2017 Top Books and Audiobooks

The Hookup by Kristen Ashley

This book illustrates every reason why I am in love with Kristen Ashley’s writing. A perfect book to introduce you to her!

Blurb:
When the new girl in town, Eliza “Izzy” Forrester decides to hit the local drinking hole, she’s not ready to meet the town’s good, solid guy. She’s definitely not prepared to engage in her very first hookup with him.

Then Izzy wakes up the next morning in Johnny Gamble’s bed and good girl Izzy finds she likes being bad for Johnny.

Even so, Izzy feels Johnny holding her at arm’s length. But Johnny makes it clear he wants more and Izzy already knows she wants as much of hot-in-bed, sweet-out-of-it Johnny Gamble.

Floating on air thinking this is going somewhere, Izzy quickly learns why Johnny holds distant.

He’s in love with someone else. Someone who left him and did it leaving him broken. Whoever was up next would be runner up, second best. Knowing the stakes, Izzy will take what she can get from the gentleman that’s Johnny Gamble. And even knowing his heart might never mend, Johnny can’t seem to stay away from Izzy.

Until out of nowhere, his lost love comes back to town. He’s not going back, but Johnny still knows the right thing to do is let Izzy go.

And Izzy knew the stakes, so she makes it easy and slips though his fingers.

But that’s before Johnny realizes Eliza moved to town to escape danger that’s been swirling around her.

And that’s why Johnny decides to wade in.

That and the fact Eliza Forrester makes breakfast with a canary singing on her shoulder and fills out tight dresses in a way Johnny Gamble cannot get out of his head.

“We’re here again so I’ll give it to you. I’m that guy as well. You got an hour-long commute. I got a ten-minute commute. It takes you six times the amount of time to get ready for work as it does me. It isn’t that taking care of animals is man’s work, which, babe, just to say, I’m that guy too so for me it is. But for me as the man in the life of the woman you are, it’s about doing shit I do not mind doing so you can have an extra half hour of shuteye or just an easier morning. So when I wake up in this bed, Iz, I take care of the animals and breakfast. You take care of you.”

Down & Dirty Review:
The Hookup will not only be a 2017 favorite and a Kristen Ashley favorite, but an all-time favorite. It was totally romantic, sexy, addicting and pressed every button for a perfect read for me. If someone were to ask me why I love Kristen Ashley so much, I would say “Read The Hookup, because it’s a perfect example of why I love her writing.” I love how she is not afraid to let men be MEN and take care of a woman, and how strong and capable yet still girly her heroines are. I love how the story showed that there may be more than one love in anyone’s life. Your heart can always expand and you can love someone even more for totally different reasons. Whether you have read Kristen Ashley before, or you’ve always heard great things but didn’t know where to start, this would be a great one to start with. Then consult My Complete Guide to Kristen Ashley.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Amazon | Audible

See my Complete Guide to Kristen Ashley

Drive by Kate Stewart

A complete surprise for me, Drive has a lot of things I usually don’t like to read, yet I loved every word!

Blurb:
2017 Nominee for Best Contemporary Romance-GOODREADS
Named one of the Top 10 hottest romance reads of 2017 by Huffington Post and New York Daily News

Music . . . the heart’s greatest librarian.

The average song is three and a half minutes long; those three and a half minutes could lead to a slow blink, a glimpse of the past, or catapult the soul into heart-shattering nostalgia.

At the height of my career, I had the life I wanted, the life I’d always envisioned. I’d found my tempo, my rhythm. Then I received a phone call that left me off key.

You see, my favorite songs had a way of playing simultaneously. I was in love with one man’s beats and another’s lyrics. But when it came to the soundtrack of a life, how could anyone choose a favorite song? So, to erase any doubt, I ditched my first-class ticket and decided to take a drive, fixed on the rearview.

Two days.

One playlist.

And the long road home to the man who was waiting for me.

“Because music is the heart’s greatest librarian. A few notes had the ability to transport me back in time, and to the most painful places. Take any song from the Rolodex of your life and you can pin it to a memory. It translates, resonates, and there it will remain.”

The Down & Dirty:
I don’t care if you don’t like love triangles, young characters or rock stars, READ THIS BOOK. Drive by Kate Stewart is a perfect example of why I started this blog. I want EVERYONE to know about and read this book. Not into music with your books? That’s OK, this is amazing with or without the music, it just enhances the story. Drive left me heartbroken, yet my heart is full. I know many are worried about the love triangle aspect, but there is no bed hopping going on. She is not cheating physically, but her heart is, and maybe it always would, because she will love both of these men forever.

It’s amazing how Kate Stewart manipulated my heart in Drive. I was so sure I felt one way, than BAM, I flip the other way. It kept me glued to the book and tuning out everything but the book and the songs. I think Drive will end up on an all-time favorite list of mine, it’s just that good. I usually won’t even think of giving 5 stars to a book with anything in the dislikes, but I feel so strongly about this one that I’m still giving it 5+++++ Stars.

See My Full Review | Purchase on Amazon

Girl Crush by Stephie Walls

OMG, just thinking of some of the lines in this book makes me giggle again. Unique and funny, I can’t wait to listen to it when it’s on audible later this month.

Blurb:
I was done.

Done with men.

Women say it all the time; they get fed up, throw their hands in the air, and vow a life of celibacy—until the next chiseled chest comes into view and then they’re foaming at the mouth and wiping the drool from their chins. But this was different, I really meant it.

I’d been manhandled by the last pig that would ever bring his sausage near me. After one of the nastiest divorces in history, followed by some of the crudest and raunchiest dates, I’d decided to bat for the other team.

…At least I tried.

But creating the next Brat Pack hadn’t been on the agenda. Neither had my date’s brother, Collier West. And I wasn’t prepared for finding true love at the end of my gal-pal tryst.

“Giselle, you don’t just decide to become a lesbian. You either are, or you aren’t, and based on the fact you’ve been sucking stick instead of going down to Taco Town since puberty, it’s unlikely you just missed the signs.”

The Down & Dirty:
Girl Crush by Stephie Walls attracted me with it’s unique blurb. I rarely interrupt my reading schedule, especially when I’m behind, but this book called to me, and I am SO GLAD I ditched the day to read it. It was the best day I had in MONTHS. I spent the entire day laughing my head off, sighing (in a good way) and swooning, and feeling like I was hanging out with a hysterical group of friends. There was the perfect mix of funny, romance, characters I loved, great friendships, and a completely different and unique storyline. I don’t give 5+++++ stars easily, but I can’t give this book anything less than that. I loved it that much, and it’s sure to be on my 2017 Top Favorites list.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Amazon | Audible (coming 1/23)

Dear Life by Meghan Quinn

My first book of 2017 and it still stands out as one of the best. Completely unique and emotional. Reading this was an experience.

