Rebecca Jenshak is a USA Today bestselling author of new adult and sports romance. She writes sexy, feel-good stories with lots of swoon-worthy moments.
Rebecca lives in Arizona. When she isn’t writing, you can find her cheering on local sports teams, hanging out with friends and family, or curled up with a good book.
Michelle Heard is a Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling Author who loves creating stories her readers can get lost in. She resides in South Africa with her son where she’s always planning her next book to write, and trip to take.
My one-night stand.
A ruthless bastard.
A heartless billionaire.
The man who ruled his empire with a cold head and an even colder heart. And most importantly, my son’s father. Except, he wasn’t aware of that little fact. To the media, Byron Ashford is a Billionaire King. To me, he’s a reminder of the hottest, most forbidden, night of my life. And my biggest mistake.
I hadn’t seen him in years and hoped we’d never cross paths again.
But then, my best-laid plans always seem to go astray. Now, I need his help to bail me out of trouble. He’s a billionaire and I’m just a broke, debt-riddled surgeon.
Against my better judgment, I sought him out. It should have been easy, in and out. Except, nothing with Byron Ashford was ever easy. He refuses to hand out free favors. And the price for his help?
My freedom. Literally.
He wants to shackle me to him with a marriage I don’t want then throw away the key.
His demands are scandalous. His rules are dangerous for my heart.
It was supposed to be a mutually beneficial deal, but nothing about Byron is ever that simple. Once he slips the ring onto my finger, the rules change.
His demands grow. He no longer just wants to own my body. He also wants my heart and soul. But I’m not that young, naive woman anymore.
Too bad this billionaire forgot one thing. Nobody can own your heart unless you give it freely.
And this time, I’m not blinded by his smile and especially not by his lies.
Eva Winners released her first novel Second Chance At Love in 2020 and has been writing vigorously ever since. She writes about everlasting romance for every century focusing on characters emotional development and always guarantees an HEA.
She loves yoga, wine and her kiddos. In her spare time, she seeks adventures either hiking through trails or exploring the beaches.
Writing books has always been her passion and she brings real life to the forefront in everything she writes about.
Deeply passionate characters and stories will draw you in and you’ll never want to leave.
Follow her on social media to stay up to date with all her new releases!
Rebecca Jenshak is a USA Today bestselling author of new adult and sports romance. She writes sexy, feel-good stories with lots of swoon-worthy moments.
Rebecca lives in Arizona. When she isn’t writing, you can find her cheering on local sports teams, hanging out with friends and family, or curled up with a good book.
Valley U’s hottest QB has heard in detail how I want to climb him like a tree.
One viral video and my life as a wallflower is over.
Felix Walters knows exactly how I feel about him—so does everyone else on campus.
It was supposed to be a private conversation between friends.
Now I’m the butt of every joke and everywhere I turn all eyes are on me.
It’s every shy girl’s nightmare.
Except now the hottest guy on campus wants to be my fake boyfriend.
Six weeks. Just pretend.
I’m a wallflower fake dating Valley U’s hottest player.
•••
• MY REVIEW •
“He has charm for days and that smile…damn that smile makes me forget my own name.”
I am obsessed! This series gets more and more addictive with each new book. Just when I thought Gavin and Violet had cemented themselves as my favourite couple from the Campus Wallflowers series, Felix and Dahlia do a sneaky-sneak and steal the throne right from under them!
Amazing. Swoon-worthy. Un-frigging-putdownable. So many adjectives pop into my head when I think about this book and what it evoked out of me. But the one that probably sums it all up best for me is: PERFECT. (Yes, caps needed!)
It’s one of those romance books I wished lasted a little longer. It has world-building I easily pictured in my head and would totally watch on screen if it was ever made into a tv show or movie. It was vivid, constantly evolving, and with a college backdrop I’m lowkey jelly of as my university was never hustling and bustling with as much curricular activities as Valley U. 😅
Jenshak has taken the opposites-attract trope— which, in this case is the popular jock/ shy heroine and the fake dating relationship trope and created a magically delicious narrative. Felix and Dahlia are two fictional characters who I couldn’t fault. I love them to bits! Did they have hiccups, and mishaps, and tons of embarrassing moments between them? Yes. But you know what? It was a rom-com lover’s dream seeing these two interact, and getting insight into their internal monologues. I belly-laughed, I ooh-ed and ahh-ed, and dammit even the waterworks started up. There was a steady build-up to the developing relationship that really amped up the anticipation of their HEA. Although they intended it to be a fake-dating relationship, Felix and Dahlia develop a friendship that’s just as noteworthy and substantial as those already existing in their respective circle of friends.
