International Romance

2020 ARCs, Angsty, International Romance, March 2020 Review, Marriage Romance, Mysery, Novella, Sizzling, Suspense Romance

R E V I E W ➠ Tease Me by J. Kenner

March 3, 2020March 11, 2020by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

Entertainment reporter Jamie Archer knew it would be hard when her husband, Stark Security Chief Ryan Hunter, was called away for a long-term project in London. The distance is difficult to endure, but Jamie trusts the deep and passionate love that has always burned between them. At least until a mysterious woman from Ryan’s past shows up at his doorstep, her very presence threatening to destroy everything that Jamie holds dear.
Ryan never expected to see Felicia Randall again, a woman with whom he shared a dark past and a dangerous secret. The first and only woman he ever truly failed.
Desperate and on the run, Felicia’s come to plead for his help. But while Ryan knows that helping her is the only way to heal old wounds, he also knows that the mission will not only endanger the life of the woman he holds most dear, but will brutally test the deep trust that binds Jamie and Ryan together.

RELEASE DATE: March 10, 2020

“Mostly, I love you, Jamie Archer.”
“Jasmie Archer Hunter,” I correct.
“And thank God for that,” he says.

He pulls me close and kisses me, sweet and tender, as if sealing the vow between s all over again.
-Jamie

Not my first read by the author and she is one of my firs reads along with being a top favorite author. That said, yes I have read all of the Stark books from one to lasts. This is Ryan and Jamie story, well another one hehe. And with that I will say this can not be read as a standalone since this couple is already established. It’s a fun and exciting story about a part of their life. Which by the way I love about all this, we get glimpses of their lives after the fact.

It jumps right in of course. When a past of Ryan’s re-appears it really does shake everything up. After a spontaneous trip that Jamie takes, turns into a un-forgetting adventure filled with sizzling moments, mystery, danger, past and trust. Really intense and after my Bestie Amy talked me down with me threatening to throw things at people at the gym if it was what I though it was, I really really enjoyed it.

Rating: ★★★★★
Romance: ♡♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Type: Stark International Trilogy #5
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY!
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

2020 ARCs, Angsty, Enemy-To-Lovers, February 2020 Review, Forbidden Romance, International Romance, Office-Romance, Slow Burn, Triggers

R E V I E W ➠ Perfect Chaos by Jodi Ellen Malpas

February 18, 2020February 18, 2020by The Guide To Romance Novels4 Comments

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

It starts like any other Monday for Ty Christianson. Fifty laps in his pool, a suave suit, a chat with his mum on the way to his office, dodging countless calls from women, and his faithful yet cynical assistant waiting for him with a coffee. Then a meeting with his business partner and life-long friend, Sal, upends everything. Sal’s hired a new assistant without so much as consulting Ty. That’s a cardinal sin in their world, but it’s the least of Ty’s worries. Sal hasn’t just hired a new personal assistant, he’s hired an absolute goddess. And she’s off limits to Ty.
Lainey Summer drives Ty crazy with her savage beauty, her effortless sexiness, and her unfathomable veneer. She plays her cards way too close to her chest, and doesn’t that just make her more enticing?
Unlucky for Lainey, Ty’s notoriously irresistible.
Unlucky for Ty, Lainey can resist him.
Or . . . can she?
As Ty sets on a mission to break Lainey, an intended conquest becomes a fixation.
And in the process, he’s thrown into perfect chaos.

RELEASE DATE: February 18, 2020

Not my first read by the author, not only is she one of my top 5 favorites but also the 2nd read ever many moons ago when I started reading and reading romance! That said I have read almost every single book she has put out and this was a beautiful surprise because one: i love anything by Jodi but also because I’ve been having streaks of ‘not my cup of tea’ books and this is a life saver! So here we go…and what a start, hello arrogance at it’s finest!

