When Hate Turns To Love: I Hate You, I Love You by Elizabeth Hayley

I HATE YOU, I LOVE YOU

by Elizabeth Hayley
Genres: Contemporary, Romance

Publisher: Loveswept

Publication Date: September 4th 2018

Source: ARC received for review

Rating: ★★★1/2

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When bickering professors Naomi Price and Sebastian Blake have to compete for the same job, sparks fly--and not the sexy kind.

But when they take on some co-sponsored events that force them together and realize along the way that they both bear wounds from the past, a bond emerges that will be deeper than either of them imagined possible.

There's just one problem: how can you love someone you hate?

Lawyers, Wedding-Planners & Playboys

Hello friends!

Happy Tuesday! I hope you're having good weeks so far. I'm still home vacationing and reading a lot of romances.

I've been having some good luck with the books I've read in the past two weeks and I'll share some of the covers at the end of this post. But today's primary focus is on a lawyer romance and an office romance! Both were only so-so reads for me, but I'm sure some of you might be interested in them.

DOWN WITH LOVE
by Kate Meader

Series: Laws of Attraction #1
Genres: Contemporary
Publisher: Loveswept

Publication Date: August 7th 2018

Source: ARC received for review purposes

Rating: ★★★

Amazon - Barnes & Noble

As a fan of Kate Meader and lawyers in romance novels, I was eager to pick up Down With Love. It sounded like it would be a sexy and fun rom-com. I don't know what it was about the book, but it didn't entirely woo me as I was hoping it would. At the center of Down With Love, we have Max Henderson, a cynical lawyer when it comes to romance and marriage. He doesn't believe in love and doesn't think it's for him. When his brother announces that he is getting married, he is forced to feign happiness and do everything he can to make sure the wedding planner isn't ripping them off. Said wedding planner is Charlie Love, who hasn't had the best experience in the love department, but who has hopes of finding the right guy. As you can imagine, these two clash upon their first meeting, but they also find themselves attracted to each other. I found the banter between them to be enjoyable and I found myself grinning from time to time. However, after some time, I got tired of the back-and-forth between them and I just wasn't feeling their romance all that much. I felt like it was lacking in something that I can't exactly pinpoint. When they did get together, I found the romance was a bit cheesy and unoriginal. That being said, I enjoyed the secondary characters, especially Max' co-workers, and I'm looking forward to reading future books. Down With Love is not my favorite Kate Meader book,  but I would still recommend it for readers who have enjoyed her books in the past.

5 Reasons To Read On the Line by Liz Lincoln

Hi friends!

I recently finished reading On the Line by Liz Lincoln, which was one of my most anticipated romance reads of 2018. I had a lot of fun reading it so I thought I'd try to convince you to give this one a shot. Here are 5 reasons you should give On the Line a try!

Some Recent Unique Romances

Hello friends!

How is everyone doing? Sorry I've been a bit MIA on here. I was up relaunching Nick & Nereyda's Infinite Booklist as a new solo blog as Nereyda decided it was time for her to let go of blogging. If you are interested, the blog is THE INFINITE LIMITS OF LOVE!

How was everyone's weekend? Mine was great! Ari from The Romance Corner came to visit me for the weekend and I took her to explore around town. We also watched Love, Simon and I thought it was so cute!

Anyhoo, in today's post I have reviews for Thirsty by Mia Hopkins and One Match Fire by Lisa Linden. I can't say either of these books were as memorable as I wish they had been, but you guys might be interested in them, so check out my reviews below.

Introducing the Love Wars Series by Kate Meader

Happy Saturday, romance-loving friends! 

I'm so excited to share with you all the cover for one of my favorite authors' upcoming book, Down With Love!

I am so excited to read this book. I've loved everything I've read from Kate Meader, and I am a sucker for romances about lawyers. And this one has a hero who doesn't expect to fall in love! How fun does that sound?

I won't bore you with more of my ramblings, so let's see the cover!

DOWN WITH LOVE
by Kate Meader

Series: Love Wars #1
Genres: Contemporary
Publisher: Loveswept

Publication Date: August 7th 2018

Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Sparks fly when the hot-shot divorce lawyer meets the high-powered wedding planner. The only question is, what kind?

If you ever get married, remember my name: Max Henderson. In my line of work, you acquire a certain perspective on supposedly everlasting unions. . . .

