L-L-L-Little Reviews: Four Adult Romances

Only one from last year, the rest are all from this year, trying to stay on top of reviews this year!

Most Valuable Playboy by Lauren Blakely:

Release Date: September 5th, 2017
Genre:  Sports romance
Source:  Audiobook purchased from Audible.com
My rating:  5 stars

I knew I needed to listen to this one after there was a short prequel at the end of the other Lauren Blakely book I listened to, Unzipped.  While the prequel was from Violet's viewpoint, this full length novel was from Cooper's viewpoint.  And Zachary Webber was the narrator, and I love him!  This was a lot of fun, although I wonder if the prequel or this came first.  As usual, Blakely writes a lot of sexy steam with a lot of humor.  I loved several different things, like the "mind over erection zone".  As with the other book, I loved that really the characters didn't do extremely unrealistic things. They were pretty honest when needed, and the other one believed without going nutty.  And I liked how the coaches were, and how the owner's sister was as well, I mean in the end.  I love how real this author is in her storytelling.  And it only encourages me to read more!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Hands down, my favorite thing in the world is to score. Touchdowns. Don't let the fact that I'm the leading pick in the Most Valuable Playboy charity auction fool you. These days, I'm only a player on the field. I've kept my pants zipped all season long - and it is long - because nothing's more important than leading my team to victory every week. Except maybe escaping from the team owner's recently widowed and handsy-as-hell sister, who's dead set on winning more than a date with me. Enter Violet and a well-placed Hail Mary. She's my best friend's sister with a smile as sweet as cherry pie, and a mind that runs quicker than the 40-yard-dash.

After Violet saves the day with the highest bid, I don't even give her a two-minute warning before I kiss her in front of the whole crowd, and then announce that she's my girlfriend. Which would be fine, except my agent tells me we've got to keep up the act while he's negotiating my contract. Violet takes one for the team and pretends to be mine, but our boyfriend-girlfriend scrimmage quickly turns into a full contact sport, and I want it to go into overtime. The problem is - I've been riding the bench for years. How can a guy like me, who finally has a chance to prove his worth on the field, convince the girl she's most valuable to his heart? 


Sure Thing (Gemini Duet #1) by Jana Aston:

Release Date: October 2nd, 2017
Genre:  Adult romance
Source:  Audiobook purchased from Audible.com
My rating:  5 stars
  
My first thought as I began listening was that I wished I had the guts to do what Violet did.  Hey, just realized this is two audiobooks in a row that the main character was named Violet!  Although in this story, she had to go by the name Daisy, because she was pretending to be her twin.  I did get a little annoyed at times when there were too many chapters from the same character.  I get why it's done, it adds the drama/suspense for knowing what the other character is thinking, but sometimes I just need/miss the other character's viewpoint!   As the story went and we learned just how awesome Jennings was in bed, I couldn't help but compare to my own experiences and thought about who was that for me.  Now, I did agree with her sister Daisy about some things, like carrot cake, yuck!  This was one that I feel like neither of their secrets were bad enough to make the other upset when the learned them. But the way that Jennings kind of connected the dots and the assumptions he made based on seeing something out of context at the end, I can understand his being upset.  In the end though, we got more chapters from his point of view, and when he realized she was a twin, I'm glad that helped him see that her secret wasn't what he would think.  Loved so much about this.  I did want to strangle the author though for how she left us off at the end of one chapter with Jennings.  I couldn't believe when we joined him again towards the end that she'd done that to us!  One other thing to share, there is a quote that really hit me, really resounded with me:  Prepare for the inevitable or hold out hope.  That is how I feel about my love life.  I've kind of just given up and realized I'll be alone for my whole life.  Done holding out hope.  Now getting any love and romance from the books I read.  

Glad to hear there is going to be a book for Daisy too!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Have you ever set out to have a one night stand with a sexy stranger?
No? I’m the only one?
Just kidding, I would never. 
Ever.
Not usually. 
 
But then I figured, why not? My entire life I’ve been good and it’s gotten me nowhere.
No job. 
No apartment. 
No boyfriend. 
 
