Words of Wisdom....from The Scarf Princess: October 2016

Monday, October 31, 2016

Book Tour for Her Unexpected Engagement by Kyra Jacobs (GIVEAWAY)

The theme of friends to lovers plays a big role in this tale of starting over that will resonate for those who've been cheated on. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Her Unexpected Engagement by Kyra Jacobs, and learn even more about this tale of coming home by visiting the other sites hosting this tour, then count down the days until its November 7th release date. In honor of this second installment in the Checkerberry Inn series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win 1 of 3 print copies of the first book in this series too!

Sometimes you’ve got to fake it ‘til you make it...

Stephanie Fitzpatrick wanted out of the spotlight after her pro-golfer husband was caught on camera cheating. But when she returns to Michigan for a job interview and some much-needed R&R, a fib told by her well-meaning sister has her looking for a temporary fiancé, or she can kiss her new start good-bye.

Desperate to hide the truth, she goes to the one man who can help—her former best friend.

Miles Masterson is relieved to see the Checkerberry Inn beginning to thrive once more. Not only does it ease his mind about his grandmother’s financial future, but also about his decision to finally escape town. But then one all grown up and sexy as hell friend from the past shows up needing rescue. Now the temptation to change the “temporary” arrangement into something more is making it harder to think about leaving.

EXCERPT:

"What was that for?” she hissed as Evanston stepped out of earshot.

“Oh, come on, Steph. That slimeball was totally coming on to you."

“First of all, he is not a slimeball. He’s a very good friend of Livvy’s. And he was not coming on to me—he was excited to hear how I thought Michigan could put together a program like the one Liam”—her lips screwed in a moment of silent fury—“I helped found in Florida. And third—since when the heck is whether a man’s flirting with me or not any of your business?” She jabbed a finger not-so-subtly into Miles’s sternum.

And damn it if that fire in her eyes didn’t turn him on.

Wait. Turn him on?

Oh, no. It had to be the stress. Yes, that was it. After fretting half the day about his upcoming phone interview, and then the interview itself, Miles’s brain was fried…which left other parts of his body to do the thinking. Judging by the silent fury burning in her eyes, he was about 99.9 percent sure the feelings were not mutual. Not that he wanted them to be.

At least, that’s what he told himself for the hundredth time this week.

And it was only Monday.

Miles pried her hand from his chest and took a step back but kept his voice low. “I was just looking out for you."

“Maybe I don’t need to be looked after."

“Why do you always have to be so darned stubborn?"

“Why do you always have to be so darned—” Stephanie clamped her mouth shut.

“So what?"

“Nothing.” She pushed her chair in and started for the lobby. “Absolutely nothing."

Miles watched her go, mentally kicking himself. He hated to see her pissed off at him. Hated even more the thought of spending the evening at home alone. He followed after her, lowering his voice as she started down the hall toward her suite…and ignoring the pleased-as-punch look on Ruby’s face as they passed.

“Don’t you think we should talk about this?"

“No."

There it was again, that winded sound in her voice. Miles frowned, worry nagging at him. “But what about the job offer? And this charity event on Thursday?"

Stephanie stopped before the door to the Chippewa Suite and rubbed a fist to center of her chest. “I’m going to turn down both."

“What? Why?"

“Because I c-c… I c-c…” She tried once more, but this time nothing came out. It was as if she couldn’t talk, couldn’t breath.

“Shoot, you’re hyperventilating.” He looked to her hands, but they were empty. “Where’s your key?"

“P-pocket."

He looked from her face, past her chest—which was perfect, by the way, but rising and falling much too fast, the breaths coming much too shallow—and down to her capris. Countless times in his younger years he’d envisioned what it would be like to get into then-Stephanie Johnson’s pants, and this wasn’t at all how it had gone down. She raised a shaky hand to her forehead, breaking his reverie. He had to get her inside before she fainted on him.

Then again, if she fainted, wouldn’t that require some mouth to mouth?

Good Christ, man, get it together.

FIND AT GOODREADS here.

LEARN ABOUT THE PREVIOUS INSTALLMENT IN THE CHECKERBERRY INN SERIES...

HER UNEXPECTED DETOUR

Sometimes it's not the destination, but the detour...

