Kiss the Girl by Tara Sivec

A struggling antiques collector finds herself falling in love with a millionaire playboy; but can she ever be a part of his world?

Meet the Naughty Princess Club, a series from USA Today bestselling author Tara Sivec that brings readers to Fairytale Lane and the hilarity—and romance—that three women fall into once they decide to strut their stuff and bring on their own happily ever after.

While her friends have broken free of their insecurities, Ariel Waters is struggling to come out of her shell. Her ex-husband took away her voice and her self-confidence, and Ariel is drowning under a sea of debt to afford the alimony she has to pay him. She refuses to ever fall for a man’s charms again, and is determined to make her own way.

When her house and her beloved antiques are taken by the bank after too many missed payments, Ariel finds herself adrift until the infuriatingly charming Eric Sailor comes to her rescue. Although she can’t stand the millionaire playboy, Eric’s kindness and unconditional support reveal hidden depths and a love that Ariel never imagined she could find.

But there are outside influences who will stop at nothing to keep them apart; can Ariel and Eric weather the storm and find a way to be together?

Book 3
Buy Links

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

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Shelby – ☆☆☆☆☆
To be completely honest, Ariel's story was the one I wanted to read the least. What a mistake that was!

Strong, defiant, ball-busting Ariel. She takes no crap, gives a rash of crap to others, has attitude for days, yet is loyal and dependable. One of the three Naughty Princesses, Ariel is the only one who isn't performing. Eric Sailor is the millionaire playboy who never wastes the opportunity to shower attention on Ariel. Funny enough, she doesn't want his attention, and the sparks just fly!

I really enjoyed this whole series, but Kiss the Girl has quickly become my favorite of the three. This story is relatively deep: it plays a lot with body issues, touches on verbal and emotional abuse, and finding oneself after losing oneself in a terrible relationship. There are humorous moments, and sweet moments, and super sexy moments. Overall, though, this story is about a woman finding her power. Not only finding her power, but finding the posse to help her harness her power!

I love this story, I love Eric and Ariel, and I will always love The Naughty Princess Club.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is the third book in the series, and I would definitely recommend that you read them in order as the underlying story is ongoing, as well as the romances carrying forward and being important to the next book. If you have a love of Disney Princesses, then reading this irreverent take on three of their most famous and popular ones will be a real hoot. They are clever, fun, sweet, and sexy. I have loved it every time a name has been used that ties back to the original story – but don't be fooled, these are not rewrites, just clever nods. I am assuming you have read the earlier ones in my review.

I think that Ariel was my least favourite of the three, as she is introduced as one of Cindy's husband's flings and also, she has not been prepared to join the other Naughty Princesses on stage/party yet. But actually, as we get to know and understand her, she became the very best of all of them and had me laughing and shedding a tear. She has really had a rough time of it and deserves all the happiness she can find – even if there seem to be forces about who think otherwise.

A lot of the humour is in the descriptions of her actions, and Tara Sivec is the mistress of the funny set-up. From the fish tank rescue, to the karaoke, to the presentation to the Board, we can envisage exactly what is going on, thanks to the clever writing.

Do yourself a favour and get this set of three books, set yourself up in a quiet spot, and have a really good read. Good for the soul!


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
A fitting conclusion to this series. In learning Ariel's true story, we see the true Ariel, the one she's kept hidden from everyone, including her closest friends. She's hid her demons and problems from the world, not wanting people to see her as weak or lacking in self-confidence, which is exactly how she feels.

She let a man take advantage of her and it’s cost her everything: her pride, self-esteem, and the business she loved. Now she's homeless and having to rely on the kindness of the one man who aggravates her to no end: Eric Sailor.

Eric's not a bad guy – he's just a guy and she's done trusting me. After all, the last time she trusted a man, he betrayed her and cost her home and antiques.

Ariel is a character I could really relate to – she expressed her feelings in ways many of us would: loudly and proudly. Then she would semi-regret her outburst but only because it may have hurt people she cared about. The things she said had lots of truth in them, and it seemed the only way she could express herself would be to yell, otherwise she felt as though her voice couldn't be heard.

Also Available in The Naughty Princess Club Series

Book 1
Buy Links

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

For reviews & more info, check out our At the Stroke of Midnight post.

Book 2
Buy Links

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

For reviews & more info, check out our In Bed with the Beast post.

Tara Sivec is a USA Today best-selling author, wife, mother, chauffeur, maid, short-order cook, baby-sitter, and sarcasm expert. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two children and looks forward to the day when they all three of them become adults and move out.

After working in the brokerage business for fourteen years, Tara decided to pick up a pen and write instead of shoving it in her eye out of boredom. Her novel Seduction and Snacks won first place in the Indie Romance Convention Reader’s Choice Awards 2013 for Best Indie First Book and she was voted as Best Author in the Indie Romance Convention Reader’s Choice Awards for 2014.

In her spare time, Tara loves to dream about all of the baking she’ll do and naps she’ll take when she ever gets spare time.

Connect with Tara

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Google+  ~  Instagram

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Kiss the Girl (Naughty Princess Club #3) by Tara Sivec to read and review.

In Bed with the Beast by Tara Sivec

A tale as old as time: she needs a place to stay, he's a grump with a secret and an extra room... can love find a way?

Meet the Naughty Princess Club, a series from USA Today bestselling author Tara Sivec that brings readers to Fairytale Lane and the hilarity—and romance—that three women fall into once they decide to strut their stuff and bring on their own happily ever after.

Living in her overprotective dad’s basement, shy Belle lives her life through books. Being a part of the Naughty Princess Club is the first adventure she’s ever had, plus she desperately needs the money to save one of her favorite places – the local library.

But when her new friends and new business gets her kicked out of her dad’s house, Belle is rescued by the surly Vincent “Beast” Adams who invites her to be his house guest until she gets back on her feet. Despite his attitude problem and long list of rules, Belle finds herself warming to the muscled man with a penchant for growling and starts seeing a gentle side to him that wasn’t there before.

Yet there’s a room that Beast keeps locked and Belle keeps getting hints that Beast is hiding something… can a nerdy librarian tame the beast or will their romance be over before it has a chance to blossom?

Book 2
Buy Links

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

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
Belle met Beast in the previous book in this series, At the Stroke of Midnight, at the strip club, Charming’s, where Beast is a bouncer. When Beast starts showing up at the library where Belle works, right before closing, it doesn’t take long for him to figure out she is sleeping in the library and he insists that she move into his spare bedroom.

Belle wants to start stripping for the Naughty Princess Club to earn money to save her failing library, but she needs experience with men so her friends set her up a dating profile and she proceeds to go on a bunch of terrible dates, all while living with Beast and falling for him. I loved that as Belle blooms and gains the confidence to stand up for herself and take chances, that she didn’t really change who she is. I loved that Beast is more than he appears to be and together they are a perfect match.

I was sucked into this story right from the beginning. When the hero or heroine of a story is homeless, it always pulls at my heartstrings and in this case, it definitely did. But Tara Sivec is writing a romcom, so this part of the story, while serious, never felt heavy. This is a comedy and I laughed out loud over and over while reading this book. I loved all of the random facts Belle is forever spouting and I actually thought Belle was pretty cool. This is a story with plenty of zany situations and I just sat back and enjoyed the ride. This gets a solid four stars from me.


Shelby – ☆☆☆☆☆
I was so very excited to read In Bed with the Beast, book two in The Naughty Princess Club! This has everything: an innocent librarian (that may need "saving"), a ginormous BEAST of a man (who may need to be shown love), and stripping! What more could you possibly want in a book?

Belle has been sheltered her entire life, an adult woman living with her father, it's time for her to take control of her own destiny. Unfortunately, her place of employment is also experiencing upheaval, and she's trying to figure out how to save the town library.

The Beast (swoon) is just a nice guy who is trying to do the right thing. He's no Prince Charming, but he can't turn a blind eye to a damsel in distress...

I loved this story – the tone is completely different than the first book. Each character has their own quirks and are endearing, they are total opposites yet are perfect for each other. This story is cute and funny, steamy and sexy, sweet and sassy. Belle is an amazing characters with her random facts, and shy, sweet personality.

So far this series has been seriously entertaining and I am excited for Ariel's story!


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
Belle is looking to live her life, but she doesn't know how. But she's made friends with Ariel and Cindy and now she's part of The Naughty Princess Club. Although she's yet to make it on stage. She’s still living at home with her dad and working at the public library and sneaking out of the house to spend time with her friends.

Beast aka Vincent works as bouncer at PJ's strip club. A former English Lit teacher at prep school, he's now a bouncer who has annoying habit of annoying Belle. There's something about him that calls to Belle and when Belle is in need of a knight in shining armor, Vincent is there for her.

Every woman wants a man like Vincent, thoughtful, caring, and a library to die for. His only fault? Not being truthful when he should have been and letting Belle find out his truth from his mouthy friend. His redeeming quality? Making Belle's dream come true.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second in the series – and whilst it would be a great read on its own, I think that understanding the background would make the experience richer.

The quietest, and most unlikely of the Naughty Princess Club trio, Belle the librarian finally stands up for herself and finds her voice... and her dancing body! Her dream is to keep her library open, and she knows that she needs to start earning more money to keep it afloat. This leads to a run of unlikely events, which make wonderful reading. From the confrontation with her father which results in her leaving home, to how she moves in with bouncer Beast, with some hilarious blind dates along the way, Belle finds her hidden sexy side. It is, of course, really most attracted to Beast, but there are issues there which could derail everything.

I love that I knew enough of the fairytale that I could appreciate the links, but there are enough Tara Sivec signature moves that it is also a unique, fun, and original story. I thought the twists were well done, and the ending is (hopefully) a happily ever after.

Really looking forward to Ariel's story!

Also Available in The Naughty Princess Club Series

Book 1
Buy Links

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

For reviews & more info, check out our At the Stroke of Midnight post.

Tara Sivec is a USA Today best-selling author, wife, mother, chauffeur, maid, short-order cook, baby-sitter, and sarcasm expert. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two children and looks forward to the day when they all three of them become adults and move out.

After working in the brokerage business for fourteen years, Tara decided to pick up a pen and write instead of shoving it in her eye out of boredom. Her novel Seduction and Snacks won first place in the Indie Romance Convention Reader’s Choice Awards 2013 for Best Indie First Book and she was voted as Best Author in the Indie Romance Convention Reader’s Choice Awards for 2014.

In her spare time, Tara loves to dream about all of the baking she’ll do and naps she’ll take when she ever gets spare time.

Connect with Tara

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Google+  ~  Instagram

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of In Bed with the Beast (The Naughty Princess Club #2) by Tara Sivec to read and review.

At the Stroke of Midnight by Tara Sivec

Meet the Naughty Princess Club: a brand new series from USA Today bestselling author Tara Sivec that introduces readers to Fairytale Lane and the hilarity—and romance—that ensue when three women start a new business to make it rain.

Once upon a time Cynthia was the perfect housewife. Between being the President of the PTA and keeping her home spotless without a hair (or her pearls) out of place, her life was a dream come true. Her husband was once her knight in shining armor, but now he’s run off with all their money…and the babysitter.

Dressed as a princess at the annual Halloween block party on Fairytale Lane, she meets two other “princesses” also facing money troubles: antique store owner Ariel and librarian Isabelle. When the women are invited to wear their costumes to a party where they’re mistaken for strippers, Cindy, Ariel, and Belle realize that a career change could be the best way to make their money problems go bippity-boppity-boo.

But can structured Cindy approach a stripper pole without sanitizing wipes? And could the blue-eyed anti-prince that has been crossing her path become Cindy’s happily ever after? At the Stroke of Midnight is a hilarious, empowering story where princesses can save themselves while slaying in stilettos.

Book 1
Buy Links

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

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars of naughty princess magic!

This heralds the beginning of a great new series from Ms Sivec. This is an inspired take on a well-known fairy tale, with plenty of twists which ensure that it is not easy to predict the plot.

The three women who form the Naughty Princess Club are a wonderful mix and provide the classic humour for which Ms Sivec is so renowned. Alcohol may have been involved in the loosening up of the uptight Cynthia, aided and abetted by Ariel's prompting and Isabelle's wonderful factoids. So many fun moments that even on a bad day you will feel your face stretch into a smile.

PJ is the perfect leading man, and whilst the owner of a strip club is hardly the usual Prince Charming, you'd be hard pressed to find a better guy. He even behaves perfectly with Anastasia, Cynthia's daughter.

Really, I don't want to say more as you need to get the full blast of passion, comedy, and the perfect ending! I am looking forward to future installments very much indeed.


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
I really enjoyed this story about three very different women who become friends under the most unusual of circumstances. The classical perfect wife, the brainiac, and the sarcastic "other" woman meet and re-learn that appearances can be deceiving.

Cynthia is trying to maintain outward appearances since her ex-husband ran off with their babysitter. Once you leave the trailer park behind, Cynthia knows that going back there will be the ultimate rock bottom and wants to protect her daughter in any way she can. When Ariel shows up on her doorstep, she knows she's one step closer to rock bottom. What she doesn't expect is the offer of friendship that Ariel extends, along with introducing her to Isabelle, the local librarian.

Each of the women have their own issues, but together they put together a plan to work their way out of the holes that men have dug for them, to find their own happily ever afters.


Shelby – ☆☆☆☆☆
Tara Sivec's writing is ALWAYS entertaining! At the Stroke of Midnight was touching, funny, sweet, spicy, and overall, a great read.

Cynthia finds her world imploding with the help of neighborhood harlot, Ariel, and innocent librarian, Belle. Together the ladies find themselves coming up with a plan to improve their circumstances, and the Naughty Princess Club is created.

I am not going to go into details, I will say this was a story about a woman finding herself – defining herself. This is a story of women coming together and besting life. It's the story of women learning themselves, finding their strengths, and taking life by the horns (or frickle, if you will)!

Zany circumstance, funny one-liners, and fantastic characters – I loved everything about this story. I zoomed through the entire book without any breaks because I was that engrossed. There weren't any slow or boring moments, and by the end I wanted more!

This isn't a story of a woman depending on a man, but just the opposite – the woman defines herself and finds a man that complements HER.

I loved this and I cannot wait to read Belle's story!!


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
At the Stroke of Midnight is the first book in Tara Sivec’s new series the Naughty Princess Club. This is Cynthia’s story. In her early 30s, her husband has run off with the barely legal babysitter and left her with no money or a way to care for their 13-year-old daughter.

When we first meet Cynthia (Cindy), she is pretty much a Stepford wife and it took me a bit of time to warm up to her. I wanted to shake her and tell her to wake up and get with it. Lucky for Cindy, Ariel comes along, takes Cindy under her wing, and tells her repeatedly to take the stick out of her you know where.

Ariel is outgoing, opinionated, and crass. She brings with her young, naive librarian Belle. You add in Cindy, who is prim and proper, and these 3 different ladies join to form the Naughty Princess Club in an effort to make money to support themselves.

I had great fun watching Cindy learn who she is, and how to stand up for herself while she learned how to be a stripper. Strip club owner PJ is her love interest and early on I wasn’t sure about him, so I wanted to see the story from his point of view too. But as the story progressed I realised the story wasn’t about PJ, he really is just the romantic interest – Cindy is the star.

At the Stroke of Midnight is full of fun, plenty of laughs, friendship, a steamy romance, and a kick-butt woman finding her way to a happy life. I loved it.

Tara Sivec is a USA Today best-selling author, wife, mother, chauffeur, maid, short-order cook, baby-sitter, and sarcasm expert. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two children and looks forward to the day when they all three of them become adults and move out.

After working in the brokerage business for fourteen years, Tara decided to pick up a pen and write instead of shoving it in her eye out of boredom. Her novel Seduction and Snacks won first place in the Indie Romance Convention Reader’s Choice Awards 2013 for Best Indie First Book and she was voted as Best Author in the Indie Romance Convention Reader’s Choice Awards for 2014.

In her spare time, Tara loves to dream about all of the baking she’ll do and naps she’ll take when she ever gets spare time.

Connect with Tara

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Google+  ~  Instagram

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of At the Stroke of Midnight (The Naughty Princess Club #1) by Tara Sivec to read and review.

Wish You Were Mine by Tara Sivec

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Story of Us and Fisher's Light comes a new, standalone novel—a heartwrenching story about first loves and second chances that will make you fall in love all over again....

Five years. I would've stayed away longer if I hadn't received the letter. Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought about her, haven't missed her smile, haven't wished that things were different.

The last time I saw my two best friends, I vowed to not stand in the way of their happiness, even if that meant I couldn't be a part of their lives. Cameron James and her emerald-green eyes were too much of a temptation and I couldn't stay and watch them together. Cameron deserved better than me. She deserved him.

But now that I am back, things are different. I'm not going to stand by and watch the woman I've always loved slip away again. I'm done living my life with regrets and I'm ready to tell her the truth. And I'll do whatever it takes to show her that I always wished she was mine.

Buy Links

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

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

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

This is the story about three friends who believed that they would always be friends. Their friendship would span the decades. However, when life gets in the way and communication is lacking due to naivety and being scared, their friendship cracks, leaving pieces among the stars.

Aiden, Cameron, and Everett meet as little kids. Cameron is a few years younger, but knows how to hang with the guys. Cameron and Everett have always had a thing for each other, but both were too scared to make anything of it – nobody wanted to change or lose the friendship that they had.

Everett needs/wants to follow his dreams and become a doctor like his dad. In doing that, he knows that he'll be leaving behind the love of his life, but his dreams come first, and he believes that Cameron would be better off with Aiden.

A few years later, Everett receives a letter from Aiden essentially telling him to get his butt home and take care of Cameron. Aiden has passed due to having cancer and Everett has to come to terms with not being able to save his friend and has to learn that he might have broken his friendship with Cameron forever.

Watching Everett and Cameron fight for their happy ending was painful, slow, and sometimes tedious. But, in the end, it's worth the fight. I actually really hope that Everett's brother gets his own story.


Jordan – ☆☆☆☆☆
Wish You Were Mine was a bit of a slow start for me, but once I got into it I was completely sucked in until the very last page. This was my first time reading Tara Sivec, but I am certain it won't be the last! I am looking forward to seeing what she writes in the future because Wish You Were Mine was the perfect package. I found myself completely invested in the story and thoroughly committed to finding out how Everett and Cameron’s story would end. The story was well paced and I enjoyed being able to see how Everett and Cameron’s relationship had grown through their years of friendship. Plus, I loved the alternating points of view between Everett and Cameron, which allowed for a deeper insight into both characters’ emotions. This was a lovely friends-to-lovers story that was engaging and heartwarming from start to finish.

When Everett finally receives a letter from his childhood best friend, while abroad working with Doctors Without Borders, it changes everything. After last five years abroad, he’s going home. Everett, Aiden, and Cameron have been best friends since they were kids, but when he left he promised himself he wouldn’t stand in the way of his two best friends’ happiness. He believed Cameron deserved better than him, but now that he’s back he’s determined he won’t watch the woman he loves slip away again.

Wish You Were Mine by Tara Sivec gets FIVE STARS.


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
Just reading the prologue of Wish You Were Mine had me tearing up, so I suspected I was in for a great romance and I was right. There is so much love and history between best friends Cameron and Everett it was easy for me to get lost in their lives. I love that we are taken back to times in their teens and 20s to see pivotal moments in their relationship that explain how they ended up where they are today.

There is a good dose of angst and heart ache in this story and it had me in tears several times. There are also fun times that had me laughing and sexy times too. But Cameron and Everett's inability to get their act together started to get annoying, but the annoyance was brief as things moved along.

Tara Sivec is one of my very favourite authors and she has given us another fabulous romance with Wish You Were Mine. If you are a fan of friends-to-lovers romances, don't miss this.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
Oh, Ms. Sivec has done it again... a really entrancing and emotional read. Having discovered her through reading her Chocolate Lovers series, it has been a delight more recently to recognise that her talents lie in romance as a whole, not just the madcap – although I am not sure anyone can beat her in that genre.

I have to admit to not being a big fan of books which step backwards and forwards in time, and coupled with the alternating points of view, it took a little time to get into the book – but that did not detract from the quality, nor my desire to know how on earth such a past could lead to resolution now. Of course, knowing how both of them feel is supremely frustrating as the opportunities they had were squandered, but the 'everything happens for a reason' philosophy comes into play.

Be prepared for a few tears, and a few gasps – the reactions of these two are real, raw, and emotional. Thankfully they have good friends who have their best interests at heart, and are not shy at pointing out there are two sides to every story.

Really fabulous book – put into my top category of books to re-read. Thank you, Ms. Sivec.

Tara Sivec is a USA Today best-selling author, wife, mother, chauffeur, maid, short-order cook, baby-sitter, and sarcasm expert. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two children and looks forward to the day when they all three of them become adults and move out.

After working in the brokerage business for fourteen years, Tara decided to pick up a pen and write instead of shoving it in her eye out of boredom. Her novel Seduction and Snacks won first place in the Indie Romance Convention Reader’s Choice Awards 2013 for Best Indie First Book and she was voted as Best Author in the Indie Romance Convention Reader’s Choice Awards for 2014.

