What Draws you to a Book- #FirstLinesFriday #amreading

I came across this fun new challenge via One Book More and thought I’d join in.

First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first
Finally… reveal the book

First Lines:

Roy Donaldson tightened his gloves and adjusted his helmet before giving the WarHawks’ goalie a nod. Time to get down to business. He dropped into defensive position, ignoring the catcalls coming from the Edmonton fans. It was always like this when they played away from home; he’d gotten used to it and actually even kind of liked the anonymous insults and whistles. It only spurred him to try harder. Beat the odds.

Can you guess which of my books this comes from?

The First Lines From Friday Book is… you guessed it- The Player!

Sometimes, love happens when we least expect it…

NHL defenseman Roy Donaldson lives for the game. When an ex-girlfriend/stalker causes trouble for the team, Roy gets benched.

And the only way he can return to the rotation…? Accept help from sassy, sexy PA Patience Kennedy.

Patience is one step away from a junior partnership– all she needs to do is restore a sullen, annoying, attractive hockey player’s image.

Shouldn’t be too hard, right?

What do you think? Did the opening lines catch your interest?

April 10, 2020April 10, 2020

Jacquie Biggar21 Comments

#BookReview- Only When It’s Us by Chloe Liese #YARomance

Ryder

Ever since she sat next to me in class and gave me death eyes, Willa Sutter’s been on my shit list. Why she hates me, I don’t know. What I do know is that Willa is the kind of chaos I don’t need in my tidy life.

She’s the next generation of women’s soccer.

Wild hair, wilder eyes.

Bee-stung lips that should be illegal.

And a temper that makes the devil seem friendly.

She’s a thorn in my side, a menacing, cantankerous, pain-in-the-ass who’s turned our Business Mathematics course into a goddamn gladiator arena. I’ll leave this war zone unscathed, coming out on top…And if I have my way with that crazy-haired, ball-busting hellion, that will be in more than one sense of the word.

Willa

Rather than give me the lecture notes I missed like every other instructor I’ve had, my asshole professor tells me to get them from the silent, surly flannel-wearing mountain man sitting next to me in class. Well, I tried. And what did I get from Ryder Bergman? Ignored.

What a complete lumbersexual neanderthal.

Mangy beard and mangier hair.

Frayed ball cap that hides his eyes.

And a stubborn refusal to acknowledge my existence.

I’ve battled men before, but with Ryder, it’s war. I’ll get those notes and crack that Sasquatch nut if it’s the last thing I do, then I’ll have him at my mercy. Victory will have never tasted so sweet.

Biography

Chloe writes stories that, like people, resist categories. Portraying marginalized, underrepresented voices and experiences, her books are hot, witty, full of heart and keep you on the edge of your seat. She’s an avid reader, Harry Potter lover, and eats more peanut butter cups than she probably should.

My Review

College soccer star Willa Sutter is juggling her career, school, and her sick mother. The last thing she needs is to get paired up with a rude, obnoxious, incredibly cute lumberjack in order to pass her business course.

Ryder Bergman is coping (barely) with his loss of hearing and a promising soccer career. All he wants is to be left alone. Unfortunately, his professor- and brother-in-law- is determined to draw him out of his shell. His latest plan? Assigning a fiesty, cantankerous firecracker of a woman as Ryder’s partner.

The war is on.

This is a funny, sentimental, heartwarming story with so many different elements. The relationship between Willa and her dying mother will bring tears to your eyes.Then there’s Ryder, who developed bacterial meningitis in high school and had his entire world turned upside down.

I love how the author brought humor together with these serious real-life problems and created an unforgettable story. I will definitely be watching for more from the Bergman brothers!

Check out all of my book recommendations on BookBub

I love having guests on the blog. If you have a new release, a sale or just want to chat, send me an email via the contact page and we’ll set something up. Hope to see you soon!

April 2, 2020April 1, 2020

Jacquie Biggar9 Comments

#BookReview- Long Shot by KeNnedy Ryan #SportsRomance @KennedyRWrites

★ A Top 30 Amazon Bestseller & RITA® Winner ★

A FORBIDDEN LOVE SET IN THE EXPLOSIVE WORLD OF THE NBA… .

Think you know what it’s like being a baller’s girl?
You don’t.
My fairy tale is upside down.
A happily never after.
I kissed the prince and he turned into a fraud.
I was a fool, and his love – fool’s gold.
Now there’s a new player in the game, August West.
One of the NBA’s brightest stars.
Fine. Forbidden.
He wants me. I want him.
But my past, my fraudulent prince, just won’t let me go

*Contains domestic/sexual abuse not involving the hero

https://amzn.to/2U6o9H9

Biography

A RITA® Award Winner and USA Today Bestseller, Kennedy Ryan writes for women from all walks of life, empowering them and placing them firmly at the center of each story and in charge of their own destinies. Her heroes respect, cherish and lose their minds for the women who capture their hearts.

Kennedy and her writings have been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Glamour and many others. She has always leveraged her journalism background to write for charity and non-profit organizations, but has a special passion for raising Autism awareness.The co-founder of LIFT 4 Autism, an annual charitable book auction, she has appeared on Headline News, Montel Williams, NPR and other media outlets as an advocate for ASD families. She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son.

Stay In Touch!

Facebook: facebook.com/KennedyRyanAuthor
Book Group: facebook.com/groups/681604768593989/
Twitter: @Kennedyrwrites
Instagram: @kennedyryan1
BookBub: bit.ly/KRBookBub
Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/7429243.Kennedy_Ryan
Google +: plus.google.com/u/0/+KennedyRyanAuthor/posts
New Release Text Alerts: Text Kennedy Ryan 797979

My Review

A raw, insightful story of survival against domestic abuse.

When August enters a quiet bar on the eve of the biggest night of his college basketball career, he doesn’t expect to meet the woman who will change his world.

