I Promise You by Ilsa Madden-Mills

SYNOPSIS:

Dillon McQueen: Babe. I promise. You want me.

Serena Jensen: Um, who are you?

There’s a legend at Waylon University: the first girl you kiss freshman year at the bonfire party is the one you’ll never forget. She’ll crawl under your skin. She’ll spark a passion so fierce you’ll burn the world down to possess her.

You might even put a ring on it.

But...timing is everything. That kiss can go horribly wrong. She might run in the opposite direction. And boy, did Serena run.

Dillon is Waylon’s hotshot quarterback with something to prove. All he wants is to graduate and make it to the NFL. What he doesn’t need is to finally meet the mystery girl he kissed at the bonfire freshman year. Isn’t it enough that she’s haunted his dreams for more than a thousand nights?

Fate laughs in his face when he runs into the plucky girl at the Piggly Wiggly. Surrounded by his entourage, he’s got all of her favorite cookies in his cart; she gets revenge by buying every six-pack of his favorite beer.

Obviously, that legend is a curse. She’s not his type and hates him. Worst of all, how can she not remember him when she left a Serena-shaped hole in his heart for the past three years?

So why can’t he stop trying to win her?

Will this quarterback score the girl or make the biggest fumble of his life?

Author’s Note: I Promise You is a complete stand-alone college sports romance. Expect hot football jocks, strong women with pluck, a tell-it-like-it-is Nana, deep feels, fun banter, and a sigh-worthy happy ending. No cheating or cliff-hangers.

REVIEW by Kelly:

Ilsa knows how to capture perfection in college romance. This is just one more book in her arsenal that will wrap you up, give you all the feels and spit you out feeling completed. 

We met Dillon in previous books about these Waylon football stars. He was a backup quarterback and now it’s his year and his time to shine. We knew him as cocky and as a playboy, a fun-time guy. Now we get to peel the layers back and see what lies underneath. Don’t we all wear a shell? A persona we put on for others we don’t let get close? Dillon is hurting. He’s suffered pain, loss and now is under the pressure to perform, to be the best QB1. He has a younger guy nipping at his heels. He’s already been second best, pushed to the side, replaced. He’s fighting for what means the most to him. Until she comes back into his life. We all know the legend of the kiss at the freshman bonfire parties. Dillon participated as well but he lost her and gave up searching after awhile. But like the legend says, she’s always been at the back of his mind and in his dreams.  Now, she’s real and he will do anything to capture her heart and give her his, the one that’s been hers all along. 

Serena is unique and quirky. She remembers Dillon and that kiss well but it wasn’t the right time for her. She’s two years older and a bit more experienced in life. She’s jaded. She’s driven down the road of love before only to crash and burn and leave her with painful scars. The attraction is intense between them, but what’s, even more, is the awareness they have of the other. She’s not sure if she’s ready or even willing to travel this road again. 

It’s a battle for love. There are ups and downs, jealousy, and heat. Insecurity runs rampant. They open up and reveal truths, honest about the pain. Then there’s hurt, no one is perfect. Their time wasn’t right before. Is it now?

I’m left feeling completely blissed out and happy. I love feeling this way and know that opening up one of Ilsa’s books is always the right medicine I need. Fantastic job and a huge 5-star for me!

ONE CLICK here!!

FLOCK and EXODUS by Kate Stewart (The Ravenhood Duet)

Can you keep a secret?

⁣I grew up sick.⁣

⁣Let me clarify.⁣

⁣I grew up believing that real love stories include a martyr or demand great sacrifice to be worthy.⁣

⁣Because of that, I believed it, because I made myself believe it, and I bred the most masochistic of romantic hearts, which resulted in my illness.⁣

⁣When I lived this story, my own twisted fairy tale, it was unbeknownst to me at the time because I was young and naïve. I gave into temptation and fed the beating beast, which grew thirstier with every slash, every strike, every blow.⁣

⁣Triple Falls wasn’t at all what it seemed, nor were the men that swept me under their wing. But in order to keep them, I had to be in on their secrets.⁣

⁣Secrets that cost us everything to keep.⁣

⁣That’s the novelty of fiction versus reality. You can’t re-live your own love story, because by the time you’ve realized you’re living it, it’s over. At least that was the case for me and the men I trusted my foolish heart to.⁣

⁣Looking back, I’m convinced I willed my story into existence due to my illness.⁣

⁣And all were punished.

