NetGalley Review - The Real Thing (Sugar Lake, #1) by Melissa Foster

This sassy, spirited baker is fine with heat—but is her fake fiancé too hot to handle?

The Real ThingSugar Lake, #1

by Melissa Foster

Releasing September 5^th 2017
Montlake 

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . THE REAL THING (Sugar Lake, #1) . . . New series with new characters and new issues, new truths, new funny situation and encounters. Welcome to Sugar Lake where this time around Hollywood meets Baker, second time around romance. Melissa Foster brings us her newest series with all the banter, charisma, chemistry, and hilarity of her other fun-loving series.

Zane and Willow have a chance this time to make a romance that have so much to make it real, if it wasn’t for the purpose of the public. Zane an actor in Hollywood and Willow a baker from his home town and a friend’s little sister. He did a favor for her some years ago and now he is in town to have a favor of his own. Neither figured that it would amount to much more than that. The desire and chemistry was there all along but time and distance has a way of changing perspective. At least that was the perception.

Foster delivers again with the sweet, sexy, cute, sassy, spirited, second chance at a first chance romance. Pick it up and you will have a good time. Good characters. Good pacing. Good writing. Good all the way around reading entertainment.

Blurb

This sassy, spirited baker is fine with heat—but is her fake fiancé too hot to handle?

Bakery owner Willow Dalton’s friendship with Zane Walker has always been a bit complicated. Now a scrumptiously hot A-list actor, Zane’s always had a reputation as player. He’s arrogant, and he’s definitely not boyfriend material. Sure, he did Willow a favor by agreeing to take her virginity before college, but is that reason enough to go along with a fake engagement a decade later—even if it comes with a real diamond ring?

Zane should have known better. Nothing involving Willow has ever been easy. Still, he knows her better than anyone, and becoming America’s hottest new leading man means cleaning up his reputation. An “engagement” to curvy, sass-mouthed Willow is the perfect PR move . . . provided no one gets hurt.

Now Zane and Willow’s little white lie has turned into an irresistible recipe for sweet temptation. And soon no one will be able to tell the difference between their fake engagement or the real thing—including them.

**THE REAL THING is being published by Montlake (an Amazon imprint) and won’t be available on other ebook retailers, but you can download a FREE ereader app to read it HERE, order the paperback.

EXCERPT

Zane was going straight to hell for even thinking about putting Willow in this position. But he needed her. And she was storming away, her long blond waves bouncing against her back with every irritated step. Her rounded hips swayed with determination and confidence no actress could come close to. She even made that simple belted dress look sexy as sin, as if it were a designer piece made just for her. She’d probably gotten it on sale at Misty’s, the local dress shop in their hometown. Willow was the real deal. A smart, funny, no-bullshit, no-frills woman with real curves to prove it. She lived in cutoffs and jeans and ate cupcakes and éclairs like models downed weight-loss pills. And she was the only woman on earth Zane trusted—or wanted—enough to ask for help.

Goddamn it. Why had he thought this was going to be easy? Willow was never easy. Even all those years ago, when he’d gone back to Sweetwater for a visit and she’d asked him to help her lose her virginity, she’d been controlling. He’d been sure she was fucking with him or that it was some kind of test. Her older brother, Ben Dalton, was his best friend. He’d spent more time at their house than he had at his own, and he’d had a major crush on Willow for years. She had practically begged him to help her, saying she’d thought it all out and she didn’t want to go to college as an inexperienced virgin. She had a list of rules and had planned every detail. Where, when, how—all the way up to when he was supposed to let her walk home alone so she could process what they’d done, and then they’d move on like nothing had happened. It was a good plan. A reasonable plan, considering what was at stake. And God knew he’d tried to abide by her rules. But she’d felt too good, been too sweet and trusting, not to get completely swept up in her.

“Please, Wills,” he called after her.

Willow stopped abruptly. Her head tipped forward, her shoulders dropping a smidge as she turned, her hair curtaining one eye. “Zane, just tell me what you’ve done.”

