✍🏻 A fan of single dad/nanny romance with a huge helping of romantic suspense? Then check out this gorgeous cover for the next story in Catherine Cowles’s The Lost & Found series, Ashes of You! Who’s been ready for Lawson’s book? This READER!!! ✍🏻
Tag: romantic suspense
✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Review: Jolie Vines’s Save Her from Me, book 2 of the McRae Bodyguards series ✍🏻
Overall Grade: B
Tropes: bodyguard MMC; close proximity; romantic suspense; brother’s best friend; band of brothers; found family
Jolie Vines’s Save Her from Me provides another exciting story in her McRae Bodyguards series. Jackson, her bodyguard MMC, and Ariel, the FMC with a streak of moxie and independence, create a combustible romance from its very first chapter. Vines has deftly and consciously progressed in her capacity to write an erotic story. In her journey as a romance writer, she has developed a distinct writing voice: creating reticent heroes who fall deeply for their heroines at almost first glance and heroines who find themselves under the protection and love of their partner.
What I loved:
*The chemistry and reticent connection between Ariel and Jackson. This provides the energy of Vines’s romance.
*the connections between current and past characters in the world of the McRaes. Getting peeks of former McRae heroes and heroines reminds us of this intricately woven universe that Vines has carefully crafted. This is one of the many reasons Vines’s star has risen in romancelandia.
*the forward motion of this narrative. There is a resolution to the issue of Ariel’s father and the shadow who threatens her for most of the story.
What I thought could use a bit more work:
*There was an inconsistency in Jackson and Ariel’s progression at times. One minute, there appeared to be a path forward which becomes erased by the overthinking of the other one.
*The resolution to the story felt rushed. It seemed like an easy resolution that could have been meted out sooner. Ariel held the power all along, meaning she could have resolved her confinement sooner. Granted, we would not have been gifted Jackson and Ariel’s story, but this underscores the quick remedy to the issue of her father.
Jolie Vines continues to wow her readers crafting romances in a beloved world. This newest series offers reticent MMCs who can’t help but fall hard for their FMCs. Her Save Her from Me ties together a swoony romance, a community of people who fight for each other, and an edge-of-your-seat romantic suspense into one. I have been honored to read her since almost the beginning, and she continues to grab my attention with her storytelling.
In love and romance,
Professor A
✍🏻 Gulp…well, hello handsome! I say “yes please” to J. Saman’s cover for Irresistibly Dangerous, the final book of her Irresistibly Yours series. I am SO ready for this marriage of convenience romance. ✍🏻
J. Saman has revealed the covers for Irresistibly Dangerous!
Releasing: January 15, 2024
Designer: Lori Jackson
Photographer: Michelle Lancaster
For the record, I knew I never should have touched her.
She was everything good in this world and I was everything but.
I was too broken to care about how off-limits my best friends’ cousin was.
And I didn’t want to stop.
She was the air I needed while drowning in darkness.
Until I broke her heart and finally forced myself to do the right thing and walk away.
Six years later she’s on my doorstep asking me for a favor I can’t say no to.
Only a marriage of convenience to Georgia Monroe is anything but convenient.
Not with how I still crave her despite the promises I made to never touch her again.
Not with the dangers lurking around us, coming after her in ways she knows nothing about.
I’m the only one who can help her.
Her dark knight. A silent hacker.
The cold, broody man who never felt worthy of her love.
But now everything is different.
I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe and prove I deserve a second chance at owning this irresistibly dangerous woman’s heart.
No matter what comes my way.
Pre-order your copy today!
Amazon: http://geni.us/IrresistiblyDangerous
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/46XCeL0
Meet J. Saman
J. Saman is a USA Today and Amazon top 40 bestselling author who writes sassy, swoony, and scorching contemporary romances. She is addicted to Diet Coke, sour candy, and indie rock. She swears way too much (especially after a glass of wine) and has a penchant for sarcasm (or so her husband and children like to tell her).
J. is an admitted lover of second chance romances, enemies to lovers, and the perfect amount of angst. She is best known for writing funny and emotional romances filled with smart, strong women, and sexy alphas who have a softer side—especially for their women.
