REVIEW TOUR Title: Toe the Line Author: Penelope Ward Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance Trope: Friends-to-Lovers Release Date: February 27, 2023
OUR REVIEW: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So many ups and downs in this emotional romance! Archie and Noelle’s story is
Friends to Lovers
Slow Burn
Angsty AF
“You might not have thought you were the man I deserved, but you were always the man I loved.”
Toe The Line is not a cookie cutter, predictable romance. Things did not always go in the direction I thought they would or even where I wanted sometimes…
“I’ve always loved you. I’ve just kept you tucked away, so I was never able to hurt you. But in doing so, I was hurting both of us.”
Noelle and Archie were always meant to be together and that epilogue was 100% swoon! This book is definitely a must read for fans of angst. It kept me on my toes!! 😉
-4.5 Stars- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-Diane-
Title: Toe the Line
Author: Penelope Ward
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Trope: Friends-to-Lovers
Release Date: February 27, 2023
BLURB
From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a friends-to-lovers story spanning more than a decade…
At first, I thought I’d hate spending the summer with Archie Remington—the conceited son of my parents’ friends.
What I knew about Archie: he was gorgeous, pre-law, and had always treated me like I didn’t exist when we were younger.
When our families bought a house together on an island in Maine, he and I were forced to share a bathroom.
The boy I remembered was now a full-grown man—but with the same attitude.
After a rough start, Archie and I unexpectedly started getting along one day and eventually became friends. We shared secrets and bonded during our morning jogs. I discovered that Archie had a wild spirit and that he struggled to conform to his father’s expectations.
Things were cool until I had to go and ruin it, getting drunk one night, and blurting out my fantasy—involving him.
I took it back, but it was too late. Archie had heard me loud and clear. After that, we never quite knew how to toe the line.
When that summer came to an abrupt and shocking end, I headed back to college, unsure if anything would ever be the same again.
Across the miles over the years, he and I stayed in touch as friends, but fate and timing always kept us from becoming more.
You know the saying: If two people are meant to be, they’ll find their way back to each other?
Let’s just say Archie came back into my life in a way I would’ve never expected.
And this time, my heart would really be put to the test.
Penelope
Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling
author of contemporary romance.
She grew up
in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a
television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son,
and beautiful daughter with autism.
With over two
million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author
of over twenty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen
languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
Knock Out, an all-new grumpy sunshine small town romance from Jiffy Kate, is now available in Kindle Unlimited!
In the blink of an eye, Willow Bernard goes from stocking shelves at the Piggly Wiggly to kicking butt at Viking MMA.
Willow Bernard has taken a lot of hits in her twenty-two years but always manages to come back swinging. Hoping to fly under the radar for a change, she relocates to Green Valley. Her strategy works until one fateful phone call initiates a series of events that shakes up her quiet existence.
Tattooed adventure-seeker Ozzi Erickson goes where the wind takes him. When he blows into Green Valley for his big brother’s wedding—and to figure out his next move—he isn’t prepared for the knock-out punch coming his way.
With Ozzi sticking around the Tennessee mountain town, his brother gives him a temporary assignment as Willow Bernard’s trainer.
His job is to teach her how to fight. But will she have the skills required to protect her heart?
‘Knock Out’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #4 in the Fighting for Love series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.
OUR REVIEW: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ozzi Erickson is the most laid back of the Viking MMA brothers. He has always had a touch of wanderlust but is helping out at the gym while he decides where he wants to go next.
Willow – is SO prickly! On her own since aging out of foster care she is starting a life in Green Valley. When she gets the news that her mother has passed away she also finds out that she isn’t as alone in the world as she had thought.
This story is sweet, swoony, and a bit angsty. It is a great conclusion to this Smartypants series that delivers with heart and heat!
When I walk across the gym to the heavy bags, I see the long dark, sleek hair I’ve come to associate with Willow Bernard. She’s pulling it up off her neck and tying it into a high ponytail, making my fingers tingle.
Would the strands be as soft as they look?
Clearing my throat, I get her attention in the mirror and give her a nod. “Ready to kick some ass?”
Her eyes stay on mine for a long moment and I swear there’s something that passes between us. And not for the first time, I wonder if she’s thought about me as much as I’ve thought about her over the past few days.
Shit, last night when I walked her downstairs, I’d fought the instinct to ask her to call me when she got home so I’d know she made it safely. Which, again, is ridiculous.
“Can I ask you something?” she says, turning around to face me, her expression unreadable.
Nodding again, I grab a set of gloves and some tape and walk toward her. “You can ask me anything.” I mean it. Unlike her, I’d give her any information she wants.
I’m a goddamn open book.
I just wish I could say the same for her, but even her off-handed comments give me whiplash.
First, she told me yesterday at the Piggly Wiggly that she was around a lot of kids growing up. So, I assumed she’s part of a large family, like ours.
But then yesterday evening, when Gunnar asked about her family, she said it was just her and her mom, which made it sound like she’s an only child.
The mystery surrounding Willow Bernard keeps building.
“Do you really think I’m any good at this?”
Picking my head up, I realize how close we are—so close I can see that her brown eyes are flecked with green—and also how serious she is.
And she has really long, dark lashes.
“You’re really fucking good,” I mutter as I begin to wrap tape around her wrists.
I can see the skepticism written all over her face. “You don’t believe me.”
Shaking her head slightly, she meets my gaze again. “I’ve never been good at anything.”
The thick veil that’s always shrouding Willow lifts momentarily and I see past the hard façade. Under her hard-as-nails exterior is a girl who’s unsure of herself and looking for approval, whether she wants to admit it or not.
As a trainer, it’s my job to see those types of things and look deeper than surface level, seeking out my clients’ strengths and weaknesses.Willow’s strengths are obvious. Her natural talent and drive are hard to miss. Shit, anyone could see it. Even if they didn’t know what they were looking for, they’d see her and think, this girl’s got something special.
About Jiffy Kate
Jiffy Kate is the joint pen name for Jiff Simpson and Jenny Kate Altman. They’re co-writing besties who share a brain. They also share a love of cute boys, stiff drinks, and fun times.
Together, they’ve written over twenty stories. Their first published book, Finding Focus, was released in November 2015. Since then, they’ve continued to write what they know–southern settings full of swoony heroes and strong heroines.
First, I have to say that I loved this story! It was easy to read, novella length and a standalone.
I went in to reading Veil pretty much blind and had only seen a teaser. I think I was expecting dark, but it was definitely a sheep in wolf’s clothing 😉 It tried to seem dark and scary but was underneath it all a sweet and swoony romance.
“My angel. I’m completely obsessed with this woman.”
Makayla has always been a romantic but after having her eyes opened by a lying, cheating boyfriend she isn’t in any hurry to jump back into a relationship.
Cannon is drawn to Makayla from the moment he sets eyes on her. He helps her see her own strength, but wants to be the one to show her that she can find happiness.
“And suddenly, I’m back in the deep end, but this time I’m not sinking.
I’m floating.”
There is a bit of mystery, suspense and danger and through it all romance and friendships.
-4.5 Stars- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-Diane-
BLURB
The moment I laid eyes on Makayla Hawkins, I felt it in my gut. A spark of desire, igniting a burning need inside me that I hadn’t felt in years.
I wanted her.
She had the face of an angel, and a body made for sin.
She was a temptress. A forbidden fruit.
And I wanted a taste.
Such a shame she belonged to another man.
One who didn’t deserve her.
But after a simple phone call, she was mine for the taking.
From the moment she stepped inside my club, I knew one night would never be enough.
I was consumed.
She was addicted.
I was her fantasy.
She was my obsession.
