Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Misadventures of a College Girl by Lauren Rowe


Misadventures of a College Girl, an all-new standalone romance by Lauren Rowe is NOW AVAILABLE!!

Title: Misadventures of a College Girl
Author: Lauren Rowe
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Length: 280 pages
Publisher: Waterhouse Press

***MISADVENTURES ARE STANDALONE ROMANCES THAT CAN BE READ IN ANY ORDER***

Straitlaced freshman Zooey Cartwright has arrived at UCLA determined to have a heck of a lot more fun in college than she did in high school. What’s the first item on Zooey’s agenda before classes start in two days? Losing her pesky V card. She’s definitely not looking for a boyfriend, so where can Zooey find the right guy to do the deed and move along without a backward glance? At a party thrown by a bunch of football players, of course. Enter Tyler Caldwell. A beast on the field and off, cocky as heck, and often wearing T-shirts with sayings like “God’s Gift to Womankind,” Tyler is most definitely not boyfriend material. After a make-out session with Tyler leaves Zooey entirely unsatisfied, she is determined never to see him again. But her schedule lands her in not one but two of his classes, and it doesn’t take long before Tyler and Zooey have reached an arrangement for Tyler to teach Zooey exactly what she wants to know―and a whole lot more she never bargained for. Can Zooey surrender her body to this bad boy without giving him her heart, too?


About Lauren Rowe: 
USA Today and internationally bestselling author Lauren Rowe lives in San Diego, California, where, in addition to writing books, she performs with her dance/party band at events all over Southern California, writes songs, takes embarrassing snapshots of her ever-patient Boston terrier, Buster, spends time with her family, and narrates audiobooks. Much to Lauren’s thrill, her books have been translated all over the world in multiple languages and hit multiple domestic and international bestseller lists. To find out about Lauren’s upcoming releases and giveaways, sign up for Lauren’s emails at www.LaurenRoweBooks.com. Lauren loves to hear from readers! Send Lauren an email from her website, say hi on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook by searching for @laurenrowebooks.

Monday, February 26, 2018

Lover Mine by J.R. Ward

Title: Lover Mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood #8)
Author: J.R. Ward
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Length: 528 pages
Publisher: NAL
Release Date: April 27, 2010
Source: Purchased (Audiobook)
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown to himself and to those around him. After he was taken in by the Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was- or his true identity. Indeed, the fallen Brother Darius has returned, but with a different face and a very different destiny. As a vicious personal vendetta takes John into the heart of the war, he will need to call up on both who he is now and who he once was in order to face off against evil incarnate.

Xhex, a symphath assassin, has long steeled herself against the attraction between her and John Matthew. Having already lost one lover to madness, she will not allow the male of worth to fall prey to the darkness of her twisted life. When fate intervenes, however, the two discover that love, like destiny, is inevitable between soul mates.

**********
John Mattew is quite an intriguing character to me. His mysterious background, his strange link to Darius, and the bond he has with Bella all made him really stand out among the strong characters in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Since then, he's grown into quite the vampire and fighter, but not quite fully finding his place yet.

Xhex is one of the physically strongest females we've seen in the series and I love how she just doesn't take any crap from anyone. One of my biggest overall complaints about the series is the lack of recurring female characters. Yes, the shellens pop up from time to time, but I thought Xhex had real potential to be part of the team and give the series a female character that is more than just a utility. We see a lot of her potential and strength showcased during her ordeal and recovery from Lash.

Tons of things happening in the background including a bombshell with Payne. Blay and Qhuinn continue to tip-toe around each other, but with the addition of Saxon and Layla to the scene things might just be reaching their tipping point. 

The fight with the Lessers continues and on one hand, I really enjoy the continuity this brings to the series, but I'm also sort of hoping that a new "bad guy" will pop up and really add some twists and turns. 


Thursday, February 22, 2018

Lethal Licorice (Amish Candy Shop Mystery #2) by Amanda Flower

Title: Lethal Licorice (Amish Candy Shop Mystery#2) 
Author: Amanda Flower
Source: Netgalley
Genre: Cozy mystery
Reviewed by: Laurie
Rating: 4
Book one review can be found here
Release date: February 27, 2018


Too many sweets spoil the murder . . .

