NewRelease HistoricalRomance

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My Almost Ex by Piper Rayne(Review Post)

Published April 6, 2021 by bookbesties

Release Date: April 6

In the middle of a crowded bar in our small Alaskan town, my estranged wife snuggles up to me as if we’re still a happy couple.

Don’t get me wrong, we were a happy couple—before she walked out on me a year ago. We were the high school sweethearts everyone thought were destined to be together forever. We thought so too, which is why we married shortly after graduation.

We had a good marriage. Until she left me without any real explanation.

Now, she’s back—and this is the real kicker—she has amnesia and thinks I’m still her husband. Technically I am, although the divorce papers are sitting at the lawyer’s office.

She’s desperate to remember her life in Sunrise Bay but I only want to find out why she left me. Once we conjure that memory up, it’s sayonara because there’s no second chances here. But as you probably already figured out, things didn’t go quite as I planned.

If you have seen any of my other reviews for this author it’s no secret that I have been a huge fan. This is the second book in their new series and a new family line. The covers so far are colorful and in my opinion just draws you to the book. I was intrigued with he taste of Adam story from the last book and couldn’t wait to see how they could pull this off. I fell in love with Adam! I have a new book boyfriend and I feel like I have said that a lot when it comes to this author. The storylines and characters are believable and make you want to dive in to this world.
My heart initially broke for Adam and I wanted to hug him tight! He was patient and caring and you could feel the love he has for his high school sweetheart. The road that he and Lucy ventured left you feeling so many emotions. I wanted to cry and laugh and just scream please be fixed. I could not imagine how it would be to wake up and not have my memory and recognize the people that you love. Adam and Lucy are my number one couple. Their story was a beautiful journey of how two people find that lost love and the road to repairing and hopefully finding a HEA.

Grab Your Copy Here!

Meet Piper Rayne:
Piper Rayne, or Piper and Rayne, whichever you prefer because we’re not one author, we’re two. Yep, you get two USA Today Bestselling authors for the price of one. Our goal is to bring you romance stories that have “Heartwarming Humor With a Side of Sizzle” (okay…you caught us, that’s our tagline).

A little about us…. We both have kindle’s full of one-clickable books. We’re both married to husbands who drive us to drink. We’re both chauffeurs to our kids. Most of all, we love hot heroes and quirky heroines that make us laugh, and we hope you do, too.

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The Heiress Hunt by Joanna Shupe(Review Post)

Published March 28, 2021 by bookbesties

High society reprobate.
An unconventional heiress.
Childhood friends.

Is it too late…
Knickerbocker scoundrel Harrison Archer returns to New York to discover that his deceased father has bankrupted his estranged family. To save them from ruin, he’s forced to quickly find and marry an heiress. For a matchmaker, Harrison turns to the one woman he wishes he could marry: his childhood friend and true love, Maddie, who once broke his heart and is now engaged to a duke.

For true love?
When her best friend Harrison left for Paris without a word, Maddie Webster took refuge in her infatuation with tennis. Now Harrison is back and needs her help in finding a bride. Begrudgingly, Maddie arranges a house party in Newport with a guest list of eligible heiresses. But watching Harrison flirt with potential brides is more than she can bear.

When Harrison and Maddie reunite, the passion between them ignites. But with their marriages to others looming, time is running out. Is their fate inescapable . . .or can love set them free?

Yeay!!!!! A new series by Joanna Shupe, I’m so excited!!!!! This is book one in The Fifth Avenue Rebels series and it’s a gorgeous way to start. I mean it! The characters, the setting, the romance… it really all is gorgeous. I love how even though I’m not a sports fan in any way other than tailgating and throwing sports themed parties this book made me want to go look up the history of women’s tennis when I finished reading it. Although the book is set in 1895, heroine’s passion for tennis reminded me of my dad’s mom, who loved tennis and take me with her to watch and be the ball girl when she would go play with her friends.

In fact I think one of the reasons I found this book so endearing is because I saw a lot of my grandmother in our leading lady. Both would do anything to help a friend in need, were devastated if they thought they did anything to hurt the ones they love, and both knew exactly what they expected and what they were willing to tolerate from the men they chose to marry. It was really nice reading this book and having my own personal sentimental connection to it.

Aside from that aspect I felt like the book had the perfect blend of darkness, warmth, realism, playfulness, and just enough heart break at all the right moments to keep readers on the edge of their seat and cheering for the HEA we all hope will come. I really enjoyed this book (for more than just my own sentimental value) and read it in one sitting. I can’t wait for October and book two!!!!

The Devil in Her Bed by Kerrigan Byrne(Review Post)

Published March 28, 2021 by bookbesties

The Devil in Her Bed is the final book in the stunning Devil You Know trilogy by USA Today bestselling author Kerrigan Byrne!

He lives in secret service to the Crown—a man of duty, deception, and an undeniable attraction to a woman who threatens to tear his whole world apart.

They call him the Devil of Dorset. He stands alone, a man of undeniable power. Moving in and out of shadows, back alleys and ballrooms, he is unstoppable and one of the Crown’s most dangerous weapons. However, when he sets his sights on the undeniably beautiful Countess of Mont Claire, Francesca Cavendish, he doesn’t realize that he has met a match like no other.

TRUE LOVE WEARS NO DISGUISE

Francesca is a countess by day and stalks her prey—those responsible for the death of her family—by night. What she does not expect is to be thrown into the path of the devil himself, the Earl of Devlin. She has secrets of her own and he seems determined to lay them bare. Can her heart survive finding the love of her life and losing him when all is revealed?

SUCH A GOOD BOOK!

Who doesn’t a love story of long lost childhood friends who are reunited after years apart? Throw in a few lies, some revenge, the murder of almost an entire family, and a sexy spy and you have a book I couldn’t put down. Kerrigan Byrne has a knack for writing stories about long lost soul-mates who seem to come back from the dead just to get their HEA and no lie…..I am a big fan. Like, these are the types of soul-deep connections and end all be all romances are what my wildest dreams are made of and I CANNOT GET ENOUGH.

Francesca Cavendish, Countess of Monte Claire will stop at nothing to avenge the murders of those she loved the most as a child. She has spent every day since she witnessed their deaths training and honing the skills she needs to insure her success and every night sacrificing her reputation to get the information that will finally lead her to whoever ordered the hit on her family. What does her reputation matter when the only boy she ever loved is dead? Besides, she doesn’t care what anyone thinks about her anyways, she has the love of her fellow Red Rouges, and they know the truth, and that along with her revenge is all that matters, right? Of course! Or so she thought…

Chandler, the Devil of Dorset, is one of the Crown’s most powerful spies. He is very good at what he does. So much so that people who have known him since he was a child don’t even recognize him when he dons one of his many disguises and assumes one of his various aliases. With no history, no close friends, and no family to trace he is untouchable. His weakness is he has no weakness. Or so he thought is until his latest mission brought him face to face with an obsession he just can’t shake.

This book was dark, exciting, and sexy, and made me swoon. I couldn’t put it down.

A Lady’s Formula for Love (The Secret Scientists of London Book 1) by Elizabeth Everett REVIEW POST

Published March 17, 2021 by bookbesties

What is a Victorian lady’s formula for love? Mix one brilliant noblewoman and her enigmatic protection officer. Add in a measure of danger and attraction. Heat over the warmth of humor and friendship, and the result is more than simple chemistry–it’s elemental.

Lady Violet is keeping secrets. First, she founded a clandestine sanctuary for England’s most brilliant female scientists. Second, she is using her genius on a confidential mission for the Crown. But the biggest secret of all? Her feelings for protection officer Arthur Kneland.

Solitary and reserved, Arthur learned the hard way to put duty first. But the more time he spends in the company of Violet and the eccentric club members, the more his best intentions go up in flames. Literally.

When a shadowy threat infiltrates Violet’s laboratories, endangering her life and her work, scientist and bodyguard will find all their theories put to the test–and learn that the most important discoveries are those of the heart.

Ok Besties, it is my pleasure to introduce you to break out author Elizabeth Everett. In this her first book we get to see her attention to detail in both building a multitude of characters but in the intricate ways they all interact with one another, and how each interaction is worked into the story line in ways that allow you grow to know the hero and heroine individually outside of their interactions. It was a unique experience and I really enjoyed it. I also was surprised that although this heroine is literally a damsel in distress, who our hero has been hired to safeguard, and not my typical cup of- sassy, independent, knows what she wants, bada$$ heroine- tea, I found myself championing her success and loving her all the same. What she lacks in self-confidence, poise, and cunning she makes up for in determination, goodwill, and intelligence and seriously those things combined give her a different kind of strength. A kind of quiet strength that I think the world needs to recognize more of, so bravo to this author for spotlighting it! This isn’t your typical historical romance in that the setting is a secret society for lady scientists and really, that alone was half of the fun of the book, you never knew when something would randomly explode or crawl out from under the door. Of course the other half of the excitement that makes this book such an enjoyable read is the romance that we see bloom between our damsel and her guardian. Watching as both characters discover their self-worth through their reflection in the other’s eyes and witnessing the amount of personal growth and discovery the connection between them allows warms my heart and brings a smile to my face every time I think about it. Lady Violet Greycliff and Authur Kneland perfect for each other and I am glad they get their HEA.

So with all that in mind I think it is safe to safe that I really liked this book, I am excited to see where this author’s career will take us, and I can’t wait to see what all of you think as well.

The Rakehell of Roth by Amalie Howard

Published February 6, 2021 by bookbesties

As owner of the most scandalous club in London, the last thing the notorious Marquess of Roth wants is a wife. Keeping up his false reputation as a rake brings in the clients with the deepest pockets—money he needs to fund a noble cause. Even though everything inside tells him not to leave his beautiful, innocent wife behind at his country estate…he must.

But three years later, tired of her scoundrel of a husband headlining the gossip rags, Lady Isobel Vance decides enough is enough. She is no longer a fragile kitten, but as the anonymous author of a women’s sexual advice column, she’s now a roaring tigress…and she can use her claws.

Isobel decides to go to him in London, channeling her powers of seduction to make him beg to take her back. But she didn’t expect her marauding marquess to be equally hard to resist. Now the game is on to see who will give in to the other first, with both sides determined like hell to win.

Each book in the Regency Rogues series is STANDALONE:
* The Beast of Beswick
* The Rakehell of Roth

Out 02/9/21

All right, all right, all right!!! Before you start book number 2 of Amalie Howard’s, The Regency
Rogues series you’re going to need a gallon of water close by. This book is so steamy it should come
with a Surgeon General’s Warning for dehydration. For real y’all! You know I normally try not to dwell
on the physically intimate parts of the story when I review a book, but when those moments are THIS
DANG HOT, I would be doing both you and the author a grave in justice by leaving it out of this review.
In this regard, this heroine is my absolute hero!
As I am sure you can all guess by now, I am the (self-proclaimed) President of the Amalie
Howard, Bada$$ Heroines Fan Club (not that such a fan club is really a thing, but it totally should be and
I nominate myself as President ;D ), that means that not only am I super greedy to get my hands on her
books but that I also have super high expectations for her heroines. No meek, biddable, wallflowers
allowed! So going into this book I will admit, I was slightly worried about how I would feel toward this
leading lady after meeting her in The Beast of Beswick. I should have known better than to worry
though, because while she starts out as the quiet, complacent, biddable wife once she reached her limit
and made up her mind to fight for what she wants, in true Amalie Howard Bada$$ Heroine form she is a
force to be reckoned with.
Lady Isobel Vance couldn’t help but be smitten with her extremely handsome new husband,
especially since her marriage to him had saved her from claws of the disgusting and disgraceful Earl of
Beaumont. After their wedding, on their journey to his country home she couldn’t wait to take her
place by his side as the Marchioness of Roth. How was she to know that he would leave her there,
alone, in the country, for three years, while he ran around London causing all manner of scandals? Well,
this “country mouse” has had enough! Armed with the theoretical education she received from the
infamous Lady Darcy, a crazy plan, the support of her best friends and her Father In-Law she charms all
of London, determined to bring her rakehell husband to heel. Will she unleash the tigress within and
win his heart in spite of his determination to push her away or will she be forced to admit defeat and
return to her quiet country life?
Winter Vance, Marquess of Roth, does not want to be married, especially since that is exactly
what his father the Duke of Kendrick wants. Matter of fact, if it wasn’t for the codicil holding hostage of
the rest of his inheritance unless he gets married before he turns 21, he would never get married. He
refuses to succumb to love and the fate that befell his beloved mother and sister. So while he would
concede to the codicil he wouldn’t let a wife, no matter how attractive she was, get in the way of his
notorious life. Thinking he had settled the matter by agreeing to marry the “quiet” and “dutiful”
younger sister of the Duchess of Beswick and abandoning her at his father’s estate far from London, the
last thing he expected was for his “country mouse” wife to show up three years later and take the
London social season by storm. Will he be able to maintain the walls he has built around his heart or
will her newly sharpened claws tear them down and leave him begging for more?
Obviously I loved this book and hope you do too and although I understand why you may feel
the need, please do not call 9-1-1 when this book sets you on fire.

Beauty Tempts the Beast by Lorraine Heath(Review Post)

Published October 1, 2020 by bookbesties

Lorraine Heath ends her bestselling Sins for All Seasons series with the hero readers have been waiting for!

She wants lessons in seduction

Althea Stanwick was a perfect lady destined to marry a wealthy lord, until betrayal left her family penniless. Though she’s lost friends, fortune, and respectability, Althea has gained a scandalous plan. If she can learn to seduce, she can obtain power over men and return to Society on her terms. She even has the perfect teacher in mind, a man whose sense of honor and dark good looks belie his nickname: Beast.

But desire like this can’t be taught

Benedict Trewlove may not know his parentage but he knows where he belongs—on the dark side of London, offering protection wherever it’s needed. Yet no woman has ever made such an outrageous request as this mysterious beauty. Althea is out of place amongst vice and sin, even if she offers a wicked temptation he can’t resist. But as the truth of his origin emerges at last, it will take a fierce, wild love to overcome their pasts.

