One Chance by Dani Wyatt

Dani Wyatt continues the Meant To Be series by focusing on Sophia—Tor and Cyrus' spitfire of a sister who happens to be a workaholic chef. This book can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading Tor and Natalie's book, Two Wrongs, because their relationship was referenced and I also loved that one. Sophia and Chance's story was similarly hot and dirty, which I really enjoyed as well. Their chemistry was immediate and it certainly had that signature love/lust at first sight between the two that Dani Wyatt usually writes in her books. Chance took one look at Sophia and knew that she was it for him.

"I think I've found the bad boy to make all my dirty dreams come true."

The story begins with Tor and Natalie taking Sophia to the airport for her yearly and desperately needed vacation trip. Despite her apprehension due to her workaholic nature, Sophia ends up going to this trip and ends up meeting Chance there. If I were to describe her personality, Sophia is witty, snarky, confident, defiant, and trusting. Chance was an interesting character and I had a difficult time understanding him at first because of his actions. However, there is no denying the fact that he fell hard for Sophia and wanted to keep her no matter what. Chance was mysterious, dominant, possessive, and obsessive. He wanted Sophia and did whatever it took to keep her.

"She's all the dreams I never dared to dream. All the hopes I never dared to hope."

As always, Dani Wyatt writes some of the steamiest and erotic scenes—these two burned up the pages with their first time together! I thought it was super hilarious that Tor and Cyrus were super overprotective of Sophia that she had to yell at them for almost ruining everything for her. I absolutely can't wait to read Cyrus' book—the "darker" brother and "black sheep" of the family. If you're looking for a quick and smutty summer read, you won't be disappointed with Sophia and Chance's story!

*This ARC was generously provided by the author and publisher for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆

Release Blitz: Imperfect Affections by Charmaine Pauls

Title: Imperfect Affections

Series: Beauty in Imperfection Duology #2

A Diamond Magnate Duology

Author: Charmaine Pauls

Genre: Dark Romance

Release Date: June 21, 2022

BLURB

Love is for people who don’t mind getting hurt. I vowed to never fall into that trap. I entered into war with my beautiful, corrupted, and dangerous husband. He warned me he always won. He told me I’d lose, but I didn’t want to believe him because there was too much at stake. What he didn’t tell me was that the battlefield is messy and bloody, and that no one walks away without scars.

Note: Imperfect Affections is the second book in the Beauty in Imperfection duology and concludes Violet and Leon’s story.

Beauty in Imperfection is part of the Diamond Magnate Collection. You don’t have to read the other books to follow this story. Other books in the collection include:

Beauty in the Broken (A standalone novel)

Diamonds are Forever (A trilogy)

Beauty in the Stolen (A trilogy)

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The women’s reply is lost on me as I step outside and close the door. All I can focus on is the blue Aston Martin that comes to a stop behind the truck. I stand rooted to the spot, watching Leon with growing dread as he gets out of the car and makes his way over with long but unhurried strides.

He’s wearing dark jeans, a faded T-shirt, and a leather jacket—his signature work attire. Only, he’s not at the office where Elliot must be moving his precious Johannesburg Country Club mug and coaster to his new desk. He’s here, pinning me with a stare cold enough to freeze the sun. It’s a violent kind of cold, the kind that only dangerous men possess. They don’t make threats or raise their voices. They pull the trigger calmly and quietly. They’re efficiently deadly.

He stops two steps away from me, measuring me with that cool gaze. “Violet.”

I swallow around the lump in my throat. “Leon.”

“The moving company employee said there’s a confusion.”

Lifting my chin, I try to look confident instead of scared. “Yes.” I wave a hand at the truck. “What’s the meaning of this?”

He looks over his shoulder at the vehicle, studying it for a second before turning back to me. “You’re moving in with me.” His words are flat, toneless. “We’re getting married.”

The word pops out of its own accord. “No.”

