The Scandalous Flirt by Olivia Drake

 The Scandalous Flirt by Olivia Drake

Blurb:

Scandal begins with just one kiss. . .

Aurora Paxton was once the belle of the ball, the most sought-after debutante of the season―until a scandalous mistake ruined her. Shunned by her family, Rory was banished to the country to live in disgrace. Now she’s been summoned back to London by her stepmother, who is being blackmailed by the least likely person Rory can imagine: Lucas Vale, Marquess of Dashell.

Lucas is someone Rory’s known for years―a man as devastatingly handsome as he is coldly disapproving of her. What in the world could he want from her or her family? Rory intends to find out as soon as she comes face to face with her old foe. What she never expects, however, is that the icy aristocrat has a soft spot for her―and a secret plan to redeem her status. Could it be that Lucas has been in love with Rory all along. . .and has finally found a way to win her heart?


Should someone offer to lend you a pair of red slippers - go for it, they might change your life forever!
At least that's what happens when Rory accepts the enchanted slippers from Lady Milford after having been banished from London and her family for eight years.

Returning to London, she does not only have to find some missing letters but she also has to help her sister to avoid a marriage of duty while trying not to fall in love herself. Fortunately, she fails on several accounts and in the end, it is love that wins over duty and second chances are given where they were never expected.

I loved to see Rory find her way back into society, her interactions and her chemistry with Lucas are amazing and, well, those two are sweet and just right together, despite him being on the verge of....well, let's forget about that. Or not? When money, or rather the lack of it, is involved, it is not always easy to do the right thing and follow your heart...

A very enjoyable and entertaining read, romantic and funny, full of action and a great story - I loved it and will definitely check out other books by the author!

★★★★

 

 

 

Blocked by L.P. Dover

Blocked by L.P. Dover 

Blurb:

He’s got every reason to be cocky . . . until a female cuts him down to size.
 
I’m Dallas Easton, the best goaltender in the league. I make a damn good living playing hockey, and with women falling at my feet wherever I go, why not enjoy it? I get whatever I want, whenever I want—that is, until I come across the one player who gets the best of me on the ice.
 
When I try to pummel the dude, all hell breaks loose. Imagine my surprise when the helmet comes off to reveal a woman underneath. And not just any woman, but the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen. Callie Davis is the complete opposite of the puck bunnies I usually go for, a good girl with sick moves and a selfless streak a mile wide. I need to make amends, but she dodges me at every turn. It doesn’t help that Callie’s brother hates my guts, or that my agent thinks she’s bad for my career.
 
But I could care less what they think. I can’t let our little run-in on the ice be the end of our story. Because when I set my sights on something, I won’t rest until I score.


Wow, I loved the story even though I was very often tempted to kick Dallas' behind.
I get it that hockey is tough and aggressive and so on, really, but seriously, this guy has some problems - and he'd do well with some anger management classes. Apart from his aggressive behavior, I loved to see him fight for Callie's love.

Both of them are very honest in their reactions and I really like the fact that they don't play games. Dallas makes mistakes but once he has decided on a course, he stays true to it. Reading about his interactions with kids and, of course, with Callie, goes a long way to redeem him in my eyes. The chemistry between the Callie and Dallas is great, you can feel that she falls for him - even though it's the last thing she really wants.
You see, it's not just that he behaves like a neanderthal when she meets him, nope, that just tops it off but the fact that her brother hates him, well, that doesn't make it easy for him to win her and convince her that he could be the one.
Will he be stubborn and persistent enough to get Callie to go on a date with him?

I laughed a lot and I liked the characters on the whole but I must admit that Dallas' behavior, blowing up the way he does as often as he does, left me a bit at a loss because I wouldn't want any friend of mine date someone that volatile. Dallas and Callie together are very sweet and I don't think that he would hurt her but...well.
All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book and I'm definitely looking forward to the other books in the series.

★★★★

Bound to a Spy by Sharon Cullen

  

Bound to a Spy by Sharon Cullen

Blurb: 
 
A fierce Highland lass puts her life—and her heart—in the hands of a dashing British spy in this exhilarating romance from the USA Today bestselling author of Wed to a Spy.

