MF - Love to Hate You by Whitley Cox

 

Amazon Link - Available in KU
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She needs arm candy, he needs her insurance, but first, they need to drive across the country without killing each other.


Eli

Since the first day of kindergarten, I have hated Alexandra Hartford.
And twenty-something years later that hasn’t changed.
But she has.
She’s still a tomboy with a chip on her shoulder, but now she’s a hot tomboy with a chip on her tattooed shoulder who can fight like a badass.
I’d still rather have a bath with fire ants than spend ten days in a car with her, but she has something I need.
Once the deal is done, we can go our separate ways.
That is … if I want to.

Alex

Eli Evans is my nemesis.
He blames me for his sister’s death, our parents’ divorces, and probably global warming, too.
Why on Earth would I help him?
Because he’s as easy on the eyes as he is the bane of my existence and I need a hot date to a wedding in San Diego.
Can we drive across the country without me leaving him at a truck stop somewhere? I doubt it.
But, I’m willing to try.
Ten days in a car, a wedding, and a marriage of convenience, then I’m done with him forever.
Right?

My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

Love to Hate You is a great read by Whitley Cox. If you enjoy enemies to lovers romances, this is a must read. 

Alex and Eli have a lifetime of memories together. They also share the loss of Alex's best friend, Eli's twin sister. That event added an extra wedge between them that they haven't been able to work through. 

This is a lifelong nemesis story. Eli was ruthless to Alex through the years, as her school bully, as well as through their later years. 

I love a good enemies to lovers tale, but only if the author can somehow truly make me believe they can get through their issues. It isn't always easy to make forgiveness and redemption believable, but the author excells in both. 

This is also a pretend marriage story, as the two get married to provide Eli with health insurance for a much needed surgery. Of course, the arrangement will benefit her too. 

Everything that follows is a well explored journey towards understanding and forgiveness. And damn it, but I'm still shocked I was able to forgive Eli for everything. 

I love the relationship they end up developing and truly enjoy them as a couple. 

Love to Hate You is an emotional read that will take you through it all; pain, hate, anger, loss, grief, forgiveness, love. This Whitley Cox tale is also passionate and steamy, making this enemies to lovers tale a delicious read. 

MF - Reckless (Wildrose Landing #3) by Abby Brooks

 

Amazon Link - Available in KU  
Goodreads Link

I thought the proposal was a joke at first. You would too, given the circumstances. Anyone would.

When my brother’s best friend asks me to marry him—right after we fell into bed together!—it’s not for love. And it’s certainly not because he has his eyes set on a happily ever after.

Oh no.

He wants me to be the future Mrs. Malone because he’s in a bind and “kind of needs a wife.”

But I’ve been head-over-heels, stupid-in-the-brain in love with the guy since I was sixteen. SIXTEEN.

While he’s talking about a business proposal, I’m staring at a dream come true.

Obviously, I should walk away from this crazy idea with my head held high, but when it comes to Jude, I’m weak. I always have been.

Plus, after our drunken rendezvous the night of my brother’s wedding, I’ve got some very real reasons to say yes.

I can get through this with my heart intact…can’t I?

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Reckless is a fantastic brother's best friend romance. This Abby Brooks gem is everything I love about this trope. 

From the start, I feel in love with Jude and Izzy. These two have been longing for one another for years. But Jude has long known that Izzy was off limits. 

Add in a one night stand, a proposal, and an accidental pregnancy, and things start to progress between the two. And wow, it gets so good between them!

Omg. I just love these two. Their story is riveting, with some tension and angst. Of course, there's plenty of doubts and some big obstacles, but I never doubted they'd eventually find their way.

Written in alternating first person pov, both characters fully come to life. Both characters have some issues in their backgrounds that have led them to be the way they are.  

Reckless is a feel-good, wonderful read. I couldn't put this Abby Brooks book down, leaving me reading it late into the night. This is a must read for any fans of brother's best friends romances. 

Bed Warmer (Friends of Friends #2) by Jennifer Luxe

 

Amazon Link - Available in KU
Goodreads Link

Kade

My luck with finding a steady, committed relationship is so bad it should be in a record book. Not only did my last serious boyfriend use me to cheat on his girlfriend, but this other guy I’m in love with that I’ve known practically my whole life can’t see me as anything more than a fuck buddy. Well, I’m done with trying to find a guy to be with long-term. Screw commitment, it only causes heartbreak.