He raises a brow, an unfriendly smile playing on his sensual lips. “No?”

My mouth is so dry it feels as if my lips are glued together. I have to wet them before I can speak. “That’s what I said.”

He advances on me, closing the small distance between us and putting our bodies flush together. “Once again, you’re mistakenly assuming I’m asking.”

I back up, my heel hitting the step behind me. “Gus won’t force me.”

His smile turns mocking. “Because I’m not his new partner after all?”

Not sure how to answer that without provoking his anger, I remain quiet.

He cups my head, his fingers gentle on my scalp while his gaze bores into mine. What I see in his eyes makes me shudder. In contrast to his light touch, he looks at me like he wants to crack me open and break me apart.

“Here’s the thing you don’t understand, Violet. It doesn’t really matter what Gus says. Tonight, you’ll be sleeping in my bed. Tomorrow, you’ll wake up in my bed. And the next day, and the next.”

A shiver runs through me.

He searches my eyes, but he’s not looking for emotions. He’s not interested in my feelings. He’s evaluating them like an artist studying a subject to assess the color. “Tomorrow, my darling, you will say I do.”

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Charmaine Pauls was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa. She obtained a degree in Communication at the University of Potchefstroom and followed a diverse career path in journalism, public relations, advertising, communication, and brand marketing. Her writing has always been an integral part of her professions. 

When she moved to Chile with her French husband, she started writing full-time. She has been publishing novels and short stories since 2011. Charmaine currently lives in Montpellier, France with her family. Their household is a lively mix of Afrikaans, English, French, and Spanish.

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Power Play by Amelia Wilde

Love and revenge play a powerful role in the story of Gabriel Hill and Elise Bettencourt as they seek to destroy the consortium that Mason Hill was chasing in the Wealth trilogy. This is a continuation of that story and Amelia Wilde has crafted two fascinating and dimensional characters in Gabriel and Elise. I always thought there was a certain darkness to Gabriel's character but what I never expected was the conflict in him. Elise had her own burdens and secrets to bare—only to find out too late that she was merely a victim/pawn in her father's evil machinations. Power Play was much more than I bargained for because intertwined with the fleeting moments of passion and sweetness between Gabriel and Elise, their romance was always overshadowed by angst, cruelty, and heartbreak.

"This has never been about falling in love. Not for Gabriel, and certainly not for me."

As the second oldest sibling in the Hill family, Gabriel uses his charm and sex appeal to accumulate secrets. Behind that distant but charming smile lies a burning fire—fueled by self-hatred and a desire for revenge, that yearns to destroy those who murdered his parents. If I were to describe Gabriel Hill, he would be ruthless, calculating, cold, and broken. As the foil to Gabriel's character, Elise has been running away from her guilt and past for many years. After emancipating herself from her family at the age of eighteen, Elise has been living her life simply and independently as the baker and owner of her bakery shop. I loved how sweet, kind, caring, and hopeful she was despite all the suffering and pain she experienced at the hands of her own family and even by Gabriel. Elise is the type of heroine who loves with all of her heart.

"Nobody will ever hate me as much as I hate myself. She thinks it was her, but it was me. I'm the one who destroyed everything."

In the end, I enjoyed Gabriel and Elise's story even though it left me with tears and a heavy heart because of the way it ended. However, this is merely the beginning to their story and it will continue in Upper Hand. At first, I had a difficult time connecting with Gabriel because he was an incredibly complex and contradicting character. In addition to having a distorted view on love and pleasure, he punished himself for surviving and not doing enough. The persona he portrayed to the world and his family were merely extensions of himself and separated from his real self. Whether Elise will be able to save his heart remains to be a question. Fans of Amelia Wilde will not want to miss out on this continuation of the Hill family saga as Gabriel Hill seeks to destroy himself and those who played a part in his parents' murder. I recommend this to those that love angst and the revenge romance trope with a self-destructing and broken hero who does everything in his power to push away his sweet little baker.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author and publisher for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆

Release Blitz: Hey, Mister Marshall by Saffron A. Kent

Release Date: June 14

At eighteen, Poe Blyton’s life is in shambles and the reason is Alaric Marshall.