Rose Turner’s mother sent her to the court of Mary, Queen of Scots, to give her a better life. Raised with rowdy brothers in a notorious border clan, Rose has plenty of experience fighting and thieving—and practically none when it comes to matters of decorum and discretion. Without a single ally, she has little hope of making a good marriage to salvage her family’s reputation. But after overhearing several influential lords plotting to murder the King of Scotland, Rose meets a man after all: a handsome spy trying to shield her from danger.

As one of the Queen Elizabeth’s top agents, Will Sheffield has come up north to keep a close eye on the goings-on at Mary’s court. A consummate professional, Will notices Rose’s presence at the secret meeting . . . and he’s not the only one. The wild, naïve beauty has made a fearsome enemy—and only Will can keep her safe. But after an attempt on Rose’s life pulls them tantalizingly close, Will faces an agonizing choice between professional loyalty or powerful passion.

 
Torn between his duty and his rapidly growing feelings for a certain young lady, Will desperately tries to keep this stubborn and far too independent Scottish lass safe while navigating the very treacherous seas at the court of Mary, the Queen of Scots.

We met Will, our hero, briefly in Wed to a Spy, the first book in this series, where he was a fellow spy at Mary's court when Simon, his fellow spy, and Aimée were married - and everything else happened that precedes Bound to a Spy and sets the mood for the events in this book.

This is the fifth book by Sharon Cullen that I've read and once again she didn't disappoint. Lots of action, some very, well, romantic romance, Scots, spies, treason, a bunch of villains and, of course, a wonderful HEA.
Even though our hero is not a Scot, he has some redeeming qualities, one of them the fact that he doesn't let anybody steal his girl and would even oppose the queen and her orders for the sake of this most stubborn, most irritable and most beloved lass of his.

Will and Rose are very strong characters in a really great, fast-paced and very entertaining story that I absolutely enjoyed. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series (and I sincerely hope that there will be a next one!) and every other book by Sharon Cullen that comes my way.

★★★★★

Ride or Die #2 by Cee Cee Riley

 Ride or Die #2 by Cee Cee Riley

Blurb:

Love can either destroy you, or bring you back to life.
Dom, Casa & Harlow
1992

Casa only cares for two things in this life: his club—the Devil’s Highwaymen—and sex. That is until he meets Harlow. She’s feisty, passionate, and doesn’t fall for his usual charms. She’s perfect for him…but she belongs to someone else.

Harlow is broken; she has been for a long time. With nowhere to go, and worse, no one to go to, she’s become a clubslut for the West Side Bangers. That is until a chance meeting with her old friend and former lover, Dom, brings their worlds colliding together once more.

Dom is on a one-way train to hell; the guilt of losing his soulmate is killing him—but he can’t tell anyone about it. That is until he finds a brief respite from his suffering in the form of Harlow, the woman whose heart he once broke.

With all three set on their own self-destructive paths, they’ve only got one chance to make things right—but only if they can learn to forgive, and then to love again.

The funny thing about love is, it’s both painless and painful, and not even death can end the suffering.



It wasn't easy for me to rate this book because, yeah, I guess, the problem is that biker clubs tend to be a bit ....rougher and less sophisticated than drawing rooms and kindergartens. The lifestyle that goes along with the whole biker club thing is hard and brutal and the women are not always respected - to put it mildly.
Jumping right in the middle of a gang war though, well, let's just say that there were many situations where I was really shocked about the things going on. Guns and fists are often used and the guys are as alpha as they come. And, if I am allowed this little innuendo - they tend to "come" rather often as well.

Okay, I really loved Harlowe and I would have loved to tell her to send all those guys to hell but unfortunately, she never listened to me... The guys, as in Casa and Dom, mainly, were not as easy to love or even to like as Harlowe. Dominant a......idiots, afraid to love, always playing (and failing) at playing the knight in shining armor only to hurt her even more the next moment and after everything hat had happened, I just wanted for Harlowe to find a place where she belonged and where she was loved.
The guys, well, ....I understand where they were coming from and why I it was so difficult for them to accept the things happening to them and I really understood that they had a problem dealing with their feelings but the way they lashed out at others, especially at Harlowe, in order to protect themselves, was unforgivable in my eyes. Every time I thought that they had finally redeemed themselves, it happened again and I really hated them for the things they did and the things they said when that happened.

Nevertheless, despite my problems with the club scene itself and its characters, this book is really well written, intense and just one of those books that draw you in and don't let you go before you've read it all. 

