Book Release Blitz for Beautifully Devoted by Michele Lenard…

 Friends become something much more in this contemporary m/m romance full of emotions and humor.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Beautifully Devoted by Michele Lenard, the second installment in the Front Range University series, then add this sweet and sensual sports-fueled tale to your bookshelf!

Forgetting to Knock Changed Everything.

Cam
When I was ten, I made a promise. One that I’m still honoring a decade later, even though it means hiding a part of myself from the most important person in my life.
My best friend, Jagger.
And truthfully, burying that part of me is a small price to pay if it means nothing comes between us. I’m Jagger’s rock, the one stable thing in his life, and I’ve held that role for so long it’s now central to who I am. Which is why, after he sees something he shouldn’t and gets an idea that he wants my help with, I’m faced with the biggest decision of my life.
Saying yes could break me, but saying no could break us. I guess there isn’t really a choice, is there?
Jagger
There I was, innocently letting myself into my teammate’s room to search for some protein powder, when I came across a different type of protein altogether.
I learned two things that day. Knock first, and straight guys might be missing out.
As usual when I have an epiphany, I turn to my best friend Cam for help, and learn another two things. Neither of us is as straight as I thought, and I’m not the only one who needs protecting. Hopefully I can be as strong for him as he’s been for me.

BUY here.

***START THE FRONT RANGE UNIVERSITY SERIES here***

AUTHOR INFO:

Hi! I'm Michele-or at least that's the name I write under-because my parents and my kids are not allowed to read my books. Ever. Though sports romance is my guilty pleasure, I like to dabble in all tropes, genres and genders. My books are set in my home state of Colorado, because to me the mountains are the only thing that can compete with a good book. My favorite food is Mexican, my favorite shoes are flip-flops, and my drink of choice is whiskey, the same as virtually every character I've ever written.

WEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM  |  TIKTOK

Book Release Blast for Ciao Bella by Rachel Van Dyken….

 

A journey of revenge doesn't go quite as planned in this contemporary New Adult romance that has enemies uniting in an unexpected connection between two mafia families.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Ciao Bella by Rachel Van Dyken, then add this standalone sensual and suspenseful tale to your bookshelf!

How thin is the line between love and hate? Find out in Ciao Bella, a brand-new standalone mafia romance from Rachel Van Dyken, the number one New York Times bestselling author of the Eagle Elite series.

The Five Families thought the war was over. They have no idea, I'm the very beginning.
I kidnapped her to prove a point—at knife point, it seemed sharper that way. See what I did there?
I used the perfect virginal daughter from one of the most powerful Families in the Cosa Nostra to fix the broken pieces, knowing that in the process—I’d spread hers for the world to see.
I would embarrass her, shame her, use her, but I would never touch her...my one and only vow to her father in exchange for his allegiance.
The flowers at our wedding would be extravagant—people would watch it like a celebration, she’d live it as her funeral.
Call me twisted, but I thrive off her hate, I wouldn’t know what to do if I had her heart—I’m not good with pretty things I’m capable of breaking.
I’ll use every single person I can to restore order...to bring about the peace that my Family deserves. But something sinister lurks in the darkness.
In the end, it may not be just my Family I save but theirs as well.
They say the past comes back to haunt you—that history repeats itself. Bet they never saw this coming.
After all, when one Family falls—another will rise.
Ciao Bella.
The Rise of the De Langes

BUY BOOK here.

AUTHOR INFO:

Rachel Van Dyken is the #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over 100 books ranging from new adult romance to mafia romance to paranormal & fantasy romance. With over four million copies sold, she's been featured in Forbes, US Weekly, and USA Today. Her books have been translated in more than 15 countries. She was one of the first romance authors to have a Kindle in Motion book through Amazon publishing and continues to strive to be on the cutting edge of the reader experience. She keeps her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, adorable sons, naked cat, and two dogs.

Keep up with Rachel Van Dyken and subscribe to her newsletter HERE.

To learn more about Rachel & her books, visit HERE!

