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Wanderlove, an all-new angst-filled and emotional standalone romance from Rachel Blaufeld, is available now!

Check out my 4 ⭐️review HERE. 

Sick of living under her dad’s rules, Emerson Bender bolts when she’s eighteen. On her own for the first time, she heads to the only place her mom ever lived—New York City—desperate to find the woman who dropped her off on her dad’s doorstep.

Content to spend the rest of his life in Small Town, Pennsylvania, Price Barnes is plucked out of his idyllic life by his estranged father. Missing his mom and stepfather, he’s dropped in New York City to attend college and live an all-expenses paid lifestyle. Cushy, right? But not the life he wanted.

She’s looking to fill a hole in her heart, and he’s looking to forget the man who disrupted his life. Together, they’re both wandering, looking for acceptance and hoping to forget the rejection.

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Excerpt

Slouched in the back booth of one of those froufrou café places a little later, I pulled out a book and bit into my egg and turkey bacon on an English muffin.

Yes, you heard me right. 1. Egg. 2. Turkey bacon. 3. English muffin.

It was like one of those riddles on the SAT—which, by the way, I wished I hadn’t taken on a whim in high school, because it made this whole NYC bullshit that much easier.

Which two of the above three things does not belong?

If you answered numbers two and three, you win. Ding, ding, ding! Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Who the fuck ate turkey bacon? Not a soul where I came from. And an English muffin was a poor excuse for a biscuit.

Just as I sank my teeth into the last bite of nourishment—because turkey bacon couldn’t possibly be classified as delicious—someone took the table next to me.

Not one for coffee-shop talk, I took a swig of my OJ and lowered my face deeper into my book.

“Cannery Row? We read that in high school,” a female voice said, interrupting my quiet time.

“Hmm.” I nodded without looking up, desperately trying to maintain invisible boundaries.

The smell of fresh coffee filled my nostrils, making me think of my mom. She loved her morning coffee. Every day, she made a big pot and drink her first mug on the wraparound porch, sometimes wrapped in a flannel blanket.

“You okay?” Another interruption.

Looking up, I found the black-haired beauty who’d run into me earlier. “Yeah, why?” Slapping my worn book on the table, I suddenly had beef with the pixie extrovert.

“You were reading, and all of a sudden looked really sad. Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. It’s just . . .”

I swallowed, wondering how the hell I looked sad, and then I remembered I was thinking of my mom. So I miss her. I’m no less of a man. It doesn’t make me a mama’s boy.

“I’m cool,” I said, rather than explaining the truth.

“We just saw each other.” She paused, obviously wanting to chat more, and I nodded.

“You go to school here?” I finally asked.

“No. It’s nice, though. I was just looking for someone in that building. Didn’t find her.” She whispered the last part to herself. Only listless for a second, she brightened back up. “Are you a grad student?”

“Ha,” I barked. “What? I look too old to play the part of undergrad?”

I was on the bench seat of my booth, my feet kicked out in front of me; she sat opposite me, on the chair side of her table. I wondered if her feet even touched the floor. Compared to my six-foot-two-inch frame, she’d barely hit my chest when we collided earlier.

“Um . . .” She looked away, pink rising in her cheeks.

Leaning forward, I ran my palm over my scruff, trying to remember when I last shaved. “Returning adult student is what I think they call it. School wasn’t really in my cards before, and now it is. So here I am.”

Sitting quietly, she didn’t respond, just raised her brows as if waiting for more of an explanation.

I didn’t give her anything more. My story wasn’t all that interesting, anyway.

About Rachel

Rachel Blaufeld is a bestselling author of Romantic Suspense, New Adult, Coming-of-Age Romance, and Sports Romance. A recent poll of her readers described her as insightful, generous, articulate, and spunky. Originally a social worker, Rachel creates broken yet redeeming characters. She’s been known to turn up the angst like cranking up the heat in the dead of winter.

A devout coffee drinker and doughnut eater, Rachel spends way too many hours in local coffee shops, downing the aforementioned goodies while she plots her ideas. Her tales may all come with a side of angst and naughtiness, but end as lusciously as her treats.