★★★★

Marked by Fate ...

by

Kristin D. Van Risseghem, Rhonda Sermon, Jamie Thornton, Alisha Klapheke, Debra Kristi , Sarah K.L. Wilson, Hilary Thompson, Ingrid Seymour, Jeanne Bannon, Kelly St. Clare, Melle_Melku, Jackson Dean Chase, Amalie Jahn, D.L. Armillei, Dionna Lister, Melissa A. Craven, Raye Wagner, Ednah Walters, Lena Mae Hill, Erin Hayes, Siobhan Davis, Angela Fristoe, C.J. Anaya, Emily Martha Sorensen, Meg Cowley

 Marked by Fate. Defined by Their Choices.

A collection of 25 Fantasy and Science Fiction YA coming of age novels from New York Times, USA Today, International, Amazon bestselling and Award-Winning authors!!

This action-packed boxset is filled with teen warriors who encounter shadows, queens, witches, wizards, werewolves, and shifters. Sometimes these young adults partner with immortals, angels, vampires, demons, and gods. And with occasionally genetically engineered soldiers, cyborgs, and robots as they discover magical hidden fantasy worlds, encounter mind-blowing dystopian lands, space stations, and galaxies they could never have dreamed existed. Marked by Fate to complete these deadly and dangerous quests filled with nonstop action and adventure!

 ***

I must admit, I didn't have a clue what I ordered when I pre-ordered this collection, I just trusted Ednah Walters who was absolutely excited and told us all that this would be great.

Okay, when one of your favorite authors tells you that something book-related will be great - hey, yes, here I am!
And I pre-ordered. And suddenly, the day before yesterday, it suddenly appeared on my kindle. Many dedications to Ednah in it that really touched me and imagine my surprise when I found out exactly why she was so excited!
This stuff is really cool! I mean, it's not just a bunch of amazing stories (which would have been great as well) but it is also a teeny tiny bit more.

Did you ever want to know what the covers look like in color? Yes? Welll.....
And did you ever want to see the author talk about his book, right in the book? Yes? Wellll.....
And did you ever try to imagine what the music mentioned in the book might sound like? Yes again? Welll.... this and more you can find in this collection!
Just have a smart device at hand with a little app and you're in for some fun! It's easy to use and of course, the explanations are inside!
Curious? Well, just go and see for yourself what all this fuss is about!


 Oh, and don't worry, it is not just the show, the stories themselves are also very promising. I haven't read them all yet, obviously, but I know books by several of the authors and were never disappointed and others sound great and while sneaking a peek I found that I am definitely looking forward to reading them!

★★★★★

Look..... #whatthepostmanbrought

...what the postman brought today:

? 

The form and the size looked very promising, especially when I saw the sender's name:

Erica Ridley 

She had a giveaway a couple of weeks ago where I won....

Okay, yeah, books, that's obvious, isn't it? ;)

Well, I opened the packet - and found: bubble wrap.

And inside I found these beauties by Erica Ridley and Lucinda Brant:

Aaaaaand  - they are not only beautiful 

but also signed!

✨

 

Ride or Die #2 by Cee Cee Riley - Release Blitz!

OUT TODAY:

 Ride or Die #2 by Cee Cee Riley

A Little Too Late by Staci Hart

Isn't it beautiful?

Almost as beautiful as the story inside...

 A Little Too Late by Staci Hart

Blurb:

 I wasn't supposed to fall in love with the nanny.

When my wife left, she took the illusion of happiness with her, and I've been caught in a free fall ever since. For nine long months, I've been fighting to figure out how to be a single dad, how to be alone.

For nine long months, I've been failing.

When Hannah walked through the door, I took my first breath since I'd found myself on my own. She slipped into our lives effortlessly, showing me what I've been missing all these years. Because Hannah made me smile when I thought I'd packed the notion of happiness away with my wedding album.

She was only supposed to be the nanny, but she's so much more.

The day my wife left should have been the worst day of my life, but it wasn't. It was when Hannah walked away, taking my heart with her.


This book? It is amazing! The moment I started reading the first line, I was hooked. I never put the book down if I wasn't forced to, till I had finished it.
What I love most...or rather, one of the things that I love about it is her unique style of telling this story. Sometimes I felt as if I was in a dream or reading a fairy tale. You just felt how right everything was, how well and seamlessly Hannah became a part of Charlie's life - at least until it wasn't right anymore.