I’m owed a little fun, aren’t I? A reward for being good.
Sure, a new pair of shoes would be more appropriate, but Mr. Sexy Stranger is more appealing. And when he speaks—in that British accent—it’s a done deal. Every American woman has a hot British guy fantasy. Well, most do. I haven't taken a poll or anything, but I’m pretty sure it’s a fact. 
 
Except… 
You know that saying about best-laid plans? 
Good, because I don’t either, but I assume they go awry.
Like my one night stand… 


Cocktales:  The Cocky Collective:

Release Date: May 26th, 2018
Genre:  Many different types of adult romance
Source:  Purchased physical copy
My rating:  4 stars

So, if you follow the romance book world, you probably remember the whole deal with the author who tried to copyright the word "cocky" last year.  And the author's books that she reported to Amazon and they had to change their title and it cost them a lot of money.  This anthology was published by authors in support of the authors who had been hurt by this crazy idea of trying to copyright a word.  So of course, I had to buy a copy!  I got a lot of autographs in it at Book Bonanza last summer.  I just finally finished reading it this year though.  There are almost 40 different stories in this anthology.  I didn't actually read all of them, because they weren't my types of stories.  I'm not going to talk about every single story, that would take too long.  I'll just go over a few of my favorites.  As soon as I got it, I immediately turned to the Amy Daws story and read it, and of course loved it. Cam is my favorite Harris brother after all!  Surprised I didn't immediately turn to Kylie Scott's story next, because it was Mal, my favorite book boyfriend, or one of the top three.  But I did love that one too!  Some new authors I think I've found from this book are Dylan Allen, Whitney Barbetti, Ruth Clampett, Mariah Dietz, Lex Martin, Jessica Prince, Julie A. Richman, Kate Stewart, and maybe Karla Sorensen.  A great book!  You can't get it anymore I think, other than used copies.  Not sure if they're even selling the ebook anymore either.  But they made a good chunk of money to donate to those authors who needed the legal fees and such.  So if you can get a copy, you should check it out!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Cocktales is a limited-release anthology (available *only* from May 26 – August 26, 2018) of original, never before published material, some of which is raw and unedited. Each story was specifically written for this anthology.

The goal of the Cocktales Anthology is to raise funds to fight against obstruction of creative expression. Specifically, what we believe are obstruction attempts through the trademarking of common (single) words for titicular use in books / or as a book series (eBooks, print, and audio).

*ALL* net profits will be donated to:
1) Authors already impacted by creative-obstruction (10%), and
2) Romance Writers of America (RWA) (90%) as a general donation intended for their Advocacy Fund.

Disclaimer: This anthology is not being conducted on behalf of RWA, nor does RWA endorse this anthology or effort. They have, however, graciously agreed to accept the funds. 
  

Clam Jam by R.C. Boldt:

Release Date: January 10th, 2017
Genre:  Adult romantic comedy
Source:  Purchased physical copy
My rating:  5 stars

