ARC Review: The Governess Game by Tessa Dare

The Governess Game by Tessa Dare is the second book in her Girl Meets Duke series, and it was great. The only reason I can figure it wasn't better than great, was because I read it almost immediately after reading The Duchess Deal. And I LOVED The Duchess Deal! It was a hard act to follow.

Chase is in desperate need of a governess for his two wards. The young girls have driven several away. He just needs them to be ready to go off to school in the summer. Chase is a recalcitrant rake and knows living in his home is probably not the best environment for the girls to grow up in.

Alexandra Mountbatten has a unique profession of setting clocks for the aristocracy to maintain accuracy with the time in Greenwich. She is soliciting new clients and (to her embarrassment), her next prospective client opens the door to reveal Chase Reynaud. The man she has essentially been crushing on since she bumped into him at a bookshop weeks prior. She had been such a stammering fool when they met, she is relieved (and a little disheartened) he doesn't remember her.

As far as connecting to characters, I liked Alex. She was nerdy and sweet, but sometimes her straightforwardness bugged me. It interrupted the flirtatious wordplay I enjoy. I struggled getting to know Chase and empathizing his situation. He had low self esteem with an overconfident outwards persona. He was trying to do the best he could through his perspective though. He was extremely witty and charming when dealing with his wards, which was very funny and sweet. I absolutely adored Chase's two wards, Rosamund and Daisy. They were unique, smart, witty, and just adorable. I completely fell in love with them, and my heart ached when they were in pain.

The romance didn't effectively stick with me. Like I said before though, I believe I just couldn't help comparing it to its predecessor. I will say there were several really good quotes that this book gave which really caught my attention. Tessa Dare is a wonderful writer. I am excited to see what comes next! From a small tidbit at the end, my money is that Penny's book comes next! I can only hope!

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Love Online by Penelope Ward

Penelope Ward is one of my all-time favorite authors! I’ve read everything she has written and I don’t even read her blurbs anymore. I just automatically add everything to my TBR and then start stalking social media until I can get my hands on her next release. Love Online was everything I had hoped it would be and I honestly loved it from start to finish! It was just so good and I fell in love with all the characters in it! 

Eden and Ryder met under unusual circumstances, with things starting out between them online and only knowing each other’s screen names. But as they slowly begin to spend more time talking and getting to know one another, they learn each other’s real names and the fact that despite not knowing each other in real life, the chemistry between them is the most addictive thing that either have ever felt. But when things change suddenly with Ryder finding a clue to the real Eden, he takes a chance and sets them on a course that could take their connection from online only to so much more. 

I loved both Eden and Ryder. I was invested in them right away, and I loved everything about them from how they met to how things progressed. Penelope Ward is a genius with creating unique characters that always have different circumstances than I have read about before and that was definitely the case here. The chemistry between them was off the charts from the start, and I couldn’t get enough of them. This story was emotional and captivating, sucking me in from the very first page until the last. 

Overall, I loved this book and highly recommend it! I have loved all of Penelope’s books, but I have to say that this one is one of my favorites of hers! The characters here were just so amazing and I felt just as connected to them as they were to each other. This story was sweet and emotional, but also had the steamy side that had me swooning for Ryder the whole way through. If you are looking for a great romance and story, this book is a must read!

**ARC Provided by Author**

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ARC Reviews: The Left Side of Perfect and The Right Side of Forever by Meghan Quinn

The Left Side of Perfect, Perfect Duet #1

The Left Side of Perfect is the first book in the Perfect Duet by Meghan Quinn. For fans of her Blue Line Duet, these characters will be familiar. Though you do not need to have read the Blue Line Duet to understand this series, I highly recommend reading it. Not only are the books fantastic, but I think the back story provided there makes this series even more enjoyable! I will admit after finishing the Blue Line duet I was a bit nervous going into this duet, but honestly these are my favorite books from Meghan Quinn to date! They were perfect and I couldn’t put them down! 

I’m not going to go into many details here, because this series should be experienced without spoilers. Trust me, this leap of faith going in blind is totally worth it! If you read the Blue Line Duet, then you have an idea of who the players are here. The hero is one that definitely deserves an HEA and I knew that going in it would be worth it. It is a bit of a love triangle here, but it is not at all what you are thinking and honestly it was impossible not to love everyone here. 

I really did love the characters in this book and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen. I felt the connection between them and I felt very connected to them myself. I was emotionally invested in everything happening in this book, and I loved seeing how far some of these characters had come and the turn their lives had taken. I wasn’t prepared for just how much I would love them though! I honestly thought nothing would surpass my love for the Blue Line Duet characters and the HEA there, but I knew very early on in this first book that it was nothing compared to what I would feel for these characters! 

Great start to this duet, and honestly I couldn’t put it down. Luckily once I finished I was able to dive right in on the second book, because I think a wait might have actually killed me! I love that Meghan Quinn has decided to release these books back to back so that readers can dive right in to the second half of this duet without any waiting! Trust me once you finish The Left Side of Perfect you will be ready to immediately start The Right Side of Forever. This series is my favorite of Meghan Quinn’s so far and I think readers are going to love it just as much as I did!

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

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The Right Side of Forever, Perfect Duet #2

The Right Side of Forever is the second book in the Perfect Duet by Meghan Quinn and should only be read after The Left Side of Perfect. As I said in my review for the Left Side of Perfect, I highly recommend reading the Blue Line Duet before reading the Perfect Duet, though it isn’t necessary. This series is so good though, and I have loved the Blue Line Duet and the Perfect Duet more than anything I have read from Meghan Quinn before! These books are seriously her best work, and readers are going to love them!

This book picks up right where we left off with The Left Side of Perfect and there was so much up in the air that I immediately started this one after I finished the first book. I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish this duet, because I had to know what would happen! Meghan Quinn definitely had me hooked from the very first page of this duet all the way to the last word.

I absolutely love these characters! Not only are they my favorite of Meghan’s, but they are some of my favorites that I have ever read. This HEA was not easily earned, and it was such an emotional journey that I felt like I was on along with the characters. There were twists and turns here and I loved that things were unpredictable, while I also had faith that Meghan Quinn would deliver. She definitely did, and any fears I had going in disappeared almost immediately. There wasn’t a single character I disliked here, though obviously I knew how I wanted things to play out.

Overall, The Perfect Duet was on of my favorites this year and I think they are absolute must reads! Meghan Quinn has definitely solidified herself as a favorite author of mine and I can’t recommend these books enough. The characters are likable and easy to relate to, I felt connected to them from the very beginning and their story emotional and compelling. It is a story that will stick with me and I can’t wait to revisit it in the future. The Right Side of Forever was everything I could have hoped for and more!

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

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Feature: The Wedding from Hell Part 3 by J.R. Ward

From the creator of the #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series, get ready for a new band of brothers. And a firestorm.

Anne Ashburn is a woman consumed...

By her bitter family legacy, by her scorched career as a firefighter, by her obsession with department bad-boy Danny McGuire, and by a new case that pits her against a fiery killer.

Strong-willed Anne was fearless and loved the thrill of fighting fires, pushing herself to be the best. But when one risky decision at a warehouse blaze changes her life forever, Anne must reinvent not only her job, but her whole self.

Shattered and demoralized, Anne finds her new career as an arson investigator a pale substitute for the adrenaline-fueled life she left behind. She doesn't believe she will ever feel that same all-consuming passion for her job again—until she encounters a string of suspicious fires setting her beloved city ablaze.

Danny McGuire is a premiere fireman, best in the commonwealth, but in the midst of a personal meltdown. Danny is taking risks like never before and seems to have a death wish until he teams up with Anne to find the fire starter. But Danny may be more than a distraction, and as Anne narrows in on her target, the arsonist begins to target her.

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Feature and Giveaway: Maverick by Cheryl Brooks

Zetithians are back. And they’re hotter than ever…

Having the Zetithian feline gene gives Larry Tshevnoe awesome beauty, fearsome strength, sensuality and sexual prowess unmatched by any other males in the universe. But it can make the quest for true love...complicated.

Enter childhood friend and fellow Zetithian Althea Banadänsk. Her empathic powers make her the only one who can show Larry what he truly desires, and she’ll do anything to help…even if that means hiding her desperate craving for him.

But when a distress call sends them off course—and into danger—they find more than their hearts are at stake. Now it’s up to them to become the champions of truth and justice throughout the galaxy…or risk losing it all.

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Interview with Author Erin Nicholas and Giveaway

Erin Nicholas is the author of sexy contemporary romances. Her stories have been described as toe-curling, enchanting, steamy and fun. She loves to write about reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines and happily ever afters. She lives in the Midwest with her husband who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books, her kids who will never read the sex scenes in her books, and family and friends who say they're shocked by the sex scenes in her books (yeah, right!).

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Feature and Giveaway: Mistress Spy by Pamela Mingle

A determined sister . . .
Madeleine Vernon’s dreams should be filled with elegant gowns and marriageable men. Instead, she dreams of avenging her brother’s death. But when she’s captured by the queen’s men, she’s forced to become a spy by her mysterious yet undeniably attractive captor.

A rakish spy . . .
After years of working for his father in Queen Elizabeth’s service, Nicholas Ryder is close to going his own way. But now he’s got a feisty beauty he must protect or risk her execution as a traitor to the crown. She’s a distraction he can’t afford, but he also can’t stop thinking about her.

A dangerous lie . . .
It is Nicholas’s job to foil plots against Elizabeth, and he sends Maddy into a household of suspected traitors to garner what information she can. As the line between captor and prisoner blurs, deceit, betrayal, and desire become a perilous mix. Ultimately, Nicholas must decide whether duty to the queen is more important than winning Maddy’s heart.

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ARC Review: All the Way by Kristen Proby

All the Way is the first book in Kristen Proby’s new Romancing Manhattan series. This series centers around the Cavanaugh brothers and I couldn’t wait to dive into this one! Kristen Proby has become a go-to author for me when it comes to contemporary romance, and she didn’t disappoint here! 

After a tragic accident happens, actress London Watson heads to her family’s place at Martha’s Vineyard. There she finds next door neighbor and lawyer Finn Cavanaugh and his troubled niece. In getting to know them, London soon finds herself healing though she is still unsure if she can return to the stage after everything that she has been through. 

I loved Finn and his niece! Finn was sexy and sweet and I thought that he was perfect for London. While I liked London, I will admit that she took a bit to warm up to for me. While I appreciated her no-nonsense bold type of personality, there were times that her approach came across as rude. I really felt that her and Finn were perfect for each other though, and luckily London won me over without too much trouble. The one thing I really loved about this story though was that the characters were a bit older. It was nice to read about characters that were a bit more established and on the mature side. 

Overall, Kristen Proby has yet again delivered a solid and entertaining contemporary romance. I can’t wait to continue this new series of hers and get to know the character better! Kristen Proby is an author that I have loved everything I’ve read from her, and All the Way was really great. I think readers are going to really enjoy this story and series just as much as I did.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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