Connect with Rachel Van Dyken:  FACEBOOK AUTHOR PAGE  |  FACEBOOK FAN GROUP

Book Blitz for The Professor by Skye Warren (GIVEAWAY)……

Readers get ready to blush with this contemporary, student/teacher romance full of erotic encounters and a bit of the forbidden.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of The Professor by Skye Warren, then add it to your bookshelf.  In honor of this first installment in the Tanglewood University series, make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $5 Amazon GC too!

One night only with a handsome stranger.

Older. Alluring. Savage. Dominant.
No last names or expectations.
Just raw, carnal, filthy pleasure.
I never thought I would see him again.
Until the first day of class. He’s my new professor.
And my ex-boyfriend’s father.
He has a world of secrets in his eyes and the weight of the world on his shoulders. I should stay away from him, but the more I try, the more consumed he gets.
His possessiveness is rivaled only by his secretive nature. He knows everything about me, but mystery surrounds him. Shadows threaten the entire university…and our forbidden love.

EXCERPT:

“What’s going on out here?” Professor Stratford asks.
Panic pricks every inch of my body. “Nothing.”
He peruses me with deep interest, his dark gaze taking in my tense stance, my messenger
bag clutched to my chest like a shield, the anxiety I’m barely holding back. He turns to Brandon, who shifts his weight, trying to look innocent but with defiance coming through.
“Brandon?” he asks, his voice low.
I hadn’t realized he would know him. After all, Professor Stratford is new to campus. And he teaches an advanced class in the Humanities Department, something Brandon doesn’t need to take as part of his MBA track program.
“Talking to my girlfriend,” Brandon says, his voice tight. “Or do you have a problem with that? Maybe you’d like to get a transcript of our conversation.”
My eyes widen. That’s a super intense way to speak to a professor, especially one who did nothing more than step outside his own office. And it sounds weirdly... personal. “We’re not...um... We’re not dating anymore.”
Brandon glares at me, even more pissed off with an audience. “Maybe we would be if you hadn’t gone and slept with—”
An involuntary squeak escapes me.
The man I slept with is standing right beside us, watching us with too-perceptive eyes. “Do you need assistance, Ms. Hill?”
“No, thank you. I’m done talking with him.” I turn to Brandon. “Please leave.”
My ex-boyfriend gets a sulky expression. “I didn’t mean to get so mad, Annie. It just took me by surprise, that’s all. Let’s meet up after class.”
“She asked you to go,” comes Professor Stratford’s voice, silky with threat.
Brandon doesn’t seem to recognize the danger. “I’m an adult now, Dad. You can’t tell me what to do anymore. You can’t send me to my room or ground me.”
For a second, a sweet second, I think it’s a joke. The way Daisy rolled her eyes and said, okay, Mom, when I asked her to put her seat belt on in the cab ride over to the hotel.
For that second, I can believe that these two men, my past and present, my ex-boyfriend and my one-night stand, aren’t related to each other.

FIND AT GOODREADS here.

BUY LINKS:  AMAZON  |  BN  |  iBOOKS  |  KOBO

AUTHOR INFO:

Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance. Her books have sold over one million copies. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, sweet dogs, and evil cat.

WEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM  |  TWITTER  |  GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE  |  NEWSLETTER

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz for How it All Began by Fiona West (GIVEAWAY)……

A young woman with many bad dating experiences with water polo players finds herself utterly charmed by the one player willing to put his attraction on the line with a trip to his hometown.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of How it All Began by Fiona West, then add this charming New Adult contemporary romance to your bookshelf!  In honor of this small town romance set in the Timber Falls world, make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $25 Amazon GC too!

Trust is like car keys: easy to lose and hard to get anywhere without it…

Evan only intended to strike up a casual conversation with the stunning blonde with Goldie Hawn looks–now he finds himself trying to cross paths with her on campus every chance he gets. But his water polo teammate appears to have damaged his chances with Farrah before he could even ask her out.
Farrah’s been out with players from the water polo team before–and it’s always ended in tears. The handsome medical student who wants to help her get revenge says he’s not like them…but there’s only one way to know for sure.
Will a trip to his hometown seal the deal or prove this player’s all washed up?

EXCERPT:

“You’re going all the way home for a birthday party?”

He gave a big shrug. “I go home most Sundays, anyway. Makes my mom happy. It’s not that far. An hour, give or take. Less, the way I drive.”

Farrah crossed her arms over her belly, even as the sweetness of his comment about his mom landed in her chest. “I shouldn’t be surprised that you’re a fast driver, given the speed at which you seem to enter relationships.”
“Now, now, Miss Eastman, don’t think those kinds of thoughts about me. My intentions are pure. I’d have you back before curfew.” He leaned forward again, glancing toward the windows where Jefferson watched their interactions. “And best of all, I’d like to offer you something you can’t get on your own.”
“And what’s that?”
“Revenge,” he said somberly.
Farrah sat back, her eyes wide. “Revenge? On whom?”
He indicated toward the windows where Jefferson and their teammates were standing, and
she felt herself go cold all over. “I don’t give a burnt brownie what he wants.”
“I thought you might say that. So I should probably let you know that our mutual
acquaintance over there dared me to ask you out.” Evan leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “Now, that didn’t seem like much of a challenge, so I’m guessing he was hoping to embarrass you somehow, and I don’t appreciate that much.”
She nodded slowly. She took a sip of her drink, then let out an enormous sigh. “We went on a few dates, Jefferson and me.”
“Yes, I saw you arguing.”
“I think everybody did,” she said, reddening. “He’s the reason I’m done with water polo players. One of several reasons.”
“Except me, right?”
She pressed her lips together briefly before tipping her head back and forth. “That remains to be seen. It’s a new rule, and I’d hate to break it before I even try it out.”

FIND AT GOODREADS here.

BUY LINKS:  AMAZON  |  BN  |  KOBO (CA - FREE LINK)

AUTHOR INFO:

Fiona West lives in the Pacific Northwest. Writing romance is her favorite thing, followed closely by reading, knitting and drinking tea while looking out the window. When she’s not doing those things, she’s spending time with her husband and two kids. Her debut novel, The Ex-Princess, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and was named one of their Best Books of 2019. The first book in her contemporary romance series, Could Be Something Good, also received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

WEBSITE  |  INSTAGRAM  |  NEWSLETTER  |  GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Release Blast for Ice Burn by L.A. Cotton (REVIEW)……..

 A young woman returns home and ends up catching the attention of the local bad boy hockey star, who needs to clean up his act, in this sports-fueled romance of opposites attracting.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Ice Burn by L.A. Cotton, along with getting my impressions of this first installment in the Lakeshore U series, then add it to your bookshelf!

From USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rixon Raider series comes a brand new sports romance series. Lakeshore U, where hockey is religion, and the players are gods. Are you ready to fall in love with a Laker?When Dayna Benson moves home, she doesn’t expect to feel so torn. On the one hand, she’s glad to be back in Dupont Beach. But it means parting ways with her boyfriend and facing ghosts she thought she’d left behind.

Enter Aiden Dumfries.
Arrogant. Angry. With enough attitude to freeze over Lake Erie, he’s determined not to let anyone help him.
When he finds himself exiled to the small coastal town after a scandal that could ruin his hockey career before it gets started, his plans for summer break are dashed.
He’s Lakeshore U’s bad boy on the ice. She’s sunshine, smiles, and something that feels a lot like hope. But can Dayna melt Aiden’s heart?
Or will she end up burned?

BUY LINK here.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

Previously released as a novella in the Reckless Summer Love Anthology, Ms. Cotton has expanded things a bit here to give more insight into this couple, adding more steam, and amping up the emotions Aiden and Dayna are feeling upon returning home.  With each turn of the page readers will find this a charming story of opposites attracting, a small town romance of starting over while not letting the pain of your past define you.  Ultimately it's a quick read, a satisfying one, that will have you adding this series to your "to buy" shelf.

