Blog Tour + Early Review & Giveaway: Return to Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Blog Tours, Giveaways, Reviews by Lacey

I’m SO happy to be a part of the Return to Poughkeepsie blog tour! I adored Poughkeepsie, and I’m so glad that Beckett is finally getting his own story. Today I’m reviewing Return to Poughkeepsie, and don’t forget to enter the giveaways below!

Return to Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia
Series: Poughkeepsie #2 (full reading order below)
Release Date: December 30th 2013

Beckett Taylor is a murderer. His calling, his craft are destruction and intimidation—whether he wants it that way now or not. He left Poughkeepsie to keep his brothers safe, to keep Eve safe. Set up with happy lives to live, they’re better off without him, right?

But all his willpower crumbles when he hears his brother Blake’s frantic voice on the phone. An unknown enemy has moved in on his old territory, and Livia’s been taken. In an instant, Beckett knows it will take an attack only he and Eve can execute to bring her back. All his self-imposed embargoes are torn to shreds, perhaps along with the new man he’s struggled to become.

“Brother, call Eve. I’ll be there soon.”

In this emotional and action-packed sequel to Poughkeepsie, Debra Anastasia conjures a tale of love at its most raw and ragged. With Beckett and Eve, how could we expect anything less? But even when it’s messy, not magical, true love perseveres. Real love finds a way—for better or for worse until death does part.

Purchase:
Amazon • B&N

Beckett!!! I love this man to death. Seriously. He is rude, abrasive, crude, crass, naughty, and a bad, bad man. BUT he has a heart of freaking gold that holds so much love for the people most important to him: his brothers, their wives and children, and most especially Eve. Eve, the love of Beckett’s life, who is a total babe and badass, who he had to leave so she could find a better life with a better man. Oh, Beckett just makes me swoon–and laugh!

We never got to know what happened to Beckett–where he went, what he did–at the end of Poughkeepsie. But now… we finally get his story! He’s left Eve and his brothers to protect them, because he’s a wanted man. Well, he’s always been a wanted man, but this time, he has to leave for good.

From book 1:

“Know this: I love you so fucking much,” Beckett said. “No other person has been to me what you are. No one else ever will be.” He leaned down and gave her the sweetest, gentlest kiss.

And has Beckett’s love for Eve changed? Not for a single second. This man may have blood on his hands, but he loves with his whole heart. And he knows he has to become a better man in order to come back into the lives of the ones he loves. So for the next 5 years, he becomes a normal man. No more killing, no more illegal dealings. Just him and his new dog, Gandhi (who is just adorable!) and his liquor store.

“Yeah, but, you see, I pictured, like, I don’t know, doing something huge. Saving the world.” Beckett shrugged.
Blake shook his head. “Sometimes you can save someone’s whole world just by smiling at them. Kindness is one of those things that has immense value to the person experiencing it.”

Beckett’s not comfortable being a good man, but he’ll do it for those he loves, because he’s just that kind of man. He’ll do literally anything to keep Eve, Blake, Cole, Livia, and Kyle safe. And if you thought there was some crazy intense action in Poughkeepsie? Wait till you get to Return to Poughkeepsie. Beckett might try to be a good man, but his past life finds a way to catch up with him. Between him and Eve, there wasn’t a dull moment in Return to Poughkeepsie, and I loved it!

Beckett and Eve are hot hot hot together, and I just adore them, but I also loved how we get more of Blake and Livia, and Cole and Kyle! The couples are married, and Blake and Livia even have two adorable children. Getting a glimpse–actually, it’s more than a glimpse, so yay!–into their married lives was so satisfying to read. But it’s not all a happily ever after. Kyle and Cole are having problems with conceiving. No matter how hard they try, Kyle just can’t get pregnant, and it’s heartbreaking to read. But this part of life is real, and I was impressed with how Debra Anastasia conveyed this in the book.

We get introduced to more characters, both good and bad. Like Ryan!! I totally adored him, and the antics of his vindictive ex-girlfriend. There’s a new baddie in town who’s trying to take over Poughkeepsie, but Eve so isn’t going to allow someone to take over her town. I love Eve. I think she’s the bomb. She’s an incredibly skilled killer, but she uses those skills for good to protect those she loves… just like Beckett. And even though 5 years have passed since she’s seen Beckett, she still loves him. The two of them are absolutely perfect for each other. They match each other, challenge each other, and love each other so hard. It was wonderful seeing these two together again, because they deserve to have a happily ever after together, even if they aren’t ‘good’ people.

The only problem I had was with the blurb. I kept waiting and waiting for Livia to be kidnapped, but it never even happens until midway through the book! I did love the book, but I was a little miffed. Still, Beckett stole my heart all over again!

“I love you, Eve. You’re the only heart I have.”

Eeep! The Poughkeepsie series is an absolute must-read! You’ll fall in love with all of the brothers, and the story, romance, and action will keep you riveted.

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Poughkeepsie series

#1 ~ Poughkeepsie: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Return to Poughkeepsie: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Saving Poughkeepsie: Ebook • Goodreads (Nov. 22, 2014)

Debra Anastasia is busy, just like every other mom. There’s dinner, the dogs, the two kids, the two kids, and her ongoing battle with…ahem… digestive issues, which combined with her adolescent boy sense of humor makes for colorful and sometimes cringe-worthy social media updates. Her first love and crowning achievement is her thriving career as the weirdest mom on the block.

Her writing started a decent handful of years ago when–along with the animals and humans in her house–the voices of characters started whispering stories in Debra’s ear. Insomnia was the gateway to plots that wouldn’t give up, wouldn’t let go. Now they stalk her everywhere. Halfway through making lunches, a twist takes hold and–fingers full of peanut butter–she finds somewhere, anywhere to write it down.

She’s eternally grateful to Omnific Publishing, which has now published four of her books: two in the Seraphim Series and two in the Poughkeepsie Brotherhood Series, as well as her novella, Late Night with Andres. That one is special because 100% of the proceeds go to breast cancer research. (So go get it right now, please!) She also very much appreciates her open-minded readers, who embrace everything she has to offer, with a focus on anti-heroes and bathroom humor.

Debra lives in Maryland with her family. You can find her at DebraAnastasia.com and on Twitter @Debra_Anastasia. But be prepared.

Goodreads • Twitter • Facebook • Website

ebook set of Poughkeepsie and Return to Poughkeepsie

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9Dec2013

Early Review: Elect by Rachel Van Dyken

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Elect by Rachel Van Dyken
Series: Eagle Elite #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 10th 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (Forever) in exchange for an honest review

Would you die for the one you love?
Nixon Abandonato made his choice. And now he has to pay the price. Tracey is the We’vlove of his life, but being with him has made her a target of his family’s enemies. The only way to keep Trace alive is convince the world she means nothing to him.

Trace Rooks has fallen irrevocably in love with the son of her family’s sworn rival, and she knows in her bones nothing can tear them apart. Until Nix suddenly pushes her away and into the arms of his best friend… But Trace isn’t ready to give up on a future with Nix–and if he won’t fight for them, she will.

In the end, a sacrifice must be made. A life for a life. For what better way to cover a multitude of sins than with the blood of a sinner . . .

Okay, the first thing you should know about Elect is that it’s told in alternating POV! It was such a lovely surprise for me, because I had no idea that Rachel Van Dyken was changing things up a bit in Elect. We get to read from Nixon, Chase, and even Phoenix’s POVS! Hurray for male POV’s, and incredibly written ones at that.

There will be spoilers for those who haven’t read Elite, just FYI!

We found out in Elite that Tracey, Nixon, and the gang are all involved with the mafia in one way or another. And we finally get to know more about the mafia and dangerous people in it. If mafia/mob books are your type of thing, or you want to start reading those types of books, I highly recommend this series. Rachel Van Dyken skillfully integrates the mafia world into her book, and then suddenly you’re thrust into the world and you don’t want to leave. I had a fantastic time reading Elect. It’s fast-paced, thrilling, and so much fun to read. I couldn’t put the book down!

Since we get Nixon’s POV, we obviously get more information about the way the mafia works. Nixon is the leader of the Abandonato family, and he’s in charge of everything–the people, the money, etc. He doesn’t have a clean past, but he wants to be good enough for the love of his life, Tracey. And he’s the most caring, wonderful boyfriend in the world. He puts her above himself and all others, and he’ll stop at nothing to keep her safe and alive–even if it means he can’t have her.

As we get more POVs from Chase, Nixon’s cousin, right-hand man, and best friend, we also get to know Chase’s feelings for Trace. Because Chase is in love with Trace too. He feels guily for loving her, but he can’t stop. Chase is in charge of Trace’s safety, which means he’s around her all the time, and he can’t stop his love from growing. I felt so sad for Chase, because we know that Nixon and Tracey are it. They’re perfect together and they belong together, and it’s so painful for Chase to watch them that my heart was hurting for him.

But then… dangerous people become involved in their lives, and Tracey and everyone’s lives are in danger. We are introduced to the mafia family from Sicily, who are powerful people, and there’s a great mystery involved with Trace’s parents deaths. Unforeseen circumstances tear Nixon and Trace apart, and Chase is there to pick up the pieces. But is Tracey willing enough to let Nixon go and take a chance with Chase?

“Choose me,” I whispered. “Because my heart? My soul? My damn existence? Has already spoken, and it wants you, and only you–forever.”

Oooh, who could it be? Who does Trace choose? Nixon? Chase? AH! I really liked this love triangle. It helped that I didn’t need to read Trace’s POV, because if there were any chapters in her POV, then I would have gotten tired of the love triangle fast. There was no “Which one should I choose?” dilemma that I had to read. We only read from the guys’ POVs, and their POVs are so amazing! I was swooning and sighing a lot in this book.

“I feel lost.”
“Let me find you.”
“I feel sick.”
“Let me heal you.” I kissed her head.
“I feel sad.”
“Let me be your happiness.”

I was Awwwing so hard here! Nixon is just so. damn. sweet.

But anyways, besides the great romance in the book, Elect had so many twists and turns that had me reeling and being so enthralled in the story. There are things that Phoenix is hiding, and once the truth is set free, it changes everything for the characters. And as bad as Phoenix was in Elite, he really had a change of heart in Elect, and he’s such a complex, incredible character.

For fans of Elite, you don’t want to miss Elect. It has everything you’d expect from a mafia romance and more. 4 hearts!

“Besides, romance isn’t something you work at–not when you find the right girl. When you fall in love, when you take that leap, it’s as natural as breathing; it’s as simple as that. I’m romantic because my heart demands I be nothing less than one hundred percent, for you, day and night.”

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Eagle Elite series

#1 ~ Elite: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Enforce: Goodreads (Dec. 2014)
#2 ~ Elect: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Entice: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ Elicit: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#5 ~ Ember: Goodreads (Feb. 2015)

2Dec2013

Early Review: Before We Fall by Courtney Cole

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Before We Fall by Courtney Cole
Series: Beautifully Broken #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 3rd 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (Forever) in exchange for an honest review

Sometimes, one dark moment is all it takes to turn your world black…

For 24-year old Dominic Kinkaide, that moment took place on the night of his high school graduation. One dark incident changed him forever. He’s a hardened actor now, famous in the eyes of the world, but tortured in his own. He doesn’t care about much of anything, except for losing himself in the roles that he plays.

23-year old Jacey Vincent doesn’t realize how much her father’s indifference has affected her. She is proof that sometimes it isn’t one specific moment that wrecks a person, but rather it’s an absence of moments. She’s like a bird with a broken wing-strong yet fragile, as she tries to float through life, finding acceptance in the arms of random guys, one after the other… to fill the void that her father left in her.

Until she meets Dominic.

After jaded Dominic and strong-willed Jacey are thrown together, his secret and her issues create a dark and damaged energy that will soon turn their attraction to each other into an explosive storm.

Even though when the clouds have cleared and the dust has settled, both of them are almost obliterated… they’ve learned a priceless lesson.

Sometimes, before we fall… we fly.

I read Until We Burn, which is a novella told in Dominic’s POV, right before going into this, which is a good thing, because I might have balked a little at Dominic’s… darker side. He’s into some pretty intense stuff, and knowing more about him before starting Before We Fall helped a lot. So I’d recommend reading Until We Burn before reading Before We Fall, but you don’t really have to. It’s just to get a better background on Dominic, because Dominic is one huge jerk. If you thought Pax was bad, Dominic is even worse. And I can honestly say I loved reading his and Jacey’s story.

“… the best things in life are worth the greatest risk. Falling in love is one of those things. Can it break our hearts? Yes. Most definitely. But more often than not, before we fall, we fly.”

Dominic is a fascinating, enigmatic man. He’s a famous celebrity, but he’s a private one. He doesn’t let his fans know anything about him, and he never does anything to tarnish his gentlemanly reputation. We only get snippets of his haunted past, but we know that whatever happened to him broke him. It’s hard to like him at first, but Courtney Cole writes him in such a way that we want to know more about him, and we eventually care about him. To me, he’s the most broken of all the Beautifully Broken characters, and he’s the one who has to try the hardest to help himself. He feels he doesn’t deserve any happiness because of what happened in his past, but when he meets Jacey, she changes everything for him.

“You can have all of me,” I tell her simply. “I don’t know why you want it, but you can have it.”

I was really excited to read about Gabriel’s sister after reading If You Leave, and Courtney Cole doesn’t disappoint! Jacey seemed a bit weak in If You Leave, but she’s definitely more mature and tough in Before We Fall. And she has to be in order to deal with Dominic. Jacey and Dominic meet at Dominic’s rock star brother’s house, where Jacey is working, and they get off on the wrong foot. They’re attracted to one another, but they won’t do anything about it. Then when Jacey needs a ride home, Dominic has to give her one, but they end up busted and arrested after cops find some weed in Dominic’s car. They’re sentenced to community service together for 3 months, and during that time, they get to know each other better, though Dominic still hides his past.

I loved seeing Dominic slowly letting Jacey into his heart, because he’s got a wall of iron around it. Jacey manages to bring light into Dominic’s darkness, but his past still keeps them apart. Their story is beautifully written (Courtney Cole is such an incredible writer!), and there are so many twists and turns that you don’t see coming. Dominic’s past is dark and so heartbreaking, and we can feel just how much he broke after the day that changed everything for him. But no matter how despairing Dominic’s story is, I still had hope for him and Jacey. Dominic finds the truth, redemption, and finally happiness, and Jacey is the perfect girl for him. They need each other and they belong together, and even though there’s so much pain in Dominic’s past, I was smiling because of how sweet they are together. Their “Yes and No’s” are the most adorable thing ever!

Before We Fall is a heart-wrenching, gutting read that I really loved. It’s not an easy read, but you should read it anyway. You’ll be blown away by Courtney Cole’s writing, and the storyline will have you captivated and guessing.

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Beautifully Broken series

#1 ~ If You Stay: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ If You Leave: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2.5 ~ Until We Burn: Ebook • Goodreads
#3 ~ Before We Fall: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ Until We Fly: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

25Nov2013

Blog Tour + Early Review & Giveaway: No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah Maclean

Posted in 5 hearts, Blog Tours, Giveaways, Reviews by Lacey

Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean!

No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean
Series: The Rule of Scoundrels #3 (full reading order below)
Release Date: November 26th 2013

A rogue ruined . . .

He is the Killer Duke, accused of murdering Mara Lowe on the eve of her wedding. With no memory of that fateful night, Temple has reigned over the darkest of London’s corners for twelve years, wealthy and powerful, but beyond redemption. Until one night, Mara resurfaces, offering the one thing he’s dreamed of . . . absolution.

A lady returned . . .

Mara planned never to return to the world from which she’d run, but when her brother falls deep into debt at Temple’s exclusive casino, she has no choice but to offer Temple a trade that ends in her returning to society and proving to the world what only she knows . . . that he is no killer.

A scandal revealed . . .

It’s a fine trade, until Temple realizes that the lady—and her past—are more than they seem. It will take every bit of his strength to resist the pull of this mysterious, maddening woman who seems willing to risk everything for honor . . . and to keep from putting himself on the line for love.

Buy Links:
Amazon Ebook • Amazon Paperback • B&N • BAM • IndieBound

My god. My. God. What is Sarah MacLean doing to me? I simply cannot function when I’m reading one of her books in the Rules of Scoundrels series, because I become obsessed with the characters, the romance, the story–everything–while reading. I adore this series. I am completely, 100%, over-the-moon in love with this series. One Good Earl Deserves a Lover and No Good Duke Goes Unpunished are absolute gems (A Rogue by Any Other Name was pretty great too). I don’t know how Sarah MacLean does it, but the owners of The Fallen Angel are to. die. for. And Temple… He makes me swoon so friggin’ hard. And yep, I have another book boyfriend to add to my already long list.

I can’t even begin to do this book justice. It’s just… too amazing. The story blew me away, the romance was the divine, and I fell so hard for the characters. I honestly had no idea I would love historical romances as much as I love this series. No Good Duke just cemented my love of the genre. Sarah MacLean is a genius! I don’t know how you do it Sarah, but DON’T EVER STOP!

Okay, okay. So if you’ve read the previous two books in the series (and if you haven’t, get right to it now!) and loved them just like me, you were crazed to read Temple’s book. It’s the Killer Duke’s book! And have you read that synopsis? Like, hot damn. I knew Sarah MacLean would give us another incredible, heart-wrenching romance, and yes, she delivers! Quite perfectly, if you ask me.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure Sarah could top One Good Earl (book 2). I loved loved loved Cross so damn much that I didn’t think that any of the other characters in their group of four could beat him. And while I can’t say Temple is better, I can say that Temple is absolutely on par with Cross. If you make me choose between them, I won’t be able to! So, you know, I totally call dibs on the both of them. Cross AND Temple… Be still, my heart.

Temple is known as the Killer Duke because he woke up in his father’s bride’s room covered with blood. He remembers nothing from the night before, and Mara, the bride, had disappeared. Temple was accused of her murder, and for the twelve years since her death, Temple has been haunted and wrecked with guilt. He feels he doesn’t deserve anything good since he truly believes he’s a murderer. And he’s a fighter as well. He’s huge, bigger than Bourne, Cross, and Chase, and Temple’s job is to fight the patrons of the gaming hell. If a gambler loses everything, he has a chance at gaining everything back if he can defeat Temple. But no once ever does. Temple is undefeated.

And in the midst of this new life Temple has created, Mara reappears. She’s not dead, which means Temple didn’t kill her, and he’s not the Killer Duke. And understandably, Temple is pissed as hell. He was accused of murder, and all of a sudden, the girl he supposedly killed comes back? And only to gain back the money her brother lost while gambling? He’s pissed and he wants revenge. And so the two go head to head all the time and sparks fly. The amount of sexual tension is off the charts too, and Sarah MacLean is a master at building the tension between the two.

“Don’t you see, Mara.” He leaned in and whispered, “You’re mine, now.”

I always liked Mara throughout the entire book, even when I should have hated her on behalf of Temple. She had her reasons for her deception, and she pays a heavy price for it. I mostly felt sympathetic towards her, because she is not welcomed by Temple or his friends. And yet she never gives up, never stops trying to gain back her brother’s lost money to help her orphanage. Her kids in the orphanage (and her pig, Lavender, the most adorable thing ever) are the most important things to her, and there’s so much more depth to her than we could have realized.

He’d made her laugh and smile. He’d made her feel beautiful.
For the first time in her life.
For the only time in her life.

I was honestly smiling and grinning so hard every time Temple and Mara see each other, because I couldn’t wait to see how the Sarah MacLean would make them fall for each other. And when they do fall in love, slowly but surely, it’s a bit heart-wrenching, because you don’t see a happily ever after in sight. You want one for them of course, but things become complicated. Revenge is what fuels Temple, and taking care of her orphanage is what fuels Mara. With Mara willing to do whatever it takes to earn back the lost money, including spending time with Temple (there might be some kissing involved), and eventually coming out and confessing to the public about the truth of that night she was ‘killed’, and Temple knowing that once she confesses, he’ll lose her forever, neither Temple nor Mara can imagine themselves living happily ever after with each other.

“You want me.”
“Want does not begin to describe the way I feel about you,” his low voice promised. “Want is nothing compared with the level of desire I have. With the desperation I feel. With the way I long for you.”

But, oh god, the journey along the way to their HEA is perfection. They learn more about each other, fall more in love with each other when they shouldn’t, and there’s so much excitement going on, both in their romance and within The Fallen Angel. There are some seriously intense fight scenes that were so gripping and had me on the edge of my seat. And the tension and angst built up so much that this book made me TEAR UP. I rarely ever cry for books, and yet No Good Duke took my breath away and made me tear up a little for Temple and Mara. I laughed, I cried, my heart ached, and I couldn’t have imagined a better story for Temple and Mara.

“I love your laugh. I want to hear it every day. I want to be through all this darkness and devastation. I want happiness now. I want our due. I want what we’ve deserved from the beginning.” He paused and stared deep into her eyes, willing her to understand how much he loved her. “I want you.”

Look at what I found on Sarah MacLean’s blog! We’re finally going to find out Chase’s mysterious secret, and I for one CAN’T WAIT!

Readers of No Good Duke will learn Chase’s secret.

The deep, dark secret that would ruin Chase, The Angel and all my scoundrels if it got out.

The deep, dark secret that no one (except for a very small band of merry men and women at Avon/HarperCollins) knows, because the bit of Temple’s book that reveals the secret was redacted from all early versions of the book. No reviewers know it. No early readers know it.

Everyone who reads the book when it’s released on November 26th will learn Chase’s secret together. And then, there will be spoilers. So watch out. 🙂

Are you excited? Like Sarah said, even though I’ve read the ARC, I still don’t know Chase’s secret! The epilogue was cut off, and AH the wait is killing me. I know for sure what I’ll be doing on No Good Duke’s release day. 😉

If there’s a historical romance book you need to read, it’s No Good Duke Goes Unpunished. And One Good Earl Deserves a Lover. And A Rogue by Any Other Name. Read. These. Books. They’re romance at its finest. And you will fall in love with everything about them. I can’t get enough of this series! I’m so, so unbelievably excited for Chase’s book now! It’s finally coming! Soon.

5 hearts of course! Loved it with all my heart. (You have no idea how happy I was to read an ARC of this book. So THANK YOU to the publisher, Avon!)

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: The Rules of Scoundrels series

#1 ~ A Rogue by Any Other Name: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ One Good Earl Deserves a Lover: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ No Good Duke Goes Unpunished: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

Sarah MacLean grew up in Rhode Island, obsessed with historical romance and bemoaning the fact that she was born far too late for her own season. Her love of all things historical helped to earn her degrees from Smith College and Harvard University before she finally set pen to paper and wrote her first book.

Sarah now lives in New York City with her husband, their dog, and a ridiculously large collection of romance novels. She loves to hear from readers. Please visit her at www.macleanspace.com

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads

paperbacks of A ROUGE BY ANY OTHER NAME & ONE GOOD EARL DESERVES A LOVER, Book One and Two of the Rules of Scoundrels Series

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24Nov2013

Early Review: Searching for Someday by Jennifer Probst

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Searching for Someday by Jennifer Probst
Series: Searching For #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: November 26th 2013
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (Gallery Books) in exchange for an honest review

Kate has given up on love—at least for herself. She is both blessed and cursed with the ability to sense a romantic connection between two people—a gift that her family passed down for generations. When Kate launches her own matchmaking company, Kinnection, with her two best friends in a cozy New York town, she has to put aside her own romantic disasters to make her business a success.

But when a furious man stalks into her office and accuses her business of being a scam, Kate is given the ultimate challenge to prove herself. Slade puts himself in her hands and asks Kate to find him love. Enraged at his arrogance but stubbornly eager to prove herself, Kate agrees, dedicating herself to the journey of finding him love…only to find herself falling for him along the way.

This is my first Jennifer Probst book, and I’m impressed! The Searching For series is a spinoff of the Marriage to a Billionaire series, but you don’t have to read the MtaB series before reading Searching for Someday.

I loved the concept of the main character owning a legitimate matchmaking company, and Jennifer Probst doesn’t disappoint. Kate, along with her friends Kennedy and Arilyn, own a successful matching company called Kinnection. And one of the reasons why it’s so successful is because Kate has… the touch. If she touches two people and they’re soul mates, she feels a shock. And while she’s been able to use the touch to help couples get together, she’s never been able to find her own soul mate, and gives up on trying to find one.

Enter divorce lawyer Slade Montgomery. He’s hot, smart, successful, and jaded about love. His sister becomes a client at Kinnection, and Slade, being the over-protective brother he is, becomes a client as well to expose Kinnection as a sham. He doesn’t expect to meet Kate Seymour or to develop feelings her. And when Kate touches him and realizes he’s her soulmate, she refuses to believe he’s her ‘one’. He’s everything she doesn’t want in a man, and the worst part–he doesn’t believe in love. His job has made him so jaded that he doesn’t believe love exists, but if Kate can match and find him a woman he’ll fall in love with, he’ll give up on trying to expose Kinnection as a sham and he’ll actually believe in love.

No matter how many women Kate sets Slade up with, he can’t get Kate out of his mind. He doesn’t want any woman except her. And as Slade and Kate spend more time together, their hilarious bantering increases, as well as the sexual tension. Slade knows it’s inevitable that they’ll end up in bed together, but he doesn’t want a relationship, so Kate goes out of her way to avoid him. Slade hurts her with his cavalier attitude about love, and this is when he realizes that he wants more from Kate than just sex.

“You’re wrong, counselor,” she said softly. “I’m not looking for forever. But I am looking for someday. I think I deserve that.”

I enjoyed Searching for Someday so much more than I expected. I was laughing and giggling in one moment, and then my heart would be aching and hurting for Kate and Slade the next. It’s not an easy road to their happily ever after, because they’re both so resistant to finding love in each other. But along the way, they teach each other that love is possible and does exist.

“The possibility of love is worth everything, Mr. Montgomery. Pain, heartbreak, grief. It is the only thing worthwhile to fight for in this life. And though there are never any promises, if one is true and brave enough to give, there will never be regret.”

I loved reading this book. It wasn’t perfect, but the story and characters kept me riveted. I couldn’t stop reading and wishing for a happily ever after that Kate and Slade both deserved. Searching for Someday is a must read for contemporary romance lovers. I highly recommend it, and I’m looking forward to reading Kennedy’s book, Searching for Perfect, and Jennifer Probst’s other books in the Marriage to a Billionaire series.

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Searching For series

#1 ~ Searching for Someday: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Searching for Perfect: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2.5 ~ Searching for You: Ebook • Goodreads
#3 ~ Searching for Beautiful: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Searching for Always: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4.5 ~ Searching for Mine: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4.6 ~ Searching for Disaster: Ebook • Goodreads (Oct. 10, 2016)

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