2016 Top Picks – Books and Audiobooks

Top Books and Audiobooks of 2016

As I go through my books to decide on this list, it’s not that hard in theory. I have very few 5++++ star reads and a few 5 star reads and a few more that were 4.75 stars. I must admit, some of my real favorites for the year were re-reads of favorites via audiobook.

You’ll notice that most of the books on my list this year are romantic comedies. They’ve always been my favorite, and so many more authors jumped in the ring this year, it’s hard to stay away and have more variety. But interestingly, the top reads in both book and audiobook are very serious reads. So my goal for 2017 is to read more books out of my comfort zone. As my circle of favorite authors grows wider, it gets harder and harder to add new authors into the mix. I scheduled 11 books for January, and they are all by favorite authors and I feel like I can’t miss them, so adding new authors is a 2017 goal as well, but it gets tougher and tougher to do.

Special Note: This is my FIFTH annual list. There are four authors that had books (usually more than one) on every list: (So happy to say they have all been to Wicked Book Weekend because I started it in 2012 to meet my favorites.)

• Kristen Ashley (and she is already on my Best of 2017 with Rock Chick Reawakening)
• Tara Sivec
• Colleen Hoover
• R.K. Lilley

Some notes about audiobooks: All of the books on my top audiobooks list would have been on my top books list had I read instead of listened. The audiobooks just made them even better.
2016 was the year of the audiobook. So many more authors are adding audiobooks, and they are so much better than they used to be. In audio, it’s all about the narrator(s). So if you’ve tried audiobooks and didn’t like, I urge you to try again. Try re-reading a favorite (Kristen Ashley’s Rock Chick series is perfect), or any of the Lauren Blakely or Emma Chase male POV books are awesome with Sebastian York reading them (le sigh….). You can speed it up if you need to, but make sure you listen while doing something else (cleaning, driving, laundry, walking) or you will start tuning it out and get bored. Amazon has a great tool that tells you what books you have in your Kindle library that are eligible for a cheap upgrade, and you can go back and forth and they sync! If you are at a great part of your book but need to leave for carpool, switch on the audiobook! I also put an (au) on my Sale and Free lists to indicate which books have an upgrade for under $3.00. There are hundreds on the list. Or you can always Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks.

I debated whether to mix the top audiobook list and the top book list, because to me, it’s the same, but decided to separate them. But if you don’t do audible, don’t ignore the section, because they would have been my favorite books either way.

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

SOMETIMES THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU IS THE ONE WHO HURTS YOU THE MOST

*Blurb withheld here because I think you shouldn’t read it!* But this should be required reading for all women!

“You saved my life, Lily,” he said to me. “And you weren’t even trying.”

From my full review:
It Ends With Us is a book with a powerful message, as most of Colleen’s are, but this even more so. It has the potential to completely change people’s lives, and I so hope it does. It’s filled with raw honesty, love, friendship and heartbreak, and your heart will be put through the gamut of emotions when reading it. The title could not have been more perfect. It is about a very relevant topic, and it will change the way you look at people who are experiencing it and will change the lives of people who are experiencing it firsthand.

It Ends With Us will hit you right in the gut. It will tear you up. You will laugh and cry. You will get the warm fuzzies. You will fall in love with the characters, and you will break. I finished this book laying in a hotel bed at two AM, and I just bawled my eyes out. Not because it ends sadly, but because all the pent up emotions from the entire story just poured forth.

I can’t do this book justice with a review. Especially a review where I don’t want to give one thing away. Go in blind and I promise, you won’t regret it. It Ends With Us is Colleen Hoover’s best work to date, and totally one of the best books I have ever read. Skip your Caramel Machiatto for the day, and spend that money on this book. You’ll be glad you did.

See My Full Review (Very spoiler free) | Purchase on Amazon

Big Rock by Lauren Blakely

I read Big Rock and listened to it a few months later and loved it even more the second time, because Sebastian York narrated. This book started my Lauren Blakely obsession, and as I put together this list, I’m listening to Full Package and I can already tell you it will be on my 2017 list. I love Male POV books, and Lauren Blakely has done an amazing job with this series of standalones. 

Blurb: It’s not just the motion of the ocean, ladies. It’s definitely the SIZE of the boat too.
And I’ve got both firing on all cylinders. In fact, I have ALL the right assets. Looks, brains, my own money, and a big c&$k.
You might think I’m an as%*$le. I sound like one, don’t I? I’m hot as sin, rich as heaven, smart as hell and hung like a horse.
Guess what? You haven’t heard my story before. Sure, I might be a playboy, like the NY gossip rags call me. But I’m the playboy who’s actually a great guy. Which makes me one of a kind.
The only trouble is, my dad needs me to cool it for a bit. With conservative investors in town wanting to buy his flagship Fifth Avenue jewelry store, he needs me not only to zip it up, but to look the part of the committed guy. Fine. I can do this for Dad. After all, I’ve got him to thank for the family jewels. So I ask my best friend and business partner to be my fiancée for the next week. Charlotte’s up for it. She has her own reasons for saying yes to wearing this big rock.
And pretty soon all this playing pretend in public leads to no pretending whatsoever in the bedroom, because she just can’t fake the kind of toe-curling, window-shattering orgasmic cries she makes as I take her to new heights between the sheets.

But I can’t seem to fake that I might be feeling something real for her.

What the hell have I gotten myself into with this…big rock?

“My dick is fucking awesome. But don’t just take my word for it. Consider all its accomplishments. First, let’s start with the obvious one. Size. Sure, some people will tell you that size does not matter. You know what I’ll tell you? They lie. You don’t want a tiny diamond on your finger when you can have three carats. You don’t want a one-dollar bill when you can have a Benjamin. And you don’t want to ride a miniature pony when you can saddle up on a rock-star cock at the rodeo of your pleasure.”

From my full review:
Big Rock by Lauren Blakely is literally a PERFECT book for me. I read to be happy and this book made me happy in so many ways! It was sweet, romantic, sexy, funny, hot as hell, a male point of view, and I loved all of the characters. It honestly scares me that this was my first read of 2016 because I can’t imagine it getting much better than this. Not only am I sure that Big Rock will be on my best of 2016 list already, but this will be an all-time favorite. Lauren Blakely has a big new fan in me!

See my full review | Purchase on Amazon

Well Hung by Lauren Blakely

I actually love all the books in this series, and although Mr. O didn’t make the list doesn’t mean I didn’t love the hell out of it, it’s just that Big Rock and Well Hung both got 5+++ stars.

Blurb: Here’s what you need to know about me — I’m well-off, well-hung and quick with a joke. Women like a guy who makes them laugh. Even better if he’s loyal and hard-working. That’s me.