The best part to this was the first meeting of Ty & Lainey PERFECT meet, I am so glad that a woman made him feel off kilter, the man-whore Ty being seduced by a woman who didn’t even say a word to him or pay him much attention! And then it turned a little touch and go for me, while I enjoy a man chasing a woman he can’t have or that sizzling attraction between the hero and heroine, this was a lot of “other” conquers if you know what I mean and you only get glimpses of the heroine which is not much besides a few things that I didn’t really like..there I say it but this is a HIS POV only and so I am only going off of what we got from the heroine and I’m only 27% in. It was just a little slow and repeat for me for a while actually. I really hope it picks up and we get more of WHO the heroine is because so far, I just don’t know what to think of her. Alright we are at around 50% and I wish I could say that it got better for me, but sadly it did not. The issue I had until now is that 1. we don’t get much about the heroine but a few things 2. his pov only 3. the hero fucking (excuse my language) but I got really fed up and irritated with the hero fucking everything possible – there just sin’t an easier way to say this 4. the hero want’s her but she doesn’t until she does. 5. we wont get a glipse of even a little more of the heroine until 42%

All that said already, I am not even finished and I must say now that the ‘romance’ and them kind of together is happening, I am too turned off…I don’t know how to enjoy them together. Really disappointed but I am always truthful on my review’s and that’s what you’re getting. My point of view and thoughts! Here is something that really pissed me off:

The silence stretched as I searched my failing brain. What the hell do I say now? Yes, I was a manwhore, but I want more with you? Or, Yes, you saw me take another woman home to fuck last night, but I was so fucking done with your games.
-Tyler

I just had a really had time connecting with either one of them after this, because Lainey is so indecisive and confusing because we don’t now her well and the angst in this, for me, is overbearing. It was fun in the beginning but then it got old for me and started to get irritating, so you can imagine how my reading went with that type of feeling. I am not a fan of indecisiveness of either character to a breaking point along with the hero fucking other woman in details this many times. I won’t be sorry for what I do not find romantic or enjoy reading, but I guess we will see. I will end this once I am done reading. I’ve got about 40% left. p.s. I also can’t look past this one: (Sorry but I do not find that romantic and it throws me off, if anything just pisses me off to think of all the conquests that he has had)

Last night I fucked a girl I could easily never see again. I hate that she was in my bed. At least, I hate it now. But if anything, it proved categorically to me that I really wasn’t done with Lainey. Not by a long shot. And she so isn’t done with me.
-Ty

Towards the ending, TY really get’s swoony, like the type I wish he was at the beginning, wish I didn’t have to fight my feelings for time this late in the game, because when he wants he can be so dreamy, funny and swoony. Ty was a complex character but I enjoyed him more than anything, smart, successful, a man-whore yes but deep down you’ll understand why. Nothing like that can be said about the heroine, maybe the not having her POV played a huge factor but I did jot like her, bits and pieces ans thats it. And then I got thowards the very end and, wow (that’s not a good wow) this messed me up in all the ways of reading romance and not in a good way. I’m speechless at the fact that this came from Jodi Ellen Malpas. Unfortunately did dropped to a 3.5 for me because wow, that was not cool, the explanation, the way the heroine was all about it, the way the hero is…wow just wow. THE END!

Rating: 3.5★
Romance: ♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥
Type: Standalone
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

2019 ARCs, Angsty, Enemy-To-Lovers, Friends-To-Lovers, International Romance, November 2019 Reviews, Second Chance Romance, Sizzling, Slow Burn

R E V I E W ➠ Mythical Creatures by Annie Dyer

November 17, 2019November 17, 2019by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨: 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘮 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘩𝘢𝘯.

The confident playboy who never promised more than one night.
Back in college he was my friend, and the boy who could’ve broken my heart, if I’d trusted him with it. Instead, I chose his best friend. The last time I saw him, he looked at the heart I held in my hands and walked away.
It hadn’t been my heart.
It had been his.
A decade later, Callum and I are thrown together under the African sun. We’re here to save animals, but this could be a second chance with the boy whose heart I still hold.
But can I trust him with mine?

*𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲.
𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘆 𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗻, 𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁, 𝗮 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗛𝗘𝗔 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴!

RELEASE DATE: November 22, 2019

This is my first read since the author is NEW to me. Thank you to the author for reaching out to me for a READ+REVIEW. This book is definitely something different from what I read normally, but in a good way. They both have share a link from their past but also HAD a not so good past they lived through. Now as adults, it’s a whole new game.

Wren is presented with a lifetime opportunity but also the ability to leave behind what she ‘oh so’ needs to get away from. She might have wished for that back once she found out that she will be working with Callum. She can’t blame him fully, she also ran all those years ago, but here…it’s different they are grown up, been through a lot more and of course working together puts them in a close proximity at all times. Of all places, in one of the most beautiful animal lands, Africa.

