On the Sweet Side by Audrey Carlan

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Audrey Carlan comes a story of sisters, self-discovery and a little something sweet.

Baking is Isabeau Collins’s life. Back from studying under the finest chefs in France and Italy, and with a newly minted culinary degree in hand, Izzy is ready to pursue her dream: whipping up creative confections in her own custom cake shop. But her perfect plans are waylaid when two women claiming to be her half sisters show up with a stack of letters addressed to Izzy from their late mother. Torn between launching her career and the need to learn more about her family history, Izzy makes the decision to go to Colorado to connect with the sisters she’s never known.

Then Izzy stumbles across a run-down storefront in Pueblo’s funky downtown and instantly knows that with a bit of work it’s the perfect location for her dream bakery…which means her detour to Colorado will be a permanent reroute. And with an unexpected relationship growing between Izzy and her contractor, Kyson, she has yet another reason to stick around—even if there are secrets in Kyson’s past Izzy can’t quite figure out. Fighting homesickness and self-doubt, Izzy worries that she’s making a mistake. But with her sisters close and her dreams within reach, she can’t help but wonder if her riskiest move could be the most rewarding decision she’s ever made.

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Wish series!
For book one, What the Heart Wants, click HERE.
For book two, To Catch a Dream, click HERE.

 

 

Book 3
Buy Links

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

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the third (and probably final, although I wish it weren't) book in the series, and it is pretty much essential to have read the earlier ones to understand the overall picture. There are plenty of reminders of the underlying plot if it has been a while since you read the last one, but no labouring of the points. What Carlan has done with this series is show us a flawed character, whose actions go against a lot of what is generally perceived as 'right' and unpick the outcomes and make us see there was hope, meaning, and above all, love in those actions. I don't think that makes it easier for the sisters, but it gives them peace in the end.

Isabeau and her best friend, Jasper, have just graduated when two women come to the family house and upturn all she has known about herself. As we watch her find herself again, we also see how resilient she is, and how open to new experiences, family, and especially, to love. Her immediate attraction to Kyson is very endearing, and her newly found sisters provide her with the confidence and support that she needs.

I have put this firmly in my reread when I need cheering up pile, as it definitely needs a tissue to hand, and yet is fun and life-affirming. Thank you, Audrey Carlan, for a truly lovely series.

 

 

AUDREY CARLAN is a #1 New York Times and International bestselling author. Her titles have appeared on USA Today and the Wall Street Journal. Audrey writes wicked hot love stories that have been translated in over thirty different languages across the globe. She is best known for the world-wide bestselling series Calendar Girl and Trinity.

She lives in the California Valley where she enjoys her two children and the love of her life. When she's not writing, you can find her teaching yoga, sipping wine with her "soul sisters," or with her nose stuck in a steamy romance novel.

Connect with Audrey

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: Audrey Carlan's Wicked Hot Readers

 

 

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of On the Sweet Side (Wish #3) by Audrey Carlan to read and review.

Wild Spirit by Audrey Carlan Blog Tour

The newest sizzling romance from Audrey Carlan, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Calendar Girl series.

When I was born, I was beloved by my parents. I felt their warmth from the tips of my toes to the untamable curls in my hair—until tragedy hit and I lost them both.

With no extended family, I ended up in Kerrighan House, a home for girls just like me—girls who’d lost everything. Mama Kerri took me in and treated me with nothing but love, as did the rest of my sisters of the soul. In that house, we formed a bond that could never be broken.

Now danger seems to follow all of us. But what danger could come to me: a petite, high-school Spanish teacher who’d never hurt a fly? The only one on my tail is Omar Alvarado, the bodyguard hired to protect me from the danger lurking around my sisters. The more I shun his advances though, the harder he tries to earn my favor. Omar seems to like my brand of sass and doesn’t hide the fact he wants me for his own.

I’m determined to not get caught up in his beautiful smile, the sexy suggestions he whispers in my ear, or that incredible body that would make any woman swoon with desire.