In her spare time, Tara loves to dream about all of the baking she’ll do and naps she’ll take when she ever gets spare time.

Connect with Tara

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Google+  ~  Instagram

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Wish You Were Mine by Tara Sivec to read and review.

Eye Candy – The Pumpkin Was Stuffed by Tara Sivec

A frightfully good time! Dive into these Halloween novellas from bestselling authors Tijan, J. Daniels, Helena Hunting, Bella Jewel and Tara Sivec. Featuring stories set in the worlds of their popular series.

Tara Sivec gathers the Holiday family together one last time as they try to make this ghostly holiday one to remember—or one they’d rather forget.

Cozy up with a mug of hot cider on a dark night and fall under the spell of this Halloween anthology!

Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
St. Martin's Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars
M/F Romance
Triggers: Clowns (which I hate!)

Noel and Sam are such a cute couple. They have everything going for them right now. You see that Noel wants to live closer to her family, but with the Halloween holiday coming up fast and her dad's obsession with said holiday, you get to see in to the hilarity of the family.

I loved how supportive Sam was of Noel's dad, despite the craziness.

So, while there was a fantastic hilarity to this story, you also were able to see the love that the family had for each other.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars

Ms. Sivec has a totally off beat and wonderful sense of humour, which suits Halloween very, very well. Anyone who has read the earlier Holidays stories will be all ready to roll on this one – if they are new to you, then be prepared for super-crazy and kooky! And be ready to want to go back and catch up too. Everyone gets their moment of glory, but really Sam is the hero of the hour (again) and his gesture of love to Noel is perfect! Mad, but hilarious!


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
The Pumpkin Was Stuffed is the latest instalment in Tara Sivec's The Holidays series which follows Noel and Sam's romance. I've only read the first two books in this series but had no trouble following this story and think it could be enjoyed as a standalone.

This story is very funny. I laughed out loud over and over again. Noel's family are pretty nuts. Her crazy dad, who wins his street's holiday decorating competition every year and has competition from new unseen neighbours. Her mum continues to openly provide far too much information about her parent's sex lives and Aunt Bobbie needs to stay away from drugs. But most fun of all are Scheva and Alex, who are having a Halloween wedding that I would have loved to have attended. Noel's outfit, as chosen by Scheva, is hilarious.

Amongst all the hilarity we do get a little bit more of Noel and Sam's love story with Sam proving that he is the most amazing and romantic guy around.

I had a great time reading this book. If you are looking for a good laugh this Halloween, The Pumpkin Was Stuffed is well worth reading.

Tara Sivec is a USA Today best-selling author and the Best Indie Author in the Indie Romance Convention Reader's Choice Awards in 2014. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two children.

Connect with Tara

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Pumpkin Was Stuffed by Tara Sivec in the Eye Candy anthology to read and review.

Below Deck by Tara Sivec Is Now Available & Reviewed

Declan McGillis can't stand rich people. But working as a deckhand on a luxury charter yacht, he also can't escape them. Declan has spent years kissing their ass and doing their bidding... whatever it takes to make his dreams come true, and nothing will get in his way of being the captain of his own yacht one day.

Mackenzie Armstrong knows what people think when they look at her. She knows from the outside looking in, it seems like her family has it all and doesn't have a care in the world. Things aren't always what they seem, and not only does Mackenzie have the weight of her family's struggles on her shoulders, she also needs to prove to Declan that she's not the spoiled princess he believes her to be.

Declan can't ignore the sparks of lust between them, even though Mackenzie is completely off limits and absolutely out of his league.

Mackenzie thinks a vacation fling is just what she needs to forget about the mess her life has become, and Declan is the perfect man for the job.

Will this be a quick romp in the water, or will it turn into something more when Mackenzie finally gets below Deck?

Buy Links

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“Feminists all over the world would be hanging their heads in shame at me right now, wouldn’t they? I’m weak and pathetic and easily forgiving of asshole behavior,” I complain to Brooke, leaning against the doorframe of our bathroom while I watch her apply make-up. “Tell me I’m weak and pathetic.”

Brooke sighs, pulling her face away from the mirror and lowering the mascara wand from her eye to stare at me in the reflection.

“I will do no such thing. You aren’t weak and pathetic. And you aren’t easily forgiving, either. You stuck to your guns and made him feel like a jerk. What you are, is easily distracted by a pretty face and a magic dick,” she informs me, turning around to lean against the sink.

“You’re right,” I whisper, my eyes widening with this sudden discovery. “I’ve always rolled my eyes at women in books who keep going back to the same asshole over and over again. It’s because of the magic dick. And now I get it.”

“The fucking magic dick,” Brooke agrees with a nod.

“But seriously, this doesn’t make me weak and pathetic that I forgave him so easily and basically threw my vagina at him in a challenge?” I ask as she turns back to face the mirror and finish applying her mascara.

“He explained why he did what he did. He was an assuming asshole, but he still realized he was wrong and fixed it. You accepted his apology and admitted you’re still in need of a good dicking, and he’s the closest available dick to give you said dicking. I see nothing wrong with that,” she shrugs.

“That was a lot of dicks in one sentence.”

“There are a lot of dicks on this boat. You think you’ve got problems? Ben is the best sex I’ve ever had and he’s a man-whore,” she complains, shoving her mascara tube back into her make-up bag and grabbing her bottle of perfume from the counter.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
This book should come with a warning label saying "Readers of Below Deck will want to take a tropical holiday." I wasn't even half way through and I was looking into holiday destinations in the South Pacific.

Declan is the Boson on the Helios, a luxury yacht. His dream is to become a captain and have his own boat. In the four years he has worked on the Helios he has never crossed the line with a guest. Enter Mackenzie. She is the daughter of a tech millionaire, but nothing like the spoilt rich girls he was expecting.

This is a fun romance. While there are a few different threads to the story, they aren't anything that requires much brain power on the part of the reader. You can just sit back and enjoy the show. There is plenty of sass and banter, lots of heat, and Declan and Mackenzie have cool best friends having a summer fling of their own. Oh, and the French chef was fabulous.

The story started to annoy me towards the end when Declan kept making the same mistake over and over and over with Mackenzie. On the other side of the coin, Mackenzie holds back from going all in with Declan, thinking he doesn't feel the same. I kind of wanted to smash their heads together. Luckily for them, they have great friends to help them along the way. But at the end of the day, this couple is a perfect match and their epilogue left me smiling.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆
I am a long time fan of the talented Ms. Sivec and was delighted to get the chance to review this book.

We are pitched straight into life at sea in a luxury yacht in the sun. Meeting both the crew and visiting their mean quarters, as well as the latest family of ultra-wealthy and entitled guests. Except this time, only two of the guests are really ghastly – and ghastly is an understatement! The ultimate in evil stepmother and stepsister to the somewhat gorgeous Mackenzie. Bosun Declan never mixes with the guests, but she is sorely tempting him.

For two intelligent human beings, they do have to rely a lot on their respective best friends to straighten out the repeated errors and misunderstandings. It is entertaining watching both leads deal with their hang-ups and each other, but I felt it was overdone, especially towards the end.

There were some great supporting characters. I really enjoyed Ben and Brooke and they were certainly light relief and essential for the plot. I think that the captain was an unsung hero as he definitely turned a blind eye to the goings on aboard his vessel. And Marcel, the chef, was undoubtedly the most patient and the most amusing with his acerbic wit.

Tara Sivec is a USA Today best-selling author, wife, mother, chauffeur, maid, short-order cook, baby-sitter, and sarcasm expert. She lives in Ohio with her husband and two children and looks forward to the day when they all three of them become adults and move out.

After working in the brokerage business for fourteen years, Tara decided to pick up a pen and write instead of shoving it in her eye out of boredom. Her novel Seduction and Snacks won first place in the Indie Romance Convention Reader’s Choice Awards 2013 for Best Indie First Book and she was voted as Best Author in the Indie Romance Convention Reader’s Choice Awards for 2014.

In her spare time, Tara loves to dream about all of the baking she’ll do and naps she’ll take when she ever gets spare time.

Tara loves tackling new genres so there’s something for everyone! Currently, she has books in the following categories: Romantic Comedy, Romantic Suspense, Erotic Romantic Suspense, Romantic Mystery/Comedy, Contemporary Romance, and Psychological Thriller.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Below Deck by Tara Sivec to read and review for this tour.