Things I didn’t expect in this: the heroine to be very rough and thorny. I mean, it was okay but I gad points where (because I didn’t read the previous books, I am assuming you get a glimpse of her before) so I wasn’t ready for Wren that all is! The hero Callum was arrogant, sexy, super smart and of course deep down had the kindest heart…

I will have to read the other books in the series, yes I know backwards but I don’t mind. I am now also curious about them. I really enjoyed this one!

Rating: 4.5★
Romance: ♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥
Type: Standalone
Recommended: ☑
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

2019 ARCs, Angsty, Enemy-To-Lovers, International Romance, November 2019 Reviews, Slow Burn, Suspense Romance, Taboo Romance

R E V I E W ➠ DISARM by Karina Halle

November 17, 2019by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

Seraphine Dumont seems to have it all: she’s gorgeous, brilliant, and part of one of France’s most illustrious dynasties. But underneath the facade, Seraphine struggles to hold it all together. Besides grieving her adoptive father’s suspicious and sudden death, she also shares a tenuous role in the family business with Blaise, her in-name-only cousin. As tumultuous as their history is, he may be the only member of the deceptive Dumont family she can trust.
Seraphine is a temptation Blaise can’t resist. The torch he’s carried for years still burns. It’s his secret—a quiet obsession just out of reach. Until his brother demands that he spy on the increasingly cagey Seraphine, whom their father considers a dispensable Dumont outlier. But the more Blaise watches her and the closer he gets, the more he sees Seraphine may have every right to be suspicious. And she could be the next one in danger—from his own family.
As blood runs hot and hearts give in, Seraphine and Blaise have only each other. But can their love survive the secrets they’re about to uncover?

RELEASE DATE: November 19, 2019

She’s not telling me to stop. She has a war inside herself too.

Not my first read by author, and I have read Book #1 DISCRETION in this series, which I would recommend reading first and I enjoyed very much!
In this book I had a harder time connecting, I don’t know if it was the characters together or the story but it just felt off a little for me. Little disappointed since I loved Book #1 very much.

This slow-burn, taboo, enemy to lovers was not what I expected, there were lot;s of parts where I was on the edge reading but other parts where I got little lost and read off. This is a VERY SLOW-BURN or rather foreplay notion between the hero and heroine. This is where I would recommend reading Book #1 for it to really make all the sense. Lot’s of drama and suspense too. The epilogue is little short, wish there was more and like I said earlier, great read I just…felt little off for me. Not your normal plot line. I appreciate the chance to have gotten an ARC from NETGALLERY for this!

Rating: ★★★★
Romance: ♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥
Type: Book #2 of Series
Recommended: ☑
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

2019 ARCs, Enemy-To-Lovers, Friends-To-Lovers, International Romance, November 2019 Reviews, Rom-Com, Slow Burn, Sport Romance, Sports Romance

R E V I E W ➠ Blindsided by Amy Daws

November 15, 2019by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

What happens when an almost thirty-year-old virgin agrees to let her Scottish footballer best friend give her some lessons in seduction?
Lots of banter, awkwardness, jealousy, and heat.
Midfielder Maclay “Mac” Logan is a loud-mouthed, tattooed ginger content with focusing on football. But when an adorably-freckled seamstress comes barreling into his life, he finds Netflix-And-Bickering with her to be his new favorite pastime.
Freya Cook is used to being the invisible woman with a needle and thread, offering cheeky punchlines as she helps dress London’s finest. She’s plus-sized in body and spirit, and other than her friendship with Mac, talking to the opposite sex is one skill she never mastered.
However, after one innocent game of Never Have I Ever, Mac offers to play Love Coach for Freya.
What neither of them see coming are the feelings that develop when the clothes come off.
Now they’re both about to learn the biggest lesson of all: Don’t fall in love with your best friend.

RELEASE DATE: November 21, 2019

“Now ride me hard and fast, treasure. Ride me like you mean it.”
-Mac

Not my first read by author and the blurb got me on this but then she came out with the cover and HELLLLOOOO THERE!!!!! After reading some heavy books in a row it was nice to jump into a fun and sweet rom-com.

Freya, there is something so innocent and sweet but full of sass and backbone about her. I instantly fell in love with her. A woman that has put herself in a class and just living through life, when enough is enough and she wants to do something about it. That’s where Mac comes in!! Also it’s the best when Freya calls sex “the sex” haha!

Mac suggest a great idea because they are best mates and nothing can go wrong. WRONG! Everything went wrong in all the sense. When lines are blurred and crossed, are these two going to be able to hold strong? This is a whole new level of SCOTTISH talk and sexy Scottish talking!! It’s really a light-hearted read but with so much deepness to it, it touches on a lot of basic but important issues.

BEWARE OF THE CAR-WASH *smirk* and Plus size Cat PJ’s!
The sweetest HEA!

Rating: ★★★★★
Romance: ♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥
Type: Standalone
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY!
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

2019 ARCs, Angsty, Enemy-To-Lovers, Friends-To-Lovers, International Romance, October 2019 Reviews, Sizzling, Suspense Romance

R E V I E W ➠ The Italian by T.L. Swan

October 29, 2019by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

They say there are three things you should do at least once in your life:
Dance like nobody’s watching.
Travel the world.
And fall hopelessly in love.
I aimed to do all three.
I went to Italy to find myself.
But he found me.
It was like a story book, our eyes met across a crowded room.
He asked me if I needed help reading the menu.
We ate, we laughed, we danced, and I fell.
Unfortunately, things didn’t go to plan, and we parted ways.
Two years later, our eyes meet across a room again.
Only this time I was on a date with another man.
He went crazy in a jealous fit.
But the man I met then is different now.
He’s colder, harder, and officially one of the most powerful men in Italy.
Dare I say it, even more enticing.
But if you dance with the devil, you get burnt.
And the fires in Italy are scalding hot.

RELEASE DATE: October 28, 2019

He’s a player. I’m a good girl. The boundaries are set. No false pretenses.
-Olivia

Not my first by the author and I have always loved every book I’ve read, that said don’t hold it against me if I say that I just, it was hard for me to connect with this book. In the beginning it seemed fine for me, I was enjoying it and then it all just kind of shifted for me. The hero and heroine just felt off, and I had the hardest time connecting with the Heroine. To me she was a little too immature and indecisive, there were great moment I won’t lie but unfortunately I did not connect with this book fully. I’ am always honest in my review’s therefore I can’t sugar coat anything that I did not enjoy. To each it’s own. I think my main issue was the dynamic between the main characters. Again, times of great moments and then not so great.

Aside from that, this is a whirlpool romance. Australian native Olivia is on a Europe vacation by herself where she meet’s handsome, sexy, tall and dark Enrico Ferrara, who whisks her off to a beautiful romance. Only for it to burn and crash hard. Forward two years, Olivia finds herself back in Rome for a job opportunity, when she run’s into Enrico again, all kinds of feelings on both end come bubbling up. What continues next is very STEAMY I won’t lie because the sexy scenes: MY GOSH THE HOTNESS!

Enrico Ferrara fucks with his body but he kisses with his whole heart.
-Olivia

This is also a lot of suspense and mystery, after all Olivia didn’t even know who Enrico REALLY was until much later. Danger, suspense, romance, sexy steamy love and lot’s of arguing later (hehe) these two find a way to one another again. Like I said earlier, I really enjoyed the story, there were a lot of scenes and action..but just that connection for me with the characters was lacking a lot. That won’t deteriorate me from reading another book by the author, sometimes you just have hit & misses!

Rating: ★★★★
Romance: ♡♡♡♡
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Type: Standalone
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY!
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

2019 ARCs, Age-Gap Romance, Brother's Best Friend, Friends-To-Lovers, International Romance, September 2019 Review, Slow Burn

R E V I E W ➠ All The Forbidden Things by Lesley Jones

September 4, 2019September 14, 2019by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment

OODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

When all that you want, is all that’s forbidden…
I’ve known him my entire life.
Before marriage.
Before fatherhood.
Before betrayal.
Now, he’s one of rock’s bad-boys trying to be good.
Trying to be the best father he can for his daughter.
He’s my brother’s best friend.
He’s my boss.
He has a wife.
Max isn’t mine to have, but I want him all the same.
And I haven’t survived all that I have to not go after what I want.
Her story is a tragedy, mine’s a publicity disaster.
Just when I needed her most, she walked back into my life, and the timing couldn’t be worse.
With a newborn baby, a divorce, an album to record, and a world tour to plan, I don’t need the distraction.
She’s off limits.
She’s my best friend’s little sister.
She’s my nanny.
Billie’s a golden drop of sexy sun on a grey autumn day, tempting me into the light and a life full of possibilities.
A life not meant for us.