Hannah is sweet and kind, she loves to help and, well, it is rather obvious that Charlie and his kids need a lot of help! While she very soon becomes a very important part of their lives and you feel how their lives become richer and happier for it, things happen that taint it all.
Charlie and Hannah have to trust each other, though both are victims of their past experiences so trust doesn't come easy for none of them .... and maybe it isn't enough...
When Charlie messed up, I was really really upset especially when ...well, just READ IT! It is so worth it!

Amazing, complex and vivacious characters, a sweet story about trust, betrayal and, of course, about love. About broken people and those who help them heal, about people who belong somewhere or with someone.
Oh, and don't forget the kvarktaart, because, well, you know, some people are just in it for the kvarktaart! 😉

★★★★★

*Sht.... kvarktaart=cheesecake in Dutch*

And guess, what I'll bake tomorrow. 😊

Wolf Hollow (Wolf Hollow Shifters, Book 1) by Nikki Jefford #WolfHollow

 OUT TODAY!

Wolf Hollow by Nikki Jefford

Blurb:

A REBELLIOUS OUTCAST

Cocky. Coy. Wolf shifter. Tabor is the hollow’s only half-breed, scorned and forbidden to use his powers. Constantly overlooked despite his strengths, Tabor believes Sasha is as shortsighted as the rest of the pack until she proves there’s more to her than a blindly obedient lapdog to the council.

A DUTIFUL PUREBLOOD

Spirited, stubborn, and deeply loyal, Sasha feels the pressure from her pack to claim another pureblood, yet no one is brazen enough to defy the elders and toy with her . . . no one besides a sexy, hotheaded half-breed.

AN ATTRACTION THAT THREATENS THE FUTURE OF THE PACK

Bewildered by the deceptively proud and surprisingly sensual Sasha, Tabor would risk everything to claim her. Despite her vanishing bloodline, Sasha can’t resist the charismatic half-breed even as predators threaten their pack and the elders pressure her to breed with a pureblood.

In a fantastical post-apocalyptic world, where only the strongest survive, sometimes trusting the heart is the bravest act of all.

*Wolf Hollow is an adult fantasy romance.  



I must admit that it took me some time to get into it because it started nice and seemingly foreseeable ...until it wasn't like that anymore. Every time I thought that something happened like I had expected it to happen, there was a twist and it changed and became something completely different.

This book surprised me and it shocked me, it made me furious and I was shocked once more by the things happening in it - and more than anything I hoped that Sasha would overcome her upbringing and its confines and would go for the life she wanted to live with the guy she wanted to be with.

Sasha and Tabor are both unique and very likable characters. Both are different and set apart from the rest of the pack due to their upbringing. The pure-blood and the half-breed - not a combination that the Elders will approve of but perhaps...

This book was a great shifter story with lots of action and romance and love and...well, the rather unromantic but hands-on version of love. It is about people making their own rules and people hating others because they are different, people considering others to be inferior whereas in reality if they took a closer look they would see something very different and might perhaps even realize that without the help of this inferior one things might get a lot harder for everyone.

Shifters in an apocalyptic world, fighting creatures out of nightmares, humans who are not much better - and their own prejudices.

I loved to see things change and I must admit that even though I am a bit wary now as I am not sure what this new addition to the pack will bring and I sincerely hope that Raider will understand what I expect from him and won't make a mistake but I absolutely have to know more about Sasha and Tabor and how their story continues, so I am waiting rather anxiously for the next book in this amazing new series!

★★★★★

Puzzle? Jigsaw? пазл ?

Okay, who likes to play?

 Have fun! 😃

Moon Kissed (Mirror Lake Wolves #1) by Jennifer Snyder

 Moon Kissed by Jennifer Snyder

Blurb:

Something sinister lurks in the Mirror Lake woods…

Life is different for those living in the Mirror Lake Trailer Park, especially where Mina Ryan is concerned. She’s been waiting years for her werewolf gene to trigger, and the clock is ticking. If she isn’t Moon Kissed soon, Mina runs the risk of becoming an outsider to more than just the townspeople of Mirror Lake. Unless her werewolf gene triggers in the coming months, Mina will become an outsider within her pack as well.