Aiden Dumfries is the bad boy of hockey, a sexy playboy teeming with arrogance, with a thick wall around his heart.  Feeling distrustful of others leaves him with no desire to form commitments.  According to others he's a one and done kind of guy, someone who talks dirty and isn't shy in showing that side to the world.  There's more to him though than what the world sees and thinks.  After being relegated to hiding out in small town America, for yet another misdeed, he slowly discovers more to himself in his instant attraction to a woman with her own demons from the past.  Aiden rubs you wrong the moment you meet him.  Like others I too thought I knew all there was to him, but as his past was revealed I became drawn to him.  His father was truly awful and it had him closing himself off to the world.  He hates being compared to such an awful man and his anger over this brings out a self-destructive side.  He constantly gives the world a big middle finger in scenes teeming with anger and frustration.  The moment he meets Dayna though is the moment when everything changes for him.  Being with her brings out a more honest version of himself, a loving and caring side normally reserved for only his mother.  Being with Dayna has Aiden being the best he can be, being his own man once and for all, in a sweet and steamy burgeoning romance.

Dayna Benson has returned home too, but not exactly as the person she thought she'd be.  She envisioned someone successful and self-assured.  But after a recent, tragic, loss she's returned home to lick her wounds as she's a shell of her former self.  Returning home gives her the chance to start over though...and start over she does...with the sexy Aiden!  They sizzled from the very start in a relationship that evolved very quickly...almost too quickly to savor fully.  Through it all I liked her and rooted for her in her dealings with her ex, an ex who played with her emotions by tearing at her self-esteem.  Her relationship to Aiden might've started out rocky but their connection grew as truths about themselves were revealed and became a bond between them.

This was a quick and satisfying story, one with likable characters and a nice glimpse of things to come for the Lakeshore U series.  While more time spent with Dayna and Aiden would've been appreciated, what was on display was entertaining.  Dayna's ex was immensely unlikable and I wish time spent on him would've been spent on this couple's burgeoning romance.  Despite those small quibbles I still recommend this book and its charming and steamy small town romance.

My rating for this is a B.

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

*GRAB THE PREQUEL, BITE THE ICE, FOR FREE here.*

AUTHOR INFO:

USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty mature young adult and new adult novels, LA COTTON is happiest writing the kind of books she loves to read: addictive stories full of teenage angst, tension, twists and turns.

Home is a small town in the middle of England where she currently juggles being a full-time writer with being a mother/referee to two little people. In her spare time (and when she’s not camped out in front of the laptop) you’ll most likely find LA immersed in a book, escaping the chaos that is life.

Book Tour for The Faceoff by Cali Melle (REVIEW)……….

 Burned by her relationship with a hockey player in the past has a young ice skater desperately trying to ignore her growing feelings for the sexy new hockey star in this romance that steams up things on the ice and off.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of The Faceoff by Cali Melle, along with my impressions of it, then add this fourth installment in the Wyncote Wolves series to your bookshelf!

Eden

After experiencing a nasty break-up during my freshman year, there is one type of guy that I refuse to get involved with.
Anyone from the university’s hockey team.
Hayden King is arrogant, cocky, has a reputation for being a playboy and there isn’t a single thing about him that I like.
One drunken summer night turns into a bad decision with Hayden. One that I swear that I’ll never make again.
But once senior year starts, I can’t seem to get away from him. He’s everywhere I go, everywhere I turn. He’s under my skin and I find myself making mistake after mistake with him.
We better learn from our mistakes before our hearts get involved...
Hayden
Eden Finley is as cold as the ice that she skates on.
She’s the best figure skater at Wyncote University and I don’t know how I missed her when I first came here.
After one night with her over the summer, I can’t get her out of my head. She has a chip on her shoulder, a nasty attitude and she hates my guts. Which all only makes her more appealing.
I live for the chase, for the challenge.
And Eden Finley has no idea what she’s gotten herself into....

BUY here.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

The moment I picked up this book is the moment I became invested in this steamy and angsty journey to HEA as two enemies became oh so much more in this New Adult book.  While some of the storyline felt familiar, the crackling chemistry between the two leads kept me glued to the pages and rooting for them every step of the way.

From the very beginning Eden Finley definitely left her mark on readers, with her sassy attitude and determined nature she's one tough cookie!  She's a woman focused on becoming an Olympic ice skating champ and won't let anything get in the way of that goal...especially the sexy hockey star!  After a heartbreaking end to a past relationship with another hockey player, Eden's sworn off ALL hockey players, locked away her heart and thrown away the key, and kept herself separate from everyone else to keep her focus on her goal of ice skating glory.  She wants absolutely nothing to do with hockey players but after a one-time summer fling with the sexy Hayden she finds her determination tested.  It soon becomes a slow-burn connection full of fun, flirtiness, and angst as emotional walls come down and true selves are revealed.

Hayden King has always shown himself to be quite the player...both on and off the ice. Having to leave his previous college because of his libido, he's now having to start again in his goal of reaching NHL glory.  Whereas Eden's goal has her embracing isolation, Hayden continues to live life to the fullest.  He never forgot their summertime fling and when he sees her again he's more than ready to pick up where they left off in a hard-fought journey to win her heart.  To the world Hayden shows a cocky and arrogant nature but behind that facade is a truly charming and endearing man, someone who's truly caring and considerate.  He’s always prided himself on “one and done” encounters in the past, but with Eden he shows himself to be a true romantic at heart as he keeps coming back to Eden for more.  It all makes for a sweet and sexy romance that made me blush and smile.

From the first page to the last I found much to enjoy about this book.  From its strong and appealing heroine to its charming and sexy hero, the angsty journey to HEA these two undertook was a well-crafted and satisfying journey.  It was often familiar in its journey but it was a sensual comfort in the way things progressed.  By the turn of the final page readers are left happy but clamoring for more in this thoroughly entertaining sports-themed series.

My rating for this is an A-

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

AUTHOR INFO:

Cali Melle is a contemporary romance author who loves writing stories that will pull at your heartstrings. You can always expect her stories to come fully equipped with heartthrobs and a happy ending, along with some steamy scenes and some sports action. In her free time, Cali can usually be found spending time with her family or with her nose in a book.

As a hockey mom herself, Cali Melle will be bringing readers a brand new hockey series this fall that will definitely have you in your feels!

Book Release Blast for The Secrets You Keep by Tracy Lorraine (REVIEW)……..

 Fans of sizzling stories with unconventional pairings will find a beautiful romance, a perfectly imperfect romance between apparent opposites, that will pull at reader's heartstrings while keeping them glued to the pages.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of The Secrets You Keep by Tracy Lorraine, along with my impressions of this story set within the world of the Maddison Kings University, then get ready to add it to your bookshelf!

USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tracy Lorraine brings you a full length, standalone forbidden romance set in her Maddison Kings University world.

As a teenager, my naïve heart beat for two boys...
Two unattainable, older, forbidden boys. The kind of boys mothers warn their daughters about.
Tristan was the guy everyone wanted...but he was also my older brother’s best friend. Smart, kind, and hot as hell, with a one-way ticket straight to the NFL.
And then there was Knox...my bad-boy stepbrother. Only a year older, he made me feel like I was a silly little girl with a crush...until the first time he kissed me.
The hot, soon-to-be-inked-up gangster from the wrong part of town broke every rule, and shattered hearts...I just never expected one of them to be mine.
All these years later, I can barely remember the shy girl I was back then, back before Knox Bowman burned me.
Now I’m a junior at Maddison Kings University, and they just walked back into my life, throwing my world into a tailspin. Tristan is there for me when things go up in smoke. And Knox is there striking matches, tempting me like a ghost in the night with his darkness.
But I’m all grown up now and I’m ready to go after what I want.
And my damaged heart still wants them both.
Things are different now though.
They’re lying to me...and the secrets about my past have the power to tear my heart in two.
Dear reader,
Do you like your alphas possessive and dirty? Well, you're in luck because you'll find two in The Secrets You Keep. Dive back into my Maddison Kings world with this forbidden mfm romance. After all, why should you have to choose between your brother's best friend and your stepbrother when you could just have both...

BUY here.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

Not having read a book by this author before, I was definitely intrigued by the storyline and found myself more and more captivated with each turn of the page.  There was a bit of something for everyone as past pains get dealt with, forbidden romances become not so forbidden, and a HEA meant to be finally has the chance to flourish.  This is ultimately a romance of three very different people, perfectly imperfect people, who stop letting society decide what's right and instead embrace an unwavering love that has always tethered them together.  It's a love that is both sweet and sensual, sizzling at times too, but always present despite their years apart.

Violet's life hasn't been easy with lots of loss littering her younger years.  The loss of her brother Roman being the biggest blow and it's this that especially brings out a protective side to Roman's best friend Tristan.  It's a protective side that complicates a more than obvious involvement of the heart, one he desperately fights as he doesn't want to taint the tight friendship they have.  He wants to live up to his Golden Boy persona, but the moment he joins her at Maddison Kings University is the moment they can no longer ignore their feelings...nor do they want to anymore.

Not only was her connection to Tristan complicated, but so too was the young love she had for her rough around the edges stepbrother Knox.  He was just another in a long line of heartbreak, ripped away from her and incarcerated for something that wasn't as it seemed.  His return presents her with the opportunity to have everything she's ever dreamed of...if only she's brave and bold enough to embrace all that these two men offer her.

Through it all, Violet's a strong and sassy heroine, one who's stronger than even she thinks.  My heart broke for her at times as truths about her past were slowly revealed. The truth about Roman was an especially brutal blow and I'm happy she had her boys with her, two rock solid men who would do anything for her.  Violet's past definitely left her bruised but it never broke her and I found her an immensely appealing heroine who deserved her HEA.  The two men supporting her were an interesting dichotomy, a delicious duo who left me totally jealous of her.  Tristan's the good guy, the one who always tries to do what society sees as right even if it leaves him wanting more.  He was an unwavering support for Violet when she needed it most and it had me falling for him from the very start.  Add in a talent for dirty talk and you end up with one half of a beautiful romance.  The other half is the proverbial bad boy, Knox, the boy from the wrong side of the tracks who she fell for from the very start.  His incarceration left her alone to navigate all the pain and loss of her young life alone and his return has her in the fight of a lifetime this time around.  Knox shows the world a gruff exterior but when it comes to Violet his soft underbelly is more than obvious.  He'd do anything and everything for her...all while showing a strongly possessive side full of naughty talk and scorching interludes.  This trio may look like they're complete opposites but they fit together beautifully in a burgeoning connection full of secrets and truths revealed. Standing together makes them stronger, helps them grow as individuals and as a triad, and I was fully invested in their journey from the very beginning.

This was a sizzling, sentimental tale, full of secrets and suspense that had me glued to the pages.  This triad was immensely appealing with emotions that kept me on edge, rooting for them through every twist and turn.  I also enjoyed the glimpses of Maddison Kings University and I'm now left clamoring to go back and read the previous books in this compelling world to strengthen the connection between each member of this triad. On a whole, this may have been my first time reading a Tracy Lorraine book, but it will definitely not be my last!

My rating for this is an A-

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

AUTHOR INFO:

Tracy Lorraine is a M/F and M/M contemporary romance author.

Tracy has recently-ish turned thirty and lives in a cute Cotswold village in England with her husband, baby girl and lovable but slightly crazy dog. Having always been a bookaholic with her head stuck in her Kindle, Tracy decided to try her hand at a story idea she dreamt up. Molly and Ryan were born and the rest is history, as they say!

NEWSLETTER  |  WEBSITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM  |  GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE  |  BOOKBUB  | FACEBOOK READER GROUP  |  AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE  |  TIKTOK

Book Release Blast for Playing Offsides by Cali Melle (REVIEW)…..

 A young man trying to balance school and hockey finds himself needing the help of a woman who wants nothing to do with him in a romance of enemies to lovers, a slow-burn romance that will captivate readers.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Playing Offsides by Cali Melle, along with getting my impressions of it, then be sure to add this third installment in the Wyncote Wolves series to your bookshelf!

Cameron

Having my entire future on the line was a position I never thought I’d find myself in.
My enrollment at Wyncote University and being able to play on the team is heavily dependent upon my grades.
Trying to balance hockey and school was a juggling act that I could no longer keep up with.
After finding out that my future is in jeopardy, I have one last chance to get my grades back up.
And Aspen Rossi is my ticket to keeping my scholarship.
The only problem? She doesn’t even want to be friends with me.
Aspen
The last thing that I want to be doing is tutoring Cameron Sawyer.
When he asked for my help, I tried to resist him until he gave me those puppy dog eyes.
He was desperate and tutoring another student would look good on my application for med school.
However, the more time that we spend together, the harder it is to ignore his charm.
Cam is starting to grow on me, but I know I can’t get involved with him.
We both want two different things out of life and we’re on two separate paths...
Our dreams can’t coexist and neither can our hearts...

BUY AT AMAZON here.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

From the moment I started reading this book I found myself captivated by it, utterly delighted by this tale of opposites attracting and loving every minute these two focused individuals spend together getting distracted by one another.  Much about this story is familiar, the storyline a bit cookie cutter, but it still worked its way into my heart and with each turn of the page I was rooting for them more and more to embrace what was oh so obvious...they are utterly perfect for each other!

At the start of the story Cameron Sawyer seems to have it all...a top spot on the hockey team, lots of lady fans to entertain him, and a future that looks oh so bright. The truth though is slightly different and as readers get to know Cam they see someone struggling with school which leaves his hockey future hanging in the balance and has him reaching out to the only person he knows who can help him.  Little does he know the effect she'll have on his future...and his heart!  Cam lives and breathes hockey with his goal to play in the NHL.  It's a laser-focused goal that leaves him no time for messy distractions, distractions like feelings and love.  So the smart and nerdy Aspen seems like the perfect tutor...until the time they spend together takes an unforeseen turn towards romance in a sweet and sensual connection that warmed my heart and put a smile on my face.  Cam's a delicious hero with a good heart, one he doesn't let just anyone see.  He's a good son too, one who wants success for the parents who've always pushed him and my heart hurt from all the pressures weighing on him, both the pressures others put on him and the pressures he puts on himself.  He just wants to keep away from any entanglements until after reaching his goal which he's very open about from the start...but readers know exactly what's going to happen and it made for a satisfying journey as strangers became friends who became lovers.

Aspen Rossi's a delightful heroine, one who's much more than what she appears.  To the world she's smart and nerdy, a homebody who doesn't like the party scene.  But as the story progressed readers discover a heroine who's sassy and doesn't hesitate to speak her mind.  She knows what she wants and doesn't want any distractions either to reaching her goal of med school.  She too is fine with a friends with benefits relationship with Cam, but before long their slow burn connection sparks with feelings too intense to ignore.  And that's when things become really complicated for this endearing couple.

Though the romance between Cam and Aspen took a familiar path I still found this an enjoyable read courtesy of a wonderful main couple who are more similar than what they thought.  On paper they were thought to be opposites but in reality they were just what the other needed.  They were a strong support for each other and laid themselves bare to one another which strengthened their connection.  For the most part there was very little angst in this story, but there was a bit of a hiccup in the latter half that felt unnecessary.  Despite that, there's still lots to love about this book.  I'm especially left excited for the next installment in this series as Hayden will be taking center stage.  The interactions between him and Cam were intriguing and thoroughly entertaining, so I'm definitely looking forward to getting to see more fully into his heart and soul in a series that's a nice addition to the genre.

My rating for this is a B+

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

AUTHOR INFO:

Cali Melle is a contemporary romance author who loves writing stories that will pull at your heartstrings. You can always expect her stories to come fully equipped with heartthrobs and a happy ending, along with some steamy scenes and some sports action. In her free time, Cali can usually be found spending time with her family or with her nose in a book.

As a hockey mom herself, Cali Melle will be bringing readers a brand new hockey series this fall that will definitely have you in your feels!