Before he discovered my age, he uncovered
my heart.
Bruised and abused, and victim to a loveless household, I
shimmered with new life the moment he found me drowning my sorrows in a lake
beneath the stars.
A chance encounter. An unspoken connection.
I was smitten; he was curious.
But, as everyone knew, fate could be decidedly cruel.
He called me Halley, like the comet.
I called him Reed.
And my best friend?
Well…she called him Dad.
Older is a forbidden, slow-burn, age-gap
romance standalone, ending in a HEA.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle
Unlimited
After years of physical abuse at the hands of her father, Halley finds an escape and a chance to start again when she is taken in by her best friend's mother. Living in a stable and loving home is foreign to Halley, but even as she revels in her new environment, she struggles with the aftermath of years of abuse. She also can't forget the connection made with an older man at a house party the previous summer. Their interactions were impactful and meaningful and she hopes there can be more... until she learns that the man who has captured her heart is her best friend's father.
One of my favorite aspects of Jennifer Hartmann's writing is her ability to create characters who feel like living, breathing beings, whose every emotion feels like they are my own. Halley and Reed were perfect examples of this. A young woman who desperately needed to be seen - and wanted. And the man who saw her clearly - and wanted her desperately. While theirs was a forbidden love, it never once felt as if Hartmann was writing a trope. This was the story of two people who connected, who loved, and were in an impossible situation. Could a love be right when it was sure to leave so much collateral damage in its wake? While Older was not as dark as some of Hartmann's previous books, the angst and heartbreak were in full effect. The pining and the longing were delicious torture. And while Hartmann always delivers an HEA, it's a long, heartbreaking road to get there. But for characters and stories as well written as Older, it's so worth the journey.4.5 stars
Meet
Jennifer
Jennifer Hartmann resides in northern Illinois with her own personal romance hero and three children. When she is not writing angsty love stories, she is likely pondering all the ways she can break your heart and piece it back together again. She enjoys sunsets (because mornings are hard), bike riding, traveling, bingeing Buffy the Vampire Slayer reruns, and that time of day when coffee gets replaced by wine. She loves tacos. She also really, really wants to pet your dog.
She’s a city girl in Seattle. He’s a firefighter in a
rainforest. This is never going to work…
Faith Benson isn’t your emergency contact, she’s the party-girl friend you call
for a good time. The gal-pal who loves mimosas at brunch and martinis at Happy
Hour. But her carefree lifestyle threatens her job at a top Seattle ad agency.
There’s no one better at landing big accounts (when she shows up) but her boss
demands she take a leave of absence to get her head on straight.
Faith heads to the remote Hawaiian island of Kauai, far away from the vices
that get her in trouble. But a twisted ankle on Day One requires rescuing by a
man who is vice personified—a gorgeous firefighter who awakens feelings in her
heart she never knew existed.
Asher Mackey doesn’t get involved with beautiful tourists beyond taking them to
bed and then watching them leave his tiny island. He’s devoted his life to the
safety and care of everyone around him…except himself. Until he meets Faith
Benson, the city girl whose vibrant, inner beauty shines a light on the dark
corners of his life, showing him how safe—but empty—it truly is.
Despite their best efforts to keep their distance, Faith and Asher fall hard
and fast, but there’s an ocean between them. Both are building their lives on
opposite sides of the Pacific while their feelings for each other grow more
profound and undeniable by the day.
Something has to give.
When Asher receives devastating news, he and Faith have to decide once and for
all to entrust their hearts fully to the other or return to their safe—but
separate—worlds. Because neither can endure much longer, living somewhere
between hello and goodbye.
Between Hello and Goodbye is a contemporary
romance about love, loss, and experiencing life in all its facets. It deals
with sensitive topics that may be triggering for some readers.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Party-girl Faith Benson is at a crossroads. The talented
advertising executive can clean up her act and accept a partnership at her firm,
or they’re ready to cut ties. When her boss demands that she take some time off
to reevaluate, she heads for the island of Kauai, ready for self-reflection and
enlightenment – on her own terms, of course.