Enter Natalie. Hot, sexy, smart, and my new assistant. Which makes her totally off limits…

Hey, I’m a good guy. Really. I do my best to stay far away from the kind of temptation she brings to work. Until one night in Vegas…

Yeah, you’ve heard this one before. Bad news on the business front, drowning our sorrows in a few too many Harvey Wallbangers, and then I’m banging her. In my hotel room. In her hotel room. Behind the Titanic slot machine at the Flamingo (don’t ask). And before I can make her say “Oh God right there YES!” one more time, we’re both saying yes–the big yes–at a roadside chapel in front of a guy in press-on sideburns and a shiny gold leisure suit.

We’ll just untie the knot in the morning, right?

The trouble is . . . I don’t know how to keep my hands off my soon-to-be ex-wife.

“She’s the perfect, all-American girl, like an apple pie, and I just want to eat her up.
I mean, I don’t want that.
Fuck, that came out wrong.
I totally don’t want to eat my assistant. Or bang my assistant. Or bend my assistant over the desk.”

From my full review:
You honestly couldn’t write a more perfect book for me than Well Hung. If someone asked what my favorite kind of book is, I’d say “Check out Well Hung (or Big Rock or Mister O)”. I love the sexy male point of view, the confident/cocky manly man (oh yes, that tool belt! Yum!), the lovable heroine I totally want to be friends with, the incredibly hot sex, the fun banter, the friendship between the couple, and how obvious it is that they belong together. Well Hung took a common theme in books and movies and made it totally unique and fresh. With the perfect blend of heat, humor, heart, and horny male pov, Lauren Blakely has written another book that will easily fall on my all-time favorite list.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Amazon

Stroked Long by Meghan Quinn

While I enjoyed the first book in this series, Stroked, I wasn’t gaga over it (see why in my review), but the next two were top favorites for very different reasons. While it is not necessary to read Stroked first since they are all concurrent, I think you will appreciate the next two even more if you read in order.

Blurb: From his dirty-blond hair and breathtaking smile, to the abs from heaven and the irresistible V in his waistline, everything about Bodi Olympic-gold-medalist Banks screams hot piece of @$$.

Yet there’s more.

Dark shadows lurk behind his soulful, serious eyes.

I’m enamored. He’s captured me.

How can running an art foundation with Bodi Banks turns into a slow-burning, epic romance, even though he tries to push me away at every chance? How can I stay away from a broken, routine-driven man whose soul cries to be forgiven for a crime only he believes he committed? Or is that a lie?

“It’s just so…sparkly. Everyone needs a little sparkle in their life.”

From my full review:
I literally can not gush over Stroked Long enough, and there is no question that it is a 2016 favorite. I cracked up laughing, I swooned, I giggled, I panicked, I cried happy tears, super sad tears and laughing tears. I didn’t expect the magnitude of Stoked Long. While Stroked was fun, light, and a bit over-the-top, Stroked Long  had depth and character growth. It covered OCD in a way that it felt like the author had personal experience with it or someone who has it. Ruby is one of my favorite female characters ever in a book, and her colorful humor couldn’t have been a better balance for the awkward and broken Bodi. Don’t get me wrong, this book is very much a comedy, one I laughed out loud during more than almost any other romcom. Stroked Long is a rare book that loved so much, I want to re-read right away.

See My Full Review | Purchase at Amazon

Stroked Hard by Meghan Quinn

While I loved Stroked Long for it’s more serious themes, I loved the sweet and silly of Stroked Hard.

Blurb: He’s hot. Like, stop breathing kind of hot with his killer body, vivid blue eyes, and constant five o’clock shadow.

Did I mention his body?

Watching Hollis Knightly, Olympic diving gold medalist, man-pony specialist—and cocky bastard—stand up on the diving platform in nothing but a small piece of Spandex? Yeah, I’m beguiled.

And easily seduced.

I want to keep things light but he won’t leave me alone. And hell, if he’s not wearing me thin.

What is supposed to be a simple summer fling with a very hot man, has now morphed into a f*cked-up mess of feelings, attachment, and dare I say it…love. But I don’t do relationships. And Hollis Knightly does.

“Don’t call me fudge nuggets.”
“What do you prefer? Love handles?”
“No.” Her scowl deepens.
“Sausage snuggler? Kissy kibbles? Juicy cakes? Licky lovestick?” Irritation is boiling out of her now. “Are you deranged? What makes you think I want to be referred to as sausage snuggler or licky lovestick?”
“Does that mean you like kissy kibbles and juicy cakes?”

From my full review:
I am absolutely in love with Stroked Hard. I think some people may not have loved the heroine, she was a bit prickly while she pushed him away, but I think that’s what made Hollis so amazing, Melony’s resistance is what made him shine. His sweetness, his lack of giving up on her, and his ability to make her lighten up and laugh no matter what, are what made him so special. If she didn’t resist, he wouldn’t have shown his amazing persuasive ways. I love when a book can be totally silly in a sweet way, but never be stupid. The banter was amazing, and the nicknames sealed the deal on another 2016 favorite for me from Meghan Quinn. I hope she comes out with audiobooks, because I would love to listen to this series now!

See My Full Review | Purchase at Amazon

Being Brooke by Emma Hart

This was my first Emma Hart book, but it certainly won’t be my last! She has a new fan in me.

Blurb: BEING BROOKE is a laugh-out-loud, witty, and sometimes highly inappropriate romantic comedy about being in love with your best friend. And how much that freaking sucks.

My name is Brooke Barker…
And I’m a freaking disaster.
No, seriously. I’m a college drop-out working a dead-end job, my best friend Carly’s dog gets more action than I do, and I have more bad dates in my diary than there are movie remakes.
Not to mention I’m completely and utterly in love with Cain Elliott.
The problem? He’s in a relationship. With a girl who’s so plastic she makes Barbie cry herself to sleep with jealousy.
The second problem? He’s my best friend.
My shut-up-and-put-on-Harry-Potter, yes-this-is-your-shirt, help-I-have-no-power, crap-I’m-out-of-tampons, kinda best friend.
And that’s all he can be, right?
Right.

“Freaking hell. How long have I been sitting on the damn floor? Too long is clearly the answer here. I don’t want a dead leg. Why does it hurt? It shouldn’t hurt. Oh my gosh. I need a new leg. Quick, someone dial nine-one-one. It’s never going to— Oh. It’s gone.”

From my full review:
Being Brooke was one of my favorite books of the year, and is also going on an all-time favorite list. It was fun, quirky, silly and sexy. It’s a happy, easy book, and Brooke’s hot mess of a personality made me realize I am not as bad as I thought! There was so much awkward in the story, but it is the sweet and sexy romantic awkward, like when you bump noses as you kiss. I had so much fun reading Being Brooke, and was so happy reading it that my husband and son must have asked me 50 times why I was smiling like an idiot so much. For that alone, I can’t help but give it my highest rating. I am so, so happy to read that Carly is getting her own book next!

See my Full Review | Purchase on Amazon

Cupid Has A Heart-On by Tara Sivec

Once again, Tara Sivec is on my list! I don’t think anyone else can write funny like she does. Tara has been on every list since I started this blog!

Blurb: The Holiday family is back, crazier than ever in this special, Valentine’s Day story!

Cupid hits a few roadblocks on the way to Sam and Noel’s hearts after their whirlwind Christmas romance. N*pplegate 2016, a stray stripper and a regrettable mix-up with narcotics are just the tips of the arrow when it comes to shooting these two with happily ever after. Nothing seeing a grown man wearing an adult diaper and wings can’t fix…hopefully.

“If we have any more fun, my man parts are going to rip themselves from my body and start smacking me in the face!”

From my full review:
Cupid Has A Heart On was another hysterical book from Tara Sivec. She has a knack for making characters you are dying to meet and party with. I would love to eat cookies with them! The Holiday family came back with even more zany characters, and it was like another National Lampoons movie, this time for Valentines Day. You must read The Stocking Was Hung first and meet this family before jumping into Cupid has a Heart On, and you’ll be so glad you did! These books are so much fun, they’ll make you laugh even when you are fighting with your husband, have a raging case of PMS and want to kill your kids in their sleep. I am already imagining Easter bunnies, Peeps, eggs and chick scenes. I’m thinking of the fireworks on Fourth of July (uh-oh), Halloween (that will be a riot!) and Thanksgiving. I hope we get a little taste every Holiday with the Holidays!

Read The Stocking Was Hung first.

See My Full Review | Purchase on Amazon

The Firework Exploded by Tara Sivec

Make sure you read in order!

Blurb: Sam and Noel’s whirlwind Christmas romance shot through Valentine’s Day and is exploding on the Fourth of July!

“You should get married on the 4th,” they said. “It will be so romantic,” they said.

Did you know that during a pyrotechnic display, a single firework travels 481 feet per second and can take out a small village? Did you know it can also singe the ball hair off of any man standing within a mile radius of said-pyrotechnic display (and singed ball hair smells a lot like a sh*t-filled baby diaper that’s been lit on fire), and it can make a vintage wedding dress go up in flames like a barn full of dry hay?

Yeah, me either…

“Did we just have a moment, Fuck knuckle?” I ask with a laugh.
“Pretty sure we did, Dick Cheese. Can we stop now? All of these feelings and shit are starting to give me hives.”

From my full review:
With rom-coms being the new thing in books, there have been a lot of really great comedies lately. But nobody makes me laugh like the original, Tara Sivec. She is over-the-top without being stupid. You totally want to meet all of her characters, and Scheva is my new fave! She is the Jenny of the Holidays (but not really stupid, just drunk lol). Filled with real people, real love, and total craziness, I kind of want to join The Holidays on their next adventure in real life. But maybe not, knowing this group, they’d probably light my hair on fire doing bong hits.

Read the series in order: The Stocking Was Hung | Cupid Has a Heart-On | The Firework Exploded They were all 5 stars for me.

Read My Full Review | Purchase on Amazon

Pucked Over by Helena Hunting

I love this entire series by Helena Hunting even though I am not a big sports romance fan.

Blurb: ***A standalone novel in The Pucked Series***

Lily LeBlanc isn’t versed in the art of casual sex, but after seven years in an on-again, off-again relationship, she’s definitely willing to give it a shot. And who better to try it with than her best friend’s boyfriend’s best friend? What could possibly go wrong?

NHL player, Randy Ballistic, lives up to his last name on the ice and in the bedroom. His best friend and teammate has recently given up the puck bunnies and traded them in for a real girlfriend. And she just happens to have a seriously feisty, extra-hot best friend on the rebound. Randy’s more than happy to be Lily’s spring board back into the dating scene.

But casual sex is only casual until those pesky things called emotions get involved. Once that happens, someone’s bound to get pucked over.

“That’s totally a hickey! Did Balls lick your beaver? Did you let Balls ball you?”

From my full review:
I loved Pucked. I enjoyed Pucked up, even more so because it introduced Lily and Randy from Pucked Over. While not quite as funny as Pucked (because there just can’t be two Violets in one group), Pucked Over was a more mature addition to the series. Don’t worry, not too mature, but this one was filled with a lot more emotion. It was still hilarious and hot but it was also heartfelt and sweet. I enjoyed seeing the growth of Lily and Randy together and apart, and visiting with the couples from the two previous books. If I had to choose between Pucked and Pucked Over, I’d have a hard time. I totally recommend reading the series in order for the full effect.

See My Full Review (with deleted scene) | Purchase on Amazon

Breaking Her by R.K. Lilley

Breaking Him was on my best of 2015 list. In fact I listened to the audio as a refresher before Breaking Her came out and I loved it just as much. This is a duet, so you MUST read Breaking Him first. (See my review).

Blurb: The epic conclusion to Scarlett and Dante’s story.
Breaking Her
The Love is War Duet: Book Two
DESTRUCTION. BETRAYAL. RUINATION.
TRUE LOVE.
SCARLETT
He had done it again. Ravaged me. Burned me. Broken me.
Given me air, only to leave me gasping, writhing.
But then something changed. Something that terrified and excited me both.
Something that utterly destroyed me.
Something that made me whole again.
DANTE
Our love was cursed from the start. She didn’t know it, but I did.
All she knew was that I’d lied to her, betrayed her. Done unforgivable things. Unavoidable things. Yes, I had broken promises as surely as I had broken her heart. But, just as every war has casualties, and every lie has consequences–every bastard has his reasons.

“You’re heartless,” he told me, sounding like he couldn’t quite believe it.
Like he thought I would deny it.
I did not. “Of course I am. Did you think I wouldn’t be? You were my heart. And you left.”

From my full review:
I thought it would be hard to end the Love is War duet as strongly as it began in Breaking Him. I mean, it would be really hard to top that! But RK Lilley completely blew me away. She had me guessing right up until the end.  Scarlett and Dante were one of the most meant-to-be-together couples I have read, and I wanted to root for them despite the fact that they continued to hurt each other. RK Lilley’s writing has improved tremendously and you can really feel her skill in Breaking Her. Her use of foreshadowing made the book unputdownable and it is amazing how she made all these twists in her head and didn’t miss one hole in closure.

The Love is War duet may be RK Lilley’s best work to date. It combines the best parts of all of her other books in a new, fresh tale. Because, Dante.

Must read in order: Breaking Him | Breaking Her

See my Full Review | Purchase on Amazon

Felony Ever After (13 authors)

The story was hysterical. Knowing how it was written while you read it is priceless.

Blurb: ***13 Authors put their brains together to write ONE story*** Authors include: Helena Hunting, Debra Anastasia, Nina Bocci, Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward, Leisa Rayven, Liv Morris. Tijan, JM Darhower, Belle Aurora, KA Robinson, SM Lumetta, & Katherine Stevens

Verity Michaels is new to New York City, but even she knows riding in a stolen cab is not a normal way to meet someone. Damn it if that tattoo-covered would-be felon isn’t everywhere now, and lighting everything on fire under her skirt.

