**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
The Best Friend Bargain is the third book in the adult contemporary romance Kisses in the Sand series by Robin Bielman. I read the first book in the series, Keeping Mr. Right Now and I really enjoyed it. I missed the second book in the series, but that is ok because while each of the books are set in the same world, they each work really well as standalones. The Best Friend Bargain is a fun, quick little read that will put a smile on your face.

The Best Friend Bargain is told in dual narrative between Olivia and her best friend Danny. I'm not sure why, but when I originally read the summary, I thought this was going to be a fake marriage/relationship/fake baby turned real type of book, but I was wrong. This is a very real marriage and baby book. It took me a little by surprise when I 1) found out that Olivia was actually pregnant, by someone other than Danny and she really wanted to marry Danny and have him pretend to be the father, and 2) that Danny so easily and readily jumped on board. That is a HUGE thing to ask of your friend and an even bigger thing to accept, no questions asked. For that reason, I found the story to be a little unbelievable. But once I pushed past that and just went with the flow, I really enjoyed Danny and Olivia.

It is clear to see that they care about each other so much. I can honestly say they would do anything for the other one. And that kind of friendship is really hard to go by. I don't read too many books that feature kids and/or pregnancy so this was a bit out of my comfort zone, but it was funny to see these two people, not only try and deal with all the things that go along with a first time pregnancy, but also deal with planning a wedding, an deal with fooling everyone into thinking they are really getting married (this one didn't seem to be too hard.), not to mention living with one another for the first time. As you can probably tell, each of those things led to some cute and funny situations.

Bottom line: Even though The Best Friend Bargain was a bit unbelievable as far as the premise goes, the actual story was very cute. If you are looking for a quirky but adorable quick best friends romance, check out The Best Friend Bargain. However, if the plot seems a little hard to imagine for you, this might not be a good match.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**Laws of Attraction by R.C. Boldt is the fourth book in the adult romance teach me series. Each of the books in the Teach me series work as standalones. I have not read any of the previous three books,. but I wasn't lost at all. I will say this though, now that I have expereinced the magic of R.C. Boldt's books, I need more. I really loved Laws of Attraction.



This is why I loved this book so much. Does the above quote look like the words of a player. A guy who would not settle down for anyone? No, but he is just a big ole softie. I love it when anti- love guys are the most romantic ones of all. And the Laws of Attraction was a very romantic story. At least, it felt that way to me. I loved Lawson so much! All the way down to his goofy t-shirts. I loved him so much that I felt bad for pegging him in a certain stereotype from reading the summary, because in reality he is a giant teddy bear that would make any girl swoony. And he is hilarious.



Bottom line: Laws of Attraction is a great read. And I mean really great. The writing is witty and chuckle worthy. The characters are swoon worthy, and the romance is melt your heart great. I really, really loved Lawson and I really really loved this book. It put R.C. Boldt on my radar in a big way. If you are a romantic at heart, this is the romance for you.



This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**

The Sapphire Heist is the second book in the Jewel series by Lauren Blakely. The Sapphire Heist is an adult romantic suspense series about bodyguards and jewel heists and all kinds of things that are sure to get your heart pumping. The novel is told in dual narrative, which is really my very favorite narration method. Nowadays, whenever I pick up a book told entirely from one person's point of view, I find myself missing the other person. I really enjoyed the tension in the air throughout the story, and the passion between Jake and Steph. This was a great read for me and I can't wait for more. This is a continuation of the first book in the series, The Sapphire Affair, so if you have not read book one, you need to start there. (you can check out my review here)

I think it is hilarious how neither Jake nor Steph fully trust the other one. They are each so used to either being dishonest or dealing with dishonest people, that their trust meter is so shattered. It is the cause of most of their strife in this novel, and I don't think that is going anywhere anytime soon. I still really like the two of them together, but I will admit that aspect got a little old before the book was over. But in the end that didn't matter too much because their chemistry is still off the charts! And because the mystery and suspense is so awesome that you can't help but fall in love with this series.

I still think this series would make a kickass movie. The suspense is edge of your seat stuff, the mystery is awesome and the romance will have you thinking Antarctica is too hot. This is a wild ride of a book, and I can't wait for more. (There had better be more!)

Also note: ** THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR & THE SAPPHIRE HEIST are being released by Montlake, which is an Amazon publishing company, and will only be available for sale at Amazon. You can download a free Kindle reading app for any smartphone or tablet here: http://amzn.to/1MIyrHi ***

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Sometimes you just need a good college romance to get your romance feelers satisfied. At least, sometimes I do. And Blind Spot by Katana Collins totally hit the spot for me. Blind Spot is a new adult college contemporary romance, and I really enjoyed it. I had a little snag with the plot details early on, but the characters more than made up for it. Overall, this was a satisfying romance for me.

Blind Spot is told in dual narrative between Shelby and Tate. Shelby is your classic stubbornly independent college girl. She falls into the new adult stereotype that I have seen a bit too much of. The, had a hard past, but determined to make it on your own- and stubborn to the point where you refuse to accept help of any kind from anyone. It is the last part of the stereotype that irks me. I get wanting to make it on your own. I really do, but being stubborn to a fault is something I could do with less of. Other than that Shelby is a really sweet girl. I totally get why Tate is so smitten with her. And I loved Tate. Yes, he is your classic rich boy used to getting what he wants no questions asked, but I didn't find him to be a jerk. He is a well rounded character that was really likable in my opinion.

And now for the snag. Shelby worked multiple jobs, and saved saved saved so she could finally afford her first apartment. Which is super awesome!! Except, her first apartment is on the 14th floor (of a 15 floor building) which just so happens to be the newest and safest building in Charleston. One where all of the "trust fund kids" live. She does say it is the smallest one bedroom in the building, but the smallest one bedroom would not be placed on the second best floor of the building and it certainly would not be cheap. I want to know just what kinds of big bucks jobs she is working because that apartment would cost a TON of money. It just bugged me because it seemed so far outside of the realm of possible. But it was a minor detail, and Blind Spot is so character driven, and the characters are done so well that I got over my frustration quickly as I became more immersed in the story.

Bottom line: If you are a fan of new adult college romances and you are a character driven reader, Blind Spot will be a good book for you to check out. The romance is great and the characters are my favorite part of the story. Overall, this was a good read.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Seducing the Boss is an adult contemporary romance by Mari Carr. I picked this book up because I loved the summary, but I didn't love the title (still don't because I don't believe that really fits the tone of the story) and I don't love the cover, but I wanted to give it a shot because the summary sounded like it would be a cute romance that I would enjoy. I think I should have trusted my gut on this one, because while I did like it a little, I didn't love it. I will say that I seem to be the odd one out on this opinion because on goodreads everything I saw was 4 or 5 stars.

Seducing the Boss is told in dual narrative between Sara and Kellum. I think part of my problem is that I just didn't love Kellum. I know, go ahead and stone me now, but I found him to be kind of a shallow jerk. Especially at the start of the story, and it left a bitter taste in my mouth that was hard for me to shake. He does get better and more personable as the story goes on, and I don't think there is any doubt at all that he develops real, and deep, feelings for Sara, but something about him just didn't jive with me. Sara and Kellum do have some great chemistry and there was not a whole lot of unnecessary drama, which I really appreciated. That was probably my favorite part of the book. I liked that once the romance became real, it wasn't dramatic just for the sake of being dramatic.

Overall, this one is good if you like workplace romances, which I do, but it was only an ok read for me. Everyone else seems to be loving this steamy romance, so I might be the odd one out. It was good, but I couldn't connect with Kellum 100%, so I think that was what prevented me from going from like to love. The writing is very solid, and the romance is hot, so I would like to read another of Mari Carr's books. I feel like I might enjoy the story a lot more with different characters.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
When I read Pawn a few years ago, I told you I was a little burnt out on dystopian. And that was at a time where Dystopian novels were at their peak. They seemed to be everywhere! And they all kind of started to look the same to me. And I got kind of bored of reading the same formula over and over again. But I really enjoyed Pawn. It didn't seem to be just like all the other dystopians out there, and it was really well executed. I loved the world building that she had in Pawn. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing and the world is awful and disgusting enough to have you completely invested in the series. But after I finished reading Pawn, there was such a long wait until Captive came out, and I kind of jumped back off the Dystopian bandwagon. I have read a couple since then, and they were mostly all kind of blah to me. Nowadays I tend to stay away from them, but I kept going back to Captive. I wanted to read it and see if I would enjoy it as much as I enjoyed Pawn. And I did! This is a series that makes me believe not all Dystopians are bad!

