Falling for the Bad Boy by Kennedy Fox is #FREE for a limited time! 
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙! 

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Never trust a man who answers the door wearing nothing more than a pair of low-cut jeans and a panty-melting smirk.

That should’ve been my first sign.

I write about guys like him for a living—sexy and charming, yet reluctant to get into a serious relationship. His body is the ultimate temptation, but his condescending personality makes him a classic bad boy.

And I want 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 to do with that.

Writing romance novels comes with its perks—traveling, meeting new people, creating characters from the voices in my head—but Ethan Rochester enters my life and rearranges my preconceived notions about writing what inspires you.

Meeting him was fate, but falling for him was inevitable.
And forgetting him will be impossible.

**All books in the Bedtime Reads series are enemies to lovers romances, can be read as a complete standalones with guaranteed HEAs, and no cliffhanger.**

Dirty Mafia Duet, an Audible Original

AUDIO RELEASE DATES:

Black Sheep – July 2, 2019

White Knight – August 6, 2019

E-BOOK AND PAPERBACK RELEASE DATES:

Black Sheep – August 27, 2019

White Knight – October 1, 2019

About Black Sheep:

Every family has a black sheep.

In the infamous Casso crime family, that black sheep is me—Cannon Freeman.

Except I’m not a free man. I’ve never been free. Not since the day I was born.

I owe my loyalty to my father, Dominic Casso, even if he won’t publicly acknowledge me as his blood.

I’ve never had a reason to go against his wishes… until I met her.

Drew Carson turned my world upside when she walked into my club looking for a job.

Now, my honor and my life are on the line.

Going against my father’s wishes might buy me a bullet straight from his gun, but black sheep or not, it’s time to make my stand.

She’s worth the fallout.

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About White Knight:

I never expected to be anyone’s white knight. That’s not a role I’ve ever played.

But when the Casso crime family shifts into uncharted territory, they’re looking for a new hero, and they’re looking for me—Cannon Freeman, the black sheep.

But my time in disgrace is at an end.

It’s my turn to rise up and save the people who matter most to me.

Even if my family has never given a damn about me, I will not let them fall.

More than anything, I will not let her fall.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Making the jump from corporate lawyer to romance author was a leap of faith that New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author Meghan March will never regret. With over thirty titles published, she has sold millions of books in nearly a dozen languages to fellow romance-lovers around the world. A nomad at heart, she can currently be found in the woods of the Pacific Northwest, living her happily ever after with her real-life alpha hero.

Sign up for Meghan’s newsletter and receive exclusive content that she saves for her subscribers: http://meghanmarch.com/subscribe

To get the inside scoop on a daily basis, search Meghan March’s Runaway Readers on Facebook and join the fun.

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True love never fades…

Broken With You, the next suspenseful tale in the all-new Stark Security series of standalones, from New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner, is available now!

Read my review here.

After surviving a troubled childhood, Denise can’t believe that she’s blissfully married to her partner and soulmate. She’s confident that not even Mason’s long-term, deep-cover assignment will shake their bond. And she certainly doesn’t anticipate that when he finally walks back through her door that he’ll have no memory of her, himself, or their time together…

When Mason is pulled out of an operation gone bad, all he knows is what he’s told — that he was a covert agent, that he has information vital to national security somewhere in his head, and that they can tell him no more for fear of burying those hard-fought secrets even further. They tell him nothing else; not even that the beautiful woman who makes his heart beat faster is not just his partner, but also his wife.

The secret she must keep wrecks Denise, who wants only to return to Mason’s arms. But despite the desire that still burns hot between them, she can’t tell him who she is—or that she’s carrying his child.

But when dark forces threaten both their lives in order to retrieve the information trapped in Mason’s mind, it’s not their past that will be tested, but the tenuous new love now burning hot between them.

You don’t want to miss this sexy, suspenseful amnesia romance!

