Defiance of the Heart by Monica James ~ COVER REVEAL

Posted by Sarah ALP

For never was there a story of more woe than that of Holland Brooks and her Romeo…

For as long as I can remember, London Sinclair was the boy who was forbidden. It didn’t matter that he made my heart skip a beat. Our surnames fated us to be sworn enemies. But when the truth was finally revealed, my life changed forever.

Lies have shaped our past, leaving London and me to pick up the pieces. But through the chaos, one thing is certain—I love London, and he loves me, and we won’t allow anyone to tear us apart again.

However, life has a funny way of proving us wrong.

As we attempt to make amends for the past ten years, we soon discover that the ghosts of our past will do anything to drive us apart. We are once again surrounded by deceit and betrayal, testing us in ways we never imagined.

When I’m faced with a proposition to end this heartache once and for all, I blindly agree. That decision changes everything, and I soon learn that those who act in haste create their own destruction.

Does love really triumph all? Or will London and I succumb to what was always written in the stars?

*** PREORDER NOW ~ RELEASES OCTOBER 17 ***
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Absinthe Of The Heart by Monica James is the first book in the Sins of the Heart series.

Two households, unlike in dignity, in the City of Angels is where we lay our scene…

London Sinclair was the boy my mother warned me about for as long as I can remember. His name alone has brought my family nothing but shame and suffering, so it’s no surprise we’ve been sworn enemies since the first moment we met.

With his bedroom eyes and cocky smile, he has all the girls under his spell. I have one more year of school left, and then I’m home free because I’m guarding a secret, one I’m ashamed to keep.

The boy who is completely off-limits is the one who drives me, Holland Brooks, wild. I want London, and I think…he wants me, too.

Some may compare it to a Shakespearian tragedy, as our surnames have fated our future, but when a single night changes my life forever, I can’t leave the City of Angels fast enough.

Ten years later, I have atoned for my sins and return to Los Angeles a changed woman. I’ve come home to get married. But the moment London walks back into my life, one thing is clear. Ten years can’t undo that night—that single, sinful night when I gave into temptation—because I want to do it again.

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Monica James spent her youth devouring the works of Anne Rice, William Shakespeare, and Emily Dickinson.

When she is not writing, Monica is busy running her own business, but she always finds a balance between the two. She enjoys writing honest, heartfelt, and turbulent stories, hoping to leave an imprint on her readers. She draws her inspiration from life.

She is a bestselling author in the U.S., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, and the U.K.
Monica James resides in Melbourne, Australia, with her wonderful family, and menagerie of animals. She is slightly obsessed with cats, chucks, and lip gloss, and secretly wishes she was a ninja on the weekends.

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Richer than Sin by Meghan March ~ Sarah A’s Review

Posted by Sarah ALP

From New York Times bestselling author Meghan March comes a brand new saga of forbidden love and second chances.

A Riscoff and a Gable can never live happily ever after. Our family feud is the stuff of legends.

Ten years ago, Whitney Gable caught me off guard with her long legs and grab-you-by-the-balls blue eyes.

I didn’t know or care what her name was.

Like any Riscoff worth the family name, I went after what I wanted. We burned like a flash fire until she married another man.

She hates me, and she should.

I objected on her wedding day.

Now she’s home, with those same long legs and man-eater stare, but there’s no ring on her finger.

They say a Riscoff and a Gable can never live happily ever after . . . but I’m not done with Whitney Gable.

I’ll never be done with her.

While I am no expert on Meghan March’s repertoire, this book is so different than the other books I’ve read by her. The suspense and intrigue, while still present, wasn’t as paramount in Richer than Sin. Instead, it focused on the microcosm of small-town dynamics and familial relationships. It was fascinating, and I can’t wait to see what is bubbling beneath the surface because I am sure we’ve only just scratched the surface on what’s going on in Gable.

There are few tropes I enjoy more than second-chance romances and forbidden romance is one of those. Combine those two, and I’m all in. While Richer than Sin could easily be compared to Romeo and Juliet, I feel like that comparison doesn’t do the story justice – it diminishes the extent of Whitney and Lincoln’s relationship. No, this book is more Hatfields and McCoys meets the Notebook. The animosity between the families was so intense and long-lived, it was almost more about carrying on tradition than it was about the actual feud. And Whitney and Lincoln’s relationship transcended the infatuation of two teenagers and bordered on something essential to their survival.

