review

The Billionaire’s Fake Fiance by Annika Martin

by fliplamken

 

 

TBFF_ebook_amazon_kobo_ibooksBack in high school, I would go to the local Woolworth’s and buy up all the Harlequin Presents. I was a sucker for their romance novels featuring millionaires and beautiful heroines— despite the fact many of the love stories were dysfunctional and toxic. Time marches on. I got older, a lot older, and romances now feature billionaires.  I no longer have an appetite for romance novels featuring billionaires. I never was a big fan of Cinderella, and most of these stories are newer, sexier versions of Cinderella.

But I am going to read everything Annika Martin writes.  She never fails to entertain. She has written three standalones, yet connected romantic comedies featuring billionaires. The first two, Most Eligible Billionaire and The Billionaire’s Wake-Up-Call Girl, were laugh-out funny. I recall scenes and chuckle. With the Billionaire’s Fake Fiancée, Annika Martin entertains us with a mystery as well as romance and humor.

Rex O’Rourke is a self-made billionaire (all the best billionaires are). To keep an important client, he must join the client and her wealthy family on their mega yacht. Socializing with old money wealthy on their mega yacht is Rex’s version of hell. He would instead be working. Even more unfortunate, to quail the entirely true rumors about Rex’s never date the same model/actress twice lifestyle, Rex’s assistant made up a story about a fiancée. Now Rex had to spend two weeks on a yacht with a fake fiancée. Of course, Rex’s greatest fear is the gorgeous fake fiancée will throw herself at him. (Gorgeous women throwing themselves at you is one of the downsides of being a hot billionaire. And you think you have problems.)

So, Rex describes the one woman that he would never be tempted by…bubbly, loves soap operas, impoverished, colorful hairstreaks, loves Hello Kitty, and turns pop songs into ditties about her pet. Rex might be oblivious that he is describing Tabitha, his hairdresser, but his assistant recognized her immediately.

Tabitha is in high demand as a mobile stylist in New York City. She has a waiting list of clients. But she must rest her wrist for six weeks or risk more severe consequences. The resulting loss of income had her worried. So, the offer to be a fake fiancée is tempting. So, despite her dislike of dishonesty, she agrees to the job.

The job requires a makeover. She has a dull, expensive wardrobe suitable for a yacht vacation. Her colorful hairstreaks are covered up. But no makeover can change the irrepressible force that is Tabitha. Due to her expansive knowledge of soap operas, Tabitha knows that the newly discovered, long lost nephew of the wealthy client is an imposter! She sets out to uncover the fraud. This behavior does not please Rex, who does not want to upset his client.

Rex just wants to work in his cabin. But he cannot ignore Tabitha and her wild soap opera conspiracies.  And maybe, just maybe, Tabitha is not everything Rex hates and despises.

The Billionaire’s Fake Fiancée is a delightful read. It has lots of humor and sexy romance. If I had to describe Martin’s writing in one word, it would be joy-filled. So, take time for yourself and indulge in some joy.

Creative: Michele Catalano

Photographer: Wander Aguiar

Model: Thiago

Meet the Author:

Annika Martin loves fun, dirty stories, hot heroes, and wild, dramatic everything. She enjoys hanging out in Minneapolis coffee shops with her writer husband, and also likes birdwatching at her bird feeder alongside her two stunningly photogenic cats, especially when she should be writing. She’s heavy into running, music, saving the planet, taking long baths, and consuming chocolate suckers. She’s worked a surprisingly large number of waitressing jobs, and has also worked in a plastics factory and the advertising trenches; her garden is total bee-friendly madness and her most unfavorite word is nosh or possibly fob. A NYT bestselling author, she has also written as RITA award-winning author Carolyn Crane.

Connect with Annika:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnikaMartinBooks
Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AnnikaMartinFabulousGang/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Annika_Martin
Stay up to date with Annika by joining her mailing list: http://www.annikamartinbooks.com/newletter/

Sleeping Beauty? Romeo and Juliet? The Kiss Thief by L.J. Shen Is A Sexy Romance Full of Evocative References to Classic Themes.

by fliplamken

The Kiss Thief took me by surprise. This is partly due to my mistaken belief that it was a historical romance. It is not. It is set firmly in the 21st Century. But there is definitely a Romeo and Juliet vibe with the sweet, first love between Francesca Rossi and Angelo Bandini. Like Romeo and Juliet, this story begins with a masquerade. Francesca is a sleeping beauty. Sheltered and controlled by her mafia father, she is a good, obedient Catholic school girl, waiting for her first kiss.

But there are more romances tropes in which to delight. This story has a forced marriage, a plot for revenge, and an obsessive love. There is even a nosy housekeeper, who knows everything ala Rebecca. There are several betrayals. This story had few surprises, but it did provide a delightful, fresh twist on old themes.

Two men want Francesca, her childhood friend and first love, Angelo, and Senator Wolfe Keaton. Senator Wolfe Keaton drags this story into the dark romance realm. Unlike Angelo, Wolfe is far older and more jaded than Francesca. His feelings for Francesca are not sweet. Yet neither rival could be described as a villain.

This book has all the sizzle and sexual tension that a reader can expect from Ms. Shen. Her characters will evolve. The only criticism I have is Shen’s failure to develop a sense of place for Chicago. It is a minor complaint. But as a former Chicagoan, I was disappointed by such a bland description of the city that works. But as I said, this is a minor complaint. Otherwise, this is a satisfying romance.

 

 

Smile, there is a new Kylie Scott novel

by fliplamken

Good-Idea-count-5

 

Rush to your local bookstore or e-book retailer. Kylie Scott has a new novel releasing today. I have been an ardent fan since reading Dirty, the first of her Dive Bar series. Quickly, I read through her backlist, including her zombie apocalypse erotica.  Her YA novel, Trust, ensnared my three adult daughters into her book magic.  Ms. Scott simply cannot write fast enough for me. I already have my e-copy and I am waiting for the print to arrive.

“Addictive like all Kylie Scott books, you’ll swoon, laugh, ache, put your life on hold, and compulsively read until the wee hours of the night—only to reread the whole thing the next morning. Perfection!” – Katy Evans, New York Times bestselling author

Returning home for her father’s wedding was never going to be easy for Adele. If being sent away at eighteen hadn’t been bad enough, the mess she left behind when she made a pass at her dad’s business partner sure was.

Fifteen years older than her, Pete had been her crush for as long as she could remember. But she’d misread the situation—confusing friendliness for undying love. Awkward. Add her father to the misunderstanding, and Pete was left with a broken nose and a business on the edge of ruin. The man had to be just as glad as everyone else when she left town.

Seven years later, things are different. Adele is no longer a kid, but a fully grown adult more than capable of getting through the wedding and being polite. But all it takes is seeing him again to bring back those old feelings.

Sometimes first loves are the truest.

 

 

 

LINKS

 

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38582063-it-seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time

AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2L13jmj

AMAZON UK: https://amzn.to/2kuHPmA

AMAZON AU: https://amzn.to/2LyXq18

iBooks: https://apple.co/2GVwAfX

B&N: https://bit.ly/2ktQWUT

KOBO: https://bit.ly/2J7Bb3Q

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/

Links:

FACEBOOK:  https://www.facebook.com/kyliescottwriter/

FACEBOOK FAN GROUP:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/599197093487040/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/KylieScottbooks

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/kylie_scott_books/

GOODREADS: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6476625.Kylie_Scott

 

 

EXCERPT

“Did you enjoy the wedding?” he asked.

“W-what?”

The man stood much closer than necessary. “The wedding. It was nice, right?”

“Sure.”

Faint strains of music carried from across the road. It seemed worlds away. He downed a mouthful of scotch, gaze never leaving my face. All I could smell was the single malt, his cologne, and the slight scent of salt on his skin. After all, it’d been a hot night and he’d been dancing in the suit. He wasn’t happy; I knew the signs well enough. The tension in his jawline and the look in his eyes. All heated and intense.

“So you’ve been sitting in the dark, drinking and brooding, huh?” I asked. “That sounds constructive.”

“What did Leona have to say?”

I laughed. “Oh, hell no. I’m not getting caught in the middle of you two again. Why don’t you try settling your issues like normal people and actually talk to one another?”

“You have such a clever mouth, Adele.” He cocked his head. “Always got an answer, don’t you?”

“Enjoy your scotch, Pete.” I turned away. “I’m going to bed.”

“What’s the rush?” Strong fingers wrapped around my arm, not gripping me hard, just enough to hold me in place.

“I’ve spent enough time tonight in the company of a drunken asshole, thank you.” I smiled.

His return smile was lopsided. “You’re angry.”

“I’m tired.”

“You’re angry and tired. Me too,” he said. “Less so on the tired, though. Actually, I’m wide the fuck awake.”

“Good for you.”

He finished off his drink, then reached past me, setting the empty glass on the kitchen counter. “Keep me company.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?” he asked, expression full of false interest. “Thought you’d love the chance to tell me off some more.”

I looked away. “We’re done here.”

“No, we’re not.”

“Yes, we are.” I pulled my arm out of his grasp. “We’re finished, Pete. Our friendship or whatever the hell it is these days . . . It’s over, kaput, the end. Took me seven years, but tonight I finally wised up.”

“That so?”

“Yep,” I said. “I refuse to keep feeling this way about you. It’s such a stupid waste.”

His gaze narrowed.

“You know, I even have a plan.”

“What might that be?”

“In the morning, I’m going to go home and fuck every available man I meet until one of them does it for me.” My smile felt jagged and horrible. It couldn’t have been pretty so see. “And then I won’t think about you anymore.”

His fingers curled into tight fists. Nice to know I wasn’t the only one affected. I put my hand on his chest, getting up in his face. Two could play the invading-personal-space game, for fun and intimidation. As if I would back down.

kyliescottimage

The Billionaire’s Wake-Up-Call Girl

by fliplamken

Annika Martin can write. As Carolyn Crane, she has written romantic suspense and paranormal suspense. As Annika Martin, she has written dark romance, funny erotic romance, and romantic comedy. I enjoy reading it all, but her rom-com novels are especially delightful. She has a deft, light-hearted writing style. I read certain lines and laugh out loud. I am convinced that the author was chortling as she wrote those lines. Ms. Martin’s writing is joyful. In this contemporary romance, Lizzie desperately needs a hiring bonus at her new job. Her ex-boyfriend stole her money and left her in debt to loan sharks. Unfortunately, her position in creating a social media presence is hampered by the CEO, who doesn’t want the company to be sociable. Her immediate supervisor soon dumps an unpleasant task on her. Find a new wake up service for the CEO. Unfortunately, his reputation precedes him and even the last ditch effort to hire a Canadian company fails. So Lizzie becomes his wake up service. But the CEO is intrigued by her his wake-up call girl and wants to find her. This book is funny. It is also flaming hot. Martin takes some old tropes, some especially hated by me, and twist them into something new and fresh. I have been counting the days for this book to be published, and I finished reading it within hours of it arriving on my kindle. Now I am jonesing for more from Ms. Martin. Read this book. It will brighten your day. Below is a picture of Ms. Martin. Now that is a woman you want to spend the day drinking margaritas with.

When Fiction Bares The Bones of Truth

by fliplamken

Afterwar by Lilith Saintcrow is a powerful dystopian novel about the United States seventy years in the future. The nation has been torn apart by civil war.  Ruling from Washington D.C,  President McCoombs and the America First party rule with an iron fist. Immigrants are criminals and must be forcibly sterilized.   Free speech is repressed. Patriotic displays are mandatory. Failure to show sufficient patriotism will result in punishment. For the worst elements of society, there are the Reklamation Kamps.

Fighting against the government are the Federals and the Raiders, guerilla fighters of former citizens. Freeing one Reklamation Kamp, they find most of the captured Raiders had been sent to the killing jars. But one raider had been sent to the brothel. A former medic, Lara, rejoins the Raiders in the fight. But as the war end, it is necessary to search the officials, who committed war crimes. Traumatized by her experiences, Lara might be the key to finding the worst of the criminals, a doctor who performed inhumane experiments on prisoners and children.

This is a dystopian fantasy, but there is an underlying truth to it. The reader cannot ignore the similarities to the America First’s hatred for the immigrant, the homosexual, the non-Christian, and others to the rhetoric of the current resident of the White House. Moreover, anyone with any knowledge of US history must connect the darker aspects of our history to this bleak future.  This strong connection to the present and past of the United States makes this a compelling story.  Even the descriptions of places are uncannily accurate. The City of Boise plays a role in the story and Saintcrow captures the city and its attitude perfectly.

But ultimately, Saintcrow writes an excellent, exciting story about a group of survivors of war and their struggle to find a better tomorrow.

afterwar

 

To Wilde to Wed by Eloisa James

by fliplamken

Georgette Heyer was my introduction to romance novels, so I established a high standard for romance from the start. As a teen, my favorite Heyer was Devil’s Cub with the wicked Lord Vidal in his silks and wig shooting highwaymen. I loved the Georgian era with men in their wigs, frock coats, and high heels. A man dressed in silk maintaining his masculine confidence is enticing.

With her Georgian novel, To Wilde To Wed, Ms. James created a hero in Lord North just as captivating as Lord Vidal. Lord North was introduced in Wilde In Love, Lord North had been the stiffly formal gentleman dressed in the height of fashion. However, the cruel jilting by his fiance changed his priorities. Now two years later, he is returning home from army service in America. To find his former fiance and a child rumored to be his living in the family seat. But the messy, maladroit nanny is far different from the fashionable beauty to whom he had been engaged.

Miss Diana Belgrave had felt like a fraud during her engagement. She was not future duchess material.  Her mother was the driving force behind the picture perfect society beauty that captured the eye of Lord North.  The broken engagement saved both Lord North and herself much unhappiness, but she regretted the manner in which she ended the engagement.

Thus begins an enchanting romance. There are wit and humor. There is a delicious scene involving Lord North and his valet, which was reminiscent of a scene in The Devil’s Cub. However, Ms. James created a much more comical scene involving a pair of saffron pantaloons. Admittedly Ms. Heyer could generate a lot of sexual tension with a kiss, she did not write erotic scenes. Happily, Ms. James has provided with robustly sexual interactions between the hero and heroine. This book was a pleasure to read from beginning to end. Fortunately, Ms. James is not done with the Wilde family. There is a third book coming in July, and I already have it on pre-order.

To Wilde To Wed

 

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

by fliplamken

Social media has been buzzing about this book for months. Indeed, the buzz has been so loud, it might have come from a locust swarm of biblical proportions. So, of course, it could not possibly live up to its promise?

Yes, it could. The Kiss Quotient lives up to its reputation. It is scorching hot erotic while telling a sweet love story. It features the hottest Beta hero ever in Michael Phan.  It honestly portrays the difficulties of the heroine and her Asperger’s.

The heroine, Stella, has difficulties with relationships. Her three sexual experiences had been ghastly. So she decides to find someone to teach her how to be good at sex. She finds Michael Phan, an escort to wealthy, older women. Michael is beautiful, and he is good at sex, very good at sex.

Michael is also kind and sensitive. Stella knows that Michael is the only person she want’s as her sex teacher. Despite his reluctance to develop a relationship with a client, Michael cannot turn Stella down. But both Michael and Stella have insecurities and secrets. Stella does not want Michael to know about her autism. Yet Michael’s insecurities might be the undoing of their relationship.

The author calls this novel a Pretty Woman reversal, but Pretty Woman didn’t have the depth and emotion of this novel.  Ms. Hoang sells herself short with the comparison. This story is much more romantic and sexier than Pretty Woman. kissquotient

The End Zone Review and Giveaway

by fliplamken

TEZ-AN-IG

This is a smoking hot friends to lovers novella. Unlike far too many romance novellas, this story packs a polished, complete romance in the novella format. The reader will be thoroughly satisfied. Jolie Louis and Sage Poirer are lifelong friends, who continue their friendship in college. They are even roommates.

Sage’s handsome, chiseled body and status as the star quarterback has made it easy for him to manwhore through a never-ending supply of eager females. But despite her deep feelings for her friend, Jolie is not interested in joining his harem.

Sage has never been threatened by Jolie’s boyfriends. They were all wrong for Jolie. But when a fellow teammate and the perfect guy expresses an interest in Jolie, Sage gets angry. Then he realizes that he wants Jolie for himself.

As stated, this book is hot, hot, hot. The sexual attraction is palpable. The sex scenes are blazing. But the reader becomes aware that Sage has a secret, which might just end this romance.

I would highly recommend this novella. L.J. Shen remains one of my guilty pleasure writers. I just can’t get enough of her writing. To celebrate this new release, I am going to give away a free e-book of any L.J. Shen novel to one commentator to this post. Just post a comment on your favorite book read in 2018. I will pick randomly one winner on April 15, 2018.