Excerpt:

The sidewalk was clear on both sides, and only a few empty cars dotted the parking area as heat shimmers rose off the asphalt. The world was a fucking inferno, but all things considered, that seemed apropos. Hadn’t he been tossed right out of the frying pan and into the fire?

A sign that looked like it hadn’t been updated since the fifties sat perched atop vertical steel poles and identified the rundown little motel as the Stay-A-While Motor Inn. Hopefully that was only a suggestion, because he wanted to get out of there sooner rather than later.

He walked down the sidewalk toward the sign, passing the pasted colored doors along the way. Green, room 106. Blue, room 105. Yellow, room 2014.

This path was familiar, and there was some comfort in that.

At the same time, having the full extent of his remembered life marked by the Easter egg colors of a half dozen doors weren’t exactly enough to have him jumping for joy.

The same woman was in the office. About sixty with Lucille Ball hair-he remembered I Love Lucy!

She smiled at him from behind a counter. “Well, you’re looking much better today. Got yourself some sleep, I guess?”

“I did,” he said, then cleared his throat as he glanced around the room. “You got a bus schedule?”

She shook her head. “Sorry, no. Where you heading?”

“Just meandering,” he said, as if he was Jack Reacher, and it was perfectly normal to wander aimlessly around the country.

“Well, let me see if I can find a schedule online for you.” She inched toward a computer that looked to be older than he was, but stopped midway down the counter to answer the phone as she rummaged through a drawer.

He cocked his head, his hand sliding into his pocket as his senses went on high alert.

The phone.

He relaxed.

Of course, He should have realized immediately. The numbers. They were a phone number. 323-555-0717.

“Oh, good, I found it,” she said after ending the call. She pulled a crumpled brochure from a drawer. “So the Greyhound station’s not too far away. That what you’re looking for? Or did you want local routes?”

“Greyhound,” he said, thinking of the 323 area code. “I need to make a phone call. And then I think I’ll head to Los Angeles.”

“Friends there?”

“I guess I’ll find out.”

Download your copy today!

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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/

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Website: www.jkenner.com

“Nine was just as hilarious as it was dark and violent. Just as deep and emotional as it was smoking hot. NINE stars!!!”– BB Easton, bestselling author

Nine: The Tale of Kevin Clearwater, the highly anticipated new standalone from USA Today bestselling author T.M. Frazier is available now!

Nine lives.

Nine inches.

One chance to make her his.

Preppy’s brother is about to live up to the family legacy in more ways than one.

This is the story of Nine, The Tale of Kevin Clearwater.

Read my review here.

Download your copy today!

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Excerpt:

I look up into his dark eyes. “This is a dangerous game of cat and mouse we’re playing.”

“More like a game of cat and bird,” he corrects.

I straighten my posture, my nipples grazing his hard chest. “And we all know how that turns out in the end. The cat eats the bird.”

Nine lightly scrapes his nails over my bare arms before pressing them into my skin. I gasp at the slight bite of pain. “No, the pretty bird swoops down from nowhere and sinks her sharp talons into the cat, marking him for life.”

There’s no sarcasm in his voice. I don’t know how to begin to process what it is he’s saying. It takes all of my concentration to get out my next few words.

“And…and then what?”

Nine picks me up off the floor in one quick motion, flipping me back onto the bed. He crawls over my body, hovering above me, pinning my wrists to the mattress. He grazes his teeth over the sensitive spot behind my ear. He lowers his voice to a deliciously deep rumble that has me vibrating with his every word.

“And then he eats her.”

About the Author

T.M. (Tracey Marie) Frazier never dreamed that a single person would ever read a word she wrote when she published her first book. Now, she is a five-time USA Today bestselling author and her books have been translated into numerous languages and published all around the world.

T.M. enjoys writing what she calls sexy, wrong-side of the tracks romance with morally corrupt anti-heroes and ballsy heroines.

Her books have been described as raw, dark and gritty. Basically, what that means, is while some authors are great at describing a flower as it blooms, T.M. is better at describing it in the final stages of decay.

