Pretenders by Alexa Land

 

Amazon Link   - Available in KU  

Goodreads Link

Doctor Wesley Bennett is desperate to find a date for his ex-fiancé’s destination wedding. So desperate, in fact, that he’s decided to hire an escort to pose as his boyfriend.

That’s what he thinks, anyway.

My roommate’s the actual escort, not me. He wasn’t available, so I stepped in. This job was just way too sweet to pass up.

It should be easy. All we have to do is convince everyone Wesley and I are a couple without getting emotionally involved. He’s adorable though, in a nerdy and endearingly awkward kind of way, and the attraction between us is undeniable. I have a feeling things are about to get complicated. And what’s going to happen when the job is over? Can we stop pretending and build something real? Or are a straight-laced pediatrician and a lavender-haired DJ too different to make it work?

Pretenders is a stand-alone, opposites attract gay romance, set in the world of Alexa Land’s best-selling Firsts and Forever Series.

My Rating - 5 Stars!

I am super excited with Pretenders, a return to the First and Forever universe by Alexa Land. This is one of my all time favorite series and this is a fabulous addition to that world. 

I just adore this book. Everything about it is charming, sweet, and easy to fall in love with. 

When Wesley needs a date for his ex's wedding, he hires Ash to be his fake boyfriend. Of course, Wesley thinks Ash is a escort. 

I love the way things develop for these two. They get to know one another and it's all sweet and cute. They are such opposites and yet perfect for one another. 

As for the wedding, well, let's just say that Wesley's ex and his family are easy to dislike.

Of course, we get to revisit with Nana D and her merry crew of gay boys, which is just delightful. I love this crazy lady and all her penises!

Pretenders is a fabulous fake relationship romance. I couldn't put this Alexa Land book down. 

MF - BOOK BLITZ & REVIEW - Alee by Nicole Loufas

Alee
Nicole Loufas
Publication date: November 19th 2019
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Young Adult

With just weeks left before her high school graduation, Alee dumps with her sunshine stealing boyfriend in epic fashion – by sleeping with his best friend.
Since bad things happen in three, becoming the school slut is just the beginning.
A mass shooting steals the life of Alee’s Olympic-bound best friend and a homeless drug addict turns out to be the father who abandoned Alee as a child.
With a backpack full of daddy-issues and a bucket list of broken dreams, Alee searches for light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
Will the man who broke her, be the one who saves her life?

REVIEW

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Alee is a story full of grief and despair. This Nicole Loufas book is riveting, yet a tragic read, 

Alee has major abandonment issues, always craving attention from men. She's cheated on her boyfriend, her father is back, and she's full of regrets and mistakes.

She's just a high school girl who's life is full of issues. To be more specific, she has one messed up life.

And, holy shit, this tale is full of non stop depressing events. And with it being told in present tense, it's an even more depressing read.

I couldn't put it down, but I certainly can't recommend it. I wouldn't know who to recommend it to, or when to suggest they read it. But, it's powerful. And depressing. It's certainly a strong story. But, holy shit, there is not a happy moment in this book. There isn't a single character who I liked. It's one of the most depressing books I've ever read. But I certainly couldn't put it down.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Funeral food is like every other party food. Pinwheel sandwiches, mini-meatballs in a brown sauce, wilted salad, and an assortment of cheese and crackers. Laine plucks a cucumber from the tray. He dips it in ranch then shoves it in his mouth with an inappropriately timed sexy smile.
“Bryn hates baby carrots. She said there was something unnatural about them.”
“Toss them.” Laine points to the trash receptacle. “She’s right, they look like fat little baby fingers.” He inspects a dried out digit shaped carrot.
I pick up the tray and carry it to the trash. “This is for Bryn.” The carrots make a raucous as they spill into the bin. A few people glance my way, not for long. Too much eye contact and they’ll have to acknowledge me, speak me, console me.
Laine tosses his carrot in from a few feet away. “Bryn for the win.” He holds pose a few seconds the way Steph Curry does when he hits a three.
We return to the buffet where Frances is speaking to Bryn’s English teacher. She was an honor student so we never had classes together.
“Bryn was smart,” I tell Laine because he’s the only one here who will listen. “She had a 4.0 for, like, ever.”
I remember watching her study, wondering where all that information went. She was like a sponge, absorbing everything around her. Bryn immersed herself in life. She was always moving, always busy with practice of some kind, volunteering, studying, me. I was a project too. She tried like hell to get me involved, get me out of my shell. My spirit animal is a crab; shells are my thing.
Laine and I move to the stage on the other side of the room. A bunch of unattended kids run back and forth squealing like baby pigs. Laine knows a couple of them. They jump on him as soon as he sits down and beg for piggyback rides. He obliges. Laine is a nice guy. I like Laine. That’s probably why I fucked him.
“Are any of these yours?” It’s a joke, but you never know. “That one kind of has your eyes.” I point to the little girl clinging to his back. He gently lets her down and she runs off.
“I volunteer at an after-school program at the rec. At first, it was just something to add to my college applications, but I liked it so I stayed.”
“You really are a good guy, aren’t you?”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“I owe you an apology, for that day. For sucking you into my shit show. You didn’t deserve that.”
His shoulder leans into mine. “No apology necessary. Honestly, I could tell you and Benny weren’t gonna make it.” Laine is Benny’s best friend, he knows all about Benny’s side chicks. Maybe that’s why he did it. I wonder if Bryn knew it too.

Author Bio:
Nicole was born and raised in California. She claims to be a San Francisco native, however she's lived in both Northern and Southern California. She credits her creativity to the fact that she attended 12 schools between kindergarten and her senior year in high school. Her nomadic childhood allowed her to reinvent herself often. Some might say she was a liar. While others see the stories she told as a coping mechanism. Twelve schools, in six cities, in twelve years - give her a break. Today she channels her storytelling ability into writing novels. Long story short - kids that lie become writers.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

GIVEAWAY!

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Complete Christmas Collection by Riley Knight

Amazon Link

Goodreads Link

Blurb

A SIX BOOK BUNDLE of RILEY KNIGHT’S most heartwarming previously-published holiday classics, all for one low price!

The Complete Christmas Collection contains:

Snow Angels

Billy and James both work more than they do anything else. Billy is a firefighter, James a paramedic, and both of them have dangerous, stressful jobs that leave little time for anything else, such as romance or even dating.

Then Polly, an adorable little black and white kitten that they rescue, comes into their lives and changes everything. James has always thought he was straight, but soon, he has reason to question that, and everything else, when he realizes that he's falling for his best friend.

Winter Wedding in Wyoming

A decade ago, Jason ruined everything with his best friend when he kissed him impulsively. The only logical thing to do at that point was to run away from his homophobic family and neighbors, not to mention his mistake, and build a new life for himself in a whole new state.

Another mistake brings him back to Wyoming, back to Lance, the best friend that he’d freaked out all of those years ago. Even after all of the time that has passed, he only trusts one man on the planet enough to ask to marry him. And that’s exactly what he needs to do, if he wants any chance at keeping his exciting new life.

Mistletoe Marriage

When David was a teaching assistant, he met Jonathan, a beautiful young student. The two became close friends, but the romance budding between them was forbidden and impossible. After the death of David’s wife, the older man is left a single father, longing for his best friend. It isn’t until Jonathan gets divorced that they have their chance.

When David invites Jonathan and his son to live with him in the aftermath of the divorce, both men begin to wonder if the spark that was once there between them still exists. As the holidays approach, will the opportunity for love rise once more?

Holiday Engagement

Jake Marshal is just a DJ - he never expected to be famous. After a widely publicized relationship with a high-profile pop star ends disastrously, Jake just wants to put the incident behind him. A year later, her betrayed fans are still threatening his well being, her revenge song is still on the radio, and his manager thinks he needs a bodyguard to get him through Christmas. Jake hates Christmas, but his attraction to his bodyguard is nearly instant.

When bodyguard Xavier Stone gets a job protecting Jake, he has no idea how much he has his work cut out for him. At least, he figures, the tour of Christmas events that Jake’s manager has planned will keep them in high spirits. Xavier loves Christmas, and spends each year eagerly counting down from December 1st. He quickly discovers that Jake is a scrooge, still stuck on his break up.

Small Town Christmas

Andy is a small town Sheriff with a secret. For years he’s been in the closet, hiding the truth about who he really is--and this year, it’s even more important that he keep his secret hidden. His position as Sheriff is up for grabs.

Jeffrey Smith is a big city businessman, and he’s only in town to secure an investment. When his luck takes a turn, he finds himself falling for the last person he should--the town’s Sheriff himself.

Country Christmas

Edward Kirby is a big-city surgeon who’s worked himself toward an early grave. On his way to Wisconsin for some enforced R&R, a snowstorm hits--leaving Edward injured, stranded, and more stressed than ever.

Stephen Jackson is an all-American cowboy--and a virgin. He’s overwhelmed with work, trying to keep the family farm from falling into financial collapse, when Edward ends up renting a room at his ranch. He has no idea how to handle the attraction he feels towards the handsome, wealthy man. They come from opposite worlds, but could love find a way to make it work?

Review 

My Rating -  Stars!

Complete Christmas Collection by Riley Knight is a compilation of six Christmas stories. Each story is a sweet short, yet fully developed read.

Book One, Snow Angels is a sweet roommate romance. 
Billy and James have to deal with a crazy ex, homophobia, and more. It includes first kisses, first times, and some hot moments. There's an adorable little kitten, snow, and snow angels. 
It's definitely a good story to get you in the Christmas mood, following these two roommates during the early days of their romance. 

Book Two, Winter Wedding in Wyoming is a nice second chance romance.
Two former best friends, Jason and Lance, haven't been together in years. When Jason comes home, he's no longer welcome. But he's back and proposes marriage to his former bestie for political gain. What follows is a sweet fake marriage romance where the two men slowly fall for each other during the holidays. 

The rest are just as sweet, completely getting one in the mood for the holidays. When you're looking for a sweet Christmas read, you can't beat this bundle.