Tag: Adult (Page 21 of 51)

BOOK REVIEW: The Roommate Pact by Allison Ashley

August 23, 2023 / Jen / 6 Comments

The Roommate Pact by Allison Ashley
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
All of the fun, none of the heartache…as long as they stick to the agreement.

The proposition is simple: if ER nurse Claire Harper and her roommate, firefighter Graham Scott, are still single by the time they’re forty, they’ll take the proverbial plunge together…as friends with benefits. Maybe it’s the wine, but in the moment, Claire figures the pact is a safe-enough deal, considering she hasn’t had much luck in love and he’s in no rush to settle down. Like, at all. Besides, there’s no way she could ever really fall for Graham and his thrill-seeking ways. Not after what happened to her father…

Just as things begin to heat up way before the proposed deadline, Graham’s injured in a serious rock climbing accident—and he needs Claire’s help to heal. She’ll do whatever it takes to nurse him back to health…even if it means moving in to Graham’s bed and putting up with his little dog, who hates her. But with this no-strings arrangement taking a complicated turn, keeping “for now” from turning into “forever” isn’t as easy as they’d planned.

Review:

The Roommate Pact was a friends to lovers romance that was sweet and will have you smiling from that first page to the last! ER nurse Claire Harper and her roommate, firefighter Graham Scott had a pact that if they weren’t married by the time they were 40, they would tie the knot! Yet one night while drinking, Claire tried to change the rules to being hookup buddies. While there were sparks, and a scorching hot kiss that seemed to be fueled by a plethora of emotions, both of their lives were turned upside down when Graham was in an accident. And Claire found herself taking care of him. We got to alternate between the two of them as this heartwarming story unfolded in an emotional and touching way that will have romance lovers falling in love.

“Thinking about marrying me now, aren’t you?” he called after her.
She didn’t miss a beat.
“Not a chance.”

Claire and Graham’s friendship felt like it ran deep. And it left me wanting to read the previous story about their friends in Would You Rather, just so I could catch more glances of them. But within their friendship was the most fabulous of banter. So I loved how Graham teased Claire, and how that would make her flustered. She tried her best to deny his charm. But even her bestie thought she should hook up with him, while waiting for Mr. Right. Why not? The attraction was there, the tension between them was there and their first kiss turned passionate quickly and was so hot. It left me desperately wanting more.

Her gaze started at his collarbone and slowly, slowly traveled down his torso. Heat followed in the wake of her gaze, which felt more like a caress then a perusal.
Fuck.
What would she do if he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her across his lap?

But there were also emotional moments laced into the story. Watching Graham get hurt. Claire’s reaction. Graham’s struggle with his long road to recovery. Claire dealing with her fears from the past. It hurt. My throat felt tight and I tried to keep the tears out of my eyes. And that all led to them slowly opening up about their pasts, telling each other things that they held close to their hearts. Through it all, Graham was still charming and sexy as hell. And the tension building between them felt like a scorching inferno. The shampoo scene?! Hot! Yet keep in mind the intimate scenes were almost a fade to black.

“What did you do all day?”
“The usual. Worked out, watched TV, sat outside.”
Wrote you an email.

This story was the perfect mixture of fun with some angst mixed in! One of my favorite things was the letters. I’m not saying what they are about, but I laughed and smiled so much! It felt like each letter stole a little piece of my heart. They were deep, honest and made me want to shout at someone that they deserved so much more than they thought they did! Also I absolutely loved Graham’s little dog Gertie! I loved watching Claire struggle with Gertie’s feisty self!

“Would it bother you to never kiss me again?”
Graham’s chin dipped but his gave lifted to hers, his eyes dark and conflicted. “I think it’s best I don’t answer that.”

With tragic backstories, jaded hearts and a fight for true love, The Roommate Pact had it all! These pages had a man who was book boyfriend worthy, a woman you’ll want to be besties with while you shake a little sense into her, and friends and a little dog that will warm your heart! This was my first book by Allison Ashley, and I can’t wait to read more by her!