She loves meeting her readers, but if you see her at an event please don’t pinch her because she’s not ready to wake up from this amazing dream.

Connect with T.M. Frazier

Facebook: http://bit.ly/TMFRAZIERBOOKS

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For Text Alerts: TEXT “TMFRAZIER” TO 77948

*Standard text messaging rates apply*

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

I am currently interested in finding and connecting with more independent authors, especially authors newer to the writing world. I think in my mind I can help them find a bigger voice in the community. I’ve seen how impressive romancelandia can be with its strength in numbers. While my blog and Amazon review ranking are still fairly low, I’m working hard reading, writing, and promoting to bring people to authors’ books.

Enter Fiona West.

I received an ARC for her first book in The Borderline Chronicles, The Ex-Princess, and found myself intrigued with that story. In most senses, it is a romance, but it’s more fantasy than romance, and it is clean. There are urges and yearnings between Edward/Parker and Abbie, but there is no contact beyond kissing. Instead, the story is more about the story and the development of the characters than the $ex, and I believe my review of that book suggests that (read it here).

Now, I have just finished reading the the second book in this series, The Un-Queen. It begins where book 1 finished, moving into the long engagement of Parker and Abbie. Unfortunately, their proposed marriage has become complicated by legal matters, and their engagement is much longer than either would like. However, to appease his kingdom, they wait patiently for the legalities to be worked out. In the midst of this engagement, the threat of Parker’s brother, Lincoln, continues, Parker and Abbie struggle with autonomy and couplehood, and Abbie’s former kingdom needs her assistance with her brother. Add to all of that the planning of the wedding. Throughout the story, all of these conspire to derail their happily-ever-after. Will they make it, or are they doomed?

I peeked quickly at another review of The Un-Queen wherein the reviewer made the comment that second books are oftentimes not as promising as the first book in a series, but that this book did not follow that route. And I definitely concur with that sentiment.

In my opinion, I enjoyed The Un-Queen more than The Ex-Princess for a few reasons:

1. With the first book, I think I noted in my review that the story and travels of Parker and Abbie overwhelmed the story. There were too many actions and characters who played distinct parts in the story that it overwhelmed the main characters. In this book, that isn’t the case. I’m not sure if West took to heart the feedback from the first book, but she made Parker and Abbie more stable and more present in the story. I mean, it relates to their journey towards marriage so I am thankful for that. We gained more internal insight, more of the “push and pull” of their relationship, and one really big fight. It felt very real in a world that is foundationally fantastical.
2. I love the reality of this relationship. With magic as a common element in their world, you would think that West would use it to remedy the differences between Parker and Abbie, but she doesn’t. Instead, she uses the tools of communication to help them navigate their differences and the challenges between them, as a reminder that this is key to any successful relationship. When Parker wishes that he could fix Abbie’s health, she tells him that he cannot and must, therefore, accept it by accepting she can take care of her self. When he talks with her about control, she understands this, even when it frustrates her that he attempts to control her. These are real problems in real relationships set in a world of romantic fantasy. The way West purveys this truth connects both the real and unreal nature of relationships.
3. This story stays focused to three lands: Orangiers, Gardenia, and Brevspor. This is much stronger than the first book which took the reader through several lands and lost them there too. With The Un-Queen, we gain a greater knowledge of Parker’s family and culture, as well as Abbie’s. I like this tighter focus than the last book. I didn’t lose myself in the intricacies of the details because there were fewer. And I believe it made Parker and Abbie’s story richer.

Above all, this book carries a stronger emotion to it than the last. Parker and Abbie’s love for each other is clear and is felt strongly especially when they simply want to be together. While this is a clean romance, the yearning between the two is palpable, and you would love to be an observer into their bedroom when they eventually consummate their love. Yet, West withholds that from the reader, focusing more on their chemistry and their emotional impact on each other. When their big fight occured within the story, it broke my heart. I teared up for Abbie (I thought Parker was in the wrong even when she spoke in anger at him), and I worried over their ability to reconcile. West thankfully doesn’t wait too long to bring them back together, but it has the necessary emotional impact for the book. I think this is what I love most about The Un-Queen.

In The Ex-Princess, Abbie spent most of the book denying her feelings and expectations with Parker. In this book, we get the depth of those feelings within the fantasy. I believe it’s why I love it more. Fiona West is quickly becoming a favorite indy author. I’m very much looking forward to the third book, The Almost-Widow, a serialized newsletter story. I want to spend some more time in the world of Fiona West’s imagination.

In love and romance,

Professor A

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

I have a serious confession to make before I launch into my review of T. M. Frazier’s Nine: The Tale of Kevin Clearwater. Prior to this book, I hadn’t read the other books in the King Series. So…shoot me. Well, wouldn’t that fit with the nature of this series? Yes, Frazier provides a warning at the beginning of the book to read the other books so that the fruit of this book is sweeter. However, I was under a deadline to read it by release day, so I didn’t go back and read the other books. Guess what? I will now.

I share this with you, reader who is new to or not well-read in all things T. M. Frazier, because I was not lost in the least with the book. Yes, the other books would provide context to the other characters in the story namely Preppy, King, and Bear (and their accomplished wives). However, to understand Kevin “Nine” Clearwater’s story, it wasn’t required. It would have simply shaded his story in brighter colors, I imagine.

I fell in love with Frazier with her Perversion Trilogy. I think it was promoted in another of my favorite author’s Facebook groups, so I downloaded Perversion, the first book in that trilogy, and fell in love with Frazier’s morally bankrupt anti-hero, Grim. If you are looking for stalwart heroes in her books, you won’t find them, at least in that trilogy and the King series. At first glance, these are “bad dudes” who love fornicating, drugging, and breaking the law. Yet, at their core, there is a sense of justice, of true right and wrong outside a system’s rules. Unfortunately, the systems that raise them cast them into the areas of moral gray. As you read their backgrounds, you simply accept their present actions as necessary for their survival. And through these moments, they find these women who love them despite their moral ambiguity, and it’s heart-wrenching and beautiful, all together.

Kevin “Nine” comes from said system. He’s been abandoned by his parents and raised in a horribly abusive system. He, thankfully, escapes his horribly reprehensible foster home in search of his brother, Preppy. On reaching the home town of his brother, he is told that Preppy is dead, so he is left to survive with no resources. This creates more drama in his life. Thinking of doing himself in, he climbs a causeway bridge and waits. A short time later, a young woman joins him, distraught over the death of her parents. In that moment, they find a communion of spirits, and Nine talks the woman, “Poe,” out of jumping. Unfortunately, as they move to climb off the bridge, Poe drops her necklace, reaches to grab it, and falls into the water below. Nine is distraught over her perceived death and pledges to live life in honor of her.

Three years later, Lenny aka Poe crosses paths again with Nine when Lenny’s boyfriend steals from him, Preppy, King, Bear, and Lenny herself. In investigating the embezzlement, Nine must question Lenny, but he also feels drawn to protect her even more. In doing so, the two of them become attracted to each other. However, the specter of her boyfriend’s action and Nine’s past shadow their burgeoning relationship. Will they survive this?

Have you ever read a book that has a cinematic quality to you? It’s as though you are watching scenes on the page while reading the story. This is the feeling I had as I read Nine. The characters are larger than life, and they seem fit for the movie screen. There is so much that happens in this story that, at times, it seems so unbelievable. From the action of the plot (this is the driving force of this book) to the characterizations to the witty dialogue (the words uttered from Preppy’s mouth in this book are hilarious), I could not put this book down. I want to see this book in a movie form because it easily played out in my mind.