Harvest, Ohio, is a long way from New York City, where Bailey King left a coveted job as a head chocolatier to take over Swissmen Sweets, her Amish grandparents’ candy shop. Now, while caring for her recently widowed grandmother, she plans to honor her grandfather’s memory by entering the annual Amish Confectionery Competition. But between lavender blueberry fudge and chocolate cherry ganache truffles, Bailey may have bitten off more than she can chew when the search for a missing pot-bellied pig turns up a body suffering from sugar overload—the fatal kind . . .

A candy maker from a neighboring town who wanted Englischer Bailey disqualified for being an outsider, Josephine Weaver died from an allergy to an essential licorice ingredient. The suspects include Josephine’s niece, a young woman going through her rumspringa, or running around time, and Bailey herself. Now it falls to Bailey, who’s sweet on the local sheriff’s deputy, to clear their names and entice a killer with a cast-iron stomach for cold-blooded murder . . .





Amanda Flower delivers another great Amish candy mystery!
Bailey just can’t catch a break no sooner than the first case was closed she finds herself right back in the middle sticky case a few weeks later. This time around Bailey finds herself in knee deep with a steep candy competition, murder, lost pig and a mysterious woman. Plus you get a shocking surprise when you find out who done it, I know I was.
Again this time around you get great characters and story setting, the only downside for me was the ending seemed to wrap up way to quick once she found out who it was bam it was all over.


This is standalone, but the first book is just a good so, my suggestion is to start with book one or if you didn’t then please go back and read it, it’ loads of fun too. 

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Esmeralda and the Second-Hand Suitor by Hebby Roman

Title: Esmeralda and the Second-Hand Suitor (Snowbirds #2)
Author: Hebby Roman
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 189 pages
Publisher: Estrella Publishing
Release Date: March 12, 2016

Reviewed by: Jasmyn

What’s a forty-year-old virgin doing in a predicament like this? Looking for a husband because her late father’s will decrees she must marry or forfeit her orchard, her only means of support. Hank McCall, as a perspective husband, leaves a great deal to be desired—he’s twice divorced and older than Esmeralda. Scarred by their pasts and challenged by the gap in their ages, Esmeralda and Hank struggle with their new-found relationship. But when Hank is faced with losing Esmeralda or surrendering to her yearning to have a real family, their fates hang in the balance. 


**********
Esmeralda and the Second-Hand Suitor was a cute story. At times a little unbelievable, but other times incredibly down to earth. It was also quite refreshing to see an older couple portrayed as....asn older couple. I know, crazy right? Esmeralda and Hank are both over 40 and living real life with real life problems. Divorce, paying bills, meeting people, family drama, and wondering if it's even worth looking anymore.

Esmeralda was a bit on the unbelievable side for me. A little too much of her character seemed to be determined by what would help the story work better. She's a virgin - which I know can still happen - but let's be honest. It isn't very likely anymore. She can only have her inheritance if she's married - because her father is a chauvanistic jerk - which I am more inclined to believe, but it still seems far-fetched. Especially to have all these things fall on one person's shoulders.

Hank is a divorced, fighting to keep enough from his recent ex so that he can retire in peace, and is really and truly going through what seems to be a mid-life crisis. Flying south to spend some time away from it all, he meets Esmerelda, and they are both faced with some serious adult-like problems (such a refreshing prospect).

This book dealt with real-life people facing real-life issues that would (mostly) affect any one of us that is no longer hovering in that 20-something age group. I really enjoyed seeing an older couple than I usually see in a romance with experiences and personalities that fit them well. 


Scenes from the Hallway by Penny Reid - Spotlight

Scenes from the Hallway, an all new novella from USA Today bestselling author Penny Reid, is LIVE and as a special Valentine’s Day gift from Penny it’s FREE!