Damon Vance is exactly what I need. Initially, we’re both looking for a one-night stand, but the scorching heat and chemistry between us are hard to forget. He needs someone who can keep a secret, namely the one about his marriage being a sham, and I need someone who can’t give me anything more than sex. Problem is, my heart is getting more and more invested the longer we spend together. On top of that, there’s a surprisingly sweet side to Damon that’s tearing up my resolve and making it hard to remember that I’m just his bed warmer.

Damon

When I met Kayden Lee for the first time in a club, all I saw was a gorgeous man with long hair, tattoos, and a sunshine smile. From that first glance, I knew I had to spend the night with him. Sparks fly between us and the chemistry is off the charts, but there’s a problem: my wedding’s the next day, and Kade is a guest. He’s also the younger brother of one of my employees, an important fact I didn’t know when I picked him up at the club.

Despite the complications, our one-night stand turns into a mutually beneficial arrangement that has me wanting as much of Kade as I can get. I never thought I’d actually want to be committed to someone, but Kade is changing my mind faster than I thought possible. Suddenly, this marriage of convenience isn’t so convenient, and the person I really want seems determined to keep me from loving him like he deserves.

**Bed Warmer is a full-length M/M romance novel featuring a found family that keeps growing, even more tattooed hotties, and a hookup that leads to a HEA. This is the second book in the Friends of Friends series and can be read as a standalone. 

My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

Bed Warmer is the second book in the Friends of Friends series. This Jennifer Luxe tale is easily read as a standalone. 

Kade and Damon make for a nice read, with the attraction being there from the start. They start with a hook up and slowly end up as more. 

I love these two together. They each support the other nicely and things between them just feel so right. 

This one involves a married man who's in a fake relationship. I can't get enough of how supportive Damon's wife is. I love the relationship they have and that she's there to support him throughout. 

Yes, some may hate the marriage aspect of this story, but I just love the way this whole story develops. The marriage adds so much to Damon's character and the obstacles they face along the way.

The writing if great, with some wonderful characters, including some nice secondary characters.I love the found family aspect, which is always a nice thing to read. And in this case, it's a well rounded group of people who add a lot to the story. 

Bed Warmer is one of those books that feel into my lap exactly when I needed it most. I love everything about this Jennifer Luxe story and found myself devouring it as quickly as I could.

MF - The Faker (Boston Hawks Hockey #3) by Gina Azzi

 

Amazon Link   

Goodreads Link

NHL hotshot Torsten Hansen is a lot of things. My husband shouldn't be one of them.

One emotional night slinging tequila shots and singing karaoke with the Hawks defenseman turns into more than I bargained for. A wicked hangover, an eviction notice, and a marriage proposal.

If Torsten and I wed, he can fulfill a promise to his grandmother and the debt I'm drowning in will be paid by his trust fund. It's a win-win, an easy and straightforward arrangement between friends.

So what if my friend has piercing blue eyes, a sensual smirk, and a body that occupies my dreams? It shouldn't matter that Torsten understands my past and makes me feel safe.

Except it does. Because if I give my heart to my husband, how will I survive our eventual divorce? 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

I love this book. The Faker is a fabulous sports romance. The third book in Gina Azzi's Boston Hawks Hockey series, this just adds to the fun of this hockey team. 

With a fake relationship bringing them together, I adore the way the two get closer and ultimately fall in love. 

Their journey isn't easy though, as they went into the arrangement with the promise that it was just temporary. Admitting that you got real feelings is a struggle. 

Their story involves a lot of family issues, including a family that lives in another country. 

I enjoy the struggles Torsten faces as an aging hockey player. I found his emotions to be well explored and appreciate this aspect of the storyline. 

The Faker is just icing on the top of this already delightful sports romance series. This Gina Azzi hockey series just keeps getting better. I can't wait to see what comes next. 

Runaway (Escape #2) by Casey Cox

 

Amazon Link   - Available in KU  

Goodreads Link

Ever woken up and realized your life is one big cliché?

Waking up married in Vegas? Been there, done that… Twice.
Base-jumping off Mount Fuji in Japan? That's, like, a chill weekend.
Partying in France with supermodels? Meh, très overrated.

Despite being born into the most powerful family in the highly prestigious cowbell industry (yeah, you read that right)—I’m feeling more than just a little lost. So, partying and living it up has become my default avoidance coping mechanism.

Until I spot him one night on vacation staring out into the dark ocean, looking all sorts of Cali-cute.

When he speaks, he catches my interest.
When he serves me back my own sassiness with an added helping of nerdy smarts, he burrows into my brain.
And when he peers up at me through sun-kissed lashes with those glittery eyes and smiles?
Damn, he captures my heart like no one ever has.

But how do you keep the one you want to be with forever from slipping through your fingers?

RUNAWAY is a woke-up-married, fake relationship (after insta-love) rom-com style MM romance. It features a loveable bad boy getting up to no good (for all the right reasons) who meets a boy with a bucket list.

You can expect plenty of gasps, giggles, and OMG moments including Fermi pickup lines, terrible...y good karaoke, cowbells, mystery midnight walks, a life-changing ATM glitch, one outrageous grandmother who intends to take full advantage of an all-male clothing optional resort, small townspeople that will melt your heart with their kindness, and a happily ever after that will make you feel like you’ve just returned from the best vacation ever.
(Piña coladas and other creatively named cocktails not included.)

RUNAWAY is part of the super sweet, light and fluffy ESCAPE series. There are no cliffhangers (ew) and no cheating either (double ew). You can read the books in whatever order your heart desires!

My Rating - 3.5 Stars!

Runaway is a nice read by Casey Cox. I don't love it, but I did enjoy it. 

This is a mix of insta love and fake marriage. 

I think my issue is that it took me too long to feel a connection between the men. Jedfire is definitely not for me, but eventually won me over. But damn, he's totally the kind of character I loathe. 

But eventually, his actions won me over. Conrad too. 

The storyline is way out there, but I still enjoyed it. Definitely skip this one if you are a stickler about realism. 

But if you are okay with over the top storylines, you might just like this one. 

Runaway is an okay addition to this series. Overall, I enjoyed this Casey Cox book. 

Web of Lies (The Goode Life #2) by Isla Olsen

 

Amazon Link   - Available in KU  

Goodreads Link

Jesse

My little brother is getting married and I couldn’t be happier…

Well, maybe I could if I hadn’t just been dumped by the boyfriend I thought was about to propose, kicked out of my New York apartment, and, worst of all, lost one of the pediatric patients under my care at the hospital where I work as a nurse.

With the current sh*tstorm that is my life, who could blame me for going a little overboard on the cocktails at the bachelor weekend in Vegas?

Me. I could blame me. Especially when I wake up with the hangover from hell and the memory of marrying my arch-nemesis, Webster Goode, in a ceremony caught on camera by the reality show Real Vegas Weddings.

There’s only one clear path forward: get through my brother’s wedding, get an annulment, and get back to New York and my normal life. All without anyone finding out what Web and I did in Vegas.

But it turns out correcting that big mistake won’t be as easy as I’d first thought, and keeping our secret from the Finchley gossip machine could be damn near impossible…

The truth is, the more time I spend with Web, the more I start to realize there might be a very thin line between love and hate…

Come visit Finchley, CA, where the sun’s always shining, the locals are always gossiping, and you won’t walk two steps without bumping into a member of the Goode family. If you’re lucky, you might find gold; or, even better…true love. 

My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

Web of Lies is the second book in Isla Olsen's The Goode Life series. And wow, what a fabulous series it is so far!

Jesse and his former friend Webster have an ugly history. Current enemies, they still have had to deal with their families being friends. But, oh how I adore the way everything develops between the two, even if it's all a little ridiculous. Hell, I'm not even sure what to say about what happens in Vegas. But I certainly don't hate it.

The big "aha!" moment seemed a little strange in it's timing, but I don't care. It's all cute and sweet. 

The men are certainly great together, full of attitude and strangely never fighting it out. They banter and argue but never yell about their pasts. Instead, we get their stubborn sides that puts them in some crazy situations. 

As for the sex, oh boy, it's hot! They certainly have chemistry in spades. 

Jesse. Sweet Jesse. I love the nurse side of Jesse. As a pediatric nurse, I love how he cares for his patients. 

And oh dear lord. The facebook posts, the texts, and chats are hysterical. This family is fabulous. I love it all. The Goode family keeps me delighted throughout. Everything about them make me smile.

Overall, Web of Lies is an amazing addition to this series. Isla Olsen once again leaves me smiling and laughing throughout. I can't wait to see what happens next. 

BLOG TOUR, EXCEPT, GIVEAWAY & REVIEW - Poor Little Rich Boy by Katey Hawthorne

 

POOR LITTLE RICH BOY
By Katey Hawthorne
47k m/m, gay/bi contemporary romance
Tags: tropey, low angst, marriage of convenience, friends to lovers, millionaire
ISBN: 9781646566389

Amazon Link   

Goodreads Link

Ted MacTaggart's overbearing father is still trying to control his life, even from the grave. His will insists that, in order to inherit the family company, MAC Superior, Ted must be married by his twenty-fifth birthday -- and the marriage has to be "real." As in the board of MAC has to sign off on it.

Ted could fight the will, but then the handsome, artistic Ryan Costa, an old friend from school days walks back into his life, offering to be his groom-of-convenience. Ted draws up the contracts and Ryan, who has family medical bill problems, agrees gladly to the terms. Ted, emotionally walled off and afraid of his attraction to Ryan, also suggests they should keep their relationship strictly professional. Caring for people has always proven a weakness for him. Now isn't the time to start.

It's not long before Ryan's charm breaks through Ted's walls, but Ted isn't his own worst enemy in this case. Other forces are vying for MAC Superior, and even when their relationship is becoming the real deal, its shaky foundations land Ryan and Ted in trouble. 

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Poor Little Rich Boy is a cute friends to lovers romance by Katey Hawthorne. 

I have to admit the cover threw me. It doesn't match the title or the feel of the story. The cover seems dark and mysterious, or historical in nature. But the tale itself is modern, reads easily, and has a pleasant tone. It's easy to find this story compelling. 

Ted needs to get married to keep his company. With a drunken agreement to fake marry his friend Ryan, the adventure starts.

What follows is a friends to lovers romance, as fake turns to real. They have to deal with family issues and a whole lot of biphobia. There are business issues to deal with and an ass of a brother. 

The honeymoon is wonderful, with my favorite part being how it's a place that's a dream for someone with social anxiety. Love this. It's perfectly fitting for Ted to open up in such a place.

The author's writing is great, with a diverse set of characters, all well brought to life. The storyline is good, with plenty of sweetness and romantic discoveries included. Ryan's bisexuality is well illustrated, including the biphobia and assumptions of people around him.

The beginning had me sucked in, with the middle being a little slower for me. But the last third had me hooked again. With Ted being a closed off man at the beginning, his character growth leads this story. 

Poor Little Rich Boy is a feel-good friends to lovers tale. This Katey Hawthorne read is perfect the next time you're in the mood for a closed off man opening his heart and finding love. It may have been with false intentions at the start, but it doesn't take long for their marriage to become real.

When he emerged from his bath—and took care of a few more intimate cleaning rituals after—Ted boldly wrapped his towel around his waist and walked directly into the biggest bedroom.

Ryan sat there, a bottle of red Côtes du Rhône open before him, one glass in his hand, looking out the window toward Sainte-Victoire. He didn’t even glance at Ted.

If Ted had been nervous before, he felt positively sick now. “You look pensive.” He wanted to go to the table and pour himself a glass—the wine was the most perfect shade of dark red. But he suddenly wished he’d put on his clothes instead of trying to be…whatever this was.

Finally, Ryan looked at him. His gaze slid slowly down Ted’s mostly naked body, paused at the bulge behind the towel, then moved back upward. Ryan sighed. “What is even happening here?”

Ted lifted his chin, though the flush that took his whole upper body would betray him and he knew it. “It looks like you’re drinking wine alone.” He started for the table, determined.

“Don’t do that,” Ryan said quietly.

“Don’t do what?”

“That,” Ryan repeated.

Ted slid another wine glass over and started pouring for himself. He didn’t know what Ryan meant, and he already had too much speculation flying around in his head just then. Over and over. Non-stop.

One thing was for certain, though: he had misjudged Ryan’s intentions completely.

“Seriously, Teddy, have some fucking mercy, will you? One second, you’re telling me you liked the spooning, the next you’re avoiding me for two weeks before our goddamn wedding. I thought, okay, it’s Ted, he needs his space, it’s a big deal—I let it go. I see you smiling, I feel you kissing me like that at the wedding, and I think, okay, no, he’s into it. He likes me, he really likes me. Then you don’t even speak to me for a whole trans-Atlantic flight, you act like you barely know me as we’re heading toward the world’s most goddamn romantic villa—”

“I did not!” Ted protested. “I didn’t—I was distracted!”

“Oh, you were distracted, okay, well, forgive me for thinking for one second that you might actually be having a feeling.” Ryan took a drink and somehow managed to make it look angry.

Ted, meanwhile, simply stood there watching, the blood draining from his face, leaving him cold. Many, many people, including his own family, had felt the need to comment on Ted’s supposed frigidity in his lifetime. In general, he was proud of it; he had cultivated it from childhood. But for Ryan to say it, when Ted had been trying so very, very hard to shake it off, to be open and honest, for possibly the first time in his so far emotionally pathetic life…

“You’re such a good actor.” Ryan looked out the window again. “I get it, now. It’s not all that easy for you. But the problem is, I get drawn in by it too, and I let myself think you’re finally going to give me a chance, and then it’s all gone the second we’re alone again. You’re totally shut off.”

“That’s…that is not true.” The violence in it surprised even Ted. “And you, of all people, should know it. How—”

“How dare I? Seriously? You’re gonna go there?” Ryan turned from the window, finally, set down his glass, and stood. His eyes flashed with the most unfamiliar of emotions: anger. “Do you have any idea how shitty the last few weeks have been for me? Trying to figure out whether you actually give a fuck about me or not, and in what way, and how I’m supposed to act to keep you from totally ignoring me?”

“And you think it was fun for me?” Ted snapped, stepping a little closer, chin still lifted.

“I pretended it might be.” Ryan glared. “To justify you totally ignoring my existence. But hey, whatever, it’s not a real marriage, not even a real friendship, so why should I expect—”

“Oh, fuck you, Ryan! And fuck real.” Ted blurted. “You know goddamn well it’s a real friendship; the only one I have, practically.”

Ryan rolled his eyes. “Poor little rich boy, no one to love.”

“Fuck you sideways! Well, at least you had all that ginger porn to content yourself with!” Once it was out, Ted flushed again, but he didn’t feel particularly bad about it. In fact, he was glad he’d said it.

“You found my porn!”

“You left it next to the goddamn wedding favors, you idiot. Almost like you wanted me to find it.” The thought was ridiculous, but Ted wanted to say it anyhow.

“Maybe I did!” Ryan’s voice rose. “And maybe I wanted you to think about me fucking myself while I watched them!”

Ted, startled by this admission, which was not at all the reaction he’d been expecting, could only reply, “Well, then you got your wish!”

For a beat that seemed to stretch just a little too long, they stared at each other, breathing hard. Then, Ryan said, “Tell me not to.”

But Ted said, “Fucking do it.”

Ryan pinned Ted’s back to the nearest wall so quickly his head made a thunking noise.

“Sorry,” Ryan breathed against Ted’s lips. He leaned in, hovering just half a centimeter off Ted’s body all over, both hands against the wall behind him.

“Don’t be.” Ted reached up, grabbed Ryan’s face, and pulled him into a deep, hungry kiss. 

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http://www.kateyhawthorne.com/p/one-shots.html
https://www.jms-books.com/katey-hawthorne-c-224_481/poor-little-rich-boy-p-3613.html
https://books2read.com/u/4EP9wY

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Hawthorne loves queer romance. Originally from the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia, she currently lives in Ohio with her family, two cats, and two huge puppies. In her spare time, she enjoys travel, comic books, B-movies, loud music, video games, Epiphones, and Bushmills. Her favorite causes include animal rescue and bisexual representation in media. She is an unashamed fangirl and collects nerdy tattoos like she’s trying to prove it.

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Giveaway:

Comment on any post during the Poor Little Rich Boy blog tour and then head to rafflecopter to enter the giveaway!
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3105535d21/?

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