The characters of this book are its strength, and I think this is the norm for Frazier’s books. They are broken and troubled. The men, in particular, seem to carry the biggest load of this. Nine’s past is horrific. In fact, this is my trigger warning. If you have triggers related to sexual abuse, then be forewarned this occurs in the book. He should be broken given the way he is used as a possession. However, he’s intelligent and resourceful, despite his moral ambiguity. As a reader, you accept that this world exists with its own rules, and you approve it even when they’re drinking Preppy’s special smoothie.

The women are also troubled but in other ways. I think they are the heart of the story. I know Lenny is. She takes Nine’s heart and causes it to beat again, simply because she exists. Like Nine, she carries her past with her. Yet, even before her family tragedy, she wears anxiety to herself. She resonates with readers as she struggles to endure life. And her life goes all kinds of wrong within this story. A generally anxious person should not survive Lenny’s lot. Yet, she does survive hers with alcohol and Nine’s strength and fortitude.

“‘No,’ I argue. ‘You’re mine.’ She smiles. ‘I’m yours.’”

Together, Lenny and Nine’s story is beautiful. They rise from the ashes of the ruins of their lives and create a future, a beautiful future. T.M. Frazier’s poetic style grabs your heart and makes you fall in love with these men who are criminals usually. It’s their love for the heroine that drags you under their spell. Nine: The Tale of Kevin Clearwater is no exception. You will watch Nine and Lenny’s love story play out in the cinema of your mind.

In love and romance,

Professor A

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

The queen of all that is Damien Stark has done it again with her newest book, Broken with You. Since unveiling her Stark Security Series a couple of months ago, she has piqued the curiosity of her most dedicated readers about these men and women, working so hard for the king of business, Damien Stark. After reading Quince’s story in Shattered with You, and being introduced to Denise (Denny), I knew I was “all in” for her story in this book. She did not disappoint.

The story begins after the prequel story, Shadows of You. We know from Shattered… and Shadows… that Denny’s husband, Mason, has been working under deep cover to infiltrate a dangerous organization. We know that he has been gone for close to three years, much to the dislike and loneliness of Denny. After the event of the prequel, we know how deeply Denny loves Mason and how much she misses him. Her life has been placed on hold in his absence.

One day, she receives a call that he has returned. Unfortunately, he has no memory of her, and it breaks her. Mason/Jack’s sub-conscious is protecting important information due to trauma endured during his undercover mission. However, his soul seems to know Denny, as he dreams of “golden-blond hair” and “green eyes.” When he meets her again, he sees those traits focused back at him. As a way to protect him and put him back to work, the government organization who placed him undercover originally places him with Damien Stark’s Security group, and he is paired with Denny. Although her heart aches for him, she cannot tell him about their connection, even though it pains her greatly. Even more, she has a secret that she cannot divulge for fear of Mason breaking his mind. Will they ever be able to reconcile and find their perfect ending?

Everything you love about a J. Kenner Damien Stark novel exists in Broken with You.

