That’s all it took to send my brother’s and my life into a tailspin with no end in sight. I was going to be something. I was going to be the best. I had the Olympics in my sights. And it all went to shit in one flash. Brayden wasn’t ready to raise a younger sister when I was thrown into his lap. He had his life and everything going for him. Thankfully, he was still drafted to his dream hockey team. The same one dad played for when we were growing up.
It took time, but I started to get better, started to open up, started skating and even dating again. I even thought I found the perfect guy for me.
Isn’t it funny how guys hit on you when they know you’re not available, but when you’re single they won’t give you the freaking time of day? I guess the game is more fun that way. And for the captain of my brother’s team, that’s exactly what I was. A hat trick is three goals in hockey. Some say three is a crowd and they might be right.
I was Gavin Hayes’ unobtainable goal.
*A No Cheating Standalone*
Kristen has an amazing Teespring campaign going on RIGHT NOW where 100% of the profits are going to support The Marcie Mazzola Foundation
Hat Trick is the first book I have read by Kristen Hope Mazzola. I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was more than a romance, it was a journey for three people. It was written from each characters POV and flowed beautifully. The romance was a bit fluffy and little rushed, but overall very good.
Hat Trick begins with a brother and sister that survived a scarring childhood. The important thing is that they have each other. Brayden’s life is changing once he became a part of the team although he is still dealing with a lot of anger. Myla was an extraordinary person, she didn’t let the past drag her down. She moved forward in a positive way.
Throughout a one year time frame, Myla and Gavin come together. Gavin has his own issues he is dealing with but Myla helps him put them in perspective. The chemistry between the two in undeniable.
It was interesting to watch three lives begin to unfold and become better.
I will definitely be reading more from Kristen Hope Mazzola.
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About the Author:
I am just an average twenty-something following my dreams. I have a full time “day job” and by night I am an author. I guess you could say that writing is like my super power (I always wanted one of those). I am the lover of wine, sushi, football and the ocean; that is when I am not wrapped up in the literary world.
Please feel free to contact me to chat about my writing, books you think I’d like or just to shoot the, well you know.
A portion of all my royalties are donated to The Marcie Mazzola Foundation.
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jay Crownover returns with her most complicated hero yet, in the first book in the romantic suspense series The Breaking Point.
Don’t be fooled.
Don’t make excuses for me.
I am not a good man.
I’ve seen things no one should, done things no one should talk about. Honor and conscience have no place in my life. But I’ve fought and I’ve survived. I’ve had to.
The first time I saw her dancing on that seedy stage in that second rate club, I felt my heart pulse for the first time. Keelyn Foster was too young, too vibrant for this place, and I knew in an instant that I would make her mine. But first I had to climb my way to the top. I had to have something more to offer her.
I’m here now, money is no object and I have no equal. Except for her. She’s disappeared. But don’t worry, I will find her and claim her. She will be mine.
Like I said, don’t be fooled. I am not the devil in disguise… I’m the one standing front and center.
Order HONOR in ebook or paperback, releasing 10/18/16
I don’t even know where to begin with this review. Honor by Jay Crownover was more than a novel. It was an exceptional reading experience because of Jay’s commitment to the characters. She dug deep and created a man that was one of the most complicated characters that I have read. He was mysterious, evil, seemingly heartless until the layers were peeled away. Beneath the surface was a severely injured soul that survived a horrific world the only way he knew how, becoming more ruthless, a lot more sinister, embracing the evil world around him and making it his own. Nassir Gates is a survivor. Nassir Gates is a ruler. Nassir Gates owns his world, he owns The Point. Nassir is also a man with vulnerabilities, haunting demons, and a pure love for one woman. He would do anything for this woman. He would give this woman his world. He expects nothing in return. He knows his soul was lost long ago. What shards of his soul that are left belong Keelyn Foster, known as Honor at The Point.
Honor (Keelyn Foster) barely escaped The Point with her life. She left The Point and fled to Denver to create a new life that does not include stripping, violence, or danger lurking in every corner. The problem is The Point is a part of Keelyn just like her genetics are. They are in her blood. She also left behind a man that was the devil himself but her angel in many ways. Nassir Gates owns a part of Keelyn’s soul even though she knows he has the power to completely destroy her.
Nassir lures Keelyn back to The Point with a business proposition. He sees the woman beyond the stripper peddling her sex appeal. He sees a woman of strength. A woman worthy of being his queen. He will patiently wait for Keelyn to recognize the inevitable , she was his the moment he laid eyes on her. Keelyn makes him a better man. She is capable of healing his soul.
I loved everything about this book. Both Nassir and Keelyn are interesting, strong, dynamic characters that command your attention. Their stories aren’t easy but that’s what The Point is about.
Jay Crownover reached deep within herself to create these powerful characters and create a story that’s worthy of their strength. It is her best writing yet because she didn’t hold back or delute the story in any way.
I highly recommend reading Honor after the three books in Welcome To The Point series. This can be read as a stand alone and will still have a powerful effect.
Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men, The Point,and the Saints of Denver series. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she’ll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.
Whether it’s a clutch goal or a cocktail, nothing beats “top shelf.” In this novel from the bestselling author of the Heller Brothers Hockey series, a fun-loving jock and an ambitious career woman mix business with pleasure.
Not only is Jared Rupp one of the stars of the NHL’s Chicago Aces, he’s also the owner of the Sin Bin, the after-hours hot spot where the whole team hangs out. Lately, Jared can’t take his eyes off the woman he’s hired to give the Bin a more modern feel: a sexy, sophisticated consultant who has carved out a niche updating drink menus. She’s as passionate about her career as Jared is about hockey—and yet he can’t help wondering what kind of cocktail she really wants.
In her line of work, Sidney Frayne is used to guys hitting on her in bars, but Jared gets her hot enough to burst into flames. When he’s wining and dining her, he’s sophisticated as hell; on the rink, he’s a testosterone-fueled powerhouse. Still, Sidney’s bitter divorce taught her to keep her emotions on ice. With her busy schedule—and Jared’s playboy reputation—she’s not sure she’s ready for a fling. Because if she lets Jared into her bed, she just may have to let him into her heart.
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Michel’s Review
Kelly Jamieson has just released the third novel in the sizzling hot Aces Hockey Series. Top Shelf features NHL player / bar owner Jared Rupp. Jared is a certified player, known for his womanizing. His passions run beyond the bedroom and the ice. Jared’s bar is his baby.
After a chance meeting that leads Jared seeking professional help from Sydney Frayne leads to so much more than a new look. Jared is reluctant to let Sydney Frayne revamp his beloved bar The Sin Bin. Sydney is a pro and good at what she does. She’s aware of Jared’s reputation and ready to prove she means business.
What starts as a strictly business relationship turns into a fun, flirtatious, and sizzling hot romance. Jared and Sydney’s chemistry can melt the ice and burn the bar down.
Kelly Jamieson once again delivered a sexy, fun, and delightful sports romance.
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Kelly Jamieson is
the author of more than thirty contemporary romance novels. She’s a married
mother of two who lives a very ordinary life outside of her imagination. She
likes coffee (black), wine (mostly white), and shoes (high!). She also loves
watching hockey.
No one brings the sexy out in sports like Jaci Burton, the author of the New York Times bestselling Play-by-Play novels. Now, she puts together a holiday hat trick with three novellas featuring the hottest sports around: baseball, hockey, and surfing—because hard bodies are always in season…
Holiday Games
For the high-achieving Elizabeth and her husband, baseball player Gavin Riley, failure is not an option. So when it comes to making a baby, they’re not about to let any holiday distractions get in the way of their necessary pleasures…
Holiday on Ice
It’s the season for giving and superstar hockey player Patrick “Trick” Niemeyer is ready to give dancer Stella Slovinski his heart wrapped up in bow. But he’ll have to melt the ice surrounding her heart to keep her from walking away…
Hot Holiday Nights
Christmas in Hawaii brings sports agent Tori Baldwin two presents: a young surfer at the top of his game and his business manager. But this hot threesome has to decide if the romantic wave they’ve caught is nothing more than a vacation fling, or the kind of love that could change their lives forever…
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Michel’s Review
Are getting ready for the holiday season? Are you jump starting the festive decorating and shopping madness? Here’s another thing to add to your pre holiday to do list. Read Mistletoe Games by Jaci Burton. Nobody does the holiday’s better than Jaci and her teams of hunky professional athletes.