Asher Mackey is all about control. Since childhood circumstances
forced him to act as parent and sole support to his younger brother, Asher is
always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Determined to control every
potential outcome, and protect his small circle of loved ones, he lives
constantly with the fear that he will lose that control and fail the ones he
loves the most.
"We're not even sleeping together. What are you getting out of this deal?"
"You."
I sat back in my chair. "Me."
"Yeah, Faith." His gaze grazed over me, then met my eyes with an intensity that was full of depth and heat. "I get you."
When Asher and Faith meet in Kauai, the attraction is
instant. But Asher doesn’t do relationships, and Faith has sworn off men while on
her Hawaiian exile. But they can’t seem to stay away from one another and by
the time Faith leaves to return home to Seattle, they are faced with impossible
decisions. Their lives are polar opposites: Asher is a firefighter and has no
intention of leaving the secluded island and the brother he adores; Faith
craves the big city and her high-powered career. Time apart makes them both question what they
really want, and what they’ll sacrifice to have it.
"I can't help myself around you. I know, rationally, we're different people. There's a literal ocean between us, and yet... " He reached across the table to take my hand. "I don't see how this can go anywhere, but the last fucking thing I want to think about is saying goodbye."
As with all of Scott’s characters, Faith and Asher are
complicated and flawed. The journey and growth of both characters was written
so deftly and felt so realistic. Theirs was a complicated love story that
traveled a bumpy road. It showed that falling in love is only half of the story.
When that love was tested, it was impossible not to feel the turmoil and the
heartache right along with Asher and Faith.
Emma Scott has her own brand of emotional story telling
and it’s done to perfection in Between Hello and Goodbye. Scott does not shy
away from tragedy and its aftermath. While there is devastating loss and grief,
Scott also provides a reminder that even after the darkest of days, there is
still light, love, and joy. With an epilogue that provided many happy tears, I
highly recommend this remarkable story.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary advance copy of this book for review. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
MEET EMMA SCOTT
Emma Scott is a USA Today and Wall St. Journal bestselling author whose books have been translated in six languages and featured in Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, New York Daily News and USA Today's Happy Ever After. She writes emotional, character-driven romances in which art and love intertwine to heal, and in which love always wins. If you enjoy emotionally-charged stories that rip your heart out and put it back together again, with diverse characters and kind-hearted heroes, you will enjoy her novels. Visit www.emmascottwrites.com
I'm so excited to be taking part in the release blitz and blog tour for A Chance for Us! Corinne Michaels did not disappoint and provided the perfect ending to the Willow Creek Valley series. I adored Oliver and Maren's story and the inclusion of so many familiar faces (from this series and from previous series!). If you're already a fan of Corinne Michaels, or just love small town contemporary romance with a strong focus on family, this one is for you.
My marriage started as a lie.
But some lies are worth telling.
My father's dying wish was to walk me down the aisle, and I'd do anything for him.
My family hasn't met either man, so I'm confident we can pull this off.
But the feelings, our touches, the way my heart beats for him... none of it feels pretend. The way he holds me at night and carries me through loss tells me he's not acting either.
I didn't mean to fall for my fake husband, but real love was the one thing I couldn't predict.
Except, nothing built on lies can last--I know that better than anyone.
I just want to say that you, Oliver Parkerson, are one of the most incredible men I've ever known, and it's an honor to be your fake bride.
Oliver was a hero with a heart of gold, but one that also hid feelings of unworthiness and being second best behind a smile and a self-deprecating remark. Burned twice in the past by women who ended up choosing the other guy, Oliver was done with attachments. But the more time he and Maren spent together, the more the line blurred between what was fake and what was real. When he was dealt a blow that shook him to his core, he had to decide whether to go his own way, or trust in what he and Maren had started to build.
I am the friend, the guy who's good at offering support but is never more. I've been nothing more than that over and over. I'm the best man, but not the best man for her.
While I wasn't ready to say goodbye to the Parkerson family, I loved that Michaels chose to end with Oliver's story. During his speech as the best man, Oliver's brother Josh said, "Oliver truly is the best of us." And that he was. I adored being pulled back into the Parkerson clan and getting Oliver's story was such a fitting ending to what has been a remarkable series. A Chance for Us, and the entire Willow Creek Valley series, is not to be missed. 4.5 stars
Corinne Michaels is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romance novels. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love, and she enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak before finding a way to heal them through their struggles.
Corinne is a former Navy wife and happily married to the man of her dreams. She began her writing career after spending months away from her husband while he was deployed--reading and writing were her escapes from the loneliness. Corinne now lives in Virginia with her husband and is the emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children.
From the internationally bestselling author of The Simple Wild comes the story of a woman at a crossroads in her life, struggling between the safe route and the one that will only lead to more heartbreak.
Veterinarian Marie Lehr knows unrequited love all too well after pining for her best friend, only to watch him marry another woman. It’s a mistake she will never make again, especially not when she can practically hear the clock ticking on her childbearing years.
The trouble is, she can’t seem to find anyone who appeals to her even a fraction as much as that burly bush pilot did. Competitive musher Tyler Brady certainly doesn’t, especially not after the heated altercation with the handsome but arrogant, spiteful man.
Or so she thinks.
While volunteering at the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, Marie discovers that first impressions may have been false, and her attraction to Tyler is very real. But his heart belongs to someone else, leaving him with nothing to offer but friendship. Marie’s been down this road before and knows how that ends. Yet, no matter how hard she works to keep from falling for Tyler, it seems she’s doomed to follow her own trail once again.
Marie spent several years secretly (or not so secretly,
depending on who you asked) in love with her best friend, Jonah, going so far
as ending her engagement to another man. With Jonah now married, Marie has moved
beyond those feelings and is thankful that their friendship remains strong and intact.
When she meets Tyler, an Alaska transplant from Finland by way of Montana, they
get off to a rocky start when she falsely accuses him of abusing his dogs, but
that quickly morphs into a mutual attraction and a friendship of sorts. The
flirtation comes to an abrupt halt when she realizes that Tyler cannot return
her feelings. Yet again, a one-sided relationship that was over before it
began.
Tucker has described Running Wild as a subtle, soft, slow
burn romance and I couldn’t agree more. Marie was a woman nearing forty and coming
to terms with her life’s choices and where they had led her. She wanted a
relationship, she wanted children, but at this stage in her life she wondered
if any of that was in the cards for her. I loved the delicious push and pull
between she and Tyler. He ran hot and cold with Marie, which was frustrating at
times, but also understandable considering his past.
The sport of dogsledding played a strong role in Running
Wild and it was obvious Tucker did her research. She was able to share aspects
of a sport that I knew next to nothing about and present in it a way that had
me interested and invested, highlighting the love and care that mushers have
for their dogs, while still recognizing the concerns and controversy that
surrounds the industry.
Running Wild is very much a character driven story, one
that includes real-life topics like financial issues, family dynamics, aging
parents, and facing that your future may not hold what you had hoped and
expected. I loved the sense of community and the way those who lived in the
harsh environs of Alaska looked out for one another. Those who have read the
previous books in the Wild series will revel in the inclusion of all the
beloved characters, while readers new to the series can easily enjoy Running
Wild as a standalone.
Marie and Tyler truly captured my heart and I ached for
the hurdles they faced – personally, professionally, and as a would-be couple. Marie
was strong yet vulnerable, no-nonsense and pragmatic, with an unwavering sense
of right and wrong. I love how Tucker portrayed these oh so flawed characters and
had me completely invested in their lives. With Running Wild, Tucker delivered
a top-notch addition to the Wild series and I loved every minute of it. 4.5 stars
New York Times Bestselling author Corinne Michaels returns to Willow Creek Valley in this stunning surprise baby/unrequited love romance.
I was totally over Joshua Parkerson.
Sure, I had a teenage crush on him way back when--and everyone knew it--but he never saw me as anything but his little brother's friend, the girl who got tongue-tied any time he walked into a room.
I had long ago accepted the fact that his strong arms would never hold me, his lush lips would never claim mine, and his blue eyes would never see me as anything more than who I used to be.
But now he's back in Willow Creek Valley, and there's a brand-new spark between us--even he can't fight it. Our chemistry is explosive, and every time we're together, I swear I can feel the earth shake.
It doesn't mean anything... how could it? I'm over him.
Until I see that little pink plus sign, and the earth stops turning completely.
Now I want it all again, a life with him. But Joshua built walls around his heart for a reason, and his secrets haunt him.
How can I show him that the ghosts of his past don't have to define our new family's future?
One of the reasons I return to Corinne Michaels again and again is that she so consistently delivers contemporary romances that pack an emotional punch. A Moment for Us is no exception. Once I picked it up, I didn’t want to put it down. I had to know how Josh and Delia’s story would unfold, even as it was breaking my heart.
Delia had been in love with Joshua Parkerson for as long as she could remember. Being friends with his brother Alex meant she saw Josh often, but he always kept his distance. Except for that one shared kiss on graduation night. But nothing changed, and beyond a few mixed signals from Josh, it seemed that her feelings were truly unrequited. When Josh returned to Willow Creek Valley after several years away… that’s when things got interesting.
Nothing in life is guaranteed anyway, so I might as well take what's offered. Maybe I can love him enough for the both of us.
Josh and Delia had a push and pull to their relationship that was equal parts delicious and maddening. I was constantly surprised at how forthright Delia was when it came to letting Josh know how she felt. She was never coy, never played games; she straight up told him how she felt and what she wanted. She also let him know that she was under no illusion that he felt the same. But the thing is, saying you expect nothing and hoping for more are two different things. The heart wants what it wants and how do you keep yourself from truly hoping? And that’s the position Delia found herself in over and over. Josh, despite his better judgement, and his conviction that love equated to loss, couldn’t stay away. He carried a heavy mantle of guilt from his past and it weighed him down in a way that was heartbreaking. So many times, I wanted to give Joshua a hug, tell him it was okay to put down the burden he carried, and allow himself to love and be loved.
Delia is my biggest hope and my greatest fear.
Josh and Delia’s journey was a rocky one and the obstacles they faced weren’t just bumps in the road but life-altering events. Michaels didn’t just pierce my heart, she twisted the knife and made sure I was reading through tears on more than one occasion. But that’s the beauty of Michaels storytelling, because yes, her characters do suffer, but they come through it stronger, unbreakable, and their happy ending is all the more fulfilling.
A Moment for Us can be read as a standalone, but why deprive yourself of the goodness of the previous books in the series? Do yourself a favor, read Return to Us, then Could Have Been Us, and enjoy all that the Willow Creek Valley series has to offer. A Moment for Us is a story of family and love and healing – and is not to be missed.
Meet Corinne:
Corinne Michaels is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romance novels. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love, and she enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak before finding a way to heal them through their struggles.
Corinne is a former Navy wife and happily married to the man of her dreams. She began her writing career after spending months away from her husband while he was deployed--reading and writing were her escapes from the loneliness. Corinne now lives in Virginia with her husband and is the emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children.
You Loved Me Once by Corinne Michaels is now live!
From New York Times Bestselling author Corinne Michaels comes a heartbreakingly beautiful standalone story about letting love in.
I'm losing myself trying to save everyone else...
As a doctor, I walk a dangerously delicate balance of being compassionate but not overly invested. The same is true in my personal life--love is a luxury I can't afford.
It isn't until Dr. Westin Grant breaks down all my walls and offers me a future, I find myself wondering if I'm brave enough to risk my heart.
When who I was and who I've tried to become collide during my clinical trial, the fate of one patient changes everything.
In a single moment, everything I've worked for is jeopardized. My integrity, my career, and even my relationship with Westin.
He loved me once, I just hope he can love me always.
Download today on Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble!
Serenity was forever changed after the death of her
mother and the end of a relationship she was sure would last forever. Now a
talented surgeon who treats women with ovarian cancer, Serenity excels at her
job, but also keeps everyone at arm’s length, including Westin, the man she’s
been seeing the last two years. When faced with impossible choices, she had to
decide what’s more important – the past that has kept her in its hold, or a
future that she hasn’t allowed herself to hope for.
So much about You Loved Me Once focused on the choices we
are faced with and how each one has consequences. I have to be honest and admit
that I struggled with the choices Serenity made. As a physician, she was faced
with situations that most of us will never have to even contemplate. She lived
with the knowledge that her decisions could mean the difference between life or
death for her patients. So, I acknowledge that I cannot truly understand the
weight of that burden but even so, I grew frustrated as she seemed to compound
one mistake by making three more. Her every move was so clouded by the past and
her inability to move on. She held tight to the past with both hands and
refused to let go.
I’m being intentionally vague with details because it
would be a shame to ruin the twists that Corinne Michaels delivers in You Loved
Me Once. There were surprises and twists of fate that left me stunned, and
watching the story unfold made for a remarkable reading experience.
While romance is featured, it’s not always front and
center. First and foremost, this is Serenity’s story and her journey to
reconcile her past. But when there is romance, it comes from one of the swooniest,
kindest, most patient leading men you’ll ever come across. Westin is one of a
kind and there’s no doubt you’ll fall a little in love with him, too.
If you’re already a fan of Corinne Michaels, you know
that she consistently delivers emotional, heartfelt stories. You Loved Me Once
has those hallmark elements and provides food for thought with its ethical dilemmas.
Meet Corinne Michaels
Corinne Michaels is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romance novels. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love, and she enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak before finding a way to heal them through their struggles.
Corinne is a former Navy wife and happily married to the man of her dreams. She began her writing career after spending months away from her husband while he was deployed--reading and writing were her escapes from the loneliness. Corinne now lives in Virginia with her husband and is the emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children.
Could Have Been Us by Corinne Michaels is now live!
New York Times Bestselling author Corinne Michaels returns to the Willow Creek Valley Series in this stunning small town, brother's best friend romance.
Fifteen years ago, I fell for Jack O'Donnell.
I was just a girl, but I knew my brother's best friend was the only man I'd ever love.
On my eighteenth birthday, when I asked him to kiss me, I never imagined it would change my life so completely.
I gave Jack everything that night.
In order to move on, we had to go our separate ways and pretend like nothing happened... as though it wasn't the greatest moment of my life.
But even that wasn't as heartbreaking as the secret we were forced to keep.
I've tried not to think about how much I still love him. How I long to be back in his strong arms or the way his hazel eyes make my heart race.
Until he kisses me again. And this time there's no turning back. This time I know what it means.
We belong together and there's no use denying it any longer.
But our feelings aren't the only thing that won't stay buried, our past resurfaces and threatens to destroy our second chance at happiness.
When our love is tested once again, will we be strong enough to stand together?
Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Audible, Google Play, Kobo, Barnes & Noble!
“I’ll do whatever you want, Stella. I told you that.
I’ll go against your father, your brother, the whole world if that’s what you
need.”
Truth: I got choked up in the very first chapter and shed
a few tears. The. Very. First. Chapter. Leave it to Corinne Michaels to bring
on the feels in the first dozen pages.
In Could Have Been Us we get Stella and Jack’s
story and I was all-in from the very start. These two had a past, which was
revealed from the very start, and that past broke them both. While outwardly
they moved on with their lives, inside they were consumed with guilt and loss. Even
though they both suffered in silence, they handled it very differently, and
that meant they were unable to turn to one another for comfort and
understanding.
Fast forward twelve years and very little had changed.
Stella and Jack were still in each other’s lives, since Jack was the best
friend of Stella’s brother, but they kept their distance. Until they didn’t. Their
connection, their chemistry was stronger than ever. But just as they took steps
to be together and move forward, their past came back in a big way. And
suddenly they were faced with decisions they never imagined and telling truths
that they always meant to stay hidden.
I loved returning to Willow Creek Valley and all the
characters there. Stella and Jack’s backstory broke my heart. What I loved most
was how their feelings for one another never wavered. I loved where Michaels
took this story and the bumpy, curvy road to the HEA. If you’ve already
discovered Corinne Michaels, you know that any new release from her is a
must-read. And if you haven’t, what are you waiting for? 4.5 stars
Meet Corinne
Corinne Michaels is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romance novels. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love, and she enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak before finding a way to heal them through their struggles.
Corinne is a former Navy wife and happily married to the man of her dreams. She began her writing career after spending months away from her husband while he was deployed--reading and writing were her escapes from the loneliness. Corinne now lives in Virginia with her husband and is the emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children.
