My first foray into Max Monroe was through an ARC for 4th and Girl (see my review here). The meet cute for that book along with its humor and character development captured me and lighted my Max Monroe fire. After that book, I read their Jerk series and their Billionaire series. I honestly have never laughed as much at a book as I did with that series. As far as I was concerned, along with Jana Aston, they owned the crown for rom-com Queens.

When they began teasing a new book through their Facebook group, of course I was on board. Signing up for an ARC was a given. However, when the cover and blurb reveal were dispatched for publication, I was intrigued. This didn’t look like their typical rom-com fare. Around the same time, they posted the Spotify playlist for this book (find it here). Then, I knew. This wouldn’t be like the books I’d read by them. And, after reading it, I was right.

Unlike my other review posts, I usually give some brief, very basic synopsis of the book. I am going nowhere near it this time. I want everyone to read this with only Max Monroe’s blurb in your mind. There is too much special with this book to divulge any of its secrets, so I won’t.

Instead, what I need you to know is this:

✅ I cannot move past this book yet. I finished it in one day three days ago (it’s Thursday, the 28th), and it will not leave my soul.

✅ I am obsessing over the playlist for this book. I listen to it every day so I can try to recapture the magic of this book.

✅ This book has a visceral, cinematic quality to it. There are two scenes in particular: a scene in the subway and a scene in Ansel’s studio that played out in my mind like I was watching a movie. Additionally, this book reminded me of a certain movie (of which I will not name because it will give you too much information — if you want to know it, then PM me). It played through my soul like a movie reel.

✅ If you like cosmic, soul-deep connections in your books/romance tales, then you NEED this book. Those types of stories (see authors like Jewel E. Ann, Dylan Allen, Kennedy Ryan, etc) are my favorites because the connection between the characters is more than sex, more than sweet meet-cutes, more than the circumstances of the story. They reach into your heart and re-arrange it. The Girl in the Painting is this type of book. It is the type of story that stays with you days, months, years later.

✅Ansel and Indy are individuals who survive the grittiness of life to find connection. Together, they are poetic, magic. You cannot have one without the other and derive any meaning from the story. Their pairing is the brilliance of this book.

I am fairly certain, if you’ve read this far, that you know the gravity of this The Girl in the Painting to me. Max Monroe shocked me with it. They’ve reminded me once again why I will always read their books. Whether they are making me laugh uproariously or cry through a box of tissues, I’m officially hooked on their brand of romance.

P.S. When you read this book, please listen to the Spotify playlist. You will not regret it.

Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐++

In love and romance,

Professor A

Love is blind, but fate sees everything

The Girl in the Painting, an all-new standalone romance from New York Times bestselling author Max Monroe, is available now!

Ansel Bray, an artist known around the world for his tragic hiatus from the canvas.

Ansel Bray, a broody, handsome man not known by me, at all.

Long dark hair, blue eyes, and dimpled cheeks. I’ve never met her, but her image is imprinted in my mind. An angel muse who inspires me to paint again.

There is something about him. Something that spurs a need to be as close to him as possible. A need to find out why.

There is something about her. Something that draws me in. Something that urges me to find out what her presence means.

Why does the girl in his painting look so much like me?

Who is this girl, and why can I see her so vividly?

I shouldn’t fall in love with him.

I shouldn’t fall in love at all.

But fate plays her hand.

But fate has other plans.

The lines of my life will blur.

The needs of my heart will change.

What a beautiful mess we’ve made.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2H5p2uQ

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

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2UbdiL1

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2HSvZS8

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/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/max-monroe

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

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormaxmonroe/

Stay up to date with Max Monroe by joining their mailing list today: https://www.authormaxmonroe.com/newsletter

He runs to the sound, still growling, so I stumble over him to get to the peephole and open the door to show him that no one is there. But he sniffs something and when I lean down, I see a CD in a slim, clear case with no writing on it.

I poke my head out further but don’t see anyone.

“Creepy, but you were right. I’m glad we’ve got your ears,” I tell Winston, scratching his neck.

I grab my laptop—the only thing I have that will play a CD—and I pop it in.

I recognize the sound of the band immediately and when I hear Jaxson’s voice, my throat constricts. I put my face in my hands and weep when I hear the words.

5,331 Miles by Willow Aster is coming March 3rd!

