Show Me the Way by A.L. Jackson

Rex Gunner. As bitter as he is beautiful. 

The owner of the largest construction company in Gingham Lakes has been burned one too many times. His wife leaving him to raise their daughter was the last blow this single dad could take. The only woman he’ll let into his heart is his little girl. 

Rynna Dayne. As vulnerable as she is tempting. 

She ran from Gingham Lakes when she was seventeen. She swore to herself she would never return. Then her grandmother passed away and left her the deed to the diner that she once loved. 

When Rex meets his new neighbor, he knows he’s in trouble. 

She’s gorgeous and sweet and everything he can’t trust.

Until she becomes the one thing he can’t resist. 

One kiss sends them tumbling toward ecstasy. 

But in a town this size, pasts are bound to collide. Caught in a web of lies, betrayal, and disloyalty, Rex must make a choice. 

Will he hide behind his walls or will he take the chance . . .

A.L. Jackson is one of my all-time favorite authors.

If you want a story that encompasses love, lust, agony, heartbreak, and second-chances... this, as all her stories, is the story for you!

She doesn't just tell the tale of her characters, she inspires you! So many thought-provoking messages woven through this beautiful story!

"All moments matter. We just rarely know how important they are until the chance to act on them has already passed."

Rex and Rynna.

You could just feel the anguish, turmoil, and desperation rolling off of these characters. 

Especially Rex. 

Good god was this man tantalizing and beautiful to read about.

Sexy, brooding, rough exterior who's been battered and broken. 

Such tragedy and heartbreak behind those walls of his, but once the damn is opened ... dayum! Look out!

"A little dirty and a whole lot sweet. Just the way I thought you'd be."

You will never look at cherry pie again without thinking of Rex Gunner ... trust me on that!

Show Me the Way is about two damaged characters fighting to find their way despite it all. 

Fighting for that chance... that second-chance.

It's emotional and at times gut wrenching.

But throughout there's so much love, friendship,  smoking chemistry, and a little ray of sunshine that comes in the form of Frankie Leigh, Rex's daughter!

I absolutely enjoyed this story. It has everything I need in a book! And I'm most definitely looking forward to reading more in this series. Rex and Rynna's friends are funny, sexy, and intriguing. Can't wait!

"Do what makes you happy ... joy is a choice. Life is rough. Don't expect it not to be. But if we aren't laughin', we're crying. Choose to laugh. Choose what brings you joy. And when you choose your path, it might not always be the easiest one, but it'll always be the right one."


Amazon US / UK

Worth the Wait by Claudia Connor

Blurb

The first in a spin off series of the New York Times Bestselling McKinney Brothers, WORTH THE WAIT takes readers on a journey through young love into adulthood in a heartwrenching, second chance love story.

Nick Walker thought nothing could destroy what he had with Mia. He certainly never thought he would be the one to destroy it.

Now ten years later, Mia James is in Special Agent Nick Walker’s path once again and this time he’s determined to shed the weight of regret and finally claim the future that was always meant to be theirs.

It won’t be easy. Mia’s heart was shattered by Nick and now, just when she’d pieced it back together, it’s been broken again, bringing their past to the surface, including her own secret about that day everything went wrong.

***Every title by Claudia Connor is a Contemporary Romance and a full stand alone novel. No cheating, no love triangle, no cliff hanger.

My Review


Grief. Guilt. Loss. Love. Regret. 

Nate and Mia's story encompasses all of that and more.

Told in both past and present, I enjoyed the flashbacks into their younger years very much, the meat and potatoes of the story, if you will.

You see Nick's pain and struggles to raise his younger brothers and sister, you feel them in your gut, and you finally understand.

I must say though, I feel there was a missing chapter that was needed to connect the past Nick and Mia to the present Nick and Mia. Although you know how still so much in love they are with the other, their "reconnecting" was too instantaneous for me. After so many years apart and the way they left things, I needed more. 

Regardless of my feelings on that, I enjoyed this story very much.

If you're a fan of this series, there's a little bit of everything here for you. Not only do you finally get Nick and Mia's story, which brought me to tears more than once, but you get a little more about young Hannah, more Matt and Abby, and a little dangling carrot on Luke... perhaps Zach as well?  

Looking forward to the next book already! 

AMAZON US / UK 

Dirty Angel by Barbara Elsborg

Dying Sucks

Particularly when you discover there really is a hell. Aden thinks there’s no way he can avoid going down, but when an angel and demon can’t agree over his fate, Aden is given one more month to gain redemption. He doubts he can find a way to become a better man in so short a time. But it’s worth a try, right?

Living sucks

Particularly when you can’t shake free of an obsessive ex. Brody might be managing to hold down his job as a vet, but his personal life is a mess. If he doesn’t pull himself together soon, he’s going to be sliding downhill too fast to stop.

One wet night, on a dark country lane, two worlds collide and destinies change forever. 

Heaven and Hell. Right and wrong. Good vs evil. Angels and demons!

I myself have wondered, have I done enough? Been good enough? 

Will I be forgiven for those I've wronged? The lies I've told? Will I be allowed in Heaven?

This book makes you think! 

It sucks you into otherworldly thoughts and possibilities. 

It makes you fall in love.

As in usual Barbara Elsborg fashion, this book is witty, the characters sarcastic, the story emotional, funny and thought provoking!

Aden's backstory broke my heart.  Over the course of the story bits and pieces of his childhood and the suffering he endured was revealed. 

It brought me to tears on many occasions. 

"Worried you'll get lost?"

"I've been lost all my life, " Aden replied quietly. 

"Not lost." Brody squeezed his fingers. 
"Just undiscovered."

Brody on the other hand has also had a rough go at life, getting wrangled into things at a young age he had no control over.

These two together are sexy as hell, but they're also extremely sweet.

 Barbara also has a gift of making even the sexiest of moments fun and funny. 

Her characters are always cheeky and sarcastic and I love that! They're very endearing.

Also, I can't not mention the animals! 

Brody is a vet and lives on a farm, so several different animals come in to play throughout the story. From emotional moments that brought me to tears to laugh out loud ones, these animals made a great addition to the story.

All in all, another fantastic read from Barbara Elsborg! 

I highly recommend you read this one!

Amazon US / UK

Midnight Lily by Mia Sheridan

Holden Scott is the prince of professional football. At least he was before he lost it all . . . or more to the point, before he threw it all away. Now he's out of a job, out of the public's good graces, and perhaps just a little out of his mind. So when a friend offers up his remote lodge in the wilds of Colorado, giving Holden some time away to get his life back on track, he can hardly say no. The last thing he expects is to see a beautiful girl in the woods—one wearing a white, lace dress who appears in the moonlight, and leaves no footprints behind. Is she a dream? A ghost? A product of his muddled imagination? Or something entirely different? 

Midnight Lily is the haunting love story of two lost souls reaching for each other in the dark. A tale of healing, acceptance, and the worlds we create to protect our own hearts. It is a story of being lost, of being found, and of being in the place between. 

THIS IS A STAND-ALONE SIGN OF LOVE NOVEL, INSPIRED BY VIRGO. Non-Paranormal, New Adult Contemporary Romance.Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Wow! 
Amazing! 

 My mind was going a mile a minute, trying to figure things out. 

In the end I was left a bit dumbstruck. 

Mute. 

Mind-blown!

   

I didn't understand how I could feel like I'd been slapped silly and left wondering what the ever loving hell just happened to me... when also feeling that without a doubt I just read a 5 star book!?!?!

How does that happen?

 Midnight Lily is brilliant, moving, and so completely different than anything I've read! 

Full of unexpected turns, and so much love and emotion. 
I was emotionally invested in these characters.
There was such beauty yet utter sadness. 

Among the sweetness and love there's an overwhelming feeling of mystery. I couldn't quite seem to put my finger on it!!!

 All I can say is... Mia Sheridan is the shit! 

I am in awe! 

5 unbelievable, highly recommended stars!

Amazon US / UK

Cam Girl by Leah Raeder

From the USA TODAY bestselling author of Unteachable and Black Iriscomes a new, sexy romantic suspense novel about two best friends who are torn apart by a life-shattering accident…and the secrets left behind.

Vada Bergen is broke, the black sheep of her family, and moving a thousand miles away from home for grad school, but she’s got the two things she loves most: her art and her best friend—and sometimes more—Ellis Carraway. Ellis and Vada have a friendship so consuming it’s hard to tell where one girl ends and the other begins. It’s intense. It’s a little codependent. And nothing can tear them apart.

Until an accident on an icy winter road changes everything.

Vada is left deeply scarred, both emotionally and physically. Her once-promising art career is cut short. And Ellis pulls away, unwilling to talk about that night. Everything Vada loved is gone.

She’s got nothing left to lose.