ABOUT M.A. FOSTER
M.A. Foster was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. She’s married to her high school sweetheart and mother to two grown boys. She loves fur babies, chocolate, lattes and all things sparkly. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s either catching up with friends and family or chatting with her readers and fellow author friends on Facebook.
From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new standalone novel.
The day I showed up to Dax Moody’s sprawling home, I had no idea what was coming.
As a traveling massage therapist, I was used to entering the houses of strangers.
But this assignment was different from any before it.
From the outside, I’d correctly assumed the owner was rich. What I didn’t realize was that he would be younger than I’d imagined, single, stunningly gorgeous, and mysterious.
Despite the fact that Dax had booked a massage, it never actually happened, since our first appointment was unexpectedly cut short by a comedy of errors.
Certain I’d never see him again after that day, I’d done nothing but think about the captivating man.
To my surprise, he called a second time. That appointment, we talked a lot, developing a stronger connection. But once again, there was no actual massage.
The man I now affectionately called “Moody” kept calling me to come back.
It took three times before I finally gave him the massage he’d ordered. Let’s just say it was challenging to keep things professional. I was extremely attracted to Dax, and by that time, I was falling hard.
Eventually, I’d find out why he’d been so aloof, the reason why he and I could never be together.
Our story was supposed to end there, but it didn’t.
Instead, I was left perpetually longing for a forbidden man.
Penelope
Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling
author of contemporary romance.
She grew up
in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a
television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son,
and beautiful daughter with autism.
With over two
million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author
of over thirty books. Her novels have been translated into over a dozen
languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
I loved Moody! This author has a way with words that makes me forget that I’m reading and more like I’m part of the story.
Massage therapist, Wren McCallister feels completely out of her element when she meets her new client, Dax Moody. Something about him, makes her nervous and clumsy but she feels like he’s not telling her everything.
“I get to make people feel better for a living—without having to slice them open or prescribe medication.”
I really loved the story and especially the Swoon factor. I didn’t quite get the big “taboo” that kept Moody and Wren apart so long. That is a trope that I just don’t understand but I was able to enjoy the book from the awkward meet to the beautiful epilogue!
I listened to some of this book on audio and loved the narration. A great listen!
Talia Eden loved Foster Madden for one year, two months and eleven days. It was on day 438 that her love died. The day he chose to marry her best friend. The day she vowed never to think of Foster again.
Until years later when he has the audacity to show up in her small hometown of Quincy, begging for her help.
The ink on his divorce papers is barely dry, yet he comes armed with apologies and promises. She knows it’s all a ploy. Foster is the king of games and secrets. But he’s got delusions the size of Montana if he thinks she’ll help him train for a world championship fight.
Except Talia has forgotten exactly what made Foster famous. The man has dedicated his life to victory. He’s steadfast. He’s determined. And he won’t stop fighting until he’s won her heart.
OUR REVIEW: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Garnet Flats is a small town, second chance romance. Talia Eden is trying to gain respect as a doctor in her hometown of Quincy, Montana and is just marking days… good days and bad days.
Her ex, Foster Madden, a professional fighter who dumped her to marry her best friend, shows up in Quincy. Foster is fighting to win Talia back but he is still keeping secrets.
“Do you feel this?”
Not the chemistry. Not the lust. Not the fireworks. The impossible emotion, buried beneath it all…”
I kind of wanted Talia to make Foster grovel a whole lot more than she did… but really I don’t think I would last too long against the charm of Foster and all he brings with him.
I enjoyed this small town, sweet and swoony story with its touch of danger and suspense.
-4.5 Stars- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-Diane-
Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Audible, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, Kobo!
Devney is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in Washington with her husband and two sons. Born and raised in Montana, she loves writing books set in her treasured home state. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her family. Writing one book, let alone many, was not something she ever expected to do. But now that she’s discovered her true passion for writing romance, she has no plans to ever stop.
