Tuesday, November 30, 2021

She's the One by Kelly Elliott Release Blitz

She’s the One. New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author. Kelly Elliott. A Boggy Creek Valley Novel. KindleUnlimited.

The day I first laid eyes on Abby Boyer, I knew she was the one. The girl I would marry and spend the rest of my life with, and I vowed to do everything I could to make her happy.

There was just one problem, I couldn’t make her happy during one of the darkest moments of our marriage. No matter how hard I tried, my love for her wasn’t enough to make her stay.

I’ve spent the last two years of my life trying to forget how much I still loved her.

Wouldn’t you know it, now that I finally managed to move on, Abby shows back up in Boggy Creek. Out of the blue. Here to stay.

They say time heals all wounds—well, two years wasn’t enough time to cover up the scars of our broken past because I still feel the pain like it was yesterday. My wounds are still healing, and not even my love for Abby can fix us… but will that love allow me to forgive her and finally move on?

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Boggy Creek Valley series!
For book one, The Butterfly Effect, click HERE.
For book two, Playing with Words, click HERE.

 

Add to Goodreads.

 

She's the One by Kelly Elliott

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Hardcover (US)  ~  Paperback (US)
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

 

 

If anyone’s going to bite that lip, it’ll be me.

 

Reviews


Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team


Shannan☆☆☆☆☆
She's the One is the third installment in the Boggy Creek Valley series. You can read it as a standalone without issue, but I don't know why you would want to. Each book is about a different set of characters within the town, but they are all linked together, and each book just builds upon the last. To get the most out of each book is to read in the order the author intended.

Bishop and Abby suffer a terrible loss that sends Abby on a tailspin. She's lost in her own head. She thinks she can never give Bishop what he wants. Bishop does everything in his power to comfort and protect Abby, but seeing him taking a moment to feel his own grief is enough to have her needing to get away.

Abby thought she was doing what was best for both of them. Coming back to Boggy Creek two years later is one of the hardest decisions she has to make. The risk of seeing Bishop moving on with someone else is almost enough to have her change her mind. Can she make Bishop understand her reasoning for leaving? Will he even hear her out?

Bishop never wanted Abby to leave. He doesn't understand what happened or where he went wrong. Seeing her back in Boggy Creek for good has him questioning every decision he's made in the two years she's been gone. Can they ever find their way back to each other?

Kelly Elliott does it again with this installment. I love everything about this one, the angst, the love, the humor, and the glimpses of past characters I can't get enough of.

I can't wait to see what's is in store for this small town and Hunter and Arabella!

 

 

I watched as the river meandered along Boggy Creek Valley like it was answering a call in the distance. I felt like that river. Running to—yet away—from something I had never truly been able to pinpoint.

 

Author Bio



KELLY ELLIOTT is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling contemporary romance author. Her bestselling works include Wanted, Broken, Lost Love, and Never Enough, to name just a few.

Kelly lives in central Texas with her husband, Gus, her chocolate lab, four cats, and endless wildlife creatures. When she's not writing, Kelly enjoys reading and spending time with her family.

To find out more about Kelly and her books, you can find her through her website.

Connect with Kelly

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: Kelly's Krew

 

 

What if I’ve lost him? What if I’m too late?

 

Hosted by

Grey’s Promotions


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of She's the One (Boggy Creek Valley #3) by Kelly Elliott to read and review for this tour.

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

A Swift and Savage Tide by Chloe Neill

Sparks will fly and sails will flutter as Kit and crew are cast into the seas of adventure to fight for queen and country.

Chloe Neill’s bold, seafaring heroine Captain Kit Brightling sets sail for the high seas and high sorcery in this swashbuckling fantasy series.

Captain Kit Brightling is Aligned to the magic of the sea, which makes her an invaluable asset to the Saxon Isles and its monarch, Queen Charlotte. The Isles and its allies will need every advantage they can get: Gerard Rousseau, the former Gallic emperor and scourge of the Continent, has escaped his island prison to renew his quest for control of the Continent.

Gerard has no qualms about using dangerous magic to support his ambitions, so Kit and the crew of her ship, the Diana, are the natural choice to find him—and help stop him. But then Kit’s path unexpectedly crosses with that of the dashing and handsome Rian Grant, Viscount Queenscliffe, who’s working undercover on the Continent in his own efforts to stop Gerard. And he’s not the only person Kit is surprised to see. An old enemy has arisen, and the power he’ll wield on Gerard’s behalf is beautiful and terrible. Sparks will fly and sails will flutter as Kit and crew are cast into the seas of adventure to fight for queen and country.