Iris is fascinated by the shy, handsome baller who joins her for a drink, but she is in a committed relationship, so regretfully says goodbye at the end of the evening, never expecting how her life is about to change.

When I told my story, some said I was a hero. I’m not. I’m just a woman who ended up in a bad relationship with a bad man and had to fight my way out of it. I did what I had to do to protect my daughter and to protect myself. That doesn’t make me special, but it does make me a survivor.
Ryan, Kennedy. Long Shot (HOOPS Book 1) . Kindle Edition.

When Iris becomes pregnant(unplanned on her part) and is forced into bedrest, her dreams of a career and independence are placed on hold. Without her realizing how it happened, Caleb- her boyfriend- slowly and inexorably separates her from family and friends under the guise of love. A chance encounter with August reminds her of the friendship/attraction she’d given up and draws a jealous reaction from Caleb she doesn’t expect.

I’ve never been hit in the face. My mother didn’t bother disciplining me. Though I saw men hit her and my aunt from time to time, no man has ever hit me, so I didn’t know. I couldn’t have known that the first hit, that baptism into violence, doesn’t just sting the flesh. It startles the soul.
Ryan, Kennedy. Long Shot (HOOPS Book 1) . Kindle Edition.

I’m not going to lie, this is a brutal read. But, it’s also an important story- one that needs told. Domestic violence is one of the leading causes of death for women, and in many cases either goes unreported, or is swept under the carpet by an overworked law enforcement.

Women are victims of intimate partner violence more often and more severely than men

79% of police reported intimate partner violence is against women Women were victims of intimate partner homicide at a rate four times greater than men

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/stop-family-violence/problem-canada.html

Crisis Lines (24/7):

Vancouver Island Crisis Line: 1 888 494 3888

Women Against Violence Against Women: 1 877 392 7583

Battered Women’s Support Services: 604 687 1867

We need books like this to show us, we CAN WIN. Don’t give up the fight!

Check out all of my book recommendations on BookBub

I love having guests on the blog. If you have a new release, a sale or just want to chat, send me an email via the contact page and we’ll set something up. Hope to see you soon!

March 16, 2020March 14, 2020

Jacquie Biggar8 Comments

#BookReview- Parental Guidance by @AveryFlynn #SportsRomance

“A fantastically fun, HOT love story.” – Kendall Ryan, New York Times bestselling author
It wasn’t me.

It was my team.

But as almost co-captain I raised my hand to fix it.

Never imagined they’d arrange a PR stunt to make me look like Mr. Right to someone my mom picks out on some new dating app.

Then my salvation walks into the restaurant.

Zara Ambrose.

The five-foot-nothing redhead with more freckles than inches that I convinced to go on five dates with me for all the world to see.

She’s got her own reasons for our set up–and her own rules.

But somewhere between the couples’ obstacle course, wrestling matches with her Great Dane, and fights over mashed potatoes, Zara went from means-to-an-end to something so much more.

What happens when you start to fall for the one girl you can’t have…on live TV?

Biography

Avery Flynn is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling romance author. She has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip.

She was a reader before she was a writer and hopes to always be both. She loves to write about smartass alpha heroes who are as good with a quip as they are with their *ahem* other God-given talents. Her heroines are feisty, fierce and fantastic. Brainy and brave, these ladies know how to stand on their own two feet and knock the bad guys off theirs.

Find out more about Avery on her website (averyflynn.com), follow her on Twitter (@AveryFlynn) and Pinterest (pinterest.com/AveryFlynnBooks), and like her on her Facebook page (facebook.com/AveryFlynnAuthor).

Join her street team, The Flynnbots, and receive special sneak peeks, prizes and early access to her latest releases!

Also, if you figure out how to send Oreos through the Internet, she’ll be your best friend for life.

Contact her at avery@averyflynn.com. She’d love to hear from you!

My Review

Get a group of alpha males together and the trash talk is bound to flow. Such is the basis for this fun, yet insightful story about NHL player Caleb Stuckey and Zara Ambrose.

A recorded cab trip with some of the rookie’s on his team goes viral overnight after the guys brag about their luck on and off the ice. Caleb’s mother comes up with the idea of showing her son’s remorse by having him date a woman she picks out via a new app called Bramble. Caleb just wants to get back to playing hockey.

Zara is a miniatures artist and a self-professed workaholic. She has zero interest in dating men (bad experience with a flighty father), but gives in to her friend’s pressure after a few too many drinks and adds a racy bio to the Bramble website, never expecting a call to come through. When it does, her father begs her to try it as a way for him to get his SAG card through the TV segments.

Caleb and Zara’s first meeting is awkward. Neither one wants to be there, but are determined to make the best of a bad situation. They decide on the required five dates, and done.

Too bad their attraction is off-the-charts!

Favorite Lines

What was wrong with her? He hated mashed potatoes. Only sociopaths hated mashed potatoes. It was a sign on top of all the other ways they were total and complete opposites
Parental Guidance- Avery Flynn

“Life is like hockey—you put in the preparation, you put in the work, and you pray like hell that the calls will go your way.”
Parental Guidance- Avery Flynn

This is a fun read! I give Parental Guidance 4 lovely kisses.

Check out all of my book recommendations on BookBub

I love having guests on the blog. If you have a new release, a sale or just want to chat, send me an email via the contact page and we’ll set something up. Hope to see you soon!

March 12, 2020March 11, 2020

Jacquie Biggar18 Comments

New Release News- The Player by Jacquie Biggar #RomCom #SportsRomance

I have a new release and it’s a Rom-com!

When I started writing the second book in the Men of WarHawks series I had in mind a suspense novel with a female antagonist because I’d read somewhere that something like one in ten women are criminals. Enter Olivia Brandt- psycho stalker.