His name is Hudson Fenn, and he’s frustratingly impossible to pin down. He works as a bike messenger, but has the manners of a prince—along with a strange tendency toward breaking and entering. As much as Verity knows he’s not her type, and likely to land her in jail, she can’t help but find her truest self when they’re together.

Can she be brave enough to give Hudson a real chance? Will he be bold enough to reveal the man beneath the ink, or will his secrecy doom their connection? Also, WTF is the deal with Verity’s boss? No less than thirteen of your favorite romance writers have teamed up to tell this sexy, wacky, snort-inducing tale. With them you’ll visit the world’s most irritating office, a VIP room of questionable cleanliness, and the fanciest apartment a bike messenger has ever inhabited, but you’ll still never see this ending coming.

“If you tell me that room I can’t go into at your place is a Red Room of Pain, we’re going to need to stop to buy lube and some Fifty Shades wine.”

From my full review:
I absolutely loved Felony Ever After. I think it is one of my favorites so far this year. From the concept of 13 authors writing it together like a domino game, to the banter, to the mystery, to the romance, to the tweets & hashtags, to the sexy times, it was everything I love. Sure, it got a little silly at times, but with Helena Hunting and Debra Anastasia, I knew what I was in for and loved every second of it. If I were an author, I’d love to be part of writing this, because as a reader it seemed like they had a great time with it. I so hope they do it again!

See My Full Review | Purchase on Amazon

Bounty (Colorado Mountain Series #7) by Kristen Ashley

Of course there is a Kristen Ashley book on my list! She needs her own rating scale because even a mediocre book from her is 5 stars from anyone else. But Bounty was was amazing…far from mediocre.

Blurb: Justice Lonesome has enjoyed a life of bounty.

Even so, she’s inherited the curse of the Lonesome. A poet’s soul. Which means she’s still searching for something. Searching for peace. Searching for the less…that’s more.

And when the foundation of her life is pulled out from under her, grieving, she goes to the mountains to find her oasis. She hits Carnal, Colorado and decides to stay.

Deke Hightower lost everything at the age of two. He lost it again at fifteen. His life has not been about bounty. It’s been about learning to live with less, because there’s no way to get more.

Deke’s also watched all his friends go down to the women who gave them what they needed. He wants that for himself. But he knows that search isn’t going to be easy because he’s a rider. His home is the road. That’s the only place he can breathe. And the woman who takes her place at his side has to do it sitting on the back of his bike.

When Deke meets Justice, he knows she’s not that woman. She’s cute. She’s sweet. And she’s into him, but she’s got it all and Deke knows he won’t fit into that. So he holds her at arm’s length. Establishes boundaries. And Justice will take it because she wants Deke any way he’ll let her have him.

But when Justice finds herself a pawn in a dangerous game, Deke makes a decision.

When he does, he has no idea he’s just opened himself up to bounty.

“Seven years, ten minutes, and I knew him at a glance.
Seven years, ten minutes, I was right then drawn to him so deeply, it was taking physical effort to stop my body swaying his way, my feet from moving to him.”

From my full review:
Kristen Ashley has done it again. Another amazing, long, juicy, well fleshed out book filled with emotion, fun, and amazing secondary characters. Justice was one of my favorite KA heroines, she was totally cool and I loved that she made friends with everyone in town quickly, and we got to visit with all the characters we have grown to love from this series and others. Though it followed a similar path to other KA books, it was still very much it’s own story and the cast of new characters was a great addition to the old ones we love. Once again, Kristen Ashley wowed me with Bounty, and I’m itching to do a re-read on audio now.

See my Complete Guide to Kristen Ashley for all the reading orders and reviews.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Amazon

When I’m with You (Hope Town Book 3) by Harper Sloan

Books 1 & 2 of this series, Unexpected Fate & Bleeding Love were both on my best of 2015 list, and I am happy to say that When I’m With You was just as good as they were!

Blurb: Nate:
It’s nearly impossible to be surrounded by love but not understand it. My parents, my sister, and just about everyone around us has no trouble accepting that love. To give your trust to someone else and believe they would die before hurting you. I’ve witnessed it—I’ve seen the power of it—but I’ve also seen the pain. Because for me, I’ve only loved someone I could never have, and my biggest fear is that by giving her my love, all I would do is ruin her. I should have tried harder, but I’m not sure I can because I only feel complete when I’m with her.

Emberlyn:
The only time I feel like I belong is when he’s near. His infectious smile warms me straight to my bones. Any insecurities I have vanish with just a wink from him. A sliver of his attention makes me feel invincible. But all it took was one drunken night of truths for me to lose everything I had begun to crave. Now, I’m not sure how to move on because I only feel complete when I’m with him.

He said I was too young. I said he was perfect. He said our families wouldn’t understand. I said we could weather any storm. He said he would ruin me. And he was right.

When I’m with You can be read as a standalone. Each book is interconnected, so if you would like to get to know the previous couples that show up in this book, I recommending reading book 1 (Unexpected Fate) and book 2 (Bleeding Love) first.

“No more fucking words but my name. Know who is claiming you. Let the whole fucking world hear who is taking you and making you his.”

From my full review:
When I’m With You by Harper Sloan has the perfect amounts of heart, humor, heat, HEA, & happiness. There is enough outside drama to keep it exciting, and it’s filled with Alpha deliciousness. If I could bottle the perfect book for me, it would be When I’m With You. It literally had every single thing I love in a book, and I finished it with wet eyes and hugging my kindle.

See Megan’s and my Full Dual Review | Purchase on Amazon

All The Rage by T.M. Frazier

While All the Rage is a standalone, I like it best after reading Lawless and Soulless. But this is a good way to see if you like her writing style.

Blurb: They call me Rage.
My real name is like a shadow, always close behind, but never quite able to catch up.
I fly under the radar because no one ever suspects I’m capable of the kind of brutal violence I commit each and every day.
You see, I’m a girl. I’m nineteen.
And I’m a killer.
This life is all I know. It’s all I want to know. It keeps the shit buried that I need kept buried. It allows me to live without thinking too much.
Without dwelling on the past.
Until him.
It all changes when an ordinary boy becomes my next target.
And my first love.
I have to choose.
The only life I’ve ever known has to die, or he does.
Either way, I’ll be the one pulling the trigger…
All the Rage is a STANDALONE.

“Who the hell was she?
Where the hell did she come from?
Why the fuck was she so pissed off?
Why the fuck am I so goddamn hard?”

From my full review:
All The Rage by T.M. Frazier was a fast- dare I say it – fun read! While it’s still gritty and dangerous and sexy, there was something fun about it. I loved that it was a complete standalone, made even better if you read Lawless and Soulless. All The Rage was filled with danger, destruction, sex, death, love, romance, friendship, and a whole lot of crazy. I loved every second of it.

“I’d never seen anything like the girl in my arms. Beautiful. Strong. Fierce and Fiery. A force greater than any storm and twice as destructive. In some ways, she was naïve. Innocent even. In other ways, she was the devil himself.
I’d never wanted anyone more.”