Blurb:

Dear Life,

It’s New Years Eve and time for a resolution. Time for decision and self-discovery. After all, isn’t that what starting over, in a new year, is all about? Forgiveness. Clean slates? Finding beauty in heartbreak and pain, and finding yourself along the way?

We hope so.

Because we’ve immersed in the anonymously published Dear Life program, designed to help us step outside of our comfort zones and start anew. Forced to face obstacles and relinquish our demons we’ll come together–or fall apart– to prove our existence:

Hollyn: The perpetually hurt
Daisy: The sheltered and naïve
Jace: The athlete with a heart of gold
Carter: The bitter and pained dreamer

Win big or lose it all, we’re at a crossroads in our lives; four strangers meeting in the middle.
Do we have what it takes to use this one chance and start over? Or will we fall apart?

“She’s sunshine and rainbows; I’m rainclouds and puddles.”

My Down & Dirty Review:
Meghan Quinn proved her existence with this book. I have loved all of her comedy, but Dear Life was a complete departure for her. Sure, there was some comedy, but those moments came at the perfect times because this was one of the most emotional books I have read. It’s not even the storyline that is so emotional, but the telling of it put you right there in the story, experiencing it with the characters. This is one of the hardest reviews I’ve ever written because my words just can’t do this story justice, and I don’t want to give away anything, so you need to just pick it up and experience it yourself. Don’t let the tears scare you. I hate to cry. But I cried good tears (like the ones I cry every single year at the end of It’s A Wonderful Life). I am so glad Meghan is not following this up with another book. Because honestly, it was perfect as is, and more might mar that perfection. *Note: This book did feel a little long, but remember we are telling 4 stories, not just 2.

See My Full Review | Purchase on Amazon | Audible $1.99 Upgrade

The Darkest Sunrise and The Brightest Sunset by Aly Martinez

Wow, what an amazing duet! So unpredictable and it brought out every human emotion.

Blurb (for book 1):
Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.
Whoever coined that phrase is a bald-faced liar. Words are often the sharpest weapon of all, triggering some of the most powerful emotions a human can experience.
“You’re pregnant.”
“It’s a boy.”
“Your son needs a heart transplant.”
Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.
Lies.
Syllables and letters may not be tangible, but they can still destroy your entire life faster than a bullet from a gun.
Two words—that was all it took to extinguish the sun from my sky.
“He’s gone.”
For ten years, the darkness consumed me.
In the end, it was four deep, gravelly words that gave me hope of another sunrise.
“Hi. I’m Porter Reese.”

“Our situations were different, but the same shade of black painted both of our souls.”

The Down & Dirty:
The Darkest Sunrise Duet will be at the top of my Best of 2017 list, without a doubt. It kept me up all night turning pages, crying, laughing, swooning, getting mad and second guessing all of my predictions. The only thing I stopped reading to do was post about how much I was loving this duet. These were completely out of my comfort zone —I don’t do ugly cries often (but when I do, I admit, they usually end up on my favorites list) but I am so glad I shook things up for The Darkest Sunrise Duet, because it will have a place on my all-time-favorite list.

See my Full Review | Purchase The Darkest Sunrise duet on Amazon | Audible

Co-WRECKER (The Binghamton Series Book 1) by Meghan Quinn

I love the entire Binghamton series. Meghan Quinn knows just how to blend great humor and emotion.

Blurb:
Co-Wrecker is a small town, coworkers to lovers romance that can be read as a standalone romantic comedy. See why readers are falling in love with this nerdy alpha male.

What do ice cream and Sadie Montgomery have in common? They’re both ice cold, but one taste is never enough.

I wanted to be friends — I would have even settled for her seeing me as anything but a nerd — but there was no getting through. So just like any hard-headed, red-blooded man out there, I made up my mind.

I’d make my coworker fall for me.

I’d like to say it was simple, but like every other epic love story, all it took was one drunken night and a lot of naked courage to get the girl. For a moment, at least.

Love with a coworker is never simple, especially since Sadie’s trying to keep us on the low. Not to mention her persistent ex-boyfriend who won’t leave her alone. But I’ve never been good at giving up, and I don’t plan to start now.

The whole thing is a recipe for a rocky road, but I plan to eat the whole gallon, no matter how bad the brain freeze.

“Everything about this woman is hard as nails but it’s as if when she’s with me, in this little comfort cocoon we formed, she’s soft, sweet, and playful.”

The Down & Dirty:
I’m actually a day late posting my review, because to tell you the truth, I had to keep putting Co-WRECKER down, I didn’t want it to end. I wanted to savor every word, not read it while I am peeing or falling asleep. It’s rare when I am reading a book and all I want to do is keep posting on social media saying “YOU NEED TO BUY THIS BOOK” but that’s how I felt reading Co-WRECKER by Meghan Quinn. I want to scream about it from the rooftops. I absolutely loved every single word of Co-Wrecker. I smiled the whole time, I laughed out loud, I swooned, I fanned myself, and I even cried. There was depth and substance disguised in the funny lines. Co-WRECKER is my idea of a perfect feel-good read, and it perfectly defines all the reasons I love to read. Meghan Quinn has cemented herself in my small handful of favorite authors with Co-Wrecker, and I am so freaking excited to have her at Wicked Book Weekend 18!

See my Full Review | Purchase on Amazon

Series Order (I LOVED them ALL!!!)

180 Seconds by Jessica Park

Once Again, a Jessica Park book is on my Best of the Year list. I rarely read YA/NA but for Jessica Park, I will always make an exception.

Blurb:
Some people live their entire lives without changing their perspective. For Allison Dennis, all it takes is 180 seconds…

After a life spent bouncing from one foster home to the next, Allison is determined to keep others at arm’s length. Adopted at sixteen, she knows better than to believe in the permanence of anything. But as she begins her third year in college, she finds it increasingly difficult to disappear into the white noise pouring from her earbuds.

One unsuspecting afternoon, Allison is roped into a social experiment just off campus. Suddenly, she finds herself in front of a crowd, forced to interact with a complete stranger for 180 seconds. Neither she, nor Esben Baylor, the dreamy social media star seated opposite her, is prepared for the outcome.

When time is called, the intensity of the experience overwhelms Allison and Esben in a way that unnerves and electrifies them both. With a push from her oldest friend, Allison embarks on a journey to find out if what she and Esben shared is the real thing—and if she can finally trust in herself, in others, and in love.

“You can’t reach what’s in front of you until you let go of what’s behind you.”

The Down & Dirty:
Jessica Park has written another book that will go on my all-time favorite list. 180 Seconds is honestly a book I never would have read, but my past experience in loving Jessica Park’s books convinced me to give it a try, and I am so glad I did. 180 Seconds was a mix of laughter, feel-good experiences and emotion. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking, and it breaks you and pieces you back together again. I loved every quirky character, every tweet, every drop of character growth and emotion. I used more tissues reading this book than that I used in the past year together, but that just made it better.