Excerpt from Villain’s POV

Unable to help herself, Olivia lifted the spyglasses just as Roy got out of the car and went around to open the door for the chunky woman who climbed out and stared up at the rather impressive log cabin in front of them. What did he even see in her? She had no style sense—seriously, bubble coats when you’re plump is like adding wrapping paper to a watermelon, there is no hiding those curves—and what was with those glasses and hairstyle? Did she dream of becoming the next Marilyn Monroe?

Roy put a hand to the woman’s elbow and solicitously helped her over the icy gravel drive and up the stairs to the wraparound porch. They paused for a moment while he unlocked the door, then ushered her inside. Olivia’s blood boiled. She threw the binoculars onto the seat—where they promptly bounced to the floor—and smacked a gloved hand on the steering wheel.

“She’s going to pay for getting in my way,” she vowed.

“You’re going to jail, is what’s going to happen,” Mike retorted. “C’mon, sis, you already have a restraining order against you thanks to this guy, isn’t that enough?”

Heat rose up her chest and coated her cheeks. “I told you, it’s a misunderstanding. Once I get a chance to speak to Roy, he’ll clear it up. That’s why I need you.”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re making excuses. He doesn’t want anything more to do with you. He’s moved on, why can’t you?”

Rage rose in a tidal wave. Before she knew what she was doing, Olivia reached down, grabbed the binoculars, and rammed them into her brother’s face.

“Ow, you bitch,” he yelled, putting both hands up to protect his bleeding nose. “What the hell was that for?”

The anger ebbed, the monster in her head silent for now. She started the truck and backed down the drive until they were out of sight of the house. A couple of maneuvers later, the four-by-four was turned around. Olivia glanced at Mike and frowned. She threw a roll of paper towel from under the seat in his direction. “Clean yourself up, we have a date with a rental agency.”

“You’re fricking crazy,” he mumbled.

She laughed, exhilarated now that the time was near. Soon we will be together, darling. And no one was going to stand in her way.

As you can see, Olivia has a few issues. But, as well as her character came together, I couldn’t tame my protagonists into having the proper respect and solemn attitudes given the seriousness of the situation.

Roy Donaldson is an attitude-ridden hockey player, frustrated with his general manager’s ~~request~~ demand to take time away from the game to get his personal life in order, and Patience Kennedy is the unfortunate PA hired to help him. Roy figures he can boss the PA into leaving so he can get back on the ice, but Patience isn’t the pushover he expects.

Short Excerpt between Roy and Patience

Roy stripped down in the empty locker room and stepped into the shower, sighing as the warm water massaged his back. He’d paid a hefty price to get the arena to himself, but it was worth the fee to escape the merciless eyes of the press. If he wasn’t under contract… hell, who was he kidding? His career was all he had left, he wasn’t going anywhere. His cell phone jingled, wrecking the quiet. He tipped his head back, letting the water roll off his face. Olivia. Again. He had nothing to say to her. She’d made a fool out of him in front of his entire team—unforgivable.

He rubbed his face and blinked unseeingly at the tiled wall. Two months. He and Olivia had been happy together—well, content. God. If he hadn’t come home early that day and found her ensconced in his bed…

They’d agreed to take things slow, enjoy the natural growth of their relationship. Instead, she’d stolen his keys, inserting herself into every part of his life. Calling his mother, arranging a dinner with his teammates, adding her name—in a relationship—to his Facebook profile. He pounded the wall, then bowed his head, failure ringing in his ears.

He rinsed off and left the shower stall, hands squeezing the water from his over-long hair—he needed a cut. A startled screech stopped him in his tracks. A curvy brunette sat half-turned on the bench. She’d covered her eyes and held out his towel, reminding him of a pinup from the fifties with her flouncy dress, short sweater and colorful knotted headscarf.

“Who the hell are you?” he snarled, making a grab for the towel to cover his privates—though it was probably too late for modesty. So much for having this place to himself.

“Umm, P… Patience Kennedy.” She peeked at him from an oversized pair of mint green glasses that made her brown eyes look huge.

Great, they were sending ingénues for reporters now. Didn’t matter, he wasn’t buying into it. “Well, Patience Kennedy, this is the men’s locker room. You aren’t supposed to be in here. Tell whatever rag you’re working for the whole sex kitten thing is wasted on me.” There, that should send her running in…

One.

Two.

The young woman erupted off her seat in the most interesting flurry of bounces and wriggles. Hands on hips, she glared at him in all her bifocaled glory. “That is a horrible, sexist thing to say.” Her eyes lowered to his bare chest and the towel tucked haphazardly around his hips. She jerked her gaze up, cheeks flushing a becoming pink. “This is a misunderstanding. My boss suggested I come down and introduce myself after your practice. I wasn’t expecting…” Her hands flapped in front of her like a frightened peacock attempting to take flight.

Unexpectedly, he grinned. “Never see a naked man before, Patience Kennedy?” He double-checked the towel and chuckled when she sealed her eyes shut. “Don’t worry, your virtue is safe with me.” The smile faded. “I learn from my mistakes.” He looked around for his clothes, realized he’d left them in his locker and Kennedy stood in his path.

“I wish I could say this has been fun, but…” He waited until she reopened her eyes, then jerked his chin in the direction of the other room.

She tipped her head and a heavy sweep of chestnut hair slipped over her shoulder to cover the plump fullness of her breast—not that he was looking. “Sorry?”

He saw the moment the lightbulb went on. Her eyes widened and her mouth made an oh that hooked his attention. She had a beauty mark. “My clothes are behind you—unless you plan on holding me hostage until you get your story?” And why the hell did that not sound like a bad idea?

She jumped out of his way and promptly twisted an ankle on the wet bricks. “Ouch,” she cried, leaning over to cradle the injury.

That damn sweater was too small, her breasts were hanging out of the top, jiggling with every pained breath she took. He was such a pervert. He crouched to get a closer look at the injury, tucking the towel between his legs. Yep, she’d sprained it. Who came into a locker room in three-inch heels anyway?

