HOW FOREVER FEELS

HOW FOREVER FEELS                              LAURA DREWRY

How Forever Feels by Laura DrewryMaya McKay’s heart is as big as Jack Rhodes’s shoulders are broad. Their chemistry is out of control, but it could never work between them because Jack is more than just best friends with her cheating ex-husband—they’re like brothers. Maya, the sensitive, practical florist, has given up on love and is ready to settle for like. But now that Jack’s around again, he’s stirring up old feelings—and turning Maya’s fantasies into irresistible reality.

Jack blew his chance with Maya years ago when he stepped aside for his best friend, Will, and he’s still kicking himself about it. Maya was promised forever once before, and she got burned. But when Jack realizes that second chances aren’t going to fall out of the sky, he seizes the moment—and the woman he’s always loved—to show her how forever truly feels.MY REVIEW:
     When you had the early childhood Jack Rhodes did and was taken in by the Carson family, having Will as your friend and brother it’s hard to turn your back.  Yet, there is one person that always made Jack take a pause and want to rethink some if not most of the decisions he made throughout his life.  One being not fighting Will for Maya McKay when he saw her first at the party and talked to first too.  You see they met at a birthday party where Will just budded in.
     Because in a whirlwind Will had asked Maya to marry him and not a year later they were getting a divorce.  Will was calling her all kinds of crazy never taking responsibility for the affair she caught him at, in his classroom at the high school having sex on his desk.  Or that Maya had tried everything to save their marriage which only made him move in the other direction.  He only found this out later they never told him of their troubles. 
     Will sure did send him the photos of all the damages Maya left I her wake when she had enough.  Jack knew it had to be bad if she had gone that far.  Still he never asked Will but he played the passive-aggressive part well toward Will avoiding him and Stella at all family functions when possible.  During the last 2 years he had received 4 emails from Maya which went unanswered.  He felt so bad but he knew how to be disloyal to the only family he ever had and not scare the only woman he ever loved by telling her.
     His job was bringing him into town for several months which was a game changer.  He had avoided her all the other visits home to see the family this one would be tough.  So when he saw her at the bar he couldn’t stay away any longer.  He sent a drink over.  They talked he met her three best friends and he left.  Yet, he couldn’t stop thinking of her neither could she.  Then it happened Will called and wanted to get together and wanted him to come over so he could get to know Stella.  It was time to do it to confront him about Stella and what they both did to Maya.  That if he wanted a divorce that he should have been a man and done it right not to have gone behind her back like he did.  It wasn’t pleasant and could have ended nasty especially since he and Stella want him to be in the wedding but he pulled the mom card on Jack so he is stuck.  And Will knew it.  He knew that Jack would never cause her pain.  Then Maya called while he was at their house and he stepped away.  Will called him on it stating to him “Bros’ before Hos’” code.  Jack nearly came unglued this was the many of tense moments and Stella knew it and asked for Jack's help in the kitchen.  She has her words and Jack backs down.  Not sure Jack can be the man Maya needs he can’t even be honest with her really.  Not even as her friend forget as a guy who likes her.
     Then a few days later Jack and Maya run into each other when she got stood up.  He asks her to dinner but says he has to first put Pete his dog up.  So they go up to his room.  No sooner does she walk in when she hears someone call out his name.  She thinks it can’t be when she listens to Jack talk to a male voice.  Sure enough it’s Will after talking a bit he pushes his way in saying, “What’s the big deal I just want to watch the game…”  His eyes meet Maya’s where she is sitting on the floor petting Pete.  He starts yelling, wanting to know what his wife is doing in his room and Jack and Maya yell EX-WIFE!…
   Now his mind kept playing him.  “She’s your best friend’s ex-wife.”  Really was she ever?  Especially when he married her under default of his own stupidity and cowardly manners.  Being a man with no backbone or morals.  No he wants both the past and the present.  But what does Jack want he’s the only one who seems torn and conflicted?  When it comes to the love of his life he is more for the family than for Maya one of these days he will have to choose his family or making a new family with the way they are.  Does he love Maya enough to take a stand?  It seems all his family now does is take from him money or labor.  The new friends and family Maya and he are building could offer him so much more it seems.  I give this book 5 stars.  Provided by netgalley.com.  Follow us at:

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MY STEPBROTHER, MY ESCORT

MY STEPBROTHER, MY ESCORT              LEIGH JAMES
My Billionaire Escort (One book two names)
A romantic comedy that puts the "fun" in dysfunctional family. 

