Nastya Semyonov first met Haze at a bar, but for Haze Hopkins, duty calls before either can act on their desires. He’s gone without a glance back, leaving her thinking that maybe all the hot looks were only one-sided.
Fast forward to the next day, Nastya hitches a ride to her car that she left behind the night before, only to run into the same man from last night.
Neither one truly thinks before they act, and they spend a hot fifteen minutes in a fast-food restaurant bathroom before parting ways again.
It’s as she’s walking back to her car that she realizes how badly she’s screwed up.
Because her car is surrounded in police tape, and there’s one very angry man wearing a badge standing in front of it with her name on an arrest warrant for killing a man.
Lani Lynn Vale is an American author of humorous romantic suspense novels. Born in the Great State of Texas, she has lived the majority of her adult life in East Texas where most of her novels are based. She’s married to her high school sweetheart whom her readers refer to as “LLV’s Bearded Half.” She published her first novel, Boomtown. in the summer of 2013 after the birth of her third child. She’s gone on to publish over 100 novels, with most of them going on to become USA Today Bestsellers.
There was right, there was wrong, and then there was the in-between.
The place where normal people reside, understanding that there are two sides to every coin. People that do bad things for good reasons. People that do bad things for bad reasons.
First, I knew that Shasha Semyonov was a bad man. One that did bad things for bad reasons. That didn’t mean that I was rational when it came to him.
He was toxic to my health, yet I wanted him anyway.
They say the first step to healing is admitting when you have a problem.
My problem happened to be six feet two inches tall, two hundred and twenty pounds, and bearded to perfection.
Oh, and he was also the scariest guy I knew.
Meanwhile, I was the laughingstock of the city.
The woman who was cheated on by her boyfriend with her best friend, and it was captured live while a band played in the background, perfectly accenting the humiliating video.
There was no way that Shasha Semyonov would notice me.
Mafia reads may not be my go-to, but if Lani writes it, I’m going to read it, and, no surprise, I am already in love with the Semyenovs.
As I’ve said before, I am just amazed at Lani’s ability to create worlds, characters, and storylines that continue to be fresh and entertaining, and STAY TOXIC shows that she is still at the top of her game. Having met the Semyenov family as part of Maven’s story in the Carter Brothers series, I was hoping that they were going to get their very own books, and I could not be happier that Lani is doing just that. Shasha and Brecken make for a great entry into this world, and I now can’t wait to see what is in store for the rest of these characters.
One of the things that I like most about Lani’s books is how she ties worlds together. It was nice to catch up with Maven, Auden, and their kids, and see how their lives are tied to the Semyenovs, and to be introduced to some new characters that I am hoping will stay the course and get their stories, too.
Whether you’re a longtime fan of Lani’s books, or this is your first time reading her, you will love this book. And while there is tie-in to the prior series, you can absolutely read the Semyonovs all on their own (although once you start, you’re going to want to go back and read ALL of the books!). Either way, jump in and enjoy, and get ready for more passion, action, and fun the way that only Lani can write it. Happy reading! ❤️
Lani Lynn Vale is an American author of humorous romantic suspense novels. Born in the Great State of Texas, she has lived the majority of her adult life in East Texas where most of her novels are based. She’s married to her high school sweetheart whom her readers refer to as “LLV’s Bearded Half.” She published her first novel, Boomtown. in the summer of 2013 after the birth of her third child. She’s gone on to publish over 100 novels, with most of them going on to become USA Today Bestsellers.
Forever the Highlands by Samantha Young is now live!
He’s her brother’s best friend. She’s totally off-limits. But when life takes an unexpected turn, she’s the only one he wants at his side…
Fyfe Moray raised himself. His only real family is his best friend, Lewis Adair. For that reason, Lewis’s sister Eilidh is totally off-limits. Fyfe is in deep denial about their intense attraction. Thankfully, Eilidh is a famous actor living in London while he runs his cyber security company from the Highlands. They’re worlds apart. Until one day, Eilidh reaches out asking for a lifeline and Fyfe can’t bring himself to turn her away.
