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WHEN GRUMPY MET SUNSHINE by Charlotte Stein

From Charlotte Stein comes a steamy, opposites-attract romance with undeniable chemistry between a grumpy retired footballer and his fabulous and very sunshine-y ghostwriter
When Grumpy Met Sunshine

When grumpy ex-footballer Alfie Harding gets badgered into selling his memoirs, he knows he’s never going to be able to write them. He hates revealing a single thing about himself, is allergic to most emotions, and can’t imagine doing a good job of putting pen to paper.

And so in walks curvy, cheery, cute as heck ghostwriter Mabel Willicker, who knows just how to sunshine and sass her way into getting every little detail out of Alfie. They banter and bicker their way to writing his life story, both of them sure they’ll never be anything other than at odds.

But after their business arrangement is mistaken for a budding romance, the pair have to pretend to be an item for a public who’s ravenous for more of this Cinderella story. Or at least, it feels like it’s pretend—until each slow burn step in their fake relationship sparks a heat neither can control. Now they just have to decide: is this sizzling chemistry just for show? Or something so real it might just give them their fairytale ending?

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2.75 Stars ~ Reviewed by Sharon Thérèse

Give me a grumpy sunshine romance novel any day, and I’ll lap it up. Seeing that I love discovering new authors, I truly wanted to give Stein credit where it was due because the fun banter in When Grumpy Met Sunshine precedes itself. Even though the premise is good, I had a few issues with the narrative flow, which, in my book, is more important than the plot per se. Although I’m also rather partial to fake relationship stories, this was where I thought the author could have gone the distance by giving me a tad less pretending and a little more reality.

That said, Mabel Willicker and Alfie Harding are likeable. But if she’s sunny-side up, he’s hard over easy—his lack of social skills leaning towards snarkiness. However, circumstances throw them together, bringing out the best in him. Regardless of them crossing wires, Stein’s touching on some rather heavy subjects sensitively was a tremendous plus to the story. But the weak point was the constant comparison of Alfie with a TV show character. Unfortunately, I couldn’t pick up on that vibe since I have yet to watch the series.

I never expected Alfie to be such a flirt! Observing him come into his own and them overcoming their insecurities made for pleasurable reading. Steaminess abounds, so get your fans out, folks! Narrated from Mabel’s perspective, and believe me, to say she’s chatty would be putting it mildly, I missed Alfie’s point of view.

I wish I could have put my finger on what this opposites-attract workplace romance lacks. The ending was nice, an adjective I’m not too fond of. I think a smidgen more editing would have gone a long way; nonetheless, I’m looking forward to reading more from Stein.

A copy of this book was kindly given to me by St. Martins Press through NetGalley for an honest review.

Charlotte Stein is the acclaimed author of over fifty short stories, novellas and novels, including the RT-nominated Never Sweeter. When not writing deeply emotional and intensely sexy books, she can be found eating jelly turtles, watching terrible sitcoms and occasionally lusting after hunks. She lives in West Yorkshire with her husband and their now totally real and completely nightmarish dog.

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What Happens at the Lake by Vi Keeland

Today we’re thrilled to be sharing New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Vi Keeland’s brand new grumpy-sunshine novel,
What Happens at the Lake

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When life took an unexpected turn, I decided to get out of New York for a while. What better place to go than the idyllic small town my father spoke about so fondly when I was growing up? Laurel Lake held the title America’s Friendliest Town for seventeen years running, and friendly was just what I needed right now.

Unfortunately, friendly wasn’t the welcome I got when I arrived.

Instead, I got Fox Cassidy. My tall, dark, and burly neighbor, who grunted at me instead of saying hello.

Okay, so I might’ve had his mailbox in my hands the first time we met. And it might’ve been a little crushed after removing it from under my tire. And I might’ve needed his help breaking into the place I was staying in after the key broke off in the lock. But still…he didn’t have to be so grumpy.

As time went on though, I started to notice things about Fox other than his glares. Like how he watched me when he thought I wasn’t looking, or how fire ignited in his eyes whenever we bickered. Though I was in Laurel Lake to escape my problems, not create new ones. And getting involved with a man like Fox screamed trouble, even if he was gorgeous and unlike any man I’d ever met.

But alas, problem seemed to be my middle name this year. So why not have some fun while I was here for the summer? It seemed like a good plan. At least until it was time to go home…

They say what happens at the lake, stays at the lake. But it’s not so easy to walk away when what stays behind…is your heart.

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5-Stars ~ Reviewed by Sharon Thérèse

Love grumpy-sunshine, opposites attract novels? Then, What Happens at the Lake will be right up your alley. Ms Keeland’s way with words brings out all the emotions in a picturesque small-town setting where anything a little bit out of the ordinary is head-line worthy. Yes, gossip spreads like wildfire; however, the villagers are always willing to support each other.

Josie has a good excuse to move to America’s Friendliest Town temporarily. Nonetheless, her first meetup with the next-door neighbour was far from amicable and pretty awkward on her part. Okay, so this adorable, caring young lady couldn’t be more clumsy, but much to Fox Cassidy’s astonishment, she’s a knockout and has a sassy attitude—only with him, it seems.

