Snippet Book #Review: The Billionaire's Pregnant Mistress by Lucy Monroe

Book Title: The Billionaire's Pregnant Mistress
Author:  Lucy Monroe |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher:  Harlequin Presents
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series/Standalone:   Series
Format: Mass Market

Cost: $4.50

Pages: 184

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble |
Publication Date: December 2004
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Synopsis:

When Greek billionaire Dimitri Petronides is forced to give up Xandra Fortune, his beautiful mistress, he's certain she won't be too distraught. For all the intense passion they've shared, she's never let him into her heart, and such a commitment-shy woman could never be his wife....

But after their split Dimitri discovers that Xandra Fortune is not who he thought she was--and she is also pregnant with his child. Now he has to track her down and claim his mistress as his wife!

This was a re-read for me and I enjoyed it this time around just as much as I did the first time. Xandra was a famous model who was dating Dimitri and when he is called home she continues to work not knowing her world is about to crumble around her.

My favorite parts are when they challenge each other. When they break up its done in such a hard way that hurts them both because Dimitri wants to please his favorite relative instead of standing up for himself and what he wants.  When Dimitri realizes his mistake he id devasted to learn that Xandra is gone and not even the best detectives he's hired can find her.

Invited to a private party he's given some seriously devastating news and is left to decide who he wants to be now. Due to stubbornness, these two are at odds and they struggle to find the comfortable ground they once inhabited. They each have someone they were working to protect and in doing so they end up facing off. Dimitri is playing catch up and is hoping his actions now will speak louder than his words then did.

I loved how they came back together and that they were both so wary but trying to get to a happy place.  Personally, I would have taken my family to task even if it made them mad at me, you're not talking to me like that but enjoying the fruits of my labor. Just not going to happen.  I loved the friendships and other familial relationships that we got to see in the book and I loved how great they were as siblings.  As a couple, they worked well and they were so sensual together. I loved how Xandra would take him to task at times when he said something so side-eye worthy.

Fantastic romance, well-written characters, a great second chance romance.  I say it's a great read for being poolside.

 ★★★☆☆

Enjoy poolside or ar the beach, heck even on the back porch, 

Happy Reading my loves, 

Waiting On Wednesday (W.O.W) The Impossibility of Us by Katy Upperman

Hosted by: Jill over at Breaking The Spines.  This is a weekly book lust prompt, asking for us to share our absolute can't wait to get our hands on a copy books. Swing on over to find out how to participate and to see what others are sharing.  

Young Adult/New Adult

The Impossibility of Us by Katy Upperman

The last thing Elise wants is to start over in a new town. But after her brother’s death in Afghanistan, she and her mother move to a sleepy coastal village to be closer to Elise’s sister-in-law and niece.

When Elise meets Mati during a beachside walk, they quickly discover how much they have in common. Mati is new to town, too. Over the course of the summer, their relationship begins to blossom, and what starts out as a friendship becomes so much more.

But as Elise and Mati grow closer, her family becomes more and more uncomfortable with their relationship, and their concerns all center on one fact—Mati is Afghan.

Beautifully written, utterly compelling, and ultimately hopeful, The Impossibility of Us asks—how brave can you be when your relationship is questioned by everyone you love?

Due Date:  July 31st

Print:  Hardcover

Pages:  320

Publisher:  Swoon Reads
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This sounds like it's going to be heartwrenching and I'm ready for it. I'm hoping she does the characters justice and makes their blooming relationship shine through. I hope it's done well.  Because I want more books like this to be published but only if it's done well, we will see as I've also pre-ordered this one.  

Have you heard of this title before?? What are you lusting for??  Share in the comments down below!!

Happy Lusting

ARC Book #Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Book Title: Everything, Everything
Author:  Nicola Yoon |Website| Twitter| Tumblr|

Publisher: Delacorte Young Readers
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Series/Standalone: Stand Alone
Format: Paperback

Cost: $18.99

Pages: 307

How I got it: Book Expo America 2015

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Publication Date: Sept 01, 2015
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Synopsis:

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster. (

Went into this one with vague ideas of what it was supposed to be about. I've said before that being an adult in certain fields or having had experience in certain fields of study can ruin books for me.  When I heard this was about a girl who was allergic to everything I was slightly nervous about it, because I work in healthcare.  I however needed had been.  It was wonderfully done.

This isn't really about a love story even though it has one, it's about relationships. The relationships between mother and daughter, the friendship between Carla (her nurse) and Maddy( the main protag) and of course the relationship that develops between Maddy and Olly (the new kid next door).  Written as Maddy is learning to come into her own and question things she never questioned before, it takes us on a journey.  Maddy unlike most teens has never had a rebellious phase, she can't it would probably kill her. As Olly and his family settle next door she finds herself fascinated by the broken relationships she can witness and witnessing those changes and the lives happening right outside her window push her to want more.

