He acts like he barely knows her.

But she knows he’s the one.

Matt Banks was ready to tell Harper Sanders that he loved her, that he’d always loved her and that even though they were young, she was his forever girl.

Then her brother stepped in, wanting more for his sister than a garage owner. Too young to stand up for himself, Matt made her brother a promise that he’s regretted every day since.

After years of being ignored by the guy she’s always loved, Harper is on a dating binge. No one is Matt, but a girl can keep on trying. Then she gets stranded on the side of the road, and she has no choice but to call the only mechanic in town.

Matt comes to her rescue, and then to her bed. It’s an idyllic, passion-filled weekend—but there’s still the matter of his promise. And a man’s word is his bond.

Title: Take Me Down
Author: Carly Phillips
Series: Knight Brothers (Book 3.5)
Pages: 38
Genre(s): Contemporary, US
Hot Buttons: /

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I am obsessed with Carly Phillips. I am obsessed with the Knight Brothers series. And yet I was still confused how this story could be part of that series. Harper who? Matt who?

Ah right, they’re Em’s best friend and the town mechanic that we met in Take Me Down. I wasn’t expecting a story for them, even though there was definitely something brewing between the two. Although I’m not sure that this was the exact dynamic….but never mind that, onto the story.

Matt’s in love with Harper but can never let her know because of a promise he made. But he’s tired of being held to a promise made as a boy. Harper is in love with Matt but after years of being ignored, she’s ready to move on with her life. Cue frustration, lust and longing. My favourite kind of misery! And it couldn’t happen to a nicer pair!

Cue a perfectly timed auto-mechanical failure, an impromptu trip and a lack of available rooms, and we have an explosion of said lust and longing that’s been a long time coming. And yum, this got those butterflies in the tummy dancing for me. It was sweet and oh so cute but with a heavy dose of hot and sexy right alongside it. And titty fucking? Yes, please!

Carly Phillips’ writing continues to shine through, and although this is a short story (only 38 pages that’ll take you about half an hour to read) it still packs a punch and tells a decent story from beginning to end.

Definitely a bonus for those interested in the Knight series, or just Carly Phillips in general. I think it probably works as a standalone, too. A quick, cute and dirty story - what could be better? 5 stars.

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Carly Phillips gives her readers Alphalicious heroes to swoon for and romance to set your heart on fire, and she loves everything about writing romance. She married her college sweetheart and lives in Purchase, NY along with her three crazy dogs: two wheaten terriers and a mutant Havanese, who are featured on her Facebook and Instagram. She has raised two incredible daughters who put up with having a mom as a romance author. Carly is the author of over fifty romances, and is a NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller. She loves social media and interacting with her readers. Want to keep up with Carly? Sign up for her newsletter and receive TWO FREE books at www.carlyphillips.com.

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Let me make this clear right here, right now: I, Halley Dawson, do not care that Preston Wright is kissing other women.

Not a lick. Not at all. Nuh-uh-freakin’-uh.

I do care that he’s doing it six feet away from me behind a gaudy velvet curtain—making him my competition in this year’s kissing contest.

Why do I care, you ask? Because I’ve had an unfortunate crush on the insufferable idiot since I was sixteen years old, but I also know it’s never going to happen.

He’s the Creek Falls bachelor to die for, and I’m the Creek Falls racoon lady who puts peanut butter sandwiches out for them every night.

I’m not going to let him break my four-year-long reign—no matter how many times he breaks the rules and slides the curtain across to do the one thing he’s not allowed to:

Kiss me.

Title: Kiss Me Not
Author: Emma Hart
Series: Kiss Me Series
Pages: 181
Genre(s): Contemporary, US, romcom, romantic comedy
Hot Buttons: /

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Emma Hart is one of my go-to authors for a book you want to dive right into and live right there in the world she creates. There’s something so comforting and joyful about the stories she creates. And her characters are both hilarious (and more often than not sarcastic and sassy) but at the same time real enough to truly relate to and love. While I would say this book is more gentle than others I have read of hers, this is still an Emma Hart classic and will delight her fans and new readers alike.

This is the first book in the new Kiss Me series which will focus on the three best friends of Halley (like the comet), Reagan and Ava. Reagan’s book comes next (and by the end of this book you’ll be as eager for that one as I am) but Halley’s own story is wrapped up nicely in this book.

Halley is such an interesting character. She’s the sassy, smart-mouthed, argumentative librarian type who with her matching red glasses and lipstick, gave me the impression of something of a 50s bombshell. Not that she sees herself that way. And that’s why I ultimately liked her. She’s a bit quirky (but aren’t we all?) but I enjoyed the fact that she wasn’t as confident as she presented. It made for a relatable and likeable heroine. Even if she sometimes needed to tone down the competitive nature! But that’s probably because I got the cringe as I too am ridiculously competitive.

Preston was a laid back, cool as a cucumber kinda guy and while he’s maybe not my ideal man - he made the perfect hero for Halley, balancing out her quirky weirdness with, well, probably some weirdness of his own.

I love the best friend’s brother trope and I wasn’t disappointed. As I mentioned earlier, this was more of a gentle, slow-burn kind of romance with only kissing being done until the second to last chapter (which really was a first epilogue before the real one). It’s testament to Ms Hart’s writing that I still gave this book 5-stars because everyone knows I love my sexy shenanigans in a novel - the more the better! But Ms Hart’s writing is so fresh and interesting that you just get stuck into the story and the pages keep turning. There’s plenty of laugh out loud moments, quips, banter and enough salty language to make my inner sailor very happy.

This whole book was a great start to the series for me. I can’t wait to read Reagan’s (Kiss Me Tonight) and Ava’s story’s (Kiss Me Again). But for this particular story, it was a fun, quirky and interesting story that made me smile. I hope everyone will enjoy it as much as I did. 5 stars.

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Emma Hart is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels and has been translated into several different languages.
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She is a mother, wife, lover of wine, Pink Goddess, and valiant rescuer of wild baby hedgehogs.
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Emma prides herself on her realistic, snarky smut, with comebacks that would make a PMS-ing teenage girl proud.
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Yes, really. She's that sarcastic.

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Blaze Townsend: I hate you.
Charisma Rossi: I hate you more.

She’s been expecting this ever since their latest showdown. She had good reason.

Hottest guy she’s ever seen.
Former fling.
Dumped her in front of her friends.
At her own party.

So no, she’s not about to forgive and forget just because he sits next to her in class.
He thinks all he has to do is turn on those baby blues, and she’ll melt right back into his arms. Please. She’d be crazy to let this cocky player affect her again. (Tell that to her body.)

Charisma Rossi.
Nerd girl with a dash of bad.
The one who got under his skin.
The one he cut loose.

Blaze knows she’s the riskiest prospect at Waylon University, but none of the interchangeable girls he hooks up with have ever made him feel the way she did. There’s absolutely no way he can have the girl and the game.

So why can’t he stop trying to win her back?

Can this wide receiver score the girl or will he make the biggest fumble of his life

Title: I Hate You
Author: Ilsa Madden-Mills
Series: Standalone
Pages: 305
Genre(s): Contemporary, US, New Adult, Sports Romance
Hot Buttons: difficult childhood / child abandonment<-- highlight to reveal (may contain spoilers)


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Good God - Ilsa Madden-Mills can do no wrong, in my eyes. She writes the complexities and angst-driven worries of new adults with such heart and intensity, without it ever coming off as over the top or overly dramatic. But better than that, she writes with such layers that no matter what happens, you leave the book feeling equally bereft and deliciously happy.

This book is really a mix of tropes. It’s a new adult romance with both our characters 21 years old and attending Waylon University (in Mississippi, if I’m not mistaken!). As well as being an enemies-to-lovers story, it’s also a sort-of second chance romance. It might also fit into the friends-to-lovers category. Sort of.

Charisma has such depth and you can’t fail to love her. This is no cookie-cutter geeky girl. She’s feisty, smart, sassy and just a little bit damaged - all of which make her hugely interesting and someone you root for, and wish you could be friends with!

Blaze. Ah, Blaze. He is my perfect man. He is strong, confident and so talented and gorgeous that every girl, and some guys, fall all over themselves for just a glimpse of him. Same. But what makes him so perfect is that he is just a little boy at heart. He’s had a troubled youth and it’s made its mark on him as an adult and affects how he interacts with Charisma and the world around him. His story broke my heart and I just wanted to give him a hug. Or better yet, let him find his very own happily ever after with Charisma.

Which brings me to that love story. I adored how Charm and Blaze’s story was a little bit backward. They have this history together but it was more a shock of heat rather than anything meaningful. And then they form a reluctant sort of friendship - learning about each other and realising that they actually like each other. Then comes the love. My heart. It just sucker punches you with the feels then makes you want to keep on getting your fix of them, over and over again.

As I said, Ms Madden-Mills has an amazing way of bringing you into the story and making it a part of you. It’s wonderful how she can have you on the edge of your seat one minute and then laughing uproariously the next. A rare talent and one of my very favourite authors in this genre. If you’ve never read Isla Madden-Mills then I urge you to, and if you’re already a fan then you will not be disappointed with another fantastic story. 5 enthusiastic stars.

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AUTHOR BIO!

Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her contemporary romances ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

Seven of her ten novels have placed in the Amazon US Store Top Six Best-seller List: Dirty English hit #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You hit #2; I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things all placed #6 in the Amazon US Store. The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, hit #4.

A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.

She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.

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