PLBR Book Reviews 2018 - ELLES BOOK BLOG

ELLES BOOK BLOG

THE GUY ON THE RIGHT BY KATE STEWART

5/30/2020

Theo is such a fantastic hero! WOW! I loved him so much. Kate did a tremendous job at bringing Theo to life and I can't help but recommend this to everyone!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: July 25, 2019
Genre: New Adult. College Romance.
Series: The Underdogs #1 (can stand alone)
Pages: 364 pages
Format: eBook. Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited.

Strike One-My mother named me Theodore after her favorite chipmunk.

Not cool, Mom.

I‘ve spent most of my life answering to Teddy, because I couldn’t make Theo work.

Except for here. College. The place where all bets are off, and I’ve managed to redeem myself.
There’s only one problem, my new roommate, Troy, is football royalty and looks like he stepped off the set of an Abercrombie shoot.

Doesn’t matter, I cook a mean breakfast for his panty parade, and we get along well.
And anyway, this year I got the girl. And she’s perfect.

DEAR AVA BY ILSA MADDEN MILLS

5/28/2020

Dear Ava is a solid new adult romance and I enjoyed the angst! While there may have been a few things I didn't care for I enjoyed the story overall and recommend it.

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: February 1, 2020
Genre: New Adult. Enemies to Lovers Romance.
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 376 pages
Format: eBook. Purchased.

WSJ bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills delivers a gripping enemies-to-lovers, secret admirer, high school romance.

The rich and popular Sharks rule at prestigious, ivy-covered Camden Prep. Once upon a time, I wanted to be part of their world--until they destroyed me.

The last thing I expected was an anonymous love letter from one of them.

Please. I hate every one of those rich jerks for what they did to me. The question is, which Shark is my secret admirer?

Knox, the scarred quarterback.
Dane, his twin brother.
Or Chance, the ex who dumped me. . .

Dear Ava,

THE WIFE STALKER BY LIV CONSTANTINE

5/26/2020

WOW! This book, while extremely frustrating in some aspects, was such a fantastic read! The big twist towards the end if one of the best twists I've seen in a long time! I now need more by the author asap!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: May 19, 2020
Genre: Domestic Thriller & Suspense
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 316 pages
Format: eBook. ARC

The bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish returns with a psychological thriller, filled with chilling serpentine twists, about a woman fighting to hold onto the only family she’s ever loved—and how far she’ll go to preserve it.

Breezing into the upscale seaside paradise of Westport, Connecticut, gorgeous thirtysomething Piper Reynard sets down roots, opening a rehab and wellness space and joining a local yacht club. When she meets Leo Drakos, a handsome, successful lawyer, the wedding ring on his finger is the only thing she doesn’t like about him. Yet as Piper well knows, no marriage is permanent.

Meanwhile, Joanna has been waiting patiently for Leo, the charismatic man she fell in love with all those years ago, to re-emerge from the severe depression that has engulfed him. Though she’s thankful when Leo returns to his charming, energetic self,

HE HATES ME BY ISABELLA STARLING AND RINA KENT

5/26/2020

I normally enjoy dark, stalker romances but this one was a bust for me. The sex took over the entire plot and nothing else materialized.

Rating: ★★
Release Date: April 9, 2020
Genre: Dark, Stalker romance. Crime.
Series: The Hate & Love Duet #1
Pages: 255 pages
Format: eBook. Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited.

Once upon a time, there was a monster.

When the night falls, he comes out to harvest souls.

He’s silent and invisible —no one notices when he strikes then retreats to the shadows.

Our paths shouldn’t have crossed, but they do.

One day he sees me.

Then he can’t unsee me.

Once upon a time, there was a monster, a killer, a devil.
My stalker.

DEEP FRIED REVENGE BY LYNN CAHOON

5/24/2020

The Farm-to-Fork mystery series is one of my favorites! Lynn Cahoon not only delivers on the mystery but she makes these characters relatable and realistic! I loved this one.

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: April 7, 2020
Genre: Cozy Mystery (Culinary Cozy)
Series: Farm-to-Fork mystery series #4
Pages: 186 pages
Format: eBook. ARC

Angie Turner is all prepped to face Boise’s culinary best when she enters her restaurant, The County Seat, into a big State Fair challenge. Instead, she gets dunked into a new murder investigation after a killer starts scrapping her competition . . .

The Idaho State Fair is in full swing and chefs are lining up to enter Boise’s Best Restaurant contest, including Angie and her County Seat crew. They might be the hometown favorite, but the competition is steeper than a funhouse floor. And when a top contender is felled following a heated confrontation over a corn dog recipe, winning suddenly becomes a matter of life or death. With a foul foodie on the prowl, it’s up to Angie to dig into the case and put a murderer on ice.

