I Wish You Were Mine by Lauren Layne Blog Tour

Perfect for fans of Alice Clayton and Emma Chase, Lauren Layne’s Oxford series heats up in this story of forbidden desire as a brooding jock hoping for a comeback falls for a woman who’s strictly off-limits.

A year ago, Jackson Burke was married to the love of his life and playing quarterback for the Texas Redhawks. Now he’s retired, courtesy of the car accident that ruined his career—and single, after a nasty scandal torpedoed his marriage. Just as he’s starting to get used to his new life as a health and fitness columnist for Oxford magazine, his unpredictable ex shows up on his doorstep in Manhattan. Jackson should be thrilled. But he can’t stop thinking about the one person who’s always been there for him, the one girl he could never have: her younger sister.

Mollie Carrington can’t say no to Madison. After all, her older sister practically raised her. So when Madison begs for help in winning her ex-husband back, Mollie’s just glad she got over her own crush on Jackson ages ago—or so she thought. Because as Mollie reconnects with Jackson, she quickly forgets all her reasons to stay loyal to her sister. Tempted by Jackson’s mellow drawl and cowboy good looks, Mollie is sick and tired of coming in second place. But she can’t win if she doesn’t play the game.

Book 2
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“I thought I might find you out here,” he said quietly as he took a sip of his own champagne.

Mollie snuck a look out of the corner of her eye. He’d come looking for her? She hadn’t thought anyone had noticed she’d slipped away.

“I messed up the toast,” she said quietly.

“Nah,” he said, stretching his long legs out in front of him and slouching down a bit to get comfortable. “Just think how many people you educated on the mating ritual of parasitic worms. They should be thanking you.”

Mollie groaned. “It was supposed to be romantic. I did a paper about them for my systematics and biotics diversity final. They’re unusual because they’re bonded for life. Most organisms sleep around or, you know, the male dies after mating—”

Jackson winced, and Mollie wished she could wither and die just like a male bee.

Mollie knew she had lots of useless trivia in her head, but she didn’t normally go spouting it out like this. Not that she was a smooth talker or anything, but she was usually pretty quiet and normal, if a bit nerdy.

But tonight she felt . . . off. Starting with the fact that the dress Madison had picked for her was the exact color of Mollie’s complexion, so she looked like a mole rat. And then there was the fact that she’d tripped a bit as she’d been going down the aisle, courtesy of the five-inch stilettos her sister had insisted on.

Add in an awkward maid-of-honor speech where she’d gone on for a good five minutes about Schistosoma mansoni worms and how they mated for life, just like the bride and groom, and . . . oh God. Why had nobody stopped her?

Mollie scrunched down on the bench with a moan as she took a sip of champagne. “Madison’s going to kill me.”

Madison was in a mood anyway. She’d been a bridezilla from the moment Jackson had put a ring on it, but Mollie had figured when the actual day came around, her sister would relax.

Nope.

She’d been pissed about the flowers being ivory instead of true white to match her dress. Had bitched about the fact that Lily, one of her bridesmaids, had styled her hair in a way that was too close to the bride’s style.

Then Madison had vented about how the bracelet Jackson’s mother had shyly presented as Maddie’s “something old” was dumpy.

That one had gotten under Mollie’s skin. Mrs. Burke was the closest thing to a mother that either of them had. Their own mother had died of an overdose years ago, and Mollie would have given a kidney to have a surrogate as lovely and kind as Jackson’s mom.

“Maddie won’t kill you,” Jackson said, putting an arm around the back of the park bench and smiling down at her. “She loves you, even if she doesn’t get your whole triple-major, science-camp vibe.”

Mollie withheld a snort. That was an understatement. She loved her sister, but the closest Madison ever got to science was her monthly chemical peel.

Still, Mollie felt a fierce need to make sure that Jackson Burke knew she was an adult. “I’m twenty. I do not go to science camp.”