If you are like me and don’t read YA/NA books, please, don’t let that stop you with 180 Seconds, you’ll laugh, swoon, cry, and want to scream your love out to the world, just like me.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Amazon | Audible

Preppy Part 2 by T.M Frazier

Part 1 was on my Best of 2016 list. I love the entire King Series, and I will read anything T.M. Frazier writes.

The Blurb:
Preppy finds himself back in a world he once loved, but no longer recognizes. His dim smile can’t hide his inner turmoil and the people he views as family all suddenly feel like polite strangers.

Except for one person. A girl with dark eyes and even darker hair.
A girl who isn’t even an option.

“Hey, Doc?” he asked, searching my eyes. His laugh quieted and his smile fell.
My stomach flipped. “Yeah?”
“This time… I’m gonna keep you.”

The Down & Dirty:
Preppy Part two is my favorite T.M. Frazier book to date, and that’s saying a lot. It focuses a little less on the crimes and the wars and the sex and much more on relationships, growth and family. It shows every character’s growth and changes. Preppy was much more subdued in this installment, and even though he had been my favorite character, and I love his silly, crazy antics, I loved him in a different way during Preppy Part two. Seeing him vulnerable and noble and loving and hurting and confused just made me love him even more. I loved how Dre was now the one saving him, because she has grown and healed so much. King and Bear both play important roles in this installment, as do Ray and Thia. We even get a visit from Rage and another cameo or two. T.M. Frazier could have dropped the cliffy ending and ended the series right here and I would have been very happy with it. But honestly, I am so glad she didn’t, because I wasn’t more. No I NEED more. Hurry up Part Three!

See my review of Preppy Part 2 | Purchase Preppy Part 2 on Amazon | Audible

See the King Series Order Here

Sex Says by Max Monroe

I love a silly and quirky but intelligent couple! I laughed out loud throughout this read.

Blurb:
What happens when the one guy you want to avoid the most, is unavoidable?

Lola Sexton is the writer behind Sex Says, a successful relationship column at the San Francisco Times. She’s a pro at advising others on their love lives, but if there’s one thing she isn’t in the market for, it’s love.

Reed Luca is a wanderer and a jack of all trades. He doesn’t believe happiness comes from a nine to five job, or that success is delivered through a paycheck.
But opportunity often finds its way to those who aren’t looking.

When Reed signs up to write an anti-Sex Says relationship column, the result is all out war.

Sex Says: If you let guys walk all over you, you could end up smelling like feet.
Reed This: Don’t try to change who you are. There’s someone out there for everyone. Take someone with a foot fetish falling in love with someone who smells like feet as an example.

Sex Says: Appreciate what you’re given.
Reed This: Don’t like what you’re given? Fight for what you want.

Sex Says: Don’t ever date a guy named Reed Luca.
Reed This: Find a woman like Lola Sexton and find her quick. She’s a unicorn.

Lola hates Reed. Really, she does.
It’s just too bad the guy is so likable.

Do not look down. Do not look at his crotch, Lola…
“Are you staring at my dick?”
Goddammit, Lola.

Moving my gaze up from his crotch—it admittedly moved a little slowly—I finally settled my focus into the face of none other than my archnemesis. Reed Luca, looking fresh as a fucking daisy and smirking like the devil himself.

The Down & Dirty:
I have only read the very first Max Monroe book (twice, once regular and once on audio) and I absolutely loved it, they just wrote them so fast I never had time to keep up and read them all, so I am so glad they finally wrote a new standalone I was able to grab. I absolutely LOVE their “little world of weird and eccentric” in Sex Says; it’s quirky, silly, sexy, fun and oh-so-smart. Part of me wishes there was a way to make a series from it, but this couple is one-of-a-kind and they should totally stand alone. If you are looking to laugh your ass off at two intelligent, immature adults who like to experience all that life offers, Sex Says is a great story for you. I was a bit wary in the beginning, but Sex Says stood out enough to me that I know it will end up on my Best of 2017 list.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Amazon | Audible

Commitment by K.M. Golland

Listed as Book 5 or 6 in a series, this is a total standalone and a must read for any long-time married couple.

Blurb:
Sizzling power couple, Bryce and Alexis — from the Temptation novels — help bring sexy back to their friend’s lacklustre thirteen-year marriage.
Natasha Jones loves her life, her husband and their two young sons. She works hard both at home and as an Events Supervisor at City Towers. But when a relationship with her work colleague unexpectedly progresses, Tash begins to question whether or not her marriage has passed its ‘Use by’ date.
Dean Jones is a numbers man but has no idea that his number could be up where his marriage is concerned. Never one to really speak his mind, he has always opted to just go with the flow in order to keep his wife happy.
Passion, intimacy, and communication have taken a backseat to demanding careers, a mortgage, and family life, and it’s not until Tash and Dean stand to lose everything they have built together that the spark between them begins to flicker again.
And boy does it flicker …
and ignite …
and nearly burn the entire neighbourhood down!
Can Tash and Dean keep this newly lit flame alive and save their marriage? Or will temptation make the commitment seem too much to bear?

I’d found this great channel a few nights ago that had some hot, kinky shit. Shit I’d never try on Tash. My wife was adventurous but not in the bedroom. She liked it soft, smooth, sensual and missionary. She liked our sex life as it was. And that was fine. I wasn’t complaining. I loved having sex with Tash however it came. Pun not intended.

The Down & Dirty:
Commitment is a must read for married couples, both men and women alike. I loved reading about a long-time married couple trying to find the spark they once had. Major temptation, lots of laughs, introspection, sexy times and great advice from friends show that marriage isn’t always smooth sailing. It takes work on both parts and the failure of a marriage can also happen from just being complacent. Commitment stood alone just fine, and I don’t think it’s necessary to read previous books in the series, but I really love KM Golland’s sometimes raunchy, sometimes immature humor, and will now be looking out for more new releases from her, I hope we have another with a more mature couple! Commitment was so unique in that it is a married romance, and it’s a top pick for this blog, already on my upcoming Best of 2017 list.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Amazon

The Time in Between (The Magdalene Series Book 3) by Kristen Ashley

Kristen Ashley produce all gold this year. This was another great addition to the Magdalene series, featuring older characters with kids. I LOVE the kids in KA books!

Blurb:
After a painful loss, Cady Moreland is coming to Magdalene to start the next chapter of her life. A chapter that began eighteen years ago but had a heartbreaking ending. The time in between was full of family and friendship, but Cady could never get the man she fell in love with all those years ago out of her heart.

Coert Yeager has learned to live without the girl who entered his life right when she shouldn’t and exited delivering a crippling blow he never would have suspected. The time in between was full of failing to find what he was missing…and life-altering betrayal.