It’s almost an unthinkable fate, one Mina finds herself needing to be distracted from. And who better to distract her than Alec Thomas, a charming Southern cutie…who happens to be human? Alec isn’t the only one who’s captured her attention, though. The handsome Alpha’s son, Eli Vargas, has his eye on her as well, much to the pack’s approval.

Bigger issues for Mina arise when she learns one of her pack members has gone missing and that she might know something about their disappearance. There’s only one person Mina can turn to for help. Too bad she has a hard time trusting herself when she’s around him…

As the mystery grows while two men vie for Mina’s attention and the next full moon looms closer, it’s all Mina can do to keep her head and heart in check.

Book One in the anticipated Mirror Lake Wolves Series.
New Adult/Mature Young Adult.



Oookay, I was a bit shocked when the book ended because seriously, that was waaaaaay too early. I mean, we were right in the middle of ....well, of... everything. Even though I was a bit irritated that Mina and Eli didn't share the information they had with their alpha as it was crucial information that might save someone's life.

Apart from that I really enjoyed this book. It was imaginative and a great read. I liked the hero and heroine a lot and I was worried about Mina and Eli when they tried to investigate certain things as that definitely places them right in the middle - not of nowhere but of danger. Or rather Danger, with a capital D.

Mina and Eli are sweet together and you can feel some chemistry there despite the fact that Mina still tries to resist the attraction. her interactions with the humans make her aware that not only their pack's secret is in danger but also the members of her pack.
Still waiting to be Moon Kissed, she eagerly anticipates the day of the full moon, where her grandma will prepare her again the delicious salvia...okay, I'm kidding. Her grandma will prepare those leaves but let's just say that "eagerly" does not exactly describe her feelings when it comes to the ....salvia leaves. As long as there is still hope that she will be Moon Kissed though, the salvia leaves will be waiting for her....

Interesting characters and a great, well-written story ... well, I really enjoyed reading this book and I simply have to know what happens next so I'll definitely have to read the next books in this series!

★★★★

Drive by Kate Stewart

 Drive by Kate Stewart

 Blurb:

 Music . . . the heart’s greatest librarian.

The average song is three and a half minutes long; those three and a half minutes could lead to a slow blink, a glimpse of the past, or catapult the soul into heart-shattering nostalgia.

At the height of my career, I had the life I wanted, the life I’d always envisioned. I’d found my tempo, my rhythm. Then I received a phone call that left me off key.

You see, my favorite songs had a way of playing simultaneously. I was in love with one man’s beats and another’s lyrics. But when it came to the soundtrack of a life, how could anyone choose a favorite song? So, to erase any doubt, I ditched my first-class ticket and decided to take a drive, fixed on the rearview.

Two days.

One playlist.

And the long road home to the man who was waiting for me.


Wow, this book is really great! Intense characters, drama, sex, and music in a great story, well written and well plotted, that sucks you in and won't let you get out till it's over.
The characters are far from perfect, they are flawed, they fight, they make you scream with frustration - and cry the next moment.

Usually, I don't read books with love triangles because I hate this tug-of-war when the heroine is torn and suffering and the world is about to end...well, you get my meaning, right? Not my favorite story so, when I realized that this book might turn into a love triangle I got a bit concerned and feared the worst but...wow. This is so not your usual triangle.

And it is not your usual heroine either. Estella is persistent, she is going after the things (and the man) she wants and you can follow her on her way to find herself. You can see how she grows and finds her way. Estella and the others are very complex and authentic characters, not just the main characters but also the minor ones.
I love the pace of the story and I love how music is always a part of their lives. It is all about music. Every chapter starts with a song (title) and music is the glue that holds everything together, the link between Estella and the men in her life.

A great book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading and that I can totally recommend.

★★★★★

Alpha's Prize (Bad Boy Alpha's #3) by Renee Rose

  Alpha's Prize by Renee Rose

Blurb: 


 MY CAPTIVE. MY MATE. MY PRIZE.

I didn’t order the capture of the beautiful American she-wolf. I didn’t buy her from the traffickers. I didn’t even plan to claim her. But no male shifter could have withstood the test of a full moon and a locked room with Sedona, naked and shackled to the bed.

I lost control, not only claiming her, but also marking her, and leaving her pregnant with my wolfpup. I won’t keep her prisoner, as much as I’d like to. I allow her to escape to the safety of her brother’s pack.