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Captain Kit Brightling series!
For book one, The Bright and Breaking Sea, click HERE.

 

Add to Goodreads.

 

A Swift and Savage Tide by Chloe Neill

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Apple Books  ~  B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  Kobo
Audiobook (US)  ~  Paperback (US)

 

 

“Prepare yourself, Captain. I’m going to kiss you now.”     On sale November 30th.

 

Reviews


Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team


Sarah☆☆☆☆
I’m completely addicted to Captain Kit Brightling and her adventures on the high seas. If Kit was finding her feet in the first book, this time she’s fierce, confident, and capable from the start. I love the slightly fantastical Regency setting and the fabulously reimagined Europe in this series.

As Kit grows in confidence, so does her ability to use and channel her magical ability. I love the evolution of her skill as she works to keep herself, her crew – and sometimes even her enemies – safe. Alongside the magic in this book is a little bit of espionage, a dastardly pirate, and some battles on the ocean. The story is as exciting as it is original and I loved every moment of it.

As far as romance goes, this second book sees the return of Rian, who once again joins Kit on her adventures. The sexual tension between these two is real and I love that Kit meets Rian head on as an equal. Her refusal to compromise for a man is wonderful – as is her uncanny ability to save Rian’s life.

 

 

“War doesn’t need heroes,” Kit quoted. “It needs good sailors.”     On sale November 30th.

 

Author Bio

CHLOE NEILL was born and raised in the South, but now makes her home in the Midwest. She is the New York Times bestselling author of the Chicagoland Vampires series, the Heirs of Chicagoland series, the Dark Elite series, and the Devil’s Isle series.

Connect with Chloe

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

 

 

Magic is not sentient, and it does not pick sides. It simply is.     On sale November 30th.

 

Berkley.


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of A Swift and Savage Tide (Captain Kit Brightling #2) by Chloe Neill to read and review.

Monday, November 22, 2021

Dirty Deal by Mira Lyn Kelly Release Blitz

Dirty Deal. Mira Lyn Kelly. USA Today Bestselling Author.

Fatherhood blindsided me.

There I am, working to get a rise out of my cranky little rule-following, fun-wrecking, soon-to-be ex-neighbor when my one-night stand from last season shows up… in labor.

Next thing, I’m a single-dad begging for a crash course in caring for this tiny miracle from the neighbor who loves to hate me.

Turns out, Nora raised half her siblings.

She knows things.

And I know my son needs her.

Unfortunately, she’s not impressed by my NHL career, my legendary charm, or the rumors surrounding the size of my stick (all true btw).

But I’m not trying to impress her. Not anymore. I can’t.

I’m asking her to help me out, because my son deserves better than some player who hasn’t even had a chance to read the manual yet.

Which means no matter how hot I find her spitfire mouth and those rules she doesn’t break… Nora is off-limits.

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Slayers Hockey series!
For book one, Dirty Secret, click HERE.
For book two, Dirty Hookup, click HERE.
For book three, Dirty Rebound, click HERE.
For book four, Dirty Talker, click HERE.

 

Add to Goodreads.

 

Dirty Deal by Mira Lyn Kelly

Book 5
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Apple Books  ~  B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  Kobo
Audiobook (US)  ~  Paperback (US)

 

 

I’m not exactly daddy material.

 

Reviews


Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team


Mary Jo☆☆☆☆
Oh, man, I loved this story.

Axel, a fun loving, party hard or go home kind of man who believes hockey is the best thing since sliced bread, has a thing for the cute neighbor next door. A little flirting here and there and a spark was lit. Too bad it was doused by one of his former hook-ups coming back into his life and giving Nora, the neighbor, an all too real picture of what his life was like.

Axel's world is turned upside-down when a former hook-up shows up on his doorstep, in labor, and tells him that a) the baby is his and b) she's giving up her parental rights. Axel doesn't know anything about children much less babies. He's surprised the nurses allow him to take the baby home but he soon finds himself standing in front of Nora's door with the baby snuggled into his chest.

The writer's ability to write about Axel's struggles with being a single dad, the struggle in accepting help from his neighbor who's just slightly more than acquaintance, and how Axel wants to be father that his was.

