RELEASE BLITZ , EXCERPT, GIVEAWAY & REVIEW - Love Directions (Good Bad Idea #5) by A.F. Zoelle

Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway:
Love Directions by A.F. Zoelle

A Good Bad Idea Story, Book 5

Elias Forthwright

Can a chance meeting lead to true love? I sure hope so, because I’m falling hard and fast for North. I’m normally too shy to be attracted to a playful flirt like him, but he’s full of surprises that bring out the best in me. Even though we’re nothing alike, he’s everything I never knew I needed.

Maybe it’s silly to feel like the cosmic universe conspired to bring us together, but North makes me want to believe in the impossible. After all, it would be stupid to run away from love when all signs point to him being the one, right?

North Easton

To say I’ve lived a strange life is a massive understatement. I’m used to weird things being the norm, but even I never expected to fall in love with a sweetheart the first time I meet him. Elias makes me feel all warm and gooey inside like a hot brownie. If I get lucky, maybe he’ll want a bite. And if I’m really lucky, he’ll want to come back for seconds, thirds, fourths, and forever. 

I know we just met, but is it too soon to plan for a lifetime of canoodling with Elias? Shockingly, I don’t mean that as a euphemism for once.

Love Directions is the fifth book in the Good Bad Idea series. This novel features a shy/flirt, instalove, opposites attract romance. Full of cute sweetness and sexy fun, every story ends with a satisfying HEA and no cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone or as part of the series in order.

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My Rating - 5 Stars!

AF Zoelle's Love Directions is a great romance. The fifth book in the Good Bad Idea series, it's a perfect addition to the fun. 

North and Elias' love story is one of insta-love, with a connection that is intense and all consuming. They are two men who weren't looking for love and really didn't want it. Until it hit them in the face. 

North is an author with a side gig, which leads to some tension. His family is the absolute best and they alone are worth the read. He has a quirky mom, a talking cat, and an

adorable family.

Elias meanwhile is scared off from relationships after his ex. I was so mad and disgusted with Elias' exes, but delighted with the way North handles him. And then there's the emotional and loving letters from Elias' mom, which will just gut you. 

Their story is one of opposites, with one being an extrovert and the other an introvert.

Written in alternating 1st person pov, the author fully pulls us into the emotions and quirkiness of this story. It's full of intrigue and memorable moments, as well as families that are out of this world. Seriously, you will love every second of their family moments.  

Love Directions is sweet, sweet, sweet. AF Zoelle delights with this delightful tale of two men who are meant to be. It's tough to top this one. Just read it. 

North shook my hand as he introduced himself, sending currents zinging through me as we touched. “I’m North Easton. Nice to meet you, Elias.”
That was quite an interesting name. “North Easton?”
“Yeah, and my twin is West Easton. There isn’t a joke about that we haven’t heard.” He grinned, even though he was probably sick of everyone having the same response. “If you think that’s bad, my mom has a cat called Woof. My theory is she’s overcompensating for being named Linda.”
He said it with a straight face, but I couldn’t believe him. “You’re joking, right?”
“I wish I was. When she was a kid, she had a Chihuahua named Meow.”
It was so absurd I had to laugh. “Now you’re just messing with me.”
North pulled out his phone and opened his group text with his mother and sister. He scrolled up a bit to a picture of a very regal-looking gray Siamese cat wearing a gold crown and white fur-lined purple velvet cloak. The texts under it made me snicker.

Mom: King Woof requests your presence at dinner.

West: Kings don’t make requests; they command.

Mom: Fine, he commands you to stop being a smart-ass.

North: Good luck with that. Does Lord Woofie have a specific time in mind?

The conversation was so delightfully weird. “I bet her next cat’s name is Mouse.”
“You’re probably right. That’s absolutely her sense of humor.”
I raised my drink in a toast. “Congratulations, you’re officially the most interesting person I know now.”
“I’m honored.” He clinked his glass against mine. “So, what’s this I hear about me being your stranger?”
As he drank his cocktail while watching me, I found myself tongue-tied. Thankfully, Red answered for me. “His horoscope said he would meet a stranger that would change his life today. It also suggested that he should be open to the possibility of love, hint hint. Mine said I should play Cupid, so this seems like the perfect trifecta to make magic happen.”
It was embarrassing having my horoscope habit being revealed. I hurried to justify my interest. “Horoscopes were my mom’s thing.”
North studied me, his gaze piercing through me as if he could see all my secrets somehow. I felt exposed but remained silent as I waited for him to respond. He took another sip before he shocked me. “You must be a Virgo.”
I blinked at him in disbelief. “How could you tell?”
His cryptic smile did funny things to my heart. “I’m magic.”
“If you’re so magical, what am I?” Red challenged.
“Oh, you’re definitely a Taurus. There’s no question about that.”
His accuracy was uncanny, further intriguing me. “Why do you know that?”
“I told you: I’m magic.” He stated it with so much confidence, I almost believed him. Who was this guy?

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Enter the Giveaway:

To celebrate the exciting release of Love Directions, we are giving away 2 e-sets of the A Good Bad Idea Series so far (5 books)!

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Check out the rest of the
A Good Bad Idea Stories

Book 1: Bet On Love

Rhys Huntington

After my bachelor party, I expected to wake up with a hangover. I never imagined I’d wake up in bed with a husband two days before my actual wedding. Realizing I’m straight and married to my best man sobers me up real fast. But nothing could have prepared me for discovering I desperately want to consummate my marriage with my best friend and spend the rest of my life with him.

What are the odds that my bad idea ends up being the best thing to ever happen to us?

Lucien “Luci" St. Amour

Rhys may legally be my husband now, but that doesn’t mean he’s mine to love and cherish for the rest of our lives. We’ll get an annulment, then go back to being just best friends. But all those feelings I’ve suppressed since we shared our first kiss as teenagers have been stirred up, forcing me to confront the fact that I wish our marriage was more than a mistake.

How do I tell my best friend I want a second chance to be his husband for real?

Bet on Love is the first book in the Good Bad Idea series. This novella features a friends to lovers, second chance, bisexual awakening romance. Full of cute sweetness and sexy fun, every story ends with a satisfying HEA and no cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone or as part of the series in order.

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My Review

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Book 2: Love Means More

Ambrose O’Rourke

I’ve dropped at least 1,846,957 hints that I want to be more than Augie’s best friend. Despite my best efforts, my reputation as a straight playboy means he’s not picking up what I’m putting down. If I’m going to win his heart, I’ve got to get creative.

Maybe if I show him what an awesome fake boyfriend I am, he’ll want me to be his real one?

August “Augie" Murphy

Secretly being in love with your straight friend sucks. Secretly being in love with your straight friend who won’t quit flirting with you really sucks. When Ambrose suggests we go on a fake double date as boyfriends, the temptation is too much to resist. Even if we’re only pretending for one night, I want to know what it’s like to be loved by him.

Is it possible to turn my fake boyfriend for a night into my real one forever?

Love Means More is the second book in the Good Bad Idea series. This novel features a friends to lovers, fake boyfriends, bisexual awakening romance. Full of cute sweetness and sexy fun, every story ends with a satisfying HEA and no cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone or as part of the series in order.

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My Review

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Book 3: Fancy Love

Callum O’Rourke

A twenty-year-old like me doesn’t stand a chance with an older playboy like Rune. Yet despite being total opposites, I’m lucky enough to call him my friend. Anything more than that would be greedy, but that doesn’t stop me from wishing he would teach me how to satisfy the passionate desire I feel for him. All of my fantasies are about experiencing my first time with him.

Could I be lucky enough that it happens for real?

Rune Tourneau

The only relationships I used to be interested in were meaningless hookups with no strings attached. But Callum’s kindness touched a part of my heart I didn't know existed, changing me forever. I desperately want him, but he deserves to be cherished by someone who thinks true love is real and isn’t a jaded thirty-year-old like me.

Can he really turn a sceptic like me into someone who believes we could have a romantic happy ever after together?

Fancy Love is the third book in the Good Bad Idea series. This novel features a grumpy/sunshine, age gap, first time, opposites attract romance. Full of cute sweetness and sexy fun, every story ends with a satisfying HEA and no cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone or as part of the series in order.

