Review – Ruined Hopes by L.A. Cotton

Ruined Hopes; A Rixon High Novel #3 
(A standalone within a series)

Publication Date: November 16, 2021

Genre/Tropes: Unrequited Love/New Adult/Enemies to Lovers/Sports Romance

Author: L.A. Cotton

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:

Bring on the water works. Super angsty with a super slow burn romance burning the entire time. Ruined Hopes will test your drama limits while pulling on every heart string.

Ezra Bennet is a foster child that came to live with the Bennet family when he was eleven years old, but the damage to Ezra’s emotional and social skills were already damaged. However, Ashleigh Chase saw something in the lost boy and never once gave up on wanting to be his friend, until they were older and those feelings changed, at least on her side, into something more.

Ashleigh wakes up in a hospital with the last school year gone from her memory. The car accident she was in caused a TBI taking those memories and her entire world to shift and change. As she watches all of her friends leave for college she’s stuck repeating her senior year of high school along with the boy who also has changed over night. Ezra was never easy, but he has become almost cruel in pushing her away. Ashleigh’s life has already changed so much it truly breaks her heart to lose the one person she thought would always have a special place in her heart, but perhaps it’s time to finally give Ezra what he wants…freedom.

Ruined Hopes is a slow, slow burn. Trust me, the water works will fall when Ashleigh and Ezra get to the heart of the matter so don’t throw your book in the build up to get there. Their love is worth the struggle.

The family dynamics, the friendships, the entire struggle for everyone involved in both of their lives…it’s all gut wrenching and beautiful at the same time. It’s a wonderful addition to the overall series and lovers of the Rixon world will really enjoy it.

Synopsis:

Ashleigh Chase has always had big dreams.

But when she wakes up in hospital with no memory of how she got there, her bright future dissolves around her.

Ezra Bennet has always felt like the odd one out.

But this time, he really screwed up and he has no choice but to face the consequences.

Forced to retake their senior year, Ashleigh turns to Ezra only to find him cold and cruel and determined to keep her at arm’s length.

He’s the guy she always wanted.
She’s the girl who was never good enough for him.
But now there’s a secret between them, one that she’s determined to uncover.

She thinks she can save him. But she doesn’t realize yet…

He’s the one who ruined her.

Find more of my reviews on Amazon under Kayreader
on Goodreads under Kay Daniels Romance
At Bookbub under Kayreader
or you can follow me on Facebook at Kay Daniels Romance

Blog Tour – Bad Cruz by L.J. Shen

Bad Cruz, an all-new romantic comedy with off the charts chemistry and sure to make you fall in love and LOL from Wall Street Journal bestselling author L.J. Shen is available now!

I would say Dr. Cruz Costello is my archenemy.
But that would require acknowledging one another, which we haven’t done in over a decade.

He’s the town’s golden child. The beloved quarterback-turned-physician.
I’m the girl who got knocked up at sixteen and now works at a diner.

He is Fairhope royalty.
I get my monarch dose from tabloid gossip.

He’s well-off.
I’m…well, off.

When our siblings get engaged, Cruz’s parents invite both families to a pre-wedding cruise.
Except Cruz and I find ourselves stuck on a different ship from everyone else.
Cue ten horrible, insufferable days at sea with a man I cannot stand.
(My fault, of course.)
But when the alcohol pours in, the secrets spill out, and I’m left with one question:
Can I take another chance on love?

Enjoy a laugh and fall in love today for ZERO PENNIES on Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3y7hM8u
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/BadCruz

Add Bad Cruz to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3AVtPYs

Excerpt

This whole day made me feel super prickly, but I still went with it. Unfortunately, I had no say in this, since I had lost a bet.

Then there was Trinity and my parents’ wrath to think about. And the fact Bear deserved a mother who didn’t look like she practiced the most ancient profession in the world.

Also, privately, I could admit I really, really liked the Anthropologie dresses. 

“I think I’m starting to get a feel of what you’re into,” Cruz said when we got out of the store, which by the way, smelled like a new car and someone’s upscale bathroom.