As a side note, Blaufeld, also a long-time blogger and an advocate of woman-run anything, is fearless about sharing her opinion. She captured the ears of stay-at-home and working moms on her blog, BacknGrooveMom, chronicling her adventures in parenting tweens and running a business, often at the same time. To her, work/life/family balance is an urban legend, but she does her best.

Rachel has also blogged for The Huffington Post and Modern Mom. Most recently, her insights can be found in USA TODAY, where she shares conversations at “In Bed with a Romance Author” and reading recommendations over at “Happy Ever After.”

Rachel lives around the corner from her childhood home in Pennsylvania with her family and two beagles. Her obsessions include running, coffee, basketball, icing-filled doughnuts, antiheroes, and mighty fine epilogues.

When she isn’t writing, she can be found courtside, tweeting about hoops as her son plays, or walking around the house wearing earplugs while her other son, the drummer, bangs away.

Connect with Rachel

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Check out the HOT cover for the final book in the Smart Jocks series by Rebecca Jenshak — The Fake! This is Nathan’s story! The Fake is coming on November 21st!

Cover designed by Jena Brignola at Bibliophile Productions: Bibliophile Productions

Photographer: Wander Aguiar: WANDER AGUIAR :: PHOTOGRAPHY

Model: Forest

I’ve made a lot of dumb mistakes but none dumber than losing her.

Senior year. I should be partying and living it up with my friends before graduation, but one more mistake and I’m off the team.

Enter Chloe. She comes into my life at a low point, but she becomes the bright spot I reach for every day. She’s the kind of girl who makes a guy want to be a better man. And for a while, I even start to believe I’ve changed enough to deserve her.

I’ve got my eye on the future, and I’m letting my past stay where it belongs.

But the thing about the past… it always comes back to bite you when you least expect it.

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Catch up on the Smart Jocks series!

Book 1 – The Assist

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Book 2 – The Fadeaway

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Book 3 – The Tip-Off

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Rebecca Jenshak is a self-proclaimed margarita addict, college basketball fanatic, and Hallmark channel devotee. A Midwest native transplanted to the desert, she likes being outdoors (drinking on patios) and singing (in the shower) when she isn’t writing books about hot guys and the girls who love them.

Stay up to date with all things Rebecca!

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“Beautifully Broken Spirit is a beautiful, emotional and memorable friends-to-lovers romance with a dash of intrigue and suspense that ensures you stay on the edge of your seat.”– Frolic

Beautifully Broken Spirit, an all-new beautiful and emotional standalone in the Sutter Lake Series from Catherine Cowles is available now!

She’s always been his safe place to land.

Jensen has shared a special bond with Tuck for as long as she can remember, their friendship a language that never needed words. But as life threw her one curveball after another, that secret language turned to stony silence.

He’s always been her protector.

Tuck has looked out for Jensen since the day she was born. As his best friend’s little sister, he’s tried to keep her firmly in the friend category. But she’s always been more.

All it takes is one moment of weakness to send Tuck’s fiercely guarded walls crumbling to the ground. As a new fire burns between them, someone watches. Someone who doesn’t like the new life Jensen’s building for herself.

And they’ll stop at nothing to keep her in the dark.

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Excerpt

“Hey, Little J.”

My entire world seemed to tunnel as my vision went black, and my knees buckled.

“Shit!” Strong hands caught me before I could hit the floor. I blinked rapidly as Tuck’s face came into focus. His expression was full of worry. “Are you okay?” He settled me into one of the café chairs.

My stomach pitched. “I’m fine. Just got up too fast. You startled me.”

Tuck’s brow furrowed. “The door was unlocked.”

“Well, I thought I’d locked it.”

Tuck let out a sound that was a cross between a sigh and a growl of frustration. “You need to be more careful. Anyone could’ve come in here, and you wouldn’t have even known. Just because we live in a small town doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take precautions.”

I pinned him with a stare that should’ve had him taking a step back. “I know that. Believe me, I of all people fucking know that.”

Tuck winced. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

I waved him off. “I know.” I pushed up to stand, but the world turned wobbly again, and Tuck pressed me back into the chair.

“Oh, no, you don’t. When’s the last time you had something to eat?”

I tried to think back. I guess I had missed lunch. “A granola bar in the car on the way to drop Noah off at school?”

This time Tuck did growl. “You need to take better care of yourself.”

My skin prickled. “I take fine care of myself, you big behemoth.”

“I’m not seeing a whole lot of evidence of that lately. You take care of everyone but yourself.” I opened my mouth to argue, but he kept right on going. “You stay right here while I go fix you a snack.” Tuck pinned me with a hard gaze. “You move a muscle, and I will paddle your ass.”

My jaw came unhinged, but simmering heat pooled low in my belly. My hands fisted. What the hell? Before I could regain any semblance of the ability to speak, Tuck had turned on his heel and strode towards the kitchen. Had I actually hit my head? Was I now in some sort of coma-induced alternate universe where Tuck threatened to spank me? And why the hell did some part of me like the idea?

I was clearly in some sort of hunger-induced brain misfire. That was the only reasonable explanation. I did all kinds of crazy stuff when I went too long without sustenance. Yes, those crazy things were generally something like eating an entire pan of brownies in one sitting. They weren’t typically the burning desire to climb one of my best friends since birth like a tree. But hunger could make you do lots of insane things.

Tuck emerged from the kitchen juggling a plate with the largest sandwich I’d ever seen and a tall glass of what looked like apple juice. He came towards me with what I could only describe as a swagger. Had his hips always moved like that when he walked?

Don’t get me wrong, I knew Tuck was attractive. Hot even. I’d had the requisite crush on him throughout my middle school years and even into high school. But he had always treated me like a little sister. Someone he liked hanging with. But never once had he given me even a single hint that he was interested in more than friendship. And I’d grown up. I’d put him firmly in the big-brother category. So, why, all of a sudden, was my body reacting to him?

It had to be my dry spell. Could it even be called that if it was as dry and vast as the Sahara? I needed to get laid and stat. Because the last thing I needed was to fall for a guy who was a walking one-night stand.

About Catherine

Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she’s not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.

Connect with Catherine

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Website: https://www.catherinecowles.com/

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Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Emma Hart has taken my heart hostage with her Kiss Me series. First, she gave us Halley and Preston’s romance, then she released Reagan and Noah’s, and her third book, Kiss Me Again is the story of the third bestie, Ava, and Ethan, Ava’s brother Leo’s best friend. Ava has been attracted to Ethan for many years; however, it tends to be a love-hate type of attraction. Leo and Ethan have lived away from their small town, but they’ve decided to move back. Leo suggests that Ethan move in with Ava because she needs a roommate, and it seems like an easy fix. Except that these two can’t seem to stand each other. At least, that is what it seems. What we find through the course of their passive-aggressive pranks, cute little hedgehog moments, and the topsy-turvy storyline is Ava and Ethan actually like each other…A LOT. Unfortunately, there is a brother to consider, and it’s uncertain whether these two will survive being roommates. 

There are three things you can guarantee about an Emma Hart rom-com:

1. Quirks. Her characters are quirky. They have strange pet animals, ways of viewing love and life, odd friend groups, etc. When you read her romances, you have to account for those quirks. Some readers might think it’s strange. I simply see it as an Emma Hart romantic trait, and I laugh. If quirky isn’t your thing, then you will probably struggle with a Hart romance. And Ava’s story is no different. She’s a wacko, quite frankly. She takes everything a bit too far, and she has the strangest fears (like cute little hedgehogs). She’s funny, but she’s quirky.
2. Everybody gets a happy ending. The strife in a Hart rom-com isn’t heavy. There may be a section of pseudo-angst that makes the reader uncomfortable, but it tends to be resolved easily. This means that much of the storyline is awkward fun. The hero and heroine fall in love in their own way, and they beat feet to the bedroom to consummate their attraction. Then, they fall in love and live happily-ever-after. In the Kiss Me series, the happy endings don’t come with marriage and babies, at least until the end of this book, Kiss Me Again. We get a bit more in the ending than we do in the first two books in the series, so, if you read the first two, then you will get more of Halley and Reagan’s stories at the end of Ava’s. 
3. Animals. At least in this series, Emma Hart treated us to interesting pet animals. In Kiss Me Not, crazy raccoons take over the story. In fact, they show up in Kiss Me Tonight and Kiss Me Again. Boris the raccoon is alive and well in all the stories. In Kiss Me Tonight, Noah’s pet chihuahua seems innocuous until he begins eating everyone’s underwear. Then, he becomes this strange part of the story. In Kiss Me Again, Ethan, Ava’s paramour, has a pet hedgehog, Mr. Prickles. He’s cute, even though he loves to use Ava’s shoes as his personal restroom. Mr. Prickles plays a part in the crazy story-telling of this book, but he’s not out of control Boris or an underwear-stealing dog. Animal antics seem part and parcel in an Emma Hart romance.

