Musings of the Modern Belle

#ReleaseBlitz “Hard Love” by Joanne Schwehm

July 20, 2017MB 3 Comments

Title: Hard Love

Author: Joanne Schwehm

Genre: Contemporary Romance Standalone

Release Date: July 18, 2017

My musings…

4 Romantic CROWNS

Hard Love by Joanne Schwehm is my first introduction to this author, and I have to say I adored the old-school romance feel of the whole story.

Noah Winston is really the perfect hero. Even though he comes from troubled parents, he is incredibly well adjusted. He takes care of the heroine, but not in a controlling way. He is a gentleman to the core, and he uses his immense wealth to make her happy. Noah also has lines for days, and they read authentically. I swear this man made me swoon a million times over the course of this book.

Margo, who also comes from wealth, is venturing out from under the safety net of her parents’s fortune to make a name for herself by doing something she is passionate about. She is fiercely protective over those she loves, and seeing her come to the defense of her favorite people only wins major points for this heroine in the eyes of readers. She is more guarded with Noah over a specific interaction that occurred between them in the past, and while some readers may find her inability to move on from it frustrating, others will be okay with it because it is human nature to hold onto things that have hurt us or embarrassed us. This attribute made her relatable and likable.

There are not a lot of bumps in the road of love for Noah and Margo, but there are two aspects of their story that I really love. The first is the chemistry the author creates between them. This is not an overly steamy novel, a lot of fade to black or just hints as to what happens, but I didn’t need it. Their love and their relationship is enough. The romance and the connection kept me reading because I got enough intimacy outside of the bedroom that I didn’t need more in it. The other part of their story that I love is the idea of compromising. The idea that when you love someone, you are willing to change and evolve together to create a future that fits you both. It really spoke to real-world romance versus the often-romanticized version we read.

I really enjoyed this novel from Ms. Schwehm, and I am looking forward to her next book. I am kind of hoping some of Noah’s friends will make an appearance again.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review. Continue Reading →

#ReleaseBlitz “Stubborn as a Mule” by Juliette Poe

July 20, 2017MB 3 Comments

STUBBORN AS A MULE

The Sex and Sweet Tea Series

by Juliette Poe

Release Day – July 20

Synopsis:

Down in Whynot, NC, there are three things that hold true: 1) life moves just a little bit slower, 2) family means everything, and 3) you don’t mess with history.

When his family decides to sell a home that’s been part of their history for over a century, Lowe Mancinkus is madder than a hornet. To add insult to injury, the woman who purchased it is some fancy pants, city girl looking to fix it up and sell it off. Doesn’t matter that she’s sexy as hell or that just being near her gets his blood racing like never before. That home belongs to his family, or at least it did until she came to town.

Well that just won’t do, now will it?

From the moment that she laid eyes on the historical home in rural North Carolina, Melinda Rothschild knew Mainer House was something special. The perfect escape from life in New York City, Melinda signed the papers and set to work restoring the house to its natural beauty. That is until an angry Lowe showed up on her doorstep one day. With a scowl on his handsome, chiseled face. And a shotgun in his strong, muscular arms.

Is it getting hot in here?

Melinda’s about to get a lesson on life in the south, but Lowe is about to learn a lesson of his own – this city girl doesn’t back down from a fight.

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#ReleaseBlitz “Unconventional” Isabel Love

July 20, 2017MB 2 Comments

Title: Unconventional

Author: Isabel Love

Genre: Erotic Romance

Release Date: July 20, 2017

Synopsis:

Happily ever after—what a joke! I tried that once and ended up divorced.

Now, I only want one thing from men.

Charlie Nelson is good at giving me that one thing. Really, really good.

So good, in fact, I discovered a new side of myself.

I never knew I liked to watch until I saw his talented hands touching someone else.

I never knew I liked to be watched until I felt his searing gaze on me.

Maybe happily ever after isn’t always a white picket fence, wedding bells, and 2.5 kids.

Maybe it’s something a bit more…unconventional.

*Warning: Contains dirty talk, piercings and hot threesomes.

Intended for readers over 18 years of age.

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#CoverReveal “Hard Wood” by Lauren Blakely

July 20, 2017MB 3 Comments

HARD WOOD is coming October 23, 2017! A standalone romance told from the male Point-of-View, HARD WOOD is the final hot and hilarious book in the Big Rock series. Pre-order your copy today! Kindle users—stay tuned for the preorder right before release! And don’t miss the hot, new cover below!

Cover Design by Helen Williams with Photography by Wander Aguiar Photography

About HARD WOOD:

Women often say a good man is hard to find. And a hard man is even better.

That’s why I’m quite a catch— good, hard, loaded, and wait for it…I’m ready to settle down too. But the woman I want to pitch my tent with is precisely the one I need to stay far away from.

After that fantastic night with Mia Summers, I’m ready to give her many more. But there’s a hitch in my plans — she just hired my company. If there’s one thing I’m committed to, it’s running a squeaky clean adventure tour business. One of the iron-clad rules?

Don’t screw your customers.

I can follow my own guidelines. After all, it’s only a week-long trip with Mia and her employees over the trails and down the hills I guide them on. I can obey the rules—even if it’s hard in the woods.

I’m about to give myself a badge of honor when the storm of the century hits, sending everyone else running for cover, but us—my biggest temptation and me, alone for a long weekend. You don’t screw the client, especially when you’re already in love with her . . .

But what’s a guy to do when she’s so hard to resist?

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PREORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

✦ iBooks ✦ Barnes & Noble ✦ Kobo ✦ Google Play ✦ Amazon

✦ Kindle Preorder alert (via Lauren’s newsletter)

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#ReleaseBlitz “The Scottish Bride” by Marquita Valentine

July 20, 2017MB 1 Comment

The Scottish Bride

By Marquita Valentine

Publication Date: July 11th, 2017

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

Tired of waiting for her older brother’s best friend to come to his senses, Cadence Romanov travels to New York City in order to bring Maddox home. But seeing him again opens up raw wounds of abandonment. Refusing to be easily led by him again, she runs away to Holland Springs, but not before leaving him a note as to where she’s going. This time, it’s all up to him to win her back.

After one reckless night ends in tragedy, Scottish rugby player Maddox Stewart turned his back on his former life, leaving everything behind, including Cadence… until she tracks him down and demands answers. As soon as Maddox sees her, he knows that nothing has changed between them and there’s nothing he won’t do to have her again. Forced to confront his demons, Maddox must find a way to forgive himself and win back his wife.

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Amazon US ♦ Amazon UK ♦ iBooks ♦ Nook ♦ Kobo

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#ReleaseBlitz & #MBreview “Fractured Love” by Ella James

July 19, 2017MB 2 Comments

EJFracturedLoveLIVE
Welcome to the Release of

My musings…

4 FRACTURED CROWNS

Fractured Love is another romantic tale of two people who have limits placed on their relationship, preventing them from being together during the time period they originally meet. It is filled with love, heartbreak, and reconciliation, all the makings of a good romance.

Landon is such a broken young man when readers meet him, and yet he has this strength beneath the surface to help him endure. As a young man, we see how being abandoned has changed him, and we get to see how being with Evie brings him a calm and a sense of home. Ella James also rewards readers as we get to see what has become of him as an adut, and he really does become a good man.

Evie is a little naive and innocent when we meet her. Meeting Landon is what makes her, for the first time, choose to “break the rules,” so to speak. She is then placed in an incredible predicament, and she tries to make the best choice for herself and all those involved. Only later, will she have to pay the price for what occurred in her past. Readers, though, will forgive her for what she has done because of her age and the situation she was thrust into.

My absolute favorite part of this story is when they are younger. Ella James begins their story in the present and then flashbacks back to their youth. Here is where we really get to see and learn about Landon and Evie. We get to see how they struggle to repress their feelings, and how, at the end of the day, they are just too drawn to each other. We get to see the pain and the struggle they endure after their discovery, and it is heartbreaking because their love seems so pure and real during these years. When the author brings us back to the present, Evie and Landon are rekindling their relationship, and while I enjoyed them as adults, for me, they lost some of the magic that existed when they were younger. They finally have to deal with their past and how it will affect their future, but I just wanted more of that magic I felt for the first half of the book. I did, however, enjoy the pacing of the story and the development of the conflict. They are adults when dealing with the fallout, and I appreciate that. I also enjoy that she gives them peace, not just in their relationship but in all aspects of their lives by the end of the novel.

The Off-Limits series is such a unique idea. I love how all of these stories deal with characters who shouldn’t, in society’s eyes, be together, and that they are kept apart by these proclamations. Yet, Ella James finds a way to make them work, for these characters to find a way, even if it is years later, to make it together, which really is the essence of true romance.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review. Continue Reading →

#BlogTour “The Darkest Sunrise” by Aly Martinez

July 19, 2017MB 4 Comments

Welcome to our blog tour stop for The Darkest Sunrise by Aly Martinez. It is the first book in a contemporary romance duet, and is it available to read for FREE on KindleUnlimited.

Be sure to follow Aly’s newsletter for exclusive news about the duet.

My musings…

5+ Words Hurt CROWNS

Aly Martinez completely blew me away with the first book in The Darkest Sunrise Duet. The pain and heartbreak of the characters is raw and painful to witness, but she found a way to infuse beauty into the darkest aspects of their story, throwing glimpses of light and hope for a better future.

Charlie and Porter have a past filled with cataclysmic events, and while neither is the same, they have both suffered immensely as a result. As expected, these tragedies have affected who they are and how they live. But when they encounter each other, they recognize the darkness within each other. This recognition of the sameness within themselves serves as the catalyst for their relationship, and the way the author depicts their sadness and loss is poignant and real. The readers can feel their pain and empathize with them.

The chemistry and the connection between these two characters is potent. They are drawn to each other and find peace and comfort in each others arms, and this is more than they ever could have hoped for. While there are some steamy scenes between these two, it is not at the forefront of this story. Living in the dark while trying to find the light is what drives this prose, and it is absolutely enough the sustain the romance.

The pacing of this story is brilliant. Because it is a duet, readers should already be aware the author is going to leave the them with a cliff hanger, but the break in the story is at a natural pause and will only serve to leave readers dying to get their hands on the next one. The author uses book one to flush out the characters, showing the depth of their sadness and despair. She also uses book one to highlight how these characters are attempting to heal and move forward. Through her words, readers to get to witness true and unselfish love, and while it is tragic at times, there is beauty in it as well.

Aly Martinez has created something beautiful with The Darkest Sunrise. It is brilliant, filled with emotions that many experience but are unable to express, and she has given a voice not only to those who have similar experiences to the characters, but has also given them a sliver of light in the darkness.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

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#BlogTour “Beautiful Mistake” by Vi Keeland

July 19, 2017MB 4 Comments

Beautiful Mistake by Vi Keeland

AVAILABLE NOW!

My musings…

4.5 Musical Crowns

Beautiful Mistake has a different tone than most of Vi Keeland’s novels, and yet it is still just as riveting, conveying another fantastic romantic encounter between two complex and engaging characters.

Caine West has had a hard past, leaving him with a guilt that was weighed heavily on him. This obviously affects his perception of himself and how he interacts with others. It is clear, quickly, through his dealings with others and, more specifically, Rachel, that he isn’t as selfish as he thinks. Watching him come to terms with his past and how it affects his future is a heavier aspect of the story, but I enjoyed this change of pace.

Rachel also has a difficult past, and yet she has chosen to move on to a brighter future, taking that one moment and turning into a positive. She does hide aspects of her past in order to progress forward, and she has many emotional moments as a result of her temper, but she recognizes it and embraces that part of who she is. Her understanding of who she is as well as her ability to accept and move on from her tragic past makes her an incredibly strong heroine.

The tone and topics addressed in Beautiful Mistake are of a more serious nature, but Vi Keeland doesn’t just toss readers into it. She entices readers with some comedic moments and the sexual tension between Cain and Rachel. When the more serious aspects of the story begin to be intertwined with the romance, it is done in a way that only enhances the connection between the two characters. The resolution to the story does happen quickly, and, although it didn’t need to be a long drawn out apology, the quick jump from apology to lust is abrupt. This, however, doesn’t detract from the story, and the resolution is absolute perfection, a blending of the past and future.

With Beautiful Mistake, Vi Keeland exemplifies her ability to write more than just rom-com, light-hearted stories. She can tackle and angst and serious issues that are just as entertaining and endearing.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review. Continue Reading →

#NewReleasae “The Unrequited” by Saffron A. Kent

July 19, 2017MB 3 Comments

Title: The Unrequited

Author: Saffron A. Kent

Genre: Contemporary/Erotic Romance

Release Date: July 13, 2017

Synopsis:

Layla Robinson is not crazy. She is suffering from unrequited love. But it’s time to move on. No more stalking, no more obsessive calling.

What she needs is a distraction. The blue-eyed guy she keeps seeing around campus could be a great one—only he is the new poetry professor—the married poetry professor.

Thomas Abrams is a stereotypical artist—rude, arrogant, and broody—but his glares and taunts don’t scare Layla. She might be bad at poetry, but she is good at reading between the lines. Beneath his prickly façade, Thomas is lonely, and Layla wants to know why. Obsessively.

Sometimes you do get what you want. Sometimes you end up in the storage room of a bar with your professor and you kiss him. Sometimes he kisses you back like the world is ending and he will never get to kiss you again. He kisses you until you forget the years of unrequited love; you forget all the rules, and you dare to reach for something that is not yours.

NOTE: Please be aware that this book deals with sensitive topics like cheating and death. 18+ Only.

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**Get your copy of The Unrequited today!**

Amazon US ♦ Amazon UK ♦ Amazon CA ♦ Amazon AU

Check out Saffron’s website – it has been updated and specifically made for THE UNREQUITED. Visit here

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#Sale “Nova” by Rebecca Yarros

July 19, 2017MB 3 Comments

We’re so excited to be sharing this sale with you today! NOVA, the second standalone in Rebecca Yarros’s Renegades series, is on sale for $0.99 on all retailers for a limited time only. Hurry up and get it now!

**About NOVA:**

He’s got one shot to make it right…

He’s Landon Rhodes.

The Renegade they call Nova.

Sinfully gorgeous, broody, tatted-up, professional snowboarder.

They say a girl broke him once—

That’s why he’s so reckless, so driven, so careless with his conquests.

But I’m that girl.

They can call me his curse all they want.

He and I both know the truth—

He’s the one who destroyed me,

And I’m too smart to let that happen again.

5 CROWN REVIEW

Get NOVA now for just $0.99!

AMAZON / iBOOKS / B&N / KOBO

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#ReleaseBlitz & #MBreview “Sin” by Emma Hart

July 18, 2017MB 6 Comments

SIN (A Vegas Nights Novel Book 1)

By Emma Hart

Standalone

Release Day – July 18

My musings…

4 Sinful Crowns

Emma Hart has returned to Vegas to deliver a sinfully sensuous enemies to lovers romance that is enticing from the very first page.

The chemistry between Damien and Dahlia is immediate, even though the underlying emotions evolve as the story progresses. Although the sexual tension is potent from the very beginning, it is clear that their is disdain for the other. This hatred stems from not really knowing or understanding each other, and as they meet and uncover each other’s secrets, the hatred transforms into much more. As with any Emma Hart book, the intimate moments between these two is smoking hot and only serves to push their relationship forward.

Fair warning, though, Damien is the hero you love to hate in the beginning. He has the arrogant nature and an abrasive personality that makes Dahlia hate him, but readers, especially those who love a cocky hero, will adore him. What I liked most is that Emma Hart actually gives a legitimate reason for his demeanor, and he evolves as the story goes on. We get to see what makes him this way, and we get to see him change into something so much better.

Dahlia is a pretty awesome heroine from the get go. She is a ball-buster and incredibly fierce. She doesn’t back down to this dominant hero, and she makes the choice to take things to a physical level. She also has suffered tragedies that she has risen from, making her stronger in the end. I love who she is and what she does for Damien.

The story and relationship will keep readers intrigued. Watching them move from hate to like to love is fantastic. Seeing them work through their pasts and open their hearts is rewarding and helps develop the characters. And while I wish the conflict between the two would have been more significant, the ending is perfect. The troubled man readers love finds peace, and together they find happiness. Plus, we get a great lead-in to the next standalone in the series.

Emma Hart is one of my go-to writers for romances that will fog up my kindle. She creates a captivating world inside the Vegas limits, and I’m glad we will be staying here for some time.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review. Continue Reading →

#ReleaseBlitz “Trust” by Kylie Scott

July 18, 2017MB 7 Comments

TRUST by Kylie Scott

Genre – Mature YA

Release Date: July 18, 2017

Synopsis:

Being young is all about the experiences: the first time you skip school, the first time you fall in love…the first time someone holds a gun to your head.

After being held hostage during a robbery at the local convenience store, seventeen year old Edie finds her attitude about life shattered. Unwilling to put up with the snobbery and bullying at her private school, she enrolls at the local public high school, crossing paths with John. The boy who risked his life to save hers.

While Edie’s beginning to run wild, however, John’s just starting to settle down. After years of partying and dealing drugs with his older brother, he’s going straight—getting to class on time, and thinking about the future.

An unlikely bond grows between the two as John keeps Edie out of trouble and helps her broaden her horizons. But when he helps her out with another first—losing her virginity—their friendship gets complicated.

Meanwhile, Edie and John are pulled back into the dangerous world they narrowly escaped. They were lucky to survive the first time, but this time they have more to lose—each other.

Get your copy of Trust today!

Amazon US | Amazon Aus | Amazon UK | iBooks US | iBooks Aus | Kobo | Nook

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#ReleaseBlitz “Glamour” Anthology

July 18, 2017MB 4 Comments

Title: Glamour

Contemporary Fairytale Retellings

Authors: Various

Genre: Contemporary Fairytales

Release Date: July 18, 2017

BLURB

Once upon a time…

Remember the fairy tales your parents read to you when you were little?

These are NOT those fairy tales.

From modern day royalty to metaphorical dragons, contemporary castles to sexy heroes, these bestselling authors twist tales as old as time into something new.

GLAMOUR contains eight exclusive never-before-seen novellas that each have an HEA… because they all lived happily ever after.