I ignored his observation. I already felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman without being told I was on the cusp of self-discovery and inner transformation.

Next, we went to Free People, where I grabbed a few pairs of pants and some casual shirts and jackets. Then we went to a bohemian boutique, something small and not too pricey, and Cruz splurged on two pairs of sandals for me—both orthopedic but surprisingly not hideous—and a little purse that didn’t look like a tie-dyed squirrel. 

I didn’t thank him one time during the entire shopping trip, careful to remind him that it was his idea, not mine.

Finally, around two in the afternoon, when I was ready for my lunch (more like in danger of eating my own arm), he stopped in front of Prada.

He jerked his chin inside. “Ladies first.” 

“Are you crazy?” I glared at him. “I’m not really going to let you buy me anything from there.”

I knew I’d joked about it the other day, but I also joked about having Benicio del Toro’s babies, and I sure as heck was closed for business. 

“It’s an outlet.”

“It’s outrageous,” I countered. “I don’t care how much money someone has, a five hundred dollar scarf is excessive.”

“Quality costs.”

“Say that to my Kmart shoes. They’ve been servin’ me well for three years and counting. Even when I work double shifts.” I was surprised my feet didn’t slap my face for lying.

“I try not to converse with inanimate objects as a general rule. Why do you even care? It’s my money. I get to decide what I want to spend it on.”

“Why would you want to spend it on a semi-stranger you don’t even like?”

“This semi-stranger I don’t even like is about to become my family. Besides, I’m a shitty tipper.”

We were blocking the entrance to Prada, but that was all right, because no one but us seemed irrational enough to wander in.

There was also a guard at the entrance. A flipping guard. It made me want to throw up. I would never, ever walk into a store where some people might not feel welcome.

People like my mom.

Or like me, for that matter. 

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” I thumbed my nose at him, adamant to put up a fight. “I’d hate to be associated with you. You may ruin my reputation.” 

“Your reputation’s in the shitter,” he reminded me kindly.

“Yeah, well, maybe it’ll find your kissing technique there, since it seems to be in the same destination. What the hell was that about yesterday?”

Classic aversion.

I was a master of misdirection. 

“You enjoyed it,” he said calmly. 

“Did not.”

“Did, too.”

Lord, I had.

And not only had I enjoyed it, but the fact that it had been sweet and intimate and not filthy and carnal had completely disarmed me. I still felt my pulse against my lips. Both pairs.

Mental note number one hundred and sixty: Charge. That. Vibrator.

About LJ Shen
L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to nineteen different countries.

She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.

Connect with L.J. Shen
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2OhSvp1
Twitter: http://bit.ly/36ELHZc
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2oMbFsu
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2AIOiTo
Stay up to date with L.J. Shen by signing up for her mailing list:
http://bit.ly/36MnmAQ
Website: http://www.authorljshen.com/

Blog Tour – Misplaced Mistletoe by Isabel Jolie

Misplaced Mistletoe by Isabel Jolie is now live!

One secret kiss under the mistletoe can never lead to happily ever after…right?
 
Once upon a time, Nora shared the hottest kiss ever—followed by an equally steamy Christmas—with her boss’s super-sexy brother. Then he ghosted her. That was eight years ago. Now, she’s completely over it. And when he shows up at the annual holiday party, she will not let herself repeat past mistakes. This time, she’ll stay far away from the mistletoe…
 
Ashton doesn’t lose control. Ever. Well, except for that one time. His focus has always been on completing his residency and fellowship programs. But seeing the gorgeous redhead again makes him think that losing a little control, just once more, might be just what the doctor ordered…
 
Will the magic of the season—with an assist from a certain mischievous matchmaker—convince Nora and Ashton to take a second chance on love? It might just take a Christmas miracle…

Order your copy today!
Amazon: http://mybook.to/misplacedmistletoe
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3hQF25j
Nook: https://bit.ly/3lM5I8N
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3hSImgi
Google Play: https://bit.ly/2XY8dN1

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3uldcDt

Read Kay’s Review: Misplaced Mistletoe

Meet Isabel Jolie

Isabel Jolie, aka Izzy, lives on a lake, loves dogs of all stripes, and if she’s not working, she can be found reading, often with a glass of wine in hand. In prior lives, Izzie worked in marketing and advertising, in a variety of industries, such as financial services, entertainment, and technology. In this life, she loves daydreaming and writing contemporary romances with strong heroines.
 
Connect with Isabel
Website | http://www.isabeljoliebooks.com
Goodreads | https://bit.ly/3xNixn7
Amazon | https://amzn.to/2Xshfl2
Facebook | https://bit.ly/3fZyVL2
Instagram | https://bit.ly/3sskdS9
Twitter | https://bit.ly/3sg5JVc
Bookbub | https://bit.ly/3yNk9hU
Pinterest | https://bit.ly/3shhlqM
Newsletter | https://bit.ly/3seT2da

Excerpt Reveal – WICKED PRINCESS by Tracy Lorraine

WICKED PRINCESS

(Knight’s Ridge Empire #2) by Tracy Lorraine
Release Date: November 18th

Wicked.
Ruthless.
Vicious.

Welcome to the underworld of Knight’s Ridge. An empire steeped in history, wealth, secrets, and lies. Where nothing is quite as it seems, and the shadows lingering around every corner are ready to drag you into the darkness.

If you want a white Knight to save you, you’re in the wrong place…

Add to Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58916530-wicked-princess-2

PREORDER IS AVAILABLE!!!
Amazon release on 11/18: mybook.to/WickedPrincess
Wide release on 11/16: https://books2read.com/WickedPrincessTwo

WICKED NIGHT #1 IS AVAILABLE AND FREE IN KU!!
mybook.to/WickedKnight

START the series with a FREE prequel, Wicked Summer Knight!!!
Ebook: https://books2read.com/WSK
Audio: https://bit.ly/WSK-AUDIO

Wicked Summer Knight is a prequel to the Knight’s Ridge Empire series. It was previously released in the Hot Summer School Nights anthology

EXCERPT:
“I’m gonna keep you safe, I fucking promise you, baby.”
“I know,” I whisper, biting back my initial response to tell him that it’s not his responsibility. But I figure that if we’re gonna really do this, then I need to let go of some of the fights and just let him do what he needs to do.
He never ups the pace. Nor does he break our kiss after I’ve said those words.
Every single roll of his hips and caress of his tongue brands him straight into my soul.
It’s terrifying. Exhilarating.
And fuck, I never want it to stop.

BLURB:
USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tracy Lorraine brings you the next installment of her new dark mafia, high school bully romance series.
My entire life has been a lie…
And the one person I allowed myself to trust has shattered any illusion I had left about who I was and where I came from.
The men around me have proved just how unworthy they really are, and now I’m caught in the middle of something far more dangerous than I ever could have imagined.
The secrets.
The lies.
They all tangle together.
My father had to know this day would come. That his past would catch up with both of us.
Sebastian wanted me as pawn, and then for himself, but he seems to have forgotten who he’s dealing with.
I’m Stella Doukas… mafia princess. I bend for no man.
Not even the one who’s stolen my heart.

Dear Readers,
Wicked Princess is the second book in Stella and Sebastian’s trilogy and the first couples story in my Knight’s Ridge Empire series. This book is a dark bully romance that contains mature content and demanding alphaholes that some readers may find disturbing. You have been warned.

About the Author:
Tracy Lorraine is a new adult and contemporary romance author.
Tracy has recently-ish turned thirty and lives in a cute Cotswold village in England with her husband, baby girl and lovable but slightly crazy dog. Having always been a bookaholic with her head stuck in her Kindle Tracy decided to try her hand at a story idea she dreamt up and hasn’t looked back since.

Connect w/Tracy:
Website: https://tracylorraine.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/tracylorraineauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tracy_l_author
Instagram: https://instagram.com/tracy_lorraine_author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14879450.Tracy_Lorraine
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tracy-lorraine
Amazon: https://amzn.to/36qmSBJ
NL Signup: https://tracylorraine.com/newsletter