He went to her and reached for her hand, feeling shittier than he’d thought he would. “There is no baking gig. I set all this up to get you here.” Anger flared in her eyes. He continued explaining as fast as he could. “Wills, there’s this focus group for my new film, and they’re worried my reputation will hurt the movie. That fans won’t buy me as a romantic hero.”

She scoffed. “Smart fans.”

“Come on. I need your help.”

“What am I supposed to do? Write a letter to the public telling them Zane Walker isn’t a self-centered playboy? Sorry, not your girl.”

She took a step away, and he hauled her against him. Her hands landed on his chest, which felt amazing, and even with darts shooting from her bright-blue eyes with deathly precision, she was still the most beautiful, alluring woman he’d ever known.

“No,” she seethed. “Whatever it is. No.”

“Come on. Just hear me out.”

Her lips formed a tight line.

“I need a . . .” He could hardly believe what he was about to say. “A fake fiancée.”

“A fake fiancée? What does that mean?”

“We’ll pretend to be engaged so everyone thinks I’m a stand-up guy.”

A disgusted look washed over her face. “No.”

“You owe me, Wills.”

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Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented–perfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines.

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NetGalley REVIEW - Ready to Run (I Do, I Don't, #1) by Lauren Layne

Named Best Book of the Month by Amazon and iBooks 

Ready to RunI Do, I Don't, #1

by Lauren Layne

Releasing August 22^nd 2017
Loveswept

The Bachelor meets The Runaway Bride in this addictive romance novel about a reality TV producer falling for her would-be star: a Montana heartthrob who wants nothing to do with the show.

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . READ TO RUN (I Do, I Don’t, #1) . . . This was just so much fun. Jordon gets so much more than she bargained for when she arrives in Lucky Hollow Montana. She has the time of her life and then some. She even bumps into Luke a few times. I would not say that it was all bad. The sparks fly. Tongues wage.

Jordan has witts on her side. She finds a way when none seems apparent. She makes things happen. Luke was the sexy country fireman that was loyal to a fault. He would do and give until there was nothing left. He was the dream that women wanted and Jordan wanted him on her show.

Chick-lit romance coming up and served just right. There was so much fun to be had with encounters, incidents, banter, confrontations, a tear-jerker or two, and we can’t forget all the great characters that make this read one to go-to when you need a laugh with some romance.

Lauren Layne gave me that summer read that light up the rom-com meter.

I Do, I Don’t series:

Ready To Run – I Do, I Don’t, #1

Runaway Groom – I Do, I Don’t, #2

Just Run With It – I Do, I Don’t, #3

BlurbJordan Carpenter thinks she’s finally found the perfect candidate for Jilted, a new dating show about runaway grooms: Luke Elliott, a playboy firefighter who’s left not one but three brides at the altar. The only problem? Luke refuses to answer Jordan’s emails or return her calls. Which is how she ends up on a flight to Montana to recruit him in person. It’s not Manhattan but at least the locals in Lucky Hollow seem friendly . . . except for Luke, who’s more intense—and way hotter—than the slick womanizer Jordan expected.

Eager to put the past behind him, Luke has zero intention of following this gorgeous, fast-talking city girl back to New York. But before he can send her packing, Jordan’s everywhere: at his favorite bar, the county fair, even his exes’ book club. Annoyingly, everyone in Lucky Hollow seems to like her—and deep down, she’s starting to grow on him too. But the more he fights her constant pestering, the more Luke finds himself wishing that Jordan would kick off her high heels and make herself comfortable in his arms.

NOW AVAILABLE!

Luke started to load up the gear and, realizing he was doing it alone, glanced over his shoulder to see where the hell his partner was.

Unsurprisingly, his friend was chatting up City Girl. Neither Charlie nor Ryan seemed to mind in the least that these two fancy pants had swooped into their town to capitalize on Luke’s past.

What was more surprising was that Jordan Carpenter was chatting right back, her smile seemingly genuine, her laugh real.

Luke ground his teeth.

He couldn’t say he’d put much thought into the woman behind the name as he’d been unceremoniously deleting her emails and voice messages, but if forced to assume, he’d have guessed aggressive shrew.

