✱✱Book Review✱✱ The Invitation by Adriana Locke

 

I hate Ripley Brewer.

So, why am I cuddling on his lap, peering into his ocean-blue eyes while cameras record our every move?

My best friend needs my help to save her career, and I would do anything for her. Besides, filming a reality show sounds fun … until Ripley shows up to play the role of my fake boyfriend.

As always, we nearly come to blows within minutes of seeing each other. The playboy billionaire accuses me of a setup, but I insist I’d rather live in a world without carbs than spend a minute with him.

At some point during the melee, we sign contracts. I can’t stand the look of his six feet two inches of chiseled abs and broad shoulders. And I loathe his arrogance. But now that he’s my pretend beau, I’m stuck acting like I’m falling in love with my biggest enemy.

It turns out that Ripley’s a good actor, too. Every soft touch on the small of my back makes my heart thump faster. His sultry smirk feels like it’s only for me. I should detest every word that passes his kissable lips.

Is this all a ruse, or does Ripley want to end this episode of The Invitation going from enemies to lovers? Because now? I’m not convinced I can despise him anymore.

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Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite romance tropes. It often means lots of great banter and plenty of fireworks. Georgia and Ripley give us both with sass and wit, and the chemistry and sexual tension between them is almost palpable. They do have some angst on their way to a happily ever after, but it's not over the top, which I really liked. The book is well written with characters who aren't just characters - they become friends that you want to visit again and again. I've gotten attached to the whole Brewer family, but the broken boy inside Ripley totally stole my heart. Each Brewer family book is the kind of romance you can get lost in, so I'd definitely recommend all three. 

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✱✱Audio Book Review✱✱ Devil of Dublin by BB Easton

 

Devil of Dublin

By: BB Easton

Devil of Dublin, Book 1

Narrated by: Elizabeth Klett & Eric Nolan

From the Wall Street Journal best-selling author of 44 Chapters About 4 Men (inspiration for the Netflix Original series Sex/Life) comes a dark Mafia romance steeped in Irish folklore.

I can’t remember anymore if my grandfather’s eyes were blue or green, but I’ll never forget the way they wrinkled at the corners when he laughed at one of his own jokes. Or the way they sparkled with mischief when he told me tales about the magical creatures that dwelled in the forest behind his humble Irish sheep farm—shy fairies who liked to eat tea biscuits, cruel witches who liked to eat children, a moody lake spirit with a taste for expensive gifts.

As a child, I believed every fantastical word. But when he warned me about the mute boy who also lurked in those woods, the one the priest had declared to be the spawn of Satan himself, I refused to listen. Kellen wasn’t evil. He was kind, and beautiful, and special, and hurting. He was my friend. And with every summer I spent stolen away with him in those enchanted woods, he grew to become so much more.

But when I return to Glenshire as an adult, grieving and engaged to someone else, all those legends quickly morph into nightmares.

My grandfather had been right about everything, especially the boy.

If only I had listened.

Warning: If you are a sensitive listener or find certain topics to be emotionally triggering, please exercise self-care and select a different book. Devil of Dublin is intended for mature audiences who enjoy dark subject matter, tortured antiheroes, explicit adult content, graphic violence, heart-pounding suspense, fairy-tale-worthy love, and gorgeous Irish scenery. If that sounds like you, then welcome to Glenshire!

Momma Says: 5 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Somehow, this is my first time reading/listening to BB Easton's work, and I'm really kicking myself for the oversight. I went in blind, not knowing anything except it was dark romance with a fair amount of trigger warnings. Fortunately, triggers aren't a problem for me, so I dove in, and wow! Everything about this book just blew me away. The writing, the characters, the storyline, the narrators - yes, this book is just that good. The story flows so well that I didn't even realize how much time had passed as I listened. Kellen and Darby are a couple I won't soon forget. Their passion and intensity can be felt in every word, which is due to both the writing and the narration, in my opinion. Elizabeth Klett and Eric Nolan do such a good job with this book. From the accents to the emotions to every little quirk, the narration brings these characters to life. I've been trying to skirt around the details, so I don't spoil anything, so I'll just wrap it up by saying Devil of Dublin is more than a childhood crush/first love or mafia romance. It's a journey for Darby and Kellen, and at any given point, one or both of them will tug at every heartstring. 

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✱✱Book Review✱✱ The Arrangement by Adriana Locke

 

The gorgeous CEO of Brewer Air is my boss and, thanks to a bet, my new husband for six months.

Why? Because I begged.

