Clio might be a nymph living in exile among humans. And she might possess the rare ability to mimic any magic she sees. And she might have just seriously ticked off the most powerful family of spell weavers in the Underworld.
But she is not in love with an incubus.
Lyre is the rebellious black sheep of said weaver family, and he's the only reason she survived her recent Underworld "vacation." He's also the sexiest thing she's ever seen. Together, they have to track down a catastrophically dangerous magic--a magic he created, she sort of stole, and they both lost--before his family gets their hands on it. And that means fighting alongside him in a desperate attempt to avert complete disaster.
But she is definitely not in love with him. At least, she's pretty sure she's not.
Mostly sure. Maybe sure?...Crap.
Review:
*Spoilers for The Night Realm, you can read my review for the previous book here.*
The Shadow Weave was a thrill of a ride and peril filled the pages. It made this book impossible to put down and I kept hoping that Lyre and Clio would catch a break. While that rarely seemed to happen, I still found lightness in so many different moments. Friendship, loyalty, love and laughter could be found within the pages and I absolutely loved that. So if you adore Urban Fantasy stories that keep you on the edge of your seat and has a romance laced throughout the pages, then this is definitely a series you have to check out!
Leaving the weapon embedded in his body, she stepped into his field of vision. “How does it feel?” she hissed. His eyes bulged. Blood bubbled from his mouth and he toppled over with the sword impaled in his back.
Clio and Lyre escaped from the Underworld. And they both had a common goal in place. To travel to the Overworld and get back the KLOC before it caused chaos and ruin in their worlds. And while they faced countless obstacles that at times seemed insurmountable, they were being hunted. I literally screamed out loud when I discovered who was hunting them. Ugh. And even then, I still kept hoping that there would be light at the end of their tunnel. But their lives were now brutal, so hold on because this story definitely gets intense.
He’d intended to release her immediately, but his arms tightened instead. Wrapped around her small frame, his cheek pressed against her hair and his eyes squeezed shut, he held her to him. For one brief moment, he allowed himself to acknowledge his pathetic relief that he wasn’t alone in this.
And how petrified he was of the moment when he’d have to face this new future on his own.
While horrific events kept unfolding, they discovered how much they relied on one another. Not only did they fight adversaries together, but they put their lives in each other’s hands time and again. It was emotional and beautiful to watch. And through it all, a true friendship started to blossom. Even with that sexual tension between them. And it didn’t matter that they were from different worlds or that they knew they shouldn’t be together. They fit perfectly and the chemistry was impossible to ignore!
“So you’d rather pretend you don’t want me?” His hands slid around her waist then down over her backside. He pulled her hips hard into his and his mouth dropped closer again, lips brushing against hers as he spoke. “Because I don’t want to pretend anymore.”
So just like Clio, I found myself falling even harder for Lyre. But at the same time, my heart ached for him since he left his whole life behind. Thankfully he had Clio who he could count on, but even she was keeping secrets from him. Although with his quirky sense of humor and his ability to be extremely bold to Clio, he added so much light to their dire situation. And Lyre was such a charmer who was also perfect at the art of seduction……I love him so much! So I was extremely happy to see that Clio felt like his equal. She progressed so much since the beginning. Clio’s fighting skills were admirable and she was officially kick ass. Together they were a sight to behold.
She should have been afraid. She should have been quaking with terror, but rage and anguish pumped through her veins.
The Shadow Weave was such a fabulous addition to the Spell Weaver Trilogy and I can’t wait to see how the final book plays out! While I could have done with some shorter fight scenes, I still found myself enthralled with the story and I couldn’t help but love these characters! And that ending?! Ohhhhhhhhh it was epic! It has me ecstatic to see what will happen next!
*I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book, provided by the tour company. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Annette Marie is the author of the Amazon best-selling Steel & Stone series, which includes Goodreads Choice Award nominee Yield the Night, and fantasy trilogy Red Winter. Her first love is fantasy, but fast-paced adventures and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it’s not quite that bad) with her comparatively sensible husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat— Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.