Okay, my first book by this author and I'm hooked!  Loved so much about it!  It had so many pop culture references that are right up my alley.  Like a reference to one of my favorite kid books, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, and then a reference later on to Pretty in Pink, about how Duckie should have got the girl in the end.  Vocabulary such as the word "stabby" which made me think of my favorite tv show of all time, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  This book was not only perfect for me personally, it was hilarious, the whole clam jamming idea, so funny! The way that he did it, I laughed so hard at that. And then, later, it got so darn steamy!  Loved this story and characters so much.  I got to meet the author and get it signed at Book Bonanza last year, hope to read more soon!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
"Clam Jam" 
Definition: the female equivalent of a cock block. 
Example: You're chatting with a guy you're interested in and your friend comes along and lays claim to him. 
Maggie
That's my life--except it's worse. My friend who keeps "jamming" me is my gay roommate, and if that isn't a W.T.F. moment, I'm not sure what is. 
Fact: He went home with three--yes, three--of the guys I had been so sure were into me. 
Fact: He's really pissing me off. I mean, hello? I'm trying to get back in the saddle, but I'll never manage to get a boyfriend before the age of fifty if he keeps this up. 
Fact: Secretly, I wonder what it would be like if he weren't gay. Why do all the hot, sweet, tender-hearted guys have to be gay? 
Fact: My gay-dar needs a serious tune-up. 
Ry
The day I interviewed for the room to rent, everything changed. I knew I had met "the girl," except there was one small problem: she didn't want anything to do with men. I recognized a top-notch force field when I saw one. She'd been burned badly and didn't want to deal with a heterosexual guy as a roommate. I could've turned around and found another place to live, but I wanted to live there--with her. 
So I had to go "undercover." 
Fact: I'm in love with my roommate. 
Fact: I'm a likely candidate for carpal tunnel surgery since all the action I've had for the past year has been my hand. 
Fact: She's going to hate me if I come clean now. 
Fact: I'm not giving up. Which means I'll just have to continue to run defense until I figure out a way to get Maggie to see the "real" me. 
The me that loves her. 
The me that would never do her wrong. 
Until then, I'll keep running off every guy who shows any interest. 
Until then, I'll continue to Clam Jam.  
  

L-L-L-Little Audiobook Reviews - Six Adult Contemporary Romances

So, was my title too confusing? Too weird?  I'm always trying to maybe make things more personal or blog-title-related if possible.  You might guess from my blog title, Lisa Loves Literature, that I am a bit of a fan of alliteration.  Up until now I've been doing what I call "mini-reviews". Well, tonight as I tried to come up with something more creative, I realized that I could call them little instead of mini.  But for the life of me, I couldn't come up with an L-word for review that made any sense.  Any thoughts or suggestions that could help me here?  For now, I will stick with my L-L-L-Little title. 

Anyway, I'm way behind on reviews again!  Six full audiobook reviews to get done, all of these are adult contemporary romance titles.  Without further ado, let's go!

RoomHate by Penelope Ward:

Release Date:  February 3rd, 2016
Source:  Purchased from Audible.com 
My rating:  4 stars

Overall this was a good one.  Although there was something about the narrator's voice or the way she read, or maybe just the way it was written that made me want to speed the audio up. Eventually though, I got into it.  The author kept us wondering for so long on just what it was that made the two of them have such a contentious relationship.  I mean the flashbacks we got to start made him seem just so sweet, that I had no idea what in the world she could have done to make him hate her as much as he seemed to.  There were really funny parts, like the song Justin wrote after he caught Amelia watching him when he thought he was alone in the house.  And when they tried to go to the movie theater they used to go to when they were kids and it wasn't showing the same type of movies, you can guess what they were showing now.  There were really sexy parts.  Really sweet, emotional parts as well.  But then the thing that really irritated me was when Amelia was afraid Justin had cheated on her.  He honestly had never given her ANY reason to think he would do something like that. So it made me extremely angry.  In the end it was a really good story, and I will definitely read/listen to more by this author in the future.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Sharing a summer house with a hot-as-hell roommate should be a dream come true, right? 

Not when it’s Justin…the only person I’d ever loved…who now hates me.

When my grandmother died and left me half of the house on Aquidneck Island, there was a catch: the other half would go to the boy she helped raise.

The same boy who turned into the teenager whose heart I broke years ago.

The same teenager who’s now a man with a hard body and a hardass personality to match.

I hadn’t seen him in years, and now we’re living together because neither one of us is willing to give up the house.

The worst part? He didn’t come alone.

I’d soon realize there’s a thin line between love and hate. I could see through that smug smile. Beneath it all…the boy is still there. So is our connection. 

The problem is…now that I can’t have Justin, I’ve never wanted him more.

The Upside to Being Single by Emma Hart:

Release Date:  January 31st, 2018
Source:  Purchased from Audible.com 
My rating:  5 stars 

I freaking LOVED this one!  If I didn't mention this on the first book I read by this author, I'm pretty sure Emma Hart is going to become a favorite author, one that I hope I get the chance to meet sometime so I can totally fangirl over her!  First I loved this book taking place in New Orleans, as it has become one of my favorite cities to visit. The fact that they went on a ghost tour was really neat, because I did one of those this past summer when I visited NOLA myself! Then so much about her characters and their sarcastic sense of humor is just like me and the people I hang around with.   This is one that I had so much trouble getting out of the car and having to stop listening because of how much fun it was, and how close to the edge of my seat I was as I listened.  While there were a few chapters told from Jake's point of view, they were still narrated by the female narrator, so that wasn't my favorite, but I still liked getting those little glimpses into his thoughts.  While it felt like the sexual tension was very much a slow burn, to be fair, the book basically took place only over a couple of weeks, so that didn't bother me too much.  Also, loved the term "shark week" at the beginning.  Had never heard, have no use for it myself these days, but loved it!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
If anyone asks, I knew better than to flash my boobs for Mardi Gras beads. I still don't know why I did it. Maybe it was the dare from my two best friends. Maybe it was the guys on the balcony saying they'd throw Fireball shots with the beads. Or maybe it was the quiet guy in the corner of that same balcony with piercing gray eyes, wavy dark hair, and a smile so tempting I wanted to climb up there and lick it off his face. Maybe it was because I never thought I'd see them again. Not that it matters. Not today. Because the hotel I manage was finally bought-and the guy who walks in and introduces himself as my new boss is Mr. Tall, Dark, and Silent. There are many upsides to being single. Your new boss knowing what your boobs look like? Not one of them. 


Four Letter Word (Dirty Deeds #1) by J. Daniels:

Release Date:  October 4th, 2016
Source:  Purchased from Audible.com 
My rating:  5 stars  

Another one that I just loved by the time I finished listening to.  It took a bit to get into.  It didn't quite follow the storyline I was picturing in my head based on the synopsis.  But the way it went was still good.  Of course the fact that it was partially narrated by Sebastian York helped as well.  There were so many details hinted at, but kept out of reach for our knowing throughout the book, that it kept me on my toes, guessing at why one of them was doing what they were doing. And then there's how long it took for the two of them to actually meet. The near-misses, which honestly, I loved, it kept me guessing at when they would finally meet, and if one or the other would be upset with the one who actually knew who they were first.  Daniels knows how to write the steam, I don't need to tell you just how hot and bothered I got listening to certain scenes in this.  Even though I knew lying, or you know, just not saying anything about the porn was going to be a big issue at the end, and that kind of getting upset is so irritating to me, in the end the author pulled it back from that issue for me.  I can't wait to read on in the series.  

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Fate. Hate. Love. Lies.

Which four letter word will change their lives forever?

Sydney Paige was never so mortified to hear the words "wrong number" in her life. She meant to tell off the guy who broke her best friend's heart but unleashed her anger on a perfect stranger instead. And now her world is turned upside down by the captivating man who wants to keep her on the line.

Brian Savage is living a life he's quickly come to hate-until Sydney's wild rant has him hooked and hungry for more. Soon the sexy woman on the phone becomes the lover in his bed. But Brian has secrets, and the closer he lets Syd get, the harder it is to shield her from the devastating mistakes of his past . . . 


End Goal (Harris Brothers #3.5) by Amy Daws:

Release Date:  July 12th, 2018 (originally published in the Cocktales anthology)
Source:  Purchased from Audible.com 
My rating:  5 stars 

This is a really short review.  I loved the short story, but obviously there was time to do a bit of editing and finessing before the audiobook.  Plus, the audiobook had one of my favorite narrators, Will Watt, so just listening to him made it awesome.  Love, love, love the Harris Brothers, and Camden is totally my favorite.  I do also love Charlotte Cole's narration on this as well.  You should totally read their original book Challenge, first.  Check out my review of it HERE. 

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
A Harris Brother Scottish Wedding! 

This short story was first published in the Cocktales Anthology. It reads well as a standalone but will be enjoyed better if you read Challenge first. 

Only professional footballer, Camden Harris, is cocky enough to elope to Scotland with his fiancé and leave the Harris Family behind.


Screwmates by Kayti McGee:

Release Date:  January 24th, 2017
Source:  Purchased from Audible.com 
My rating:  5 stars 

At first I wasn't sure because the narrator's voice was a tad annoying, but by the end the voice totally worked for me.  One thing I love about Kayti McGee's books, or at least the ones I've read so far, is that they're set in Kansas City, where I live.  This book was hilarious. The awkwardness of the main character, I totally feel that way, still, even with past experience I've had with dating and sex, etc.  There were a couple of really good lines in the book.  One about how guys are so good at ruining your daydreams about them when you see them in person.  And then when she talked about makeup being like having a coloring book on your face.  However the character liked that, she was an artist.  Me, so very NOT artistic, I feel like I'm a kid who can't color in the lines, and that's what it looks like when I put my makeup on.  I don't know if I agree with the thoughts about FSoG, but it was a good aspect to add to the story.  Lots of laugh out loud bits in this one.  

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
I knew from the first time I saw Marc Kirby that I was screwed.

Big eyes, scruffy face, brown curls – yes, yes, and yes. The man is wicked hot.

He’s also my roommate, and since I work nights and he’s at class all day – it’s like living alone at half the rent.

Then an unexpected night off turns into an unexpected morning in Marc’s bed, but it turns out we can't even figure out the screwing. 

This is not great news for Marc who’s going on a “bangcation” at the end of the summer – a whole month in France that he’s planned to spend getting busy with the women of Paris. 

It’s also not great news for me for obvious reasons.

With both of us needing work on our skills, there’s only one logical solution to our predicament. 

Told you I was screwed. 


Listen to Me (Fusion #1) by Kristen Proby:

Release Date:  April 12th, 2016
Source:  Purchased from Audible.com 
My rating:  4 stars 

I'd already read the latest book in this series.  It's like I started at the end. But I'd wanted to start this series from the moment I first saw the cover of this one.  Jumping back into the series like this was fun, because I kind of was familiar with at least one of the characters, even though I feel like she said something at the beginning that didn't match up with something I seem to remember her saying in her own book.  You probably saw me mention above how much I love Sebastian York's voice, and I did enjoy listening to it.  However, I don't feel like his voice fits that of a singer's voice.  Just my opinion, probably I'm wrong, but I was still okay listening to him.  I liked the line about having an observation deck at a gym to enjoy the hotties.  I can even think of one romance book cover model that I already enjoy the pictures he shares of himself working out.  How do I get a ticket to his gym?  And what dropped this to 4 stars for me was just that both of them pulled stupid reasons for fighting at the end.  And that made me mad.  I get it, I get it, drama needed, but still, it always annoys me to fall back on those.  But before you get me wrong, I still really enjoyed it, and can't wait to read more in the series.  I'm especially looking forward to the book with Cami and Landon, Mia's brother.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
In New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristen Proby’s brand new series, five best friends open a hot new restaurant, but one of them gets much more than she bargained for when a sexy former rock star walks through the doors—and into her heart.

Seduction is quickly becoming the hottest new restaurant in Portland, and Addison Wade is proud to claim 1/5 of the credit. She’s determined to make it a success and can’t think of a better way to bring in new customers than live music. But when former rock star Jake Keller swaggers through the doors to apply for the weekend gig, she knows she’s in trouble. Addie instantly recognizes him—his posters were plastered all over her bedroom walls in high school—he’s all bad boy...exactly her type and exactly what she doesn’t need.

Jake Keller walked away from the limelight five years ago and yearns to return to what’s always driven him: the music. If he gets to work for a smart-mouthed, funny-as-hell bombshell, all the better. But talking Addie into giving him the job is far easier than persuading her that he wants more than a romp in her bed. Just when she begins to drop her walls, Jake’s past finally catches up with him.

Will Addie be torn apart once again or will Jake be able to convince her to drown out her doubts and listen to her heart?