Review: Ryker by Sawyer Bennett

Title: Ryker
By: Sawyer Bennett
Series: Cold Fury Hockey #4
My Copy: Netgalley.com
The BookWhisperer's Rating: 

The stakes have never been higher for Carolina Cold Fury goalie Ryker Evans. With his contract running out, he’s got a year left to prove he’s still at the top of his game. And since his wife left him, Ryker has been balancing life as a pro-hockey star and a single parent to two daughters. Management is waiting for him to screw up. The fans are ready to pounce. Everybody’s taking dirty shots—except for the fiery redhead whose faith in Ryker gives him a fresh start.

As the league’s only female general manager, Gray Brannon has learned not to mix business with pleasure. And yet even this tough, talented career woman can’t help breaking her own rules as she gives Ryker everything she’s got. She hopes their hot streak will last forever, but with Ryker’s conniving ex plotting to reclaim her man, the pressure’s on Gray to step up and save a tender new love before it’s too late.

*Spoiler-ish*

I think the only thing that I could even think of for an hour after finishing this book was that if there was ever a Ryker that appeared in my life, I would leave everything and follow him to the ends of the earth.  He is seriously the best.  Ryker’s dedication to his family, friends, team, and Gray really made him a stand-up guy.

Ryker is learning how to be a single parent and best goalie that Cold Fury could ever ask for when Gray steps into her father’s position on the team and becomes the general manager and star of Ryker’s dreams.  Little does Ryker know, he is the star of Gray’s dreams as well.  Since Gray is technically Ryker’s boss, it is not like they can pursue a relationship but that is exactly what they do.  There secret, stolen moments were wonderfully written to bring out the continuous growing love that both characters are starting to experience. It is the kind of love that I love reading how it blooms and becomes something so deep that nothing can rock it’s foundation. 

That being said, I am not saying that there wasn’t some earthquakes that the reader gets to experience along the way.  Some players believe that Gray has no place as the GM of the team.  Ryker’s ex-wife (mostly ex-wife) realizes what a mistake she made and wants her old life back.  Both Ryker and Gray ponder the question of what is more important to them: their career or their love.  Without giving away too much, I am going to stop there.

Ryker was an amazing book in a fantastic series.  I have loved all characters Bennett has written and I can’t wait to read who else gets a story.

Review: Make Me by Tessa Bailey

Title: Make Me
By: Tessa Bailey
Series: A Broke and Beautiful Novel #3
My Copy: Amazon.com
The BookWhisperer's Rating: 

Construction worker Russell Hart has been head-over-work boots for Abby Sullivan since the moment he laid eyes on her. But he knows a classy, uptown virgin like her could never be truly happy with a rough, blue-collar guy like him. If only she'd stop treating him like her personal hero—a role he craves more than oxygen—maybe he could accept it.

With the future of her family's hedge fund on her shoulders, Abby barely has time to sleep, let alone find love. And her best friend Russell acting like a sexy, overprotective hulk any time their Super Group goes out in public definitely isn't helping her single status. But after a near-tragedy lands Russell in her bed for the night, Abby's suddenly fantasizing about what he looks like shirtless. Chest hair and tattoos—who knew?

As Russell struggles to keep Abby at a safe distance, she begins to see through his tough-talking exterior—and acknowledge her own feelings. Now she's ready to turn the friend-zone into foreplay…and make him lose control.

All right, Roxy and Louis were cute together.  Ben and Honey were adorable together.  But something about Russell and Abby made the other two couples old news to me.  I think it was probably the fact that we have gotten to know Russell and Abby slightly more over the last two books. And we find out Russell’s attraction to Abby in the last book and it just builds.  They have this wonderful friendship together to where Russell is basically a surrogate to Abby: he takes care of her, lets her fall asleep on him, and kills spiders for her.  It’s kinda beautiful!  This whole time, Russell is madly in love with Abby but thinks that she is too good for him.  And this whole time, Abby slightly clueless of Russell’s feels until a specific moment makes it click in her head that Russell is the one.  However, no matter how much Russell wants Abby, he won’t let himself because he knows they are different in many ways; mostly stature and experience.

Even though I wanted to shake both Abby and Russell until they realized that they were perfect for each other, I found them to by my favorite couple.  Heck, they were my favorite couple even when they weren’t a couple.  Just the way that Russell was always looking out for Abby make me sigh with appreciation.  And Abby and her adoration for Russell and just her plain belief that he could do anything that he ever wanted made me know that she was right for Russell.  And then came the dirty talk…yeah, I am leaving it at that but it was real nice to read.

Again, Tessa Bailey is amazing and she created two amazing characters in this book and made me want to live their lives, even with their ups and downs just so I could experience that intense love.

Review: Need Me by Tessa Bailey

Title: Need Me
By: Tessa Bailey
Series: A Broke and Beautiful Novel #2
My Copy: Amazon.com
The BookWhisperer's Rating: 

When Honey Perribow traded in her cowboy boots for stilettos and left her small Kentucky town to attend Columbia University, she never expected to find a dirt-cheap apartment or two new best friends. No stranger to hard work, Honey is completely focused on her medical degree … until she sees newly minted professor Ben Dawson, and her concentration is hijacked. Honey is fascinated by her gorgeous young English professor and vows to find a crack in his tweed-wearing, glasses-clad exterior.

At an off-campus party, an accident lands Ben in a dark, locked closet with a sexy-sounding Southern belle … and their chemistry is explosive. But when he discovers that the girl in his arms is the same beautiful student he can't stop thinking about, he is stunned. Student-teacher relationships are strictly forbidden … yet no matter how hard he tries, Ben can't stay away from Honey.

And when his attempt to fight their attraction nearly ruins the best thing that ever happened to him, Ben will do anything to prove how much he needs her.

*Warning: may contain spoilers*

After reading Chase Me, I was interested in how Honey and Ben’s story would turn out.  Honey, planning to seduce Ben, her English professor.  And Ben, loving everything that Honey writes but not knowing exactly which student she is until their groups merger into one and all is revealed.

Let me tell you that I enjoyed this book.  I loved Ben as an English professor.  There is always something deep inside me that loves a man who admires the classics.  I also loved that Ben admired Honey’s talented writing before he even was able to put a face to the name.  It made me feel like his want for her had more meaning than just her beautiful looks.  And Honey was a well thought-out character who felt deeply for her family, friends, and Ben.  Their secret time together was amazing hot but it didn’t sizzle all the time.

Ben’s past kept creeping up in the back of his mind and prevented him from becoming serious with Honey until a family emergency sent Honey back home.  And what I found to be super sweet was that the moment Ben realized that she was away, he couldn’t stand not having her by his side.  Normally, I wouldn’t like that in any other book, but Tessa has this wonderful ability to take her male characters, make them extremely alpha like but in a sweet way.  This revelation for Ben sends him to Honey’s hometown to win her back.  All is well and good until it happens…and I just have to leave it there.  The book is set up for it, I don’t know why I didn’t see it coming, but it came and broke my heart.  I had no idea how we (yes, me and the characters) were going to get past this.   I mean something big happens guys. But then how the wrongs were mended was beautiful.  My heart grew because it was so touching and heartfelt.

Like always, Tessa Bailey is just amazing at what she does. I think by all of the post that I have written on her now you all should know how much we love her.

Paperback Release Day Launce: Beyond Fate by Heather Lyons

We are so excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for the paperback edition of Heather Lyons' BEYOND FATE! BEYOND FATE is a Fate Series novella and is written in Jonah’s point of view. It is his side of the story from A MATTER OF FATE. Grab your copy of this amazing novella today!

And that’s not all! BEYOND FATE has gotten a cover makeover! This amazing new cover was created by Carly Stevens!

 

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** Kobo

  Release Day Excerpt: I remember Joey telling me once that, of all the big waves he’s ever ridden in his life, the one that got his blood pumping most was Mavericks. “It’s sick,” he said as we waxed our boards at one of his favorite breaks near his house in Australia. “Cold as all hell. Gotta be careful of the Boneyard nearby. There’s a reason they call it that, you know. The reef below loves nothing more than to welcome you to stay forever. But,” his easy grin slid out, “when conditions are right, and you can take off in the hollow and traverse the long wall before finishing in white water, your life flashes before your eyes. You’re flying through hell like a slingshot, only to come out in paradise.” Obviously, it made me want to surf Mavericks so bad I could taste it. When Kel and I first got to California, we’d wanted to come here together. Ride these waves in Joey’s honor. But that never happened. He’s with Chloe right now, after yet another attack during which she walled both him and me inside a building and took off toward San Francisco in an effort to lead what we now know as Elders away. I know why she did it. I felt it the moment her resolutions within hardened—she believed she was protecting the people she loved. In a weird way, I was incredibly proud of her for it, even as I tore my hair out, trying to get the hell out of the tomb she sealed us in so I could get out there and protect her myself. Karl and I searched for her for hours . . . And then she decided to gut me once more by calling my brother to go and get her. So here I am, in the back of a boat, tugging the hood of my wetsuit over my head in the pursuit of some kind of nirvana high amidst the hell I’ve found myself in lately. Raul Mesaverde’s questioning my sanity for wanting to go out into the monster waves we’re heading toward, but I do my best to ignore my temporarily assigned Guard. We’re accompanied by one of Joey’s Wave colleagues, who’s come along upon Astrid’s insistence. I tried to assure her I knew what I was doing, but considering she pretty much had an anxiety attack after researching Mavericks and learning people have died here, I figured this was the lesser of two evils. “You’re loco,” Raul yells at me over the boat’s engine. I laugh. This? Coming from a Cyclone? Especially one who agreed to chauffeur Chloe on her crazy attempt to lure the Elders away? The Wave we’re with turns away from the wheel and smiles. He’s crazy, too—because he’s got that same look in his eyes that Joey always had. Like the ocean is his temple. “Nah, bra,” he tells Raul. “Maverick’s all about enlightenment.” Raul white knuckles the side of the boat. I completely tune him out and let myself slide into that place Joey taught me about so long ago. “When you let yourself go,” he’d told me as we’d sat out beyond the breaks, “when you put yourself out there and really just let yourself go, knowing any second you could be swallowed whole by the ocean, you’ll realize that all of that shit you worry so much about—girls, school, parents, grades, work, responsibilities—they’re meaningless. Because it’s just you and the waves. They don’t give a rat’s ass what kind of day you’re having. They don’t care if you’ve just bagged the hottest girl in the worlds or if your dad thinks you’ve failed him. They’re gonna rise up and fall no matter what. Let yourself go along that ride, J. There’s worry enough for later.” This is what I’m thinking as I’m waiting for my set to come. When it does, I paddle hard. Anticipation and fear is just as strong on my tongue as the salt water surrounding me. I let my worries go. This one’s for you, Joey. I gladly fling myself into oblivion.       BEYOND FATE (Fate Series #1.5) Synopsis: There are always two sides to every story . . . His whole life, Jonah Whitecomb has strove to meet everyone's expectations of him: the perfect student, dutiful son, loyal twin, accomplished surfer, and powerful Magical. But behind his carefully composed façade hides the truth of how his family has fallen apart, leaving Jonah more often than not feeling adrift. To complicate matters, he fell in love long ago with a girl in his dreams, one he's never told anyone about, including his twin brother. Just when life seems its bleakest, Jonah discovers that Chloe is real. Wanting to finally reach out and grab happiness for himself, he embarks on a journey to track down the girl of his dreams, only to find that happy endings aren't always guaranteed, the best laid out plans can go horribly awry, and sometimes, you have to simply let yourself go along for the ride. * Beyond Fate is Jonah's point-of-view of the events of A Matter of Fate, and is a companion novella for the YA/NA crossover urban fantasy/romance Fate series.

And don’t miss the first books in the Fate Series!

A MATTER OF FATE (Fate Series #1)

 

BEYOND FATE (Fate Series #1.5)

 

A MATTER OF HEART (Fate Series #2)

 

A MATTER OF TRUTH (Fate Series #3)

 

A MATTER OF FOREVER (Fate Series #4)

  About Heather Lyons: Heather Lyons writes epic, heartfelt love stories and has always had a thing for words. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. She and her husband and children live in sunny Southern California and are currently working their way through every cupcakery she can find.          

Website ** Author Goodreads ** BEYOND FATE Goodreads ** Twitter ** Facebook ** Pinterest

 

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Cover Reveal: Fatal Beauty by Nazarea Andrews

 

Today we are having a cover reveal for FATAL BEAUTY by author Nazarea Andrews. This book will be released October 6th and it is an Adult Thriller. Check out the exclusive excerpt below for a sneak peek.

Click here to ADD THE BOOK TO GOODREADS

FATAL BEAUTY BOOK BLURB:

Charlotte was a good girl. Sweet and innocent, a debutante with her Daddy’s credit card and a fiancée who doted on her. She was destined for a perfect picture life in Charleston. Until everything goes wrong. EJ grew up with everything she could ever want, and bored as hell. Nothing surprises her and nothing ever changes, and she wants out—whatever it takes. Getting involved with Anthony Jacobs is probably the worst idea she’s ever had—and that makes it irresistible. Until Charlie needs her. New Orleans. Los Angles. Vegas. Beautiful girls who know just how to get exactly what they want. It’s all fun and games, sexy nights and wild parties. But you can only manipulate your way out of so much, and when their past catches up, not even a pretty fucking smile will get them out of trouble this time.

   

Exclusive Excerpt:

Wallace Bryce Talbert was dead. She was standing next to him, and distantly, she was aware of the blood spilling out, spreading to seep around her toes, sinking into the crack of her feet. They had hardwood floors. She could mop. She should mop. Except it was a crime scene. You didn’t just mop up a crime scene. There were procedures to follow and—her stomach heaved suddenly, and she whirled, her foot sliding in the spreading blood as she scrambled for the trash bin. She’s still in the dress she wore to their engagement party, her hair half down in, makeup smudged. Hair falls in the trashcan, and she gags as vomit catches in it. She straightened slowly and made a face. Wonderful. There was now a dead body on the floor and vomit in her hair. The night was definitely on a downward spiral. There is a sharp knock on the front door, but Charlie doesn't move to answer. She shouldn't have called Ella, but it happened before she could think, while Wallace was still gasping, his eye shocked and angry while she fumbled for her phone and stood over him. "Charlie?" The voice breaks the cocoon of distance, and she draws in a shuddering breath. "Oh holy fuck." EJ breathes the curse like a prayer and stumbles across the room to grab Charlie, yanking her around. Her eyes and hands are frantic as she looks over the other woman, and a hysterical giggle works it's way up Charlie's throat and bubbles over. EJ goes still and watchful, her sharp blue eyes locked onto Charlie's. "Charlie, I need you to focus on me. Tell me what happened." The words snap her laughter off and Charlie shudders, a full body spasm that makes EJ's hands on her shoulders tighten for a heartbeat.


   

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  

Nazarea Andrews (N to almost everyone) is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. Which means she writes everything from zombies and dystopia to contemporary love stories. When not writing, she can most often be found driving her kids to practice and burning dinner while she reads, or binging watching TV shows on Netflix. N loves chocolate, wine, and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, spoiled cat and overgrown dog. She is the author of World Without End series, Neverland Found, Edge of the Falls, and The University of Branton Series. Stop by her twitter (@NazareaAndrews) and tell her what fantastic book she should read next.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Street Team

Review: Heart-Shaped Hack by Tracey Gravis Graves

Title: Heart-Shaped Hack
By: Tracey Gravis Graves
My Copy: Ebook from Publisher
The BookWhisperer's Rating: 

When Kate Watts abandoned her law career to open a food pantry in Northeast Minneapolis, she never dreamed it would be this difficult. Facing the heartbreaking prospect of turning hungry people away, she is grateful for the anonymous donations that begin appearing at the end of each month. Determined to identify and thank her secret benefactor, she launches a plan and catches Ian —a charismatic hacker with a Robin Hood complex—in the act.

Ian intrigues Kate in a way no man ever has. But after learning he’s snooped around on her personal computer, she demands retribution. Impressed with her tolerance and captivated by her spirit, he complies and begins to slowly charm his way past her defenses. Time spent with Ian is never boring, and Kate soon finds herself falling for the mysterious hacker.

But Ian has enemies and they’re growing restless. In the hacking world, exploiting a target’s weakness is paramount, and no price is too high to stop an attack. And when Kate learns exactly how much Ian has paid, she’ll discover just how strong her love is for the man who has hacked his way into her heart.

I signed up for the blog tour based on the synopsis, which sounded amazing, and I was very excited to see it pop up on my reading app.  I dug in and became slightly concerned if I was going to like this book.  For the first few chapters, I felt that Kate was just a one-dimensional character.  She didn’t strike me as anything besides being kind-hearted.  And it further stood out in my mind when Ian came along.  He was filled with quick wit, mystery, and sexiness.  Ian’s character had so many dimensions that it started making up for the lack of Kate’s.  But slowly Kate’s character came out of her shell and started showing what a well-rounded character she was (and how I hoped she would have been in the first half of the book.)

Ian and Kate’s love was adorable – considering the hilarious but slightly creepy way they met.  Their banter was perfect. Where one had a weakness, the other had strength.  And once paired together, it was quite perfect to read how their growing love bloomed.  Just at that pinnacle peak of their relationship, danger strikes and a once strong love starts to crumble.  I knew this part was necessary but it still didn’t make it hurt any less.  I felt the pain right along with the characters and longed for the good old days in the beginning of their relationship. 

The biggest thing for me, that really made me enjoy this book, was the way that Ian expressed his love for Kate.  Even though this book is told through Kate’s POV, how the author wrote Ian’s actions and expressions nailed his growing love.  You walked away knowing that he would do anything for Kate, no matter what price.  I think it would be interesting to have a book (or small novella) of the book told through Ian’s POV.

I will say that the transitions between scenes were a little hard for me.  I don’t know if it was because I received an ARC, which may have a lot to do with it, but things would skip without any warning.  I am hoping that this is the case and that the file version of the book will be formatted appropriately so it won’t leave the readers utterly confused at moments.