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My Review

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Book 4: Love Fool

Xander Dandridge

Everybody thinks my best friend is in love with me, including my cheating ex-boyfriend. When I have to see that jerk at my boss’s wedding, bringing Jules as my fake date is the perfect revenge. But why stop there? After all, if everyone is going to accuse Jules and I of being together, why shouldn’t we enjoy ourselves as friends-with-benefits?

Ohhhh, it’s because our arrangement makes me fall in love with him for real. Oops?

Jules Tourneau

I’ve ignored my feelings for Xander so many years that I’m convinced I only love him as a friend. It’s totally a coincidence that thinking of him with his awful ex-boyfriend makes me burn with raging hellfire, right? When we’re fake dating, I’m obviously going to have fun teasing him with obnoxiously cutesy nicknames, like calling him my pookie—crap, I’m actually in love with Xander, aren’t I?

How do you tell your best friend, “Surprise! I just figured out I’ve been stupid in love with you forever,” without sounding like the world’s biggest idiot?

Love Fool is the fourth book in the Good Bad Idea series. This novel features a friends to lovers, fake boyfriends, banter-filled romance. Full of cute sweetness and sexy fun, every story ends with a satisfying HEA and no cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone or as part of the series in order.

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My Review

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Under constant siege from persistent plot bunnies, A.F. Zoelle enjoys humoring them by writing about gorgeous men being in love. Her contemporary romances are full of witty banter, sexy fun, and lovable smart-asses. She’s left academia behind for a new adventure, which will hopefully include adopting Ragdoll cats of her own someday soon.

For real time updates on her writing progress, please join her Facebook group for exclusive teasers or follow her on Twitter. You can also sign up for her newsletter to gain access to extra epilogues, previews of upcoming books, and more.

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Bookstores, Crushes, and Mortal Enemies by Katie Kaleski

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Jackson Hillside just had a meet-cute made for the movies. It could have been truly epic except the other guy, Auggie, spilled coffee all over Jackson’s favorite shoes. Determined to break his streak of bad luck with dating, Jackson goes to a party where he bumps into Auggie again.

Turns out, Auggie’s pretty great, albeit a little clumsy. Things almost look promising until Jackson learns Auggie’s family was responsible for the closing of Jackson’s family’s beloved bookstore.

Jackson doesn’t need Auggie anyway. He has “He Who Writes,” a guy he met on a writing website, and someone he’s really falling for. But things get confusing when Auggie re-enters Jackson’s life, and soon, Jackson might be falling for Auggie, too.
Now, Jackson’s involved with two very different boys, one he can hang out with in real life and one he has never actually met. And, when Jackson finds out the identity of “He Who Writes,” things go from promising to catastrophic.

BOOKSTORES, CRUSHES, AND MORTAL ENEMIES is an LGBTQ+ YA book inspired by You’ve Got Mail.

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Bookstores, Crushes, and Mortal Enemies is an interesting book by Katie Kaleski. I definitely devoured it, but it's hard for me to review. There is plenty I enjoy, but some times I just got bored. 

This is a romance that starts with a spilt coffee and ruined shoes. It's a story full of attraction, interest, and a family feud. Auggie and Jackson are two young men from vastly different backgrounds, as one comes from privilege and the other comes from poverty and has no family support. But, more than anything, Jackson was always told to hate Auggie's family.

Both young men have their share of struggles. Auggie's issues surprised me and made him an extremely sympathetic character. As well, Jackson is living a double life. Online he's able to be who he wants to be and pursue his passions. 

This is a story that is a nod to "You've Got Mail." There is a special love of books and bookstores that comes alive through the two main characters as well. If your looking for characters who love and appreciate books, look no further. 

I enjoy the writing style and the characters are both fantastic. The author includes some intriguing backstories, and some fun side characters.

Bookstore, Crushes, and Mortal Enemies is a story of forgiveness and acceptance. Katie Kaleski does a wonderful job with this inspiring story of two men discovering their passions and deciding to go after them. 