He lifted an eyebrow, and Mollie pointed her champagne flute at him. “Okay, I used to go to science camp. But I’m not the one who used the word ‘lactation’ in relation to a mermaid.”

“Hey, you’re not the only one who took bio in college.”

“But you were a communications major. Journalism,” she said.

He gave her a surprised look, and Mollie looked away, mentally kicking herself. That was exactly what Jackson Burke didn’t need—another groupie stalker.

She snuck another glance and saw that he’d slumped even farther, matching her own crappy posture, and Mollie was surprised to see that he looked . . . exhausted.

“Are you okay?” she asked. Because she couldn’t not ask. Not after she’d seen the weariness around his eyes, the slight tension in his shoulders.

Jackson turned his head so their eyes locked and he frowned before returning his attention to the mermaid. “Nobody ever asks me that.”

Her heart squeezed at the lost note in his voice. It was strange to think of someone as big and important as Jackson Burke being lonely, but somehow . . . somehow she knew he was. Even here, among all these people, he was somehow alone. Apart.

Like her.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
Aaaah, complicated and romantic? What's not to love? Jackson Barnes, a former pro quarterback, is trying to get his life back after it imploded after the car accident that took his football career and put the final nail in the coffin of his marriage. Wanting to start over, he took a job in the city where his best friend lived and a job that he didn't want just to get away from Texas.

Mollie Carrington has been in love with Jackson Barnes since she was 20. The problem? He's her ex-brother-in-law. Mollie doesn't really believe half the stuff that has been written about Jackson since her sister filed for divorce, but surely her sister wouldn't lie to her – or would she?

The author has done a wonderful job of tackling a sensitive topic with humor and grace – the crossing of the line of the "girl code" – you don't date your friend's or sister's exes. It’s just not done. But, when the ex is cute and is the wronged party, surely pushing the line is okay, right?

Both Jackson and Mollie are characters you can't help but root for and that common sense and cooler heads prevail.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
Having read book one and loved it, I was delighted to get a chance to read and review this story. The leads are new characters, but we meet up with old friends – so I would recommend that you start at the beginning, if you haven't already, as the first one is fabulous too.

Here we deal with two really big issues – feelings for someone who falls inside the 'avoid code' and coping with the loss of a great career. I think that the progress through the plot was well thought out and believable. The friendships were brilliant, as were Jackson's musings in the office – so clever to show just how confidence can flee. The relationship between him and Mollie brings on laughter, and sadness, but there is no denying a wonderful level of hotness that comes from getting just what you always dreamed about, or doing the quasi-forbidden. Real feel good read, and I can't wait to see who comes next ... and/or why Lincoln is as he is!

Thanks again Ms. Layne, for giving us a winner!

Also Available in the Oxford Series

Book 1
Buy Links

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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our stop in the Irresistibly Yours Blog Tour.

Lauren Layne is a USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance.

Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and web-marketing. A year after moving from Seattle to NYC to pursue a writing career, she had a fabulous agent and multiple New York publishing deals.

Lauren currently lives in Manhattan with her husband and plus-sized Pomeranian. When not writing, you'll likely find her running (rarely), reading (sometimes), or at happy hour (often).

Connect with Lauren

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of I Wish You Were Mine (Oxford #2) by Lauren Layne to read and review for this tour.

Fantasy Man by Barbara Meyers

One lie of omission could turn her wildest dream into a world of hurt.

Quinn Fontana never thought witnessing two murders would lead to her first taste of freedom. But when her overprotective brother puts her on a plane for L.A. to hide until it’s time to testify, she can’t stop the shiver of anticipation.

If her life is going to be cut short, she plans to live it to the fullest. And that includes seducing her intended protector—her brother’s best friend and star of her private fantasies.

When security consultant Reif Callaghan awakens after a rowdy night out with his coworkers to find a warm, willing woman in his bed, he’s almost past the point of no return when he realizes it’s Quinn. And he’s come way too close to debauching his best friend’s little sister.

