Book Blitz + Giveaway: Lovers Like Us by Krista and Becca Ritchie


My favorite writing duo is back! *cue the squeals* This time with the next installment in the Like Us series, LOVERS LIKE US. Krista and Becca Ritchie first caught my attention several years ago with Addicted to You and since then, with each consecutive book, they have captivated me with their story telling and made me fall in love with their characters again and again. So read the synopsis, enjoy the excerpt, enter the giveaway, and order your copy today!

LOVERS LIKE US

by Krista & Becca Ritchie 
Like Us Series #2 
Publication Date: October 31, 2017 
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Purchase: Amazon | iBooks

Twenty-seven-year-old Farrow Keene lives by his actions, and his actions say he’s the best at whatever he does. As a 24/7 bodyguard and the new boyfriend to Maximoff Hale, protecting the headstrong, alpha billionaire has never been more complicated. And one rule can’t be bent: 

 Keep your relationship secret from the public. 

Farrow is confident he’s the best man for the job. But a twist in Maximoff’s fast-paced life sticks them with the rest of Security Force Omega and their clients. 

On the road. 
In a sleeper tour bus. 
For four rocky months. 

Sexual frustrations, check. Road trip drama, check. Awkward bonding, check. 

But Farrow couldn’t have accounted for a high-risk threat (identity: unknown) that targets Maximoff before the ignition even turns. And it hits Farrow — someone has it out for the guy he loves. 

Every day, Maximoff & Farrow’s feelings grow stronger, and together, they’ll either sink or swim.



     Proactively waiting isn’t my thing. I can admit that. So when Farrow unwraps a piece of gum and tugs open the fridge, I ask him, “Need help?”
     He chews his gum slowly and glances at me in a way that reminds me he’s twenty-seven. I’m twenty-two, and he’s more than capable to do shit himself.
     Farrow starts to smile. “It’s cute that you think I need help getting eggs.” He grabs a carton and kicks the fridge closed.
     “You could’ve dropped the fucking eggs.” I’m fighting a stupid battle. And I grimace-smile which makes me want to poke my own eyes out.
     Farrow pops his gum. “You mean you would’ve dropped the eggs.”
     “Did I? Pretty sure I meant you could’ve.”
     Farrow sets the carton by the sink. “I have steadier hands than you.” He leans close and whispers huskily, “You’re not beating me at this.”
     I shake my head on instinct. When it comes to Farrow, boyfriend or not, I don’t want to concede that fast. “It’s not proven yet.”
     He rolls his eyes into a smile. “Hold out your hand.”
     I extend my hand, palm-down. Wondering how he can discern any shake just by sight.
     Farrow rotates my wrist. “Like this.” And then he smashes an egg right in my palm.
     Don’t smile at him. Don’t smile at him. “Thanks for that,” I say sarcastically, hand dripping in broken eggshell and yolk. 
     “Anytime.” He laughs, and I act quickly and wipe the runny egg onto his black V-neck, feeling the ridges of his six-pack beneath.
     Farrow props his elbows on the sink and actually lets me use his shirt as a towel, even while he’s wearing the thing. Christ.
     He’s a Grade A sexy asshole


a Rafflecopter giveaway 

Don't miss the first book 

in the Like Us series!

Damaged Like Us

by Krista & Becca Ritchie 
Like Us #1 
Publication Date: June 27, 2017 
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Purchase: Amazon | iBooks
Don’t date your bodyguard. 
It was the one rule he had to break. 

Maximoff Hale is a force of nature. A ship unwilling to be steered. Headstrong, resilient, and wholly responsible — the twenty-two-year-old alpha billionaire can handle his unconventional life. By noon, lunch can turn into a mob of screaming fans. By two, his face is all over the internet. 

Born into one of the most famous families in the country, his celebrity status began at birth. 

He is certified American royalty. 

When he’s assigned a new 24/7 bodyguard, he comes face-to-face with the worst case scenario: being attached to the tattooed, MMA-trained, Yale graduate who’s known for “going rogue” in the security team — and who fills 1/3 of Maximoff’s sexual fantasies. 

