Our Book Picks for the Week of Nov. 15th 💖 Thoughts and Recommendations

 📚 Our Book Picks for the Week of  Nov. 15th

🧚 Happily Ever Bitten by Lexi C. Foss

💘 Everlong by Ember Dante

🌇 Battle for Daylight by L.E. Towne

🥀 Ghosts & Liars by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

🤓 A Model Escort by Amanda Meuwissen

🧶 A Case for the Yarn Maker by Candace Havens

See all of our reviews and recommendations

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Happily Ever Bitten by Lexi C. Foss

Blurb:

A Halfling.

My designation. A plague. An essential death sentence in the underworld. Until I met him.

A Noxia Prince.

He’s arrogant, a playboy, and the male who saved my life. Except he never gave me a choice, his blood tying me to him for an eternity of servitude. And I’m not sure I want to pay that price.

An unspeakable past.

Monsters haunt my nightmares. Most of them dead. But a few are still alive, and so I’ll hunt them. Torture them. Slay them all. Even if it brings about an early demise.

A courtship signed in blood.

One bite sealed my fate.

Except someone is playing a dangerous game, and she’ll stop at nothing to see me destroyed.

Life is a journey to Death.

Sometimes the only way to truly live is to die.

But I’m not going down without a fight.

Our Thoughts 💭:

I knew Zaya and Grigory's story was going to be cosmic and our dynamic duo of Foss and Edwards delivered!
If you have not started this series ...
Wait WHY?
If you enjoy your fantasy a little on the darker side
If you like your heroines strong - the kind who may get knocked down but eventually come back bigger and badder
Then this is a must-read series for you
Zaya was innocence and love and hope and all that sappy good stuff when we first met her in book one
Then she became a pawn in a cruel game
Violated, beaten and left for dead
But... thanks to Grigory our little angel is far from broken
This picks up approximately a year after book one ends
Let me start with the polar attraction that is evident between our two MC's
The chemistry between these two- I know I say it often but here?
It truly was cataclysmic.
Their mutual desire and respect for one another quite literally bleeds from the pages
I knew that despite their current delusions of "not gonna happen" that it was gonna happen!
And when it did?
Not a force in Hades would be able to pull them apart
The twist? The antagonists?
Ewwwww - made my skin crawl
so not a fan
The surprise? I should have known!
We even get a start on the next in series as well as a few revelations that left me needing more NOW!
Oh and ...
I totally have a crush on Lucifer. The way that man/demon/deity lavishes love on his lady Lux just slays me 🥰
This is one of those series that you need to own the books so you can re-read over and over again

#happilyeverybitten #gothic #paranormal #reverseharem #romance #kindleunlimited #annaedwards #lexicfoss

Amazon 

Everlong by Ember Dante

Blurb:

Reed Richmond had it all—a successful career, a close-knit family, and a hot-as-sin girlfriend. It was the perfect life. Then a crushing betrayal plunged him into a downward spiral of booze and meaningless sex—the worst cliché imaginable.

Life was not a fairy tale for Madison Reilly. Years of choosing the wrong men taught her that Prince Charming didn’t exist, and there was no such thing as a happy ending. She was tired of kissing frogs.

Reeling from failed relationships and a string of bad decisions, Reed and Madison slowly realize there’s more to their connection than simply being friends.

As feelings deepen and tempers rise, bonds of loyalty and trust will be tested. Can lifelong friends find happiness when family is the one thing that can tear them apart?

Our Thoughts 💭:

What a sweet journey 💖
A sweet first chance romance
This felt like a biography more than a fictional romance at times - that is not a bad thing - it was just so tangible and possible and real
Reed and Madison had both recently experienced a toxic breakup
And true to "recovery" mode, they were both drowning their hurt with meaningless interludes. Just grasping for something to fill in the emptiness.
Until an unplanned circumstance brought them together ❤
Sometimes you have everything you need - you just can't see it because it's always been there
I wasn't sure in the beginning how this was going to play out but Dante did a wonderful job of making me believe

#everlong #epiphany #contemporary #romance #emberdante 

Amazon

Battle for Daylight by L.E. Towne

Blurb:

Marlowe:

Christopher Marlowe battles his destiny to get back to the present and to the love of his life, Tam Paradiso. But when he finally escapes Tudor London for modern-day Philadelphia, it’s two years in Tam’s past, and she has no idea who he is. He can comfort her as she mourns her dead father and charm her family as they accept that Tam’s destiny is linked with his. He can even help her fight the mysterious rain spirit responsible for a series of grisly murders. But can he make her fall in love with him all over again?

Paradiso:

After two years as an undercover vice officer, Tam Paradiso wants out. She belongs in the homicide division as a detective like her father was. But she’s up against her partner, the beautiful and reckless Ava Knox, for the job. When Tam’s father dies suddenly, she reaches her low point. Still, she must solve a serial murder case, keep her interfering family at bay, and fend off a crazy, sexy time traveler who claims they are lovers in her future. At least her murder suspect is a human villain, not a supernatural one. Or is it?

Our Thoughts 💭:

Another action-packed episode
I actually might have enjoyed this one a bit more than the first.
Probably because the foundation was already laid and we just delved right into the action and adventure
Kit makes his way back but it seems he didn't quite arrive where or maybe I should say when he had planned.
That's okay ingenuity is one of his gifts.
Tam IMO is much more "approachable" in this episode.
Life hasn't quite shafted her yet. We also get to spend more time with Volpi and create a more personal connection as well as get to see a few of his "secrets"
And Ziggy... she is such a boss
Our ragtag group of supernatural sleuths (aka hunters) discover that there may be more to the missing night-walkers than an unhinged serial killer. Kit knows time is precious for him and that becomes more apparent when Volpi makes the connection between the "gifts" he and Tam share and the possibility there may be more fate has in store for her.
Can they solve the murders before time takes Tam - possibly quite literally?
Can Kit convince her of what once was even if it is yet to happen?
How do you stop the rain?
This was such an engaging and action-packed story.
The characters are well written.
With a vivid story line that drags the reader in placing them dead center amidst the action
I found myself screeching (yeah it was a touch above yelling) at the cast to "turn around!" or "Don't listen!"
At other times I was holding my breath hoping, hoping we came out the other side intact, still a whole team.
And occasionally blushing at Kits affections towards Tam
This is a solid urban fantasy that I wholeheartedly recommend for those who enjoy a more in-depth experience when they read. I suggest you start with the first in series as it lays the groundwork for the cast and the different "supernatural" aspects of the story line.
This is a series you will want to follow.

#battlefordaylight #crescentmoonchronicles #darkfantasy #paranormal #horror #ku #letowne
Amazon

Ghosts & Liars by Kathryn Ann Kingsley

Blurb:

All Alice wanted was a job. As the caretaker of the Strande Mansion, she got far more than she bargained for. Between trying to crack the code of the sinister Julian Strande and her new love affair with Charles, the current owner of the museum, she has a lot to balance.

Alice didn’t believe in ghosts. That was until she met Julian Strande. Unfortunately, it seems the legends of the ghost of the estate are all very real, and he seems to have become obsessed with her.

Charles has promised her that Julian is harmless and just playing pranks. That he enjoys the company after all those years alone. It’s too bad that Charles may not be all he seems…

Our Thoughts 💭:

This is the second book in the duet and what a magnificent finish!
No Spoilers -
So I asked at the close of book one
Who is J.S. really?
Kingsley pulled back the curtain in this climactic ending and gave us a look behind the curtain
At what made our impossibly insane illusionist tick
and what made him tock (you do not want to be on his bad side)
This is where I shamefully admit I have a crush on the villain -
I knew there were more secrets to Julian and Mr. Mensonge
But I never could have fathomed the dark depths of their cruelty and misdirection
and Alice ...
Down Down Down she went (and I mean that quite literally and No I am not spoiling it)
There were so many unexpected twists and "Oh He LL No you didn't" moments I was emotionally wrung out by the time I finally flipped the last page (I feel the need to confess I did peek ahead and read the first paragraph of the last chapter only to find I was more stressed out than before I read it - I couldn't do it)
I said this before and I will repeat it -
This is a duet you will want to go into blind -
Don't read the spoilers -
Don't go in with expectations because it will exceed them
Just kick back - turn on all the lights and enjoy the magic
and YES I bought this duet in paperback after reading the e-copy
It is that good
#ghostsandliars #theimpossiblejulianstrande #villiainromance #paranormal #kathrynannkingsley

Amazon

A Model Escort by Amanda Meuwissen

Blurb:

What’s the value of love?