The story just unfolds from there. I was so invested from the get go, and I couldn't help but wonder (since this is my field) why she wasn't being seen by more specialists, and why her mother was breaking all the rules ( and in some states against the actual law) and practicing on her. I was intrigued and wanted to know more about her family and about so much more. I could totally understand her desire for more.

I was totally absorbed by the story and finished it in one afternoon. I loved the underlying story within the story and even how it all played out.  I did however wonder what would happen to Olly when he discovered the lies and how that might play out in his life forward.  At the end it was all worth it and I loved it.

I highly recommend it.  A great summer read.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• The Fault In Our Stars by John Green
• Keep Holding On by Suzanne Colasanti. 

I have to support another Jamaican and this is my first read from her. I can't wait to see how she does in her second book The Sun Is Also A Star. This was an amazing read considering it's her debut. Happy Reading my loves, 

Monday Movie #Review: Everything, Everything

Movie Title: Everything Everything
Released: 2017
Directed by: Stella Meghie
Starring: Amandla Stenberg & Nick Robinson
Based on Nicola Yoon's 2015 Novel of the Same Name.
Run Time: 96 minutes

Premise:  The film is about the love of smart and inquisitive girl Madeline ("Maddy"), prevented by virtue of illness from going outside the rooms of her house, and her neighbor Olly, who wants to help her. (From Wikipedia)

Trailer:

I read the book then I watched the movie right after. I have to say that I enjoyed doing that, it's perhaps for me the best way to enjoy movies based on books.  While there are a few integral changes it's still a good movie based on the book and even if I'd never read the book I would still enjoy it.

This one seems to be aimed at a younger audience even though the book itself didn't seem to be that way. It had a few changes I wasn't happy with, and it didn't explain how she ended living the way she did or why it's just her and her mom. Which was a integral part of the book, these explanations are why the story develops the way it does, even interactions between certain characters were left out.

Even with the changes I still loved the movie and it's story about love, About grief and about changes.  I would have like Olly to have more depth as in the books but I understand it's necessary to cut things out. It's still a movie I will add to the cute movie night watch list and I'm adding into my collection.

I recommend if you're looking for a cute, summery romance, about life, self discovery and first love.

Bring popcorn and enjoy my loves,

Stacking The Shelves (18) The Strand Edition

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page! Stacking The Shelves now has a new host and check out that new image!!

The Strand

I took my sisters out to NYC for my youngest sister's birthday last weekend. And we can't do NYC without stopping at a bookstore and we were right around the corner from the Strand so we stopped by and they were having a good sale and I picked up a few things

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo This has been on my wishlist for a few months now and my sister wants to read this so I snagged it for us both.

And from the sale rack and I snagged Slammed by Colleen Hoover. I haven't been able to find this for cheap anywhere and then I found it for $1.

And that's it. I was actually really good while I was there.  What'd you get in your haul this week?? Share in the comments down below and I'll see you next week.

Happy Reading & Haulin' my loves

Waiting On Wednesday (W.O.W) A Duke By Default by Alyssa Cole

Hosted by: Jill over at Breaking The Spines.  This is a weekly book lust prompt, asking for us to share our absolute can't wait to get our hands on a copy of the books. Swing on over to find out how to participate and to see what others are sharing.  

Adult Fiction/ Romance / Erotica

A Duke By Default (Reluctant Royals) by Alyssa Cole

Award-winning author Alyssa Cole’s Reluctant Royals series continues with a woman on a quest to be the heroine of her own story and the duke in shining armor she rescues along the way

New York City socialite and perpetual hot mess Portia Hobbs is tired of disappointing her family, friends, and—most importantly—herself. An apprenticeship with a struggling swordmaker in Scotland is a chance to use her expertise and discover what she’s capable of. Turns out she excels at aggravating her gruff silver fox boss…when she’s not having inappropriate fantasies about his sexy Scottish burr.

Tavish McKenzie doesn’t need a rich, spoiled American telling him how to run his armory…even if she is infuriatingly good at it. Tav tries to rebuff his apprentice and his attraction to her, but when Portia accidentally discovers that he’s the secret son of a duke, rough-around-the-edges Tav becomes her newest makeover project.

Forging metal into weapons and armor is one thing, but when desire burns out of control and the media spotlight gets too hot to bear, can a commoner turned duke and his posh apprentice find lasting love?

Due Date:  July 31, 2018

Print: Mass Market

Pages: 384

Publisher: Avon
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I can't wait to get my hands on this one. What about you, what's on your book lust list?? Share in the comments down below!!

Happy Lusting

Book #Review: Contracted: A Wife For The Bedroom by Carol Marinelli

Book Title:  Contracted: A Wife For The Bedroom
Author:  Carol Marinelli | Twitter| 

Publisher:  Harlequin Presents
Genre: Romance,
Series/Standalone:  Standalone
Format: Mass Market

Cost: $4.75

Pages: 187

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: November 2007
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Synopsis:

A marriage is forever, not just for convenience...

Hunter Myles: this Australian's worth billions and can buy any woman he wants!

Lily Harper: perfect for a convenient marriage and she needs Hunter's help!

Hunter's ring is on her finger, but Lily knows it'll only be there for twelve months. Soon, a year doesn't seem quite long enough. Lily has fallen in love with her temporary husband!

This is the second time I've read this book and I still enjoyed it.  It's a quick romance, Lily is a woman who is working her way through life trying to make others see where they need to make improvements while dealing with their issues.  Hunter is there because he's heard about this group and is there checking it out for someone. Lily realizes that Hunter isn't really there to get help and she's protective of the group.  I really enjoyed that this story had a bit of a flip to it with Lily being the one with the most hangups even though his hangups are also pretty big.

Lily is one of my favorite characters because she sticks to her guns, when it appears that Hunter isn't going to live up to his promise she keeps hers. Lily went into this relationship with her eyes wide open and knew what kind of man she was seeing.  Hunter, however, has hidden more than we knew, because he's not dealing with his issues and he himself wasn't coping with the truth.

This book is centered on the characters and their relationship so we don't really see the secondary characters, they only showed up to highlight and push the characters towards the resolutions of their issues.  I did love that Hunter was able to see how much his secretary was making his wife uncomfortable and put her in her place very quickly.  This is mostly told from Lily's perspective, a few times, especially when the situation was tense Hunter's POV was shared.

I really enjoyed the progression of the romance and the story and love seeing the smaller romance that also develops within the story.  A good romance about two slightly damaged people working their way towards being less damaged with each other.

 ★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Mistress by Contract by Helen Bianchin

A quick fun read for nice beach days.  Happy Reading my loves, 

Stacking The Shelves (17) July 2018

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page! Stacking The Shelves now has a new host and check out that new image!!

Hey my loves, so this is going to be the beginning of the onslaught of books that will be comin in for July and beginning of August. The final books will come in due to the 58th Annual Summer Book Sale in the Pequot Library a few towns over.  I took you guys along a few years ago;

So while that is incoming, let's talk about what has made itself into my home since last week.

Borrowed From the Library

Red Lily (In The Garden 3) by Nora Roberts. I own the other two books in the series and wish to finish it this month so I borrowed this one. I'm hoping to snag a copy at the library book sale which happens every year, they always have a massive section of her books so I'm going with my list and I'm hoping to come home with all if not most of them. 

PaperbackSwap

One of my favorite books since childhood, this is perhaps one of the first non Fairytale books that I read that I picked myself, this is my first paranormal reads.

Blood & Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause.  I will state that I hated the movie adaptation since it changed the ending and therefore the point of the novel. So no I wasn't a fan of the movie, I hated the movie.

Fire and Ice by Julie Garwood. I'm trying to finish this series as well and I have bounced around in the series a bit.   I'm collecting all the books I've read and even getting the ones  I haven't read yet.

The Brands Who Came For Christmas by Maggie Shayne. I'm collecting her works and I'm missing this one.  This is going on my read bookshelves as I finished it last Christmas.

The Bride by Julie Garwood. I'm also collecting her works, I have been reading randomly through the different series now I wish to clean up the reading list.

Purchased /Dollar Tree

Walking With Abel by Anna Badkhen

Glory O'Brien's History of the Future by A.S. King I have no idea what this is about but I know a few people I trust on booktube love her so I figured for a $1 why not check it out.

After a trying day, I decided to 'splurge' and treat myself to a book at the local BAM.

\The Blackbirds by Eric Jerome Dickey. I've seen this for a few weeks now and I needed to get it on my list.  

Library Book Sale

Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley i got it because the cover looks awesome. I read this when i was younger for my mother's summer reading list and I remember enjoing it. I want to read it again.

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

Thriftbooks:

I had a few coupons to use over on thriftbooks and I decided to use them to get a few books, while they had a sale.

Beverly Jenkins:

The Edge of Midnight

The Edge of Dawn 

Captured

Before The Dawn

Winds of the Storm

Since I found the first two books at the dollar tree I decided to snag this one to get the trilogy read. Lia Riley's Upside Down 

And that's all I've gotten so far. I still have an ebook haul to do as well. What'd you get in your haul this week?? Share in the comments down below and I'll see you next week.

Happy Reading & Haulin' my loves

Waiting On Wednesday (W.O.W) Small-Town Rumors by Carolyn Brown

Hosted by: Jill over at Breaking The Spines.  This is a weekly book lust prompt, asking for us to share our absolute can't wait to get our hands on a copy books. Swing on over to find out how to participate and to see what others are sharing.  