1. Pre-nups are your friend.
2. The person you married is not the person you’re divorcing.
3. And I hope you didn’t spend much on the wedding because that was one helluva waste of hard-earned cash, wasn’t it?

But some guys are willing to take a chance. Like my brother, who thinks he’s going to ride off into the sunset with the woman of his dreams in a haze of glitter on unicorns. And the wedding planner—the green-eyed beauty who makes a living convincing suckers to shell out thousands of dollars on centerpieces—is raking it in on this matrimonial monstrosity.

The thing is, Charlie Love is not unlike me. We’re both cogs in the wedding-industrial complex. As the best man, I know her game—and I can play it better than her. But after one scorching, unexpected kiss, I’m thinking I might just want to get played.

Doesn't this just sound absolutely fabulous?? August is so far away!!

Are you a Kate Meader fan? Does this sound like your kind of book?
Let me know in the comments below!

When My Favorite Authors Continue To Slay

Hello friends!

How are you all doing? I had to take a bit of a break last week because I forgot to post ... oops? But anyways, I'm back! I'm happy to say my reading slump is gone. I'm not reading as much as I did in the summer, but I AM reading, which I think is cause for celebration. :) I've read a few romance books lately, so I thought I'd briefly chat with you all about them. Unfortunately, I've also had some DNFs! So boo! :(

Also, do you see this shiny new banner below? Mana made it for us, and I love it!

Check out my quick thoughts for some of my recent reads below!

UNDERCOVER ATTRACTION by Katee Robert [★★★★] 

You may have heard me singing all the praises for this AMAZING series by Katee Robert on Nick & Nereyda's Infinite Booklist before. But I'm here to tell you, if you STILL haven't checked this series about a mob family yet, what are you even doing??? Anyways, I was quite eager to read Undercover Attraction. It features the head of the family, Aiden, and though he has done some shifty things to his siblings in the past in the name of protecting, I knew there was a lot more to him. And there definitely is! In Undercover Attraction, Aiden is trying to undermine everyone's favorite bastard, Dmitri, and he finds himself seeking the help of an ex-cop, Charlotte in his mission. Of course, what ensues is the stoic man winds up falling hopelessly in love with Charlie. I loved Aiden so much more than I thought I would. I don't know how Katee manages to write compelling characters. You can tell that Aiden was battling a lot with his conflicting emotions. He wants to protect his family, but he also wants to keep them happy, and often times those don't go hand in hand. Despite all the vitriol he faced from his siblings though, there was nothing but love on his side for them. Charlie was a great girl to balance him out. She too has her own baggage, but the girl was fierce af. The chemistry between the two simmers and slowly builds up over the course of the book. Seriously, Katee knows how to write good romance. I loved watching the two fall for each other - I had all the butterflies in my tummy! I've also got to mention all the scenes featuring Dmitri and Keira and OMG, I'm so pumped for the last book, The Bastard's Bargain. I'm ready to be inside Dmitri's head. So yes, I hope you give this series a try if you haven't read it yet ... otherwise we can't be pals!

ARC Review: Walk of Shame by Lauren Layne

Walk of Shame

(Love Unexpectedly)

by Lauren Layne

Publisher: Loveswept

Genre: Contemporary romance

Release Date: April 18th, 2017

Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads | Kindle | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play

Sparks fly between a misunderstood New York socialite and a cynical divorce lawyer in this lively standalone rom-com from the USA Today bestselling author of Blurred Lines and Love Story.

Pampered heiress Georgianna Watkins has a party-girl image to maintain, but all the shopping and clubbing is starting to feel a little bit hollow—and a whole lot lonely. Though Georgie would never admit it, the highlights of her week are the mornings when she comes home at the same time as her uptight, workaholic neighbor is leaving to hit the gym and put in a long day at the office. Teasing him is the most fun Georgie’s had in years—and the fuel for all her naughtiest daydreams.

Celebrity divorce attorney Andrew Mulroney doesn’t have much time for women, especially spoiled tabloid princesses who spend more time on Page Six than at an actual job. Although Georgie’s drop-dead gorgeous, she’s also everything Andrew resents: the type of girl who inherited her penthouse instead of earning it. But after Andrew caps one of their predawn sparring sessions with a surprise kiss—a kiss that’s caught on camera—all of Manhattan is gossiping about whether they’re a real couple. And nobody’s more surprised than Andrew to find that the answer just might be yes.