Nora's story is just as compelling, but it's Axel's that grabbed my attention and held it throughout the book.


Ruthie☆☆☆☆
This is the fifth book in the series, and I highly recommend you read them in order as the couples reappear in later books, and add to the story in each installment.

Axel has always hosted all the parties... much to the annoyance of his super sexy, but uninterested neighbour, Nora. Then a complete surprise discovery that he is now a single dad, and he needs Nora for his son more than anything he may desire for himself.

Nora grew up looking after her siblings, and has finally escaped, so even if she had liked her neighbour, she would have been reluctant to help, but circumstances force her hand, and baby Otto is definitely in need of her care.

The inevitable happens, but with a number of fun and engaging twists in the journey. If you enjoy a good sports romance, you will be delighted with the amount of time at games, training, and maybe Nora even watching them at home.

Very enjoyable read with lots of reasons to smile at the blossoming romance and growth of a new family.

 

 

I’m not supposed to want her.

 

Author Bio



Hard core romantic, stress baker, and housekeeper non-extraordinaire. MIRA LYN KELLY is a USA Today bestselling author with over a million readers worldwide. She writes sizzly love stories with hot, possessive heroes who know how to laugh, heroines who give as good as they get, friends as close as family, and happily ever afters up-against-the-wall style! Growing up in the Chicago area, she earned her degree in Fine Arts from Loyola University and met the love of her life while studying abroad in Rome, Italy... only to discover he'd been living right around the corner from her back home. Mira now lives in Minnesota with her husband, four amazing children and two ridiculous dogs. When she isn't reading, writing, or indulging her weakness for hard cut abs, she can be found running the kids around, watching the Chicago Blackhawks, and cooking with her family and friends.

Connect with Mira

Facebook  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: Mira Lyn Kelly's PJ Party

 

 

Giveaway



To celebrate the release of Dirty Deal, Mira Lyn Kelly is giving away a $15 Amazon gift card, signed copy of Dirty Deal, and a signed Slayers Hockey Puck.
To enter, click HERE to visit her King Sumo giveaway page for details.

 

 

He’s a hot, possessive hockey hunk… turned suddenly single dad.


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Dirty Deal (Slayers Hockey #5) by Mira Lyn Kelly to read and review for this tour.

Savage Hearts by J.T. Geissinger Blog Tour

Savage Hearts by J.T. Geissinger. Now Available. Free with Kindle Unlimiited.

Savage (adjective):
1) Not domesticated; wild and untamed
2) A brutal or vicious person
3) Malek Antonov


He’s a myth. A ghost. A legend.
A Bratva assassin so feared, some won’t even dare to speak his name.

He comes in search of vengeance for the death of his brother, but what he finds instead is me.

A girl he thinks is someone else.
Someone unrelated to the man who killed his brother.
Except I am.

And when he finds out my true identity, he decides to take me as repayment for what he lost.

Now, I’m a little bird trapped in a cage, and the only way to survive is to make friends with the monster who captured me.

But friendship isn’t what the monster has in mind.

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Queens & Monsters series!
For book two, Carnal Urges, click HERE.

 

Add to Goodreads.

 

Savage Hearts by J.T. Geissinger

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Paperback (US)
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

 

 

Excerpt



“Yeah. Oh—can I ask you a favor? Will you please not hurt him? Kieran, either. He’s the other bodyguard. The bigger one. They’re both really nice.”

Malek stares at me in disbelief.

“Sorry. Is that asking too much? It’s just that I’d never get over it if they got hurt because of me. They’re only trying to do their jobs.”

After a moment, he says angrily, “You know who I am. You know what I do. Correct?”

“Yes. I’ve been filled in on the particulars.”

“And you’re lying there with my hand around your neck asking me not to hurt your bodyguards.”

He says it like my sanity is in question.

“I know it’s maybe a little unorthodox.”

“No,” he says flatly.

“Please?”

He growls, “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“There’s no need to get testy.”

“Testy?”

“I’m just saying. You don’t have to get all mad about it.”

Furious again, he glares at me, grinding his jaw and probably calculating how much pressure it will take to snap the brittle bird bones in my neck.

Before he does, I say, “I also want to thank you for the rose you left me. That was really nice. I’ve never had a man bring me flowers before. I know it was only the one, and also you thought I was a captive prostitute at the time, but still. It was thoughtful. So thank you.”