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

BOOK REVIEW: Burning Justice (K-9 Special Ops #2) by Tee O’Fallon

August 22, 2023 / Jen / 0 Comments

Burning Justice (K-9 Special Ops #2)
by Tee O'Fallon
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Some cases are hot enough to kill.

After narrowly surviving a childhood fire that killed two of his friends, ATF Special Agent Brett Tanner knows what it's like to get too close to the flame. The trauma only spurs him and his K-9 partner to track down the arsonists targeting a Colorado town. This latest warehouse blaze looks suspicious as hell...and there's a body. Now it's murder.

Fiercely independent insurance investigator Gemma Scott has been burned enough times to know she doesn't need anyone—especially a handsome agent with an agenda. Teaming up with the hardened and determined ATF agent means not just trusting her instincts...it also means trusting him.

Now they're racing against an arsonist with a lethal agenda—one who's willing to burn and kill to hide the evidence. But the killer is only part of a larger mystery. And the searing attraction between Gemma and Brett adds fuel to an already dangerously lethal fire. One that will smoke out a killer...along with Brett's darkest secret.

Review:

Burning Justice was an action packed, romantic suspense that was a lot of fun to read. With characters that were easy to adore, a dog that will melt your heart, a storyline that will keep you guessing and some steamy scenes, I devoured this book so quickly! Fans of romance and romantic suspense definitely need to have this one on their tbr!

Gemma’s eyes gleamed with the same energy thrumming through his veins.
Because they now had a prime suspect.

Gemma Scott worked for the National Insurance Crime Bureau and ended up on the same case as Bret Tanner, an ATF special agent. While Gemma had been burned in the past while partnering on a case, working with Bret seemed inevitable. Not only did they both have the same gut feeling, but it looked like they were after an arsonist who had no problem murdering too. I loved that Gemma was brilliant, confident and how self-sufficient she was. She was a woman so many others could look up to. Yet Gemma wasn’t too happy with herself that she was attracted to Bret. Truly I couldn’t fault her, I was too lol!

His dark blue gaze met hers and held it. How she wished she could read his mind at that moment.

Bret Tanner was broody, smart, kind, and utterly sexy. He had no problem telling Gemma how much he appreciated her and what she did for their case! And while they were such a fabulous team, it hurt that Bret thought so low of himself. I didn’t understand where it came from. And once we figured it out, oh my heart, it was horrific. Bret was beyond tortured from his past and struggled with PTSD. My heart broke for him. So I was grateful that he had Blaze in his life! He was his K-9 therapy dog who was absolutely incredible! Blaze could be hilarious, heartfelt and was so easy to love! How could you not love a dog that enjoys watching Animal Planet lol?!

“Good job, partner.” When he removed his hand, the warm imprint of his long fingers on her bare skin sent a shiver of awareness through her, this one stronger than what she’d felt in Hicks’s office. Along with a surge of happiness.

Their attraction to each other couldn’t be denied. So while their first time kissing turned incredibly hot *fans face*, they needed to focus on their case. Not get emotionally involved with one another. And definitely not be kissing or more. As we alternated between Gemma and Bret, I loved watching them put the clues together. We got to witness events unfold that led to people’s stories that felt so real. And were heart wrenching to listen to. The trauma Bret and Gemma came upon in their fields could be so consuming. Yet as the clocked kept ticking by, we watched as they tried to solve the case with chases, attacks and life and death battles swirling around them!

They were being targeted, and if they didn’t get a solid lead to follow and fast, sooner or later…
The perpetrator would find his mark.

I have to say that I typically don’t read romantic suspense, but I previously gave Tough Justice a try and was hooked by Tee O’Fallon’s writing! Her characters found their way so easily into my heart and her storylines keep you turning that page until you reach the last one! I fell for another one of her books, and I loved catching up with Deck and Tori from Tough Justice! We got to see a new aspect of their relationship, and I was so over the moon happy! Burning Justice’s ending will leave readers with a smile on their face! And I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!