What happens when the Italian hottie you hooked up five years ago shows up again? You explore that spark in secret, because anyone can fall in love with their brother’s best friend. I am falling for my brother’s enemy.
Football club lawyer, Santino Rossi is known in the locker room as the two-month chump. For years he’s been on a mission to find someone he can share his basil plant with and cure him of his former playboy ways. So when he ends up stuck in an elevator with the one that got away, he thinks a replay is a great game plan. Download now or read in Kindle Unlimited
When Tilly was last in London they were both young, stupid and reckless. What they had together was supposed to be sex only, no strings, no getting involved. When Tilly hits rock bottom, she rushes back home to Scotland to find herself and healing.
“I know running has been a pattern of mine because accepting help makes me feel weak and incapable, but I’ve never felt stronger and more inspired than when I’m with you.”
It’s now five years later, Tilly is back in London to help her brother Mac’s wife, Freya. Both Tilly and Santino have grown and changed but one thing that hasn’t changed is the chemistry between them.
“I loved that you thought I was perfect. It fed my soul. It made me feel alive and pure and worthy of a beautiful life with you.”
Such a beautiful emotional story, this book is all swoony and hot, hot, HOT while still managing to hit me in ALL the feels! Plenty of laughs and tears.
-4.5 Stars- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-Diane-
Anyone can fall for their brother’s best friend…Tilly Logan fell for her brother’s enemy.
Football club lawyer, Santino Rossi is known in the locker room as the two-month chump. For years he’s been on a mission to find someone he can share his basil plant with and cure him of his former playboy ways.
Tilly Logan is a fiery, Scottish lass who didn’t bat an eye five years ago when a smoldering Italian pulled her into a nightclub bathroom. He was dark, dangerous, and exactly the good time Tilly was looking for—even if he worked for her over-protective brother’s team.
But a lot has changed and when Tilly returns to London five years later only to find herself trapped in an elevator with the smoldering Italian, it isn’t a happy reunion. Especially because her brother blames Santino for her high tailing it back to Scotland in the first place.
Tilly doesn’t want a replay of past mistakes and reconnecting with Santino is playing with fire.
But if they keep their relationship a secret, it could be worth the burn.
★★★★★ Replay was absolutely BRILLIANT and definitely one of the BEST and my FAVORITE romances from Amy Daws! Tilly and Santino were EVERYTHING, and their story was perfect in every way and went above and beyond my expectations.
The storyline and characters were utter perfection, and I loved them with all of my heart. The plot—especially some unexpected twists along the way—was mind-blowing and took me on an incredibly special and memorable journey. The characters were out of this world fantastic. Tilly, Santino, and the rest of the gang were a truly phenomenal group of characters that I couldn’t help but fall head over heels for. They provided endless laughs, smiles, and entertainment, and I couldn’t have loved it—and them—more.
Sexy, hilarious, angsty, emotional, and swoon-worthy, Replay was an absolute MUST READ spin-off standalone sports romance in the Harris Brothers world, and Tilly and Santino’s story is NOT to be missed! Super excited for what Amy Daws has in store next! -The Romance Bibliophile
⚽️⚽️⚽️
“Sei bellissima stasera,” I growl, sliding my hands into her loose, straight locks as I press my lips to hers for a quick kiss. I drag the backs of my fingers down her pale cheek and add, “Beautiful.”
She grips my arms, her eyes wide and challenging. “How did I never know you spoke Italian?”
“I’m a man of mystery.” I dip my nose to the area below her ear, inhaling her intoxicating scent of honey and citrus. After spending the night making out with her a few days ago, I haven’t been able to stop craving her scent. She arches into my touch, and the motion causes my cock to stir inside my jeans. Pulling back, I stare at her lips. “And no one said I spoke good Italian. I might have just told you that you look like a beetroot.”
Her hands slide up the short sleeves of my shirt, her fingers biting into my biceps. “I love beetroots.”
“Nobody loves beetroots.” I laugh and tilt my head with a smug look. “Hai delle labbra così deliziose…Vorrei tanto baciarti.”
Her jaw drops. “What did you just say?”
Smiling, I lean in and whisper against her lips, “I said your lips are so delicious…I would really like to kiss you.”
Without pause, I fuse our mouths together and tease my tongue along her lush lips. She tastes minty, and that, coupled with her honey scent, has me deepening the kiss even further. Her hands move from my arms to my waist as she fists my T-shirt. When I thrust my tongue deep into her mouth, she inhales sharply, and her faint moan vibrates against my lips. Moving my hands down to her arse, I pull her into me so she can feel the effect she’s having on me.
“Okay, Sonny Corleone, no need to get cheeky.” She breaks our kiss, her face adorably flushed as she glances around nervously and finger combs her mussed locks. “We’re in public, after all.”
I shove my hands into my pockets. “It’s been a long time.”
“It’s been a few days.”
“Give or take five years.” I wink playfully, causing her to roll her eyes.
Amy Daws is an Amazon Top 13 bestselling author of sexy, contemporary romance novels. She enjoys writing love stories that take place in America, as well as across the pond in England. When Amy is not writing in a tire shop waiting room, she’s watching Gilmore Girls, or singing karaoke in the living room with her daughter while Daddy smiles awkwardly from a distance. For more of Amy’s work, visit: http://www.amydawsauthor.com
I loved this modern day fairytale. Love Is Never Lost is a romance retelling of the story of Rip Van Winkle.
“I love you. Even after a lifetime together, yours is the face that lights my darkness, the voice that soothes my soul, the one heart on earth that beats in tandem with mine. I could sleep for a million years, and I would still wake up to fall in love—all over again—with you.”
Star athlete, Ripley is left in a coma after a fall from a lighthouse just before his High School graduation day. Twenty years later his childhood friend Katrina is there when he wakes to help him find his way. For Rip it feels like he has time traveled into the future but if he wants to move forward he has to find a way to leave the teenage Rip behind.
“I love you. I don’t remember a day I didn’t love you. My love ends when time ends, which means I love you forever.”
This story was quite an emotional rollercoaster. Friends first, Rip and Trina become almost enemies for a while. Katrina’s love for Ripley never falters as he has a long road to travel before he catches up to her.
-4.5 Stars- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-Diane-
From New York Times bestseller Katy Regnery comes a new twist on the beloved American legend, “Rip Van Winkle.”
Sometimes, the journey is the love story.
On the night of his high school graduation, Ripley Van Winkle—local quarterback, prom king and all-around big man on campus—swan dives off the top of the Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse. . . and lands on jagged pile of rocks. Suffering massive brain trauma, Rip isn’t expected to live, but he somehow manages to beat the odds: most of his physical injuries heal, though he remains in a deep coma for the next twenty years.
When Rip awakens two decades later, he will need to relearn his body’s most basic functions, in addition to catching up on twenty years’ worth of history, progress and change.
Something called the “internet” has the answer to every question you could ever dream of asking, and people are reliant on mobile telephones smaller than a Walkman. His high school girlfriend is married with children, and he has an eighteen-year-old sister who was born while he was “sleeping.”
As Rip struggles to find his place in this strange, new world, one presence in his life will become both a beacon and guide: his childhood friend, Katrina Van Tassel. But Trina has a challenging adult life of her own, and there’s no guarantee she has space in her life (or her heart) for her one-time high school crush . . . Rip Van Winkle.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Love is Never Lost is part of the ~a modern fairytale~ collection: contemporary, standalone romances inspired by beloved fairy tales.
The Vixen and the Vet (Beauty & the Beast) Never Let You Go (Hansel & Gretel) Ginger’s Heart (Little Red Riding Hood) Dark Sexy Knight (Camelot) Don’t Speak (The Little Mermaid) Shear Heaven (Rapunzel) At First Sight (Aladdin) Love is Never Lost (Rip Van Winkle)
About the Author: New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katy Regnery has a heart for smart romance featuring strong women and decent men. Almost exclusively self-published, Katy claims authorship of almost 50 titles, including three RITA® finalists. Translated into French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Turkish, Katy has sold over two million books worldwide.
The beginning of this story is a sweet coming of age tale. Lincoln and Sunny know their young love is true love. They are innocents and life throws some difficult hurdles at them. I loved reading about their journey.
Years later Lincoln and Sunny are brought back together. They have both been through a lot, they’ve changed and grown.
The Summer of Us morphs into everything a fan of angsty, second chance romance could wish for as Linc is determined to prove to Sunny that their love is real and true.
-4.5 Stars!-
-Diane-
The beginning of this story is a sweet coming of age tale. Lincoln and Sunny know their young love is true love. They are innocents and life throws some difficult hurdles at them. I loved reading about their journey.
Years later Lincoln and Sunny are brought back together. They have both been through a lot, they’ve changed and grown.
The Summer of Us morphs into everything a fan of angsty, second chance romance could wish for as Linc is determined to prove to Sunny that their love is real and tru
ABOUT THE SUMMER OF US
Can we let go of the past?
The Summer of Us is the new small-town, second- chance romance from NYT/USAT Bestselling Author Melanie Moreland.
She was the light in my dark life. The sunshine that warmed me and made me smile.
We had one summer. One perfect summer, until the day it ended.
Years later, she walked back into my life. Older. Sadder. More beautiful than ever.
How can I prove to her that summer was real?
How do I make her see that boy that loved her then, still loves her now?
How do we get back to the summer when we were us?
BIO
New York Times/Wall Street Journal/USA Today bestselling author Melanie Moreland, lives a happy and content life in a quiet area of Ontario with her beloved husband of thirty-one-plus years and their rescue cat, Amber. Nothing means more to her than her friends and family, and she cherishes every moment spent with them.
While seriously addicted to coffee, and highly challenged with all things computer-related and technical, she relishes baking, cooking, and trying new recipes for people to sample. She loves to throw dinner parties, and also enjoys traveling, here and abroad, but finds coming home is always the best part of any trip.
Melanie loves stories, especially paired with a good wine, and enjoys skydiving (free falling over a fleck of dust) extreme snowboarding (falling down stairs) and piloting her own helicopter (tripping over her own feet.) She’s learned happily ever afters, even bumpy ones, are all in how you tell the story.
Melanie is represented by Flavia Viotti at Bookcase Literary Agency. For any questions regarding subsidiary or translation rights please contact her at flavia@bookcaseagency.com
Welcome back to Weight Expectations, where the unexpected is likely to happen.
Cutie and the Beast, an all-new roommates-to-lovers romantic comedy from M.E. Carter, is now available in Kindle Unlimited!
OUR REVIEW: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cutie and the Beast is a fun, sweet and entertaining romance with plenty of banter.
Trainer and single dad Abel (aka The Beast) is doing his best to make ends meet and raise his eight year old daughter.
Cute single mom Elliott and new manager of the gym’s daycare needs to move out of her mom’s house if she hopes to preserve their good relationship and not get on each other’s last nerve.
Abel and Elliott decide to combine resources. On paper it seems a perfect arrangement but real life can throw some curve balls at you.
“When they moved in, I didn’t anticipate they would become this part of my life that just fit, but that’s exactly what happened. They slid into this empty spot I didn’t know was there.“
I really enjoyed this story. Two smart and precocious eight year olds, two divorced parents, one workplace, and one home combine with a real life feel and true to life situations for a very believable tale.
-4.5 Stars!-
-Diane-
Living with her mother seemed like a good idea at the time. But Elliott Donovan’s living arrangements are not working for her anymore. Desperate to get back on her financial feet after a divorce and out from under her mother’s thumb, Elliott takes a job in the child care center at Weight Expectations, a local gym.
