Review: The Marriage Match by Tracy March

Title:  The Marriage Match (Suddenly Smitten, #3) Author:  Tracy March Publisher/Publication Date: Entangled Bliss; January 19, 2015 Genre:  Contemporary Romance Format/Source: E-Book, Purchased Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Goodreads Book Summary Hot bachelor seeks bride… Resort tycoon Trent Hawthorne is looking for a wife. His all-business, no-nonsense grandmother (and the matriarch of the small town of Maple Creek) has selected three potential brides—all beautiful and approved. Each “fantasy date” will take place in a lush Caribbean setting, filmed like a reality show to promote the Hawthorne family’s chain of resorts. All of Trent’s hopes for love combined with a clever marketing gimmick…what could possibly go wrong? As it turns out, all it takes is a kiss. A sizzling sweet-as-sin kiss. But Cynthia Sawyer isn’t one of the bachelorettes, and she’s definitely not supposed to be making out with her boss’s sexy grandson. Not to mention it’s strictly against company policy. But Cynthia has her own reasons for hooking Trent up with a bride who isn’t her as soon as possible. And losing her heart is a price that she’s willing to pay… Review I only planned to read the beginning to see how The Marriage Match by Tracy March started, because I was already reading another book—And then...I was hooked early on. This story will simply whisk you away to a tropical island where the fun and surprises never cease. Trent’s grandmother was so amusing as she devised a plan to find him a wife. I loved the relationship Trent had with his grandmother. There was nothing that could stop this granny as she was on a mission to achieve her goals for keeping her resorts afloat and having great-grandchildren. But—ahem—some rules might be made to be broken, especially with the sparks that started flying as Trent and Cynthia worked on the details of his romantic getaways and search for the perfect wife. . Do I regret taking a break from reading the other book? Absolutely not, The Marriage Match has been a delightful distraction. So, if you're looking for a fun, romantic read, The Marriage Match might be exactly what you're looking for. Rating 5/5

Blurred Lines by Jen Mc Laughlin Book Trailer Reveal

Blurred Lines by Jen McLaughlin will be releasing January 26th, but first we have some exclusive content to share. FINNClub team members have been sharing special details from the book this week in order to share their excitement for the new novel. Be sure to check out the contest below for a chance to win the series. Today we have the incredible book trailer from Blurred Lines.  BOOK TRAILER   BOOK BLURB  Once burned…  Finding my fiancée naked on my couch might’ve been a good thing, if her ex-boyfriend hadn’t been with her. For the past eight years I’ve been a witness to the power of true love, but after getting burned I’d decided there wasn’t any hope for me finding it for myself. Until I met Noelle Brandt in a hotel bar. Maybe it wasn’t the most romantic meeting, but the moment I met her I knew I had to have her. The more I learn about her, the more I know I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her.  Twice shy… I’d already found the love of my life, but I’d lost that love forever. And I’d been lost ever since. But one night a wounded man makes all of that go away. He makes me laugh, live, and feel alive. When he tells me he has no intention of letting me go, I finally begin to believe in the power of true love again. That is, until I find out who he really is…and by then, it’s far too late to correct the mistakes we’ve already made. By the time we both know the truth, the lines have already been blurred beyond recognition.  Goodreads      Giveaway Win an ebook set of OUT OF LINE, OUT OF TIME, OUT OF MIND, and the adult standalone title FRACTURED LINES by Jen McLaughlin! International. a Rafflecopter giveaway Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy New Adult books. Under her pen name Diane Alberts, she is a multi-published, bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, released September 6 2013, and hit the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.  Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.  Website     Facebook Fan Page     Twitter     Goodreads