I can’t talk about this book and not mention perhaps the most important character in this book, the town of Gable itself. So much of what Whitney and Lincoln went through was because of the tense dynamics of living in a town where one family rules above all others. I loved how Ms. March used that quality to push the story forward and put the characters in situations that demanded more from them than they deserved.

While Richer than Sin didn’t have the same type of suspense as her other novels, it was no less intriguing. There are so many moving parts within the Riscoff and Gable families; it feels as if there will be no end to the things we uncover about them and their dubious connections. I have so many theories and speculations about what is going on with them, and I have no doubt my assumptions barely scratch the surface of what is boiling underneath their feud.

Meghan March continues to impress me with her engrossing storylines. Each time I open one of her books I’m swept up in these rich worlds with endless secrets and fascinating relationships. I appreciate how, while all of her books have a similar style, each one has a freshness and theme all its own. Her characters all have an innate strength, and I love that her heroines are never shrinking violets. Every time I read one of her series I’m caught up in all of it, but I think the Sin series is going to be at the top of my list of my favorites from her.

Guilty until proven innocent.
That’s the way the world works, right?
I’m tired of being convicted without evidence, all because my last name is Gable.
The Riscoffs might own this town, but I’m done following their rules.
If only I could forget just how easily Lincoln Riscoff can drag me under his spell.

Whitney Gable is the kind of woman you fight to the death to protect.
To keep.
To cherish.
I’ve finally learned my lesson, and it’s time to prove I’m the man who’s worthy of her.
I don’t care what it takes, because failure is not an option.
No matter who or what stands in our way—this time, she’ll be mine forever

A New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty novels, Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had.

The Pretty series by M. Leighton ~ Cover ReReveal & Sarah A’s Review of All the Pretty Lies

Posted by Sarah ALP

Live, no regrets

Her…
Sloane Locke has led a sheltered life. However, with a history like hers, she can understand why her brothers and her father want so much to protect her. She has gone along with it for twenty long years, but those days are over. For the girl who never makes promises, Sloane has made a pact with herself that things will change on her twenty-first birthday. So when the clock strikes midnight, Sloane strikes out to spread her wings and break a few rules.

Him…
In addition to inking skin, Hemi Spencer possesses many talents. Controlling himself has never been one of them. It’s never had to be. He’s lived a life of indulgence for as long as he can remember. Right up until tragedy struck. Now, he’s nothing but controlled. He’s a man on a mission, one who will let nothing and no one stand in his way.

Them…
Nothing in their lives could’ve prepared Sloane and Hemi for what they’d find in each other—distraction and obsession, love and possession. But the one thing they can’t find is a future. Neither one has been totally honest. And they’ll soon learn that the devil is in the details. In the details and in the lies.

How far will two people go to live in the now when the now is all they’ve got?

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He never wanted to be a hero…until she needed him to be.

Strength…
It took Kennedy Moore years to put her life back together after Reese Spencer shattered it. But she did. Now, years later, strong and independent, she is in pursuit of a single dream—to dance with the Altman American Dance Theater. Unfortunately, Kennedy is learning that a woman from nowhere with no money and no contacts might never be able to reach her goal.

That is, until Reese reappears, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that Kennedy just can’t refuse. In exchange for working on his yacht for a few short weeks, he’ll get her an audition with the famous dance troupe. All Kennedy has to do is keep her head down, work hard and resist Reese. That sounds easy enough, right?

Weakness…
Reese doesn’t want to make it easy for Kennedy. Seeing her again has started a fire in his blood—an unwelcome one. It took him years to forget about her before, so this time he has a plan. It’s simple: Get Kennedy on his yacht, seduce her, get her out of his system, move on with his life. That sounds easy enough, right?

But the one thing Reese didn’t plan for was Kennedy herself—a woman so strong yet so broken, she makes him want to rescue her, to take care of her. To save her. Even if he has to save her from himself.

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Pretending to be something they’re not, afraid to trust anyone completely, destined to tear each other apart– this is the story of unlikely love and unbearable consequences.

Sig Locke is a cop. He was raised by a cop and all his brothers are cops. He bleeds blue, believes in right and wrong, and sees in black and white, never in shades of gray.

But that was before he met Tommi.

Tommi, with her long legs and bright green eyes, she captured Sig’s interest from the moment he saw her. Even after he discovered who she was–the girlfriend of a drug dealer, the beauty behind a criminal–he still found her utterly irresistible. What Sig doesn’t know, however, is that she has a secret even a cop can’t uncover.

Tommi Lawrence hasn’t had an easy life, and it only got more complicated the day she met Sig. She learned long ago that she can’t trust anyone. Her gut tells her that Sig is no exception; her heart tells her that he is. But that was before she found out his real identity.

Can love be forged in a fire of lies? Or will the truth destroy them both?

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Follow the love and heartbreak of the Locke and Spencer families as only NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR M. Leighton can tell it. Enjoy all three full-length novels at one incredible price!

ALL THE PRETTY LIES: Sloane Locke is trying to break free of her past. When she meets tattoo artist, Hemi Spencer, she knows she’s found just the man to help her do it. What she doesn’t realize, however, is that Hemi has secrets that could tear her entire world apart.

ALL THE PRETTY POSES: Exotic dancer Kennedy Moore found love fourteen years ago in the arms of the wealthy boy next door, Reese Spencer. She also found heartache that nearly destroyed her. She thought she’d finally managed to put him behind her until the day he shows up with an offer she can’t refuse.

ALL THINGS PRETTY: Sig Locke lives life by cop code. He sees things in black and white, never shades of gray. That is until he meets Tommi Lawrence. She’s the kind of woman who can make a man forget everything he thought he knew. But having her comes at a price.

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I loved this book, like a lot. It was so sweet, and the story was engrossing in so many ways, I couldn’t put it down once I started reading. Every time I read a book by M. Leighton I find myself completely wrapped up in her words and I always wonder why I wait to read them. All the Pretty Lies was an emotional ride, and I loved every second of it.

Sloane Locke was fierce. I rarely say that about characters, but after everything she’d been through and the way her family sheltered her from life the fact that she still had the strength to go after the things she wanted regardless of the potential consequences made her unquestionably fierce.

Hemi, for all his flaws, tugged on my heartstrings. I don’t think he even realized how broken he was and how desperately he was looking for something, anything to help him out of the hole of grief, revenge, and despair in which he was living. Watching him change from the hard, cold, empty person he was when the story began to the whole, loving man he grew into by the end was glorious; more so, because he didn’t even recognize the change happening within him until it was complete.

The plot of All the Pretty Little Lies, while a little predictable, was riveting. I had to keep moving forward to find out if my suspicions were correct and see how Sloane and Hemi were going to deal with the potential fallout from all the secrets they were keeping. Add in the craziness of Sloane’s family, and this book was a little heartbreaking, a little humorous, and a lot hopeful.

All the Pretty Lies is the first book in M. Leighton’s Pretty series. These books are interconnected standalones, and the series does not need to be read in its entirety to get a complete story. The book is written in dual first-person perspective, narrated by Sloane and Hemi.

The only wish I have for this book would be a little heavier hand in the editing process. There are several errors, not enough to take away from the story but enough to catch my attention.

New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, M. Leighton lives in the deep South with her super-hero husband and super-smart maltipoo. She has a fondness for coffee and chocolate, loves the color red, laughs at almost anything, and often stares out her window, daydreaming of far-away places. You can find out more about her by visiting her website at www.mleightonbooks.com

The Leftside of Perfect and The Rightside of Forever by Meghan Quinn ~ COVER REVEAL

Posted by Sarah ALP

For better or for worse,’til death do us part . . .

The better captured me; she’s who stole my heart.

And made me realize I couldn’t live without this woman.

The worse of her took my breath away–kicked me when I was down and twisted me into a million knots.

When I first met her, I thought she was someone I would never see again.

The second time I ran into her, it was a random coincidence.

The third?

I didn’t know it at the time, but she was the girl I was going to marry.

But life isn’t always perfect. You have to take the better and the worse–even if it means giving her up, having her slip between your fingers, and letting her walk away.

I’m getting married.

This is forever, ’til death do us part.

*** LIVE AMAZON RELEASE ~ RELEASES AUGUST 30 ***
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Read Chapter ONE of The Leftside of Perfect HERE

In sickness and in health, to love and to cherish . . .

It sounds so simple, to love someone unconditionally.

To give them your heart.

So why is she slowly eating away at my soul with every unanswered phone call, every unread text, and every door left unopened?

She said yes, and yet, in order for her to be with me . . . I need to let her go.