“Lynn Cahoon has created an absorbing, good fun mystery in Mission to Murder.”
--Fresh Fiction

LITTLE SECRETS BY JENNIFER HILLIER

5/22/2020

Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier is a twisted read and I loved every minute of it. If you enjoyed domestic thrillers you won't want to miss this one!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: April 21, 2020
Genre: Domestic Thriller
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 352 pages
Format: eBook. Arc.

Four hundred and eighty seconds. That’s how long it took for someone to steal Marin Machado's four-year-old son.

Marin had the perfect life. Married to her college sweetheart, she owns a chain of upscale hair salons, and Derek runs his own company. They're admired in their community and are a loving family. Up until the day Sebastian is taken.

A year later, Marin is a shadow of herself. The FBI search has gone cold. The publicity has faded. She and her husband rarely speak. The only thing keeping her going is the unlikely chance that one day Sebastian reappears. She hires a P.I. to pick up where the police left off, but instead of finding him, she discovers that Derek is having an affair with a younger woman.

Kenzie Li is an artist and grad student—Instagram famous—and up to her eyeballs in debt. She knows Derek is married. She also

WICKED HEARTS BY AMBER KELLY

5/20/2020

Gah! I can't get enough of this series! It's seriously one of my favorite series of all time! Small town romance with the sweetest characters is this book in a nutshell and it's a must read!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: May 14, 2020
Genre: Brother's Best Friend. Small Town. Southern.
Series: The Poplar Falls series #3 (can stand alone).
Pages: 300 pages
Format: eBook. ARC

A new friends-to-lovers small town romance from Amber Kelly…

Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

My big brother and I landed in the care of my aunt and her husband after my parents died in a tragic accident when I was three-years-old. I grew up smothered by love from a family that knows what the bitter sting of loss feels like.

Living under that umbrella afforded me the ability to grow up with the security needed to try my every whim… and I have, now it’s time to figure out who I want to be.

My family would love for me to settle down with someone grounded and successful like the sexy new vet in town.

I like him, but I am restless.

RECKLESS MEMORIES BY CATHERINE COWLES

5/18/2020

It comes as no surprise to me that we have another gorgeous romance from Catherine Cowles right here. Her books are simply majestic! I highly recommend this one. I devoured it in one sitting and couldn't stop reading until the end.

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: May 18, 2020
Genre: Friends to Lovers. Second Chances. Suspense.
Series: The Wrecked series #1
Pages: 330 pages
Format: eBook. ARC

I loved him before I knew what the word meant.
From skinned knees to first dates and everything in between.
But he was never mine to love.
I settled for friendship, even though I always wanted more.

That was before.
Before he ripped my world apart and didn’t bother sticking around to help me pick up the pieces.
I knit every last shred back together all on my own.
And I’ve all but forgotten his name.

Now, he’s back, and everything is torn apart once more.
But he’s not the only one doing the tearing this time.
And there might be no stopping the person who has it out for us both.

LONG SHOT BY KENNEDY RYAN

5/16/2020

Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan is one of the most gorgeous and emotional books that I have ever read. I don't want to give anything away but I will say this: you need this book in your life!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: March 22, 2018
Genre: Sports Romance. Forbidden. Emotional.
Series: The Hoops series #1 (can stand alone)
Pages: 460 pages
Format: eBook. Purchased.

A FORBIDDEN LOVE SET IN THE EXPLOSIVE WORLD OF THE NBA...

Think you know what it's like being a baller's girl?
You don't.
My fairy tale is upside down.
A happily never after.
I kissed the prince and he turned into a fraud.
I was a fool, and his love - fool's gold.
Now there's a new player in the game, August West.
One of the NBA's brightest stars.
Fine. Forbidden.
He wants me. I want him.
But my past, my fraudulent prince, just won't let me go

*Contains domestic abuse not involving the hero. Read reviews for guidance.

THE MODERN GENTLEMAN BY MEGHAN QUINN

5/13/2020

I absolutely love the concept of this story! Plus, it gave me a case of the giggles which sure turned my day around! If you're looking for a hilarious romcom, read this book!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: May 14, 2020
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Series: None. Standalone.
Pages: 250 pages
Format: eBook. ARC

Have you ever hit rock bottom?

I embarrassingly have.

It’s why I’m wearing my girl's decorative scarf over my head, clutching her lady drink to my chest, and singing ever so softly to Joni Mitchell while swaying back and forth.

This is what therapists refer to as LOSING IT.

Oldest story in the book: boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, boy screws up MASSIVELY, girl tells boy to suffocate in the fruits of his very own unborn children.

Heard it before? I'm sure you have.

So what's so different about this story? Well, it's about me, The Modern Gentleman, New York City's top advice columnist, and my

CRAZY BEAUTIFUL BY JESSICA PRINCE

5/11/2020

And here we have another gorgeous read from Jessica Prince! I'm still fairly new to her novels but the three I have read have all been 5 stars. I highly recommend them!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: May 11, 2020
Genre: Small Town Romance. Marriage of Convenience.
Series: Redemption series #2 (can stand alone)
Pages: 278 pages
Format: eBook. ARC

Their marriage was nothing more than a business transaction. Or at least that was what they told themselves.