He suspected he was wrong there. Because while there was no mistaking the ambition in the woman, it wasn’t the cutthroat, ball-busting kind.

Her lean body might be all angles and long lines, but there was a softness to her as well. The way her hair did its own thing. The easiness of her smile, the quick laugh. The small but pert breasts.

Damn. He was staring.

He slammed the door shut. “Bander,” he shouted at Charlie across the lawn. “Let’s clear out.”

Charlie leaned into Jordan, whispering something in her ear that made her laugh, before walking away with a last wink.

Luke rolled his eyes. Really? This was happening?

“Hey, Elliott,” Ryan called. “You want to come over for a barbecue tonight?”

Luke crossed his arms and studied his friend suspiciously, waiting for the catch. “Who’s on the guest list?”

He saw Jordan and her purple-shirt friend exchange a look. Well, that answered that question.

Damn. Ryan never had been able to resist the urge to stir up trouble.

“It’s no problem if you don’t want to join us,” Jordan called out, lifting her hand to shield the afternoon sun from her eyes. “I’m sure your friends here can fill me in on everything there is to know about Luke Elliott.”

All about Luke Elliott’s romantic history was more like it. City Girl wasn’t even pretending to be coy about the reason she was here.

All former positive thoughts about her evaporated. Only the worst sort of human would use another’s failed relationships to advance her own career—for entertainment.

Luke turned away without another word, hauling himself into the driver’s seat of the truck as he waited impatiently for Charlie to get done shouting goodbye to every single person within earshot.

He drummed his thumbs against the steering wheel, refusing to even think about going to the BBQ tonight. If his friends wanted to stir up trouble, they could do so without his cooperation.

As for the two New Yorkers, they’d flame out all on their own. Weren’t East Coasters known for being impatient and fast moving?

Surely they’d be off to find some other glory-seeking asshole if he ignored them. One of the other guys could play the role for all he cared.

As Charlie hauled his ass up, Luke started the truck, his eye catching on Jordan Carpenter, who was watching him with a stubborn, determined look on her pretty face.

Damn it. She’d stir up all sorts of trouble unless he ran interference.

Luke pulled out his phone to text Ryan.

I’ll be there. Have beer.

Charlie leaned over, unabashedly reading Luke’s iPhone screen. “Ha. Knew it.”

“What?” Luke glared at his friend.

Charlie grinned wider, gesturing over his shoulder. “You’ve got a boner for the hot blonde.”

“Are you kidding me with this? She wants me to be the next bachelor.”

How were Ryan and Charlie not getting the absurdity of this?

Charlie shrugged. “So? Maybe it’d be good for you.”

Luke stared at his friend for a moment longer before putting the truck in drive. “The only thing that would be good for me is to push you out of this truck.”

Charlie was waving goodbye to Jordan and Simon. “See you tonight!”

Luke ground his teeth harder. He was already dreading the BBQ, but not going would only make matters worse. Clearly he needed to have a very blunt conversation with Jordan Carpenter.

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RUNAWAY GROOM (Book 2)

JUST RUN WITH IT (Book 3)

Lauren Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of romantic comedies. She lives in New York City with her husband.

A former e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career. She signed with her agent in 2012, and her first book was published in summer of 2013. Since then, she's written over two dozen books, hitting the USA TODAY, New York Times, iBooks, and Amazon bestseller lists.

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NetGalley REVIEW - Virtual Tour - Drakon’s Plunder (Blood of the Drakon, #3) by N.J. Walters

Drakon’s Plunder

Blood of the Drakon, #3 

by N.J. Walters 

Publication Date: July 3^rd 2017 

Publisher: Entangled: Select Otherworld

Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

 

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . DRAKON’S PLUNDER (Blood of the Drakon, #3) . . . Ezra. Ezra. Ezra. This time around Ezra gets his mate. He gets to be the one that goes all protective, alpha, he-man, or he-drakon. Up to this point he was more of the strong silent type. There has been something about Ezra through the other books that drew me to him. Now, I have him and his story.

Here we have yet another four-thousand-year-old dragon that has had limited outside contact. But there was just something that he could not deny in the frail, wet, beauty that he plucked from the waters, Sam. Sam has her own mission and that was one of revenge. She wanted to make those that killed her mentor pay. She just did not expect it may cost her, her life in the process.

