Safeguard by Stephanie Rose Blog Tour

Jilted. Living in a glorified closet. The world’s worst bar waitress. I just need to keep a roof over my head and make tuition payments until I can finish graduate school. Then my real life will start. But right now, long nights at the Speakeasy have me burning the candle at both ends and the wax melting all over my fingers.

When a bar manager offers me a job taking care of his adorable five-year-old daughter, it seems like the perfect solution. I get a quiet place to study. Matteo gets a reliable sitter.

There should be no complications. Except that I like my new boss a little too much. His gorgeous dark eyes humble me, and the long talks we share fill me up inside. I can’t possibly fall for him.

But the undeniable pull between us leads to a scorching kiss I can’t ignore or forget, and suddenly I’ve fallen for them both, father and daughter.

And now three hearts are at stake.

Safeguard is a stand-alone novel set in Sarina Bowen’s World of True North.

Welcome to Speakeasy, where the beer is handcrafted, the patrons wear flannel, and the romance is steamier than the gourmet kitchen out back. The Speakeasy Taproom books are standalone romances set in small-town Vermont. Jump in anywhere!

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Speakeasy Taproom series!
For book one, Touchstone, click HERE.
For book two, Heartwood, click HERE.
For book three, Homecoming, click HERE.
For book four, Sideways, click HERE.
For book five, Wildflower, click HERE.
For book six, Firefly, click HERE.
For book seven, Starlight, click HERE.
For book eight, Stargazer, click HERE.

 

 

Book 9
Buy Links

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

 

 

“This was great. Thank you for dinner and for ice cream.” Melanie’s mouth stretched into a tight smile as she reached for her bag.

“You don’t have to go. Stay. I’ll switch the movie to something we both haven’t seen a hundred times.”

“Yes, I do.” Her arms dropped to her sides. “If I stay—” she trailed off when I framed her face.

“If you stay, what are you afraid of?” I ran my thumbs back and forth over her cheekbones. Her full bottom lip quivered as she took in a shaky breath.

“Everything.” She clenched her eyes shut and grabbed my wrists.

“This is probably a bad idea,” I confessed, so close to her lips I could almost taste her.

“The worst,” she agreed with a breathless whisper.

I wasn’t sure who went in first, but before I knew it, my mouth was slanted over hers. I ran my tongue along the seam of her lips, pushing inside her mouth when it opened on a whimper. She looped her arms around my neck, my body shaking against hers as I forced myself to go slow. She felt too good, tasted too good. With Melanie in my arms, all of my control and reason evaporated.

She broke the kiss, both of us panting as I kept my hands on her waist. I studied her face for a reaction. I wanted her so much that my vision was hazy, but I was letting her take the lead.

Melanie pressed her hands against my chest, drifting them down my torso until she hooked her fingers into the belt loops at my waist.

“What do you want, Melanie? Tell me.”

She straightened, flicking her eyes to mine before grabbing the back of my head and pulling me in for a sloppy, mindless kiss. I kept my lips on hers as I backed her against the wall, dragging my lips down her neck and running my tongue along her throat.

I sifted my fingers into her hair, weaving them around a fistful to tilt her head back.

“Look at me,” I whispered.

She met my gaze with hooded eyes and swollen lips, and she never looked more beautiful.

“What I want is you, and I’m sick of denying it.”

 

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the ninth book in the series. I recommend all the books in the Sarina Bowen True North World – whether at the Speakeasy, Vino & Veritas, or the Busy Bean – you are in for a treat if you haven't started them yet. This one is really fun, as we have all grown to care about Matteo and his little girl, Lauren.

After Lauren's mother walks out when she is just six months old, Matteo parents alone, but in the place they grew up together. He is fed up of the attention that gets and the pity he has bestowed upon him. So when his good friend suggests he move to work at the Speakeasy, it is a wrench, yet an easy decision. All is going well, until his regular babysitter moves away. There are some real babysitter nightmare stories, which really made me feel for him!!

Melanie moved away when her parents moved, but now she is back in town and working to fund her return to grad school to become a teacher. We learn that she had lost herself whilst in a serious relationship, but he broke the engagement, and it is time for her to do what she wants. To fund this, she is working at the Speakeasy – not really her thing (a massive understatement!), and not something she does well, but somehow, she makes it work, most of the time. When a chance to help out Matteo by looking after Laura shows all of them how well that works, Matteo is keen to have her take on more childcare hours rather than bar ones.

It is great fun seeing how the trio of Matteo, Lauren, and Melanie fall into an easy routine and are very happy when together. I enjoyed how the rest of the bar staff understood what was happening long before the two of them acknowledged it.

A very sweet, sexy read, with Lauren being a key part of the storyline. Another good addition to the series.

 

 

 

STEPHANIE ROSE lives in the Bronx, New York with her superhero-obsessed husband and son.

Her day job is marketing, but she always has a story in her head. This lifelong New Yorker lives for Starbucks, book boyfriends, and 80s rock. After spending most of her youth watching soaps, Stephanie has an obsession with angsty drama and hot romance.

She’s excited to finally bring the characters she’s been dreaming about to life!

Connect with Stephanie

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

 

 

 

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Safeguard (Speakeasy Taproom #9) by Stephanie Rose to read and review for this tour.

Stargazer by Wendy S. Marcus Release Blitz

Randall Dickson is coping. Sort of. An upcoming medical eval, one that could end his military career, has him stressed and making bad choices. So when a concerned friend issues a strongly-worded “invitation” to Vermont, R.D. is all in for a change of scenery, a temporary job as a bartender, and the opportunity to shake himself out of his self-destructive routine.

Then he sets eyes on his seriously sexy new co-worker…

Lily Reynolds, an artist by day, Speakeasy’s favorite bartender at night, works hard to stay positive, unlike her surly new coworker. He may be a treat to look at, but that grumpy attitude and terse manner are not her type. So when Lily finds herself in desperate need of someone to share expenses, she convinces R.D. to rent her vacant room. There’s no way she’ll find herself falling for him.

She’d like to find the secret admirer who’s leaving her secret love notes around the bar, though. But he won’t reveal himself...

This standalone contains: opposites who definitely attract, a workplace romance and an opinionated French bulldog.

Stargazer is a stand-alone novel set in Sarina Bowen’s World of True North.

Welcome to Speakeasy, where the beer is handcrafted, the patrons wear flannel, and the romance is steamier than the gourmet kitchen out back. The Speakeasy Taproom books are standalone romances set in small-town Vermont. Jump in anywhere!

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Speakeasy Taproom series!
For book one, Touchstone, click HERE.
For book two, Heartwood, click HERE.
For book three, Homecoming, click HERE.
For book four, Sideways, click HERE.
For book five, Wildflower, click HERE.
For book six, Firefly, click HERE.
For book seven, Starlight, click HERE.

 

 

Book 8
Buy Links

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

 

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the eighth book in the series – and is part of a wide family of stories all based in Sarina Bowen's True North World. I have read many of them and can recommend them all! We get different authors' writing styles, bringing us different viewpoints of the Vermont residents, their lives, and their loves – great fun.

This book deals with a very serious issue of fighting a painkiller addiction, following on from an injury whilst in the military. R.D. – the better short form of Randall Dickson (I am guessing you can work out the original one quite easily!) – has been invited by his old friend, Griff Shipley, to come and work at the Speakeasy whilst he recovers and prepares to return to active service.

At the bar he meets Lily, also bar staff, and very popular and friendly with customers. Lily has a deadbeat boyfriend, who R.D. soon sees off, and somehow, he ends up moving in with her, as a roommate, to help with the bills. They both know that there is a lot of chemistry swirling around, and we get to sit on the sidelines and watch just how their fated romance could possibly actually work.

It is a sexy, fun story, even though it is also moving; dealing with Lily's issues with men, as well as R.D.'s painkiller problems and his identity being so linked with his life as a Marine.

Another good addition to the series, with a good number of the team featuring in the story as well.

 

 

 

WENDY S. MARCUS is an award-winning, multi-published author of contemporary romance. Wendy lives in the beautiful Hudson Valley region of New York… where she spends way too much time indoors on her computer. Writing. Really! Okay, more like… where she spends way too much time on Twitter and Facebook! To learn more about Wendy and the books she’s managed to write, in spite of her social media addiction, peruse her website.

Connect with Wendy

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

 

 

 

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Stargazer (Speakeasy Taproom #8) by Wendy S. Marcus to read and review for this tour.

Starlight by Christine DePetrillo Release Blitz

He doesn’t trust women. She only trusts dogs. Why can’t they keep their paws off each other?

Darren Reade builds stone walls in Vermont—and around his heart. Women don’t stick around, so it’s better to put up No Trespassing signs and focus on raising his adopted son. Darren is willing to do whatever it takes to help the boy cope with his mother’s death. But doing it alone is a challenge.

Grace Hollings indulges her love of old-school jazz by singing nights at the Speakeasy Taproom, and spends her days training service dogs, connecting small humans with smart pooches. Of course she’d planned to be married already, but a failed engagement has taught her that dogs make better company than men.

One evening, Grace and Darren don’t exchange names, but they do engage in a single night neither of them will forget. Is once all there is? Or can they train their hearts to trust what they’ve built under the starlight?

Starlight is a stand-alone novel set in Sarina Bowen’s World of True North.

Welcome to Speakeasy, where the beer is handcrafted, the patrons wear flannel, and the romance is steamier than the gourmet kitchen out back. The Speakeasy Taproom books are standalone romances set in small-town Vermont. Jump in anywhere!

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Speakeasy Taproom series!
For book one, Touchstone, click HERE.
For book two, Heartwood, click HERE.
For book three, Homecoming, click HERE.
For book four, Sideways, click HERE.
For book five, Wildflower, click HERE.
For book six, Firefly, click HERE.

 

 

Book 7
Buy Links

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

 

 

“So what will you do then?”

In the mirror, I caught Kolton’s confused scowl. How did one explain the purpose of a date to a ten-year-old boy? With all of his difficulties, Kolton hadn’t noticed girls yet. Not that I wanted to rush into that territory, but he was oblivious to them.

“I imagine we’ll talk, eat, and enjoy a nice evening together.” I rinsed off my razor and stowed it in the vanity drawer then splashed a few handfuls of water on my face.

“Will you kiss Grace?”

Okay. Maybe he wasn’t as oblivious as I’d thought. “Umm... I don’t know.” I didn’t want to lie to him, but I didn’t want to admit that kissing was at the top of my agenda either. I blushed a little thinking about what else was on that agenda.

“Grace is pretty and nice.” Kolton angled his head as he met my gaze in the mirror.

“She is.” I rubbed a towel over my face.

“So wouldn’t you want to kiss someone who is pretty and nice?”

Where is Mrs. Lilly? I needed a bedtime story intervention. Quickly.

“It’s a bit more complicated than that,” I said.

“Do you know how to kiss?”

I turned to face him now, my manhood in question. “Of course I know how to kiss.” I certainly knew how wonderful it was to kiss Grace.

 

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the seventh book in the series. I recommend all the books in the Sarina Bowen True North World – whether at the Speakeasy, Vino & Veritas, or the Busy Bean – you are in for a treat if you haven't started them yet.

I really enjoyed this story, which brings together so many lovely elements – Darren is a special man who is bringing up a very traumatised boy, Kolton, as his own. Grace is a very talented jazz singer, continuing her grandmother's legacy on a few evenings a week at the Speakeasy, as well as working as a trainer of support dogs.

It is impossible not to be drawn into the growing attraction of Grace and Darren, even if they both are very reluctant to get involved due to their previous poor experiences. The care with which both of them work to help Kolton to grow in confidence, and how they do that is working, until a huge spanner is thrown into all their lives. I will say no more, but it is an engaging storyline.

A really good addition to the series.

 

 

 

CHRISTINE DEPETRILLO can often be found hugging trees, conversing with dragonflies, and walking barefoot through sun-warmed soil. She finds joy in listening to the wind, bathing in moonlight, and breathing in the fragrances of things that bloom. If she had her way, the sky would be the only roof over her head.

Her love of nature seeps into every story she tells. As does her obsession with bearded mountain men who build, often smell like sawdust, and know how to cherish the women they love. Today she writes tales meant to make you laugh, maybe make you sweat, and definitely make you believe in the power of love.