“You’d better sit down. You can’t walk on it like that.” He rose and took her elbow, frowning when she jerked away.

“Don’t tell me what I can or can’t do. It’s fi… fine,” she groaned as she put her weight on the foot in question. Her face paled and she reached behind her for the bench, easing her rump down. “Dammit, what else can go wrong?”

If you’d like to find out how these two survive themselves and the crazy Olivia, check out The Player releasing Feb 28th!

The Player: Men of WarHawks- Book 2

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083CZVVLG

International: https://books2read.com/ThePlayer

TBR List: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50439233-the-player

Recommend on BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/the-player-men-of-warhawks-book-2-by-jacquie-biggar

Sometimes, love happens when we least expect it…

NHL defenseman Roy Donaldson lives for the game. When an ex-girlfriend/stalker causes trouble for the team, Roy gets benched.

And the only way he can return to the rotation…? Accept help from sassy, sexy PA Patience Kennedy.

Patience is one step away from a junior partnership– all she needs to do is restore a sullen, annoying, attractive hockey player’s image.

Shouldn’t be too hard, right?

Early Reviews

Oh this one took a surprising turn and I couldn’t put it down. I won’t give any spoilers but it is a doozy! It is well written and a nice blend of sports player, strong woman, romance,a touch of humor, twists, family and yes, suspense!
Bookbub reviewer- The Player

I love sports stories (especially hockey ones) and Jacquie gives us Roy who gets sidelined from NHL thanks to his stalker ex so he ends up needing some little help from a PA Patience … so you can imagine the good laughs and antics and aww moments she mixed up for us and to be frank, I think the story would have deserved to be longer! I for sure will keep my eyes open for more by Jacquie!
Bookbub Reviewer- Irresistible Valentine Anthology

February 27, 2020February 26, 2020

Jacquie Biggar43 Comments

#BookReview- A Favor For A Favor by @HelenaHunting #SportsRomance

From the New York Times bestselling author of Pucked and A Lie for a Lie, a new stand-alone romance about trading favors, battling wills, and winning love.

When I joined Seattle’s NHL expansion team, I thought it was the start of something great. But nothing ever goes the way you expect. Take my introduction to my new neighbor. She came rolling in on the hot mess express at midnight, making a racket while she tried to get into my team captain’s apartment. Did I mention that he’s married to a woman who definitely was not her?

Imagine my surprise when I end up with an injury that has me out of the game for weeks, and she’s the one to offer to help me. I should probably add that she’s not the captain’s mistress. She’s his sexy, pastel-haired younger sister.

So we come up with an arrangement: she rehabs me so that I can get back on the ice sooner, and she can add a professional athlete that isn’t her brother to her client list. Seems simple enough. As long as I can keep my hands to myself and my hormones in check.

Biography

NYT and USA Today Bestselling author, Helena Hunting lives outside of Toronto with her amazing family and her two awesome cats, who think the best place to sleep is her keyboard. Helena writes everything from contemporary romance with all the feels to romantic comedies that will have you laughing until you cry.

Follow Helena on Instagram:
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https://twitter.com/HelenaHunting

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http://www.helenahunting.com/

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My Review

Stevie Bowman is having a bad day. She had delays on her flight home, broke the wheel on her suitcase, and found her boyfriend humping another woman in their apartment- and, oh yeah, it’s her birthday. Yay.

Her brother, NHL captain of the new Seattle expansion team, saves the day by offering her his penthouse condo, but even that gets messed up by a rude and obnoxious neighbor wearing underpants and a big… attitude.

Bishop likes his sleep. He works hard to prove his value on the new expansion team- especially since his place as captain was usurped by his arch nemesis, Rook Bowman- and caring for his diabetic brother. He doesn’t need a pain-in-the-ass puck bunny showing up at Bowman’s (who’s married, by the way) in the middle of the night. Funny thing though, when he lays into her, she shoots it straight back to him even though he’s over a foot taller and twice her size. He kinda likes that. Not to mention, she’s got one hell of a… temper.

Stevie is determined to put the past behind her and focus on her new career as a sports rehab physiotherapist. She needs to prove to her brother, and herself, that she doesn’t need his help, so when Bishop injures his groin at a game, she reluctantly agrees to a favor for a favor. She helps him get back on the ice ahead of schedule, and he’ll write her up a recommendation. Except, a hot attraction threatens to derail their plans and ruin everything.

This book was so much fun to read that I had to go out and buy the next in series!

Favorite Lines

Did he just say my face is a boner-killer?
A Favor For A Favor- Helen Hunting

“A mistake becomes a choice when you make it more than once. Looks like maybe you should’ve thought about the consequences before you made yours.”
Hunting, Helena. A Favor for a Favor (All In) (p. 41). Kindle Edition.

The dialogue is raunchy at times, but it suits what I would expect from a hockey player and Stevie has two brothers and works in the sports industry, so again, it works. It takes a backseat to the humor anyway, which is outrageous!

Bishop is a sweetheart under all his bluster, while Stevie is vulnerable and trying hard not to show it. They make the perfect pair.

I give A Favor for a Favor 5 lovely kisses- This is a fun read!

Check out all of my book recommendations on BookBub

I love having guests on the blog. If you have a new release, a sale or just want to chat, send me an email via the contact page and we’ll set something up. Hope to see you soon!

February 13, 2020February 12, 2020

Jacquie Biggar14 Comments

A Favor For a Favor by @HelenaHunting #Romance #Reading @jennw23

“Bishop and Stevie’s relationship is pure, raw, can’t-take-your-eyes-off-the-the-page kindle crack. One of my favorite books by this brilliant author.” – LJ Shen, USA Today bestselling author

A Favor for a Favor, all-new standalone slow burn romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting, is available now!