So when she meets some smooth-talking entrepreneurs who offer to set her up as a cam girl, she can’t say no. All Vada has to do is spend a couple hours each night stripping on webcam, and the “tips” come pouring in.

It’s just a kinky escape from reality until a client gets serious. “Blue” is mysterious, alluring, and more interested in Vada’s life than her body. Online, they chat intimately. Blue helps her heal. And he pays well, but he wants her all to himself. No more cam shows. It’s an easy decision: she’s starting to fall for him. But the steamier it gets, the more she craves the real man behind the keyboard. So Vada pops the question:

Can we meet IRL?

Blue agrees, on one condition. A condition that will bring back a ghost from her past.

Now Vada must confront what she’s been running from. A past full of devastating secrets—those of others and those she’s been keeping from herself…

"If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans."

WOW!

That's pretty much what I've got at the moment!

My review will be short and sweet. 

You all know how I rarely read blurbs.. well this was no exception.

I didn't even put two and two together and figure out what Cam Girl meant! 

It didn't really matter. 

  

This book has mystery, sadness, confusion and pain. There's also friendship, love and lust.

I wouldn't want to spoil anyone's experience and there is so much beauty, pain and enlightenment in this story to experience. You just have to go for it.

  

The writing is so poetic, so vivid.

Leah writes in color. In poems. Paintings.

"Art is an imperfect impression of the world. As the self is an imperfect impression of the soul."

I was sucked in and couldn't put it down.

This is a story unlike any I have read. 

I cried for these characters and their struggles.

In the end, I also cried for Leah and Leelah.

What an intricate web this story is made up of. 

I was completely enthralled and intrigued. 

A must read in my opinion.

Amazon US / UK

The World As He Sees It (Perspectives) by A.M. Arthur

BLURB

Love knows no limits…but fear could keep them from seeing it.

Gabe lives a double life. As Gabriel Henson, he works multiple jobs to support his remorseless, alcoholic mother. As Tony Ryder, he does internet porn for extra cash and regular safe sex without complications. 

Yet when he encounters a scared young man freaking out in a night club, he’s compelled to reach out. Ever since then, the memory of that young man has haunted him.

Tristan Lavelle lives his life thirty minutes at a time. After a traumatic brain injury three years ago, he gets through his day recording his life in spiral notebooks and sticky note reminders. 

A month after Tristan’s embarrassingly public meltdown, another chance meeting with Gabe sparks a warm, emotionally fulfilling email relationship. Both men crave more, but fear of the next step stands between them. 

Until Tristan gets the opportunity to take part in a clinical trial that could improve his memory—if the side effects don’t kill him. But for Tristan, the possibility of a real life with Gabe is worth any risk…

Warning: Contains two damaged but lovable heroes, secret-keeping friends with good intentions, and an abundance of inappropriate food innuendo.

My Review

This was such a sweet and moving story. 

Tristan has one hell of a life. 

He doesn't remember anything after a 30 minute time span. 
He lives through sticky notes, calendars and notes written in a notebook. 
My heart broke for him!!

Gabe is instantly attracted and mesmerized. 
He's such a tender and patient man and the way he acts with Tristan is beautiful.
I enjoyed how they took their time getting to know each other and loved the emails!

I'm not sure how I feel about Gabe's 'job' or how easily acceptable it all is.
I guess I'm a bit of a prude? Too much of a jealous bitch maybe? lol
But I'd have been a little more upset rather than turned on. ?? Not quite sure about that.

Regardless, I found this to be a sweet, funny and sexy read with a bit of sadness added into the mix.

I enjoyed it very much and look forward to reading more from this new to me author!

"The people we meet are in our lives for a reason. Sometimes for a long time, sometimes for an hour, but everyone affects us in some way."

Amazon US / UK

Desperate Chances by A. Meredith Walters

Sex changes everything.

And love can turn into an enemy…

Mitch Abrams, the bassist for the popular rock band Generation Rejects, has been in love with Gracie Cook for years. But Gracie, a complicated girl with a lot of baggage, was too blind to see how she felt about the man who had always stood by her.

Until one night of passion brought them closer than they had ever been before.

Feeling off balance and out of control, Gracie does the only thing a girl with self-destructive tendencies can do: end things with Mitch before they can really begin.

So Mitch moves on. With his band, his friends, and a new girlfriend.

Yet he can’t seem to forget about the girl who threw his heart away.

