ARC Review: The Magnolia Inn by Carolyn Brown

I’m no stranger to Carolyn Brown and as much as I love her cowboy romance I enjoyed this one just as much. Set in East Texas an old Victorian farmstead turned B&B gets passed down to one more generation. Jolene Broussard, the niece, inherits the property along with her cousin unfortunately her cousin wants nothing to do with the B&B and promptly sells his half. Jolene is angry with her cousin for hurting his uncle’s feelings but she’s also kind of relieved the guy was a sleazy creep. Jolene’s aunt and uncle decided to retire and travel the US in an RV leaving the place in her capable hands. Jolene couldn’t be happier with the prospect of owning and running her favorite place in the world except she’s only got $200 to her name and a butt load of renovations to do before the season starts up again. Her saving grace is the new co-owner, Tucker Malone who seems to have more than enough money to do everything that needs to be done and more the fact that he’s good looking doesn’t hurt either.

Tucker Malone has spent the last few years of his life mourning his wife. He got fired from the Dallas PD and moved to her hometown to be closer to her working for her best friend on house renovations working throughout the week spending the weekends drunk. When the opportunity to buy half of a bed and breakfast that she had a great memory of he jumped at the chance. Jolene was raised by an addict and a drunk and her most recent break up was because he was a drunk, Jolene has had it with drunks so as perfect as Tucker may be for the renovations she can’t stand that he’s a weekend drunk, especially after she trips over his drunk ass after having to walk part of the way home in the freezing rain. Having Jolene in his life and doing the renovations on the B&B has woken Tucker up. Jolene makes him feel like he hasn’t in years but he’s still learning to let go of his dead wife. Throughout the book Tucker’s late wife talks to him trying to get him to let go and Tucker goes through a whole lot emotionally and Jolene is there with an open ear and kind heart and a boot to the head when needed.

Overall, this was a great read. Brown as always has some wonderful characters, the woman so sassy and spunky I loved this group. It is a slow burn romance but with the baggage both characters have it’s easy to understand why they took it slow. It’s a wonderful story about healing and moving on and getting a second chance at love.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N |

Feature and Giveaway: Mr. Misunderstood by Sara Jane Stone

Rule #1: Maintain Control.

You think you know me. The cars, the penthouse, the reputation for delivering women to that “Oh, yes, Gavin” moment… Yeah, I’m the bad boy billionaire who drives your fantasies.

But I’ve traveled a long road to get here. And I played by the rules—the ones I wrote to guarantee I didn’t return to whom I was before.

Until now. The pictures, the story—it’s my past coming back to haunt me. I’ve lost control. And to get it back, I need to change the story.

So I asked my best friend and neighbor for help. Kayla agreed—if I support her growing pack of four-legged misfits.

My life is under control again.

Only I’m falling for my best friend. Now, my New York City apartment is full of rescued pups, my country retreat looks more like an animal sanctuary, and Kayla’s guarding her heart.

And I’m running out of time to prove the girl next door belongs with the billionaire.

Purchase: | Amazon |

Feature: You Had Me at Jaguar by Terry Spear

They’re not the only ones on the prowl…but they’re the most dangerous…

The United Shifter Force gives jaguar agent Howard Armstrong an impossible task—to protect fierce she-jaguar Valerie Chambers, when the last thing she wants is protecting. They’re going international to take down a killer and he can guard Valerie all day long. But guard his heart? He doesn’t stand a chance.

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | Apple |

ARC Review: Diary of a Bad Boy by Meghan Quinn

I love Meghan Quinn’s books, but I couldn’t get my hands on Diary of a Bad Boy fast enough! This is a standalone story, but fans of her book The Secret to Dating Your Best Friend’s Sister will recognize Roark and his friends Bram and Rath. I really enjoyed getting to know Roark better and I think readers will love this one! 

Roark and Sutton met after a fight that resulted in them switching phones. When Sutton calls to arrange to make the switch, Roark takes things a bit too far and soon they are down a path neither of them expected. But when they find out that Sutton is the daughter of one of Roark’s biggest clients, they know they are in trouble...especially since they have been tasked with working together at a camp for her father’s charity. It might be more trouble than what Roark is used to (which is saying something!) but him being with Sutton could end up being more right than anything he has ever done in his life. 

I loved these two. I was hooked right from the start. Sutton and Roark had instant chemistry and sparks, and while things might not have started the best between them you could tell that there was so much there. They had a great connection once they started getting to know one another and I couldn’t get enough of their banter. I will say that there were times that Roark frustrated me, but I also understood it. I was so glad that he had Sutton, as well as Bram, Rath and Sutton’s father Foster to show him what it was like to have people who cared about him. 

Overall, this was a really great story. The only things that kept if from being a five star read for me were my frustrations at times with Roark and I felt like the phone bit went on a little too long and that Roark took things a bit too far. Otherwise though, I loved the characters and I felt the connection between them was genuine. I need Rath’s story! I still love his bromance with Bram, and I understand this was Roark’s story but I seriously need more of Rath and Bram!

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle |

Feature and Giveaway: Bayside Escape by Melissa Foster

Fall in love at Bayside, where sandy beaches, good friends, and true love come together in the sweet small towns of Cape Cod. Bayside Summers is a series of standalone steamy romance novels featuring alpha male heroes and sexy, empowered women. They're fun, flirty, flawed, deeply emotional, always passionate, and easy to relate to.

Hold on to your hat for Violet's wildly hot love story! Lizza is up to her old tricks again, and Violet is in for the surprise of a lifetime!

Two years ago Violet Vancroft was a nomadic artist who never wanted to put down roots and Andre Shaw was a prominent Boston physician whose roots ran too deep to unearth. Their love didn't stand a chance-or at least that's what Violet believed when she received a plea for help from the sister she'd never really known-so she snuck away like a thief in the night.

Now Andre travels the world setting up new medical clinics, and Violet has finally found the family she'd always craved and the roots she'd never known she wanted. When their paths cross unexpectedly, it's not the reunion either one imagined. But they've never stopped loving each other, and after the dust of anger and hurt settles, passion ignites even hotter than before. As the end to Andre's time at the Cape nears, reality sets in, leaving them no closer to a future than they were before. Violet and Andre are forced to dig deep to discover if they're destined to live apart forever or if true love really can conquer all.

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | Apple | Kobo |