Twenty-seven-year-old Farrow Keene has one job: protect Maximoff Hale. Flirting, dating, and hot sex falls far, far out of the boundary of his bodyguard duties and into “termination” territory. But when feelings surface, protecting the sexy-as-sin, stubborn celebrity becomes increasingly complicated. 

Together, boundaries blur, and being exposed could mean catastrophic consequences for both.




About Krista & Becca Ritchie

Krista & Becca Ritchie are New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors and identical twins—one a science nerd, the other a comic book geek—but with their shared passion for writing, they combined their mental powers as kids and have never stopped telling stories. Now in their early twenties, they write about other twenty-somethings navigating through life, college, and romance. They love superheroes, flawed characters, and soul mate love. They are the New Adult authors of the Addicted series and Calloway Sisters spin-off series, and you can find them on almost every social media, frolicking around like wannabe unicorns.


The Sunday Post #79



The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.
It's a chance to share news - a post to recap the past week on your blog, 
showcase books and things we have received, and share news about what is
coming up on your blog in the week ahead. You can find the info here:

  • Last Monday The Husband and I celebrated an anniversary of sorts - 26 years since our first date.♥ 

  • On Wednesday I had another anniversary - 26 years at the company where I work. This week in 1991 was quite a memorable one for me! 


  • Guys, I'm kinda obsessed with this commercial. I watch it over and over. I get teary almost every time. I love this little panda!

Tuesday, October 24
Top Ten Tuesday:
Unique Book Titles

Thursday, October 26
Review:
His Convenient Husband by Robin Covington

Saturday, October 28
The Character Fight to the Death Tag

WHAT I READ IN THE LAST WEEK:
Shadow and Bone (The Grisha #1) - Leigh Bardugo    
  
WHAT I'M CURRENTLY READING
Haven - Mary Lindsey
Fuel the Fire (Audio Re-Read) - Krista & Becca Ritchie
    

FROM THE OCTOBER BOOKWORM BOX:
Hollywood Dirt - Alessandra Torre
This is the movie edition cover but I already have a copy with the original cover that I had signed and personalized by Alessandra at a book event. I'll hold on to this one for a future giveaway.

eARC FOR REVIEW:
Haven - Mary Lindsey



How was your week? Any new books? Any news to share? 
You know I want to hear about it! :)


The Character Fight to the Death Tag


The lovely Amy @ A Magical World of Words tagged me to take part in this one so let's see how it goes.

Here are the rules:
- Write down the names of 30 characters
- For every question randomly draw two names
- Answer the question using the two names drawn

Here are my characters:
Alexander Belov, Alina Starkov, America Singer, Amren, Bellatrix Lestrange, Cath, Connor Cobalt, Daemon Black, Dimple Shah, Feyre, Four, Hermione Granger, Jace Herondale, Jamie Fraser, Juliette Ferrars, Katniss Everdeen, Kenji Kishimoto, Lisbeth Salander, Magnus Bane, Meg Corbyn, Molly Peskin, Myrnin, Peeta Mellark, Prince Maxon, Rhysand, Rose Calloway, Simon Spier, Tessa Gray, The Darkling, Vladimir Sanguinati

And here we go...
You only have one more spot on your spelling bee team. 
Who gets it?
  
Rose Calloway (The Addicted Series) 
VS 
Jace Herondale (The Mortal Instruments)

Sorry Jace, but Rose wins this one hands down. Rose is brilliant, focused and competitive. 
She'd slay in a spelling bee.

Both characters want to kill you. 
Who would you kill first to have a better chance of survival?
    
Vladimir Sanguinati (The Others Series)
VS
Myrnin (The Morganville Vampires)

Seriously? I managed to pull two vampires? I am so screwed.
Well, assuming I could kill a vampire, I'd try to off Vlad first. 
Myrnin was often less scary and just... eccentric. On a good day.

You're on The Bachelor/Bachelorette and down to two characters. 
Who gets your rose?
   