Gracie, who is still struggling to build a life after crashing to the bottom, finds it hard to forget about her one night with Mitch. And even as she tries to convince herself it was only sex, her heart knows differently.

But life is full of chances and desperate moments. And when Mitch and Gracie are thrown back into each other’s lives, will they seize at the opportunity to do things right?

Or will the rock star and the less than ordinary girl crash and burn?

My Review

Friends to lovers gone wrong!

Like the blurb says, 'sex changes everything'. 

Sometimes it makes your relationship so much stronger and other times, it ends them all together.

Unfortunately for best friends Mitch and Gracie, it was the latter.

Ugh, the angst and heartbreak!!

I felt for Gracie. 

She's trying to change her life, mend her ways and make a new path for herself,  yet her family just couldn't believe in her. 

Her mother's behavior towards her made me want to reach in and smack her!

Then there's Mitch!

I liked him a lot!

His feelings for Gracie were so raw, and so real! He wasn't afraid to show his emotions.

Sadly for him, his big heart was stomped on and crushed to bits!

Their connection was so strong that even I could feel it. 

I was rooting for them!

This story is filled with love, pain and sorrow! 

But, there's also friendship, camaraderie, and laughter!

I loved the incorporation of all the previous characters. 

Not only was this Mitch and Gracie's story, but it was like a big family reunion! What is everyone up to? What does the future hold?

The laughter I mentioned... Viv and Cole!!! Need I say more? 

Their naughty antics had me constantly laughing out loud!

This was the perfect way to wrap up a series!

Amazon US / UK

Tainted Black by Shanora Williams

BLURB

Dear Mr. Black,

  

I know you were hurting. I heard your cries. I wished over and over again that I could make it better, but as you stated I was too inexperienced; too good for someone as bad as you.

Perhaps you were right, but it didn’t matter because what I did know was that I loved the way you felt—loved the way you smelled. I loved how hard you got for me, and when you called me your Little Knight. 

I can still remember that day in the park, when you held me close and kissed me deep. How you effortlessly made me cry your name on top of sweet smelling grass, making me feel like the only girl in the world. I loved how you looked at me, how you spoke to me.

I had been madly in love with you ever since I was twelve years old, but I shouldn’t have been. 

Isabelle would have hated it—my best friend. I couldn’t afford to lose her. Besides, you two had already lost enough. Losing Mrs. Black was the epitome.

It’s Chloe Knight. 

I wanted to be there for you no matter what, but Isabelle needed me too. 

And she would have hated me if she ever found out I was sleeping with her father.

** Tainted Black is a forbidden love-story about a girl who helplessly falls for her best friend’s father. After a tragic accident ends the life of Theo Black’s wife, he turns to the one person he has always found interesting.

Chloe Knight, the girl from across the street, his daughter’s best friend, and a person that is considered completely off limits for him. **

-- AUTHOR NOTE: Chloe IS NOT 12 when she sleeps with Mr. Black. When she says she's been in love with him ever since she was 12 years old, it means she has loved him since then, way before he ever knew. When the tragedy happens, Chloe is 19 and Theo is 39. When she mentions the "sweet grass" part, she is 19 years old. Hope that clears things up! :)

MY REVIEW

WOW! What do you say after that?

This was my first read by Shanora Williams and I know it is only the beginning!!!

Betrayal, loss, lust, sacrifice! 

What an incredible emotional journey I have just been on.

She had a crush from the beginning... and he knew it. 

But besides that, they had a bond. A connection. She understood him, and he her.

There was nothing dirty or perverted about it. 

They were both of age, yet your very best and practically only friend's dad? 

tsk tsk Now that's what made it taboo. 

They provided something for each other, risqué or not, it was what they needed. 

You could feel the lust and electricity. 

Damn Shanora Williams for making Mr. Black so damn hot and delicious!!! 

There were also multiple moments of pain and loss. I had tears in my eyes on more than one occasion.

They say everything happens for a reason. 

Life is tough! Along the way you hope you find love and happiness. 

Sometimes you make mistakes. There are times you'll have to make sacrifices. 

But ultimately you live and you learn.

"She deserved better than having to deal with my brokenness, a man with no self-control- no guidance. A man with a dark past and an even darker heart. That was my mistake, leading her on like that, taking from her what so clearly didn't justify being mine."

This was definitely an intense emotional journey. 

Friendship. 

Loss. 

Pain. 

Desperation. 

Happiness.

Acceptance.

Love.

AMAZON US / UK