Have you heard the rumor around campus about the locker room? If you haven’t, let me enlighten you: Legend has it if you bring a girl into the sacred after-game domain of the baseball locker room, it will end with a walk down the aisle. One rowdy and naked encounter against the lockers with the girl of your dreams will make her your wife. Translation: baseball players are stupidly superstitious and believe the locker room has magical powers.
But not all baseball players are superstitious, me included. So when the girl I’ve fallen for brushes me off, I start to question if I need to switch my way of thinking. Maybe it’s time I finally hand out a coveted invitation to the locker room. The only question is, will she accept?ย
There is a Wild Man who lives in the deep quiet of Greenhollow, and he listens to the wood. Tobias, tethered to the forest, does not dwell on his past life, but he lives a perfectly unremarkable existence with his cottage, his cat, and his dryads. When Greenhollow Hall acquires a handsome, intensely curious new owner in Henry Silver, everything changes. Old secrets better left buried are dug up, and Tobias is forced to reckon with his troubled pastโboth the green magic of the woods, and the dark things that rest in its heart.
Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. Romantic partners, whatever their gender, are a distraction at best and a drain at worst. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefitsโsomeone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom.
When brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, itโs an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and ex-rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Now half the internet is shipping #DrRugbaeโand Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out, his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse?
Daniโs plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zafโs secretly a hopeless romanticโand heโs determined to corrupt Daniโs stone-cold realism. Before long, heโs tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his… um, thighs.
Suddenly, the easy lay Dani dreamed of is more complex than her thesis. Has her wish backfired? Is her focus being tested? Or is the universe just waiting for her to take a hint?
Goodreads: The Switch Publisher: Quercus Published: 16 April 2020 Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance
Panda Rating: (4 pandas)
Leena is too young to feel stuck. Eileen is too old to start over. Maybe itโs time for The Switchโฆ
Ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, Leena escapes to her grandmother Eileen’s house for some overdue rest. Newly single and about to turn eighty, Eileen would like a second chance at love. But her tiny Yorkshire village doesnโt offer many eligible gentlemenโฆ So Leena proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love, and Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire. But with a rabble of unruly OAPs to contend with, as well as the annoyingly perfect โ and distractingly handsome โ local schoolteacher, Leena learns that switching lives isnโt straightforward. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours, and with the online dating scene. But is her perfect match nearer to home than she first thought?
It took me a while to get around to it but I’m so glad that I finally picked up The Switch. I buddy read this with Leslie @ Books Are The New Black and it was so much fun! It made me wonder why I didn’t do buddy reads more when it’s so great to have someone to gush and whine to while reading ๐ We both tried to pace ourselves but we ended up devouring this book because it was so easy and mostly enjoyable to read! Don’t forget to check out Leslie’s review! This has, without a doubt, cemented O’Leary in my auto-buy and favourite authors list because she definitely knows how to write those feel-good heartwarming stories that leave you wanting more. ๐ฅฐ
Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Goodreads:Enjoy the View (Moose Springs #3) Publisher: SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca Publication Date: 19 January 2021 Genre: Contemporary Romance
Panda Rating: (3.5 pandas)
A grouchy mountaineer, a Hollywood starlet And miles of untamed wilderness… What could possibly go wrong?
Former Hollywood darling River Lane’s acting career is tanking fast. Determined to start fresh behind the camera, she agrees to film a documentary about the picturesque small town of Moose Springs, Alaska. The assignment should have been easy, but the quirky locals want nothing to do with River. Well, too bad: River’s going to make this film and prove herself, no matter what it takes.
Or what (literal) mountain she has to climb.
Easton Lockett may be a gentle giant, but he knows a thing or two about survival. If he can keep everyone in line, he should be able to get River and her crew up and down Mount Veil in one piece. Turns out that’s a big if. The wildlife’s wilder than usual, the camera crew’s determined to wander off a cliff, and the gorgeous actress is fearless. Falling for River only makes Easton’s job tougher, but there’s only so long he can hold out against her brilliant smile. When bad weather strikes, putting everyone at risk, it’ll take all of Easton’s skill to get them back home safely…and convince River she should stay in his arms for good.
TL;DR: I was so excited for Easton’s story because he’s my hero kryptonite and while this didn’t end up being what I expected, I still enjoyed it enough to continue the series. I loved Easton and getting his perspective and even though our heroine, River, wasn’t always my fave, I still rooted for their HEA. There were also some great laugh-out-loud moments with blush inducing ‘Sexy Hagrid’ comments and a very kooky yet adorable marmot that made the story even more enjoyable!
Today’s my stop on the blog tour hosted by Rachel’s Random Resources for The Viscount’s Unconventional Lady by Virginia Heath. Thanks to the author for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Goodreads: The Viscount’s Unconventional Lady Publisher: Mills & Boon Historical Release Date: 21 January 2021 Genre: Historical Romance
Panda Rating: (4 pandas)
The notorious viscount And the most gossiped-about ladyโฆ After years as a diplomat in the Napoleonic Wars, Lord Eastwood is reluctant to return to London society. His scandalous divorce has made him infamous, not to mention cantankerous! To halt the rumor mill, he should marry a quiet noblewomanโinstead itโs bold, vibrant artist Faith Brookes whoโs caught his attention. They are the least suitable match, so why is he like a moth to a flame?
Hey friends! I’m excited to be back for another tour with @ TheWriteReads for White Trash Warlock by David R. Slayton. Be sure to check out all the other bloggers participating in this tour: here! ๐
Special thanks to the author for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!
Guthrie was a good place to be from, but it wasnโt a great place to live, not when you were like Adam, in all the ways Adam was like Adam.
Adam Binder hasnโt spoken to his brother in years, not since Bobby had him committed to a psych ward for hearing voices. When a murderous spirit possesses Bobbyโs wife and disrupts the perfect life heโs built away from Oklahoma, heโs forced to ask for his little brotherโs help. Adam is happy to escape the trailer park and get the chance to say I told you so, but he arrives in Denver to find the local magicians dead. It isnโt long before Adam is the spiritโs next target. To survive the confrontation, heโll have to risk bargaining with powers heโd rather avoid, including his first love, the elf who broke his heart. The Binder brothers donโt realize that theyโre unwitting pawns in a game played by immortals. Death herself wants the spiritโs head, and sheโs willing to destroy their family to reap it.
I’m back with another blog tour today with Rachel’s Random Resources for The Little Swiss Ski Chalet by Julie Caplin. Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Be sure to click on the banner below to check out the other bloggers on tour!
Goodreads: The Little Swiss Ski Chalet Release Date: 30 January 2021 Genre: Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit, Romance
Panda Rating: (3.5 pandas)
Itโs time to pack your bags and head to the breathtaking, snow-covered peaks of the Swiss Alps for velvety hot chocolates, delicious cheeses and a gorgeous love storyโฆ
Food technician Minna has always believed that chocolate will solve everything โ and itโs just what she needs when her latest relationship mishap goes viral! So with her bags packed and a new determination to sort her life out, Minna decides to drown her sorrows with the best hot chocolate in the world at her godmotherโs cosy Swiss chalet. Chocolate: yes. Romance: no. Until she has a run in on an Alpine train with a mysterious but oh-so-gorgeous strangerโฆ
Today is my stop on the TBR & Beyond Tours for Cast in Firelight by Dana Swift. Special thanks to Delacorte Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Be sure to click on the banner above to check out the rest of the amazing bloggers on tour!
Goodreads: Cast in Firelight (Wickery #1) Publisher: Delacorte Press Publication Date: 19 January 2021 Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Panda Rating: (4 pandas)
Adraa is the royal heir of Belwar, a talented witch on the cusp of taking her royal ceremony test, and a girl who just wants to prove her worth to her people.
Jatin is the royal heir to Naupure, a competitive wizard who’s mastered all nine colors of magic, and a boy anxious to return home for the first time since he was a child.
Together, their arranged marriage will unite two of Wickery’s most powerful kingdoms. But after years of rivalry from afar, Adraa and Jatin only agree on one thing: their reunion will be anything but sweet. Only, destiny has other plans and with the criminal underbelly of Belwar suddenly making a move for control, their paths cross…and neither realizes who the other is, adopting separate secret identities instead.
Between dodging deathly spells and keeping their true selves hidden, the pair must learn to put their trust in the other if either is to uncover the real threat. Now Wickery’s fate is in the hands of rivals..? Fiancรฉes..? Partners..? Whatever they are, it’s complicated and bound for greatness or destruction
Buckle up for an emotional journey of hijinks, heartache, and a hot slow-burn in this marriage-in-crisis romance about going the distance to make love last.
Aiden Iโve spent twelve years loving Freya Bergman and twelve lifetimes wonโt be enough to give her everything she deserves. Sheโs my passionate, tender-hearted wife, my best friend, and all I want is to make her happy. But the one thing that will make her happiest is the one thing Iโm not sure I can give her: a baby. With the pressure of providing and planning for a family, my anxietyโs at an all-time high, and I find myself pulling away, terrified to tell my wife how Iโm struggling. But when Freya kicks me out, I realize that pulling back has turned into pushing too far. Now itโs the fight of a lifetime to save our marriage.
Freya I love my cautious, hard-working husband. Heโs my partner and best friend, the person I know I can count on most. Until one day I realize the man I married is nowhere to be found. Now Aiden is quiet and withdrawn, and as the months wear on, the pain of our growing distance becomes too much. As if weathering marriage counseling wasnโt enough, weโre thrown together for an island getaway to celebrate my parentsโ many years of perfect marriage while ours is on the brink of collapse. Despite my meddling siblings and a week in each otherโs constant company, this trip somehow gets us working through the trouble in paradise. I just canโt help worrying, when we leave paradise and return to the real world, will trouble find us again?
dinipandareads 