Holiday Games and Holiday On Ice were previously released in the past few holiday seasons. Both these novella’s celebrated the joy of the season, the importance of loved ones, and new beginnings. I thoroughly enjoyed these novella’s and would highly recommend them to readers looking for the holiday spirit.
The latest holiday novella added to the collection, Hot Holiday Nights is exactly as the title implies. Get ready for one hot sports agent spending her holiday with two hunky surfers. This book will make your egg nog boil and icicles melt. This sexy novella allows one woman to live out her fantasies over a holiday break in Hawaii. A sexy Christmas fling is just what Santa ordered.
I highly recommend Mistletoe Games by Jaci Burton to begin the holiday season.
The bestselling author of Heart Breaker returns with another sultry Nashville Nights novel of country hits and stolen kisses, as a one-night stand turns into the beginning of an irresistible partnership.
Shane Hart loves the ladies. Like hit records, he can never have too many. Shane swore long ago never to treat a woman the way his abusive father treated his mother, but his traumatic past has kept him from making any solid commitments—even to a fiery redhead like Avery O’Leery. Shane’s happy enough to rescue her from a tight spot, but that’s as far as their connection goes—until their unforgettable liaison has him rethinking his impulse to love ’em and leave ’em.
Avery has big plans: first, shake the dust of small-town Kentucky from her boots; second, become a bona fide songwriter; and third, keep the truth hidden about her birth father from everyone in Nashville. Nowhere on that list is she supposed to land in bed with a sexy stranger who rescues her off the street at midnight, especially if that stranger is Shane Hart. Avery’s trying not to fall for the dreamy music producer who could make or break her career. But her best-laid plans seem to be no match for a love that feels like destiny.
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Michel’s Review
Erin McCarthy has her mojo back. Dream Maker is the second book in the Nashville Nights series. It is a winner. I liked this book much better than the first book in the series and felt that special blend of magic Erin always puts into her books.
Shane Hart rescues a damsel in distress. The damsel in distress, Avery O’ Leary, was abandoned on the side of the road by her ex boyfriend. Avery came to Nashville as an aspiring songwriter. She also brought her secrets with her. The last thing she wants is to seem like an optunist when music producer Shane Hart rescues her. The problem is that she really likes Shane as a person. She wants to be around this dynamic man.
Shane Hart is a great guy even though he is anti relationship. His childhood left Shane scarred and fearful that he could not live up to commitment. The heart wants what it wants and he is rethinking his views on relationships.
Shane and Avery have undeniable chemistry, the one thing that makes it even better is they both truly like one another. Shane has to get over his issues and Avery has to get over her secret before they can move forward together. They are connected in more ways than a budding friendship.
I truly enjoyed this book and felt the characters come alive off the pages. It wasn’t loaded down with angst and strife. It was a genuine romance.
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USA Today and New York Times Bestselling author Erin McCarthy sold her first book in 2002 and has since written almost fifty novels and novellas in teen fiction, new adult, and adult romance. Erin has a special weakness for New Orleans, tattoos, high-heeled boots, beaches and martinis. She lives in Ohio with her family, two grumpy cats and a socially awkward dog.
Kristen Katsaros wants a life full of adventure and laughter. After a difficult childhood, her motto is to live each day like it’s her last—because it just might be. So when Kristen’s parents send her on a post-grad singles cruise in the Caribbean to meet a Greek husband, she promptly hooks up with the hottest guy she’s ever met. Pasha’s decidedly not Greek, but Kristen gives him a pass because he’s got fun written all over his rock-hard abs.
Pavel Gribov, the cocky playboy of the Detroit Pilots hockey team, can score any girl he wants. But when a teammate drags him on a singles cruise, he can’t resist the chance to help out a drop-dead gorgeous damsel in distress by pretending to be her boyfriend. Before long, the fake fling turns intimate, fueled by something much deeper than lust.
Kristen and Pasha both agree to walk away once the cruise is over, but reality hits like a slap shot when Kristen finds out Pasha lied about everything. Just when she’s ready to start living again, the two stubborn survivors must decide if they can bear to lose the best thing that ever happened to either of them.
