Top 10 of 2018: My Top Book Boyfriends of the Year with Giveaway

This year I'm participating in the Top 10 of 2018 hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads.  Now today's actual topic was supposed to be captivating characters or favorite characters, but since I'd already kind of planned to do the same as last year's end of the year top 10, I am sticking with my favorite book boyfriends, which are, of course still characters.  These are in no particular order.

1.

Kip - who I started out picturing as a Jason Momoa lookalike, until it said he had blond hair.  Then I had to change my image a bit.  But what I loved most about Kip was his witty banter and snarkiness.

2.

Okay, that's not him, but Luke from this story is a great guy!  He's that best friend I wish I had, and again, I loved the banter and all the funny jokes and comments they made to each other.

3.

JLA always writes some of the best boyfriends, and Luc is no different.  He's no Daemon Black, but he's pretty close!  I can't wait to read more in this series, to learn just what all Luc is capable of.

4.

So, we didn't get much from his viewpoint, but I just loved Jake.  I think what I liked most about him was how he was able to deal with his love interest's sarcastic side, something that is totally me, something a guy would have to deal with me as well.

5.

Ash is the younger man I wish I could find.  I am a cougar technically because I like younger guys, but I am not a cougar really, because I am not aggressive at all.  So Ash is totally the type of guy I wish for all the time.




6.

Adam - hot and hilarious.  And I love that he give the main character's sarcasm and snarkiness right back to her.  Again, my perfect kind of guy.


7.

Pretty much any guy that K. Bromberg writes is a perfect book boyfriend. But Grayson Malone, hot dad, hot guy, yeah.  Just hot.  While some of the problems in the book were on his side and made me mad, I still would love to have my own Grayson.

8.

As much as I liked the first book in this series, Three Blind Dates, this second book which concentrated on Beck that we met in that first one, is my favorite.  Because, Beck.  'Nuff said.

9.

You've probably noticed this one on all the days this week. Well, of course it only makes sense that Leo is another of my new favorite book boyfriends.  He is just hilarious. The love-hate relationship is perfect. This is a book I can see reading over and over.

10.
Now I've got a tie here for this last one.

Okay, I love both of the boys in this series so far.  I can't decide which I liked more.  Miles, had to love him, how he dealt with his dirty-minded romance author woman.  But then there was Sam from Next in Line, and Sam was all man.  Outdoorsy, hot, hot, ginger, bearded.  Sigh.

RUNNER UP!!!

Okay, if you've followed me for very long, you know that Nate Sawyer from Before Jamaica Lane is tied for one of my three top book boyfriends.  Nate got a little novella this year, so he gets to make the list as a runner up, but I didn't count him as the top 10 since technically I've loved him for years.  

So, those are my top ten book boyfriends this year, top 11?  Top 12 actually?  How about you?  Do you have any new book boyfriends from this year?  Or, maybe in the spirit of the actual theme of Captivating Characters, who was your favorite character in the books you read this year?

Below is today's giveaway.  But I've posted three other giveaways this week on my other Top 10 posts:  Top 10 New to Me Authors, Top 10 Favorite Covers, and Top 10 Favorite Books.  

And hey, there aren't that many entries yet, so you have a good chance!  Go enter!  But share if you can!  Enter today and then come back tomorrow for yet another giveaway!  These will run until the end of 2018.

Giveaway:

Some more rules on this one.  There will be two prizes again. 

• US only - Choose a physical copy of  Wait with Me by Amy Daws, Jock Rule by Sara Ney, Kiss My Ash by Leddy Harper, Four Day Fling by Emma Hart, or ebook from Amazon of any of the above books.
• US or INT - Physical copy of The Darkest Star by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Audiobook Review: Play (Stage Dive #2) by Kylie Scott

Book info:
Title:  Play  
Author:  Kylie Scott
Series:  Stage Dive #2  
Genre:  New Adult, Rock Star Romance
Published:  March 25th, 2014
Source:  Digital audiobook downloaded from public library

Okay, I am now totally in love with this author.  And to think it all started with a cheap/free e-book from back when I tried Kindle Unlimited for a month back in May. The first book, Lick, was good, and very entertaining and sexy, but I didn't LOVE the guy.  This book though, I have probably an all-time book boyfriend.  In fact, he is in a tie with Nate from Before Jamaica Lane by Samantha Young.  He might even have surpassed in how much I love him more than Nate.  Malcolm Ericson, or Mal for short, makes me laugh.  In fact, as I recently began listening to the next book after Play, and he was a big part of the beginning of the story, I was smiling like an idiot and just in love with the book from that moment on, even though the guy in the next book is really not that lovable to start with.   Each book in the Stage Dive series follows one of the guys in the band by the same name as the series.  Mal is the drummer.  Now, while I am usually interested in the blond guy in a group, they do describe Mal as having hair long enough to put in a pony tail, which I don't like.  But the guy on the cover, well, look at him, yeah.  Hair doesn't matter.  