See my Full Review | Purchase on Amazon

Dirty Girl/Dirty Love (Dirty Girl Duet) by Meghan March

This is one of the hottest series I have ever read, but it was never porny. I listened to the Dirty Billionaire Series after this and loved it too, but this duet was amazingly hot, and never sacrificed story.

Blurb for Dirty Girl: Desperately seeking rich, famous, single guy with a giant cock to make my lying, cheating, should’ve-been-born-dickless ex-boyfriend realize what he’s just lost.
Oh, and I give great head. Just sayin’.
No man in his right mind would answer that ad.
Except thousands did.
My name is Greer Karas, and I should never be allowed near another bottle of booze again. Because when I drink, my friend and I do stupid things. Like take a page out of my older brother Creighton’s playbook and post something completely asinine on the Internet. Waking up with a giant hangover to find my humiliating personal ad has gone viral is not my finest moment.
Cue my look of shock when one of Hollywood’s hottest new bad boys, Cavanaugh Westman, comes knocking at my door and drops his pants to prove that he does indeed have a giant cock.
What he doesn’t have is an explanation for why he disappeared from my life without a word three years ago, only to show up on the big screen two years later, killing bad guys in action flicks.
Now he wants me again.
What the hell do I do now?

“There’s no escaping your punishment, baby girl. You agreed to play my game, and you’re going to take every smack you deserve for stealing that orgasm.” He lowers to speak closer to my ear. “And you’re gonna fucking love it.”

From my full review:
The Dirty Girl Duet is now a favorite duet, and just from these two books, Meghan March is a new favorite author. She wrote the perfect kinky, dirty, possessive alpha hero in Cav, and made me love Greer and her best friend Banner. I was not a fan of Greer’s brother, Creighton, but I suppose I will be as soon as I read The Dirty Billionaire Series. I am already listening to the audiobook of the first one and loving it. I highly recommend The Dirty Girl duet if you like a lighter, sexier, more erotic read with a possessive, demanding dirty talking alpha.

See My Full Review | Purchase Dirty Girl at Amazon | Purchase Dirty Love at Amazon

Author Anonymous by EK Blair

Special note:

I loved it.
I hated it.
I was consumed by it.

I’m almost scared to add this to my list, because honestly, I think you’ll love it or hate it. This story was everything I normally hate. I kind of did hate it. But I loved the writing, the telling, the way it made you think and feel.

Blurb: *An intoxicatingly risqué stand-alone book.

She’s an author.
She’s a mother.
She’s a wife.
She’s a fraud, a woman marked and bound by her own deceit.

Experience the astounding tale of how Anonymous battled through a year of scandals and betrayals, how her world fell from its axis with a single choice, and how she lost herself between reality and fantasy.

This is a stand-alone tangled in lust, heartbreak, and contrition.

*Based on a true story.

“And I will always love you no matter how badly you fuck up, and I’m telling you right now, as your friend, you are about to lose everything. You don’t want to do this. You’re caught up right now. Everything is exciting and new, but those feelings are just temporary. And when they’re gone, and you’re left with nothing, you’ll realize that you made the biggest mistake of your life.”

From my full review:
Wow. Author Anonymous completely blew me away. It was raw, all-consuming, repulsive at times, addictive, but most of all it was real. Whether it’s really real or not doesn’t matter to me. Who it’s about doesn’t matter to me. I know it is real because I have 4 close friends that went through a lot of what happened here. I could see how easy this can start after being together with Mr. Ana for 29 years. Marriages go through ups and downs and it’s easy to be swayed by some attention you haven’t had in years. To be sucked in by the fantasy. I want to hate Anonymous. I want to scorn her. Many times I did. How can she do what she did to a man who loved her so? To her best friend? To her girls? To her readers? But yet I understood her a bit.

All of these confused emotions of understanding and anger are what made Author Anonymous so freaking good. You may want to read it with a glass of wine or a joint in hand, and make sure you have a protective case on your kindle, because you may have to throw it.

But read it. It’s NOT a pretty romance. It’s completely taboo. It is a warning to not go down that road. I don’t read cheating and it’s all about cheating, but Author Anonymous is unputdownable and pretty amazing.

“But me? I’m garbage. I’m a horrible woman who does horrible things.”

“I’m selfish and oh-so-fucked-up.”

See my Full Review | Purchase on Amazon

Preppy: The Life & Death of Samuel Clearwater PART ONE (KING Book 5) by T.M. Frazier

Just read the whole series. You have to!

Blurb: GOODREADS CHOICE AWARDS NOMINEE FOR BEST ROMANCE

Samuel Clearwater, A.K.A Preppy, likes bowties, pancakes, suspenders, good friends, good times, good drugs, and a good f*ck.

He’s worked his way out from beneath a hellish childhood and is living the life he’s always imagined for himself. When he meets a girl, a junkie on the verge of ending it all, he’s torn between his feelings for her and the crippling fear that she could be the one to end the life he loves.

Andrea ‘Dre’ Capulet is strung out and tired.

Tired of living for her next fix. Tired of doing things that make her stomach turn. Tired of looking in the mirror at the reflection of the person she’s become. Just when she decides to end it all, she meets a man who will change the course of both their lives forever.

And their deaths.

For most people, death is the end of their story.
For Preppy and Dre, death was only the beginning.

This is the fifth book in the King Series and it’s meant to be read after Soulless.

“I came in like a wrecking baaaallll.” I belted out the window at a bunch of teenagers walking across the causeway. The group of mostly girls scrunched up their noses in confusion as if they’d never been the victims of a drive-by-singing before.”

From my full review:
T.M. Frazier has the nickname “Evil Ginger” for a reason. She has no problem putting her characters in the worst situations, nor does she have a problem torturing her readers while they wait for the next book! Seriously, I knew there was a cliffy (which isn’t that bad), and I usually will avoid that like the plague, but this series makes me change my rules. It goes against everything I usually look for in a book, yet I love the dirty, grittiness of it because you can always see the heart behind it all. These people, as bad as they are in some ways, still have big hearts, at least for each other. They are family, even if not by blood. And basically, that’s kind of the crux of the series. I mean, only T.M. can make me fall in love with a pastel and bow tie wearing psychopath. I found Preppy part one to be the deepest, most emotional and most unique of the King Series, and it brought back to mind the slightly deeper The Dark Light of Day and Dark Needs (which you MUST read if you are reading the King Series.)

Just the last words! OMG T.M. Frazier! WRITE FASTER!

Reading Order: Dark Light of Day | Dark Needs (These two don’t have to be read first) | King | Tyrant (King & Tyrant go together) | Lawless | Soulless (Lawless & Soulless go together)| All the Rage (standalone)| Preppy pt. 1 (Must read Soulless first)| Preppy part 2

See my Full Review | Purchase Preppy Part 1 on Amazon | Preppy Part 2

2 more books I want to include that were 4.5-4.75 stars:

Although only the last one released this year, all of the audiobooks did. I read the series for the first time this year and loved it so much I listened to the first two again so far. This series, especially the first 3, were my biggest surprise, and a new favorite series. I have never read fantasy and didn’t think I’d like it but it is an all-time favorite series now. Take a chance on these!