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Michel’s Review
After having read all the previous books in The Pilot Hockey Series by Sophia Henry, I can honestly say I did not see this book coming. Like the previous books, this book had a unique, emotional storyline that steps outside of the typical sports themed romance genre. Reader’s were introduced to both the leading characters in the first book, Delayed Penalty. Although they were secondary characters, they each had interesting dynamics to their personalities. Readers were left with some distinct impressions that were definitely misleading once their true personalities are exposed in Unsportsmanlike Conduct. I walked away with a bad impression of Pavel in the first book and fell for him in this book. I didn’t have a lasting impression of Kristen in the first book but walked away from this book with a lot of respect, compassion, and admiration of her character. I admired her inner strength and honest outlook of her life.
Kristen Katsaros has a mantra of making every moment worthwhile. She lives every day like it is her last. She has very validating reasons for living life the way she does. She has dealt with a debilitating disease all of her life. She has to manage her health every moment and be prepared for the worst. Those good moments are the ones that count.
A gift of a cruise from her parents is just what she needed until she finds out that the guy they want her to marry is also on the cruise. She doesn’t need a husband, she needs the freedom to explore all the possibilities her life has to offer. When a gorgeous guy pretends to be her boyfriend throughout the cruise, it makes it a vacation of a lifetime.
What happens on vacation quickly bleeds into the everyday realities of life. Pavel/Pasha and Kristen are connected in more ways than a vacation romance. The realities of Kristen’s life are not going to change Pavel/Pasha’s course. He knows what it takes to go all the way, he’s determined to win Kristen’s complete heart, and will do everything within his power including Unsportsmanlike Conduct.
Although this book had some heavy subject matter, it was still a charming romance. I walked away with a different perspective of the characters. I also walked away with more compassion of those who suffer from CF.
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The Pilot Hockey Series
Delayed Penalty – Book 1
Auden Berezin is used to losing people: her father, her mother, her first love. Now, just when she believes those childhood wounds are finally healing, she loses something else: the soccer scholarship that was her ticket to college. Scrambling to earn tuition money, she’s relieved to find a gig translating for a Russian minor-league hockey player—until she realizes that he’s the same dangerously sexy jerk who propositioned her at the bar the night before.
Equal parts muscle and scar tissue, Aleksandr Varenkov knows about trauma. Maybe that’s what draws him to Auden. He also lost his family too young, and he channeled the pain into his passions: first hockey, then vodka and women. But all that seems to just melt away the instant he kisses Auden and feels a jolt of desire as sudden and surprising as a hard check on the ice.
After everything she’s been through, Auden can’t bring herself to trust any man, let alone a hot-headed puck jockey with a bad reputation. Aleksandr just hopes she’ll give him a chance—long enough to prove he’s finally met the one who makes him want to change.
Beneath her innocent facade, Gabriella Bertucci has her reasons to be standoffish with guys. Especially guys like Landon Taylor, a star defenseman on the minor-league Detroit Pilots and the object of a serious crush since he first walked into her family’s market. But when Landon comes through for her in a moment of crisis, Gaby starts to wonder if there might be more to Landon than hard muscles and fast skates.
Landon isn’t afraid of telling Gaby that he’s got it for her bad. The problem is, she seems unwilling to believe it. And though Landon enjoys his reputation as a cool-headed athlete, he hates losing—both on the rink and off. It’s his competitiveness that makes him so damn good at what he does . . . but it also makes him just a little bit complicated.
One minute Gaby’s tempted to give in; the next, she’s getting cold feet. How can she trust a guy who’s destined for bigger and better things to stick around? Then again, when Landon pulls her close with those powerful arms, the only thing that matters is right now.
Linden Meadows doesn’t back down from anyone, especially if her family’s involved. So when her little brother’s new hockey coach benches him in the middle of a game, Linden lets him have it. She also notices that the coach is way hotter than she expects, but Linden won’t let herself get burned by another athlete. Been there, done that—and had a kid at seventeen to show for it.
When Jason Taylor isn’t taking abuse from hockey moms, he’s patrolling the streets as a member of the Bridgeland PD. After Jason pulls Linden over for speeding, he begins to see that there’s more to her than a big mouth . . . or a lead foot. Their chemistry leads to good company, intense conversation, and an intimacy that pushes beyond the boundaries of friendship. And yet Linden’s decision to keep her now three-year-old son, Holden, is a painful reminder to Jason that his own mother gave him up for adoption.
