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BOOK REVIEW: Yours in Scandal (Man of the Year #1) by Lauren Layne

BOOK REVIEW: Yours in Scandal (Man of the Year #1) by Lauren LayneYours in Scandal (Man of the Year #1)
by Lauren Layne
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

A political golden boy and the woman of his dreams take the risk of their lives in a sexy romantic comedy of strange bedfellows and second chances by New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne.

Fresh off being named Citizen magazine’s Man of the Year, New York City’s youngest mayor, Robert Davenport, decides it’s time to strategize. Next move: a bid for the governor’s seat. In his way: an incumbent with a flawless reputation. He also has an Achilles’ heel: an estranged wild-child daughter with a past so scandalous it could be Robert’s ticket to victory. And a charm so irresistible it could be Robert’s downfall.

Rebellion is a thing of the past for Adeline Blake. As New York’s premier event planner, she’s all about reform and respectability. Then she’s approached by Robert to organize the party of the season. Curious, considering he’s her father’s most formidable opponent. And alarming, too. Because Addie can’t help but fall for the righteously popular candidate with the movie-star smile.

Now it’s Robert’s choice. Does he pursue a future that holds his legacy? Or the woman who holds his heart?

Review:

Yours in Scandal was smile inducing and so much fun!  With steamy scenes, moments that made me laugh out loud and the perfect amount of angst, this book was such a big hit!  The story was effortless to devour and I finished it in no time at all.  If you’re looking for a flirty romance story to get lost in, definitely give this one a try!

She wasn’t for him, and he wasn’t for her. Not now, not ever.

Robert Davenport was NYC youngest mayor for the last eight years, and he had just been voted Man of the Year for a magazine like People. He was a good man who wanted what was best for the people of his city, he truly cared.  Robert had aspirations to be governor, and was advised that the only way would be if he knocked down the current governor a peg or two. And what better way to get the dirt on the governor than becoming close with his estranged daughter, Adeline, who’d been hiding in plain sight.

“It’s perfect,” he said quietly, meeting her eyes, his hand dropping lower, fingertips brushing teasingly over her palm before he stepped away. “Absolutely perfect.”
The butterflies were back.
But they had nothing to do with the party.

I loved Adeline Blake, who use to be known as Adeline Brennen.  She was wild in her younger years and the media had a field day with her topless photos and partying.  But she seemed to disappear.  And years later, she’d been hiding in plain sight, with a different last name.  She was an event planner and I loved how hard she worked.  Adeline was quick witted, strong and definitely held her own.  She said it like it was, but you could tell that she was trying to be someone more reserved.  So when Adeline got invited to plan an event for the mayor of NYC, it brought her into contact with Robert. And he offered her an invitation that she couldn’t refuse.

Because when he looked at Adeline, he didn’t think of himself as the mayor. Somehow he’d turned into a goddamn Hugh Grant movie, standing in front of a girl, asking her to like him.

I absolutely loved Robert!  He was thoughtful, listened and felt so down to earth.  And in a world where everyone tried to use him, Adeline didn’t.  It was refreshing and made Robert want to be around her more.  But he could also be so awkward. Especially when it came to trying to make a true friend lol. Adeline tried her best to keep Robert at arms lengths, since she didn’t want to be back in the world of politics.  She had already been there and done that.  So Adeline could be standoffish and cold to Robert, even if she liked what she saw in him.

He lifted his hand to her face and lightly dragged the tip of his finger from the base of her ear along her jawline until it rested under her chin.

I loved Robert and Adeline’s interactions!  I couldn’t stop smiling when they were together, especially with Robert’s sense of humor.  But I was nervous with how the story was going to unfold.  Adeline saw that Robert wasn’t a typical politician, he showed emotion, was heartfelt and it was impossible for her not to like him.  And Robert was pulled in by Adeline and couldn’t seem to keep away from her.  But ultimately he originally interacted with her to get dirt on her father.  So it felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop and I was so nervous.

“You’re beautiful,” he said quietly.
Addie smiled in feminine pleasure that he appreciated her efforts, but her smile slipped when she realized he hadn’t even looked down yet— he was still looking into her eyes when he said it. He thought she was beautiful. Not her body, not her lingerie, not her curves.
Her. All of her.