He stares at me with an expression somewhere between confusion and amazement, with a healthy dose of disgust on the side.

“Now is probably a good time to remind you that I’m still the same person you left the rose for. So if you did kill me, you’d be killing her, too. Just a thought.”

“Are you on drugs?”

“Not at the moment, no. Why, do you have any?”

“There’s something wrong with you. Mentally. Right?”

That makes me laugh. “Oh, totally. I’ve got more than a few screws loose. At least that’s what my dad tells me. But he’s super uptight, zero imagination, so his opinion doesn’t really count. Not that he’s wrong, because he isn’t, but normies shouldn’t judge creatives. They just have no idea how we’re wired. Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’ve never had a conversation with an insane person before.”

“Very funny.”

“It wasn’t a joke.”

“Ouch.”

We stare at each other in silence. His hostile, mine hopeful. He still hasn’t murdered me, so things are looking up.

“Malek?”

“What.” He says it flatly. With dread.

“Thank you for not killing me.”

He says emphatically, “Don’t thank me yet.”

“You’re still deciding?”

“If only to get you to shut up, yes.”

“In that case…” I make a zipper motion across my lips.

He watches with outrage, astonishment, and absolute disbelief.

“Actually, before I shut up, I also want to say that it was really sweet that you tried to save me from being a sex worker. I mean, what a gentleman! A gentleman killer who gives strangers big wads of cash in restrooms. You’re quite the puzzle, Mr. Ghost. Or is it just Ghost? I’m never sure how the nickname thing works, except between me and my sister, but that doesn’t count because my whole family is a little weird. I’ll just call you Malek, if that’s all right. Or Mal for short, since we’re such buds now, what with you breaking into my various bedrooms for midnight visits and all. Okay, I’m shutting up now. Here I go.”

I press my lips together and gaze up at him, watching him struggle with dueling urges to cut off my air supply or break something over my head.

Maybe he’s right about me being insane, because rather than terrifying, I find his indecision understandable.

He’s not the first man I’ve driven to the brink of murder. He’s just the most capable of actually going through with it.

“Oh, one more thing—”

“I know a way to keep that mouth quiet,” he snaps.

Then he kisses me.

 

 

Reviews


Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team


Ruthie☆☆☆☆
This is the third book in the series, and I would definitely recommend that you read them in order. I have read many a book in between each one, but thankfully there are good reminders, carefully placed in the book, to make sure that you remember the detail as well as the outline. This is pretty important as this is a complex world of Bratva/Mob/FBI/? organisations.

Sloane was a fab character in her book, and thanks to her reconnecting with her sister, we now get Riley's crazy adventure. Be ready to enjoy two men finding the 'mouse' captivating, but only one getting the chance to enjoy her unique take on the world.

I cannot really say much more, due to the danger of spoiling the reveals that you should enjoy directly. But I can say that this is an excellent addition to the underlying plot, as well as being compelling reading. Riley and Mal are fabulous narrators of their story, and really well matched in their wit, sensuality, and passion.

Fun, frenetic, and family filled – perfect escapism!

 

 

Author Bio



J.T. GEISSINGER is a #1 internationally bestselling author of emotionally charged romance and women’s fiction. Ranging from funny, feisty romcoms to intense, edgy suspense, her books have sold millions of copies and been translated into several languages, including German, Hebrew, French, Czech, and Japanese. The film & TV rights to her Night Prowler series have been optioned by the BAFTA-winning studio that created VFX for movies such as Avatar, X-Men, and The Avengers.

She is a three-time finalist in both contemporary and paranormal romance for the RITA® Award, the highest distinction in romance fiction from the Romance Writers of America®. She is also a recipient of the Prism Award for Best First Book and the Golden Quill Award for Best Paranormal/Urban Fantasy.

She’s a Southern California native currently living in Nevada with her husband and rescue kitty, Zoe
.

Connect with J.T.

Facebook  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: Geissinger's Gang

 
 

Hosted by

Social Butterfly PR.


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Savage Hearts (Queens & Monsters #3) by J.T. Geissinger to read and review for this tour.

Thursday, November 18, 2021

Dark Fate by Kat Silver Blog Tour

Blog Tour. November 12 – December 10. Dark Fate by Kat Silver.

“And if I am a monster? Will you want me then?”

Ten days after the battle at Blackriver, Michael struggles with new forbidden desires, with his rampant Flame, and a deepening relationship with the taciturn werewolf, Commander Gabriel Flanagan.