Shy data scientist Owen Quinn is brilliant at predictive models but clueless at romance. Fortunately, a new career allows him to start over hundreds of miles from the ex he would rather forget. But the opportunity might go to waste since this isn’t the kind of problem he knows how to solve. The truth is, he’s terrible at making the first move and wishes a connection didn’t have to revolve around sex.

Cal Mercer works for the Nick of Time Escort Service. He’s picky about his clients and has never accepted a regular who is looking for companionship over sex—but can the right client change his mind? And can real feelings develop while money is changing hands? Owen and Cal might get to the root of their true feelings... if their pasts don’t interfere.

Our Thoughts 💭:

Owen you sweet little nerd 🤓 I just want to wrap you up and keep all those bullies at bay.
Cal you simpering love-struck fool open your eyes! What are you waiting for? Everything you didn't know you wanted is right there within your grasp, demanding all your time, invading your most private thoughts.
This is one of those "all the feels" romances that pushed all the right buttons. Just a touch of drama. A whole lot of self-discovery and some of the sweetest cuddle moments.
Owen was starting over, leaving years of emotional trauma behind him. He wasn't ready for "peopling". Wasn't ready to be in the spotlight. Trying to navigate uncharted waters via only a phone support system wasn't quite working out.
Enter his loving and ingenious sister with a solution.
Nick of Time Escort Service.
The perfect answer to his problem!
(I want you to know I am seriously smirking here because we all know life never gives simple solutions)
Cal loved his job and had no problem ignoring that incomplete feeling that engulfed him when he came home each night. Or the lack of friends outside of work. Or...
You get the idea.
Enter - yep you guessed it - Owen
Can anyone truly be that wholesome? That endearing? That honest?
Guess you will have delve into the pages of A Model Escort to find out because I am not telling 😉
#amodelescort #dreamsupundesires #gayinterest #mmromance #AmandaMeuwissen

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A Case for the Yarn Maker by Candace Havens

Blurb:

Spin a yarn…at your own riskEveryone at Bless Your Art in Sweet River, Texas, is excited about the Yarn Goddess (yes, that’s her real name) coming to town. Ainsley McGregor has set up a special event at the local community center, but when old Mrs. Whedon doesn’t see eye-to-eye with the Goddess about using quality yarn, a fight breaks out. Who knew the octogenarian had ninja moves like that? It’s all fun and games until George Clooney, Ainsley’s Great Dane, finds Ms. Yarn’s dead body in a booth at Bless Your Art. Now the prime suspect is Mrs. Whedon, and while she’s not the easiest woman to get along with, there’s no way she’s the killer. At least, Ainsley doesn’t think so. As this yarn unravels, Ainsley and her quirky friends learn some interesting things about the case and the Goddess’s checkered past. But there’s a killer on the loose, and George may be the only thing protecting Ainsley from certain death

Our Thoughts 💭:

I knew it! (doing the happy jig)
Nothing more relaxing than a cozy who-dun-it 🤓 on a Sunday afternoon.
This is book two in the series. It's a standalone but might I suggest reading book one- it gives you a bit of backstory on our leading lady and her brother and introductions to the supporting cast.
Anywho back to the mystery at hand
The author did a spot-on job of running the reader in multiple directions. Just when I had all my Danes in a row one would suddenly take off to chat with a squirrel and I would be back to chasing my tail.
The story flows smoothly with little hitches of excitement that provided light suspense and mystery while still allowing a smaller back story to exist - like the chemistry between Mr. McHottie Fire Chief and Ainsley.
Ainsley, our heroine, is a soft blend of femininity and intelligence. Before you go getting your knickers in a twist - She is smart, driven a touch scattered at times. She is quite capable of standing on her own two feet but she also longs for the warmth and protection of a partner - possibly above mentioned fire chief?
I enjoyed the balance of her character. Too many times its all polish and strength. She had a sweet vulnerability that made her more the girl next door IMO.
Ohhhh and Jake - melt my heart.
Another big positive that I felt only enhanced the experience was the small-town feel - the close friends, the feeling of community and family.

#thecasefortheyarnmaker #ainsleymcgregor #cozymystery #candacehavens

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@lexicfoss @emberdanteauthor @le.townescribe @kathrynannkingsley @akanichiyoubi @candace_havens