Cookie O' Gorman has long since been one of the authors I most look forward to since I read her book Adorkable. This woman's writing is just plain intoxicating, and I can't help but to melt into a pile of goo when I think of her stories. I am honored to feature her newest work (and it's a mystery, no less!) today- Below I have an excerpt, giveaway, and information on where you can follow the tour. So check it out! Enjoy!
The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder Purchase on: Amazon Add to: Goodreads
Synopsis:
In the south, everyone has a secret--and murder is served with sweet tea.
The word's out: Ethan Wilder’s coming back to town, and the people of Bowie, Georgia are in a southern tizzy. Everyone knows the story. He shot and killed his sister four years ago, and people say his father, Jim Wilder, the biggest holy roller this side of the Mississippi, sent him packing for just that reason. Even if her death was unofficially ruled a suicide, Ethan’s return has everybody talking.
Seventeen-year-old Delilah Doherty can’t go anywhere without hearing his name. Born and raised in Bowie, Delilah knows firsthand about the gossipmongers and how they love a good scandal. The daughter of a wild child and niece of the local psychic, she’s also the only one who doubts Ethan’s guilt.
After Ethan saves her life, the two start a slow and steady burn neither can deny. But when Bowie's spiritual leader is nearly murdered, it rocks the small southern town to its core. Delilah and Ethan are caught in the crossfire, their relationship threatened before it's even begun. Someone has it out for Ethan's family. With everyone convinced of Ethan's guilt, it's up to Delilah to unravel the mystery before someone else gets hurt or worse...dead.
Excerpt:
[scroll-box] “So,” Wilder said, “how much for the ride?”
I eyed him wearily. Seconds ago he’d looked like he was going to be sick. Now, he was teasing?
“Free?” He feigned surprise. “Wow Doherty, I didn’t know you cared.”
Alright, if he wanted to play, I wasn’t above a little teasing.
“Information,” I said, crossing my arms. Despite myself, I was still interested. “You like the truth so much, tell me something I don’t know, something about you. The real Ethan Wilder.”
“You mean, besides the fact that I killed my sister?”
His delivery was inspired, but I rolled my eyes.
“You did not,” I said.
“Oh?” His gaze narrowed. “You don’t believe me?”
“Not a chance.” I shook my head; no way did I believe that. “The truth, Wilder.”
Crossing his own arms, he said, “I’m gay.”
“You’re what?!” I nearly swallowed my tongue.
Ignoring my outburst, he went on.
“I’ve loved you, Delilah, half my life.”
At that, my heart skipped a beat. How could he say something like that so easily?
“I killed my sister.” He waited for his words to sink in. “If I told you only one of those statements is true,” he said, stare fastened to my face, “which would you believe?”
I thought it over. The first had to be a lie. I’d seen him with too many girls. No way Wilder was batting for the same team. I automatically discarded the second statement. It couldn’t be true either. I hadn’t met Wilder before this year, so his being in love with me for any extended period of time was simply impossible. His being in love with me at all was inconceivable. That left what he’d said about his sister. The idea flitted through my brain, in and out in less than a breath. The more I knew of Wilder, the more convinced I became that some terrible, terrible mistake had been made four years ago. I didn’t believe for a second he’d killed his sister, not even when he said it so convincingly. To think, the same person who’d jumped into that lake could be capable of such an unspeakable offense. No, whatever else he was, Ethan Wilder was not a murderer. He just couldn’t be.
Considering my options, I settled on the only possibility.
“So, you’re gay.” I shrugged. “No big deal. Next time I see Ronnie, I’ll let him know you’re fair game.”
Wilder laughed. The sound was real, filled with complete abandon. Hearing him laugh like that, knowing I’d caused that break in his cool façade, made a strange ache bloom in my chest. I wanted to hear that laugh again and again.
“You do that,” he said, stepping outside. “I’ll see you, Doherty.”
