, all I could think was, you weren’t always like this.

Perhaps to other girls, but never to me.

Nash was a fierce protector, the guy who would stop by my table with his brown paper lunch bag when my mom ‘forgot’ to give me lunch money. And while we’d rarely talked, even when he would share his lunch, I always took comfort in knowing I had two protectors—Reed and Nash.

I don’t recognize you anymore.

The words sat at the tip of my tongue. I would never release them. That was Reed’s hill to die on.

I cared because I hated the way Nash stared at me sometimes, accusations stabbing me from his eyes. Snide comments I would never ask him about because I was loyal to Reed, and even talking to Nash felt like picking the wrong side.

I wanted to take a few seconds to study Nash, to process my mortification, to enjoy the aftershocks of my first orgasm, yet all I could feel was Nash’s overwhelming gravitational pull, one more dangerous than that of any other boy I’d ever met.

But Nash Prescott wasn’t a boy.

He was a man.

One who made me feel like the little girl I’d convinced myself I wasn’t.

My arms slipped through the robe. The second the tie wrapped around my waist, my body solidified. My underwear remained lost somewhere, but at least I was covered.

I ignored the sting of his derision, shook my head, and pushed aside the embarrassment. “Did you know?”

The sharp accusation unfazed him. He stretched his arms, drawing my attention to the deep V of his body. I clenched around him. A reflex. My mortified eyes flicked up in time to catch his cocked brow.

“I figured it out when you moaned my brother’s name while coming around my cock.”

About Parker S. Huntington

Parker S. Huntington is a USA Today, Amazon Top 15, KDP All-Star, and KDP All-Star UK bestselling author from Orange County, California. She has a B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of California, Riverside and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Liberal Arts in Literature and Creative Writing from Harvard University.

She was the proud mom of Chloe, the sweetest princess to have ever lived; has two puppies, Bauer and Rose; and lives with her boyfriend of five (almost six!) years–a real life alpha male, book-boyfriend-worthy hunk of a man.

Connect with Parker

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2rn7GE8

BookBub: http://bit.ly/2QUgnQX

Twitter: http://bit.ly/36bwnlH

Amazon: https://amzn.to/37PI9nI

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Instagram: http://bit.ly/2sVupYy

Website: http://bit.ly/2OXVX8e

Delight Me, an all-new holiday novella featuring fan-favorite Damien Stark from New York Times and #1 International bestselling author J. Kenner is available now!

There’s one special gift Damien wants to give his wife Nikki and their daughters for Christmas . . . but with a crisis brewing and time running out, can he make it home in time for the holidays?

Don’t miss this all-new, deeply emotional novella!

While Damien tries to bring something wonderful home to his family, this book is JK’s special treat for Nikki and Damien fans. Dive deep into bonus content you may have missed over the years, including a love note from Damien, text messages between Nikki and Damien, fan-favorite quotes from the books, plus several fun and sexy scenes previously shared in JK’s newsletter and on other sites. And, of course, the all-new holiday novella!

And don’t miss JK’s special note to readers!

Download your copy today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DOmIFR
AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2Lq0VZh
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/DelightMe
Nook: http://bit.ly/2rYAB1v
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2rYAvXH
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2DRPXrf

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/33YJncX

About J. Kenner

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.

Connect with J. Kenner

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JKennerBooks/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliekenner/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/j-kenner
Stay up to date with J. Kenner by joining her mailing list: http://juliekenner.com/contact/subscribe-to-the-julie-kenner-newsletter/
Website: www.jkenner.com

Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I think there is always a challenge in acting reductive towards books based on a blurb or a cover. I’ll be honest. I went into Co-Ed, Rachel Van Dyken’s book that started the Pleasure Ponies phenomenon, looking for a good chuckle, some steamy love scenes, and a bit of sweet. What happened, though, is something all together. Yes, the Pleasure Ponies are the BMOC Adonis purveyors of pleasure. Yet, once you start reading Co-Ed and her newest Wingmen Inc. book, Seducing Mrs. Robinson, you recognize quickly that these books are sweet fun at their surface, but belying its surface are lessons about self-love. 

This truth is especially true and necessary in Van Dyken’s Seducing Mrs. Robinson. It would be easy for me to say that this story follows the trope of older woman/younger man. However, this is but one simplistic representation of this book. The heroine of this book, Kora Robinson, handles a more serious situation: domestic abuse. This abuse affects her emotionally, mentally, and physically in ways that undermine her self-confidence. Her characterization drives the depth of the story. Yes, all of this is underscored by a burgeoning romance with her former and present student, Leo Blackwood. It would be easy to be distracted by their palpable chemistry. However, to do so would be to miss the power of Kora and Leo’s story. 

The purpose of the Wingmen Inc. aka “the Pleasure Ponies” is helping women heal. Most of these women have endured some type of break-up or inciting experience that has caused them to doubt themselves. It would be silly to believe that these men are wholly responsible for their change. It would also reduce the work that each of the women must do in order to overcome their trauma. Yet, what these men do is speak truth into the souls of these women, truths about self-love. This truth becomes imperative with Kora Robinson who uses the services of Wingmen at the insistence of Leo. Our hero has adored Kora from afar, as far back as high school when she was the only teacher to challenge him. She recognizes his lackadaisical attitude, and she expects more from him. Unfortunately, at the time, he is her student, and she is married. However, Leo sees her clearly and pines over her from afar. 