Kayla has the perfect strategy for a broken heart: work, work, and more work. Then a storm sends her car skidding off the road, stranding her in Mount Pleasant. Fortunately, rescue comes in the form of the incredibly handsome but gruff Brent Masterson. And he's hot enough to tempt Kayla into doing something she never thought she could do...

Brent Masterson swore he would never give into the fierce attraction that's been sizzling between him and Kayla since they first met. He has his own demons, and he won't risk his heart again. Not even for someone as gorgeous and amazing as Kayla. So...how exactly did he end up in Kayla's bed last night?

But sometimes all it takes is an ice storm to show two broken hearts the way home…

FIND AT GOODREADS here.

AUTHOR INFO:

Kyra Jacobs is an extroverted introvert who writes of love, humor and mystery in the Midwest and beyond. When this Hoosier native isn’t pounding out scenes for her next book, she’s likely outside, elbow-deep in snapdragons or spending quality time with her sports-loving family. Kyra also loves to read, tries to golf, and is an avid college football fan.

**********GIVEAWAY**********

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Wishing all my wonderful followers a fun & safe holiday! Get lots of candy and a few scares along the way, but be especially careful of any creepy leather-clad psychos wielding baseball bats named, Lucille!

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Book Spotlight for Left at the Altar by Margaret Brownley (GIVEAWAY)

Fans of historical romances will find themselves drawn to this tale of feuding families and the plan to bring them together that created even more unexpected twists and turns. Keep reading to get a tempting glimpse of this western romance, Left at the Altar by Margaret Brownley, then count down the days until its November 1st release. In honor of this first installment in the Match Made in Texas series make sure to fill out the form for the chance to win 1 of 5 copies of this book too!

Welcome to Two-Time Texas:

Where tempers burn hot

Love runs deep

And a single marriage can unite a feuding town

...or tear it apart for good

In the wild and untamed West, time is set by the local jeweler…but Two-Time Texas has two: two feuding jewelers and two wildly conflicting time zones. Meg Lockwood’s marriage was supposed to unite the families and finally bring peace. But when she’s left at the altar by her no-good fiancé, Meg’s dreams of dragging her quarrelsome neighbors into a ceasefire are dashed.

No wedding bells? No one-time town.

Hired to defend the groom against a breach of promise lawsuit, Grant Garrison quickly realizes that the only thing worse than small-town trouble is falling for the jilted bride. But there’s something about Meg’s sweet smile and determined grit that draws him in…even as the whole crazy town seems set on keeping them apart.

Who knew being Left at the Altar could be such sweet, clean, madcap fun?

EXCERPT:

Grant called after her. “Meg, wait."

Even as he called her name, his mind was in a whirl. What in blazes just happened? What had come over him? And why did she run away? Had he been too forward? Too pushy? Too presumptuous?

It wasn’t like him to lose control. He’d only meant to give her a genial peck on the cheek. A friendly gesture between two lonely souls on a night when everyone else seemed to be having a good time.

Never had he intended to kiss her full on the lips. He could still smell the fragrance of her hair, her skin. Feel the softness of her breath. Recall in stunning detail the way she’d responded to him. The way she’d kissed him back...

He grimaced. What was wrong with him? Where was his head? It wasn’t like he was new at this sort of thing. There’d been women in the past. Several in fact, thanks to his matchmaking mother and sisters. But none had been as intriguing as Meg, or as tempting. And none had made him break his previously rock-solid rule against mixing business with pleasure.

Not good. Not good at all. Kissing her was wrong, all wrong. He was still Tommy Farrell’s lawyer, and that meant he was obliged to act professionally at all times. His client deserved no less. Kissing the plaintiff was inexcusable. What if she went to her father? Her lawyer? What if Barnes went to the judge? One moment of madness could cause Grant to lose his client’s case and ruin his reputation as a lawyer.

The last was the least of his worries. Grant wasn’t even certain he planned to hang around after the trial. Meg could talk up Texas till the cows came home, but settling down here permanently was the furthest thing from his mind. The town was too wild for his liking, the people too ornery.

Even more worrisome was that something about Two-Time made him act unlike himself. Maybe it was the water. Maybe it was the air. He didn’t want to think it was Meg Lockwood.

Mr. Garrison, did you or did you not kiss the plaintiff?

I did, Your Honor.

And did you or did you not enjoy it?

Enjoy it? Yes, I enjoyed it. And if I had it to do over, I would willingly and gladly kiss her again.