Even with the tension rising between us, all seemed to be kept in check—until I found myself in the middle of a high stakes bank robbery.

And the only one who could save me, was the one man I tried so desperately to push away.

Note: Each book in the Soul Sister series can be read as a standalone.

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Soul Sister series!
For book one, Wild Child, click HERE.
For book two, Wild Beauty, click HERE.

 

 

Book 3
Buy Links

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

 

 

Which is when I truly noticed all that was Omar the bodyguard.

Heat infused my cheeks as I stared slack-jawed at the magnificent man in front of me. He was much larger than me, but most people were. My sisters called me “Sprite” for a reason. Standing at only five foot three, I was several inches shorter than all of them. Standing next to Addy I seemed miniscule in comparison.

Only this man was something else. Muscular biceps stretched the fabric of his black athletic T-shirt to the very limits. The hem dug into his warm brown skin as though trying desperately not to tear against such bulk. My gaze flowed down his wide chest that went into a V-shape at his waist. I could actually see the ridges and indents of what had to be a washboard stomach through the tight fabric. On his lower half he wore black cargo pants and matching boots, but it wasn’t the imposing nature of his size or clothing that unnerved me. It was his sleek, gorgeous face. Rigid jawline, slashes for cheekbones, and dark, arching eyebrows that haloed the prettiest deep brown eyes. My own were milk chocolate brown, but his, they were melted brown sugar, searing with intensity as we both stood silent and looked our fill of the other. His hair was cut short at the sides with long black layers slicked back and swept off his face on top. If he were wearing a suit, he’d have no trouble fitting in as a put-together businessman with that chosen hairstyle. His lips looked plush, with a plumper bottom one that would be fun to suck on and snap back playfully.

My blood warmed and seemed to pump faster as the images of touching all that muscle, trailing my fingertips along such golden skin, invaded my mind. The more I took in, the more I realized he was simply the most handsome man I’d ever laid eyes on.

Trying to hide my visceral response, I pushed a lock of unruly curls behind my ear, checked that my flirty sundress wasn’t out of place after my dash down the stairs, and slowly looked up into those brown sugar eyes. “Um, hola. I’m Liliana.”

He smiled, and I swallowed slowly while letting out a breath I’d been holding since this vision of male perfection entered my sphere of recognition.

Addison’s voice broke me out of my reverie. “Well, I’m going to leave you two to your introductions. See you later?”

My automatic response was to nod dumbly.

 

 

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, as the story is ongoing. This one picks up part way through the previous book, this time from Liliana's viewpoint.

After the last book, it seemed unlikely that there could be any more drama, but this time it is pure chance and incredible bad luck which causes danger to a soul sister. I was really curious how it could possibly play out, but should not have worried, as I am well aware of Carlan's writing talents. It is a very tense and engaging plot, which helps showcase Omar's seriousness about his feelings for the wary Liliana.

I loved catching up with the Kerrighan family and seeing how the previous romances were standing firm and that there were possibilities for the sisters who are still single. We are promised more stories only if we ask for them and time permits... so I am definitely adding my voice to a request for more Soul Sister stories – no rush, but yes please!

 

 

AUDREY CARLAN is a #1 New York Times and International bestselling author. Her titles have appeared on USA Today and the Wall Street Journal. Audrey writes wicked hot love stories that have been translated in over thirty different languages across the globe. She is best known for the world-wide bestselling series Calendar Girl and Trinity.

She lives in the California Valley where she enjoys her two children and the love of her life. When she's not writing, you can find her teaching yoga, sipping wine with her "soul sisters," or with her nose stuck in a steamy romance novel.

Connect with Audrey

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: Audrey Carlan's Wicked Hot Readers

 

 

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Wild Spirit (Soul Sister #3) by Audrey Carlan to read and review for this tour.

Wild Beauty by Audrey Carlan Blog Tour

The newest sizzling romance from Audrey Carlan, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Calendar Girl series.

My life has never been easy. Not from the day I took my first breath until now. Only days old, I was placed in a laundry basket and left in front of a firehouse. I never knew who my parents were before being shuffled around from one bad foster home to another. Until the day I arrived at Kerrighan House.

My safe haven.

My home.

I was welcomed with open arms into a world where love and sisterhood were the rule, not the exception. From that moment on, I believed I was safe. That nothing bad could touch me.

I was so wrong.

Neither my success as a full-figured lingerie and fashion model nor my street smarts as a born and bred Chicago native, safeguarded me against walking into the clutches of a monster.

As I try to pull my life back together, I’m brought face to face with a man whose wounds mirror my own. Under his protection, I’m gifted the opportunity to find beauty where there has only ever been pain. And yet, danger lurks, as a new evil threatens to bring me to my knees.

Can my savior protect me, or has my fate been sealed?

Note: Each book in the Soul Sister series can be read as a standalone.

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Soul Sister series!
For book one, Wild Child, click HERE.

 

 

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Paperback (US)

 

 

Killian came over to me and stopped a couple feet away. “You doin’ okay?”

I nodded and pushed a lock of hair behind my ear suddenly feeling shy. “Everything is a little awkward but I’m rolling with it. Thank you for sharing your space and willingly shooting in your home. This can’t be fun for you.”

He smiled softly. “Why wouldn’t having something unearthly beautiful to photograph in my home not be fun for me?”

I bit down on my bottom lip and looked at the floor, trying to hide how much his compliment lifted my confidence.

“I’m still scared.”

“Of the guy who hurt that girl?” He clarified.

I shook my head. “No… actually, yeah, that too. It’s just… This is my first shoot back after the other thing and now it’s blowing up again. I just want to apologize in advance if I randomly I stare off into space or have one of my moments.”

He stepped so close I could almost feel the heat of his larger frame cocooning mine, reminding me that there was someone perfectly capable of protecting me. Him.

“Last time when you paused during the shoot, you went somewhere. What happened then?” he asked.

“I… uh, went back to that horrible place where I was kept. The guy, he took pictures and video of me. Sometimes the sound of the flash or a picture being taken can send me back there.”

He lifted up a finger. “I’ve got an idea. What if we drown out the sound?”

I tilted my head. “How so?”

“Music, of course. What do you like?”

I shrugged. “Most everything, but I’m really into Lana Del Rey right now.”

“She’s awesome. Why don’t you go get your hair and makeup done while I set up and get some music on? I need to choose the first outfit and props to see what we’re working with.”

Without any preamble, I closed the space between us and wrapped my arms around his neck. I lifted up onto my toes so I could whisper against his ear while hugging him. “Thank you. For making me feel safe. For giving me a private space. For understanding my issues…”

He wrapped his arms around my body, bringing me flush against his hard frame. I relaxed into his return hug.

“When I say it’s my pleasure, I really mean it, Addy. There’s something about you. About your beauty. About your body. About your entire package that calls to me, unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. I have to capture your beauty on film. It feels… important somehow.”

I trembled in his hold, not because I was afraid, but because the things he said turned my insides to mush and my body to nothing but liquid desire.

I wanted him.

Badly.

“We’re going to break all the rules about models and photographers getting mixed up with one another, aren’t we?” I whispered against his thick, manly neck where I scented a light cologne mixed with a heady, earthy musk that had to be all Killian.

“I sure as hell hope so.” He ran his hand up my back and cupped my cheek, his thumb tracing my bottom lip in a feather-light caress. His gaze seared straight through to the heart of me.

 

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars of intense and exciting storytelling

This is the second book in the series, and I absolutely think you need to read them in order. This story follows on directly from the last book and elements of the story follow it. You will get some sense of what happened, but the real importance of what happened will be lost to you. Audrey Carlan writes really well, and this is a good example of her work. I am going to assume that you have read it in my review.

We are back with the soul sisters in Kerrigan House, trying to put their lives back together after the terrible ending of the previous book. Then, just as they think that they can get back to as normal as normal is, there is news of danger to Addy, which forces them all to regroup and be under guard for their safety. The news is delivered whilst Addy is at her first photoshoot after the kidnapping and injuries that she sustained. The shoot photographer, Killian, steps in to support her, and the electricity between them is definitely an unexpected bonus.

As the plot unfolds, we get to learn more about Killian's background, how he can protect her, and how determined he is to look after her heart as well as her body. He is absolutely dreamy, and Addy totally deserves such adoration.

Be ready to catch a tear or two as things do get emotional – the soul sisters are such a close bunch that they laugh together and support each other through the tough times too. I am really looking forward to the next installment.

 

 

AUDREY CARLAN is a #1 New York Times and International bestselling author. Her titles have appeared on USA Today and the Wall Street Journal. Audrey writes wicked hot love stories that have been translated in over thirty different languages across the globe. She is best known for the world-wide bestselling series Calendar Girl and Trinity.

She lives in the California Valley where she enjoys her two children and the love of her life. When she's not writing, you can find her teaching yoga, sipping wine with her "soul sisters," or with her nose stuck in a steamy romance novel.

Connect with Audrey

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: Audrey Carlan's Wicked Hot Readers

 

 

 

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Wild Beauty (Soul Sister #2) by Audrey Carlan to read and review for this tour.

To Catch a Dream by Audrey Carlan Blog Tour

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the worldwide phenomenon Calendar Girl series brings readers a poignant and honest look at life’s most complicated relationships.

When their mother passed away, Evie Ross and her sister were each given a stack of letters, one to be opened every year on their birthday; letters their free-spirited mother hoped would inspire and guide them through adulthood. But although Evie has made a successful career, her desire for the stability and security she never had from her parents has meant she’s never experienced the best life has to offer. But the discovery of more letters hidden in a safe-deposit box points to secrets her mother held close, and possibly a new way for Evie to think about her family, her heart and her dreams.

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Wish series!
For book one, What the Heart Wants, click HERE.

 

 

Book 2
Buy Links

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

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series, and I would definitely recommend that you read them in order. I loved that we got Evie's story, as Suda Kaye starred in book one and her viewpoints were very different.

As Evie finally has her sister home, she is feeling that life is a little more settled. Then her all-time crush, Milo, suddenly starts paying her attention and really, she does not know what to do with it. It is disconcerting, and as everyone always leaves her, she is not really ready to believe that this could be real, or permanent.

It was great fun to catch up with everyone from the first book, and to see a settled, married, successful-business owning Suda Kaye. That she got to double date with her sister and encourage her to enjoy Milo's attention is a bonus, but it also brings up a lot of Evie's issues with being abandoned. They both need to find each other again, and for Evie, she finds that she needs to return to her grandfather's and regroup. I found it very moving that she has to work through so many issues that she has just ploughed through for years.

Milo was described with great care in What the Heart Wants, so we know the basics – and of Evie's unrequited love for him. This time we get her more sensual descriptions of his silky black hair, his looks, his body, and we also learn about his past, his heart, and his ex-wife. He is a strong character, but not overbearing – which works well with Evie's nature, and gives us a sigh of relief that he is going to be strong for her, but not too strong for her.

The story takes a very interesting turn towards the end, and whilst I guessed it in part, it definitely means that the next book will be very interesting indeed!

 

 

AUDREY CARLAN is a #1 New York Times and International bestselling author. Her titles have appeared on USA Today and the Wall Street Journal. Audrey writes wicked hot love stories that have been translated in over thirty different languages across the globe. She is best known for the world-wide bestselling series Calendar Girl and Trinity.

She lives in the California Valley where she enjoys her two children and the love of her life. When she's not writing, you can find her teaching yoga, sipping wine with her "soul sisters," or with her nose stuck in a steamy romance novel.

Connect with Audrey

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: Audrey Carlan's Wicked Hot Readers

 

 

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of To Catch a Dream (Wish #2) by Audrey Carlan to read and review for this tour.

Wild Child by Audrey Carlan Blog Tour

The newest sizzling romance from Audrey Carlan, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Calendar Girl series.

Twice my life changed in a single day.

The first was when I lost my parents. Hand in hand I walked with my big sister up the steps of Kerrighan House, a foster home for girls. We were lucky to be met with open arms and a house filled with children just like us. Children who’d lost everything. From that day forward, we were raised as one big family. Our bonds of sisterhood were strengthened through shared experience, pain, sacrifice, and love. Sisters not by blood, but by choice.

Soul sisters.

The second day my life changed was on the worst day of my adult life. My boyfriend broke up with me via text. My sleazy boss hit on me, forcing me to quit a job I desperately needed. And the cherry on top, was getting pulled over by an FBI Agent. Little did I know, he’d also save my life that night.

From the moment we met, Agent Fontaine wouldn’t dare let me out of his sight. And between his alpha ways, kind brown eyes, and heroism, I was lost to the man who hid behind his job. But this agent had a rule: never fall for a woman you’ve saved.

Yet I wasn’t just any woman. I was known among my sisters for taking risks and dreaming big. I was the wild child of the group. We were raised to appreciate every day as the gift it was, and not let anything stand in our way. The more I got to know the brooding, serious FBI man, the more I realized maybe it was my duty to save him.

 

 

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

 

 

“Are you arresting me?” A deluge of tears fell down my cheeks as my chest constricted and my stomach plummeted.

“Ma’am just follow me. Closer.” He waved his non-gun-toting hand as he walked backward.

“I don’t understand. This is so crazy. I didn’t do anything wrong. I swear! It’s my car and I don’t have drugs. You can check it.”

“And I will, when you’re safely sitting in my car.”

“Oh my God! You’re arresting me!”

That’s when I lost it.

I punched my hands into my hair, tugging on the long, beachy golden waves until they were hanging off my now heated neck.

“This is unbelievable! The absolute worst day of my entire life. And my parents died in a fire! At the same time! And I had to go to foster care with my sister. And this day, oh my God. Sonia! My sister… no, Officer, you cannot arrest me. You do not understand what this will do to my sister. She’s the…”

“Ma’am! Get over here now!” The officer grated through a super scary rumble pushing me into immediate action.

When I got closer, he latched onto my wrist and tugged me close to his body. My chest slammed against his and I placed my hands to his muscular biceps. I stared up into the darkest set of eyes I’d ever seen. Like a black cup of coffee, yet with little golden-brown flecks at the center. His skin was an olive tone, his jaw cut square, framed by cheekbones that were sharp slashes as though chiseled into fine marble. He had dark brown hair that was longer on top and shorter at the sides. If I had to guess, I’d put him in the dark Italian stallion category or Greek god.

He was beautiful.

One of his hands moved to my waist where he squeezed, and he dipped his head so close to my ear I could feel his warm breath against my cheek. “We received a report that someone crawled into the back of a blonde woman’s red old-model four-door Honda Civic at a gas station. First two letters of the license plate are A2.”

“W-what?”

“I need to check your car. Fast. If it’s not you, another woman could get hurt.”

“Oh my god! I did get gas.” I held onto his biceps so hard I may have left nail imprints.

“It’s okay, you’re safe now,” he murmured, and I closed my eyes, taking in his woodsy and fresh linens scent. It helped calm me instantly.

Until we both heard the familiar metal creaking sound against the quiet of the cool night.

I whirled around and saw a thin, tall man standing next to my car, a full ski mask covering most of his face aside from cutouts around the eyes and mouth.

Before I could do or say anything, I was grabbed around the waist and spun behind the cop as the guy in a mask lifted his arm, pointed a gun, and fired off two shots.

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars of excitement, romance, and family

This is a really good story – fast-paced, tightly plotted, dramatic, romantic, and tragic. It really is a page turner from the get go, and make sure you have a tissue, because I think you may need one.