I am certain this book will end up in my top reads of 2023. It’s well-paced storytelling and told from interchanging POVs. It can be read as a standalone, as is with the other books in the series but I recommend for a fuller reading experience to read in publishing order. Certain secondary characters that make an appearance in this book are already established couples and certain parts would make a lot more sense if you already know their backstory.
I rarely read NA romance books anymore, but this series called to me like a siren song right from the very first premise of the very first book. Now onto this third and I am floating on a cloud. I am all-in with these cool, fun girlfriends, and the charming young men they’re each crushing on.
It’s not hard to see why Dahlia had eyes only for Felix. He is the quintessential popular guy that stands out from the crowd. Not only because of his drool-worthy good looks and athletic prowess, but because of his caring, protective, and outgoing nature that gradually eases Dahlia out of her cocoon.
Dahlia toes the line between shy “nerd” and athlete; being a golfer. But this heroine has plenty more talents, and getting to know her personality was both highly entertaining and heart-warming. She’s thoughtful, down-to-earth, and I found to be such a genuinely relatable character.
I adored the friendships present in this book too. Both Dahlia’s close-knit friendship with her roommates, and from Felix’s banter-fueled friends and teammates. Not that this story needed any more comic-relief with the number of funny scenes included, but the group dynamics definitely added more amusement to the overall reading experience.
It’s an overall feel-good, comfort read that I can (and will) go back to time and time again and never tire of seeing Felix and Dahlia’s adorable relationship evolve.
With storytelling that was effortless to follow, intriguing characters that immediately hooked me in, and copious amounts of college-focused events, this book was buzzing with excitement from start to finish.
If you’re looking for a contemporary college romance, look no more! There’s a good balance of sporting elements, overall school setting, and personal growth. I can’t say enough positive things about this one. The characters are well-developed, the plot well-written and fleshed-out, and the romance department isn’t lacking either. Be prepared for some LOL moments, second-hand embarrassment, and heart-palpitating dialogue.
This book is dedicated to the sporty ones, but I also think it’s for those, like me, who may have been the shy girl in school, the invisible girl, the girl who got teased, the girl who never got chosen for anything, the girl who wasn’t in the “clique”. Because Dahlia gets you. And Daisy, and Violet, and Jane.
Jenshak has a knack for writing unbelievably sweet, light-hearted romances that still deal with real-life struggles that plenty of readers may resonate with. This is book is love, family, and friendship. It’s wholehearted, and filled with positivity and solid pillars of support. Felix, Dahlia, and their story has left an imprint of happiness on me. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you Rebecca Jenshak and Valentine PR for the opportunity to read an advance copy! ❤
🔔 Interested in reading Scoring The Player? Grab your copy here: Amazon | Apple Books | Nook | Kobo Coming Soon!
My hobbies consist of shopping, eating, and sleeping. Yeah, I know, it doesn’t sound like I have much going for me, but what is a girl to do when she has an overbearing father who doesn’t allow her to be anything but a socialite?
I’m used to being in the spotlight, but when my father starts getting threats on my life, he hires a bodyguard.
Maxim Levin, the Russian God with intense eyes and a face carved from stone. I don’t think the man has ever cracked a smile. He’s domineering, broody, and scary as hell.
The more time I spend with him, the more his secrets come to light.
Turns out he’s not just a regular bodyguard.
My father hired an assassin.
An Assassin! Aka, a man who unalives people for a living.
Maxim has one more secret yet to be uncovered, and when I finally crack the hard shell of his unforgiving exterior, I’m in for the shock of my life.
•••
• MY REVIEW •
“For the first time, I feel alive. More than I ever have.”
Anyone in search of Bodyguard Romance?? Because I’m recommending this one! It’s slow-burn goodness between a food-loving, camera-wielding Socialite and her dangerously sexy Assassin-temporarily-turned-Bodyguard.
I think I’ve finally found my fictional spirit animal in Camille! It’s scary how much of myself I was seeing in her whilst I was reading this book. Give me my very own Max and we’re practically… *singsong voice* twinning! 😄
It’s another easy as pie, honest-to-goodness comfort read from Heard, and another page-turning addition to the Corrupted Royals series. I’m honestly going to be so heartbroken when this series officially comes to an end. I’ve been loving each and every character introduced, and even more so, the addictive pairings who have come together in the most intriguing of ways.
I read this in one sitting and was thirsty for any and all Camille and Maxim interactions from start to finish. It’s not as dark as the previous books in the series, which I actually found to be a sweet change of pace and a nice break from the grittiness that Heard usually injects in most of her mafia books. This is a standalone and can be read without having read the previous books in the series. Although I recommend the entire series, you can dive right into Camille’s and Max’s story, no worries.
It has a lot of spice and all things nice, and makes for an entertaining reading experience. It had, in my opinion, the perfect balance of romance and mafia themed elements, in an overall contemporary backdrop. Both MCs are freaking lovable characters— I can’t stress that enough. You’ll discover Camille is not your stereotypical “socialite”, and I loved her relatable personality and downright adorable inner monologue. Max added the slow-burn in this romance, but I’m not even annoyed because it made for a more electrifying narrative. The chemistry between the two leaped off the pages and I just about drooled at the anticipation of seeing their relationship develop from business to personal.
It’s fast-paced storytelling told from dual points of view. Both their perspectives heightened the spark bubbling over between them. I honestly wished their story was longer, as I hadn’t wanted it to end. There were new developments towards the end that I did think resolved too abruptly and would’ve preferred if it had been more fleshed-out or set in motion a little earlier in the storyline so it had a more organic flow to it. But nevertheless, I enjoyed the heck out this book! From the forced proximity, to the awkward sexual tension, to the constant junk food binge that had me hungry in more ways than one from reading a romance novel. 😜
Whilst I didn’t find the “triggering content” triggering, other readers may feel differently. It does broach on heavy themes such as violence, life-threatening situations, and death. Please take into consideration before starting this book. It’s intended for readers 18+ only.
Besides the MCs, there’s a small but heart-warming cast of secondary characters that really elevated this story and exhibited authentic sides to both Camille and Max’s lives. It not only displayed loving familial dynamics, but also strong friendships and brotherly banter that cut through some of the seriousness of the situation Camille and Max were thrown into.
As with the previous books, it’s always a happy sight to see familiar characters from Heard’s other mafia romance series cross-over. It’s always a seamless addition to certain scenes that I’ve come to look forward to seeing.
If you like reading bodyguard romances and/or mafia romances, with opposites attract, age-gap romance tropes, add this one to your reading list. The writing effortlessly transports you to vivid world-building and eye-catching characters. With their polar-opposite worlds I was emotionally and mentally invested in seeing how Camille and Max’s relationship could end in a HEA. Not only had the initial premise caught my attention, but the story itself well and truly delivered. I’m left happy sighing in contentment.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
Thank you Michelle Heard for the opportunity to read an advance copy! 🧡
Before the world knew me as a rock god, I was just the angry boy who stole her heart.
She was a good girl.
The forbidden fruit I wasn’t meant to taste.
Our stars were crossed, and fate had doomed us from the start.
She was promised to someone else.
I had her secret smiles.
Moments stolen in dark corners.
But I couldn’t have her future.
Destiny tore us apart, and all that remained was the ghost of her memory.
When she died, I did too.
But when I catch a glimpse of her five years later, alive and well, that love turns to hate as the bitter truth emerges.
She left me.
She lied.
And now, I’m going to make her pay.
•••
• MY REVIEW •
“All I ever had to offer her was me.”
Phew. This was one behemoth of a romance story that’ll tear you apart only to put you back together again. It’s definitely not for the faint-hearted. It’s a contemporary romance but with strong dark themes included.
This book contains several romance sub-genres and tropes, as well as sensitive content that some readers may find triggering. Madden and Bianca’s story consists of the following:
Rockstar Romance
First Love
Star-Crossed Lovers
Ex-Military
Forbidden Romance
Secret Romance
Love Triangle
Friends-to-Lovers
Love-to-Hate-to-Love
MC Romance
Please note the dark themes are graphic. It deals with death, strong violence, blackmail, physical and mental abuse, and sexual assault. As well as horrific events resulting in psychological and emotional trauma, substance abuse, depression, and overall PTSD. It’s intended for readers 18+ only.
It’s a journey full of unbreakable bonds and honest friendships, but also brings about what seems like an endless amount of hopelessness. Be prepared for a lot of heaviness. Right from the very beginning you’re pulled into a sombre backdrop that sets the precedents of the entire book’s atmosphere.
Without giving away the storyline, Madden and Bianca’s lives are wrapped in half-truths, mystery, and constant roadblocks. Somebody upstairs certainly didn’t want them together. Although they do get their HEA, it was undoubtedly an uphill battle to get to their happiness. It was an emotional rollercoaster that evoked a mixture of heartbreak, frustration, and eventually contentment.
Zavarelli created two very complex MCs in a twisted character-driven narrative. It takes place in both the past and present day and interchanges chapter to chapter. To be honest, it felt like I was reading two books simultaneously— one the prequel, the other the main story. In my opinion, both timelines had their own pacing which disrupted the overall flow. The backstory was slower-paced and I felt it dragged somewhat in the middle of the story before it picked back up towards the end. The chapters with the present day were definitely my favourite parts of the book to read. They were faster-paced and had a lot of the interactions and developments that had me completely hooked.
Madden and Bianca are stuck in an infinite loop of push-and-pull and unresolved issues. On one hand it was frustrating to see the repetitiveness, but on the other, it was relatable seeing the difficulties they went through individually and with each other. On some level, I resonated with certain issues and easily sympathised with their situation.
I especially gravitated towards Madden and his painful journey of finding his place in the world and the love he deserved. With his raw character, vulnerability, fundamental strength, and most importantly his unwavering belief, he’s without a doubt my favourite MMC from this series.
“I don’t know how to love someone I can’t have.”
I like the initial premise. It’s one of my favourite elements but can be a bit of rare find, so discovering Zavarelli’s newest novel revolved around it had me excited to say the least. The mystery surrounding Bianca and needing to uncover the truth was ultimately what made this a page-turner. With the addition of lovable secondary characters that stole my attention from time to time added a level of dimension and injected genuine positivity to a mostly grim storytelling.
It’s a standalone within the Sin City Salvation series with character crossovers from the previous books. I recommend reading them first before starting this one to understand the relationships amongst the characters.
All in all, this third and final book was a beautiful conclusion to the series. It had a little bit of everything from the romantic elements, to the comradery and diverse familial dynamics, to the action and suspense. It’s a story of growth, loyalty, and loss.
I always find Zavarelli’s writing whilst intricate still effortless to follow, and this book was no different. It’s a real survival, “love conquers all” love story that’s so hearty and gut-wrenching, it’ll leave you feeling like you’ve been put through the wringer right alongside Madden and Bianca. And after having read their story, their HEA was well and truly deserving.
It has vivid world-building, complex characters, and multiple developing storylines. If you’re an avid fan of Zavarelli, you won’t want to miss out on reading this. Any dark and contemporary romance readers who enjoy any of the following sub-genres and tropes I mentioned should give this one a try. Just have tissues on hand.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you Ashleigh Zavarelli for the opportunity to read an advance copy! 💜
My hobbies consist of shopping, eating, and sleeping. Yeah, I know, it doesn’t sound like I have much going for me, but what is a girl to do when she has an overbearing father who doesn’t allow her to be anything but a socialite?
I’m used to being in the spotlight, but when my father starts getting threats on my life, he hires a bodyguard.
Maxim Levin, the Russian God with intense eyes and a face carved from stone. I don’t think the man has ever cracked a smile. He’s domineering, broody, and scary as hell.
The more time I spend with him, the more his secrets come to light.
Turns out he’s not just a regular bodyguard.
My father hired an assassin.
An Assassin! Aka, a man who unalives people for a living.
Maxim has one more secret yet to be uncovered, and when I finally crack the hard shell of his unforgiving exterior, I’m in for the shock of my life.
Michelle Heard is a Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling Author who loves creating stories her readers can get lost in. She resides in South Africa with her son where she’s always planning her next book to write, and trip to take.
She never expected his persistence, nor the way her body warmed each time the devil came around, which only made her fight the attraction that much harder.
She had vengeance to deliver and now there was blood on her hands. She had her secrets and she intended to keep them. Let the world think she was crazy, out of control. It made her real sins easy to hide.
One visit to Las Vegas sent it all spiraling to hell. There was a reason Dante was considered the Devious Kingpin.
But one thing was certain. This Juliette didn’t need a Romeo and she certainly wasn’t a damsel in distress.
•••
• MY REVIEW •
“You and I, Wildling, we were meant to be together.”
It was everything I could have hoped for and then some! ❤ I knew from reading Villainous Kingpin that Dante DiLustro and Juliette Brennan would be a stellar couple with a must-read story, and I almost hate to admit it, but the months and months of waiting in anticipation was actually well-worth it.
Banter, intrigue, and heat, oh my! Chapter after chapter, their story got more and more juicy. Winners knows how to write a plot-thickening, character-driven swoon-fest, and this might just be in my top 3 all-time favourites from her interconnecting universe of dark, mafia, and billionaire romance series’.