She lives in Vermont with her husband and cat who defend her fiercely from all evils.

Connect with Christine

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: Small Town Hearts

 

 

 

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Starlight (Speakeasy Taproom #7) by Christine DePetrillo to read and review for this tour.

Firefly by Krystyna Allyn Blog Tour

It’s my last night in New York. And the woman of my dreams is three feet away, expertly twirling a bottle of vodka behind the bar and making the perfect pour. I’ve never seen anyone as beautiful as Melody, with her enigmatic eyes and a gorgeous smile. All I have to do is introduce myself. And then...

I choke. And my chance for something—anything—with her is gone.

Months later, I think I’m dreaming when I see her doing bartender tricks here in Vermont. Now all I can think about is having those long, beautiful fingers performing their magic on my body.

But I’m pretty sure she’s hiding something. It’s painfully obvious she’s keeping me at arm’s length just when I need to hold her close. She brings out my protective instincts, but I’ve got problems of my own. If I’m not careful, I’ll destroy everything I’m trying to build.

Losing her again might break me this time, because now I can’t imagine life without the light of my Firefly.

Firefly is a stand-alone novel set in Sarina Bowen’s World of True North.

Welcome to Speakeasy, where the beer is handcrafted, the patrons wear flannel, and the romance is steamier than the gourmet kitchen out back. The Speakeasy Taproom books are standalone romances set in small-town Vermont. Jump in anywhere!

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Speakeasy Taproom series!
For book one, Touchstone, click HERE.
For book two, Heartwood, click HERE.
For book three, Homecoming, click HERE.
For book four, Sideways, click HERE.
For book five, Wildflower, click HERE.

 

 

Book 6
Buy Links

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

 

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the sixth book in the series, and a great addition to the collection of books all set in Sarina Bowen's True North World. I would recommend that you read them all, but you can definitely enjoy this as a standalone too.

Trev is an electrician keen to go out on his own. But he is seriously held back by his dad's inability to pay the family bills. He steps up time and again, much to the detriment of his own life. So, when the woman who had attracted his attention in New York months ago turns up working at the Speakeasy, he thinks life may be on the change. But Mel is not impressed with him not taking up her offer back in New York, and he really has to work to break through her walls.

As she grows to trust him, she explains how come she ended up in Vermont, and it is a big and ugly story. It also spills into her Vermont life, which is both dangerous and embarrassing to her, so when Trev's truth comes out, she builds those walls straight back up...

I loved how these two people mirror each other and are just slightly out of synch, which leads to some really painful moments, that one can see from the sidelines could have been avoided. It makes for a good story with a level of drama that feels sadly believable.

Very enjoyable read, tying in a meaningful romance, with the difficulty of ordinary life.

 

 

 

KRYSTYNA ALLYN lives in somewhere USA with her amazingly awesome husband. Though she works full time, blogs and reads like a maniac, she still manages to find time to write all of her crazy stories.

Her hobbies include baking, skydiving, karaoke, and general mischief.

Connect with Krystyna

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: Krystyna's Kitty Den

 

 

 

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Firefly (Speakeasy Taproom #6) by Krystyna Allyn to read and review for this tour.

Wildflower by Mae Wood Blog Tour

When the prize is love, sometimes you get stung. But if you’re lucky, you just might hit the sweet spot…

Juliana Burton needs a medal at Speakeasy's beer festival to push her brand-new brewery into the spotlight. She thinks she knows how to do it, too—with a beer made exclusively from Vermont hops, barley and the best honey in the state. Too bad the only thing standing in her way is a six feet tall, smokin’ sexy, and her secret high school crush.

After a very public disaster in Boston, Riggs Lyon is home with his teenage son in tow.  Riggs is taking over the family beekeeping business with an eye to offload it and start life over somewhere where "Lyin' Lyon" isn't a joke. Selling honey to Juliana doesn't make business sense. She can't afford the high prices Lyon honey fetches in specialty shops and farmer's markets. But somehow, he’s having trouble saying no to anything she asks for, whether it’s in the hive or in the bedroom.

Wildflower is a stand-alone novel set in Sarina Bowen’s World of True North.