AUTHOR INFO:

MARGARET BROWNLEY penned her first novel at age eleven and has been writing ever since. She’s now a New York Times and CBA bestselling author and has written thirty-five novels and one nonfiction book. Margaret and her husband have three grown children and make their home in Southern California.

**********GIVEAWAY**********

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Saturday, October 29, 2016

Book Review for Safe at Home by Wendy Burke

Marriage is always a work in progress and when future plans go awry, even the strongest marriages can go astray. Today I'm introducing you to Safe at Home by Wendy Burke, another installment in the sexy 1Night Stand series from Decadent Publishing, along with my impressions of it. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of this baseball-fueled romance then add it to your bookshelf!

Charly Knox has everything—married to handsome, major league baseball shortstop, two darling little girls, a beautiful home in an upscale suburb. What more could she want? Other than the love of her husband?

Andy Knox has everything—a gorgeous, smart-as-a-whip wife, beautiful twin daughters, plenty of fame, and more than enough fortune and friends. What more could he want? Other than the love of his wife?

Their marriage isn’t over, but stalled, stuck. Regardless of status, they’re bogged down in the rut that work, kids, familiarity, and life in general can become.

Can Madame Eve “light the fire” and again show them why they fell in love in the first place?

EXCERPT:

Ten minutes later, two little girls were both dry and asleep. And, as Breanna insisted, in their parents’ bed. Charly rested her head against her husband’s. “Sorry, hon."

"About what?"
She looked around the bed. “The interruption. My irritation. Too little of you know what these days, and then..."
“Hey.” His warm fingertip lifted her chin. “I love you.” Kissing her gently, he promised, “There’s always tomorrow.” He winked at her in the darkened room. “And I’ll make sure you get off like you’ve never gotten off before.” He stopped for a moment, cuddling a daughter. “Anyway, this is almost as good."
“I guess we need to put a lock on that door."
“What for? That would ruin all the excitement!"
Quietly, as to not wake their girls, they laughed together.
The thoughts that had darted to the front of her brain earlier in the evening, returned. A question spilled from her mouth before she had any chance to stop it. “So, this trade,” she began.
"Yes, Charlotte."
No, not my given first name, this is not going to be good. “You know, don’t you?"
“I didn’t want to upset, you Char."
So you were keeping me in the dark! “Just tell me, Andy."
“New..."
"No….” With the utterance of that one word, she knew. A city she loathed, a metropolis that had emotionally chewed her up and spit her out. She hadn’t been to The City in more than a decade, and it would take some doing to get her to return.
"…York, the Bronx."

Swallowing hard, she blocked the tears. A defeated, disgusted sigh left her. “No, Andy, not New York, not the Titans.” Cuddling Chloe closer, she turned her face from her husband and cried herself to sleep.

Two weeks later, the spring baseball rituals began. As much as she hated it, still Charly put on a happy face. If this were any other year, the girls would’ve been outfitted in little Milwaukee Breakers shirts, but mentally holding her nose, she honored her husband by dressing them in tiny Titans jerseys. They sat atop their father’s carry-on at the front door.

Charly watched as he squatted in front of them.

“Daddy’s going to miss you.” He clutched them tightly, smooching them wetly on the cheeks.

"Daddy going to Forida,” Bree mentioned.

"Florida, baby."

When he rose to meet Charly, there were tears in his eyes.

"What, Andy?"

Taking her into his arms and holding her tightly, he whispered, “This gets harder all the time."

Knowing that, she didn’t let on how much his leaving affected her as well, especially since in Florida, there’d be no familiar faces to hang with, no women who understood her and she them. She’d be with strangers. “But, it’s what you do, honey.” She hugged him in return, kissing his cheek. “We’ll see you in a week or two.” His hold tightened about her.

His voice quiet, nearly apologetic, he confessed, “I’m sorry we haven’t had a chance to ‘get busy’ lately, Charly. You know how much I’m going to miss that.” He kissed her ear, his voice even more quiet, secretive, “I’ll ask Mom to come to Florida with you. We can get a little alone time then.” His took her face in his hands and brought his lips to hers for a long, deep, gotta-make-it-last kiss.
When the car service driver rang the doorbell, a not so pretty chapter in their lives began.