Unable to resist, I said, “Should I tell Ronnie to get your coffee from now on? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind, seeing as how you love it so much.”
Wilder peered through the open door.
“I hate coffee,” he said seriously.
“You do?” I asked confused.
He nodded. “Always have.”
“Then why—?”
“I’ll see you.”
Shutting the door, he took his time walking up the stone pathway.
[/scroll-box]
Cookie O’Gorman writes YA romance to give readers a taste of happily-ever-after. Small towns, quirky characters, and the awkward yet beautiful moments in life make up her books. Cookie also has a soft spot for nerds and ninjas. Her debut novel ADORKABLE is out now! Her second book NINJA GIRL was released March 30,2017!
I signed up for the Cross Creek Series Tour because not only did Kimberly Kincaid's books sound amazing, but she’ll be attending RT this year. After reading the first book in this series, I’m not only super excited to meet her in person, but I can’t wait to read the next two standalone books in this series! So check out my review below, see what the other books are about and enter a fabulous giveaway! Enjoy!!
Hunter Cross has no regrets. Having left his football prospects behind the day he graduated high school, he’s happy to carry out his legacy on his family’s farm in the foothills of the Shenandoah. But when a shoulder injury puts him face-to-face with the high school sweetheart who abandoned town—and him—twelve years ago, Hunter’s simple life gets a lot more complicated.
Emerson Montgomery has secrets. Refusing to divulge why she left her job as a hotshot physical therapist for a pro football team, she struggles to readjust to life in the hometown she left behind. The more time she spends with Hunter, the more Emerson finds herself wanting to trust him with the diagnosis of MS that has turned her world upside down.
But revealing secrets comes with a price. Can Hunter and Emerson rekindle their past love? Or will the realities of the present—and the trust that goes with them—burn that bridge for good?
Review:
Crossing Hearts was sweet, sensual and such a fabulous second chance romance. The way the story evolved reminded me of honey slowly pouring out of a jar. It was beautifully slow and mesmerizing. While Emerson and Hunter met again, right from the start, we got little pieces of their past here and there. And we didn’t fully learn all there was about Emerson and Hunter until further into the story. As someone who is more of a fast paced kinda girl, I found myself loving every single second of it! So if you adore small town stories, sexy cowboys and strong females then definitely give this one a try!
He’d forgotten her once. He could damn well stick to forgetting her again.
Emerson and Hunter dated in high school, and they were so serious that Hunter even proposed to her. She not only turned him down, but left the state for college, leaving him with his heart completely shattered. Twelve years later, Emerson left her high profile career, her NFL boyfriend and was back in their tiny town as a physical therapist. And Hunter was about to be her very first client!
“I’m even wondering what if right now. Like what if”— he paused, but just long enough to fully face her on the bench, letting his opposite hand trail up the outside of her arm—“ you let me get closer to you.”
While they tried their hardest to have a professional relationship, over time chemistry started to appear. Not only was their friendship still there, but their past was definitely not buried. Their old emotions were just begging to be released. It slowly started to come out in their physical therapy sessions, their little town’s festival and it got to the point that there was no way they could ignore it any longer. The sexual tension between the two of them was so hot. And when they finally caved, ohhh the sex scenes were even hotter!
“Hunter,”she whispered, her breath hot on his hand, and just like that, he was done waiting. He’d wanted his mouth on hers for twelve goddamn years. He might be light-years away from playing it safe right now, but he didn’t even want to wait another twelve seconds. He just wanted her.
I found myself easily obsessed with Hunter. He was strong, caring, determined, a hard worker and such a good guy. As someone who usually prefers the bad boys, I was shocked how hard I fell for him. His feelings were so real, and I loved watching him struggle between caring for Emerson yet being guarded because of their past. And while I liked Emerson, it took me a little bit longer to warm up to her. You see, she could be so stubborn at times. She didn’t want anyone to know her medical condition, let alone help her in any way. But over time, Hunter started to wiggle his way into her heart, and I found myself caring for Emerson too. I so wanted them to make it this time around, and I found myself rooting for their HEA!
