Review – Down in Flames by Kate Meader

Down in Flames; Hot in Chicago Rookies #2
(#2 within an interconnected series)

Publication Date: December 6, 2022

Genre/Tropes: MM/Sports/Hero Romance

Author: Kate Meader

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:
It is hard to believe that this is only the second Kate Meader book I’ve read because I loved everything about this book!

Down in Flames has everything I love in a good contemporary love story; passion, emotions, banter, smoking hot love scenes, love, forgiveness, character growth, and two people who realize that they make each other better by being together. Isn’t that what we all want at the end of the day? Jude and Hudson brought all of this and so much more because their book was filled with ALL the feels.

Their compassion for each other flows off the page from the very beginning. Well, actually their passion for each other comes first…fanning myself….but along with that it is very noticeable that these two men are full of compassion as well. I loved that these two men were not big on machoism, but instead were empathetic which was refreshing and very raw. They both had very male dominated, testosterone filled jobs; Hudson is a hockey player in the NFL and Judd is a firefighter, so both could have come across very differently, but Hudson’s entire life experience in coming out of the closet was really beautiful and Judd experiencing it with him was just as beautiful – well not at first, but I’ll let you read that.

There is a lot to unpack in this emotional story about two men at very different points in their lives in how being out affects them personally and professionally, along with past mistakes, forgiveness, and moving forward. Kate Meader puts it all together beautifully and I couldn’t put the book down once I started.

Synopsis:
A steamy and emotional MM standalone firefighter-hockey player romance …

It was supposed to be a random hookup.

At a crossroads, my life a hot mess, I swiped right on the guy with the washboard abs and the tree-trunk thighs. His handle was Holt (yeah, really) but as soon as he opened the door, I recognized him: Hudson Grey, the hottest prospect in pro-hockey and apparently, secretly playing for my team. Not mind-blowing enough? He needed someone to punch his V-card and I was only too happy to volunteer as tribute . . .

Then he ghosted me when it got to be too much.

A year later, my life is back on track and I’m a candidate firefighter at legendary Engine 6. While I might be new to the Chicago Fire Department, I’m a veteran in the game of steamy hookups. My No. 1 rule? No newbies. Except now Hudson has been traded to my hometown team, the Chicago Rebels, and he’s out, proud, and ready to date. And he wants my help introducing him to the local gay scene.

My messy past means I’m the worst guy to be mentoring the shy, sexy jock. But neither can I stand by and watch while others touch the man who already feels like mine.

I might have been his first, but I’m about to learn that the new guy has even more to teach me about hunger, hope, and falling hard . . .

Includes: First times, hot firefighters, sexy hockey players, meddling friends, and fighting like hell for the love of a lifetime.

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Review – Mistakes Made by Marie James

Mistakes Made; Mission Mercenaries #2
(Interconnected standalone within a series)

Publication Date: November 17, 2022

Genre/Tropes: Antihero/Forced Proximity/Kidnapping/Dark Romance

Author: Marie James

Review Rating: 5 Gold Stars

Review/Synopsis:

Review:
I was totally on the edge of my seat, biting my nails with how the plot was going to play out in this dark, kidnapping book. It was a twisted, wild ride.

Liam is a man who walks in a morally gray world. While he recently made the switch to work for Angel as a mercenary, he would not call himself a good guy. When he makes a rash decision to kidnap Raya he never thought through the ramifications of who she was or what it would do to his life, he just snapped, but it didn’t take long to realize that even if it ruined his life, he would never regret a moment of it.

Mistakes Made was hot on a completely different level and the relationship that developed between Liam and Raya was also something that developed on an intense level, but completely different than I was expecting. I enjoyed that surprise more that I thought I would.

Raya originally began the book a complete shell of a woman, a puppet in her father’s world, and honestly I wasn’t a real fan, but by the end of the book, I loved the woman she became and this character development is not only what held me, but made me fan of this couple.

Mistakes Made is a wild ride from start to finish and I really had no idea how it was going to end. This entire series has had me off kilter, which I love, and I’m looking forward to each new story and what new twist is brought to the forefront.

Synopsis:
The worst thing you can ever do is make an assumption about me, despite my job resting solely on making people think I’m someone I’m not.
I know that makes me crazy, narcissistic, and a little out of touch with the reality of how the world works.
I’ll never argue that fact with anyone.
Maybe it was the hundred-degree Texas weather.
Maybe it was overstimulation from the crowds at the beach.
Maybe it was one of a million other things that irritated me that day.
But when Raya Reed looked me up and down, finding me lacking on some scale I’m sure no man in her life would ever live up to, I snapped.
It wasn’t until she was tied up in my house that I discovered she was Senator Thomas Reed’s daughter.
A normal person would let her go.
I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my past, but making Raya MINE will never be one of them.

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Preorder Blitz – The Endgame by Bianca Borell

THE ENDGAME is a gorgeous new contemporary sports romance, coming in 6 days! Check out the gorgeous romance and be sure to pre-order your copy today!

Title: The Endgame

Author: Bianca Borell

Genre: Sports Romance

About The Endgame:

Every girl with a brother grows up with one fundamental rule: his best friend is off limits. That’s one rule she longs to break when he crashes into her life.

Amelie Weston has been taking the safe path for as long as she can remember. Not disappointing her parents by pursuing the career she wants. And not pursuing the guy she’s been crushing on.

But she’s tired of being the good girl.

Her brother’s best friend is pushing her to stop being a people pleaser and open the bakery of her dreams. Little does he know he’s also at the top of the list of her heart’s greatest desires… and he’s making himself impossible to resist.

Levi Kingston fully intends to become a legend on the field as one of the best players ever. He must stay focused and work relentlessly toward his goal. He doesn’t have time for distractions… until he meets his best friend’s sister, and his well-laid plan is challenged.

Bad timing, responsibilities, and loyalty to her brother keep them apart. But the connection between them only grows stronger. Their feelings become impossible to ignore, and the fight against them is pointless.

Will they take a chance on love? Or waste an opportunity for long-awaited happiness?

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About the Author:

Bianca Borell is a contemporary romance author, voracious reader, nature lover, and unapologetic daydreamer. She spends her nights deciding between getting up to write or trying to silence the voices of her characters. The battle is never-ending.

She has a weakness for tormented characters, second chances, and happy endings.

She currently lives in Germany with her amazing husband and indulges in way too many pastries than she should.

For updates, news, and releases, be sure to visit Bianca’s official website at http://www.biancaborell.com

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Cover Reveal – Trey and Madden by Brooke O’Brien

Trey & Madden

Series: A Rebels Havoc

Author: Brooke O’Brien

Genre: Rock Star Romance

Cover Design: Dee Garcia

Black Widow Designs

TREY

Releasing December 16

Trey Whitt is no stranger to the rock ‘n’ roll life.

New city every night, and a new fling in his bed. He could have any woman he wanted, but he set his sights on me.

After joining A Rebels Havoc, Trey’s not ready for what comes along with his sudden rise to fame. He certainly never could’ve prepared for all his dirty secrets and sex life to be dragged through the headlines.

For all my life, I’ve never been the one who gets chosen, the one all the men desired. I’ve spent the past twenty-two years holding on to my innocence. So when I catch Trey watching me from across the nightclub, I decide he’s the one I want to claim it.

I know better than to think anything more could come from hooking up with a rock star. During my walk of shame the following morning, I’m forced to face reality when he calls me by the wrong name.

No matter how hard it is to forget our night together, I’m determined to put him and his dirty mouth behind me. Only neither of us is ready for the turn our life takes, bringing us back together again.

Secrets, lies, and rumors—each of them could destroy his career and tear us apart.

Yet there’s one secret from our past neither of us saw coming, and when Trey finds out, it could ruin everything we have between us.

Forever.

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MADDEN

Releasing February 10

Madden Cole is considered a rock ‘n’ roll god, and all the women want him. Except for me.

After working my butt off as a journalist for years, I’ve heard the rumors about him and his band and have read all about their dirty scandals in the headlines.

When I land a job as a writer for Limelight magazine, I’ll stop at nothing to make a good impression. Even if it means agreeing to a sit-down interview with the bad boys of A Rebels Havoc.

They’re making a name for themselves by soaring to the top of the charts with multiplatinum records and sold-out tours.

Madden is cold and closed-off, but the more I get to know him, the more he starts to open up to me. As hard as I’ve tried to resist wanting him, when he turns on his sweet-talking charm, all the walls I’ve built around me crumble.

They say what goes up must come down, and the band is forced to face the downside of fame. Rumors, lies, and blackmail threaten Madden’s life and the career he and the guys have worked so hard to build.

He doesn’t know about the secret I’ve been keeping.

And I fear when he finds out the truth, it could destroy everything.

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PRE-ORDER LINKS

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AVAILABLE NOW

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

All free in Kindle Unlimited

AUTHOR BIO

USA Today Bestselling author Brooke O’Brien writes steamy and swoon-worthy new adult and contemporary romances.

She believes a love worth having is worth fighting for, and she brings this into her stories where her characters risk it all for love.

If Brooke’s not writing or reading, she’s probably spending time with her family, binge-watching the latest crime documentary, indulging in chocolate, or watching Hawkeye football or NBA basketball.

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Cover Reveal – Corrupt Trilogy by Tracy Lorraine

 Release Date: December 8

The night we met, she was just another one-night stand. 

 

We were never meant to see each other again, and my best friend certainly wasn’t supposed to go and fall in love with her best friend. 

 

Collateral damage… she’s already broken my biggest rule when we hooked up for a second, third, fourth, and maybe a few more times. 

 

She’s everywhere I turn. I can’t escape her or the things she makes me feel. 

 

Thanks to my best friend wanting to do anything to make his girl happy, she’s the newest teacher at Knight’s Ridge College. 

 

If I needed to stay away before, now I have no choice. Not only is she an obsession I don’t need… she’s forbidden. 

 

But I’ve never been as good at following the rules, so much as breaking them. I need to be careful before she gets too close to break me. 

 

The consuming darkness inside threatens to take over following my father’s death, and I find myself craving her light even more than ever. 

 

The only problem is, I don’t want her to rescue me. I want to drag her down… corrupt her. 

We’re a match made in hell that first night we met, so why stop now when playing with fire is so much fun.

Pre-Order Your Copy Here!

Start the Trilogy FREE with Corrupt Valentine’s Knight! 

Corrupt Princess is coming December 8th! 

Corrupt Union is coming December 29th! 

Meet Tracy Lorraine

Tracy Lorraine is a M/F and M/M 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. Molly and Ryan were born and the rest is history, as they say!

 

To learn more about Tracy and her books, visit here!  

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New Release – A Very Merry Margarita Mix-Up by Brittanee Nicole

💚 NEW RELEASE 💚

A Very Merry Margarita Mix-Up by Brittanee Nicole is LIVE! Don’t miss this spicy holiday romance!!!

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BLURB

They say don’t kiss your best friend. I accidentally kissed her twin sister.

Jules and Hailey Milsom couldn’t be more different. Except they’re identical twins.

One is my best friend. The other is the new girl in town, searching for a family she never knew existed.

It’s just my luck that when I finally make a move on my best friend, I share the best kiss of my life with a stranger.

Any sane person would realize this is hopeless. But when the red-haired beauty needs a reason to stay in Bristol, I double down and try to make every one of her Christmas dreams come true.

And I kiss her…again and again.

But the one thing she really wants, a relationship with her twin, may be the one Christmas wish I can’t deliver.

And this mix-up may be nothing more than a mistake.

Authors Note: A Very Merry Margarita Mix-Up is a steamy interconnected standalone that features a cinnamon roll firefighter, a sweet baker, small town shenanigans and all the Christmas joy your heart can handle.

ADD TO YOUR TBR: https://bit.ly/AVMMMU-GR 

ABOUT BRITTANEE NICOLE: 

Brittanee is an author who lives in Rhode Island with her husband and two children. Her town is a character in itself in all of her books. 

When she is not writing she enjoys spending time outdoors by the water with her children, reading at the beach or by the pool (or really anywhere), dancing with her friends, singing Karaoke, spinning, bike riding and boating. 

Some of her favorite authors are Sophia Kinsella, Elin Hilderbrand, Liane Moriarty, Mary Higgins Clark, Meghan Quinn, Daphne Elliott, Amy Alves, Claire Kingsley, Melanie Harlow, Christina Lauren, Sally Thorne and Sarah Adams. (Clearly, she has a problem and can’t pick favorites.)

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