[Review] A SECRET FOR A SECRET (All In #3) by Helena Hunting

Source: Egalley through work/Canadian distributor, Thomas Allen & Son.
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Release Date: May 12, 2020
Number of Pages: 304 (Paperback)

DESCRIPTION

From New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting comes a new romance about trading secrets, breaking the rules, and playing for keeps.

My name is Ryan Kingston, and I’m a rule follower. I’ve never been in a fistfight. I always obey the speed limit. I don’t get drunk, and I definitely don’t pick up random women at bars.

Except the night I found out that my whole existence has been a lie.

I got drunk. And picked up a stranger.

Her name was Queenie, and she was everything I’m not: reckless, impulsive, and chaotic. We did shots and traded secrets. And ended up naked at my place.

She left me a thank-you note in the morning and her panties as a parting gift. But no way to contact her.

Six weeks later I’m sitting in the first official team meeting of the season, and there she is. I neglected to mention that I’m the goalie for Seattle’s NHL team.

And Queenie? Turns out she’s the general manager’s daughter.

G E T   Y O U R   C O P Y   N O W !
Amazon US | Amazon Canada | Indigo

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REVIEW

 

Oh boy, this book was an emotional roller coaster and I loved every minute of it! 

This Book In 5 Words:

Amazing. Sexy. Addictive. Passionate. Phenomenal.

King was absolutely AMAZING...and exactly what I hoped he'd be: a stand-up amazing man, but with a secret edge to him that only came out around his "Queen," our lovely main character, Queenie, who I adored! She was sassy, pure chaos to King's calm, and flawed in a very realistic and authentic way. I loved both her and King to bits! Their chemistry was so, so sexy and they complemented each other in the most wonderful of ways! I loved getting to see their relationship grow! 

Along with loving King and Queenie, I loved seeing so much of the other All In couples (Lainey and RJ, and Bishop and Stevie), and I loved that we saw a lot of Violet, Alex, and their children...makes me very excited for one of Helena's future projects since there are some strong hints to two future novels--as always with Helena Hunting's books, I'm always eagerly waiting for more...I'm greedy like that with my faves. ;)
 
I honestly have nothing, but good things to say about A SECRET FOR A SECRET! I adored this book so, so much! I loved the characters, I loved the romance, and I absolutely loved how the story unraveled! I've yet to meet a Helena Hunting book that I didn't thoroughly enjoy and love, but her All In series is most definitely my favourite so far! Highly recommend it to anyone who loves sports romance, contemporary romances, sexy alpha heroes, and heroines that you can't help wanting to be best friends with! ;)

Star Rating:

★★★★★

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What do you think?
Does A SECRET FOR A SECRET sound like a book you'd like?
Have you read any of Helena's books yet?

[Review] THE HUNTER (Boston Belles #1) by L.J. Shen

THE HUNTER
Boston Belles #1

by L.J. Shen

Release Date: May 10th, 2020

DESCRIPTION

Hunter

I didn’t mean to star in a sex tape, okay?
It was just one of those unexplainable things. Like Stonehenge, Police Academy 2, and morning glory clouds.
It just happened.
Now my ball-busting father is sentencing me to six months of celibacy, sobriety, and morbid boredom under the roof of Boston’s nerdiest girl alive, Sailor Brennan.
The virginal archer is supposed to babysit my ass while I learn to take my place in Royal Pipelines, my family’s oil company.
Little does she know, that’s not the only pipe I’ll be laying…

Sailor

I didn’t want this gig, okay?
But the deal was too sweet to walk away from.
I needed the public endorsement; Hunter needed a nanny.
Besides, what’s six months in the grand scheme of things?
It’s not like I’m in danger of falling in love with the appallingly gorgeous, charismatic gazillionaire who happens to be one of Boston’s most eligible bachelors.
No. I will remain immune to Hunter Fitzpatrick’s charm.
Even at the cost of losing everything I have.
Even at the cost of burning down his kingdom.

G E T   Y O U R   C O P Y   N O W !

Amazon US | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | 

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About the Author

L.J. SHEN is an International #1 best-selling author of Contemporary Romance and New Adult novels. She lives in Northern California with her husband, young son and chubby cat.

Before she’d settled down, L.J. (who thinks referring to herself in the third person is really silly, by the way) traveled the world, and collected friends from all across the globe. Friends who’d be happy to report that she is a rubbish companion, always forgets peoples’ birthdays and never sends Christmas cards.

She enjoys the simple things in life, like spending time with her family and friends, reading, HBO, Netflix and internet-stalking Stephen James. She reads between three to five books a week and firmly believes Crocs shoes and mullets should be outlawed.

Connect with L.J. Shen:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Bookbub | Goodreads | Amazon

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REVIEW

Oh my goodness!!!!

I absolutely adored this book! It’s definitely one of my top L. J. Shen books—not first because that place belongs to Vicious, but I think I’d put it second! I was hoping I’d love it, but it blew me away even more than I thought it would!

I loved Hunter and Sailor so much! He was charismatic, filthy, goofy, and somehow both sexy and adorable all at once, and Sailor was sassy, fierce, loyal, and dynamic! Hunter definitely started this book on the immature side, but he really impressed me by the end and I loved seeing his growth! He also had me cracking up constantly with his dirty jokes, the lingo he used, and just his comments and thoughts in general. He was hilarious, and Sailor was awesome, too. She was so witty and I loved when she sassed the other characters! I also really loved that there was a lot of Sailor’s, and Hunter’s families...also so neat that we got to see some Sparrow cameos (one of LJ Shen’s other books!)...and I really loved Sailor’s friend group, too!

While Hunter and Sailor were fantastic apart, I thought that they really brought out the best in each other when they were together,too! Hunter challenged Sailor to come out of her shell, pushed her to explore her boundaries, and he helped her accept passion into her life, and Sailor helped Hunter see his own hidden potential, pushed him to go against the confines he’d placed on himself, and gave him the support and acceptance he desperately needed. They were just soooo wonderful together!

I seriously cannot wait to read the rest of this series! It’s shaping up to be just as amazing as L. J. Shen’s Sinners of Saint series which I loooooved!!!! I also loved that this new series is centred around a group of girl friends with the whole “Boston Belles” while the previous series was centred around the guys—I think it’ll make for an amazing dynamic as the series progresses!!!

I definitely recommend this one to readers who are already fans of L. J. Shen already, but I also think this is the perfect starting place for new readers. THE HUNTER is extremely sexy--in fact, it's pretty dirty at times too—I loved it, but I know some readers prefer their romance a little tamer on the steamy side, so just giving a head’s up. ;) It’s funny and fun, and the romance will totally pull you in and keep you hooked to the page! 

Highly recommend!

Star Rating:

★★★★★

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What do you think?

Does THE HUNTER sound like something you'd like to read?
Have you read any of L.J. Shen's books yet?

[Review] SURE SHOT (Brooklyn #4) by Sarina Bowen

Source: Received an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: May 12, 2020

Photography by Wander Aguiar
Design by Hang Le

DESCRIPTION

A new stand-alone hockey romance from USA Today bestseller Sarina Bowen.

On the eve of her thirtieth birthday, sports agent Bess Beringer is ready to make some changes. Armed with a five-year plan—indexed and color coded—she’ll tackle her personal life with the same zeal that she brings to her successful agency.

A big, tall, ripped hunk of hockey player who’s just been traded to the Brooklyn Bruisers is not a part of that plan. Mark “Tank” Tankiewicz has a lot of baggage. He’s a ride-or-die loner with a bad reputation. He’s on the rebound. He’s also the sexiest thing on two legs, and for some crazy reason it’s Bess that he wants.

She knows better. But then she falls stupid in love with him anyway. And for a while it seems like maybe he’ll do the same.

Until she asks him for the one thing he can never give her…

G E T   Y O U R   C O P Y   N O W !

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Nook | Audio

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REVIEW

I'm a huge fan of Sarina Bowen's Brooklyn/Brooklyn Bruisers series, so I was extremely excited to start SURE SHOT, especially knowing that it would be Bess's story! We've seen her in quite a few of Sarina's other books, so I've been eager to get to know her better....and boy did this book ever deliver! It was even better than I hoped and I loved every single minute of it!!! :D

Bess and Tank were absolutely AMAZING! I love how strong and independent Bess was and I loved her passion for hockey and her career...and Tank! Gah! He started off in a very rough place when this book began, but seeing him find passion again...both with Bess and on the ice...was so wonderful! He was determined, and extremely passionate! The chemistry between Bess and Tank was phenomenal and incredibly intense! I loved everything between the two of them and I love, love, looooooved seeing them work to come together. They were honestly so fantastic together, and they complemented each other so well!

Along with loving Bess and Tank, and their wonderful romance, I just adore the book universe that Sarina Bowen has created between her Brooklyn Bruisers and Brookyn series! The characters are absolutely wonderful, and I really love seeing how each new couple and character fits into the world that she's created. Each book brings a tighter group, and it makes them even more special once you've have a chance to read the books that come before. They definitely work as standalones, but I personally love it even more when I've read the earlier books since it means you get to enjoy their appearances even more in the books that come after...and that's totally the case here, especially since Bess's brother, Dave, even connects this book to her True North series! Gotta love when book universes intertwine! :D

Overall, I thought that SURE SHOT was amazing! The characters, the story, and the entire world that Sarina Bowen has created in this book universe are phenomenal and so much fun! I highly recommend SURE SHOT (and even the rest of this series!) to readers who love contemporary romances that are passionate and addictive...I read most of this one in one sitting...and I only put it down because the sun was coming up and I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer! haha

Star Rating:

★★★★★

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What do you think?

Does SURE SHOT sound like a book you'd enjoy?

Have you read any of Sarina Bowen's books yet?

[Review] THE RIVAL ROOMIES (The Rooftop Crew #3) by Piper Rayne

Source: Received an egalley to give an honest review.
Also purchased Kindle copy on Amazon CA.
Release Date: May 12, 2020
Number of Pages: 263 (ebook)

DESCRIPTION

I’ve loved him from afar.

Though most times he’s only a foot away.

I’m smart enough to know he’ll never be anyone’s forever.

He checks all the bad boy boxes. Tattoos. Check. Motorcycle. Check. Chip on his shoulder. Check check.

If he wasn’t my neighbor and friend I may have thrown myself at him. Okay, yeah. I wouldn’t. Because guys like Dylan don’t want a woman who writes kid’s math textbooks under him in bed. Instead, I pathetically savor morsels of moments where I have his sole attention.

That was until his archenemy moved in with me. Now suddenly, Dylan’s moving in too and warning off the first guy in a long time who’s showing me interest. Could he finally see me as more than a friend, or am I just a prize to win and show off to his enemy?

G E T   Y O U R   C O P Y   N O W !

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE
B & N| Google Play | Kobo | Apple

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REVIEW

I’ve had mixed feelings about the first two books in this series. I really liked the first one, My Bestie's Ex, and liked the second, A Royal Mistake, but didn’t love either of them. Honestly I think my issue with this series has been Sierra so far...she's the heroine of the second book and the aforementioned “bestie” in the first book. I really love all of the other characters, but I’m very "meh" over her. Thankfully, she had a much smaller role in The Rival Roomies, and I looooved it!!! This is a quintessential best friends to lovers romance and it was absolutely wonderful! Dylan and Rian were fabulous and I loved their story so much! 

Along with loving the romance in this one, I really loved both characters! We got to see snippets of Dylan and Rian in the two previous books, but we definitely didn't know them too well yet. I loved getting to know them in this one! Before this we pretty much just knew that Dylan was a tattoo artist who owned his own shop and that he was pretty private about his past, and we knew that Rian wrote math textbooks as her job, and loved to bake...often things that she knew Dylan would love...because you guessed it!...she'd been in love with Dylan for years, which everyone "except" for Dylan seemed to already know. It was definitely an interesting setup and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I'm not always a huge fan of best friends to lovers because sometimes I feel like you don't get to see the falling in love part of the story, and it can sometimes feel like you're just supposed to imagine the feelings already there, but that totally wasn't the case here. I definitely felt the love! I'd really enjoyed their interactions in the first two books, so I loved finally getting to know both characters better and I loved seeing their relationship grow!

Overall, I thought that THE RIVAL ROOMIES was amazing, and I absolutely loved it! I loved seeing the friendship between Dylan and Rian...and I thoroughly loved getting to see it blossom into more! I'm also really loving the friend group in The Rooftop Crew series, so I'm thrilled that we still have three more books to go! ;) I'd recommend this one if you love rom-coms, especially if you're a fan of the best friends to lovers trope! I think this is my absolute favourite iteration of that trope in years!!!

Star Rating:

★★★★★

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What do you think?
Does THE RIVAL ROOMIES sound like something you'd enjoy?

[Release Day] THE RIVAL ROOMIES (The Rooftop Crew #3) by Piper Rayne

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Yay! It's release day for the third bookin Piper Rayne's The Rooftop Crew series, THE RIVAL ROOMIES! 

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THE RIVAL ROOMIES

(The Rooftop Crew #3)

By Piper Rayne

Release Day – May 12th, 2020

DESCRIPTION:
I’ve loved him from afar.

Though most times he’s only a foot away.

I’m smart enough to know he’ll never be anyone’s forever.

He checks all the bad boy boxes. Tattoos. Check. Motorcycle. Check. Chip on his shoulder. Check check.

If he wasn’t my neighbor and friend I may have thrown myself at him. Okay, yeah. I wouldn’t. Because guys like Dylan don’t want a woman who writes kid’s math textbooks under him in bed. Instead, I pathetically savor morsels of moments where I have his sole attention.

That was until his archenemy moved in with me. Now suddenly, Dylan’s moving in too and warning off the first guy in a long time who’s showing me interest. Could he finally see me as more than a friend, or am I just a prize to win and show off to his enemy?

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE
B & N| Google Play | Kobo | Apple

Psssst...for a limited time you can get this one at a special promo price since it's just released, but you better act fast because it'll be going up to its regular price soon! ;)

ADD TO GOODREADS!

TEASERS:

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Piper Rayne, or Piper and Rayne, whichever you prefer because we’re not one author, we’re two. Yep, you get two USA Today Bestselling authors for the price of one. Our goal is to bring you romance stories that have "Heartwarming Humor With a Side of Sizzle" (okay...you caught us, that's our tagline). A little about us... We both have kindle’s full of one-clickable books. We're both married to husbands who drive us to drink. We're both chauffeurs to our kids. Most of all, we love hot heroes and quirky heroines that make us laugh, and we hope you do, too.

Connect with Piper Rayne:

Goodreads | 
Facebook | Instagram
Pinterest | 
Bookbub | 
Website



Join our newsletter, HERE, and get 2 FREE BOOKS!
 


Be one of our unicorns: http://bit.ly/2snaBtK

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I've read all three books in this series now, and this one is by far my favourite! It's a best friends to lovers romance, and it was so wonderful!!! Dylan and Rian are fabulous and I think you'll all really love their story!

What do you think?
 

Are you a fan of the best friends to lovers trope? 

I find that I have mixed feelings about it. I love it when it's flushed out really well, but sometimes I find that it feels really rushed to me and that I don't get to experience the "falling" part of the romance...that definitely wasn't the case here though. It was perfect! :D I'll be sharing my full review tomorrow, so feel free to come check it out once it's up. ;)

[Release Day] SURE SHOT (Brooklyn #4) by Sarina Bowen

Sports romance fans, if you haven't read any of Sarina Bowen's yet...you have been missing out, but you're in luck! She has a new one out today: SURE SHOT! It's the fourth in her Brooklyn series, but can also be read as a standalone. :)

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SURE SHOT

Series: Brooklyn #4

Author: Sarina Bowen

Release Date: May 12, 2020

Photography by Wander Aguiar
Design by Hang Le

DESCRIPTION:

A new stand-alone hockey romance from USA Today bestseller Sarina Bowen.

On the eve of her thirtieth birthday, sports agent Bess Beringer is ready to make some changes. Armed with a five-year plan—indexed and color coded—she’ll tackle her personal life with the same zeal that she brings to her successful agency.

A big, tall, ripped hunk of hockey player who’s just been traded to the Brooklyn Bruisers is not a part of that plan. Mark “Tank” Tankiewicz has a lot of baggage. He’s a ride-or-die loner with a bad reputation. He’s on the rebound. He’s also the sexiest thing on two legs, and for some crazy reason it’s Bess that he wants.

She knows better. But then she falls stupid in love with him anyway. And for a while it seems like maybe he’ll do the same.

Until she asks him for the one thing he can never give her…

G E T   Y O U R   C O P Y   N O W :

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Nook | Audio

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About the Author

SARINA BOWEN is the RITA® Award winning author of over two dozen contemporary and LGTB romance novels. She most recently hit the USA Today bestsellers list in February, with Brooklynaire. Formerly a derivatives trader on Wall Street, Sarina holds a BA in economics from Yale University. She lives in New Hampshire with her family, nine chickens, and far too much hockey gear.

She would be honored to connect with you at http://www.sarinabowen.com

Connect to Sarina:
Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Sarindipity FB Group | Newsletter Signup

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Are you excited about this one? 

[Mini Reviews] MY BESTIE'S EX (The Rooftop Crew #1) & A ROYAL MISTAKE (The Rooftop Crew #2) by Piper Rayne

MY BESTIE'S EX (The Rooftop Crew #1)
by Piper Rayne

Release Date:  February 18, 2020

DESCRIPTION

I can’t borrow him.
He’s not a sweater or a skirt.
He’s not even her favorite dress—the lucky one she wears on first dates. The one she probably wore on her first date with him.

In my defense, I didn’t know who he was. To me, he was a cool, calm, confident stranger. He was perfection for the entire hour and a half train ride while the concrete jungle turned into a rolling green landscape.

To an outsider, we probably appeared more friends than hopeful lovers. But my blush came quickly, and his dimples indented with every smile. We definitely shared a spark of what could be.

Too bad I didn’t know who he was before I fell for him, because he can’t be mine.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE

Nook | Apple | Kobo | Google Play

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REVIEW

This was a solid start to Piper Rayne's new Rooftop Crew series, and it's definitely a trope that I haven't seen from them before. I wasn't quite sure what to expect with the whole "bestie's ex" part of the storyline, but I ended up really enjoying the romance!

Ethan and Blanca were wonderful and I absolutely loved them! Their chemistry was fantastic and I loved how the two of them clicked together!!! For the most part I really loved all of their friendships, too—wasn't a huge fan of the "bestie" Sierra, but I really loved everyone else. I was also so happy to see Blanca’s brothers (Dom, Enzo, and Carm) make some appearances in this one, too! It was so great to see them. I do wish we’d seen Blanca’s parents though! I was a bit disappointed with the last couple chapters and epilogue as I felt that they were super rushed. I also wish certain moments mentioned in the last chapter were shown rather than just mentioned—this ties into me wishing we’d seen Mama Mancini. :P I will say that I did read the "bonus" chapters that Piper and Rayne shared in their newsletter and that did give me a bit more satisfaction with this ending!

Overall, this was a really great romance! Awesome chemistry, great banter, and super sexy! Not my fave of Piper and Rayne's books, but still pretty great!

Star Rating: ★★★★

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A ROYAL MISTAKE (The Rooftop Crew #2)
by Piper Rayne

Release Date: March 31, 2020

DESCRIPTION

He’s not your average Joe from the corner bar.
He’s the heir to the crown.

I should know, I’ve followed him for years.
Not in a stalkerish way. Magazines and online gossip blogs are fair game when you’re royalty. But I do know every detail about him, down to the brand of boxer briefs he wears.

All my studying of the man who plays a starring role in my dreams pays off when I win a dinner with him. As if that wasn’t enough, he barters a deal with me that has him moving into my spare guest room.

I forgot that fairy tales don’t exist though because just as I’m about to get everything I want, including the prince, I find out there’s someone in Prince Adrian Marx’s life I don’t know—his fiancée.

Buy Links:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE

Nook  | Apple | Kobo | Google Play

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REVIEW

While A ROYAL MISTAKE works as a standalone, it's the second book in Piper Rayner's Rooftop Crew series and it follows Sierra who happens to be the "bestie" from the previous book, MY BESTIE'S EX. I have to admit that I wasn't a bit fan of hers in the first book, and she did grow on me a bit while reading this one, but I still didn't particularly love her. I absolutely looooooved her love interest, Adrian, though!

This was the first time that I'd read a romance with a rebellious prince who is going incognito, and I really loved that side of the story! It was so great to see Adrian fit in with Sierra and her friends, and the times where I did genuinely enjoy Sierra were the moments when she allowed herself to share and be vulnerable around Adrian...those moments were heavy, but so sweet, and I loved seeing Adrian step up every time.

Overall, I liked this one, but didn't quite love it. The romance was steamy, and Adrian and Sierra definitely had some intense chemistry that I did really like, but unfortunately I just didn't quite "click" with Sierra. However, if you like rom-coms, and royal romances (think something along the lines of The Prince and Me), then I think you could really enjoy this one!

Star Rating: ★★★

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What do you think?

Do MY BESTIE'S EX and A ROYAL MISTAKE sound like books you'd like to read?

[Release Day] LOVE THE ONE YOU HATE by R.S. Grey

R.S. Grey's new standalone romance, LOVE THE ONE YOU HATE, is out now!

Find out more about it below and pick up your copy today!

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About LOVE THE ONE YOU HATE(OUT NOW!)

Nicholas Hunt is the man I hate.

For good reason.

His opinion of me is tainted by prejudice even before my arrival at his grandmother’s estate, and my first impression of him is just as abysmal.

His arrogance and icy demeanor make it clear that he’s the type of man who’s best handled at a distance.

Fortunately, space shouldn’t be an issue inside this Gilded Age mansion and its lush gardens. If I stick with the servants and he keeps to his sailboat and vintage Porsche, we should hardly cross paths at all. Unfortunately, at Rosethorn, I find that all roads eventually lead to Nicholas Hunt.

Sparks fly as we spar at the dinner table. Fighting words are flung in the shadows of the palatial halls.

We hang suspended in our hatred of one another, painfully oblivious to the heat and tension that build with every moment we’re left alone. We’re liable to kill one another, I think…right up until my eyes land on his lips and a new feeling grips hold of me: lust.

What’s worse?


He knows it.

They say you should keep your enemies close, but when Nicholas tightens his grip on my waist and draws me near, I’m not sure if it’s out of loathing or love.

One thing’s for sure—I intend to find out.

 

 Get your hands on LOVE THE ONE YOU HATE now!
 

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About R.S. Grey

R.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of over twenty novels. She lives in Texas with her husband and daughter, and can be found reading, binge-watching reality TV, or practicing yoga! Visit her at rsgrey.com

Connect with R.S. Grey:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | R.S. Grey's Little Reds Facebook Group | Newsletter | Instagram

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I've already one-clicked my copy of LOVE THE ONE YOU HATE, and I can't wait to read it! I loooooove hate-to-love stories and this one sounds wonderful!

Are you a fan of rom-coms?
Have you read any of R. S. Grey's yet?