ARC Review: House Broken by Sonja Yoerg

Title: House Broken Author: Sonja Yoerg Publisher/Publication Date: NAL, January 6, 2015 Genre: Women's Fiction Format/Source: E-ARC, Publisher Amazon     Barnes & Noble Book Summary from Goodreads In this compelling and poignant debut novel, a woman skilled at caring for animals must learn to mend the broken relationships in her family.… For veterinarian Geneva Novak, animals can be easier to understand than people. They’re also easier to forgive. But when her mother, Helen, is injured in a vodka-fueled accident, it’s up to Geneva to give her the care she needs. Since her teens, Geneva has kept her self-destructive mother at arm’s length. Now, with two slippery teenagers of her own at home, the last thing she wants is to add Helen to the mix. But Geneva’s husband convinces her that letting Helen live with them could be her golden chance to repair their relationship. Geneva isn’t expecting her mother to change anytime soon, but she may finally get answers to the questions she’s been asking for so long. As the truth about her family unfolds, however, Geneva may find secrets too painful to bear and too terrible to forgive. CONVERSATION GUIDE INCLUDED Review House Broken by Sonja Yoerg is the journey of a dysfunctional family as they searched for answers, fought to repair broken family ties, and searched for closure in their lives. As the story unfolded there were some dark family secrets that came to light. I found the behavior of Geneva’s sister and mother troubling. The manner in which her mother avoided the truth and how her sister just accepted things as they were was quite disturbing. In the end, I wasn’t convinced that everything was resolved. However, Yoerg did do a good job of presenting a story that reflected the importance of accepting the things from your past that you can’t change, letting go, and moving on. Rating 2.5/5 I received a copy of this book from the publisher/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review DOCTOR WHO: Silhouette by Justin Richards

Title: Doctor Who: Silhouette

Author: Justin Richards

Publisher/Publication Date: Broadway Books, September 9, 2014

Genre: Science Fiction; Action & Adventure

Format/Source: Paperback, Blogging for Books (Review Copy)

Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Goodreads

Synopsis

"Vastra and Strax and Jenny? Oh no, we don't need to bother them. Trust me."

Marlowe Hapworth is found dead in his locked study, killed by an unknown assailant. This is a case for the Great Detective, Madame Vastra.

Rick Bellamy, bare-knuckle boxer, has the life drawn out of him by a figure dressed as an undertaker. This angers Strax the Sontaran.

The Carnival of Curiosities, a collection of bizarre and fascinating sideshows and performers. This is where Jenny Flint looks for answers.    

How are these things connected? And what does Orestes Milton, rich industrialist, have to do with it all? This is where the Doctor and Clara come in. The Doctor and his friends find themselves thrust into a world where nothing and no one are what they seem. Can they unravel the truth before the most dangerous weapon ever developed is unleashed on London?

Review

I hate to admit that prior to Silhouette I’d never read a Doctor Who book or watched the series. I had heard great things about the series and was curious to find out what all the excitement was about. Now that I’ve read it, I think that I’m a die-hard Doctor Who fan in training.

Silhouette takes place in London during the Victorian era. It’s the adventures of the 12^th Doctor Who. During this installment of Doctor Who, he travels through time to investigate a mysterious spike in energy in Victorian London. He soon found himself caught up in the investigation of Marlowe Hapworth’s mysterious death.

Although the story started out slow, the pace soon picked up with a shocking turn of events around every corner. I loved the interesting take on emotions and paper. And the conclusion—well, it was just epic.

I am looking forward to reading additional books featuring the 12^th Doctor Who and would definitely recommend Silhouette to readers who love suspenseful science fiction stories.

Rating 5/5

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

Also posted on Our Thoughts Precisely

About the Author

JUSTIN RICHARDS has written for stage and screen as well as writing novels and graphic novels. He has also co-written several action thrillers for older children with the acknowledged master of the genre Jack Higgins. Justin acts as Creative Consultant to BBC Books' range of Doctor Who titles, as well as writing quite a few himself. Married with two children (both boys), Justin lives and works in Warwick, within sight of one of Britain's best-preserved castles.

Excerpt & Giveaway: Chapter 1 of Blurred Lines by Jen McLaughlin

Blurred Lines by Jen McLaughlin will be releasing January 26th, but first we have some exclusive content to share. FINNClub team members will be sharing special details from the book this week, in order to share their excitement for the new novel. Today we have the first chapter from Blurred Lines. BOOK BLURB Once burned... Finding my fiancée naked on my couch might’ve been a good thing, if her ex-boyfriend hadn’t been with her. For the past eight years I’ve been a witness to the power of true love, but after getting burned I’d decided there wasn’t any hope for me finding it for myself. Until I met Noelle Brandt in a hotel bar. Maybe it wasn’t the most romantic meeting, but the moment I met her I knew I had to have her. The more I learn about her, the more I know I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her. Twice shy... I’d already found the love of my life, but I’d lost that love forever. And I’d been lost ever since. But one night a wounded man makes all of that go away. He makes me laugh, live, and feel alive. When he tells me he has no intention of letting me go, I finally begin to believe in the power of true love again.  That is, until I find out who he really is…and by then, it’s far too late to correct the mistakes we’ve already made. By the time we both know the truth, the lines have already been blurred beyond recognition Blurred Lines - Chapter one Riley I parked my car in the driveway and just sat there, staring up at the house I shared with my fiancée, Sarah. It was dark outside, and somewhere in the distance, a dog barked. It sounded pissed as hell, but that wasn’t why I didn’t get out of the car. It wasn’t why I was sitting here, feeling empty as hell and just as lost. The truth was, I wasn’t going inside because I knew my fiancée wasn’t in there alone. I’d seen the car parked down the road, conveniently hidden behind large shrubbery. If I was any other man, it might have worked. I might not have noticed it when I drove by on my way to my next meeting. But I’d know that fucking car anywhere. It was Sarah’s ex-boss’s car. The same one she’d once dated. When we’d met, they’d been freshly split up. He’d broken her heart, and she’d sworn him off forever. We’d dated a suitable amount of time before getting engaged. My parents had liked her, and so had I. It had been an arranged marriage of sorts, but in my circles, that wasn’t such a strange thing. Our fathers were political affiliates. We were expected to marry. Once upon a time, I’d hoped to have more. I’d hoped to have the kind of love that consumed your soul. I still hadn’t found it. So, I’d asked Sarah to marry me. She’d said yes. I’d thought she loved me. I’d been fairly certain I would grow to love her. But if she really loved me… Why the hell was her ex-boyfriend’s car outside my house? Slowly, I opened my car door and made my way up the driveway. My heart thudded in my ears, and I knew what I’d find when I opened that door. There was no doubt my fiancée was naked and having sex with another man. And yet, I went inside anyway. The door creaked when it opened, and I froze, half expecting to hear frantic shouting and retreating footsteps. Nothing moved. I crept inside the rest of the way, leaving the front door open. As I walked, I found a man’s sweater on the floor. I stepped on it. Another step and I scored a pair of men’s pants and a skirt. There was no doubt anymore, if there ever had been, that my fiancée was cheating on me. I didn’t need to go any farther. I had confirmation. But still… I kept going. For some reason, I needed to see it with my own eyes to believe it. I’d truly believed Sarah was an honest woman. One who wouldn’t sleep with someone behind my back. I’d thought she would be a good partner for life. A trustworthy one. I reached the couch. The couch I’d picked out. Sarah was kneeling between her ex’s feet. She was naked, and so was her ex. The man’s bare ass was on my fucking couch. I didn’t know what upset me more: that, or the fact that she was giving the dude a BJ. She never did that with me. Said it was undignified. So was fucking a dude on my couch. And, yes, I knew that the fact that those two things bothered me just as much as the actual betrayal did was fucked up. But I hadn’t loved her. I’d wanted to… But I didn’t really know what real love felt like. Fisting my hands, I cleared my throat. “I’m home early.” Sarah shrieked and flew to her feet, grabbing the throw blanket off the arm of my couch and covering her body with it. Which was absurd, really. We’d both seen her naked before, obviously. The man also stood, grabbing a pillow and covering his half-hard dick with it. “You can keep that now,” I said drily, not taking my eyes off Sarah. She was pale and shaking. I forced myself to remain calm. To act as if this hadn’t completely taken me off guard, even if it hadn’t broken me like it should have. “So, I take it the engagement is off, then?” “Riley, I’m so sorry.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I didn’t want you to see this…” “Obviously,” I said. “Cheaters rarely do.” She shook her head, her blonde hair flying everywhere. “No. I’m not a cheater. I just—” “Seriously?” I threw my arms out. “If this isn’t cheating, what the hell do you call it?” Her cheeks flushed. “I love him, Riley. Really love him.” I froze then, absorbing the knowledge that she’d felt the same way about me that I felt about her—and I hadn’t even known it. I’d naïvely thought she actually loved me, instead of just, well, accepting me as a suitable partner. How had I missed that? “I thought you loved me,” I said softly, scratching my head. “I didn’t know…” “I do.” She came up to me, resting her hand on my heart. The same hand that had been cupping another man’s balls moments before. That skeeved me out, so I stepped back from her touch. “I love you, Riley.” “But you’re not in love with me,” I said, swallowing hard. I might not love her till my dying breath, but the reality of what was happening hit me pretty hard. We were together for three fucking years, and it was over now. We’d just mailed the wedding invitations out last week. And she’d been fucking him. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, tears falling down her cheeks. I had no doubt she was. She was always a nice person, which was why this came as such a shock. I never suspected this of her. Hell, we’d made love last night, and she’d spent half an hour talking about wedding dresses and centerpieces. I locked eyes with her bright green ones. “When did this start?” “Riley…” “When?” She crumbled. “A week ago.” The dude finally spoke up. He took a step forward. “Look, man, I’m sorry, but—” Without thinking, I cocked my fist back and punched him right in the fucking face. He’d broken her heart, and now he was going to do it again. She might think he’d changed, but any man who would fuck another man’s fiancée on his own couch was not a changed man. He was scum, pure and simple. And she’d fallen for him again. “Don’t speak to me,” I snarled. I went after him, even though he stumbled backward and tripped over a fallen pillow. “Don’t you ever fucking—” “Riley, don’t!” Sarah called out, sobbing. “Please. Don’t hurt him.” I fisted my hands, my breathing coming out harsh. She’d cheated on me with this lowlife, and she was worried I’d hurt him? I whirled on her. “If you loved me, even if you weren’t in love with me, you wouldn’t have done this, Sarah. Not to me.” She covered her face and cried. “I’m sorry.” “Yeah.” I shook my head. “You made a big mistake, Sarah. I would have treated you right. I never would have…never…I wouldn’t have done this.” “But you don’t love me,” she whispered. “You never have.” “I care about you. I respect you.” I looked at her again. “I would have treated you right. That’s more important than love. And it’s safer, too.” “I know,” she said, shrugging hopelessly. “I wanted more, though.” And she thought she’d find it with this guy? I looked at him again. He sat on the floor, butt-assed naked and shaking. Pathetic. Turning my attention back to her, I forced a calm smile. My lawyer smile, as I liked to call it. The one that said: I have no problem with taking your ass to court and whooping it publicly, so you better enter a plea bargain. I’d never given it to her before. “Well, then, I wish you the best of luck. Goodbye.” Sarah stumbled after me, grabbing my arm. “Wait. What will we tell everyone?” “Tell them whatever you want.” I shook off her hold. “I don’t care.” She grabbed for me again, but I pulled back. “But—” “I said I don’t care, okay?” I held my hands up. “You were right about one thing—I never loved you. So, I don’t give a damn what you say to them.” She covered her mouth and cried. I felt nothing. Not really. But I didn’t want her touching me. Not anymore. This was the second time I’d found my significant other in bed with another man. The first time had been in college, and it had hurt like hell. I’d actually loved her…or I’d thought I had, anyway. Now I was starting to think I was incapable of love. Sure, I’d loved a girl once, but she hadn’t loved me back. She’d been in love with her now-husband, and they were the only couple I knew actually in love. Like, the kind you see in movies. Finn and Carrie had it, but I never would. Not in this lifetime. I stumbled out the door, tugging on my tie as I went. It felt tight. As if it had come to life and decided to choke what little life I had left out of me. I was tempted to let it. I was stuck in a job I hated, at a firm my father owned, and now I was single, too. And for the second time in my life, I’d been duplicitously cheated on. Was it something I’d done? Something that was missing in me that made my women look elsewhere? Maybe I was broken. Maybe I should stop trying to find a partner and just accept the fact that I was better off alone. Maybe I should just stop trying. But first? I’d call off the meeting that I was already late to…and I’d get drunk as hell as quickly as possible. I’d get so drunk that I’d forget all about Sarah and the naked man on my couch. So drunk that I’d forget all about how broken I was, because instead of being heartbroken over her betrayal, I was angry that we’d have to deal with the mess she’d made. I was mad I’d have to tell my mother that I was no longer marrying the woman she’d handpicked for me, and deal with the drama that came with it all. But I wasn’t upset I lost her… Not at all. About Jen McLaughlin Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy New Adult books. Under her pen name Diane Alberts, she is a multi-published, bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, released September 6 2013, and hit the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.  Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name. Website     Facebook Fan Page     Twitter     Goodreads Giveaway  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Carrying the Lost Heir's Child by Jules Bennett

Title: Carrying the Lost Heir's Child (The Barrington Trilogy, #3) Author: Jules Bennett Publisher/Publication Date: Harlequin Desire, January 1, 2015 Genre: Contemporary Romance Format/Source: Paperback, Author Amazon     Barnes & Noble Book Summary "I'm pregnant." Two words that will rock one man's world forever. On location for a film about a horse-racing dynasty, Lily Beaumont is drawn into a sizzling affair with sexy stablehand Nash James. Now she has to trust him with the truth about their baby. Even though the undercover millionaire is on a mission against his hated rival, he won't walk away from Lily or their unborn child. It will mean coming clean about his true identity—and the decades-old secret that brought him to Kentucky horse country. But will the truth cost him the woman and family he now craves? My Thoughts Oh wow! Carrying the Lost Heir’s Child by Jules Bennett is an emotionally charged story that’s so full of secrets, lies, and deception. Carrying the Lost Heir's Child is the dramatic conclusion to the Barrington Trilogy. It’s Lily and Nash’s story that can be read as a standalone. In this installment, it’s revealed that Lily is pregnant and Nash—well he’s just full of lies and at the center of a scandal. Lily’s pregnancy gave both Nash and Lily a reality check. As such, the tension between them intensified as they struggled with their emotions and had some tough decisions to make. The Barrington Trilogy has been one of my favorite series. It was a trilogy in which each book had a catchy beginning and real-world characters that were easy to connect with. I just can’t wait to find out what Bennett has in store for readers in The Fireman’s Ready Made Family. Rating 4.5/5 "I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review." ***A Gems for Jules Street Team Member*** Coming Soon Expected Publication Date January 20, 2015

Promotional Post/Commercial: Saint Odd by Dean Koontz

The Final Installment of the Odd Thomas series, Saint Odd by Dean Koontz is Available Now! Title: Saint Odd ( An Odd Thomas Novel, #7) Author: Dean Koontz Publisher/Publication Date: Bantam, January 13, 2015 Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Summary from Goodreads From "one of the master storytellers of this or any age" (The Tampa Tribune) comes the stunning final adventure of "one of the most remarkable and appealing characters in current fiction(The Virginian-Pilot)—as #1 New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz brings the unforgettable odyssey of Odd Thomas to its dazzling conclusion. Odd Thomas is back where it all started . . . because the time has come to finish it. Since he left his simple life in the small town of Pico Mundo, California, his journey has taken him to places strange and wonderful, mysterious and terrifying. Across the land, in the company of mortals and spirits alike, he has known kindness and cruelty, felt love and loss, saved lives and taken them—as he’s borne witness to humanity’s greatest good and darkest evil. Again and again, he has gone where he must and done what he had to do—for better or worse—with his courage and devotion sorely tested, and his soul forever changed. Every triumph has been hard won. Each sacrifice has taken its toll. Read More  ***Check Out The Commercial For Saint Odd*** A Member of Dean Koontz Fancorps Community

Molly McAdams' Double Cover Reveal: Trusting Liam & Changing Everything

CHANGING EVERYTHING by Molly McAdams

On-sale 3/3/2015 

Paisley Morro has been in love with Eli since they were thirteen-years-old. But after twelve years of only being his best friend and wingman, the heartache that comes from watching him with countless other women becomes too much, and Paisley decides its time to lay all her feelings on the table. 

Eli Jenkins has a life most guys would kill for: Dream job, countless women, and his best friend, Paisley, to be the girl he can always count on for everything else. But one conversation not only changes everything between them, it threatens to make him lose the only girl who has ever meant anything to him. 

When tragedy strikes his family and Eli is forced to reevaluate his life, he realizes a life without Paisley isn’t a life at all. Only now, he may be too late.

TRUSTING LIAM by Molly McAdams

On-sale 6/4/2015

When Kennedy Ryan moves to California, she never expects to come face-to-face with Liam Taylor-the intriguing man she hasn’t been able to forget. Somehow Liam managed to get Kennedy to let down her guard for a single night of passion that ended up meaning more than it was ever supposed to. Accustomed to disastrous experiences with men, Kennedy shields herself before he can break down more of the carefully built control she’s clung to for the last four years. But every time she sees Liam, she feels her resolve weakening. 

Liam Taylor has been asked to befriend his boss’s nieces. But what starts out as a reluctant favor ends up leading Liam to the only girl who ever slipped away before morning-a girl he thought he’d never find again. And now that she’s within reach, Liam’s determined to never let her go. 

When a secret from her past tests their relationship, will they be able to cling to the trust Liam has worked so hard to build?

Blog Tour, Excerpt, Review & Giveaway: The Best She Ever Had by Shelly Ellis

The Best She Ever Had  A Gibbons Gold Digger Novel By: Shelley Ellis Releasing December 30th, 2014 Kensington Format/Source: E-ARC, NetGalley/Publisher Blurb One by one, the infamous Gibbons sisters of Chesterton, Virginia, are giving up their gold digging ways--except the eldest, who's holding out for her seven figure man. But her heart may have less expensive tastes. . . Thanks to her cold-hearted ways with men, Cynthia Gibbons doesn't blame the folks in town for calling her the "Ice Queen." They don't know the secret she's kept for twenty years--that she once fell crazy in love with a guy who had no money, a guy who broke her heart in the worst possible way. But now Korey Walker is back in town, and Cynthia isn't sure how much longer she can keep the biggest secret of all--that she still loves him. With a divorce behind him, and his new auto repair shop thriving, Korey is looking to the future--until he sets eyes on Cynthia and the past comes roaring back. Even now, Korey doesn't understand Cynthia's hostility--after all, she's the one who broke his heart. He decides to ignore her--until he discovers that his teenage son has fallen for Cynthia's daughter. Determined to stop history from repeating itself, Korey and Cynthia will have to band together. But will keeping their kids apart bring them closer--or destroy their lives for good? Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes | iTunes | Kobo Link to Follow The Best She Ever Had Blog Tour Review The Best She Ever Had by Shelly Ellis had no shortage of family drama, hilarious moments, and lies/secrets that began to surface. And after reading the final book, I have come to the conclusion that if this is how the series ends, I definitely need to start it from the beginning. Cynthia the oldest of the gold digging Gibbons sisters wasn’t afraid to play games to get what/who she wanted. She was reunited with Korey early on. I liked the chemistry between the two of them and how Korey wasn’t afraid to call her on her attitude. Although the book summary indicates that she was hostile, Korey seemed to have greater difficulty letting go of the past. Cynthia’s behavior was less than desirable at times; yet, it seemed that she tried to contain it. The family drama that unfolds in this novel definitely provided hours of entertainment as Cynthia and her sisters struggled with maintaining their gold digging family values. You won’t want to miss Cynthia’s meltdowns—there is nothing like a story about a gold digger who starts to lose control of the situation—especially as the plot thickened while she searched for her daughter. From her internal conflict to her over-the-top behavior Cynthia’s character is absolutely entertaining and you simply won’t want to miss this smexy, funny—serious when necessary—drama filled series.  Rating 4/5  I received an e-arc from the Publisher/ NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Excerpt “Looks like my friend’s here,” Derrick said. Cynthia turned to follow his gaze. She spotted a tow truck gliding toward them with its engine chugging loudly, drowning out the other roadway noise. The truck was haloed by the afternoon sun. Cynthia raised her hand to her brow to block out the blinding light. She squinted. When she recognized the man in the driver’s seat, her bright smile faded. Her mouth fell open, aghast. “That’s your friend?” she squeaked. “Yeah, that’s Korey.” Derrick noticed the change in her facial expression. “Why? What’s wrong?” Cynthia glanced nervously at Derrick as the truck came to a stop not far from where they stood. Her pulse started to race. Her throat went dry. Sweat instantly formed on her brow and underneath her arms. She felt cornered, like a bank robber who had flubbed a getaway after a robbery, had hit a dead end, and now saw red and white flashing lights swirling behind her. “Are you okay?” Derrick asked, touching her shoulder. “You look flushed.” “I’m fine,” she lied, clearing her throat. She shrugged off his hand. “I’m fine . . . really. I’m just a little h-hot . . . th-that’s all.” Derrick stared at her warily. The driver of the tow truck killed the engine and threw open his car door. Cynthia fought the urge to bolt. Her car wasn’t that far away. She could make it before he even reached them. Instead, she forced herself to stay put and watched as he climbed out of the truck and stepped onto the asphalt. After slamming the door shut, he casually strolled toward them. God, he hasn’t changed! Even after all these years, Cynthia thought. Korey Walker still looked the same way he had looked almost twenty years ago when they were in high school together, except now he had a few sprinkles of gray hair on his head and in the beard stubble on his russet-brown cheeks. But he was still tall, still muscular, and still handsome as the devil, which was one reason why she had avoided going anywhere near his auto body and repair shop in Chesterton since he had opened it a little more than a year ago. Back when they were younger, Korey had been the kryptonite to her Superman, and she had been powerless under his spell. Though decades had passed since those days, Cynthia feared she would be powerless again if she got near him—and she didn’t need the confusion he could bring to her life. Korey was not the right man for her now, just as he hadn’t been the right man for her back then. But there was no avoiding him today. “Thanks for coming, man,” Derrick said, stepping forward. He and Korey embraced, then shook hands and slapped one another’s backs. They were quite the contrast: Derrick in his chic, immaculate suit, and Korey in his oil- and greased-stained navy blue shirt and pants, with grime on his hands and dirt under his nails. But even in his shoddy attire, Korey was by far the sexier of the two. Hands down, she thought. Author Info Shelly Ellis is the penname of women's fiction/romance author and creator of the Gibbons Gold Digger series. Her fiction writing career began when she became one of four finalists in a First-Time Writers Contest when she was 19 years old. The prize was a publishing contract and having her first short-story romance appear in an anthology. Since then she has published six novels and two short stories in anthologies. She is married and lives in Maryland with her husband and their daughter. Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads Rafflecopter Giveaway $25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card a Rafflecopter giveaway