Can you live a lie?

It’s a ghost town, this place that haunts me, the one that made me.
It’s clear to me that I’ll never outgrow Triple Falls or outlive the time I spent here.
I can still feel them all, my boys of summer.
Even when I’d sensed the danger, I gave in.
I didn’t heed a single warning. I let my sickness, my love, both rule and ruin me. I played my part, eyes wide open, tempting fate until it delivered.
There was never going to be an escape.
All of us are to blame for what happened. All of us serving our own sentences. We were careless and reckless, thinking our youth made us indestructible, exempt from our sins, and it cost us all.
I’m done pretending I didn’t leave the largest part of me between these hills and valleys, between the sea of trees that hold my secrets.
It’s the reason I’m back. To make peace with my fate.
And if I can’t grieve enough to cure myself in my time here, I’ll remain sick.
That will be my curse.
But it’s time to confess, to myself more so than any other, that I’d hindered my chances because of the way I was built, and because of the men who built me.
At this point, I just want to make peace with who I am, no matter what ending I get.
Because I can no longer live a lie.

REVIEW:

What do you do when you are in love with three men, who all came into your life at different moments and possibly for different reasons. With each turn of the page, I could not wait to discover how Ceceila would handle the cards that she was dealt with.

When I sat down to read Flock, I had no idea what I was in for. This book is AMAZING. I could not wait to see what happened next, and I finished the book in one sitting and didn't fall asleep until the wee hours of the morning. I was thrilled that Exodus was already available and I could pick up right where I left off. The opening scene in Exodus had me craving for more, forcing me to pull another long day and night of reading, so I can finish the book in one sitting. 

Ceceila is brazing and stubborn and for those reasons alone, I LOVED her. I routed for her, I craved to be here at some moments. Throughout this book, I laughed out loud and at times I cried for the pain she endured as I felt them deep in my own heart. Ceceila's journey packs a punch and will leave a hole in your heart when you are done. You will crave more yet love how the story wraps up. I tip my hat to Kate Stewart, as her words left me with raw emotions, and stories like these are what drives my desire to read. 

This series is one everyone must-read. It's epic and mind-blowing and I will be reading them again in the future.  This duet definitely has a place in my TOP 10 reads of 2020.

Evil Love by Ella Fields (A Dark High School Bully Romance)

Bestselling author Ella Fields delivers an all-new standalone enemies to lovers, bully romance.

SYNOPSIS:

There was a time Jude Delouxe didn’t hate me, and I’m fairly certain it was when he didn’t know I existed.

Senior year, I finally caught his eye long enough to throw word vomit at him like the obsessed teenage girl I was.

That was then.

You see, the most wanted guy in school blamed me for losing his second chance with his girlfriend. Ex-girlfriend? Whatever. Point is, the Adonis loved to hate me.

It wasn’t my fault he’d followed me. It wasn’t my fault he’d stared too long and stood a little too close, just daring me to accomplish my wildest dreams.

And it most certainly wasn’t my fault his ex-girlfriend arrived when he’d decided to kiss me back.

Then the cruelty began.

I’d thought I could handle it, so long as his lips kept gracing mine and he kept giving me more scorching firsts. Until he took it too far, and all his carefully kept secrets blew open the doors to a brand-new world. A world he was all too familiar with.

Obsession became loathing and fear replaced naivety as Jude was forced to hold my hand and help me navigate a secret society rife with sin and debauchery—the crème de la crème of Peridot Island.

If I wasn’t careful, I’d do more than lose what remained of my heart. My first love and greatest foe wouldn’t be satisfied until he’d devoured my soul, too.

REVIEW:

I love me a bully romance every now and then to shake things up and Evil Love delivered what I was looking for.  Jude Delouxe was the high school football star, a teenage boy every girl dreamed about. Problem was, he was so out of Fern Denane's league. However, one kiss with her crush, Jude, triggers a slew of events that no one was quite ready for.