But once marked, no she-wolf is ever really free. I will follow her to the ends of the Earth, if I must.

Sedona belongs to me.

Publisher’s Note: Alpha’s Prize is a stand-alone book in the Bad Boy Alphas series. HEA guaranteed, no cheating. This book contains a hot, demanding alpha wolf with a penchant for protecting and dominating his female. If such material offends you, do not buy this book.


This book was a nice and quick read. I must admit that I was a bit worried about the claiming part because I wasn't sure whether it would be like some kind of "rape-happy-to-meet-you-despite-that" scenario which I hate but the author managed to turn a forced situation into something where I definitely could accept the chemistry that leads to the mating.

Even hormone-and instinct-driven, Carlos is honorable and kind, just the kind of alpha that a she-wolf would dream of. Sedona, being an alpha herself, is the perfect match for him.
Okay, the situation with his pack that seems to be stuck somewhere in the middle ages, well, that is a tough nut to crack especially as the council is rather creepy and ruthless - and seems to hold all the power.

There is a lot going on, the story is fast-paced but sometimes I didn't understand the motivation, at least that of the villains. Maybe that's just due to the fact that villains don't need a reason to be evil but somehow I missed that explanation. Or maybe it really is just about power and the chance to do some research?

Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading this book and will check out other books by the authors as well.

★★★ 

Netherworld by Amy Miles & Danielle Bannister

Netherworld  

by  

Amy Miles & Danielle Bannister

Blurb:

Taryn
Flatline. The moment when one life ends and the next begins. That’s my cue. And I hate it. Being a banshee is a right pain in the arse. When I’m not ferrying manky old blokes or mental cat ladies through the veil between Earth and Netherworld, I’m training in secret for a war our King denies is coming. But I know better. An army of Lorcan monsters stands ready to breach the walls. If they succeed, the destruction they seek will not be contained to just our world, but to the human world beyond. My only hope is to rely on the aid of a cocky prince with his own agenda. But after a human man captures my interest, will I be able to accept the terms of the prince’s aid?
Devlin
Our paths were never meant to cross. I’m meant to live my human life, unaware of the world that exists beyond the veil. I know about death, sure. My own sister’s life hangs in the balance, holding my own happiness with it. But when Taryn and I collide, my world flips upside down. Nothing makes sense anymore. There are things I shouldn’t be able to see but now can’t escape from. Logic tells me to run as far as I can from Taryn and the horrors of her world but my heart screams at me to follow her to the literal ends of the earth. Even if it means my own damnation.

You thought that you knew everything about Reapers and Banshees that there is to now? Believe me, this book will change your mind!

In this amazing and imaginative book, you will learn a lot more about this kind of reapers and this kind of banshees, and believe me, you'll love them. At least, most of them. You won't love the King. At all.
This fast-paced novel takes us to a realm that is a part of our world as well but those who live there never interact with humans, at least not as long as the humans are alive. The reapers and banshees are responsible for retrieving the souls of the deceased and guide them towards their destination.
What will happen, when those two worlds collide? What will happen, when a human is able to see the banshees and the reapers? The law forbids them to interact, ignoring them, you might even pay the ultimate price: your life.

With the threat of an army of monsters at the horizon and the possibility that the King is already trying to get rid of her, Taryn is not in the best place right now. Add some mysterious encounters with a human who can see her - wait, let me rephrase - an attractive human, who can see her and you might understand, whey her life isn't exactly all rainbows and unicorns right now. When the prince comes to her aid, the cure might even be almost as difficult to accept as the fate he is saving her from. Almost.
Caught in the middle between the two worlds and their male representatives, Taryn just has to hope that everything will turn out right...

This book is great to read, I love the interesting characters and the gripping story that won't let you go. Definitely a book to recommend and - I really need to read the next book! ASAP!

★★★★ 

 

Excerpt Reveal - A Little Too Late by Staci Hart

A Little Too Late

by 

Staci Hart

I wasn't supposed to fall in love with the nanny.

When my wife left, she took the illusion of happiness with her, and I've been caught in a free fall ever since. For nine long months, I've been fighting to figure out how to be a single dad, how to be alone.

For nine long months, I've been failing.

When Hannah walked through the door, I took my first breath since I'd found myself on my own. She slipped into our lives effortlessly, showing me what I've been missing all these years. Because Hannah made me smile when I thought I'd packed the notion of happiness away with my wedding album.

She was only supposed to be the nanny, but she's so much more.

The day my wife left should have been the worst day of my life, but it wasn't. It was when Hannah walked away, taking my heart with her.

Excerpt:

Hannah

The first time I saw Charlie Parker, I didn’t see one thing at a time; I saw all of him. It was an assault on my senses, an overwhelming tide of awareness, and for a moment, the details came to me in flashes over what was probably only a few seconds but felt so much longer.

His hair was blond and gently mussed, his face long and nose elegant. I could smell him, clean and fresh with just a touch of spice I couldn’t place. I tipped my chin up—he was tall, taller than me, and I hovered just at six feet—and met his eyes, earthy and brown and so deep. So very deep.

And then he smiled.

He was handsome when he wasn’t smiling. He was stunning when he was.

I was so lost in that smile, I didn’t register the flying gob until it whapped against my sweater. Tiny splatters of something cold speckled my neck.

This was the moment the clock started again, and the sweet serenity slipped directly into chaos.

A blond little boy looked up at me from his father’s side with a devilish gleam in his dark eyes. The spoon in his hand was covered in blood-red jam and aimed at me like an empty catapult.

Several things happened at once. Charlie’s face morphed into embarrassed frustration as he reached for who I presumed to be his son. The boy—Sam, I guessed from the names I’d been given by the agency—spun around lightning fast and took off down the hallway, giggling. Another child began to cry from somewhere back in the house, and a bowl clattered to the ground, followed by a hissed swear from what sounded like an older woman.

I glanced down at the sliding, sticky mess against my white sweater and started to laugh.

Charlie’s head swiveled back to me, his face first colored with confusion, then in horror as he looked at the Pollock painting on my sweater.

“Oh my God,” he breathed, his apologetic, wide eyes dragging down my body. “Jesus, I am so sorry.”

I was still laughing, almost a little hysterical. I couldn’t even tell you why.

I waved a hand at Charlie, and he took my elbow, guiding me into the house as I caught my breath. Another crash came from the kitchen, and a little girl came toddling out into the entry, leaving powdery footprints on the hardwood.

Charlie’s face screwed up. “Sam!” he called, stretching the word, a drawn-out promise of consequences.

A riot of giggling broke out in the kitchen.

We both snapped into motion. I followed him as he scooped up his crying daughter and stormed toward the kitchen. The little girl watched me over his shoulder with big brown eyes, her breath hitching in little shudders and her small finger hooked in her mouth.

Charlie stopped so abruptly, I almost ran into him.

When I looked around him and into the kitchen, my mouth opened. I covered it with my fingers as laughter bubbled up my throat.

A bag of flour sat in the middle of the floor, the white powder thrown in bursts against the surrounding surfaces and hanging in the air like smoke. The floor next to the bag was the only clean spot, shaped like a small bottom—the little girl’s, I supposed. A bowl lay upside down, its contents oozing from under the rim and slung in a ring from ceiling to cabinet to floor, as if it had completed a masterful flip on its way to its demise. And in the center of the madness stood an older woman with flour in her dark hair and dusted down the front of her. Clutched under her arm was a wriggling Sam, offending spoon still in hand.

Her face was kind but tight with exasperation. “Please tell me this is the new nanny,” she said flatly.

“I doubt we could convince her to stay at this point,” he said with equal flatness.

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Did you like it?

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Forever Girl by Sam Destiny - Release Day Blitz #forevergirl

You loved  

Tagged for Life 

and want to know more about Jazz and Tessa?

Forever Girl is here and - you'll love it!

 

  

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You wanted to know more... #SMPUnwrapped

...about these books and their authors?

Christmas at Two Love Lane by Kieran Kramer 

This book is a sweet and charming Christmas read, where the matchmaker may have met her match and the doubters or rather "the cynics" may fall hard. Very hard. So maybe the wrong woman is exactly the right one? The Forever-one?

Coming to Charleston as a favor to his aunt who has raised him wasn't supposed to turn out as such a turning point in his life but somehow Cupid works his magic and Deacon Banks must realize that there is more to life than working and a revolving bed. But it might not be that easy for the leopard to change his spots...