When Ezra and Sam finally have that face-to-face, her concise and all, sparks fly. Ezra was aware of what was happening. Poor Sam was not sure but felt the pull all the same.

With each new addition to the series I fall more in love with the Blood of the Drakon. I am a bit sadden that there is only one brother left yet to go. I suggest you begin at the beginning and work your way to this point. It’s not required to understand this read but it will help you with some of the small glimpses you get throughout.

Blood of the Drakon series:

Drakon’s Promise – Blood of the Drakon, #1

Drakon’s Prey – Blood of the Drakon, #2

Drakon’s Plunder – Blood of the Drakon, #3

BLURB

Life is not going well for archaeologist Sam Bellamy. She’s stuck in the middle of the ocean on a salvage boat with people who want her dead. It wasn’t her gift for being able to sense objects of power that got her here, rather her need to make a secret society called the Knights of the Dragon pay for killing her mentor. Sam doesn’t believe in dragons, but the Knights do, and if she can get one of the sacred artifacts they’re searching for away from them, she’ll consider it payback.

Ezra Easton is content to run his marine salvage company and live alone on his private island. He may be a four-thousand-year-old water drakon, but he’s civilized enough to know just because he pulls an injured woman from the ocean, doesn’t mean he gets to keep her…

When she wakes up, she has a few tall tales to share, and it seems the Knights are after her. But this drakon won’t give up his treasure.

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EXCERPT

“You have no idea who is looking for me.” She shoved the blanket aside and sat up. It was time to get dressed, if she still had any clothes, and get out of here. “These people are dangerous and will stop at nothing to find me. If they don’t find a body at the wreck—” She broke off before she said too much.

“So you were in a wreck. I wondered why you were alone in the dinghy. And who is after you?” He stood, looming like a large, avenging angel over her. “You can trust me to protect you.”

“You might be willing to risk yourself, but I’m not. I need to leave. Where are my clothes?”

As though she hadn’t spoken, Ezra continued. “You must be thirsty. Hungry, too. I’m starving. How about I make some bacon and eggs? Maybe some pancakes and toast.” He left her standing there and padded barefoot into the kitchen. Why did she find it so sexy that he was barefoot?

She was obviously not thinking straight, otherwise she wouldn’t notice the way his long hair brushed his shoulders or the way the soft denim cupped his behind as he walked away. Her toes curled against the rug.

She snatched up the throw blanket, wrapped it around her, and hurried after him. “Didn’t you hear anything I just told you? It’s not safe for you if I’m here. The people looking for me will kill you.”

Ezra pulled a carton of eggs, butter, and a package of bacon out of the refrigerator and set them on the counter. He added a box of pancake mix and a bowl to his collection before getting several large skillets out of the cupboard.

“Did you hear me?” she demanded. “They’ll kill you.”

Ezra propped his hands on his hips and faced her. “Not if I kill them first.”

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Author Info

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Author Links:

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter 

Street Team | Pinterest | Goodreads 

 Newsletter | Amazon Author Profile

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NetGalley REVIEW - Virtual Tour - Primrose Lane (Harmony Harbor, #3) by Debbie Mason

Love is the best medicine.

Primrose Lane
Harmony Harbor, #3

by Debbie Mason

Releasing June 27^th 2017
Forever

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . PRIMROSE LANE (Harmony Harbor, #3) . . . This would be the fourth read in the Harmony Harbor series. The third full-length read. With each new read you become more vested in Harmony Harbor and the people that call that place home. This time up we get a chance to see more into Olivia’s life. We find out things about her that have had us wondering for the past year. She has things in her past she wished would just stay there, but sometimes your past don’t want to stay buried.

 

Finn was a wild card for me. When first meeting him, his harness towards Olivia set me aback. To find that he was to be paired with her was also a small step back. I was hoping for one of the brothers to take an interest in her. Well, that is another story. He began to grow on me slowly as the read unfolded. He was not my favorite male of the series to this point but he turned out to be a nice guy. With time and understanding of Olivia the two of them become something more.

