Friday Finds & Reader Recommendations – 08-28-2020

HAPPY FRIDAY TO US!!! OH MY!! Over 40 books on today’s Friday Finds (one of our biggest in weeks!!) Sooooo many awesome sounding books went live in the last 24 hrs and there were definite blurb jolts (along with the latest reader recommendations and feedback on a few recent releases). YAY US!!! 😀

Today’s “Blast From Our Book Past” highlights:

• 6 years ago today, I chose this one ’cause I thought it would be dark and intense, and it actually had me giggling the whole way through. Wasn’t what I expected but I enjoyed it nonetheless! Book Review – Be My Hero by Linda Cage
• 11 years ago today, I reviewed (and 4.5 star LOVED) this one in one of my favorite forbidden-love, super-angsty series ever! Book Review – Blood Promise by Richelle Mead
• 2 years ago tomorrow, this love triangle delighted me! Book Review – Bring Down the Stars by Emma Scott

P.S. Make sure to check out today’s newsletter sponsor! Enemies-to-lovers sports romance (super-bargain!) and it sounds SO fun!!! Introducing Ashley R. King’s sports romance, “Painting the Lines” – It’s LIVE & we’re having a giveaway!➔➔➔➔➔

“King debuts with a delightful, character-driven rom-com! Fans of slow-burn romance will be swept away.” – Publisher’s Weekly

TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE FOUND FOR THE WEEKEND  !!

• EXTENDED THROUGH DECEMBER ☃️🎄🎄🎄☃️!!! ➔➔➔ TWO MONTHS FREE KINDLE UNLIMITED DEAL!!! <— If you haven’t tried it yet, now’s your chance. WE ARE LOVING IT! 

And…

• Follow Me Down by Melissa Toppen <— LIVE!!! BLURB JOLT ALERT!! SHE WANTED TO GET AWAY… “…I ran—quite literally—as fast and far as my feet would take me. I didn’t know where I was going, only that I had to get away. And that’s when he found me… Titus Driscoll. He was unlike anyone I had ever met before. A man who lived by his own code. Who answered to no one but himself. He didn’t care where I came from or why I was running. He didn’t care that my father was a powerful politician that would stop at nothing to bring me home. Once he had me, I was his…”
• Closure by Lindsey Todd <— LIVE!!
• Haunted: a paranormal reverse harem bully romance (Manderley Academy Book 2) by Steffanie Holmes <— LIVE!!
• Ravage: A Paranormal Reverse Harem Romance Series (Royal Fae Academy Book 1) by Lacey Carter Andersen <— LIVE!!
• The Beauty Series by Georgia Cate <— LOOK WHAT SERIES IS COMING TO PASSIONFLIX!!! YAY Georgia Cates!!!

Tangie: I just finished reading this series for the third time. I love them!!!

Joanna: I started re-reading these!

Amy: I recently read “Beauty from Pain” by Georgia Cates and I absolutely LOVED it.

Kate: Beauty from Pain trilogy….I love those books!

• The Takeover (The Miles High Club) by T.L. Swan <— T.L. SWAN ALERT!! LOOK WHAT JUST WENT LIVE!!! SHE’S A WIDOW & A SINGLE MOM, and he’s trying to take over her dead husband’s company… “…I hated him with every cell in my body. In the shock of the century, he called me three days later and asked me on a date. I would rather die than date a man like him—though I do have to admit it was good for the ego. Turning him down was the highlight of my year. Six months later, he was the guest speaker at a conference I attended in France. Still arrogant and infuriating—but this time, surprisingly charming and witty. When he looked at me, I got butterflies...”

Kelly: It’s a Kindle unlimited one! Just starting it right now!