The path this story took was emotional, and I even had tears in my eyes.  But there were also moments between Robert and Adeline that were so sensual.  Lauren Layne writes some of the steamiest and classiest scenes.  So if you’re a fan of romance, you’re going to want to add this one to your tbr.  Yours in Scandal was hilarious, heartwarming and scorching hot.  I can’t recommend it enough!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

COVER REVEAL & GIVEAWAY: Lyrics & Curses by Candace Robinson


Today we get to help share the cover for Lyrics & Curses by Candace Robinson!  So check out what her latest book is about and enter a fabulous giveaway.  Enjoy!♥

Lyrics & Curses
Candace Robinson
Published by: Filles Vertes Publishing
Publication date: November 10th 2020
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Lark Espinoza could get lost in her music—and she’s not so sure anyone in her family would even care to find her. Her trendy, party-loving twin sister and her mother-come-lately Beth, who’s suddenly sworn off men and onto homemaking, don’t understand her love of cassette tapes, her loathing of the pop scene, or her standoffish personality. For outcast Lark, nothing feels as much like a real home as working at Bubble’s Oddities store and trying to attract the attention of the cute guy who works at the Vinyl shop next door—the same one she traded lyrical notes with in class.

Auden Ellis silences the incessant questions in his own head with a steady stream of beats. Despite the unconditional love of his aunt-turned-mother, he can’t quit thinking about the loss of his parents—or the possibility he might end up afflicted with his father’s issues. Despite his connection with lyric-loving Lark, Auden keeps her at arm’s length because letting her in might mean giving her a peek into something dangerous.

When two strangers arrive in town, one carrying a mysterious, dark object and the other playing an eerie flute tune, Lark and Auden find that their painful pasts have enmeshed them in a cursed future. Now, they must come to terms with their budding attraction while helping each other challenge the reflection they see in the mirror. If they fail, they’ll be trapped for eternity in a place beyond reality.

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

 

About Candace Robinson:

Candace Robinson spends her days consumed by words and hoping to one day find her own DeLorean time machine. Her life consists of avoiding migraines, admiring Bonsai trees, watching classic movies, and living with her husband and daughter in Texas–where it can be forty degrees one day and eighty the next!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter / Bookbub

 

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Monthly Wrap-Up: March & April 2020

During our Monthly Wrap-Up, we’ll take a look at what has happened around here in the last month. That’ll include what’s happened in my life, what the four of us have read, any other posts we may have had, giveaways still going on, our most popular Instagram posts, and books that I’ve added to my ever-growing TBR.

*We linked this post to the April Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up Link-Up at Feed Your Fiction Addiction*

♥ Enjoy!

Jen’s Life:

Some of my highlights from March & April were:

✮ We celebrated my youngest kiddos birthday.  Thankfully his birthday fell right before our state shut down, so he got to celebrate with cupcakes in his classroom and then with our family that night.  Then in April we celebrated my birthday which I’ll remember forever. Lots of video chats and even a drive by from my best friends that made me cry.
✮ I never thought I’d be homeschooling my children, but I’m so thankful we have the most amazing teachers ever.  I’m so impressed by how much they can do and interact with them through Google Classroom.  Their schedule is intense but I love that we finish school an hour or so early and then can go outside and play all afternoon.  We’ve gone on tons of bike rides, walks and lots of baseball and soccer games in our backyard. 
✮ I’ve done tons of baking.  Some of my favorite recipes have been Triple Chocolate Cake, S’more Cheesecake (although it tastes more like cookie dough), Glazed Strawberry Bread, Oreo Cheesecake Cookies, Best Banana Cake, Banana Donuts With Chocolate Glaze
✮ Some of my favorite dinner recipes have been Chicken Parmesan, Baked Honey BBQ Chicken Fingers, Beef and Cheese Enchiladas, Spicy Beef Sloppy Joes (I use artichokes instead of mushrooms),

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What Arielle, Cassie, Chelsea & Jen Read:

5 Stars:
The Resistance (The Union #5) by T.H. Hernandez
Aurora Burning (The Aurora Cycle #2) by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff
Finding Him (Covet #2) by Rachel Van Dyken
From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Tell Me Pretty Lies by Charleigh Rose
The Best Mistake (Southern U O’Brien Brothers #1) by Cookie O’Gorman


4 Stars:
Undercover Bromance (Bromance Book Club #2) by Lyssa Kay Adams
Ember Queen (Ash Princess Trilogy #3) by Laura Sebastian
More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn
The Raven and the Dove (The Raven and the Dove #1) by Kaitlyn Davis

 

 

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Our Favorite Books of the Month:

More Than Maybe by Erin Hahn (Cassie’s Choice)
It was a cute story, with fully realized teenagers on the cusp of adulthood, with a great setting.