RELEASE DATE: September 12, 2019

“If I kiss you there’s no going back. Not for me.”
“Then I really want you to kiss me.”

Not my first read by the author but my first official review & more. The blurb alone is what caught my eye along with the sexy cover of course, but something about single-dad always draws me in!!

Right off the bat your heart will melt and swoon all in one, because Max is the ultimate swoon dad, who is well still marries so hang tight! What a QUEEN-B the one that’s ends in CH! Wow, what a bomb that was thrown at Max from his wife Whitney. I myself wanted to smack her! The first chapter will gut you, not even bother to repair that tear…my heart went out to Max and he was so strong, only lost it a few times hehe considering what he just found out and all…well, that’s acceptable!

The whole story kind of shifts because it involves a beautiful little girl, a bitch-of-a wife and a career which keeps everything and everyone in the limelight. Max just wants to move on with his life while Whitney has made it her mission to make his LIFE a living hell. Then you throw in Billie as the nanny and things create tears and take wrong turns. Not to mention that Billie is 22 and Max is 38. This is a story of a famous singer and a best-friends-little sister who grew up into a woman. Now they just have to be careful and plan it accordingly…should be easy right! Billie has always been not secure in herself, look wise, and has had a crush on Max every since she could remember, so when they are grown up now she still thinks of herself at that little red headed girl with braces. It was sweet of her, because that made her so innocent and what she went through to have taken her to Max in the first place. The main characters really were perfect for one another.

I was kind of 50/50 on this book because YES the blurb caught me but the hero to me was the perfect rocker-hero but I was kind of hoping little more from him [aside from being an amazing dad] i guess it just comes down to that I couldn’t fully connect with the story. TO ME it felt a little all over the place, I guess I am used to reading more about focus on, things like if he is a musician and dad I kind of wanted a little more focus on a few things rather then a lot happening if that makes sense, nothing bad like I said the plot was spot on and it flowed very nice, just something to me. It was straight on and just what I’d read from a Rock-star Romance I just couldn’t feel it. Both POV’s, age-gap and sizzling sexy scenes. *side note: my review’s are always honest, although I don’t intend to ever bad-mouth or be rude about a book or author, please understand that the review is from my POV and how I felt, doesn’t mean someone else wouldn’t like it.

Rating: ★★★★
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Recommended: ☑
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

2019 ARCs, Age-Gap Romance, August 2019 Review, International Romance, Novella, Sizzling

R E V I E W ➠ Her Dirty Secret by Melanie A. Smith

August 31, 2019September 14, 2019by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

Emily Hoyt is often referred to as a “free spirit,” but she knows that’s just a nice way to say “flake.” Thick-skinned and stubborn, she doesn’t let it bother her — she simply does what makes her happy. It’s a hard thing to pull off living in the shadow of her perfect big brother, who does everything right. So when big brother Bryce unexpectedly announces he’s married his perfect match, Emily once again feels the pressure to be more than the meandering musician she is.
At exactly the moment she needs it, an opportunity presents itself in an unforeseen way. Alessandro Giordano is the lying, selfish bastard who once hurt her brother’s now-wife. Emily had him pegged as bad news. But when they meet at the engagement-turned-wedding celebration, they’re both looking to escape, and the instant chemistry they have pushes them together.
Is their attraction just a diversion, or could it really be more? Is Alessandro truly capable of the selflessness committing to one woman requires? And will that really be the deal-breaker for Emily, or is it the idea of being tied down that will get in her way? The pursuit of love can devastate us, or it can liberate us — if only we can get out of our own way.
Note: This is a novella and the fourth book in a steamy contemporary romance series. This book includes mature content, and as such is not recommended for readers under 18 years of age, or those who might be offended by such material.

*Note: This is a novella and the fourth book in a steamy contemporary romance series. This book includes mature content, and as such is not recommended for readers under 18 years of age, or those who might be offended by such material.

RELEASE DATE: September 10, 2019

“You have a fire in you,”
-Alessandro

Officially my first read by the author but I do have the previous books also, which I am getting to. So, yes I am jumping ahead but I think it’ll be fine. Also, this author has been a long time follower of all my everything’s and I want to thank her for always being there and this ARC!!

This was rather short obviously being a Novella so one sitting read and it was really steamy. Started off with Emily feeling like things in life may not happen to her…the relationship and marriage type. When she attends her brother’s engagement party she runs into the infamous Alessandro and things kind of just GO from there on. From thinking of him of all the things she has heard and see her soon to be sister in law go through, she had him pegged one way and to a delightful surprise he was nothing like.

When Alessandro takes her home and doesn’t follow what she is offering a IN THE MOMENT happens where she ends up going to Italy with him on a whim. Then the ADVENTURE begins! It’s a short but sexy story and for it being my first read, it was very enjoyable. Like I said at the beginning I do have the whole series to catch up on too!!

Rating: 4.5★
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Recommended: ☑
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

2019 ARCs, August 2019 Review, Enemy-To-Lovers, International Romance, Marriage Of Convenience, Office-Romance, Sizzling, TOP 2019 MUST READ

R E V I E W ➠ To Have And Hate by Donna Alam

August 11, 2019by The Guide To Romance NovelsLeave a Comment

GOODREADS – AMAZON – AUTHOR WEBSITE

BLURB

Beckett. Let me count the ways I loathe him.
1. He’s the bane of my existence.
2. A thorn in my side.
3. I’m pretty sure he’s the devil in disguise
Or he at least has him on speed-dial.

So why am I standing here, bouquet in hand, about to become his wife?

He calls it a business proposition.
I call it blackmail.
He says our fighting is foreplay.
I say he should be on meds.
He says he has the power to destroy my company,
I say with a husband like him, who needs enemies.

But I can survive this six-month calamity.

All I have to do is keep hating him . . .

RELEASE DATE: August 8, 2019

‘I still hate you,’ I whisper into his kiss.
His chuckle is love and rough as he rasps, ‘I’m counting on it.’
His kiss becomes deeper, wetter, as one of his hands curls around my hip.

‘You look good for an old man,’ I whisper, resolutely keeping my gaze on the form.
‘And you’re angling to be pulled over my knee, young lady.’

⇨ R E V I E W ⇦

New to me author & books, BUT definitely made it on my 2019 TOP list because this book was everything I love about a HERO & HEROINE in a Office-enemy-to-lovers romance! All happening in London and part New York!

Let’s start with Olivia the heroine who is not only sassy but willing, strong and soft under it all. She is the perfect heroine when it comes to characters and story. Opinionated, stubborn, sassy, beautiful and loving. Now our hero Beckett who is tall, sexy, broody, mysterious, well spoken, comes form old money and one of the HOTTEST HERO’S in 2019! He might be beautiful and sexy but he has a mouth on him. Equal part to Olivia, because their bickering and back and forth is honest foreplay for any heart.

[He waves off my protest. ‘The companies on the thirty-fifth floor all deal in business finance some sort. Meanwhile, we’ve also determined that I’m on first-name terms with Satan, that I think you’re rather lovely, and that I might like to kiss you.’]

Olivia runs her own company, one it involves the world of the rich and of course, suits. So when she goes on her dream-date with a man she’s been waiting to be available, things kind of go south…well for her it happens a lot…literally. The girl can’t keep her balance for shit, it’s actually how she met Beckett, at his feet. Olivia’s tardiness knows no bound but also it’s not fully her fault as everything seems to always happens o her no matter where she is off to. Meet Cute? Not so much cute, but sexy more like it.

When she is propositioned someone that not even in her dreams she would accept, she isn’t left of much with option, therefore being the sassy strong-headed woman, she jump in. But I will warn you this is not the normal office romance type, and you’ll see. Things are more THERE and HAPPENING. After all, she did marry the one man she loaths in lots of different ways.

I can’t say more but it’s a ride YOU WANT TO TAKE. The feelings I usually chase when reading ARE DEFINITELY HERE & SOME. Something about their duo was fantastic, side characters also, the time line lined up perfectly and the transitions were very smooth! I will briefly touch on the sexy scenes and say that hands down THIS AUTHOR HAS IT DOWN!!

‘Your skin is like moonlight,’ he whispers, his voice rasping and raw.
‘And your freckles are constellation.’ His words are almost pondering as his hand trails across my collarbone, his eye following.
‘And I’m going to cover them in cum.’

I am leaving THAT at THAT. Very sizzling, the chemistry and romance very beautiful. The only thing that was wrong with all this, I NEEDED MORE! I feel like a 2,3 or 4th epilogue is necessary please!! Front start to end, this book will keep you engaged, on your toes, angry, scared and happy!! All the feels for sure!

TOP 2019 MUST READ LIST!
Rating: ★★★★★
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 🔥
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY!
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

2019 ARCs, International Romance, July 2019 Review

R E V I E W ➠ Discretion by Karina Halle

July 25, 2019by The Guide To Romance Novels2 Comments

GOODREADS

AMAZON

AUTHOR WEBSITE

BLURB

The Riviera means indulgence—if you’ve got money. For Sadie Reynolds, a down-on-her-luck student, the Riviera means dingy hostels and back streets. When a wrong turn puts her in jeopardy, the last thing she expects is to be saved by the most handsome stranger she’s ever locked eyes with. When she later wakes up in a luxury suite with a Mediterranean view, she’s in the tender care of her rescuer: Olivier Dumont, France’s most eligible bachelor, billionaire hotelier, and heir to the Dumont fashion fortune.

Olivier also owns his reputation for scandal. But Sadie is unlike any woman he’s ever met. Her humble persona and wild innocence promise real passion. He’s promising Sadie something too: anything she wants. From Bordeaux to Cannes to Paris, Sadie’s past in America is swept away and replaced with a fantasy too good to be true.

Pulled into Olivier’s orbit of wealth, glamour, and excess, Sadie discovers that the Dumont dynasty comes with a legacy of wicked secrets. And Olivier’s secrets may be the most damning of all…

RELEASE DATE: August 6, 2019

They only know the lie, and I’ve got to do everything in my power to keep that lie alive.
-Oliver

Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc

From The Book
“I’m going in,” he tells me. “You’re free to join me. I highly advise a dip in the Mediterranean. The sea salt here is good for your soul.”
I’ll tell you what else is good for the soul: watching Oliver Dumont take off his clothes, that’s what. The sound as he undoes his zipper is so loud if seems to bounce off the waves.

⇨ R E V I E W ⇦

Not my first review by author and it’s always a good surprise and a big variety when it come from Karina Halle, the blurb got me very interested in this not to mention the beautiful cover itself!

Well this was an unexpected brought out feelings type of book! Was apparently not ready for all the world-win i guess. I want to talk about the characters first: Oliver is a 30 year old FILTHY RICH business man, who owns lot’s of properties along with hotel-chain. His family comes from big money as well, so either way he would always be taken care of financially. Now, Sadie is a college student that went on an adventure only to end up alone…literally and figuratively speaking. She is backpacking and very broke, but getting by, she is not going to let a set-back hold her back from exploring. Until that one night she took a wrong turn and luckily for her Oliver the knight-in-shining-armor was there to save her. It all kind of went like a roller coaster from then on, for both of them.

I really loved the idea of this story, the romance portion was VERY SWOON WORTHY, not just Oliver but the surroundings and all. The author if you’ve never read her is very keen on detail, not too much where it over-powers but enough so it can all play out like a movie scene in your head. Even if you’ve never been to that part of the country, this is a international romance as well. That said, this story is every girls dream to be honest, maybe not the family issue one but the whole being swooped of your feet deal.

Oliver becomes infatuated with Sadie not just for her looks but for her smarts and mouth, he can’t believe she didn’t know who he was when they met. They take a journey and adventure together…but all adventures either continue or have a bad ending…I’m leaving it there….

In this book you will have hardship, romance, SWOON SWOON SWOON, adventure, secrets, lies, hurt & pain and of course HEARTBREAK in many forms…oh let’s not forget DANGER! I rather enjoyed the story and the characters, I am looking forward to learn more about them hopefully in the other books to come in that series!

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Steamy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Recommended: ☑ HIGHLY!
⇨ H A P P Y – R E A D I N G ⇦

“If I kiss you there’s no going back. Not for me.”“Then I really want you to kiss me.”

Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc

“If I kiss you there’s no going back. Not for me.”
“Then I really want you to kiss me.”