• Enemies No More: An Enemies to Lovers Standalone by Jimi Gaillard-Jefferson <— LIVE!! SHE’LL STAY IF HE GIVES IT ALL UP…“...He had chocolate and Scotch in his hands when I told him I wanted him. It was better than I imagined. He wants to hide us and everything we’ve become. Family, money, occupations, and career paths. There’s too much at stake, he says. I am supposed to be his lifelong enemy. Not this. But I am me, and I am his. Sacrifices will have to be made...”
• Dangerous Waters (Emma Griffin FBI Book 1) by A.J. Rivers
• The Promise of Hades: A Fated Mates Fantasy Romance (The Hades Trials Book 3) by Eliza Raine and Rose Wilson
• Live in Love: Growing Together Through Life’s Changes by Lauren Akins & Mark Dagostino <— WIFE OF A COUNTRY STAR MEMOIRE!! Tasha J is enjoying this one!

Tasha H: So, I’m reading Live in Love by Lauren Akins and I’ve read a ton within a day *claps hands* and I’ve definitely felt chills and nearly burst into tears. In a totally inappropriate place, of course.

I’m really liking this one. Not totally relatable, for me, but gives me wistful feelings. Like, how cool would that childhood be?

• Painting the Lines: A Hot Romantic Comedy (Ace of Hearts Book 1) by Ashley R. King <— LIVE & SUPER-BARGAIN PRICED ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS, SLOW BURN SPORTS ROMANCE ALERT!! She’s a writer looking for inspiration and he’s a cocky tennis player that she hates instantly! “…she’s desperate to find inspiration for her next big idea, something that challenges and excites her, something real. Enter Julian Smoke, a failed tennis player making a dream run for the US Open. After a chance meeting at a bar, Amalie hates him instantly. He’s cocky and arrogant, but Amalie knows his story could be her big break…” P.S. Find out more about the author, and the inspiration behind the book (plus the giveaway) here on my blog ➔ Introducing Ashley R. King’s sports romance, “Painting the Lines” – It’s LIVE & we’re having a giveaway!
• The Biker and the Gamer (Oil and Water Series Book 2) by S. Ann Cole <— LIVE!!! S. ANN COLE ALERT!! I LOVE HER!!! “…Sure, he’s good-looking or whatever, but hideously dressed, a bit nerdy, and such a far cry from my type that it’s not even worth mentioning. So why can’t I stop staring? Captivated. Confused. And why does he keep staring? Like I’m a dream come to life. He offers me a deal too good to pass up, a deal that will get me one step closer to my dream to travel the world. I couldn’t have anticipated the turn my life would take when I said yes to Alec Vaughn…”
• SOUTHSIDE HIGH: Rockstar Enemies to Lovers Romance (Tempest World Book 1) by Michelle Mankin <— LIVE!!! Oooooh LOVE TRIANGLE ALERT!! “...I’m in love with two men. Bryan Jackson is the guitarist in our band, and War is the lead singer. They’re sexy bad boys, the most dangerous guys in our school. All the girls at Southside High want them. But loving two guys is a problem—especially when those two guys also love each other…”
• Guerrilla Tactics (Alaskan Security-Team Rogue Book 4) by Jemma Westbrook <— LIVE!!!
• Billie and the Russian Beast: An Enemies to Lovers Russian Hockey Player Sports Romance [50 Loving States, South Carolina] (QUARANTALES Book 2) by Theodora Taylor <— LIVE!!
• Orlando: Boyle Heights #4 Book by Elizabeth Reyes <— LIVE!! ULTIMATE BLURB JOLT!! OHHHH THIS ONE SOUNDS AWESOME!! The baby he didn’t know he had, is left on his doorstep... “…As luck would have it, the new temp receptionist at Orlando’s auto shop is also a child therapist student. After one phone call where she effortlessly saves the day, he and the baby need her in their lives. No surprise, Orlando falls for her just as fast as his son seems to. He’s soon envisioning life with his new perfect little family. Until the truth about her real motive surfaces, threatening his imagined happily ever after…”
• Moody And The Beast (Shadowvale Book 4) by Kristen Painter <— LIVE!!!
• Inked in Lies (The Fallen Men Book 5) by Giana Darling <— GIANA DARLING’S RECENT RELEASE & WE HAVE EVEN MORE FEEDBACK!! P.S. This is a hugely popular “forbiddeny” series amongst our book crew! P.S. Here’s the reading order (plus huge love for it).

Kim: This was so good! I love this series! Totally bummed I read it in Ione sitting 🤣

Leeann: I know. I don’t know what to read now!!!

Cassandra: This book was amazing. It had me all in my feels. My favorite in this series so far.

Lena: Just read book one! Loved it now on to the next in the series!

• Reckless Invitation (The Reckless Rockstar Series) by Samantha Christy <— LIVE!! ROCK STAR ALERT!! P.S. These can be read as standalones (but follow a rock band). “...I’m in a serious rut. I’ve lived under the shadow of my ugly past for so long, I can’t see a future. Then she falls into my life. And suddenly, all I can hear are riffs, melodies, and beats. She’s my muse–my inspiration. She’s exactly what I need to get me back into the groove. But will she accept my invitation?…”
• Miss Apprehended by Miranda Elaine and Amie Knight <— LIVE!!
• Hollywood Flirt: Hollywood Name Game Book 2 by Alexa Aston <— LIVE!!
• Saint’s Angel: Mc Standalone by K.L Humphreys and Natalie Hill <— LIVE!!
• Not My Romeo (The Game Changers Book 1) by Ilsa Madden-Mills <— THIS RECENT RELEASE WAS #2 ON ALL OF AMAZON 😁 (and #1 in many categories)!! THE FOOTBALL STAR & THE LIBRARIAN ALERT! “…The next day I learn he’s Jack Hawke—bad-boy professional quarterback with a murky past. The NDA he has me sign should be a warning that he isn’t a regular person. Please. I sign it Juliet Capulet, so goodbye, famous football player with abs of steel, and good luck tracking down this small-town librarian. But Jack keeps showing up in places I least expect him…” & WE’RE GETTING SOME FEEDBACK! 😀

Linda: Hey Maryse I’m 30% into this book!! Really great read so far. Life keeps calling me in every direction when all I want is to devour Jack (I mean the book of course)!! 😘

Maryse: LOL!!!! That cracked me up!!

April: This book is absolute perfection!

Amy: Not My Romeo was soo good! Highly recommend!

• Truth or Dare by Danielle Allen <— LIVE!! That kiss…. “…With all nine of my best friends reunited for a destination wedding, I was not surprised someone suggested we play Truth or Dare. The secret exposing truths and the harmlessly fun dares bonded our close-knit friend group in college and kept us close throughout the years. So, when Kingston Wright was dared to kiss me, I didn’t think anything of it. Harmless kisses were always a part of Truth or Dare. But there was nothing harmless about that kiss...”
• Jackal (Heartlands Motorcycle Club Book 12) by Frankie Love <— LIVE!!
• The Winemakers: A Novel of Wine and Secrets by Jan Moran <— LIVE!!
• Oath of the Alpha (Blood Rites Duet Book 2) by Eva Dresden <— LIVE!!
• The Guest List by Lucy Foley <— MYSTERY THRILLER ALERT! Tasha J also loved this one!

Tasha J: Have 10% left of The Guest List. I read one of the biggest complaints was too many povs, but I enjoy books written that way if it’s done well. Really liking where it’s going, think I’ve got it figured out. Was shocked big time once!

Tasha J: Finished The Guest List! I loved it. Lots of povs and mystery, so I know it’s not for everyone. Like a game of clue, it was!