It has everything she needs – family friendly hours, more pay than she expected, and a super cute trainer who just happens to have part of his house for rent.
Abel DiSoto was living the good life until his wife walked out taking half of the family income with her. The blow to his ego was bad enough, but after a fire at the gym scattered Abel’s clients, and consequently his commissions, he’s stuck figuring out how to make ends meet, too. Renting out the master suite of his house to his new co-worker seems like an easy solution. They’re both mature adults, they both have eight-year-old daughters, and their work schedules coordinate so they can lend each other a helping hand to ease the burden of single parenthood.
The only downside? Living like a blended family when you’re not actually a family can present some challenges.
Welcome back to Weight Expectations, where the unexpected is likely to happen.
‘Cutie and the Beast’ is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book #3 in the Cipher Office series, Knitting in the City World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
Download your copy TODAY or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
In my haste to not be late, I barrel right into a woman coming through the front door.
Grabbing her arms to steady her from falling, I apologize profusely. “I’m sorry! I didn’t see you. Are you all right?”
Smiling tightly, the blonde isn’t thrilled a random stranger practically ran her over. But she’s polite anyway. “I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure? You aren’t hurt?” I don’t think she is, but sometimes I don’t know my own strength.
This time her smile is a little more genuine. “I’m sure. You sure are in a rush.”
Letting go of her arms, I feel like she needs an explanation other than me racing around like an idiot. “I’m the one parent who has a tendency to be late for school pickup. The lady at the front desk gives me a nasty evil glare if she has to call me.”
This woman, whose name I still haven’t bothered to ask, laughs and I’m struck by how cute she is. She’s definitely a few years older than I am, but not by much. There’s nothing about her that necessarily stands out in a crowd, but her smile is genuine. This is a woman who likes to laugh and have fun. I always gravitate toward those people, which gives me a fleeting thought: I should have noticed my ex-wife hardly ever smiled for real. Laughing was even rarer unless it was at someone else’s expense. Those should have been easy indicators she wasn’t the one for me.
“Parker Elementary?” the blonde asks.
“Yeah.” I give her a quizzical look. “How did you know?”
“Do not mess with Ms. Alexander’s routine. She will cut a bitch.”
My laugh comes easily, and I find myself hoping this woman is a new member. She’s funny. I love it when clients have a sense of humor. Offering her my hand, I introduce myself. “I’m Abel. Trainer here at Weight Expectations and father of Mabel in second grade.”
She places her cold hand in mine. “Elliott. Interviewee for the childcare position and mother of Ainsley, also in second grade.”
“Ah! Well it’s nice to meet you. Fingers crossed I’ll see you here later as a fellow employee. And if not here, at Parker Elementary as a fellow parent. Hopefully not in Ms. Alexander’s line of sight.”
Elliott holds up her gloved hands and crosses her fingers around each other. “Wish me luck. Now run fast.”
About M.E. Carter
My name is M.E. Carter and I have no idea how I ended up writing books. I’m more of a story teller (the more exaggerated the better) and I happen to know people who helped me get those stories on paper. I love reading (read almost 200 books last year), hate working out (but I do it anyway because my trainer makes me), love food (but hate what it does to my butt) and love traveling to non-touristy places most people never see. I live in Houston with my four kids, Mary, Elizabeth, Carter and Bug, who was just a twinkle in my eye when I came up with my pen name. Yeah, I’ll probably have to pay for his therapy someday for being left out.
My Bare Lady, a funny and heartwarming romantic comedy standalone from Piper Sheldon and Smartypants Romance is available now!
OUR REVIEW: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Love, Love, love this modern day redo of Pygmalion (My Fair Lady) A very original take on this classic. It is a little on the darker, grittier side than your average RomCom.
“Your issue is not that you don’t feel, Ford. Your issue is that you feel too much.” She smiled and put her head back on my racing heart.”