Feeling responsible for their loss, Michael longs to rescue the students stolen by the manipulative vampire prince, Alexei Vasiliev. But the High Council refuses to free Michael from his chains. They fear the Whisperer — the half-breed who decimated an entire company of soldiers and came back from the dead. Yet, Michael still yearns for a future among the Guardians. For a place beside his Finnish, silver-eyed giant. For a home within the crazy supernatural world he’s now bound to.

But does Michael still have a future? He’s a descendent of the Warlock — from a bloodline that produces only monsters. If discovered, not even his protective lover can save him from certain execution. He may not want to.

Dark Fate is the second book in the Flame Born series. This MM urban fantasy/paranormal romance is action packed, featuring steaming hot scenes, a hunk of an alpha love interest, a chocolate-scented snarky vampire prince, a clever best friend who can kill a man with her little finger, and one too many shady characters to count. See inside for trigger warnings on both books.

This is not a standalone; Dark Flame should be read first.
This story ends on a satisfying cliffhanger.

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Flame Born series!
For book one, Dark Flame, click HERE.

 

Add to Goodreads.

 

Dark Fate by Kat Silver

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Paperback (US)
~ Also Available with KindleUnlimited ~

 

 

Excerpt



I grip the sink edge, knuckles white, and glare at the contents of the glass vial lying beside the tap. The viscous liquid, the color of a fine bottled wine, looks so innocuous. Innocent. A random sample of blood.

There’s nothing innocent about this vial’s contents.

Every time I see it, my mouth salivates with the need for a taste. Whenever I take the vial from my pocket to caress the cool glass in my hand, a clamoring monster of desire rips through me like a fire.

Not this time.

I swipe up the tube, twist out the cork, and prepare to pour the blood away. Metal clanks against ceramic, echoing through the small bathroom, as the chain between my wrist manacles knocks the sink. A heady smell of cocoa and figs hits my nostrils. My hand falters. God, that scent.

His scent.

An urgency to inhale the smell deep into my lungs, to press the glass into my lips and lick the rim, almost takes control.

Alexei. That devious vampire. He knew exactly what he was doing when he left me with this. His blood constantly tugs at me like an unfinished song. Like a broken tooth my tongue won’t leave alone.

I could wash temptation away. Watch clear water turn burgundy as the vile substance slides into the drain.

I won’t.

I’ve faced this trial for ten days, and the result never changes.

I’ve tried to show the vial to Flanagan. Tried to hand it over so he can smash the glass and destroy the contents. Somehow, it always returns to my hiding places. A dirty secret.

 

 

Can Michael find his freedom in a world that wants to chain him?

 

Reviews


Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team


Erica☆☆☆
Dark Fate is the second installment in the Flame Born series. Strongly suggest against reading as a standalone, as this is a continuation. I'd also advise that the novels are read back-to-back for the best entertainment value.

To be honest, I struggled to fall into the story for a large portion of the novel, simply because I couldn't remember what occurred in the first installment. According to my review, I was thoroughly entertained by Dark Flame. It had been nearly a year since I read it, the events not fresh in my mind. I believe had I reread the novel or had the ability to read both books back-to-back, the connection I felt to the story and its characters would have been greater. The anticipation following through from one installment to the next.

As it was, I was confused by the world building without a refresher, but more so put off on Michael, as he was operating in two modes: training and "taking the edge off" which became dominant factors of his personality, until he seemed one-dimensional. The fully developed, intriguing personality from Dark Flame didn't seem present in Dark Fate.

The world building is highly complex and well thought-out, the flame an intriguing concept when it comes to the magical systems. Michael's lineage coming into question as he trains his abilities with the flame.

As a True Grounder, Gabriel is the perfect balance for Michael, not only as a lover but as a solid presence in his life. There is a question on whether or not Michael can truly consent, Gabriel seems good for Michael on the surface, but that doesn't mean the blood doesn't still call to him – Alexei, a dark influence that constantly beckons.

Several factions are fighting over who gets to dominate Michael, which removes Michael's ability to have autonomy over himself. I spent a considerable portion of the novel not finding any of the factions to be the good guys – all wanting to use Michael for their own gains, not giving Michael a choice in the matter. While I'm supposed to support or like many of these characters, I just kept thinking that there is nothing more evil than evil masquerading as good. They all believe themselves to be good while using Michael for their own gains, not caring what Michael needs or wants if it doesn't line up with their needs or wants.