Poppy Weston had been burned enough times by undeserving men to know her heart was best left under lock and key. She was content with her life, even with the lack of romance. Then Jase Hyland walked into Redbud Inn and offered her something she couldn't refuse. In return, all she had to do was marry him.

Jase had seen firsthand the kind of damage relationships caused, and he wanted nothing to do with it. He'd been taught from a young age that the only things that should matter to a man were wealth and power. However, all it took was a series of events to lead him down a path he never expected to travel.

It was supposed to be simple. No feelings, no emotions, just two friends entering into a mutually beneficial arrangement.

THE PERFECT NEIGHBORS BY SARAH PEKKANEN

5/10/2020

The Perfect Neighbors by Sarah Pekkanen is an awesome women's fiction novel and I devoured it from beginning to end. I highly recommend it if you enjoy Liane Moriarty books.

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: July 5, 2016
Genre: Women's Fiction
Series: None. Complete standalone.
Pages: 353 pages
Format: Paperback. Purchased.

How well do you ever really know the family next door?

Bucolic Newport Cove, where spontaneous block parties occur on balmy nights and all of the streets are named for flowers, is proud of its distinction of being named one the top twenty safest neighborhoods in the US. It’s also one of the most secret-filled.

Kellie Scott has just returned to work after a decade of being a stay-at-home mom. She’s adjusting to high heels, scrambling to cook dinner for her family after a day at the office—and soaking in the dangerous attention of a very handsome, very married male colleague. Kellie’s neighbor Susan Barrett begins every day with fresh resolutions: she won’t eat any carbs, she’ll go to bed at a reasonable hour, and she’ll stop stalking her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. Gigi Kennedy seems to have it all together—except her teenage daughter has turned into a hostile stranger and her husband is running for Congress, which means her old skeletons are in danger of being brought into the light.

UNFORGETTABLE BY MELANIE HARLOW

5/7/2020

I am so sad that this is the final book in the series because it's been a favorite of mine since the first book was published. However, this is a wonderful ending to a gorgeous series of romances! I highly recommend each one.

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: May 4, 2020
Genre: Friends to Lovers. Second chances.
Series: The Cloverleigh Farms series #5
Pages: 309 pages
Format: eBook. ARC

Back then, I had it all.

Wicked fastball. Killer instinct. Cocky grin. Full package.

(And believe me, I knew how to score.)

My senior year, I was a first round draft pick with a two-million-dollar signing bonus. Before I could even legally buy myself a beer, I made my Major League debut.

Point is, I was invincible.

Until one day I wasn’t.

After tanking my career—during the World Series, no less—the last thing I want to do is return to my hometown, where every jerk in

UNSUPERVISED BY S.M. SHADE

5/6/2020

Unsupervised is the first book in a brand new romantic comedy series from S.M. Shade and it's FUNNY! If you've read the Violent Circle series (which I recommend) then you should know that this is a spin-off of that series!

Rating: ★★★★
Release Date: May 7, 2020
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Series: Slumming It #1
Pages: 272 pages
Format: eBook. ARC

My decision to run from my comfortable upper-class life was an impulsive one, but I’m determined not to regret it. It’s true I have no car, have already been fired from my first job, and can’t cook without starting a fire, but I can do this. Anything is better than the life I was raised to lead as some successful man’s arm candy.

I’m adjusting to my new circumstances living with three roommates on Violent Circle, a neighborhood known for being eccentric at best and an insanity filled edible trip any other day. On my own for the first time, I am quickly realizing there’s a lot I need to learn, so signing up for the adulting club that teaches life skills at college seems like the perfect solution.

That is, until I walk into the first meeting and come face to face with my gorgeous economics teacher. Screw learning how to change a tire or file your taxes.

STONE PRINCESS BY DEVNEY PERRY

5/4/2020

It's no wonder why Devney Perry is one of my favorite authors. She delivers in everything she writes! This one involves a Hollywood heartthrob and a woman intent on staying away from love!

Rating: ★★★★★
Release Date: May 5, 2020
Genre: Romantic Suspense.
Series: Tin Gypsy series #3
Pages: 372 pages
Format: eBook. ARC

Presley Marks has just become a cliché: the jilted bride. Wearing a white dress, standing in front of her friends and family, she announces that her fiancé—according to his text—has forgotten about the wedding.

Humiliated and angry, she hides from the world in the mundane routine of her life. Working at the Clifton Forge Garage isn’t glamorous, but it’s safe from the spotlight.

At least it was, until Shaw Valance comes to town.

The notorious Hollywood actor is starring in a movie based on the town’s infamous murder. When he’s not on set, Shaw hovers at the garage, watching as they build his custom motorcycle and irritating her with his handsome smile. He was supposed to leave once filming wrapped and go back to his fancy life, not buy the

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