I have a grandmother to support, a stack of bills higher than my five-foot frame, and as a cherry on top, I need to find a new place to live. Soon.

Sure, Jason Brewer’s bright green eyes and chiseled jawline steal my breath. His smirk makes me weak. The former military hero’s protective nature is as sexy as watching him control a boardroom or fly a plane.  

But none of that matters. I’m desperate—not foolish. I know forever-level commitments aren’t real. This is simply a business transaction with a billionaire.

It’s too bad we didn’t consider all contingencies.

Our first kiss was to seal the deal. The second was in front of an Elvis impersonator. The third kiss led to a honeymoon that was so hot it burned into my memory.

I tell myself it’s okay because there’s an arrangement in place. It’s a—very—enjoyable means to a much-needed end. There’s nothing to worry about.

Except there is …

Jason is determined to prove that we could be more. When he proposes a new arrangement, it changes everything in ways I never saw coming.

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Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's Jason's turn to find love, and it comes by way of a business transaction for a marriage of convenience. This second book in the Brewer Family series is a quick, easy read. It's not as emotional, in my opinion, as The Proposal, but Jason and Chloe do have good chemistry. Of course, the marriage of convenience becomes much more. Jason is definitely swoony, and it's so easy to fall into the story. If you haven't met the Brewers yet, I'd recommend them. As always, Adriana Locke gives us romance and swoons with some snark and wit thrown in. It's a great combination, and I can't wait for the next Brewer Family romance.  

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✱✱Audio Book Review✱✱ Groundball by Lisa Suzanne

 

Hardball

Vegas Heat: The Expansion Team, Book 5

By: Lisa Suzanne

Narrated by: Aiden Snow & Stephanie Rose

I was issued an ultimatum between the two loves of my life: her or the game.

No matter what I choose, I have to give up something I love.

Spring training is my first chance to show the world that Cooper Noah is back after the elbow injury that took me out of the game. It's the stage I stand on to prove I'm the starter the Vegas Heat is paying big bucks for.

But my heart isn't in any of it. My heart can't be in it when it's broken.

There's no way I can have both, but I've made my choice.

It's time to play hardball.

Hardball is the final book in the Vegas Heat: The Expansion Team series, which must be listened to in order.

Momma Says: 5 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Well, if I wasn't already crazy about Cooper Noah, I would be now. This fifth and final book in Lisa Suzanne's Vegas Heat: The Expansion Team is everything I hoped it would be, and there are even a couple of surprises along the way to make it even better. At this point, I've said pretty much all I can about Cooper and Gabby without hitting spoiler territory. Instead, I'll tell you that this book, like its predecessors, is very well done. To be honest, I was iffy at the start about how far Lisa Suzanne could go with this same couple., but I feel like anything less would've shortchanged the characters, their story, and us readers. (or listeners, as the case may be). Cooper and Gabby have found a place in my heart, and I will be visiting with them again.

Aiden Snow and Stephanie Rose have narrated this series from the beginning, and I love their performances. They both do a terrific job with these characters, and I think when the author put this series into their very capable hands, she couldn't have made better choices.

So, if you're looking for a couple to fall in love with and maybe a bit of escape from the real world, I'd highly recommend this one. I, for one, couldn't get enough of this couple. 

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✱✱Audio Book Review✱✱ Over the Limit by K. Bromberg

 

Over the Limit

Full Throttle Series, Book 3

By: K. Bromberg

Narrated by: Gary Furlong & Stella Hunter

A forbidden, Formula 1 romance from New York Times bestselling author K. Bromberg.

You don't mess around with a teammates ex. Ever. But that's easier said than done when it comes to Blair Carmichael. She's sexy, intelligent, gorgeous, and one hundred percent off-limits.

And I've never fallen harder.

But I can't touch (when I most definitely want to).

My teams success and my chance at a new contract for next season depend on me keeping my hands on the wheel. And off her curves.

As the season progresses, we secretly steal as much time as we can together in hotel rooms, after races, anywhere we can't be found out. A real romance out in the open would risk her job in the industry, her reputation, and my image not to mention my strained relationship with my teammate.

I've lived my whole life with one mantra. Team first. What I want outside of my racing career hasn't factored in.

Until now.
Until Blair.

She deserves the world and I plan on giving it to her. Even if I have to walk away from the biggest contract of my career.

Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

I'm not sure how I've missed K. Bromberg, but my TBR just had a big growth spurt. I enjoyed so many things about Over the Limit. The characters are relatable, and Lachlan and Blair are super easy to root for. The "when you know, you know" romance works really well for them. There's an almost magnetic pull between them from the start, and K. Bromberg has a writing style that gives us the feel of that pull and so much more. If you've ever had that heart racing, can't get them out of your head, every minute apart is torture kind of love, then you'll understand just how intensely Blair and Lachlan fall for each other. There are also a couple of those love-to-hate kinds of characters. One is just a nuisance, but the other has the potential to be downright dangerous. This one brings me right back to those relatable characters I mentioned. Not that I can relate to being dangerous to others, but I get the emotions of it all. There was one thing that niggled at me through most of the book, which has to do with the whole forbidden part of this romance. I'll skip the details to avoid spoilers, but it was enough that I felt like it was worth mentioning.

Finally, the narration. Gary Furlong and Stella Hunter do such a good job with this book. All of the emotions come through loud and clear, and in my opinion, the performances make an already good book even better.

Over the Limit is part of a series, but it stands on its own very well. As I mentioned, I'm new to this author, so I hadn't read anything but this book, and I didn't feel like I was missing anything. I will say I enjoyed this one so much that I'll be reading or listening to the rest of the series very soon.                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

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✱✱Audio Book Review✱✱ Groundball by Lisa Suzanne

 

Groundball

Vegas Heat: The Expansion Team, Book 4

By: Lisa Suzanne

Narrated by: Aiden Snow & Stephanie Rose

Our team is assembled, and the Vegas Heat is ready for our first season.

Life is perfect except for one thing: I can't tell anybody about the love of my life.

The more time passes, the more people find out. It's only a matter of time before her father learns the truth, but it has to come from us.

If it doesn't, our relationship will become like a groundball that'll eventually roll to a stop… but there won't be anyone there to pick it up.

Groundball is the fourth book in the Vegas Heat: The Expansion Team series, which must be listened to in order.

Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

Admittedly, I knew where this story had to go. I knew what had to happen at some point and that it was gonna be crazy dramatic. Yet, here I sit, trying to decide which of these characters I'm madest at. I seriously want to shake them until their teeth rattle - all four of the main players in this nerve-wracking, edge-of-my-seat, hanging-off-the-edge-of-the-cliff, crazy good sports romance. Who knew the world of baseball could be so dramatic?! Once again, Lisa Suzanne has left us with a jaw-dropper and very impatiently waiting for the next book in Cooper and Gabby's story. At this point, I'm thoroughly invested in these characters, and I've found myself talking to them as I listen - usually to express total exasperation with them. I, like many others, want a book that's gonna draw me in and make me feel things. This series has definitely done that, and I feel like I have as much skin in the game as our couple. So, yes, Lisa Suzanne is one seriously gifted storyteller, and my TBR has grown with her backlist. 

Of course, I have to mention narrators Aiden Snow and Stephanie Rose. They've done a wonderful job with this series, and I can't say enough about just how good their performances are.

As a little reminder, this is book 4 in the series, which is a continuing story, so you do need to read the books in order. Go ahead, you won't regret it. 

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✱✱Audio Book Review✱✱ Flyball by Lisa Suzanne

 

Flyball

Vegas Heat: The Expansion Team, Book 3

By: Lisa Suzanne

Narrated by: Aiden Snow & Stephanie Rose

Fighting against our relationship turns into keeping it a secret… most importantly from her father.

At first, it's fun sneaking around, but then it feels like every time we're close to coming clean, something happens to stop us.

Then, life takes another detour as the reminder that life is short plows into me.

It's moments like these that make me think long and hard about the future. For the first time, the twelve years between us start to have some meaning as I wonder whether I'm robbing her of the future she deserves.

Just like all flyballs, all this is going to come crashing down to the ground.

Flyball is the third book in the Vegas Heat: The Expansion Team series, which must be listened to in order.

Momma Says: 4 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐

And the hits just keep coming! Things may be more dramatic than IRL, but I like that the drama doesn't get a sunshine and rainbows easy fix. That's not to say that I want all this drama for Cooper and Gabby, but if we're gonna have it, I want the characters to work for their HEA - and boy, do these characters have to work for it. That said, I'm not sure my heart can take these cliffies! We're three books in, and you'd think I would learn to expect a whammy, but Lisa Suzanne gets me every time! This author takes the meaning of "cliffhanger" to heart when she pulls the ground from under us.

Aiden Snow and Stephanie Rose continue to do a wonderful job with the narration. They add that little something extra to the story, in my opinion, and the combination of writing and narration is terrific.

Rather than enter spoiler territory, I'll just say that book 3 leaves us holding our breath, waiting to see where things go from here for Gabby and Cooper. 

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