Jude doesn't want to be attracted to Fern, but no matter how hard he tries to stay away, he can't. So when he decides to keep her as his dirty little secret, Fern takes whatever he is willing to give. After all, he has been the focal point of her obsession for years. 

Things aren't how they seem to appear on Peridot Island. As the layers begin to be peeled back, and naive Fern begins to see the truth hidden behind no many lies, she is forced to look at things with a new set of eyes. She's grown up sheltered by her mother, so when the wool is lifted from her eyes, she sees things in a different light. 

I loved how Fern may have appeared to be weak, but she wasn't. As the story unfolds, you see how strong she truly is. You see how Jude has an obsession with her as well. The only difference is, Jude doesn't know what to do with his feelings. Evil Love was my first book by this author and it probably won't be my last.

Rachel Van Dyken has revealed the cover for Destructive King!

Releasing: January 12, 2021

Cover Design: Jena Brignola

 

A mafia romance about love and loss by Rachel Van Dyken, the number one New York Times bestselling author of the Eagle Elite series.

...When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.
-- Mary Elizabeth Fyre


"I'm sorry for your loss." I would rather be tortured for an eternity than hear those damn words from one more person, as if Claire, my dead fiance, was a cell phone or car keys.
How about, I'm sorry your life is over.
I'm sorry you want to die too.
I'm sorry you see her in your dreams and wake up only to relive the nightmare.
I'm supposed to be the strongest of them all. Ash Abandonato, ruler, assassin, made man, brother, friend--instead, I hurt everyone I touch in hopes that they'll feel even a sliver of the pain that bears down on my shoulders.
I didn't lose.
It was taken from me.
And it's all her fault, Annie Smith.
I daydream about her death.
And then I close my eyes, and I see her soft smile. I feel her touch, her kiss--it was a mistake what we did that night, but I can't take it back, and now she's under my father's protection--my protection.
My worst enemy.
The woman I'm the most attracted to.
I can't decide if I want to strangle her or kiss her, and now that she's stuck in my life, my only goal is to make her feel the same loss I do and destroy her in the process.
I'll trick her with my touch.
Seduce her with my kiss.
And in the end, when my enemy is at her most vulnerable--I'll bring down an entire Empire and continue my reign as King.
Bow down, I'll say as I bring the Five Families to their knees.
Blood in.
Never out.
Damned. 

 

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EXCERPT REVEAL ~ HAPPILY LETTER AFTER by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward

 

Title: Happily Letter After

Authors: Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

Publisher: Montlake

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance

Release Date: October 20, 2020

BLURB

From New York Times bestselling authors Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward comes a love story about taking chances and the surprises that come with them. 

My love story all started with a letter. 

Only it wasn’t from the man I’d eventually fall in love with. It was from his daughter. A sweet little girl named Birdie Maxwell who’d written to the magazine that I worked for. 

You see, once a year my employer fulfilled a few wishes for readers. Only that column didn’t start up again for months. 

So I fulfilled some of her wishes myself. It was harmless…so I thought. Until one day I took things too far. 

While anonymously granting yet another of Birdie’s wishes, I got a look at her father. Her devastatingly handsome, single dad father. 

I should have stopped playing fairy godmother then. I should have left well enough alone. But I just couldn’t help myself. I had a connection to this girl. One that had me acting irrationally. 

Like when I showed up on their doorstep.

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EXCERPT

Copyright © 2019 by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward 

“I cannot believe we are doing this.” Devin and I took the C train to Columbus Circle and stopped at Starbucks before walking over to the carousel. My partner in crime came dressed for surveillance, wearing head-to-toe black, dark sun- glasses, and a wool cap . . . in July. We were lucky it was New York or she might look like the weirdo she is. I, on the other hand, had on jeans and an Aerosmith T-shirt. Because . . . you know . . . Steven Tyler and those lips. I didn’t even care he was probably pushing seventy. I’d still suck on those babies. 

We took a seat on a bench located to the right of the carousel—not directly in front of it but where we could still see everyone who walked in and out. As we got into position, I started to feel really bad about what we were about to do—invade little Birdie’s privacy. 

“Maybe we shouldn’t do this.” 

Devin put her hand on my shoulder and applied pressure—just in case I tried to get up. “We’re doing this. Don’t even try to make a run for it.” 

I slouched back onto the bench. “Fine.” 

We sat for the better part of an hour, sipping coffee, gossiping about work, and looking around for a little girl and her dad. When I caught the time on my phone, I said, “It’s after eleven. I don’t think they’re coming.” 

“Let’s give it until eleven thirty.” 

I rolled my eyes. But screw it, we were in this far—I might as well go along with the rest of the ride. Otherwise, Devin would never let me hear the end of it. At eleven thirty on the dot, I stood. “Let’s go, Lacey.” 

“Who?” 

“Cagney & Lacey. It was a show my mom used to watch when I was little. It had two women detectives.” 

“Well, which one was hotter? Maybe I don’t want to be Lacey.” 

I laughed. “You can be whichever one you want to be.” 

I turned to throw out my coffee cup in the basket next to the bench and was just about to start to leave when I spotted a little girl and a man who had just turned into the entrance of the park. They were pretty far off, but I thought it could be Birdie. “Oh my God. Sit! Sit! I think that’s them.” 

The two of us planted our asses back on the bench at the same exact time. Devin leaned forward and squinted. “Are you sure?” 

I grabbed her arm and pulled her to sit back. “Don’t be so obvious.” 

We watched, while completely failing at looking casual, as the man and the little girl moved closer. The man was tall, broad-shouldered, and had on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. He was holding the hand of the little girl. And she had on . . . a bodysuit and tutu. It was definitely Birdie! 

“Oh my God. It’s them!” 

Neither of us said a word as the father and daughter approached the carousel. When they got close enough so I could finally see their faces, I gasped. “Oh my God. He’s . . .” 

Devin grabbed my hand. “I call dibs. I want to have his babies.” 

I couldn’t believe my eyes. While I was expecting a modern version of my dad twenty years ago, the man standing before me was anything but. For the record, my dad is awesome, and he’s not too shabby-looking. But this man . . . was . . . drop. Dead. Gorgeous. Wow. Just . . . yeah. Wow. 

Sebastian Maxwell had dark hair, bone structure to die for, and full, beautiful lips. I’d joked how Devin thought the guy was a super- model, but this man could actually be a supermodel. He had that longish, messy hair—the kind that he could drag a hand through, and it would look like he’d been both thoroughly fucked and just finished a photo shoot. Yeah, that was him. I was absolutely, positively speechless.

VI KEELAND

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in twenty-five languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

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PENELOPE WARD

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.

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ALSO AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK & AUDIO

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Find more books at http://www.vikeeland.com and http://www.penelopewardauthor.com

Blog Tour: Playing With Fire by L.J. Shen

"A flawless story of redemption and salvation, Playing With Fire will consume you entirely." - Amali Rose, USA Today Bestselling Author

Playing With Fire, an all-new heartbreaking and intensely beautiful small town standalone romance from USA Today bestselling author L.J. Shen is available now!

A broken boy on the path to destruction.

A scarred girl without direction.

A love story carved in secrets, inked with pain and sealed with a lie.

Grace Shaw and West St. Claire are arctic opposites.

She is the strange girl from the food truck.

He is the mysterious underground fighter who stormed into her sleepy Texan college town on his motorcycle one day, and has been wreaking havoc since.

She is invisible to the world.

He is the town’s beloved bad boy.

She is a reject.

He is trouble.

When West thrusts himself into Grace’s quiet life, she scrambles to figure out if he is her happily-ever-after or tragic ending.

But the harder she pushes him away, the more he pulls her out of her shell.

Grace doesn’t know much about anything beyond her town’s limits, but she does know this:

She is falling in love with the hottest guy in Sheridan U.

And when you play with fire—you ought to get burned.

REVIEW:

I have to say, this was not what I expected.  It was nice to see L.J. Shen write a hero that I didn't want to throat punch ninety percent of the book. Grace Shaw and West St. Claire are arctic opposites, which I absolutely loved. I loved how the nerd got the popular guy. We always say, don't judge a book by it's cover and that sure is what people do with West St. Claire.  People think they know him, and they have no idea.  I love how West treated Grace and how he accepted her for who she is.  This book will definitely leave you wanting more from this couple.

Be sure to add this book to your TBR list.  

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About L.J. Shen

L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to twenty different countries. 

She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.

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REVIEW POST~ THE ANTI-BOYFRIEND by Penelope Ward

Title: The Anti-Boyfriend

Author: Penelope Ward

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance

Release Date: August 31, 2020

Blurb

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new standalone novel.

At first, my neighbor Deacon frustrated me.

Sure, he was great-looking and friendly.

But our walls were thin, and on occasion, he’d bring women to his place and keep me awake while he “entertained” them.

As a single mother to an infant, I didn’t appreciate it.

So, finally it was my turn.

When my daughter wouldn’t stop wailing one night, Mr. Manwhore came knocking on my door.

Miraculously, at the sound of his voice, Sunny stopped crying. And when he held her…she eventually fell asleep in his arms.

Deacon was rough on the exterior, but apparently on the inside? Mr. Single-and-Ready-to-Mingle was a baby whisperer.

After that night, we became friends.

He’d go for coffee runs. Come over to chat. Normal friend stuff.

But over time, our conversations ran deeper. We got closer.

Until one night we crossed the line.

Our friendship turned into a complicated mess.

I’d gone and fallen for a guy who’d sworn off commitment and kids.

I knew Deacon was starting to care for me too, even though Sunny and I didn’t fit into any plan he’d ever imagined for himself.

He was wrong for me—so wrong that I’d dubbed him the “anti-boyfriend.”

Then why did I wish more than anything that I could be the one woman to change him?

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Review

“You can’t prove yourself with words, only actions.” - I couldn't have said this better myself....

The feels… you will definitely feel it all while reading this book. I laughed while crying, my heart broke and I swooned. When I say you feel it all, you definitely will. Penelope Ward does a wonderful job with a sensitive topic and helps you understand it better and it will help you view things differently, as it did for me. This is definitely one book that will stick with me for a long while. 

Carys is a young, single mom adjusting to life with a baby. An injury caused her to retire early forcing her to reevaluate the future. I was devastated for her, seeing her dreams just disappear as she was getting to her peak. For someone so young, Carys has had to endure a lot. Her ex leaves her pregnant and her mother is not very supportive. She’s had to go at it alone, but that doesn’t stop her from being the best mom out there. I really do admire her strength and tenacity.  Her heart is definitely in the right place. She pushes on no matter what life throws at her. Carys wants what is best for Sunny and she will go to all extremes for it. She knows what she wants in life and goes for it, head on.

Deacon’s the manwhore next door keeping Carys awake at night with his evening activities. As awkward as it is, she finally gets the balls to broach the subject. That talk leads to their unusual friendship. Who says men and women can’t be friends? Deacon is such a sweetheart, his patience with Carys and her daughter. He will bring Carys random coffees and will pick up some things at the store for her, even put some special gifts in there. Their friendship flows so easy and natural, it’s like they’ve known each other for years. The banter between the two is cute and hilarious, no topic is off limits. Deacon proves himself to be the baby whisperer when he can get Sunny to stop crying. Talk about ovaries bursting when Deacon is all about the baby.  I absolutely love the fact that their friendship has evolved over a great period of time. 

Both Deacon and Carys have pasts that cause them both to put up walls. Their friendship is all they can give one another. As hard as they try, their connection and undeniable attraction make it very hard for them to remain platonic. Walls slowly start to fall and they easily transition from friends to something more. We watch their friendship grow and their lives interweave. Just watching Deacon fall in love with Sunny will melt your heart. It takes a strong man to care deeply for another man’s child and he does it flawlessly. We go on the journey with Carys and Deacon as they go through their ups and downs. And boy what a journey it is. Their relationship has definitely not been an easy one. Your heart will drop for a second, as mine did, but will slowly piece back together. When you hit a rough patch and your past comes back to the forefront, everything you have worked towards can all come crashing down. I found myself rooting for both Carys and Deacon till the very end, wanting them both to overcome the obstacles thrown at them. But maybe they were doomed from the beginning? Or will their love prevail?

This is hands down a book you must read. Don’t pass it up or you will regret it, get your copy today. 

Author Bio

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.

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