These would be on my top books list as well, but the narration made them even better! If you are not an audio listener (see my note at the top) just think of these as more books for my list.

From Sand and Ash by Amy Harmon

Read by Cassandra Campbell

It doesn’t matter whether I read this or listened, this is one of the best books I have ever read. But the narration just made it even better with the narrator using Italian, German, Yiddish and French accents.

Blurb: Italy, 1943 – Germany occupies much of the country, placing the Jewish population in grave danger during World War II.

As children, Eva Rosselli and Angelo Bianco were raised like family but divided by circumstance and religion. As the years go by, the two find themselves falling in love. But the church calls to Angelo and, despite his deep feelings for Eva, he chooses the priesthood.

Now, more than a decade later, Angelo is a Catholic priest and Eva is a woman with nowhere to turn. With the Gestapo closing in, Angelo hides Eva within the walls of a convent, where Eva discovers she is just one of many Jews being sheltered by the Catholic Church.

But Eva can’t quietly hide, waiting for deliverance, while Angelo risks everything to keep her safe. With the world at war and so many in need, Angelo and Eva face trial after trial, choice after agonizing choice, until fate and fortune finally collide, leaving them with the most difficult decision of all.

“Eva is just a girl. She wasn’t given a choice.
The Jewish people have been stripped of choice. They have been stripped of liberty. They have been stripped of dignity. And they cannot save themselves.”

From my full review:
From Sand and Ash is one of the most important books I have read since I began blogging. I feel like everyone should read it. The more we know about the past, the more we can recognize if it starts again in the future. The horrors of WWII are not sugar coated in any way, and Amy Harmon transports you to Italy during all of the events. There was so much background, and you know the characters so well that you feel like you are Eva. I literally felt her fear, and as I write this, I am flashing back to moments in the book and I’m crying again. Being Jewish, this story also helped me understand a bit more of my parents, who were children during this time. But you don’t have to be Jewish to relate and connect to this book. I honestly think From Sand and Ash should be required reading for high school students the way The Diary of Anne Frank is for elementary.

My words can’t do a book like this justice, but I can tell you that it will not only be on my best of 2016 list, but my all-time favorite list. Amy Harmon is an author that has been recommended so many times. I have several of her books on my Kindle, and just purchased more of her audiobooks. If they are even half as good as From Sand to Ash they will be 5 star reads for me.

 

See my Full Review | Purchase the Audible ($1.99 upgrade) | Purchase on Kindle

Better Off Without Him by Dee Ernst

Read by Gillian Vance

I loved the narration so much on this one that I am looking for more from this narrator. Plus, I love an older heroine!

Blurb: Mona Berman is an expert at Happily Ever After – after all, she’s a best-selling Romance writer and happy endings are what she does best. So when her husband of 20 years leaves her for somebody 15 years younger, 30 pounds lighter, and French, she’s got a lot of adjusting to do, both personally and professionally. Lucky for her she’s got three savvy teen daughters, a few good friends, and Ben, the world’s sexiest plumber, to help her along the way.

First she decides that her next book will be the anti-romance – her heroine finds the best part of her life AFTER getting dumped. Next her daughters tell her she needs to start practice dating, and summer at the Jersey shore is the perfect place for that. She’s also juggling her soon-to-be-ex, a loony aunt, and a match-making neighbor, while Ben is sending her romance-driven imagination into overdrive.

Can Mona’s life imitate art? Can she write her own happy ending?

“Mr. Arnold,” I said between clenched teeth, “looking into a lighted make-up mirror with a plus-seven magnification is a humbling experience. Having your husband leave you for a younger woman just plain sucks.”

From my full review:
Better Off Without Him may be one of my favorite audiobooks. Gillian Vance, the narrator, made this fun book amazing. She was a bit more of an actress than most narrators but it never seemed overacted. Her different vocalizations for other characters were amazing. If you don’t read audiobooks, I think Better Off Without Him would still be a great fun read on kindle or print.

I loved to read about a pretty cool mid-forties mom who is hip, sarcastic, smart, sexy and funny. Mona was totally someone I would want to be friends with. I enjoyed how she took the time to test the waters, and that this book wasn’t really a whirlwind romance, but more of a chick lit book with a romance. If you like a book with older couples with kids, I totally recommend Better Off Without Him. I have already grabbed a few more audiobooks from Dee Ernst, narrated by Gillian Vance.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Audible ($1.99 upgrade) | Purchase on Kindle

Sidebarred by Emma Chase

Read by Sebastian York

This is a weird one to put on here, but I loved it so much I can’t not. The thing is, you have to read SUSTAINED first, as this is a continuation. I would add Sustained to this list, but it was on my 2015 list. I love a Sebastian York Male POV novel, and this was just an amazing follow up to Sustained.

Blurb: Join Jake and Chelsea, Stanton and Sofia, Brent and Kennedy as they navigate the hilarious and heartwarming hurdles of love, life, and the law in this final addition to the Legal Briefs series.

There was a time when Jake Becker had it all together. He was controlled, driven, ruthless – in and out of the courtroom.

Then, six irresistible orphans and their heartbreakingly beautiful aunt crashed into his perfectly ordered life. They changed everything. They changed him. Now he’s a husband, an upstanding member of society, a father figure – a family man.

And he’s pretty damn good at it.

Sure, he has to referee sibling smackdowns, relearn algebra, ensure his clients stay out of jail, and keep his wife happy – but it finally feels like he’s got it together again….

So of course something has to screw it all up. It’s huge. Life changing. Kind of terrifying.

And it will be the most amazing, perfect thing he’ll ever do.

“This isn’t what we planned.”
I cup her beautiful face in both hands. “I didn’t plan on you, Chelsea. Or them. And for as long as I live, you will be the best thing that ever happened to me.”

From my full review:
Sidebarred is steamy, funny, heartwarming, emotional and a perfect end to a favorite series. Emma Chase proves once again why she is the queen of the male point of view.

Series: Overruled | Sustained | Appealed | Sidebarred (they all stand alone except Sidebarred)

See my Full Review | Purchase on Audible | Purchase on Kindle

Lawless and Soulless by T.M. Frazier

Read by Molly Glenmore and Rob Shapiro

These two go together, and I just loved them. The narration was perfect for the characters. The entire King Series has become a top favorite.

Blurb for Lawless: She’s prim and proper. He’s leather and lawless. It will never work between them.
It’s a lie they almost believe.

“I wanted to possess her. Own her. CLAIM her.”

“Because I’m not stopping at kissing. I’m not stopping until you’re mine in every fucking way. I’ll try not to hurt you, but this is happening right now. I’m warning you that I want you so much, my version of gentle still might be really fucking hard.”