Acting isn’t what Eilidh Adair expected. As a kid, she wanted to be just like her famous uncles. But the double-edged sword of fame cuts deeper than expected. Afraid to admit she’s made a mistake, Eilidh is spiraling. The only person who knows the truth is Fyfe, but her childhood crush has developed into a love he won’t return. Yet when she comes home intent on starting over, Fyfe can’t seem to stay away. His confused feelings might just be the end of them. Until a woman from Fyfe’s past abandons the baby daughter he never knew he had.
Now a single father, Fyfe needs support. He just never expected Eilidh to be the one he needed most. Fyfe can’t believe how quickly he falls for his child and how rapidly his world view changes. He’s ready to admit the truth: he’s madly in love with his best friend’s sister. And Fyfe’s done wasting time. But someone else believes Eilidh belongs to them. Someone who has been watching her far longer than she realizes. Just when she thinks she might have everything she wants, Eilidh finds herself caught in the crosshairs of a person intent on destroying everything she holds dear.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
What a wrap up to this series! Samantha Young has brought all of the heat and heart to FOREVER THE HIGHLANDS, the sixth and final book in The Highlands series. Fyfe’s and Eilidh’s story was a long time coming, but it was totally worth the wait, and I loved every single word.
It’s said that you should write what you know, and Samantha’s books set in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland are a perfect example of this. The characters, the setting, the stories, all paint a beautiful picture of life in this lovely part of the world. I could see the beauty in my mind’s eye, and came to feel like I was a part of this community and the stories that Samantha has woven, which for me is the mark of a really good book.
Fyfe’s and Eilidh’s journey is long, filled with detours and misunderstanding, but in FOREVER THE HIGHLANDS we finally get the ending that I have been hoping for. There is plenty of angst, passion, suspense, and moments that broke and remade this reader’s heart, all of the things that I love. And as an unabashed lover of epilogues, I could not have asked for a better way to end the book and the series.
Although I’ll miss the Highlands and all of these beloved characters, I know that Samantha is going to dazzle with whatever is up next, and I can’t wait. If you haven’t read her books, now is the time! ❤️
Meet Samantha
Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She’s been nominated for several Goodreads Choice Awards. Samantha writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction and is currently published in 31 countries. She resides in Scotland.
When she agreed to spend her last summer before college at her cousins’ house in Ireland, Charli Moretti never expected to meet anyone like Rhys Doyle. He was the first boy to ever make her heart flutter, and though their lives followed different paths after that fateful summer, she always remembered him as her first everything.
Sixteen years later, after a tumultuous divorce from her abusive husband, Charli is returning to Ireland a shell of the woman she once was. Life has tried to break her many times over, and now all she wants is a fresh start and an even keel. She’ll be working as an accountant at her uncle’s hotel, but what she doesn’t know is that Rhys Doyle works there, too. He’s the head of security, in fact, and he’s no longer the teenage boy she once knew.
With the rumors flying around that he and his fiancée just broke off their engagement, Charli decides it’s best to give Rhys his space. She knows personally how hard it can be when a relationship ends. The problem is, she can’t seem to stop running into him, and the more she gets to know the man he’s become the more those old feelings start to return.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
Although I am not generally a fan of new adult romance, I do love a good second chance romance, and Ms. Cosway delivers a lovely one in this story. Full of passion, both youthful and then a more mature one, QUIET LONGING is a story of growth and of characters discovering their strength and resilience by traveling difficult paths to get to a place of peace.
It’s hard not to like both Rhys and Charli immediately. Their youthful selves are so sweet, Rhys more reserved, and Charli wide open, drawn to each other in a summer of firsts that will leave them with years of memories. As it goes in life, they each go through many changes, growing into adults that are very different from that long ago summer.
When circumstance brings the two into each others’ orbit once again, and old feelings are revived, the road back to who and what they once were to each other seems insurmountable at times. But with patience and time, their lives blossom in ways that they could hardly have hoped.
