Fiction | Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

HOW TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR by Sophie Sullivan

February 18, 2022

From the publisher:

Enemies-to-lovers meets HGTV in this frothy, effervescent romantic comedy from Sophie Sullivan, author of Ten Rules for Faking It.
Interior Design School? Check. Cute house to fix up? Check.
Sexy, grumpy neighbor who is going to get in the way of your plans? Check. Unfortunately.
Grace Travis has it all figured out. In between finishing school and working a million odd jobs, she’ll get her degree and her dream job. Most importantly, she’ll have a place to belong, something her harsh mother could never make. When an opportunity to fix up―and live in―a little house on the beach comes along, Grace is all in. Until her biggest roadblock moves in next door.
Noah Jansen knows how to make a deal. As a real estate developer, he knows when he’s found something special. Something he could even call home. Provided he can expand by taking over the house next door–the house with the combative and beautiful woman living in it.
With the rules for being neighborly going out the window, Grace and Noah are in an all-out feud. But sometimes, your nemesis can show you that home is always where the heart is.
https://amzn.to/33pOWHj

When her long estranged grandmother dies and Grace inherits her beach house, she is thrilled. She longs for a connection to family; her mother is wrapped up in herself and whatever money she can squeeze out of Grace, but the house means something. Except her next door neighbor, Noah, assumes he can just buy it out from under her. He wants the land to put in a pool to complete his dream house on the beach, but Grace is not interested in selling. Not that he gives up that easily.

Grace is also steps away from completing her interior design degree so she relishes the chance to fix up the long neglected cottage. On the other hand, Noah is busy hiring people to fix up his home, and there is a national magazine interested in featuring it. Except they want a bit more than a photo spread; they want to do a video series showcasing the house as the work is done, and they want the up-and-coming designer, Grace, to take over the project. The chemistry between Noah and Grace is obvious to everyone, and eventually they find a way to get together.

Grace is all hands on; Noah is all about the money. Until Grace puts a paintbrush in his hand. Opposites do attract here!

If you enjoy all those fixer-upper type TV shows as much as I do, then this is the book for you. It’s a lot of fun and an easy, thoroughly enjoyable read.

2/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

HOW TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR by Sophie Sullivan. Griffin (January 18, 2022). ISBN: 978-1250624185. 352p.

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FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD by Elle Cosimano

February 18, 2022

The Finlay Donovan Series, Book 2

From the publisher:

From Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead―the hilarious and heart-pounding follow-up to Finlay Donovan is Killing It.
Finlay Donovan is―once again―struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she has her live-in nanny and confidant Vero to rely on, and the only dead body she’s dealt with lately is that of her daughter’s pet goldfish.
On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband, Steven, out of the picture. Permanently. Whatever else Steven may be, he’s a good father, but saving him will send her down a rabbit hole of hit-women disguised as soccer moms, and a little bit more involvement with the Russian mob than she’d like.
Meanwhile, Vero’s keeping secrets, and Detective Nick Anthony seems determined to get back into her life. He may be a hot cop, but Finlay’s first priority is preventing her family from sleeping with the fishes… and if that means bending a few laws then so be it.
With her next book’s deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. She can only hope there isn’t a noose at the end of it…
https://amzn.to/3rQtDYH

This is the sequel to Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, and a worthy sequel it is. It may even be better than the first book!

Finlay has published a bestseller and now her second book is coming due. Once again, Finlay is struggling with it. She thought she was done with the Russian mob but nope, they are back and badder than ever. The women’s forum has a new hit advertised and victim-to-be is none other than Steven, Finlay’s ex. Now she is not his biggest fan by far, but he is a good dad and she doesn’t want to see her kids fatherless, but if she is reading the code right, someone has taken the hit job for some big bucks.

Being a single mom of two preschoolers is no joke. Finlay’s best pal/nanny/accountant, Vero, is happy to help keep Steven alive, as much as she personally wouldn’t mind him dead. Julian, the hot young law school student is still a good friend with benefits, and the smoking hot detective Nick is still trying to worm his way into her heart, and her bed, not necessarily in that order. Finlay has her hands full for sure.

There are a lot of laughs here, but also some gruesome body parts and some scary Russian mobsters, all adding up to another unputdownable read. I’m just sad I’m going to have to wait until 2023 for the next book in the series. If you like fast paced mysteries with a lot of laughs, then add this to your to-be-read pile. I loved it.

2/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

FINLAY DONOVAN KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD by Elle Cosimano. Minotaur Books (February 1, 2022). ISBN: 978-1250242181. 368p.

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FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT by Elle Cosimano

February 18, 2022

The Finlay Donovan Series, Book 1

From the publisher:

“Getting the job done” for one single mom takes on a whole new meaning in Finlay Donovan is Killing It.
Finlay Donovan is killing it . . . except, she’s really not. She’s a stressed-out single-mom of two and struggling novelist, Finlay’s life is in chaos: the new book she promised her literary agent isn’t written, her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her, and this morning she had to send her four-year-old to school with hair duct-taped to her head after an incident with scissors.
When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer, and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband in order to make ends meet . . . Soon, Finlay discovers that crime in real life is a lot more difficult than its fictional counterpart, as she becomes tangled in a real-life murder investigation.
Fast-paced, deliciously witty, and wholeheartedly authentic in depicting the frustrations and triumphs of motherhood in all its messiness, hilarity, and heartfelt moment, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is the first in a brilliant new series from YA Edgar Award nominee Elle Cosimano.
https://amzn.to/3LLVVM6

This was such a fun read! This book came out last year and I promptly lost it somewhere on my Kindle. The sequel came out a couple of weeks ago, so I dug this one up so I could start reading the series in order. Yes, I do that on occasion! The NY Times review said, “Cosimano skillfully combines suspense and laughs in the manner of Janet Evanovich’s early (and best) novels” so I was all in. That was one of my favorite series, at least the first dozen or so books. So I was hopeful here and it did not disappoint.

Finlay Donovan is a mess. She’s recently divorced and fighting with Steven, her ex, about the kids, ages two and four. He left her for a realtor, and is trying to gain full custody. Finlay writes romantic suspense books for a living, but she’s not making much, to say the least. Her bills are piling up, her minivan is breaking down, and she can’t afford a good lawyer to defend her. When Steven decides to fire the nanny since Finlay works from home, she loses it. When she finally gets hold of the nanny, Vero, she learns that the real reason she was fired was because she didn’t want to have sex with Steven. Vero and Finlay bond. become besties and eventually partners in crime. Sort of.

Meanwhile, her agent is breathing down her neck about her next book. The deadline has come and gone and they arrange to meet at Panera. As they are discussing the murders at the heart of her books, a woman sitting nearby keeps giving her strange looks. Turns out she thinks Finlay is a hit man (hit woman? Hit-mom!) and wants to hire her to kill her husband. He is a bad guy for sure, but Finlay isn’t that desperate. At least she doesn’t think she is. But the woman won’t take no for an answer so Finlay decides to check the guy out at least.

Turns out he is worse than she even thought. She meets up with him in a bar at a networking event, where she witnesses him putting drugs into his date’s drink while she is in the restroom. That’s date, not wife. Incensed, Finlay pretends they met at a previous party, gets him close enough to her that she can switch the drinks behind his back. She manages to get him out the back door of the bar and into the back of her minivan as he passes out. She heads home, not sure what to do with him. After contacting his wife, she is given the password to his phone and she realizes that this is his MO; he drugs married women, takes a bunch of pictures of them in very compromising positions and is apparently blackmailing them.

He ends up dead by accident, and the wife tells a friend about Finlay and her new career is born. Sort of. Meanwhile, she had met this very cute bartender/law student, Julian, at the event and even though he is a few years younger than she is, there is some serious chemistry. And her sister, Georgia, is a cop who is trying to set her up with a very hot detective, Nick, and there is chemistry there as well.

Oline Cogdill of the Sun Sentinel neatly sums it up: “Part screwball comedy, part morality tale, the amusing Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is also a tale about parenting, bad divorces, reinventing oneself, rising above misery and, well, becoming a hit woman. It’s a solid, thoughtful and funny yet poignant mystery that never once becomes a one-note story.” This is no cozy mystery though; this borders on thriller with an appropriate amount of gore. It’s a terrific read, and I no sooner turned the last page when I started the second book in the series, Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead. Don’t miss it!

2/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT by Elle Cosimano. Minotaur (January 4, 2022). ISBN: 978-1250830449. 384p.

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Spotlight Review: THE REBOUND by Catherine Walsh

February 15, 2022

From the publisher:

An absolutely hilarious romantic comedy set in Ireland…
A newly single girl. A tall dark handsome stranger. What could go wrong?
It’s 7 a.m. on a Monday morning and Abby Reynolds isn’t where she wants to be. She wants to be in her beautiful loft apartment in Manhattan, drinking a coffee with her fiancé.
Instead, she’s heading back to the childhood home in rural Ireland she swore she’d never return to, with some big old secrets. Namely that she’s suddenly found herself unemployed, homeless, and absolutely 100% single.
She’s feeling all out of luck. Until the first person she meets after she touches down is an absurdly hot guy called Luke, who offers her a lift home. Gazing deep into his sparkling emerald-green eyes, Abby knows instantly that he’s exactly what she needs to take her mind off everything. The perfect rebound.
It’s a flawless plan. Until the next day, when Abby realizes who he actually is. Not just a stranger. He is, in fact, Luke Bailey, aka the boy next door. Luke Bailey who—so help her God—she’s pretty sure she once shared baths with, back when they were kids. Not that she can allow herself to imagine him in a bath now, not without blushing from head to foot.
And judging by the smirk on his face, the same Luke Bailey who’s known exactly who she was the whole time… And who, like everyone in the village, still thinks she’s a high-flying New Yorker… who’s getting married next year.
Abby is certain getting under Luke will help her get over her ex. But the truth is stopping her. Can she admit to everyone back home that she’s single and has lost everything? Because, if she wants the boy next door, she may just have to…
The perfect feel-good romantic comedy that will make you laugh until you cry and fall completely in love. Fans of Sophie Kinsella, Marian Keyes, and Emily Henry won’t be able to put this down!
https://amzn.to/3oNEOzw

Abby has been dumped. Her fiancé has decided that he doesn’t want to get married. Luckily, the mega financial company she works for has some apartments, generally used for new hires, available so at least she has a place to live.

Abby has always been driven, leaving the small town of Clonard, Ireland for college and never looking back. She loves the Manhattan lifestyle afforded her by her years with the company, and has all her funds tied up with them. So when they go under, she and thousands of others find themselves out of work and broke. Plus she’s now homeless as well. The only solution she sees is to go home to Ireland.

Abby’s sister is living in their family home and while they don’t really get along – she is a strong environmentalist/activist while Abby is working for the epitome of corporate greed, she knows her sister will take her in. But she’s embarrassed to admit she is no longer engaged on top of everything else.

Luke gives Abby a ride home when she is stranded at the airport. He remembers her well – he always had a crush on her. Abby flirts the whole way home without realizing that this hot man is actually the neighbor she grew up with. Once she figures it out, and he figures out she is engaged, things get complicated between them in spite of their growing attraction.

There are a lot of laughs and some angst before they reach their happy ending. Abby is a strong woman and Luke is an honorable, honest man, and I really liked them both. The setting and secondary characters were quirky and fun, and altogether this was a terrific, heart warming read.

2/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE REBOUND by Catherine Walsh. ‎ Bookouture (February 9, 2022). ISBN: 978-1800195677. 324p.

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TEMPTED BY THE BILLIONAIRE by Shayla Black

February 11, 2022

Forbidden Confessions, Book 9

From the publisher:

What price will he extract for the career of her dreams?
I’m Savannah. I’m a recent college grad in desperate need of a job.
When Billionaire CEO Chad Force interviews me, I’m blindingly attracted to him. But he’s older. Wiser. And notorious about going after what he wants.
That will never be me. Except the way he’s looking at me says it might.
Just how far am I willing to go for the opportunity of a lifetime?
https://amzn.to/3sttVUv

This is publicized as a “two hour read” but I it only took me half that time. It went by so fast because it’s only 99 pages. That means there is no character development or back story and not much plot to speak of either. It is a very steamy romance, but I felt unsettled after reading it. I need more book in my book, I guess.

This was the first time I’ve read this author. I don’t read a lot of self published books because they are not often available to reviewers. I got this one through Black’s publicist – yes, she has one. And I’m pretty sure she has an editor, too, and that is not always the case with either self published writers or some bestselling, traditionally published authors – I wouldn’t swear to it but I don’t think that last Stephen King novel ever saw an editor. But I digress.

I liked this book but wanted more. Black is a very popular author and I can certainly see why. I am not a fan of novellas no matter how well done they are, and this is well done for what it is. If you like sexy romances and don’t want to invest too much time, then this is your book.

2/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

TEMPTED BY THE BILLIONAIRE by Shayla Black. Self published (February 8, 2022). ASIN: 978-1957573007. 99p.

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ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS by Lindsey Kelk

February 11, 2022

From the publisher:

The brand new funny and heartwarming romantic comedy!
It only takes one night to fall in love…
Within days of wishing she could change her life, Fran Cooper is acting assistant to a celebrity, on a yacht in the Mediterranean, and en route to a tiny Italian island and the glittering Crystal Ball, along with the world’s rich and famous.
When she – quite literally – bumps into a handsome American called Evan, a man able to keep his cool in the face of chaos, the magic really begins.
Evan makes her a promise: no last names, no life stories, just one unforgettable night. Yet Evan belongs at the Crystal Ball and Fran is a gatecrasher. They may be soulmates, but their homes are an ocean apart, and their lives a world apart. They’ll never meet again – unless, on a night like this, everything can change forever…
Don’t miss the most romantic story of 2022!
https://amzn.to/3GB9J8b

Fran is engaged to Stew and they recently moved into his grandmother’s house in a small town far outside of London. She doesn’t love the house and Stew is starting to get on her nerves, too. He doesn’t want her leaving the small town but she needs a job. She’s been working temp jobs as an assistant and she loves it, but there isn’t any work in this tiny town and the holidays are looming. She calls a contact with a temp agency she’s used many times.

Until she signs an NDA, she can’t even learn who she will be assisting. All she knows is that she needs the money and after a strange interview, Fran is hired. It turns out she will be working for a world famous singer, Juliette. She is scheduled to perform at the Crystal Ball, the world’s most excusive party. They will be taking a yacht to the party, and on the way Fran and Juliette form a strange sort of friendship, mostly based in alcohol, but it works for them. Until Juliette strands her new pal in Sicily.

Fran is stuck but at least she has the fancy hotel suite to stay in. When the makeup artist arrives and Juliette isn’t there, she convinces Fran to dress up and go to the party. She sneaks her in and Fran is determined to have a good time. She quickly meets a gorgeous man, Evan, and the sparks fly. They spend a crazy evening together and then…the happy ending you can’t help but wish for them.

This was a very funny book and a sweet romance. It is a true feel-good read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

2/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS by Lindsey Kelk. HarperCollins (January 18, 2022). ISBN: 978-0008496753. 352p.

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THE DATING DILEMMA by Mariah Ankenman

February 11, 2022

Mile High Firefighters, Book 2

From the publisher:

Lexi’s Reminders:
Work.
Don’t think about your birthday tomorrow. Or debt, your crappy apartment, and nonexistent social life.
Re-stock wine and ice cream because that’s coming.
Die in a raging blaze of humiliation when the super-hot and very delicious fireman waiting in your office is not in fact the strip-o-gram birthday present you suspected.
Reschedule the fire safety inspection you 100 percent failed because of said humiliation.
Figure out how you, in fact, agreed to fake dating Mr. Not a Strip-O-Gram Fireman to help him with a bet.
Oh yeah, and do not fall for this guy. Seriously, they call him One Night O’Neil. Red flags all over the place.
Remember, this is fake dating, even though his very talented, very real lips are doing some sexy things you definitely like.
Realize bending one tiny rule can’t be that bad, can it?
Except bend too far, and something breaks. Something you can’t get back.
https://amzn.to/3GyH6IL

Lexi is one of those selfless angels – she works in a center that keeps kids off the street. Money is super tight so when the man she thinks is a stripper turns out to be a fire inspector and the center fails the inspection, things are not good. They don’t have the money to hire anyone to make the necessary fixes, and the kids really can’t afford for the center to close, plus there is the added humiliation of thinking the gorgeous firefighter is a stripper. Not one of her best days!

The firefighter, Dyson, also turns out to be an angel. He is single and his loving but nosy sisters have been trying hard to set him up. He comes up with the perfect solution: he will do the fixes for the center but Lexi has to pretend to date him to get his sisters off his back. I love the fake dating trope – not sure why because I have never heard of anyone in real life ever being in a fake dating (or fake marriage!) situation, but it makes for a fun plot point. As soon as all parties agree to this scheme, you know what is going to happen. But it is so much fun to get there.

