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Lauren's 2¢: Crave by Adriana Locke


Hadley Jacobs is over Machlan Gibson.

Sure, she’ll always be a little weak to the dimple in his right cheek and the way his five o’clock shadow makes him ruggedly handsome. But that’s not enough to cover every other thing about him because they all drive her nuts. Like how he’s won’t admit he’s wrong even when he knows it and how he drives his stupid car a million miles an hour on wet asphalt. As she rolls back into town and takes a seat at Crave, she won’t take the bait. She’s over him. Mostly.

Machlan isn’t over her.

It’s not because he hasn’t tried. He reminds himself over and over that she’s not the girl for him. After all, she drives him insane with her sassy attitude and the way she calls him out on everything. She beats him at poker, even though she doesn’t know the difference between a straight and a flush, and when she looks at him with her bright, blue eyes, it’s unnerving. When she climbs onto that bar stool and orders a drink, he puts it in front of her and ignores the sparkle in her eyes.  He’s not over her, but she won’t know that.

But she does know that. And he knows she’s not as over him as she’s pretending to be. When life forces their hand this time, there’s more on the line than a pile of poker chips. It’s their forever.

Crave is a standalone romance in a new small town, blue-collar series from USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke. Join readers everywhere as they fall in love with the delicious Gibson Boys.


Keep up-to-date by visiting the author’s website: www.adrianalocke.com.

GOODREADS LINK:  http://bit.ly/CraveGR



Free in Kindle Unlimited
Audible: Coming soon!



If we're being honest, and I always aim to be, the Gibson family is one of my absolute favorite fictional families. I've been hooked since Sienna took a baseball bat to Walker's truck. Walker, Lance, Cross - an honorary Gibson, and now Machlan. 

At least to me, Machlan has always been somewhat of a mystery. The tough, bad-ass bar owner. The strong, silent type. His story - minus the fact that it involves Hadley - has been somewhat of a mystery, until now. 

I'll warn you now, Hadley and Machlan are INFURIATING! They push and pull, grab tight and let go. Crave is a constant flux of emotions. So much so that I wanted to just duct tape the two of them together until they realized they were made for one another. Or, better yet, that they were made for one another and are supposed to be together. Forever. Despite their past. 

Machlan sure knows how to make hell feel like home. 


And then there's Nana Gibson. I. Love. That. Woman! She is the glue that holds that family together. Her love for those boys leaks onto each page.   

I've been waiting for Crave to release for months, and it did not disappoint. But I'm REALLY waiting, as I'm sure you are too, for Peck's book. *Grabby hands* I'm fully prepared to throw some bows at Molly, and not the kind you put in your hair...

If you haven't started this series, I HIGHLY recommend it. Like I said earlier, this is one of my absolute favorite families, and I cannot wait to see where Adriana takes them next. 





ALSO AVAILABLE

#1 Crank

Free in Kindle Unlimited

#2 Craft

Free in Kindle Unlimited

#3 Cross

Free in Kindle Unlimited



USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.

She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather's nice and there's always a piece of candy in her pocket.

For sneak peeks, giveaways, and more, please join Adriana's Facebook Group, Books by Adriana Locke, or her Goodreads group, All Locked Up.


AUTHOR LINKS
Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/BBALGroup
Goodreads Group: http://bit.ly/AllLockedUp

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BUT FIRST, COFFEE by Sarah Darlington Blog Tour


Title: But First, Coffee
Author: Sarah Darlington
Release Date: September 10th
Series: Love & Coffee, Book 1
BLURB:
She’s the boss.
I’m only a barista in her company.I really don’t give a f**k about her one way or the other.

And then there’s Doug Maddox, a man with a lot of power over me. He’s blackmailing me. Making me spy on her. I’m supposed to find her weaknesses and destroy her. But the closer I get, the more the lines between us start to blur.

She’s sweet. She’s kind. She’s sexy as hell.
Why am I the only man who see’s this?

So now I’m stuck—between keeping my sister safe against Doug, because that’s what’s really at stake here, and these feelings I can’t deny for a woman who shouldn’t mean anything to me.

I know what I have to do. I’ll destroy her.
It doesn’t matter if I have to destroy my own heart in the process.


Amazon US * Amazon UK * Amazon AU * Amazon CA
**read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited




If your last name is Coffee, I think it's safe to say that you're basically predestined to have something to do with actual coffee. A barista, maybe, or possibly someone a little higher up the food chain...

Joe Coffee has been working for Lana's company for a while now. He's kinda the barista equivalent of the hostess with the mostest. Turning a meh coffee shop into one pulling in the most green in the company is no small feat. After some investigating, Lana turns up some interesting information on Joe. He's definitely more qualified than he let on, and she plans to use him to help her company grow. 

Alright, let me interject here for a second... I don't know about you, but if I'd just found out my employee wasn't exactly who he said he is, I'd be a little skeptical. Like, why is a highly educated dude working as a barista? But I guess that didn't really concern Lana. 

So, Lana and Joe obviously hit it off, yet Joe is hiding a pretty hefty secret, one I will admit, I found kind of refreshing. I don't think I've ever read a book with that exact secret. I have you wondering, don't I? Good. When push comes to shove, Joe has to decide who to protect, when to come clean, and what he's willing to lose. 

One moment can shape you for the rest of your life.

Now, I liked both Lana and Joe, but I will admit that I feel Lana gave Joe WAY too much leniency. She wasn't phased at all by his lies. Now, in both a personal and professional relationship, you'd think trust would be a must, no? Some of his lies had to do with other women, and after those lies, Lana was still very willing to be more...intimate with him. No, Lana, NO. Ew. R-E-S-P-E-C-T, woman. And then there was he reference to his overly large dong. While I see where the author was going with that reference, and why it was useful information to the reader, constant reference to a giant wang just kinda turns me off, ironically. Ha. I may be in the minority, though, which is a-okay. 

Overall, I really enjoyed BUT FIRST, COFFEE. The use of ADHD, the frank discussions about drug/alcohol abuse, the lessons learned, the coffee made, I loved it all. Truth be told, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. Joe's sister has some splainin' to do. 

If you love coffee, hot guys, smart women, and a splash of drama, this is definitely the book for you. It's well worth the read.


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About Sarah Darlington
Sarah Darlington, a New Adult and contemporary romance author, lives in Virginia with her husband and two children. Best known for her Kill Devil Hills Series, she's also a former flight attendant, with a degree in school counseling, who harbors a huge passion for traveling. She's especially set on visiting all 50 states.
Find Sarah Online:

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Lauren's 2¢: FURTHER TO FALL by Catherine Cowles

An up-and-coming MMA fighter trying to take on the world. An innocent teacher trying to make the world a better place.

He never expected her to become his best friend. But she fought her way into his life, one tongue-lashing at a time. Until one night, one mistake tore them apart.

Losing her… that gutted him. But now, as one of the top fighters in the world, he’s back and determined to battle for his girl.

But, from the sidelines, someone watches. Someone who’ll do just about anything to keep them apart.

Their second chance might be over before it even begins… 



   

We all have our go-to authors. Do you know what’s better than one-clicking one of their books? Finding someone new to add to your list. Catherine Cowles came out of nowhere and knocked me straight on my ass with her debut novel Further To Fall.

When Carter meets up and coming MMA fighter, Austin, sparks don’t exactly fly. They spark and then kind of fizzle as soon as Austin opens his mouth. He’s a gruff mountain of a man. To put it plainly, his attitude sucks. But Carter, being the sassy, take no shit girl that she is, deals with him in stride. Eventually the two form a friendship of sorts, ignoring their obvious attraction to one another. Austin has been burned before, and Carter has other things to focus on. The two eventually get their sh*t together and start a relationship, which eventually hits a bump or twelve, as most relationships do.

I had bowed out of the most important fight of my life because I was afraid.

But that’s just the beginning. This story isn’t some cut and dry love story. It’s got depth and dimension. The characters are put through a lot - A LOT - within these pages. And I found myself on the edge of my seat more than once.

It’s usually pretty easy for me to figure out what will happen next while reading a novel. That wasn’t the case with Catherine’s work. She kept me on my toes for most of the book. She pushed forward, building the story with greater detail where most would have dropped off and ended the tale. Further To Fall is not simply a love story, but one of survival.

“I just want you to start fighting to get your life back. Find your mad!”

I will admit that there were moments when Carter drove me absolutely crazy.  She was pretty quick to forgive Austin and his less than stellar actions. A little groveling (on Austin’s part) and maybe a kick to the sperm warmers, would have satisfied me.  There were also a few instances where Austin’s dialogue seemed...off. I just couldn’t imagine those particular words coming out of his mouth.

But I can honestly say, those were the only real issues I had.

I highly recommend picking up a copy of Further To Fall when it releases in October. Once you’ve had a taste of these characters, you’re going to want more. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.



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Lauren's 2¢: Ruffles & Beaus by Carina Adams




In the dance of life everybody needs a partner. Some have two.

My last year of college was set to be the best yet. With a great job and better friends, only a few months stood between me and the life of my dreams. Until it all fell apart.

Desperate, I stumbled into a job at Soirée, a private party company. The underground world of burlesque offered me something nothing else had. And since they’d never seen a girl like me, it was a perfect match.

Two problems stood between me and utter happiness. Roman, the boss who hated me as much as I despised him. And his best friend Reid, who wanted me as much as I needed him.

Our story didn’t start when I stepped into my first pair of stilettos. It began with the secrets I kept as I fell in love with two very different men. And continued with the lies I told to keep us all from breaking.

We're about to throw out all the rules - and create new ones. And it's all playing out on the biggest stage of all... the human heart. 

Amazon US / UK
(It's on Kindle Unlimited for all you KU users out there!) 




Hold on to your feathered boas, this is going to be a long one...


As far as I’m concerned, sleep is sacred. I only get around three blinks a night - thanks, kids - and Carina stole them. ALL. MY. WINKS. Just one more chapter, one more page, one more paragraph. It’s always that way when reading one of her novels. They’re captivating, dynamic, well developed, and intense thrill riders. Truth be told, staying up into the wee hours of the morning was worth every damn second of wasted sleep.


Ruffles & Beaus is much more than a love triangle. It’s not even a triangle, really. It’s more of a pentagon. A really intense, complicated, multilayered, infuriating pentagon. I fell in love with Cady from page one. Her level of self-awareness, self-acceptance, and ability to push herself outside her comfort zone was both shocking and inspiring.


“Perfection to me is found in imperfections. I find beauty in the broken. The things others see as flaws are fascinating to me.”


That’s no to say that Cady doesn’t struggle with the occasional insecurity. She does, just as we all do. And that, in itself, made her a strong, deep, lovable character. Add her unwavering loyalty, determination, bleeding heart, and unconditional acceptance, and you have a rare gem. Plus, she’s kinda goofy, a little uncoordinated at times, and dresses more like a tomboy than a sex symbol, when she’s not dancing, of course.


When Cady finds herself out of work, a friend introduces her to Roman - swoon - the owner of, Soiree, a company who puts on burlesque shows for private parties. Are you envisioning yourself dancing around in ruffles, thigh highs, and cool little corsets? Yeah, it’s okay. I did it, too. Roman is rough and gruff and kind of a jerk - at first. But he grows on you.


Reid, on the other hand, co-owner of Soiree, is more of the fun-loving flirt. He’s a calming presence among the chaos of their chosen profession. He’s not just a pretty face, though. The man is also pretty damn smart. Reid calls dibs on Cady pretty early on. But as we all know, love isn’t quite that simple.


Listen, Ruffles & Beaus is deep. It’s not just a love story. It’s a story about love. How love is messy and dirty, sometimes it hurts like hell, and other times it’s the sweetest kind of pleasure. It doesn’t fit into a neat little box; it spills out onto the floor and covers everything it touches, leaving stains in its wake. Carina embraces love in so many beautiful forms throughout this book. Her open minded, accepting, all encompassing view of what love truly is, in all its forms, left me with tears running down my cheeks.



If you haven’t figured it out already, Ruffles & Beaus is a book that is not to be missed. It’s not one you should read, it’s one you need to read. This is easily my favorite read of 2018. And I hope you’ll see the message behind the story, the one that makes this one of the most beautiful books I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing.


#TeamRoman 4ever


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It's a new year, and time you knew...

that I hate what this blog has become.

When I began Inked in Chapters, years back, I envisioned something fun and different. What I ended up with was more of the same. Now, I'm no fool. The only one to blame resides behind this keyboard. I'm the one who shaped this thing into a book-shaped blob, resembling so many other sites.

I've never been good at fitting into a mold. I tried to stick myself into a box, and I hate boxes. It's one of the reasons I have "Free" tattooed on my wrist. The idea of being what someone else wants me to be is suffocating. If I won't subject myself that in real life, why should I do it here? That's just ludicrous, and it only took me around 3 years to realize... *insert eye roll*



The book community, at least this small portion of it, reminds me of high school. You have the cool kids, the followers, the outcasts... You get the idea. I don't think I've ever fit in, so I'd place myself squarely in the outcast column. While Sarah, my ever faithful until-I-fell-into-a-funk reviewer, is much more in the thick of things. She has a passion for this "world" that I just can't seem to muster up. (You can follow her on IG - @dragonflyreads)

That being said, neither is wrong, we're just different.

My general focus, at this time in my life, is on my family - my 3 beautiful, yet insane, children and their ever patient father. It's on how to make their lives better and more beautiful. While I still read, and enjoy my books - for the most part- I don't find posting measly reviews that few read, cover reveals, or release blitz postings fulfilling anymore.

I.
Need.
More.

So I've decided to do more.

In 2018:
I want to share with you.
I want to converse with you.
I want to make connections.
I want to leave a positive mark on the world.
I want... to be light in the darkness.

In order to do that, I have to be vulnerable. And while we're laying it all out on the line here, that scares the shit out of me. But I'm going to do it. Wanna know why? Because I'm worth it. And you're worth it. We're worth it. I want to give you the best part of me. All I ask in return is that you keep our area a place of love, light, and respect. That doesn't mean you have to agree with everything I do or say or post, far from it. It just means that if your opinions/thoughts differ from mine, you come to me with a sense of decency and respect.

In 2018, I'll begin to ink my own chapters, here, with you.
(and maybe throw a few reviews in for fun.)
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Sledgehammer by P. Dangelico is LIVE!

Sledgehammer


by P. Dangelico Publication Date: September 11, 2017 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance


Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

Amber Jones is in a pickle. And when I say pickle, I mean deep do-do. She knew she shouldn’t have gone to her ex’s New Year’s Eve party. And she reeeaally didn’t mean to almost burn down his house. It was the chafing dish’s fault, dang it! Now she needs a good lawyer, stat. But where to find one?

All work and no play make Ethan Vaughn a very sad and lonely lawyer. Not to mention horny. He really shouldn’t have agreed to help his best friend’s wife’s bestie with her imbroglio. Now she’s remanded on bail––and living in his house. The woman is a walking, talking category five hurricane. And considering his track record with women, he needs to stay as far away from this one as possible. Problem is, he just can't seem to make himself.


Heads up folks, this little heroine has a propensity for prolific profanity. Our girl's got a potty mouth and strong opinions. If you are easily offended, this book is not for you. If you have delicate nerves, this book is not for you. If you are under 18, this book is definitely not for you. Consider yourself warned.




Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

Cam DeSantis’ life is a hot, steaming pile. How else would you describe losing your husband, your job, and your money all at once? Desperate times call for desperate measures, so when salvation comes in the form of one intolerable a-hole, who just happens to be the starting quarterback for the vaunted NY Titans, she has no choice but to accept his offer as a live-in nanny slash teacher for his eight year old nephew. Now all she has to do is find a safe place in her mind to hide whenever she feels the need to throat punch him into tomorrow…which is often.

Calvin Shaw has zero interest in women. Wait, wait––let me rephrase that. He loves women, he just doesn’t want anything to do with ‘um. Not since his wife, presently ex-wife, got knocked up by the guy she was cheating on him with. Problem is––there’s one living in his house. And he doesn’t know what’s worse, that he promised to be civil, or that he’s attracted to her.

About P. Dangelico

P. Dangelico loves romance in all forms, shapes, and sizes, cuddly creatures (four legged and two), really bloody sexy pulp, the NY Jets (although she’s reconsidering after this season), and to while away the day at the barn (apparently she does her best thinking shoveling horse crap). What she’s not enamored with is referring to herself in the third person and social media so don’t expect her to get on Twitter anytime soon. Oh, and although she was born in Italy, she’s been Jersey Strong since she turned six.


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Expose' Sugar by Mandi Beck Release Blitz





Title: Sugar
Author: Mandi Beck
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 7, 2017



Blurb

Country’s hottest bad boy.

That’s what they call me. My label ate it up until I became “too bad” for the good folks of country music. That’s when Hard Candy Records picked me up and took a chance on me. Probably not their smartest move, but I won’t tell them that. Especially when they’ve assigned me a babysitter to try and keep my ass out of trouble. One smart-mouthed, unimpressed, sexy as homegrown sin, Addy Mae Masterson.

She likes to pretend that she doesn’t like me and I like to let her.

I may have a past that haunts me and she may have a habit of getting attached, but damn if I don’t want to show her just how good this bad boy can be.








Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited





Author Bio

Mandi Beck has been an avid reader all of her life. A deep love for books always had her jotting down little stories on napkins, notebooks, and her hand. As an adult she was further submerged into the book world through book clubs and the epicness of social media. It was then that she graduated to writing her stories on her phone and then finally on a proper computer.

A wife, mother to two rambunctious and somewhat rotten boys, and stepmom to two great girls away at college, she shares her time with her husband and boys in Chicago where she was born and raised. Mandi is a diehard hockey fan and blames the Blackhawks when her deadlines are not met. 


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FACEBOOK GROUP



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Still by Kennedy Ryan Cover Reveal

   
“I love [Grip] in a way I haven't loved a character in such a long time. He's just seriously everything I could want in a hero. EVERYTHING. And then more.”
--Adriana Locke, USA Today Bestselling Author
STILL, the all-new emotional and sexy addition to the GRIP series,
is coming September 25th!
Enter the Release Day Giveaway!
$25 “Winner’s Choice” Gift Card
       
Title: STILL
Author: Kennedy Ryan
Publication Date: September 25th, 2017
Cover Designer: Maripili Studio
I'll be there.
Through thick and thin.
Ride or die.
You can count on me.
The promises people make. The vows we take.
Assumptions of the heart.
Emotion tells us how we feel, but life...life has a way of plunging us in boiling water, burning away our illusions, testing our faith, trying our convictions.
Love floating is a butterfly, but love tested is an anchor.
For Grip and Bristol,
Love started at the top of the world
On a Ferris wheel under the stars
But when that love is tested, will they fly or fall?
 
Receive an email AS SOON as STILL is LIVE: http://bit.ly/GRIPAlerts
 
Add STILL to GoodReads: http://bit.ly/2vBiUWN
       
FLOW, the FREE prequel, MUST BE READ before GRIP!
WATTPAD ➜ http://w.tt/2kUo8Yk
 
Read GRIP Today!
(Free in Kindle Unlimited)
Amazon US ➜ http://amzn.to/2gsx1mB
Amazon UK ➜ http://amzn.to/2gz387W
Amazon CA ➜ http://amzn.to/2vADPJn
Amazon AU ➜ http://amzn.to/2gsH3Em
Add to GoodReads ➜ http://bit.ly/2k1T1rL
 
Find the GRIP Series On Audio!
 
Join the GRIP Discussion Group:
 
Order Signed GRIP Series Paperbacks:


       
About Kennedy:
Kennedy Ryan is a Southern girl gone Southern California. A Top 100 Amazon Bestseller, Kennedy writes romance about remarkable women who find a way to thrive even in tough times, the love they find, and the men who cherish them.
She is a wife to her lifetime lover and mother to an extraordinary son. She has always leveraged her journalism background to write for charity and non-profit organizations, but enjoys writing to raise Autism awareness most. A contributor for Modern Mom Magazine, Kennedy’s writings have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul, USA Today and many others. The founder and executive director of a foundation serving Georgia families living with Autism, Kennedy has appeared on Headline News, Montel Williams, NPR and other outlets as a voice for families living with autism.
 
Connect with Kennedy:
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