#BookReview: The Fire Between High & Lo (Elements #2) by Brittainy C. Cherry @SourcebooksCasa

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

There once was a boy, and I loved him. Logan Francis Silverstone and I were complete opposites. I danced, and he stood still. He was quiet, while I ran my mouth. He struggled to find a smile, and I refused to frown. The night I saw the darkness that truly lived inside of him, I couldn't look away. We were broken together, yet somehow whole. We were wrong together, but always right. We were the stars that burned across the night sky, searching for a wish, praying for better tomorrows. Until the day I lost him. He threw us away with one hasty decision―a decision that changed us forever. There once was a boy, and I loved him. And for a few breaths, a few whispers, a few moments, I think he loved me, too. The Elements The Air He Breathes, book 1 The Fire Between High & Lo, book 2

#BookReview: If We Were Perfect (If Love, #4) by Ana Huang @Read_Bloom

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

Two exes, one house. What could go wrong?

Olivia had a plan: MBA, Wall Street VP by thirty-two, marriage and two children (preferably twins because #efficiency).

Not in her plan? Losing half her belongings in an apartment flood and being forced to turn to her ex for help.

Definitely not in her plan? Moving into said ex’s house and watching him walk around shirtless, bake her cupcakes, and look at her with those smoldering—

Wait, what was she talking about again?

***

Between his bakery and meddling family, Sammy had enough on his plate without bringing the ex he’d never been able to forget into the mix. 

But when Olivia asks for his help, he couldn’t say no. He could, however, make her regret breaking his heart—as long as he doesn’t do anything foolish, like sneak into her room and kiss her senseless… 

As passion slowly replaces their dislike for each other, Sammy and Olivia discover their past isn’t what it seems and their future is anything but certain. Can they overcome their pride and give love a second chance, or is history doomed to repeat itself?

If We Were Perfect is a steamy second chance/roommate romance. It's book four of the If Love series but can be read as a complete standalone.

Recommended for 18+ due to explicit content and adult language.

#BookReview: The Accidental Sereph (Carran Hollow Fated Mates, #1) by Maci Aurora

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

When Atlas Black, a bad boy with a reputation in Carran Hollow, walks into The Hole-in-the-Wall bar investigating a demon sighting, it’s mostly business as usual until he comes face-to-face with his calix—his fated-mate. Except Ivy Day, oblivious to the world of serephs and demons, thinks she’s stranded in Carran Hollow because a stupid bus has broken down. She just needs a ride to get to the next bus in order to get to her sister across the country. While the guy in the bar hitting on her is hotter than any human has the right to be, unless he’ll give her a lift, she doesn’t have any patience for anything else. But little does she know, Atlas is about to take her on the ride of her life—that is, as long as they can get through the demons.

#BookReview: If We Ever Meet Again (If Love, #1) by Ana Huang

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

One year is all it takes for strangers to become lovers...

19-year-old Farrah Lin is going to fall in love for the first time during her year abroad in Shanghai. She's sure of it.

The only problem? Her would-be leading man is her new friend’s boyfriend.

There’s nothing worse than being in love with someone you can’t have...or at least, she thinks it’s love.

But if that’s true, why can’t she stop fantasizing about someone else, specifically the cocky blond athlete with the world’s biggest ego (and greatest dimples)?


***
Blake Ryan is—was—a college football star who shocked the sports world when he quit after his third national championship. Instead of dealing with the fallout, he escapes to Shanghai, where he vows to keep life simple.

No football. No commitments. No romance.

But no matter how hard he tries, he can’t keep a certain beautiful brunette off his mind...or out of his heart. 

What starts as a physical attraction develops into something much deeper as Blake and Farrah get swept up in the magic of Shanghai—and each other. But they only have one year, and there are forces outside their control that threaten to rip them apart.

Can their relationship survive the test...or was it just not meant to be?

WARNING: This is the first book in a duet. It's a full-length novel with no sudden cliffhangers, but Blake and Farrah’s story concludes in book two, If the Sun Never Sets, which takes place five years later. 

If We Ever Meet Again is a steamy strangers to friends to lovers romance. Recommended for 18+ due to adult language and explicit content.

