Book Blitz + Giveaway: Defending Hayden by L.P. Dover

Defending Hayden by L.P. Dover
(Second Chances #7)
Published by: Loveswept
Publication date: June 28, 2016
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

No one’s tougher than Carolina Cougars linebacker Derek McLaughlin. But when a fatal car accident claims the life of his girlfriend, Derek finds himself caught in a destructive spiral of drugs, alcohol, and meaningless sex. But not even a string of one-night stands can ease the hurt. Football is all he has left. Then fate leads him back to the scene of the crash, and into the arms of a kind, gorgeous woman who sees past his façade to the man he once was . . . and can be again.
When a chance roadside encounter brings Derek into her life, veterinarian Hayden Hunter isn’t fooled by his bad attitude: All bark and no bite, he’s hiding a wounded heart beneath that gruff demeanor. And Hayden wants to be the one to kiss it all better. Soon they both find that a dose of passion is potent medicine. But when a hidden enemy lashes out at Hayden, Derek steps up to do what he does best: put his body on the line in the name of love.

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EXCERPT:

Guilt plagued me and I felt sick. Getting out of bed, I paced the room, running my hands angrily through my hair. I didn’t want to hurt Hayden. Keeping her away would protect her from my life. She was bound to leave me anyway. I’d fuck up somehow and it would ruin her. What the hell was I talking about? I’d already fucked her up.

“Derek?” Her voice was like honey, silky and sweet. I’d imagined what it would be like to hear that voice screaming my name as I fucked her over and over. Last night had been the best night of my life, but it had scared the shit out of me. I couldn’t shake it. “Derek, are you okay?” she asked. Stopping midstep, I turned to face her, and her eyes widened when she got a glimpse of my face. I could only imagine what she saw. So many emotions bottled inside me. She held the blanket to her chest, and her lips trembled. “Please tell me this wasn’t just a game to you,” she whispered.
Swallowing hard, I sat down on the edge of the bed and reached for her. She recoiled from my touch. “None of this was a game, Hayden. Last night was fucking amazing.”
Her eyes glistened, but her jaw was firm. “Then why are you looking at me like that? Like you regret what we did.”
I wanted to touch her, but last night had been my only chance. She’d never let me close to her again. “I don’t regret it, but eventually, you will. You’re not the only one who’s lost someone they cared about. I can’t go through it again. It’s best to stop this before it goes any further.”
“Any further?” she scoffed. She waved her arm around the room, her anger so thick I could cut it with a knife. “If you didn’t want it to go any further, then why did you bring me here? Why would you do that to me?”
“Because I care about you,” I said, knowing it made no sense to her.
“Then why are you pushing me away?” she cried.
Standing, I got up and walked over to the window. “You wouldn’t understand.”

       Author Bio
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, L.P. Dover, is a southern belle residing in North Carolina along with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she even began her literary journey she worked in Periodontics enjoying the wonderment of dental surgeries.
Not only does she love to write, but she loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes, white water rafting, and you can't forget the passion for singing. Her two number one fans expect a concert each and every night before bedtime and those songs usually consist of Christmas carols.
Aside from being a wife and mother, L.P. Dover has written over seventeen novels including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series, the Gloves Off series, and her standalone novel, Love, Lies, and Deception. Her favorite genre to read is romantic suspense and she also loves writing it. However, if she had to choose a setting to live in it would have to be with her faeries in the Land of the Fae.
L.P. Dover is represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency.

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Review: Barefoot Beach by Toby Devens

Barefoot Beach by Toby Devens

Published: July 5, 2016

Publisher: NAL

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

For Nora Farrell, Tuckahoe, Maryland, isn’t just a summer refuge, it’s home—where she married the love of her life, decided to have a child, and has remained connected with her two closest friends. Even now, long after her husband’s passing, Nora reunites with Margo and Emine every June….

But this year, challenges invade the friends’ retreat. Even as Nora delights in teaching at her dance studio, she is shaken by the possible loss of her beach house…and by a tentative new romance. While Margo directs a musical at the Driftwood Playhouse, she finds her marriage on rocky ground. And Em, who relishes running her family’s café, struggles to handle her rebellious daughter.

With their personal dramas reaching a fever pitch, the women will discover that it isn’t only the beach that brightens their lives. Their bond with one another provides the ultimate magic.

