Steam 5 Storyline 5 Feels 5 Overall Rating 5 Kindle eArc provided by Authors Reviewed by Joanna
I honestly didn’t know how to review this anthology…a book with many books by so many authors. It has been FRUSTRATING since I fall in love with a story and it leaves me hanging. I read the next and it is the same. I have looked for the complete story for a few and they haven’t been released yet. On the plus side, it has introduced me to some amazing authors that I have never read before. And AMAZING is not an understatement. The part that kills me is it leaves me wanting MORE of each story…and I can’t. You know how when you read a book and it ends in a cliffhanger and you are slightly upset because you have to wait for the next one to come out. Well, do that 17 times in a row. I have a list a mile long of stories I need to complete, but I have to admit I didn’t know how this anthology was created when I chose this book to review. I initially expected a bunch of completed short stories. But this is a collection of beginnings to longer stories that leave you wanting more.
CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS
Silla Webb ◦ Gwyn McNamee ◦ Abbi Cook ◦ Aidee Jaimes ◦ Beck Knight & Echo Grayce ◦ Catherine Wiltcher ◦ Christy Anderson ◦ Cole Denton ◦ Cora Kenborn ◦ Indie Hayes ◦ Jagger Cole ◦ Khardine Gray & Faith Summers ◦ Jennifer Rebecca ◦ Lee Savino & KT Strange ◦ Lexxi James ◦ Sapphire Knight ◦ Sienna Snow ◦ SR Jones
There is a giveaway for a Darkly Ever After Consigliere Book Box with a paperback, custom bullet embedded stemless wine glass, sunglasses and case, a Kindle Paperwhite, custom Darkly Ever After Kindle sleeve, customer Darkly Ever After 30oz tumbler, Kate Spade Staci collection purse and wallet-total retail value of $875
Title: Meet Me at Midnight Author: Melissa Toppen Release: April 29, 2022 Genre: Friends to Lovers Romance
Blurb
Meet me at midnight– whispered words from drunken lips.
Lips that I had spent years wanting to kiss.
Lips that I had dreamt about night after night, waking to wonder what if.
What if he noticed me?
What if he wanted me?
What if…
But I quickly learned some things are better left to wonder.
Especially where Levi Mills is concerned.
He didn’t just steal my innocence that night.
He broke every part of me.
Dismantled me from the inside out until there was nothing left of the girl I used to be.
Years passed. Moments faded into the background. Until eventually he became nothing more than a distant memory- a dream that almost didn’t seem real.
But then suddenly he’s there, standing in front of me again like he never left. And in that one heartbeat, in that one breath, I relive it all over again. Every touch. Every word. Like frozen snippets of time suspended in front of my eyes.
And then he smiles that all too familiar smile, meet me at midnight moving soundlessly across his lips.
Feels 3 Steam 1 Storyline 3.5 Overall Rating 3.5 Kindle eArc provided by Author Reviewed by Stephanie
Levi and Olive have been friends since the sixth grade when he saved her from a spitball rampage on the school bus. That’s when Olive’s obsession for Levi started. Throughout high school they ran in the same circles. Levi, one of the most popular guys at school, had an ever rotating list of girls on his arm and in his bed. Olive was secretly in love with him, but maybe her feelings weren’t as secret as she thought. Maybe she wasn’t the only one holding onto a secret that would change both their lives and destroy their friendship.
“He’s a drug I’ve needed to quit for some time now but one I never could seem to put down.”
Six years later and Levi is back in Warren, Rhode Island. He hasn’t seen or spoken to Olive since he disappeared without a goodbye. His mom is sick. There is a wedding and so many unresolved feelings between these two. Olive is angry and Levi wants forgiveness and maybe a second chance. But is Olive willing to give him what he so desperately wants after what happened when they met at midnight all those years ago?
“Please, O, I don’t know how to be here without you.”
Meet Me At Midnight is a second chance, friends to lovers story that was a pretty quick read. While I have really liked the other books I have read by this author, I unfortunately was not a huge fan of this one. Although Olive seemed to be the more mature and dependable one of the two, she still was a tad immature. Her obsession and constant back and forth didn’t really work well in my opinion. Levi was okay but how are you going to disappear for six years and then return with a bunch of random lame excuses to try and win back the one that got away. Make her swoon, Levi and earn that forgiveness. I like a little back and forth between characters but in this book it honestly bothered me. It was an okay read but I felt like there wasn’t a lot to grab onto with this story. It lost my attention a few times throughout the book. I do look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
“When he left, my world ended. When he came back, my world began to turn again.”
Melissa Toppen is a USA Today Bestselling Author who specializes in New Adult and Contemporary Romance. She is a lover of books and enjoys nothing more than losing herself in a good novel. She has a soft spot for Romance and focuses her writing in that direction; writing what she loves to read.