Amren (A Court of Mist and Fury)
VS
Jamie Fraser (Outlander)

Having never seen a single episode of The Bachelor, I'm assuming giving a rose means you pick that person?
I like Amren, but frankly she scares me. LOL And Jamie is, well... it's Jamie Fraser people. Need I say more?

You've been chosen for the Hunger Games. 
Who's most likely to volunteer in your place?
    
Tessa Gray (The Infernal Devices)
VS
Alina Starkov (The Grisha Trilogy)

Oh wow, I could see either of these characters volunteering to take someone's place.
They are both strong, brave, headstrong and fearless. And they both have compassion.
It's really a toss-up but I'll go with Alina.

You're stranded on an island and must engage in cannibalism to survive. 
Who do you eat?
    
Lisbeth Salander (The Millennium Trilogy)
VS
Four (Divergent)

Bahahaha!! Do I even need to think about this one? Sorry, Lisbeth.
I know you've had a hard life, but you're about to be served up while I kick back island-style with Four. 

You're the next Marvel superhero (with your own TV show, of course). 
Who's your sidekick?
    
Bellatrix Lestrange (Harry Potter)
VS
Magnus Bane (The Mortal Instruments)

Another no-brainer. I'll take the wickedly cool Magnus Bane over Miss Crazy Pants any day.

You're a manager of an avocado company. 
Who would you fire for poor communication skills?
    
The Darkling (The Grisha Trilogy)
VS
Meg Corbyn (The Others Series)

An avocado company? WTH? But okay... 
I've only read the first book in the Grisha trilogy so far but already it seems that the Darkling is secretive and manipulative and not exactly forthcoming with the truth. Whereas Meg is open and honest and has managed to ingratiate herself with all different types of people (and species).
Darkling... you're fired.

You've just finished a book in which your favorite character dies. 
Which of these two characters is more likely to comfort you?
    
Hermione Granger (Harry Potter)
VS
Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games)

Katniss has a good heart but isn't exactly warm and fuzzy. Hermione would be a lot more likely to hold my hand and give me a hug.

Ugh, it's high school. 
Who would most likely be part of the popular clique?
    
Rhysnad (A Court of Mist and Fury)
VS
Juliette Ferrars (The Shatter Me Trilogy)

I think it goes without saying that Rhys would rule the school. LOL

The day has arrived - you're finally a year older. 
Who would have the nerve to forget your birthday?
    
Prince Maxon (The Selection Series)
VS
Cath (Fangirl)

Maxon is a total sweetheart and would probably plan some super elaborate surprise for my birthday.
Cath, on the other hand, would be in the midst of writing Simon Snow fanfic and completely forget I existed.

You've just found an up and coming YouTube star. 
Who is it more likely to be?
    
Kenji Kishimoto (The Shatter Me Trilogy)
VS
Feyre (A Court of Thorns and Roses)

Kenji! I could totally see Kenji becoming a YouTube sensation. He make a name for himself doing stand-up comedy or hosting some cheesy dating show. LOL Feyre? Not so much.

Sleepover time! Unfortunately you can invite only one person. 
Who will it be?
    
Simon Spier (Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda)
VS
America Singer (The Selection Trilogy)

America Singer is NOT invited to my sleepover. She would work my last nerve and I'd end up booting her out before midnight. But Simon... we could totally hang. We'd stay up all night talking about boys and eating Oreos.

Bam, you're pregnant. Who's the father/mother?
    
Molly Peskin (The Upside of Unrequited)
VS
Connor Cobalt (The Addicted Series)

Bam, I'm pregnant? Did I at least get dinner first? Geez.
Sorry Molly. I like you, I relate to you, but we're talking Connor Cobalt.
Narcissist. Genius. Smartass. And apparently the father of my non-existent child.

You've just sent a super important text. 
Who would see it and not reply?
    
Daemon Black (The Lux Series )
VS
Alexander Belov (The Bronze Horseman)

Oh, this is a good one. It could go either way. Daemon would totally blow off a text if he wasn't in the mood to deal with it. And if asked about it he'd even say, "Yeah, I saw it." Alexander would ignore the text because the technology would confound him, seeing as how he's in Russia in the 1940's. But I'm going with Daemon because it's likely he would not reply just to be a jerk. LOL

You've just woken up and it's time for breakfast. 
Your mom has been replaced by... ?
    
Peeta Mellark (The Hunger Games)
VS
Dimple Shah (When Dimple Met Rishi

Wow, my mom probably hasn't made me breakfast in 25 years but okay, that's cool. :)
Dimple may seem like the obvious choice, just based on gender, but I'm going with Peeta.
He's an absolute sweetheart and could bake me all sorts of yummy breakfast breads.

So there you have it. Did any answers surprise you? :)
I'm not going to tag anyone, but if you feel like playing along
then consider yourself tagged!


Review: His Convenient Husband

His Convenient Husband by Robin Covington

Series: No

Genres: Contemporary Romance, MM

Release Date: October 9, 2017

Format: eARC

Source: NetGalley/Entangled Publishing

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

NFL football player Isaiah Blackwell lost his husband three years ago and is raising their teen son alone. He lives his life as quietly as his job allows, playing ball to support his family but trying not to draw unwanted attention. His quiet life is shaken up when a mutual friend introduces him to Victor, a visiting principal ballet dancer who is everything Isaiah is not.

Brash and loud, Victor Aleksandrov has applied for political asylum to avoid returning to Russia, where gay men are targeted and persecuted. He’s been outspoken about gay rights in his home country, and if he doesn’t get asylum, going back to Russia is a death sentence.

Their one-night stand turns into a tentative friendship, a relationship they both agree is temporary... until Victor’s denied asylum. Isaiah can’t offer Victor a happily ever after, but he can propose something that’ll keep Victor in the US and safe... marriage He just doesn’t expect his new husband to dance away with his heart.

Pro-football player Isaiah and Russian ballet dancer Victor meet and spend one night together with the understanding that it’s a one-time hookup. Their chemistry is obviously off the charts but Isaiah, having lost his husband three years ago, is solely focused on raising his teenage son and is not interested in another relationship. Victor has been outspoken about his country’s brutal treatment of gay men and when his request for asylum is denied Isaiah steps in with a surprising proposition: a quickie wedding in Vegas meant to keep Victor safe in the U.S. Now navigating a new marriage of convenience, Isaiah struggles to balance his need for privacy with Victor’s activism – all while trying to ignore his growing attachment to this new man in his life.

Despite having several fundamental differences, Isaiah and Victor had an instant attraction with the possibility of so much more. Unfortunately, Isaiah was dead set against opening himself up to a new relationship. He had been devastated by the death of his husband and was determined to never feel that kind of loss again. As a professional football player, he was a public figure but maintained a very low profile. He was naturally a private man and was also adamant about providing his son Evan with a normal life outside the spotlight. I applauded Isaiah’s commitment to protecting Evan and, to an extent, understood his resistance to a new relationship, but only up to a point. There were times I was frustrated with Isaiah for continually keeping Victor at arm’s length and at times his rigid stance was downright hurtful to Victor.

Speaking of Victor, he’s described in the synopsis as brash and loud but I never saw that. He was a committed and outspoken activist for gay rights and was a man who was strong with the power of his conviction. But he was also a lonely man who was raised as a ward of the Russian government when his talent for ballet became evident. Victor was sweet and kind and so desperate to be a part of a loving family. From the first time Isaiah’s mother met Victor and engulfed him in a welcoming hug it was obvious this man pined for the safety and security of family. I wanted that so much for Victor and my heart hurt for him each time Isaiah made a choice to shut him out.

What I enjoyed about Isaiah and Victor was the fact that they were so different and they appreciated those differences in one another. And they were almost always honest and upfront with each other. I also loved Victor’s connection with Isaiah’s son, Evan. The two of them bonded quickly and had such a great relationship. Unfortunately the length of the book (barely over 200 pages) didn’t allow for much character development and the end of the story felt rushed. It would have been nice to see this expanded into more of a full length novel and allow for more time to form a real connection with the characters and their story.


Note: I received an advance copy of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changes my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

3.5/5 STARS
Have you read a book that features 
a marriage of convenience?