Release Blitz: The Rivals We Hate (Braysen U #1) by Brooke O'Brien

The Rivals We Hate by Brooke O'Brien is now live!

Football players are treated like royalty in our small town, which makes Beckham Carver their king. And as the new quarterback of the Braysen Bulldogs, he's now my boyfriend's biggest rival.

Add that to the list of reasons I should stay far away from him.

But when my truck breaks down, Beckham makes me an offer I can't refuse: He'll repair my pickup in exchange for me tutoring him.

I have only one stipulation—no one, including my boyfriend, can find out.

The more I try to convince myself and Beckham that I hate him, the more he pushes my buttons to prove me wrong.

Worse, the lines we've drawn between us blur as we spend more time together. And when my relationship comes crashing down around me, I almost forget why I couldn't stand him all along.

If I've learned one thing about Beckham Carver, it's that he always gets what he wants...
... and now, he's set his sights on me.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

https://geni.us/trwh

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/TheRivalsWeHateGR

Meet Brooke O'Brien

USA Today Bestselling author Brooke O'Brien writes steamy and swoon-worthy new adult romances. She is best known for her sports and rock star romances.

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

When she isn't writing or falling in love with a new book boyfriend, you can find her spending time with her family, cheering on her favorite sports teams, listening to ASMR, or binge-watching the latest true crime documentary. She loves rockin' a comfy hoodie with leggings and believes the best days include a good nap.

Brooke loves connecting with readers and hopes you'll join her on her social pages or reader group to stay in touch. 

 

Connect with Brooke

Website | http://www.authorbrookeobrien.com

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Facebook | http://bit.ly/FacebookBrookeO

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Twitter | http://bit.ly/TwitterBrookeO

Bookbub | http://bit.ly/BookbubBrookeO

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Newsletter | www.authorbrookeobrien.com/newsletter

Cover Reveal: The Keeper (Playing To Win #1) by Bella Matthews

 

Bella Matthews has revealed the gorgeous covers for The Keeper!
Title: The Keeper

Series: Playing To Win #1

Author: Bella Matthews Releasing: December 7, 2023
Cover Designer: Enchanting Romance Designs
Photographer: Michelle Lancaster
Cover Model: Andy Murray

Blurb Coming Soon!

Pre-order your copy today! AMAZON AMAZON WORLDWIDE ADD TO GOODREADS

Meet Bella

Bella Matthews is a USA Today & Amazon Top 50 Bestselling author. She is married to her very own Alpha Male and raising three little ones. You can typically find her running from one sporting event to another. When she is home, she is usually hiding in her home office with the only other female in her house, her rescue dog Tinker Bell by her side. She likes to write swoon-worthy heroes and sassy, smart heroines. Sarcasm is her love language and big family dynamics are her favorite thing to add to each story.
 
Connect with Bella Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Facebook | Facebook Group
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Cover Reveal: House of Boreal (The Haidren Legacy #3) by K.L. Kolarich

𝐁𝐄𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐓𝐇 & 𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐑, 𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐒𝐎𝐖 𝐀 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐔𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐃..

Title: House of Boreal

Series: The Haidren Legacy #3

Author: K.L. Kolarich Releasing: December 19, 2023
Cover Artist: @fionajaydemedia

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕?

🌲Reluctant Rebels⚔️
🌲Outlaw King⚔️
🌲Lethal Lies⚔️
🌲Dark Cabal⚔️
🌲Strange Magic⚔️
🌲Vicious Tensions⚔️
🌲Generational Secrets⚔️
🌲Enemies to Allies to So Much More⚔️

House of Boreal is the third installment in the epic fantasy series, @thehaidrenlegacy. An immersive adventure armed with dark schemes, sharp objects, and bickering characters, this political masquerade packs a legendary punch for classic and contemporary readers alike. Fans of John Gwynne, George R.R. Martin, and Morgan Rhodes will be left aching to embark into Orynthia's enchanted shadow once more.

Hunted and horrified, the Quadren escapes to the mist-choked House of Boreal—a remote highland citadel shrouded by harrowing tales of the occult. Meanwhile, mortal lies flood the crown city and propaganda plagues the streets. Insurgents infiltrate Bastiion, each lobbying for the vacant throne. When Luscia returns to her homeland, she must convince the Elder Enclave to relinquish their elite warriors to Dmitri’s cause. In playing politics with her own people, the line between faith and zealotry quickly erodes, as does Luscia’s trust in her secretive aunt. As disappointment and rancor batters her from all sides, Luscia commits sacrilege and searches the brilliant power she’s struggling to control for the answers her mentor refuses to give, desperate to save Orynthia’s king before it’s too late. Zaethan never thought he’d march his kinsmen into their place of nightmares. Yet marked a bastard refugee, he wears the issue of his heritage like a brand. Within the storied fortress of Roüwen, he and the Darakaians are met with untried hostility, and when a woman goes missing, the already fragile peace fractures. Persecution endangers everyone he loves. As loyalties splinter, Zaethan battles to prove his leadership to his prydes. Even more to himself. Rivals turned reluctant rebels, both haidrens share a naivete to the changing shadow, to evil taking form. For it is the highlands where legend streams into reality—and in Boreal where when an ancient wrath is reborn, a more dangerous bright awakens.

🎁𝐇𝐎𝐁𝐋 𝐏𝐫𝐞-𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐢𝐟𝐭 Get the exclusive Bonus Chapter! Eligible for every pre-ordered edition of HOBL worldwide. To submit, use the pre-order and claim links in author @k.l.kolarich ‘s bio!

Meet K.L. Kolarich

Throughout her life, K.L. Kolarich never expected to become a bestselling and award-winning epic fantasy author, nor one based out of Nashville, TN. But growing up in Metro Detroit, Kolarich developed a deep love for eclectic variety as well as the underappreciated. Both themes readily present throughout her treacherous series, The Haidren Legacy. An individual plagued by sarcasm, conviction, and a constant distraction of fable and lore, K.L. Kolarich dreams in the day and writes through the night. Often hearing her characters argue in the background, Kolarich stifles the daily temptation to abandon reality and lose herself in the realm of Orynthia. When fully present in the real world rather than another, Kolarich explores local waterfalls, habitually frequents the same Thai restaurant, adds to her ever-growing spice collection, and maintains a thoroughly messy kitchen for the sake of colorful vegan feasts. With too many cats and not nearly enough wine, Kolarich resides in the woods away from the noise, happily married.
 
Connect with K.L. Kolarich Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Facebook
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#HouseofBorealTHL

Audiobook Review: When Wishes Bleed (When Wishes Bleed #1) by Casey L. Bond

 

Title: When Wishes Bleed

Series: When Wishes Bleed #1
Author: Casey L. Bond
Publisher: Casey L. Bond
Published: October 31, 2019
Pages: 462
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Source: Audiobook
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦

One Prince. One Witch. One Fate.

The upheaval in my life began the moment a prince stumbled into my house and asked me to read his fortune. Any other night, I might have made an excuse to get him to leave, but this was no normal visit. My fingers prickled to touch him. So, I granted his request by handing him a single wishbone. When he snapped it, the wish … bled.

Hearing me suck in a shocked breath, he asked what it meant. Such an ominous omen could only mean one thing: his death was imminent. Fate revealed that he wouldn’t die of natural causes. Someone wanted him dead. Stunned by the revelation, the man I now knew as Prince Tauren disappeared into a night I feared he wouldn’t survive. The following day, I received an invitation to the castle. While it seemed the prince believed I could intervene and uncover who was plotting his death, his motives didn’t stop there. I was being summoned to join twelve other women in vying for the opportunity to be his wife and future queen.

​

Going could mean jeopardizing my plans to reclaim my heritage and resurrect the House of Fate. But staying would guarantee Tauren’s death, and the blood of his wish would be on my hands.

Goodreads | Amazon

My review on Goodreads!

The synopsis for this book absolutely spoke to my soul. Everything about it is my kryptonite. Witches? Check. A doomed prince? Check. Mysterious and eerie circumstances? Check. A competition to win the prince's affections and become queen? Check. And this book is chock full of some of my favorite tropes as well. Forbidden romance? Check. Love triangle (ish)? Check. Female friendship for the win? Check. 

I've read Casey L. Bond's books before and I love her writing style. I always find myself so engrossed in the story. She captures the reader's attention and runs with it. I really enjoyed the plot of this book and how things played out. The ideas were compelling and original. 

This book was so close to five stars for me. The one thing preventing that was the fast pace of the story. The pacing felt too rushed and it affected me in a few ways. First, I felt that the world-building could have used a little more depth. I didn't feel as connected to the characters as I would have liked. Yes, I enjoyed them but I didn't feel a bond with the characters. Lastly, the fast pace made the romance feel a little too instalove-like for my liking. I much prefer a slow-burn romance where the characters have more time together before all the intense feelings manifest. Otherwise, it just doesn't feel as realistic or believable to me. While Sable and Tauren's romance wasn't entirely unbelievable it did feel like it was right on the cusp of instalove. 

Instalove aside, I felt that Sable and Tauren were a good match. Their affection for each other felt genuine. 

I really enjoyed the side characters in this book. They were pretty entertaining. Brecan brought a fair bit of drama with his jealousy and unrequited love for Sable. Mira was such an interesting character and I adored her personality. Fate was also sort of a character in this story even though it didn't have a body and pretty much only existed in Sable's head. I liked Aaron's character though I wish that he would have had more page time and purpose in the story. As for the main characters, Tauren was really underdeveloped. He didn't really have enough depth for me to form a real connection to his character. I didn't dislike him but I felt disconnected. Sable's motivations were easier for me to identify with. She had more development so she stood out a bit more. 