Suzie and Clifford’s story is a wonderful slow burn, opposites attract romance. It really had me wondering if Ford was molding Suzie or if he was going to find all the changes within himself.
“Just because everybody says things about you, doesn’t make them true. You get to decide who you are.”
The story is a standalone, the first in a new series featuring Jethro Winston’s exes, the Scorned Women’s Society.
-4.5 Stars!-
-Diane-
Suzie Samuels is the only thing standing between Clifford and his life’s work. All he has to do is change everything about her. Perception creates reality and Clifford Rutledge needs the irascible stripper to prove it.
Suzie Samuels is set to prove once and for all she’s more than Short Fuse Suze, stripper for the Black Demons and renowned motorcycle arsonist. If all it takes is hard work, then Suzie knows how to work it hard.
But Suzie’s scandalous spirit tests Clifford’s resolve. And Clifford’s buttoned-up bullying is driving Suzie bonkers.
Can Clifford move past their differences long enough to pull off the impossible task of changing the bare lady into a fair lady?
More importantly, as perceptions shift and priorities change, will he want to?
‘My Bare Lady’ is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, can be read as a standalone, and is book #1 in the Scorned Women’s Society series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!
I was transfixed. It wasn’t just the way she mastered the room. It wasn’t just how her choreography perfectly correlated with the entrancing music. It wasn’t just her sex appeal. It was that unwavering gaze and focus on her task. To the rest of the room, staring blatantly at her admirable—ahem—assets, she was an object, but I recognized the barely controlled passion roiling under her skin. What would it be like to be that strong? Not just physically, but strong in a way that allowed her to bare her soul to a group of greedy strangers. My passions were locked away safely inside me and yet she put it all out there. Such bravery and passion.
In certain moments, I swear she looked right at me—quick stolen glances that shot a bolt of adrenaline down my spine. Perhaps this was a skill she learned to earn more tips, as the money was out in droves now, peppered over the stage and her sweating skin. But I swore she saw me. Saw through me. To the things I didn’t want seen. I stepped back further into the darkness knowing my concerns were irrational but unable to tear my eyes off hers. I was stronger than this. I was thoughtful, pragmatic, and not a victim of animalistic natures and poetic fantasies.
Though she occasionally snapped the thin strips of material that made up her outfit in a playful tease she never took any clothes off. She didn’t need to. She’d managed to capture the attention of every person in that room with her movements alone.
My body reacted despite my rationale; heart pounding, skin aflame. I needed to leave. I wouldn’t be like the rest of these people.
The song crescendoed and in a show of strength, she launched herself back to the top of the pole once again. A small gasp escaped from me but the music drowned out all noise. She performed a trick that made her appear to fall down the entire length of the pole, tumbling over and sideways, limb over limb, only to catch herself at the bottom using only her thighs. She hung upside down, panting, dark hair sprawled out around her and her gaze set on me. Her eyes were a brilliant emerald, unlike any color I’d ever seen. They were luminescent in the stage lighting. Even across the hazy bar, they were transcendent. Glowing. Fixated on me.
Nobody else.
I swallowed but it wasn’t easy. The song ended and the lights went out. The crowd went wild. Several moments passed before I gained control of my faculties again. With that control came the shame of watching her. The understanding that just seeing her perform was enough to make me forget who I was. That couldn’t happen.
I got out of there as fast as I could. The entire drive back to Knoxville my chest heaved at an alarming rate; my body remained a mass of tension. Her hypnotic gaze flashed repeatedly in my vision no matter how often I tried to shake it loose.
Thankfully, I’d never see her again.
About Piper Sheldon
Piper Sheldon writes Contemporary Romance and Magical Realism books that hope to be New York Times bestsellers when they grow up. For now, she works as a technical writer during the day and writes about love the rest of the time. Of course she also makes room for her husband, toddler, and two needy dogs at home in the Desert Southwest.
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