Lexi and Dyson have plenty of ups and downs before they reach their happy ending, and there are a lot of laugh out loud moments along the way. I loved the family relationships and how Lexi and Dyson become friends before they have a physical relationship, makes it more believable. I didn’t read the first book in this series and didn’t feel like I missed anything, so it stands alone perfectly well. That said, I enjoyed this so much I wanted to read the first book. Unfortunately, my library only has the audiobook so that’s a no for me. I’ll just hope it shows up as a freebie on Book Bub! (With several hundred unread books on my Kindle, I cannot justify buying a book. I just can’t.) But read this one!

2/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE DATING DILEMMA by Mariah Ankenman. Entangled: Amara (January 24, 2022). ASIN: B09MBRG4CY. 286p.

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Spotlight Review: LEASE ON LOVE by Falon Ballard

February 8, 2022

From the publisher:

Sadie wasn’t looking for love until it landed on her doorstep.
After getting passed over for an overdue—and much-needed—promotion, Sadie Green is in desperate need of three things: a stiff drink, a new place to live, and a one-night stand. But when an accidental mix-up lands her on the doorstep of Jack Thomas’s gorgeous Brooklyn brownstone, it’s too bad Sadie is more attracted to the impressive real estate than she is to the man himself.
Jack, still grieving the unexpected death of his parents, has learned to find comfort in video games and movie marathons instead of friends. So while he doesn’t know just what to make of the vivaciously verbose Sadie, he’s willing to offer her his spare bedroom while she gets back on her feet. And with the rent unbeatably low, Sadie can finally pursue her floristry side hustle full-time. The two are polar opposites, but as Sadie’s presence begins to turn the brownstone into a home, they both start to realize they may have just made the deal of a lifetime.
https://amzn.to/3J48y2K

This story really stretches the boundaries of suspension of disbelief, but it was worth it just for the scene where Sadie loses her job – one of my favorite scenes, ever! She says what anyone in that position would think but probably never say and I loved it. The rest of the story was good, too, just a little bit over the top.

Finding a beautiful brownstone in the trendiest section of Brooklyn with a room to rent for some ridiculously cheap rent – no. But it was important to the story so I pretended to believe it. Maybe if there was some sort of explanation about why Jack was willing to rent it so cheap I would have understood it better, but nope. Anyway, it doesn’t really matter except that these decisions set the story in motion.

Jack lost his parents several years earlier and has had a very hard time dealing with it. Sadie loses her job and with the cheap rent she is now paying, she can afford to pursue her dream of starting her own floral business. All that aside, it is the relationship that grows between the mysterious, close mouthed Jack and the outgoing social butterfly, Sadie, that is at the heart of this story. Everything else doesn’t really matter.

This was a very enjoyable read and a sweet romance. I loved these characters and the setting and highly recommend!

2/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

LEASE ON LOVE by Falon Ballard. G.P. Putnam’s Sons (February 1, 2022). ISBN: 978-0593419915. 352p.

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MY FUNNY VALENTINE by Lydia Michaels

February 4, 2022

Jasper Falls, Book 5

From the publisher:

A blizzard leaves Erin stranded and at the mercy of her childhood nemesis. Trapped, with no electricity or dry clothes, things heat up when two frienemies are forced to share a bed.
From bestselling and award winning author, Lydia Michaels, comes a second-chance bully romance about love and redemption that will touch readers’ hearts!
Giovanni Mosconi has returned to Jasper Falls after years of touring as a standup comedian. When Erin Montgomery, his childhood enemy, heckles his performance at O’Malley’s Pub, he holds nothing back and roasts her in front of the whole town. Emotions run wild and secrets are exposed when hate turns to lust and lines begin to blur.
Can trust form where betrayal began? Or should some secrets go to the grave?
https://amzn.to/3KJU4a2

This was a difficult read, and may be triggering for some readers.

Erin was an abused child. Her father beat her mother until she left. He beat his kids on the regular, and when Erin’s older brother makes his escape, that leaves Erin to take the brunt of his never ending anger. At one point she leaves, and I wasn’t quite clear on why she goes back to that situation. I suspect it is more psychological than anything and frankly, I don’t really understand it. Michaels does a good job describing Erin’s life growing up, and it is heartbreaking. But I don’t understand a woman who would leave her children with an abuser. I don’t understand why victims go back. I would live in my car with my children before I allowed their father to hurt them. Or me. But I’ve been fortunate in that I’ve never had to deal with physical abuse like that. I think we try and relate in some way to what we read, even if it is outside our scope of knowledge or understanding. At least I do.

Due to her bruises and injuries, Erin misses a lot of school. School is the one place she feels safe, even though the other kids make fun of her. She develops a very hard shell and in this small town, has no friends other than Finn. They have been best friends since elementary school but in high school, their relationship develops more intimacy, and that is something Erin can’t handle. She knows Finn wants more than she can give him, and when he decides to go into his family’s business, she ends things between them. She wants to escape and knows if he works there, he will never leave.

Erin’s father owns a hardware store in town and is beloved by everyone except his family, who are the only ones who know the truth of his abuse. She has returned to this town and works for her father, increasing her abuse as she spends more time with him. She has zero self esteem, no self confidence, and is quite sure she has never been loved in her life – other than maybe Finn. She knows that anyone who gets to know her will leave her, just like her mother and brother did.

One night Finn convinces her to meet up with him, his wife and family at the local bar. His cousin Giovanni, a comedian, is working that night. Grudgingly she agrees, but when she makes a nasty comment during his set, Giovanni eviscerates her. She runs out into a snowstorm and ends up in a ditch. Giovanni is passing by and sees the car so he stops to try and help. He is shocked to find Erin barely conscious. He gets her out of the car and they walk up the road to the motel where he is staying. The power is out, and they use body heat to stay warm.

They have sex, and Giovanni is surprised by his attraction to the hard, bitter woman. But as they spend time together, he begins to see beneath her shell. There are several steamy sex scenes here, but it is the emotional connection that has Erin so scared. Giovanni is the first man to be truly kind to her, and they do get a happy ending, but it is a very bumpy road to get there. This is not a romcom nor a light, frothy Valentine’s Day read, so if that is what you are looking for, look elsewhere. It is an interesting story but very dark, especially for a romance.

2/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

MY FUNNY VALENTINE by Lydia Michaels. Bailey Brown Publishing (January 31, 2022). ISBN: 978-1957573007. 262p.

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DISORDERLY CONDUCT by Tessa Bailey

February 4, 2022

The Academy, Book 1

From the publisher:

New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey returns with a sexy and hilarious series about three hotshot rookie cops in the NYPD police academy.
You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone…
Police academy cadet Charlie Burns can’t believe his luck when the gorgeous blonde he meets in a bar murmurs those magic words: “Nothing serious, ’kay?” Mind-blowing, no-strings sex with Ever Carmichael—it’s the holy grail of hookups for a guy who’s too busy following in his law enforcement family’s footsteps to think about getting serious. Charlie’s all about casual…that is, until Ever calls it quits and his world tilts on its axis.
Ever knows that when you control the relationship game, you can’t get played. But for the first time, she wants more than short-term satisfaction. Step one: end her fling with commitment-phobic Charlie. Step two: sacrifice herself to the ruthless NYC dating scene. Yet everywhere she turns, there’s Charlie, being his ridiculously charming self. No online match or blind date compares to the criminally hot cop-in-training, but they’re over. Aren’t they?
If love is a four-letter-word, why does the idea of Ever seeing someone else tie Charlie up in knots? Now he’s desperate to win her back…and a little date sabotage never hurt anyone, right?
https://amzn.to/3oiS5jn

This romance is HOT, HOT, HOT! What starts out as a one night stand quickly evolves into a month’s worth of sexual satisfaction. There isn’t much in the way of talking, but when the month ends and Ever tries to enforce her 30 days and it’s over rule, Charlie is surprised. It’s not that he’s looking for a relationship, he swears he isn’t, but the sex is so crazy good he doesn’t want it to end. Plus there is something about Ever that has crawled into his heart, and try as he might, he can’t escape his feelings.

Ever was taught by her mother to keep her heart safe. Her mother only dates married men, but Ever can’t bring herself to do that. She sticks to single guys but doesn’t do relationships. At all. But then her mother tells her she was wrong, so Ever decides she will try dating for real. But Charlie can’t handle that and unbeknownst to Ever, starts interfering in her life.

Ever really likes Charlie but he has made his feelings about avoiding relationships perfectly clear. But no other man can seem to measure up, especially once Charlie gets in the way.

This was a sexy romance with a lot of humor and heart and I really enjoyed it. Can’t wait for the next one in this series!

2/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

DISORDERLY CONDUCT by Tessa Bailey. Avon (August 29, 2017). ISBN: 978-0062467089. 384p.