Playing For Love and Beautiful: Cover Reveals Times Two!

Holy Moses, everyone! I apologize for slacking on posts this whole weekend. I just did NOT have a minute to bask in the excitement. What excitement, you ask? We have TWO new cover reveals, and I for one, am positively giddy!

Expanding the blog to incorporate not only reviews, but book hauls, cover reveals, TBRs, etc has already put me behind the eight ball. With work, an attempt at a sliver of a social life, tackling my pile of stories, and bringing posts for all occasions makes me feel like I'm already slacking (which I am). There are only so many hours in the day, but I hope to get to these posts as soon as I'm able.

Now that I've given a bit of a disclaimer, let's dive into the good stuff, shall we?

First up, we have Playing For Love from the one and only J.C. Grant. I reviewed her debut novel, Playing For Keeps a few months back, and needless to say, I'm beyond ready for more of the powerhouse that is David Taylor. BEWARE!!! This is an erotic romance, so read at your own risk!

COVER REVEAL
Playing For Love by J.CGrant
Release Date April 27th
‪
Blurb:

David Taylor is the most possessive, dominant, alpha male I have ever met. Technically he's a stalker. He is bossy, needy, nasty, and so very sweet. He is everything I need him to be. I love him so much it scares me.
Austin James is mine.
Mine to take care of.
Mine to spoil.
MINE.
The first time I saw her, I knew she was MINE.
I saw a reflection of myself in her.
Broken. Damaged. Guarded.
I can't explain the depth of my feelings or why it happened so fast.
I just know she's mine and I'll do anything to keep her.

Add to your Goodreads TBR:
http://bit.ly/22cF7iq

 

 

 

Last, but not least, we have the fifth and last book in the Beautiful Bastard series by the amazing duo, Christina Lauren! I've read every single book in this series, plus all the in-between novellas. There are too many to link here, so peruse back through the blog to check out the reviews. It's not a series you want to miss out on at all!  

 

Cover Reveal:

Beautiful, the last book in the Beautiful Series by Christina Lauren has a cover!!! I am all but jumping up and down in my office!

Blurb:
The tenth work in the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling series that started with Beautiful Bastard.

A new couple finds love, and the casts of the previous books join in to celebrate this series finale in the most Beautiful way possible.

"One free spirited Brit. One man weighed down by responsibility . . ....
(Also, a disorientatingly sweet Chloe, confused Bennett, grumpy Sara, Max as you know and love him, travel planner Hanna, chef Will, drunk Ruby, content Niall, George–oh, George–a rented van)
. . . and a whole lot of wine."

Add to GR:https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29368164-beautiful…

Preorder:http://amzn.to/1XrmqGq

 

 

I'm seriously so damn pumped for these books to hit the shelves! More awesome contemporary romances with alpha males to add to the book boyfriends list! I can't wait to share reviews with all of you after I get my paws on these two! 

 

**COMING SOON** Updates and Giveaways!

Hello and good evening, bibliophiles!! I hope everyone is having a lovely (and book-filled) weekend! It's Friday evening in my neck of the woods, and since I'm super popular and social, I thought I'd spend a moment to announce some ideas I'm bringing to the blog and also give you all your first chance at a giveaway! Get excited!

In the last few months, this community has grown into something of its own. I am in no way "internet famous" or doing things on a grandiose scale, but some of the opportunities that have come my way have caused me to do some pondering and become stoked about ways I can expand this bookish little blog! These ideas have been festering for awhile, but now I'm ready to actually put a bit of extra time and bring these new creations into this literary world.

1) Reviews: Yes, they're going to continue. As I stated in a past blog post, if the book or series I'm reading has made the crossover into film or television, I hope to include my perspective, thoughts, and reviews on the screen adaptations as well. With that expansion, there should be some movie trailers, clips, and visuals of the sort coming your way. Just gives the book reviews that much more definition.

2) ARCs: Having this space and a platform on social media has allowed me opportunities to work with up-and-coming authors who are looking for people to read and review their books honestly. These stories are called ARCs (advanced reader copies). As an avid reader, blogger, writer, and reviewer, I can't tell you how thankful I am every time an author reaches out to me and looks for my input. Yeah, they say opinions are like assholes (pardon my french) and everyone has one. I am well aware that I'm no different from any other blogger/vlogger out there, but I hope I bring some sort of personality and unique voice to the literary world. Not only do I get advanced peaks at new material, but I'm also lucky enough to have a chat here and there with the authors and other reviewers and wind up forming friendships that stretch across states and continents. For a common love of reading, like I said, I'm thankful and can't wait to include more ARCs in the review process.

3) Book Hauls, Shelfies, and TBRs: I thought this would be a fun little aspect of my universe in the reading process, from the book-buying experience, to my ever-expanding reading piles, what my shelves are looking like these days, more of an idea of the genres I'm obsessing over at the moment, and more. Maybe this is me being straight-up geeky about my books, but I thought it would be fun to delve into.

4) Cover Reveals: This is new even for me. More authors are looking for bloggers to share covers when they are released in order to create hype for pre-order and eventual sales. I'm right there with them and for them. These are authors of all kinds of genres and I admire their stories and work, so I'm happy to help spread the love. Plus, we all adore a gorgeous cover, even if they tell us not to judge our books by them. They're still pretty to look at, right?

5) Miscellaneous Projects: From entires like My Ultimate Dream Library and A Bookish Rant, I enjoy getting any thoughts and feedback I can about their experiences with books. Whether I'm being contacted to come up with my fantasy shelves or we're talking about book shaming or what non-readers say to you when you choose books over a social life, I'd love to talk about it!

6) Giveaways: This is exactly how it sounds. I don't do these too often because I find it hard to get that creative in the giveaway aspect, but I do love giving out bookish treats when I can! Keep your eyes peeled.... because it starts now! Check it out!!

***Hey hey! Happy Friday! Anyone fancy a Christina Lauren ✨GIVEAWAY✨ this is entirely due to my stupidity. I forgot I had pre-ordered #BeautifulBoss via Amazon... And when I went to my local B&N before it was even released, I happened to spot it out on the shelves and grabbed one. Thanks to my silly jackrabbit skills.. You'll now benefit!! Who can resist a free book?! I know I can't! Here's what you have to do, follow me on Instagram, tag a friend, repost, and go like my Facebook page, The Blabbing Bibliophile, for a chance to win! I'll choose a winner on Monday (4/5/16)... So... Good luck!!***

~Beautiful Boss (#4.5 in the Beautiful Bastard Series by Christina Lauren!

The ninth work in the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling series that started with Beautiful Bastard. In this e-novella, Will Sumner and Hanna Bergstrom (from Beautiful Player) find that a wedding and everlasting love were just the beginning.

One Player tamed. One nerd girl satisfied. And one more major life decision to make. When Will fell for Hanna, her quirky sense of humor and fierce dedication to her career were part of the attraction. (Not to mention her coy newbie attitude toward sex and her willingness to let him teach her everything.) But when the job offers start rolling in for her—and oh, they do—Hanna has trouble deciding what she wants, where they should live, and how much she should burden Will with the decision. Magic between the sheets is only one part of a relationship...getting on the same page is quite another altogether.

Beautiful Bastard- A Series Review

Hey all! Happy Thursday evening (at least in my neck of the woods). The weekend is upon us, and with it, I'm bringing you all a new book (series) review. So here's the deal, I picked up and read a book that's actually number 4.5 in its series, and when I went to review it on goodreads, I noticed that I haven't posted my past reviews for a single book in this series on my blog. I apologize because I LOVE all of these books and you guys all need to pick up copies if you haven't already, and read them right now. I'm talking about the Beautiful Bastard series by power team authors, Christina Lauren. The more installments of this batch that I read, the less I'm able to choose a favorite man or favorite couple. As we move on, you'll understand why. Let's dive right into book one. 

Appropriately titled, Beautiful Bastard, book one draws you in instantly. Bennett Ryan and Chloe Mills are a pair that can go at it in the worst (and BEST) ways. Bennett is rude as anything, but Chloe knows how to handle him and gives him back better than he gets. When things finally heat up and their tempers explode, so do their passions. No time or place is off-limits for these two and it makes for one sexy read! When work and play intermingle, Chloe and Bennett need to navigate waters that are foreign to them and decide the best way to handle their budding relationship. 

This book had me up until 6am and in finishing it, tore my heart out.. Giving me chest pains. I survived it though and I officially LOVE Bennett and Chloe. What a sassy couple! What a wonderful read that went by way too quickly. 

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

I stated with book one that I LOVE Bennett and Chloe, but in Beautiful Bitch (#1.5), my obsession grew! What a challenging and fun couple! These little novellas are just enough "extra" to help complete their story continued from Beautiful Bastard. 

I don't want to give too much away, but the premise has to do with Chloe getting accolades and a budding career. Her powerhouse man, Bennett, doesn't handle the time apart very well, and does everything he can to get his woman to himself for awhile. 

Needless to say, this couple goes toe-to-toe again, and all we get as an audience is fireworks.... explosive fireworks. 

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

Okay... I know Chloe and Bennett are our main couple, but having met Max Stella, the star of Beautiful Stranger, I'm going to pick him for myself. If someone could find me one of my very own, it would be GREATLY appreciated. 

There's really not much to say about this installment of BB but what it says on the cover. It's a perfect blend of sex, sass, and heart! Max is ridiculously charming (is it a British thing?) and I'm so glad Sara got to experience her own "happy". While I envy her and this man she's snatched up, I adore the world these two have created!

Sara was wounded from a long-term relationship, and I didn't blame her for building walls around herself, but I'm also really glad she encountered Max on a random night out. He might be a bit crazy compared to everything Sara has been used to, but he's also the best thing to happen to her. 

Together, they navigate her insecurities and past hurt. She makes Max want to commit to something long-term, and he makes her feel cherished and beautiful in her own skin.  

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

The gang is back in this interlude, Beautiful Bombshell. Bennett and the boys are in Vegas for a bachelor weekend, so obviously, chaos will ensue. 

With a bachelor weekend, comes a bachelorette weekend of sorts. The girls aren't too far away, and eventually need the guys to come to their rescue. With so many personalities in Sin City, this little story becomes something insane, yet totally amazing for a little getaway! 

This was just an all-around entertaining read! Super fun and sexy too! I loved the addition of Max's POV!

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

In book three, Beautiful Player, we meet Will Sumner, who is a total sweetheart and turns every girl around into a big pile of useless mush. 

I love this series and I love these men! Will... You sweet player... Your heart is in the right place. It made me love you even more, even if you didn't always know the best way to navigate a relationship. 

Hanna on the other hand, is the first girl in this trio that I wasn't super crazy about at first. She's so clueless and not in a super adorable way (please don't hate me). When she finally gets some sense knocked into her, she acts in the most juvenile way. Maybe because she's only 24 with lessons to learn? I have no idea, but I wrinkled my nose at her a few times. 

Thankfully, she comes to her senses, but geez Louise, at one point I was really ready to burn this book. It tore my heart out!

The end... The last page or so... Absolutely perfect and so adorable! I melted. Will gave Max a run for his money in my heart. 

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

Beautiful Beginning is the third novella in this batch of books. What a cute way to wrap up the Beautiful series with our original couple, and I'm not the least bit surprised. Bennett and Chloe are the sassiest couple I've ever met and it was nice to finally arrive at their wedding day. I was curious as to whether it would be full of sweet romance, or if it would have some of our trademark Bennett and Chloe attitude thrown into the mix as well. 

I did want a bit more closure with the last few pages, but it was a fun read. I knew more was in store for our batch of bastard friends.

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

Guys! in Beautiful Beloved, we get more of Max Stella, and oh my gosh, how I missed him and Sara! It was amazing to get reacquainted with this couple and see them as parents (spoiler alert)! Life certainly isn't the same for these two with a little one around, but they know how to make it work! Disasters be damned! Max is hell-bent on keeping the romance alive with his lovely wife, no matter what. 

I'm already in love with Niall as well. I know there was only a little snippet of him so far, but it's a good thing he gets his own book!

My only (minor) complaint with this story is the fact it only seems to be available as an e-book. I own the rest of the series in paperback, so not having a copy of this on my shelf drives me crazy. I've scanned all of the inter web and have had zero luck so far, so if anyone knows where I can get my paws on a tangible copy, I'd be forever grateful! 

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

Niall Stella... Niall-effing-Stella. We're up to his story in book four, Beautiful Secret, and I'm so excited for you all to meet him! Lordy. There are not enough words. He may be my favorite of all the Beautiful series men.. Or he may tie with his big bro, Max. I'm a sucker for a man with an accent, especially a British one, so I'll take either one, if not both of them. 

Most romance writers enjoy the tough guy or the hard shell of a business mogul who can't be penetrated when it comes to his complicated emotions. It was super refreshing to discover not only a gentleman at heart, but a man who had made a massive mistake in his own way, yet remains hopeful when it comes to love. Sure, he's ridiculously reserved and needs to break out of his shell, but his past never made him cold, calculating, or even a pessimist about his future. 

Meeting the spark plug that is Ruby Miller, he never gives into his animal, primal, male instincts to push her. If anything, the roles are reversed. She's a ballsy and driven girl who seduces him (in her own way) but takes her time to coach him through his previous blunders in order for him to share his heart again and truly become intimate as a couple. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and I'm sad I went through it as quickly as I did. What girl doesn't want a man with a lovely accent who calls her names like "dove" or "darling"? Seriously? Swoon city.

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

Finally, we're at the final installment in this series (for now... I'm sure we're not done with the likes of this gang). This little novella, Beautiful Boss, brings more of Will, Hanna, and friends! I was beyond thrilled! This beautiful player got to marry his brilliant-but-weird science professor! It was such a cute and intimate wedding before they headed off into the sunset of marital bliss, or do they? 

Hanna is eyeballs deep in job-hunting for Ph.D. lab programs, and Will is ready to pack up and move wherever his beloved wife chooses she wants to settle down.. Even if it's not their NYC stomping grounds. However, they can't do anything until Hanna makes a decision, which she won't do. 

She's known to bury her head in the sand whereas Will wants her to lay her cards on the table and express her wants and desires so they can discuss things together. Their differing opinions on how to approach their future as a unit lead them to some catastrophic blow-ups just a week into their marriage. Luckily, Will and Hanna know how to remedy those situations in the closest way possible, and it seems to make their fighting worth it if it means they can be bonded even closer afterwards.

I loved reuniting with the newlyweds plus Max and Sara, their baby, Anna, and Bennett and Chloe. Their group is so fun and I've really enjoyed my time with every single couple. I can't seem to get enough, so here's hoping there's more from these guys down the road! Now that Will and Hanna have finally decided to pack up and move, I'm anxious to know how married life continues after their relocation!

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

Wicked Sexy Liar (Wild Seasons #4)- A Review

Hello again, bibliophiles! Long time, no see and also, happy hump day! The weekend (and tons of reads) are just around the corner... we can make it, I promise!

Just as a quick aside, I want to say thank you to all of you who are reading this little blog and giving me feedback on these reviews! When I made my last post, I had a ton of issues with fonts and editing out of the blue, and it took me much longer than I would have liked to sort it all out and get the review out to you. However, I genuinely enjoy devouring novels and then sharing the literary love with all of you when I can! Thanks to a real love of books, I've met some of the coolest people ever from all across the globe, and the audience and interaction just seems to keep growing and manifesting into its own creature. Who knows what it could turn into down the road, but for now, I just wanted to say thank you thank you thank you! I adore every single one of you!

Now that I've professed my deep gratitude, I'm just going to jump into review mode. I met my latest book boyfriend, and now all of you need to meet him too! Wicked Sexy Liar is book four in Christina Lauren's Wild Seasons series. As usual, I try to group all of my series reviews into one longer entry, but seeing as how I already have the other three reviewed and honestly wasn't aware there was a fourth installment on the way, here we are. If you need to meet the first three couples (which you absolutely should), you can read my previous reviews at the following links, book one, Sweet Filthy Boy, book two, Dirty Rowdy Thing, and book three, Dark Wild Night . Seriously, these boys are the bees knees, so go check them out asap!

Every time I settle down with a Christina Lauren book, I think, "there's no way they can top the last one.. that was the one.. the dream boat of a man..", and then they go and add another hot guy to my endless list of hot guys who also happen to be amazing. Thank goodness for the realms of fiction, because when it comes to my literary men, I'm the biggest polygamist around. I'm obsessed with them all.

Remember the lovely Mia from way back in book one (oh, and her lovely french husband, Ansel)?, welllllll... do you also remember her ex-boyfriend, Luke? Yeah, we're discussing him this go-round, so buckle up!

So, this group of friends is starting to inter-mingle quite a bit. We have Luke, and then we have London (Lola's bestie and roommate from book three). They are introduced one night while she's bartending at the local stomping grounds, Fred's. They bounce some witty remarks off of one another, flirt awhile, and us readers just know it's going somewhere interesting.

Luke was with Mia essentially since they were kids, so when they broke up, he became a massive womanizer (surprise, surprise). London was with a man named Justin throughout most of her college career and winds up dumping him when she catches him in the act with another girl. Are we sensing the tone? London has walls built up that are a mile-high, and Luke sees that as a challenge...plus... there's just something about her. He can't quite put his finger on it yet, but he knows she's special.

London knows Luke is trouble. Luke knows London is his game-changer. When they mix, it's explosive! Luke might be the player of players, but he's also devoted to his sister, mother, and grandmother, and caters to them as often as he can, so you know buried under all that male, is a heart of gold worth giving a chance. London just has to see that too and let him in a little.

Luke enjoys that she's sassy, sharp, independent, and the polar opposite of clingy. As he pursues her, secrets are unveiled and drastic changes take place.

Their relationship is a whirlwind, but beyond worth fighting for, we just have to get them in the ring together, because they don't always notice what exactly is happening between them. They love to play it safe and remain friends so their habits aren't necessarily jeopardized, but they're absolutely in for it with each other.

Needless to say... ready for it... I LOVE LUKE SUTTER! The moment he won me over completely was during one of his inner monologues saying, "When I love, I do it to the center of the earth. TO the part that's liquid, soft, terrifying." What guy in real life thinks like that (if anyone finds him, bring him to me, please).

London gave him crap when he deserved it, for sure, but when they were good together, they were phenomenal; passionate, intense, sexy, spontaneous, combustive... I can't think properly to convey what these two made me feel when I was in their presence. I know they fought it with every fiber of their being, and it did add a little something spicy to their encounters, but sometimes, I just wanted to scream at them to stop resisting already!

If you know Christina Lauren's books, get ready to meet yet another one of their delicious men for the book boyfriend stack, and if you haven't... um... what are you waiting for?

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

 

Dark Wild Night (Wild Seasons #3)- A Review

Good morning, fellow readers. Bear with me this morning. I had a late night last night and an early start today. I'm trying not to think about my bed too much while I sit in my office until 5pm. The bright side to all of this? I got another book done! We all know I loved my journey with the entire Outlander series, but it put a big dent in my reading schedule. I'm currently taking part in the goodreads challenge and I set my goal to be 100 books by 2016. I'm only 34 books behind schedule! At the beginning of this week, it was 37, so time to keep on keeping on. Let's get to the review. 

If it's possible, Oliver Lore may have trampled right over the top of both Finn and Ansel. The bar on book boyfriends just keeps getting raised higher and higher, and with it, my standards in men become ridiculously impossible.

Lola, our main girl this go-round, was not my favorite, unfortunately. She was too wrapped up in her own head to notice that Oliver wasn't pushing her in their relationship. Unlike their friends, while they did get married in Vegas, they never ended up in a hotel room. They annulled their spontaneous nuptials, but remained the best of friends for months after their friends built lives as married couples. Obviously (spoiler), their friendship crosses into flirting, which puts them in this massive gray area. They realize how much they mean to each other and (cautiously) move things to another, more intense level. Lola is an artist, and completely crazed with a flourishing career. She gets too caught up with her maelstrom of a brain, which backfires on Oliver. When she believes Oliver is too good and finds herself becoming obsessed, she panics.

My heart absolutely shattered when Oliver confesses how he has come second to everyone and everything (lost his parents, and was raised by his grandparents) and he'd refuse to come second to her too because she's the only one he ever cared about enough to want to be first. The poor guy didn't do anything wrong except love and support her and still had his heart shattered when she began to panic. However, stories need conflict and drama, so I was forever holding my breath and waiting for the other shoe to fall.

I have a soft spot in my heart for a nerd, and maybe especially a hot, Australian nerd who runs a trendy comic book shop. Oliver is patient, sweet, feisty, and charming. Lola was lucky to find him and have him fall as hard as he did. It was refreshing to see the guy on the end of smitten kitten and see how a love story could unfold.

I hope to hear more from these two, because I know their story isn't over just yet.

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

 

Dirty Rowdy Thing (Wild Seasons #2)- A Review

Hello again! Since I just posted a slightly lengthy rant just moments ago, I'm going to keep this short and sweet. I just finished reading Dirty Rowdy Thing by Christina Lauren and needless to say, I have another book boyfriend. Shocker, I know.

While I did miss Ansel, Mia, and their magical escapades in the streets in Paris, I was prepared to meet the next pair of players, and booooooy.... Are they a pair! 

Finn- the brooding, strong, silent, rugged Canadian vs Harlow- the daughter of two Hollywood powerhouses and total Cali girl. 

Also married in Vegas alongside their friends on that drunken blur of a trip, they get a quick annulment, and with good reason. 

These two looooove to butt heads (among other things) and wind up eyeballs deep in territory that is completely foreign to them. Finn has a family business at stake while Harlow masks her family's bad news by loving and solving everyone else's problems. Friends with benefits rapidly becomes something new, something unknown to the couple, and things get dicey.

I enjoyed watching them navigate and tiptoe around each other. I wasn't quite sure when they'd realize they're just what the other needs in life, but I had complete faith they'd get around to it eventually.. And boy, do they ever! 

Their friendship is comfortable, and their attraction absolutely sizzles. A blurb on the back cover mentioned blushing, and I have to agree. These two are quite steamy once they get right down to business. 
Just when everything finally points in their direction and with a bright future ahead of them, conflict arises (as it so often does, especially in these books). Harlow and Finn have to decide if they're going to join forces and conquer life as a team, or let the best thing that's ever happened to them walk away forever. 

I know book three will bring me to Oliver and Lola's story, but I'm interested to see the continued incorporation of both Finn and Harlow and also Ansel and Mia as these installments progress. 

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

Sweet Filthy Boy (Wild Seasons #1)- A Review

Surprise, surprise, folks. I'm back again! What can I say? I had some down time at work and was able to binge-read my little heart out. I'm so glad, because I don't think I could have peeled myself away from this book boyfriend to save my life. The man in question is the one and only Sweet Filthy Boy brought to us by the fabulous duo of Christina Lauren. 

Ansel Guillaume. You're the kind of boy a girl dreams about. Truly. Sweet, caring, impulsive, fun, charismatic, I could go on. Mia couldn't seem to get enough of her across-the-bar stranger, and eventually, neither could I. 

When Mia Holland and her friends Lola and Harlow celebrate their college graduation in Las Vegas, what happens there winds up.... in the streets of Paris. 

I always admire the people who actually LIVE life, and do so a bit on the spontaneous side, so I really admired the path Mia and Ansel chose to take. Strangers who got drunkenly married in Vegas decided to live on a whim and see what would happen with their future instead of immediately chalking it up to a mistake. Granted, it's a story of lust, attraction, and love, so there's no un-written stranger danger involved, but I was obsessed with the antics of these two and had to live through them until the day I choose to make decisions the way they did. I secretly long for a day when I may meet someone and marry them on the spot. If only life were that silly. 

I semi-recently spent a weekend in Paris myself back in July, and reading this story made me wish I spent more time enjoying the nooks and crannies of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. While it was charming, it was overshadowed by a bigger excursion in London, so I didn't get to fully appreciate or spend enough time in the city of lights. Ansel and Mia make me want to return and discover something new (including an alluring French man S'il vous plaît). 

While I'm excited to get to book two in this series, I know Ansel and Mia will no longer be my key players as I move on (at least for now) so I'm sad to let them go, but I'm sure I'll meet up with them again soon! In the mean time, I have a new man to meet, and the crazy couple can get back to their impulsive bliss! 

My Final Rating: four out of five stars