Review: Destined for a King by Ashlyn McNamara

DESTINED FOR A KING
by Ashlyn McNamara
Series: The Bastard Brotherhood #1
Genres: Historical, Fantasy
Publisher: Loveswept
Publication Date: September 6th 2016
Source: ARC received for review
Rating: ★★★★
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Though she is intended for the king, Calista Thorne picks up a crossbow to defend her ancestral home, Blackbriar Keep, from a gang of landless knights. She even manages to sink a poison-tipped arrow into their commander, who survives long enough to conquer the Keep and claim Calista for his own. Now, with her father’s life at stake, Calista must nurse the brigand back to health, and the strangest thing happens: She finds herself fascinated by his tautly muscled body, and enthralled by his hotly whispered demands.

Ever since his father’s death, the fearsome warrior they call Torch has been consumed by his quest for revenge. Taking Blackbriar Keep is the first step in that plan, and—by the three gods—it won’t be the last. But after taking one look into Calista’s smoldering gray eyes, Torch discovers a passion nobler than retribution. He will fulfill his destiny and take her from the usurper king, even in his weakened state. For with Calista’s love, no man has ever felt more powerful.

Review: Burn Down The Night by M O'Keefe

BURN DOWN THE NIGHT
by M O'Keefe
Series: Everything I Left Unsaid #3
Genres: Contemporary, Suspense
Publisher: Loveswept
Publication Date: August 9th 2016
Source: ARC received for review
Rating: ★★1/2
Amazon - Barnes & Noble

The only thing that matters to me is rescuing my sister from the drug-cooking cult that once enslaved us both. I’ve run cons my whole life, and I’ll use my body to get whatever I need. Max Daniels is the last connection I have to that world, the one person reckless enough to get involved. Besides, now that his brothers have turned on him, he needs me too.

The deal was supposed to be simple: a place to hide in exchange for rescuing my sister. Now he’s my prisoner. Totally at my mercy. But I’m the one captivated. Enthralled. Doing everything he asks of me until I’m not sure who’s in control.

We both crave the heat. The more it hurts, the better. But what if Max wants a different life now, to leave the game . . . to love me? I thought I knew better than to get burned. Now I’m in too deep to pull away. And the crazy thing is . . . I don’t want to.

5 Reasons To Pick Up The Everything I Left Unsaid Duology by M O'Keefe

 

 

I'm very very ashamed to admit this, but even though I binged this duology last year after grabbing copies from NetGalley and loving the heck out of them, I never got around to reviewing them. I was going through a difficult time at the time and it must have slipped my mind. Anyways, I found myself re-reading bits and pieces of this one that I had loved and gahh my obsession with the series surged right back up. Instead of doing one of my typical reviews for this series, I thought I'd do a list review, because this is one of those books where I know I'll spoil readers if I ramble about it. 

Blog Tour Review: Good Girl by Lauren Layne

GOOD GIRL
by Lauren Layne
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Loveswept
Publication Date: May 17th 2016
Source: ARC received for review
Rating: ★★★★1/2
Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Lauren Layne brings all the unpredictable heat of her USA Today bestseller Blurred Lines to an all-new cast of characters! Country music’s favorite good girl is hiding away from the world—only to find herself bunking with a guy who makes her want to be a little bad.

Jenny Dawson moved to Nashville to write music, not get famous. But when her latest record goes double platinum, Jenny’s suddenly one of the town’s biggest stars—and the center of a tabloid scandal connecting her with a pop star she’s barely even met. With paparazzi tracking her every move, Jenny flees to a remote mansion in Louisiana to write her next album. The only hiccup is the unexpected presence of a brooding young caretaker named Noah, whose foul mouth and snap judgments lead to constant bickering—and serious heat.

Noah really should tell Jenny that he’s Preston Noah Maxwell Walcott, the owner of the estate where the feisty country singer has made her spoiled self at home. But the charade gives Noah a much-needed break from his own troubles, and before long, their verbal sparring is indistinguishable from foreplay. But as sizzling nights give way to quiet pillow talk, Noah begins to realize that Jenny’s almost as complicated as he is. To fit into each other’s lives, they’ll need the courage to face their problems together—before the outside world catches up to them.