Adult Fiction/ Romance / Erotica

Small Town Rumors by Carolyn Brown 

From New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown comes a funny heartache of a novel about overcoming the past, confronting the future, and defying all expectations.
Everyone is talking about Jennie Sue Baker and the mess she made of her life in New York. The former high school queen bee—and wealthy darling of Bloom, Texas—has returned home after all these years, riding on a common bus and bearing two bounced alimony checks. In a town that thrives on gossip, Jennie’s fall from grace has shamed her mother, set the town buzzing, and caused old, jealous enemies to whisper in delight. They say she’s taken a job as a housekeeper, gotten a garage apartment, and might be crushing on Rick Lawson, a simple farmer with modest dreams.

As romance starts to bud, Jennie relishes what it means to follow her heart, find real new friends, and finally be herself—regardless of all the lying town chatter. But fate has another twist in store. Rumor has it that Jennie now stands to lose what matters most…unless she can convince Rick of one true thing—and that’s love. (

Due Date:  July 3

Print: Mass Market

Pages: 288

Publisher: Montlake Romance
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Every once in a while I love reading small-town romances, and Carolyn is one of my favorite authors for that.

Are you getting any of these?? What's on your book lust list?? Share in the comments down below!!

Happy Lusting

Month In Review: June 2018

My goal this year is 150  books, if I break that down it comes out to 13 books per month, with 3 to 4  books a week. Totally doable in my books, so as the proverb says, you can eat an elephant one bite at a time, so here are my first few bites.

Book Haules:

• Stacking the Shelves (13)
• Stacking the Shelves (14)
• Stacking the Shelves (15)
• Stacking the Shelves (16)

Highly Anticipated Reads:

• Waiting on Wednesday: Copycat by Hannah Jayne
• Waiting on Wednesday: Moonlight Seduction by Jennifer L Armentrout
• Waiting on Wednesday: Even Money Alessandra Torre'
• Waiting on Wednesday: 

Reviews On THe Blog This Month:

• Swipe Right To Mate by D. J Bryce
• All I Need by Suzanne Colasanti

This month I completed the 13 books and have now moved up to the following statistics

Read So Far this Year: 

71

TBR Pile 

150

TBR Balance:

79

KEY: ✔ Read / Section Completed, Blue _ title added in during the Month   Red- Books read from the original TBR list

Lemonade Syllabus Books:

• 
  

Perpetual Challenge Books:

• 2-3 books from Brenda Jackson's Westmoreland Series
• Judgement Road by Christine Feehan
• The Next Always Inn Boonsboro Trilogy Bk 1 Nora Roberts

Finish Series:

• 
  

ARC:

1. Swipe Right to Mate by D.J Bryce

Non-Fiction Books:

1. Financial Book
2. Religious Studies Book
3. Religious Studies Book

Erotica Romance:

1. Their Virgin Mistress by Shayla Black & Lexi Blake  RE-READ

Black-Out Challenge Books:

• Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
• Something Old Something New by Beverly Jenkins
• A Wish & A Prayer by Beverly Jenkins
• Crystal Clear by Beverly Jenkins
• Heart of Gold by Beverly Jenkins
• For Your Love by Beverly Jenkins
• Stepping into a New Day by Beverly Jenkins
• Chasing Down a Dream by Beverly Jenkins

Non Challenge or Category Books:

• Convicted Wife for The Bedroom by Carol Martinolli RE-READ

I picked up so many good books this month almost all of them where 3 stars or higher. I was able to read very quickly this month and despite having two weeks where I wasn't really reading I still got my numbers in. I love it.

What did you read this month?? Share down below and we can encourage each other this month.  

Happy Reading

July 2018 To Be Read

My goal this year is 150  books, if I break that down it comes out to 13 books per month, with 3 to 4  books a week. Totally doable in my books, so as the proverb says, you can eat an elephant one bite at a time, so here are my first few bites:

Read So Far this Year: 

71

TBR Pile 

150

TBR Balance
79

Lemonade Syllabus:

1. .
2. .

Perpetual Author Challenge:

• 2-3 Brenda Jackson Books
• Ming Game & Night Game Ghostwalker Series by Christine Feehan
• Black Rose/ Angel Falls/ The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts 
• Lora Leigh.

Finish Series Challenge:

• Fifth Grave Past The Light by Daryna Jones
• 
  
• .

ARC

• .
• .
• .
• .
• .

Black Out Challenge:

• .
• .
• .
• .
• .

Erotica books:

• .
• .
• .

Non-Fiction Books:

1. Religious Book
2. Religious Book
3. Finance Book
4. Social issues Book
5. Personal Interest Book

What are you going to be reading my loves?? Share in the comments down below if you have read any of these and as always

Happy Reading