But when that girl shows up in Magdalene and buys the town’s beloved lighthouse, even if Coert wants to avoid her, he can’t. A fire in town sparks a different kind of flame that won’t be ignored.

As Cady and Coert question the actions of the two young adults they once were thrown into earth-shattering circumstances, can they learn from what came in between and find each other again?

“Now I think I understand why you’re prettier when you look at Daddy. Because what’s inside is coming out.”
All right. That was it. I’d completely fallen in love with Coert’s daughter.

The Down & Dirty:
Sigh….Swoon….The Time In Between is the perfect alpha male romance. Featuring an EPIC second chance romance, a mature couple who knows what they want, a great kid and amazing dog, a wonderful extended family and friends and a beautifully scenic location, The Time In Between joins the first two in the Magdalene series as all-time favorites. This is Kristen Ashley at her best. This series focuses on mature couples blending families rather than the explosions and kidnappings and motorcycles of some of the other series, but there is still drama and excitement, it’s just a bit more tame. I am so sad to see the series end here, but it seemed pretty clear that this was it for Magdalene.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Amazon | Audible

Series Order:

See my Complete Guide to Kristen Ashley

The Outskirts Duet by T.M. Frazier

I loved the Outskirts duet by TM Frazier! Different from the King series, it still had me riveted to my Kindle. I loved it just as much when I listened a second time around.

Blurb:
Having grown up isolated in a strict religious household, Sawyer Dixon makes her escape and finds herself in a town at the edge of the swamp called Outskirts.

Finn Hollis is sexy, broody, and after a horrible tragedy, he just wants to be left the hell alone. When he gets a new neighbor, the scorching hot—yet innocent, Sawyer, she makes him feel things he never wanted to feel again.

Finn wants her gone, almost as much as he wants her in his bed.

Sawyer. Isn’t. Going. Anywhere.

The swamp is about to get a whole lot hotter.

“The land. The town. The people. Everything was new to me. But angry men weren’t, and I refused to be intimidated. Not by my own fears. Not by the church. Not by my father. Not by anyone. Not ANYMORE.”

The Down & Dirty:
Though this isn’t the violent, gritty, depraved world of The King Series, T.M. Frazier managed to inject that grittiness into a new town where the characters have their own demons and secrets that I look forward to uncovering in the next book, The Outliers. There is something so uniquely compelling about The Outskirts. The forgotten, swampy Florida town and its characters came completely alive for an unputdownable one-sitting read. I can’t wait to go back in The Outliers. I was nervous I wouldn’t remember the book enough when the next comes out, but I think it is so different, that I won’t have a problem with that. Still, I went back and listened to the audiobook before Outliers came out and loved it just as much the second time.

Series Order:

See my Full Review of The Outskirts | Outliers Review | Purchase on Amazon | Audible

The Bunny is Coming by Tara Sivec

This is a short story, but I couldn’t not put it on this list, because it made me laugh my ass off and maybe pee a little. This series is an all-time favorite.

Blurb:
Sam and Noel have had more than their share of mishaps since they met, and are starting to wonder if they might be jinxed around the holidays. But what could possibly go wrong during a beautiful celebration like Easter, when spring is in the air, eggs need to be colored, baskets have to be filled, and cute little bunny decorations need a home?

With this family – EVERYTHING.

“Aunt Bobbie, they do not include those wax crayons in the egg dying kits for you to draw penises on all the eggs. Are you forgetting that mom has the neighborhood kids come over to find these eggs after Easter mass?” I remind her, wondering how in the hell she got so much detail on such a small area.

The Down & Dirty:
I went from laughing to choking to getting a few sweet, sentimental tears in this quick little read. I will warn you, don’t try to sneak read this in church on Easter because honestly, you’ll negate every drop of good you did by going to church. The Bunny is Coming may be one of the most inappropriate books ever. That’s why I loved it.

See My Full Review | Purchase on Amazon | Purchase the series

Rock Chick Reawakening by Kristen Ashley

Better than I ever dreamed! Can be read as the first or last in the Rock Chick Series.

Blurb:
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristen Ashley comes a new story in her Rock Chick series…

A prequel to Kristen’s Rock Chick series, Rock Chick Reawakening shares the tale of the devastating event that nearly broke Daisy, an event that set Marcus Sloan—one of Denver’s most respected businessmen and one of the Denver underground’s most feared crime bosses—into finally making his move to win the heart of the woman who stole his.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

“In terms I hope you’ll understand, darling, in fairytales, the prince vanquishes the wicked queen. The evil stepmother. The malicious goblin. In real life, Daisy, to avenge wrong done to his princess, if the need arises, the prince puts a bullet in somebody’s brain.”

The Down & Dirty:
Kristen Ashley gives readers everything we didn’t know we wanted and more with Rock Chick Reawakening. With so many huge fans clamoring for this story Kristen Ashley rose to the challenge and made it even better than I could have dreamed, and did it all in a novella that felt full-length. Marcus has always been a background character. I wondered how sweet Daisy ended up with a criminal, but I never really knew him. Well to know him is to love him, because Marcus is the bomb! Both Daisy and Marcus’s background will tear you up and piece you right back together again, better than you were before, just like they did for each other. Rock Chick Reawakening brought the Rock Chick Series full circle, and I couldn’t have imagined a better end (or beginning) to a favorite series.

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

Most of All you by Mia Sheridan

Mia Sheridan makes my list again with this quiet little gem.

Blurb:
A broken woman . . .

Crystal learned long ago that love brings only pain. Feeling nothing at all is far better than being hurt again. She guards her wounded heart behind a hard exterior and carries within her a deep mistrust of men, who, in her experience, have only ever used and taken.

A man in need of help . . .

Then Gabriel Dalton walks into her life. Despite the terrible darkness of his past, there’s an undeniable goodness in him. And even though she knows the cost, Crystal finds herself drawn to Gabriel. His quiet strength is wearing down her defenses and his gentle patience is causing her to question everything she thought she knew.

Only love can mend a shattered heart . . .

Crystal and Gabriel never imagined that the world, which had stolen everything from them, would bring them a deep love like this. Except fate will only take them so far, and now the choice is theirs: Harden their hearts once again or find the courage to shed their painful pasts.

“I don’t mind chasing you, Ellie. Just let me catch you once in a while.”

The Down & Dirty:
Most of All You was a beautiful tale of healing, growth, finding one’s true self, and of course love. It’s a powerful, emotional story that never rushed itself. I completely fell for the soft yet strong Gabriel and his positive attitude and I loved watching Ellie’s growth throughout the story. I loved how it demonstrated that having support is so important to get started, but ultimately you need to find a way to love yourself before opening yourself to others. Once again, Mia Sheridan wrote a unique, quiet and soft, emotional gem with a subtle message.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Amazon | Audible

Without Merit by Colleen Hoover

Quirky to the point of almost being a little weird, that’s OK, it is part of the charm of this book. I was in a book funk, and this totally zapped me out. Colleen has been on my list every year since 2012.

Blurb:
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Ends With Us and November 9 comes a moving and haunting novel of family, love, and the power of the truth.

“Not every mistake deserves a consequence. Sometimes the only thing it deserves is forgiveness.”

The Voss family is anything but normal. They live in a repurposed church, newly baptized Dollar Voss. The once cancer-stricken mother lives in the basement, the father is married to the mother’s former nurse, the little half-brother isn’t allowed to do or eat anything fun, and the eldest siblings are irritatingly perfect. Then, there’s Merit.

Merit Voss collects trophies she hasn’t earned and secrets her family forces her to keep. While browsing the local antiques shop for her next trophy, she finds Sagan. His wit and unapologetic idealism disarm and spark renewed life into her—until she discovers that he’s completely unavailable. Merit retreats deeper into herself, watching her family from the sidelines, when she learns a secret that no trophy in the world can fix.

Fed up with the lies, Merit decides to shatter the happy family illusion that she’s never been a part of before leaving them behind for good. When her escape plan fails, Merit is forced to deal with the staggering consequences of telling the truth and losing the one boy she loves.

Poignant and powerful, Without Merit explores the layers of lies that tie a family together and the power of love and truth.

“So many secrets in this house. And yet, the one secret I should have told years ago is the one I’ve kept the quietest.”

The Down & Dirty:
Without Merit was one of the quirkiest books I ever read. This YA novel was completely unique and a bit odd, but it forces you to look at things from different perspectives. I gobbled this book down over two days and was completely engrossed in the story that was anything but predictable. It’s not quite a romance, but it is so different that I don’t think I could classify it in any genre, but I guess it’s all in how YOU look at it. I loved all the fun and quirky oddities, I loved the way it made me think, I love that I have been to the town, and I love that it was so different it zapped me out of my funk. Without Merit may be different, but it’s another winner from the genius known as CoHo.

See My Full Review | Purchase on Amazon | Audible

Behind The Bars by Brittainy C. Cherry

So glad I held off doing my list until I read this emotional gem!

Blurb:
When I first met Jasmine Greene, she came in as raindrops.

I was the awkward musician, and she was the high school queen.
The only things we had in common were our music and our loneliness.

Something in her eyes told me her smile wasn’t always the truth.
Something in her voice gave me a hope I always wished to find.
And in a flash, she was gone.

Years later, she was standing in front of me on a street in New Orleans.
She was different, but so was I. Life made us colder. Harder. Isolated.

Caged.

Even though we were different, the broken pieces of me recognized the sadness in her.
Now she was back, and I wouldn’t make the mistake of letting her go again.

When I first met Jasmine Greene, she came in as raindrops.
When we met again, I became her darkest storm.

We’d spent so much time behind those bars, listening to different types of music and making promises we couldn’t keep—promises of futures and dreams, of us keeping in touch, of forever.

The Down and Dirty:
Behind the Bars is not a light, easy read by any means. But it is an epic read. There was so much heart and soul and music and love and anger in every word. It was way more than just a second chance romance. It was young love, tragedy, family, friendship, heartbreak, healing, love and music. It was one of the most emotional books I read this year and just had so much story from every direction. I am so glad I was able to fit it in this year and add it to my best of 2017 list.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Amazon

Full Package by Lauren Blakely

Narrated by Sebastian York

I am in love with every book in this series and the related books. Full Package me stand out to me the most, but evey one of them deserves to be on this list.

Blurb:
I’ve been told I have quite a gift. Hey, I don’t just mean in my pants. I’ve got a big brain, too, and a huge heart of gold. And I like to use all my gifts to the fullest, the package included.

Life is smooth sailing…until I find myself stuck between a rock and a sexy roommate, which makes for one very hard…place. Because scoring an apartment in this city is harder than finding true love. So even if I have to shack up with my buddy’s smoking-hot and incredibly amazing little sister, a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.

I can resist Josie. I’m disciplined, I’m focused, and I keep my hands to myself, even in the mere 500 square feet we share. Until the one night she insists on sliding under the covers with me. It’ll help her sleep after what happened that day, she says.

Spoiler – neither one of us sleeps.

Did I mention she’s also one of my best friends? That she’s brilliant, beautiful, and a total firecracker? Guess that makes her the full package, too. What’s a man stuck in a hard place to do?

“I want what every woman wants.”
“What’s that?”
She cocks her head. Gazes right into my eyes. Licks her lips. “The full package. I want the full package.”

The Down & Dirty:
If Full Package was the first male POV book I had read from Lauren Blakely, it probably would have been 5+++++ stars the way Big Rock was, but now that I know what to expect, the new, shocking perfection of these stories have faded into more of an expectation. In fact, I get nervous as she releases them that each book can not live up to the standards of the previous, but they do! Lauren Blakely has a magical way of telling a story filled with humor, total hotness, romance, respect, friendship, love and real people. Full Package was the full package of all of my favorite things in a book, and the narration by Sebastian York is perfect for the male POV RomComs more than anything else. I can’t recommend this entire ‘series’ more. It is definitely an all-time favorite.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Kindle | Audible

See the entire Big Rock Series and Related books here.
They are ALL fighting for a spot here.

Pucked off by Helena Hunting

Narrated by Rose Dioro & Jacob Morgan

Pucked Off actually works really well as a standalone, and though funny, is more emotional and angsty than the rest of the series, and may be the best of them.

Blurb:
A standalone novel.

I’m NHL defenseman Lance Romero, AKA Lance “Romance”.

I’m notorious for parties and excess. I have the most penalty minutes in the league. I get into the most fights. I take the most hits. I’m a player on and off the ice. I’m the one women with no inhibitions want.

Not because I like the notoriety, but because I don’t know how to be any other way.

I have secrets. Ones I shared with the wrong person, and she used them against me. Sometimes she still does. I should cut ties. But she makes it difficult, because she’s the kind of bad I deserve.

At least that’s what I believed until someone from my past gets caught up in my present. She’s all the good things in this world. She lights up my dark.

I shouldn’t want her.

But I do.

I should leave her alone.

But I won’t.

“I wrap my arm around her and pull her closer. I don’t know why I can handle her touching me when I’ve never been able to handle anyone before. It’s like she connects to some part of me I didn’t know was there.”

The Down & Dirty:
Pucked Off is in many ways the best in the Pucked series. Though the original, Pucked, will always be my favorite (how can you not love Super MC?), Pucked Off is so different you can’t even compare it. I would not call it a romantic comedy, the way the rest of the series is. It is a serious, emotional, angsty book, with lots of the fun humor Helena is known for to break up the emotion. I think Pucked Off can absolutely stand alone, and in some ways it may be better to read this first, especially if you like an angstier, more emotional story.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Kindle | Audible

Take Me Back by Meghan March

Narrated by Andi Arndt & Zachary Webber

One of the most unique and surprising books I read all year.