A new stand-alone romance about trading favors, battling wills, and winning love.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/31LPGjq

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/AFFAF

Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2msA1pY

Amazon Audible: https://amzn.to/2Gh4xtv

Audio: https://amzn.to/2kYpUZr

Add to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2m17XK2

Excerpt

She makes me lift my arm and drapes it over her shoulder. She’s incredibly small compared to me. She tucks one arm under my knee and gently grips the back of my calf with the other. “On the count of three,” she orders. I tense up when she hits three. She gets my leg about six inches off the floor, which is when I scream bloody murder again and grab on to her with both hands.

“Okay. That’s not going to work. The angle is too awkward.” She taps her lip and holds her finger up. “I have an idea.”

She ducks out from under my arm and hooks her fingers in the waistband of her yoga pants.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Calm down. Some bathing suits have less coverage than my underwear. Besides, it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”

She kicks off her yoga pants, leaving her in a T-shirt and panties. They’re plain cotton boy shorts, which should be a good thing, but apparently my body doesn’t care that it’s not a satin or lace thong. All it cares about is the proximity of almost-naked pussy.

Rook’s sister is standing in my bathroom in her underwear. If I had a sister who looked like Stevie and I knew that she was standing in one of my teammate’s bathrooms half-naked, I would probably kick the shit out of the guy. Thankfully, I have a brother.

I try to keep my eyes averted, sort of, but I catch her reflection in the vanity mirror.

She has fantastic legs. Athletic. Strong. And her ass. Goddamn. She definitely does a lot of squats, based on how round and firm it looks. The ache in my groin turns into that stabbing pain again because I’m getting hard. I think about my grandmother in a bathing suit to counteract the effect of Stevie being partly undressed.

She steps into the tub, and I force myself to keep my eyes down, bringing up the image of that hot chick in the tub who turns into a rotting old lady in The Shining. That helps a bit. At least until Stevie moves into my personal space and starts touching me again. I mutter a string of profanity, especially when I feel her boob pressed against my arm for a few seconds. I have no choice but to latch on to her shoulder as we lift my leg over the edge of the tub. I’m sweating, I’m angry, and I hate my dick.

“I need you to stop touching me!” It’s stupid because I’m still holding on to her, not the other way around.

“Why are you yelling at me?” she shouts back.

“Because you’re half-undressed in my tub, and I’m a guy, and apparently my dick is a fucking sadist. It honestly feels like my balls are on fire right now. A semi has never] been this painful.”

“Well, close your damn eyes and think about dead things.”

“It doesn’t matter if I close them. The image of you in panties is burned into the back of my lids, probably for the rest of my fucking life. It’s all I can see.”

“You’d think you’d never seen a set of bare legs before.” She helps me lower myself into the tub and steps out.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a pair up close,” I grumble.

“Such a surprise, with your warm, fuzzy personality.”

About Helena Hunting

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.

Connect with Helena

Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kN5wdZ

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2mloUim
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/Zt1xm5
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January 29, 2020January 28, 2020

Jacquie Biggar2 Comments

Rules of Engagement by @JTGeissinger #NewRelease #SportsRomance @jennw23

Love is a battlefield for a quirky matchmaker and the cocky football star who hires her to find him a wife.

Rules of Engagement, an all-new laugh-out-loud standalone sports romance from J.T. Geissinger, is available now!

As the owner of Perfect Pairings matchmaking service, Maddie McRae earns her living helping others fall in love. Dubbed the Wedding Whisperer due to her success getting couples down the aisle, the sweet Southern belle knows that the foundation of wedded bliss is built on similarities: opposites might attract, but they don’t stay together.

Which is why she’s holding out for her own Prince Charming, a perfect gentleman who will arrive one day and sweep her off her feet with his devotion, kindness, and charm.

Enter Mason Spark.

Rude, arrogant, and notoriously allergic to monogamy, the hottest quarterback in the NFL is Maddie’s polar opposite. He’s also her new client. Her gorgeous, infuriating new client who’s paying her an outrageous sum of money to find him a wife. With his multi-million dollar contract on the line due to his behavior on and off the field, bad boy Mason is willing to pretend to settle down.

But when he starts to fall for the adorkable matchmaker who can’t stand him, the playboy finds himself in the game of his life to keep something he never thought he’d lose—his heart.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/36fg0EP

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/RulesEngagement

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/35eTSKw

Excerpt

He jerks his thumb at his mansion. “Don’t you want a tour?”

“Of Hearst Castle? No, thanks.”

His expression tells me how incomprehensible that is. “Everyone always wants a tour. Always.”

“I mean, it’s a very nice place, I’m sure.”

Now he looks insulted. He turns to stare at the house, then turns back to me. “Nice?”

“Please don’t take it personally. I’m not trying to start World War III here. A house like that just isn’t my thing.”

“Your thing?”

“Will you stop repeating everything I say?”

“It’s just that I’m having trouble with the fact that you don’t like my house. Everybody likes it. Everybody. Especially women.”

I sign in exasperation. “Oh, for goodness’ sake, Mason, I could give a flying fig what everyone else thinks. I’ll take my cozy little cottage over this place any day.”

“But why?”

I fold my arms across my chest and turn my torso toward him. “Why are you so upset that I don’t like it when you don’t like it, either?”

He shouts, “I never said I didn’t like it!”

“You didn’t have to. The closer we got to it, the more you constipated you looked.”

“That’s just my face!”

“Baloney. You hate your house. Admit it.”

Wild-eyed and wound up, he stares at me for a long, silent moment. Then he exhales in a huge gust and drops his head into his hands.

He says miserably, “I totally hate it. It’s awful, isn’t it?”

I pat his shoulder. “It’s beautiful, elegant, and absolutely ridiculous. Have you thought about asking the state legislature if they need new headquarters?”

He moans into his hands. “I don’t even have any furniture except a bed. You should hear how bad it echoes in there. And everything is marble, so it’s always freezing cold. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and think I’m sleeping in a mausoleum!”