Simone is working three jobs and studying on the side, She lives in a poor part of town, drives a pretty rubbish car, but she has her independence. Somewhat surprisingly, her sister is a senator, and her family is a group of fostered sisters and her foster mom. Driving from one job to another something happens to her – which may give me a degree of fear for weeks after I fill up with fuel at a garage 🙁 – and then a very intense drama ensues.

Jonah is clearly a very sexy guy, and he is instantly attracted to the pocket rocket that is Simone. I loved how we got to know about her from her sisters and foster mother. Also that they speak to each other about everything, so there is no need for her to have to explain anything to the reader – a lovely device.

There is a lot of hinting as to possible future storylines, and I have to admit I cannot wait. I am a big Audrey Carlan fan and am confident that this is a series which I will be following closely.

 

 

Audrey Carlan is a #1 New York Times and International bestselling author. Her titles have appeared on USA Today and the Wall Street Journal. Audrey writes wicked hot love stories that have been translated in over thirty different languages across the globe. She is best known for the world-wide bestselling series Calendar Girl and Trinity.

She lives in the California Valley where she enjoys her two children and the love of her life. When she's not writing, you can find her teaching yoga, sipping wine with her "soul sisters," or with her nose stuck in a steamy romance novel.

Connect with Audrey

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Audrey Carlan's Wicked Hot Readers Facebook Group

 

 

 

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Wild Child (Soul Sister #1) by Audrey Carlan to read and review for this tour.

What the Heart Wants by Audrey Carlan

From the #1 bestselling author of the beloved Calendar Girl books comes the first in a witty, wise and emotionally compelling new series, where coming home is just the beginning…

“Fly free.”

For ten years those words, written on pink parchment paper in her mother’s beautiful handwriting, have been Suda Kaye Ross’s guiding star. Every year on her birthday, Suda Kaye opens another of the letters her mother penned before she passed, heeding the advice inside as she fills her life with experiences. From Italy to Australia, from Rio to Russia, she’s slaked her wanderlust. And then, on her twenty-eighth birthday, she opens the letter that sends her home.

Returning to Colorado means confronting everything—and everyone—she left behind, including her cherished sister, Evie, and her first love, Camden Bryant. Suda Kaye and Cam spent four years and one unforgettable night together. Given the way she ran out on him, it’s no surprise that he’s wary, resentful… and engaged to someone else. Evie, hardworking and überresponsible, just wants her sister to put down roots at last.

For Evie’s sake, and her own, Suda Kaye is trying to build a new life, all the while wondering whether it’s too late to come back home—or if the most important part of her never really left.

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Harlequin

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
I am a huge Audrey Carlan fan, and this is another excellent, fabulous read. I loved them all from page one and didn't put it down until my eyes were closing over the matchsticks. It is such a lovely story, which I will definitely have on my to reread list in the "make me smile and cheer me up" column.

Suda Kaye has been on the adventure of lifetime, but now decides it’s time to go home. No one there can really trust that after ten years of travel she will really settle, so there is a sadness about them waiting for the shoe to drop. This is so beautifully written and lived out, that I could feel the desire of Evie to believe her, of Cam to think there might be a chance she'd stay, but they can't quite.

I loved the boutique being created, the fun with the constructor, and the craft items that she creates to sell. It was a wonderful marker of her arrival, yet her remaining a flamboyant and free person, marching to her own beat, but building a business around her skills and to bring happiness to others through beautiful things.

As for the romance, well it had been 14 years in the making/waiting, but with the complication of a fiancée and her crazy sidekick, things don't go smoothly, until they do... and we get to see that maybe 10 years apart was the making of them, not the end at all.

I do hope that we get Evie's story too – as the Porter-Milo issues need to be explored.

Audrey Carlan is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over 40 novels, including the worldwide phenomenon Calendar Girl serial, and her books have been translated into more than 30 languages across the globe. Audrey lives in the California Valley with her two children and the love of her life.

Connect with Audrey

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Audrey Carlan's Wicked Hot Readers Facebook Group

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of What the Heart Wants (Wish #1) by Audrey Carlan to read and review.

Mind by Audrey Carlan Blog Tour

I’m a magnet for evil and controlling men. Chase, my big business tycoon and love of my life, thinks he can protect me…he can’t.

No one can.

It became clear far too late how serious my stalker was, that his threats weren’t idle. He proved more than once that he would do what it takes, that there were no stakes too high to his sick and twisted games and delusions of worship.

We should have been better prepared. The roses, images, lingerie soaked in his seed, even his calling card written in blood didn’t penetrate. I had faith that my love could make it go away, that eventually he’d be caught.

I was wrong.

***

In the second highly anticipated erotic suspense novel in the Trinity Trilogy, MIND digs deep into the heart and psyche of Gillian and her stalker through dueling POVs.

While Chase and Gillian plan their wedding, follow them and the entire gang as the stalker acts out his revenge and plots his attack on Gillian, Chase, and their friends.

This book can be considered dark, erotic, and thrilling. As in Body (Trinity Trilogy Book 1) the issue of domestic violence plays heavily in the storyline, and Gillian experiences many disturbing flashbacks of the past, alongside tragedy the stalker brings to the present. There is also a lot of love, devotion, and friendship.

Warning: This book is designed for audiences 18+ due to language, graphic sexual content, and themes that some may find disturbing. MIND is book 2 of a three-part trilogy. Body (Trinity Trilogy - Book 1) must be read prior to reading MIND.

Book 2
Buy Links

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“That’s it baby, you take my cock,” he presses deep. “Take. It. All. The. Way.” He grunts until he’s seated to the very hilt, his heavy balls slapping against the crack of my ass. “You feel me, Gillian. You feel me inside you. I’m always going to be there. Taking you, taking what’s mine, giving you what’s yours.” He breathes heavily as he stirs his cock inside me. “You want that? All of me. Every” thrust “fucking,” thrust, “inch” thrust, “Of me,” thrust,” is yours,” he lets out in a feverish rush.

He tugs at my hips spearing me on his thick cook, the lips of my sex protesting with each massive thrust. It’s divine. Him taking me this way. Proving that nothing will keep him from me.

“What do you feel?” He brings a wicked thumb into the mix, swirling the digit around my clit in dizzying circles that sends lightning to my sex.

“I feel…” I try to catch my breath as my orgasm builds, swirls like a boiling pot, my spine tightening, limbs protesting as the first waves of release shimmer through me. “I feel us.” He smiles, comes down onto me and powers into me.

“What else?” He grates. His skin is shining with sweat at the effort to hold back, not just pound and pour into me. No, he wants it to be good for me and it always is.

“Baby, it’s everything,” I whisper into his ear as I cling to him in a full body clench before tipping my head back and roaring through my release. I grip him to me so tightly I can feel the exact moment his spine stiffens, one vertebra at a time, in extreme pleasure, before pouring his release into me. The orgasm goes on and on as we both ride the wave for long minutes.

When I come back from Nirvana, I’m still clinging to him, only now I’m sprawled naked on his chest, both of us panting like we just ran a full marathon. Chase extends his arm and shuffles through his pants. He pulls out his phone holds it out and takes a picture.

“Now look at the camera for me this time. I want to keep this moment with me forever,” he says. I can only oblige him. Certain that my breasts are plastered against his chest I peek up through my hair and my hiding place on his chest. One of my hands is lying against his rapidly beating heart. We both look at the camera, and I give my secret smile, the one I only give to him. He takes the picture and turns it around so I can see. It’s breathtakingly beautiful. I see the Drum Bridge clearly in the distance but most importantly, I see Chase, his eyes sated and untarnished by his past or our current situation. My own gaze is soft, resplendent. Mostly, it’s just another candid moment of us in love.

“Send it to me…that one is special,” I use the same words he used about the other image. He nods once and then tosses the phone back down near his pants. We lay together for a long time.

“Do you think it will always be this good between us?” I finally ask. His arms tighten along my bare back and waist.

I lean up and rest my chin on his chest like I usually do after we make love.

“I don’t know why it wouldn’t. I’m positive there is no other woman for me. No one else would put up with me the way you do.” He waggles his eyebrows, but I know there is some truth in his statement.

Kissing him softly, I pull back. “You’re right. No woman in their right mind would put up with you,” he cringes, but I continue. “Special dates and private garden showings, rooftop brunches, endless love making where the woman’s pleasure is paramount…you’re right. You’re ridiculous!” I giggle, and he nuzzles my nose.

“You’re cute.”

“Didn’t we already have this conversation? Cute is for puppies and newborns not naked women in their twenties who allow you to ravish them in public gardens.”

Chase laughs, and I enjoy feeling his cock wiggle within me. He likes to stay connected to me for as long as possible, but I know our private time is running out.

“Don’t we need to go?”

He kisses me then sits up. I shimmy off him and stand. The mixture of our combined releases coats my thighs and starts running down my leg. Chase watches closely, a predatory gleam in his eyes and a crooked, sexy smile on his face. I roll my eyes and grab the soft napkin that came with our picnic, wiping the mess up before putting on my panties, bra, and dress.

Chase dresses and I start to put everything away. “Leave it. I’ve paid someone to take care of it for us.” Of course he did. I shake my head and he puts my cardigan over my shoulders, the chill of the late afternoon in San Francisco starting to encroach.

“Next up...dessert,” Chase says as he leads me out the gate of the garden. I close my eyes and try to imprint today’s experience so that I can go back to it often. Whenever I have a rough day, I’m going to go back to those rainbow steps that tell a story so beautiful one must experience it with their own eyes, and the magical garden where Chase made wild and crazy love to me under the cool shade of a willow tree.

“I thought that’s what we just had,” I say, the innuendo clear in my tone.

“You saucy little vixen, come on. I know a place that serves up the best caramel cupcakes baked fresh every day.”

“You had me at ‘saucy little vixen’,” I grin.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Johanna – ☆☆☆
This is the second book in the Trinity Trilogy, and not a standalone. We left off with an engagement and now we are planning the wedding. A wedding that someone doesn't want to happen. Gillian's stalker goes to grave methods to keep her apart from Chase but it only seems to bind them closer. I liked the synopsis but I just could not get serious about this book. Some of the sexual moments came out of something bad happening and for me it just didn't fit. Overall entertainment value is three stars.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆
This is the second installment in Chase and Gigi's story – and after the engagement in book one, now we move towards the wedding. Her stalker is really not pleased at this development, and he makes that abundantly clear. As with the first book, I find there to be really enjoyable, believable moments, and then ones which are just too much. Chase is SO perfect that it can be difficult to accept that he is real – wonderful but sometimes so much that it draws me out of the story. Their unfailing security in each other can be more cloying than intense. Part of the issue is a very flowery writing style, which is not to my usual taste. That said, there is passion, tension and plenty of drama – how this will conclude in book 3 is definitely on my mind.

Also Available in the Trinity Trilogy

Book 1
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Audrey Carlan is a professional fundraiser for an international healthcare related charity by day, and a sensual and erotic contemporary romance writer by night. She lives in the sunny California Valley two hours away from the city, the beach, the mountains and the precious…the vineyards. She has been married to the love of her life for 10 years and has two young children that live up to their title of “Monster Madness” on daily basis. When she’s not raising money, sipping wine with her “soul sisters”, three incredibly different and unique voices in her life, she can be found with her nose stuck in book or her Kindle. A hot, smutty, romantic book to be exact!

In life she believes that all things have their purpose even if we are unable to determine the purpose immediately.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Mind (Trinity Trilogy #2) by Audrey Carlan to read and review for this tour.