QUIET LONGING is my first book by author L.H. Cosway, and as first reads go, it’s a good one. I was quickly completely invested in Rhys’ and Charli’s story, the beauty and the angst and the passion of it making for a book that I could not put down. Ms. Cosway’s ability to paint a story that I could completely visualize, filled with characters and places that speak to the heart, made for a story that I will not forget soon. QUIET LONGING is an easy recommendation, a story that will pull at your heartstrings and leave you longing for the next chapter in this journey.
Meet L.H. Cosway
L.H. Cosway lives in Ireland. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favourite things in life include writing stories, food, and of course, books. She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories.
And just like that, I am a goner. A.L. Jackson has done it again, created a world and characters that I can’t help but love, a place and a story that drew me in and held me until the very last page. FROM HERE TO ETERNITY is the first book in the new Moonlit Ridge series, and it is exactly the mesmerizing, evocative, emotional read that I have come to expect from Amy.
Amy does an amazing job of creating a family in each of her series, characters drawn together by choice, that would go to any length to support each other. River and his crew radiate the kind of dark strength that make it impossible not to love them, to root for them, to eat up every book until each of them get to their happy.
Charleigh has my heart, a heroine that has gone to the deepest depths of despair, and has had the opportunity to come back to the surface, come back to a kind of love that she had no idea existed, a family that was made for her. And River, understanding the lengths that he’s gone to for the underdogs, for the victims, for the Charleighs of the world, cements him as the hero that we didn’t know we needed.
If you’re a fan of Amy’s books, you will not want to miss this new series, and if romantic suspense is your jam, well, you are definitely in the right place. Run, do not walk, to one-click FROM HERE TO ETERNITY. You will love it. ❤️
Meet A.L. Jackson
A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.
If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.
There are times you think you can cope, that you can make it despite the hollow feeling in your chest. Then there are the times when you realize you can’t breathe through the pain of loss.
When Gable Buchanan Carter walks into Athena’s life, it’s like a light is switched on inside her chest. Suddenly she can breathe.
But just as much as she wants him, Gable just as much wants nothing to do with her.
It’s like a cold stab of ice right to the gut at the knowledge that the person you want, that you love, wants nothing to do with you.
At least, that’s what she thinks.
In reality, Gable wants Athena Grace Murphy with every piece of his soul.
But how can he confidently say he’s doing the right thing by bringing her into his life when it’s so dangerous? She’s already lost every person she loves, how can he put her through the possibility of losing one more?
That’s right, he can’t.
So he’ll stay away from her. Even if it kills him.
Lani Lynn Vale is an American author of humorous romantic suspense novels. Born in the Great State of Texas, she has lived the majority of her adult life in East Texas where most of her novels are based. She’s married to her high school sweetheart whom her readers refer to as “LLV’s Bearded Half.” She published her first novel, Boomtown. in the summer of 2013 after the birth of her third child. She’s gone on to publish over 100 novels, with most of them going on to become USA Today Bestsellers.
From New York Times Bestselling author Kristen Proby comes On the Wild Side, a sizzling single mom, cowboy, small town romance in the beloved Wilds of Montana Series!
Brady Wild has focused on one thing this entire adult life: riding bulls. A three-time world champion, Brady’s body has taken a beating over the years and he knows he’s nearing the end of his impressive career. He’s had no time for relationships with his dangerous career but the minute he sees sexy single mom, Abbi Kastella, he knows it’s game over for his resolve to be single.
Abbi is a mom, first and foremost, and she’ll do whatever needs to be done to keep her daughter safe from the danger that’s chased them for half a dozen years. She’s finally been able to set down roots in Bitterroot Valley for herself and Daisy. She adores this community that has welcomed them with open arms, her new business is thriving, and she has a circle of friends that she loves and trusts. And don’t even get her started on the hazel-eyed, muscled up cowboy that makes her whole body tremble with need. Life is good in this little Montana town and Brady is showing her and her little girl what real love is supposed to be.
Despite Brady’s best intentions he can’t resist his blue-eyed siren, or the sweet little girl that has him wrapped around her little finger. But when Abbi’s past catches up with them, Brady quickly realizes that the secrets that Abbi’s been keeping from him are far worse than any damage his career could do to them. Will they lose everything before it even really begins? Or will love prevail so they can get started on their forever On the Wild Side?
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Real live cowboy: check. Single mom with a past: check. Cute as heck kiddo: check. One of my favorite new series from one of my favorite authors: check. What do all of these things have in common? They are at the heart of ON THE WILD SIDE, the fourth book in the Wilds of Montana series from one of my all-time favorites, Kristen Proby. Did I love it? Yes, I did, because this series is awesome, and never fails to win me over big time, book by wonderful book.
Brady Wild and Abbi Kastella have been dancing around each other for forever. Abbi and her daughter, Daisy, are like adopted members of the Wild family, and it’s all that Brady can do to ignore his growing feelings for Abbi. Try as he might to fight it, both Abbi and Daisy have gotten under Brady’s skin and into his heart, and it’s not long before he’s all in.
Abbi’s life hasn’t always been easy, and while she has created a safe life for herself and Daisy, there are dark shadows that keep her from ever feeling truly settled. Just when Abbi finally feels like Brady and his love can help her overcome everything, her past threatens to end all that she has come to love in Montana, and she isn’t sure that her newfound happiness will be enough to save her.
Kristen continues to deliver heart, heat, passion, and intensity with ON THE WILD SIDE, along with all of the family shenanigans, small town life, and friend moments that make her one of my go-to authors. This book is a solid addition to the series, and I enjoyed every single word. I can’t wait to get more of the Montana Wilds with SHE’S A WILD ONE, Millie’s book. In the meantime, this is a must-read, and will win your heart. ❤️
Meet Kristen
Kristen Proby is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over seventy published titles. She debuted in 2012, captivating fans with spicy contemporary romance about families and friends with plenty of swoony love. She also writes paranormal romance and suggests you keep the lights on while reading them.
When not under deadline, Kristen enjoys spending time with her husband and their fur babies, riding her bike, relaxing with embroidery, trying her hand at painting, and, of course, enjoying her beautiful home in the mountains of Montana.
After meeting Efa in Doctor Single Dad, the last book in The Doctors series by author Louise Bay, I was excited to see her get her own story. We already knew that she was smart, and set to head off on an American adventure, and Louise does not disappoint. THE BOSS + THE MAID + CHEMISTRY is signature Louise, and the perfect segue from The Doctors into this new group of characters.
Ben Fort is doing his best to hide in plain sight, but leave it to Efa, who wants nothing more on earth than to work for him, to out his secret in no time at all. This should alert Ben to the fact that life as he knows it is about to change, but sometimes it takes a while to figure out that you’ve met your match.
Efa and Ben are actually perfect together, and I enjoyed reading their story so much. Their banter, the way that they grow together, and yes, the steam factor, make me want to see more of them. As well, Ben has his guy friend group, which is something that Louise does well, and that I’ve always enjoyed in her books. As always after reading one of Louise’s books, I’m already ready for the next one, and can’t wait to get Leo’s story in THE PLAY + THE PACT = I DO. In the meantime, snap this one up and enjoy! ❤️
Meet Louise Bay
International, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author, Louise Bay writes contemporary romance novels that make you laugh – the kind she likes to read.
Ruined by the bonk-busters of the eighties, Louise was inspired by Judith Krantz and Jackie Collins, but wants to be Emily Henry when she grows up.
Louise loves the rain, RHOBH, London, days when she doesn’t have to wear make-up, hanging out with her kid, elephants and champagne (not necessarily in that order).
What isn’t great is having the hots for the same woman your twin does.
Been there, done that, have the t-shirt.
Since Auden Carter made that mistake in his teens, he’d promised himself never to do that to his brother again.
Hence why he’s tried so hard to stay away from Maven, the sexy bakery owner that seems to have been put on this planet to tempt him.
After months of watching his brother never make a move, Auden’s had enough. He tells his twin to either shit or get off the pot. Only, come to find out, his twin was never on the pot. He’d never had the hots for Maven at all, but her cute little assistant.
