Hello and Happy Friday!

Can you believe it's December already? The year of 2023 has gone by so quickly. I'm trying to end it by doing the things I've been saying I'll do, like binge-watching some TV. I've finally watched Star Trek: Picard (why did I cry so hard over this goodbye?), The Boys, and I'm about to start Invincible. What shows have you binged?

Oh, and am I the only one who didn't know that there was a movie out for Red, White & Royal Blue???

Alright, below I'm sharing a week's worth of what I want to read, what I want to buy (or borrow), what I want to read, and several romance book bargains.

Hopefully you find something to enjoy here too!

New Releases of the Week

Upcoming Releases for Next Week

Other Books I'm Keeping my Eyes on This Week

I still haven't added anything because I still haven't purchased the books I've been interested in. Check them out HERE

What I'm Reading Next

Book Deals for under $2

Resting Witch Face by Juliette Cross

Rating - ★★★★
Standalone - Stay a Spell #5
Genre/Trope - Paranormal Romance / second chance
Release - October 31, 2022
POV - Dual 1st person
Heat - explicit scenes
Source - Kindle Unlimited
Length - 366 pages







Finally!! I can't tell you how excited I was to get to the truth behind what was brewing between Jules and Ruben. I knew it was something, but I couldn't even being to imagine how huge a deal what they shared was. It was deep and painful and these two were hurting for TWELVE YEARS!

I really enjoyed the power dynamic between these characters. Jules, as the eldest sister, was used to being the caregiver and didn't know what it was to have someone take care of her. Ruben wanted to worship and adore her and she finally opened her eyes to see all of the greatness they could have together.




There was an element of suspense in this one, like the others, but I think this one was more difficult to handle because it was extremely personal. That's about all the spoiler-y information I'm going to reveal. I did like the mystical chaos that was introduced and those scenes were incredibly entertaining.

I will admit that I'm not happy about this series coming to an end any time soon, but I think the next book, which will finally be about Clara and Henry, is the last. Say it ain't so!



Juliette lives in moss-laden Cajun country in Louisiana where she lives with her husband, four kids, and black lab, Kona.

She is a multi-published author of paranormal and fantasy romance with confident, persevering heroines and dark, sexy heroes.

While she enjoys reading and writing the dark, broody types, she also appreciates the fun, levity of humor in a good love story, so she tries to give her characters both on their way to their HEA.

Visit http://juliettecross.com for more information

Hey everyone and welcome to another Throwback Thursday! Every week I'll be sharing my book recommendations within a romantic trope or theme.

Today I'm sharing the first five Rock Star romance books I loved and reviewed on the blog. I haven't read a ton of stories with this theme, but the ones I found... magnifique!

If you happen to know of a book in this trope that you think I'd love, please let me know down below :)

Sentenced by L.L. Collins

As per my review: Recommended to lovers of rock band stories and to those who love internal struggles with beautiful rewards

The entire series was a joy to read. There were broken characters, great connections, and it was all well-written. I would love to read more stories like these ones.

Fall With Me by Jayne Frost

One of my favourite bloggers, Jessica @Chatterbooks Book Blog, recommended this author's debut and I'm so glad I took the leap. You know it's a good book that it being the second in a series, it makes you want to read the first.

And yes, the first book was a solid read as well :)

Midnight Blue by L.J. Shen

I haven't read from this author in a while, but this is the last book of hers that I absolutely LOVED! These characters were both painful and beautiful and I didn't want to let them go in the end. Seriously, there should have been a book #2.

My One Regret by Claudia Burgoa

This is easily one of my favourite books by this author! It's a second chance romance, with one character breaking both of their hearts for their own good. Tragedy bring them back together and everything between them, despite all of the pain, was absolutely wonderful.

Staged by Olivia Cunning

Once again, it's Jessica's fault that I tried this author out. I know that she writes books with menage (which I don't like anymore *womp womp*), but this book doesn't have it. It has really great characters, an enemies to lovers theme with characters that never felt like enemies, and a whole lot of smutty love. It gave me a taste of what this author has to offer and I definitely need to go back for more.

One of the things I love about the bookish world is that one book can evoke different feelings in all sorts of readers. One book can be a five-star read for me and a DNF for someone else. We all see something different because we're all different and I love exploring those differences by reading reviews.