Connect with J. Saman
Website: http://jsamanbooks.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14923699.J_Saman
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✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Review: Jewel E. Ann’s Because of Her ✍🏻
Overall Grade: A
Jewel E. Ann’s Because of Her is a true gem. I was honored to edit this book, so I read it early on. It’s been a month or so, and this book has stayed with me. Jackson/Jax/Jude Day is one of a handful of characters whose story was penetrating. I will never forget him at the end of Out of Love, offering the ultimate parental sacrifice. I felt that deep. When Jewel announced this resolution, this final story, in a series of standalone books, I wanted to celebrate. As I read her manuscript, a process that causes a distance of feeling from the story, I found myself drawn to Frankie and Jackson. Even more, it made me pine for more of this family: Jessica and Luke and Livy and Slade. Even though this book can be read as a standalone, what I loved the most is the return to this beloved world. Jewel doesn’t hold us away from Jackson’s family. She gives us access and resolution in a way that fans like me needed after Out of Love.
If you haven’t read this series, here’s why you should read this story:
- A wildly protective, assassin of a man MMC. Yes, he’s older, but he’s wildly attractive
- An FMC who reminds me of Jackson’s sister. You don’t have to read her Jack and Jill trilogy (although you should) to get a sense of the one person Jackson believes to be his soulmate: his sister, Jessica. Frankie embodies the same qualities: headstrong, fierce, independent, and protective.
- Jewel writes romances that follow the beat of their own drum. It’s hard to pin tropes on them. She intentionally rips up her characters’ lives and their storyline to interrogate different aspects of human nature. For example, one of the challenges for readers is the idea of ethics: what are you willing to do for revenge? Should you sell your soul to mete out revenge on a person who has wronged you? Jackson and Frankie turn this inside out and upside down throughout the story. This is but one of many themes she tests throughout this book as well as the rest of the books on her booklist.
- I’ve said this before in many reviews, but it’s important to say it again: Jewel E. Ann is a queen of quotable nuggets. As I was reading her manuscript, I would highlight sentences and type “this is a great teaser.” She wordsmiths at a level that astounds me.
- And finally, her intentionality in crafting romances that aren’t formulaic should get people to read Because of Her. This point is the main reason you should download your booklist today and get reading. Her voice and sense of authorial identity are unique in romancelandia.
Jewel E. Ann’s Because of Her is the true final chapter of her Jack and Jill series. Yes, it can be read without the others, but to read it before the rest is to miss out on Jewel E. Ann’s genius. If I had any recommendation, I would download the entire series and binge-read it in one weekend. You’ll fall madly, deeply in love with Jackson, Frankie, Jessica, Luke, Livy, and Slade…
In love and romance,
Professor A
✍🏻 Jewel E. Ann’s Because of Her is the ending you needed to her Jack and Jill series. This book will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. Run and grab it for your weekend reading NOW. ✍🏻
Because of Her by Jewel E. Ann is now live!
“If sin weren’t pretty, it wouldn’t be so tempting.”
I was an accomplished music professor.
Happily single.
Perfectly content.
Now, I’m unemployed.
Pining for a dark, brooding guy named Jack who lives in a garage with a piano.
And I’m plotting to seduce a married man because his daughter is responsible for my nephew committing suicide.
I don’t know why teenage girls are so mean.
I don’t know why rich men cheat on their wives.
And I don’t know why Jack has serial killer vibes, even though he leaves me speechless every time he speaks.
All I know for sure is that I feel safe in a stranger’s arms and understood by someone I don’t understand.
“You should be a little scared of everyone because humans are unpredictable.”
How far will I go for revenge? More than that …
How far will he go to save me?
*This book contains material involving sexual assault and suicide. Reader discretion is advised.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
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Meet Jewel E. Ann
Jewel is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author with a quirky sense of humor. When she’s not saving the planet one tree at a time, you can find her role modeling questionable behavior to her three boys, binge-watching Netflix with her husband, and writing mind-bending romance.
Connect with Jewel
Website: https://www.jeweleann.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7505427.Jewel_E_Ann
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jewel-E-Ann/e/B00IJYHDIG/
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✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Review: Kristen Ashley’s Too Good To Be True ✍🏻
Overall Grade: A
Tropes: murder mystery; romantic suspense; forced proximity
Kristen Ashley’s To Good To Be True is the book form of her Kindle Vella story from earlier in the year. And, as it won’t come as a shock, it was everything you’d expect from Kristen Ashley. While she calls it her “murder mystery,” the vibe of this book is decidedly Ghosts & Reincarnation Series-esque.
It’s situated in an old English country home/mansion.
There are “ghost” vibes.
The FMC has dreams that make it seem she’s been reincarnated.
KA has filled it with spookish vibes.
I couldn’t put it down because it read like the books of that popular series. It is also filled with all of our favorite Kristen Ashley elements: an FMC such as a Daphne who feels like she could be a bestie; she knows herself, she loves herself, and she doesn’t suffer fools; an MMC in Ian who is all playboyish, but only has eyes for his heroine; he falls deeply in love with her before he even knows it’s happening; ancillary characters who act as wizened guides, but also others who add the drama to the story (I mean, her main characters need foils, right?); and a twisty, turney story that keeps you glued to the pages. Oh, and don’t forget, there is a four-star heat level between her main characters. Kristen Ashley’s romance characteristics are threaded through the pages of To Good To Be True, and she doesn’t have an obvious suspect in her story. If you think hard enough, you can figure it out, but it isn’t obvious, so she keeps you engaged. This is all that is wonderful with this book, but that isn’t all of it. The true gems of any KA romance/murder mystery/whatnot lie in its depths.
To Good To Be True, like many of her recent stories, highlights important societal ails. In this book, she allows Ian, a 1%er to make better choices with his family’s estate so they can be better civic leaders. She focuses on the archaic notions of the genteel, showcasing their modern-day futility. But what I loved the most, what I found the most compelling about this story, is the truth about the past. That our past has been spoken/written through the patriarchy. Yet, women have their stories too, and they are as important, if not more important at times. She highlights/underscores/double-underlines this truth in such a beautiful maternal way. This is where Kristen Ashley is her most genius: when she shows you who she really is as a human being among other human beings.
I don’t know how she does it, honestly. How she consistently grabs my attention and holds me in the thrall of her pages, but she does it over and over again. While she has granted the label of “murder mystery” to To Good To Be True, it’s definitely much more than that, and you won’t want to put it down.
In love and romance,
Professor A
✍🏻 A.L. Jackson is BACK with book 2 of her Time River series. Grab Don’t Forget Me Tomorrow RIGHT NOW! ✍🏻
Don’t Forget Me Tomorrow by A.L. Jackson is now live!
When my best friend’s little sister walks in on me moaning her name, it’s all over. All restraints are shattered, and every boundary demolished. Nothing will be the same…
For years, I’ve tried to keep my distance from Dakota Cooper. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted and the one thing I can’t have.
But when she calls me in the middle of the night after someone tries to break into her house, I can no longer handle that distance, and I convince her to stay with me, along with her young son.
I should have known having her living under my roof would push me to the edge. Ignite the need that has simmered for so long.
The problem is, she’s forbidden. Off-limits. And I know better than crossing that line.
I can’t drag her into the dark secrets of my life.
But I can’t stay away from her either, so I do the one thing I shouldn’t—I take.
And now that I’ve had her, I’m not sure I can save her from who I am. . .
What to expect in Don’t Forget Me Tomorrow…
*Brother’s best friend
*Small town romance
*Secret past
*Pierced MC
*Touch her and die vibe
*Romantic suspense
*No cheating
*HEA
Check CW’s at author’s website
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Audio: https://geni.us/DFMTAudioOP
Narrated by: Connor Crais & Samantha Brentmoor
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Meet A.L. Jackson
A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.
If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.
Connect with A.L. Jackson
Website: www.aljacksonauthor.com
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Text “ALJACKSON” to 33222
✍🏻 Professor Romance’s Review: Lexi Blake’s Love The Way You Spy, book 1 of the Masters & Mercenaries New Recruits ✍🏻
Overall Grade: B
Tropes: next generation; insta-attraction; bdsm; romantic suspense; found family; grump/sunshine; forced proximity; fake relationship
Lexi Blake’s Love The Way You Spy is a much-anticipated read. If you’ve read her Masters and Mercenaries series (all iterations), you know this is the next generation of spies. I went into this book excited for Tasha Taggart and her love story. And I enjoyed the suspense of it, the curve balls that Lexi Blake loves to throw at her readers. For me, the suspense portion of the story was the most interesting, but I struggled with the love story. Honestly, I don’t think this is Lexi Blake’s fault…well maybe a little. The pacing is a bit slow. I didn’t need the constant reminders from Dare that he wouldn’t be able to have a future with Tasha even though she provided him comfort and a safe landing space for his feelings. Even though he feels seen by her, he “can’t have her.” Dare’s admonishments went a bit too far in this story.
Additionally, must Ian Taggart always save the day? I love him. Really I do. The found family trope of this story is the common thread of the Masters and Mercenaries universe. It’s one of the main reasons I continue to read these stories. And Love The Way You Spy is no different. The next generation, while struggling with fraught connections, has the comfort of the found family trope. The best part of Dare’s journey is his realization that he can be loved, not just by Tasha, but also by a broader group of people including Ian Taggart. But I’d love for Papa Taggart not to be the ultimate rescuer. I recognize the forthcoming characters are young, but I’m hoping there will be other former Masters and Mercenaries characters to guide this talented crew through their professional and personal journeys.
Overall, I liked Love The Way You Spy, but it was a slower read than I expected, and I found that to be disappointing.
In love and romance,
Professor A
✍🏻 Lexi Blake’s next-gen of spies is HERE! Love The Way You Spy is LIVE. Dare and Tasha burn up the pages of this book. Grab it now! ✍🏻
Love the Way You Spy by Lexi Blake is now live!
Tasha Taggart isn’t a spy. That’s her sisters’ job. Tasha’s support role is all about keeping them alive, playing referee when they fight amongst themselves, and soothing the toughest boss in the world. Working for the CIA isn’t as glamorous as she imagined, and she’s more than a little lonely. So when she meets a charming man in a bar the night before they start their latest op, she decides to give in to temptation. The night was perfect until she discovers she’s just slept with the target of their new investigation. Her sisters will never let her hear the end of this. Even worse, she has to explain the situation to her overprotective father, who also happens to be their boss.
Dare Nash knew exactly how his week in Sydney was going to go—attending boring conferences to represent his family’s business interests and eating hotel food alone. Until he falls under the spell of a stunning and mysterious American woman. Something in Tasha’s eyes raises his body temperature every time she looks at him. She’s captivating, and he’s committed to spending every minute he can with her on this trip, even if her two friends seem awfully intense. He doesn’t trust easily, but it’s not long before he can imagine spending the rest of his life with her.
When Dare discovers Tash isn’t who she seems, the dream turns into a nightmare. She isn’t the only one who deceived him, and now he’s in the crosshairs of adversaries way out of his league. He can’t trust her, but it might take Tasha and her family to save his life and uncover the truth.
Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and Kobo!
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Meet Lexi
New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. Since starting her publishing journey in 2010, she’s sold over three million copies of her books. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings.
Connect with Lexi
Website: www.lexiblake.net
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5124235.Lexi_Blake
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✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 4 ⭐️ Review: Winter Renshaw’s Hate Mail, book 1 of Papercuts ✍🏻
Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Tropes: arranged marriage; hate to love; side of romantic suspense; grump/sunshine
Winter Renshaw’s gold lies in the way she crafts her MMCs. There is a common thread to them: alpha in nature, closed off, and stubborn. It takes the tenacity of the FMC to blow through their tremendous emotional walls. Over and over again, Renshaw makes us fall in love with this character construction, no matter the plot points. This is also the case in her newest story, Hate Mail. Slade and Campbell’s parents are life-long friends who decide early in their children’s lives to arrange a marriage, effectively joining their powerful families. Their parents also encourage them early on to become pen pals, and it becomes clear from the start that the two don’t want what their parents have decided.
The first half of Renshaw’s Hate Mail is compelling. Slade is Renshaw’s typical hero, and while Campbell hopes to forgo the arranged marriage, she strives to understand and connect with Slade, who makes that task almost impossible. This first half, their strife and Campbell’s pain, is where the angst of her story resides and where she pulls her reader into Hate Notes.
Unfortunately, the second half falls apart a bit. For one, Slade spends two-thirds of the story pushing Campbell away, and he makes a sudden 180 with very little provocation. His acceptance of Campbell comes too easily given the strife of the first portion of Renshaw’s book. It feels like “a miss” of sorts. Secondly, there are two situations that arise for Slade in the story, one resolves too easily and the second feels thrown into the story. Had I read a draft of Hate Mail, I would recommend removing the second and developing the emotional turmoil of the first so we can better empathize with Slade.
The ending for Slade and Campbell in Hate Mail is sweet, and they earn their happy ending. It’s the latter third of this book that simply needed a bit more work, save for the epilogues.
In love and romance,
Professor A
Professor Romance 