Fake dating the cute owner of a bakery Dean is an investor in sounds kind of messy…but messy can be fun.

Norah Donahue wants bakeries not babies, but her matchmaking mother won’t stop trying to play Cupid.

Dean Moser is a cocky stock market savant whose friends are all settling down, leaving Boulder’s infamous ladies’ man all alone.

When Norah needs a fake date for her parents’ anniversary party, her new silent investor is the perfect guy for the job. It seems like a foolproof plan.

That is until Norah decides to break her biggest rule and lock lips with Dean in the middle of the party to spite her meddling mother.

Turns out that Dean and Norah’s chemistry is sizzling hot, and mixing business with pleasure could turn out to be a recipe for disaster.

Or maybe they can have their cake and eat it too.

Title: Take a Number
Author: Amy Daws
Series: n/a
Pages: 283
Genre(s): Contemporary, US, Romantic-Comedy, fake relationship
Hot Buttons: n/a

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I absolutely adored the previous book in this series - One Moment, Please - about Lynsey and Josh. Dean, our hero in this book, appeared in that book and in the earlier books in the Wait with Me series. Despite that, this book stands alone and you don’t need to have read the other books to understand and enjoy this one.

In fact, I think I might have enjoyed this book so much better had I come in with no knowledge of Dean. You see, I had a preconceived notion of Dean based on those books. As a best friend - he’s, hands-down, perfection. He’s loyal, sarcastic, funny and a little bit sassy. As a hero in his own right? Hmmm - jury’s out for me.

I just felt that he was a little, well, limp as a hero. No pun intended. He’s a metrosexual - which is fine - but it’s not something that makes me swoon. I prefer my men a little more rough around the edges - and possibly dirty and smelly, too. And Dean’s humour, especially in the face of Norah’s fairly stoic personality, didn’t hit the mark with me. In fact, sometimes, I felt he was downright condescending towards her. Just because she didn’t have fun they way he had fun, didn’t make her wrong.

Norah was a likeable character, too. I thought she came across as very real, even if, at least at the beginning, she was anti-boyfriend, anti-marriage and anti-family. I know we like to watch people eat their words but it was hard to be 100% team Norah when she was the opposite of me. Even if she liked lists as much as I do.

As always with Amy Daws, this book is bloomin’ hilarious! I laughed out loud on many occasion with genuine humour. Unique to this book, too, is the drool worthy inclusion of croinuts, Norah’s signature baked good in her bakery. And boy do I want one. Or six. Or more. Absolutely salivating for warm, fresh-from-the-oven pastries. Sigh.

There was enough sexiness to make me happy. I also love it when one of the characters gets drunk and blurts out their real feelings. But what happened next? Oh boy! That was almost as delicious as the baked goods. I felt the pair’s chemistry and wanted them to be together.

It was only once, but I feel I have to mention the flippant use of the term ‘OCD’. This is a serious medical mental health issue and can be devastating and all-consuming for the sufferer. It’s certainly not just someone who likes order and precision in their life. I just don’t think people should bandy about terms like this but, fear not, I didn’t let this affect my rating of the book.

 

Amy Daws always delivers a fun and sexy treat as delicious as Norah’s glazed croinuts. (And yes, you will be as obsessed as I am about baked goods once you read this book!) For me, I just wasn’t sold on Dean as a leading man and, as happy as I am for him to have found his own HEA, I can only give this story 3 stars.

 

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AUTHOR BIO!

 

Amy Daws is an Amazon Top 25 bestselling author of sexy, contemporary romance novels. She enjoys writing love stories that take place in America, as well as across the pond in England. When Amy is not writing in a tire shop waiting room, she’s watching Gilmore Girls, or singing karaoke in the living room with her daughter while Daddy smiles awkwardly from a distance. 
For more of Amy's work, visit: http://www.amydawsauthor.com

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Click to see other books by Amy Daws

He’s the bad boy of baseball who’s about to lose everything.
She needs a husband to get custody of her teenage sister.
Suddenly a marriage of convenience doesn’t look so bad.

Pitcher, Jaxon Prescott has a lot on his plate. Major League Baseball. Reputation as a player. And now? He’s on the verge of losing it all. He didn’t mean to sleep with his general manager’s daughter or get into a brawl that was captured on camera. But his notoriety is a problem and everything he's worked for is at risk.

What’s a bad boy to do? Marry his sister's best friend to save his career, even if it’s the opposite of everything he wants and believes in.

Macy Walker is the sole guardian of her half-sister until the girl’s mother returns and wants her daughter back. In order to win custody, Macy needs to provide stability and marrying someone would do the trick. Luckily for her, her best friend’s brother needs a wife.

They're this close to getting exactly what they want - as long as they don't fall in love.

Title: Dare to Play
Author: Carly Phillips
Series: Dare Nation (Book 3)
Pages: 145
Genre(s): Contemporary, US, Fake Relationship
Hot Buttons: n/a

Light, fun and sexy

5 stars


This is the third book in Carly Philip’s Dare Nation series - a spin-off from previous Dare series. I mean, all these Dares are connected in some convoluted way. Who knows how Ms Philips keeps things straight in her head! But for readers, this book does have cameos from other characters from this series and beyond, but it stands completely alone and comes with its own HEA. Job’s a good ‘un.

This is the story of Jaxon and Macy; two characters who, on the surface, seem completely different from each other. Jaxon is a big-time baseball player, currently in a spot of bother due to some brawling and less than stellar choices of sexual partner. Macy, on the other hand, is raising her 15 year old sister and is pretty much all business and no pleasure. She even has a wicked stepmother to deal with - back to challenge Macy for custody of said sister.

Despite their differences, and their tentative connection (Macy is the best friend of Brianne - Jaxon’s sister), at a wedding, the pair connect and spend the night together. From there, an ill-timed paparazzi shot brings the elements of our story together - Jaxon’s reputation and Macy’s custody battle - culminating in the plan for a quickie, if fake, marriage. Hey - it’s not the craziest idea ever and it would solve both their problems.

But even before the wedding, Jaxon and Macy are continually shooting sparks. They can barely keep their hands off each other - and I felt it. The sexual chemistry between this pair was stomach clutchingly fantastic and they get it on pretty frequently throughout the book. Happy campers, all round.

We’ve obviously got a little conflict which keeps us wondering whether our couple will be able to make it through to their happily ever after. I mean, of course they will, but we still need things to be interesting. The conflict is mainly about whether Jaxon can move on from his past, and whether Macy can get the courage to go after what she wants. Nothing insurmountable but it worked nicely as a possible barrier.

I always enjoy a Carly Phillips novel and this one was up to her normally high standard. You will whizz through this book - the writing keeping you interested in the characters and their storylines. This book was exactly what I needed; Light, fun, sexy and something to get myself lost in for a couple of hours. Whether you’re reading through the Dare Nation series or not, you will not be disappointed with this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 5 stars.

 

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AUTHOR BIO!

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.

AUTHOR LINKS!

                  

 

DARE NATION SERIES!

   

     

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He’s a smooth talking jock in trouble.

She’s the solution to his problems.

Love is the last thing they expected to find.

Damon Prescott had it all. Star quarterback. Money. Fame. Now? He’s being accused of taking performance enhancing drugs and banned from the sport and team he loves.

Determined to prove he’s innocent, he hires tough as nails private investigator, Evie Wolfe. She’s able to bring a man to his knees with a glare, yet sensual in ways that take him off guard - and she’s everything Damon didn’t know he needed.

Evie’s used to men dismissing her, especially playboys like Damon Prescott so she’s not buying the sexual lines he’s trying to sell. She’s with him to do a job, nothing more. But you know what they say about the best laid plans? Sometimes you end up between the sheets with an arrogant football player anyway.

But when the case is over, can Damon convince Evie she’s the only woman for him or will she leave him tied up in love?

Title: Dare to Tempt
Author: Carly Phillips
Series: Dare Nation (Book 2)
Pages: 158
Genre(s): Contemporary, US, Fake Relationship
Hot Buttons: Stalking, mild peril, snake <-- highlight to reveal (may contain spoilers)

Carly Phillips at her best

5 stars


I always enjoy a Carly Phillips novel - you know you’re sure to get great characters, sexy situations and a sigh-worthy love story. And this story definitely ranks highly on my list of favourite stories by her.

This is actually the second book in her new Dare Nation series - after Dare to Resist. I’ve not read that book yet, but the couple from that story have a cameo in this one (Quinn, from the first book is Evie’s best friend and Austin is Damon’s brother) so it definitely makes you want to go back and read their story. There are also some cameos from Phillips’ other Dare novels. But fear not, this is a complete standalone and you will enjoy it whether this is your first Carly Phillips’ novel or your hundredth. As with all Carly Phillips’ novels I have read, this has a guaranteed (and delicious) HEA.

This is the story of Damon, a star American football player who’s going through a spot of bother with a drugs ban hanging over his head - and Evie, the private investigator he hires to get to the bottom of his problems.

Damon is a really swoon-worthy hero. He’s grumpy - my favourite - but he’s also a bit of a sweetheart. I loved the fact that he was a player but only because he’d never met someone that he wanted more with. He fell hard and fast for Evie but because of his lack of experience in relationships (or zero experience!) he tried to ease her into things only to end up in a little bit of a mess. How could anyone resist a 6’4”, burly sportsman who’s grumpy, sweet and adorably clueless? Not me!

Evie was the best kind of no nonsense heroine. She’s tough but not in a way that made me dislike her - and she was still vulnerable, being rightly scared by her stalker and her past experiences. She was reluctant to start something with Damon because she didn’t trust her instincts, but she was honest about her feelings and what she wanted. Him!

There was also a ‘makeover’ thing going on. Evie is happiest in her jeans, leather jacket and combat boots. But that’s not going to cut it when she agrees to be pro-athlete Damon’s fake girlfriend. So she simply puts on a pretty dress and does her hair and make-up. Sure, she makes Damon swallow his tongue when she dolls herself up - but she doesn’t magically transform into a new, more sexy person. The next day, she’s washed off her make-up, brushed her hair and changed back into her comfy clothes. And she’s still the same person. Happily, Damon likes HER, whether she’s dolled up or dressed down. Finally the realisation that woman have different moods, layers and clothes/footwear for every occasion!

As you would expect from Ms Phillips, the heat level is sizzling. There’s distrust and some animosity at the beginning but even then, you get yourself a giddy feeling anticipating all the sexiness to come. And it certainly does. There’s the heat - but there’s also the connection, and you can really feel the pair bonding and falling in love. Happy sighs as that’s the part that always gets me right in the feels.

As well as the few cameos I mentioned earlier, we get to meet Evie’s brothers. Let me just say that I’m interested. An overprotective cop, a hero firefighter and an EMT. The family could make a sexy calendar and I would buy the shit outta that! I’m hoping they also get their own stories - as part of this series or in the future.

The writing is exemplary, as always. You’re interested and engaged in the characters while the stories of the doping and stalking help to keep the pages turning without overwhelming the reason we’re all here - the love story.

You can’t go wrong with Carly Phillips and this is her at her best. It’s sexy, sweet, captivating and well-written. Just fantastic! Long live the Dares! 5 stars.

 

BUY NOW!

 

 

AUTHOR BIO!

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.

AUTHOR LINKS!

                  

 

DARE NATION SERIES!

   

     

Click to see other books by Carly Phillips