I can’t help myself. I start laughing again.

He lifts his head and glares at me. “It’s not funny!”

“It’s so funny I can’t stand it.”

“Do you have any idea what I paid for this place?”

“Your gargantuan mausoleum?” I squint at it through the window. “I dunno. Bazillions?”

“Exactly! Bazillions!”

“I’m no financial whiz, Sparky, but I think they saw you coming.”

When he groans and drops his head against the headrest, closing his eyes, I try to reassure him. “I’m sure there’s some oil baron with twelve ex-wives and a hundred kids who’d love to move into it. With all the members of his country club. And their housekeeping staff.”

Mason opens his eyes and glares at me.

I try to stifle another laugh, but fail. “And the entire population of Portugal.”

“Ha ha.”

“Oh, lighten up. It’s not like you can’t sell it.”

Sounding panicked, he says, “But where would I live?”

“You say that like there are zero options between here and a cardboard box.”

“Name one.”

“There’s a house for sale at the end of my block.”

That astonishes him so much it leaves him speechless.

“You’re right,” I say solemnly. “It’s only a three-bedroom. There’s not enough space for both you and your ego.”

He looks away. “I’m just surprised you’d want me living on the same street as you.”

“Are you kidding? Imagine how much fun we could have screaming obscenities at each other over the backyard fences. The neighbors would love it.”

When he glances back at me and sees me smiling, he smiles, too. “Yeah, especially when they hear your PG version of cursing. ‘Dingwaddle’ this and ‘flying fig’ that. They won’t even know what language we’re speaking.”

We smile at each other so long it starts to get uncomfortable. I look away, patting my hair to make sure no stray strands have escaped from my bun.

After a rough throat clearing, Mason says, “I guess I’ll go in, then.”

“Okay. Goodnight. And thanks again for dinner. I love that place.”

When he doesn’t respond, I glance over at him. He’s staring back at me with the same warm look that flustered me at the restaurant. “You’re welcome, Pink. Anytime.”

“So I’ll send you all the information on Stephanie as soon as I vet her file. Okay?”

“Sure. Looking forward to it.”

An awkward silence follows. Finally, Mason breaks it by saying, “Sweet dreams.” He opens the door and starts to get out.

“Wait.”

He turns to me, his hand on the door and a question in his eyes.

“I, um, I need to say something.”

He groans. “You’re killing me, you know that?”

“No, this isn’t anything about you. You haven’t done anything wrong. This is about me.”

Eyes alight, he settles back into his seat. “This should be interesting.”

I search his face before I speak, because I want to be sure I don’t miss any change in his expression. “I’m sorry for teasing you about your ego. It’s not nice. And I don’t want you to think that I think there’s anything wrong with you, because I don’t.”

His face goes through several different emotions before it settles on something I can’t identify. It’s part pain and part pleasure, with a whole lot of ambivalence thrown in.

He says softly, “I know you don’t think there’s anything wrong with me. Which is what makes me assume your parents must’ve dropped you on your head a lot when you were a baby.”

“Oh, for crying out loud. I’m trying to apologize here!”

He grins. “You did. I heard you. And you don’t have to do it again, because I like it when you give me shit.”

When I quirk my lips, he amends quickly, “The business. I meant I like it when you give me the business. Nobody else mouths off to me the way you do.”

“Good to know,” I say, smiling. “Now that I know you like it, the gloves will come off, pal, so you better watch out.”

“I can hardly wait.”

We sit there grinning at each other, until Mason says, “Get outta here. I’ll talk to you next week.”

“Aye-aye, Captain.”

Then it all falls apart in slow motion.

I don’t know what makes me do it. I honestly don’t. One minute we’re smiling and saying goodbye, the next minute I’m impulsively leaning over to give him a kiss on the cheek.

Only he’s turning his head, so my target moves.

Where his cheek was supposed to be, suddenly his lips are there instead.

His warm, soft, beautiful lips, which part when they meet mine.

About J.T. Geissinger

J.T. Geissinger is a bestselling author of emotionally charged romance and women’s fiction. Ranging from funny, feisty rom coms to intense, edgy suspense, her books have sold more than one million copies and been translated into several languages.

She is the recipient of the Prism Award for Best First Book, the Golden Quill Award for Best Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, and is a two-time finalist for the RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America®. She has also been a finalist in the Booksellers’ Best, National Readers’ Choice, and Daphne du Maurier Awards.

Her first novel was published in 2012. Since then she’s written eighteen more novels. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, drinking wine, surfing the internet, and daydreaming about all the things she’s going to be when she grows up. She lives near the beach in Los Angeles with her husband and deaf/demented rescue kitty, Ginger.

Connect with J.T. Geissinger

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Website: http://www.jtgeissinger.com

January 29, 2020January 28, 2020

Jacquie BiggarLeave a comment

Can’t Block My Love by @XavierNeal87 #NewRelease #SportsRomance @jennw23

Can’t Block My Love, an all-new
sports romance by Xavier Neal is NOW LIVE!

From bestselling romance author Xavier Neal comes an all-new, rom-com sports romance featuring a gorgeous goalie who can block any shot — except Cupid’s…

Once upon a time, the Vlasta Vipers hockey team was so incredible — on and off the
ice — they were almost mythical. Every other university wanted their team to be them. Every chick who crossed their paths wanted to bang them.

Now?

Their clout on the ice is questionable. Their competition cutthroat.

Their beds…

Well, there will always be puck bunnies ready to keep them warm. After all, no matter
how well they do or don’t do, they are the university’s most important
athletes.

However, when Remington Ronald Rutledge the 3rd, lands himself on the new head coach’s bad side, which threatens his chances of playing for the season, he finds
himself striking an unusual deal with a blast from his past he can barely
remember.

Did she always wear these glasses? Was her hair always this curly? Has
she always had a smile that makes him wanna smile?

