Friday, August 30, 2019

Catching Him by Aurora Rose Reynolds Blog Tour


From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Aurora Rose Reynolds comes the first novel in the fun, sexy, and thrilling How to Catch an Alpha series.

Leah Emerson isn’t looking for a man—she’s looking for the right man. But her mother’s idea of a great catch leaves her cold, and she’s pretty sure her cocky, arrogant, and way too good-looking new neighbor isn’t the one either. If only her wayward cat would stop jumping through his window, she could get on with her life.

Tyler Duncan moved into town for a new job, not to fall in love. But he always goes after the things he wants in life with steadfast determination… and he wants Leah Emerson. He wants her smiles, he wants her touch, and he definitely wants her in bed.

Unfortunately, someone else wants Leah—in the worst way. Now Tyler’s on a mission to protect the woman he’s falling in love with while proving he’s worth falling for, and Leah must decide whether Tyler is a catch worth catching…

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Book 1
Buy Links

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~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~




“Is that any good?”

I look at him with my mouth full and raise a brow as I chew and swallow. “Did you just ask if Fruity Pebbles is any good? Have you ever had it?”

“I haven’t eaten cereal since I was a kid. The only kind my ma ever bought for us was Cheerios, and not the real kind—the kind that comes in the family-size bag.”

“Here.” I lift a full spoon up toward him, and he looks down at it. “Don’t be a chicken; just try it.”

He leans forward, and his lips wrap around the spoon I’m holding, the sight way more erotic than it should be. He chews and swallows, shaking his head. “It’s...”

“Delicious,” I finish for him. “Do you want some more?”

“I’m good.” He laughs. “I am worried that you’re eating that for dinner.”

“Why? It’s fruit and dairy,” I deadpan, and he laughs again.

“Whatever you say, gorgeous. Tomorrow I’ll make you breakfast so your body has the fuel it needs before we get to work.”

I haven’t forgotten I’m spending the day with him tomorrow, pretending to help him paint his kitchen. I’ve been thinking about it all day today. I’ve been thinking about him all day today, actually. I really am starting to like him, even if he has the ability to annoy me like no one else I have ever met in my life.

“Will there be bacon?” I set my bowl on the coffee table, then lean back against the couch, looking at him.

“Is that your roundabout way of saying you want bacon?”

“Yep.”

“Then I guess there will be bacon.”

“Now I can’t wait for breakfast.” I smile at him when he grins. “I do have to leave around four, or maybe a little earlier, so I can shower and change to get to my parents’ place for Sunday dinner.”

“Sunday dinner?”

“Yeah, do you want to come?” Crap, why the heck did I just ask him that? I didn’t mean to. It just came out before I could stop it. “I mean...”

“Sure,” he agrees.

“Oh... okay. Awesome.” I bite the inside of my cheek. My mom is going to flip her lid—not in a bad way. She’s going to be so happy I’m bringing a man with me that she will probably start knitting baby booties. Not that she knits. She’ll probably just order some off Amazon for free two-day delivery.

“You don’t want me to go?” He tugs that piece of hair he hasn’t stopped playing with, and I turn my head.

“It’s not that. I just... well, I’ve never invited someone to Sunday dinner. I mean, I have, but not a guy. My parents and brothers might assume...” I look away at his smirk, and my face gets warm. “It’s just...” I blow out a breath. “You know how parents and siblings are.”

“We’re friends. I’m new in town, and we’re neighbors.”

“Right,” I agree, even though it’s a little disappointing to think he’s not interested in me and that the comments he’s made haven’t been a lead-up to something more—that something more being him fricking kissing me. But maybe that’s just him... maybe he flirts with everyone.

“I don’t have to come if you’re going to be uncomfortable.”

I turn to look at him once more. “You’re right. We’re just friends and neighbors; it won’t be a big deal.”

“Hmm.”

Okay, what does that mean? Never mind. I don’t want to know. I focus on the TV and not so much on him playing with my hair or sitting so close that the weight of him on my couch forces us even closer together.

“You should go to bed. You’ve yawned three times in as many minutes,” he tells me.

“I need to know if Bethenny is going to tell Luann about her husband being with another woman,” I say, keeping my eyes glued to the TV.

“I’m sure you can google it if you really need to know.”

“True.” I yawn again, and my eyes water.

