I’m a man of action. When I see something I want, I go after it.

So after one night with the intoxicating Nadia I know what I need next – her. She’s a workaholic who’s in need of a holiday distraction. I’m happy to take the reins and help. She can try to hide her passion behind a frosty attitude and a cool smile, but I know I can melt her heart. I just have to catch her first.

Fall in fa-la-love this holiday season with bell ensemble group All My Jingle Ladies. Three feisty bell-ringing friends must face the music when the magic of Christmas brings them their happily ever afters.

Title: Jolly Hour
Author: Melissa Williams
Series: All My Jingle Ladies (Book 2)
Pages: 60
Genre(s): Contemporary, Insta-Love, Christmas Romance
Hot Buttons: n/a

Release Date: 19th November, 2020

Happy Holiday insta-love

4 stars

This is the second in a trilogy of Christmas insta-love stories by Melissa Williams. Each story stands completely alone although they all focus on a member of a bell ringing group (I know, right? How fun!) and do have some crossover (that you wouldn’t even notice if you decide not to read all three books).

This story features uptight Nadia - someone who always puts work ahead of everything in her life. She doesn’t trust easily and isn’t really a cut-loose, let her hair down, kind of girl. So she’s as surprised as anyone when she heads down to her company’s Christmas Jolly Hour and instead of staying for 10 minutes, finds herself sipping way too many Christmas cocktails and getting it on with a sexy stranger.

Despite knowing each other a relatively short time, you definitely feel a connection between Nadia and Ajay and that translates delightfully into their sex scenes. This is an insta-love story but there’s definitely a distinction between how Nadia and Ajay react to those feelings. Nadia is understandably wary while Ajay is just delighted.

And that’s one of the main things I liked about Ajay. He sees Nadia and he is smitten. He’s happy he’s found his person and is looking forward to having her in his life. He’s still a strong, alpha man, but it was so sweet that he was so all-in. I liked Nadia, too, and was pleased she acted true to her nature but even happier that she found someone who understood her.

This was a sweet, fun and Christmassy story that delivers exactly what you want and expect from an insta-love tale. I’ve been enjoying Ms Williams’ stories of late - especially the way she weaves festive magic in with the hot romance. This is a book that will have you reaching for your own Christmas cocktail and handheld bell. 4 stars.

 

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I’m a firefighter. So when I hear bells, I run into action.

But the kind of bells I hear when I first see Libby are anything but alarming. They’re angelic.

All I want to do is throw her over my shoulder and make her mine. Her Christmas spirit is endearing, her laughter addictive and there’s nothing I want more this holiday season than her.

She won’t be a single jingle lady for long – not if Santa’s on my side.

Title: Jingle Lady
Author: Melissa Williams
Series: All My Jingle Ladies (Book 1)
Pages: 66
Genre(s): Contemporary, Insta-Love, Christmas Romance
Hot Buttons: n/a

Release Date: 12th November, 2020

A cute, Christmas insta-love story

4 stars

Sometimes I’m just in the mood for an over the top insta-love romance and what’s even better about this story is that it’s covered, head-to-toe in Christmas magic.

Our story is short - about 65 pages and taking only about an hour to read. It’s the story about Libby and Brendan and their cute, Christmassy tale of meeting and falling in love.

Libby is the slightly quirky, slightly awkward but fully relatable heroine who, while almost burning her house down, connects with one of the hunky firefighters sent to rescue her.

Brendan is said hunky firefighter and he’s your perfect insta-hero. He’s protective, kind, sweet and completely accepting of all of Libby. Oh, and he’s hotter than a burning inferno. But what makes this more than just your standard insta-love story is that while Brendan is happy to spend time with this girl who makes his heart beat faster, he’s also completely panicked and overwhelmed by all these feelings he’s having. It struck me as hilarious and really worked to make the story more realistic…while still giving us what we all want from an insta-love story.

We get sex and it’s hot, heavy and delicious but it doesn’t overwhelm the story. There are also a number of laughs and moments which tickled me. As well as all the Christmas references. And I love me some Christmas!

This is the first in an inter-connected set of three standalone novellas about three friends from the All the Jingle Ladies bell performance group. There are snippets in this book that give hints of what’s coming in Nadia’s book (The Jolly Hour) and Gretchen’s book (Oh my Garland) but this story stands completely alone.

This was a super cute and fun Christmas story that really rung my bell in the best way. If you’re a fan of insta-love and Christmas then you’ll likely find this just as fun a read as I did. And no doubt, you’ll be looking for your nearest bell performance group to join, when you’re done reading. 4 stars.

 

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She's his for the holidays...and he's unwrapping her every night!

Dark and brooding hotel magnate Will Walker is exactly what Laura Edwards wants for Christmas. Too bad he can't forgive her for disappearing from their unhappy existence in foster care without a word. But when a snowstorm leaves her sharing Will's penthouse over Christmas, the passion between them burns brighter than Times Square. This time, can Will trust Laura to stay?