BUY LINKS: AMAZON | BN

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

Madame Eve is back in this sexy and compelling story that depicts the realistic give and take moments of a modern-day marriage. It's a marriage like many today where work and child rearing leave little room for romance and little issues soon take on bigger meanings. When a close-knit and loving couple, who have been together since high school, start questioning the foundation of their marriage it will take some sexy creativity to remind them of what they mean to each other in this quick yet satisfying read.

Throughout his baseball career Andy and Charly have been able to juggle their lives along with their love for each other, but when his newest trade leads to hurt feelings and long-distance exchanges, their marriage's sturdiness comes into question. With both of them fully committed to one another though and willing to do whatever it takes to rejuvenate their passion, readers get to join them in one erotic encounter after another that left me blushing. Erotic encounters that are cleverly crafted yet loving are nicely paced alongside them living their daily lives to show that it is possible to have it all and how important it is to take the time to be just a couple again.

As part of the 1Night Stand series there's a bit of familiarity to the narrative, but Ms. Burke clearly puts her own stamp on this tale by presenting a happily (mostly) married couple who genuinely love each other, but just need a bit of me time. This couple is immensely likable and easy to relate to and you quickly find yourself fully immersed in their lives and rooting for them. Add in children and readers will find even more ways to relate to this couple. Though this story has a baseball theme not much time is spent on the field, especially when a bedroom and shower is far more appealing! LOL! Overall this is a fine addition to the series that ends far too soon!

My rating for this is a B+

*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Spotlight on Picture Perfect Wedding by Lynnette Austin (GIVEAWAY)

Former loves are reunited in this charming small-town romance about putting old hurts behind you to find HEA. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Picture Perfect Wedding by Lynnette Austin, along with her thoughts on second-chance romances, then count down the days until it releases on November 1st. In honor of this third installment in the Magnolia Brides series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win 1 of 10 copies of the first book in this series too!

Love—the Second Time Around!

I love second-chance romances—both to read and to write! Our couple’s first chance has generally happened before the book begins, and, then, they meet again—with all the ensuing angst. This is no slow-build relationship but rather a raging inferno from the get-go with the chemistry and connection full-blown on page one.

The once-lovers often face-off as enemies; the conflict is built in. Something caused their relationship to implode the first time around. When they meet again, that problem remains unresolved. If they couldn’t solve it before, how can they hope to now?

On top of that, neither the hero nor the heroine has remained in a vacuum during their “away” time. They’ve both had lives for these two or five or ten years. Both have changed, and those old emotions, resentments, and frustrations have had a chance to fester.

Picture Perfect Wedding, the third book in my Magnolia Brides series, is a second-chance-at-love story. When Tansy Calhoun left for college, she promised to return to Beck Elliot, who stayed behind in Misty Bottoms, Georgia, to save the family business. She reneged on that promise and married someone else, had his baby.

Five years later, divorced and broke, she and her daughter return to Tansy’s small hometown to create wedding cakes for Magnolia Brides. The question isn’t whether or not she and Beck will fall in love but rather will either take a chance on risking his heart again.

One mistake can change everything…forever.

If you love this trope as much as I do, I’m sure you have favorites! Here is one of mine:

Again the Magic by Lisa Kleypas. Kleypas, with her incredible skill, paints the reader into the scenes. The detail and the emotion in this book keep the pages turning. In 1832 England, class meant everything—except to Lady Aline Marsden and stable boy John McKenna. When their forbidden love is outed, Aline disavows her love for him to save McKenna.

Twelve years later, now a wealthy man, McKenna is back and looking for revenge rather than a second chance at love. Sometimes, though, when we’re lucky, we don’t actually get what we think we want.

What’s your favorite second-chance romance? Why?

One mistake can change everything…forever...

Beck Elliot and Tansy Calhoun were inseparable—until Tansy left Misty Bottoms, Georgia, promising to come back after she finished school. Beck stayed behind to save the family business, dreaming of the day when Tansy would return. Instead, his trust and his heart were broken when she inexplicably married another man and bore his child.

Five years later, Tansy comes home, a sadder and wiser woman. Despite his anger, Beck finds it hard to avoid her and her adorable little daughter—especially with all the busybodies of Misty Bottoms going out of their way to throw him and Tansy together, hoping a lingering spark will reignite their enduring flame…

EXCERPT:

In a perfect world or, heck, even in a movie, music would play softly in the background. The SUV’s windows would be down, her auburn hair blowing softly in the breeze. Her hero would wait at the road’s end, arms open and welcoming.

They’d kiss...

Tansy Calhoun Forbes’s cell rang, and, startled, she glanced in the rearview mirror. Gracie, her four-year-old daughter, slept soundly, a welcome respite from today’s endless are-we-there-yets.

“Hello?” she practically whispered.

“You unpacked yet?” Jenni Beth Beaumont, her best friend forever, sounded stressed.

“Still a few miles from town, but almost there."

“Good. Great. Listen, I know this has been a stressful day, heck, a stressful year, and you’re tired..."

Tansy smiled. She could practically see her friend squirming. “What do you need, Jenni Beth?"

“Oh, Tanz, I have two weddings and a sixteenth birthday party coming up this week. Magnolia Brides is booked solid for the next nine months—my dream come true—but I’m dying here! I need cakes. Phenomenal cakes. Your cakes!"

“I don’t have--"

“Kitty said you can use the bakery’s kitchen."

Tansy sighed and ran her fingers through already-mussed hair.

“I know, I know.” Jenni Beth’s tension vibrated over the airwaves. “I’m putting you on the spot. Big-time. I’m a horrible person. An even worse friend."

“No, you’re not.” Determined, Tansy sat up a little straighter. “This is exactly what I’ve insisted I want. Part of the reason I’m on my way home. Color me stupid, but I’m in."

As the city-limits sign loomed, she hung up and removed her dark glasses. Misty Bottoms, Georgia. The Low Country. Even slowing to a crawl didn’t stop the inevitable.

Home, sweet home.

Right back at the starting gate.

Waiting for her? No music, no hero, and no kiss.

And no one but herself to blame.

Tansy pushed her sunglasses back in place and glared at the brilliant sunshine that bathed the beyond-gorgeous autumn day. The humidity had dropped, and a few white clouds drifted high in the bluebird sky. Shouldn’t it be raining, the sky dark with ominous thunderheads?

Divorced for fifty-three days, five hours, and—she checked the dashboard clock—six minutes, and here she was, hell-bent on creating the cake for a bride’s special day.

She’d had her own shot at the dream and lost—because the wrong groom stood beside her at the altar.

Walking out of her supersized house that morning had been confusing. She’d expected a huge weight to lift, and it had. Still, that was the house she’d brought Gracie home to after she’d been born. Where her first four birthdays had been celebrated. Christmases and Thanksgivings.

And so much unhappiness and deceit.

A building off to Tansy’s right caught her attention and caused a hitch in her heart. Elliot Construction and Lumberyard.

Beck Elliot, the groom behind door number one, the door she hadn’t chosen.

Oh boy. Was she making another mistake? Should she have started over somewhere else?

Ding, ding, ding. The low-fuel indicator chimed, and the little red light blinked on. Shoot!

Tommy’s Texaco loomed.

Relieved, she flipped on her turn signal, veered into the lot, and pulled up to the gas pump.

And there it sat.

A big red truck with Elliot Construction on the side.

The door to the gas station opened, and Beck Elliot, looking hotter than any man had a right in dusty jeans, a faded T-shirt, and old work boots, stepped outside.

He tore the wrapper off a candy bar and took a bite.

Then his intense, midnight-blue eyes met hers. The chill had her rubbing her arms even though the temperature read seventy-five in the shade.

As she got out, her gaze collided with Beck’s again.

His eyes radiated resentment and betrayed hopes.

Hers? She figured they held remorse, hurt, and impossible-to-deny desire.

Beck nearly choked on the bite of chocolate. What the hell?

He tossed the bar into the trash barrel outside the door.

Months ago, he’d heard rumblings that Tansy’d enrolled her daughter in the local preschool, but since no one had said anything else about it, he’d figured she’d changed her mind. That fancy SUV of hers was loaded to the roof, though, way more than she’d need for a quick visit.

His chest constricted, and he swore under his breath. Why would she return to Misty Bottoms? She looked like one of those emaciated French models in the magazines his mom read. A good strong wind off the coast would blow her from here to Atlanta.

The strong, carefree Tansy he’d known had disappeared. She’d become… He didn’t know. Ethereal came to mind.

Not his business—and she’d be the first to tell him that.

“Hey, Beck,” Tommy said. “Got your truck filled for ya."

“Thanks. I left the money on the counter. Later, pal."