“Come on.” He stands, then pulls me up with him off the couch. “Walk me to the door, then go on to bed.” He walks to the door and stops with his hand on the handle, then looks at Bruce, who hasn’t gotten up. “Bud, come on. Time to go home.”

“Come on, big guy.” I pat my thighs, and he comes instantly, and I laugh as Tyler grumbles under his breath. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” I tell Bruce, hugging him around his furry neck, and then I stand and look at his dad. “When do you want me?”

His eyes change ever so slightly, and I swear he’s going to say something dirty, but he doesn’t. “Nine thirty or ten.”

“Okay,” I agree.

He touches his fingers to my cheek, then opens the door and steps out onto the porch. “Bruce, come,” he calls when Bruce doesn’t follow him. I giggle, and he shakes his head as I push Bruce outside with my hands on his rump. “See you in the morning, babe.”

“Mmm-hmm.” I watch him walk down the stairs and roll my eyes when he orders me into my house and to lock the door. I do what he asks, only because I want to, but I still watch him through the window as he and Bruce walk across the grass between his yard and mine and up to his front door. When he’s inside, I go back to the TV and turn it off, then get in bed, where eventually I fall asleep thinking about the guy next door.




Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader☆☆☆☆
M/F Romance
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

Leah is a snarky, hilarious, caring woman who just wants to find someone to share her life with. Unfortunately, her mom and grandma work with her and are constantly trying to set her up with men they believe would be a good fit for her. Even so, she can't help but love them. After her last disastrous date with someone she had dated when they were in high school, Leah thinks she's hit her limit for a while.

Tyler has just moved to the city and is starting a new job. It's a huge surprise when he finds someone sneaking in through his window… a very attractive and almost naked someone. Their first meeting was hilarious.

Tyler and Leah strike a deal, mainly due to their animals' whims. Their friendship is something that I really enjoyed watching blossom. When strange things start happening around Tyler and Leah, they have to figure out what's going on and if someone is after them.

This was such a sweet story and I really loved watching the relationship develop and unfold. I can't wait to see what happens next because all of the characters were fun to watch.


Ruthie☆☆☆☆
This is a fun read with two believable people leading fairly normal lives, and finding chemistry that is definitely worth pursuing. The first time they meet is one of the funniest scenes, but there are plenty of others that made me chuckle.

Tyler, having moved away from family for his job, finds he has a very appealing neighbour, Leah. However, she is definitely somewhat against relationships and so he takes a careful path to her heart. It is helped by his lovable dog and her cat's acceptance of him. He is very good at being exactly what she needs without pushing and so she catches him almost by default!

A perfect happy, fun, and romantic read, with some very cute and heartwarming scenes. What's not to like?





Aurora Rose Reynolds' Guide to Catching Him


In my newest book, Catching Him, Leah Emmerson is over men who can’t commit and she is determined to find a man who is willing to chase her for once. When she meets Tyler Duncan she’s not sure she likes him, however, once she gets his attention he makes it clear that he wants her. Tyler goes out of his way to make Leah his and prove that he’s the kind of guy she should be with. The task isn't easy; Leah has built up walls because of her past relationships, but after getting to know Tyler as a friend she realizes that he’s the perfect catch.

I’m here to give you some advice on how to catch an alpha male, this method is tried and true.

Step one.

Ignore the hot guy. I know this might seem a little crazy when you’re trying to actually catch a hot guy, but I’m telling you now that for whatever reason the more you ignore him the more he will come around.

Step two.

Avoid danger, however, if you do get into trouble be open and honest with the hot guy. If he's worth your time then he will step up to protect you.

Step three.

Don’t be afraid if things go fast.

Step four.

This step is the simplest of them all: Believe him when he says he loves you and go on to live happily ever after.





Aurora Rose Reynolds is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author whose wildly popular series include Fluke My Life, Until, Until Him, Until Her, and Underground Kings.

Her writing career started in an attempt to get the outrageously alpha men who resided in her head to leave her alone and has blossomed into an opportunity to share her stories with readers all over the world.

To stay up to date on what’s happening, join the Alpha Mailing List.

Connect with Aurora

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Catching Him (How to Catch an Alpha #1) by Aurora Rose Reynolds to read and review for this tour.

Highland Captive by Alyson McLayne


She wasn't just his son's savior.
She may be his as well...


Laird Gavin MacKinnon is a changed man―and not for the better. Ever since his young son, Ewan, disappeared two years ago, Gavin has grown callous and bitter. Scouring the countryside, his search leads him to a mysterious woman who maintains the boy is hers. He decides to take them both and ask questions later.

Deidre MacIntyre will go with the brooding laird if it will keep her son safe. Gavin has to admit that the beautiful lass has a bond with Ewan, and things aren't adding up. When Deidre's clan comes to claim her under threat of war, Gavin has a choice to make: fight for her or let her go.

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Book 4
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica☆☆☆☆☆
Highland Captive is the fourth installment in The Sons of Gregor MacLeod series. Alyson McLayne is a new-to-me author, so I can attest to the fact that this novel can be read out of series order and as a standalone with little to no confusion. That being said, since I absolutely adored the novel, I can't wait to go back to the beginning to read the series from the start, where I'll be able to accurately express whether or not the emotional payoff would have been better, the connection to the characters deeper, had the series been read in order.

Gut-punch after gut-punch, the author delivered a plethora of emotions throughout the novel, from the lighthearted to the darkest of emotions, and all the levity and banter in between, thanks to a ragtag side cast of characters, who previously had novels of their own and future novels to come.

Original and intriguing, the premise had me hooked from the first paragraph. Deidre is raising a child she herself didn't birth, under the assumption that the child is her husband's bastard... until she comes face-to-face with a man who is the spirit and image of her son. Terrified to lose the only person who has truly loved her for who she is, Deidre makes a run for home, back to her son.

Gavin didn't make the best of impressions on Deidre, not realizing she would see the anger and frustration as perhaps his son was taken from him to save Ewan from abuse. Once the connections are made, Gavin attempts to rescue his son, not realizing the attachment the boy has on his new mother.

Thrust into close quarters, Deidre and Gavin bond over the love of their son, with a love-hate, enemies-to-lovers, captive and captor vibe that is insanely delicious to devour. Page after page, I couldn't get enough of the intensity and connection between Deidre and Gavin, as the mystery as to why Ewan was stolen from him unravels... along with the mystery as to why Deidre's husband is the way that he is.

The emotions were raw, the actions and reactions of the characters were real, and the pacing and flow was pure perfection, taking the reader on a Highland adventure. I cannot wait to sink my teeth into Alyson McLayne's backlist.

Highly recommend to fans of the author and Highland historical romance, all the primitive growls and pure masculinity and fiery lasses.



Alyson McLayne is a mom of twins and an award-winning writer of contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance. She’s also a dog lover and cat servant with a serious stash of dark chocolate. After getting her degree in theater at the University of Alberta, she promptly moved to the west coast of Canada where she worked in film for several years and met her prop master husband.

Alyson has been nominated for several Romance Writers of America contests, including The Golden Heart, The Golden Pen, The Orange Rose, Great Expectations, The Molly, and The Winter Rose.

Her self-published works in contemporary romance include her Sizzling, Sexy, Santa Barbara series—The Fabrizio Bride, The D’amici Mistake, and The Berrucci Rules. The Fabrizio Bride was nominated for the RONE awards.

Alyson and her family reside in Vancouver with their sweet but troublesome chocolate lab named Jasper.

Connect with Alyson

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https://www.romancereads.com/


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Highland Captive (The Sons of Gregor MacLeod #4) by Alyson McLayne to read and review.

Single by RJ Scott


Reeling from the painful rejection of a man he thought he loved, Asher is left holding the baby.

Ash wants a family, and is determined to continue with a surrogacy he’d begun with his ex. Bringing baby Mia home, he vows that he will be the best father he can be. Nothing in this world matters more to him than caring for his daughter, not even accidentally falling in lust with the doctor next door. Challenged by his growing attraction to Sean, and confronted by painful memories of his family, Ash has to learn that love is all that matters.

When ER doctor Sean moves in with his friends next door to sexy single father Ash, he falls so quickly it takes his breath away. The sex they have is hot, but Ash is adamant his heart is too full with love for his daughter to let anyone else in. Why is Sean the only one who sees how scared Ash is, and how can he prove to his new lover that he desperately wants the three of them to become a family?

Add to Goodreads –


Book 1
Buy Links

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~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie☆☆☆☆
This is the first book in the series – and I read it in advance of reading Today, which has just been released (review up next!). I would say that they should be read in order as the group of friends roll forward and we get to meet both the Today leads in this book first.

I very much enjoyed the juxtaposition of the trip of first responders in one house, with very frenetic, stressful, and demanding jobs, and the very quiet, work-at-home but now utterly frazzled new dad, Asher, next door. It was used very effectively to show how important all moments of calm and support can be, whatever the reason for the need. The trio had a well-developed and practiced routine for helping each other, but Ash was so desperate to be the perfect dad that it took him a while to accept help, even when he really needed it.

Lots of fun ‘raising baby’ scenes, which will strike chords with any new parent, and probably remind single parents that there are good people out there who will not be put off, or in fact who will embrace that there is a child in the mix. I felt that we got to know Sean, Leo, and Eric more than we really did Ash, although if I really think about it, that is not exactly true – possibly because they had more chat time together, I engaged more with them.

Overall, this is a very sweet, hopeful, and endearing story which brought in lots of side characters in clever ways (SDT, for example) and should lead to some more engaging and interlinked stories in the future.




USA Today bestselling author RJ Scott writes stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, a happily ever after.

RJ Scott is the author of over one hundred romance books, writing emotional stories of complicated characters, cowboys, millionaire, princes, and the men who get mixed up in their lives. RJ is known for writing books that always end with a happy ever after. She lives just outside London and spends every waking minute she isn’t with family either reading or writing.

The last time she had a week’s break from writing she didn’t like it one little bit, and she has yet to meet a bottle of wine she couldn’t defeat.

She’s always thrilled to hear from readers, bloggers and other writers.


Connect with RJ

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RJ Scott’s Facebook Group


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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Single (Single Dads #1) by RJ Scott to read and review.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Already Gone by Kristen Proby & K.L. Grayson Spotlight


Falling in love is easy…

New Hope, South Carolina is my home. It’s where I grew up, got into trouble, and fell in love for the first time. Scarlett Kincaid was more than the girl next door, she was my best friend, until she decided that small town life wasn’t for her.

The girl I used to fish with down at the creek is now the biggest name in country music, and I haven’t seen her since she left. Until today when she sped through town in her fancy car. One look at her big brown eyes was all it took to stir up a whole slew of emotions. Emotions I’d long ago buried and sure as hell don’t have time for.

It’s the aftermath that’s hard…

There are two things in my life that matter. My music, and my dad. Twelve years ago, I packed a bag and chased my dream. I never planned to return home, but my father needs me, and he always comes first. So, I cut my tour short and came home, despite having a sister who hates me, and a community that doesn’t trust me. And then there’s Tucker Andrews.

When he propped an arm on the roof of my car, pulled down his sunglasses and flashed his police badge, I nearly swallowed my tongue. Gone is the lanky boy who used to throw rocks at me and pull my pigtails. Tucker is now a six-foot package of brawny, sexy man wrapped in more muscle than I have hit singles. Did I mention he’s a cop and a single dad?

My goal was to help Dad, and get back to my life. But what am I supposed to do when the life that used to strangle me suddenly fits like a glove, and makes me dream of things I never thought I’d have? I don’t have room for a man much less love.

Right?

Because it’s impossible to hold onto someone who’s already gone.

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 Kristen Proby

Kristen was born and raised in a small resort town in her beloved Montana. In her mid-twenties, she decided to stretch her wings and move to the Pacific Northwest, where she made her home for more than a dozen years.

During that time, Kristen wrote many romance novels and joined organizations such as RWA and other small writing groups. She spent countless hours in workshops, and more mornings than she can count up before the dawn so she could write before going to work. She submitted many manuscripts to agents and editors alike, but was always told no. In the summer of 2012, the self-publishing scene was new and thriving, and Kristen had one goal: to publish just one book. It was something she longed to cross off of her bucket list.

Not only did she publish one book, she’s since published close to thirty titles, many of which have hit the USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists. She continues to self publish, best known for her With Me In Seattle and Boudreaux series, and is also proud to work with William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins, with the Fusion Series.

Kristen and her husband, John, make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana with their two pugs and two cats.

Connect with Kristen

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 K.L. Grayson

K.L. Grayson resides in a small town outside of St. Louis, MO. She is entertained daily by her extraordinary husband, who will forever inspire every good quality she writes in a man. Her entire life rests in the palms of six dirty little hands, and when the day is over and those pint-sized cherubs have been washed and tucked into bed, you can find her typing away furiously on her computer. She has a love for alpha-males, brownies, reading, tattoos, sunglasses, and happy endings… and not particularly in that order

Connect with K.L.

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Love at First Bark by Debbie Burns


Animal portrait painter Mia Chambers and architect Ben Thomas have volunteered at the High Grove Animal Shelter for years, and they share a complicated history. Ben has secretly loved Mia all this time, but she was married to his best friend. Now she's newly widowed, with a young son, and Ben doesn't know how to tell her what's in his heart. All he can do is stay close, help her as much as she'll let him, and watch for the right moment to bare his soul.

When a dozen adorable border collies get dumped in St. Louis' biggest park, everyone at the shelter mobilizes for a large-scale rescue. Rushing to the park to round up the frisky collies, Ben and Mia unexpectedly plunge into a new phase of their entangled lives. Who knew that opening their hearts and homes—to animals in need and to each other—would lead to so many upheavals... and new beginnings...?

Add to Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44123428-love-at-first-bark


Book 4
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars

I love all the dogs in this book! This a slow-burn, second chance romance. When we first meet them, Mia and Ben are likeable characters with a decade of baggage hanging heavily between them. As godfather to Mia’s son, Ben is a constant in her life after her husband’s death, but Mia doesn’t realise how long Ben has had feelings for her.

Parts of this story are quite dark. Mia’s marriage was complicated and she’s struggling as a widow with a young son. Ben struggles with the morality of his feelings for Mia. Fortunately, the dogs in the book bring joy and the potential for fresh starts. This is a very slow and angsty read. Even when Ben and Mia start to explore their feelings, Mia’s mother-in-law complicates things further.

For me, the relationships in this story feel more real than most romance novels. I read this while on holiday and it was quite a bit heavier than I’d expected from the title and cover. I liked the characters and I think I might have enjoyed the story more if I’d read it in a different time and place. I’m never a huge fan of kids in romance and this felt a little bit too much like a Hallmark family film at times. There isn’t much heat in the book and little opportunity for any chemistry between Mia and Ben to develop.


Also Available in the Rescue Me Series

Book 2
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For reviews & more info, check out our Sit, Stay, Love post.


Book 3
Buy Links

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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our My Forever Home post.



Debbie lives in St. Louis with her family, two phenomenal rescue dogs, and a somewhat tetchy Maine coon cat who everyone loves anyway. Her hobbies include hiking, gardening, and daydreaming, which, of course, always leads to new story ideas.

Debbie’s writing commendations include a starred review from Publishers Weekly and a Top Pick from RT Book Reviews for A New Leash on Love, as well as first-place awards for short stories, flash fiction, and longer selections.

Connect with Debbie

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https://www.romancereads.com/


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Love at First Bark (Rescue Me #4) by Debbie Burns to read and review.

Sweet Bitter Honey by Liz Crowe


One + one + one more = perfection.

Ryan Shannon’s life has finally hit a smooth patch. He’s reached the point where he believes he’s mastered the single-dad challenge. He brews beer and owns his own brewery with his brother, Quinn. The brewery is so successful they need to hire someone to manage their burgeoning sales.

When Quinn surprises him with the announcement that he’s fallen in love with someone and she has a brother—a hot brother—named Cole, Ryan is skeptical of the setup. But Quinn begs him to join them for a dinner so that his girlfriend won’t worry about her brother feeling left out.

After one hookup, Cole claims he isn’t interested in anything more. Which is when Ryan hires the brewery’s new sales director—Lynette Williams, a woman fresh out of MBA school with plenty of debt, desperate to find her own way in life.

That’s when things really get complicated. Not to mention very… very hot.

They all claim that their connection is nothing more than really great sex. But Ryan, Cole and Lynette find themselves depending on one another in ways they never imaged they’d want or need—or ultimately love.

Reader Advisory: This book features an injured veteran with PTSD-like flashbacks and suicidal ideation. Characters in this story also appear in the Brewing Passion series at Totally Bound.

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Pride Publishing



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie☆☆☆☆
This is a standalone but fits into Liz Crowe's family of micro-brewing books – and I have loved them all. They are very different, but all themed around the production and sale of specialty beer.

Ryan is a man with broad tastes, and when his brother Quinn invites him to dinner with his girlfriend and her brother, there may be a chance that the men become more than friends. But Cole is a man who has been through so much, losing his lover in an IED attack, and his sight too. He is suffering and angry, but cannot deny his attraction to Ryan. However, life has taught him he deserves to be alone, and even their potent chemistry must be denied except for once.

Ryan is bringing up his baby with the help of his mother and brother, so does not need the additional stress of a man who does not want him... so parks the situation and gets on with making the best beer he can. Cue employing Lynette – and right here Crowe ups the ante in a fabulous way. Any fan of her writing can start getting hot under the collar already, just imagining where these three unique, flawed, but lonely, sexy people may be able to create magic for each other. At this point, I could not read fast enough to find out how on earth there could be a resolution of a whole host of issues.

I loved how Cole is written as a man who is reminded of his strengths, and that there is more to life than his past. The way that Lynette and Ryan manage their obligations, and acknowledge their desires for each other and Cole makes for a delicious read. I just wish I could taste the Sweet Bitter Honey that Ryan created in their honour.


Avid Reader☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars
M/F/M Romance
Triggers: PTSD

This book had such promise. You first catch a glimpse of Cole and Ryan when the meet at Cole's sister's house. She's dating Quinn and they all have dinner. Despite Cole's recent handicap, he remembers what Ryan looks like and can't help but be attracted to him. It's the first time since the accident that Cole finds himself wanting to be with someone.

Ryan is trying to make it all happen. He's raising a kiddo by himself and trying to brew the best beer in his brother's brewery. His attraction to Cole is not something new. Ryan has known he was bi for years. But he also knows that Cole has been through some traumatic stuff and doesn't want to push him.

With the work piling up, Quinn and Ryan decide they need to hire a new marketing person. Lynette is who is hired, and she is a ball buster. Despite her bossiness, Ryan can't help but be attracted to her. They start this strange relationship where they hook up but don't really communicate that well.

While there are some good scenes with Cole, Ryan, and Lynette, their relationship is full of miscommunication, no communication, and assumptions. It makes for a very one-dimensional relationship all around. It was so disappointing.

Overall, this was a story with great potential that just didn't really deliver for me. I wanted to love this story, but in the end, found myself slightly bored.



Amazon best-selling author, mom of three, Realtor, beer blogger, brewery marketing expert, and soccer fan, Liz Crowe is a Kentucky native and graduate of the University of Louisville currently living in Ann Arbor. She has decades of experience in sales and fund raising, plus an eight-year stint as a three-continent, ex-pat trailing spouse.

With stories set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch, in successful real estate offices and at times in exotic locales like Istanbul, Turkey, her books are unique and told with a fresh voice. The Liz Crowe backlist has something for any reader seeking complex storylines with humor and complete casts of characters that will delight, frustrate and linger in the imagination long after the book is finished.

Don’t ever ask her for anything “like a Budweiser” or risk bodily injury.

Connect with Liz

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https://www.pride-publishing.com


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Sweet Bitter Honey by Liz Crowe to read and review.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Henri by Ella Frank Blog Tour


Good and bad. Right and wrong.
Life would be easy if things were always that simple.
That’s never been the case for Henri Boudreaux.

Son of a criminal. Ex-boyfriend to a Priest.
Henri's made a career out of getting in trouble and avoiding the law.
So when he winds up in bed with it, he knows that things are about to get… complicated.

But what’s life without taking a few risks?
And what’s a risk without the threat of being caught?
No one's ever accused Henri of being good man.
And Officer Craig Bailey is about to find out just how bad he can be.

Add to Goodreads –


Book 5
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~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie☆☆☆☆☆
I was so happy to see the latest Ella Frank hit my Kindle – I just love the stories about a group of super hot, super interesting men that she has been writing about for the last five or six years. And that now we are getting even more goodness is a huge bonus – thank you! And... there is definitely a Confessions #6 in our future. 😍 I would absolutely recommend that you at least read the previous Confessions books, but ideally start at Try and absorb all the goodness. I am assuming that you are up to date in my review.

As we know, Henri is a significant part of Priest's past, and still sad and reluctant to accept that he will not be romantically involved with him again. Attending the trio's wedding is important, but painful nonetheless – although he does see a man who attracts his attention. The irony of who he is, is not lost on us, and nor is it on Henri when he and Bailey meet again. Craig Bailey is the man who arrested Julien and was there at the very beginning of his great romance with Priest, so of course he was at the trio's wedding too. Little did he expect to find such an unorthodoxly dressed fellow guest so fascinating, even if he disappeared on him.

As we learn more of Henri's past, and of his lifestyle, fears, and ultimately hopes for the future, it is through his eyes that we see maybe Bailey is not an ideal match. However, the chemistry ensures that he can't resist being drawn into a sequence of events which are utterly unique – dates, not hook-ups, wanting to stay, not suppressing the urge to leave. It is wonderfully romantic, how he stands in the shadows and yet so craves the light.

I cannot wait for more confessions...


Sarah☆☆☆☆☆
In true Ella Frank style, this sexy story is full of passion, angst, and fabulous sexual tension. As always, Frank’s men are sinfully beautiful and terribly damaged. I love that this time, Bailey and Henri are almost relatable. In Frank’s fantasy world full of lawyers, celebrity chefs, models, and actors, this new series about a cop and a private investigator carries with it faint hints of realism. This is a wonderful naughty pleasure read and I loved Henri and Bailey.

This book is a slightly lower heat read than most of Ella Frank’s writing, especially when compared to the last couple of Confessions books. There are still a few very memorable steamy scenes, but the book is more romance than erotica. But what we lose in heat, we gain in the sexual tension that crackles between Bailey and Henri from the moment they first meet. I really enjoyed the connection that builds between the two men – the banter and mind games are fabulous. This is the first book about Henri and Bailey so while we learn some of Henri’s secrets, these two are only starting to get to know each other by the end of the book. Readers know some of Henri’s history from earlier stories in the series but it wasn’t until this book that I felt like I was starting to know and care for him.

This is potentially more of a stand-alone story than the last few Confessions books, but new readers will need to ignore continual references to the past. The focus of this book is on two new characters so it might work as a starting point to the second half of the series. Saying that, this book does end with a cliffhanger and the crime storyline running through the book does not resolve in this first story. I’ve personally found this series incredibly addictive and if I wasn’t reading pre-publication, I’d set aside time to binge read the whole series back to back.


Angie☆☆☆☆☆
There is no other way to say this but that this book was HOT. You really need to read the previous books in the Confessions series to get the backstory. Honestly, start with the Temptations series then the Confessions series. We have met Henri in previous books, and he wasn't anything like I pictured in my head. He was way hotter! This book was an easy read that I didn't want to put down. For some reason I kept thinking something awful was going to happen and always had a sinking feeling in my stomach because I didn't want anything bad to happen. I'll let you find out if something happened or not. Bailey is just so sweet and so cute, and when he is with Henri he becomes a different person, he becomes himself and it kind of scares him how much he feels for Henri. We get to see Priest, Robbie, Julien, and even Logan and The Popped Cherry in this book. This was a great addition to the Confessions series, and I can't wait to get Bailey's book later this year. This series, just like the Temptations series, is one of those series that you will want to read again and again.


Shannan☆☆☆☆
Henri is the fifth installment in the Confessions series. The first four books need to be read (in order) to completely understand the dynamic of the characters.

Henri is Priest's ex-boyfriend and childhood friend. He has been in love with Priest for as long as he can remember. Finding out Priest and Julien were marrying Robbie and there was no room for him romantically in Priest's life. When he's about to leave the wedding, he stumbles into the sexiest man he's ever seen, but is one night with the sexy stranger enough to get Priest out of his head?

Bailey and Henri have some of the sexiest intense chemistry. You have to keep reading to find out if Henri and Bailey give in to that instant hotness! Bailey being a cop and Henri not having the best path definitely causes speed bumps along the way.

I cannot wait to get Bailey's book and live in this world just a little longer!


Also Available in the Confessions Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Robbie Blog Tour.


Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Julien Blog Tour.


Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Priest Blog Tour.


Book 4
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the The Princess, The Prick & The Priest Blog Tour.




Ella Frank is the USA Today Bestselling author of the Temptation series, including Try, Take, and Trust and is the co-author of the fan-favorite contemporary romance, Sex Addict. Her Exquisite series has been praised as “scorching hot!” and “enticingly sexy!”

Some of her favorite authors include Tiffany Reisz, Kresley Cole, Riley Hart, J.R. Ward, Erika Wilde, Gena Showalter, and Carly Philips.

Connect with Ella

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Henri (Confessions #5) by Ella Frank to read and review for this tour.