*** RELEASES AUGUST 31 ***

Born in New York and raised in Southern California, Meghan has grown into a sassy, peanut butter eating, blonde haired swearing, animal hoarding lady. She is known to bust out and dance if “It’s Raining Men” starts beating through the air and heaven forbid you get a margarita in her, protect your legs because they may be humped.

Once she started commuting for an hour and twenty minutes every day to work for three years, she began to have conversations play in her head, real life, deep male voices and dainty lady coos kind of conversations. Perturbed and confused, she decided to either see a therapist about the hot and steamy voices running through her head or start writing them down. She decided to go with the cheaper option and started writing… enter her first novel, Caught Looking.

Now you can find the spicy, most definitely on the border of lunacy, kind of crazy lady residing in Colorado with the love of her life and her five, furry four-legged children, hiking a trail or hiding behind shelves at grocery stores, wondering what kind of lube the nervous stranger will bring home to his wife. Oh, and she loves a good boob squeeze!

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros ~ COVER REVEAL

Posted by Sarah ALP

The right words can save your life.

For fans of Nicholas Sparks and Jodi Picoult… A soldier falls in love with his battle buddy’s sister through their letters and returns home from Afghanistan with a secret that could destroy their fragile relationship. Don’t miss THE LAST LETTER by Rebecca Yarros, pre-order your copy today!

Beckett,

If you’re reading this, well, you know the “last-letter” drill. You made it. I didn’t. Get off the guilt train, because I know if there were any chance you could have saved me, you would have.

I need one thing from you: Get out of the army and get to Telluride.

My little sister Ella’s raising the twins alone. She’s too independent and won’t accept help easily, but she has lost our grandmother, our parents, and now me. It’s too much for anyone to endure. It’s not fair.

And here’s the kicker: there’s something else you don’t know that’s tearing her family apart. She’s going to need help.

So if I’m gone, that means I can’t be there for Ella. I can’t help them through this. But you can. So I’m begging you, as my best friend, go take care of my sister, my family.

Please don’t make her go through it alone.

Ryan

*** PREORDER NOW ~ RELEASES FEBRUARY 26 ***
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Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and a lover of all things coffee and chocolate. She is the author of the award-winning Flight & Glory series and The Renegades. She loves military heroes, and has been blissfully married to her Apache pilot for seventeen years.

When she’s not writing, she’s tying hockey skates for her four sons, sneaking in guitar time, or watching brat-pack movies with her two daughters. She lives in Colorado with her husband, their rambunctious gaggle of kids, and their menagerie of pets. Having adopted their youngest daughter from the foster system, Rebecca is a passionate advocate for children through her non-profit, One October.

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The Simple Wild by KA Tucker ~ Sarah A’s Review

Posted by Sarah ALP

Calla Fletcher wasn’t even two when her mother took her and fled the Alaskan wild, unable to handle the isolation of the extreme, rural lifestyle, leaving behind Calla’s father, Wren Fletcher, in the process. Calla never looked back, and at twenty-six, a busy life in Toronto is all she knows. But when Calla learns that Wren’s days may be numbered, she knows that it’s time to make the long trip back to the remote frontier town where she was born.

She braves the roaming wildlife, the odd daylight hours, the exorbitant prices, and even the occasional—dear God—outhouse, all for the chance to connect with her father: a man who, despite his many faults, she can’t help but care for. While she struggles to adjust to this rugged environment, Jonah—the unkempt, obnoxious, and proud Alaskan pilot who helps keep her father’s charter plane company operational—can’t imagine calling anywhere else home. And he’s clearly waiting with one hand on the throttle to fly this city girl back to where she belongs, convinced that she’s too pampered to handle the wild.

Jonah is probably right, but Calla is determined to prove him wrong. Soon, she finds herself forming an unexpected bond with the burly pilot. As his undercurrent of disapproval dwindles, it’s replaced by friendship—or perhaps something deeper? But Calla is not in Alaska to stay and Jonah will never leave. It would be foolish of her to kindle a romance, to take the same path her parents tried—and failed at—years ago. It’s a simple truth that turns out to be not so simple after all.

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The Simple Wild is billed as a romance novel, but I felt like the romance in this novel played second fiddle to the more powerful story of Calla finding herself and figuring out what was truly important to her in life. I’d definitely qualify this book as women’s fiction, rather than romance.

Calla was an insipid child when this book first started; I found her superficial, immature, and irresponsible. Despite living with her mother and step-father, having a good job for four years, and basically having no bills, she was still reliant on her step-father to buy her a plane ticket. She was more obsessed with her shoes and getting an insta-worthy photo than she was other human beings. In short, she was self-absorbed and materialistic. Throughout the novel Calla grew, so much, she learned more about herself, the world, and all different types of love than she could have anticipated when she decided to visit her father. Her growth arc in this book was everything. Calla, much like her Instagram posts, evolved from a thing of shallow frivolity to a person more concerned with substance, interpersonal connections, and true happiness.

As much as I didn’t feel like the romantic element of was the focal point of The Simple Wild, it did play a vital role in helping Calla grow. Jonah was instrumental in making her see the world as more than just the sum of its parts; he forced her to see the humanity behind the masses. He pushed her so far out of her comfort-zone she had no choice but to recalibrate her life and find a new outlook. And while he was doing all that, he was also helping her come to terms with the pending loss of the father she was barely getting to know. Her journey to Alaska was her catalyst to change, but Jonah was one of the major reactants that stimulated her rebirth.

I quite enjoyed the plot of The Simple Wild. It was intriguing and unlike anything I’ve read in recent memory; it was also wholly dependent on the location of the novel. Though I’ve never visited Alaska – it’s a bucket list item for me – I felt like I was there with Calla, Jonah, and the crew. I especially appreciated the juxtaposition of the well-dressed, appearance-obsessed, city girl against the simplicity and grittiness of the Alaskan tundra. In truth, Alaska was just as much a character in this book as the people were and it contributed in so many ways to move this book forward. The Simple Wild gave me a glimpse of a different, slower, simpler way of life and it felt almost like a balm to my soul to know there is still a world independent of the hustle and bustle of the instant gratification of the digital lives to which we are all so accustomed.

I’ve read a handful of KA Tucker books and always find them fascinating in ways I haven’t anticipated. I’m not sure how she’s so capable of taking a concept and turning it on its head, but she consistently makes me think I’m going into a particular type of story then, when I come out the other side, I find I have experienced something unexpected and entirely new. Her prose has a phenomenal way of drawing you in and holding you captive to her words with single-minded obsession; it’s as if nothing exists but the world she’s created. I’m in awe of Ms. Tucker’s story-telling skills and love that she continually writes fresh, captivating books that deliver more to her readers than just a simple story.

K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge.

She is the USA Today bestselling author of 17 books, including the Causal Enchantment, Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series, He Will Be My Ruin, Until It Fades, Keep Her Safe, and her upcoming contemporary fiction, The Simple Wild. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, and Publisher’s Weekly.

K.A. Tucker currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband and two beautiful girls.

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NEW RELEASE!! A Kiss to Tell by W Winters ~ Sarah A Review

Posted by Sarah ALP

I didn’t need anyone to tell me, I knew he was forbidden with a single glance.
He was a boy I should be afraid of and definitely a boy I should never want. No matter how much neither of those statements were true.

From the first time I saw him, Sebastian had a hard stare that pinned me in place. And, years later, it hasn’t softened.

We lived on the same street, went to the same school, though he was a year ahead. Even so close, he was untouchable.
He was bad news and I was the sad girl who didn’t belong.

One night changed everything.
We both had secrets. We both saw the pain in each other’s eyes.
That gaze that gave me chills, turned to a lust-filled haze that heated every inch of me.
But that didn’t change who he was. A man who would take everything from me.

A Kiss to Tell started out incredibly. The story was fascinating, the characters sympathetic, and it fit into the world she’d already established in her Sinful Obsessions series. However, the end didn’t quite deliver the closure or open-ended cliffhanger I’ve come to expect from her. I’m honestly not sure if Chloe and Sebastian’s story is meant to be complete or if I should be anticipating more from them in the future.

While I was reading A Kiss to Tell I was completely wrapped up in the story, I felt so bad for Chloe and all the things she’d suffered through in her short life; I was obsessed with Sebastian and his secrecy and his compulsion to protect Chloe. After I finished the book, I was left a little bereft as to who the characters were outside of the intense situation they’d been living in. I wish we’d seen them living in normalcy for just a little bit, so I would have had a better impression of who they were as people.

The plot of A Kiss to Tell was intense. Between the flashbacks to Chloe and Sebastian’s earlier interactions and the events surrounding the night that changed Chloe’s life, Chloe’s mysterious dreams, and the sinister, yet too convenient, things happening in their town, the intrigue was high, and the questions were many. A Kiss to Tell also gave us a glimpse of the town Carter (Merciless, Heartless) runs, and a younger, more innocent Carter, before he became the ruthless man we’ve come to know.

I wish the book had a more solid ending. When I got to about 90%, I knew there wasn’t enough book left to wrap up all the loose ends, so I anticipated a cliffhanger. Instead, I got a half-finished book that felt rushed and incomplete. I’m not sure if it was meant to feel that way or if the author was rushed to finish it but, at any rate, it was unsatisfying and a disservice to the strength of the rest of the story.

Willow Winters is so happy to be a USA Today, Wall Street Journal and #1 Contemporary Bestselling Romance Author. She likes her action hot and her bad boys hotter. She certainly doesn’t hold back on either one in her writing!

Willow started writing after having her little girl, Evie, December 2015. All during her pregnancy with Evie she continued to read and she only wanted to read romance. She was reading a book a day — sometimes two.

In January 2016 Willow was staying up late with Evie and just thinking of all these stories. They came to her constantly so she finally sat down and just started writing. She always wanted to do it so she figured, why not? Today Willow cannot be happier for making that decision!

$25 Amazon gift card

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NEW RELEASE!! Richer than Sin by Meghan March

Posted by Sarah ALP

From New York Times bestselling author Meghan March comes a brand new saga of forbidden love and second chances.

A Riscoff and a Gable can never live happily ever after. Our family feud is the stuff of legends.

Ten years ago, Whitney Gable caught me off guard with her long legs and grab-you-by-the-balls blue eyes.

I didn’t know or care what her name was.

Like any Riscoff worth the family name, I went after what I wanted. We burned like a flash fire until she married another man.

She hates me, and she should.

I objected on her wedding day.

Now she’s home, with those same long legs and man-eater stare, but there’s no ring on her finger.

They say a Riscoff and a Gable can never live happily ever after . . . but I’m not done with Whitney Gable.

I’ll never be done with her.

GIVEAWAY & NOW AVAILABLE!! Unbreak My Heart by Lauren Blakely ~ Sarah A’s Review

Posted by Sarah ALP

✮✮✮UNBREAK MY HEART is here! Grab your copy today! ✮✮✮
Experience all the feels in this unforgettable, second chance, standalone romance from #1 New York Times bestseller Lauren Blakely!

I didn’t break her heart, and she didn’t break mine — we broke each other’s.

I never stopped loving her, but time and distance played its cruel role in ripping us apart three years ago when she moved halfway around the world. Now after all those endless miles away, she’s returned . . . but I’m not the guy I was before.

Beautiful, kind, and loving, she’s the same — my hope. The only one who can make a day better, who can make me feel again with one kiss, one touch, one night.

There’s so much I have to put back in place now that I’m alone and on my own. Things I never wanted at the age of twenty-five. When I receive an unexpected letter that might hold the clues to everything I desperately need to understand about my family, I’m sure I have to follow it. But that means leaving her once more.

She says she’ll come with me, and having her by my side will unbreak my heart . . . or destroy it.

That’s the chance I have to take.

I read this book under the recommendation of someone I highly respect and I was blown away. Unbreak My Heart wasn’t a particularly easy read. There were a ton of difficult things that were tackled over the course of the story, and Lauren Blakely didn’t skirt around them, she faced them head-on and made her readers experience the raw pain and emotion her characters went through.

Unbreak My Heart ran me through the gamut of emotions. Andrew’s journey was arduous and the depth and breadth of emotions he went through while figuring out how to heal – how to love and live again – was richly portrayed throughout the book. Each new revelation, good and bad, brought on a new slew of feelings and Ms. Blakely did a fantastic job of representing the intensity of dealing with grief and trying to find answers that seem too big for one person to deal with.

I loved the outlet and support Holland was for Andrew. He needed her strength and understanding to make it through some of the hardest moments of his life. She also provided him a place to go when no one else wanted to talk about the things he’d lost, the things he had to deal with, the fact he no longer had the biggest part of his support system. And Holland did all of that without letting him become too reliant on her; she made him stand on his own two feet while lending a helping hand when he most needed it.

Second-chance romances are one of my favorite tropes to read; Unbreak My Heart was that and more. I especially loved that there was no hurtful breakup in Holland and Andrew’s past, there was no emotional baggage they had to overcome regarding their relationship. Their history and connection were obvious and intense. I also appreciated that their original coupling was a friends-to-lovers romance because it gave them another layer of foundation to build a future on. Theirs was such a robust and fated connection; I could feel the love they had bleeding through the pages.

I’ve long heard great things about Lauren Blakely, but since rom-coms aren’t my thing I hadn’t read her. When I found out this book was heavier and more tragic, I knew I had to take my chance, and I was not disappointed. I loved her writing style, it felt unique yet still comfortable, almost as if the characters were relaying their story to a friend, rather than narrating their lives. It was refreshing and fun. I hope Ms. Blakely writes more novels outside of the rom-com genre, as this book shows she has a great talent for it.

~Andrew~

She inches her hand across the counter just a little bit closer, and that hand, I want to grab it and hold on. I glance at our fingers, so close all it would take is one of us giving an inch.

Give. Take. Come. Stay.

I can feel the warmth from her hand. One stretch for us to reconnect, so I wait. Wait for her to put her hands on my face and press her lips against mine and kiss me like it’s been killing her not to.

But I can’t wait.

I break first, saying her name in a lonely, desperate rasp. “Holland.”

“Andrew.” Her voice is a whisper.

“Go with me,” I blurt out.

She blinks. “What?”

I shake my head.

Leaving the kitchen, I stalk to the living room, pacing like I can sort out what to do if I get just a few feet away from her.

She’s right behind me, her hand on my arm. “Say it again.”

I swivel around, and with her blue eyes on mine, her body close, I break to pieces. With her, my heart beats too fast, my blood pumps too quickly. I have no will to tell her to stop being so near to me but not near enough to make everything better.

“Say what again?” I ask, as if I’ve forgotten.

“Ask me,” she presses.

And she wins. She fucking wins. “Go with me. Come with me.”

She squeezes my arm. “Is that what you want?’

I cup her cheeks. She gasps. I’ve shocked her. Let’s shock her some more.

Her lips part, and she whispers my name. “Andrew.”

It’s like the stars are glowing. Like the sky is blazing at night. “You know what I want.”

A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than 95 times, and she’s sold more than 2.5 million books. In August she’ll release UNBREAK MY HEART, an emotional new standalone romance. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter!

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The perfect prize pack for any world traveler! A gorgeous Kate Spade Tote and Kindle Paperwhite ($350 value) make any trip much more stylish and fun.

https://laurenblakely.com/ubmhgiveaway/

Dear Jane by Kendall Ryan ~ COVER REVEAL

Posted by Sarah ALP

I broke her heart ten years ago and left town.

She hates me, and rightly so. It doesn’t matter that the rest of the country loves me, that I’m a starting quarterback with a multimillion-dollar contract. Because when I look in the mirror, all I see is a failure who was too young—and too afraid—to fight for what I wanted.

But I’m not that guy anymore, and all I need is one shot to convince her.

***

He has no idea what happened after he left. And now I’m supposed to work alongside him like we don’t have this huge, messy history?

But I’m older now, wiser, and I won’t let anything stand in my way of doing a good job for this league. Not even one overpaid, arrogant player who thinks we’re going to kiss and make up.

News flash, buddy: I am over you.

*** PREORDER NOW ~ RELEASES OCTOBER 15 ***
Amazon US | iBooks | Kobo | Amazon UK

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 1.5 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She’s a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she’s appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.

Visit her at: for the latest book news, and fun extras

A Literary Perusal

Falling In Love One Perusal At A Time

Defiance of the Heart by Monica James ~ COVER REVEAL

Richer than Sin by Meghan March ~ Sarah A’s Review

The Pretty series by M. Leighton ~ Cover ReReveal & Sarah A’s Review of All the Pretty Lies

The Leftside of Perfect and The Rightside of Forever by Meghan Quinn ~ COVER REVEAL

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros ~ COVER REVEAL

The Simple Wild by KA Tucker ~ Sarah A’s Review

NEW RELEASE!! A Kiss to Tell by W Winters ~ Sarah A Review

NEW RELEASE!! Richer than Sin by Meghan March

GIVEAWAY & NOW AVAILABLE!! Unbreak My Heart by Lauren Blakely ~ Sarah A’s Review

Dear Jane by Kendall Ryan ~ COVER REVEAL

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