Family Recipe by Tia Fielding & Lisa Henry

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Blurb

Justin O'Dwyer is 19. Four days ago, his mother died of a drug overdose, and now Justin is back in Enterprise, Oregon, trying to figure out how to raise the younger siblings he's afraid of losing to the foster system. Justin is completely out of his depth. Harper is six, and hates him. Wyatt is four and doesn't remember him. And baby Scarlett, at fourteen months, has never even met her big brother before. When Scarlett gets sick and won't stop screaming, and when Harper runs off in the middle of the night, Justin is at the end of his tether. In desperation, he knocks on a neighbor's door begging for help.

Del Abbot is 38, and living in his grandparents' old place in Enterprise after his marriage broke down and he lost his restaurant in the divorce. He's a chef, even had his own show on cable for a while, but now he's looking for a new start, if he could just figure out what exactly that entails. When the O'Dwyer family barrels into his life one night, Del can't refuse to help. What begins as a trip to the hospital becomes a regular child-minding gig while Justin struggles to find his feet. And the more time Del spends with Justin, the more they both want more than friendship. But small town life comes with its own bigotry, and, in Justin's case, that bigotry has always been close to home.

When an act of violence threatens to destroy the small family they've built, both Justin and Del need to put aside their pasts and reach for their future together.

Review 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Family Recipe is a wonderful age gap book by Tia Fielding and Lisa Henry. Gripping from page one, this one has a 19 year age gap, and it's wonderfully explored.

Justin's a complex character. He left home at 15, needing to get away from his junkie mother. Now, at 19 he's back, trying to raise his siblings since his mother died. They barely know him, and aren't subtle about their angry and hatred. Luckily for him, his older neighbor Dell is around and able to help with the children, which he desperately needs. 

What follows is an emotional story full of doubts and fears. The pain and fear of abuse jumps off the page at times. These are two men who seem to have a power imbalance, but they are equally able to lift the other one up, inspiring one another to a better life. It's a story of finding someone you love who can save you. It's impressive and beautiful.

Justin's backstory of being born into the bad family in town, a family full of drunks and thieves, is exceptionally developed and explored. I love the approach the authors took with this aspect.

The writing is amazing, the characters wonderfully complex, and the storyline absolutely riveting. This writing duo of Tia Fielding and Lisa Henry is fantastic, taking the reader on one hell of an incredible journey. The character growth is astounding in this hurt/comfort read. 

Family Recipe is one of those special books that begs to be read in one sitting. 

If you enjoy loveable characters who need a break in life, this one is a must read. And, wow, the mushy and heartfelt ending is perfect.

Damaged Heart by S.C. Wynne

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Blurb

Cory Johnson was just twenty when he fled Bayville, following his father's suicide. Estranged from his abusive mother, he's made a new life for himself as a successful lawyer in Los Angeles.

When Cory's mother dies he grudgingly returns to his hometown to handle the estate. Rhys Tucker owns the construction company that is going to renovate Cory's childhood home. But Cory is unaware that Rhys has harbored a crush on him since they were in high school. When Cory comes home Rhys takes that opportunity to get close to Cory. Or at least try to.

Their physical chemistry is undeniable, but will Cory ever be able to have a real relationship with Rhys after being so emotionally scarred by his past? Can a heart as damaged as Cory's every really come home?

Review 

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Damaged Heart is a great story by SC Wynne. Sad from the start, I was instantly drawn into this tale.

Cory's back in town to sell his mother's house, and soon he has Rhys working on repairs for him. Little does he know that Rhys had a crush on him years ago. 

The author perfectly captures the small town feel, especially the resentment Cory has for his parents and the town. Cory's past is heart-breaking, full of abuse and pain, making him closed off and aloof.

Their relationship is extremely tough to read at times, as Rhys slowly works to chip away at Cory's cold side. Cory really fights him though, as he has no faith in love. It's sad, yet sweet in the long run. He's absolutely awful to Rhys often, but Rhys doesn't waver in his pursuit of the man. It's definitely a little odd that Rhys is willing to put up with so much, but he has faith in Cory and needs Cory to see his own worth. It's interesting to observe Cory's thoughts and feelings, as he's struggling and changing. I definitely enjoy the growth in Cory, as Rhys manages to warm his frosty heart.


Damaged Heart is an extra slow burn romance. SC Wynne has managed to create a bittersweet, heartfelt tale.