“Don’t worry. I’ve got you, Em. I won’t let go.” As he settled against the bedsheets with her nestled in close, Emerson realized that when she was in Hunter’s arms, she didn’t just feel normal. For the first time she could remember, she felt whole.
In Crossing Hearts, you definitely feel all of the small town charm. And on top of that, I loved Hunter’s family! His dad and two brothers worked with him on their farm, and I adored how true their family dynamics felt. Yeah they had some problems, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out in the future books, but I loved learning about all of them. And I loved even more how Emerson fit so effortlessly in with Hunter’s family. Scenes that just involved them eating dinner together, always felt like so much more.
“I don’t think I realized it until now, but what I’ve been waiting for is you. It’s always been you. And this time, I’m not letting you slip away.” – Hunter
Crossing Hearts had a ton of character and soul. I absolutely adored this book, and I’m so excited to read the rest of Kimberly Kincaid’s books. The next two books in this series are Hunter’s brothers stories, and I can’t wait to dive into them!
*ARC kindly provided by Inkslinger in exchange for an honest review*
Additional Standalone Books In The Series:
Cocky farmer Eli Cross plays twice as hard as he works. When his latest stunt drums up a heap of negative PR for the family farm, he grudgingly agrees to play host to an ambitious New York City photographer. Her feature on Cross Creek could be just the ticket to show the country what the Cross brothers do best…which is more problem than solution for Eli.
Scarlett Edwards-Stewart has photographed everything from end zones to war zones. She’s confident she can ace this one little story to help her best friend’s failing magazine. At least, she would be if her super-sexy host wasn’t so tight lipped. But the more Scarlett works with Eli, the more she discovers that he’s not who he seems. Can his secret bring them closer together? Or will it be the very thing that tears them apart?
For Owen Cross, the only thing that matters more than family is farming. As the oldest Cross brother, the land is his legacy, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make Cross Creek a success—including hiring local widow Cate McAllister to manage the bookkeeping tasks that are growing in his office like weeds. Cate’s as pragmatic as she is pretty, and she rattles his hard-fought composure at every turn.
Cate had known a lot of things about her husband before he died three years ago in a car accident, but how much debt he’d gotten them into wasn’t one of them. She needs her job at Cross Creek, even if her boss is both gruff and gorgeous. But Owen’s a family man, through and through, and the last thing Cate is interested in is anything—or anyone—with strings attached.
As Owen and Cate join forces to right the farm, they discover there’s more to the other than the surfaces shows, and that passion can be found in unexpected places. Can Cate heal from the loss of one family to gain the love of her life? Or will the past prove too much for the promise of the future?
[scroll-box]Cate dragged a hand through her hair, her gaze moving over the boxes in disbelief. “Let me see if I’ve got this right. You don’t do any of your bookkeeping online. At all?”
“We do. Just not a lot of it,” he amended. The Cross men lived to work the land, not the ledgers. Sure, their current system was a little time consuming, but it wasn’t totally ineffective. Cross Creek had been running on it for decades. “We have software right here on the computer.” He paused to pull up the program they used for much of their bookkeeping before adding, “It’s just that none of us are great at using it.”
“So I see,” Cate said after a quick perusal over his shoulder.
Irritation splashed through Owen’s chest. “Our books aren’t that bad.”
The parting of her lips said she was primed and ready to take him to the mat on that count, and damn it, he really didn’t have time to argue with her. “Look, I know it’s going to take some work to get things running smoothly in here.”
“It’s going to take a lot more than that,” she murmured with a shake of her head, and just like that, Owen’s patience redlined.
“Can you do it, or should I find someone else?”
Once again, his words came out gruffer than planned. But before he could even think of cooking up an apology, Cate’s arms had snapped across the front of her sweater dress to form a don’t-mess-with-me knot that was far, far more of a turn-on than it had a right to be.
“That’s what you hired me for, isn’t it? To manage your books effectively?”
