My Ten Most Anticipated Contemporary Romances for the First Half of 2017

The Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge is hosted by Andi's ABCS. As part of the challenge they are setting a different topic every month that participants can choose to join in with which I think is a brilliant idea so you can expect a post like this to appear at random most months throughout the year.

The January Prompt is:

Ten Most Anticipated Contemporary Romances for the First Half of 2017

(Links below will take you to the book's Goodreads Page)

1. For 100 Nights - Lara Adrian
2. Mastering Her Senses - Laura Kaye
3. Madly - Ruthie Knox
4. Crave Me - Cecy Robson
5. Rope 'Em - Delphine Dryden
6. Too Wilde To Tame - Tonya Burrows
7. Accidentally On Purpose - Jill Shalvis
8. After I Fall - Jessica Scott
9. Love in Lingerie - Alessandra Torre
10. It Started with a Kiss - Marina Adair

Are any of these books on your list? Which other contemporary romances should I be looking out for?

Release Week Blitz: Last Kiss of Summer - Marina Adair (Excerpt + Giveaway)

Last Kiss of Summer is the first book in Marina Adair's new Destiny Bay series. It was released on the 30th of August by Forever and is available as both an ebook or mass market paperback for $5.99.

He's one bad apple she just can't resist . . .

Kennedy Sinclair never dreamed she'd own a pie shop and an orchard in a small town like Destiny Bay. But nestled between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean, it's the perfect place to cross something off her "Life's short so eat the icing first" list and start her life over from scratch. Her shop, Sweetie Pies, is famous for its hot, flaky apple turnovers and sinfully delicious deep dish pie. For Kennedy though, nothing is more enticing than the tall, strapping slice of temptation who keeps coming back for more.

Luke Callahan is determined to make his hard cider business a success. With his beloved father's cider recipe and the opportunity of a lifetime in his grasp, he'll stop at nothing to get this deal done. There's just one catch: he needs Kennedy's apples. At first, he thinks it'll be as easy as pie to charm those apples right off her trees. But Kennedy isn't falling for his tender charms or his wicked ways. When the negotiations start heating up, so do the feelings they have for each other. And it takes just one kiss to seal the deal . . .

You can add Last Kiss of Summer to your shelf on Goodreads HERE.

Buy The Book Here:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2buW9XB
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2blGM22
Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/2bDCtT6
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2c1OFOp
iBooks: http://apple.co/2bFN3pE
IndieBound: http://bit.ly/2bMTh9u
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2bG9v6t

About the Author:

Marina Adair is a #1 National bestselling author of romance novels and holds a Master of Fine arts in creative writing. Along with the Sugar, Georgia series, she is also the author the St. Helena Vineyard series, and her new Heroes of St Helena series. She currently lives with her husband, daughter, and two neurotic cats in Northern California.

As a writer, Marina is devoted to giving her readers contemporary romance where the towns are small, the personalities large, and the romance explosive.

Follow the Author Online:
Author Website: http://bit.ly/2blHBHU
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2bDEjmJ
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2bT5tV2
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2c1OOl8
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2ceY4Dx


Excerpt:

Kennedy rested her elbows on the counter and leaned forward. “You cook, clean, and make house calls? Be still, my heart.”

“I aim to please.” He dried off his hands and brought two steaming mugs of coffee to the counter. “Which is why I was trying to be quiet, so you could get another few minutes of sleep, before I surprised you in bed.” He grinned. It was a wicked grin. “Again.”

Luke had done more than surprise her last night; he’d spoiled her for other men. Sure, he was an incredible lover, but it was the tender moments in between that made her nervous.

This thing between them couldn’t last. She knew that. She also understood that if he was looking for something more permanent, she wouldn’t be the kind of woman to inspire that kind of commitment. She was unable to do it with her perfect match, or even her own mother. The one person who was supposed to love her unconditionally. Which left Kennedy painfully afraid that she was missing that elusive quality that led to forever.

Finding out that she was right, that she was unlovable, from a man who obviously had an incredible capacity to love, as she’d seen with his friends and family, would be too painful to survive. So she took the moment for what it was, committing to memory the warm aroma of the coffee, the way the sun cast a glassy haze over the kitchen, and the sleepy expression on his face that made him look softer. More relaxed. Like this was where he was supposed to be.

In this kitchen—with her.

Kennedy was becoming more attached—she could feel it. The way he treated her, the way he made her feel, even the way he looked at her, like right now, as if she were special. Which made her feel special.

Giveaway:

To celebrate the release Forever are giving away 10 paperback copies of Last Kiss of Summer. You can enter using the form below, winners will be contacted directly by Forever so that they can arrange to send out the prizes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow Forever Online:
Website: http://bit.ly/1W6ZY8C
Facebook: http://bit.ly/1Zmyycz
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2aF6B0X
Instagram: http://bit.ly/1Xco7tE
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/23uLXQZ

Review: Summer in Napa - Marina Adair

When Alexis “Lexi” Moreau caught her husband, Jeff, sampling the sous-chef’s more intimate wares in their New York restaurant, she ran—all the way back to her hometown of St. Helena, California. Six months later, Lexi has no husband and no restaurant. But she does have a three-step plan: First, convert her grandmother’s bakery into her dream bistro. Second, ignore Grandma’s matchmaking attempts. And third, avoid Marco DeLuca, her ex’s commitment-phobic, distractingly sexy best friend.

In school Lexi was off-limits for Marco. After all, she was his buddy’s girl. But she’s still as smart and as gorgeous—and apparently as immune to his charms—as she used to be. Yet the simple fake romance they agree upon to dodge Lexi’s grandmother’s matchmaking plans soon turns deliciously complicated. And the sultry summer might bring together all the right ingredients for Marco to win the only woman he’s ever wanted.

St Helena Vineyard Series:
Kissing Under the Mistletoe
Summer in Napa
Autumn in the Vineyard (October 2013)
Future titles and release dates to be confirmed

Visit Marina Adair's website for more information

Review:
Lexie's dream was always to help her grandmother turn the family bakery into a bistro but instead she followed her husband to New York and helped him set up his dream restaurant. Then she caught her husband having an affair with their sous chef and had her heart broken. Leaving New York behind she has returned home to lick her wounds and to finally put her own dreams first. The last thing she wants is to meet another man so she is horrified by the number of dates her grandmother has lined up for her. When Marco, her friend from high school, offers to be her pretend boyfriend so that she can focus on creating a new menu for the bistro she is happy to take him up on the offer just to avoid the rest of the dates her grandmother has set up. Marco always had a thing for Lexi but when she started dating his best friend she became strictly off limits, now, even though she is divorced it goes against the man code to even think about dating her. Keeping things platonic is easier said than done though, the chemistry between them is hot enough to burn and she is one temptation he has trouble walking away from.

I loved Kissing Under the Mistletoe when I read it last year so Summer in Napa has been at the top of my wish list ever since and I'm happy to say that I loved this story just as much. When I'm in the mood for a sweet, sexy romance that has me laughing out loud one minute and swooning the next Marina Adair always delivers and I can't wait to carry on reading this series. I love this kind of small town romance, one where everyone knows each other's business and the whole town is sticking their noses into the couple's budding relationship. One of the best things about this series is the trio of meddling grandmothers who get up to such crazy things that it's hilarious to read about. I also absolutely love the banter between Marco and his brothers, they tease each other mercilessly but when it comes down to it they have each other's backs and anybody would be a fool to cross them.

Lexi is a fabulous character, she is still smarting from her ex-husband's betrayal and is embarrassed that she has come home with her tail between her legs but she doesn't let that stop her from chasing her dreams. Jeff didn't just cheat on her though, he is still causing her problems even after their divorce and Lexi is livid when she finds out what he has been up to. Things keep kicking Lexi while she is down but she just gets back up and carries on fighting. There are a few times when her insecurities get the better of her but that was completely understandable and between Marco and her best friend Abby they always gave her the push she needed. Marco was a swoon worthy hero, he has a reputation as a playboy but he isn't actually as bad as he seems and he has never lied to anyone or led them on. He went a bit wild after his parents died and his family still tend to think of him as the screw up he was as a teenager but in reality he is a hard working business man who takes his job very seriously. He didn't want to work in the family wine business but he has worked hard to open up his hotel and is determined to make a success of it. I really liked the way Lexi saw past his reputation and understood just how much effort he put in to his career. It was nice for Marco to finally have someone who believed in him and he offered her the same support in return. As much as I loved them both as individuals I liked them even more as a couple, they are so cute together and they really did make a great match.

I've already mentioned how much I loved their families and the other town characters but I can't forget to mention Marco's dog Wingman who added a lot of humour to the story. It was great to catch up with Gabe and Regan from the previous book and we've also been given a glimpse at future couples. After checking the author's website I was excited to see that Nate and Frankie are next, they have already shown how much they love to hate each other and I'm expecting their chemistry to be off the charts. The St Helena Vineyard series is so much fun to read and although the books do work well as stand alone stories I can highly recommend both instalments so far. Marina Adair is right up their with my favourite small town contemporary romance authors and I have to say that I'm enjoying this series as much as Jill Shalvis's Lucky Harbor books which is huge praise from me because I LOVE that series!