After her mom’s death, he appeared out of nowhere and became Poe’s controlling guardian. When she protested his tyranny, he had the audacity to send her away to an all-girls reform school. A school full of iron clad rules and regulations.

But at least she’s graduating soon.

Until Alaric himself arrives at the school as the new principal and takes that away from her as well.

That devil.

He’s really asking for it, isn’t he?

And Poe is going to give it to him.

It doesn’t matter that her sworn enemy has the prettiest dark eyes she’s ever seen. Or that he looks really, really good in his boring tweed jackets. So much so that she wants to rip them off his body and see what’s underneath.

Because scorching hot or not, her new principal or not, Poe is going to ruin Alaric’s life.

NOTE: This is a complete STANDALONE set in the world of St. Mary’s Rebels.

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Meet Saffron A. Kent

Saffron A. Kent is a USA Today Bestselling Author of Contemporary and New Adult romance.

She has an MFA in Creative Writing and she lives in New York City with her nerdy and supportive husband, along with a million and one books.

She also blogs. Her musings related to life, writing, books and everything in between can be found in her JOURNAL on her website (www.thesaffronkent.com)

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Release Blitz: Black Knight by Aleatha Romig

Release Date: June 14

“Somewhere in the world there is a defeat for everyone. Some are destroyed be defeat, and some made small and mean by victory. Greatness lives in one who triumphs equal over defeat and victory.” 

~ John Steinbeck, ‘The Acts of King Arthur and his Noble Knights’.

When the secrets of Donovan’s past sins are revealed, his and Julia’s snow globe is threatened. With both personal and business endeavors at stake, he and Julia are forced to face the threats and dangers head on, recognizing that villains don’t always lurk in the shadows and allies come from the most unexpected of places.

Who will be left standing when the final curtain falls?

Will what started on a dark snowy night, survive the sun’s light?

Don’t miss a second of the much-anticipated conclusion to the Sin series.

From New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig comes a brand-new age-gap, family saga, chance meeting, contemporary romantic-suspense novel in the world of high finance, where success is sweet and revenge is sweeter. 

Have you been Aleatha’d?

*BLACK KNIGHT, a full-length novel, is book four, the final novel in the Sin Series. Join the emotional ride along the white ribbon, begin with RED SIN, continue with GREEN ENVY and GOLD LUST, and find the dramatic conclusion in BLACK KNIGHT.

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Binge the completed series Here!

Meet Aleatha Romig

Aleatha Romig is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana, USA. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Aleatha has raised three children with her high school sweetheart and husband of over thirty years. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she's not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time a with her family and friends. Her other pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams and bring your imagination to life!

Aleatha released her first novel, CONSEQUENCES, in August of 2011. CONSEQUENCES became a bestselling series with five novels and two companions released from 2011 through 2015. The compelling and epic story of Anthony and Claire Rawlings has graced more than half a million e-readers. Aleatha released the first of her series TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE, INSIDIOUS, in the fall of 2014. These stand alone thrillers continue Aleatha's twisted style with an increase in heat.

In the fall of 2015, Aleatha moved head first into the world of dark romantic suspense with the release of BETRAYAL, the first of her five novel INFIDELITY series that has taken the reading world by storm. She also began her traditional publishing career with Thomas and Mercer. Her books INTO THE LIGHT and AWAY FROM THE DARK were published through this mystery/thriller publisher in 2016.

In the spring of 2017, Aleatha released her first stand-alone, fun, and sexy romantic comedy with PLUS ONE, followed by the sweet stand-alone, ONE NIGHT.

Aleatha is a "Published Author's Network" member of the Romance Writers of America and PEN America. She is represented by Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.

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