Linden’s sure she’s found the man to round out their family. But when Holden’s deadbeat dad forces his way back into the picture, Jason starts to back off. He needs time—to heal, to grow, and to love with all his heart.
Sophia Henry, a proud Detroit native, fell in love with reading, writing and hockey all before she became a teenager. She did not, however, fall in love with snow. So after graduating with a BS in English from Central Michigan University, she moved to the warmth of North Carolina for the remainder of her winters.
She spends her days writing books featuring hot, hockey-playing heroes. When she’s not writing, she’s chasing her two high-energy sons, reading, watching her beloved Detroit Red Wings and rocking out at concerts with her husband.
The hotly anticipated conclusion to the Royals series begun in the #1 New York Times bestselling novels Paper Princess and Broken Prince.
“This generation’s Cruel Intentions.” Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
Twisted Palace was an awesome conclusion to the Royals trilogy. Readers are in for an absolute treat. I eagerly await the next book from Erin Watt. —New York Times Bestselling Author Samantha Towle
“Erin Watt’s words are addictive brilliance. If you haven’t let these Royals ruin you yet, what are you waiting for?”—USA Today Bestselling Author Meghan March
These Royals will ruin you…
From mortal enemies to unexpected allies, two teenagers try to protect everything that matters most.
Ella Harper has met every challenge that life has thrown her way. She’s tough, resilient, and willing to do whatever it takes to defend the people she loves, but the challenge of a long-lost father and a boyfriend whose life is on the line might be too much for even Ella to overcome.
Reed Royal has a quick temper and even faster fists. But his tendency to meet every obstacle with violence has finally caught up with him. If he wants to save himself and the girl he loves, he’ll need to rise above his tortured past and tarnished reputation.
No one believes Ella can survive the Royals. Everyone is sure Reed will destroy them all.
They may be right.
With everything and everyone conspiring to keep them apart, Ella and Reed must find a way to beat the law, save their families, and unravel all the secrets in their Twisted Palace.
From strip clubs and truck stops to southern coast mansions and prep schools, one girl tries to stay true to herself.
These Royals will ruin you…
Ella Harper is a survivor—a pragmatic optimist. She’s spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she’ll climb out of the gutter. After her mother’s death, Ella is truly alone.
Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums she came from.
Reed doesn’t want her. He says she doesn’t belong with the Royals.
He might be right.
Wealth. Excess. Deception. It’s like nothing Ella has ever experienced, and if she’s going to survive her time in the Royal palace, she’ll need to learn to issue her own Royal decrees.
From wharf fights and school brawls to crumbling lives inside glittery mansions, one guy tries to save himself.
Reed Royal has it all—looks, status, money. The girls at his elite prep school line up to date him, the guys want to be him, but Reed never gave a damn about anyone but his family until Ella Harper walked into his life.
What started off as burning resentment and the need to make his father’s new ward suffer turned into something else entirely—keep Ella close. Keep Ella safe. But when one foolish mistake drives her out of Reed’s arms and brings chaos to the Royal household, Reed’s entire world begins to fall apart around him.
Ella doesn’t want him anymore. She says they’ll only destroy each other.
She might be right.
Secrets. Betrayal. Enemies. It’s like nothing Reed has ever dealt with before, and if he’s going to win back his princess, he’ll need to prove himself Royally worthy.
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About Erin Watt
About Elle Kennedy
A USA Today bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a BA in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!
Jen Frederick lives with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog. She’s been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own. Jen loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at jensfrederick@gmail.com
For Matthew Rohan, every day is a struggle. Each task others complete without thinking is a challenge for him. Recently orphaned, he has to finish the last few months of high school and take care of his disabled sister on his own.
When Mayra comes into his life, his comfortable routines implode. Matthew can’t handle change, but Mayra is unrelenting in her quest to understand him, to show him acceptance and maybe even love. When she breaks through his shell, Matthew’s world will never be the same again.
An awkward boy with Asperger’s Syndrome, a persistent girl who pulls him out of his isolated existence, and a lottery ticket that will change their lives forever.
The Author will be hosting a giveaway on her page, click here to go enter!
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Author Bio:
Shay Savage is an independent author from Cincinnati, Ohio, where she lives with her family and a variety of household pets. She is an accomplished public speaker and holds the rank of Distinguished Toastmaster from Toastmasters International. Her hobbies include off-roading in her big, yellow Jeep, science fiction in all forms, and soccer. Savage holds a degree in psychology, and she brings a lot of that knowledge into the characters within her stories.