The main character, besides Mal, is Anne.  The story is from her viewpoint, as all of them are I believe from the girl's viewpoint.  She just came home to find out her roommate, who already owed her money for rent and bills, has left, taken all the furniture, and just left Anne with no roommate, and no money.  Anne's best friend is a guy named Reece.  He's a bit of a manwhore, and keeps Anne in the friend zone.  Although Anne feels like some day, things will work out for the two of them to get together.  The day that Anne loses her roommate, her neighbor, Lauren decides that Anne should go to the party that Lauren is going with her boyfriend to.  It takes a bit to convince her, but Anne finally decides that since she is about to be broke and probably have to move to a smaller apartment, she may as well go enjoy a party.  Now, the party is Lauren's old roommate, Ev, who we met in the first book, and is now married to David, the lead guitarist of the band Stage Dive.  

Once there, Anne doesn't quite feel like she fits in at the party, and so she ends up out on the balcony of the condo apartment, talking on the phone to Reece.  She spills the whole story out to Reece.  What she doesn't know when she gets off the phone, is that also sitting on the balcony is one of the band members.  In fact, it is her favorite member, the one that she had posters of on her wall as a teenager.  He heard her conversation, and asks her about her situation, learns that she is out a roommate, and that it may cause her to have to move.  He tells her that she is too nice, lets people get away with too much.  He pushes her to the point that she yells at him, loud enough that the people inside the party hear her yelling at him.  Very embarrassed she heads inside, and ends up sitting on a couch, waiting for Lauren and her boyfriend to be ready to go.  Mal has since come in, and is now acting crazy.  Dancing on tables with women, being the goofy guy that we come to know pretty well, and that I came to love.  He's drunk now, and then out of nowhere he announces that he is moving in with Anne and that she is his girlfriend.  All while he's still got this girl dancing all over him.  One of the other band members, Ben, calls him on it, and the next thing we know, Mal is down professing his love to Anne, and pulling her off her chair so she ends up rolling on top of him on the floor.  

At this point, Ev comes over and tells Mal not to start with her friends.  So Anne is able to get away, shocked from her first experience with Mal.  She goes into work the next day, and tells Reece about her exciting celebrity encounter from the night before.  She ends up going home, only to find something strange, Mal is there.  Inside her apartment, shirtless, with all kinds of new furniture.  Turns out he has decided to move in to help her out.  And in return, he asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend.  He won't tell her why, just that he needs them to pretend. And it will only be pretend. There will be no sex, even though he tries to get her to commit to "touching time".  

Now, this book takes place over only about a week or so. Their relationship, definitely grows, to the point where they decide they need to give it a try as a real relationship.  But still, Mal is holding back, won't let Anne know what the issue is.  Until we get to meet his parents, and then, the story gets a little sad, although his parents are so awesome!  Anne's parents, not so much awesome.  In the end, Mal won't give Anne what she thinks is important, even while wanting her to give him all of her.  And it causes our big major conflict at the end.  

I cannot tell you how many parts of this book make me laugh.  The part when Mal's parents show up unannounced at Anne's apartment, and Mal has left the front door unlocked, so they come right in.  Now, this is very awkward, because Mal and Anne just happen to be in the bathtub making out.  Their first real time making out, Anne completely naked, while Mal is completely dressed because he just climbed in with her while she was taking a bath.  Then at the end, there is a total fight scene reminiscent of the fountain fight scene in the second Bridget Jones's Diary movie between Hugh Grant and Colin Firth.  At least reading/listening to it, made me feel that way.  

God, I just adore Mal.  Writing this review just makes me want to go re-read the book.  In fact, I keep it sitting on my coffee table so that I can pick it up and open to any part in the book.  This is probably going to be one of my all time favorite books.  Mal can be so crass, again with the bathtub scene and the fact that Anne waxes.  The first time he gives her oral sex, OMG!  Funny, yet still sexy!  Probably part of my love, is that some of his silliness reminds me of guys I used to hang out with.  I'm pretty sure I could write my own whole book about Mal.  But I'll stop now.  Whether you read any other book in this series, this one, this one is my favorite. 

Swoon Thursday #1 - Before Jamaica Lane (On Dublin Street #3) by Samantha Young

I've been wanting to participate in this for awhile, especially with all the definitely swoon-worthy books I've been reading lately.  Here is how it works:

• From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

• Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

So, this week I'm going to make my swoon from the book that I think will have my forever and ever all time boyfriend, Before Jamaica Lane (On Dublin Street #3) by Samantha Young.  I could go oh so sexy with a swoon moment from him, but I'll go with one from early in the book.

Despite her outgoing demeanor, Olivia is painfully insecure around the opposite sex—usually, she can’t get up the nerve to approach guys she’s interested in. But moving to Edinburgh has given her a new start, and, after she develops a crush on a sexy postgrad, she decides it’s time to push past her fears and go after what she wants.

Nate Sawyer is a gorgeous player who never commits, but to his close friends, he’s as loyal as they come. So when Olivia turns to him with her relationship woes, he offers to instruct her in the art of flirting and to help her become more sexually confident.

The friendly education in seduction soon grows into an intense and hot romance. But then Nate’s past and commitment issues rear their ugly heads, and Olivia is left brokenhearted. When Nate realizes he’s made the biggest mistake of his life, he will have to work harder than he ever has before to entice his best friend into falling back in love with him—or he may lose her forever….

    "Okay.  Next."
I blinked in confusion again.  "Next?"
     "The supposed fat arse?"
The touch of Nate's hand on my ass caused me to jump about ten feet, but he didn't let go, smoothing his hand over my butt and giving it a gentle squeeze.
Whoa, okay, then.
My skin was prickling and there was a suspicious fullness in my breasts and lower belly that I adamantly tried to ignore.
     "Not fat."  Nate leaned close to my ear, speaking in a low voice that did nothing to abate the physical response in my body.  "Curvy.  And I'll let you in on a secret:  There are still men out there that like a woman to be soft under their hands, to have curves, hips, tits, and arse."  He tapped my butt gently with the palm of his hand.  "Its a good arse, babe.  I don't want to hear you refer to it as anything else." 

~p. 66-67

Nate is such a sweetie, starting as Olivia's friend, helping her feel more confident about herself, all the way to where he helps her feel more confident sexually as well!  I love this story, I love Nate.  I love all of Samantha Young's books that I've read so far, but Nate will always be my favorite. 

Audiobook Review: Before Jamaica Lane (On Dublin Street #3) by Samantha Young

Book info:
Title:  Before Jamaica Lane
Author:  Samantha Young
Series:  On Dublin Street #3
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Published:  January 7th, 2014
Source:  Audiobook downloaded from library

So, if you followed my Goodreads feed as I was listening to this book, you know that I have found a book boyfriend that actually beats Daemon Black from the Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout.  His name is Nate Sawyer, and just thinking about him and the story really makes me happy.  Honestly, I'm pretty sure that even though I have loved all the books in this series, I'm pretty sure that this will be my favorite no matter what.  Not just because of Nate, but because I really identified with the main character, Olivia, or Liv.

Olivia is a librarian (hmm, sound like anyone you know?  Like me?) and she is very shy, and not very confident about her looks. She has a lack of sexual experience, only one guy, a long time ago, and only once.  Olivia is the daughter of the man that Johanna Walker, the main character of Down London Road, always looked up to as a father figure.  When Olivia's mother passed away, she and her father moved back to his home, Scotland, and now Olivia works at the university library.  Her best friend is a guy, Nate.  Nate is a bit of a player, but that's okay because Olivia isn't interested in him other than as a friend.  No, Olivia has a crush on a tall, sexy post-grad student that comes into her library all the time.  But Olivia is a lot like me, in that when she's nervous, or around people that she's very attracted to, she can't say anything that sounds intelligent, or can't even talk at all.  So, she decides to enlist Nate's help in teacher her how to flirt.  Once that seems to work, she is able to get a phone number at a bar after all the lessons.  And then, another idea comes to her.  She still feels so inexperienced and unsure at what comes next, physically, that she asks Nate to give her lessons in becoming more sexually confident.  And this, actually includes getting physical with him.  

The two of them try to keep it casual, just friends, not even "friends with benefits", but just Nate giving Olivia lessons, and then otherwise they are just normal around their friends, and still do their normal hang out things.  But as you would expect, feelings start to develop.  When Nate takes Olivia to meet his parents on a trip with their friends, she begins to think maybe he feels the same way.  Until he lets her know that she is mistaken, and that he still is not interested in a relationship, with anyone.  She feels betrayed at the way he behaves, but tries to go on and use the things he taught her to get that postgrad to go out with her.  But Nate may come to realize that not only is he missing his best friend Olivia when she cuts him out from the way he talked to her, but maybe he does actually feel more for her than he thought he would want to.

Nate.  I don't even know where to start.  He's sexy, funny, and I just adore him.  If only I could find a Nate.  For the friendship, the benefits, to make me feel sexy and be able to flirt.  I just love Nate.  I'm pretty sure he'll be my favorite book boyfriend forever.  I can't imagine any guy ever taking his place.  All I can say is thank goodness that I started reading this author because she is going to be at the NOLA Story Con in September. Because I can't even think of how much I would have missed out on if I hadn't read this one.  This is a book I can pick up and open to just about any page and find a steamy sex scene, but it's still sweet, and funny, and makes me happy.  I can only gush about this.  You should read it.  Really.