“Sit,” Brett said, pointing an admonishing finger at his dog. “We do not eat other people’s pets for breakfast. Understood?”
Woof.

PS I adored that Gemma had a pet that I have never read someone else having! The name was so cute!

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

BOOK REVIEW: In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros

August 21, 2023 / Jen / 2 Comments

In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
When Izzy Astor gets on a plane to go home, she isn’t expecting much. It’s the usual holiday travel experience: busy, crowded, stressful.

Then she spots her seatmate, who is anything but ordinary. Nate Phelan sports dark hair, blue eyes, and a deliciously rugged charm that Izzy can’t resist. Their connection is undeniable. Izzy never believed in destiny before, but she does now.

Just ninety seconds after takeoff, their plane goes down in the Missouri River.

Their lives change. They change. Nate goes on to a career in the military while Izzy finds her way into politics. Despite a few chance encounters over the years, the timing never feels right.

Then comes a high-stakes reunion in Afghanistan, where Nate is tasked with protecting Izzy’s life.

He’ll do anything to keep her safe. And everything to win her heart.

Review:

“Did you ever think about me?” she questioned, her voice dropping to a whisper.
I clenched my jaw, fighting off the urge to tell her the truth. Every fucking day.

In the Likely Event was a story that will easily pull on one’s heart. It was emotional, steamy, and impossible to put down. The dual time line was brilliantly done and the characters were beautifully flawed and leapt from the pages. But make sure you have a Kleenex near you, I already had tears by the 6th chapter, and there was still many more to come. This romance story was gritty, brimmed with emotions, had off the charts chemistry and became an instant favorite!

Ten years had passed since we’d met on a very different tarmac, and the sight of her still left me speechless.

In the Likely Event alternated between the past and the present. I loved how I never wanted to leave either time line. They both pulled me in and left me desperately needing to know what happened next! We started in the present, with Nate being stationed in Afghanistan. And he was tasked with protecting Izzy’s life. From there we jumped 10 years into the past, with the most fabulous of meet cutes that played out like I was watching a movie. Izzy found herself sitting next to Nate on a plane, and she was a nervous basket case. Whereas Nate was calm, collected and so easy for her to talk to. They clicked right away, but then disaster struck and their plane went down. It was emotional, scary and horrific isn’t a strong enough word to describe what Izzy and Nate went through together. As the tale unfolded, I loved seeing how their friendship evolved over the years and how much heart was packed into their story!

“She’ll be safer with me.”
“Because you’re in love with her?” Torres questioned.
I shook my head. “Because Jenkins isn’t willing to die for her.”

Nate was a man who would put his life on the line for Izzy. But we saw over the years how he didn’t get a choice at times, that duty called and he had to keep moving ahead. So in the past chapters I fell so easily in love with him. And the present chapters my heart bled for him. The horrors he battled. The situations he was put in. The things that haunted him. Nate was strong, brave, protective and I loved when he even showed a little bit of jealousy. Yet he never seemed to be able to hold on long enough to what he wanted most, which was Izzy.

I looked down at the device and huffed a sarcastic laugh. “So this is what it takes to get your phone number? A girl has to haul herself into a war zone?”
“Izzy,” he whispered, stepping back and putting a few feet of distance between us.

We learned why Izzy got into politics, why she was overseas, but I had so many questions. Why was there anger and pain? Where did it all go wrong between them? So as we got to know the both of them, I loved what a multifaceted person Izzy was. She was so easy to love. Her family life, friendships, and work, all showed us what a kind, hardworking woman she was. Yet it seemed like the bright spots in her life were her sister, and Nate. The moments Nate would appear in Izzy’s life, it gave me chills and so many happy tears!

“Don’t, Izzy.” He shook his head. “I have one weakness on this entire planet, and you’re feet away when you’re supposed to be halfway round the globe.” That mask he wore like armor fell away, and the pain in his eyes was enough to make me suck in a sharp breath.

As we alternated between Nate and Izzy, it was impossible to ignore that fate kept trying to push them together. In those past chapters, they had the highest of highs. But there was always that knot in the back of my throat, I continually had to keep the tears at bay. Because life wasn’t fair. They were pulled apart as much as they were pushed together. And their timing never seemed to work. So it was beautiful seeing that after all of these years, they still had a connection. There was still that pull. Not only from a deep, beautiful friendship. But also one that felt like it was laced with love. So the fire that raged between them was scorching hot. Their moments together were seductive. And while assumptions were made, we watched as answers were given and got to see that loyalty ran through both of their blood.

“Say it again.” His jaw flexed, and his hand gripped my hip.
“I want you, Nathaniel,” I whispered, leaning up to kiss him. “So take me.”

I cried more times than I could count and I fell completely in love with this love story. I’m still in shock over one thing. My heart is still struggling to process it. But I know that I will be reading this book many times in the future and I’m keeping my fingers that that hurts a little less next time. This story ended with a beautiful epilogue that was set years in the future, so I closed this book with happy tears in my eyes and a smile on my face. This military romance, with forced proximity, owned me! And was yet another Rebecca Yarros book that I fell hard for. I can’t wait to see what she releases next!

PS I loved the JLA Half-Blood reference! I loved the highlighting of the books! And the call sign?! Oh my heart!

BOOK REVIEW: Runaway Love (Cherry Tree Harbor #1) by Melanie Harlow

July 27, 2023 / Jen / 2 Comments

Runaway Love (Cherry Tree Harbor #1)
by Melanie Harlow
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Yes, I’m a single dad who needs a nanny for the summer.

But hire the stranded runaway bride who shows up on my doorstep in a wedding gown with no references, no skills, and no experience?

No one is that desperate.

Except within twenty-four hours, down-on-her-luck Veronica Sutton manages to charm my kids, my family, and half the population of Cherry Tree Harbor into believing she’s perfect for the job.

And for me.

It’s not that I can’t see the appeal–those baby blue eyes? The endless legs? That mouth made for trouble? But I’ve got enough on my plate, raising two kids on my own and keeping the family business alive. I don’t have the time or the inclination to fall for an outspoken city girl.

So I should have kept my hands to myself.

Holding her in my arms was a big mistake. Even worse? Spending the night together. She ignites a possessive fire in me that I’m finding hard to snuff out.

But the most unforgivable? Growing attached to the sound of her laugh, the scent of her skin, and the way her body wraps around mine in the dark.

At the end of the summer, she’ll be gone.

And if I’m not careful, she might run away with my heart.

Review:

Runaway Love was a heartwarming romance that was sexy, sweet and so much fun! If you love adult romance that is steamy, set in an adorable small town, and has the grumpy sunshine trope, then this book is for you! The story was smile inducing and I’m looking forward to reading many more of Melanie Harlow’s books!

We’d never really stood a chance.

Veronica Sutton discovered on her wedding day that her fiancé had cheated on her, so she ended their relationship with a bang! After being lost and unsure of where to go in life, since her fiancé paid for and owned everything she had, she found herself in a diner. It reminded me so much of the very first episode of Friends where Rachel walked into the coffee shop in her wedding dress. In this story, Veronica walked into the diner in her wedding dress and discovered all of the small town charm within those walls. Veronica was so easy to talk to and be friends with, and the towns people helped her find a lead on a job. To be a nanny for Austin, a single dad. And I have to say that the picture those first few chapters created felt like a movie was playing out in my head! I was completely hooked!

“Like this?” The kids imitated her pose, and I felt like a total pervert for fantasizing about having sex with her while she was giving my children a yoga lesson.
“You are a terrible person,” I muttered to myself. But I kept watching.

While Veronica was a ray of sunshine, Austin was the storm clouds. I loved Austin! He was such an amazing dad, had the kindest of souls, and was also so lonely. His kids were his whole world, and he never seemed to do anything for just him. Even his job, which was working for his dad, was because he felt like he owed his dad. For helping him out when he was younger and had two babies to take care of alone. So Austin definitely put his dreams aside, to help those he loved instead. There were other sides to Austin we got to discover, and he cracked me up! I loved all of his dirty thoughts about Veronica. But Austin tried to restrain himself. He wanted to have a strictly platonic working relationship with Veronica. He the boss, her the employee. Except Veronica was way too charismatic for that, and it was impossible for him not to soften to her over time.

I sighed contentedly, my eyes drifting closed, surprised at how comfortable and easy this felt. Wasn’t this kind of intimacy supposed to take more time?

The story alternated between Veronica and Austin, and I loved both of their voices. Veronica was kind, generous and made his kids so happy. Whereas Austin was more serious and always so careful in life. He definitely held himself back and never put his needs first. But Austin was sexy as hell. And when he was forward, oh my heart, I swooned. Just from the first time they kissed, it was hot and intense. And while I knew they wanted to have boundaries, I was cheering for more. They were playing such a dangerous game and I was counting down until that line was crossed! And when it was crossed, their moments together were steamy and so seductive! Even if they were stating it could never happen again, I wanted to whisper to them who are you kidding! Because it felt like they were meant to be together. Yet it is one thing to be physical, and a whole other level for being deeply intimate with someone. And while they seemed to be starting to form a friendship, Austin had such reservations because of his past. So I had tears in my eyes while the fabulous angst between them played out.

I repeated the words I’d said to Morgan.
It’s not like that with us. It’s casual. Temporary. Just for fun. We are not dating, and there are no feelings involved.
And when my heart tried to argue, I repeated them again.
And again.
And again.

Towards the end of this story, I had happy tears while laughing. And then even more happy tears in the epilogue! Runaway Love was heartwarming, emotional, sweet and sexy. And while I’m not usually one for kids in a story, from the moment Adelaide and Owen tried to give Veronica insight into how their dad ticks, they had me in the palm of their hands! Austin’s kids were so open, honest and hilarious without meaning to. And I adored Austin’s family too. Xander his brother, their dad and sister. They loved one another so deeply! And they were so welcoming and kind to Veronica. I fell in love with this story, the small town, Austin’s family, and Austin and Veronica. So I’m definitely counting down until each sibling gets their own story. Up next is Xander and I can’t wait!

PS When she said that they were an Aries and Virgo and would never work, muahahaha that’s what my husband and I are and we’ve been together forever!

PPS This book made me want to try a Pioneer Woman cookbook, and I just borrowed one from my library!

BOOK REVIEW: The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams

July 18, 2023 / Jen / 2 Comments

The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The friend zone is not the end zone for Bree Camden, who is helplessly in love with her longtime best friend and extremely hot NFL legend, Nathan Donelson. The only problem is that she can’t admit her true feelings, because he clearly sees her as a best friend with no romantic potential, and the last thing Bree wants is to ruin their relationship. But those abs . . .

Nope! Nothing but good old-fashioned, no-touching-the-sexiest-man-alive, platonic friendship for Bree. In any case, she has other things to worry about. After a car accident ended her chance at becoming a professional ballerina, Bree changed paths and now owns her own dance studio, with big dreams to expand it. But one more rent increase could mean the end of the studio entirely.

Then, as usual, Nathan comes to the rescue and buys the entire building. A stubborn Bree is not happy about it and decides to rebel with a couple—okay, maybe more than a couple—of tequila shots. Then her plan backfires as she spills her deepest, darkest secret to a TMZ reporter. One viral video later, the world thinks Nathan and Bree are the perfect couple. Before they can really talk about her confession, Nathan’s publicist proposes a big opportunity that could mean financial security for Bree. The catch? They have to pretend to be in love. For three whole weeks.

What will happen when Bree gives in to the feelings she’s been desperately hiding for so long, and could she be imagining that Nathan is actually enjoying it? Sarah Adams scores more than touchdowns in this exciting romantic comedy.

Review:

The Cheat Sheet was a friends to lovers sports romance that was a lot of fun. With slow burn romance and fake dating mixed together, this book ended up being so adorable. If you’re looking for a romance story that’s sweet and low on angst, definitely add this one to your tbr!

To my left is a floor-to-ceiling three-million-dollar view of the ocean, but to my right is the view I would give my soul to see every day for the rest of my life. Obviously, Bree doesn’t know I feel this way about her.

Bree and Nathan had been friends since high school and she had been in love with him for forever. Yet Nathan treated her as just his best friend, while he dated everyone else. Although I had some guesses when it came to Nathan. He would pause when saying something or the things he did to help her out were sigh worthy. I loved trying to look for clues to see exactly how he felt! So I was surprised that after a couple of chapters we also got his POV! I was squealing with giddiness! Especially since we got to know a tiny bit of how he felt in that first paragraph! But there was still a lot of things to piece together, since we spent a lot more time with Bree. So when drunk Bree admitted to a reporter her feelings, she found herself fake dating her best friend. At least until the Super Bowl, since they were doing an ad together. And the lines of what was real and fake definitely started to blur!

What’s happening?! Why am I reacting this way? It changes nothing really—except I feel like everything I knew has changed tonight. My foundation is shaking.

I loved Bree! Her thoughts cracked me up and it was impossible not to laugh out loud at her. Plus she was such a kind hearted soul. She loved the students she taught dance to and would sacrifice for them, so they could dance. Even if that left her scrambling for rent money. And she didn’t want to rely on her bestie to help her. I understood her need for wanting to make it on her own. Especially when she pictured her bestie married to some other woman in the future. So she tried her best to remain strong when it came to Nathan. My heart hurt that she was jaded from the accident in her past. She didn’t think she got to keep the good things in her life, and still struggled with that years later. So the moments she would cave, or allow help from Nathan warmed my heart! But Bree was in total denial that Nathan could ever want her. Even though there seemed to be clues everywhere. So of course Bree was nervous about crossing the lines of friendship while fake dating. She didn’t think she could ever go back to normal after she crossed those lines!

I watch with a sinking feeling as Nathan’s head tilts ever so slightly and a grin tugs at the corner of his mouth. It’s a look I’ve never seen before, like I just got duped by a card shark when I thought I was playing Go Fish against a toddler.
He hands me the pen. “Oh, it’ll definitely be fun. I’ll make sure of it.”

While there were some cheesy moments and miscommunication, it worked perfectly with the low angst in this story. I did want to shake them and tell them just to be honest with each other. To be brave. To take a chance! And for Bree to not run away when he was practice flirting with her. They had to make it seem real, since he was in the public eye. So I was glad that Nathan stood his ground, one of them needed to be more mature about it. And when Nathan started to test the waters to see if she was interested, ohhhh I was so happy! I loved that he used his friends to help him figure out how to get out of that friend zone. Their brainstorming session was one of my favorite scenes! And Jamal was definitely my favorite friend of his! I loved that his friends were rooting for them to get together, just as much as Nathaniel was!

That’s not me and Nathan in this picture. This is a couple who’s head over heels for each other.
I know why I see that blissful look on my face, but why is it on his too?

With scenes that are forever etched in my brain, I’m looking at you brownie batter! Failed attempts at seduction. Jealousy becoming amusing. Stress and anxiety brought about in an honest way. I loved how this book continued to have a light and fluffy feel to it, even though it covered heavier topics. And it made me so happy! The Cheat Sheet was an absolutely adorable closed door romance. I will definitely be checking out other books by Sarah Adams!