On the other hand, Alexei is written to be the bad guy. Perhaps it's because I'm always drawn toward the antagonists, but I felt as if Alexei was being authentically himself, wishing Michael to be authentically himself with their people.

Michael's personality (what the author decided to focus on for him – a throbbing hormone with too-stupid-to-live actions), the dubious physical contact that wasn't with Gabriel (which was in excess, the redundancy slowed the pacing of the story, as well as took away any and all emotional impact), and the fact that Michael and Gabriel didn't have much time together on the pages when it wasn't physical intimacy, this lessened the entertainment value for me. What I found so captivating in the first installment seemed to be missing in the second.

I am curious as to the direction the story is headed, but that same sense of anticipation I felt at the end of Dark Flame, where I was beyond eager to read the next installment, that desire is not present at the conclusion of Dark Fate.

 

 

Author Bio


Kat Silver

I’m a simple northern English lass with an addiction to writing, as well as all things romance. Also addicted to cats, cat videos, and anything with, you know, cats in it. And there's chocolate, and tea, coffee too, and rainy Sundays. Okay, I have many addictions. But my first love has always been story in all its forms, from movies to books to anecdotes told over a beer at the local pub. If we're sharing a story, I'm all ears. And if it's fantasy with sexy heroes and vampires and lots of angsty luuurve, I'm probably drooling.

Come in, pour yourself a tea, and kick your shoes off. Let me tell you a story.


Connect with Kat

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: Kat Silver's Cave

 

 

Giveaway

Enter the Dark Fate Release Giveaway on King Sumo for a chance to win a signed copy of book one, Dark Flame, and a $30 Amazon gift card.
Just click HERE.

 

 

Torn between finding answers and escaping chains, can Michael trust his werewolf lover or is the devious vampire prince the only one truly on his side.?

 

Hosted by

Gay Book Promotions.


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Dark Fate (Flame Born #2) by Kat Silver to read and review for this tour.

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Forever Wilde in Aster Valley by Lucy Lennox Blog Tour

Available Now. Forever Wilde in Aster Valley. Lucy Lennox. Bestselling Author. Blog Tour. November 15th – 17th.

When Miller Hobbs finds himself on a winter vacation in Colorado with the giant, exceedingly loud, Marian and Wilde families, he doesn’t quite know what to do with himself. He’s not really a Marian or a Wilde despite having DNA ties to both.

So every morning before the rest of the family wakes up and fills Rockley Lodge with holiday merriment (and noise), he escapes to the quaint downtown of Aster Valley where he spies a man through the bakery window kneading dough and dancing to music only he can hear. Miller is entranced by the dancing baker, and when Darius looks up and catches Miller staring, the interest suddenly goes both ways.

Can two strangers find love among the quaint chaos of an Aster Valley Christmas? Even if it includes the two most overwhelming and meddling families vying for the title of greatest matchmakers of all time?

Don’t miss our reviews of other books in the Forever Wilde series!
For book one, Facing West, click HERE.
For book seven, King Me, click HERE.

 

Add to Goodreads.

 

Forever Wilde in Aster Valley by Lucy Lennox

Book 9
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Paperback (US)
~  Also Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

 

 

Excerpt



I found a parking spot on a side street and walked up the shoveled sidewalk to the bakery. A large plate-glass window revealed the baker himself kneading a giant blob of dough on a well-worn wooden table in the back of the shop.

Something about the sight stopped me in my tracks and caused me to watch him a little longer than I should have. A little longer than was probably polite. Maybe it was the rhythm of his movements or the fact he seemed to be talking to himself. Maybe it was the way he fit the landscape—solid as the mountains, warm as sunlight, simple and magnificent at the same time. Maybe it was the way his big hands kneaded the dough with such total competence that shivers danced up my spine. Whatever it was, I couldn’t look away.

After standing still a few moments, I realized he was singing. He had headphones on and nodded his head to a silent beat. The man’s face broke into a wide, white grin as his hips began to sway, and his whole body moved with the music as he went about his work.

The baker had a messy brown bun on top of his head and a short beard with dark brown eyebrows over an expressive face. I wondered idly if he had dimples I couldn’t see from this far away. His smile was breathtaking.

He looked to be around my age, mid-to-late thirties, but it was hard to tell through the window. He wore a denim button-down shirt under a beige apron sprinkled with flour. The rest of him was hidden by the table.

I couldn’t stop watching him. I felt like a kid outside of a candy store with sticky hands pressed to the glass and big eyes filled with want.

I liked to think I was a fairly practical sort of person, a person who made the best of what he could have and didn’t spend his time yearning for things he couldn’t, but the baker had me captivated.

This one, a voice in my head whispered as I watched the baker’s biceps bunch and flex under his shirt. Yes, please.

“You have to try the melomakarona,” a woman said from behind me, startling me out of my weird, lusty fantasy. “I can’t believe this place hasn’t been overrun with people clamoring for it. It’s only a matter of time. Or… it would be if they’d do a little advertising or start a mail-order business for them. The only other place I know of that had Greek treats as good as these was a bakery I went to once in Chicago when I was in college. That place had people lined up around the corner this time of year, just to get the melomakarona.”

I turned to face the stranger, finding it harder to look away from my baker—the baker, I silently corrected myself. The baker, who was in no way mine—than I could have imagined. The woman was bundled in a puffy purple jacket with a gray wool hat over blonde hair and had a baby strapped to her chest. She smiled at me way too brightly for this hour of the morning.

“What’s melomakarona?” I asked politely.

“It’s a Greek Christmas cookie made out of honey, walnuts, and orange juice. You have to try it. Come on,” she said, grabbing my elbow. “I’ll get you one.”

I couldn’t help but laugh when I realized I’d left my own meddling family just to find myself being woman-handled and managed by someone else’s, but I was more than willing to go along with any scenario that got me closer to my—the—baker. “Okay, if you insist. I hope they have good coffee, too.”

“Definitely. And they also do an incredible kourabiethes cookie that melts in your mouth. The only reason I let myself come here so often is because I’m nursing. Surely that earns me some extra calories to spend at the bakery, right?” She continued her friendly chatter as she led me around the corner to the front door.

When we entered, I immediately felt at home. The warm space was extra cozy with an old brick fireplace in one corner and deep, comfortable-looking sofas and chairs clustered around it. Holiday music played softly from hidden speakers, and it was noticeably different from whatever up-tempo beat the baker himself had been playing in his headphones. The air was fragrant with sweet cinnamon and a dozen other spices I couldn’t name but wished I could.

A young woman smiled from behind the counter. “You’re up early, Tessa. Is Hoss teething again?”

The lady who’d brought me into the shop groaned. “The baby’s name is Conley, dammit, Hannah,” she said with a laugh. “Don’t listen to his Uncle Declan. And yes, he’s teething, so he’s been up for hours. It was a good excuse to come grab what I wanted before the crowds turn up and take all the good stuff.”

I had no problem believing that they’d sell out quickly, considering how tempting the pastries looked and smelled. But I was still focused on something far more tempting than sweets.

While the young lady behind the counter began filling a bakery box, I moved to the side to try and catch a peek through the arched doorway into the back of the bakery.

I could hear the clank of metal sheet pans, and I spotted a glimpse of the baker’s denim sleeve rolled up over his thick forearm. His thick, tattooed forearm.

Oh, man. Tattoos, too? Hngh. My palms went sweaty, and I had to swallow past a lump in my throat. I was a sucker for a man with ink.

I tried to tell myself firmly that this baker was none of my business. That I didn’t know a thing about this man. That I was a tourist, for heaven’s sake, and I was already dealing with a ridiculous number of new people in my life on top of all my work stress at home. But none of it seemed to matter. Something about this total stranger called to me, and I was dying to get a closer glimpse of him.

 

 

Reviews


Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team


Angie☆☆☆☆☆
This book was amazeballs. You don't have to read all the books in the other series to understand. You will be sucked in and fall in love, just like I did. You have the wonderful crazy family stuff, the small town, the holiday season, and two wonderful men. Miller and Darius are just perfect for each other. Watching these two together just made my heart melt and they are so good for each other. I couldn't put this book down. If you want a sweet, heartwarming story, this one is for you.

 

 

Author Bio



LUCY LENNOX is finally putting good use to that English Lit degree earned way back in the 1900s.

She stays up way too late each night reading M/M romance because she is a sucker for a good story.

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I wanted to feed him.

 

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Forever Wilde in Aster Valley (Forever Wilde #9) by Lucy Lennox to read and review for this tour.