Review: "An Anonymous Girl" by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

The next novel of psychological suspense and obsession from the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us. Seeking women ages 18–32 to participate in a study on ethics and morality. Generous compensation. Anonymity guaranteed. When Jessica Farris signs up for a psychology study conducted by the mysterious Dr. Shields, she thinks all she’ll have to do is answer a few questions, collect her money, and leave. Question #1: Could you tell a lie without feeling guilt? But as the questions grow more and more intense and invasive and the sessions become outings where Jess is told what to wear and how to act, she begins to feel as though Dr. Shields may know what she’s thinking… and what she’s hiding. Question #2: Have you ever deeply hurt someone you care about? As Jess’s paranoia grows, it becomes clear that she can no longer trust what in her life is real, and what is one of Dr. Shields’ manipulative experiments. Caught in a web of deceit and jealousy, Jess quickly learns that some obsessions can be deadly. Question #3: Should a punishment always fit the crime? From the authors of the blockbuster bestseller The Wife Between Us comes an electrifying new novel about doubt, passion, and just how much you can trust someone.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press via Netgalley for the free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book was a huge surprise for me - once I started, I could barely put it down, I was thoroughly enthralled.

I always love reading unreliable narrators, and that's exactly what we get here, and not just one, but two. Most of the time, I didn't know who I liked or trusted out of either of the narrators, if any.

There were some great surprises sprinkled throughout the book that I wasn't expecting, including the ending. I have to admit, I did not love the ending - it seemed a bit too neat and tidy for me, although I find it doesn't interfere too much with my overall impression of the book. I still would rank this among the better suspense books I've read, and am pleased to rate it 4.5 stars.

My rating: 4. 5 stars

Review: "Out of Left Field" by Kris Hui Lee

There’s no playing it safe in love or baseball in this sparkling debut, perfect for fans of Morgan Matson and Kasie West. Marnie has never had a hard time fitting in with the guys. It would take a lot more than their goofy antics to keep her from joining them at the neighborhood sandlot to do what she loves best: play ball. An added perk of hanging out at the sandlot? Spending time with Cody Kinski, their high school’s star pitcher and Marnie’s best friend. Sure, he can be stubborn and annoying. He also knows how to make her laugh and respects her skills on the mound. And when he gets nailed in the arm by a bone-fracturing pitch, Marnie becomes the team’s best chance at making it to the playoffs. Except no one told the guys they’re supposed to be on her side. With her own team against her, Marnie begins questioning her abilities. And when fate throws her a curveball, can she play without losing the game, Cody, and her belief in herself?

Many thanks to Sourcebooks Fire via Netgalley for the free review of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was such a cute book! If you like your contemporary YA on the sweet and light side, with a fun cast of characters and an underdog MC, "Out of Left Field" is a great choice for you.

So here are a few of the things that stood out for me with this book:

• I really liked how Marnie and her friend Sara hung out with the boys and weren't super girly. It reminded me of the group of guys I hung out with in high school - we had so much fun! We were always going swimming or cliff jumping at a lake, or 4x4ing through the mud, or rock climbing without any gear (stupid, yes, but it was the 90's and we didn't know any better!) Even going to Subway or the movies was an adventure with those guys, and reading "Out of Left Field" brought out some of that nostalgia.
• I liked that Colby and the baseball coach had Marnie's back, even when her teammates didn't accept her and she doubted herself and her abilities.
• There were some good platonic relationships represented here, which I haven't seen often in YA contemporary romance novels. I especially enjoyed the developing friendship between Marnie and one of her biggest rivals!
• I also appreciated the relationships Marnie had with the members of her family. There were a few warm and fuzzy moments between Marnie and her mom, for example, that did their job tugging on my heartstrings.

How about the things I didn't love?

• The romance was kind of...meh. I usually love the best-friends-to-more trope, but in this case, the first 10 or 11 years of Marnie and Colby's friendship happened off-page, so there was none of that usual slow burn development I love. Basically, Marnie tells us in Chapter One that she and Colby have been best friends for x number of years, but we're not given much from those years. Maybe a couple of anecdotes here and there, but as far as show and tell, this book was very skewed towards telling with minimal showing. 
• I thought the coach's language could have been toned down a bit. I thought his use of profanity was unwarranted and unprofessional. I know I sound like a total mom here, but honestly, if a coach was speaking like that around my kids, he wouldn't be coaching much longer, if you know what I mean.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with "Out of Left Field". For a debut, it was really well done, and I think that Kris Hui Lee is a name to watch for in the future of Contemporary YA. 

My rating: 3 stars

"Royally Yours" by Emma Chase: Review and Blog Tour!

Welcome to the Blog Tour for "Royally Yours" by Emma Chase. I'm so excited to be chosen to review this highly anticipated title, so make sure you read on to see my thoughts.

     
 

Princess Lenora Celeste Beatrice Arabella Pembrook had an unusual childhood. She was raised to be a Queen—the first Queen of Wessco. 

It’s a big deal. 

When she’s crowned at just nineteen, the beautiful young monarch is prepared to rule. She’s charming, clever, confident and cunning. 

What she isn’t…is married. 

It’s her advising council’s first priority. It’s what Parliament is demanding, and what her people want. Lenora has no desire to tie herself to a man—particularly one who only wants her for her crown. But compromises must be made and royals must do their duty. 

Even Queens. Especially them. 

** Years ago, Edward Langdon Richard Dorian Rourke, walked away from his title and country. Now he’s an adventurer—climbing mountains, exploring jungles, going wherever he wants, when he wants—until family devotion brings him home. 

And a sacred promise keeps him there. 

To Edward, the haughty, guarded little Queen is intriguing, infuriating…and utterly captivating. Wanting her just might drive him mad—or become his greatest adventure. 

** Within the cold, stone walls of the royal palace—mistrust threatens, wills clash, and an undeniable, passionate love will change the future of the monarchy forever. Every dynasty has a beginning. Every legend starts with a story. This is theirs.

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Emma Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the hot and hilarious Tangled series and The Legal Briefs series. Emma lives in New Jersey with her husband, two children and two naughty (but really cute) dogs. She has a long-standing love/hate relationship with caffeine. 

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | NEWSLETTER | TWITTER | GOODREADS | READER FAN GROUP  

I was pretty excited to receive an early copy of "Royally Yours" for this blog tour! I'd already read the first two books in the Royally series, and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed them, especially the first title.

One of the strengths of this series are the characters - they are all so unique and interesting. Lenora, or "Lenny", as Edward likes to call her, has never led a normal life. I imagine her being modeled after Queen Elizabeth II, bred and trained since birth to lead a country.  She's serious, intelligent, and responsible. She's also very lonely. When we first meet her, she doesn't really have any friends, and even her sister is kept somewhat at arms length. She ends up making friends with Thomas, a newly minted Duke, and together they unite to conquer the old boys' club of Wessco, or in other words, do a bunch of political stuff like change laws and make some new ones. It doesn't really matter a whole lot, except for the fact that Lenora and Thomas become very close.  

So where does Edward come in? Well, he's Thomas's brother and he's been away for many years, exploring the world. One of Thomas and Lenora's favourite things to do is sit together and read Edward's letters, so when Edward finally returns to Wessco, Lenora feels like she already knows him, and she definitely has a bit of a crush on him! 

One thing I didn't like was how long it took for Lenora and Edward to actually come face to face: they don't even meet until a third of the way through the book! With only two thirds of a book left to develop a complicated relationship, their romance felt a bit rushed, in my opinion. 

I wasn't sure what to expect from "Royally Yours": I had really enjoyed "Royally Screwed", but "Royally Matched" was not as much fun. In the end, I'd rank "Royally Yours" somewhere in the middle of the two. 

My rating: 3.5 stars

Blog Tour and Review: "Tempting Brooke" by Kristen Proby

From New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby, comes TEMPTING BROOKE, a new novella in her Big Sky Series, brought to you by 1,001 Dark Nights! Be sure to grab your copy today!

 

About TEMPTING BROOKE:

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristen Proby comes a new story in her Big Sky series…

Brooke’s Blooms has taken Cunningham Falls by surprise. The beautiful, innovative flower shop is trendy, with not only gorgeous flower arrangements, but also fun gifts for any occasion. This store is Brooke Henderson’s deepest joy, and it means everything to her, which shows in how completely she and her little shop have been embraced by the small community of Cunningham Falls.

So, when her landlord dies and Brody Chabot saunters through her door, announcing that the building has been sold, and will soon be demolished, Brooke knows that she’s in for the fight of her life. But she hasn’t gotten this far by sitting back and quietly doing what she’s told. Hustle is Brooke’s middle name, and she has no intention of losing this fight, no matter how tempting Brody’s smile — and body — is.

 

Grab your copy of TEMPTING BROOKE today!

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Kristen Proby’s TEMPTING BROOKE – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule

October 24^th

All Things Dark & Dirty – Excerpt

Book Freak – Review

East Coast Book Chicks – Review

Kim's Reading Nook – Review

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

Romance as a first language – Review & Excerpt

October 25^th

Book Starlets – Review & Excerpt

Mick Loves Books – Review & Excerpt

Nightbird Novels – Excerpt

Reviews by Tammy and Kim (Rachel and Jay) – Review & Excerpt

The Book Hammock – Review & Excerpt

October 26^th

Booked All Night – Review & Excerpt

Escaping Into Books – Review

I Love Romance – Review & Excerpt

Melena's Reviews – Review & Excerpt

The Butterfly Reads – Review & Excerpt

Tome Tender – Review & Excerpt

October 27^th

Author Groupies – Review

Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt

Greyland Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Kari's Book Reviews and Revelations – Review & Excerpt

Roxy's Reviews – Review

TLBC's Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

October 28^th

Book Bitches Blog – Review

Carolina Chic's Read – Review

Novel Addiction – Review

Southern Babes Book Blog – Excerpt

The Geekery Book Review – Review & Excerpt

Two Book Pushers – Review & Excerpt

October 29^th

3 degrees of fiction – Excerpt

Cup Of Tea Book Blog – Review

Ebook Indulgence – Review & Excerpt

Obsessive Reading Disorder – Review

Reviews from the Heart – Review & Excerpt

October 30^th

Bookishly Yours – Review & Excerpt

Once Upon a Book Blog – Excerpt

Read-Love-Blog – Excerpt

Shannon’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Smut Book Junkie Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

The Red Hatter Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

October 31^st

Becca the Bibliophile – Review & Excerpt

Ginreads – Review & Excerpt

Love & lavender book review – Review

Naturally Nerdy Books – Excerpt

Ripe For Reader – Review & Excerpt

Smutty Book Friends – Review & Excerpt

November 1^st

Books 4 Girls – Excerpt

Gi's Spot Reviews – Review & Excerpt

K's Secret Books – Review

MI Bookshelf – Review & Excerpt

Shh Moms Reading – Review & Excerpt

Waves of Fiction – Review & Excerpt

November 2^nd

Jax's Book Magic – Excerpt

Naughty and Nice Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Rachel Loren’s Love of Reading – Review & Excerpt

Sunny Shelly Reads – Review

Wicked Reads – Review & Excerpt

 

About Kristen Proby: New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby is the author of the bestselling With Me In Seattle and Love Under the Big Sky series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong, humorous characters with a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves. Kristen lives in Montana, where she enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.      

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Author Goodreads * TEMPTING BROOKE Goodreads

     

Many thanks to the author and Inkslinger PR for the free review copy of this novella in exchange for my honest opinion.

I'm not normally a novella reader, but I've really been enjoying my time spent with the novellas I've read from the "1001 Dark Nights" compilation. This title from Kristen Proby, "Tempting Brooke", introduced me to her "Big Sky" series, which is one I'll be sure to look into at a later date.  

I loved that Brody and Brooke had a bit of a complicated history, being that they were best friends for a time while they were kids. Brody was going through a dark time, and he felt he couldn't open up to anyone, even his best friend.  At one point, Brody walked away completely from this friendship, and Brooke was left wondering what happened. She was understandably very hurt!

"Tempting Brooke" finds Brody coming back to town for the first time since he left right after graduation. He's now a successful engineer, but he has no inclination of staying in Cunningham Falls - once he offloads the building he inherited, he's planning on heading back to San Francisco without a backward glance. Too bad his plan is about to be foiled by Brooke, who wants to show Brody that he should give Cunningham Falls, and their relationship, a second chance. 

I loved the chemistry between Brooke and Brody, and I loved the setting of this quaint little town. That said, I felt there could have been a bit more development all around. I was left wanting more detail, and I wished that things weren't wrapped up quite so tidily. 

My rating: 3 stars

Blog Tour and Review: "A Brand New Ending" by Jennifer Probst

Today we are celebrating the release of A BRAND NEW ENDING by Jennifer Probst. This book is the second standalone title in her Stay series, and it is a contemporary romance title that is available to read for FREE in KindleUnlimited.

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Available Now to read for FREE in KindleUnlimited:

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Purchase in Paperback | Audio

A BRAND NEW ENDING (Stay, #2) by Jennifer Probst

Available Now to read for FREE in KindleUnlimited:

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Purchase in Paperback | Audio

 

Synopsis:

A love story will be rewritten in this heartfelt romance from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst. Ophelia Bishop was a lovestruck teenage girl when she and Kyle Kimpton chased their dreams to Hollywood. Kyle’s dreams came true. Ophelia’s did not. When Kyle chose his career over their relationship, Ophelia returned home to rural New York to run the family’s B & B—wiser, and more guarded against foolish fantasies. Now Kyle has come crashing back into her life, and all her defenses are down. Kyle can’t think of a better place to write his latest screenplay than his hometown. After all, that was where he met the heart of his inspiration—his first love. He knows the damage he’s caused Ophelia, and he wants a chance to mend their relationship. If anyone can prove to Ophelia that happy ever afters aren’t only for the movies, it should be him. As much as Ophelia’s changed, she still has feelings for Kyle. But her heart has been broken before, and she knows that Kyle could run back to Hollywood at any time. She gave up her dreams once, but maybe she can dare to change her own love story…one last time.

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PURCHASE THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD (Stay, #1) - available now!

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Purchase it in PRINT | AUDIO

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

 

Jennifer Probst - Bio: Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again. She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean. She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, was ranked #6 on Amazon's Best Books for 2012. She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team at www.jenniferprobst.com.

CONTACT LINKS:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Many thanks to the author and InkSlingerPR for the free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Once again, I jumped at the chance to be an early reader of a Jennifer Probst title, as she has quickly become one of my favourite authors. By now, I've come to expect certain things from Probst's books, including enjoyable and unique characters, realistic struggles, a fast-paced plot, and tons of steam and swoon.  I think, for the most part, "A Brand New Ending" delivered what I was expecting. 

Starting with the characters, they were great, as anticipated.  Kyle is not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve, which means he's pretty clear with Ophelia - he wants a second chance with her, and he's not giving up without giving it all he's got.  Ophelia, understandably, is petrified that she is going to have her heart shattered again if she gives Kyle a second chance, but eventually he convinces her to give their relationship another shot. Hopefully, they won't mess things up again!

I also always enjoy how Probst is able to weave secondary storylines or characters into her novels. In this case, my heart was gradually won over by a geriatric rescue dog, and to a lesser extent, Kyle's dad. I even shed a few tears at the culmination of this book, to my surprise!

As for the pacing, I feel that this is one area that could have been improved. It's possible that because there are several flashbacks from the present to the past, things felt sluggish. Usually, I love dual timelines in romance novels because they seem to add an element of suspense - what on earth happened to make these two so estranged, when they are so obviously meant for each other? - but in this case, I found myself constantly losing focus. I wanted things to move along more quickly, especially in the present.

Of course, just because "A Brand New Ending" wasn't my favourite Probst title, doesn't mean it's not good. I'm still glad I read it, and I'm sure most contemporary romance fans will agree. 

My rating: 3 stars

 

"The Charm of You" by Jennifer Probst: Blog Tour and Review

Today we are celebrating the release of THE CHARM OF YOU by Jennifer Probst. This book is a sexy standalone, RomCom title. Check out the purchase links below to reserve your copy now, and read an excerpt from the book!

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PURCHASE THE CHARM OF YOU NOW

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THE CHARM OF YOU by Jennifer Probst

Available Now

Synopsis:

It Takes Three Simple Steps To Make a Guy Fall in Love with you… Determination. Seduction. Charm. Let the game begin... Presley Cabot has come a long way from the overweight, awkward college student who fell hard for the gorgeous track star, Nolan Banks, only to be humiliated after their one night together. Now, she’s one of the billionaire badass owners of LWW Enterprises and has everything she’d ever wanted in life, leaving her past behind. But when Nolan comes back into town, and doesn’t even recognize the girl he once destroyed, she decides to invoke her own personal revenge. The plan is simple—make him fall hard for her, then dump him. She transforms herself into his perfect woman using three simple steps to spin her web. But she never planned on getting caught up in old feelings…and new promises… Nolan Banks leaves Wall Street behind to open up a brewery in his small college town. Finally ready to carve out his life away from the dreams of his family, he never expected to find an immediate attraction to the sexy corporate mogul who challenges him at every step. He falls hard and fast, determined to show her they’re meant for each other, until the truth of their shared past shatters their fragile foundation. But Nolan is playing for higher stakes, and he’s not about to let Presley walk away without a fight. Can he convince her his feelings have nothing to do with the game rules, and everything to do with the woman she is?  

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PURCHASE THE CHARM OF YOU

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

 

Jennifer Probst - Bio: Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again. She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean. She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, was ranked #6 on Amazon's Best Books for 2012. She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team at www.jenniferprobst.com.

CONTACT LINKS:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Many thanks to the author and Inkslinger PR for the complimentary review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. 

If you guys know me at all, it's pretty much a given that I'm going to enjoy anything Jennifer Probst writes. Her books never fail to bring a corny smile to my face, so I never had a doubt that I would enjoy "The Charm of You". So for this, the review of my twelfth JP read, I've decided to change it up a bit and try a different format.

Here are some of my thoughts, in bullet form for easy reading, no less:

• I read this book in under 24 hours, which doesn't happen very often for me. In fact, when I finished, I was a little bit sad - I didn't want to say goodbye to these characters, I wanted more! 
• I enjoyed both MCs equally and immensely. They seemed like down to earth, genuinely nice people.
• In addition to the characters' individual personalities, I also loved their connection and the sexual tension between them, as well as their dialogue and banter.
• The plot - wow! I can't give anything away here, but some of the things that happened between Presley and Nolan in college really struck home for me. It was rather uncomfortable at times, but I appreciated the accuracy of JP's writing - it made me feel like I was traveling back in time.
• I liked Presley's friends - JP always writes great female friendships! - but I didn't get a clear picture of their individual personalities or how exactly they fit into the business.  
• Along with the point above, I had some other questions about the business. For example, how did Presley become a billionaire? Are her business partners billionaires, too? I'm not saying it's impossible, but it seemed a bit extreme with only being 10 years out of college. I wanted more detail.
• And a more random thought for y'all: where did all of Presley's extra skin go with her 100 lb weight loss? Maybe she's one of the lucky ones who didn't have any? I wanted more details on this, too.
• I would have liked to see more of Nolan's brother and possibly his sister/parents. Dare I hope that JP has something planned for future books?

Overall, another win in my streak of rewarding Jennifer Probst's titles - this one is definitely Roxy recommended!

My rating: 4 stars