 
 
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From Blood and Ash (Blood and Ash #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Jen’s Choice)
The story was layered and the twists and turns were breathtaking.  The sexual tension was absolutely perfect and the characters are forever etched into my heart.  The story-line enchanted me and the action kept me glued to the pages.  This book refused to be put down!

 
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Aurora Burning (The Aurora Cycle #2) by Amie Kaufman, Jay Kristoff (Arielle’s Choice)
I really don’t want to give ANYTHING away, just know that this was the sequel that I had been looking for and I will be counting down the mother-custard-ing days until that last book is out.

 

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Instagram:

We thought it would be fun to share our most popular posts for March & April. And they were….

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Star-Crossed Book Blog (@starcrossedbookblog) on

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Star-Crossed Book Blog (@starcrossedbookblog) on

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Star-Crossed Book Blog (@starcrossedbookblog) on

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Star-Crossed Book Blog (@starcrossedbookblog) on

 

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Books Added To Jen’s TBR This Month:

I just keep adding books to my tbr and this month was ummm yeah….I don’t even know lol…..

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So that was our March & April! Did you read any of the same books that we did? Or share the same favorite book as us? If not, then what was your favorite book? Or have you read any of the books I just added to my TBR?

Here’s hoping you all had a wonderful March & April too. And cheers to May being fabulous for all of us!

Monthly Wrap-Up: January & February 2020

During our Monthly Wrap-Up, we’ll take a look at what has happened around here in the last month. That’ll include what’s happened in my life, what the four of us have read, any other posts we may have had, giveaways still going on, our most popular Instagram posts, and books that I’ve added to my ever-growing TBR.

*We linked this post to the February Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up Link-Up at Feed Your Fiction Addiction*

♥ Enjoy!

Jen’s Life:

So.  I disappeared from doing these wrap ups the last few months.  And that’s because the beginning of this year was really hard for me.  My Grandma passed away in January, and since I’ve been a little girl, she’s been such a huge part of my life.  Even when my husband and I lived back in Indiana for a couple of years, I always flew home every 3 months just so I could see my grandparents, parents and brother.  And for the last 3 years my Grandma has lived over here in Nevada right by my family, my parents, my brother and my aunt and uncle.  She was a part of everything we did.  Family dinners on the weekends, my boys doing their reading homework with her after school, to even shopping together at the grocery store.  I loved school days where I’d drop my boys off at school and go spend my day with her.  Even sports season revolved around my Grandma, the boys would always have an hour break or so between sports games and we’d run to the bakery and get some donuts and bring them to her place and share a snack together.  So much of our week involved my Grandma and I’ve struggled a lot these last few months.  I miss her with my whole heart, but at the same point I’m so thankful she’s with my Grandpa again.

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What Arielle, Cassie, Chelsea & Jen Read:

5 Stars:
Keystone by Katie Delahanty
Ninth House (Alex Stern, #1) by Leigh Bardugo
Whatever It Takes (Bad Reputation Duet #1) by Krista & Becca Ritchie
Heartland (True North #7) by Sarina Bowen
All the Stars and Teeth (All the Stars and Teeth #1) by Adalyn Grace
Marriage on Madison Avenue (Central Park Pact #3) by Lauren Layne
Magic Bound (Ravencrest Academy #1) by Theresa Kay
The Silvered Serpents (The Gilded Wolves #2) by Roshani Chokshi

 

4.5 Stars:
Between Burning Worlds (System Divine #2) by Jessica Brody, Joanne Rendell
Echoes Between Us by Katie McGarry
All the Stars and Teeth (All the Stars and Teeth #1) by Adalyn Grace

4 Stars:
Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison
Every Other Weekend by Abigail Johnson
Charmed Souls (Black Souls #1) by Abbi Glines
The Hand on the Wall (Truly Devious #3) by Maureen Johnson
All Your Twisted Secrets by Diana Urban
The Queen’s Assassin (Queen’s Secret #1) by Melissa de la Cruz
Dead to Her by Sarah Pinborough
The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

3.5 Stars:
Demon Bound by Chris Cannon
The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne
It Sounded Better in My Head by Nina Kenwood
Havenfall (Havenfall #1) by Sara Holland


2.5 Stars:

Together We Caught Fire by Eva V. Gibson

 

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Our Favorite Books of the Month:

The Silvered Serpents (The Gilded Wolves #2) by Roshani Chokshi (Arielle’s Choice)
There were some twists that I certainly DID NOT see coming which is always a delicious thing. We learn so much more about our characters and their pasts and it helped me connect with a few of them way more than I had in the previous book. And then. The ending. THE ENDING. Holy crap, guys.

 
 
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All the Stars and Teeth (All the Stars and Teeth #1) by Adalyn Grace (Cassie’s Choice)
ATSAT is fast-paced and beautifully written. The characters are highly engaging and likeable. There’s monsters and magic and sea creatures. There’s also romance and deep friendships.

 
 
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Magic Bound (Ravencrest Academy #1) by Theresa Kay (Jen’s Choice)
Heartwarming, addictive and completely mesmerized me.  With characters that were easy to relate to and a story line that made this book impossible to put down, I devoured this book so fast!  

 

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Instagram:

We thought it would be fun to share our most popular posts for January and February. And they were….

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Star-Crossed Book Blog (@starcrossedbookblog) on

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Star-Crossed Book Blog (@starcrossedbookblog) on

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Star-Crossed Book Blog (@starcrossedbookblog) on

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Star-Crossed Book Blog (@starcrossedbookblog) on

 

✩✮✩✮✩✮✩✮✩✮

Books Added To Jen’s TBR This Month:

I just keep adding books to my tbr and this month was ummm yeah….I don’t even know lol…..

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So that was our January and February! Did you read any of the same books that we did? Or share the same favorite book as us? If not, then what was your favorite book? Or have you read any of the books I just added to my TBR?

Here’s hoping you all had a wonderful January and February. And cheers to May being fabulous for all of us!

 

 

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: The Best Mistake (Southern U O’Brien Brothers #1) by Cookie O’Gorman

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: The Best Mistake (Southern U O'Brien Brothers #1) by Cookie O'Gorman

I absolutely loved this book! So check out my 5 Star Review below, read when Honor and Archer first met and enter a fabulous giveaway! Enjoy ♥

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: The Best Mistake (Southern U O’Brien Brothers #1) by Cookie O’GormanThe Best Mistake (Southern U OBrien Brothers #1)
by Cookie O'Gorman
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Honor Tierney just wants one night with the playboy.

One hot, steamy, meaningless hookup, and then she'll happily go back to reading her favorite books, studying to be an accountant and writing for the campus-paper-nobody-reads. Too bad she ends up in the wrong bed, with the wrong brother...who gives her the hottest night of her life.

Archer O'Brien just wants to play ball.

Well that, and for his brothers to stop acting out, so he won't have to worry 24/7. As the oldest O'Brien and team captain, it's his duty to make sure they don't drink too much, party too much, or get in too much trouble. But when she walks into his bedroom--mistaking him for his brother--life throws him a curveball.

She's determined to guard her heart. He's not giving up.

And when Honor gets assigned to cover the Wolves baseball team, it's game on.

This new adult sports romance features one hot (and hilarious) case of mistaken identity and a sexy set of brothers guaranteed to make you swoon.

Sometimes, the best mistakes are worth making.

Review:

The Best Mistake was sexy, hilarious and so much fun.  When I finished that last page, I still had happy tears falling down my face.  This book was exactly what I needed.  It had friendship, family, love and made me laugh so much.  So if you’re a fan of romance set in college or sports romance, then definitely add this one to your tbr!

Only I, Honor Tierney, bookworm extraordinaire, writing recluse, and apparent virgin-for-life, could’ve confused one O’Brien brother for another.

Honor was looking for a one night stand and who better to have one with then Baylor O’Brien. He was absolutely gorgeous, athletic and known for his player ways. Except Honor hooked up with Baylor’s brother, Archer, and she was none the wiser.  But it set Honor and Archer on a path that had me smiling and laughing from that first chapter to the last.

The only thing I knew for certain: Guys like him and girls like me didn’t mix.
This couldn’t end well.

I loved how easy it was to connect with Honor Tierney.  She was a down to Earth girl who didn’t want to emotionally get hurt from a relationship.  Her past had jaded her and I understood why she doubted others interest in her.  But she was a wonderful friend and had such a good heart.  I absolutely loved Honor, especially when she spoke her mind.  Her happiness, embarrassment, nervousness all felt like mine.  And a lot of those emotions were tied into her moments with Archer.

“Did you really think I’d give up that easily?”
“Most guys would,” she said with a shrug.
Yeah well, I wasn’t most guys.

Archer O’Brien was the oldest of six siblings.  And he played on a college baseball team with three other of his brothers.  They were amazing and some of them were destined to go pro.  But it felt like Archer had the weight of the world on his shoulders.  So when Honor stumbled into his life, I loved how his worries disappeared when she was around. And even though Honor had her walls up, Archer was patient with her.  Just like he was in baseball.  I loved watching him try and knock down her walls.  Especially since he was kind, determined, smart, humble and oh so sexy.  He even had a sense of humor and made me laugh.  I fell so hard for Archer!

“I went along with the friends thing because that’s what you wanted. I’m absolutely willing to try no strings attached, if that’s what will make you happy.”
He paused, shook his head.
“But I want so much more from you than sex.”
I forgot how to breathe.

This book was a ton of fun and I was rooting for Honor and Archer every step of the way.  From awkward to embarrassment to heartfelt to steamy, they had all the moments.  So when Honor got tasked with covering the baseball team Archer was on, for the school paper, I couldn’t contain my excitement.  I loved how their time together could turn from being so simple into something with so much heat.  But family and friendship also played such a huge roll in this story.  I loved Archer’s siblings and Honor’s close friends.  They rounded out the story perfectly and I’m so excited for future books about the siblings.

“Can I—”
“Yes.” My answer was immediate.
Honor gave me a look. “But you didn’t even let me finish. I could’ve asked for anything.”
“Exactly. And I would give it to you.”

So yes, I definitely recommend this book!  The Best Mistake was mesmerizing, addictive and sexy!  This book is for everyone out there who loves romance that melts your heart.  The chemistry between Honor and Archer was addictive and the family and friendships added so much depth to this story.  It all felt so real and it was so easy to devour.  The Best Mistake is another huge hit by Cookie O’Gorman and I can’t wait to see whose story she writes next in this world!

His frown softened to something that looked like awe as I shivered.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said, meeting my eyes again. “So damn beautiful.”

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

 

Excerpt:

A sudden feeling drew my attention to the other side of the room. I couldn’t really explain it. It was hot like electricity, something magnetic. My eyes searched for the source of that strange pull—and clashed with gray.

My breath caught.

It was like looking into the heart of a storm, intense, powerful. I hadn’t gone up in flames for any of the others, but this guy… Well, this O’Brien who was staring at me—devouring me—with those unusual gray eyes, wearing a frown like he never smiled, a stare so focused I thought he might be memorizing every move I made? Or reading my mind?

“Wow,” I said, voice nothing but a shaky exhale.

This guy caused a slow burn inside me. I wanted to run. Either to him or away, I wasn’t sure. But as his eyes traveled the length of my body, all the way down to my shoes, and back up again to meet my gaze, everything inside me turned to wildfire. I licked my lips, thighs clenching together instinctively.

His frown deepened, jaw tight.

And that made him seem even sexier.

 

About Cookie O’Gorman:

Cookie O’Gorman writes YA & NA 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 novels ADORKABLE, NINJA GIRL, The Unbelievable, Inconceivable, Unforeseeable Truth About Ethan Wilder, and The Good Girl’s Guide to Being Bad are out now! She is also the author of NA sports romance, The Best Mistake.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Newsletter

 

Giveaway:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

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