Debbie Mason gives me yet another sweet romance with some frustrating points for Olivia. Her life was a road that was well traveled and difficult to repair. Mason gave her writing skills a workout. The turbulence in Olivia’s life was written well and the impact on Olivia’s life was felt. Sweet and emotional. I wonder which of out small town citizens will be featured next.

Harmony Harbor series:

Mistletoe Cottage – Harmony Harbor, #1

Christmas with an Angel – Harmony Harbor, #1.5

Starlight Bridge – Harmony Harbor, #2

Primrose Lane – Harmony Harbor, #3

Blurb
Love is the best medicine.Olivia Davenport has finally gotten her life back together. She’s left her painful past behind, started over in a new town, and become Harmony Harbor’s most sought-after event planner. But her past catches up to her when Olivia learns that she’s now guardian of her ex’s young daughter. With her world spinning, Olivia must reconcile her old life with her new one. And she doesn’t have time for her new next door neighbor, no matter how handsome he is.

Olivia may act like she’s got everything under control, but Dr. Finn Gallagher knows a person in over her head when he sees one. He’d really like to be the shoulder she leans on, but Olivia makes it clear she doesn’t want his help. Since he’s returned to town, his waiting room has been full of single women feigning illness. Yet the one woman he’s interested in is avoiding him. But with a little help from some matchmaking widows and a precocious little girl, Finn might just win Olivia over.

“What are you two still doing in the pond? You can see that we’ve rescued Miller and George, can’t you?” his baby brother Liam asked.

Finn was about to make a smartass comeback when his other brother shouted, “Finn, on your six!”

The wedding guests and waitstaff yelled, “Run!”

Finn glanced over his shoulder. Sure enough, two swans were doing their running-on-water thing and coming toward him with their wings spread wide. “Liv, get out of here!” he yelled, turning to splash the big white birds in order to distract them so she could get to shore. It didn’t feel very manly or heroic, but he couldn’t exactly scoop Liv up and run from the pond with her in his arms. His leg wouldn’t make it. But it’s the thought that counted. Or so he was telling himself when he heard the sound of a warrior’s cry. If his brothers raced into the pond to rescue him, he was going to kill them.

Somebody brushed past him, knocking him off balance. It was Liv. Brandishing her shoes like weapons, she made a beeline for the birds. The swan on the right dipped forward and grabbed the shoe. . . and Liv’s hand. Finn launched himself at Liv, wrapping an arm around her waist and dragging her away from the posturing birds.

 A piece of bread hit Finn in the side of the head. The swan dropped Liv’s shoe and joined his three pals to glide gracefully to where the guests were now throwing bread into the pond. Too bad someone hadn’t thought of that earlier.

“If I never see a swan again, it’ll be too soon,” he muttered, half-dragging Liv out of the pond after him. It wasn’t until they’d climbed out that he realized she hadn’t said a word. He slowly turned. She was pale and shaking. “Liv, what is it?”

She looked at him, stared at him really, as if she expected him to understand what was going on. And there was definitely something going on, and it had nothing to do with a lost shoe. It hit him then. It had to do with a loss of another kind, a gut-wrenching, soul-crushing, heart-breaking loss that no one should ever have to bear.

He put his hands on her shoulders and ducked to look in her glassy eyes. “She’s fine, Liv. She was never in any real danger. We were here.”

“What if we hadn’t been?” she whispered, looking to where his brothers were drying George and Miller with towels. “She wanders off all the time and won’t come when I call. She hides from me, climbs rocks and trees, runs into the woods and the ocean at high tide.” A tear rolled down her cheek. She wiped her face and looked away. “If something happened to her . . .” She slowly shook her head. “I can’t do this, Finn.”

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Debbie Mason is the USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado series and the Harmony Harbor series. Her books have been praised for their "likable characters, clever dialogue and juicy plots" (RT Book Reviews). When she isn't writing or reading, Debbie enjoys spending time with her very own real-life hero, their three wonderful children and son-in-law, two adorable grandbabies, and a yappy Yorkie named Bella.

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