If you love weird, funny rom-com, then you should read Kiss Me Again. There are moments when I became frustrated with Ava’s dramatics. It seemed too over the top at times, and the pacing of Ethan and Ava’s eventual bedroom antics feels rushed. I would have liked more of the romance to develop versus the love-hate antics, but this, again, is an Emma Hart romance. That tension is standard in her story-telling. For me, the ending is the best part of this story. It ends exactly as I imagined it would, and I think Emma Hart readers will be happy with Kiss Me Again’s finality.

In love and romance,

Professor A

Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+

“And wasn’t that the most precious gift? To know someone so deeply, so thoroughly that every detail of their skin was familiar. I loved this man.”

Everyone wants to be seen and accepted. Everyone. It’s as imperative as breathing air and nourishing one’s body. This becomes complicated when the one person who has seen and accepted you your whole life is your brother’s best friend. Or when your brother’s best friend has created a new family because his family is broken, and that family involves your own, so he does not want to potentially ruin his carefully constructed safe haven.  Catherine Cowles’s newest book, Beautifully Broken Spirit, illustrates these ideas through the characters of Tuck and Jensen. Tuck is Jensen’s brother’s best friend, and he has been involved in her life since birth. Almost from the beginning, Tuck and Jensen understand each other’s hurts and needs in a way that no one else can. In their adulthood, this understanding morphs into an attraction and eventually, an abiding love, that seeks to complicate their lives. Is it possible to find love with the one person who seems off-limits to you? Should you even try for it?

Beautifully Broken Spirit is my first Catherine Cowles’s book. There was something about the cover and the blurb that called to my reader’s soul. To be honest, it reminded me of one of my favorite romance authors, Devney Perry. I knew I needed to read this book. It’s the third book in the Sutter Lake series, and, after reading it, it’s not imperative that you have read the first two in order to understand this one. Yes, there are instances that have occurred before this book that play into the development of Tuck and Jensen, specifically Jensen. Yet, Cowles does a brilliant job of giving the reader enough detail to enter this story without confusion. It also is enough detail that it will trigger you to read the first two books in this series. At least, that is how it worked for me. The reason that Cowles reminds me of Perry so much is the way in which she allows the landscape and surrounding community of her book to take up residence as its own character in the story. The forest and wild mustangs act as a way to connect Tuck and Jensen. They also play an important part in the story. Perry does something similar in her books where she, like Cowles, establishes stories that evoke a specific place and time. Just as Perry gives us Montana in romance, forested Oregon now finds its place in romance through Cowles’s books. The place becomes a landmark for Cowles’s storytelling, and she does it in a way that makes you feel like you are walking through its forested splendor with Tuck and Jensen. 

In terms of the development of Cowles’s characters, Tuck and Jensen are such round characters. They are multi-layered and deep. Both of them carry hurts from their past that wreak havoc on their present and potential future. Tuck’s family is broken. His father is a philanderer, and he’s disparaged his son throughout much of his life. His treatment of Tuck has created wounds that emotionally stunt Tuck’s thinking about relationships. In fact, much of the drama between Jensen and Tuck revolves around his insistence that he’s like his father and cannot engage in a long-term relationship. Interestingly, in Cowles’s crafting of Tuck, the reader (and the rest of the characters in the book) see the real truth of Tuck: he is nothing like his father and his heart is bigger than anyone else’s in the story. He would sacrifice himself for the people he loves, and he nearly does. There is no way he could act like his father. His inability to see his strengths mar the story. As a reader, you want to reach into the story and shake him because he’s so absurd when it comes to his future with Jensen. But that also illustrates Cowles’s prowess at characterization. When an author uses a character to evoke intense feelings from their readers, you know the writing is stellar. 

Similarly, Jensen’s journey is meant to remind us that we are not islands. Instead, a community surrounds us, willing to help. At the outset of the story, Jensen is recovering from deceit and mayhem caused by actions from the story of the second book in this series. Her shoulders weigh heavy with the guilt of her actions, and she’s taken to distancing herself from her family and friends. As a single mom, she has relied upon the help of her family to raise her son. Yet, in her guilt, she believes she’s responsible for taking care of everything without help; it’s her penance. This begins to create issues, and the reader starts to understand the depth of her friendship and connection with Tuck. At that moment, Tuck “sees” her, and he diligently works to unbind her from her guilt. It’s his compassion and tenacity towards her that allows her to accept help while letting go of her guilt. This becomes a turning point for these two, as they begin to acknowledge their attraction to each other. Even more, Tuck notes a wildness in Jensen, and he knows that he will always treasure it, allowing her to be true to herself. Just as Tuck is helpful with Jensen, she too acts as a beacon in Tuck’s life. She’s the impetus for “seeing” himself as more than temporary. Together, Jensen and Tuck are the epitome of friends becoming lovers, and Cowles’s talent lies in the development of their relationship. It’s the most beautiful part of this story. 

Interwoven with Jensen and Tuck’s journey is a bit of romantic suspense. There is a baby daddy storyline and a mystery to solve about the killing of wild mustangs. The romance conspires with these plot points to elicit a tale that is timeless. That is what I kept thinking after I read Beautifully Broken Spirit. It feels as though Cowles has situated herself in the genre in a way that feels organic and truthful. Every word on the page, every feeling felt between the pages of her story captured my heart. It really did me in. I’m thankful that I found her as a writer. I know that I will continue to read her, and she’ll find a permanent place on my list of favorite authors. Beautifully Broken Spirit is a timeless romance of beginnings and forever afters between life-long friends. 

“Being around Jensen was the most beautiful form of torture.”

In love and romance,

Professor A

Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In a world where everything is categorized and posted on social media, where does one fit? How do we transcend the expectations of others? How do we find our space? Honestly, we do this by choosing ourselves over labels and societal expectations. This truth runs like a thread through fabric in Daisy Prescott’s Happy Trail: Park Ranger Book 1. 

To begin with, as an author, Daisy Prescott is new to me. When I signed up to read ARCs for the SmartyPants books, I was most excited at the prospect of reading new authors. I was familiar with two of the other authors in the series. Their writing is some of my favorites, so I thought Penny Reid’s collection of authors would fall in the same vein as them. And I wasn’t wrong and I wasn’t disappointed by Daisy Prescott. From the outset of her newest book, I connected immediately with her storytelling. There is a flow to her words that grabs you and pulls you into the story of her hero and heroine. Even more, she crafts Park Ranger Jay and Olive as mysteries needing a slow unveiling. This pacing keeps the reader engaged, even though quite a bit of it is Jay and Olive simply talking and getting to know each other. Quite frankly, these two don’t physically connect until much later in the story. Prescott is careful to build their chemistry, heightening her readers’ interests in their happy ending. This is the gift of her story-telling. 

Beyond Prescott’s craftsmanship of her storytelling, why should you read this book? Why did I love this book?