#BookReview: Say You Swear (Boys of Avix, 1) by Meagan Brandy @Read_Bloom

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

From USA Today bestselling author Meagan Brandy comes the viral TikTok sensation Say You Swear. When Arianna starts college, she's hopeful this will finally be the year she wins the heart of her brother's best friend. But things don't quite go as planned...and that's when she meets football star Noah.

Her brother's best friend broke her heart, but what happens when his new teammate wants to put it back together?

Arianna Johnson has been dreaming of what college life might bring, and it’s finally coming over the horizon as she and her friends plan one last beachside summer together. So much has changed over the years, but there’s always been one constant. The boy her heart returns to no matter where her imagination runs: her brother’s best friend, Chase.

This is the summer she’ll finally tell him how she feels. That it’s him. It’s always been him.

Until suddenly, it isn’t.

Ari’s heart is in splinters when she meets star quarterback Noah Riley. His friendship is exactly what she needs after Chase’s rejection, but from the start, Noah wants more. Even when their path is blurry, even when tragedy strikes, even when Ari doesn’t know her own heart, Noah will fight for the feelings he knows they both have…no matter what it might cost them.

They say first love lasts forever. Ari is about to find out if that’s really true.

#BookReview: If Love Had a Price (If Love, #3) by Ana Huang @Read_Bloom

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

Every heart has a price. 

She offered him $10,000 to seduce her father’s gold-digging fiancée.

He countered with $15,000 and a kiss—from her. At any time he chose.

Kris should’ve said no, but she was desperate to get rid of her stepmother-to-be, and the gorgeous actor with the wicked grin was perfect for the job.

So she agreed to his terms—not knowing that doing so would cost her a lot more than money and a kiss...

—

He did it for the money, which he desperately needed.

The kiss was just a bonus, or so he told himself.

Melting an ice princess like Kris started as a challenge, but by the time Nate realized there was more to Kris than meets the eye, it was too late: he had fallen.

But they’re not just from opposite sides of the track—they’re from different worlds. And when those worlds collide, Kris and Nate must decide whether they’re willing to give up what they have for what could be…

If Love Had a Price is book three in the If Love series but can be read as a complete standalone. It takes place between books one (If We Ever Meet Again) and two (If the Sun Never Sets). No cliffhanger! 

Recommended for 18+ due to adult language and explicit content.

#BookReview: Foul Days (The Witch's Compendium of Monsters #1) by Genoveva Dimova

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

The Witcher meets Naomi Novik in this fast-paced fantasy rooted in Slavic folklore, from an assured new voice in genre

As a witch in the walled city of Chernograd, Kosara has plenty of practice taming rusalkas, fighting kikimoras, and brewing lycanthrope repellent. There’s only one monster Kosara can’t defeat: her ex the Zmey, known as the Tsar of Monsters. She’s defied him one too many times, and now he’s hunting her. Betrayed to him by someone close to her, Kosara’s only hope is to trade her shadow―the source of her powers―for illegal passage across the Wall to Belograd, where monsters can’t follow.

Life in Belograd should be sweet, but Kosara soon develops a fast-acting version of the deadly wasting sickness that stalks shadowless witches―and only reclaiming her magic can cure her. To trace her shadow, she’ll have to team up with the suspiciously honorable detective investigating the death of the smuggler who brought her across the Wall.

Even worse than working with the cops is that all the clues point in a single direction: one of the Zmey’s monsters has found a crack in the Wall, and Kosara’s magic is now in the Zmey’s hands.

The clock is ticking, the hunt is on, and Kosara’s priorities should be clear―but is she the hunter or the hunted? And in a city where everyone is out for themselves, who can Kosara trust to assist her in outwitting the man―the Monster―she’s never been able to escape alone?

#BookReview: The Air He Breathes (Elements, 1) by Brittainy Cherry @SourcebooksCasa

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

Tristan used to have it all, but now he's a broken shell of a man angrily lashing out at anyone who comes too close. He's fully prepared to be the monster everyone claims he is…until he meets a woman whose heart is just as shattered as his own. Together, they're no longer lost alone in the dark. Together, at last, they are free.

I was warned about Tristan Cole.