Welcome to Speakeasy, where the beer is handcrafted, the patrons wear flannel, and the romance is steamier than the gourmet kitchen out back. The Speakeasy Taproom books are standalone romances set in small-town Vermont. Jump in anywhere!

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Speakeasy Taproom series!
For book one, Touchstone, click HERE.
For book two, Heartwood, click HERE.
For book three, Homecoming, click HERE.
For book four, Sideways, click HERE.

 

 

Book 5
Buy Links

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

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the fifth book in the series and whilst I would definitely recommend that you read them in order, and possibly will enjoy the links with other books that are based in Sarina Bowen's True North World, you could read this as a standalone and go back afterwards.

I love the idea of a group of women choosing to go into business together making beer. Juliana is the brewer, supported by the other partners in sales, etc. She is described so clearly as the person who stays behind the scenes. who has learned the hard way that she is best off concentrating on her beer. So when she sees Riggs, a one-time crush, back working with his parents, beekeeping, she is thrown. She has no idea that he is sore and damaged after his wife committed a fraud on a big scale, and now he has to start again and protect his son too. Not a great start to their meeting, but she puts herself out there and helps him in exchange for his honey that she needs for her award-worthy quality beer.

I very much enjoyed learning more about beekeeping and about brewing. That it was all wrapped around a very lovely, unexpected romance, was a perfect combination. They were fun in their reluctance to consider that what they saw as benefits, was actually much more special.

A really fun read, with a good level of humour, real life, and sexy realisations of love and romance.

 

 

Professional sassypants, MAE WOOD has been a bookworm her entire life. Her book Genealogy hit the top 100 on Amazon and top 20 in the Apple Books store.

Mae loves cheeses, complicated crafts that she'll start but never complete, and puns.

A while ago she decided that she needed to give up the fear that she couldn't write "great literature" and write what she wants to read.

And she wants romance. And laughter. And real life.

She wants heroines who are brave. Brave enough to be themselves and brave enough to fall in love. She wants men who are strong and kind.

Mae is married, and has two darling children and an old dog who naps at her feet while she writes.

Connect with Mae

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: Pig & Barley - A Mae Wood Reader Group

 

 

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Wildflower (Speakeasy Taproom #5) by Mae Wood to read and review for this tour.

Sideways by Lisa Hughey Blog Tour

She’s a political princess and media darling...

There’s no such thing as bad publicity. Yeah, right. Tell that to the PR firm that handles Tracy’s very prominent political family. Pushed by scandal from Boston to the boondocks, now she’s on the other side of the serving tray, dishing up beer and burgers, hoping no one recognizes her. But there’s something very familiar—and maddeningly tempting—about the new caterer at Speakeasy.

He’s a cranky recluse...

Colton was the star of the celebrity chef circuit until he wasn’t anymore. Now he lives in a remote country cabin and spends his time alone, far from the spotlight and liking it that way. Until the gorgeous new waitress at Speakeasy starts poking at his resolve and suddenly all he wants is to see her let down her hair. And spread it all over his pillow. She’s got secrets he knows he won’t like, but he can’t stay away from her.

She lives in the spotlight, and he hates attention. When her public life collides with his private one, can their love write a fairy-tale ending after all?

Sideways is a stand-alone novel set in Sarina Bowen’s World of True North.

Welcome to Speakeasy, where the beer is handcrafted, the patrons wear flannel, and the romance is steamier than the gourmet kitchen out back. The Speakeasy Taproom books are standalone romances set in small-town Vermont. Jump in anywhere!

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Speakeasy Taproom series!
For book one, Touchstone, click HERE.
For book two, Heartwood, click HERE.
For book three, Homecoming, click HERE.

 

 

Book 4
Buy Links

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

 

 

She didn’t know why he didn’t like her.

Everyone liked her. She went out of her way to be cordial and welcoming. But this guy had a shield around him so thick that even in a crowded bar he sat alone and isolated. He watched the action on the restaurant floor with a bit of wistfulness. And she wondered what his story was.

“Is there a reason you don’t like me?” She couldn’t believe those words had spilled from her mouth. She had spent her entire life being nice, being polite, and being agreeable. But when she asked him, there had been a challenge in her voice. The freedom was liberating.

He ate his hash slowly as if savoring each bite of food. The chef was pretty amazing.

She waited as he chewed. He glanced out the side of his eyes, a gorgeous hazel that she totally should not have noticed. This close to him his scent was a mixture of sunscreen and warmth and clean sweat as if he’d spent the day in the sun. Earthy. Masculine. And very, very sexy.

She shouldn’t notice how sexy he was. He didn’t like her.

She was tired of waiting for an answer. She propped her hands on her hips and leaned into his personal space. “You don’t even know me.”

“I don’t have to know you.” He flipped a glance her way. “I know your type.”

Her type? “What type? Nice? Invested in making people happy?”

“Rich, clueless, and arrogant.”

“Yeah, well you’re grumpy, irritating, and wrong.”

Her feet throbbed and now her head ached. She rarely cried but everything about today had been difficult. Feeling like a fish out of water wasn’t pleasant. She wanted to go back to her busy life and her active friendships. But she was stuck here for the moment. And her eyes burned.

Tracy took a deep breath and focused on something else. She needed to channel her alter ego. What would Cee-Cee do?

She had imagined Cee-Cee For so long. Cee-Cee spoke her mind and didn’t worry about optics. She didn’t even know what optics were.

“I’m making the best of a bad situation.” She defended her actions.

But as she looked at him, she realized there was more going on than his slightly derogatory comments about her. He’d done a weird turn thing so he wasn’t facing the bar but sort of sideways. It had to be hard to eat that way.

“You need to stop running away from your problems.”

Her heart stopped. Did he know who she was? Hopefully he was just intuitive. “Easier said than done.”

“Of course it is. Hard things aren’t supposed to be easy.” He said it as if he was intimately familiar with hard things.

She wasn’t about to let him off the hook. He clearly had his own issues.

“Maybe you need to take your own advice,” she shot back. Damn straight.

“Maybe you’re right.”

 

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the fourth book in the Speakeasy series, and part of the wider Sarina Bowen True North world. I would definitely suggest that you indulge in them all, but I have to admit I would place this before book three, Homecoming, as the timing for me works better – but it doesn't matter all that much! It was good to see other characters from earlier stories, and the linking between plot lines generally worked well.

Tracy has (a little like Phoebe) had a PR disaster which has caused her to flee Boston. In her case, she was prepared to disappear should the need arise, and has a friend book her a rental car and adopts a secret identity and uses burner phones. By mere chance, she ends up in Colebury, and we all know by now how lucky a coincidence that is for her!

While hiding out, she makes the acquaintance of a very grumpy man, who she recognises as a celebrity chef who vanished a little while ago after a blow-out, which also featured heavily on social media. Colton is very well aware that Cee Cee, as her secret identity is called, is trouble, from his old world, and clearly just in town for a short time. But he also can't help but guide her in the ways of normal life – like how to do one's own laundry.

I really enjoyed the banter between them, and the fact that she helped him regain his control and his ability to cook without melting down or indulging in alcohol. I liked the whole app idea and how it was going to expand. Whilst it felt a little preachy at times, it was always from a good place and not entirely unbelievable. It was inevitable that they would give in to their chemistry, but the buildup was good, and the acceptance of no strings with thick ropes equally binding them together was amusing.

Another good addition to the series, and I look forward to seeing who gets their happily ever after next!

 

 

 

USA Today bestselling author LISA HUGHEY started writing romance in the fourth grade. That particular story involved a prince and an engagement. Now, she writes about strong heroines who are perfectly capable of rescuing themselves and the heroes who love both their strength and their vulnerability. She pens romances of all types—suspense, paranormal, and contemporary—but at their heart, all her books celebrate the power of love.

She lives in Cape Ann Massachusetts with her fabulously supportive husband and one somewhat grumpy cat.

Beach walks, hiking, and traveling are her favorite ways to pass the time when she isn’t plotting new ways to get her characters to fall in love.

Connect with Lisa

Facebook  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: Lisa's Legends

 

 

 

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Sideways (Speakeasy Taproom #4) by Lisa Hughey to read and review for this tour.