Title: Scenes from the Hallway (Knitting in the City #6.5)
Author: Penny Reid
Genre: Adult, Romantic Comedy
Length: 102 pages
Publisher: Cipher-Naught
Release Date: February 12, 2018

You know who I am.
I swear too much, I crack too many jokes, and I got a thing for Kat Tanner; a messy thing, a distracting thing, a getting-in-the-way-of-everything thing; a thing that makes being in the same room with the woman torture. Sometimes it's the good kind. Mostly, it's not.
What you don't know is how it all started. You don't know how we met, you might not know what happened in Vegas (or the morning after), and you definitely don't know what happened after that.
You want to know the story before the story? Well . . . here you go.
But be careful what you ask for. As I've discovered the hard way, you might not like it.

'Scenes from the Hallway' is a companion short prequel/short story (11k words) for the upcoming book, 'Marriage of Inconvenience,' and includes the first 3 chapters of the soon to be released novel! ('Marriage of Inconvenience' releases March 6, 2018.)

WARNING This short story contains a lot of cussing. Do not download or read if you dislike curse words in novels. WARNING


Read Today for FREE!


Meet Penny Reid:

Penny Reid is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. She lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband, three kids, and an inordinate amount of yarn. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she writes books.

The Wrong Kind of Compatible by Kadie Scott - Spotlight and Giveaway



Title: The Wrong Kind of Compatible (Love Undercover #1)
Author: Kadie Scott
Genre: New Adult, Romantic Comedy
Length: 192 paged
Publisher: Entangled: Lovestruck
Release Date: June 12, 2017

Data analyst Cassie Howard may be brilliant (and, okay, a little awkward), but she’s worked hard to get where she is. She definitely doesn’t need some sexy new analyst coming in and taking credit for her work. Or the inappropriate thoughts that keep popping out of her mouth she’d rather he not hear.
For undercover FBI agent Drew Kerrigan, computers have always made more sense than people, but he’d better develop some slick social skills in a hurry if he’s going to win over the too-tantalizing-for-his-sanity Cassie. Hacking their systems was easy. Now he’s just got to hack the one person in the company most likely to see through his ruse…

On sale for 99¢ for a limited time!


AUTHOR BIO:
Award-winning contemporary romance author, Kadie Scott, grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. She attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by earning a degree in English Rhetoric (Technical Writing). However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it.

No matter the genre, she loves to write witty, feisty heroines, sexy heroes who deserve them, and a cast of lovable characters to surround them (and maybe get their own stories). She currently resides in Austin, Texas, with her own personal hero, her husband, and their two children, who are growing up way too fast.

Kadie also writes award-winning paranormal romance under the name Abigail Owen.

For the latest news and exclusive excerpts, subscribe to Kadie’s monthly NEWSLETTER.


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Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Lustful Longings by Maggie Adams ~ Release Blast and Giveaway


Title: Lustful Longings
Author: Maggie Adams
Series: Lustful Trilogy #3
Genre: Women’s Erotica
Release Date: February 13. 2018
Length: 76 Pages

Blurb:
I have found my dream lover and, appropriately, his name is Morpheus. He has shown me how to be truly free in my sexuality; to trust another human being with my deepest desires; and to love without reservation or fear. We have a true power exchange when we play – no, we do not play, we live! Our lives and our sexual lifestyle have evolved so that one constantly compliments the other. I can’t imagine a happier, more fulfilling life.
Then, my world tilts on its axis.
Reality returns with a vengeance. My lover becomes ill and I find myself fighting for my former, happy life. Morpheus is ambivalent to his fate. He is more concerned with my future happiness without him. His abhorrence to leave me “a Widow” again, alone and afraid, leads him to formulate a plan to send me into the arms of another man. But his desperate longings to see me in passion’s embrace make him take the role of a cuckold. He has picked the man to help me if he should not survive, but it’s a double-edged sword as he forces himself to watch me falling deeper into the arms of the man he has chosen to replace him in all ways.
My guilt and longing for this man sends me to seek the help of an old friend. While I am welcomed with open arms, the lovely Bianca has plans of her own. In the end, it is up to Morpheus to either release me into the arms of new lovers, or allow me to ease his Lustful Longings in a new way.

Find out more at: Goodreads | Amazon

Excerpt One:
I lounge upon the chaise, sipping sparkling champagne as the New Year begins. My lover is poised on the tufted velvet arm, his fingers gliding along the exposed skin of my collarbone. The mirrored walls reflect the beauty of our surroundings and the people within. The chandeliers twinkle brightly near the mahogany ceiling, the gilt and glamour of the 1920’s permeates this particular party, and yet, the myriad collection of apparatuses for bondage, pain, and pleasure take up most of the room. A surrealistic interpretation of the predilections (or perhaps peculiarities is a better word), of the Master of House.
And here we sit in the middle of it all, my lover and me. He is adorned in the requisite tuxedo, it is a formal affair after all, with the only nod to the true nature of this gathering, a slim crop in his hand. He told me he really should have a walking stick to complete the outfit, but I wasn’t quite ready for that type of fun yet.
While he was the epitome of formal elegance, I, on the other hand, was resplendent in a red satin Merrywidow with black lace overlay and pretty red bows fastening the finest silk stockings that encased my legs. Black opera gloves covered my hands and arms, pearl bracelets and ruby rings adding charm.  The large ruby and gold earrings that swayed when I turned my head and the diamond clip that held back my hair were the real thing.
My Master was a generous man and wanted everyone to know it, so for me it was jewelry; for others, it was a simple offer to one and all to sample the delight he was privileged to call his own. So, I sat with him, the corset pushing up my breasts until my nipples tipped the edge of lace and allowed strangers to rub or pinch “the raspberry perfections” that my Master tasted every night. I didn’t mind. There was something quite exciting about another man or woman touching me while my Master looked on. It stirred the recklessness within me and made our love play more explosive.
I smiled to myself and took a sip of the champagne. If the folks back home could see me now. They would raise scandalous eyebrows to the ceiling, send prayers for my sinful ways in the Sunday sermon, and whisper of the “Merry Widow” at the local Moose club.  All would be filled with righteous indignation that someone like me had ever graced their idyllic community.  
I parted my legs on the chaise as my Master requested, the warm air hitting my nakedness. The scent of my arousal permeated the air while a woman tentatively touched my slick labia. Yes, the old town would be in an outrage at my debauchery.  Especially if I ever published my dear diary.  More specifically, if I didn’t change the names to protect the not-so-innocent of their town within the pages of my sexual journal. That’s right; although many wore masks to the dungeon parties, I knew who each member or guest was. After all, my Master owned the most exclusive club in town.

I sighed as a wave of pleasure coursed through me while the young woman licked her fingers. I raised my glass as her companion shouted, “To the Widow and her Morpheus! You make all our dreams come true!”

About Maggie Adams:
Maggie Adams is an Amazon Best Selling contemporary romance author. Her first book in the Tempered Steel Series, Whistlin’ Dixie, debuted in Amazon’s Top 100 for Women’s Fiction, humor, on November, 2014. Since then, she has consistently made the Amazon best seller 5-star list with Leather and Lace, Something’s Gotta Give, and Love, Marriage & Mayhem. She is also the recipient of the Dayreader Review’s Best New Series Award for 2015. Her series has launched the tiny town of Grafton, Illinois, into International recognition with sales in Mexico, Ireland, Scotland, Australia and the UK.

Back home, she resides in the Midwest, with her high school sweetheart, Ned, and their children, Katie (Kyle) and Ross (Valerie) and first granddaughter, Lorelei, otherwise known as “The Boss”


You can connect with her online at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads | Instagram | Pinterest | BookBub
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Bull's Eye by Evelyn Vox ~ Cover Reveal


Title: Bull's Eye (Share Me #2)
Author: Evelyn Vox
Genre: Adult, Erotic Romance
Publisher: Independent
Release Date: March 1, 2018



LEXIE
I made a deal with the devil. A devil named Derek Drake. He makes my husband watch as he uses me to satisfy his carnal desires. I love it, and that terrifies me. Because this bargain only works if they are willing to share me. I don’t know what I’ll do when they decide they’ve had enough of our deal. I’m not sure I can choose between them.
DEREK
Brian loves watching me pleasure his wife in ways he never could. But the beast inside me is tired of sharing my Goddess. I am the one who ignited the dark fire within her. I am the one she answers to. Alexandra is mine. I don’t see much use for the cuck anymore.

Bull’s Eye is a steamy, kinky MMF romance about a cuckold relationship gone awry. When the line between lust and love blurs, when the two men sharing her both lay their claim, Lexie will have to make the choice of her life: Derek or Brian. WARNING: this story is not for the faint of heart. It is a twisted tale of self-discovery about finding light in the darkest corners of the heart. It has hard BDSM and an open marriage where the boundaries are pushed to the breaking point. Read at your own risk.


AUTHOR BIO:
My readers and I are one in the same: we like it dark, and we like it dirty. If you like dominant men, strong-as-hell heroines, and heart-racing plots with lots of kink, then welcome to our wicked little club. My characters will take you on a wild ride as they give into their most forbidden desires, uncovering their truest selves along the way. Always steamy and extra sinful, my romances will have you embracing your dark side in no time.

Evelyn lives in Brooklyn, and some might be so bold as to call her a *gasp* hipster. When she's not busy ordering a craft beer or drinking kombucha, she works part-time at a wellness center. No matter what she's doing, her mind lives full-time in smutland, always thinking of new ways to torture those hunky Alpha males and the ladies they love to play with.
Check out my website for updates, newsletter sign-ups, and giveaways!
www.evoxwrites.com

Monday, February 12, 2018

The Wrong Kind of Love by Lexi Ryan - Spotlight

Title: The Wrong Kind of Love
Author: Lexi Ryan
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 363 pages
Publisher: Ever After LLC
Release Date: February 12, 2018

From New York Times bestseller Lexi Ryan comes a sexy new standalone romance novel about a runaway bride, a single dad who’s sworn off love, and the kind of family secrets that can threaten to break even the deepest bonds.

***

You never forget your wedding day. Or the moment your twin sister pukes on your bouquet and confesses she’s pregnant . . . with your fiancé’s baby.

I wanted to get away, to hide until my heart mended. I found myself in a strange town with a mysterious stranger whose talented mouth and hands almost made me forget it was supposed to be my wedding night.

Afraid to go home to face my broken life, I pretend to be my twin so I can take her job in Jackson Harbor caring for a six-year-old girl. Imagine my surprise when I find out my new boss is my mysterious stranger—Dr. Ethan Jackson.

I never meant for Ethan to discover my secrets. I never meant for them to matter. But the longer I work with him and his sweet daughter, the harder I fall, and the clearer it becomes that I’m not the only one carrying a secret that could tear us apart.

Get ready to fall for the boys of Jackson Harbor in Lexi Ryan’s sexy new contemporary romance series. These books can all be read as standalones, but you’ll enjoy reading them as a series!



Meet Lexi:
Lexi Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of emotional romance that sizzles. A former academic and English professor, Lexi considers herself the luckiest girl around to make a living through storytelling. She loves spending time with her crazy kids, weightlifting, ice cream, swoony heroes, and vodka martinis.
Lexi lives in Indiana with her husband, two children, and a spoiled dog. You can find her at her website: www.lexiryan.com



The Renovation by Mika Lane ~ Cover Reveal and Giveaway


Title: The Renovation
Author: Mika Lane

Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance

Length: 165 pages

Publisher: Headlands Publishing
Release Date: March 11, 2018




I don’t believe in fairy tales and I don’t waste time wishing for one. I learned long ago that luck smiles on the—well, lucky—and that the rest of us can just go to hell. So when my boyfriend ran off and left me with a bunch of debt, I knew better than to wish for a miracle. But then one came my way, in the form of four—count ’em four—hot, sexy men. But as luck would have it—or wouldn’t have it, in my case—I couldn’t have a single one of them.


AUTHOR BIO:

Writing has been a passion of Mika’s since a young age (her first book was "The Day I Ate the Milkyway"), but erotic romance is now what gives purpose to her days and nights. She lives in magical Northern California with her own handsome alpha dude, sometimes known as Mr. Mika Lane, and an evil cat named Bill. A devotee of the intelligent and beautiful, and lover of shiny things, she’s a yogi, hiker, traveler, thinker, observer, and book worm. She has been known to drink cheap champagne and has way too many shoes.