Add to your GR TBR: http://bit.ly/5331Miles

Read Chapters 1 & 2 here —> https://preview.mailerlite.com/t9u6i2

#WillowAster #5331Miles #FriendsToLovers #SweetRomance #BookLover #ComingMarch3rd

Southern Player, a full-length standalone romance by Jessica Peterson is live!

I’m looking for a hot hookup with no strings attached. And I want my older brother’s best friend to step up to the plate…

My dating history is lame. My experiences in bed? Even lamer. As the owner of a thriving business, I’m used to calling the shots. But one place I don’t always want to be in charge is in the bedroom.

Enter Luke Rodgers. My brother’s best friend. Former Major League baseball player. A guy who now hangs out on his farm, sweaty and shirtless, as he nurses a shoulder injury.

If the rumors are true, he also likes to work up a sweat behind closed doors. A total MVP in the sack.

Just the take charge guy I’m looking for.

With Luke and I, it’s game on. And it’s all good until Luke decides he wants forever, and he wants it with me.

I’m just not convinced I can trust Luke. Will he keep playing the field? Or is he really ready to hang up his cleats for good?

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2T3PJqN

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

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2tmsyc5

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

James Russo is enemy #1.

Hating him is in my blood.

Bitter Rival, an all-new forbidden romance from New York Times bestselling author J. Sterling, is coming March 21st and we have the hot new cover for you!

Our families have been at war for generations; a bitter rivalry with no end in sight. All I’ve ever wanted to do was make wine, but one night with James will cost me everything.

I shouldn’t be attracted to him… but I am.

I definitely shouldn’t want to sleep with him… but I do.

Is following my heart worth the risk of losing my vineyard and my legacy?

Because in my family, there could be no greater betrayal than sleeping with the enemy.

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

Hear it FIRST when Bitter Rival is live!

Text JACK to 77048 for text alerts

*Standard Messaging Rates Apply*

Cover Designed by Perfect Pear

Model: Ryan Ball

About J. Sterling

My goal is to write books that you can get lost in and stories that will leave you with a smile and a full heart. If you can forget about the real world while you’re reading and fall in love with my characters, then I’ve done my job. A lot of what I write has real life aspects in it, but that’s what makes the stories so relatable- the fact that they could happen to anyone… and have!

I live in California with my son, Blake. If you can’t find me sitting behind a computer screen, then there’s a good chance I’m sitting in the bleachers of a baseball stadium watching him play. I love traveling to new places, meeting my readers and spending time with the love of my life, my very own second chance romance, who inspires me daily.

I know you have a million books to choose from and I am humbled, grateful and thankful each time you choose to read one of mine, or tell someone else to read them. Thank you.

Connect with J. Sterling

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2tHR1J8

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

Join J. Sterling’s Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2BUD8M0

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

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2tH6FEv

Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2tDFrPh

GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2Xtc53N

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

Stay up to date with J. Sterling by joining her mailing list today: http://bit.ly/2BUCzSo

https://www.j-sterling.com

So what is a legend? In one instance, a legend is a mythological story caught in the annals of time, morphing and revising over time. In other ways, a legend is a person, built so high above a pedestal of other’s expectations. And in other instances, a legend is a fairy tale people construct to deepen the meaning of a simple story, replete with villains and saviors. Dylan Allen’s The Legend holds all of these legends as it tells the twenty year second-chance love story of Kal and Remi.

It is a story of a Houston enclave built on the mythology of the intersection of two families, the Rivers and the Wildes.

It is a story of Remi and Kal, one known as The Legend and other known as the muse to The Legend.

Most importantly, it is a fairy tale of a soul-deep love between two people whose love morphs and grows and fills each other’s lives.

Above all else, this is the story of learning to love yourself deeply and accepting truth over the legend you’ve been told.

This story is angsty. There were many times when I had to push through the story because I knew the reward would be greater than the heart-pounding, gut-wrenching story. There were many, many moments like this in The Legend. If you love that soul-churning type of story, this is your book. The story twists through the legend of the Rivers and Wilde families. When you think you have everything figured out, you come to the end of a chapter, recognizing there is much more to know. The Legend offers some resolution to the story started in the first book in the Rivers Wilde series, The Legacy, so it feels complete…until the end when Dylan Allen hits you with the premise for the next book, The Jezebel (yes, it is already on my TBR on GoodReads).

Kal and Remi are a special couple. Yes, I fell in love with Hayes and Confidence in the first book, but my heart connected more with Kal and Remi, especially Remi. I think I see myself in his character a bit. Like Remi, my biological father left my life when I was young, never to return. This laid a heavy burden on me, unknown in my childhood. I didn’t feel it until adulthood. Missing out on understanding how a parent turns away from their child changes your heart, adding a scar where it was broken. When certain realizations come to Remi, and he finds truth outside of the legend of his father, he is more whole than ever before. And in that moment, I empathized with him. I felt his truth and wished it was my own.

There is something incredibly special about Dylan Allen’s stories. She has this way about crafting story and characters that grab your heart. She makes me want to know them in real life.

When we leave this book, the legends of this book have been re-written, overlaid with the truth. That truth is no legend can live up to the truth of a soul-deep love.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In love and romance,

Professor A

I originally fell in love with Kim Karr with her Men of Laguna series. I think I read No Pants Required when it was free or .99 on Amazon, and I fell in love with her characters. Every one of her books engages me and pulls me in because the characters are compelling. There is usually some push and pull between the H/h that keeps you reading so you can see how it is resolved.

In January of this year, she released Washed Up Royal, creating a “universe” of royalty. With Washed Up Royal, we are vaguely introduced to Prince Maximus Napoleon Montgomery, the former fiance to Princess Victoria Blanchette. What do we find out about him? On breaking their engagement, Prince Maximus “lets loose.” He becomes a bit of a manwh$$$, potentially threatening his father’s kingdom.

Enter Karr’s latest offering in this series, Would Be King. Prince Maximus aka Max is living temporarily in New York City entering the world of magazine publishing as a way to engage in a life separate from being a royal. Quite frankly, he’s trying to find himself or escape the expectations of his position. Enter Gigi, a Texan transplant to New York City who is looking to break into fashion. Gigi and Max meet unexpectedly in a cab, and the sparks fly. Fortunately, they continue to cross paths and the fireworks continue.

This story is a story about acceptance. Max struggles to accept the stricture of royal life. He understands the responsibility of it, but the mantle that lies upon his shoulders is heavy, and he rebels against the expectations of his father and his country. Unfortunately, he cannot progress if he doesn’t come to accept his situation and find his space within that life. Similarly, Gigi struggles to accept that she can fit with Max and his world. As is the case with most stories about royalty, Gigi feels unworthy of Max’s title and responsibility. However, she grows to love him. Herein lies the angst of this story. Gigi sacrifices her own happiness so that Max can fulfill his obligations.

Together, Gigi and Max are fiery. They’re witty and brash and sexy. Reading them, for most of the book, is exciting and enjoyable. They pulled me through the story, even the parts that hurt my heart. I also loved how Karr fashioned Prince Maximus after England’s Prince Harry. Given his current popularity, the nod to our real prince adds another layer of character development to Max’s character.

Just like her Men of Laguna series and the ReWined series, I have fast fallen in love with Kim Karr’s books. There is so much more to explore with this new series of books, as there are several royals to consider. If they continue to be as interesting as Victoria/Adrien and Max/Gigi, this reader will be spending some serious book money.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In love and romance,

Professor Romance

✮ ✮ ✮ HOT NEW LOOK and FREE BOOK! ✮ ✮ ✮

He’s my Romeo, but I’m not his Juliet.

The Briarwood Academy Series from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills has a brand-new look! To celebrate, Very Bad Things, the first standalone in this angsty new-adult series, is FREE for a limited time and the entire series is now available in Kindle Unlimited!

Start the series FREE with Very Bad Things today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2TgU5Kv

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

Everyone thinks Nora Blakely is perfect. And why wouldn’t they? Valedictorian of her class and a Texas beauty queen, she’s on her way to Princeton and seems to have it all.

Until the day she cracks wide open in front of the entire school.

Leo Tate is a tattooed bad boy who’s sworn to never fall in love, especially with a girl in high school.

But she keeps showing up at his gym, wearing short skirts and tempting him with her list of bad things.

He wants to resist her, but with one touch of her lips, forbidden love has never tasted so sweet.

Welcome to Briarwood Academy . . . where sometimes, the best things in life are Very Bad Things.