My Thoughts

Barefoot Beach is a tale of loss and rediscovering love when and where you least expect it. Nora is spending her summers as she always has in Tuckahoe Maryland but since her husband has died it isn’t the same. Yes, she has her son but he is growing up and is spending less time with her. This summer her son has told her a shocker that he wants to meet his donor dad. While his real father did pass away he was conceived via a donor since the man who raised him was unable to have children. So not only is Nora dealing with the fact that her son is on the brink of meeting this man but also with the fact that when he does her son thinks they make a perfect match.

Nora is trying to deal with the idea of moving on and dating again but also with her career. She teaches dance and that’s where she meets an ex-soldier whom she clicks with instantly and after learning he is divorced sparks fly. Although I love the whole romance aspect of the book what I enjoyed most was the female friendships in the read. I love Nora’s interactions with her best friend Margo who is so funny but is constantly doubting her husband’s love and devotion to her. We also met her good friend Em who is trying to deal with the teenage daughter and her mother in law who comes to discipline her granddaughter. Between these friends, they have enough drama to fill the summer. This is a good beach read that will make you laugh and root for the possibility of a second chance at love.

           About Toby

Toby Devens, known for her women's fiction, is the author of Happy Any Day Now and My Favorite Midlife Crisis (Yet), as well as a humorous collection of poetry that was excerpted in Reader's Digest and other national publications. She has worked in publishing and public relations and has led writing workshops. She lives in Maryland. 

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WoW [166]: The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

Waiting on Wednesday [Wow] is a weekly event hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon

Expected Publication: November 1, 2016

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Synopsis

Natasha: I’m a girl who believes in science and facts. Not fate. Not destiny. Or dreams that will never come true. I’m definitely not the kind of girl who meets a cute boy on a crowded New York City street and falls in love with him. Not when my family is twelve hours away from being deported to Jamaica. Falling in love with him won’t be my story.

Daniel: I’ve always been the good son, the good student, living up to my parents’ high expectations. Never the poet. Or the dreamer. But when I see her, I forget about all that. Something about Natasha makes me think that fate has something much more extraordinary in store—for both of us.

The Universe: Every moment in our lives has brought us to this single moment. A million futures lie before us. Which one will come true?

Why I Can’t Wait

I loved her last book Everything, Everything and I simply can’t wait to see what she has next for us.

Audio Review: The Sweetheart Deal by Polly Dugan

The Sweetheart Deal by Polly Dugan

Published: May 19, 2016

Publisher: Little Brown and Co.

Format: audio via publisher

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Leo has long joked that, in the event of his death, he wants his best friend Garrett, a lifelong bachelor, to marry his wife, Audrey. One drunken night, he goes so far as to make Garrett promise to do so. Then, twelve years later, Leo, a veteran firefighter, dies in a skiing accident.

As Audrey navigates her new role as widow and single parent, Garrett quits his job in Boston and buys a one-way ticket out west. Before long, Audrey's feelings for Garrett become more than platonic, and Garrett finds himself falling for Audrey, her boys, and their life together in Portland. When Audrey finds out about the drunken pact from years ago, though, the harmless promise that brought Garrett into her world becomes the obstacle to his remaining in it.

My Thoughts

In The Sweetheart Deal, we meet Audrey whose husband has recently died and is trying to deal with that all while raising three sons. We meet Garrett who is Leo’s best friend and has always said if something happens to him he wants Garrett to marry Audrey. Garrett has never even seriously considered this but when Leo dies he knows he must go and help Audrey out as much as he can and that means finishing an addition on the house that Leo had started and also help out when it comes to his sons.

While everything started out has friends slowly but surely the tension is so much and Audrey and Garrett experience some sparks. As much as Garrett tries not to get involved with Audrey he can’t help but fall for her. They try and keep it a secret from everyone especially the boys but in time their secret is exposed. Not only that secret but the note that Leo had Garrett sign, as a joke, saying he would marry Audrey is also found out. Needless to say, when she finds it she isn’t pleased, she thinks it’s all a joke, she thinks she’s the joke. That everything that has happened wasn’t real. This is where I get a little upset, she goes off on him like this is his entire fault when in actuality she is the one who started all the physical stuff.

The Sweetheart Deal was a good read. I liked how we got the full back story of Leo and Audrey and how deep their love was. I think in order for us to buy the whole Audrey and Garrett story you had to know the relationships between Leo and Audrey and especially the one between Leo and Garrett. While the whole idea of asking your best friend to marry your wife if you die is really odd, I can see that Leo’s logic was that he knew Garret would do anything for Audrey and his kids, he knew they would be in good hands. Overall I enjoyed this story of loss and eventually finding love again in the most unexpected places.

Book Blitz: This Is What Goodbye Looks Like by Olivia Rivers

This is What Goodbye Looks Like by Olivia Rivers

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Release Date: June 17, 2016

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Lea Holder watched a boy die in the same DUI accident that ruined her legs and threw her little sister into a coma. As the only eye-witness to the accident, if Lea tells the truth in court, the drunk driver will go to prison and the dead boy's family will have justice.

But Lea lies.

Telling the truth would have put her own mom in prison for causing the accident. With the trial over and her mom set free, Lea attempts to rebuild her shattered life as she waits for her little sister to wake from her coma.

When Lea transfers schools, she finds herself in the same senior class as Seth Ashbury, the brother of the boy her mom killed. As Lea gets to know the person buried underneath Seth's grief, she quickly falls for his quick wit and passionate soul. But Seth remains completely oblivious that Lea is the same girl who robbed his family of justice.

As their relationship deepens, Lea finally gets a taste of the love that's been missing from her life since the accident. But soon she's faced with a choice: she can continue her lies and accept the comfort it gives them both. Or she can tell Seth the truth about everything, and risk destroying both her family and the fragile love she's found.

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Author Bio

Olivia Rivers is a hybrid author of Young Adult fiction. Her works include the independently published novels “This is What Goodbye Looks Like” and “In the Hope of Memories,” along with the traditionally published novel “Tone Deaf” (Skyhorse 2016.) As a certified geek, she enjoys experimenting with new publishing technologies, and her online serials have received over 1,000,000 hits on Wattpad.com. When Olivia isn’t working as a writer, she’s a typical teen attending college in Northern California. Olivia is represented by Laurie McLean of Fuse Literary, and nothing thrills her more than hearing from readers.

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Excerpt

Every reasonable thought in my head disappears at the sound of his voice. It’s slightly different now—deep and strong, instead of choked with grief and dread. But the smooth tone is mostly the same as I remember it, and my gut twists painfully as a new set of footsteps approaches.

A sharp noise breaks through the sudden quiet, and I flinch, thinking for a split second that it’s the sound of tearing metal. But then I realize it’s the bark of a dog, and I squeeze my eyes shut.

I can’t do this. I have to do this, but I can’t do this.

“Seth!” Brie calls out. “Dude, you’re totally late. Again.”

He makes a low, disbelieving noise, something between a scoff and a chuckle. Now he sounds even closer. I take a deep breath and clench my hand tighter around my cane. If I don’t turn around and greet him, it’ll be obvious that I have an issue with him, but I can’t get my body to move.

“I’m fashionably late,” Seth tells Brie. “There’s a difference.”

“Yeah, there is,” Hannah says. “One is on time, and one isn’t. And only one is annoying, too.”

“Agreed,” he says. “You punctual people get so irritating.”

Hannah tosses a curse at him, but laughs to soften the impact. Then the footsteps stop, and something cold and wet nudges my wrist, right where my mitten ends. At first, I think someone’s pressing snow there, but then I feel a warm tongue lick the same spot.

I jerk back just as I hear Seth say, “Koda! You know I can hear that, you bad girl. No licking.” Then he says to the others, “Who’s she licking? She never does that to you guys.”

“That’s Lea,” Brie says. “She’s the new senior we got. Lea, this is Seth Ashbury. Seth, this is Lea Holder.”

My heart pounds a million beats per minute, and the adrenaline makes me strong enough to peel my eyes open. Looking down, I find myself staring right at Seth’s seeing eye dog. She looks just like she did at the trial, a regal German Shepherd mix with a glossy coat and wagging tail.

The dog nudges at me again with her nose, clearly expecting me to pet her. But instead I focus on the light-weight vest strapped to her back, letting my eyes follow the slim handle attached to it until I find myself staring at the guy gripping it.

Seth Ashbury stands right there, right in front of me. He also looks the same as he did during the trial—tall with lithe muscle, shaggy blond hair, and tan skin. He’s the spitting image of his older brother, right down to the sharp jawline and the way one side of his mouth lifts slightly higher than the other as he smiles.

A slim pair of sunglasses hides his blind eyes, but I’m betting they’re the same color as his brother’s. Parker’s eyes were shockingly blue, like a tropical sea, and their bright color contrasted sickeningly against the blood that dripped down his forehead after the accident.

I’m frozen. Maddie and Hannah giggle, probably thinking I’ve been stunned by Seth’s good looks. I’m sure any normal girl would consider him gorgeous, but I haven’t been normal in months, and nothing about Seth is beautiful to me. He’s just a reminder of crunching metal and squealing tires and my sister’s scream, her scream that seemed to echo and never, never, never end...

“Hey,” Seth says, holding out a hand in my general direction. “Nice to meet you.”

This is the part where I need to slap on a smile, recover from my brief awkwardness, and let myself go into robot mode. Shut down my emotions, boot up automatic functions. I reach my hand forward a little, and for a single moment, I think I’m going to pull this off.

But then I notice the slim chain around his neck, the one that has a small, silver medallion dangling from the end. The same medallion his brother was wearing when he died just feet away from me.

My gut twists, and my hand falls away, and I vomit all over his shoes.

My 2016 Summer Reading List

Another summer is upon us and there is nothing I love more than spending these lazy days of summer with a book and a cold glass of sweet tea! This year I'm doing it a little different...I've mapped out a list of my summer reads that I will devouring now til Labor Day. Some are new while others are some I have and have been dying to get to. If you have any summer reads you love please feel free to let me know, I love book recs!

    

      

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

    

This is my summer reading list, I think this is possible for me to finish by the end of summer. I've already knocked off 3 so far so I'm happy about that! I will be slowing down the activity on the blog to take advantage of the summer months but I will be posting reviews and other commitments I already have. So I hope everyone has a fun summer filled with amazing memories and great reads!

Wow [165]: What Light by Jay Asher

Waiting on Wednesday [Wow] is a weekly event hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.

What Light by Jay Asher

Expected Publication: October 11, 2016

Publisher: Razorbill

Synopsis

Sierra's family runs a Christmas tree farm in Oregon—it's a bucolic setting for a girl to grow up in, except that every year, they pack up and move to California to set up their Christmas tree lot for the season. So Sierra lives two lives: her life in Oregon and her life at Christmas. And leaving one always means missing the other.

Until this particular Christmas, when Sierra meets Caleb, and one life eclipses the other.

By reputation, Caleb is not your perfect guy: years ago, he made an enormous mistake and has been paying for it ever since. But Sierra sees beyond Caleb's past and becomes determined to help him find forgiveness and, maybe, redemption. As disapproval, misconceptions, and suspicions swirl around them, Caleb and Sierra discover the one thing that transcends all else: true love.

Why I Can’t Wait

This sounds like a perfect winter read. I love the whole Christmas background with the romance thing sounds so magical. There is nothing I love more than a great winter romance that gives me hope, there is just something about that time of year. Plus I'm dying to see what exactly Caleb's mistake is, sounds so mysterious.

Review: Here's to Us by Elin Hilderbrand

Here’s to Us by Elin Hilderbrand

Published: June 14, 2016

Publisher: Little Brown and Company

Format: via publisher

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

Laurel Thorpe, Belinda Rowe, and Scarlett Oliver share only two things; a love for the man they all married, Deacon Thorpe--a celebrity chef with an insatiable appetite for life--and a passionate dislike of one another. All three are remarkable, spirited women, but they couldn't be more different. Laurel: Deacon's high school sweetheart and an effortlessly beautiful social worker; Belinda: a high-maintenance Hollywood diva; and Scarlett: a sexy southern belle floating by on her family money and her fabulous looks. They've established a delicate understanding over the years--they avoid each other at all costs.

But their fragile detente threatens to come crashing down after Deacon's tragic death on his favorite place on earth: a ramshackle Nantucket summer cottage. Deacon's final wish was for his makeshift family to assemble on his beloved Nantucket to say good-bye. Begrudgingly, Laurel, Belinda, and Scarlett gather on the island as once again, as in each of their marriages, they're left to pick up Deacon's mess. Now they're trapped in the crowded cottage where they all made their own memories--a house that they now share in more ways than one--along with the children they raised with Deacon, and his best friend. Laurel, Belinda, and Scarlett each had an unbreakable bond with Deacon--and they all have secrets to hide.

Before the weekend is over, there are enough accusations, lies, tears, and drama to turn even the best of friends--let alone three women who married the same man--into adversaries. As his unlikely family says good-bye to the man who brought them together--for better or worse--will they be able to put aside their differences long enough to raise a glass in Deacon's honor?

