Virtual Tour: Lucky Charmed by Sharla Lovelace

It seems he and Carmen are at each other’s throats one minute—

and on each other’s lips the next. Someone’s gotta give . . .

LUCKY CHARMED

Charmed in Texas #2

Sharla Lovelace

Releasing July 18th, 2017

Lyrical Shine

Carmen Frost hates honey. And bees. And in her hometown of Charmed, Texas, which practically invented the stuff, that’s a problem. The good news is that the summer Honey Festival is finally over. Even better, so is the annual Lucky Hart carnival, a road show that made off with her dreams years ago—including the boy she loved. Now she’s got a divorce behind her, and a successful law career in front of her, but in a tiny town, big memories die hard. Or they don’t die at all—as Carmen discovers when she runs into an all too familiar pair of eyes—older, wiser, and just as heart-melting as ever . . .

Sully Hart has had enough of the nomad lifestyle. Traveling with his father’s carnival gave him adventures, but it cost him much more. Now he’s home to stay, contracted to create an entertainment complex in Charmed. He wants roots, a house with a yard and all the mundane pleasures that go with it. But the girl he loved has become a woman who still wants freedom. Can she still want him? It seems he and Carmen are at each other’s throats one minute—and on each other’s lips the next. Someone’s gotta give . . .

Excerpt

I lifted my chin, and refused to look away. No matter what was liquefying in my chest as his gaze burned through me. No matter what images flashed like a movie reel in my head. I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.

“Good for you,” I said, placing the package back on the shelf. I needed them more than ever but I would not need them in front of him. “Welcome back to Charmed.”

I made to walk around him, but the heat from his hand on my arm stopped me.

“Carmen, wait.”

His voice was like hot honey over my body.

I hate honey.

I was proud of myself. My acting ability to not suck my tongue down my throat, or choke on my own spit, or jerk my arm free like I’d been bitten by a rabid squirrel—was Oscar-worthy. Instead, I patted his hand and smiled up at him, slowly stepping to the side until his fingers slid free.

“We’re grown-ups now, Sully,” I said, wondering where the hell the words were coming from. “It’s all good. Have a great day.”

And I walked away. And out. And to my car. The pains stabbing through my middle stealing my breath. Damn grateful for nothing else in my hand because being chased down for shoplifting cookies while in a blind haze of what-the-fuckery would have been the final icing on a messed up cake.

Fumbling for my keys, I hit the button and got in as quickly as possible. I had to leave. Now. Before he came out. Before I could see what he was driving and then obsess over every other that vehicle I saw in every other parking lot in Charmed. Before I could succumb to the temptation of watching to see where he went. Where he lived, what his home looked like.

“Leave,” I whispered, my voice sounding vaguely desperate. I felt the burn behind my eyes and I shook my head and tilted my head back. “No. You will not cry, damn it.”

I blinked at the roof. I was thirty-three. Eighteen was a long time ago. Suck it up, Carmen.

I took a deep breath and faced forward, just in time to see him walk out of the store. He’d slid the sunglasses down over his eyes, causing a stray lock of dark hair to fall next to his face. He was probably twenty-five feet away, and I could feel that strand of hair on my fingertips.

Without another look, I pulled out and drove away.

Sharla Lovelace is the bestselling, award-winning author of sexy small-town love stories. Being a Texas girl through and through, she’s proud to say she lives in Southeast Texas with her retired husband, a tricked-out golf cart, and two crazy dogs. She is the author of five stand-alone novels including the bestselling Don’t Let Go, the exciting Heart Of The Storm series, and the fun and sexy new Charmed in Texas series. For more about Sharla's books, visit her website, and keep up with all her new book releases easily by subscribing to her newsletter. She loves keeping up with her readers, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Mini Review: Fireworks by Lindsey Gray

Fireworks by Lindsey Gray

Published: June 20, 2013

Publisher: Enchanted Publications

Format: Free Kindle read

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Sophie McKibbin finds herself back in Sam Crawford’s life after ten years. Unfortunately, Sam is dating Lola, Sophie’s high school nemesis. Lola dumps Sam the day before he was supposed to introduce his mystery girlfriend to his family over the Fourth of July holiday. With the looming fear of disappointing his mother once again and his long held feelings for Sophie, he asks her to take Lola’s place. With family feuds, an old flame, and feelings that have been locked away for a decade, there is bound to be some fireworks.

My Thoughts

I love this tale of long lost love and how no matter how long love can endure. Sophie was Sam’s sister best friend growing up and there was always something between them but Sam’s mother had her plans for Sam and nothing nor no one was going to derail that. So ten years later Sam is working at a hospital and meets Sophie who is a nurse and let's just say the sparks are still there. Although Sam has a girlfriend he can't deny that Sophie is the one who has always had his heart. So when his girlfriend breaks up with him before he can introduce her to his family he asks Sophie to “pretend” to be his girlfriend. Once home either can deny that they can't pretend anymore and need to declare they love for one other and tell their families the truth.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this read, seeing how it’s less than 100 pages you are given a full fledged read that has everything you would want. There are great characters and a romantic storyline that makes you root for these two, plus the ending is just so fitting. If you want a good quick quality read this makes for the perfect summer read.

Mini Review: I Need A Lifeguard Everywhere but the Pool by Lisa Scottoline & Francesca Serritella

I Need A Lifeguard Everywhere but the Pool by Lisa Scottoline & Francesca Serritella

Published: July 11, 2017

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Format: via publisher

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

The bestselling and “perennially hilarious” mother-daughter team is back with a new collection of stories from their real lives, guaranteed to make you laugh out loud. Join Lisa and Francesca as they regret drunk-shopping online, try smell-dating, and explore the freedom of a hiatus from men - a Guyatus. They offer a fresh and funny take on the triumphs and facepalm moments of modern life, showing that when it comes to navigating the crazy world we live in, you’re always your own best lifeguard.

My Thoughts

This was my first time reading the duo’s humorist books and I will say I was pleasantly surprised. I thought this read was funny and definitely relatable. The mother and daughter writing team each gives us their take on life, love, relationships and just everyday occurrences. There were times I was thinking “hey I thought only I felt or thought that way.” I loved this read so much that I went and bought one of their previous reads and I enjoyed that one just as much. This is definitely a summer read worth reading, you will laugh and I guarantee you will find at least a couple of stories that you can relate to.

Review: The Breakdown by B.A. Paris

The Breakdown by B.A. Paris

Expected Publication: July 18, 2017

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

If you can’t trust yourself, who can you trust?

Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside―the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she’d stopped.

But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn’t have a baby.

The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt.

Or the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her.

My Thoughts

This one is a hard one to review, not because it wasn’t good just the opposite this read was so fantastic! However I'm never one for spoilers so this one is a tricky one to review since I feel like if I say too much I will ruin it for others, but I’ll try my best.

We met Cass whose mother died at an early age due to Alzheimer's and as she slowly finds herself forgetting simple things begins to wonder if she will suffer the same fate as her mom. She is living a good life with her husband who soon begins to worry about Cass but stands by her. One day Cass finds herself in a thunderstorm and sees a car on the side of the road thinking nothing of it goes on home. The next day she finds out there was a murder and her guilt of not pulling over begins to set off a chain reaction that soon starts to play with her mind like never before. What happens next is a series of events that begin to play with Cass’s mind and soon she wonders if her “forgetfulness” is really that or she is simply going crazy.

When everything plays out I was shocked and so surprised that I had to pick my jaw off the floor! I was mad and upset but to me, that’s the main reason why B.A. Paris is such a great writer she gives you these jaw-dropping moments that you never see coming and you are never disappointed with her reads. Believe me when I say this is a must for any fan of suspense, talk about a physiological thriller at its best!

The Wedding Story by Dee Tenorio

The Wedding Story by Dee Tenorio

Published: December 1, 2011

Format: free kindle read

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis

Ruth Anne Barbellis—unhappily nicknamed "Rhubarb" by her lifelong enemy, Bobby Wichowski—is in Wedding Hell. Why? Her sister is marrying Bobby's brother.

 She's trussed up in a bridesmaid dress that must have been designed originally as a Victorian Torture Chamber. To teach them a lesson, she and Bobby have been assigned to the Kiddie Table. And that's only the beginning...

My Thoughts

Ruth and Bobby have grown up together but have always had this hatred for each other, so when Ruth’s sister gets married they are forced to be nice but soon they find out there is something more between them.

This is a classic story of two people who think they despise each other but really it's nothing more than buried feelings for each other that finally come to the surface. This was an okay read nothing special or different but I thought it was funny and the ending was very cute. Definitely a short read at only 50 plus pages but worth it if you want something light.

Review: The Bookshop at Water's End by Patti Callahan Henry

The Bookshop at Water’s End by Patti Callahan Henry

Expected Publication: July 11, 2017

Publisher: Berkley Books

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

Bonny Blankenship's most treasured memories are of idyllic summers spent in Watersend, South Carolina, with her best friend, Lainey McKay. Amid the sand dunes and oak trees draped with Spanish moss, they swam and wished for happy-ever-afters, then escaped to the local bookshop to read and whisper in the glorious cool silence. Until the night that changed everything, the night that Lainey's mother disappeared.

Now, in her early fifties, Bonny is desperate to clear her head after a tragic mistake threatens her career as an emergency room doctor, and her marriage crumbles around her. With her troubled teenage daughter, Piper, in tow, she goes back to the beloved river house, where she is soon joined by Lainey and her two young children. During lazy summer days and magical nights, they reunite with bookshop owner Mimi, who is tangled with the past and its mysteries. As the three women cling to a fragile peace, buried secrets and long ago loves return like the tide.

My Thoughts

In The Bookshop at Water’s End, we meet Bonny and Lainey two best friends who spent their childhood summers together in South Carolina and who have experienced the highs and lows of their lives. Bonny is a doctor who wants out of her marriage but when an accident occurs on her watch her whole career is put on the line. She has a teenage daughter who is going through some growing pains and Bonny thinks spending the summer at her childhood beach house will straighten Piper out.

Lainey, on the other hand, is forever trying to overcome the one summer her mother left her and her brother to never return again. She is married with children and although she promised her husband she would let go of looking for her mother she just can't. She is secretly still searching desperately to know why her mother could just leave and never look back. Lainey is forever chasing the love only a mother can give.

When Bonny asks Lainey to join her for one last summer in the summer home they shared as kids Lainey doesn't want to go back. She promised herself she wouldn’t after the pain she suffered that summer but she also promised Bonny if she ever needed her she would be there for her so she returns. Lainey’s brother is a carefree guy who is always looking for the next adventure so when he shows up Lainey is excited. She is always missing her brother but little does she know that he showed up for Bonny, the one girl he has always loved and never got over. Needless to say, this will be a summer no one will forget.

I loved this storyline! While Bonny was a bit of heavy-handed character for my taste I loved Lainey. I truly felt compassion for her and for her quest of finding her mother. When she finally gets her answers the pain I felt for her was real. All those summers again and her mom leaving forever stayed with her and altered how she saw and felt things. It made her wait in life to have children thinking she would be the same way with her kids and she didn’t want that. The Piper storyline was good, I loved how she found herself in her new surroundings and how she finally grew up and how she finally found real love with someone who could appreciate her.

This was a very enjoyable read of coming back home. Though some didn’t want to go back it was needed to face their demons and to ultimately find out the answers they needed. This shows you that family doesn’t always have to be by blood but by those who love you the most.

Monthly Wrap Up: June

What a great reading month June was for me! I read 8 books and I’m ahead in my Goodreads challenge so I’m proud of myself! Besides that June was amazingly hot but great for just slowing down and reading. I’m also happy cause football is nearly here I can't wait! Well, that was my June here is how the rest my month went book wise.

Books Read

31. The Beach House by Lisa Herrington

  30. Fireworks by Lindsey Gray

  29. Love Takes the Cake by Krista Ames

  28. The Bookshop at Water’s End by Patti Callahan Henry

27. I Need A Lifeguard Everywhere but the Pool by Lisa Scottoline & Francesca Serritella

* 26. Hello Sunshine by Laura Dave

   25. Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica

* 24. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

*=Super Faves

Books Received via Publishers

Boardwalk Summer by Kimberly Fisk

Lost and Found Sisters by Jill Shalvis

The Rules of Grammar by Mary Simses

Indian Summer by Marcia Willett

Hello Sunshine by Laura Dave

The Copenhagen Affair by Amulya Malladi

Beautiful Bodies by Kimberly Rae Miller

Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson

The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand

Beach House for Rent by Mary Alice Monroe

Every Last Lie by Mary Kubica

The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand [audio]

Thank you so much to the following amazing publishers:

Berkley, William Morrow, Back Bay Books, Simon & Schuster, Thomas Dunne Books, Lake Union, Gallery, Little Brown and Co and Hachette Audio

Arcs via NetGalley/Edelweiss

Little Broken Things by Nicole Baart

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware

The Visitors by Catherine Burns

Upcoming Reads

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware

Cicada Summer by Maureen Leurck

Well, that’s my month how was yours? Please feel free to link up yours I love to see all things bookish!