The ending felt a bit lackluster to me. It felt like it was all resolved a bit too quickly and smoothly. I was expecting a bit more conflict there at the end. 

There were several aspects in the book that gave me Hunger Games vibes. No blatant copying or anything nefarious but there were definitely similarities. The Nautilus Kingdom in When Wishes Bleed is split up into 13 sectors which mirrors the Hunger Games 12 districts. There is also a correlation to the Hunger Games because of the competition that takes place for Tauren to find a wife and queen. In this book, someone is chosen from each sector for the competition which is similar to the Hunger Games. 

Overall, this book had a lot of missed opportunities because of the fast pacing but the book was ultimately enjoyable. Adjusting the pacing would literally fix all of my issues with the story. This book has potential to be an epic story with some tweaking. Casey L. Bond is a fantastic storyteller. I love all of the different elements that she combined for this story. She has taken a bunch of common tropes or themes and combined them to create something wholly original. I think that this is a book that a lot of people will love. I am already wondering about the second book in this series. I definitely urge you to take a chance on this book.

What kinds of things don't work for you in a book? In this book in particular it was the instalove and the fast pace of the story. I was still able to enjoy the story despite these things. Do you find that you can do the same when you read a book with these triggers or does it ruin the book for you altogether?

Blog Tour & Review: Better Hate than Never (The Wilmot Sisters #2) by Chloe Liese

Title: Better Hate than Never

Series: The Wilmot Sisters #2
Author: Chloe Liese
Publisher: Berkley
Published: October 10, 2023
Pages: 400
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Retelling
Source: eARC (from publisher) & Audiobook (purchased from Audible)
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦

Childhood enemies discover the fine line between love and loathing in this heartfelt reimagining of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew.

Katerina Wilmot and Christopher Petruchio shared backyards as kids, but as adults they won't even share the same hemisphere. That is, until Kate makes a rare visit home, and their fiery animosity rekindles into a raging inferno.

Despite their friends' and families' pleas for peace, Christopher is unconvinced Kate would willingly douse the flames of their enmity. But when a drunken Kate confesses she's only been hostile because she thought he hated her, Christopher vows to make peace with Kate once and for all. Tempting as it is to be swept away by her nemesis-turned-gentleman, Kate isn't sure she can trust his charming good-guy act.

When Christopher's persistence and Kate’s curiosity lead to an impassioned kiss, they realize "peace" is the last thing that will ever be possible between them. As desire gives way to deeper feelings, Kate and Christopher must decide if it’s truly better to hate than to never risk their hearts—or if they already gave them away long ago.

Check out my review on Goodreads!

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this book at no cost from the publisher/author and purchased the audiobook upon release. Receiving an early copy does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I am leaving a voluntary review and all opinions are my own. 

I was introduced to Chloe Liese's books when I read the first book in this series, Two Wrongs Make a Right. I was totally blown away with that book and I knew that I had found a new go-to author. 

I am such a huge fan of Liese's writing style. Her stories flow effortlessly and I connect with her writing just the same. I admit that I wasn't as connected to these characters as I was in the first book in the series but I did enjoy their story nonetheless. I love how Liese incorporates representations of neurodiversity and chronic pain in her stories. The plot of this book was executed well. I was so addicted and wanted to know more so I couldn't put this down. The world-building was on a smaller scale but was totally adequate for this story. 

I love how Liese's characters are all distinct and stand out. Even the side characters pique your interest. I also really loved all the character dynamics within the family and friend group. 

This was a very angsty romance that was right up my alley. I have a soft spot for a well-written enemies-to-lovers story. Liese really laid it on thick with incredible banter and scorching chemistry. 

Overall, this book didn't grab me as fiercely as the first book in this series but it is still a book that I greatly enjoyed. Liese has a knack for writing memorable and interesting characters that jump off the page. If you are in the mood for an opposites-attract enemies-to-lovers romance then I can't recommend this book enough! 

Chloe writes romances reflecting her belief that everyone deserves a love story. Her stories pack a punch of heat, heart, and humor, and often feature characters who are neurodivergent like herself. When not dreaming up her next book, Chloe spends her time wandering in nature, playing soccer, and most happily at home with her family and mischievous cats.

WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK

GOODREADS | TWITTER

Check out my review for the first book in the Wilmot Sisters series, Two Wrongs Make a Right!

My review on the blog!

or

My review on Goodreads!

And check out Chloe Liese's Bergman Brothers series starting with Only When It's Us!

And OMG, aren't all these covers just gorgeous?!

Audiobook Review: Two Wrongs Make a Right (The Wilmot Sisters #1) by Chloe Liese

Title: Two Wrongs Make a Right

Series: The Wilmot Sisters #1
Author: Chloe Liese
Publisher: Berkley
Published: November 22, 2022
Pages: 326
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Retelling
Source: Audiobook
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦

Opposites become allies to fool their matchmaking friends in this swoony reimagining of Shakespeare’s beloved comedy, Much Ado About Nothing.

Jamie Westenberg and Bea Wilmot have nothing in common except a meet-disaster and the mutual understanding that they couldn't be more wrong for each other. But when the people closest to them play Cupid and trick them into going on a date, Jamie and Bea realize they have something else in common after all—an undeniable need for revenge.

Soon their plan is in place: Fake date obnoxiously and convince the meddlers they’re madly in love. Then, break up spectacularly and dash their hopes, putting an end to the matchmaking madness once and for all.

To convince everyone that they’ve fallen for each other, Jamie and Bea will have to nail the performance of their lives. But as their final act nears and playing lovers becomes easier than not, they begin to wonder, what if Cupid’s arrow wasn’t so off the mark? And what if two wrongs do make a right?

Goodreads | Amazon

My review on Goodreads!

I can't believe that I have never read a book by Chloe Liese before this one because, wow, this book was god-tier excellent. I have been lusting over its unbelievably gorgeous cover since the cover was revealed and I had a feeling that this book was going to rock my socks. My socks have been thoroughly rocked right off. 

Here's my little checklist of awesome:

- a polished writing style that spoke to me from the first page

- an assortment of my favorite tropes that were implemented phenomenally

- distinct and unique characters that jumped off the page

- one of the absolute best opposites-attract stories that I've ever read

- heartwarming and accurate neurodivergent and anxiety representation

- a couple that couldn't be more perfect for each other and that complement each other to a T

- vibrant secondary characters

- smexy times that were hot as hell, authentic to the characters, and had me holding my breath

- a plot that was executed perfectly and kept me glued to the pages

Overall, this is one of the best romance books that I have read. It is definitely a top read for 2023 for me. I am so eager to read more from this author. I can't wait until this fall when the second book in this series is released. Until then I have several backlist titles to keep me busy. I can't recommend this book enough!

What was the last 5+ star book that you read? What makes a book really stand out to you?

Cover Reveal: This Wicked Bond (Realm of Monsters #3) by Amanda Aggie

 

A captive princess. 
A rogue dragon shifter. 
A bond that could save or doom them all.

Title: This Wicked Bond
Series: Realm of Monsters #3
Publication Date: November 28, 2023
Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance

Blurb:

Unlike my sisters, I was never arranged to marry a monster. I was imprisoned from birth.

I have a unique gift and my father– the King of Solaria–fears it. Yet, he's far too curious about how my magic works to let me go.

Everything changes the day I'm pulled from my cell. It's never happened before. The only explanation is that I've outlived my usefulness. Except, it's not a chopping block awaiting my head. It's a handsome rogue in a green cloak.

The man's a thief who owes the dungeon warden a life debt. To repay it, he's been tasked with smuggling me out of the kingdom.

I know nothing about him. Not his name. Not even his species. Yet, his alter ego has made it clear that this isn't just an assignment. I'm his, and though he'll see me safely out of Solaria, he has no intention of letting me out of his sight.

The monster might want me, but I can assure you the man housing him does not. My father murdered his twin sister, and devastated his kingdom.

All it would take is for him to go back on his word, and I might become the means of how he gets his revenge.

This Wicked Bond is an enemies-to-lovers tale featuring a morally gray, shifter hero with a slew of red flags. The world is dark, but it’s also full of adventure and magic. This story is a spellbinding fusion of Robin Hood, dragons, and monsters, and takes place within Amanda Aggie’s Seven Realms World.

TROPES:

Enemies to Lovers
Dragon Shifters
Magical Bonds
Morally Gray Hero
Robin Hood Inspo
Fated Mates
Forced Proximity
Found Family
Crew of thieves/rebels
Banter for DAYS
Who Hurt You?
Hidden Royalty
Spicy Dream Manipulation

Best known for her #1 Amazon bestselling series, Dark Halos, Amanda Aggie writes steamy dark fantasy romance. She's a wife, a mother to two beautiful tiny humans, and has a stellar caffeine addiction. More importantly, she writes choking- hazard fantasy romance that will have you laughing out loud, swooning, and biting your nails all in one sitting.

Almost all of her books take place in the seven realms of Hell, which she’s often described as, “If Hell and Wonderland got together and had a baby.” You’ll find creatures of all kinds—fae, demons, dragons, witches, and more—along with morally gray villains, and steam. So, grab you some pearls to clutch before you enter the seven realms, and get lost in the chaos.

CONNECT WITH AMANDA

LINKTREE

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