Blurb:
From USA Today best-selling author Meghan March comes a hot new stand-alone romance all about second chances.

We fell in love on a beach, got married in paradise, and rode off into the sunset. It should have been perfect, but saying “I do” doesn’t guarantee a happily ever after.

Two years later, I barely recognize either of us behind the walls we’ve built.

It’s time to bring it full circle. Back to a tropical paradise. Back to find out if we can still make this work.

I’m not willing to give her up, but to save us, I have to risk everything.

Two damaged people.

Countless secrets.

The fight of our lives.

We might be broken, but we’re not done.

“We’re right here. We might be drifting, but we’re not done yet.”

The Down & Dirty:
Hands-down one of the best and most unique books I’ve read this year, Take Me Back by Meghan March had everything I wanted and SO MUCH MORE. I have kept this review to a bare minimum because you need to go in without knowing. DON’T READ SPOILERS! Seriously, you will read Take Me Back in one sitting. It’s addictive, enthralling, sexy, emotional, and exciting-I don’t even want my adjectives to tell too much, so just READ IT.

See My Full Review | Purchase on Kindle | Audible

The Catch by K. Bromberg

So when an injury threatens to end Easton’s season early, the team calls in renowned physical therapist, Doc Dalton, to oversee his recovery. Except it’s not Doc who greets Easton for his first session, but rather, his daughter, Scout. She may be feisty, athletic, defiant, and gorgeous, but Easton is left questioning whether she has what it takes to help him.

Scout Dalton’s out to prove a female can handle the pressure of running the physical therapy regimen of an MLB club. And that proof comes in the form of getting phenom Easton Wylder back on the field. But getting him healthy means being hands-on.

And with a man as irresistible as Easton, being hands-on can only lead to one thing, trouble. Because the more she touches him, the more she wants him, and she can’t want him. Not when it’s her job to maintain the club’s best interest, in regards to whether he’s ready to play.

But when sparks fly and fine lines are crossed, can they withstand the heat, or is one of them bound to get burned?

Quote from The Player:
“He’s good with kids. And with dogs. And with his sick mom. And with spooked women. Is there anything this man can do to make me not like him?
Because I’m beginning to think he might need to do that, so I don’t start believing he hung the moon. Or stole my heart.”

The Down & Dirty:
The Catch was so much more than I ever expected. While I really loved The Player, I only gave it 4.25 stars mostly because I thought it could be told in one book. I WAS WRONG. This was a duet in every sense. There was a full storyline in The Catch and SO MUCH happened. I will actually be noting on the first review that I was wrong and upping my rating. The Catch was so well written, so emotional and chock-full of surprises I couldn’t have imagined a better conclusion. I would count The Catch and now the duet as one of my 2017 favorites even though sports romances aren’t usually my thing. This couple was just so real and genuine together that I couldn’t help but fall for them.

See my Review for The Player | See My Review for The Catch | Purchase the duet on Kindle | The Player on Audible | The Catch on Audible

Complicated by Kristen Ashley

Narrated by Lance Greenfield and Erin Mallon

I listened to this when it was on audible exclusive for 6 months and loved it. It seems the people who listened love it a little more than the people who read it.

Blurb:
From the New York Times best-selling author of the Rock Chick series comes a story of love, murder, and second chances….

When small-town Nebraska sheriff Hixon Drake meets Greta Dare, the connection couldn’t be stronger, but the timing couldn’t be worse.

Dealing with the fallout of a divorce he never wanted and setting up a new home for his kids, Hix becomes that guy, that one he never wanted to be, and puts a stop to things before they can even start. Protecting his kids and himself is his only priority.

Greta, on the other hand, has found the place for her and the brother she adores that’s perfect for them – a sleepy little town in Nebraska. She’s learned from life that there are no hopes and dreams. The only thing to look forward to is peace. And that’s what she works hard to build for herself and her brother. Right up until Hix walks into her life.

Hix can’t fight the pull and stay away from Greta for long. And Greta’s finding it hard not to hope for something more with all the promise that is Hix.

But when the first murder that’s happened in over five decades rocks his small, sleepy county, Hix has got to learn to trust again, convince Greta to take a shot with him, and at the same time catch a killer.

In other words, things are definitely…Complicated.

“It’s you. It was you from the first time you sat your ass across from me at that table at the Dew and you know it. I knew it. It freaked me and I bailed, that’s how strong your pull was. All the shit I jacked up between us was because I couldn’t deal. I couldn’t adjust that fast to being given a shot at something so fucking beautiful when my life had turned to such shit.”

The Down & Dirty:
Complicated is everything I love about Kristen Ashley. If someone asked me why I am so crazy about her writing, I would tell them to go listen to Complicated to understand. It’s 18+ delicious hours of romance, family, mystery, drama, fun, emotions, friendship, and an amazingly perfect single dad. It weaves a spell and takes you on a ride that you never want to end. The story never stopped or slowed down at any time. It just pulled me in and kept me riveted the whole time. I fell in love with the characters in Complicated, and couldn’t wait for them to have their happily ever after, even while I never wanted the story to end. While the narration wasn’t my favorite, it didn’t detract from the story, because Complicated is still a new all-time favorite.
Note: I listened to this twice this year. It seems, from reading other reviews, that the people who listened to this loved it a lot more than the people who read it first.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Kindle | Audible

Preppy, Part Three: The Life & Death of Samuel Clearwater: King Series, Book 7 by T.M. Frazier

Narrated by Lance Greenfield & Kirsten Leigh

Preppy is one of the most unique and memorable characters ever. I am so glad that T.M. Frazier added a bit of lightness to the dark and gritty in this finale.

Blurb:
Preppy: Part Three is the third book and conclusion of Preppy and Dre’s story. It’s also the seventh book in the King Series.
I won’t place the blurb here because if you haven’t read any of The King series, it can be a spoiler…kind of.

“The greatest gift I was ever given, was death. Because only then did I learn what it meant to truly live.”

The Down & Dirty:
I couldn’t have wished for a better end to the King Series than Preppy, Part Three: The Life & Death of Samuel Clearwater. Though it was a little lighter, sweeter and more nostalgic than previous books, it left the reader with a super satisfying end to the series where all the loose ends are tied up. Though I hesitated to read T.M. Frazier at the beginning because I thought she was too dark for me, she has become one of my top 5 authors, and Preppy, Part Three just cemented that love.

See My Full Review | Purchase on Kindle | Audible

See the King Series Order Here

Cuffed by K. Bromberg

Narrated by Maxine Mitchell & Joe Arden

So much more than the cover and blurb lead you to believe!

Blurb:
From New York Times best-selling author K. Bromberg comes a new series about three brothers, the job that calls them, and the women who challenge them.

“I hate you. I never want to see you again.”

Grant Malone is not the reason I moved back to Sunnyville – at least that’s what I tell myself. Yet, those parting words I said to him back in third grade ring in my ears every time a towns-person brings up one of the Malone boys. I thought time had healed my wounds. I was wrong. Nothing could have prepared me for how I felt when I finally saw him again.

Twenty years does a lot to turn a boy into a man. One who hits all my buttons – sexy, funny, attractive, and a police officer. But Grant is off limits because he knows too much about my past. But I’m drawn to him. That damn uniform of his doesn’t hurt either. It’ll be my downfall. I know it. What’s one night of sex going to hurt… right?

I’ve always loved Emmy Reeves.That’s why I’m shocked to see her all these years later. The shy girl I once knew is all grown up. Adventurous and full of life, she owns my heart now, just as much as she did back then. Convincing her of that is a whole different story.

I’ll give her the one night she asks for – like that’s a hardship – but when it comes to letting her walk away after, she has another thing coming. There’s no way in hell I’m letting her go this time without a fight.

“She’s always been there in my mind. Sure, it’s been a long ass time since third grade, but in some sort of way, I knew I’d see her again. She isn’t someone I could easily forget.”

The Down & Dirty:
Cuffed may look like a light and fun romcom, but it was more than I ever expected, Ms. Bromberg brought out every single emotion from laughing out loud to ugly crying. The story and characters were well developed with full backstories and I really loved getting to know them. Cuffed was sexy, swoony, emotional, funny, and heartbreaking. It’s a story of promises broken, second chances, forgiveness and healing. K. Bromberg outdid herself here. If you want a swoony alpha hero, a strong heroine, and strong emotion mixed with humor, (plus great narration!) K. Bromberg’s Cuffed is a must listen.

See My Full Review | Purchase on Kindle | Audible

Royally Screwed by Emma Chase

The entire series was one of my favorites of the year. I never thought I’d like these royalty books, but I do!

Blurb:
Nicholas Arthur Frederick Edward Pembrook, Crowned Prince of Wessco, aka His Royal Hotness, is wickedly charming, devastatingly handsome, and unabashedly arrogant – hard not to be when people are constantly bowing down to you.

Then, one snowy night in Manhattan, the prince meets a dark-haired beauty who doesn’t bow down. Instead she throws a pie in his face.

Nicholas wants to find out if she tastes as good as her pie, and this heir apparent is used to getting what he wants.

Dating a prince isn’t what waitress Olivia Hammond ever imagined it would be.

There’s a disapproving queen, a wildly inappropriate spare heir, relentless paparazzi, and brutal public scrutiny. While they’ve traded in horse-drawn carriages for Rolls Royces and haven’t chopped anyone’s head off lately, the royals are far from accepting of this commoner.

But to Olivia, Nicholas is worth it.

Nicholas grew up with the whole world watching, and now Marriage Watch is in full force. In the end Nicholas has to decide who he is and, more importantly, who he wants to be: a king or the man who gets to love Olivia forever.

“How many rooms does it have?”
“Five hundred eighty-seven, not including the staff bedrooms.” He leans up and licks the shell of my ear, making the wet and quivering plan come to fruition. His next words almost make me come on the spot. “And I want to fuck you in every one of them by the end of the summer.”

The Down & Dirty:
I wasn’t sure I’d like the fairytale type of Royal books that are coming out now. But let me tell you, I was wrong. I should know better, because you can never go wrong with an Emma Chase book. I have loved them all, but this may be a favorite (but I might say that after each one). Royally Screwed by Emma Chase had everything I love in a book and more. It had characters I love, a compelling story with built-in angst but not too much, a sexy alpha, hot sex, and lots of laughs. Most of all it had an epic romance. I couldn’t put it down and found myself cleaning my entire house so I wouldn’t have to stop listening (a true miracle!) I can’t wait for the next one!

See My Full Review | Purchase on Kindle | Audible

Series:

Easy Magic by Kristen Proby

Narrated by Zachary Webber & Rachel Fulginiti

I didn’t read any of the previous books in the series and still loved it! The Narration with NOLA accents made it even better.

Blurb:
Family. Responsibility. Stability. As the co-CEO of Bayou Enterprises and the eldest of the Boudreaux clan, Beau is the epitome of these. Now that his baby sister, Gabby, is happily settled down, Beau has moved into the company loft in the heart of the French Quarter to be closer to his office while his own home is built. He doesn’t have time for anything but the family he adores and the company that drives him.

If only the bewitching owner of the herb shop downstairs from Beau’s loft weren’t so damn tempting.

Mallory Adams is living the life. The good life. The best life for her. After years of hiding who she is and the gifts she’s been cursed with, Mallory opened her little shop in the French Quarter, offering herbs and lotions for anything from soothing a sunburn to chasing those pesky ghosts New Orleans is known for out of a client’s home. Some call her eccentric, and some say she’s simply odd, and that’s okay with her. She is a bit odd, but in her experience, all of the best people are.

When an old pipe bursts in the loft above her store, flooding her storeroom, Mallory comes face to face with Beau Boudreaux, and she doesn’t need the clairvoyant abilities that have been passed down through generations to know that she’ll never be the same. Beau is her exact opposite: serious, straitlaced. He wears suits, for Pete’s sake, and probably wouldn’t know the difference between arnica and flaxseed if his life depended on it. But when he touches her, the electricity is through the roof, and she’s smart enough to know that a chemistry like theirs doesn’t happen every day.

Can two people so very different possibly find their way to happily ever after?

“I’m going to take you back to your place this evening, strip you naked, and tie your hands with this scarf. Then I’m going to fuck you blind.”

The Down & Dirty:
Easy Magic may be the fifth in a series, but don’t let that sway you. I never felt lost in any way for not having read the first four, and I usually never start series in the middle. While this is very much a romance, Mallory’s psychic abilities drive the whole story, making this as much a paranormal book as a contemporary, but don’t let that scare you if you are not a fan of paranormal. It doesn’t seem as far-fetched as most paranormal books, and it made for an interesting and unique storyline filled with romance, sex, danger, fun, love, family and friendship. I’m totally hooked and now I need to read Ben and Van’s upcoming story.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Kindle | Audible

See the Whole Series Here

Narrated by Deacon Lee & Kyle Mason

I must confess, I had no idea this was a YA m/m book when I bought it, I just loved the cover! It totally lived up to the cover.

Blurb:
Includes an extended interview with Christina Hobbs, Lauren Billings, and narrator Deacon Lee!

Fangirl meets Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda in this funny and poignant coming-of-age novel from New York Times best-selling author Christina Lauren about two boys who fall in love in a writing class – one from a progressive family and the other from a conservative religious community.

Three years ago Tanner Scott’s family relocated from California to Utah, a move that nudged the bisexual teen temporarily back into the closet. Now, with one semester of high school to go and no obstacles between him and out-of-state college freedom, Tanner plans to coast through his remaining classes and clear out of Utah.

But when his best friend, Autumn, dares him to take Provo High’s prestigious Seminar – where honor roll students diligently toil to draft a book in a semester – Tanner can’t resist going against his better judgment and having a go, if only to prove to Autumn how silly the whole thing is. Writing a book in four months sounds simple. Four months is an eternity.

It turns out, Tanner is only partly right: four months is a long time. After all, it takes only one second for him to notice Sebastian Brother, the Mormon prodigy who sold his own Seminar novel the year before and who now mentors the class. And it takes less than a month for Tanner to fall completely in love with him.

“I’m just a bisexual half-Jewish kid who’s falling in love with an LDS guy. The path for me isn’t as clear.”

The Down & Dirty:
Autoboygraphy is a must-read novel for high school and beyond. It was a beautiful story of young love, discovery, religion, family, commitments, expectations, acceptance, secrets, heartbreak, friendship, laughter and more. It was a well researched, well crafted novel that addressed the closed mindedness of religion without vilifying it. It was unique, educational and unputdownable. I am hoping it gets picked up in high schools and starts being required reading. Whether you are a YA fan or not, I think Autoboyography is so unique and socially relevant that anyone can pick it up and love it. It was a hugely refreshing change from all of the erotic romance I have been reading lately, and kept me riveted the entire time.

See My Full Review | Purchase on Kindle | Audible

Narrated by Sebastian York

As I mentioned before, this whole series should be on this list!

Blurb:
From the number-one New York Times best-selling author of Full Package and Big Rock comes a hot and hilarious new standalone romantic comedy.

Let’s be honest, ladies. A good man is a lot like the perfect car. You want a hot body, an engine that purrs, and superior performance under the hood…for the best joy ride of your life.

I’m at your service. Ready to go all night long.

But then a wildly sexy brunette appears in my life and throws a wrench in all my plans. She’s fiery, she’s talented, she’s gorgeous, and I’d really like to know what makes her engine hum.

Henley also happens to be my biggest rival, and now we’re forced to work together every day on the most important custom car build of my career. The trouble is I can’t quite figure out if she wants to kick me in the lug nuts or beg me to give her a good, hard fuel injection. Until one night that question is answered on the hood of a sports car when she calls out my name three times. And we can’t seem to put on the brakes.

If sleeping with the enemy is a bad idea, how much more dangerous would it be to fall in love with her?

“She makes me lose focus. She makes me want to be with her. She makes me fucking feel. And that’s the problem. I feel something for her. But I want her more than I don’t want all the fucking complications.”

The Down & Dirty:
Joy Ride by Lauren Blakely is another amazing addition to her catalogue of Romantic Comedies, and even more to her list of male POV romcoms. This enemies to lovers story is filled with all that I love about Lauren Blakey’s books: humor, hotness, banter, respect for women, and a no holds-barred romance. Lauren can release a book weekly (it seems like she does!) and I will drop everything and read it. THIS is why I love reading. Lauren’s feel-good romances are the perfect reads for me in every way.

See My Full Review | Purchase on Kindle | Audible

See the full Big Rock Series and Related Books

Hard Wood by Lauren Blakely

Narrated by Sebastian York

Though this is the 3rd male POV Lauren Blakely book on the list, I love her dual POV books as well. See how they all relate here.

Blurb:
Women often say a good man is hard to find. And a hard man is even better.

That’s why I’m quite a catch – good, hard, loaded, and wait for it…I’m ready to settle down too. But the woman I want to pitch my tent with lives clear across the country. Neither of us wants to get lost in those woods. All I have to do is resist her for the week she’s in town.

I try. I swear I try. But yeah, that doesn’t work out. And after one fantastic night with my good friend Mia, I’m ready to give her years of nights under the stars. What’s a few thousand miles when love’s involved? But there’s a hitch in my plans – she just hired my adventure tour company. If there’s one thing I’m committed to, it’s running a squeaky clean business. Number one on my list of iron-clad rules?

Don’t screw your customers.

But what’s a guy to do when she’s so hard to resist? How tough can it be to keep our hands off each other for a quick group tour down the hills and over the trails? I’m about to find out, and I have a feeling I’m going to need a new badge of honor because things are about to get very hard in the woods.

“The reason I said ‘after you’ at the start of the trail is that I’m a gentleman, and I still believe that ladies come first.” I stop, reining in a smirk. “Go first, I mean. Ladies go first.”

The Down & Dirty:
Lauren Blakely hit another home run with the ‘last’ in one of my all-time favorite series. I love this group of friends (though I was mixing them up so much, I finally did a series order with each couple and how they connect). This is the last male POV for this series, but I like to look at the “extended series” that includes dual POV books that are related via family & friends of characters, and looking at that, I’m thrilled another is coming. Lauren is such a genius at the male POV that after 6 books of all male POV and 6 of half male POV, I still can’t get enough. Do yourself a favor and READ THIS BOOK AND SERIES!

See My Full Review | Purchase on Kindle | Audible

See the full Big Rock Series and Related Books

Scandalous by LJ Shen

Narrated by Savannah Peachwood and Christian Rummel

I started this on December 30th and haven’t even reviewed it yet, but this NEEDS to be on my list. It’s 4th in a series, but I started here and was fine.

Blurb:
They call him The Mute for a reason.

Hard, cold, and calculated, he rarely speaks.

When he does, it’s with disdain.

When he does, his words aren’t meant for me.

When he does, my stomach flips and my world tilts on its axis.

He is 33.

I am 18.

He’s a single dad and my father’s business partner.

I’m just a kid to him and his enemy’s daughter.

He’s emotionally unavailable.

And I am…feeling. Feeling things I shouldn’t feel for him.

Trent Rexroth is going to break my heart. The writing isn’t just on the wall, it’s inked on my soul.

And yet I can’t stay away.

A scandal is the last thing my family needs. But a scandal is what we’re going to give them.

And oh, what beautiful chaos it will be.

“I wanted what was forbidden, and wrong, and fucking crazy. I wanted my partner’s daughter, who was nearly half my age.”

The Down & Dirty:

I added Scandalous to my Best of 2017 list at the last minute. I started it in 2017, and finished right when I started my list and I was so glad to have another surprise book to add, and from an author I have never read as well. This was a true surprise, especially because it was part of a series that I never read! If you like your books a little gritty, dirty and forbidden, filled with lust, lies, suspense, and passion, this very unconventional romance will keep you riveted.

See my Full Review | Purchase on Kindle | Audible $1.99