I definitely went into this one with a preconceived idea of how their story will go, along with their interactions. But that fast dissipated as Winners dished out plot-twists, unsuspecting characters, and developments that got me in the feels.
Did I mention that this book had me giggling as well? A wise-ass remark here and there, constant familial banter, and amusing inner monologues added extra oomph to what was already a page-turning storyline.
I’m an avid dark mafia romance reader. It’s my favourite romance sub-genre, and Winners has a way of writing them that’s uniquely her own. Whilst I’m not quite up-to-date with her backlist yet, I have read enough to recognise a romance book written by her without having to look at the cover. The writing is in-depth, effortless to follow, and almost immediately paints the picture. There’s a certain repetitiveness in her books that I always find comforting and highly addictive.
Whilst you can read this as a standalone, I recommend starting from the beginning of the series to get the full-scope of Dante’s and Juliette’s world. It will also give insight on how they were introduced to one another.
“Let me in, Wildling, and I promise you, neither one of us are ever going to be the same.”
Discovering Dante’s and Juliette’s backstories delved deeper than what was initially shared added another level of excitement and intrigue to the entire reading experience for me. Their connection was palpable and the turn of events between the two is something I’m still playing over in my head.
It contains dark themes that broaches on sensitive matters that some readers may find triggering or disturbing to read such as, child abuse, sexual assault, drugging, graphic violence, and death. Please take into consideration before starting. It’s intended for readers 18+ only.
Dante is probably THE sweetest, most caring, most thoughtful hero from the series (at least so far). He is such a contrast from the previous Kingpins of this series. With every effort made with Juliette I couldn’t help but fall hard for him. I guarantee Dante will have you smiling.
Juliette has grown so much as a character from the (prequel) Corrupted Pleasure that she’s become my favourite heroine. If I was to describe her character, I would say she’s a bit of an M&M chocolate with a soft, sweet centre and fragile outer shell that can chip and crack but ultimately still holds itself together.
It’s fast-paced storytelling told from dual perspectives, and has so much heart and soul in it that’ll have you emotionally and mentally invested from start to finish. I honestly didn’t want this book to end. The only reason why I’m somewhat coping is because I know they’ll make appearances in following books of the series. I love the friendships and familial bonds displayed. There’s a real sense of love, support, and protectiveness amongst the cast of characters, even crossover characters who make minor appearances provide some form of support system for these MCs.
It’s not overly gritty and with both MCs in their twenties, it can be considered NA romance. Dante and Juliette are two truly lovable, emotional characters. Their romance is slow-burn, and understandably so. But more so it made it all the more genuine to see their relationship evolve. If you like mafia romances with an enemies-to-lovers and/or a stalker romance trope, add it to your TBR.
I can’t fault this one. It’s aces in book! I will undoubtedly read it time and time again.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you Eva Winners for the opportunity to read an advance copy! ❤
The man who ruled his empire with a cold head and an even colder heart. And most importantly, my son’s father. Except, he wasn’t aware of that little fact. To the media, Byron Ashford is a Billionaire King. To me, he’s a reminder of the hottest, most forbidden, night of my life. And my biggest mistake.
I hadn’t seen him in years and hoped we’d never cross paths again.
But then, my best-laid plans always seem to go astray. Now, I need his help to bail me out of trouble. He’s a billionaire and I’m just a broke, debt-riddled surgeon.
Against my better judgment, I sought him out. It should have been easy, in and out. Except, nothing with Byron Ashford was ever easy. He refuses to hand out free favors. And the price for his help?
My freedom. Literally.
He wants to shackle me to him with a marriage I don’t want then throw away the key.
His demands are scandalous. His rules are dangerous for my heart.
It was supposed to be a mutually beneficial deal, but nothing about Byron is ever that simple. Once he slips the ring onto my finger, the rules change.
His demands grow. He no longer just wants to own my body. He also wants my heart and soul. But I’m not that young, naive woman anymore.
Too bad this billionaire forgot one thing. Nobody can own your heart unless you give it freely.
And this time, I’m not blinded by his smile and especially not by his lies.
Eva Winners released her first novel Second Chance At Love in 2020 and has been writing feverishly ever since. She writes about everlasting romance for every century focusing on characters emotional development and always guarantees an HEA.
She loves yoga, wine and her kiddos. In her spare time, she seeks adventures either hiking through trails or exploring the beaches.
Writing books has always been her passion and she brings real life to the forefront in everything she writes about.
Deeply passionate characters and stories will draw you in and you’ll never want to leave.
Follow her on social media to stay up to date with all her new releases!
•••
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