Lorraine Heath must have heard our prayers because this is it! The finale of the A Sin for All Seasons series is all about the mysterious Beast Trewlove. Throughout this series we have come to know and love each of the Trewlove siblings as well as the people they let into their hearts. From Mick to Fancy and now to Beast this crew of bastards, raised by the same woman in the slums of London show what it means when they say the ties with the family you choose can be stronger than the family you are born into. Knowing the circumstances of their start in life only makes the amazing things they have accomplished in their lives that much more incredible. This theme continues in this final book where we get to meet and know the notorious Beast Trewlove and see what makes him who he is and just where he fits in the Trewlove family.

As a lady born into high society, Althea Stanwick would have never imagined that she would find herself working as a bar maid or that she would ever consider becoming a “kept woman”. But after a scandal involving her father sees her and her brothers penniless and ostracized by the society to which they once belonged that is exactly where she has ended up. The only problem is she has no clue on how to be seductive or draw a man’s intrigue. For her plans for the future to work she not only needs to learn these skills, but she needs to learn them quickly and be the best at them. Who better to teach her than the dark and dangerous proprietor of a successful brothel?

Sure, Beast Trewlove has earned a reputation that goes along with his name, and sure he owns a brothel, but he didn’t come by either of them for any reason other than insuring the safety of himself and the women who work for him when they could not protect themselves. In fact, he hates prostitution and he has made a plan to help all of the girls working in his brothel get respectable jobs so he can close up shop and find a new venture. If only he could find a proper lady, who may or may not be down on her luck, who could teach the girls the expectations of high society and help them polish their rough manners he is sure his plan would be a success. It is with this in mind that he makes a proposal to the beautiful, but obviously out of place, siren working as a bar maid at his sister’s pub. Will he get the deal he was expecting, or will her counter proposal bring the Beast to his knees?

As you all know I LOVED this series and I am sad to see it end but I am beyond happy that it ended with us knowing Beast. I adored Beast and Althea to the point where I can say this was my favorite book in the series. I really hope all of you enjoy it as much as I did.

My Kind of Earl by Vivienne Lorret(Review Post)

Published October 1, 2020 by bookbesties

USA Today bestselling author Vivienne Lorret continues her charming new trilogy with a bluestocking whose search for information on the mating habits of scoundrels has her stumbling upon the missing heir to an earldom… in the London underworld.

Jane Pickerington never intended to start a brawl in a brothel. She only wanted to research her book. Yet when her simple study of scoundrels goes awry, she finds herself coming to the rescue of a dark, enigmatic stranger… who turns out to be far more than an average rake out for a night of pleasure. He’s positively wild!

Only the most feral and cunning could have survived foundling homes and work houses. Orphaned as an infant, Raven never had another name. At least… not until he meets her. Now he’s face-to-face with the one person who recognizes the strange birthmark on his arm and can reinstate him to his blue-blooded birthright.

All at once, Raven’s life takes a turn. His knowledge of dark alleys and gaming hells never prepared him for gilded ballrooms. So Jane becomes his tutor. Yet, the more lessons in decorum she offers, the more this untamed scoundrel wants to teach her all the ways to be wicked.

STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND GO READ THIS BOOK!

I was already a fan of this author before, but seriously, this book made me fall in love with her all over again! After reading the first book in The Mating Habits of Scoundrels series and finding my most relatable character ever, I was slightly worried about how book number 2 would hold up. WOW was I wrong to worry. Don’t get me wrong, Winnie will always be my spirit animal, but Jane’s book just pushed its way into my top 5 favorite reads from 2020. Jane was such a fun character to read and get to know that I can only imagine how much fun she was create and grow. This book had me literally laughing out loud one minute then holding my breath in anticipation the next, fighting back tears of sympathy on one page and eagerly championing hope on the next, it is a page turner through and through.

Jane Pickerington will stop at nothing to answer a question once she sets her mind to it. Her overly analytical, scientific, brain just won’t give her any peace until she has solved the mystery behind what ever it is. So, it is no wonder that doing field research for the guidebook on scoundrels she is writing, with her friends, lands her in a precarious situation, well more than one if we’re counting. One such situation just so happens to cross her paths with the perfect research specimen. A rake who not only gives in to his baser needs, he is driven by them, or so she thinks.

When he headed to Moll’s brothel that night and saw a debutant climbing into a window from the alley, Raven should have left well enough alone. But his curiosity got the better of him as did the smoking pink candle she lit on her way out of the same window after creating mayhem out on the main floor. Determined to find out who she was and force her to turn his skin back to a normal shade the last person he expected to meet was a clever bluestocking who would turn his whole world upside down.

I am eager to see how Vivienne Lorret lets the rest of this series play out and to see if the girl’s book will ever get completed, but really, I am most eager to see if the next book will be as good or better than its predecessors. The wait for book 3 is going to be a true test of patience as I am so addicted to this series. I can’t wait to see what you all think of it too.