Rising actress Lowell Barton has problems… lots of them. 
One night, she tries to solve them with margaritas… lots of them. Unfortunately, she throws them up all over a police officer's shoes. Then a video of the incident shows up all over the Internet. 
Now she needs to do damage control. Fast. What she needs is a story juicy enough to throw off the press. A new boyfriend—a perfect, smoking hot new boyfriend—would be just the thing. 
Unfortunately, it's just the thing she doesn't have. 
Deciding to throw caution to the wind and money at her mounting problems, Lowell hires a date. But when sexy escort Kyle Richards steps out of her past and onto her doorstep, she finds herself in a fresh hell she couldn't have imagined. 

Is he the stepbrother-escort from hell, or just the thing to save her career—and herself? 

Lowell’s about to find out. One thing she knows for sure: only desperate times call for measures this desperate. 

This is a standalone novel with an HEA. You do not have to read the other books in The Escort Collection to enjoy this one.

MY REVIEW:
     You have two preteens who were thrown together due to their parents’ marriage.  But the two of them never bonded because Kyle Richards never took to Lowell Barton’s mother becoming his stepmother.  Good God she was from Texas from that alone made her back-ass-backwards.  She had taken the custom-made curtains his mother had specially made off and had a bonfire made in the backyard and for that alone he could never forgive her.
     Four years later and a whole lot of fighting between him and Lowell they were gone without so much as a goodbye.  Which hurt 8 years later although he would never admit it.  For all his cockiness back then and for whom he has become today who would have thought?  You see he is an Escort from and escort service.  Yeah you heard it right a man whore!  Today he is being hired to be Lowell’s date until the premier of her new movie.  And date only.  Due to her going on a one night bender and rampage.  Where she vomited on a police officer’s foot.  After going off on “mansplainers.”  The director and producers of the movies she was doing wanted to fire her.
     She came up with a fake boyfriend by calling an escort service and guess who it was?  None other than her ex-stepbrother and former tormentor Kyle Richards.  He had no clue either until he arrived at her door.  Can they pull this off?  Will he even help Lowell since he never liked her growing up?
Or will he do everything he can to take her down for all those times she tattled?  Or will others want to see them go down?
     You will have to read and see.  I enjoyed the romantic comedy.  Although it was made to appear salacious when in reality in this story is it was all in the words of the title of marriage not in blood but in the marriage of two adults that had preteens.  That’s what gets the characters in trouble.  People perceptions caused it to appear bad when in fact these two could have been happy together without all those around them or at least much sooner.
     How could they do this is reoccurring theme that makes this the funny part.  Plus they do teeter between their old selves and newer 2.0 selves.  Which makes it even more fun.  What isn’t funny is the relationship they have with their parents.  The author handles that nicely.  I give her credit in how she gives a subtle yet firm at the end voice to a woman with a body type and who was finally ready to stand-up for herself and for fans of young children.  Having a hunk to back her up and love her helped her see herself differently.  Yay!!!
I give this 5 stars.  Provided by netgalley.com.

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IF YOU BELIEVE IN ME

IF YOU BELIEVE IN ME                             NATALIE J. DAMSCHRODER

If You Believe in Me by Natalie J. DamschroderThree years ago, Amber Benedict fell in love with Kale Riker and pledged to wait for him to return from the military. Even though she rarely hears from him, she’s steadfast in her belief: he’s coming home to her, and soon. Then the government tells Kale’s family that he’s missing in action, and they have given him up for dead. 

Kale Riker has been away from civilization and Amber for three long years. He’s been promised he can retire his commission when he completes his current mission, but now he’s seriously wounded and facing a long recovery. Worse still, security risks force a communications blackout, leaving him no way to let Amber know he's alive. 

Can Amber hold out against an entire town pushing her to give up on love while Kale fights to get back home to her before Christmas?

Previously released on Entangled’s Flirt imprint - December 2012.
MY REVIEW:
     This was a nice feel good Christmas story.  Based around a couple who grew up in the same town and were in the same circles.  When Kale Riker had finally gotten the nerve up to ask Amber Benedict out on a date it was not what either ever expected.
     You see that night Kale ended up sitting with her because her as she cried for her parents were killed in a car accident that night.  Not a moment to build a future on.  But she was strong better than Kale thought he could have been.  She threw herself into community service and opening a consignment store.
     After that Kale watched and helped out as needed.  When she opened the store he helped.  Always looking for a sign that she was ready to date again.  They both were getting worried the other was no longer interested.  So someone had to make a move especially since he had only two more weeks then he would be gone.  He was going to be going to training for the military. 
     He was worried about starting something while he was going to be gone but decided to go for it as she did too.  That night made a wonderful memory as did the rest of the two weeks.  He hated telling her but he couldn’t hold it back he had to tell her that …

     You must read to find out what he told her.  You won’t regret it.  Remember it is a feel good.  But when your heart loves it loves, only your heart can say when it’s over.  Provided by netgalley.com.  Follow us at: www.1rad-readerreviews.com

HUNKS, HAMMERS, AND HAPPILY EVER AFTERS!!

HUNKS, HAMMERS, AND HAPPILY EVER AFTERS!!

Hunks, Hammers, and Happily Ever AftersAn anthology of novellas about hunky blue collar, hammer wielding heroes and the women who tame them. Stories are by USA Today Bestselling Authors Cari Quinn, Cathy Clamp, and Anna J Stewart, and featuring authors Jodi Redford, Amie Stuart, Leah Braemel, and Chudney Thomas.

Get down and dirty with this sexy blue collar bundle featuring seven original contemporary romance novellas that range from sweet to sizzling.

KNOCKOUT – Cari Quinn
All Emerson Knapp wants…is everything he shouldn’t have. When all his secrets come to a head, the only question left is how much he’s willing to lose.

HOT SUMMER NIGHTS – Cathy Clamp
Sophie Green is smart, gorgeous, and good with her hands. Can Gabe convince her to make her stay at the Starlight Motel a permanent one?

MARKED FOR LOVE - Anna J. Stewart
Overworked pub manager Regan Murphy is about to have her hands full with Lantano Valley newcomer and tattoo artist Brodie Crawford: a sexy single father who is far too distracting. 
*this version of MARKED FOR LOVE is a spiced up version of the original sweet novella of the same title. Includes a never before published epilogue, available ONLY in this boxed set.

KNOTTY MAGIC – Jodi Redford
Hormones be damned, Tully Eastwood won’t succumb to her attraction for a sexy lumberjack—until she finds herself trapped overnight with him in the woods.

AGAINST THE WALL – Amie Stuart
Construction Supervisor Lexi Kimball is the one person everyone loves to hate. Everyone except a sexy foreman with an adventurous streak, that is.

UNASHAMED — Leah Braemel
Two sexy construction workers double Hayley O’Connell’s fun. But can they convince her the fun should last forever?

LOVE IN AN ELEVATOR – Chudney Thomas
Mica Lawson is a failure and a flake; at least according to her family. Then one stalled elevator, and a sexy repairman, change her life.
MY REVIEW:
    I read two of the read two of the seven stories.  So here we go with the two I picked. 

Knockout: Tapped Out #4 by Cari Quinn

     Lily Mathews, 20, and Emerson Knapp, 23, formed a special bond at a young age.  One you wouldn’t normally want to form.  You see they each had a parent who had died Lance, Lily’s dad became a mentor to Emerson (Em) especially being a cop he helped him instilled order in his life.  His mom after the dad was gone was no longer able to function.  Em he grew to love Lance like a dad and lily well…
     That’s where it all became interesting.  You see without each other knowing they developed not only a respect and protectiveness for one another but the secretly fell in love with one another.  Lance looking to Em to protect his baby girl.  Which was easy to do since he was the local MMA champ no one would think to mess with him.  This secret love fest went on for years.
     It bothered Lily that Em had his Friday night lays after a fight which were never her.  It always frustrated Em that he was so frustrated sexually due to Lily.  Then one day Lily brings home a friend J.C. O’Connor (Jase) who just bugged the hell out of Em.  He was always hugging and kissing on Lily.  Then she put in a good word for his company to get the remodel at the gym.  So now he has been there for months.  Em is pretty sure he wants more from Lily.  But that ain’t happening.  Plus he heard he drinks too much, bed's too many women, and always working with his damn shirt off.
     Em just can’t take his eyes off him either and since he knows he’s bi-sexual he can’t ask him if those sultry looks he gives him are real because if they are not then it will get all over the gym that he is bi-sexual and that is no one’s business.  He tries to give him a chance by it his damn sexy smirk that makes him crazy.  JC sees the looks Em gives him because he catches his eye every so often.  JC finally gets up his nerve and ask…
     You will have to read and find out what happens.  This is an erotica for sure.  That is all they do once they talk things out.  Find out Lily is on board and all.  The whole thing for Lily is a turn on as well as for them both.  I give this 4 stars.

Against The Wall by Amie Stuart

     Lexi Kimball has a job nobody wants but hey she’s good at it.  She is “Safety Supervisor” on a construction site.  She is someone everyone loves to hate.  No wait everyone on the crew hates her anyway because she is a woman.  Or as word would have it she was a “Dyke” (Ball-busting Dyke.)  It was just maddening that they just didn’t judge her one her abilities to do a good job. 
     There was one person on the crew that Lexi found herself watching way too much, Wade Wilkins.  Wade is the foreman of the crew that she works on.  In fact on this particular day she got off work went to get a beer, took a bath, got out, got dress for the evening out, and went to a girl’s night out.  OOPS! One important detail she took care of pleasing herself in the tub using said, Wade, as her visual.
     Now once she was done she graduated bath, to hair, and makeup.  Till she was ready to meet the girls at Jimmy Z’s.  She was meeting Lanie and Carlotta.  Carlotta is going through what she is one the job site.  She is an amazing electrician.  She can wire anything but is dealing with a boss with less experience who wants to micro manage her.
     While they are dancing 2 girls get tired so they’re leaving the dance floor to hear, “NO!”  But they go when the next song is played and the music really makes her feel it into her bones.  It is a sexy and very sexual song and beat.  Lexi totally gets into it.  To the point where several arms haul her up on the small dance stage with the female dancer that is up there.  They get totally into it like a couple grinding and with full on kissing at the end.  She goes with it but what goes through her thoughts is that while she was dancing she could have gone on dancing and being with a woman is nice but men are her thing.  But then it hits her she thinks she saw her foreman Wade.  When she is put on the floor she walks back to the stairs to get to the table where the girls are and they're waiting is Wade.
     They are both stunned to see each other.  They exchange a few words and then she needs air even more now.  They walk toward the front to a side room area a hide away really.  Where he said she was hot and her kissing that girl even hotter.  He asks if she was Lexi’s partner.  She says no that she has been with girls but prefers men.  Then she threatens his life if he tells anyone what he saw.  Then they start kissing and petting.  She goes back.  To her friends to say goodbye and then she and Wade spend the weekend together.  Rating Wade a 5 at Sunday Brunch with the girls.
     Monday rolls around and Wade makes two vital mistakes.  He calls her darlin’ and he puts his hand at her lower back in front of his guys she tells him to stop.  He gets pissy causing Hal the guy on the crew who hates her the most to take notice.  Now Hal is always trailing them on the site.  What else is Hal doing?  Is this a case of bad timing for Lexi and Wade?  Or is something good happening?
     This was a cute fast erotica.  The characters were fast and loose but funny as all get out.  So if you are looking for a sexy short M/F this is the one.  I give this 5 stars. Provided by Netgalley.com

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