Full disclosure: I read these books years ago, but I do remember enjoying them. Have you read them? Are you interested?

Crow by A. Zavarelli

dual POV, contemporary romance with suspense

When I walked into his club looking for a job, I had no intention of capturing the attention of the notorious Lachlan Crow.
His reputation has been known to send a shiver down most spines.
Now the Irish mafia overlord is my new boss.
He doesn’t trust me, and I don’t trust him.
But it doesn’t matter because I have a job to do.
I can’t let him distract me.
Even if he burns hotter than the sun.
And all those growly commands and dark looks he tosses around?
I won’t let them get to me.
Not. At. All.
He’s used to everyone falling in line, obeying his every command.
But I’m not one of his soldiers.
And he doesn’t know why I really needed this job.
Lying to him was supposed to be easy.
But the longer I’m near him, the harder it gets.
It doesn’t feel like a game anymore because now my heart’s on the line.
And when the web I’ve spun begins to unravel, it could destroy us both.
Now Lachlan has a choice to make.
Let me go forever…
Or burn his world to save me.

Wrong by Jana Aston

Contemporary romance

I have a history of picking the wrong guy. Gay? Player? Momma’s boy? Check, check and check.

Now I can’t stop fantasizing about one of the customers at the coffee shop I work at between classes. It’s just a harmless crush, right? It’s not like I ever see this guy outside of the coffee shop. It’s not like I’m going to see him while attempting to get birth control at the student clinic. While wearing a paper gown. While sitting on an exam table. Because he’s the doctor. Shoot. Me.

But what if, for once, the man I’ve had the dirtiest, most scandalous fantasies about turned out to be everything but wrong?

My Time in the Affair by Stylo Fantôme

Contemporary romance

I made a conscious decision to cheat on my husband.

Now, before you judge me, hear my story. Hear how much I'm like you, how similar my thoughts are to your own. Yes, I'm a horrible person. Yes, I've done horrible things. Yes, I don't deserve forgiveness. Yes, bad things happened because of my actions.

But I'm willing to bet I've done things that maybe, just maybe, you have thought of doing.

Maybe, just maybe, you're not as innocent as you'd like to think.

Or maybe I'm not so guilty ...

Today's flashback is The Eden Trilogy by Georgia Le Carre. While this series got THREE STARS from me, meaning I liked it, I've read several books since that I really enjoyed from this author.

Have you ever read these books? Are you interested in giving them a try?

Eden I

Haunted by memories of her brother’s death, and searching for answers, Lily Hart embarks on a career that takes her into a seedy underworld, where she is exposed to wealth, greed, lust and the reign of gorgeous, powerful, and dangerous men—one man in particular wreaks havoc on her emotions.

At thirty Jake Eden has everything: looks to die for, money, power and a never-ending line of twisted, fucked-up women willing to do anything to get with him. Love? Love was for pussies…until a woman with the stage name of ‘Jewel’ arrives on the scene. She alone is different from all the others.

Oozing pure, unadulterated sex, strong, intelligent and independent, she is everything he should stay away from, but she makes him itch to tame her and keep her for himself.

Her lure is addictive and undeniable and soon he is hooked.

But when the line between betrayal and loyalty is put to test…

Will love be stronger than revenge?

Eden II

Lily
It wasn't supposed to be like this- I came ready, determined, but nothing could have prepared me for Jake Eden.

Engulfed in his power, his lust and his primal need for me, I've become ever more helpless in his hands. I love the way he touches me, holds me, protects me. I feel alive in ways I cannot explain. I know I am giving my body to a criminal...week after week, but I can't stop.

I'm addicted.

He has no idea.

It's all wrong, but I'll stay with my plan until I figure out a way around the conflict I'm facing...

Jake
I never knew that looks could blindside a man the way Lily Hart's beauty did me. When our eyes collided that first time, the connection was instant, I knew, that she was like no other. She was something special, uniquely different.

But I've discovered since then that there is a secretive side to her, and now I fear deception stalks her eyes.

I know I must keep my distance, but she keeps persisting that I have her heart, so how can I push her away when all I want to do is tie her down and make her mine?

Eden III

Lily:
I've been such a fool. Such a fool. He saw me coming and tied me up in knots. And I let him. After Vegas, my heart and mind have been thrown into complete disarray. Is it really possible that what we had— all that blazing, unquenchable passion—was just an illusion?
I know I've lost his trust, but somehow I must find a way to repair the damage I have caused and find my way back to his heart.
I have to make it right… whatever it takes.

Jake:
She is my wife now, but I know she's not mine. Not really. Not properly. Not the way I want. You see, I want it all. Every last bit of her: heart, mind, body and soul.
And I'm prepared to move heaven and earth to make that happen. This is my mission and my promise. Watch me make her mine or die trying...

Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

Previous book in the series: Fourth Wing

“The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.” —Xaden Riorson

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.

Find it here:
Goodreads * Amazon

I am freaking DYING right now. That ending though... That freaking ending KILLED me and I need to know when I can get the next book in my hands. I don't even have the emotionally bandwidth to Google this ish!


No lie, the first half of this book was SLOW AF! And I thought I would end up bummed and disappointed. Violet couldn't help herself by sabotaging her own happiness. Girl seemed willing to cut off her nose to spite her face just to put Xaden through whatever she was trying to put him through.

I'm not ready for this to end, not ready to return to the reality where we're not together, even if I'm the one standing in our way.

However, aside from the beginning bit of boring and Vi's indecisiveness, the moving parts of this story had me flipping through these pages really fast. I read this book in TWO FREAKING DAYS!!

That's how much was going on. Every time I thought there'd be a calm minute, I was wrong. And I'm talking the second half of the book. Once you get there, I promise you, the pace picks up and you will not want to eat, sleep, nada.

I will say it here... Xaden was EVERYTHING!!

I warned you. I'm not sweet or soft or kind, and you fell anyway. This is what you get, Violet—me. The good, the bad, the unforgivable. All of it. I am yours."

So here's everything I was thinking during my read of this book. I didn't tell you this was a spoiler-free review, so if you don't want any details, STOP READING NOW.


✻ Why the heck is Violet fighting what she feels? I'm so annoyed and I get that the author wanted to drive the angst, but it needed to chill. Xaden was willing to sacrifice everything for her and it still wasn't enough? Girl please.
✻ Ooh Varrish, your arrogant ass is gonna get it. I can see that something is going to happen to you, something just right for you, and I hope your dragon gets it too. Sorry, not sorry.
✻ Wow, so much death. And I was beginning to get curious about some of these people.
✻ Dain's dad though...
✻ Thank you, Jesinia, for opening your eyes!!
✻ I love Rhi. Whenever she noticed something strange, spoke on it, and figured things out for herself, I cheered. LOVE HER!!
✻ Why am I laughing over all of these assassination attempts? And it's not funny, but come on!! Now what?
✻ I love that the prince knows the truth and is willing to do the right thing, against his family's wishes.
✻ OMG he's ALIVE?!
✻ Woo hoo!! Welcome Dain's redemption arc!
✻ I did tell you, didn't I Varrish? I told you you'd get yours.
✻ Listen, as long as Vi, Xaden, Rhi, Ridoc, Sawyer, Imogen, Bodhi, Garrett, Mira and Brennan survive, I should be okay.
✻ The book is called Iron Flame. Was I not supposed to notice that 'iron rain' was the wrong ingredient?

Okay, I'll stop. There's SO MUCH MORE going on in this book. There are so many reveals and more secrets and love and joy and pain and grief and fun and family in this book. My points are a drop in the bucket of what's going on. We learn more about the Venin and Wyvern and the wards that protect the people from this evil. I'm still a wreck over the ending and I'm hoping and praying that the next book heals all of my broken bits.


Rebecca is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, Sunday Times, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over fifteen novels, including FOURTH WING, and is always ready to bring on the emotions. She's also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence in New Adult for Eyes Turned Skyward from her Flight and Glory series.

She loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for twenty-one years. She’s the mother of six children and lives in Colorado with her family, their stubborn English bulldog, feisty chinchillas, and Maine Coon cat who rules them all. Having fostered then adopted their youngest daughter, Rebecca is passionate about helping children in the foster system through her nonprofit, One October.

Visit her website at www.RebeccaYarros.com for more.