A National Reader's Choice Awards finalist, Mika always deliver a hot, sexy romp, often with imperfect characters, and a promised happily ever after (or at least happy for now).

She LOVES to hear from readers, and can be found at www.mikalane.com, and facebook.com/mikalaneauthor, when she's not dreaming up naughty tales to share.


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Romance book review: Baby, I'm Howling for You by Christine Warren

Title: Baby, I'm Howling for You (Alphaville #1) 
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Paranormal romance
Lenght: Novel
Review by: Laurie
Rating: DNF
Sexual rating: 4 




WELCOME TO ALPHAVILLE, where the she-wolves and alpha-males play. . .for keeps.

Renny Landry is a wolf on the run. Pursued by a shapeshifting stalker and his slobbering pack of killer coyotes, she is forced to flee her job as a librarian to find sanctuary in the wooded hills of Alpha, Washington. A well-secluded safe space for troubled shifters, Alpha is Renny’s last hope. But the first person she meets there is a gorgeous alpha male with fiery eyes, fierce tattoos, and one ferocious appetite—for her…

Mick Fischer thought he left his past behind when he moved to Alpha. But fate has a way of biting him in the tail when a female wolf shows up on his property. Wounded, desperate—and disarmingly hot—Renny brings out the snarling, protective alpha beast in Mick like no other woman he’s known. Can these two haunted, hunted wolves manage to mate for life…even as the deadliest past demons howl at their heels?



I have read several books from Christine Warren Others series and really enjoyed them, I was hoping to enjoy this one, but the sad fact is I couldn’t finish it. This is the first time I am writing a review on a book I never finished reading, but per Netgalley I have to rate the book and add links before I submit the review so, please keep in mind I only read half of the book something major could have happened that turned the whole book into greatness after I stopped reading.

I am all for the whole fated mates, but dang Mick totally pulls off the mating thing in the first few chapters and by the way he did it just totally turned me off.  As a reader, you want to feel the sparks fly off the pages and I never got this with these two even after their matting.

As I kept reading and finding these large shifters getting beaten by a pack of small coyotes I had enough and went on to another book.


I enjoyed the world set up and the suspense to the story, but I couldn’t accept the fact that a pack of coyotes beating these larger alphas, nope, totally not right with me even as a pack. 

Friday, February 9, 2018

Marriage with a Proper Stranger (Men of Wollstonecraft Hall, #1) by Karyn Gerrard


Title: Marriage with a Proper Stranger (Men of Wollstonecraft Hall, #1)  
Author: Karyn Gerrard 
Genre: Historical romance 
Source: Netgalley 
Lenght: Novel
Review by: Laurie 
Rating: 5
Sexual rating: 4



“Build a wall about your heart.”

Riordan Wollstonecraft labors under the heavy burden of his forebears. For generations, a curse has followed the dashing young men of his family, guaranteeing the women they love an untimely death. The youngest grandson of the Earl of Wollstonecraft Hall, charismatic Riordan is quietly resigned to his fate, an educator who devotes his life to good works, and ignores any longing for something more.

Widowed and penniless, Lady Sabrina Lakeside is desperate to avoid a second forced betrothal—this time to an aged marquess. Her chance encounter with Riordan leads her to an impulsive offer: a temporary marriage of convenience that could benefit them both. His agreement is as surprising as it is welcome. Before long, Riordan’s keen intellect and kind words have Sabrina rethinking her plans of a union in name only. But her new husband is holding something back. Will giving in to their tantalizing passion lead her only to further heartache . . . or could it be the first step toward healing them both?


Who knew a temporary marriage of convenience could be sexy, dangerous and yet fun!  

When Lady Sabrina offers a marriage of convenience to the schoolmaster Riordan she wasn’t expecting to truly find a husband, all she wanted was an escape, she also has no clue what her father has done behind the scenes that come back to haunt her.

I really enjoyed both Sabrina and Riordan, their sparks flew off the pages as they both unravel each other’s hidden mysteries. You also get a peek at other great characters that will be in future books.


I recommend this to any historical romance lover out there that wants a different twist.