Title: Sinfully Yours
Author: Margot Radcliffe
Series: n/a
Pages: 148
Genre(s): Harlequin / Mills & Boon Dare, Second Chance, Christmas
Hot Buttons: Difficult childhoods

Release Date: 29th October, 2020

Sexy, festive and enjoyable

4 stars

I was a huge fan of the Mills & Boon / Harlequin Blaze line and I’ve never felt the subsequent Dare line has ever lived up to Blaze’s standards. This book, however, is the first Dare book I’ve read that reminded me of the Blaze line with its strong heroine, deliciously broody male, and an interesting story that was both romantic and sexy.

Will and Laura bump into each other 15 years after their traumatic time as neglected foster kids. Back then, the pair were inseparable - protectors, best friends and each other’s safe space. Until Laura is fostered out and away from Will. Their past - and Laura’s leaving - has caused massive emotional issues in both our characters in the story.

Laura was a great character. For the most part, she’d put her difficult past behind her and had become a successful, strong and happy person. She was fairly chill, except when it came to her guilt regarding Will. Her inner thoughts show us how conflicted she is - and she knows herself well enough to know that she won’t ever be able to keep Will at arm’s length. Yet she also respects herself enough to know that she can’t accept half measures - she wants all of Will or none at all. I admired and liked her.

While Will was probably a typical grumpy, alpha billionaire - he, more than most, had reason to be a little bit wary and standoffish. He had issues regarding his past and yet he was still playful, kind and a good guy. He was my favourite kind of hero - the kind that just needs a big ol’ hug from a good woman.

I loved the connection between Will and Laura. From their first (re)meeting, they fall back into an easy friendship - this time with more adult vibes. And those adult vibes led to some very adult situations which were deliciously hot - exactly what I’m looking for from this kind of book.

We get to a very satisfying conclusion and HEA with this story…but I’m going to admit that when I turned the last page, I screamed in frustration. If there was ever a story that was crying out for an epilogue, it was this one. I can even picture it - Will and Laura celebrating Christmas perhaps 5 years later. Kiddos, dogs, fireplaces, love - I wanted it all. I’m still bitter. Give me epilogues, dammit!

And speaking of Christmas - this book had a nice festive vibe to it. New York in the snow. Family. Presents. Cookies. Christmas movies. Fireplaces. Flannel jammies with reindeer motifs. It was happiness.

Overall, this book was a fun read and while the characters were overcoming difficult childhoods, it never got too angsty or overly emotional. The writing was fresh and readable - drawing you into the story and making you want to keep reading. Sexy with emotions - I really enjoyed this book and Will and Laura’s story. Margot Radcliffe’s writing style reminded me of the Blaze of old and I will be looking out for more from her in the future. A very high 4-star read and recommended.

 

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It only took one night with her to make me reconsider everything I thought I wanted.

Marriage and relationships aren’t for me.

I have no desire to revisit my failures. Now I work hard and play hard--period.

Until suddenly there she is. Sexy. Unexpected. Sweet. Unforgettable.

One unprecedented night with her only whets my appetite for more.

She’s been burned before, which makes her suspicious of me. Doesn’t think she’s good enough, that I’d prefer someone more… society.

If only she knew how uninterested I am in other women since I first laid eyes on her.

And I hope she never knows the things I think about when I look at her now.

Fairy tales endings are meant for children’s books. I know that.

But I write my own stories...

Title: The Billionaire's Cinderella
Author: Ava Ryan
Series: Fairy Tale Billionaire Series (Book 3)
Pages: 206
Genre(s): Contemporary, US, Billionaire Romance, Fairy Tale Romance
Hot Buttons: n/a

Release Date: 22nd October, 2020

A great end to the series

4 stars

This is the third (and presumably last) book in the Fairy Tale Billionaires series, three standalone books about three billionaire brothers and the women they fall for. However, I would like to add my name to the list requesting that we get Ella’s brother, Liam’s story in the future!

Ryker is by far the mellowest of the three Black brothers - but he’s definitely still got the same traits as his brothers. He’s still alpha, arrogant, cocky, gorgeous and once he sets his sights on his woman - he’s a goner! Ryker is also sweet, kind and so attentive to Ella, not wanting to push her more than she’s ready for.

And Ella definitely has some issues from her past that make her more than a little wary about relationships in general, and relationships with rich men even more than that. I could understand her reluctance, and her trust issues, but she sometimes crossed the line into irritating on occasion. She gave Ryker such a hard time based on her hang-ups when the poor man hadn’t done anything wrong. At times I felt a wee bit sorry for the poor guy - especially when he adored Elle so much.

