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🧐 This Weeks Spotlight Reads ➱ Book Recommendations for Oct 2nd



 💖 This Week's Picks 


♜ Rook by L. Ann

🐲 Gods of Stone by R.E. Cantrell

✨ Beast Charming by Grace Goodwin

🎵 Until Jude by K.L. Shandwick

😉 The American Wives Club by Anna Durand

🐎 The Perfect Distance by Dianne May



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The Bookbub/Goodreads links beneath each will get you to online book retailers and libraries for each book



RookRook by L. Ann
Description:
She only wanted a fake boyfriend.
She ended up with a hitman.
Magdalena McCarthy
All I wanted was a date to accompany me to dinner with my parents.
A decoy to distract my mother from her ongoing mission to find me a husband.
Rook Chambers
I moved to Glenville to start over, to escape my dark past.
And found myself mistaken as a boyfriend for hire.
Our Thoughts 💭:
Marshmallow filling 😍
Dal was solid - she freaked for a moment, took a deep breath, pulled up her big girl panties, and faced the problem
Sad it was life experiences that honed her technique
Her "Mom" (wanted to knock-knock that woman multiple times) demanded her presence at her birthday bash (emphasis on the bashing part)
Ohhh but she had an idea for this year's birthday celebration - a bit of a 🐓block if you will
Enter Rook - the fake boyfriend - the smexy older man
The solution to an afternoon of her mothers squawking
Only it turns out he is more than she paid for
And that little extra just might save her life
This was a fun, at times suspenseful, slightly aggressive 😂 romance that kept on giving
Rook was so self-assured, that he comes across as untouchable - but when it came to Dal he was all mallowy goodness
A great start to the series -
#rook #romanticSuspense #chambersbrothers #lann
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Gods of Stone (Legion of Vidar)Gods of Stone by R.E. Cantrell
Description:
With all the knowledge they had gained over centuries of living, the one thing that has always been without understanding has been the desires of the heart. In every heart there are emotions that rule one’s mind.
For Basete her heart broke her for all other males. But it was her betrayal that cut her the deepest. With the desire to stand on her own and separate herself from the clan she had betrayed the one male that would have protected her. Possibly loved her.
Sometimes you have to lay everything on the line when your very heart is at risk of being killed.
Our Thoughts 💭:
What a fantastic start to a new series!
The author easily laid a solid foundation without dragging the story down
Solid characters
Spectacular world building
Action-packed
So much happens in this first episode I found I was constantly white-knuckling my kindle most of the story.
Even had to battle my inner child a couple of times when she wanted to peek ahead just to reassure herself
Radian is the Stone Clans alpha and as expected someone greedy, and weaker members want his title
- maybe a few someone's actually-
Just for kicks - like betrayal and backstabbing weren't enough to deal with daily - let's add in a wayward mate, some goats, and a demon prince looking to overtake his territory
And you thought your Mondays were hard
But wait there's more -
Let's heat things up and toss in a son you didn't know you had
This has a bit of everything
Mythology, gargoyles, dragons, shifters
Action, adventure, betrayal
Romance, humor, family...
Yeah, I was sucked into this universe quickly -
I found the romance was second place to the adventure - oh it was there just...
It was a whole story if that makes sense
I will be adding this series to my one-click list
Note - I read a copy that had not been through final editing - more like a beta copy IMO - my rating is based on the assumption the issues were fixed before publication
#godsofstone #legionofvidar #gothic #paranormal #fiction #recantrell
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Beast Charming (Interstellar Brides Program: The Beasts, #5)Beast Charming by Grace Goodwin
Blurb:
Warlord Tane of Atlan is a warrior, not a prince.
So why is he wearing these ridiculous white pants and gold-trimmed jacket?
And gods help him, why are there hundreds of females in glittering gowns, circling like vultures, expecting him to dance?
Our Thoughts 💭:
"Yes. When it's real it hurts like hell."
To short!!!
Tane had had more than enough of Chet and his "prince charming" finds his happily ever after reality show.
His beast already knew none of these women was his mate.
He would, however, suffer the indignity for his fellow brethren for a few more hours.
Wait, who is that beauty?
And where did she come from?
Elena just needed to get in, find her charge, and get out before anyone spotted them.
Okay, so she got a little sidetracked...
Come on did you see him??
Swoon-Worthy hunka-hunka ...
What harm can giving in to a moment of weakness cause?
Beast Charming has beauty and the beast vibes with
A bit of suspense and a whole lot of shenanigans
I love this series
Flawed alpha heroes who have no problem worshiping the strong kick-booty women who steal their hearts and mend their souls.
Each one offers humor, light angst, a bit of suspense, and lots of smexy moments rounded out with the sweetest HEAs
#beastcharming #interstellarbrides #scifi #geneticengineering #humorous #romance #gracegoodwin
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Until Jude (PulseTunes Rock Gods #1)Until Jude by K.L. Shandwick
Blurb:
Jude Collymore wasn't a player. He played drums, but he never played games—especially with women. Which is why the broody rock star made it clear he had no interest in long-term commitments. As far as Jude was concerned, with his band and a steady stream of admirers, he had it made. But that soon changed when bandmate and best friend, Levi, received some life-changing information that could disrupt the band's current tour.
Our Thoughts 💭:
This was one of those rare reads that I looked forward to picking up each evening and suffered multiple book hangovers from - I didn't want to leave
It is a full-length novel and I can tell you from experience you will want to set aside a quiet place so as not to be disturbed while hanging with the guys
This one checked off all the boxes for me
Angst - Family - Self-growth - Humor
Romantic chemistry that was believable!
Love - Betrayal - Friendship - Loss
Little surprises
You get the idea ...
Jude and Esther's relationship is just a portion of this story
It spans over a few years and as time progresses we get to see them grow, face life's little and at times very big challenges
For the most part, they conquer but not all were won
The romance is a slow build but the pull they both felt was tangible and believable.
Esther is young when she loses her mom and is delivered to Levi's doorstep and at the feet of her lifetime idol Jude. Life is about to offer choices she was not prepared for.
Jude, despite how the media might portray him, is the glue or maybe the fixer, babysitter - he is so much more than playboy the world sees. He never saw himself beyond the band. Things are about to change and he must choose.
#untiljude #pulsetunesrockgods #familylife #rockstar #romance #klshandwick
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The American Wives Club (A Hot Brits/Hot Scots/Au Naturel Crossover, #2)The American Wives Club by Anna Durand
Blurb:
When Callum MacTaggart seeks help at a clinic following an injury, he is instantly drawn to physical therapist Kate Wagner. But after Callum decides they’d never work out, his meddling family can’t help but get involved…
The American Wives Club is the second multi-series crossover book uniting three bestselling worlds—Hot Scots, Hot Brits, and the Au Naturel Trilogy. Get ready for nudists, Wiccans, gypsies & more! 
Our Thoughts 💭:
This is heavy on the comedy - a fun ab workout I truly enjoyed
I dropped into the series here so I had no idea who some of the characters were but it did not impact my understanding or connections. The author does a great job of giving small intros as we go -
However, it did leave me wanting to go back and read the first book
This was a fun back and forth romance that left me feeling good and wanting more
I enjoyed the hither and thither romance between our surly Scott (he carries guilt that he should not) and his drill sergeant head shrink Kate
Hugh was more of a handful (I think he fears being alone )as the story played out but I know he will get his HEA as well
One kiss and things just go all cattywampus for the three of them
This is where the American Wives Club come in - though they were already intending to fix things - think meddling family and best friend's friends stepping in because they know what is best and can see what you cannot
Things work out but as we all know - the real fun is in the journey
#theamericanwivesclub #crossover #humorous #romanticcomedy #annadurand
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The Perfect Distance (The Perfect Series Book 1)The Perfect Distance by Dianne May
Blurb:
Before Finley Thompson's husband died, he told her to run and keep running. So she relocates with her kids to a small town in North Carolina. Her false sense of safety ends when a runaway horse barrels into her yard and she meets her surly but disarming neighbor, CJ Sinclair.
Our Thoughts 💭:
This was a slow burn OW/YM suspenseful, twisty, angsty, journey of acceptance (?), rural country romance
Heavier on the suspense and journey part - which I found perfect for these two.
Both have such tragic backstories and IMO they needed the time and the little stepping stones and bumbling blocks to learn who they were now and who they could be for another
After Finley's husband passes she follows his last request and uproots her world as well as her children's and in a way goes ghost
CJ is a former Navy Seal who has suffered from a brain injury and PTSD which has left him with some physical difficulties as well as the emotional trauma
Both have chosen to go their journeys alone
Only fate has decided that both need a bit more of a challenge to wake them up to their true potential
I enjoyed the suspense and the twists as well as watching the two learn to accept and navigate their new realities
I do wish there had been a bit more connection (?) between the MC's that made me believe in a stronger bond - though that is probably a "me" thing
Enjoyed the little twists and kindle gripping suspense - well thought out and kept me engaged as the events played out
I am hoping we get more from this universe
#theperfectdistance #equestrian #military #romanticsuspense #diannemay
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#whattoread #tbr #bookworm #bookaddict #bibliophile #booknerd #romance #romancereads #authorsofinstagram #bookblogger #bookblogs #readingromance  #booksofinstagram #bookstagram #instabook #bookworms #greatreads #readersofig #readerforlife 

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