My Thoughts

Summer wouldn’t be complete in my eyes without an amazing Elin Hilderbrand novel. In Here’s to Us we meet the eclectic family that famous chef Deacon Thorpe leaves after his death. After a life of women, drugs and drinking there are a few things that Deacon has done right in life but everyone will agree he was a great father. He loved all his children to the fullest, mainly because he felt what it was like to not have that after his father up and left the family when he was young. Although he was famous he lived like there was no tomorrow and ultimately died in debt. He did have one prized procession that was his Nantucket house that despite all the women in his life, that was the one thing that was his and was not to be touched or changed.

In this novel, we get the back story of each of Deacon’s wives: Laurel his high school love and some say true love and wife of his only son. Belinda: the famous movie star who stole him away from Laurel and mom to their adopted daughter Angie who of all his kids he was closest to and shared his love for cooking. Scarlett: former nanny to Angie and his current wife and mother to his youngest daughter who has always pined for her ex-Bo. We see while all women are different from one another all loved him dearly even until the end. So when it is revealed that the beloved Nantucket house is to be foreclosed on soon, they must work together to get over their issues and become a family to spread his ashes and hopefully save the house.

I loved his book so much while it is a lengthy tale over 400 pages it is a read that I couldn’t stop reading. It was funny but touching at the same time, once again Elin Hilderbrand paints a picture of Nantucket that is so idyllic you can’t help but feel the sand under your toes and the cool breeze in the air. She delivers a family tale while dysfunctional one that in the end works for them. We are shown that no matter what issues we might have as families in the end, we are simply that…family. We will always have each other’s back because as corny as it might sound family and love truly conquers all.

Mini Review: The Weekenders by Mary Kay Andrews

The Weekenders by Mary Kay Andrews

Published: May 17, 2016

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Some people stay all summer long on the idyllic island of Belle Isle, North Carolina. Others come only for the weekends-and the mix between the regulars and “the weekenders” can sometimes make the sparks fly. Riley Griggs has a season of good times with friends and family ahead of her on Belle Isle when things take an unexpected turn. While waiting for her husband to arrive on the ferry one Friday afternoon, Riley is confronted by a process server who thrusts papers into her hand. And her husband is nowhere to be found.

So she turns to her island friends for help and support, but it turns out that each of them has their own secrets, and the clock is ticking as the mystery deepens...in a murderous way. Cocktail parties aside, Riley must find a way to investigate the secrets of Belle Island, the husband she might not really know, and the summer that could change everything.

Told with Mary Kay Andrews’ trademark blend of humor and warmth, and with characters and a setting that you can’t help but fall for, The Weekenders is the perfect summer escape.

My Thoughts

As a regular reader of Mary Kay Andrews, I was so pleased with her latest novel The Weekenders. I must admit I loved this novel more than some of her recent ones because I felt this one was more like some of her past reads which I really enjoyed. I loved the whole feel of a fun beach read with the dash of mystery that plays out through the whole book.

We meet Riley who spends her summer in North Carolina with family and friends but from the start, this summer feels different she has been trying to reach her husband but can never find him and that sets off a chain of events that will change her life forever. What I really enjoyed was the whole interaction between all the summer friends. I found this read funny but I also liked that Mary Kay Andrews gave us this other storyline that evolves a bit of a mystery. It gave this beach read a little something extra to bite into and I loved it!

This is by far one of my favorite reads by Mary Kay Andrews in recent years. Though it was a bit on the long side for me it went by pretty fast. If you like your beach reads light and fun but if you also love a bit of a mystery this is the perfect read for you! So grab your sunscreen and a cool glass of iced tea and sit back and enjoy The Weekenders this is one read that demands to be on top of every summer list!

Review: One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Published: June 7, 2016

Publisher: Washington Square Press

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis

In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure.

On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just like that, Jesse is gone forever.

Emma quits her job and moves home in an effort to put her life back together. Years later, now in her thirties, Emma runs into an old friend, Sam, and finds herself falling in love again. When Emma and Sam get engaged, it feels like Emma’s second chance at happiness.

That is until Jesse is found. He’s alive, and he’s been trying all these years to come home to her. With a husband and a fiancé, Emma has to now figure out who she is and what she wants, while trying to protect the ones she loves.

Who is her one true love? What does it mean to love truly?

Emma knows she has to listen to her heart. She’s just not sure what its saying.

My Thoughts

One True Loves is another winner from Taylor Jenkins Reid! She has quickly become one author that I auto buy anything they write. In One True Loves, we met Emma who marries her “true love” Jesse. When Jessie dies in an accident she decides to move back home to be with her family, she soon bumps into an ex-classmate and over time she falls for Sam and despite her love for Jesse soon falls for Sam and they become engaged. Fast forward when she gets a phone call that will change her life…forever. Jesse has survived and now she must decide if she wants to return to her husband or stay with Sam and the love they now have.

I love Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books because she always tends to see both sides of the story. She gives us these dual views to where we don’t automatically root for one side over the other. I truly felt for Emma and I could see where she felt she should return to Jesse, the one person she has always loved and whom she shared all these amazing adventures with. However on the flip side, I rooted for Sam who was patient and always loved her from afar. They shared so many things in common and he never pressured her to “get over” Jesse and who was in my mind way more understanding when Jesse returned. He gave her the space to figure out what she truly wanted even if that meant he lost in this war for her heart.

I do believe there can more than one love in your life. I believe as we grown in life our views, attitudes and taste change and what we wanted in our younger selves will drastically change in our later years. Emma isn’t the same person she was when she married Jesse, yes he made her enjoy life and take part in all that it has to offer. But Sam is that stable person whom she needed at this point in her life. She now wants family and stability more than anything. My heart broke for Emma and the choice she ultimately had to make. One True Loves is a heart-breaking read that will make you wonder what would you do if you had chose. We should be so lucky to experience one true love in our lives much less two.

Release Blast: From This Day Forward by Lauren Layne

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FROM THIS DAY FORWARD

The Wedding Belles #0.5

Lauren Layne

Released June 6th, 2016

Pocket Star

Sex and the City meets The Wedding Planner in this prequel to USA TODAY bestselling author Lauren Layne’s The Wedding Belles series about three high-powered New York City women who can plan any wedding—but their own.

Up-and-coming wedding photographer Leah McHale’s career is on the rise–thanks in no small part to the Wedding Belles, the elite New York wedding planning agency that always throws top-tier business Leah’s way. So when one of the Belles asks Leah to fill in at the former First Daughter's wedding, Leah is overjoyed to say yes–until she finds out who she’ll be working with.

Jason Rhodes is the one man who was able to capture Leah’s heart and, once he had it, promptly stepped all over it and left her broken. Now he’s working side-by-side with her at the biggest wedding of the season and Leah is determined to give him the cold shoulder. Despite his persistence, she is not going to fall for his charming, impish ways again. Not even if he still has that killer, irresistible smile...

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Lauren Layne is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen romantic comedies. She lives in New York City with her husband (who was her high school sweetheart--cute, right?!) and plus-sized Pomeranian. 

In 2011, she ditched her corporate career in Seattle to pursue a full-time writing career in Manhattan, and never looked back.

In her ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.

For a list of all her works, please be sure to check out her official website!

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Promo: Gridley Girls by Meredith First

Gridley Girls by Meredith First

Expected Publication: June 21, 2016

Publisher: Sparkpress

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Synopsis

Sometimes you have to go back before you can move forward. Meg Monahan was born to be a secret keeper. From the moment she became a peer counselor in high school, Meg has been keeping her friends secrets from sordid family drama to their sex lives that she never wanted to know. Flash forward to adulthood when Meg is a recruiter for the worlds hippest (and most paranoid) high-tech company and now Meg is a professional secret keeper. When sudden tragedy strikes before Meg hosts the wedding of her childhood BFF, Anne Calzaretta, the women are forced to face their past and their secrets in order to move on to their future. In 1978, Meg, Anne, Jennifer, and Tonya were such close friends, they were known as The Group in their hometown of Gridley, California. But in ninth grade, their lives were changed forever. Loss, lies, and secrets separated them, but could not break their bonds of friendship. Thirty years later, Meg and Anne reminisce about those days dealing with parents, school, boys, sex, love, and betrayal. Anne remembers their freshman year as an easier time, but Meg, still feeling guilty about a betrayal of Anne s trust, is haunted. Even now, Meg is keeping a secret she is not prepared to face, let alone share. In her debut novel, based on true events, Meredith First tells a timeless story about the bonds of friendship, loss, and betrayal and the forgiveness that is within everyone. Can anyone really keep a secret forever?"

About the author

Meredith First left an insanely great recruiting career with Apple, Inc. to write the books that were literally haunting her dreams — books for anyone who survived high school with a little help from friends. After studying abroad at the University of London, she received a B.A. in Communications/Broadcasting from Oregon State University.  Through the donation of 10% of her income from Gridley Girls,  she hopes to help people who struggle with similar issues that she experienced.  She lives with her family in Minneapolis and Sacramento and is hard at work on Gridley Girls Reunited, book two in the Gridley Girls series.

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