Unfortunately, at this point, he’d done his level best to appear undesirable to Maven, and had gone out of his way to make it very clear that he wasn’t interested.
He has a lot of work to do to convince her that he’s not the guy he’d been acting like for the last few months.
Luck is on his side, though, and soon Maven needs his help, giving him the perfect opportunity to worm his way into her life…and her heart.
But that help she needs turns into a desperate plea for protection, and all he has to do is quit his beloved job to give it.
It’s not every day that you are in love with your boss’s daughter, who just so happens to be the chief of police of Dallas, Texas—your beloved police department that you’ve worked at for your entire career.
It’s also not every day when that boss pulls out every stop, and ruins your life to the point where you’re not sure you can find your way out of the downward spiral he’s forced upon you.
There is one thing Auden knows for certain, though. Maven is worth it. He’ll fight the chief of police, or the entire world, putting his life on the line to do it, as long as it keeps her safe.
Lani Lynn Vale is an American author of humorous romantic suspense novels. Born in the Great State of Texas, she has lived the majority of her adult life in East Texas where most of her novels are based. She’s married to her high school sweetheart whom her readers refer to as “LLV’s Bearded Half.” She published her first novel, Boomtown. in the summer of 2013 after the birth of her third child. She’s gone on to publish over 100 novels, with most of them going on to become USA Today Bestsellers.
Having been a diehard romance reader and blogger for so many years now, I cannot believe that it took me such a long time to enter into the fantastical world that is the creative amazingness that is Lani Lynn Vale. I mean, seriously, how one person has so many zany, action-packed, original stories in their head just blows me away, and I do mean every single time. Case in point, CLAP BACK, the 4th book in Lani’s Carter Brothers series.
CLAP BACK is Auden Carter’s and Maven Brumfield’s book, and I absolutely loved it. These Carter boys fall fast and hard, and Auden is no different. He knows that he wants Maven, and that’s what’s happening, whether her father, who is also his boss, is on board or not. Because when one Carter is involved, all of them are, and they are a force to be reckoned with.
Maven’s life has been all kinds of crazy, and things haven’t settled down yet. She’s worked for a long time to get out from under the controlling thumb of her father and brother, and there’s no better help for it than having a whole family of Carters on her side.
The twists and turns and ‘wait, what?!’ moments abound, making CLAP BACK another winner for me. Next up is Atlas and Elliette in RENT FREE, and I can’t wait. If you haven’t met the Carter Brothers (and fam!), what are you waiting for? Grab these gems and get ready to have a blast. Happy reading! ❤️
The Bodyguard and the Bombshell by Lexi Blake is now live!
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake comes a new story in her Masters and Mercenaries series…
The Bodyguard…
Nate Carter left Australia’s elite SASR unit after a tragic accident. Shattered by the experience, he thought taking a job in the States might be a good way to start over. His father’s former employer, McKay-Taggart, has a position for him in the bodyguard unit. He never imagined himself risking his life for celebrities and the wealthy, but it will do for now. It will also give him a chance to reconnect with old friends, including the girl who’d been like a little sis to him ten years before.
These days, however, his feelings for Daisy O’Donnell are anything but brotherly.
The Bombshell…
Daisy O’Donnell is a girl on a mission, and it does not include falling for one of her brother’s best friends. She has plans, and while chaos always seems to follow her, she’s determined to see this through. Daisy finds herself in need of a bodyguard when a job goes terribly wrong. She’s sure her dad will find someone suitable, but she didn’t expect a big, gloriously masculine Aussie to show up ready to take a bullet for her. Maybe spending some time with Nate Carter won’t be so bad after all.
An explosive match…
Thrown together by danger, Nate and Daisy can’t resist the insane chemistry between them. But when his past and her present collide, they must decide if they can hold it together or go their separate ways forever.
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. Since starting her publishing journey in 2010, she’s sold over three million copies of her books. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. She likes to find humor in the strangest places and believes in happy endings.
.jpg)
Saucy Southern Readers 