The Rose Kiss by Esme Rome

In this retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Lana Moreau is named the Belmorta (beautiful death) by a local prophet and framed for poisoning one of her unwanted suitors. Fleeing into the forest, she finds refuge at an enchanted castle with invisible servants and a host who requests she never try to look at him. As soldiers search outside, the two become close - but the magic that hides the castle from Lana's pursuers is also hiding them from a greater threat - one who will stop at nothing.

This was definitely an interesting twist on Beauty and the Beast! I like that while Lana enjoyed reading, she wasn't a carbon copy of Belle. The world has a magic all of its own.

I did find the world-building inconsistent and this led to enough plot holes that the pacing felt off. The fairytale feel with two lost souls bonding in an empty castle morphed into a frantic fantasy adventure and it was a rather rocky transition. I also found it hard to like Lana as she came across as judgey and self-absorbed.

I can definitely see potential in the author and that cover is gorgeous, but it's definitely a first novel and I hope the next ones get a little more polish and a tougher editor.

The Rose Kiss is available now.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley; all opinions are my own.

Love Me Ever After by Julie Archer

Eighteen months after taking an international secondment and leaving behind a girlfriend who didn't want to do long-distance, Mason Miles is back in the country and needs somewhere to live.

Emily Berry doesn't want the hassle of finding a new housemate, but surely that's better than having her ex move in? Unfortunately, she's not given much of a choice. Even worse, it turns out that a year and a half have done nothing to put out the sparks between them, and she still seems to have those pesky little things called feelings. But with his career taking off and hers on the line, hooking up might give them another chance at everything they ever wanted - or ruin it.

Third in a series, this second chance romance has the perfect mix of angst, steam, and happy endings. Mason and Ems have all the chemistry but must learn to navigate life together if they really want the relationship to work out this time around.

There were a few moments where I bemoaned poor decision-making and an awful lot of jumping to conclusions, but nothing egregious or unreasonable. Mason and Ems felt like real, flawed human beings trying to work out what they want out of life.

A side effect of jumping in at book three is that there's a lot of characters to keep track of and it's not immediately clear who is related or how they fit in. Despite this, I found it relatively easy to start here and I didn't feel like I'd missed out by doing so.

If you're looking for a solid second chance romance or simply want a contemporary about normal people learning how to make a relationship work, I'd definitely put this book forward.

Love Me Ever After is available now.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via The Indie Pen PR; all opinions are my own

Publication Day: Cornish Gold at Summer’s End by Laura Briggs (with international giveaway!)

Rumors of a ghostly presence haunt Julianne’s Cornish autumn in the series’ charming fourth installment.

What began as a bit of teenage mischief in the village quickly became stories of spooky lights and ghost sightings in the wood. Being sensible, Julianne is more worried about whether she can finish her kids’ costumes in time for the annual Halloween contest—and whether husband Matt and his eager assistants will be selected for the exclusive Brookshire Garden Design Competition. So when everyone in town begins flocking to the local ‘ghost walk’ tours Julianne assures her wide-eyed children it’s just a case of imagination run wild...until she experiences her own brush with the supernatural, that is.

Real or imagined, Julianne can’t shrug off what she saw, or even bring herself to confide in sympathetic Matt for advice. Best friend Kitty is on hand to help, despite her usual family battles, including that of her cousins’ shady new scheme to profit from the town’s ghost mania. But even Julianne’s friends can’t fully understand her need to find a solution this time, one that leads her on a quirky quest from local lore, to meetings with the village’s ragtag paranormal club, and even a creepy abandoned cottage hiding secrets in the woods. 

Join Julianne for suspense, surprises, and (of course) heartfelt moments as book four in the series brings an autumn like no other to sleepy Ceffylgwyn.

Purchase Link - https://smarturl.it/cornishgold

Review

Julianne's life finally feels like it's settling into a comfortable, if very full, rhythm. Halloween is just around the corner, so she is ready to ignore the local ghost stories and concentrate on sewing costumes for her kids. It gets a little bit more difficult after her own spooky encounter, one that has her searching for answers in all the creepiest places.

A cosy tale full of family and feelings, this is a lovely read with an air of mystery. Julianne doesn't really have time to investigate but finds herself doing so anyway, and I can certainly relate to her curiosity! I'm definitely interested to see where her story goes next.

I always enjoy stories set in a small town with an eclectic cast of characters and this fits the bill perfectly. There are quite a few to keep track of (only natural, given this is the fourth book in the series) but their interactions give this community a real warmth.

This is an enjoyable read that I would recommend to fans of small town stories.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own

Author Bio

Laura Briggs is the author of several feel-good romance reads, including the Top 100 Amazon UK seller 'A Wedding in Cornwall'. She has a fondness for vintage style dresses (especially ones with polka dots), and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern day mysteries. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, caring for her pets, gardening, and seeing the occasional movie or play.

Social Media Links
Find Laura on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/1JjeMoI
Follow her on Twitter at http://bit.ly/1ME9ivJ 

Giveaway to Win an e-copy of Cornish Gold at Summer’s End (Open INT)
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Publication Day Push: Surprise Reunion with his Cinderella

 Can one week in paradise…
…heal ten years of heartache?

When the elite M dating agency sends wealthy Freddie Highgrove to the Seychelles for a weeklong “date,” the last person he’s expecting to be matched with is Jasmine Walker, his first love and ex-fiancée! Ten years ago, his family’s expectations for a high-society marriage sent housekeeper’s daughter Jasmine running. Can one week in paradise bring them back together?

Purchase Link - mybook.to/reunionwithcinderella

Review

Jasmine and Freddie's fairytale romance came to an end ten years ago when she realised she would never meet his parent's expectations for their heir. Unable to maintain a relationship in the years since because no-one could ever match up to her first love, she signs up for an exclusive dating agency - and it seems Freddie is still everything she ever wanted.

It's summery, it's spicy, it's a fabulous second chance romance set in the gorgeous Seychelles. From the titular surprise reunion, it's clear that Jasmine and Freddie are into each other, and under the heartbreak the feelings linger. Their connection jumps off the page but despite the physical attraction, they also delve into what broke them the last time. I would've liked a few more happy memories - after all, they did grow up together - but what we got made their relationship believable even given the long separation and short timeframe of the reunion.

I liked how they explored that this wasn't a twist of fate, but the dating preferences they both submitted were based in each other, the lost first love, and the only true coincidence is that they signed up for the same agency. There's some tough conversations and a lot of ground to cover, and the resolution is more discussed than shown, but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing two people find their way back to each other after too long.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own

Author Bio

Rachael Stewart adores conjuring up stories for the readers of Harlequin Mills & Boon and Deep Desires Press, with tales varying from the heartwarmingly romantic to the wildly erotic.

She's been writing since she could put pen to paper as the stacks of scrawled on A4 sheets in her loft will attest to, and the lovingly bound short stories that her father would run off at work and proudly share out with his colleagues. Thinking it was a pipe dream to be published one day, she pursued a sensible career in business but she was really play-acting, achieving the appropriate degree and spending many years in the corporate world where she never truly belonged. Always happiest when she was sat at her laptop in the quiet hours tapping out a story or two. And so here she is, a published author, her full-time pleasure, a dream come true.

A Welsh lass at heart, she now lives in Yorkshire with her husband and three children, and if she's not glued to her laptop, she's wrapped up in them or enjoying the great outdoors seeking out inspiration.

Social Media Links
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rachaelstewartauthor/
Twitter https://twitter.com/rach_b52
Website https://rachaelstewartauthor.com/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rachaelstewart3/ 

Giveaway to Win Prize bundle of 2 Rachael Stewart paperbacks plus assorted goodies (Open INT)

Prize Contains
- Paperback of Tempted by the Tycoon's Proposal
- Paperback of Surprise Reunion with His Cinderella
- Mills & Boon Notebook
- Rose Gold Pen
- Cute Placemat
- Lip balm
- Sweets
- Heart post-its
- Author Swag

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Playing the Duke’s Fiancee by Amanda McCabe

A pretend proposal 

For the unconventional heiress

When American heiress Violet Wilkins crosses paths with William, Duke of Charteris, she has extremely low expectations of the “Duke of Bore.” But when this seemingly stuffy aristocrat offers her escape from a dreadful arranged marriage, she leaps at the chance! To her surprise, the arresting Charles whisks Vi into an exhilarating make-believe romance. And as she gets to know the man behind the title, she can’t help wanting more…

Purchase Links
US - https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Dukes-Fianc%C3%A9e-Victorian-Historical-ebook/dp/B08WK59LL1
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Playing-Dukes-Fianc%C3%A9e-Victorian-Historical-ebook/dp/B08WK59LL1 

Review

Violet Wilkins can't imagine loving anyone as much as she loves photography but William, Duke of Bore Charteris is simply the most beautiful man she's ever met and she itches to capture him in frame.`She can't imagine they have anything in common but with her parents aiming to get their last daughter married off and scheming debutantes plotting to net themselves a duke, they agree to fake an engagement. As an American, she can never be the Duchess he thinks he needs, but her heart - and his - may have other ideas.

The first book in this series was a sumptous and low stakes read that piqued my interest in this sequel about Lily's sister Violet, especially with a fake relationship in the offering. This book stands alone, though Lily and her husband Aiden feature as prominent supporting characters.

One small tragedy of the First World War was that many of the respective European Heads of State were related, in contact, and still couldn't manage to resolve their differences. The reason they were all related? Queen Victoria married her children off all over Europe, and one of these weddings is the key event of this plot. Violet longs to document the wedding of Prince Albert, Duke of Edinburgh, and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia, an event which Lily and Violet attend by dint of Lily's ducal marriage. I loved the change of setting and the descriptions are just gorgeous.

Violet's passion for photography leaps off the page and adds a layer of depth and interest to her interactions not only with William, but also the characters around them. I liked how William was supportive despite not sharing her hobby, and how Violet's photography directly influenced the plot.

There were a few plot threads that didn't tie up completely - why Violet's parents were so keen on arranging her engagement, nor what on earth is going on with their sister Rose (is it a future book?) but the overall romance is both entertaining and satisfying. For an enjoyable low-angst romance with a unique heroine and setting of both time and place, this is a good choice.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own.

Author Bio
Amanda wrote her first romance at the age of sixteen--a vast historical epic starring all her friends as the characters, written secretly during algebra class (and her parents wondered why math was not her strongest subject...)
 She's never since used algebra, but her books have been nominated for many awards, including the RITA Award, the Romantic Times BOOKReviews Reviewers' Choice Award, the Booksellers Best, the National Readers Choice Award, and the Holt Medallion.  She lives in Santa Fe with a Poodle, a cat, a wonderful husband, and a very and far too many books and royal memorabilia collections.

When not writing or reading, she loves taking dance classes, collecting cheesy travel souvenirs, and watching the Food Network--even though she doesn't cook. 

Amanda also writes as Laurel McKee for Grand Central Publishing, the Elizabethan Mystery Series as Amanda Carmack, and the Manor Cat Mystery Series as Eliza Casey.

Social Media Links
http://ammandamccabe.com
https://www.facebook.com/amandamccabebooks/  
https://www.instagram.com/amandamccabeauthor/  
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/amandamccabe/_saved/
https://twitter.com/AmandaMcCabe01

Pause by Kylie Scott

Anna, recent car crash victim and coma patient, finds her life (and husband) have moved on without her. A little bit lost, and a lot smothered by her mom, she reaches out to the man who pulled her from the wreckage of the car crash that stole months of her life. Leif has his own scars - both physical and emotional - but together, he and Anna might just find a way to heal.

Every time I read a new book by Kylie Scott, I wonder if this is where she loses me. Where her blend of down to earth heroines and bad-boy heroes jumps the shark.

I am happy to report that this is not that book.

I absolutely love how Anna is your average Jane, with her own set of insecurities and flaws, as she learns to navigate a massive life change. Leif struggling as well, in the aftermath of the events of Repeat, as well as the car crash. Despite this, he encourages Anna to take charge of her own life and start living again. They're both hurt, but what didn't kill them brought them together.

Much of the angst in this book is situational rather than relational. Anna is still recovering from the car crash and her ex won't stay away. There's also a lovely subplot exploring her relationship with her mom that makes me want to give my own a call.

Anyone who wants a high-conflict romance might find this not to their liking, but I really enjoyed this slower-paced hospital-buddies to lovers as it explored relationships and growth after a life-changing event. It's sweet, sexy, and emotionally fulfilling.

Pause is available now in ebook and hard copy.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via SocialButterfly PR; all opinions are my own

Blog Tour: Thirteen Stops by Sandra Harris

There are thirteen Luas stops between Sandyford and St. Stephen's Green in Dublin and vice versa. The passengers all hunker down, folded tightly into themselves, eyes fixed on their phones, interminably scrolling, terrified of connecting with each other. Except . . . Except, who's that good-looking guy in the long dark coat who's eyeing up selfie queen Laura? Could he end up as one of her terrible choices? Hang on, isn't he the same guy who was ogling glamorous working-mum-with-a-secret Maroon before? And why is Jamie over there telling his life story to a complete stranger? What's Fauve hiding in her handbag? It must be the crown jewels or an unexploded bomb at the very least, the way she's hugging it so tightly to herself. And why does Becks from two seats down look out the window so anxiously? Is she worried that Barry could be straying? Alight here for the inside track . . . 

Purchase Links
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1781997489
US - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1781997489

Review

Love, life, and a bit of the absurd collide and intertwine on the Luas, the tram system around Dublin. Everyone has a story and we dip one by one into the lives of its passengers, from the Other Woman to a single mother with a secret, a put-upon wife to the good boyfriend with a past. Each of the thirteen chapters follows different characters as they face relationship woes and the pains of life. I particularly enjoyed Fauve's and Maroon's chapters, though Mick's chapter made me tear up and a few of the relationships had me, a confirmed romantic, hoping for a breakup! 

Each end on a cliffhanger but I liked how these were (mostly) tied up in the next chapter. I also found it fun to try and work out who would be the next point of view. There was a nice cyclicity about the whole thing, though I was definitely left with a few questions, especially the ones that were mainly composed of flashbacks. It definitely felt like a tasting portion, leaving you wanting just a little bit more.

Touching, heartbreaking, and sometimes naughty (especially the first chapter, which I wasn't expecting!), this is a clever set of vignettes from an interesting new (to me) author.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Rachel's Random Resources; all opinions are my own.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY OF SANDRA HARRIS.
Sandra Harris is a Dublin-based novelist, poet, short story writer and film and book blogger. She has studied Creative Writing and Vampirology. She has published a number of e-books on the following topics: horror film reviews, multi-genre film reviews, women's fiction, erotic fiction, erotic horror fiction and erotic poetry. Several new books are currently in the pipeline. You can browse or buy any of Sandra's books by following the link below straight to her Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B015GDE5RO

 Her debut romantic fiction novel, 'THIRTEEN STOPS,' is out now from Poolbeg Books:
https://www.amazon.com/Thirteen-Stops-Sandra-Harris-ebook/dp/B089DJMH64 

The sequel, ‘THIRTEEN STOPS LATER,’ is out now from Poolbeg Books:
 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1781994234 

Social Media Links
https://www.facebook.com/SandraHarrisPureFilthPoetry
http://sandrafirstruleoffilmclubharris.wordpress.com
https://sandraharriswrites.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/SandraAuthor
https://www.writing.ie/member-authors/sandra-harris-author