• Crown of Sins by Maria Ann Green <— LIVE!!! MAFIA PRINCESS RUNS THE EMPIRE ALERT!! “…Bellamy Byrne runs an empire. It may be a criminal empire, but hey, it’s hers. And as the gorgeous Mafia Princess of DC, Bellamy gets everything she wants as soon as she wants it. No one dares to argue with her. That is until Raleigh Harding. Make that Special Agent Raleigh Harding of the FBI. Specifically of the Organized Crime Unit trying to take down The Byrnes. He hates Bellamy even before meeting her, and when he does, she makes it worse by getting under his skin…”
• Outlaw Witch (Prison for the Magically Criminal & Insane Book 1) by Trina M. Lee <— LIVE!!
• Savage Queen: A Dark Reverse Harem Romance (The Dark Elite Book 3) by Eva Ashwood <— LIVE!!! TRILOGY CONCLUSION ALERT!! Must be read in order.
• Riley Thorn and the Dead Guy Next Door <— LUCY SCORE’S LATEST IS LIVE!! The “sort of” psychic and the private investigator… 😉 “…Divorced. Broke. Living with a pack of elderly roommates. And those hallucinations she’s diligently ignoring? Her tarot card-dealing mom is convinced they’re clairvoyant visions. Just when things can’t get worse, a so-hot-it-should-be-illegal private investigator shows up on her doorstep looking for a neighbor…who turns up murdered…”

Jan: I have enjoyed some Lucy Score books…

Kathy: Yeah, got my weekend reading. I have loved the last few Lucy Score novel’s that I have read!!

• Heartbreak Duet by T.L. Smith <— LIVE!! OH MY!!! SCANDALOUS SOUNDING DUET W/ AN ANTI-HERO ALERT!!! And it’s now complete because the conclusion just went LIVE! He forces her to pay off her sister’s debts!!! “...He kidnapped me. That was how I met Atlas Hyde. A man known by many names and admired by all. But most didn’t know he was ruthless, conniving, and always got what he wanted. No matter the cost…“
• Keeping Time (Steelwolf Book 2) by Stephanie Kay <— LIVE!! ROCK STAR ROMANCE!
• Kamari’s: A Best Friend’s Brother Romance (Takdoa Outreach Center) by Sammi Cee <— LIVE!! M/M ROMANCE!!
• Have Mercy by Christina Lee <— LIVE!! M/M ROMANCE!!

Kathy: Have Mercy by Christina Lee (M/M) is out today and on KU.

I have read a few of her books and will definitely put this one on my TBR.

• Modern Warfare: A Covert Affairs M/M Romance Book Two by Valerie Vaughn <— LIVE!! M/M ROMANCE!!
• In Strange Woods by Claire Cray <— LIVE!! M/M ROMANCE!!
• The B-Side (Perspective Series Book 1) by B. Harmony <— LIVE!! M/M ROMANCE!!
• Helpless (Steel Demons MC Book 5) by Crystal Ash <— LIVE!! MUST BE READ IN ORDER!! “…Sons of Anarchy meets The Handmaid’s Tale in this dystopian reverse harem adventure! Helpless is the fifth book in the Steel Demons MC saga. This series is full of kindle-melting steam and dangerous men who take what they want…”
• Inked MC Boxset: Books 1-6 by Vanessa James <— BOOK BUNDLE SUPER-BARGAIN ALERT!! “WARNING: The Inked MC Series will have you on your KNEES! Prepare to be thrilled with this action packed 6 book box set filled with fiery passion, smoking hot alphas and saucy heroines. Strap on your helmet for a ride of a lifetime in this binge-worthy series!“
• Mason Wolfe (Wolfe Brothers Series, Book Three) by Sandi Lynn <— LIVE!! SANDI LYNN’S LATEST! FIREFIGHTER HERO/PLAYER ALERT!! “…The one thing I’m not is a hero in the eyes of the women I sleep with. I’m nothing more than a one-night stand and a confirmed bachelor who happily walks away the next morning. Even a hero can be a womanizer and a partier. Challenges are my specialty, and I thrive on them. My newest challenge is a beautiful and sexy doctor named Sara Davis…”
• The Italian Marriage: Billionaire Mafia Arranged Marriage Standalone (The Italians Book 2) by N.J. Adel <— LIVE!! SHE HATES HIM… “…My husband’s twin killed his own brother and inherited his kingdom, his wife and child included. I will marry the monster that ripped my family and heart apart. I will teach my boy how to finish what his father started before he was shot by his own twin brother. We will have our revenge, one kill at a time. I’ll leave Enzio Lanza to the end…”
• Smile Like You Mean It (Charlotte Reynolds Book 1) by Willow Hadley <— LIVE!! SHE’S SENT FROM JUVIE TO LIVE WITH HER UNCLE & HIS FAMILY & SHE’S WORRIED… “...How could he not resent having a stranger thrust into his home and family? To her surprise and relief, Sebastian is kind and friendly. He and his four best friends—Grayson, Remy, Liam, and Elliot—make Charlotte feel welcome. They never make Charlotte feel badly about her past or her anxiety. They make her feel seen. As she gets to know the boys, she realizes they each have their own issues and demons they’re fighting, and she forms a unique bond with their group. It doesn’t help that they’re ridiculously attractive. How could Charlotte not fall in love with all five of them?”
• Always His Cowgirl by Lucy Darling <— LIVE!!
• Corrupted Queen: A Dark Mafia Romance (Belluci Mafia Book 2) by Nicole Fox <— LIVE!!
• UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT (Gods of the Gridiron Book 1) by Shanna Swenson <— LIVE!!! SPORTS STAR ROMANCE ALERT! “…When his impulsive actions get him an UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT penalty and he ends up suspended and back in his hometown of San Antonio, Texas, the last person he expected to see again was Skyla Larson, his former classmate from Brevidge High. Skyla isn’t the shy girl he remembers from Biology…”

AUDIOBOOK LVERS!

• ➔➔ Not a member of Audible yet? Get a free 30 day audible trial (which includes one title from their premium selection of best sellers and listen all you want to thousands of titles in their growing Audible Plus Catalog.)
• ➔➔ AND! Audiobook Matchmaker!! <— Find out which of YOUR Kindle books are available as audiobooks at a BARGAIN-PRICE! This is how it works. Click on that link & Amazon will show you all of your Kindle books that are also available as an audiobook at a seriously discounted price. This way, you can switch back and forth, seamlessly between your ebooks and your audiobooks. VERY COOL!
• ➔➔ Audible now has an “Escape” package membership (30 day free trial) – used to be called the “Romance” package <— this one is SO cool, and worth it (unlimited listening for all of the audiobooks in the program, and there are tons – kind of like Kindle Unlimited)!!

and…

• ROCHELLE ENJOYED THESE WHILE HIKING:

Rochelle: I love to listen to audible while hiking. My last 3 night 4 day trip allowed me great time to listen and enjoy. Finished L.J. Shen Dirty Headlines and Scandalous. Both a fun summer read.

I have been on a L.J. Shen listening streak all summer.

PREORDERS (going live soon!!! 😀 )

• Penthouse Prince by Kendall Ryan – August 31st 2020
• Desiring the Dancer (Risqué Novellas Book 1) by Lilly Avalon – August 31st 2020
• Find Layla by Meg Elison – September 1st 2020
• Relentless Habit: O-Town Series by Karen Renee – September 1st 2020
• SICKO by Amo Jones – September 1st 2020
• A Kingdom of Flesh and Fire: A Blood and Ash Novel by Jennifer L. Armentrout – September 1st 2020
• Feels Like Home (Southern Bride Book 5) by Kelly Elliott – September 1st 2020
• Bridge of Souls (City of Ghosts #3) by Victoria Schwab – September 1st 2020
• Escape (The Covington Heights Crew Book 1) by Deana Birch – September 1st 2020
• Famine (The Four Horsemen Book 3) by Laura Thalassa – September 1st 2020
• Toxic (The Therapist #4) by WS Greer – September 1st 2020
• A Rogue of One’s Own (A League of Extraordinary Women Book 2) by Evie Dunmore – September 1st 2020
• Glass Secrets: Shattered Cove Series Book 2 by A.M. Kusi – September 3rd 2020
• Revved to the Maxx by Melanie Moreland – September 3rd 2020

➔➔➔  Get Maryse’s Book Blog updates delivered by email (you’ll get one daily email that will have each post from that day consolidated on it).