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Showing posts with label Lauren Blakely. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lauren Blakely. Show all posts

My Month in Books (so far)

Hey guys!


Today I'm gonna talk about some of the books I've read lately :), because I've read some amazing ones, and I want to share them.

I'll do a small take on the books below, and if you'd like, you can check out my full reviews of the books, just follow the links.
Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas [«««««]
Yes, I did it, I read my second historical romance and I loved it. Lisa and Nick were right, and I definitely trust their opinions and recommendations.

I listened to this on audiobook, and it was the best decision ever. I loved the narrator, and I found that I really like historical and 3rd person on audio. The writing helped, of course, this book was funny and romantic, and so so great.

Loved the romance, and the friendships, and the storyline. The character growth was amazing too. I can't wait to get my hands on the other books in this series, and I'll want the audio version of those as well.

Getting Schooled by Emma Chase [«««««]

This is one of my favorite stories of this year. And I'm so happy that this one is included in the Romance Package on Audible, because I loved loved loved the narration, Andi Arndt is always spectacular, but Zachary Webber was the perfect Garrett.

This is a second chance romance, and I really liked the lack of conflict. Garrett and Callie were perfect and a match made in heaven. They complement each other so well, and I love a good story of first love, and real love, and that's what this book was. Two amazing people finding their way back to each other, and solving misunderstanding and being amazing.

Two Wedding Crashers by Meghan Quinn [«««««]
Another amazing read. Meghan Quinn is definitly amazing, and her books are always hilarious. You have read her books, right? You better have... Moving on, she's hilarious, and this one was no exception. I liked this book way better than her first book in the series - it had the serious advantage of only having 1 love interest, so...

This is a "summer fling" turned more, and the characters are fantastic. I wasn't expecting to like the hero as much as I did, but OMG, he was great. And the chemistry was off the charts. I also really liked that serious subjects have place in the book and in the romance. I liked that they were addressed and made part of the plot.


The Hook-Up Experiment by Emma Hart [«««««]

Emma Hart is a bit a hit or miss for me, but she writes some amazing single dads, and that is one of my favorite things in romances... *sigh*.

This is a mix of a lot of tropes, and it's very well done. We have a second chance romance, also a bit of enemies to lovers, casual to more, and a sexy single dad for whom his little girl is the center of his universe.

The book is hilarious, and the characters are fantastic and complex. I especially loved Peyton, and I have to say something about Emma Hart's books. She always highlights the girls on the covers, instead of the men. For some reason I find this amazing, maybe because it's not that common.



Other reads:


Tap That by R.C. Boldt and Jennifer Blackwood
[«««]


Virgin Territory (Hellions Angels #3) by Lia Riley
[«««]


The Knocked up Plan by Lauren Blakely
[«««««]


So... I loved most of these books, have you read any of them? 
What are your thoughts on them?

Romance Audiobooks?! Yes, please!

Hey guys!


I'm not sure if I told you guys yet, but I'm a huge fan of audiobooks, and I love love love a good romance audiobook. This past week I listened to and reviewed my first audio review copy. I've listened to a lot of audiobooks, but this one was the first ARC that was sent to me in audio form, and I'm all for it. 


Either way, today I'm talking about audiobooks, as in 5 awesome audiobooks, that you can find "free" on audible. If you're an audible user, you 've probably noticed the new feature, which is called the "Romance Package". I guess it works a bit like Kindle Unlimited (but unlike KU, I can actually subscribe to this one), and it allows you to binge on romance audiobooks that are part of the package. And let me tell you, there are some amazing books in there. If you want to see how it works and explore a bit, check it out here.

Now, I'm not writing this post to convince you to join audible or to subscribe to this package. But I'm gonna mention 5 audiobooks that I've listened to in the past, that are part of this package, and that are so so worth it.


Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan
This book broke me. It's beyond beautiful and I would advise everyone to read it - either by audio format or any other format. It's just that good.

The book is narrated by Kris Koscheski and Emily Durante, and they both do an amazing job with the narration. Listen to a sample here to see if you would like it.

The story is beautiful and heartbreaking and so so worth it.


"When Bree Prescott arrives in the sleepy, lakeside town of Pelion, Maine, she hopes against hope that this is the place where she will finally find the peace she so desperately seeks. On her first day there, her life collides with Archer Hale, an isolated man who holds a secret agony of his own. A man no one else sees.


Archer's Voice is the story of a woman chained to the memory of one horrifying night and the man whose love is the key to her freedom. It is the story of a silent man who lives with an excruciating wound and the woman who helps him find his voice. It is the story of suffering, fate, and the transformative power of love."

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata
I stumbled upon this audiobook by accident, and I'm so glad I did. This is a super slow burn romance, from coworkers, to friends to lovers. The writing is captivating and even though this book is massive, the romance is so good, that you won't even mind.

I said the book was big, right? It translates to around 16 hours of audio, read by Callie Dalton, but she does an amazing job, and carries the book. Check it out here.

I loved the writing and I loved the story, and I highly recommend this one.

"Vanessa Mazur knows she's doing the right thing. She shouldn't feel bad for quitting. Being an assistant/housekeeper/fairy godmother to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans and none of them include washing extra-large underwear longer than necessary.

But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door wanting her to come back, she's beyond shocked.

For two years, the man known as The Wall of Winnipeg couldn't find it in him to tell her good morning or congratulate her on her birthday. Now? He's asking for the unthinkable.

What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?"

Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely
Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely is a brand new release, and it will only be available on audible for the the first 6 weeks, only being released as an ebook and paperback on March 20th. I just finished it yesterday and I ended up really enjoying it (click here if you want to read my full review of it).

The narration was AWESOME and done by Richard Armitage and Grace Grant, and yes, Richard Armitage as in the ACTOR!

Either way, Lauren Blakely is the queen of audiobooks for me, because her stories always translate so well to audio, and she always chooses the most amazing narrators.

"The first time I met him, his sexy British accent almost talked me into giving him my number on the spot. The second time, he nearly charmed the panties off me with his wit. Then I learned he's the key to success in my new job in Paris. The man who tempts me into fling-worthy dirty daydreams has turned out to be my personal translator, and his accent is the hottest thing I've ever heard.

My mantra is simple -- Don't mix business with pleasure. I do my best to resist him as he teaches me how to converse with my co-workers, navigate the metro and order the perfect bottle of wine at dinner. But I also figure out how to tell the charming and clever man what I most want to say -- that I want him to take me back to his flat -- tonight.

Except there's a catch...

***
One more assignment before I take off on my big adventure...

And it involves the toughest work ever -- resisting the fetching American woman I spend all my days with. But you know what they say about best intentions. Soon, we're spending our nights tangled together, and I don’t want to let her go. The trouble is, my wanderlust is calling to me, and before we know it I'll be traveling the globe to fulfill a promise I made long ago.

What could possibly go wrong with falling in love in Paris? Nothing...unless one of you is leaving."

Where I Belong by J. Daniels
I searched this author because it was recommended to me, and I fell in love with her writing and with her series. I've read most of what she has and she still manages to surprise me and make me fall in love for all her characters. 

This is a short audiobook (just over 7 hours) and the narration is done by Stella Bloom. Amazing! Check out the book here.

"When Mia Corelli returns to Alabama for a summer of fun with her childhood best friend, Tessa, there's only one thing keeping her on edge. One person that she’d do anything to avoid.

Benjamin Kelly. World’s biggest dickhead.

Mia hates him with a fury and has no desire to ever see him again. When she decides to start her summer off with a bang and finally give away her v-card, she unknowingly hands it over to the one guy that excelled at making her life miserable, learning a valuable lesson in the process.

Always get the name of the guy you’re going home with.

Ben can’t get the girl he spent one night with out of his head. When she leaves him the next morning, he thinks he’ll never see her again. Until he sees her lounging by the pool with his sister.

Mia is determined to hate Ben, even though she can’t forget him.

Ben is determined to prove he’s not the same guy he used to be.

What happens when the one person you wish never existed becomes the one person you can’t imagine being without?" 
Egomaniac by Vi Keeland
Whenever I want a good entertaining story to listen to, Vi Keeland (and Penelope Ward) are usually a very good option, either together or by themselves. I loved Egomaniac, so much that it made me cry... yeah, it wasn't pretty...

It's a dual POV audiobook, that is around 8 hours long, and narrated by Andi Arndt and Joe Arden, and these 2 are AWESOME! There's one combination for audio that I like more, and that is Sebastian York and Andi Arndt, and if you are familiar with audiobooks, you know what I'm talking about. Either way, check this one out here.

"The night I met Drew Jagger, he'd just broken into my new Park Avenue office. I dialed 9-1-1 before proceeding to attack him with my fancy new Krav Maga skills. He quickly restrained me, then chuckled, finding my attempted assault amusing.

Of course, my intruder had to be arrogant. Only, turned out, he wasn't an intruder at all.
Drew was the rightful occupant of my new office. He'd been on vacation while his posh space was renovated. Which was how a scammer got away with leasing me office space that wasn't really available for rent. I was swindled out of ten grand.

The next day, after hours at the police station, Drew took pity on me and made me an offer I couldn't refuse. In exchange for answering his phones while his secretary was out, he'd let me stay until I found a new place. I probably should have acted grateful and kept my mouth shut when I overheard the advice he was spewing to his clients. But I couldn't help giving him a piece of my mind. I never expected my body to react every time we argued. Especially when that was all we seemed to be able to do.

The two of us were complete opposites. Drew was a bitter, angry, gorgeous-as-all-hell, destroyer of relationships. And my job was to help people save their marriages. The only thing the two of us had in common was the space we were sharing. And an attraction that was getting harder to deny by the day."



Talk to me. Have you read or listen to any of the books I've mentioned here? 

Are you curious about any of them?


Have you ever listened to a romance audio? What did you think? Is it something you enjoy? Not really?

I wanna know everything. Audiobooks are something I LOVE, and I want to spread the love. Tell me everything in the comments down below.



A Whole Galore of Romance

Hello beautiful humans!

I hope you've had a good week. How is it already mid-January though? I DO NOT COMPUTE. I'm back to school, so my reading has gone back to the way it normally is, which *sad face*. I've read loads of great romances though since I last checked in with you guys, so I can't wait to share all the good stuff with you. Let's get started!



MAN CARD by Sarina Bowen & Tanya Eby [] 
I've come to realize that this series and I are not really meant to me. For the most part, I enjoyed Man Hands, but thought the humor wasn't exactly for me. Still, I was curious about Man Card, especially after all that hate-chemistry we saw between Ash and Braht in the first book. Unfortunately, I didn't entirely click with Man Card, so my experience reading this one wasn't that great.

Let me talk about the positives first. I'll say that I liked the secondary characters quite a bit. I especially liked the friendship between Ash and her girlfriends. They are a hoot, and I love how genuinely supportive they are of each other. They have the kind of female friendship I wish I could find: open, trustworthy and with plenty of laughs between them. I was low-key envious of these girls.

I also liked Ash a lot. She's a pretty chill character, very hard-working and passionate about her real-estate job. Braht, personally, was a bit too flamboyant for me. He was very effeminate, and while there's absolutely nothing wrong with effeminate men, I thought the authors were trying too hard to make him come across as someone who understands women. I thought he came across as more of a caricature, tbh. Sure, he made me laugh a couple of times, but most of the time I also thought I was reading through the mind of a cross between a teen boy and a hormonal woman, which honestly doesn't make me swoon all that.

There's plenty of chemistry between Braht and Ash, and I liked that they pushed each other's buttons. I also liked how devoted Braht was to Ash. He knew she was the girl for him and was very resolute about that. It was super cute. Overall though, I felt like something was missing for me, and I found my attention wavering while reading.

I think if you're new to Sarina Bowen's books, there are far better ones out there for you to try. But if you're ok with over-the-top humor, I still recommend reading these books.


MOST LIKELY TO SCORE by Lauren Blakely [] 

Oh I so enjoyed reading this book! It was fun, sexy, and quick - pretty much the exact book I needed at the time that I read this. I got this one because Deanna mentioned in her review that the heroine was a Chinese American character - she was adopted as a baby from China. I love seeing diversity in romance these days, so I had to read it. I'm so glad I did! Here are a few reasons I loved reading this book:

1. THE HERO
OMG. The hero is so precious. I'm always nervous about the sports player type in romance novels. They tend to be cocky and irritating, but Jones totally stole my heart. He's a huge animal lover - seriously, there are so many great scenes of him with pups and kitties! - but he's also a genuinely decent guy. I loved how kind and giving he was, and I loved even more how much he loved his family. There's just something about a guy who loves and supports his family!

2. THE HEROINE
Loved loved loved Jillian. She's smart, down-to-earth, and a sweetheart. I loved how savvy and unafraid she was when it came to her career. The girl knew how to go after what she wanted, and that's always such an admirable quality in a woman. I also liked the small ways in which she kept in touch with her Chinese culture, even though she had grown up American.

3. THE ROMANCE
Whenever I think of this romance, my brain just goes awwwwwww! Because these two! <3 They have plenty of witty banter between them and they could be seriously so cute together. They have some obstacles in the beginning given that Jillian is the PR person for Jones' team, but they find themselves in an unlikely friendship that develops into attraction. I liked that the romance didn't have any over the top drama either. It was just the way I like my romances. Plus, the sexy scenes were smoking hot!!!

4. FAMILY
I love love reading about family dynamics in books, and this was no different. I loved the bond between Jillian and her dad. They made me so happy with their love and support for each other. I loved even more that Jillian's dad was a bigger shipper of Jones-Jillian than I was. I thought that was so adorable!

So yeah, this book is a lot of fun and you must read it. It's also reminded me that I need to do a better job and pick up more books by Lauren Blakely already!
MORE BOOKS, BECAUSE WHY NOT?

Next Year in Havana

I read this book guys, and legit cried my eyes out. I'm not very much of a crier when I read books but this one destroyed me. I loved everything about it and it's easily a 5-star read for me. It takes place in Cuba, has dual narrative and dual timelines, and has two incredibly achy romance. It made me feel all the feels. I was a mess when I was done. I'll be writing a full review for this one, so keep an eye out for it!

One and Only (Bridesmaids Behaving Badly #1)

I also read One and Only by Jenny Holiday, and thought it was super cute. I especially loved how the romance between the pair developed. Also, A+ female friendships!

**I received all books in this post as ARCs for review purposes. This does not affect my rating and review.**

RECENT ADDITIONS TO MY TBR

It Takes Two (Bridesmaids Behaving Badly Book 2) Don't Call Me Cupcake One Match Fire

I mostly want It Takes Two because of the Asian main character! But also, I just love that cover and ship the couple so hard already.
Don't Call Me Cupcake sounds so interesting too - it has cupcakes, wishes and a rivalry romance. I'm here for it.
One Match Fire is a second chance romance set in a summer camp. I don't think I've ever read an adult romance set in a summer camp. I love the idea though!

 Tell me all about your latest romance reads in the comments below!