Other than the times they were at odds, I enjoyed Ryker and Ella’s relationship. Their banter was cute and the sex was smoking hot. I whizzed through the book, too. The story and Ms Ryan’s writing, as always, keeping me entertained and engrossed from the first page to the last. I wasn’t all that happy about the jump in time to 1 year later - but I lived with it by pretending it wasn’t such a long time frame!

It was also nice to get some cameos from people from earlier in the series - mostly Bellamy and Griffin, although Carly and Damon also pop up towards the end. I love the brothers’ banter with each other and seeing them all mellow and in love!

As all three books in this series take place at the same time - each brother meets his significant other on the same night - we do get some crossover with the last book. It was fun to see a scene from The Billionaire’s Beauty from a different perspective. But fear not, you don’t have to read any of the other books in the series to understand and enjoy this one. But you should - because they’re all great!

Ava Ryan has been a great find and this book really lived up to her previous books and my estimations. Whether you’re following the series or not, I would give this book 4 stars and recommend it.

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR!

 

Ava Ryan is an author of sexy contemporary romance. Her favorite things, in no special order, are animals, her family, cookies, people with great senses of humor and love stories. Currently in her writer’s cave (ostensibly working hard on her next book while also checking Netflix every few hours to make sure she hasn’t missed a new true crime documentary show), she loves hearing from readers via her website or social media. If you love billionaire alpha males, the feisty women who snag their hearts and books that end with a happily ever after, you’ve come to the right place. Please make sure to subscribe to Ava’s newsletter to stay in the loop about her latest releases and upcoming books!

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A slow burn second-chance rom com!

She broke his heart ten years ago.

Now he's back -- and her new boss.

And she might still be semi in love with him.

But that’s no problem, right? They can keep it professional.

Until her grandmother gets involved.

She’s thrilled to think that Whitney and Cam are still in love. And invites him to move in with her…and Whitney.

Of course, Whitney can handle that too. Yeah, everything is fine. Just fine.

Until Cam makes it clear that he’s all in.

Having him back is very sweet, but can she really have it all? Or will it all crumble around her?

Title: Semi-Sweet On You
Author: Erin Nicholas
Series: Hot Cakes (Book 4) 
Pages: 350
Genre(s): Contemporary, US, Small-Town Romance, Second Chance
Hot Buttons: parental heart attack, dementia, difficult family relationships <-- highlight to reveal (may contain spoilers)

Slow burn second-chance romance

4 stars

I’ve read and enjoyed all the Hot Cake series so far - but it was the second chance romance of Cam and Whitney that I have been waiting for ever since we found out about their history in the first books. Cam was so angry and I was looking forward to seeing all that anger and tension morph into a more mature lust for Whitney.

However, by the time the book starts, what we get is a Cam that is much more mellow and in control of his feelings. In fact, he’s completely come to terms with his and Whitney’s relationship from the past, the fallout, and what he now wants from Whitney for the future. And I’m not going to lie - I was a wee bitty disappointed. I liked growly, grumpy, angry Cam.

Despite all of the above, you do not need to read the series in order, or have read any of the previous books at all, to read and enjoy this one. Having said that, this series revolves around a group of friends and family in a small town, so you may not have a handle on all the relationships if you start with this one. But that’s okay because the previous books in the series (Sugarcoated, Forking Around and Making Whoopie) are all fun and worth a read.

Back to this book. Cam states his position from the outset, so the main story of the book is really about Whitney. In fact, I sometimes felt that this was probably more like Whitney’s story than both Whitney and Cam’s. Not that it wasn’t satisfying to watch Whitney come into her own, learn her worth, and get her man - but I felt that Cam’s growth came before the book started, so we miss out on that a little bit.

This is a slow-burn tale and as such, we get very little sex until the end, although there’s a little teasing and a little kissing on the way. And a little bit of dirty talk regarding, of course, baked goods. Yum. On every level.

There’s a couple of storylines in the book that could be a little upsetting to some people. They were both handled delicately, and I never felt overwrought by them. However, especially with the dementia, it was a bit of a downer when you really started to think about it and I can imagine it would be quite upsetting if you yourself had/have a loved one in similar circumstances. I know that illness happens in real life but I’m conflicted about whether I want to read about them in my romance books - even if it does create more realism.

Next up in the Hot Cakes series we have Oh, Fudge - a quickie crossover between this series and the Boys of the Bayou series. Then it’s Ollie and Piper’s story, Gimme S’more, that’s teased quite heavily in this book.

I had a hard time rating this book but, honestly, I think that was mostly due to my (probably ridiculously) high expectations of a book I’ve been chomping at the bit for since this series began. It may not have been what I was anticipating, but it’s still a great tale with a  great bunch of characters in a town known for its baked goods and cat yoga. And I’m still all in with this series. 4 stars from me.

 

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AUTHOR BIO!

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters.

Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).

 

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