Kitty is an interesting character to me. Sure, she is a little gullible, but she is only a teenage girl thrust into a world of so many lies and political deception, that I don't blame her for not knowing which way is up and who to believe. I continue to be fascinated by the world that Aimee Carter created. There is a lot going on in Captive. This series is not short on action, and I couldn't always tell which way things were going to go. The amount of lies, and new characters that Aimee Carter introduced in this installment had me second guessing almost everything. It added to the drama of the book. I think the Blackcoat Rebellion series should be dubbed a s new genre- a dystopian soap opera. It was kind of amusing how much of a dramatic turn this story has taken, and I think there is even more drama in store for us in the next book. (which I think is the final book in the series, but I am not totally sure.)

I am not totally sure about my feelings for Benji anymore though. This book made him seem a little less steadfast than I remember from the first book. I remember being super impressed by his loyalty to Kitty, and now I a little less sure. We will have to see what happens in the next book. Overall, I am really enjoying the Blackcoat Rebellion series. I have always been a fan of Aimee Carter, and now I am even more so, because she brought me a dystopian drama series that I am really enjoying. I thought Captive was a strong follow up to Pawn, and I am tough critic when it comes to dystopian novels. Bring on Queen!

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**Unscripted Joss Byrd is author Lygia Day Peñaflor's debut novel. I found Unscripted Joss Byrd to be a very interesting read. One that I don't see too much of in young adult literature. I think the fact that the novel draws on Lygia's firsthand experience as a teacher for young Hollywood stars adds a level of credibility that made me feel like what I was reading was part expose and part fiction.

I consider Unscripted Joss Byrd to be young adult fiction because of the maturity and nature of some of the situations and themes, however the main character is a little on the young side. I think I would have preferred Joss to have been a couple of years older. In the end, it worked out alright because I think Hollywood ages you so much that you end up being older than your years, but that was my main hold back with the story.

What I loved the most about Unscripted Joss Byrd was that I felt like we were given a special sneak peak into the private lives of a famous actress. It was like being a fly on the wall in the life of Joss. The story had a very realistic feel to it. Lygia Day Peñaflor holds no punches with Unscripted Joss Byrd. When there is a dark underbelly in Hollywood, Lygia Day Peñaflor exposes it for what it is. But at the, I don't feel like she over exaggerated anything or created any drama for drama's sake. I feel like she stuck to what the true ugly facts of the industry are. And I appreciated that. At least, I felt like she did. (But what do I know.)

Bottom line: If you like your contemporary reads with some grit and real-worldness, Unscripted Joss Byrd is the book for you. I really enjoyed this one, and Joss Byrd is a great young adult voice.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**

King of Wall Street is a sexy, standalone, contemporary romance by Louise Bay. Louise Bay is a go to favorite of mine for sexy romances. I have seriously loved all of her books. I don't think she has ever gotten lower than 4.5 stars from me. (you can see my reviews of her books HERE) King of Wall Street might be my favorite book of her yet! I loved, loved loved that it is a standalone romance. Harper and Max are fantastic together and i am super excited that I didn't have to wait for multiple installments to continue with their story.

King of Wall Street is told in dual narrative between Max King and Harper Jayne. Harper is Max's newest employee, and she also lives in his building so their paths just keep crossing. Which is bad news for both of them because Max can't stop thinking about her, and the only way he knows how to deal with that is to be a grade A jerk to her. And Harper just thinks he is an ass. Which as I am sure you can tell, leads to something pretty explosive between them. But King of Wall Street is more than just a great romance. It is also a really sweet story. I loved the back story with Max and his daughter. I liked that she was already a teenager, and I loved that it was her that was doing most of the encouragement for Max getting a girl friend. It was very mature of her. In fact, all of King of Wall Street was refreshingly drama free. I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved that.

Louise Bay always impresses me with her stories. I know they will be very well written, very well thought out, and have amazing characters with even more amazing chemistry. If you have not yet read a Louise Bay romance, I think King of Wall Street is the one you need to start with. And you need to read it ASAP. It is my favorite book of hers yet! I want more Max and Harper. Maybe we can write Max's sister's story and we can see them again? HinthintwinkwinkLousie. :)

Bottom line: This is a fantastic romance. One of my favorite reads of 2016, hands down. Read it now.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**

Worked up is the third book in the adult contemporary Made in Jersey series by Tessa Bailey. I loved this book so hard. I stayed up until 2 am reading, and it is the first thing that has put a smile on my face in days. (it has been a tough couple of days...) Worked up works well as a standalone. I have not read either of the previous two books in the Made in Jersey series, and while we do see glimpses of the couples, they do not distract from Duke and and Sam's story. The focus is always on the two of them. Worked up is the perfect beach or poolside read for people looking for a romance as hot as the Florida sun.

Worked up is told in dual narrative bewteen main characters Duke and Sam. Duke is always taking care of everyone around him. His best friend's family lives with him, and he is resident babysitter to their four year old daughter. And Duke's four divorcee sisters also live with him, so he does not get a moment of peace. It cannot be easy to constantly be surrounded by four siblings and have no where to escape them. Bless his heart. He can't even escape to the local bar to watch sports, because there he meets Sam, and pretty much everything in his world flips upside down. I loved how good of a person Duke is. And I really loved how completely unglued he becomes around Sam. I mean, she really does a number on him without even really doing anything, and I really enjoyed seeing his reaction to her.

And who doesn't love Sam. She loves her puns. No matter how bad they are, they still crack her up, and I just love that about her. She makes me smile. Her quirky sense of humor is so darn adorable. And she can't seem to stay away from Duke either. (not that I blame her, because he is pretty book boyfriend-worthy.) Worked Up is the kind of book you finish and immediately debating starting over again, because you just want more of it. I really loved this story. I need to get more of Tessa Bailey's books because she writes fan yourself worthy romances. I want more. Worked up is one of my favorite reads of 2016. It was darn near perfect.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**Adult ReviewMy Thoughts
The Protector is a standalone adult romantic suspense by author Jodi Ellen Malpas. Jodi is one of those authors that I have consistently heard excellent things about, but have not had the opportunity to read myself. Now, having read The Protector, I know what all the hype is about. She can write seriously engrossing books. I could not put The Protector down.

The Protector is told in dual narrative between Cami and Jake. Jake is ex military turned private whatever-is-needed, for hire. His latest assignment is playing bodyguard for Cami, the daughter of a rich businessman. I loved Cami (and Jake) but Cami really surprised me. She was nothing like what I was expecting. Normally, in rich daughter gets a bodyguard stories, the girl fits a certain stereotype. And often times that stereotype is a bratty over indulged whiny young woman. But not Cami. I loved how spunky and fiercely independent she was. I loved the storyline surrounding her start up fashion line. She was a breath of fresh air.

And Jake was everything you wanted him to be. He is gruff and kind of grumpy. But he has whip fast instincts and I loved his protectiveness towards Cami. I did feel like a switch flipped between the two of them pretty quickly, and then all at once they went from being at each others throats to more.
The-Protector-Quote-Graphic-#3-2

Bottom line: I get what all the hype is about Jodi Ellen Malpas and her writing. She is very talented at writing character driven stories that will make you loose track of the outside world. If you are a fan of strong male and female characters, intense chemistry and intense suspense plotlines, grab a copy of The Protector today. But be warned, block off the rest of your day, because once you pick up this book, you will not be able to put it down.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs