In Plain Sight by S.A. Clayton

In Plain Sight is part of Kristen Proby’s With Me in Seattle Universe

Aria

I always wanted to be independent. But having a Navy SEAL for a brother and grandparents that hovered, it was nearly impossible. Then my grandparents died and my brother got deployed, leaving me alone for the first time in my life.

That's when I met Carter, and everything changed.

Carter

I was only supposed to watch her. I was never supposed to talk to her, get to know her and crave her the way I did. I knew getting involved would causes problems, I knew falling for her was a mistake but I did it anyway. Damn the consequences.

But what happens when reality comes crashing toward my fantasy? Will Aria understand or will I lose her forever?

Amazon (Kindle Unlimited): https://books2read.com/u/47NOp8

I was surprised by this one. I don't usually expect much investment in novellas but this was a nice surprise. After Aria's parents passed, her and her brother go off to live with her grandparents. When her grandparents pass, she's alone for the first time. Her protective brother, a Navy SEAL, sends Carter to watch over her. Unbeknownst to all of them, Aria and Carter quickly develop a rapport and soon fall for each other. Their romance lights up and totally blows up when she finds out the truth about who he is. This story was easy to get through, a short and enjoyable read. I would entertain reading others in the series!

Blog Tour: Wilde Type by H.K. Jacobs

He had awoken something in her the first night they met--a rebirth of hope for irrevocable love, a love so powerful that it canceled out the burden of her pain.

Dr. Alexandra Wilde is brilliant, driven, and wholly dedicated to her profession.  Caring for critically ill children has taken her across the globe from Mongolia to Haiti to her current assignment in Gaborone, Botswana.  Her life is full of excitement, tragedy, and personal sacrifice with little room for anything or anyone else.  She has always welcomed any adventure…except for the one wearing the face of billionaire mining heir and international playboy, Ian Devall.  He is arrogant, charming, and utterly disenchanted.  However, when circumstances thrust him into her life, she is captivated by a glimpse of his deeper character and drawn into a blazing romance. An ensuing path of self-discovery leads her to reopen the wounds of her past, and she must choose between the life she always imagined…or one she never dreamed was possible.  

Wilde Type is available for purchase:

Alex is a passionate doctor currently on assignment working in Botswana. She fully embraces her career and the adventures and challenges that come along with it. Ian Devall, billionaire playboy, then gets thrown into her life. She can't deny her attraction to him but her past keeps her from jumping in with two feet. This novel is a captivating story of self-discovery and self-growth. Jacobs really brings you right into the novel with her romantic characters, whisking you into their story through all these magical places. I was wholly charmed by the characters and their journey and enjoyed the escape!

About the Author

HK Jacobs graduated from Baylor College of Medicine and has spent her life as a physician traveling the globe caring for children.  She also has a Master of Public Health from the University of Texas with a concentration in global health and completed her thesis in Port au Prince, Haiti.  She currently resides in Texas, where she practices pediatric critical care medicine and strives to live the life she imagined.  Wilde Type is her debut novel.  

Connect with HK Jacobs on:

           

By Mistake by Sigal Ehrlich

You've Got Mail meets Grey's Anatomy in this sweet slow-burn, virtual meet-cute romance.

There's so much going on in Anna's life. Teaching countless hours at the studio and nurturing the three major relationships of her life - her group of tight-knit friends, all while attempting to not screw up this whole adulthood thing leaves very little time to waste on yet another dating app. At this point, a relationship is off the menu. Being "self-partnered" is more than enough.

A serious relationship has been crossed off Liam Brody's list of goals, at least for the foreseeable future. Completing his residency and becoming a trauma surgeon is his only priority. Casual relationships, his friends, and books are the only things he's willing to lose his precious free time to.

When an accidental email starts a deep online connection, both Liam and Anna dive in with zero concern . . . because there's really no harm in getting close to someone who you'll never meet in real life, right?

Wrong.

When a turn of events brings their "safe" virtual connection to an unexpected face-to-face, Anna and Liam learn their online chemistry pales in comparison to the real deal. A realization that brings along the bazillion-dollar question - what do you do when you meet The One at the most impossibly wrong time?

** by Mist@ke is book 1 in a standalone series with connected characters, but independent storylines.

By Mistake is available for purchase:

I haven't read such a cute and enjoyable story as this in a while! This is the first book I've read by Sigal Ehrlich and I really did not know what to expect. Anna and Liam are both living successful, career-driven lives and are, for the most part, content with their lives. When they mistakenly encounter each other, though, they both find that there may be something they never thought they were missing. Is love really something that just pops up in the most unexpected places at the worst/best possible time? I'll be honest, I did not have high expectations for a story that started off of a mis-directed email. Somehow, though, the author was able to run with it and turned a such a small, silly mistake to be a full-fledged romance. It had all the heart-warming feels but not heavy on the drama which was a nice change. It was a well written first book with a group of secondary characters that leave you wanting more. I liked the flow and the author's writing style and am definitely looking forward to the rest of the Poison & Wine series!

About the Author

Sigal Ehrlich is a bestselling author of refreshing, fun, and sweet romance books. She loves books, cold weather, and the occasional bubbly drink. Living as an expat for most of her life, Sigal has been lucky enough to visit many exotic places and meet some unique people from all corners of the world, while experiencing the sweet triumphs and travails of trying to acclimate to new "homes." Currently, Sigal calls the Czech Republic home where she lives with her husband and three kids.

Connect with Sigal Ehrlich on:

         

Excerpt

He clears his throat and the words just seem to escape from his mouth out of his control, “You’re something else.”

I don’t think anyone has ever looked at me the way he looks at me.

My heart, at this moment, is so much bigger than its designated space in my chest. It’s a million tons of moving mass, accelerating in all directions with the only thing that could stop it being this guy. It’s almost more that I can bear. I break the intensity by offering Liam one of the cupcakes which he happily takes. “Oh, wait.” I say as he attempts to take the first bite. I produce a candle from my bag and stick it in the middle of the cupcake. I communicate, “wait,” holding one finger up while searching my bag for the box of matches. Liam waits as told, his eyes caressing me, following my every move. “Here we go,” I say once the candle is properly lit. “Make a wish.”

And the intensity is back as he slowly tilts to blow on the candle, eyes locked with mine.

Now, what I don’t understand is what stupid game we are both playing and why we are on this bench instead of behind some janitor closet jumping each other like two crazy hyenas in heat, just like we clearly do in our minds? An enigma, really.

The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros

Twenty-eight-year-old Georgia Stanton has to start over after she gave up almost everything in a brutal divorce—the New York house, the friends, and her pride. Now back home at her late great-grandmother’s estate in Colorado, she finds herself face-to-face with Noah Harrison, the bestselling author of a million books where the cover is always people nearly kissing. He’s just as arrogant in person as in interviews, and she’ll be damned if the good-looking writer of love stories thinks he’s the one to finish her grandmother’s final novel…even if the publisher swears he’s the perfect fit.

Noah is at the pinnacle of his career. With book and movie deals galore, there isn’t much the “golden boy” of modern fiction hasn’t accomplished. But he can’t walk away from what might be the best book of the century—the one his idol, Scarlett Stanton, left unfinished. Coming up with a fitting ending for the legendary author is one thing, but dealing with her beautiful, stubborn, cynical great-granddaughter, Georgia, is quite another.

But as they read Scarlett’s words in both the manuscript and her box of letters, they start to realize why Scarlett never finished the book—it’s based on her real-life romance with a World War II pilot, and the ending isn’t a happy one. Georgia knows all too well that love never works out, and while the chemistry and connection between her and Noah is undeniable, she’s as determined as ever to learn from her great-grandmother’s mistakes—even if it means destroying Noah’s career.

Told in alternating timelines, THE THINGS WE LEAVE UNFINISHED examines the risks we take for love, the scars too deep to heal, and the endings we can’t bring ourselves to see coming. 

The Things We Leave Unfinished is available for purchase:

I had high expectations for this novel. Being a huge fan of Rebecca Yarros' Flight & Glory series, I did not expect any less than that smashing series. The Things We Leave Unfinished, however, proved to be just another level altogether. It was such an unexpected and unique way for two stories to be told. I've always known Rebecca to be magnificent at piecing together a gut-wrenching, heart-aching, tear-jerking page turner but just how she crafted Scarlett and Jameson's story to go hand in hand with Georgia and Noah's story simply blew my expectations out of the water. You get not only one, but, two tales, both with their own complex characters, twists and challenges. So not only are you turning the pages for one story, but you're constantly left wanting more of the other at the same time. You couldn't make me choose which one I loved more--the two were seamlessly intertwined together into, quite simply put, a masterpiece. 

Follow Me Under by Helen Hardt

 She gave him control in the bedroom. But is she losing control of her identity?

Dating Boston’s billionaire bachelor has opened up a new world for Skye Manning. Opportunities are suddenly everywhere, her new career is flourishing, and she experiences luxury she’s only seen in the pages of magazines. So why does she feel like she’s losing herself?

Braden Black never meant to fall for Skye, and he still tries to resist a relationship he knows he’s not wired for. But not only has Skye awoken something inside him—he’s stirring something dark and forbidden inside his Cinderella. Something even he can’t control…

The Follow Me series is best enjoyed in order.

Reading Order:

Book #1 Follow Me Darkly

Book #2 Follow Me Under

I read Follow Me Under as a standalone so I felt like I was walking into the story part way. It wasn't terrible but there were a few gaps. Skye has started a new chapter in her life. She's trying to make her own way and is struggling with maintaining the hold and control she wants in her life. On the otherhand, Braden seems to have finally found what he wants in his life in Skye. They seem to be on the same page in the bedroom but they're otherwise trying to figure each other out outside of those bedroom walls. This book is full of hot and steamy scenes and flows well and is easy to get through but I found myself flipping through some pages when it came to Skye's insecurities in her life and career path. I would read the other two novels in this series just to see if context will make me like Skye any more! Solid 3.5 stars.