On the whole, I really enjoyed reading this book with its southern charm and its quirky and sweet characters but it felt a bit drawn out. Things happened and I was smiling and thinking that this was it and now...and off. Another rejection, another "this is not professional, we can't..." and we were back to square, well, maybe not one but two or three at least. That was a bit too much and a bit frustrating but nevertheless it is a book that I enjoyed reading and that I will definitely read again.

Q&A with Kieran Kramer:

When do the holidays officially start for you?

Thanksgiving Day, as soon as I turn on the TV to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade! Can't miss the Rockettes segment, ever!

What's your favorite thing about the holidays?

Inhaling the delicious scent of the Christmas tree, seeing the twinkling lights, hanging out with the family and our friends.

Are there any holiday traditions you do every year without fail?

I always make frosted sugar cookies, and I always try to watch as many Christmas movies as I can. I also try to go to the Holiday Boat Parade in Charleston harbor!

What's your favorite holiday movie?

It's a Wonderful Life; I never get tired of it!

Do you have a favorite holiday book?

Definitely How the Grinch Stole Christmas....

What's your all-time favorite holiday song?

Away in the Manger sung by Julie Andrews--the UK version of the melody

What's your favorite activity during fall or winter?

baking bread, using my crockpot, reading cozy books, buying myself winter clothes, going to parties, eating holiday cookies

What's your favorite gift you've ever received or given?

My favorite gift is having my family all together in one place. Nothing matters more. Sometimes we can't all be together, so I cherish the Christmases that we can celebrate under one roof.

Do you have any items on your wish list this year?

Yes, having my own little family together again--the last two years some of us have been overseas. But if I have to mention something from the store, I'd love to have some canvases and paint and painting lessons!

Any resolutions or goals for next year?

Yes, to slow down and get centered, to really look around each day and marvel at this beautiful world filled with people who all want to love and be loved. I refuse to let the haters in. Oh, and I have to keep dancing to my Alexa, haha!!

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 A Season of You by Emma Douglas

I loved this book and this sweet story about the (second) chances in life. 

When Mina lost her beloved husband to a drunken driver, she didn't plan to ever fall in love again. Life had other ideas and with Christmas around and Will, who has been carrying a torch for her ever since he saw her, five years ago, things might change, especially when Will comes to her help in the middle of the night when she has an accident. Fighting this attraction might not help and somehow, this kind of mess might just be the absolutely right kind of mess.
Both of them have to overcome their fears and as hard as that might be, it might be even harder to let the other one go. 

I liked the way things developed between the two and I loved the convincing and likable characters and the way they interact. It was a rather slow but steady read, unhurried but and even when I was getting a bit worried, it did never occur to me that things might not turn out well, I just worried that people might get hurt even more in the process.

This is a book for cozy hours with a cup of tea and your most comfortable armchair, preferably in front of a firplace - or anywhere else.

Q&A with Emma Douglas:

When do the holidays official start for you?

After my mom's birthday which is early December!

What's your favorite thing about the holidays?

Getting together with my family and friends and just having a good time with the people I love.

Are there any holiday traditions you do every year without fail?

Making the plum pudding with my mum and watching Carols by Candlelight which is broadcast on TV here in Oz on Christmas Eve.

What's your favorite holiday movie?

Die Hard

Do you have a favorite holiday book?

The Father Christmas Letters by J.R.R Tolkien. Gorgeous illustrations and funny! They're letters he wrote to his kids (as Father Christmas) each year, telling the stories of what had been happening at the North Pole that year.

What's your all-time favorite holiday song?

O Holy Night because I love the melody.

What's your favorite activity during fall or winter?

I do Christmas in summer here in Oz so that makes it swimming or otherwise avoiding the heat. But in winter I have a weird liking for walking in the cold, as long as I can thaw out with a good book afterward.

What's your favorite gift you've ever received or given?

Both my current cats I gave myself for Christmas but that probably doesn't count. I got a membership to the local zoo which was fun as I like to wander around there. Other than that, like a true bookworm, every year I love getting books.

Do you have any items on your wish list this year?

Nothing big but I'm sure I'll come up with a list of books and art supplies that would be great to get.

Any resolutions or goals for next year?

Both to write more and to have more time for non-writing things. Maybe I need a clone for Christmas?

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