What happens when the bad boy who makes all the rules is forced to play by someone else’s? Can this good-looking goalie let love score, or will blocking it be the biggest
mistake of his life?

Download
your copy now!

Free
with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon – mybook.to/CantBlockMyLove

Add it
to your TBR – http://bit.ly/CBML-TBR

About Xavier Neal

Xavier Neal lives in Texas where she
spends her time getting lost in writing, reading, or fandoms she recently
discovered. Whether she is enjoying books or movies, she continues finding
inspiration at every turn to bring more exciting stories to life.

Follow Xavier Neal

Website – https://www.xavierneal.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/XavierNealAuthorPage/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/XavierNeal87

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Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/authorxavierneal/

October 24, 2019October 24, 2019

Jacquie Biggar2 Comments

If It’s Only Love by @lexiryan #NewRelease #Romance @jennw23

It’s time for Shay’s story. Find out what secrets she’s been keeping from her family in this final book in The Boys of Jackson Harbor series.

If It’s Only Love, a sexy new standalone contemporary romance by New York Times bestselling author Lexi Ryan is LIVE!

Meet single dad Easton Connor as he leaves the NFL and returns to Jackson Harbor to fight for another chance with the love of his life.

***

I don’t regret much.

Not my decision to enter the NFL draft before finishing college.

Not fighting custody of my daughter—even if, biologically speaking, it turns out she’s not mine.

And certainly not seducing my buddy’s little sister ten years ago.

But when it comes to Shayleigh Jackson, my no-regrets attitude stops there. I screwed up royally where she’s concerned. Then I made another mistake when I let her shut me out of her life.

Now after more than a decade living in different time zones, I’m coming home to Jackson Harbor. My first priority is getting my daughter away from the media circus in LA, but the moment I see Shay, I know I’ll stop at nothing to win her back.

So what if she won’t speak to me? So what if she’s changed? So what if she’s fallen for some douchebag professor? I’ve never gotten over her and I know she feels the same about me. I’ve let her go twice. I won’t make that mistake again.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: http://bit.ly/ITOLLRAMZ

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Apple Books: http://bit.ly/IIOLLRAB

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Meet Lexi:

Lexi Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of emotional romance that sizzles. Lexi is the 2018 winner of the Romance Writers of America® RITA® award for Best Long Contemporary Romance. She considers herself the luckiest girl around to make a living through storytelling. She loves spending time with her crazy kids, weightlifting, ice cream, swoony heroes, and vodka martinis.

Lexi lives in Indiana with her husband, two children, and a spoiled dog. You can find her at her website: http://www.lexiryan.com

Connect with Lexi:

Website: http://www.lexiryan.com/ Facebook: http://bit.ly/LexiRyanFB

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/qymaH Bookbub:http://bit.ly/LexiRyanBB

Instagram: http://bit.ly/LexiRyanIG Twitter: http://bit.ly/LexiRyanTW Goodreads: http://bit.ly/LexiRyanGR

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2bIYjGa

September 10, 2019September 8, 2019

Jacquie Biggar2 Comments

Victor by @BrendaRothert #SportsRomance #amreading @InkSlingerPR

Today we are celebrating the release of VICTOR by Brenda Rothert. This is a contemporary romance, standalone, and it is the third title in the Chicago Blaze hockey romance series. Purchase your copy now!

Grab your copy now:

Amazon | Nook | Kobo | Apple Books

—————-

Follow Brenda’s newsletter for exclusive details!

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Victor by Brenda Rothert

Available Now | Chicago Blaze, #3

Grab your copy now:

Amazon | Nook | Kobo | Apple Books

Book Blurb:

He’s a hockey star with a headboard full of notches. She’s a shy NHL concession worker at who’s never been kissed.

Lindy

They don’t call me Belinda Boring for nothing. It’s my name, after all. And for a 23-year-old with plain brown hair who still lives at home and gets tongue tied over nothing, it’s a fitting one. I’m not even one of those quiet girls with a hidden talent, unless making a mean order of nachos at the NHL arena I work at counts. My life consists of working, reading and harboring a secret crush on a hockey player who doesn’t know I exist. At least, until we accidentally meet and become unlikely friends.

Victor

I’m living the dream. A poor kid who worked his way into the NHL, I’ll never forget where I came from, though I try to. My past follows me, a nagging reminder that I’ll never be what everyone thinks I am. As the threat of my secret being exposed looms closer, my game slips, leaving me in danger of being cut from my team–the only family I have. I’m losing my hold on everything when a new friend helps me find hope. She’s nothing like the women I’m used to, but by the time I figure out that’s exactly why she’s right for me, I’ve lost my chance with her. Somehow, I have to convince a woman who thinks she’s invisible that she’s the only one I see.

Add the book to Goodreads

Purchase ANTON Now:

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Purchase LUCA Now:

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https://amzn.to/2XJy6Ps

————–

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Brenda Rothert is an Illinois native who was a print journalist for nine years. She made the jump from fact to fiction in 2013 and never looked back. From new adult to steamy contemporary romance, Brenda creates fresh characters in every story she tells. She’s a lover of Diet Coke, chocolate, lazy weekends and happily ever afters.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Wattpad | Amazon

July 18, 2019July 17, 2019

Jacquie Biggar9 Comments

Five dates—that’s it—and then we go our separate ways. At least, that was the plan… Parental Guidance by @AveryFlynn #NewRelease #SportsRomance @jennw23

“A fantastically fun, HOT love story.” – Kendall Ryan, New York Times bestselling author

Parental Guidance, an all-new, sexy and laugh-out-loud romantic comedy from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Avery Flynn, is available now!

All I want is to play hockey on the Ice Knights, instead, I’m in a viral video for all the wrong reasons and my mom—yes, my mom—has taken over my dating apps. Then, when I think it can’t get any worse, the fates deliver Zara Ambrose, a five-feet-nothing redhead with more freckles than inches and who’d rather be anywhere other than on a date with me.

Now a bet with her friends and my PR nightmare have us both stuck in this go-on-five-dates-with-the-same-person hell situation. But if we band together, we can get the whole thing over with and go on with our lives. It’s perfect! No feelings. No future. No fuc— *ahem* fun. No naked fun.

What could go wrong? Nothing—as long as I remember the rules. Don’t notice the way she looks in a dress. Don’t react when she does that little shivery sigh thing whenever we touch. Don’t think about the fact that she’s never had a toe-curling orgasm that wasn’t self-delivered and just how badly I want to change that.

Five dates—that’s it—and then we go our separate ways. At least, that was the plan.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2VGNZ41

AppleBooks: https://apple.co/2Lc2R9Y

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/ParentalGuidance

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

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2IhwwfD

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

About Avery

USA Today bestselling romance author Avery Flynn has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip. She fell in love with romance while reading Johanna Lindsey’s Mallory books. It wasn’t long before Avery had read through all the romance offerings at her local library. Needing a romance fix, she turned to Harlequin’s four books a month home delivery service to ease the withdrawal symptoms. That worked for a short time, but it wasn’t long before the local book stores’ staff knew her by name. Avery was a reader before she was a writer and hopes to always be both. She loves to write about smartass alpha heroes who are as good with a quip as they are with their *ahem* other God-given talents. Her heroines are feisty, fierce and fantastic. Brainy and brave, these ladies know how to stand on their own two feet and knock the bad guys off theirs.

Connect with Avery

Instagram: @AveryFlynn https://www.instagram.com/averyflynn/

Website: http://averyflynn.com

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June 17, 2019June 16, 2019

Jacquie Biggar8 Comments

Covering all the Bases by Jody Holford #Romance #SummerReading @1prncs @authorspal3

Meet the Author:

Jody Holford is a multi-published author who has a soft spot for happily ever after. So much so, she tattooed the words on her arm. She’s a mom and a wife, a friend, sister, daughter, teacher, and book-lover. Her stories have a little heat and a lot of heart. And maybe, some swoon-worthy moments that will make you smile.

Connect: Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

About the Book:

Talk about a wild day… As if being summoned to the deathbed of a grandfather she didn’t know existed wasn’t enough––Isla Bennett meets the man of her dreams. Spends an amazing day playing tourist around Nashville with him. And then finds out she’s inherited the Nashville Slammers major league baseball team. Oh, and her new dream man? He’s the Slammers’ star power hitter. Isla just went from amazing first date to holy heck I’m your boss in the span of a day.

Liam Cruz can’t believe how refreshing it was to spend a day with someone who didn’t know his batting average, the size of his last contract, or heck, even that he’s a baseball player. Now Isla’s thrust into the spotlight, and though she’s more than capable of handling herself professionally, he takes it upon himself to teach her everything he can about the game that is his whole life. But they’ll have to keep it on the DL.

Because doing what’s best for the team means they can never be together––and that might be the toughest play of all.

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | AppleBooks | Kobo

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt:

His broad shoulders and short cropped hair made him look a little dangerous and a whole lot capable. Of many things.

“What’s going on in that head of yours, Red?” He tugged on a lock of her hair and gave her a smile that shot fireworks through her blood.

“I was just thinking that I don’t want to waste the day or two I have here thinking about my brother, my dad, or anything else.”

Liam stepped closer. “Seems like you could use a little break from them.”

She laughed at his dead-on assessment. “How is it that you hardly know me and you see things other people don’t?”

In her professional life, everyone had the utmost respect for her father and brother. The dynamic duo of the fitness center world. Never mind the long days and nights and hours that Isla spent making things come together. Things like the deal with Conroy Hotels. Her father’s gyms were going to be a part of ten Conroy properties starting in the new year. Thanks to Isla. Only, no one had thanked her, except Jonathan Conroy, who she’d struck the deal with. He’d been gracious and kind. A great negotiator. He’d treated her as an equal.

“Maybe it’s because I’m looking so close,” he said, his voice lowering. Had she moved? Did he? She wasn’t sure, but the front of each of their bodies was touching, and despite the chill in the air, Isla’s skin warmed beneath her layers.

“Hmm. You are looking quite close,” she said, not intending for her voice to come out so husky.

Liam ran his thumb over her cheek, then back, down over her lower lip. Her knees went loose and she pressed her hand to his chest. It was hard and solid like the brick wall at her back. But so much hotter. With his jacket open, she pressed her hand to his soft shirt and felt the sleek muscle beneath.

“I like what I see,” he said, his face coming closer.

“Me too,” she whispered. A little too much. Could she blame her overtaxed emotions? Probably not. There was something about Liam.

The first touch of his lips pushed thoughts of anything other than him, of getting closer, out of her brain. One of his hands threaded through her hair, anchoring her where he wanted so he could slant his mouth over hers, teasing and testing, before diving all the way in.

Isla’s fingers fisted in his shirt, curling the material in her palm as she arched to get closer, to take more. Liam gentled the kiss, slowing it down before he leaned back, enough so he could speak but so they were still sharing the same air, their breath mingling and intertwining sort of like their bodies.

“Wow,” he whispered, pressing his brow to hers.

“Yeah. Wow.” Two or three days of doing exactly that didn’t seem like nearly enough.

Liam’s hands ran down her arms, back up, over her shoulders, and then he pulled her close and wrapped his around her, hugging her tight and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Isla sank in. If she could only have a couple days with him, she was going to enjoy every second of it. Which meant blocking out all of the questions and the uncertainty.

When he pulled back, Liam’s eyes were a mix of desire and sweetness. “You like Johnny Cash?”

Isla laughed at the quick change of subject. “The Man in Black? Sure.”

“I was hoping you’d say that,” he said, taking her hand again. “Come on.”