It’s another glorious week in contemporary romance, so prepare yourself to read, read, read.
Indicates the books that I have read and recommend.
❤ We Shouldn’t by Vi Keeland (Jan. 21)
I’m a huge fan of Vi Keeland, so when she releases a new book, I feel downright drunk off my own giddiness, as if I’ve seen a double rainbow. It’s glorious! Her latest, We Shouldn’t, is a highly entertaining, seriously sexy and emotionally satisfying enemies-to-lovers romance in which two brilliant marketing executives are vying for the same position after their firms’ merge. Bennett and Annalise are mesmerizing from their very first interaction as they bicker and verbally spar while trying to work together and also compete against one another. Their chemistry fairly leaps off the page and heats their every exchange, and they are perfectly matched and fun to watch. Their journey to happily ever after is equal amounts poignant, funny, fan-yourself-worthy and romantic, and I can’t recommend We Shouldn’t enough.
Blood and Chaos (Chaos #2) by S.M. Soto (Jan. 21). Not a standalone.
The first book in this trilogy, Deception and Chaos, is a jaw-dropping, dark and twisted tale that you won’t forget, and I am dying to read the next installment, Blood and Chaos when it comes out this week.
❤ Drifter by Kristy Marie (Jan. 21)
Kristy Marie writes hilarious and sexy romantic comedies with likeable, complex characters and nuanced plots, and Drifter might be my favorite book of hers yet. A beautiful, cynical thief cannot help but be charmed by an affectionate, always-smiling ex-Marine after she steals his beloved motorcycle. He wants his bike back but he discovers that he wants her guarded heart even more. He slowly breaks down the walls around her heart and she shows her strength as she supports him in dealing with some of the issues from his past in the military. They relationship is tender, sweet and steam, and you’ll be grinning from ear to ear after reading this story.
Cruel Money (Cruel #1) by K.A. Linde (Jan. 22). Not a standalone.
An unforgettable one-night stand with a ruthless businessman gets a lot more complicated when she turns out to be his newest live-in employee. Cruel Money is the first book in K.A. Linde’s Cruel trilogy and ends in a cliffhanger, and the second book, Cruel Fortune, releases in April.
❤ Cold Hearted Bastard by Jennifer Dawson (Jan. 22)
Jennifer Dawson writes compelling anti-heroes, and I fell hard for her latest one in Cold Hearted Bastard. He’s a world-renowned chef, who is sexy, gruff, moody and sometimes a jerk. He suddenly fled his glamorous lifestyle and the public eye in order to return to his small Louisiana hometown, and no one knows why. She’s a brilliant restaurateur and chef from Chicago, who wants to convince him to work for her. They both believe that they’ll be the victor in this showdown but neither can control their smoking hot attraction. Make sure to have a fan close, because you will need it while reading this enemies-to-lovers romance.
Illegally Yours by Kate Meader (Jan. 22)
A cocky, British-born attorney meets his perfect match with a sassy waitress, who isn’t easily impressed by his playboy moves – at least not at first. Illegally Yours looks like a romance that truly has it all.
Take Me Again by Carly Phillips (Jan. 22)
I’m always excited when Carly Phillips has a new book, and Take Me Again is a second-chance romance that is certain to be sexy, fun and unputdownable.
Playing for Keeps by Jill Shalvis (Jan. 22)
In this opposites-attract romance by the amazingly talented Jill Shalvis, a hardened businessman falls for a tattoo artist after they adopt a rescue dog together. Shalvis consistently writes sexy, emotional romances and is always on my auto-buy list.
Pan by Gina L. Maxwell (Jan. 22)
This second-chance romance is a retelling of Peter Pan and sounds very interesting and completely original, and I can’t wait to see how Maxwell spins this beloved tale.
Overnight Sensation by Sarina Bowen (Jan. 22)
I love Sarina Bowen’s hockey romances. (Well, I love everything she writes!) Overnight Sensation looks like it will be another winner. A commitment-adverse hockey player falls for the one woman he shouldn’t – the league commissioner’s daughter.
Picture Perfect Summer by Marquita Valentine (Jan. 22)
I have a feeling this small-town, second-chance romance is going to be absolutely swoon-worthy. One beautiful summer at the beach, a young couple falls hard for one another, only to have their love story cut short when he finds out that he’s about to be a father with his soon-to-be-ex-wife. They go their separate ways and try to forget one another, but their feelings haven’t dimmed in ten years. Now, they are together again and have an opportunity to finally seize their happily ever after.
❤ Pretty Young Things by Ace Gray (Jan. 24)
Pretty Young Things is a fresh, contemporary twist to The Count of Monte Cristo, and I was captivated from its first page to its last. This angsty, sexy page-turner will have you desperate to find out what happens next when the hero is betrayed by the friends that he considers family and framed for a crime that he didn’t commit. He has to fight to get his life back, to reclaim the love that he lost, and to extract vengeance. There is intrigue, suspense, twists and turns in this story, but it’s a gorgeous romance at its very core.
❤ Work in Progress by Staci Hart (Jan. 24)
I can’t even tell you how much I adore Work in Progress. It is everything, and you will want to savor every moment of this beautiful, funny and insightful romantic comedy. A shy, quiet book blogger finds herself in a marriage of convenience with a famous bad-boy author in an effort to repair his reputation and save his career. Amelia and Tommy are opposites in many ways – from their looks to their personalities – but they absolutely perfect for one another, and they’re coming together feels incredibly romantic and extraordinarily sexy. This is the ultimate feel-good, heartwarming story, and you will be equally charmed and entertained while reading it. There is no doubt in that Work in Progress will be on my Best of 2019 list.