From the author: “It’s my job to make you FEEL. That doesn’t always mean you’ll feel good, but I want my readers to be connected enough to my characters to care.”
Savage’s books many books span a wide variety of topics and sub-genres with deeply flawed characters. From cavemen to addicts to hitmen, you’ll find yourself falling for these seemingly irredeemable characters!
Claire Fortune arrives in Boston with an old notebook and her best friend’s dying wish – to finish the scribbled bucket list that Hope didn’t have time to complete. Moment by moment, Claire builds a life she never dreamed of – until Theo walks into the coffee-shop one crisp September afternoon, and her careful plans scatter on the winds.
Sometimes a chance meeting can change a life forever.
Sometimes fate knows exactly what we need.
Perfect for fans of ‘Me Before You’ and ‘The Fault in Our Stars’, ‘The Promise’ brings together two people searching for a love that can overcome tragedy. A heartbreakingly romantic novel that challenges us to live – and love – every day as if it were our last.
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Hi! I’m Melody Grace, author of the bestselling Beachwood Bay series. Some things about me:
1 I’m a small-town girl turned California beach lover.
2 I spent my childhood with my nose in a book before deciding to try and write one myself. I love all kinds of genres – from thrillers to YA and mystery – but romance has always been a passion of mine.
3 I love pistachio ice-cream, vanilla lattes, bad action movies, and Grey’s Anatomy (yes, I’m still watching… I can’t quit!).
4 I have an uncanny sense of direction. I once drove halfway across Canada without GPS or a map!
5 I have two adorable rascal cats named Bucky and Steve, I rescued them as kittens, and yes, I spoil them rotten.
6 I’m allergic to chocolate 🙁
7 I love sexy, heart-felt reads with strong heroines and swoon-worthy men. Why don’t you check out a couple of my books and meet your new book boyfriends?
Brie Graves might be jobless, living with her brother, and recovering from a painful break-up, but she’s determined to enjoy the holidays. Until the end of the year, she’s going to do anything she wants to do, no matter how crazy it might be. Soon, she discovers exactly what she wants–to spend a week with a fascinating, sophisticated stranger. It doesn’t matter that she only knows his first name or that he’s more than twenty years older than her. After this one week, she’ll never see him again.
Cyrus Damon has spent his life making money and holding himself to impossibly high standards. Pressured into taking a vacation in Savannah, he’s alone and at loose ends, so he lets himself do something he never would have considered otherwise. He gives in to his attraction to a beautiful, free-spirited, and much-too-young woman. But, after the week is over, he’ll once more be the man he’s always been, left with nothing but the memory of a woman who made him happier than he’s ever been.
He has no idea that when he visits his nephew in a charming bed and breakfast called Eden Manor, he’ll find the woman he thought he’d left for good.
Christmas at Eden Manor is a short holiday romance with an old-fashioned hero in his fifties and a lot of swoony romance. It concludes a sequence of three series (Heirs of Damon, Beaufort Brides, and Eden Manor), but it can easily be read as a standalone.
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Excerpt
When they’d finished the last of the wine and the mousse had been licked clean, Brie put down her spoon and collapsed back in her chair. “Wow. That was probably the best dinner—the best meal—I’ve ever had.”
Cyrus smiled at her, almost fondly. “Good. I’ll tell Gordon you appreciated it.”
“Who decided on the menu and… ambience?”
He arched his eyebrows in amused irony. “It was Gordon. He was very pleased about this dinner, and he might have gone a bit too far in setting the mood.”
Intrigued, Brie felt a little less boneless, so she managed to lean forward, resting her head on one hand. “Really? Does he do a lot of matchmaking for you?”
“He never has before,” Cyrus said with a half shrug. “I was as surprised as you were.”
“Were you really? You acted totally suave, like you have romantic dinners like this all the time.”
“I doubt you’d believe me if I told you how long it’s been since I’ve had a romantic meal of any kind.”
A surge of curiosity banished a lot of her decadent languor. “How long?” she demanded.
Cyrus’s mouth twisted into what might have been a sheepish smile. “I don’t think I’m going to tell you.”
“But I want to know.”
His eyes transformed as he gazed at her. The shift was almost imperceptible, but Brie felt a shudder shape itself in the base of her spine in response to his expression. “Do you always get what you want?” Cyrus continued, his voice throaty, the texture making her shudder even more.
“No,” she admitted. “Almost never.”
“There’s something wrong with a world where such a thing is true.”
It took her a minute to unravel this comment, but when she did she was moved even more. The man didn’t even seem to be trying, but he had the knack for always saying the right thing, for being kind and romantic and civilized, all at exactly the same time.
She’d never believed it was possible before.
She knew she was treading in dangerous waters here. She was on the verge of being swept away by him completely. She wanted to enjoy herself with him this week, but she didn’t want to do something so foolish it would leave her hurt and lonely next week.
She didn’t know this man. Not really. So she could feel a resistance rising inside her, at the same time as the deep attraction.
She needed to change the mood between them. Quickly.
“Let’s walk some more,” she suggested lightly. “I could use it after such a meal.”
He stood up and took her hand to help her out of her seat. Then he didn’t let her hand go as they strolled through the gardens again.
She soon realized her suggestion might have been a mistake. The rich scent of the air, the soft moonlight, and the feel of Cyrus’s warm hand quickly went to her head. She felt unsteady, overly warm, and so fluttery she couldn’t take a deep breath.
“God, Cyrus!” she gasped, as an ache of need pulsed through her before she was ready to handle it.
Cyrus had appeared calm, leisurely, at his ease. But he’d evidently been fighting feelings of his own. Her breathless cry seemed to snap his control. He used his clasp on her hand to pivot her around and then slid his free arm around her, pressing her against the length of his body.
His warm, lean strength was exactly what Brie wanted to feel. She freed her hand from his and instinctively twined her arms around his neck. With his hand now free, he used it to cup the back of her head.
“You’re so beautiful, Brie,” he murmured thickly. “So beautiful and… and glowing with life.” His eyes like flames, almost fierce in the moonlight, he leaned his head down to claim her lips.
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Tracey’s Review
Because of my love for most all things Christmas, and in my quest for books that will allow me to get a bit of a head start towards my favorite time of the year, I read CHRISTMAS AT EDEN MANOR by author Noelle Adams. I had never read anything else by Noelle, but, honestly, if it’s a Christmas romance, it’s on my radar right now.
This book is a bit of a departure from the books that I typically read, in that it is somewhat softer and, while there are definitely some steamy scenes, more refined. I was interested to see how the author would handle the 20-year difference between Brie and Cyrus, whether it would work, and what their relationship would look like. I was happily surprised by the way that the story unfolds, because it really is about two people that, despite the differences between them, including the age gap, have so much in common that those differences become insignificant.
And, while this is technically a holiday read, and Christmas does figure into the plot, it’s much more a book about relationships and overcoming pre-conceived notions about people, and forgiving ourselves, and that made this book an engaging and enjoyable read for me.
While CHRISTMAS AT EDEN MANOR is part of a series, and characters that have been introduced in earlier books are significant supporting characters here, this can easily be read as a standalone. I do, though, want to go back and read the other books, because I have a feeling that the relationships that unfold in them will be just as interesting as the one between Brie and Cyrus. 4 stars for CHRISTMAS AT EDEN MANOR, another enjoyable read in this year’s holiday reading.
***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***
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About Noelle Adams:
Noelle handwrote her first romance novel in a spiral-bound notebook when she was twelve, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She has lived in eight different states and currently resides in Virginia, where she reads any book she can get her hands on and offers tribute to a very spoiled cocker spaniel.
She loves travel, art, history, and ice cream. After spending far too many years of her life in graduate school, she has decided to reorient her priorities and focus on writing contemporary romances.
If you’d like to contact Noelle, please contact her at noelle.s.adams@gmail.com. Or connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.
About Jay Crownover:
Delayed Penalty – Book 1
Power Play – Book 2
Interference – Book 3
Sophia Henry, a proud Detroit native, fell in love with reading, writing and hockey all before she became a teenager. She did not, however, fall in love with snow. So after graduating with a BS in English from Central Michigan University, she moved to the warmth of North Carolina for the remainder of her winters.
Hi! I’m Melody Grace, author of the bestselling Beachwood Bay series. Some things about me:
Saucy Southern Readers 