“Yes,” Owen answered carefully, still caught between the desire to be annoyed, the desire to apologize, and, well, just plain desire.
“Well, then. Since I have my work cut out for me with a chainsaw, I suppose I should get to it,” Cate said.
After a quick internal debate, Owen nodded. Brash or not, he needed her. More than he cared to admit. “Okay, then.”
She answered by way of pushing up her sleeves and sliding an elastic from her wrist to secure her hair in a knot at the crown of her head. Even with the more casual edge, the powder-blue dress still hugged her curves, her calves flexing and releasing as she moved from one stack of boxes to the next in her heels, and he cleared his throat.
“Just so you know, we’re pretty casual around here. You don’t have to look nice.”
Cate’s cheeks flushed a shade of pink that, while highly pretty, didn’t bode well for him in the mending-fences department. “Good to know,” she said, and holy hell, why did his mouth refuse to cooperate with his brain around this woman?
“Not that you don’t look, uh. Fine like that. All I meant was, you don’t have to get dressed up. Jeans are okay.”
She stared down at the toes of her shiny black shoes, but only for a split second before meeting his stare with her own. “Got it, Casanova. Is that all?”
For just a heartbeat, Owen was tempted to say no, to dig deep into his Neanderthal brain for the right words to tell her she actually looked fucking beautiful. To surrender to the hot demands coming from both his chest and his cock, and cross the room to impulsively kiss her sexy, sassy mouth.
But this was Cate McAllister. His buddy Brian’s widow. He shouldn’t think she was pretty. He shouldn’t wonder if the skin on her shoulders bore the same provocative dusting of freckles as the neck she’d just put on display. And he damn sure shouldn’t be turned on like floodlights at the fire in her eyes that he’d never quite seen before, but seemed to somehow fit her perfectly.
So, he simply said, “Yes. That’s all,” and walked out of the room.[/scroll-box]
Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she’s not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as “The Pleather Bomber”, she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a USA Today best-selling author and a 2015 RWA RITA® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. Kimberly resides in Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.
When sexy Joe Malone never calls after their explosive kiss, Kylie shoves him out of her mind. Until she needs a favor, and it’s a doozy. Something precious to her has been stolen and there’s only one person with the unique finder-and-fixer skills who can help—Joe. It means swallowing her pride and somehow trying to avoid the temptation to throttle him—or seduce him.
the best thing to do . . .
No, Joe didn’t call after the kiss. He’s the fun time guy, not the forever guy. And Kylie, after all she’s been through, deserves a good man who will stay. But everything about Kylie makes it damned hard to focus, and though his brain knows what he has to do, his heart isn’t getting the memo.
. . . is enjoy the ride.
As Kylie and Joe go on the scavenger hunt of their lives, they discover surprising things about each other. Now, the best way for them to get over “that kiss” might just be to replace it with a hundred more.
Review:
About That Kiss is my new favorite Jill Shalvis book! The characters captured my heart, the sexual tension between the two of them was scorching hot, and I could not put this book down. I loved that there was a fabulous group of friends, an intriguing mystery, and scenes that made me have tears in my eyes. About That Kiss was such a huge win for me! If you haven’t read this series yet, you can jump in anytime. Each book can easily be read as a standalone, which is always an added bonus!
“What kiss?” He gave her a get real look. “Oh, that kiss.” She shrugged nonchantely as she reached for her water bottle. “I barely remember it.” “Funny,” he said in a voice of pure sin. “Cuz it rocked my world.” She chocked on her water, coughing and sputtering. “The mirror’s still not for sale.” she finally managed to wheeze out, wiping her mouth. I rocked his world?
One night, Joe and Kylie ended up sharing a passionate, smoldering kiss. But afterwards, Joe never attempted to contact Kylie because he’s not a relationship type of guy. And Kylie had no plans of letting Joe’s lack of actions hurt her heart. But when something sentimental got stolen from Kylie, she knew that Joe could track it down. He worked for a security company and this was his area of expertise. Yet what started off as a simple search, ended up being something more than either one of them could have imagined.
He grinned. She was teasing him, and for some sick reason he loved it. “You’re also not all that nice,” he said. “And I really like nice.” “Uh-huh. I bet ‘nice’ is right up there on your list next to, let me guess…a good personality?” He laughed. “So young and yet so cynical.” he tsked, enjoying the hell out of himself. “You’re assuming the worst of me.”
While Joe was the one working the case, and wanted to keep Kylie safe, Kylie embedded herself into every part of the search. So they ended up spending a lot of time around each other, and I found my heart melting. I loved that we got to watch them slowly learn more about each other. But their interactions weren’t always easy, so fireworks were definitely guaranteed! You see, there was still a lot of tension from that last kiss. And then there was an intense, sexual chemistry between the two of them. It was so much fun watching their slow burn romance play out. And I loved that slowly overtime, a true friendship started to emerge between the two of them.
She was an irresistible dichotomy of sweet charm and heart-stopping sexy, and she threw him off guard with every look, be it a smile or a glare. In fact, he kinda liked when she gave him dirty looks, which meant he was seriously losing his shit. And he never lost his shit. Never. Yeah. He was royally screwed and the thing was even knowing that, he didn’t want to walk away because he enjoyed her so much. How crazy was that?
I have to let you know that I absolutely loved Kylie and Joe. Kylie was smart, stubborn, amazing at her job, honest, had the hugest heart ever and was so much fun! I loved all of her little quirks and she was someone that I would have loved to have as a friend. But one of my favorite things about her was how she brought Joe out of his shell. And that’s because Joe was jaded and kept so many parts of himself hidden, because of his past. Yet he had this loyalty, endurance and trust that was so beautiful. He was such a hard worker and such a wonderful brother and son. Ohhhh and I loved that he was very protective of those he loved. So while the two of them were very different from each other in certain aspects, other times they resonated with one other. They way they meshed together was breathtaking.
Vinnie trotted off toward the kitchen, stopping just short of the doorway to lift his paw and poke at the air. When he was sastisfied that he wasn’t going to encounter a glass door, he happily made his way to the water bowl. “What was that?” Joe asked. “He has trust issues.” Joe let out a low laugh. “Well, at least we know where he gets them from.”
But there was so much more in this story that I fell for. I Ioved Kylie’s adorable little dog, Vinnie. He added so much heart and playfulness to the scenes! And I loved this fabulous group of friends that this series revolves around. They feel more like family to me and I loved seeing what they were up to! So now I’m left beyond ecstatic for the next book in this series. It’s going to be about Joe’s little sister and one of his coworkers, Lucas. I already like the both of them so much and I can’t wait to read their story! So yes, I absolutely loved this book and can’t recommend it enough!
PS When Vinnie finally learned to fetch?! Oh my gosh, I was laughing SO hard I had tears pouring down my eyes lol!!
*Book was kindly provided by Avon Books in exchange for an honest review*
Joe studied her. “I asked you once before, but now I’m going to ask you again. Is there something going
on between you two?”
She tossed up her hands. “Why do you both keep asking me that about each other?”
His eyes narrowed. “I thought nothing was going on.”
“And before today, I could’ve passed a lie detector test on that,” she said.
“What happened today?”
She paused. Not because she had anything to be ashamed of, but because she wasn’t quite sure what
had happened.
“Kylie.”
She sighed. “It’s nothing.”
“Try again,” Joe said and gave her the very male universal go on gesture.
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. He . . . finally made a move on me.”
Joe didn’t budge. Not a blink, not a muscle twitch, nothing, but she could’ve popped corn off the electric tension coming off him.
“Describe ‘made a move,’ ” he finally said.
She crossed her arms. “And again, how is this relevant to my case?”
He just gave her that careful stare again and she thought wow, those eyes of his should be registered as a lethal weapon, because she found herself opening her mouth and spilling her guts. “He kissed me.”
“He kissed you.”
“Yeah,” she said. “Do you know that you often repeat what I say?”
“What kind of a kiss?” he asked.
She was momentarily bewildered. “I don’t know. It was a kiss. A normal kiss. A nice kiss.” She cocked her head at him. “How many kinds of kisses are there?”
He just looked at her for a long moment before coming toward her. He backed her to the wall and pressed his big hands on either side of her head.
“There are many kinds of kisses,” he said.
Her breath had backed up in her throat, where her heart had lodged, pounding wildly. “S-s-such as?”
“Such as this one.” And then he leaned in and covered her mouth with his.
At the touch of Joe’s mouth, Kylie’s brain stopped being capable of rational thought. His tongue gave a knee-weakening stroke against hers and she let out a shockingly needy moan as she clutched at him, fisting her hands in the material of his shirt at his chest. Only when he’d thoroughly plundered and pillaged and left her boneless did he lift his head and
look into her eyes.
“Wow,” she whispered, fully aware she was still holding on to him like he was a lifeline, but the bones in her legs had liquefied. “I mean . . .” She shook her head. “Wow.”
He nodded. “Yeah. So to be clear, that wasn’t ‘a normal kiss’ or even ‘a nice kiss.’ It was a ‘wow’ kiss. Any questions?”
“Just one,” she said softly. “Can I have another?”
Joe didn’t have to be asked twice. His mouth immediately descended again, his fingers sliding into her hair to change the angle of the kiss to suit him. It was a controlled, alpha thing to do, but she had only one thought—nothing about the usually carefully, purposely leashed Joe was in control at the moment.
And she liked it.
She had no idea how long they went at it because she was in absolute heaven. Who knew that the man could use his preferred silent mode to communicate in a way that she finally approved of?
Only when she was completely breathless and about to strip him down to his birthday suit did she manage to pull back.
“Any more questions?” he asked, also a little bit breathless, which was more than slightly gratifying. Dumbly, she shook her head. His eyes softened and he gently he stroked his thumb over her bottom lip. “And FYI? Gib’s an idiot.”[/scroll-box]
About Jill Shalvis:
New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website, www.jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.
For one charming playboy, getting cast on a Bachelor-esque reality TV show is the shock of a lifetime—until he finds love where he least expects it. And now the chase is on!
Gage Barrett’s reputation as a ladies’ man has been greatly exaggerated, but none of that matters after a drunken bet lands him on Jilted, a reality TV show that matches runaway grooms with wannabe brides. Now he’s stuck at a Hawaiian resort with nineteen women competing to drag him back to the altar—and one contestant who’s even more miserable than he is. Gage has no idea how feisty, independent Ellie Wright wound up in the cast, but it’s obvious she hates his guts. And if there’s one thing Gage likes, it’s a challenge. . . .
Ellie can’t believe she let her best friend talk her into exchanging her dignity for a glorified bikini contest. Still, she could use the exposure—her business is struggling—and she’ll probably be one of the first to get eliminated anyway. But Gage isn’t the shallow jerk Ellie anticipated—and he’s in no rush to send her home. As stolen kisses turn into secret trysts, she finds herself losing track of what’s real and what’s for the camera. With the wedding finale looming, this runaway groom is tempting Ellie to start believing in storybook endings.
Review:
Runaway Groom was hilarious, sigh worthy, crazy at times and so much fun! If you’re a fan of the Bachelor, Bachlorette or Lauren Layne, then I have a feeling you’re going to absolutely love this book! Back before I had kiddos, I’d get together with friends, make dinner and we’d eat, talk and laugh while watching those shows. So when I heard that this book was going to be about a Bachelor-esque reality tv show I was sold. I forgot how much I missed this type of drama in my life and I found myself laughing so hard I could barely breathe.
But once, just once, I want someone I care about to look at the crapshoot that is my life, to take in the Jilted contract and the Killboy movie shoots and the never-ending tabloid rumors and say, “Yeah, that stuff sucks, but Gage is worth it.” I want to be worth it.
Just once.
Famous movie star and player extraordinaire, Gage Barrett, lost a drunken bet which landed him on the tv show Jilted. It’s a lot like The Bachelor, except it’s about a past runaway groom (him) being matched up with potential brides. And in the final episode, there’s to be a wedding. While Gage stuck to his agreement to be on the show, he definitely wasn’t happy to be there. And while he was grumpy about it, a tiny part of him couldn’t help but wonder if maybe this was for the best. His heart was broken in the worst of ways and this could be the perfect distraction he needed. Ohhh I absolutely loved Gage and his wounded, playful, seductive, charming ways.
“Send me home, Gage. Please. It’ll be better for both of us.”
He studies me. “You really want that?”
“I’m a businesswoman, not a groupie.”
He’s silent for a moment. “True. You did compare my eyes to avocados.”
“Exactly. You usually get, what . . . moss?”
His lips twitch, although the smile doesn’t reach his mossy eyes. “Emeralds, mostly.”
I turn away with a snort, opening the door slowly, listening for voices. When I’m met with only silence, I stick my head out.
To start the show off, Gage met all of the possible brides. The shenanigans and drama started right from the get go, well until he met contestant Ellie Wright. You see, Ellie is kinda like Gage, because she was not happy to be there either. She never thought she’d make it as far as she did, and the only reason she was sticking it out was so her business could hopefully get some free publicity. From the first time Ellie and Gage met, they got off on the wrong foot. And it wasn’t the only time that happened lol. The tension and emotions coming off of the both of them created a whole lot of banter that had me smiling, laughing and begging for more.
I want her lips against mine, her body under mine. I want her to sigh my name. I want to make her gasp. I want her to want me back, to fight for me.
But she won’t. I see it in the stubborn set of her chin, the confusion in her eyes, as though she can’t figure out why the hell I’ve singled her out.
But the story isn’t just about the two of them. They’re in the middle of a reality show, and there’s also the producer, crew and all of the other woman. And it was a crazy mesh with lots of drama behind the scenes. The other women ranged from the sweet girl next door, to gorgeous supermodels to bat shit crazy. Although there was wayyyyyyyy more contestants in that last category ha. So we watched, along with Ellie, as these women would go to great lengths to get Gage’s attention or even spend a second of alone time with him. The stuff that they would do was so insanely over the top, yet so perfect for reality tv, that I found myself laughing so hard that I just couldn’t stop the tears pouring down my face. And it kept happening again and again. If you adore hilarious drama, you’re definitely going to get your fill in this book. I absolutely loved it!
For the second time today, my eyes sting with the threat of tears—for myself, yes, but also because I’ve been so damn worried about not letting him hurt me that I haven’t really realized . . . what if I hurt him?
And why does that bother me so much?
Shockingly in the middle of it all, Ellie and Gage found moments where they were alone with each other. Where they were away from Jilted, the cameras and the other contestants. And they started to see a different side to one anther. Yet it’s all so complicated because Gage has a part to play in front of the camera and Ellie is stuck in her horrible assumption of who Gage is as a person. And of course her thoughts are verified when he’s in front of the camera. It was inevitable that feelings got hurt and I found my heart aching for the both of them. But underneath it all, it created a whole lot of emotions and I loved when they were arguing. They were intense and the tension between the two of them was electrifying. It was so addicting and I couldn’t wait to see how it all played out! So yes, I definitely recommend this book. Runaway Groom was sexy, hilarious and oh so addicting. I absolutely loved it and I hope that if you give it a try, you’ll love it just as much as I did!
PS This book is a stand alone. It’s characters aren’t found in the first book in this series, Ready to Run.
*ARC kindly provided by Random House Publishing – Loveswept via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Lauren Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of romantic comedies. She lives in New York City with her husband.
A former e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career. She signed with her agent in 2012, and her first book was published in summer of 2013. Since then, she’s written over two dozen books, hitting the USA TODAY, New York Times, iBooks, and Amazon bestseller lists.
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New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website, 
Runaway Groom (