From my full review:
Though I’m not really a “dark romance” reader, I’m not sure I consider this series dark, or more brutal and gritty. It is bloody, violent, suspenseful, emotional, intense and totally sexy. But is is filled with such intense love, it jumps off the pages (or out of the speakers in my case). I am totally hooked on these characters and on TM Frazier’s writing. It’s amazing how these characters can do the worst things ever, yet Ms. Frazier makes us love them and root for them. This has become one of my favorite series. I can’t recommend it highly enough!

See my Full Review | Purchase Lawless on Audible – Kindle | Purchase Soulless on Audible – Kindle

The Sexy One by Lauren Blakely

Read by Sebastian York and Andi Arndt

The Sexy One is intertwined with my other Lauren Blakely favorites (above), but totally stands alone. This one is different because it includes both male and female POV.

Blurb: From the NYT best-selling author of Mister O, comes a sexy new standalone romance.

Let me count the ways why falling into forbidden love is not my wisest move:

1.She works with me every single day. Did I mention she’s gorgeous, sweet, kind, and smart?

2.She works in my home. Playing with my five-year-old daughter. Teaching my little girl. Cooking for my princess. Which means…

3.She’s the nanny. And that makes her completely off-limits. But it doesn’t stop me from wanting her. All of her.

The other nannies in this city don’t call him the Sexy One for nothing. My boss, the amazingly wonderful single father to the girl I take care of every day is ridiculously hot, like movie star levels with those arms, and those eyes, and that body. Not to mention the way he dotes on his little girl melts me all over. But what really makes my knees weak are the times when his gaze lingers on me. In secret. When no one else is around. I can’t risk my job for a chance at something more, can I? But I don’t know how to resist him much longer either.

Some women go for arms, some like humor, and some love a bad boy.
Me? I’m drawn to this amazing, gorgeous, handsome single father. I want to smother him in kisses and then jump his bones.
“You know it’s ridiculously hot how much you love your kid?”

From my full review:
Lauren Blakely is ruining me for other books. Thank goodness she doesn’t write even faster, because my best of 2016 list would be all Lauren Blakely books. I listened to an early copy of The Sexy One audiobook, and when I sat down to write my review today, I decided to buy the kindle copy and read it as well. I loved it just as much the second time! The only thing that kept The Sexy One from being 5+++++++ stars was the length. It fell somewhere between novella and full length novel, and I felt that we could have had a lot more from this couple and delved deeper.

The Sexy One is Lauren Blakey’s sweetest, most romantic books I have read from her, but it’s still totally sexy and swoonworthy. Mr. Ana had to keep asking me what I was smiling about because I listened to and read the book with a huge smile on my face the whole time. Books like The Sexy One is why I read. There is no way to read this and not feel all happy inside. Once again, another gem from Lauren Blakely.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Audible | Purchase on Kindle

Sweet Cheeks by K. Bromberg

Read by Andi Arndt and Sebastian York

What a perfect feel-good romance! 

Blurb: It all started with the invitation. To my ex-fiance’s new wedding.

I should have ignored it. Thrown it away. Set it afire. But I didn’t. I replied.

With a plus one.

Enter Hayes Whitley. Mega-movie star. The man who has captured the hearts of millions. But I gave him mine years ago. He was my first love. He was my everything. Right until he up and left to chase his dreams without so much as a simple goodbye.

When he showed up out of the blue 10 years later, I should have known to steer clear. I should have rejected his offer to take me to my ex’s wedding and told him he was crazy when he suggested we act like a couple to show my ex, it’s true, I could do better than him.

But I didn’t.

And now we’re left wondering if the pieces of the life we once shared still fit together somehow. First loves are hard to forget. The question is, do we want to forget? Or do we risk the chance and see what happens next?

The way I see it, sometimes things happen in life and love’s put on hold. But if someone’s your soul mate, nothing is going to stop you from being together in the end. 

From my full review:
K Bromberg took two popular tropes, a second chance romance (first love), and a Hollywood/regular girl romance and made it unique, fresh, fun and sexy. I loved all of the characters and Ryder absolutely needs his own book! Sweet Cheeks is the perfect example of why I love to read. This book made me HAPPY. It made me feel good. It had me smiling throughout. It was swoony and sexy, fun and flirty, angsty and amazing and still filled with emotion. Add to that the amazing narration, and you have a total winner!

See my Full Review | Purchase on Audible | Purchase on Kindle

Four Letter Word by J. Daniels

Narrated by Sebastian York & Kate Russell

I so love how the couple met and hooked up in this, and the narration made the whole book even better.

Blurb: Fate. Hate. Love. Lies.

Which four letter word will change their lives forever?

Sydney Paige was never so mortified to hear the words “wrong number” in her life. She meant to tell off the guy who broke her best friend’s heart but unleashed her anger on a perfect stranger instead. And now her world is turned upside down by the captivating man who wants to keep her on the line.

Brian Savage is living a life he’s quickly come to hate – until Sydney’s wild rant has him hooked and hungry for more. Soon the sexy woman on the phone becomes the lover in his bed. But Brian has secrets, and the closer he lets Syd get, the harder it is to shield her from the devastating mistakes of his past.

“Think you might have the wrong number, Wild. I don’t normally suck on dildos after six o’clock on Tuesdays.”

From my full review:
I absolutely loved Four Letter Word by J. Daniels. While I don’t like to compare to other authors, J. Daniels gave me the feel of my favorite author, Kristen Ashley, but it never felt like she was copying. I loved the way the couple got to know each other before ever seeing each other. The mixture of fun banter, damaged hero, lovable heroine, good friends, secrets, healing, hot sex and believable love made Four Letter Word stand out as a favorite. The narration was amazing, and I think listening rather than reading may have even enhanced the book. I loved all the characters, and I so look forward to the next in the series, Hit The Spot.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Audible | Purchase on Kindle

The Marriage Games by CD Reiss

Read by Sebastian York and Elena Wolfe

The narration on this book stands out as the coolest audiobook yet. First of all, it’s two of my favorite narrators, but the really cool thing was that they interacted like a play and got rid of all the “he said/she said” so it was like listening to a play.

Blurb: Thirty days. That’s all Adam Steinbeck demands of his wife. Thirty days in a remote cottage, doing everything he demands. After that, he’ll sign her divorce papers and give her their company.

That’s how long he has to rediscover the man he once was. The dominant master he hid when he fell in love with her five years before.

She wants their production company badly enough to go to the cottage for a month. Cut off ties to the world and do his bidding. She can submit to him with her body, but her heart will never yield.

She thinks this is his pathetic attempt to repair their marriage.

She’s wrong.

“He moved around me, stood in front of me and over me. His silence was predatory. His posture was feral, yet completely in control.
I’d had no idea who I’d married. Had I been stupid and naïve, or shrewd?”

From my full review:
Marriage Games was a completely addictive story that you truly feel as you are reading it. It is different from any other BDSM book I have read, so don’t lump it in and say “not another BDSM book!” Thought provoking and compelling, this very sexy story will have you examining yourself, your relationship and your feelings as you identify with both of them. While I usually hate cliffhangers, I found this is more of a turn the story needed to take, and a pause is needed. The cliffy just works.  Though I didn’t totally fall for the characters the way I like to, I fell for the story, and the way the story unfolded. As far as the audio goes, this was the best narration I have experienced. With my two favorite narrators acting it out like a play instead of reading “he said, she said”. This style is ruining me for other audiobooks.

The Conclusion, Separation Games is out now, (audible coming very soon, I’m waiting)

See my Full Review | Purchase on Audible | Purchase on Kindle

One more for the list, but I won’t do a full rundown because the book released in 2015, but the audio was in 2016.

My Review
Purchase on Amazon

Most of Raegan’s books were published before 2016, but I’m still sharing them!

Bright Side & Gus by Kim Holden

Blurb: Secrets.
Everyone has one.
Some are bigger than others.
And when secrets are revealed,
Some will heal you …
And some will end you.

Kate Sedgwick’s life has been anything but typical. She’s endured hardship and tragedy, but throughout it all she remains happy and optimistic (there’s a reason her best friend Gus calls her Bright Side). Kate is strong-willed, funny, smart, and musically gifted. She’s also never believed in love. So when Kate leaves San Diego to attend college in the small town of Grant, Minnesota, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with Keller Banks.

They both feel it.
But they each have a reason to fight it.
They each have a secret.

And when secrets are revealed,
Some will heal you …
And some will end you.

Series Order: Bright Side | Gus | Franco (New!)

The Walsh Series by Kate Canterbary
Note from Raegan: I love them all, but if I have to narrow it down, my top favorite is The Cornerstone and Underneath It All is a close second.

Blurb From Book 1: One hot architect. One naughty schoolteacher. One crazy night that changes everything.

If I had known I’d have a hot architect balls deep inside of me before the end of the weekend, I’d have made time for a pedicure. Also, a little chat about not losing my shit at all the wrong moments.
Hindsight was a bitch, and karma…well, I didn’t know her story yet.

Meet Lauren Halsted.It’s all the little things–the action plans, the long-kept promises–that started falling apart when my life slipped into controlled chaos.

After I fell ass-over-elbow into Matthew Walsh’s arms.

I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to run screaming or rip his pants off, and most days I wanted a little of both. If I was being honest with myself, it was rip his pants off, ride him like a workhorse, and then run screaming.

Meet Matthew Walsh.
A rebellious streak ran through Lauren Halsted. It was fierce and unrelentingly beautiful, and woven through too many good girl layers to count, and she wasn’t letting anyone tell her what to do.

Unless, of course, she was naked.

She wasn’t looking for me and I sure as shit wasn’t looking for her, but we found each other anyway and now we were locked in a battle of wills, waiting for the other to blink.

Sometimes the universe conspires to bring people together. Other times, it throws them down a flight of stairs and leaves them in a bruised and bloodied heap.

See Ana’s Review of Underneath it All

See the Entire Series on Amazon

The Alabama Summer Series by J. Daniels

Note from Raegan: If I had to narrow it down to one from this series it would be When I Fall.

Blurb From Book 1: A New York Times bestselling enemies to lovers STANDALONE
romance.

When Mia Corelli returns to Alabama for a summer of fun with her childhood best friend, Tessa, there’s only one thing keeping her on edge. One person that she’d do anything to avoid.

Benjamin Kelly. World’s biggest dickhead.

Mia hates him with a fury and has no desire to ever see him again. When she decides to start her summer off with a bang and finally give away her v-card, she unknowingly hands it over to the one guy that excelled at making her life miserable, learning a valuable lesson in the process.

Always get the name of the guy you’re going home with.

Ben can’t get the girl he spent one night with out of his head. When she leaves him the next morning, he thinks he’ll never see her again. Until he sees her lounging by the pool with his sister.

Mia is determined to hate Ben, even though she can’t forget him.

Ben is determined to prove he’s not the same guy he used to be.

What happens when the one person you wish never existed becomes the one person you can’t imagine being without?

Purchase The Alabama Summer Series on Amazon

A Lover’s Lament by KL Grayson & BT Urruela

Note from Ana: This came very close to being on my list as well.
Blurb: In a matter of seconds my entire world changed, and it was in that moment that I stopped living and simply began to exist.

In my grief, I sent a letter to the first boy I ever loved. I hoped in writing it I’d find some peace from the nightmare I was living, some solace in my anger.

I didn’t expect him to write back. I wasn’t prepared for his words, and I certainly wasn’t ready for the impact this soldier would have on my life. A deep-rooted hate transformed into friendship, and then molded into a love like I’d never known before.

Sergeant Devin Ulysses Clay did what I couldn’t: he put the shattered pieces of my heart back together, restoring my faith in humanity and teaching me how to live again.

But now that I’m whole, I have a decision to make. Do I return to my life as I knew it and the fiancé I left behind, or do I walk away from it all for the only man to ever break my heart?

***

I’ve been living in hell, but you won’t hear me complain.

These men depend on me, as I do them, and this brotherhood is the only family I’ve ever known.

The Army saved me from a callous mother and a life on the wrong side of the tracks that was quickly spiraling out of control. So unlike most of the men in my platoon, going home wasn’t something I longed for.

I was content overseas, spending my days defending this country that gave me my life back. Fighting became my new normal … until her.

A letter from Katie Devora—a letter that I almost didn’t open. Her words put a fire back inside of me that I didn’t know I’d lost. She gave me hope during a time when I was fighting every day just to stay alive, and now it’s time I fight for her.

See Ana’s Review

Purchase on Amazon

The Pucked Series by Helena Hunting

Note from Raegan really enjoyed Pucked, but Pucked Over & Pucked Under are my #1’s

Note from Ana: This is a favorite series for me too!

Blurb From Book 1: ***The 1st standalone novel in The Pucked Series***

With a famous NHL player for a stepbrother, Violet Hall is well acquainted with the playboy reputation of many a hockey star. So of course she isn’t interested in legendary team captain Alex Waters or his pretty, beat-up face and rock-hard six-pack abs. When Alex inadvertently obliterates Violet’s misapprehension regarding the inferior intellect of hockey players, he becomes much more than just a hot body with the face to match.

Suffering from a complete lapse in judgment, Violet discovers just how good Alex is with the hockey stick in his pants. Violet believes her night of orgasmic magic with Alex is just that: one night. But Alex starts to call. And text. And email and send extravagant—and quirky—gifts. Suddenly, he’s too difficult to ignore, and nearly impossible not to like.

The problem is, the media portrays Alex as a total player, and Violet doesn’t want to be part of the game.

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One thing I love about having Dayna on the blog, is she reads very different books than me. She likes more dark and thriller-type books than I do. ~Ana

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