Source: Received from Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Kissing Under the Mistletoe - Marina Adair

Regan Martin stopped believing in Christmas miracles six years ago when she lost everything—her house, her job, and her impeccable reputation in the wine industry—after she fell in love with a man she had no idea was married. Then Regan gets a chance for a fresh start in the Napa Valley. With her dream job, dream home, and her daughter enrolled in a wonderful new school, she starts wondering if holiday wishes really do come true.

But she soon tumbles back down to earth when she learns that her new boss is none other than Gabe DeLuca, the scorned wife’s brother. Gabe wants nothing more than home-wrecking Regan Martin out of his life, his sister’s world, and his family’s business. Mostly, he wants the lush beauty out of his head. Yet his attempts to run her out of town have him thinking twice, especially when he sees that Regan may hold the key to tracking down his sister’s stolen start-up capital. Even worse for Gabe, Regan might just be his Christmas wish and hold the key to his heart.

St Helena Vineyard Series:
Kissing Under the Mistletoe
Summer in Napa
Autumn in the Vineyard (October 2013)
Future titles and release dates to be confirmed

Visit Marina Adair's website for more information

Review:
When Regan fell in love with Richard she had no idea that it would cost her everything, she didn't even know he was already married until she was five months pregnant with his child. When Richard vanished Regan was left broken hearted and alone to raise their daughter. At least his wife Abby had her family to support her and when Abby's brothers were unable to find the cheating husband they were happy to take out their anger on his mistress. For the last 6 years the DeLuca men have made Regan's life miserable costing her countless jobs and ruining her reputation in the wine industry. But this Christmas things are finally looking up for Regan and she has been offered her dream job and the chance to start over in a new town where she can build a life for herself and her daughter Holly. What she doesn't realise is that her new boss will be Gabe, the oldest of the DeLuca clan and the man behind everything that has happened to her. Gabe wants nothing more than to protect his sister Abby and that means getting Regan away from their home town fast. He isn't going to let anything get in the way of that goal - especially not an unwanted attraction to his family's enemy.

Every so often a book comes along that sucks me in from the very first page and makes it impossible for me to do anything else until I've finished reading it and Kissing Under the Mistletoe was one of those books. I picked it up planning on reading just one chapter before making myself some dinner but several hours later I was still reading. In fact I only managed to put the book down very briefly to grab a quick snack before I jumped back in to devour the rest of the story. I have now added Marina Adair to my list of must read authors and I can't tell you how pleased I was to discover that this is the first book in a new series.

I found it easy to connect with Regan from the moment I met her, she was young and innocent and completely betrayed by the man she loved and I had nothing but sympathy for her. I was so angry at the way the DeLuca clan had made life so difficult for her - especially considering she'd had no idea that Richard was married. She was as much his victim as Abby was and had spent a further six years being victimised for something that she had no control over. To say I was livid at Gabe and his family is an understatement and to be honest I didn't think he had a chance in hell at redeeming himself in my eyes. You have to admire Regan because although she has been through hell she has never given up, she never took the easy option of giving up her career and walking away from the wine industry and she never, ever let her daughter suffer because of what had happened. Holly was her world and Regan would do anything to protect her and make her happy. There were times that Regan's story brought tears to my eyes but more than anything I admired her strength and wanted to see her find happiness.

I've already mentioned how much I hated Gabe in the beginning so I was incredibly surprised that Marina Adair managed to make me fall for him. As you get to know him you see that he ended up responsible for his four younger siblings from a young age after their parents died and all he has ever done is try to protect them. He was convinced that Regan knew that Richard was married but went ahead and had an affair with him anyway and he had no idea that she had a young child to care for. None of that makes what he did to her acceptable but it did make it easier to understand. The fact that we get to see things from his perspective was what helped me fall for him though - you get to see first hand how guilty he feels when he realises that Regan was another innocent victim and when he sees first hand how hard life has been for her since then. I enjoyed watching Gabe discover his conscience and try to make up for what had happened but I enjoyed seeing Regan tell him where to go even more. The banter between them was one of the highlights of the book for me, the chemistry between them was off the charts hot but while their eyes were stripping each other naked their words were cutting them to the core. I knew from their heated looks that they'd be good together but boy were the sexy times worth the wait!

Other highlights included Holly who was utterly adorable - I dare anyone not to fall in love with her - and Gabe's grandmother ChiChi and her friends who Regan had nicknamed the Mrs. Clauses. There were a lot of laugh out loud moments at their antics and they really helped lighten the tone of the story. Kissing Under the Mistletoe is definitely my favourite Christmas read of the year, funny, cute, romantic and hot, it was the perfect book to get me in the mood for the holidays and I know it is a book I'll be re-reading in the future. Fans of small town romance series like Jill Shalvis's Lucky Harbor books will love this one - it has the same feel good factor and great cast of characters who I am looking forward to spending more time with.

Source: Received from Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle: