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“A dazzling, thought-provoking, layered romance that will keep you on the edge of your seat. One of the best books of 2019.”

— L.J. Shen, USA Today bestselling author

The Kingmaker, the first in the all-new powerful and emotional All The King’s Men Duet, from RITA ® Award-winning author Kennedy Ryan, is available now!

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Power. Passion. Betrayal.

Kennedy Ryan delivers the epic first installment of the All the King’s Men Duet.

Raised to rule, bred to lead and weaned on a diet of ruthless ambition.

In a world of haves and have nots, my family has it all, and I want nothing to do with it.

My path takes me far from home and paints me as the black sheep. At odds with my father, I’m determined to build my own empire. I have rules, but Lennix Hunter is the exception to every one of them. From the moment we meet, something sparks between us. But my family stole from hers and my father is the man she hates most. I lied to have her, and will do anything to keep her. Though she tries to hate me, too, the inexorable pull between us will not be denied.

And neither will I.

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Pre-order the stunning conclusion, The Rebel King!

Releasing November 17th

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About Kennedy

A RITA® Award Winner and Top 25 Amazon Bestseller, Kennedy Ryan writes for women from all walks of life, empowering them and placing them firmly at the center of each story and in charge of their own destinies. Her heroes respect, cherish and lose their minds for the women who capture their hearts.

She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son. She has always leveraged her journalism background to write for charity and non-profit organizations, but enjoys writing to raise Autism awareness most. A contributor for Modern Mom Magazine, Kennedy’s writings have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today and many others. The founder and executive director of a foundation serving Atlanta families living with Autism, she has appeared on Headline News, Montel Williams, NPR and other media outlets as an advocate for families living with autism.

Connect with Kennedy

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Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+++

“There’s a language between our heartbeats I have no translation for—no words, just a thumping communion.”

There is something hypnotic and transcendent about Kennedy Ryan’s storytelling. Its depth is found in very few romances, and it bears fruit in a way that most romances don’t.  Her newest book, The Kingmaker, the first book of the All the King’s Men duet is no different. It’s a hearty memento of our current generation about a love bigger than its hero and heroine, a love for culture and people and the world. Kennedy Ryan’s words, like the ones laid out in this newest book. are always larger than life. 

From its outset, there’s a headiness and a maturity to The Kingmaker. Reading this book should be a rite of passage. Intertwined in the romance between Maxim Cade and Lennix Moon Hunter are messages about culture, climate, and social consciousness. It’s clear that Ryan is well-researched in the culture of indigenous peoples and customs. Even more she treats us to mature, thoughtful discussions about climate science  and politics. And she does this in a way that doesn’t read heavy-handed or like a PSA announcement. These messages act as threads that bind Lennix and Maxim together. They never overpower them. Instead, they lend depth to their connection, making The Kingmaker worthy of being required reading in any school. This is always the brilliance of Ryan’s storytelling; she awakens our minds and challenges our perceptions of social issues and ills. She also titillates with a villain father, a presidential hopeful, an adventurer hero, and an Olivia Pope-like heroine. Everything is here in this story.

And can we talk about Ryan’s quotability? My version of The Kingmaker is a highlight paradise.  The words, her style, the syntax of Ryan’s words are magic. Lennix and Maxim’s dreams and ambition find purchase in the eloquence of Ryan’s words. In this book, it’s even more pronounced because the ideas behind the words feel important in our global climate. It reads necessary and emphatic while tempered with emotion and passion. 

In terms of characterization,  Maxim and Lennix are the ultimate representation of big love. These two are star-crossed soulmates. We hope in the end they find their way to each other, yet, in order to do so, they will cross the earth and back, transcending time, to return pieces of their  hearts to each other. The depth of their love strengthens the thread of Ryan’s story. The passion for each other is only rivalled by their passion for their causes. I believe the depth of love for each other is meant to represent the depth of love for culture and climate. 

“…I gain the one thing that has eluded me all these years. A perfect stillness. An end to searching. A found-ness, a seen-ess I didn’t even know to look for. So this is contentment.”

In promo materials for The Kingmaker, Ryan characterizes Maxim Cade as a “woke” hero. He’s fluent in climate change rhetoric, he expounds on the limitations of the two-party political system, suggesting that we should all strive for locating the best parts of each towards a better world, and he acknowledges, even through a gritty heart, Lennix’s ambition for changing the system for native people. While his ambition is his superpower, he recognizes it in Lennix too, never trying to tie her down but setting her free. He’s an intelligent hero adorned with a heavenly body and face and all the right moves in the bedroom. More importantly, after all of that, he is not perfect. His early decision making create trouble for him and Lennix, and he must make amends to her in order to right their relationship. Above all, though, he sees the essence of Lennix, and THAT is what makes him sexy. His principles and his adoration for Lennix make him worthy of his hero status and a major reason to read Ryan’s book. 

As a heroine, the best words to describe Lennix are wise and tenacious. Early in the book, we are treated to a young Lennix (seventeen years old), and Ryan shows her depth and breadth of spirit. I think Ryan’s description of her in her protest of Cade Energy’s pipeline evokes a spirit of wisdom and power, and it’s Maxim’s first attraction to her. It’s where he first notes her strength and power. In that moment, as a reader, you begin to fall in love with her too. She’s compassion, she’s a marginalized voice as woman and indigenous person, she’s hope, and she’s a loud voice. For any young woman, Lennix is a model, an apt example of what modern day women should and do look like. There is nothing vapid or transitory about her. Just as she took Changing Woman into her body, she represents the true power of women to effect change in the world. Even more, her love for Maxim is palpable and electric. 

“There are few things more affirming than someone seeing you exactly as you aspire to be—for them to say I see that in you.”

These two are halves made whole in each other. Their chemistry flies off the page, grabbing the hearts of readers.

This book ends with a cliffhanger, a worry over the proximity of Maxim and Lennix to their happy ending. Yet, what Kennedy Ryan’s The Kingmaker is predicated on is hope: a hope for our hero and heroine to find their happily ever after, a hope for these two to change the world prominently together, and a hope for our own society to become a better place for us ALL. That is the truth behind Kennedy Ryan’s newest romance, a hopeful emblem for our times.

In love and romance,

Professor A

Love in Due Time, an all-new second chance romantic comedy from L.B. Dunbar is available now!

Read my 5 ⭐️review here

Naomi Winters will be forty—soon-ish—and she’s only been with one man. One night. One time. Long ago. She believes everything happens for a reason, and the universe spoke about Nathan Ryder.

Nathan Ryder isn’t the same man who hightailed his bike out of Green Valley eighteen years ago. As a rule breaker, women are one area he acts a fool. Case in point…the local librarian. He can’t get a read on her, but she’s one risk he’s willing to take. Again.

What do an eccentric librarian and a sexy silver biker have in common? More than you think.

The due date on their love might not be expired after all.

‘Love in Due Time’ is a full-length, contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Green Valley Library series.

Download your copy today!

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Excerpt

“Naomi?” My hands cover her shoulders, holding her steady.

“This is all my fault.” Her eyes widen, the widest I’ve ever seen. Panic fills them.

“What do you mean?”

“I … I can’t believe this happened again.” Her hands come to my chest, and she gently pushes at me. “You have to get out of here.”

“What?” My brows pinch at the harsh tone.

“You need to go. I can’t be near you.” Her voice struggles to stay level.

Ouch. That stings a little.

“Why?” I take one step back under the force of her hands.

“I can’t be around you. This can’t happen.”

“Lady, what are you talking about?” My voice roughens.

“Bad things always happen after I’m with you.”

I stiffen, straightening to my full height. My arms cross and I glare down at her. Saying such a thing is just downright mean. Her head shakes as her fingers curl along the open edges of my work jacket. Suddenly, I feel like she’s tugging me to her instead of pressing me away.

What the …

“When I’m with you, something happens. Something bad.” Her breath catches. “Because we kissed, the library is closing.”

I stare at her. She can’t be serious, but I see the hysteria in her eyes, like a rabid, trapped animal. She actually believes what she says.

“Well, we didn’t kiss,” I remind her, my tone stern and condescending. “I kissed you, remember? And you didn’t kiss me back, so I don’t think it counts.”

She glares up at me, her fingers still gripping my open jacket. Her shoulders fall, her head lowers, and it’s as if I can visibly see her relax, like water cascading down a building, washing over her.

Exhale. Settle.

Exhale. Calm.

“I didn’t kiss you back?” she questions and then her head pops up again. She nearly shrieks with the hesitant realization. Commence inhaling, like she’s winding up again. Full steam ahead.

“I didn’t kiss you back,” she repeats, her excitement growing. Another exaggerated inhale.

“I didn’t kiss you back!” Now, she’s just downright gloating, and the engine’s ready to blow.

“You don’t have to sound so pleased,” I murmur. I glance up and notice Mrs. MacIntyre watching us through the window of the librarian’s office behind the check-out counter. Her eyes narrow and I’m certain we’re making too much noise for her liking.

“I … I’m so relieved,” Naomi admits, her head falling forward, her fingers loosening on my jacket. Then her face turns up again. Her lids lift, slow and lazy. Her mouth curls in sweet relief, and she pulls herself up on her toes by the open edge of my jacket and does the damnedest thing. She kisses me.

About L.B. Dunbar

L.B. Dunbar loves the sweeter things in life: cookies, Coca-Cola, and romance. Her reading journey began with a deep love of fairy tales, medieval knights, Regency debauchery, and alpha males. She loves a deep belly laugh and a strong hug. Occasionally, she has the energy of a Jack Russell terrier. Accused—yes, that’s the correct word—of having an overactive imagination, to her benefit, such an imagination works well. Author of over two dozen novels, she’s created sweet, small town worlds; rock star mayhem; MMA chaos; sexy rom-coms for the over 40; and intrigue on an island of redemption. In addition, she is earning a title as the “myth and legend lady” for her modernizations of mythology as elda lore. Her other duties in life include mother to four children and wife to the one and only.

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“Happy Trail was a feel good, funny and heartwarming adventure with the usual Daisy Prescott charm..”– T. Gephart, USA Today bestselling author

Happy Trail, an all-new opposites attract standalone romance from USA Today bestselling author Daisy Prescott, is available now!

A man of few words, Ranger Jay Daniels values the calm, quiet solitude of the Great Smoky Mountains. Never quite fitting in with either side of his family, he prefers the company of birds and trees to people.

Yeah, he’d most definitely prefer a bird—any bird, any bird at all, take a vulture for instance—to the human-tornado hybrid that just blew onto his peaceful stretch of the Appalachian Trail.

The path of true love never has run smooth for Olive Perry. After getting dumped and promptly abandoned in the middle of her multi-month hike, Olive swears off men. Determined to finish the long trek by herself, she doesn’t need a prince—or broody and taciturn ranger—to save her.

Yet, when an early snowstorm threatens the mountains, and Ranger Daniels is charged with getting hikers to safety, that includes hot-tempered Olive Perry. Snowed in and forced to share an abandoned cabin, can Olive’s heated intensity melt Jay’s cool reserve?

And if so, will this happy trail lead to true love? Or will their time together be just another bump in the road?

‘Happy Trail’ is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Park Ranger series.

Download today!

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Excerpt

“Can we drop the pretense of not being trapped on the wrong side of the fence with whatever bloodthirsty beast is making such a sound?” I squint into the distance, hoping narrowing my eyes will give me super strength vision.

It doesn’t. I step behind Ranger Daniels for protection.

“What are you doing?” He twists his neck to look down at me.

“Hiding. I believe you took an oath to protect and serve.”

“Pfft. You’re confusing me with a police officer. I’m here to engage, educate, and empower.” He moves so he’s beside me.

“You carry a gun, don’t you?”

“Sometimes. Do you see a holster now?”

I scan his hips and shake my head, allowing my eyes to linger on the tight fit of his uniform pants over his strong thighs and the thick belt at his narrow waist. Ranger Daniels is packing heat, but not of the pistol variety.

Is it hot in here, or is it just me?

A distinct braying reaches my ears.

“Is that a donkey?” I tip my head.

“What would a donkey be doing up here? Makes no sense.”

“Ask him. Or her.” I point at the gray beast moving toward us. “I’m a city girl, but I’m pretty sure that’s an ass.”

“Well, I’ll be damned.” Jay removes his hat.

Maybe he plans to shoo away our attacker with it?

The gray form ambles toward us, letting out a loud bray and revealing large teeth.

“Should we be worried?” I’m standing behind Jay again.

“About a donkey? They’re mostly docile. He’s probably just curious.” Shifting his attention forward, he addresses our new friend. “Hey there. Where’d you come from?”

The donkey halts.

“See? He’s fine. Probably thinks we’re bringing treats.”

“And what will he do when he realizes we’re showing up to his house empty-handed?” I’m half mocking. In my world, not bringing a hostess gift is an unthinkable breach of etiquette. I have no idea about the social decorum for equines.

“Let’s go.” Jay encourages me forward with a sweep of his hat.

We take several steps and the donkey does the same without breaking eye contact, like we’re about to duel. There’s definitely a challenge, a mild threat in the eyes of our new foe.

“Should we slowly retreat to the fence?” I whisper at Jay’s back.

“Nah, we’re fine.”

“Maybe he’s a guard donkey.” I slide a glance over my shoulder toward safety. We’re a dozen or so yards away, but it isn’t too late to make a quick escape.

Jay’s eyes meet mine. “You know guard donkeys aren’t a thing.”

“I’m a stranger in a strange land—anything’s possible.” I wait until he faces forward to stick my tongue out at him.

He’s shaking his head and clearly not paying attention to me anymore as he stomps across the squishy field.

Left with no choice, I follow after him.

My boot slips in the mud, or donkey poop—it’s impossible to tell the difference. I squawk and flail my arms as I tumble forward in an awkward motion resembling the mating dance of an emu.

The donkey’s ears prick up before flattening against his head.

“Uh oh,” I murmur as I straighten up.

“It’s fine,” Jay says for the dozenth time.

Only he’s wrong.

About Daisy Prescott

Born and raised in San Diego, Daisy currently lives in a real life Stars Hollow in the Boston suburbs with her husband, their rescue dog, Mulder, and an imaginary house goat. When not writing about herself in the third person, Daisy can be found traveling, gardening, baking, or lost in a good book.

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London Royal by Nana Malone

Release Date: October 22, 2019

London Royal, book one in an all-new contemporary romance duet by Nana Malone.

Rich.

Entitled.

Possessive pain in my ass.

I know exactly what I don’t want.

I escaped to London under the cover of night, never thinking I’d run smack into a man who would turn me inside out.

I had a plan. Simple, really.

Step one: Follow my dream, away from from the demons of my past.

Step two: Land on my own two feet, preferably far, far, away from the man who hurt me and broke my heart.

Step three: Live a little and avoid all men with dark secrets.

So far, I’m not doing so hot.

He’s a royal amongst peasants, and the last kind of trouble I need–a filthy rich alpha who can see straight into my soul. Our secrets hold us both captive.

Something tells me I’ll be powerless to stop his magnetic pull, especially when he tells me I’m going to be his, damn the consequences.

Pre-order your copy today!

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Excerpt:

****

Abbie…

“I figured I’d try something different and ask you to dance.”

I whirled around and let out a small squeak of alarm. The muscles in my lower belly quivered, and my breath caught. My savior from earlier stood in front of me, looking like a cross between an angel of mercy and the devil incarnate. “We have to stop meeting like this,” I mumbled.

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Well, there’s no rain at the moment, so we should be safe. I trust we were able to save your camera?”

Heat flooded my cheeks. “Yes. Thank you. Honestly that could have been ugly today. I’m indebted.”

“How about a dance, and we’ll call it even?”

A dance? With him? Pressed up against… “I, uh…”

“Now, I’m not as good as you are, so you’ll need to take it easy on me.” He outstretched his hand and waited for me to take it. He didn’t press or push, just stood there… waiting.

Jasper didn’t help me when he switched the track to a dancehall reggae song with a grooving beat.

Butterflies fluttered low in my belly. When was the last time I’d had butterflies? Unfortunately, with those butterflies also came fear. The fact was I didn’t know this guy. But, if he’d wanted to hurt you, he could have already. It’s just a dance.

I glanced down at his hand and placed my palm in his. Determined not to be nervous, I smiled up at him. “Hardly seems fair. You saved my life, and all you get is this dance.”

He drew me close, but not too close, keeping his hands at my waist. He waited patiently until I looped my arms around his neck. “It’s well worth it to me.” The low rumble in his chest as he spoke sent shivers coursing through my body.

As it turned out, he didn’t need any help dancing. He moved us easily in time to the seductive beat. I didn’t dare look around because I knew what I’d find—couples pressed so close that we might as well be naked and in bed. Dirty dancing was a requisite of dancehall music, but my partner kept a marginally safe distance between us, figuratively if not literally, because with every down swing of the base, our hips rocked into each other.

I swallowed hard, but then forced my gaze up to meet his. As soon as our eyes met, my heart rate kicked. His slate gray eyes, framed by dark lashes, stayed on mine. Nervously, I licked my lips. He stilled for just a second, causing me to lose my footing and bringing me flush against his body.

I froze, muscles tight. Touching wasn’t something I was used to or allowed easily. But with him, I didn’t want to be anywhere else. He smelled of mint and something crisp and woodsy, like he’d spent the afternoon outside on the water. I released my strangled breath and let my body relax into his. I felt, rather than heard, the low rumble in his throat as his chest vibrated against mine. His warmth enveloped me, and I could tune out everything but him. As if it were only the two of us on the edge of the dance floor.

There, in the dark, in the arms of a relative stranger, I felt safe.

His hands shifted on my waist as his thumbs traced my hip bones, and I forgot to breathe. Wobbly knees forced me to tighten my hold on him. As if responding to my body’s automatic softening, my eyes dipped to his lips.

What the hell am I doing? My brain tried desperately to take control of the situation, but I didn’t feel like listening. For the first time in longer than I cared to think about, I liked having someone’s hands on me. I wasn’t afraid. Instead, I craved it, that connection. My body hummed with vibrant sexual energy. An energy I hadn’t felt in six long years. There were nerves, but not from fear or trepidation. It felt good. Better than good. It made me remember how much I needed to be touched. Or rather touched by someone who could make me feel safe.

But just as the last of the tension ebbed out of my body, his thumbs pressed gently against my hip bones, moving me back several inches. He raised his head, and we stood like that for several seconds before I realized Jasper had switched the music. Oh, God. I’d been standing there with a total stranger, practically melting into him.

Heat rushed to my face. “I—”

He smiled, and I was too blinded to finish. Gently, his thumbs traced across my hip bones once more, and he let me go. “Thank you for the dance.” Then he turned around and walked away.

I spent several seconds staring after him. What the hell had just happened?

“Hey, there you are.” Faith’s voice broke me out of the fog. “Who was that you were dancing with?”

I stared into the crowd feeling empty. “I have no idea.”

About Nana:

USA Today bestseller, Nana Malone’s love of all things romance and adventure started with a tattered romantic suspense she “borrowed” from her cousin.

It was a sultry summer afternoon in Ghana, and Nana was a precocious thirteen. She’s been in love with kick butt heroines ever since. With her overactive imagination, and channeling her inner Buffy, it was only a matter a time before she started creating her own characters.

While she waits for her chance at a job as a ninja assassin, in the meantime Nana works out her drama, passion and sass with fictional characters every bit as sassy and kick butt as she thinks she is.

Connect with Nana:

Website: http://nanamaloneromance.net/

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“Hilarious, engaging and relatable, I started laughing out loud from the first page” — Kristin Vayden, bestselling author

Weight Expectations, the first in the romantic comedy Cipher Office series of standalones, from M.E. Carter is available now!

Check out my review HERE.

Rian Thompson thought she joined the gym to get healthy. Little did she know she was about to add hundred and ninety pounds of swoonworthy abdominal muscles and arrogance to her life.

Every day in Rians’s life follows a predictable pattern, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She’s got a nice job, a nice place to live, and a nice family—even if they are a little wedding-zilla-ish at the moment.

She doesn’t need anything spectacular to be happy. She just needs to get healthy—mentally, physically. . . and maybe spiritually if that happens. But she’ll settle for two out of three until her sister finally gets hitched.

Carlos Davies thought his life was perfect. Little did he know it was about to be turned upside down by a woman who is not his type.

In Carlos’s mind, his life is damn near perfect. He’s got a great job, a great place to live, and a great stash of pick up lines that always work. It has occurred to him that maybe no one actually takes him all that seriously. But with these bulging biceps and thick, dark hair, does that even matter since he’s never sleeping alone?

Welcome to Weight Expectations, where great—and unexpected—things happen.

‘Weight Expectations’ is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Cipher Office series, Knitting in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

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About M.E. Carter

My name is ME Carter and I have no idea how I ended writing books. I’m more of a story teller (the more exaggerated the better) and I happen to know people who helped me get those stories on paper. I love reading (read almost 200 books last year), hate working out (but I do it anyway because my trainer makes me), love food (but hate what it does to my butt) and love traveling to non-touristy places most people never see. I live in Houston with my four kids, Mary, Elizabeth, Carter and Bug, who was just a twinkle in my eye when I came up with my pen name. Yeah, I’ll probably have to pay for his therapy someday for being left out.

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WANTED: ROOMMATE. Must be tidy, polite, and absolutely not my brother’s hot as sin best friend.

Kiss Me Again, an all-new hilarious brother’s best friend standalone romance from New York Times bestselling author Emma Hart is available now!

Read my 4 ⭐️review HERE.

I have no idea why I said yes.

Maybe I’d had one too many wines. Maybe I’d done it accidentally. Maybe I’d been sleep-texting.

One thing I know for sure is this: I absolutely do not want Ethan Hawkins in my apartment, up in my business, taking over my space.

Yet he’s here. Moving his stuff into my spare bedroom. Sending a wave of panty-melting, musky man-scent my way every time he walks past me.

Here’s the thing.

We don’t get along—at all. We never have, and I don’t think we’re going to start now that we’re under one roof.

There’s also that little issue where I’m kinda, sorta, totally in love with him…

Uh-oh.

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Excerpt

I shoved the front door open and set my gaze on Ethan on the sofa. “If you’re going to lie to me about living here, we’re going to have to set some hard and fast rules. The first one: the stinky, spiky pig lives in your bedroom.”

He peered over at me, one hand in a bag of cheese Doritos and the other tickling the hedgehog who was now lying on his chest.

It was quite the sight.

“How do you know he stinks?” he asked, licking his fingers and cradling the animal before he put the chip packet on the coffee table.

“I Googled. They need cleaning every day. I’m not doing it, and neither am I living in a smell of tiny animal who should be wild.”

“He’s a pygmy hedgehog. He’s bred to be domesticated.”

“His spiky bits could be made out of solid gold and I wouldn’t give a shit.” I put my purse on the island and looked at him. “You can send me Google links to them if it pleases His Highness, but my stance won’t change. That animal is not living in my living room, and I’d rather you didn’t snuggle with him on the sofa.”

“It’s ironic,” Ethan mused. “I have a hedgehog on my chest, and you’re still the prickliest thing in this apartment.”

“If I wasn’t staunchly against animal cruelty, I’d throw a saucepan at you.”

“You can still hit me over the head with it.”

“I was talking about you, not the hedgehog, you pig.”

“May I say that you are an absolute fucking delight, Ava. I can’t imagine why you’re still single.”

“Probably the same reason you are. The asshole gene is strong as fuck and not all that attractive.”

About Emma Hart

Emma Hart is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels and has been translated into several different languages.

She is a mother, wife, lover of wine, Pink Goddess, and valiant rescuer of wild baby hedgehogs.

Emma prides herself on her realistic, snarky smut, with comebacks that would make a PMS-ing teenage girl proud.

Yes, really. She’s that sarcastic.

Connect with Emma

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

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Website: https://www.emmahart.org/home

He was the bad boy I fell for in college. Now he’s a sexy single dad and Charleston’s most successful venture capitalist. Dominant and decisive, Ford Montgomery is used to getting what he wants. And he just set his sights on me…

Southern Heartbreaker, an all-new standalone contemporary romance in the Charleston Heat series by Jessica Peterson, is LIVE!

Read my 5 +++ ⭐️review.

Ford Montgomery was my first everything.

First love.

First guy I slept with.

First heartbreak when he dumped me without explanation.

A decade later, it’s just my luck he’s the first guy I run into after moving back to my hometown of Charleston. Three piece suit, tie, and a watch worth more than my car–being a mogul looks good on Ford. So does being a doting dad to his adorable four-year-old daughter.

I tell myself I can resist him. But one impulsive, ill-advised kiss later, and Ford is in hot pursuit. He’s determined to make up for his past mistakes, and convinces me to give him a second chance.

What started out as fun between the sheets gets really serious, really fast. Problem is, I swore I’d never give up the dreams I worked so hard for to settle down and do the family thing.

But seeing Ford light up around his daughter–seeing how he’s chasing his ambitions while rocking fatherhood–is making me rethink what I want out of life.

It doesn’t help that behind his corporate veneer is the bad boy I fell in love with. And bad boys aren’t afraid to play dirty…or break hearts.

Southern Heartbreaker is part of the Charleston Heat Series, which is a series of interconnected standalone novels set in the steamy southern town of Charleston, South Carolina.

Download your copy today or read free in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2N11gl2

Amazon Worldwide: mybook.to/SouthernHeartbreaker

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About Jessica:

Jessica Peterson writes smart, sexy romance set in her favorite cities around the world. She grew up on a steady diet of Mr. Darcy, Jamie Frasier, and Edward Cullen, and it wasn’t long before she started creating irresistible heroes of her own. She loves strong coffee, stronger heroines, and heroes with hot accents.

She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband Ben and her smelly Goldendoodle Martha Bean.

Connect with Jessica:

Website: www.jessicapeterson.com

The City Girls, Jessica’s Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PetersonsPupils/

Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/jessicapetersonauthor

Instagram: @JessicaPAuthor (https://www.instagram.com/jessicapauthor/)

Email: jessicapauthor@jessicapeterson.com

Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️++

Okay, here’s the thing. Romance, as with any genre, has its standards. We call them tropes: friends to lovers, forbidden, older man/younger woman, older woman/younger man, so on and so forth. How does a writer keep it fresh? How do they write stories and keep their readers engaged when the tropes don’t really change? I’m fairly new to reading romance (almost two years). There are preeminent writers I have yet to read (I know…it’s wrong. Give me time.). I have plenty of time to expand my breadth of romance reading. Yet, even if I do, it’s possible that the romance might become stale if writers don’t play with the tropes. I try to mix it up as much as possible by reading a variety of sub-genres. I read just about everything from the smuttiest of smut to the most elevated of romance. What I have found for myself is a preference for authors who infuse and weave in social relevance and significant topics of our day into their writing. It might be the Master’s in Lit that drives this for me; I’m not sure. What I do know is that I like the romances that inspire my thinking, that keep meat on the bone of the story. I want an author to challenge me with their writing, with their storytelling, even when I want to be entertained by the romance. There are a handful of authors who do this for me. Jessica Peterson is one of those authors. 

If you’ve read any of my former reviews on her Southern series, you’ll see my thoughts on the profundity of her writing. Yes, she writes romance within the tropes of romance. But her romances are the epitome of female empowerment. More specifically, she uses her romance to illustrate the struggles of women in our society. She crafts her heroines in a way that challenges our thinking about the conflicts of living as women. And it’s inspired and important. 

Jessica Peterson’s newest book, Southern Heartbreaker, is no different. Every time she releases a book, I’ll be honest, I’m waiting to be underwhelmed. This has more to do with my love for her storytelling than it has to do with her. Her stories are so thoughtful that I wait for a story where I’m not challenged and, by extension, disappointed. This has yet to happen. And Southern Heartbreaker is probably my favorite of them all, meaning that it had the most impact on me. I was definitely not disappointed or underwhelmed by this story. 

This is a second chance romance between Eva and Ford. They were college sweethearts, drowning in their love for each other. On graduation day, Ford breaks up with Eva because he perceives she isn’t ambitious enough. This breaks Eva’s soul, but she works hard to heal her broken heart and follow her dreams to be a writer and a pit master. Years later, Ford and Eva meet at a baby shower for her best friend, Julia, and Ford’s brother, Greyson. On meeting again, the sparks fly. They clearly still have chemistry. Yet, Eva is initially reticent to move forward with Ford given his treatment of her in the past. Even more, Ford has a daughter, and Eva has never wanted children. After a few more meetings, Eva must decide if she should walk away from Ford and their connection or change her mind about decisions she made in the past. Will she choose Ford and his daughter, Bryce, or will she walk away from him forever, leaving a Ford-sized hole in heart?

At face value, this story utilizes the second chance trope. Ford and Eva reconcile easily, and Ford’s apology of his treatment of Eva at the break up helps this. In terms of the trope, the story-telling is fairly easy. Once Ford is in, he’s all in, and he is, honestly, the first one committed to a future. He is everything you love about a modern hero: he’s respectful of Eva, he’s thoughtful of her, he’s enlightened and responds to her feelings with maturity. He quite frankly is the preeminent male feminist. This is a man whose intelligence allows him to love Eva where she needs it. The few times he attempts to “man-splain” her he recognizes it quickly and asks for forgiveness. In doing so, it doesn’t make him any less masculine. Instead, he becomes sexier and attractive. This is the genius of Jessica Peterson. She imagines what mature, “woke” relationships can look like in today’s society. Even more, it isn’t heavy-handed in its delivery. Instead, it’s natural to her story-telling. Ford is swoony, not because he’s gorgeous. He’s swoon-worthy because he’s a masculine moderate male. His intelligence and emotional maturity are far more attractive than his looks. 

Now, Peterson’s real power in Southern Heartbreaker lies in Eva, her heroine. Through her characterization, we are treated to a discussion about (1) motherhood and (2) perfectionism as a means to control every outcome. Eva’s past most definitely informs her present. She comes from a family where her mother sacrificed portions of her life for motherhood and marriage. This has left her mother dissatisfied and discouraged. Her parents’ marriage is fraught, and her mother’s unhappiness influences Eva’s perceptions of marriage and motherhood. Through Eva’s struggle to decide to enter a relationship with Ford, a single father, Peterson encourages us to consider motherhood. We still live in a society that expects women to become mothers. Yet, Eva allows us to reconsider this. Peterson pushes against this expectation through Eva’s dilemma. Is it possible to become a mother and hold onto the important pieces of yourself? Is it possible to follow your dreams without sacrificing them for children? Even more, do all women need to become mothers? These questions underscore Ford and Eva’s romance. And they are important questions to consider. While I’ve had a child, I have felt the struggle with maintaining my identity and dreams while raising my son. I found myself here in Eva’s story, and this is Peterson’s genius. This is where she challenges her reader through this oft-used trope of second chances. 

Even more, having been a mother, I know the struggle of wanting to do it well. As a Type A perfectionist myself, this can be problematic and crazy-making. Anyone can look at Pinterest and see how that forum pushes this type of thinking. Through both Ford and Eva’s stories, Peterson illustrates the troubles with trying to do everything perfectly. It simply cannot be done without burning out. Once again, through their story, she reminds us that we don’t have to be Pinterest perfect moms or dads or people. We simply need to be present. It’s the depth of these messages that bind my heart to Peterson’s stories. I saw myself so clearly in Eva and Ford’s struggles, and it made the story headier for me. It’s why I loved it so much.

There is a clear place for all romance. One romance or sub-genre or trope is not necessarily better than the other. Given our mood and need for the day, we can decide the type of romance we want to read. That is the beauty of writing. However, Jessica Peterson is doing something so important here. With Southern Heartbreaker, her newest book, and the other books of the Southern series, she’s offering us contemplative romance, romance that seeks to challenge our thinking while it entertains and titillates us. In a world where women are still struggling to find their voice, still struggling to push against societal norms about what it means to be a woman, Eva and Ford’s romance reminds us to find our own space, to live our own lives, to be thoughtful about our discussions and connections with each other. Most importantly, it’s a suggestion that love can ultimately conquer all if we are honest and love from our own expectations.

In love and romance,

Professor A

Question: What do you do when you fall for your best friend’s little sister?

More important question: How long can you keep it a secret before it all goes up in flames?

The Billionaire’s Forbidden Little Sister, an all-new hilarious romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Max Monroe, is coming November 7th and we have the adorable cover!

Theo Cruz, a New York man known for his family’s billion-dollar empire, Cruz Enterprises, has been indicted this afternoon in the Court of Public Opinion on charges of Bro-Code Conspiracy.

Chief counsel for the prosecution, Caplin Hawkins, spoke candidly about the accusation.

“Once thought of as a best friend to many—including myself—Theo Cruz has officially turned his back on human decency. He’s conniving and dishonest, and a habitual offender of Bro-Code Law 676. He’ll rue the day he forgot that you never—under any circumstances—get involved with your best friend’s little sister.”

Fact: I haven’t actually been arrested or indicted.

More important fact: I inadvertently messed up—big-time.

Two strangers in a foreign country, we said hello.

Hello turned into a kiss.

A kiss turned into a rendezvous.

And a rendezvous turned into more than I’d ever imagined.

But her unruly golden curls and beautiful body hid an important detail—She’s my mouthiest billionaire best friend’s forbidden little sister.

Fact: I knew not of my crimes.

More important fact: I know now, but even though I know I’m playing with fire, there’s no way I’m stopping. I can’t leave her alone.

Question: What do you do when you fall for your best friend’s little sister?

More important question: How long can you keep it a secret before it all goes up in flames?

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About Max Monroe

A secret duo of romance authors team up under the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling pseudonym Max Monroe to bring you sexy, laugh-out-loud reads.

Max Monroe is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of more than ten contemporary romance titles. Favorite writing partners and long time friends, Max and Monroe strive to live and write all the fun, sexy swoon so often missing from their Facebook newsfeed. Sarcastic by nature, their two writing souls feel like they’ve found their other half. This is their most favorite adventure thus far.

Connect with Max Monroe

Website: https://www.authormaxmonroe.com/

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