New Release|Review: It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time by Kylie Scott

 
A new Kylie Scott release is cause for celebration! You know you're going to get a relatable main character, a swoony love interest, smokin' hot scenes, and plenty of laughs. How can you go wrong? It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time delivered all that and more and I loved getting to know Adele as she put her heart on the line - again - for the man she'd loved for years.

IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME

by Kylie Scott

Releases August 7, 2018

Returning home for her father’s wedding was never going to be easy for Adele. If being sent away at eighteen hadn’t been bad enough, the mess she left behind when she made a pass at her dad’s business partner sure was. Fifteen years older than her, Pete had been her crush for as long as she could remember. But she’d misread the situation—confusing friendliness for undying love. Awkward. Add her father to the misunderstanding, and Pete was left with a broken nose and a business on the edge of ruin. The man had to be just as glad as everyone else when she left town. Seven years later, things are different. Adele is no longer a kid, but a fully grown adult more than capable of getting through the wedding and being polite. But all it takes is seeing him again to bring back those old feelings. Sometimes first loves are the truest.

"Addictive like all Kylie Scott books, you'll swoon, laugh, ache, put your life on hold, and compulsively read until the wee hours of the night—only to reread the whole thing the next morning. Perfection!" - Katy Evans, New York Times bestselling author      

AMAZON | AMAZON UK | AMAZON AU | iBooks | B&N | KOBO

When I read the synopsis for Kylie Scott’s latest I was immediately all in. Forbidden romance? Check. Age gap? Check. Two elements that I love, so color me excited. I’m happy to report that It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time totally delivered.

Spending summers with her dad as a teenager, Adele grew close to his business partner, Pete. Their easy friendship flourished and on her 18^th birthday Adele took things a step further. Unfortunately professing her love and going topless did not have the desired effect. Pete was shocked, her father was outraged, and Adele returned home, embarrassed and dejected.

“There should be wrong-man rehab. Counseling, hand holding, and maybe a little waterboarding for the extreme cases like me.”

Now, seven years later, Adele is returning for her father’s wedding. At 25, she’s had her share of short-lived relationships but she’s never felt for anyone what she has always felt for Pete. Her connection with Pete is still there, and now the feelings don’t seem so one-sided, but Pete has his own issues to work through and there are plenty of obstacles to overcome.

“How many times could you get your heart broken by the same person before you finally wised up? 

That was the question.”

Adele was the feistiest of feisty heroines. I loved her quick wit, her lightning fast comebacks, and the fact that she had no problem speaking her mind. (We should all channel our inner Adele!) Pete was plenty broody and their back and forth banter was so snarky and so clever that it often had me laughing out loud. These two just got each other – and it didn’t hurt that their chemistry was smokin’ hot!

“Even with no alcohol to speak of, I had definitely been debauched. 

Frankly, last night I’d been so debauched I’d be surprised if I had a single bauch left to speak of.”

The last several chapters took a turn I didn’t see coming and, while I’m not sure I loved the direction it took, It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time was still a totally enjoyable read filled with Scott’s signature humor. If you love sassy heroines, forbidden romance, age gaps, Australian settings, steamy sexytimes, and plenty of laugh out loud lines, you’ll love this one. 

ABOUT KYLIE SCOTT

Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet.

You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/   FACEBOOK | TWITTER | FACEBOOK FAN GROUP | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

        

New Release | Blog Tour: Moonlight Seduction by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Y'all know that Jennifer L. Armentrout is one of my main go-to authors. She just never disappoints. Whether it's YA paranormal, YA contemporary, new adult, or contemporary romance, she weaves stories that I fall right into and creates characters that I always connect with. So I'm pretty excited to be part of the blog tour for Moonlight Seduction, the second book in the de Vincent series. If you haven't read the first book, Moonlight Sins, what are you waiting for? And if you have, you know you're ready for Gabe's story. So grab your copy using the links below, check out my thoughts, and experience the de Vincent's for yourself.

Moonlight Seduction: A de Vincent Novel from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout is available NOW!

The de Vincent brothers are back—and so is the intrigue that surrounds them—in New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout’s sizzling new novel . . .

Nicolette Bresson never thought she’d return to the de Vincents’ bayou compound. It’s where her parents work, where Nikki grew up . . . and where she got her heart broken by Gabriel de Vincent himself. Yet here she is, filling in for her sick mother. Avoiding Gabe should be easy, especially when so much of Nikki’s time is spent trying not to be stabbed in the back by the malicious hangers-on who frequent the mansion. But escaping memories of Gabe, much less his smoking-hot presence, is harder than expected—especially since he seems determined to be in Nikki’s space as much as possible.

Gabriel spent years beating himself up over his last encounter with Nikki. He’d wanted her then, but for reasons that were bad for both of them. Things have now changed. Gabe sees more than a girl he’s known forever; he sees a smart, talented, and heartbreakingly beautiful woman . . . one who’s being stalked from the shadows. Now, Gabe will do anything to keep Nikki safe—and to stop the de Vincent curse from striking again.

Nikki grew up in the shadow of the de Vincent family home where her parents worked. As a child she tagged along after Gabe de Vincent, and as a teenager the crush she harbored deepened until it ended one night in heartbreak. Now back from college and filling in for her mother, Nikki does her best to avoid Gabe but quickly realizes that all her feelings for him are still there.

Gabe is still reeling from a shocking revelation from his past when, out of nowhere, Nikki, ten years his junior, is everywhere he turns. No longer the shy young girl he remembered, he finds himself unable to stay away. But a series of increasingly threatening events show that the de Vincents’s are once again a target. Or is Nikki the real target?

As with Moonlight Sins, Armentrout continues the gothic atmosphere in Moonlight Seduction with a constant edge-of-your-seat feeling, wondering what will happen next. I questioned if the danger was coming from within the de Vincent family or without and suspected nearly everyone. At the same time I was drawn into Gabe and Nikki’s push and pull relationship. Considering what was revealed about Gabe and his past in the first book, I was surprised at how little attention that issue received. Instead, this second entry felt much more relationship-focused. The relationships between the three brothers continue to be fun to explore. I’m already looking forward to the final book in the trilogy and, hopefully, uncovering even more secrets about the powerful but secretive family. 

Armentrout has delivered a solid romantic suspense that pulls the reader right into the lives of the mysterious de Vincent’s.

Download your copy today!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2GiWCeo

Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/MoonlightSeduction

iBooks: https://apple.co/2p38gCM

Nook: http://bit.ly/2Dn6v7B

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2p4hHlm

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2FBrHIW

E X C E R P T:

He moved forward, maybe a foot or two, but stopped like one would if they were approaching a rabid dog. A heartbeat passed. “Your hair . . .” He tilted his head to the side. “It’s different.” 

“Yeah, it is.” Her hair used to be a rather dull medium brown, but then she found this amazing hair stylist in Tuscaloosa and turned her brown hair into this array of blondes and browns, using some weird technique called balayage. “It’s basically just highlights and stuff.” 

“Stuff.” His gaze flickered over the bun. 

Uncomfortable, she scanned the kitchen. “And my hair is longer. A lot longer.” His brows lifted.

Was she really telling him the length of her hair? This was the most strained conversation she’d ever had in her life. And that was, well, it was sad. She peeked at him. It used to not be this way. Back before . . . well, before she ruined everything, he’d be teasing her and asking about her college. He’d be talking to her like he could actually stand being in the same room with her. 

She needed this conversation to be over like it was yesterday and she also needed to figure out how she could work here and not run into Gabe. The house was big enough that it should be possible. “I need to get back to—” 

“Planting your face against the over door?” 

Her shoulders slumped. “Actually, I need to finish the potatoes. So, if you’ll excuse me.” She started to turn away, praying that he’d just leave. 

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say to me? Because I have a lot I need to say to you,” he said. “Never in a million years did I think I’d see you here again.” 

Nikki’s spine stiffened like steel had been poured into it. Oh God. Her throat spasmed. 

“We need to talk.” 

“No we don’t,” she said quickly. “We do not need to talk about anything.” 

“Bullshit,” he snapped, and his voice was so much closer that she turned to him on instinct. 

Gabe was now at the edge of the massive island, only two or three feet from her. She stepped back into the counter. Her heart thundered in her chest as her gaze flicked to the kitchen door. 

“No one is coming near here,” he said as if reading her mind. Her gaze flew back to his. “Dev is in his office on the second floor, in a meeting and your father is out with the landscaper. No one is going to hear us.” 

A weird mixture of sensations assaulted her. One was a chill that skated down her spine. The other was a tight, hot shiver that danced over her skin. 

Gabe kept coming at her, not stopping until he was right in front of her, separated by a few inches. She sucked in air, catching the crisp, clean scent of his cologne. It reminded her of storms, of that night. 

That was the last thing she wanted to be reminded of. 

Like his brother, he was a good head and then some taller than her, so right now, her eyes were fastened to his chest. Thank God he was wearing a shirt. 

“I . . . I don’t want to talk,” she managed to say. 

“I do.” 

“Gabe—” 

“You owe me this.”

 Her body jerked as she pressed her lips together. He was right. She owed him a conversation. “Okay.” 

There was another beat of silence and then he asked in a voice so low she almost didn’t believe she heard him right. 

“Did I hurt you that night?”

Start the Series Today!

Moonlight Sins (de Vincent series, book 1)

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2v8VLen

Amazon Universal: https://mybook.to/moonlightsins

Nook: http://bit.ly/MoonlightSins-Nook

iBooks: http://bit.ly/MoonlightSins-iBooks

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2EHHQLQ

Audible: http://amzn.to/2DJB1JZ

About Jennifer L. Armentrout

# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Charles Town, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. In early 2015, Jennifer was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of rare genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and death of cells in the retina, eventually resulting in loss of vision, among other complications. Due to this diagnosis, educating people on the varying degrees of blindness has become of passion of hers, right alongside writing, which she plans to do as long as she can.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Tor, HarperCollins Avon and William Morrow, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her Wicked Series has been optioned by PassionFlix. Jennifer has won numerous awards, including the 2013 Reviewers Choice Award for Wait for You, the 2015 Editor’s Pick for Fall With Me, and the 2014/2015 Moerser-Jugendbuch- Jury award for Obsidian. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA. Her adult romantic suspense novel TILL DEATH was a Amazon Editor’s Pick and iBook Book of the Month. Her young adult contemporary THE PROBLEM WITH FOREVER is a 2017 RITA Award Winner in Young Adult Fiction. She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins. 

She is the owner of ApollyCon and The Origin Event, the successful annual events that features over hundred bestselling authors in Young Adult, New Adult, and Adult Fiction, panels, parties, and more. She is also the creator and sole financier of the annual Write Your Way To RT Book Convention, a contest that gives aspiring authors a chance to win a fully paid trip to RT Book Reviews.

Connect with Jennifer L. Armentrout:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferLArmentrout

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JLArmentrout

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_l_armentrout/

GoodReads: http://bit.ly/1DiIjRa

Stay up to date with Jennifer by joining her mailing list today: https://bit.ly/2qBce5m

https://jenniferlarmentrout.com

Short Take Reviews: The Assassin Edition

Killing Sarai (In the Company of Killers #1) by J.A. Redmerski

Read: July 2016
GoodReads | Amazon

SYNOPSIS

Sarai was only 14 when her mother uprooted her to live in Mexico with a notorious drug lord. Over time she forgot what it was like to live a normal life, but she never let go of her hope to escape the compound where she has been held for the past nine years.

Victor is a cold-blooded assassin who, like Sarai, has known only death and violence since he was a young boy. When Victor arrives at the compound to collect details and payment for a hit, Sarai sees him as her only opportunity for escape. But things don't go as planned and instead of finding transport back to Tucson, she finds herself free from one dangerous man and caught in the clutches of another.

MY THOUGHTS

Killing Sarai is one that had been on my shelf for ages and by the time I read it all I could think was, "Why did I wait so long?" Because Killing Sarai was an exciting, gritty, slightly dark, and entertaining ride.

Sarai and Victor were both characters who had been denied a normal childhood and had to adjust and adapt to their situations. Both were desensitized to the violence that was part of their lives and it made them truly unique characters. Sarai constantly surprised me with her ability to cope and carry on. She was equal parts vulnerable and completely kick-ass. Victor was a total enigma. As a killer for hire, he was almost without emotion - but with Sarai he found himself straying from his instincts and helping her, putting him in a precarious position with the organization he worked for.  

Killing Sarai is not a romance novel and Victor and Sarai's relationship is proof of that. There was no sweet talk, no swoony moments, no typical romance tropes. An attraction slowly builds but these are two damaged people who have no history of kindness or compassion and no reason to trust. Overall, Killing Sarai was truly a wild ride filled with action, suspense, and characters that broke the mold. And I can't wait to continue the series.

4/5 STARS

  

Aim (Circle of Justice #3) by L.P. Dover

Read: August 2017
GoodReads | Amazon

SYNOPSIS

When someone asks what I do for a living, I answer it plain and simple... I'm a hunter. I hunt the dregs of society and I'm very damn good at it.

Do I like to kill people? No, but it's part of my job.

I'm Ian Chandler, FBI agent and a member of the Circle of Justice, an organization of justice seeking vigilantes. My mission is to solve a string of "accidental" hiking deaths occurring around my Wyoming town. When Grace Myers - a woman who's been missing for days - shows up on my land, it turns out she's the key to it all. Someone is hunting her, and I make it my duty to keep her safe.

However, the deeper I get into the case, the more dangerous it becomes; especially now that I've fallen for the woman I have to protect. If hunting is the game, I won't fail. I always hit my mark.

MY THOUGHTS

As much as I wanted to sit back and enjoy this romantic suspense featuring an FBI agent/assassin, it just didn't work for me. While Aim is the third entry in a new-to-me series, that isn't even what posed an issue. I'm sure reading the first two books would have provided more insight into the secondary characters and their history, but I had no problem understanding the dynamics between everyone and how they interacted. Instead, it was the believability factor that was seriously lacking.

I actually liked the overall premise and the sinister ploy behind Grace's abduction. There were some seriously twisted bad guys at work here. Unfortunately it was in the execution where it fell apart for me. So much of what happened seemed so implausible. I tried and tried to get past the unlikely events (and even unlikelier reactions) and just go with it... but I couldn't do it. After being abducted and facing a life-threatening situation, Grace seemed to bounce back in the blink of an eye and suffer zero after-effects. (Wouldn't everyone play a truth or dare card game the next day where the loser has to strip? Seems reasonable, right?)  The "investigation" into the disappearances progressed all too easily and there was never a misstep or dead-end. Everything just fell into place with relative ease. Lastly, the relationship between Grace and Ian seemed to come out of nowhere. There was no build-up, just *bam* instant relationship. It left me confused and wondering if I had somehow skipped several chapters and missed all the development. I was unable to feel any connection at all between them.

I will say that I am decidedly in the minority in my feelings for Aim. It has a 4.6 rating at Amazon and 4.39 at GoodReads so clearly most people are loving this one. Unfortunately it just didn't work for me.

2.5/5 STARS

Are you a fan of romantic suspense?