Her enticing offer—one night, no holding back, no regrets—is a temptation he can’t resist. Until he realizes she’s been hiding a piece of vital information that could cost not only their one chance to turn fantasy into reality, but their lives.

Warning: Contains fantasy-come-true sex, get-it-out-of-their-system sex, angry-as-hell sex, and on-the-run sex. Also, accidental ferret-napping. Asthmatics are advised to load up on antihistamines before reading.

Buy Links

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Samhain  Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆
This is a fun read, with a very feisty woman, who thanks to being in hiding from the mob has left the shackles of her over-protective father and brother behind. They think she will be safe with her brother's best friend...whom she just may have neglected to tell all...and here is the set up.

It is not a sophisticated plot, but it works together well enough to give us a good story. Quinn is the more lively of the two leads – I felt that Reif wasn't entirely well suited to his role as a security consultant, given how unprepared he seems at times, but then again, he is very distracted by Quinn! There is some great humour, and a rather lovely charm to the romance. All in all, I enjoyed this read.

I write the kind of books I’d like to read: Sweet, spicy, sexy contemporary romance, women’s fiction, and screwball contemporary fantasy.

When not writing fiction, Dr. Seuss-like poetry or song lyrics, I put on a black cap and a green apron and supply caffeine-laced substances to addicted consumers for a world-wide coffee company.

Things I enjoy (in no particular order): premium coffee, white zinfandel, giant Hershey bars with almonds, reading, long walks, bicycling and playing tennis badly. I’m still married to my first husband, have two fantastic children and one almost perfect dog. I currently reside in Central Florida.

Connect with Barbara

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Fantasy Man by Barbara Meyers to read and review.

Against the Wall by Jill Sorenson

Fans of Katie McGarry, Simone Elkeles, and Tammara Webber will love Against the Wall! As teenagers, they fell for each other despite the odds. But now that Eric and Meghan are all grown up, they’re reunited by fierce passion and dangerous secrets.

Eric Hernandez is the bad boy of every schoolgirl’s fantasies—and every mother’s nightmares. But after serving time for manslaughter, he’s ready to turn his life around. He just needs a chance to prove himself as a professional tattoo artist. The one thing that keeps him going is the memory of the innocent beauty he loved and left behind.

Meghan Young’s world isn’t as perfect as it looks. The preacher’s daughter is living a lie, especially now that Eric is back. Tougher, harder, and sexier than ever, he might be the only person she can trust. But there’s no telling what he’ll do to protect her if he learns the truth, and that’s a risk Meghan won’t let him take. And yet, back in the arms of the troubled boy with the artist’s soul, Meghan can’t help surrendering to the man he’s become.

Buy Links

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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆☆
The story of Eric and Megan is dual point of view. The alternating points of view let us experience the very different ways our characters experience the world. One is a gang member and convicted felon and the other is a college girl who was raised in a strict religious household.

I found Eric to be honest and a realist. He knows the difficulties he is going to face trying to go straight, stay out of prison and away from gang life. He has hopes and dreams but his upbringing and time in prison mean he is guarded and doesn't expect his dreams to come true. But still he tries. He has successes and he makes mistakes and he is hard on himself. I loved him.

Meghan is a college student who is a little lost. Living with a controlling boyfriend she doesn't love and in love with Eric. Even though she feels lost and unsure of what to do with her life. She is courageous and loving and hopeful.

For much of this story I felt I was one page away from something explosive happening and not know if it would be good or bad. Eric desperately wants Meghan but tells himself he can't have her. Meghan is in love with Eric and doesn't agree with his assessment of the situation and sparks fly. We also have Eric trying to live a crime free life, Meghan's relationship with her controlling boyfriend, and someone vandalising and threatening Meghan and her best friend Kelsea. I love that this is a meaty story.

This is the first Jill Sorensen book I've read and she hooked me in from the start and had me enthralled right to the very end. Fantastic reading.


Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
Eric was convicted of manslaughter, served his time, lived in a halfway house, and, upon release, had nowhere to go, except to the house of his abusive brother's ex, April, his niece and her new husband, Noah. Before he was convicted he had a relationship with Noah's sister, Meghan. He broke things off with Meghan, by saying he didn't love her. In his mind he was protecting her, in her mind he had used her and broke her heart.

When he's forced to be a better man, can he let his old thug ways go or will he go back to the only life he's known?

This was a huge page turner for me. I was intrigued from page one. I had to know how it all played out. This was my first read from this author and I see more of her titles in my future.

Jill Sorenson is the RITA-nominated author of more than a dozen romantic suspense novels. She has a degree in Literature and Writing from California State University. Her books have been selected as Red-Hot Reads by Cosmopolitan magazine, and have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and Library Journal. Jill currently lives in the San Diego area with her family. She’s a soccer mom who loves nature, coffee, reading, Twitter, and reality TV.

Connect with Jill

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Against the Wall by Jill Sorenson to read and review.

Getting Rough by C.L. Parker

The next sizzling novel of C. L. Parker’s Monkey Business Trio—perfect for fans of Bared to You and Beautiful Bastard.

Hotshot San Diego sports agent Shaw Matthews and his sexy professional adversary Cassidy Whalen have gone head-to-head in the boardroom—and the bedroom. Now Shaw has scored a big promotion—but only because Cassidy turned it down and ran off. There are many things he wants when it comes to Cassidy—just not her pity. So Shaw rushes to a small town in Maine to retrieve his dignity—and maybe the woman he’s hungry to claim once more.

Cassidy has pushed herself to the max to realize her career dreams—until a family crisis brings her home. But Shaw isn’t letting Cassidy go that easily. Neither is gorgeous heartthrob Casey Michaels, the childhood sweetheart she left behind—and who now wants to win her back. As the rivalry between the two alpha males intensifies, and Shaw’s seductive moves reach a whole new level of heat, Cassidy has to make a choice. And this time, it’s for the highest stakes of all.

Getting Rough is intended for mature audiences.

Book 2
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
When Shaw finds out that Cassidy has left San Diego for her Maine hometown, his first thought was to go after her and let her know that he didn't like her "letting" him win, so that's what he did. He couldn't let her get away with feeling sorry for him and giving him the partnership. He wanted to earn it, like he did everything else in his life.

Cassidy didn't let Shaw win. She turned the contract down because her family was more important than being made partner at the sports agency where they worked. Her Dad had called and told her that her mother was in the hospital and they would need help keeping the B&B that her mother owned going while she recuperated.

Shaw was surprised to learn that Cassidy hadn't turned down the offer to represent Denver due to her feelings for him, but rather because of her feelings and obligation to her family. Never having had a typical, or even an atypical family, he doesn't know how to process it. Determined to learn more about this side of Cassidy, he decides to stay for a few more days.

Cassidy is glad that she can be of help to her parents, but she's already tired of the inevitable questions about how long she's staying and when she's coming home for good. Grateful for Casey's friendship, she relies on him to be the buffer she needs, even though their romance ended long ago.

During the time Shaw and Cassidy spends in Maine, each come to some hard and harsh realizations about themselves and each other. When it comes down to it, it’s time to shut up or grow up.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
A very hot 4.5*
I loved the first book in the series – and this one is even better. You definitely need to read Playing Dirty before you read this – or you really won't get all the dynamics, and you really need to get the setting.

This book moves us along a lot, and I cannot tell you how, as it will spoil everything – but I promise you that you will smile, laugh, get hot and bothered, have a small panic, feel warm and cosy, and both widen your eyes and roll them. So a definite exercise gym for emotions here. The story moves along at a good pace, and has a fun superficial story along with a much deeper and delightful one too. The first chapter from Mia's point of view is absolutely brilliant. Totally cute, funny and yet deep.

Obviously the title gives us the hint that there are three books in the series, so I was getting somewhat worried as we moved towards the end of the book – but actually the stop point leaves us thinking rather than full out panicking – thanks for that Ms. Parker...it was honestly a relief!

Cannot wait for the next book, and I need to make sure that I can read all three in a row, as that way I will get all the details in one go.


Mary – ☆☆☆☆
This book picks up where book one ended with Cassidy heading back to Maine to help her parents after her Ma's accident. Now Shaw is headed to Maine to find out why Cassidy has run from him. They are still fighting with each other, but not as much and the sexual tension is drawing them together even more. But with Cassidy being back home, that means that Casey is there too. And she is fighting her mind as to what she should be feeling toward Casey with Shaw around. Then there is Mia, the romance author staying at the Whalen House. Who Casey seems to be attracted to. And that seems to be something that Cassidy is hurt by. With Cassidy, Shaw, Casey and Mia all together and throw in a hurricane and two sets of parents staying in the same house, things can get a little tense. Will Cassidy follow her mind or her heart to find true love? What will it take for Shaw to realize that his life could be more than the material things he owns? Will Casey fight for Cassidy? Will Mia finish her romance novel about a lobster-man based on Casey without falling for him? This is a great continuation of this story and I can't wait for book 3 to find out how it ends for everyone and maybe a look into Cassidy's friends.


Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
Getting Rough in the second installment in the Monkey Business Trio. I really enjoyed book one Playing Dirty, where Shaw and Cassidy fight to sign the top rated athlete in the country. The chemistry between the two was off the charts. When Shaw lands the contract he's a little thrown to find out Cassidy has run back to her hometown.

Shaw follows her to Maine to find out why she ran. The closer he gets to her small town, the more he's questioning why he's even following her. The sarcastic back and forth between them is still present in this book, which I loved. Shaw learns so much more about Cassidy and why she is like she is. Should choosing who you should be with and who you want to be with be so hard?

Loved the pace of this one and the ease of picking up book two, after not reading the first for almost a year, and within a few sentence I was right back into the story. Can't wait to see what the last one brings.

Also Available in the Monkey Business Trio Series

Book 1
Buy Links

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For reviews & more info, check out our Playing Dirty post.

C.L. Parker is a romance author who writes stories that sizzle. She’s a small-town girl with big-city dreams and enough tenacity to see them come to fruition. Having been the outgoing sort all her life—which translates to “she just wouldn’t shut the hell up”—it’s no wonder Parker eventually turned to writing as a way to let her voice, and those of the people living inside her head, be heard. She loves hard, laughs until it hurts, and lives like there’s no tomorrow. In her world, everything truly does happen for a reason.

Connect with C.L.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Getting Rough (Monkey Business Trio #2) by C.L. Parker to read and review.

Adam by Beth Williamson

Sometimes the universe has to turn your life sideways so love can find its way in.

As the oldest of five, Adam Sheridan’s life is full of obligations. He longs to do something, anything, besides working his family’s flour mill in Tanger, Texas. His mama always says the universe moves in its own sweet time.

Apparently the universe was waiting for his wagon load of flour to overturn so he could meet the woman he was destined to love.

Eve Tate is a woman from nowhere with a shady past and an uncertain future. When she is left behind in Adam’s care, she reinvents herself again to be his perfect mate. Little does she know who she was will haunt who she tries to be.

And, just like the couples of old, Adam and Eve must find a way to live together—or lose everything they have.

Warning: Contains a redheaded man with a Texas-wide stubborn streak, and a chameleon-like woman with a heart that needs attention and a soul that needs redeeming. Foolishness, canoodling and deep abiding love result.

Book 1
Buy Links

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Samhain  Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angela – ☆☆☆☆
This is the first book by Beth Williamson that I’ve read and after finishing Adam, I now need to hunt down the Devils on Horseback series to read about Adam’s father and his “uncles” – the original Devils on Horseback. Williamson has created a close knit group of men and women whose children are now approaching adulthood and are on the cusp of beginning their lives. First up is Adam, Jake and Gabby Sheridan’s oldest son, and he makes quite the impression on Eve when he runs into her – almost literally.

As the eldest, Adam is often tasked with deliveries of the flour their family’s mill produces. On his way home, he encounters a woman walking down the middle of the road and the near-miss results in a loss of flour and the wagon. Feeling responsible for the woman’s safety, he shares his campsite with her for the evening and upon his return to town – without the flour, without the wagon, and with a flour-covered woman in tow – his mother insists that he does the right thing as the impropriety of them spending the night together has besmirched Eve’s reputation. Oddly enough, as Adam gets to know Eve and becomes more comfortable with the idea of them marrying, his mother becomes less trustful of Eve’s motives and cautions against the wedding. When a tragic accident takes place and Eve’s past experience puts her in a position to help Jake out, Gabby and the others begin to become more accepting of Eve. As events unfold and Eve’s past shows up in Tanger, Adam insists on the marriage taking place sooner rather than later because he’s come to care for Eve and can see a future for them together. But when Eve’s ghosts multiply, Adam is faced with deciding whether or not a future with Eve is worth fighting for.

Even though I haven’t read the original Devils on Horseback series, the bonds between that generation were obvious in the protective nature of one another’s children. That their children shared similar bonds among them from growing up together was also apparent and made for one heck of an extended family of siblings and cousins, regardless of blood relations. Considering who Eve was traveling with prior to encountering Adam, I wasn’t surprised to learn that she had run cons, even if it hadn’t occurred during her time with the gypsies. What did surprise me was the level of coercion she was subjected to, to insure that she took part in the cons. I was further shocked when the identity of the ringleader was revealed and it was discovered just how far that individual’s influence spread. I really liked that Adam trusted his instincts when Eve’s secrets were revealed and that he was willing to listen to her explanations about her past – his understanding and acceptance that she wanted to start her life anew in Tanger, with Adam and the rest of his extended family cemented his status as a truly good guy in my book. Adam has the Devils on Horseback: Generations series off to a great start and I look forward to reading more about this group of individuals – both generations of Devils.

Beth Williamson, who also writes as Emma Lang, is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of both historical and contemporary romances. Her books range from sensual to scorching hot. She is a Career Achievement Award Nominee in Erotic Romance by Romantic Times Magazine, in both 2009 and 2010, and a semi-finalist in the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest.

Beth has always been a dreamer, never able to escape her imagination. It led her to the craft of writing romance novels, fueled by Reese’s and tenacious pursuit of the perfect story. She’s passionate about purple, books, and her family. She has a weakness for shoes and purses as well as bookstores.

Life might be chaotic, as life usually is, but Beth always keeps a smile on her face, a song in her heart, and a cowboy on her mind. ;)

Connect with Beth

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Adam (Devils on Horseback: Generations #1) by Beth Williamson to read and review.

Falling Hard by Tina Wainscott

In bestselling author Tina Wainscott’s gritty, emotional small-town romance—perfect for fans of Jasinda Wilder and Colleen Hoover—passions run high as a reformed bad boy reconnects with an old enemy...and gets her engine revving.

There’s no one Pax Sullivan wants to run into less than Gemma Thornton. Back in high school, she revved his heart more than street racing. But she picked his clean-cut brother over him—only to accuse Blake of an unforgivable crime. Eventually the charges were dropped and Gemma left town, but the hard feelings lingered . . . along with Pax’s gnawing “what-ifs.” Seven years later, just as he quits the police force to open a racetrack, Gemma’s back—and their chemistry is more combustible than ever.

If it were up to her, Gemma would never lay eyes on another Sullivan. She hates them, and they hate her—even Pax, who just so happens to be fixing up her father’s B&B. But the more time she spends with the lean, hard-bodied ex-cop at the inn and on the track, the more Gemma sees that Pax is nothing like his brother. Despite their anguished history, she’s tempted to take their relationship into high gear...if she can face the past and risk her heart.

Book 2
Buy Links

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B&N  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
I really enjoyed the first in this series, and this is an excellent next story in the series. It builds very carefully, as views are changed and new perceptions are realised. That there is chemistry between the leads there is no doubt, but everything else is almost impossible to imagine. It is so beautifully done, the issues are so sensitively dealt with, so much guilt that is unwarranted, but inevitable. And as the truth of Blake's behaviour emerges, Pax has to learn some very hard truths. There is so much going on, and yet the B&B somehow grounds the story, and makes today remain front and centre.

This is a deep read, as well as being a lovely romance. It will make you think, and maybe see things slightly differently, but it is very satisfying too.

Also Available in the Falling Fast Series

Book 1
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B&N  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

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

USA Today bestselling author Tina Wainscott has always loved the combination of romance and suspense, because nothing complements falling in love better than being hunted down. The author of more than thirty novels and novellas, Wainscott creates characters with baggage, past hurts, and vulnerabilities. They go through hell, find love, and, at the end, find peace in who they are and everything they’ve gone through. And isn’t that what everyone wants?

Connect with Tina

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Falling Hard (Falling Fast #2) by Tina Wainscott to read and review.

Fighting for Devlin by Jessica Lemmon

Perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Katy Evans, Jessica Lemmon’s irresistible Lost Boys series kicks off with the story of a good girl who plays by the rules—and the bad boy who brings out her wild side.

Devlin Calvary makes his own luck. Orphaned as a young child, he was taken in by a crew of bookies and gamblers—and they became his family. They’re the reason Dev’s running a trendy bistro, living in a high rise, and enjoying the good life with a string of women who never ask for too much. Until, one night, he finds out how much it hurts to trust the wrong people.

Rena Lewis sticks to the straight and narrow, determined not to slip up again . . . like the terrible night of partying four years ago that ended in tragedy. A waitress at Oak & Sage, she knows that sleeping with her boss is not a smart move. But when Dev shows up on her doorstep, beat up and clearly shaken, Rena’s not about to turn him down . . . or kick him out of bed.

Dev reawakens something primal within her—a need to go wild. And Rena soon finds out that the heart she’d sealed away years ago still has the power to fight for love.

Book 1
Buy Links

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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Shannan – ☆☆☆
I like that Fighting for Devlin has a unique setting. It is based around the world of illegal gambling. Not something you read about a lot in romance. It's nice to change it up every once in a while.

Delvin was orphaned at a young age. His father's friends take him in and expose him to the world of gambling. Delvin is your typical bad boy with attitude to spare. For me, his character is very one dimensional. I needed more, I needed depth but it never came.

When Delvin realizes he put too much of his trust in the wrong people it's too late. He's battered and bruised when he shows up at Rena's house. There is an attraction there but a line he never wanted to cross, until he can't help himself.

The sex scenes were steamy but the angst level is super high. The set up left it known that Cade and Tasha's story is next. I am hoping Cade comes through a little more three dimensional and not as flat as Delvin ended up being.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆
This book has a number of things to commend it, but I think that there is too much going on, and at the same time it is all in the abstract. Both the leads have darkness in their pasts, and hardness in their current lives, but it seems to affect others much more than them. I can't really explain without revealing some of the story – which is something I do not do. The writing is good, and the pace is fine; I just didn't get invested enough in things working out, nor did I expect things to be resolved as they are… That said, this is obviously the first in a series, and maybe the plan is to release more detail as the books progress. We shall have to wait and see.

A former job-hopper, Jessica Lemmon resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dog. She holds a degree in graphic design currently gathering dust in an impressive frame. When she’s not writing super-sexy heroes, she can be found cooking, drawing, drinking coffee (okay, wine), and eating potato chips. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want.

Jessica is a social media junkie who loves to hear from readers.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Fighting for Devlin (Lost Boys #1) by Jessica Lemmon to read and review.