Melissa resides in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband and two children, where she writes full time.
Scared to Love, an all-new angst-filled dark mafia romance set from USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Siobhan Davis, is available now!
A new dark mafia friends-to-lovers romance from USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Siobhan Davis.
Serena has felt trapped her entire life, living a lie because it was demanded of her.
Years of torture at the hands of her sadistic husband have left her battered and bruised, but not defeated. She needs to stay strong for her children, and she’s determined to reset her future.
The future she has all thanks to Alessandro.
He saved her that fateful night when her husband died, and he continues to save her as she struggles to piece her life back together.
Yet the closer they get, the more it terrifies her because no man has ever made her feel like this.
It can’t work.
She’s too broken.
He’s too young.
And she’ll never trust a made man again.
Women never get under Alesso’s skin—until Serena. They share an intense connection that can’t be ignored, no matter how hard she tries to push him away.
He knows she’s scared. He is too, but she’s worth the risk. Alesso vows to be patient, until danger resurfaces and now all bets are off. Serena needs to understand how much she means to him and he will do everything to protect her.
The situation grows more tense as the DeLucas plot against Bennett Mazzone and the surviving mafia heirs. But Alesso will lay down his life before he lets Serena get hurt again.
Now his walls are lowered, the gloves are off, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.
Even if it means letting her go.
This is a full-length 105k-word novel with NO cliff-hanger and an HEA, set in the Mazzone Mafia world. This is the third and final book in this series. For readers who enjoy friends-to-lovers, second chance, reverse age-gap, dark mafia romance. May contain triggers – please read the note at the start of the book.
Feels 3 Storyline 4.25 Steam 3 Overall Rating 4.25 Kindle eArc provided by Author Reviewed by Robin
A slow burn mafia romance that I really enjoyed. Serena was in an abusive arranged marriage and has suffered a lot of trauma from enduring the cruel torture from her husband. This story is after she has escaped but steadily moving her children and herself past their previous situation. And SLOW it is. Serena needs someone in her life who is patient, kind and understanding. ENTER ALESSO. These two start off as friends with a spark and it was sweet to read it move into something more. That man…he has the patience of a saint. I’ve always liked his character but he’s so much more than a bodyguard and playmate to the children. The insight he displays on negotiations and tactics is interesting to see and how Ben values his contributions. While this book definitely focused on the emotional healing by Serena for the majority of the story…once the action and intrigue pick up in the last quarter…it’s very much the page turner suspense book that you expect from Siobhan Davis. Great twist and crazy ending. I’m excited to see where some of these characters venture to next.
Giveaway
Enter for a chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card on Siobhan Davis’ Facebook Page.
She slams to a halt, turning to face me. “I would never deliberately deceive you. That’s not who I am.” Fire underscores her tone, and I like hearing it.
“I didn’t mean it that way. I know who you are.”
The saddest expression washes over her features. “If that was true, you wouldn’t be standing here with me now. You wouldn’t be spending time with me each day. You would run a mile if you realized exactly who I am.”
I risk stepping a little closer. “I have known you long enough to know the kind of woman you are, Serena. I’d like to think you’ve known me long enough to know you could tell me anything, and it wouldn’t scare me away.” Reaching out slowly, I take her gloved hands in my bare ones. “I spend time with you because I enjoy it. I want to get to know you better. I want to support you as you deal with the things you need to deal with.”
“Why me? I’m too old. Too broken. I have kids. I come with so much baggage I’m completely weighted down with it. I—”
I can’t listen to her beat herself up any longer, so I place two fingers over her mouth, quietly shushing her as I prepare to negate each of her concerns. “One. You’re not too old, and I’m not too young. Age is just a number, and I refuse to allow stupid societal norms to dictate who I spend my time with or categorize the nature of that relationship. Two. Broken is subjective, and we all have our broken parts, but guess what?” I move my fingers from her lips to her cheeks, silently rejoicing when she doesn’t flinch or shy away. “Broken parts can be glued back together. Three, I adore your kids, and they are the cherry on top. And four, every single person in the world has some kind of baggage. It’s called life.”
Tears glisten in her eyes, spilling onto her cheeks. “You’re not real,” she whispers. “You can’t be.”
My heart aches for her because I see the mistrust and disbelief in her eyes. “I’m real, Rena.” Taking her hand, I slip it under my coat and over my shirt-covered chest, where my heart is currently jumping cartwheels in honor of her presence. “I’m as real as it gets.”
Siobhan Davis is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Amazon Top 10 bestselling romance author. Siobhan writes emotionally intense stories with swoon-worthy romance, complex characters, and tons of unexpected plot twists and turns that will have you flipping the pages beyond bedtime! She has sold over 1.5 million books and her titles are translated into several languages.
Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Siobhan forged a successful corporate career in human resource management.
She lives in the Garden County of Ireland with her husband and two sons.
Sterling Golden—Cocky football star. Rich Playboy with a secret. Guy I’d most like to throat-punch. The cherry on top? I’m stuck pretending to be this d-bag’s girl for the next few months.
When I spotted him sneaking out the Dean’s window—a woman whose reputation precedes her—I could’ve minded my business. But it’s not every day you catch your nemesis in such a compromising position, so I did what any self-respecting person would’ve done.
I added fuel to the scandal that ignited, then laughed while the cops hauled him off in nothing but handcuffs and his boxers.
Of course, the arrogant prick found a way to rope me into the lie that got him out of trouble. Which means the only way I come out of this unscathed is to go along with it, pretend we’re a thing.
Most girls would kill to be on the arm of a Golden triplet, but I’m counting down the days until it’s over. In public, we give the city the show they crave—a chance to witness their local bad boy falling in love. But when we’re alone, the gloves come off and we give each other hell.
Only, who knew exchanging insults and cruelty could feel a bit like… foreplay?
There’s an expiration date on this arrangement, but as we turn up the heat to convince our city this “relationship” is the real deal, Sterling and I sometimes forget that it isn’t. He might think his recent fall from grace was a disaster, but if he makes me regret this, I swear I’ll make his life a living hell.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice… your belongings might mysteriously catch fire.
Consider this your final warning, Mr. Silver, because it’s the only one you’ll get.
***
Mr. Silver is a full-length standalone novel (roughly 100k words). This book can absolutely be read on its own, but for the sake of flow and clarity, it’s recommended that you start with book one, THE GOLDEN BOYS (a bully romance trilogy within this series).
Do you love the frustratingly hot push and pull of a good enemies-to-lovers romance? Then you’ll love getting to know Sterling and Lexi. Due to adult themes and sexual situations, this one’s only for the 18+ crowd.
Feels 2 Storyline 4.5 Steam 4.5 Overall Rating 4.5 Kindle eArc provided by Author Reviewed by Ladyballs
You don’t have to read the prior books but for me, it’s recommended for sure. This is Sterling’s story and OMG…he’s my new favorite! He is such a jerk that you hate to love. And love is what you will do by the end of the book! Through a very comical set of circumstances, Lexi finds herself in a fake relationship with Sterling. This whole scenario had me cracking up! Lexi is very rough around the edges. She and Sterling on paper…do not fit. At all. There are tons of head butting scenes, hysterical situations and witty one liners watching these two play fake girlfriend/boyfriend. They both have something to gain and lose if this farce isn’t believable so these two give it their all.
Naturally, these two go from despising each other to having to spend 24/7 together and feelings start to develop. The things that these two get into kept me swiping faster then I could read the pages. I loved seeing a different side of Sterling…one that only someone like Lexi could bring out. There were plenty of hot, sexy scenes. I loved seeing previous characters still around getting to put in their two cents. This was such a good book for these two and it just may be one of my favorites for the series. Definitely recommend but start with book one. They will not disappoint!
Love sport romances? Sucker for a hot single dad? Then be sure to get your copy of Rushing into Love by Kara Kendrick – NOW LIVE!
This swoony, second-chance-at-love, small town romance is the captivating introduction to her brand new Peachtree Grove standalone series and is an absolute MUST READ!
Burned by his toxic ex and their nasty divorce, dating again is the last thing on Ryder’s mind. That is until Bree, a popular relationship expert, tumbles into his life. With an unstable ex-wife looking to start a scandal and smear Bree’s Parent. Work. Football. That’s my life summed up in three words.
Sure, I used to be a pro NFL baller, but now I’m perfectly content with a quiet life in my small hometown of Peachtree Grove, Georgia.
That is until Bree, a beautiful blonde dating expert, gets tackled at my Pee Wee football practice, knocking me off my game.
I swore I’d never get involved again after my messy divorce left me reeling, but one date with Bree and I’m dropping all my hesitations—along with my jersey.
Now she has me rethinking my plays.
But will the tabloids, my ex, and Bree’s complicated past keep us in the friendzone?
Find out now – get your copy today!
Available on Amazon & FREE to read with Kindle Unlimited!
To celebrate Kara’s new release, enter the rafflecopter for your chance to receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card here: https://geni.us/jBtC5G1
Meet Kara Kendrick
Kara Kendrick writes fun and flirty Contemporary Romance destined to give you all the feels. A reformed English major, she also has a master’s in counseling and was an elementary school counselor in her pre-mom life.
She loves the beach, wine, and rock hard abs, not necessarily in that order. When she’s not dreaming up Happily Ever After’s, you can find her chasing after her boy-girl twins, working out semi-hardish, or walking her adorable Shiba pup with her husband, who’s not too bad himself.
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