Without another word, without another glance toward the woman he’d once expected to marry, Beck hopped in his truck, turned the key, and pulled out of the gas station, reminding himself that Tansy Calhoun—no, make that Tansy Forbes—was history. Ancient history.

AUTHOR INFO:

LYNNETTE AUSTIN gave up the classroom to write full time. An author of eight novels, she has been a finalist in RWA’s Golden Heart Contest, PASIC’s Book of Your Heart Contest, and Georgia Romance Writers’ Maggie Contest. She and her husband divide their time between Southwest Florida’s beaches and Blairsville, GA.

**********GIVEAWAY**********

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Friday, October 28, 2016

Book Tour for Beneath These Shadows by Meghan March (Review)

Ms. March continues to craft deliciously bruised heroes with her Beneath series which is what will draw readers to this latest installment. Keep reading for an introduction to Bishop in Beneath These Shadows by Meghan March and its tale of a mob boss's daughter sheltered her whole life finally starting to live a little under the tutelage of a sexy and tatted-up bad boy. Get my impressions of this steamy sixth installment in this series that's set in the Big Easy then add it to your bookshelf!

From USA Today bestselling author Meghan March comes another dangerously sexy alpha hero...

The only permanent thing in my life is the ink I put on my clients.

I drift form city to city, in and out of beds, from one tattoo shop to the next.

Every time I start to put down roots, I rip them up.

Until New Orleans.

Until her.

She’s everything I’m not.

Full of fire and life. An innocent where I’m a sinner.

I want to consume her. Protect her. Keep her.

But first, I have to escape from beneath these shadows.

EXCERPT:

“You ever broken the law before this, Eden?"
I expected a quick and unequivocal no, but it didn’t come as fast as I thought it would.
"I don't think so. I mean, I’m sure I have by accident sometime. I’ve jaywalked. But I’m not some kind of criminal."

Well, that makes one of us, I thought.
My anger from earlier started to fade and be replaced by the heat of the knowledge that Eden’s naked tits were only inches from my chest, separated by water I could see right through. Last time I’d seen them under her pink bra, she’d been too fucked up for me to take advantage . . . but tonight she was completely sober.
I raised my gaze from her chest, expecting her cheeks to be red when she realized I was staring at her nipples, but she wasn’t watching my face. She was staring down at my body.
"Like what you see?"
That got her attention.
Eden jerked her head up to meet my eyes, and the blush colored her skin like I’d timed it."
"You’re . . . big."
A booming laugh broke free from my throat at her unexpected response, and her cheeks flamed even brighter.
"No, that’s not what I meant. I mean . . . everywhere. Not just, in the . . .” She looked down, then jerked her gaze back to mine. “I’m going to shut up now."

That kind of awkward and fumbling response couldn’t be faked, and protectiveness rose in me again. Eden was no con artist. She was a girl who couldn’t even say the word cock without turning red.
"Ain’t no shame in my game."
She reached out a hand and covered my lips with her fingers. “Stop. You’re just making it worse. I wasn’t checking out your . . . package. I mean, I did before you got in the pool, but that’s only because I thought you’d have underwear on because who doesn’t wear underwear?” The babbling continued, and so did my laughter.
Hell, I hadn’t laughed this much since Delilah had given in to a customer’s request and tattooed a flexing veined eggplant cartoon on a client so he could send pictures of it instead of dick pics.
Eden pulled her hand back and covered her face. “I’m going to stop talking now. I seriously can’t be trusted to say anything that’s not completely humiliating when you’re standing this close to me naked."
"I disagree, and since I’m not ready to get out and put my clothes on, you’re going to have to deal with it."
She mumbled something under her breath.
"Come again?"
Eden pressed her lips together for a beat before saying, “I don’t know how to deal with it. This isn’t something I’ve ever dealt with before."
A crazy thought popped into my brain. “Are you a virgin?"
If there was a red brighter than fire engine, that was the color of Eden’s cheeks. “No! Of course not. Really. I’ve touched a dick before. I mean, just the one, but it still counts. Well, I didn’t really touch it. Except, you know, inside me. Oh my God, I’m just going to shut up now."
Realization dawned on me as her babbled protest silenced. “You’ve had sex with one guy? Once? How old are you?"
Eden turned to bolt, but instead smashed her tits into my arm. I stepped close enough so that only an inch of water separated us.
Her gaze went skyward. “This is so humiliating."
That’s where she and I had differing opinions. “Why? Because you haven’t fucked every guy you’ve ever met? What’s wrong with that?"
Eden’s gaze snapped down to mine and her brows drew into slashes. “Hey, whoa now. You can toss that double-standard crap right in the trash. What if I had screwed every guy I ever met? Would that make me less of a person? I mean, it’s not like you probably haven’t been with dozens and dozens of women. I’m not judging you. Except for maybe that Kitty girl. I mean, really? You’ve got to have some standards."
My laughter boomed out again across the courtyard. “Cupcake, just because I can get most any pussy I want, doesn’t mean I do it."
"Still, double standards are--"
When she started on another tirade, I decided to silence her the best way I knew how.
I leaned down and covered her lips with mine.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

With the exotic city of NOLA as its backdrop, Ms. March has crafted another decadently delightful installment to her Beneath series that beautifully balances steamy interludes with flirty banter and a dash of suspense to keep readers turning the pages furiously. It's an entertaining sixth visit to this world where the couples have become like family, interacting with witty and playful banter that charmed me and had me wishing I were a part of their fun.

Eden's life before was a sheltered one as the illegitimate daughter of a mob boss. She was kept under lock and key, guarded at all times, her life not her own. It's not until her father's dealings take a turn for the worse that she's finally let out of her cage, on the run from a danger she's unaware of. Ending up in NOLA gives her the chance to finally LIVE as she sets out to fulfill all her dreams. Helping her to live is the sexy, tatted-up bad boy Bishop who's there at every turn to save her from dangers she never knew of before. The more time they spend together the stronger their feelings become and a different future from what they originally saw for themselves soon emerges, as long as they can completely overcome their pasts. Eden's a likable young woman with a kind heart who hates hiding the truth about herself. Her arrival in NOLA is akin to a butterfly emerging with her embracing a variety of experiences. Though she's a bit naive due to her being sheltered her whole life there was something charming about her falling down and getting right back up each time a new experience didn't go as planned. Running into trouble is the perfect reason to keep Bishop close, and as their connection is crackling, I cheer any reason that puts them in close quarters as they're an entertaining couple despite their differences.

Bishop's life didn't go as he planned it to either as money issues and his own arrogance turned things to ashes and left him on the run and riddled with guilt. He never thought to put down roots until he reached NOLA and found a group of friends who've slowly become like family. Meeting Eden has him thinking even more about the future though as something about her calls to him and has him wanting to claim her no matter what she's hiding. Though they appear very different they clearly just click as seen by their scorching erotic encounters and fun and flirty banter that had me rooting for them every step of the way. When it comes to the men in the Beneath series I find Bishop to be a favorite among a very delicious group of men. His look is rugged but he has a heart of gold. He appears cold and indifferent when it comes to the women throwing themselves at him early on, but when around Eden he's protective and fiery when keeping her safe and it's immensely appealing. He's a bearded, muscle-bound giant with a man-bun who had me drooling from the first page to the last!

This was an immensely entertaining story with an appealing main couple. Eden may come from money but when it's taken from her she's not afraid to get her hands dirty to survive. It's an interesting dichotomy to her prim and proper nature that makes her more relatable. Bishop's a broody beast at the start of the story, but being around Eden's sweetness rubs off on him and has him cracking more smiles as their relationship progressed which charmed me completely. It's clear they're a match made in Heaven and their journey, that gets a bit rocky towards the end, is a cheer-inducing one that I enjoyed every step of the way. Along with this combustible main couple comes glimpses of familiar favorites, as well as colorful additions whose stories I hope will soon be told, and together they rounded out a well-structured romance that balanced sexiness with dashes of humor and suspense. On a whole this was a story that captivated me and stood strongly on its own despite being part of a series. Bishop is a delicious hero who every reader will want to claim for themselves and will be a tough act to follow, but I look forward to the challenge for the next hero Ms. March creates!

My rating for this is an A.

*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

Meghan March has been known to wear came face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered books, all while sporting a perfect manicure. She’s also impulsive, easily entertained, and absolutely unapologetic about the fact that she loves to read and write smut. Her past lives include slinging auto parts, selling lingerie, making custom jewelry, and practicing corporate law. Writing books about dirty talking alpha males and the strong, sassy women who bring them to their knees is by far the most fabulous job she’s ever had. She loves hearing from her readers at meghanmarchbooks@gmail.com