• Honestly, I learned from this book. I’m a West Coast gal. I live in California, and I have traveled, but there are parts of this nation that I have little information on. The Appalachian Trail is one of those places. I had no idea that people hike it over the course of several months. As I was reading Prescott’s story, I researched and followed along with Olive’s journey. I even thought about adding the feat of hiking the trail to my bucket list. Books should entertain us, but, more importantly, they should teach, engage, and challenge us. Happy Trail did this for me. 
• Park Ranger Jay.  Yep, I said it. The hero of Prescott’s story is a bit dreamy, albeit fairly crotchety. He has skills in nature that would make any reader swoon. Who doesn’t love a handsome, protective, nature adventurer/lover? Those are Jay’s outer qualities, the appearance of him. What makes his character important is his internal struggle. As a biracial man whose outward appearance allows him access to societal privilege, Jay is conflicted. He feels guilt over fitting into society as a white male while his mother and sister encounter judgment, and he fails to find his space in his Japanese heritage. Instead of creating his own space, Jay hides. He forgoes society to a large extent for nature because it allows him an escape from his battle. Prescott’s creation of Jay Is the depth of her storytelling. She illustrates the difficulty of finding your space when you don’t quite fit the societal box. Jay’s conflict is profound. 
• Olive. Prescott’s heroine exemplifies the challenges of Millenials. Olive comes from a privileged affluent family. She has grown up with everything she’s ever wanted. With that, however, comes expectation. Her parents, her peers, her former loves require her to live a certain way. And she struggles with that, so much so that she becomes engaged six times and quickly breaks those engagements because they don’t fulfill a need deep in her soul. A boyfriend asks her to hike the Appalachian Trail, and she agrees because his offer entails hiking it comfortably. As their hike progresses, Olive feels like a fraud. When her situation changes, she decides to hike the trail with integrity, embracing the challenges of it. She adheres carefully to the trail life, forgoing the expectations of her society. In doing so, it’s freeing to her. When she meets Jay, he continues to challenge her, creating a connection between the two of them that is developed in their own expectations of each other. Prescott uses Olive’s character to challenge us to live our lives off the grid and away from societal notions. 
• Olive and Jay together. These two find their own space in a short period of time. There is clear chemistry between the two of them from their meeting.  What begins as disdain from Jay towards Olive quickly becomes admiration and physical electricity between the two of them. As much of their story unfolds, they grow this deep connection. It’s this connection that holds Prescott’s story together. These two struggle against the binds of their world, and, in doing so, they build a future together. Their happily ever after is one of the bests I’ve read recently because its images are stunning. 

We all want to fit somewhere. Life is easier if we connect with someone who “sees” the real us. When we contend with someone else’s expectations about our lives for reasons beyond our control, life becomes harder. Daisy Prescott’s Happy Trail shows us the harmony that comes from creating our own space based on our own expectations. It beautifully reminds us that finding the person who accepts us as we are is the best type of love.

In love and romance,

Professor A

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve been drawn to L.B. Dunbar with her sexy silver fox series. As a more mature female reader, I’m drawn to hunky romance heroes who might be someone in my age group. I’ll tell you that if I ever met one of these guys I would probably swoon. When I heard that Dunbar joined Penny Reid’s SmartyPants Romance universe, I was ecstatic. What would she bring to Green Valley? Would she craft a silver fox for this community? Dunbar did not disappoint with her newest story, Love in Due Time. Not only did she offer us a sexy silver fox with a penchant for riding motorcycles and talking dirty, she also broke the mold with her heroine, a type that I have yet to see in contemporary romance. Even more, through Dunbar’s story, she challenges readers to open our minds to people with different lives and beliefs from our own. 

If you haven’t read Penny Reid’s Winston Brothers books, and you don’t have an understanding of Green Valley, Tennessee, then you might not understand the significance of Love in Due Time. Green Valley is the epitome of southern Christian living. People look southern, talk southern, and act southern. Some of them judge people within their own community who are different. If it doesn’t fit the Green Valley type, then it doesn’t belong. 

Enter Naomi, Dunbar’s heroine. She is one of the local librarians in Green Valley. She didn’t grow up there, but she arrived in Green Valley in her late teens, leaving behind a life of pain. Growing up in a strict religious household made her feel stifled. When tragedy strikes her life, and her parents blame her choices for the tragedy, she can no longer ascribe to her parents’ religion. Instead, she searches for something to believe in and becomes a Wiccan where she finally feels a sense of peace in its beliefs. Unfortunately, living in a traditionally Christian community makes it difficult for her to “fit in.” Instead, she’s seen as the town witch, leaving her planted on the outside of popular society. She’s seen as odd, as different by those in the community who fail to understand her. 

Through Dunbar’s characterization of Naomi, you can’t help but be challenged. What do you believe? Would you readily accept someone with a belief system different from your own? Are you able to “see” and accept the true essence of that person, or do you prejudge them because they are simply different from you? These questions run through your mind as Naomi’s romance plays out on the page. I loved Naomi because, while she is judged, she shows compassion for people. This is evidenced in her favoritism for the children of her library who are different. She pours wisdom into them wrought through her own experiences. Her compassion and kindness never falter, even when she’s taunted and assaulted. Dunbar uses Naomi to challenge our own assumptions, and you can’t help but love the depth of Naomi’s characterization without ever considering her chemistry with Nathan. 

On the night of her family tragedy, Naomi meets a swarthy young man in a bar. They spend an impassioned night together with the promise of a phone call. When the phone call never happens, and Naomi’s family endures tragedy, Naomi moves forward with her life, even though her passion grows dormant. One night, while at the local Piggly Wiggly, Naomi encounters Nathan. Eighteen years after they last saw each other, Nathan and Naomi reconnect, albeit Nathan doesn’t quite see the Naomi of the past. After seeing each other for the first time, Nathan and Naomi happen upon each other again. It’s then that Nathan realizes the woman who has never left his thoughts since their one night together is the woman he engaged at the Piggly Wiggly. Their chemistry still pulls them together, and they begin a journey of romance and learning their older selves. Unfortunately, a story twist in this journey seeks to derail their future. 

Like Naomi, Nathan struggles against a different kind of community. The Iron Wraiths, the MC group of Green Valley, want Nathan to join their ranks He fled them in the past, and they want his present and future. Unfortunately, Nathan has no interest in them as he’s a father of two, and he’s more interested in developing a future with Naomi. At first, I was leery of Nathan. When he meets Naomi in the Piggly Wiggly, I wanted him to recognize her immediately and fall to his knees for her. It’s clear her pain over his leaving and never contacting her changed a part of her. I wanted him to reconcile that. Dunbar is wise though. She lets us feel Naomi’s pain instead. Her pain over the past creates the tension of their reconnection, and it’s important that Nathan works to court Naomi because it offers a depth of healing for Naomi. Nathan’s purpose in Love in Due Time is offering love and acceptance to Naomi as a way to allow her to grow. After his departure in her life, Naomi took the requisite steps to live, but her life is small. It’s protected because she’s endured the judgment of others. Through loving her,  Nathan makes Naomi’s life bigger, and it’s my favorite part of this story. 

This book also holds truths about forgiveness and family dynamics. But above anything else, Love in Due Time reminds us that difference doesn’t mean bad; it simply means different, and acceptance is an opportunity to pour love into someone else. Nathan and Naomi’s romance is powerful. In fact, their epilogue is probably one of my favorites. That moment is spiritual and sensual wrapped up together. Dunbar’s book is a must read. It is more than a romance; it’s a message of acceptance and belief in what makes us human: connection. As usual, L.B. Dunbar offers us this message brilliantly. 

In love and romance,

Professor A

Dangerous Romance, an all-new coloring book featuring images inspired by some of your favorite romance reads, is coming November 19th and we have the stunning cover! 

Pre-order your copy today! 

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Explore the very best dangerous romance in this breathtaking adult coloring book! SIXTY original and creative illustrations honor the darkest heroes and twisty books we love. Includes exclusive designs for Anna Zaires, T.M. Frazier, Skye Warren, LJ Shen, Laurelin Paige, BB Easton, Willow Winters, R.K. Lilley, Aleatha Romig, and more.

Relax between reading your favorite books with soothing coloring. This coloring book is a MUST HAVE for the shelf of any dangerous romance reader. There are even a few book-themed word puzzles!

COMPLETE LIST OF AUTHORS INCLUDED: Giana Darling, Celia Aaron, Marni Mann, Nikki Sloane, Laurelin Paige, Trisha Wolfe, Aleatha Romig, T.M. Frazier, Claire Contreras, Autumn Jones Lake, M. Never, Anna Zaires, Parker S. Huntington, BB Easton, Tessa Bailey, Stylo Fantome, LJ Shen, R.K. Lilley, B.B. Reid, Natasha Knight, Alta Hensley, Tara Sue Me, Sierra Simone, Annika Martin, Willow Winters, A. Zavarelli, Annabel Joseph, Shanora Williams, Pam Godwin, Tamsen Parker, Pepper Winters, Skye Warren

“Sharp writing, layered characters, and wonderful tension flow through this book, along with a super-swoon-worthy hero and a kick ass heroine I just love.” — Elizabeth Hunter, USA Today bestselling author

Code of Conduct, the first in the romantic suspense Cipher Security series of standalones, from April White is available now!

Check out my 5⭐️review here.

There are three things you need to know about Shane P.I.

1) P.I. is not her last name, it’s her job title,

2) Her specialty is catching cheaters, and

3) She’s a superhuman – kind of.

Gabriel is a security expert for Cipher Security, and a former UN Peacekeeper with a fierce protective streak that finds its focus on the beautiful P.I.

Their attraction is like an elephant in a room full of breakable things, and figuring out how to trust each other with their hearts, and maybe their lives, is the most fragile thing of all.

‘Code of Conduct’ is a full-length romantic suspense novel, can be read as a standalone, and is book#1 in the Cipher Security series, Knitting in the City World, Penny Reid Universe.

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Excerpt

I pulled up the audio version of the newest Iron Druid book, turned my phone on speaker, and when the tub was full, I sank into the hot water with a sigh. Luke Daniels could read a shampoo bottle and I’d listen, but my mind kept drifting off of Atticus’ and Oberon’s adventures, and was instead hopping from rock to rock in the garden of ADDATA, the Quimbys, and Gabriel. I wasn’t even annoyed when the phone rang and interrupted the story, because I knew I’d have to go back to the beginning of the chapter anyway.

It was on its fourth ring when I finally dried off my hand and reached to answer it, so I hit the speaker button just as I looked at the screen.

Gabriel’s name startled me so much I didn’t say anything – I just sat up in the tub and stared at the phone.

“Please say you’re not in the bath.” Gabriel’s voice was quiet, deep, and had a note of pleading in it.

“What do you want, Gabriel?” I moved again, and the water sloshed around me. I knew he could hear it because he groaned softly.

“Where to begin.” It was almost a whisper, and the words sent a shiver through me. He cleared his throat and continued in his normal, beautiful voice. “We had a call from Quimby. He said he’d found you and wondered what we were going to do about it.” I didn’t say anything, and the silence lasted two long heartbeats. “Are you okay?” he finally asked, quietly.

“He saw me turn from Bryn Mawr onto Sheridan. I lost him in the alleys.”

Gabriel exhaled. “Good.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be finding his money? Or his wife? Or something else he misplaced?”

“Do you have his money or his wife?” he asked

“No.”

“Okay.”

“Okay? What exactly do you want from me, Gabriel?” I sat forward and the water sloshed again. I traced the ripples with my fingers as I heard his sigh.

“I don’t know. I just know that every time you move, I hear the water in your bath, and I imagine …” He exhaled sharply. “Be careful, darling. I don’t trust Quimby not to try to hurt you if he can. Don’t let him catch you.”

“You haven’t caught me yet, and you’re far more resourceful than that little man.”

He chuckled softly. “Yet.” He hung up the phone without saying goodbye, and Luke Daniels’ voice returned, continuing the story as I sank down in the water and let its heat lap over the chills on my skin.

About April White

April White has been a film producer, private investigator, bouncer, teacher and screenwriter. She has climbed in the Himalayas, survived a shipwreck, and lived on a gold mine in the Yukon. She and her husband share their home in Southern California with two extraordinary boys and a lifetime collection of books.

Her first novel, Marking Time is the 2016 winner of the Library Journal Indie E-Book Award for YA Literature, and all five books in the Immortal Descendants series are on the Amazon Top 100 lists in Time Travel Romance and Historical Fantasy.

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