Monday, March 11, 2019

A Better Version of Me (The Destiny Saga Book 2) by Cindy Ray Hale {Review}

A Better Version of Me (Book 2 of the Destiny Clark Saga) by Cindy Ray Hale
Kindle Edition, 183 pages
Published March 1st 2019 
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.
 
 https://amzn.to/2HjaHuJ    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44166568-a-better-version-of-me
 
Destiny Clark is shocked when she finds out she got a major role in her school’s production of Les Miserables. And better yet, she’s cast alongside her crush, Isaac Robinson, the most popular guy in school. But then she realizes she’s not cast as his love interest, but instead has to sing her true feelings of rejection onstage in front of the whole school.
 
That’s when she decides to launch plan B. If she can get Preston Nelson, her guy friend from church to agree to be her boyfriend, maybe she won’t look so stupid in front of everyone. The problem is, she can’t ignore her feelings for Isaac, and the more time they spends practicing, the stronger her feelings seem to get.
 
Will Destiny be able to cool things off with Isaac and start something new with Preston or will she be stuck facing humiliation?
 
My Review: 4.5 Stars
 
I love this series and love the additional details that have been added to Destiny's story. This author does such a great job of channeling the angst, insecurities, and first love experiences of a teen, especially with the parents of both Destiny and Isaac against the crushes.
 
The friendships and connections between the characters are very sweet, strong, and emotionally realistic. In fact, they're probably my favorite things about the story, aside from the budding chemistry. 
 
There is an invisible, yet tangible tension overshadowing the story, as it's apparent that this relationship just may be doomed before it even begins, but the heart knows no boundaries and it's amazing to watch everything unfold. 
 
Destiny is a solid character and I can't wait to continue on with the sage. My only complaint? It just ends. Ugh--I don't like to be kept waiting. 😉
 
Content: mild romance; moderate religion 

Hitching the Pitcher by Rebecca Connolly {Review}

Hitching the Pitcher by Rebecca Connolly
ebook, 220 pages
Published February 5th 2019 
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.
 https://amzn.to/2NBOk4Z    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42756182-hitching-the-pitcher
Running into his former college girlfriend wasn’t supposed to happen. Falling for her again wasn’t supposed to happen either.

Sawyer Bennett has a secret. A risky thing, being one of the popular Belltown Six Pack, a group of six guys from the same college baseball team, all of whom got drafted and now play in the Major Leagues. Between the media frenzy over them and his bond with the guys, his secret has to stay carefully hidden if he wants it to stay that way. He needs to focus on his pitching and let everything else fall away.

Confessing his secret to Erica Moore was definitely not supposed to happen. But the harder he falls for Erica, the more important his secret—and she—becomes.
My Review: 4 Stars

I'm so excited for this new series! This tight-knit group of professional baseball players met in college, but they still keep in touch and have such an interesting and endearing connection with each other still. The camaraderie the Six Pack has is so fantastic!

Book One is the story of a pitcher, Sawyer, who is know as Skeeter. He is struggling to balance everything in his life, but it seems that his biggest battle is striving for perfection. It's impossible to be perfect at everything, but Sawyer is determined to try and with those efforts, he just may lose his second chance with Erica. 

I love how easily this second chance happens and it's probably due to the patience and kind-hearted forgiveness that Erica possesses. These character's characteristics and emotions are on full display and engaged me, making these people seem real and like friends. In fact, basketball is my #1 favorite sport, but I'm kind of wishing I could be a part of this group.

I'm definitely looking forward to more of this series--play ball!

Content: mild romance; mild language
Welcome to Belltown! Six baseball players meet in the college town of Belltown, Massachusetts, becoming best friends, their lives intertwining as they each get called up to the Major Leagues. Follow Sawyer, Cole, Axel, David, Ryker, and Levi in these six swoony sports romances.

More Belltown Six Pack Romances:
Hitching the Pitcher
Falling for Centerfield
Charming the Shortshop
Snatching the Catcher
Flirting with First
Kissing on Third
  

Saturday, March 9, 2019

Romance is in the Air: Author Taylor Dean





A Me and You Thing by Taylor Dean

THE DEEPEST HEARTACHE IS THE ONE YOU DON'T SEE COMING.

Golden couple, Sawyer and Quinn Denali, have an amazing love story. A match in every way, their happiness is evident to all who spend time with them. The arrival of twin baby girls completes their picture-perfect family.

When Quinn has the opportunity to help others on a two-week volunteer trip, she reluctantly leaves her family, knowing a short break from the demands of motherhood will be good for her. She doesn't expect the trip to change her life forever. But it does. It changes everything.

Struggling from day to day, the young family moves forward, finding happiness . . . and love.

But fate isn't done mixing things up in their lives. When an unexpected event leaves them all reeling, the unspoken question rings loudly and can't be ignored: "What happens now?"

A Me and You Thing is a novel that explores the strength of enduring love and friendship.










He lightly brushes my lips with his own, and I scoot a little closer. Mmmmmm, five years of marriage and my attraction for this man has never waned. I never knew I could love someone so much. Even better, he feels the same about me. We’re far from perfect, yet we’re a perfect match for each other.

Frankly, that’s as perfect as love gets.

I bury my head in his warm chest, listening to the sound of his strong heartbeat. He hasn’t let himself go since we married. He runs every morning at unspeakable hours and, like a fine bottle of wine, ripens with age.

“Are you sure I should go on my trip? I’m consumed with guilt every time I think about it.”

I love our life together in our shingle-style two-story beach house on 5201 Beachcomber Lane. It’s a decent size home, even if it’s a little on the older side. No matter, I adore it. It might not be directly on the beach, but we have amazing ocean views from the second story. Close enough.

“You’ll be doing something important, Quinn, something that really matters. I love you for wanting to go, for wanting to help. Your passport arrived yesterday. See, it’s a sign. The universe just sent you a telegram.”

A light scoff emerges from me. He runs his hands through my longish blond hair. My brown eyes close while I enjoy his tender touch.

“What was I thinking? I don’t want to leave you or our babies.”

“Hey, it’s only two weeks, sweetheart. In the scheme of things, that’s hardly any time at all . . ."






















 
Author Taylor Dean

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it's paranormal, contemporary, or suspense--you'll find all sub-genres of clean romance in her line-up.














Giveaway Details
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway

Ends 3/29/19

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from Clean Wholesome Romance and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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Friday, March 8, 2019

Her App, a Match, and the Billionaire by Maria Hoagland {Review}

Her App, a Match, and the Billionaire by Maria Hoagland
Kindle Edition, 206 pages
Expected publication: March 7th 2019 by Red Leaves Press 
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.
 https://amzn.to/2VtGg9d    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43899777-her-app-a-match-and-the-billionaire
She is looking for an investor, not a connection. 
He is looking to invest his money, not his heart. 

Welcome to The Cove 

With heavy iron gates, two security stations, and a groundskeeper's cottage, The Cove has everything a billionaire could ask for in a home. Dubbed Billionaire Bachelor Cove because of the resident's single status and income portfolios, The Cove is the perfect place to hide away from the world. But, as the residents soon find out, they can't hide from love.

Her App, a Match, and the Billionaire 

Looking for the right match? Lizzie Beckett isn’t, at least not romantically. She’s tried that before. As a software developer, Lizzie pitches her dating app to a panel of tech billionaires on the national television show Tech Tank, hoping to land the perfect financier to boost her business. It’s just her luck the only offer she gets is a provisional contract with the toughest, most skeptical and self-important of the CEOs.

Dawson Fitzwilliam isn’t a fan of online dating websites—or dogs, for that matter. When he blunders during her presentation, guilt drives him to give Lizzie’s app, Capture My Heart, a 30-day trial period. If Lizzie can convince him the app works within that time frame, then his company will back the product. If not, the deal will have saved face and protected his brand, but what he forgets to protect is his heart. Although Lizzie Beckett is so wrong for him in so many ways, Dawson can’t help but fall for the beautiful, headstrong woman.

When it appears Lizzie’s intellectual property has been undermined, her pattern of hasty judgments might destroy her opportunity for love and success, but Dawson is starting to recognize signs that the two of them might actually be a good match. Now he must decide if Lizzie and her app are worth the investment this billionaire is ready to make.
My Review: 5 Stars

First of all, I loved the clever ways that names from Jane Austen made an appearance, especially as the story followed a modern Pride and Prejudice pattern. Secondly, my daughter has been begging for a golden doodle (dog) and I loved the role that Austen played in this charming, sweet romance.

Lizzie has developed a new dating app and needs the financial backing to make it fly. Her pitch to billionaire, Dawson, landed her a trial run for a month, which was more than she dared to hope for. I loved the descriptions of the app and the way it worked, especially on a more personal level for both of them.

Dawson, although very wealthy, was a very private person, which really came through in the story. It was hard to get to know him and happened very gradually, just a it would with a person like him in real life. That was a brilliant move, involving the reader in a new dimension. Lizzie is vivacious and sweet, with a very persistent streak and was beloved by all from the start. Of course, Austen, the dog, completely captured my heart. I was fascinated by the training that went into helping Austen become a diabetes service dog. 

The story has the perfect amount of pacing, with some parts slower and some parts moving fast. I loved the secondary characters and their roles to developing the story, but I loved the slow blooming romance the most.

Content: mild romance 

$100 Clean Wholesome Romance Giveaway



$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway

It’s time for another $100 Giveaway!!

Just think how many books you could buy with $100! Or maybe you need a new Kindle! Or maybe you want to try Kindle Unlimited! Or maybe you want to buy a gift for someone! Or maybe you just need an extra $100!

I’m excited to bring you another $100 giveaway sponsored by an AWESOME group of authors who write clean romance.

Who do you recognize on this sponsor list? Which authors are new to you?


Alicia Cameron
Krystal M. Anderson
Brenna Jacobs
Delaney Cameron
Sara Beth Williams
Kristy Tate
River Ames
Tamie Dearen
Kacy Cross
Kari Trumbo
Melissa McClone
Tia Souders
Rose Pearson
Taylor Hart
Tina Dee
Stephanie Fowers
Debra Erfert
Julie Coulter Bellon

Giveaway Details

One winner will be awarded $100 in Paypal Cash or a $100 Amazon Gift Code!

The winning entry will be verified! Make sure you actually subscribe and confirm your entries so you don’t get disqualified.

If you already subscribe to an author’s newsletter you can, of course, claim the entry!

Ends 4/10/19
OPEN ONLY TO THOSE WHO CAN LEGALLY ENTER, RECEIVE AND USE AN AMAZON.COM GIFT CODE OR PAYPAL CASH. WINNING ENTRY WILL BE VERIFIED PRIOR TO PRIZE BEING AWARDED. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. YOU MUST BE 18 OR OLDER TO ENTER OR HAVE YOUR PARENT ENTER FOR YOU. THE WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RAFFLECOPTER AND ANNOUNCED HERE AS WELL AS EMAILED AND WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO RESPOND OR A NEW WINNER MAY BE CHOSEN. THIS GIVEAWAY IS IN NO WAY ASSOCIATED WITH FACEBOOK, TWITTER, RAFFLECOPTER, AMAZON, PAYPAL OR ANY OTHER ENTITY UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED. THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE ENTRIES RECEIVED DETERMINES THE ODDS OF WINNING. THE GIVEAWAY WAS ORGANIZED BY KATHY FROM I AM A READER/CLEAN WHOLESOME ROMANCE AND SPONSORED BY THE PARTICIPATING AUTHORS. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Romance is in the Air: Author Kimberley Montpetit





The Fiance's Secret by Kimberley Montpetit

He's a successful entrepreneur who almost has it all. She's the long-ago crush—the girl who got away. When they meet again, fireworks explode once more. But will a buried secret steal their second chance at a happy ending?

Troy Thurlow let the girl of his dreams get away fourteen years ago, back when he was a high school football star. Now he’s a highly successful executive with a life most people only dream of. Still, he's never stopped thinking about Jasmine, and wondering what would have happened if he'd ever had the courage to ask her on a date. When he meets her by chance on a New York business trip, he's determined to take this second opportunity and run with it. That is, if his past doesn't catch up with him first . . .

Jasmine Cervantes does “happily ever after” for a living, arranging dream-destination honeymoons for the fabulously rich and famous. But, so far, her own fairy-tale ending has eluded her. That is, until the boy she couldn’t stop dreaming about in high school barges unexpectedly into her office one day.

When the two start a whirlwind romance they begin to see that fate is giving them a helping hand. Until Jasmine ends up on Italy’s most romantic coast without him. Missing him desperately, she begins to believe that Troy is truly “the one.”

But he's hiding something that could change everything . . .








“I have a confession to make,” she said, kicking up the sand with her toes.

“You—confessions?” Troy teased, but he seemed to tense as if unsure what she was about to tell him.

“I heard rumors that you were living out of the country. I figured I’d never see you again.”

“So why didn’t you come to our ten-year reunion?”

“I was on an important honeymoon trip right then. With Standing Ovation,” she quickly added with a laugh. “Not my own.”

Troy chuckled, but she thought she saw his jaw clench a little. “I figured that’s what you meant.”

“October in the South Pacific is very nice. That’s when the reunion was, right? At that point, the couple who wanted to honeymoon in Bali was our biggest client we’d ever had so I couldn’t tell my VP no.”

“I guess our lives weren’t meant to cross right then. Extended business trips that sometimes kept me away for a few months. Especially at the beginning of the founding of DREAMS. We were hustling like crazy. All of us keeping insane schedules.”

“That makes sense. Assumptions are often not true. Isn’t that human nature?”

They paused at the shoreline, warm waves tickling Jasmine’s ankles. She wrapped her other arm around Troy’s waist, snuggling into him tighter while he put his other arm around her, while they stood staring out at the Atlantic.

“You feel fantastic, Jasmine,” Troy whispered, brushing his lips against her hair.

“I was just thinking the same thing about you,” she whispered in return, her voice barely above the sound of the rushing ocean.

The water was black, but under the starlight, the waves were a soft, frothy white breaking along the shore.

Troy turned so that they faced each other, and Jasmine snuggled into his chest, his body warming hers in a perfect fit. She was dizzy with his closeness, longing for more.

“I can hear your heart pounding,” she told him, gazing up into his face.

“My heart’s going crazy because I’m overcome by the most beautiful woman in the world. If I go into cardiac arrest, just kiss me and I’ll come right back.”

“Like Sleeping Beauty kissing the prince instead of the other way around?”




The Executive's Secret is Free starting Friday, March 8th




5 stars! LOVED THIS ONE! I ended up binge reading it until I could barely keep my eyes open but it was totally worth it!

This book pulled at my heartstrings. I loved how the characters were developed so that I could clearly feel their emotions. This book was clean but still involved passion and I appreciate that. I loved every second.

Love, love, loved this book!!!!! If you want a book that will leave you feeling happy, satisfied, and so much more then read this book.






 
Author Kimberley Montpetit

When she was in Paris, Kimberley Montpetit spent most of her souvenir money at the La Patisserie shops with their beautiful and delicious pastries. She grew up in the fabulous city of San Francisco, loves all things chocolate, and now lives in a small town along the Rio Grande with her engineer husband and three sons.

She once stayed in the haunted tower room at Borthwick Castle in Scotland and didn't sleep a wink, sailed the Seine in Paris, rode a camel in the ancient world wonder of Petra, shopped the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, and spent the night in an old Communist hotel in Bulgaria.

Kimberley also writes Award-winning Middle-Grade novels with Scholastic and epic Young Adult novels with Harpercollins under the name, Kimberley Griffiths Little.








Giveaway Details
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway

Ends 3/28/19

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from Clean Wholesome Romance and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway