Something Just Like This - My Review of THE OPPOSITE OF YOU by Rachel Higginson

Title: The Opposite of You
Author: Rachel Higginson
Publication Date: 3/30/2017
Source: ARC from the author

Synopsis:

I’ve sworn off men. 

All men. 

Famous last words, right? You’re expecting some epic tale of reluctant love and my dramatic change of heart? Well, you’re not going to get it. 

I’m stubborn. And headstrong. And I’ve just survived the worst three years of my life. After escaping an abusive fiancé to live in hostels and cheap hotels while I worked my way across Europe, I’ve come to two conclusions. 

The first? Now that I’m back home, I’m going to squander my expensive culinary degree on a food truck that caters to the late night drunk crowd. 

The second? I’m going to prove to the bastard across the plaza that my street food is better than his fussy five course monstrosities.

Killian Quinn might be Food and Wine’s Chef to Watch Out For. He might have a Michelin Star. He might have every food critic in the city wrapped around his too-large fingers. But he’s also pretentious and unbearably arrogant and the very opposite of me. 

So he can keep his unsolicited advice and his late night visits and his cocky smiles. I want none of it. Or him. 

I want the opposite.

Rachel Higginson is the author of The Five Stages of Falling in Love, Every Wrong Reason, The Star-Crossed Series, Love & Decay Novella Series and much more! She was born and raised in Nebraska, and spent her college years traveling the world. She fell in love with Eastern Europe, Paris, Indian Food and the beautiful beaches of Sri Lanka, but came back home to marry her high school sweetheart. Now she spends her days writing stories and raising four amazing kids.

The Opposite of You is truly one of the best books I've read so far this year. 

Vera Delane is in trouble. After circumstances and her father's illness force her to return home, Vera finds herself starting a brand new business and praying she'll be able to somehow land on her feet.

Vera runs a food truck which is parked in the lot of her brother's store. His store which just happens to be directly across the street from one of the most famous restaurants in town, run by one of the toughest, well-known chefs around, Killian Quinn.

The Opposite of You is the most perfect enemies-to-lovers stories that I've ever read. It has the perfect amount of wit and sass, enhanced with a sprinkling of sexy banter and arrogant attitude. Throw in a couple of silly pranks and mouth-watering recipes and you have the recipe for a most excellent romance.

Just to keep things interesting, ghosts pop up from Vera's past. You can kind of feel it coming, but I love the way both Killian and Vera handle the resulting situation. Also, Killian sends an army of spies to keep an eye on Vera, which goes over about like a lead balloon. In the end, Killian and Vera find that they make an excellent team, but how do they move forward when they are basically competitors?

5 out of 5 stars.

Something Just Like This - The Chainsmokers & Coldplay

Cover Reveal - Paper Fools by Staci Hart

In the game of love, she never loses.

Paper Fools by Staci Hart is coming April 17th!!

Title: Paper Fools

Author: Staci Hart

Cover Designer: Quirkybird Designs

Photographer: Lauren Watson Perry

Publication Date: April 17th

Aphrodite knows love — just don’t ask her to figure out her own mess.

Rather than deal with her sticky love life, she toys with the hearts of unwitting humans. It’s a little game she plays, and the stakes are high. Lucky for her, she’s just found the perfect match.

Lex is everything Dean needs, but he can’t have her.

It doesn’t matter that her eyes speak to a long forgotten part of him, or that her art and poetry touch his shredded heart. She’s off limits — crossing that line would implode his band and everything he’s ever cared about. There’s only one option: stay away from her, no matter the cost. Even if the price is his heart.

Dean is everything Lex wants, but she can’t take the risk.

The second she meets him, she knows her heart is in danger. She’s convinced it’s only attraction that has her hung up on the dark, quiet lead singer, but with every day that passes, she knows it’s more. It’s just that she can’t put her heart on the line. She won’t — love has never been worth the sacrifice.

If only they knew they were just pawns in a much bigger game. And in the game of love, Aphrodite never loses.

*Formerly titled Deer in Headlights, Paper Fools has been rewritten and reedited just for you.*

Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/SggznE

About the Author

Staci has been a lot of things up to this point in her life -- a graphic designer, an entrepreneur, a seamstress, a clothing and handbag designer, a waitress. Can't forget that. She's also been a mom, with three little girls who are sure to grow up to break a number of hearts. She's been a wife, though she's certainly not the cleanest, or the best cook. She's also super, duper fun at a party, especially if she's been drinking whiskey. 

From roots in Houston to a seven year stint in Southern California, Staci and her family ended up settling somewhere in between and equally north, in Denver. They are new enough that snow is still magical. When she's not writing, she's reading, sleeping, gaming, or designing graphics. 

Connect with Staci:

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stacihartnovels

Twitter: https://twitter.com/imaquirkybird

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Cover Reveal - ALL CLOSED OFF by Cora Carmack

   

From New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack, comes the highly anticipated fourth standalone title in her Rusk University Series, ALL CLOSED OFF! A passionate story and journey, get ready to be mesmerized with Stella’s story! ALL CLOSED OFF is coming your way May 1, 2017!

   

Cover Design and Photography by Kelsey Kukal-Keeton at K. Keeton Designs

ABOUT ALL CLOSED OFF (Releasing May 1, 2017):

Stella Santos is fine.

Maybe something terrible happened to her that she can’t even remember. And maybe it drives her crazy when her friends treat her like she’s on the verge of breaking because of it. Maybe it feels even worse when they do what she asks and pretend that it never happened at all. And maybe she’s been getting harassing emails and messages for months from people who don’t even know her, but hate her all the same.

But none of that matters because she’s just fine.

For Ryan Blake, Stella was always that girl. Vibrant and hilarious and beautiful. He wanted her as his best friend. His more than friends. His everything and anything that she would give him. Which these days is a whole lot of nothing. She gets angry when he’s there. Angry when he’s not there. Angry when he tries to talk and when he doesn’t.

When Stella devises an unconventional art project for one of her classes all about exploring intimacy—between both friends and strangers—Ryan finds himself stepping in as guinea pig after one of her subjects bails. What was supposed to be an objective and artistic look at emotion and secrets and sex suddenly becomes much more personal. When he hits it off with another girl from the project, Stella will have to decide if she’s willing to do more than make art about intimacy. To keep him, she’ll have to open up and let herself be the one thing she swore she’d never be again.

Vulnerable.

     

✦Add it to your Goodreads ✦

     

Don’t Miss All of Cora’s Standalone Rusk University Series Titles!

 

ALL LINED UP

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ALL BROKE DOWN

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ALL PLAYED OUT Amazon ** Barnes & Noble ** iTunes

About Cora Carmack: Cora Carmack is a twenty something New York Times bestselling author who likes to write about twentysomething characters. Raised in a small Texas town, she now lives in New York City and spends her time writing, traveling, and marathoning various TV shows on Netflix. She lives by one rule: embrace whatever the world throws at you and run with it (just not with scissors).               

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Cora Carmack Goodreads

   

Issues - My Review of Crazy Over You by Daisy Prescott

Today we are celebrating the release of CRAZY OVER YOU by Daisy Prescott. This is the second book in the Love With Altitude standalone series. You can purchase the book during release week for just $2.99, and grab the first book in the series for just .99¢!

 

CRAZY OVER YOU by Daisy Prescott (A Love With Altitude Novel, #2)

PURCHASE THE BOOK NOW FOR JUST $2.99

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BOOK BLURB:

My savior isn’t prince charming. 

I’m not that lucky. 
He’s my worst nightmare. 
He’s my one night stand from two years ago. 
And he doesn’t remember me. 

What happens on vacation doesn't always stay on vacation. Especially in a place like Aspen. I moved to the mountains for my dream vet job. I never expected to run into the man of my dreams. Again. 

I never thought I'd see her again. 
My Cinderella didn't leave me a shoe to find her. 
Not that I'd need random footwear to recognize her. 
Her kiss is something I'll never forget. 

Work hard. Play hard. I'm paid to be a nice guy on the slopes, but what I do in my off time isn't always about making good choices. That's the fun of living in a ski town. I stay while the women come and go.

Crazy Over You is a standalone romantic comedy and the second book in the Love with Altitude series.

ADD CRAZY OVER YOU TO GOODREADS

PURCHASE THE BOOK NOW FOR JUST $2.99

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PREVIOUS BOOK IN THE SERIES

NEXT TO YOU (A Love With Altitude Novel, #1)

Brand new look! Get it now for just .99 cents!

Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | B&N

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

USA Today Bestselling Author Daisy Prescott writes romantic comedies with heart. 

Her Modern Love Stories feature characters in their thirties and forties finding and rediscovering love in unexpected and humorous ways. Her Wingmen books star regular guys who often have beards, drive trucks, and love deeply once they fall. Look for her new Rom Com series, Love with Altitude, in 2017. 

Born and raised in San Diego, Daisy currently lives in a real life Stars Hollow in the Boston suburbs with her husband, their rescue dog, and an indeterminate number of imaginary house goats. When not writing about herself in the third person, Daisy can be found traveling, gardening, baking, or lost in a good book.   
To learn more about Daisy and her writing, sign up for her mailing list here (copy and paste this link): eepurl.com/xhXb5. Send her an email at: daisyauthor AT gmail DOT com Or chat with her on Twitter (@daisy_prescott) and Facebook: /daisyprescottauthorpage, and follow her on Instagram: /daisyprescott      

AUTHOR LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Newsletter

I love turning to Daisy Prescott for a feel good romance.  Once again she has brought the 'sweet heat' and won my heart.

Crazy Over You throws Mara and Jesse together on the side of a snow-covered mountain. Both feel a bit of deja vu with the situation. Through a series of meetings, and a few searing kisses, Mara begins to realize that Jesse is a one-night stand from a few years ago. And she thinks he doesn't remember her.

Crazy Over You comes with Daisy's trademark wit and silliness and mixes it with heartfelt romance. Jesse is sweet and his pursuit of Mara will make you smile. He is sexy and loves to tease Mara to within an inch of loosing her mind. Mara is just fantastic. Often romance heroines get on my every last nerve, but with Mara I kept finding little reminders of myself.

Daisy uses her setting to great advantage. With this Love With Altitude series, I feel like I am visiting Aspen and found myself "shooshing" down the slopes in my mind.

Daisy, thank you for delivering smiles and for melting my cold, dark heart. Recommended for anyone needing a smile.

5 out of 5 stars

Julia Michaels - Issues

Three Wishes by Kristen Ashley - Paperback Release and Cover Reveal

   

THREE WISHES is now available in paperback for the first time! This heartwarming and epic love story from New York Times bestselling author, Kristen Ashley, returns with an amazing new cover!

And that’s not all!

THREE WISHES is being re-released in eBook form with beautiful, new formatting! So make a wish, grab your copy, and prepare to fall in love all over again!

   

When Lily Jacobs was born, she inherited Fazire – a genie. Her family had three wishes and they’d only ever used one so Fazire was stuck in the human world. This worked since he’d become a member of the family anyway.

Even with a genie, Lily's young life wasn’t perfect. To escape the kids making her miserable at school, Lily buried herself in romance novels. One day, when the teasing was just too much, she used one of her wishes. She told Fazire she wanted to find a man like in her books and she made the most complicated wish Fazire had ever heard. Her wished-for man had to be impossibly handsome, virile, fierce, rugged and ruthless (amongst a dozen other things).

He also had to think she was beautiful and he had to love her more than anything in the world.

Nathaniel McAllister wasn’t born to a life where there were such things as genies granting wishes. His life was filled with drugs, crime and neglect. He was running errands for a gangster before he was in his teens and, even though life and hard work led him to wealth and respectability, he always knew, deep down, he was dirty. When Nate met Lily he knew he was no good for her but as virile, fierce, rugged and ruthless as he was, Nate was no match for the pull of sweet, innocent Lily.

Unfortunately, Lily’s wish included that she and her hero go through trials and tribulations to test their love. And Fazire wasn’t only a good genie, he loved Lily – so he gave her exactly what she wanted.

Order THREE WISHES here!

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Add it to your Goodreads Now!

Nate didn’t know what he wanted but whatever it was, it certainly was not Georgia. He was saved from answering Victor when he spied a youth wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, the hood worn up even though it was a warm day. The boy was slouching down the pavement, head bowed, hands in the front pocket of the sweatshirt, his head swinging this way and that, looking for his mark. 

Nate’s guard, already on alert—always on alert—went into overdrive. 

Nate’s eyes narrowed as he watched the youth, and Victor started to get into the Rolls. Then, as expected, the boy darted toward his target and Nate heard a woman’s outraged cry. 

“Hey!” she yelled. 

He watched the boy snatch the woman’s purse, his body tensing for action. 

And then his eyes moved to the woman and uncharacteristically, he froze. 

“Hey! He stole my purse! Stop him! He stole my purse!” she shouted. 

Nate vaguely registered she was an American tourist. Nate also absently noticed that no one moved to assist. 

In that brief moment in time, Nate was too busy drinking in the vision that was her, he himself didn’t move a muscle. 

She was tall, incredibly tall. 

And curvy, delectably curvy. 

She had the most unusual colored hair. Hair that he knew from vast experience living in a house with Laura and Danielle for years came through a supremely talented and expensive stylist’s hands. 

And she had an exquisite face, flawless skin and a bearing that was extraordinary. She had been given a wide berth around her even on the crowded pavement. Not because she was screaming her head off but instead because she was majestic, radiant, elegant… 

Untouchable. 

In a stupor from simply looking at her, the boy with her purse charged right by Nate. 

Not in a stupor, she realized no one was going to help her, gave up screaming and charged right after the boy. 

At the noise, Victor turned away from the car and Nate shifted to watch in astonishment as she deftly and agilely dodged the crowd, her long legs a match for the short boy. Then Nate watched in stunned surprise as she jumped onto the thief’s back with a graceful leap. 

Everyone stared in shock but no one lifted a finger except a few started to take photographs. 

“Give me back my purse, you thug!” she shouted. 

Wrapping her long legs around her prey, one arm around his neck, she slapped him around the head with the other hand. 

The thief staggered back then he staggered with intent and slammed her against the side of the building. Her head snapped back and cracked against the stone so loudly Nate could hear it from where he stood twenty paces away. 

At the sound Nate jerked out of his stupor and forged forward.   

  
About Kristen Ashley: Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen's Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning. 

Nothing's changed. 

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she's blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched). 

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up. 

And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.  

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Excerpt Reveal - Easy Magic by Kristen Proby

From New York Times bestselling author Kristen Proby, comes the next sexy and captivating standalone title in the Boudreaux Series, EASY MAGIC. Take a trip to the Big Easy and fall in love with Beau and Mallory’s passionate story on April 4, 2017 in this upcoming contemporary romance. Check out the excerpt below and preorder your copy today!

     

The Boudreaux Series. Sexy. Intriguing. Easy.

Family. Responsibility. Stability.

As the co-CEO of Bayou Enterprises, and the eldest of the Boudreaux clan, Beau is the epitome of these. Now that his baby sister Gabby is happily settled down, Beau has moved into the company loft in the heart of the French Quarter to be closer to his office while his own home is built. He doesn’t have time for anything but the family he adores and the company that drives him.

If only the bewitching owner of the herb shop downstairs from Beau’s loft wasn’t so damn tempting.

Mallory Adams is living the life. The good life. The best life for her. After years of hiding who she is, and the gifts she’s been cursed with, Mallory opened her little shop in the French Quarter, offering herbs and lotions for anything from soothing a sunburn to chasing those pesky ghosts New Orleans is known for out of a client’s home. Some call her eccentric, and some say she’s simply odd, and that’s okay with her. She is a bit odd, but in her experience, all of the best people are.

When an old pipe bursts in the loft above her store, flooding her storeroom, Mallory comes face to face with Beau Boudreaux, and she doesn’t need the clairvoyant abilities that have been passed down through generations to know that she’ll never be the same. Beau is her exact opposite; serious, straitlaced. He wears suits for Pete’s sake and probably wouldn’t know the difference between arnica and flaxseed if his life depended on it. But when he touches her, the electricity is through the roof and she’s smart enough to know that a chemistry like theirs doesn’t happen every day.

Can two people so very different possibly find their way to happily ever after?

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2nuV6Pp Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/2nuCPlq iBooks: http://apple.co/2nuL9kU Kobo: http://bit.ly/2n8uD9b

 

EXCERPT

I turn to look at him and he’s leaning against the door jamb, watching me with lust written all over his face. 

I don’t have to be psychic to see it. 

He wants me. 

He slowly pushes away from the door and moves toward me, his shoulders broad in the white button down shirt, his arms hard where the shirt is rolled to his elbows. His jaw tightens as he gets closer, towering over me because he’s so damn tall, but I’m not afraid of him in the least. 

He doesn’t say a word as he lifts his hand to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing under my eye. I wrap my hand around his wrist and lean into his touch, soaking up his warmth. God, I’ve missed being touched. 

Being touch by Beau is like being touched for the first time in my life, and I never want him to stop. 

He lowers his lips to mine, brushes them lightly, nibbles the corner, and then sinks in for the kiss of my life. He gently urges my mouth open, and licks my lips, and devours me. His hand dives into my hair, and the wall is suddenly at my back as he continues to explore me in ways I didn’t even know existed. 

He braces his free hand on the wall above my head, and I fist my hands in his shirt at his sides, holding on for dear life. 

Finally, he pulls back, breathing hard, his eyes bright and dilated. 

And in the moment, I know. His touch is safe. I can trust it. Him. I’m not bombarded with someone else’s emotions, and I am free to simply feel my own while being intimate with him. 

“So that’s what all the hoopla’s about.” 

He smirks, and I realize I spoke aloud again, but I’m not embarrassed. Not in the least. 

He takes a deep breath and drags his knuckles down my cheek. 

“I want to keep you here all night,” he murmurs before kissing my forehead. “So I’d better take you home.” 

I smile. He could talk me into staying. But he’s not. And I’ll be damned if that doesn’t make me like him even more.  

And don’t forget to grab the first four books in The Boudreaux Series!

EASY LOVE

EASY CHARM

EASY MELODY

EASY KISSES

 
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby is the author of the bestselling With Me In Seattle and Love Under the Big Sky series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong, humorous characters with a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves. 

Kristen lives in Montana, where she enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps. 
      

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Happy Release Day - Take Me Back by Meghan March

        

 

We fell in love on a beach, got married in paradise, and I carried her off into the sunset. It should have been perfect, but saying “I do” doesn’t guarantee a happily-ever-after. Two years later, I barely recognize either of us behind the walls we’ve built. It’s time to bring it full circle. Back to a tropical paradise. Back to find out if we can still make this work. I’m not willing to give her up, but to save us, I have to risk everything. Two damaged people. Countless secrets. The fight of our lives. We might be broken, but we’re not done. 

  Add to Goodreads

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Meghan March has been known to wear camo face paint and tromp around in woods wearing mud-covered boots, 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.

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Waiting on Wednesday - The Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo

I love the angsty sound of this one.

Title: The Light We Lost
Author: Jill Santopolo
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication Date: May 9, 2017

Me Before You meets One Day in this devastatingly romantic debut novel about the enduring power of first love with a shocking, unforgettable ending. A Love Story for a new generation.

He was the first person to inspire her, to move her, to truly understand her. Was he meant to be the last?

Lucy is faced with a life-altering choice. But before she can make her decision, she must start her story—their story—at the very beginning.

Lucy and Gabe meet as seniors at Columbia University on a day that changes both of their lives forever. Together, they decide they want their lives to mean something, to matter. When they meet again a year later, it seems fated—perhaps they’ll find life’s meaning in each other. But then Gabe becomes a photojournalist assigned to the Middle East and Lucy pursues a career in New York. What follows is a thirteen-year journey of dreams, desires, jealousies, betrayals, and, ultimately, of love. Was it fate that brought them together? Is it choice that has kept them away? Their journey takes Lucy and Gabe continents apart, but never out of each other’s hearts.

Jill Santopolo is the author of the The Light We Lost, the Alec Flint Mysteries, the Sparkle Spa series, and the Follow Your Heart books. She holds a BA in English Literature from Columbia University, an MFA in Writing for Children from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and a certificate in Intellectual Property Law from NYU. Jill is also the Editorial Director of Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group. When she’s not writing or editing, Jill is a thesis advisor at The New School in their MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults and is on the faculty of the Columbia Publishing Course. Jill has traveled all over the U.S.—and to Canada and Europe—to speak about writing and storytelling. She lives in New York City.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JillSantopolo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillsantopolo/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JillSantopoloAuthor/

What books are you excited for this week?

  

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine - make sure you head over and see what other people are waiting for!