Four years later, Kora shows up as his professor for his senior seminar. This time, though, she’s separated and trying to obtain a divorce from her abusive husband. Just as he did four years prior, Leo recognizes the changes in her, and he’s insistent towards helping her move past her hurt. For much of this story, Leo and Kora dance around their attraction for each other. It’s apparent it’s there, but Kora works hard to ward off his advances. Plus in utilizing the services of the Wingmen Inc, Leo, Sawyer, and Finn’s employer, Leo and Kora’s relationship cannot progress without breaking their contract. These elements conspire to build the attraction between these two. Van Dyken is brilliant in these moments, as their building sexual chemistry is the driving force through this story. Their chemistry is palpable that you don’t want to put the book down as you might miss the moment when they embrace their reality and finally consummate it. 

Once these two embrace their interest each other, complications arise, potentially derailing Kora and Leo becoming a couple. I’ll be honest. I thought the story lost some of its magic after this. Leo becomes a bit of a life-savior for Kora, and they move quickly into a happy ending. Don’t get me wrong. It’s satisfying for them to find their HEA, but it felt a little underwhelming to me. I’m thankful that Kora finds her inner strength again, and I love that Leo, along with Finn and Sawyer, are able to help her realize it for herself. Yet, Kora’s happy ending feels wrapped up a bit too much in Leo and less in her own strength. Again, this may sound particular but it was my feeling at Seducing Mrs. Robinson’s end. 

Rachel Van Dyken’s Seducing Mrs. Robinson is full of laughs and romance. If you’re looking for something light, there is some of that here. On the other hand, don’t reduce it. Van Dyken is doing something important here hidden in the seemingly light faire of the Pleasure Ponies. Intertwined within the stories of these men of Wingmen Inc. are stories about loving yourself and overcoming domestic abuse. These are powerful messages that we all need to hear as we seek to find ourselves in the books that we read. For me, Leo Blackwood is the star of this book. Like Kora, he too is touched by domestic abuse, and it adds another layer to the discussion on this heady topic. Don’t be confused with Van Dyken’s intention for this series of standalones. At their surface, they are meant to make us laugh and entertain us, but at their core, they are here to challenge our thinking as we fall into their stories of romance. Rachel Van Dyken’s Seducing Mrs. Robinson will put you to task and leave you with a smile on your face in the end. 

In love and romance,

Professor A

Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

How do you love from afar? How do you walk through each day loving your best friend when he loves another? Even more, how do you stand with him, aching for him to finally see you as something more, when he is mired in the loss of his former relationship? Lastly, how do you get him to stay and finally see you as something more? These are the driving questions of Kandi Steiner’s newest Becker Brothers book, Manhattan. 

Centered around the youngest Becker brother, Michael “Mikey,” and his best friend, Kylie, this romance is a story of being seen and chosen. Kylie has loved Mikey from afar since they were eight years old. She has been his rock, his entertainment, his partner-in-crime, and his best friend. Through the years, they have culled so many memories together that they could fill a stadium. Yet, Mikey doesn’t notice Kylie as anything more than his best friend. One day, however, Mikey begins to finally recognize that Kylie is a girl, not just his androgynous best friend. Coming off of a devastating break-up, he has been so absorbed with it that he hasn’t recognized how much Kyle has changed. In one moment, his eyes begin to open to her, and their love story begins. As their romantic journey progresses, both of them are afraid of the future. Kylie is set to explore a gap year, while Mikey has decided to go to Manhattan. When their feelings grow more deeply, a threat occurs that derails their progress and tanks their friendship. Can Mikey and Kylie live their future apart, or are they destined to be together in the end? 

For me, Kylie is the star of this book. I couldn’t say that for the first two books in Steiner’s series of standalones, On the Rocks and Neat. In those books, Noah and Logan were my favorites. In Manhattan, the heart of this story is Kylie. She is a savior, an empath, and a buoy. She singlehandedly saves Michael from himself. She hands so much of her soul to others that it sometimes is a detriment. She’s insightful, stubborn, and beautiful. And her happiness and pain grab at the reader’s heart and connect you into this story. From its outset, you know she’s the reason to read Steiner’s romance. 

In contrast, I found myself annoyed with Mikey. In fact, he’s Moody Michael, to me. In On the Rocks and Neat, we know the reason for his depression and apathy for anything. Yet, what makes him annoying is his willingness to mire himself in it. Sitting before him, he has a best friend and family members who love him. Unfortunately, for the first half of the story, Michael is pretty self-absorbed. I can’t tell you the number of times I wrote notes asking “why don’t you realize you haven’t been a good friend?” or “what about Kylie?” Mikey’s characterization is clearly Steiner’s strength in Manhattan because her heroes are oftentimes the best parts of her books. In this one, it takes much of the story for you to love him. When he finally becomes selfless and begins to “see” the depth of Kylie’s character, then he redeems himself. Steiner creates these beautiful moments through Michael’s character that counter his self-absorption at the beginning of their story. I was so thankful for his evolution because it suggests that people can change and happy endings can be realized. Even more, it meant that I could continue to love the Becker brothers. 

Manhattan is a poignant story of adventure and risk. At its base level, Mikey and Kylie must risk themselves in order to find their love for each other. The dividends paid for their risk become an adventure into their future. The beauty of this story is the risk of their choices. One of the most powerful moments for me in this book is Kylie’s request to be the first choice, to be Mikey’s biggest risk. It’s Steiner’s admonishment to never settle for anything more than being the first choice. And Manhattan is the best choice you could make to add to your Kindle library. 

P.S. This reader can’t wait for oldest brother, Jordan’s, book next year, Old Fashioned. Steiner teases us with his heroine in the beautifully written epilogue for Manhattan. If those details aren’t another reason to read this book, then you aren’t living.

In love and romance, 

Professor A