"Stay away from him," people said. "He's cruel. He's cold. He's damaged."

It's easy to judge a man because of his past. To look at Tristan and see a monster. But I couldn't do that. I had to accept the wreckage that lived inside of him because it also lived inside of me.

We were both empty. We were both looking for something else. Something more. We both wanted to put together the shattered pieces of our yesterdays.

Then perhaps we could finally remember how to breathe.

#BookReview: Hush Hush (Hush Hush Duet #1) by Lucia Franco

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

A new, seductive forbidden romance that caters to Manhattan's elite...

I knew the rules:

Never reveal my true identity.
Play the game, give the illusion. 
Don’t get close to the clients. 

The dark and glamorous lifestyle of the rich and shameless open my eyes to a lavish world of sin and wealth, and a man I can’t have. 

A man I desperately want—James Riviera. 

We're treading a fine line as we live the ultimate double life until we make a startling discovery that tests both our loyalties. 

I only had to follow the rules, but rules are meant to be broken.

#BookReview: Camera Shy (Lessons in Love #1) by Kay Cove #PageandVine

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

In this special limited edition hardcover, a body positive, neighbors-to-lovers romance about a curvaceous beauty who strikes an unlikely bargain with the handsome photographer next door.

"A man is going to treat you how you treat yourself. So please, for the love of God, act like a queen."

I was expecting a ring on my thirtieth birthday. What I didn't see coming was my boyfriend and business partner dumping me because he couldn't bear the idea of our bland sex life for the rest of our lives.

When an opportunity arises to spend my summer in Las Vegas, I stumble upon my hot new neighbor and his photography studio. We strike a simple deal.

He's the teacher, and I'm his student.

My lesson is learning to love the body I have. In exchange, I'm going to save his business. I have exactly one summer to unearth the most confident version of myself before I go home and return to reality.

But after a passion-fueled summer, I'm not sure of who I am anymore, and it's clear that the worst heartbreak of my life might still be yet to come.

#BookReview: Tied (All Torn Up #2) by Carian Cole @CarianCole @readforeverpub

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

"Holy dark and delicious angst. Carian Cole did not hold back. I dare you not to shed a tear."
― L.J. Shen, USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author of VICIOUS
 
My innocence was stolen when I was abducted at five years old. For eleven years I held on by clinging to childhood fairytales. I waited for a prince to someday save me and carry me off to a happily ever after.
 
I had no idea my savior would come as a scarred recluse, covered in tattoos, who can't—or won't—speak a word. Nevertheless, the moment our eyes met I knew he was the one.  My prince.

With his bare hands, he killed the monster who kept me captive. But people have a way of distorting the truth when the hero looks like a villain. As it turns out, Tyler Grace is many  A myth. An outcast. A nightmare. Haunted by tragedy, he lives secluded in the forest. Some say they see him ride through town at night—straddling a black motorcycle, his face covered by a skeletal mask.

I’ve been warned to stay away, yet I can't stop thinking about him. I ache to hear his voice. And I want nothing more than to break through his walls. I know he's the only one who can break through mine. 

Do we dare dream of a love that once felt impossible to find? Or will only our horrible, twisted past tie us together?

​ Fans of angsty romance from Lauren Asher and Mia Sheridan will be hooked by this emotional novel following two broken souls connected by a dark, haunting past. 

#BookReview: How to Kill with Kindness by S. R. Masters

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

Welcome to the kindest village in the country. If you follow their rules, you’ll be ok. If you don’t, they’ll make you pay…

The brand new psychological thriller for fans of T.M. Logan, Gillian McAllister and Lisa Jewell.

The village of Nether Appleford calls itself ‘England’s Kindest Village’. Overseen by the Kindness Committee, this close-knit community strives to live their lives with kindness at the heart of everything they do.

Just Be Kind. It’s as simple as that.

But what is kindness? Is it doing something to help someone else? Is it giving up your time to help your community? Or, perhaps it’s something a lot less obvious…

What if the kindest thing you could do meant hurting someone? Then what would you do?

#BookReview: The Baby by A.J. McDine @bookouture

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

There’s a baby in your house. It isn’t yours…

The day I was told I’d never be able to have a child, my world came crashing down. My husband says he still loves me but I lie awake at night, wishing we could have a family.

One morning, my husband’s side of the bed is cold and empty. I hear a noise and head downstairs.

In the middle of the rug in my living room is a wooden drawer. Swaddled inside, with perfect rosy cheeks and beautiful round blue eyes, a baby gazes up at me.

I shiver. It’s all I’ve ever wanted, but this baby is not mine…

An absolutely addictive page-turner with heart-pounding twists from beginning to end. Fans of The Woman in the Window, Freida McFadden and Lisa Jewell won’t be able to put this jaw-dropping psychological thriller down!

#BookReview: Somewhere to Stay (Someone, Somewhere #1) by Grace Turner

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

How long can a person resist temptation? Especially when it’s living under the same roof.

Theo Wilde had nowhere to go. A junior in college with no money to his name, he had no choice but to take his best friend, Ryder Calaway, up on his offer: to stay with him and his mom in Ryder’s childhood home. 

The idyllic suburban neighborhood was the last place Theo expected to end up. And the last place he wanted to be. 

Until her.

Natalie Calaway didn’t hesitate when her son asked if his best friend could stay with them for an indefinite period of time. All she knew was his name—Theo—and that he had nowhere else to go. Still, she wouldn’t say no.

Until she laid eyes on the man who invaded her house and realized she probably should have. 

Two seconds in, and she already regretted her decision. Especially when Ryder receives the internship offer of a lifetime across the country. Leaving Theo and Natalie living alone. 

And alone is a scary place to be. 

Alone together, it’s harder—nearly impossible—to resist the intense, ever-growing attraction between them. Even if it’s bound to end horribly. Even if it’s messy and forbidden and wrong.

#BookReview: A Feather So Black (Fair Folk #1) by Lyra Selene

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

Set in a world of perilous magic and moonlit forests, this seductive romantic fantasy tells the story of a defiant changeling, her cursed sister, and the dangerous fae lord she must defeat to save her family.

In a kingdom where magic has been lost, Fia is a rare changeling, left behind by the wicked Fair Folk when they stole the High Queen's daughter and retreated behind the locked gates of Tír na nÓg.

Most despise Fia's fae blood. But the queen raises her as a daughter and trains her to be a spy. Meanwhile, the real princess Eala is bound to Tír na nÓg, cursed to become a swan by day and only returning to her true form at night.

When a hidden gate to the realm is discovered, Fia is tasked by the queen to retrieve the princess and break her curse. But she doesn’t go with her is prince Rogan, Fia's dearest childhood friend—and Eala’s betrothed.

As they journey through the forests of the Folk, where magic winds through the roots of the trees and beauty can be a deadly illusion, Fia’s mission is complicated by her feelings for the prince…and her unexpected attraction to the dark-hearted fae lord holding Eala captive. Irian might be more monster than man, but he seems to understand Fia in a way no one ever has.

Soon, Fia begins to question the truth of her mission. But time is running out to break her sister's curse. And unraveling the secrets of the past might destroy everything she has come to love.

#BookReview: Sunbringer (Fallen Gods #2) by Hannah Kaner

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

Return to the world of Godkiller in this thrilling sequel to the #1 internationally bestselling fantasy debut, where Kissen and her companions must navigate lands of gods and demons to unravel a dark truth at the heart of their world.

Professional godkiller Kissen and her companions—young noble Inara and knight Elogast—return in a winding adventure in a world overflowing with magic, beauty, and danger.

#BookReview: The False Pawn by A. E. Asavi

ABOUT THIS BOOK:

Anthea Clark feels trapped. Each day, her soul is chipped away, piece by piece, at her job in a PR firm. There, she's tasked with refurbishing the sullied reputations of the wealthy and loathsome. But her somewhat manageable reality is shattered when she meets a mysterious stranger who knows her by name.

In the blink of an eye, Anthea is whisked away from all she knows and plunged into the treacherous world of court politics in a realm far from her own.

Captured by two enigmatic Elven princes in a world on the brink of war, where trust is a luxury she cannot afford, Anthea must summon all her cunning and resilience to survive.

And to keep her heart intact . . .