1. A stalwart, sexy hero. Mason/Jack is everything you love in an action romantic hero. He’s handsome, strong, kind, and carries just a bit (or a lot) of danger. His struggle in this book creates the drama for him and Denny, and it is painful to watch him grapple through his pain. He has endured an intense trauma for the sake of Denny, and his chivalry makes him even more appealing.
2. A strong, smart, sexy heroine. To be honest, Denny is a saint. She has waited for Mason. For almost three years, she has relinquished most communication with him, and rarely did she give up on him. I am not sure that I could have been patient. She is an amazing character in her ability to rationalize and compartmentalize her loss of him. It is quite impressive. Even more, even though her heart breaks, she makes sacrifices to protect Mason/Jack from others and himself. She holds back his identity, even though it would make her life easier. She is truly self-sacrificing. This is a female character that other female characters should strive to be.
3. Some “on-the-edge-of-your-seat” action/drama. This wouldn’t be a Stark novel if it didn’t leave you biting your fingernails in anticipation of everyone making it out alive. This is definitely a hallmark of the Stark Security series. If you like romantic suspense/action, then you’ll love this series, namely this book.  Given Mason’s amnesia, you’re left blind through most of the story, and the twist lies in the revelation of the organization that has kept Mason undercover. There are other very intense moments in this book, but I won’t give them away because this is a spoiler-free review. Instead, I can only tell you that the story is driven forward by the various turns of the story, and I couldn’t put the book down, if only to find out if Mason regains his memory.
4. The inclusion of other Stark characters. I think this is one of the hallmarks of J. Kenner’s Stark stories that I love the most. You can always count on Damien and Ryan entering a story, and this is the case with this story. However, Quince and Liam are significant characters too. When you read a Stark book, you stay entrenched in this world, and it brings a level of comfort to the reader. You don’t have to yet say goodbye to characters that you have grown to love, and it’s the reason I will go back to J. Kenner time and time again.
5. Intense chemistry between the H and h. This is a requirement for a Stark book, and it is clearly in place in this book. Mason and Denny’s chemistry flies off the page and makes you all kinds of warm. It’s this chemistry that binds them together when Mason’s memory threatens to pull them apart.

As I stated previously, Broken With You is my current favorite Stark Series book. As there have only been two, that isn’t hard to accept. However, there is just something special about Denny and Mason. I am hoping we will see them in Liam’s story (which I believe is the next book in this series). Broken with You is a fast-paced, sexy, action-packed romantic story. If that’s your “thing,” then you will love this book.

In love and romance,

Professor A

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Well, she did it. Layla Hagen outdid herself with her newest book, Fighting for You. I haven’t fully read the Bennett series. However, I’ve been invested in the Connor family from the start. First, she made me fall in love with Landon and Maddie in Anything for You. Then, she outdid that book with Lori and Graham’s tale in Wild with You. I fell in insta-love with Will and Paige in Meant for You. Then, I swooned over Carter in his story with Val in Only with You. All along though, there was a Connor who intrigued me: Jace. In all of the Connor stories, he sits in the periphery, lighting up their stories with his joy, humor, and compassion. And he finally earned his story: Fighting for You. With that, comes a new honor: my favorite Connor sibling to date. For a soccer god, I’d like to think he’d be happy to know his place of distinction.

Why, you might ask? Well, Jace is everything you love in a romance hero. For one, he’s incredibly attractive. His love interest in this book, Brooke, likens him to a “god.” With that level of hunkiness, how can you not fall in love with him? He exudes heroic attraction, something that Brooke struggles to combat. This makes their burgeoning attraction a problem, at least for her.  Secondly, he’s kind and thoughtful and intentional and respectful when he really doesn’t want to be. From the moment he lays eyes on Brooke, his coach’s daughter and the new sponsorship business development person for his professional soccer team, he is attracted to her beauty and her brains. Given his attraction to her, he uses the traits that make him the MVP of his soccer team, tenacity and determination, to woo her. Sadly, Brooke’s past brings with it heartbreak when it comes to dating and friendships. Given this, she has constructed a wall that Jace must penetrate to earn her affection. This tenacity and adoration makes Jace my favorite Connor. He stops at nothing to make her believe in herself and him. He does this through the specter of friendship, building a stronger foundation for their relationship. He is kind, loving, funny, and thoughtful as he woos her, making him one of my new favorite heroes.

The Connor family’s stories bring me back time and time again to Layla Hagen. Their connection and dedication to each other draw the reader into this series and Hagen’s writing. What I tend to struggle with is the contrived drama in each of the stories. For Jace and Brooke, this was no different. I thought she overreacted to a change in her situation (you need to buy the book — no spoilers here), and it jeopardized her relationship with Jace in a meaningless way. I didn’t feel angst for them, more like annoyance. I’d like to see Hagen really create some angsty drama, so that we can feel the significance of their love for each other.

That being said, Layla Hagen’s stories provide comfort within the arms of the Connor family. If you read her books, you come away feeling as though you are part of their family. She evokes a familial love as she woos you with her romance. Jace and Brooke’s story is no different. If you love a handsome, funny, determined hero in love with a strong-willed, independent woman, then you’ll want to buy and read Fighting for You. It’s a nice reprieve from something heavier.

In love and romance,

Professor A

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️++++

“We have to live with the wounds we’ve inflicted on one another.”

And isn’t that life? Isn’t a part of loving someone, unfortunately, cutting into them even when it is unintentional, even when it is devastating? Even more importantly, how do we survive and continue to love that person after the damage has been done, after the cuts have struck so deep that the scab is now thicker than the original skin? That is the crux of Devney Perry’s newest heart-wrenching gem of a book, Letters to Molly.

My experience to date with the “second chance” romance trope has entailed two people who loved each other once, endured a trauma, and found themselves swept away from each other for some reason. Years later, they find each other and reconcile, ending in their “happily-ever-after” no matter the time lost. In all of these situations, the couple is not married until after the reconciliation. This has been my reading experience, and I don’t profess to be the most experienced romance reader since my entree into the genre didn’t begin until a year and a half ago.

Enter Devney Perry’s Letters to Molly. This book is a second book to her The Birthday List (TBL). We meet Molly, as the main character’s best friend (and former college roommate) and now ex-sister-in-law in that book. We find out quickly that Molly and Poppy’s brother, Finn, have a seemingly idyllic marriage. Until it isn’t. Unfortunately, in the midst of Poppy’s tragedy in that book, the two separate, and, one night, Molly sleeps with someone else, ending in Finn divorcing her.

Letters to Molly begins six years later. Molly and Finn have created an arrangement for their children and each other that allows them a fairly flawless relationship as they raise their children together, yet independent of each other. One night, after a night of family time, Molly and Finn’s natural chemistry (and some alcohol) leads them to sleep with each other, complicating the fortress of boundaries that Molly has created in the six years of their divorce. One day, a letter arrives at her house, a letter written by Finn, a letter written from a time when they were dating. Confused, Molly asks Finn about the letter, who responds in confusion that he never sent her the letter. In fact, these letters were written for her, but never given to her because they are letters he used to process his thoughts and emotions. He never had any intention of sending them to her.

As their physical relationship continues, so do the letters, highlighting the brokenness of their prior relationship. Through this process, Molly and Finn are forced to confront the truths of their marriage. The questions created by these letters: (1) who is sending them and (2) can these two forgive each other and find a future together?

“Until I forgave myself for being human and flawed and impulsive, the past would haunt me. It would haunt us.”

That is really at the heart of this story: forgiveness. And it’s the genius of this book. As I stated previously, I haven’t read a book about a divorced couple finding reconciliation. I think in our society today it seems odd for a couple to move past the traumas of their past to find a future together. However, Perry’s book shows us beautifully that two people, dealing with the ways in which they inflict trauma on each other, can own their part in it and reconcile. To be honest, it is glorious to consider this nowadays with the number of people who are divorced being equal to the number of people who are married. Acknowledging that maturity and perspective could go a long way to heal wounds made in a union seems a profound consideration.

When I was reading The Birthday List, my heart broke for Finn and Molly, most notably Molly. I read myself in her in many ways. She is that every day strong woman, the type of woman who takes care of everyone to the exclusion of her self. Most importantly, these type of women tend to have soft underbellies, so being shut out from your partner’s emotions or thoughts cuts deeply. And we see this happen with Molly. Instead of communicating this, she carries it onto her shoulders, weighing down her soul and heart. As we see in the book, this weight breaks. For so long, Finn doesn’t “see” Molly. He doesn’t note the weight that bears down upon her through life situations, and this is the problem. It’s the angst of this story that Devney writes so tragically. I could feel this weight and connect with the heaviness it bears on Molly’s life. It also brought me to tears because I could feel its impact in the careful crafting of Molly’s character.

It would be easy to vilify Finn. I was intensely angry with him in TBL. Honestly, I thought his emotional response to Molly was immature. But the beauty of Finn’s character in Letters to Molly is his eventual epiphany. We find out that he is dedicated, focused, thoughtful, hardworking, and introspective. I’m not sure that most men would take the time to consider his part in the divorce. In TBL, he blames Molly wholly for the destruction of their marriage. However, in this book, his introspection brings about their reconciliation. Perry helps us see through his character that forgiveness can only come from accepting responsibility for one’s own actions without blame to the other person. His character is essential to this story’s message, and Perry has created this man who the reader cannot help but fall in love with, especially by its end.

Beyond its characters, there is so much to love about this book:

1. Its ending, the epilogue, is delightful. I mean, heart-stoppingly perfect. I made a note in my Kindle version of this book to that effect. It made me sigh heavily, sad that the story was over.
2. The structure of this story. Each moment relates to one of Finn’s letters, and it points to a moment in the past while existing in the present. Each situation points us to one of the ways in which love was built or destroyed, and the raw emotional nature of each letter builds the depth of the story. Perry creates a depth of emotion throughout the story that you can’t help but feel what Finn and Molly feel. It’s true constructed empathy at its best.
3. The connection to the past characters of TBL. I love re-connecting with Poppy, Cole, their parents, and the kids. It’s like wrapping yourself in a ratty, comfortable blanket on a cold day.
4. The hope of this story. Finn’s response to his epiphany is one of the best parts of this story. The way in which he goes about wooing Molly is everything a woman dreams of in a man. It made my heart beat harder and hope for more love and care.

“Finn was claiming me. We both knew that after this, we’d never go back. We were all in, taking this journey together. Taking another chance in one another.”

I wish that I could adequately offer the true feelings I have for Letters to Molly.  I knew that I would love this book simply because I am a huge fan of Devney Perry’s. What I didn’t expect was loving a divorced couple and rooting for them to find their happily-ever-after. Trust me when I say that this review doesn’t do justice to this book. If you struggle with reading a divorced couple, please don’t worry. Devney Perry’s Letters to Molly is an ode to forgiveness and finding love even when the past has scarred your heart. We all could use a reminder of that lesson from time to time.

In love and romance

Professor A

A snarky submissive princess

A prince of the silver screen

A masquerade to remember

Enchanted, an all-new standalone in the Masters and Mercenaries Series from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake and 1001 Dark Nights, is available now!

Download your copy today!

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From New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake comes a new story in her Masters and Mercenaries series…

A snarky submissive princess

Sarah Stevens’s life is pretty sweet. By day, she’s a dedicated trauma nurse and by night, a fun-loving club sub. She adores her job, has a group of friends who have her back, and is a member of the hottest club in Dallas. So why does it all feel hollow? Could it be because she fell for her dream man and can’t forgive him for walking away from her? Nope. She’s not going there again. No matter how much she wants to.

A prince of the silver screen

Jared Johns might be one of the most popular actors in Hollywood, but he lost more than a fan when he walked away from Sarah. He lost the only woman he’s ever loved. He’s been trying to get her back, but she won’t return his calls. A trip to Dallas to visit his brother might be exactly what he needs to jump-start his quest to claim the woman who holds his heart.

A masquerade to remember

For Charlotte Taggart’s birthday, Sanctum becomes a fantasyland of kinky fun and games. Every unattached sub gets a new Dom for the festivities. The twist? The Doms must conceal their identities until the stroke of midnight at the end of the party. It’s exactly what Sarah needs to forget the fact that Jared is pursuing her. She can’t give in to him, and the mysterious Master D is making her rethink her position when it comes to signing a contract. Jared knows he was born to play this role, dashing suitor by day and dirty Dom at night.

When the masks come off, will she be able to forgive the man who loves her, or will she leave him forever?

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**