Although Josie has had some hiccups along the way, she’s eager to get her life back on track. If that means accepting Fox’s help—well, why not? After all, not only does he know what he’s doing, but he’s quickly become her daily dose of eye candy. That said, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Keeland kept me on my toes by taking things a step further. Grouchy loner but big softy at heart, he’s the last person to put his nose into anyone’s affairs, least of all hers. Yet she still stirs his curiosity. And neither of them wants to start having feelings for reasons you’ll only find out by reading their story.

Keeland has pen power! Everything I love about a book I can lose myself in is this one. Josie and Fox’s pasts tugged on my heartstrings; the quirky Laurel Lake townsfolk sold me, and I couldn’t help getting attached to the strangest adopted pet imaginable. Hilarious moments, non-stop banter, family dynamics, dual points of view and just the right amount of steaminess are my cuppa, too! Ooh, and what I wouldn’t give to be on Josie’s card list!

I had no wish to reach the end of this swoon-worthy, feel-good romance I devoured in a day. All the stars, Keeland!

EXCERPT

She smelled like damn summer.
And it pissed me off.
Plus, I was tired from a shitty night’s sleep. I’d tossed and turned thinking about Little Miss Home Improvement wearing nothing but a pair of denim short overalls and work boots—no shirt, no socks, definitely no bra or underwear.
Josie hopped down from the last two steps on the ladder. “Can I ask you something?”
“What?”
“Are you always this grumpy in the morning?”
“I’m not grumpy.”
“No? So this is what? Your idea of a sparkling personality? I asked if your coffee was okay, and you grunted at me.”
“That wasn’t a grunt. That was a yes.”
Josie made a short, deep noise that sounded like a pig.
I arched a brow. “Is that supposed to be me?”
She made the sound again, this time adding some monkeylike arm movements and jumping around. “Gronk.”
“Cute.”
She jumped again. “Gronk. Gronk.”
I tried not to react, but she was just too damn adorable.
Josie pointed at my face. “There it is again. The elusive Mr. Grumpy Pants smile. It’s kind of…dare I say…nice.” She made an exaggerated gasping sound and covered her mouth. “Oh no. I hope it’s not too painful.”
“Alright, wiseass. I get the point. How about you take your oinking ass out front and grab one of the small two by fours I left on the porch? I’ll show you how to make an easy support to hold up the drywall while it gets screwed into the ceiling.”
Josie strutted to the door. The woman was wearing a white tank top and long, pale pink, flowy skirt to do construction. It looked like she was going on a picnic date, rather than hanging sheetrock—though the tank top hugged her in all the right places, and there was something about her collarbone that I couldn’t drag my eyes away from. She bent to pick up the wood out front, and the top of her tank gaped open, giving me a clear view down her shirt. I forced my head in the other direction, though my eyes managed to slant and continue looking.
“Jesus Christ,” I grumbled to myself. “I need to get the fu¢k out of here.”

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles are currently translated into twenty-seven languages and have appeared on bestseller lists in the US, Germany, Brazil, Bulgaria and Hungary. Three of her short stories have been turned into films by Passionflix, and two of her books are currently optioned for movies. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

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OTHER MUST-READS BY VI KEELAND

Something Unexpected

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The Summer Proposal

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THE INVITATION

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DR. PERFECT by Louise Bay

USA Today bestselling author Louise Bay returns with book two in The Doctors Series, a sexy grumpy sunshine standalone romance,
DR. PERFECT

A boss, his assistant, a snowstorm and just one bed. What could go wrong?

They call him Dr. Perfect.

I call him Dr. Aloof, Dr. Arrogant, Dr. If-you’re-going-to-fire-me-just-get-it-over-with.

If I had other options, I’d quit, but I need this job. Badly. So I jump at the chance to impress him by hand-delivering some important documents.

Yes, he’s staying on a remote Scottish Island, but I’ve got it covered…

Until the ferry back is cancelled, there are no hotels on the island and there’s a storm headed our way.

So I’m snowed in with my impossibly handsome boss, who barely knows my name, in a tiny one-bedroom cottage in the middle of nowhere.

But unlike the snow outside, his icy stare is beginning to melt and we don’t need a generator to keep it warm inside.

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4.75 Stars ~ Reviewed by Sharon Thérèse

Bay subtly turns up the heat in The Doctors Series with Dr Perfect, a feel-good contemporary romance that got me turning the pages. And as always, she guarantees her readers relatable characters, abounding Brit humour and a sprinkling of angst in a solid plot; and if you haven’t read the first novel, no worries–her latest offering can be read and enjoyed as a standalone.

Ellie’s first encounter with Dr Zach Cove was far from what she’d expected. Neither was navigating the ins and outs of his newly opened medical practice space as his part-time assistant since any sort of guidance was less than forthcoming. Not wanting any disturbances, what was going on behind Zach’s closed office door became Ellie’s quandary. By the way, mine too.

Even before mentioning my feelings about the Cove family, Zach, the second eldest, had followed in his parent’s footsteps but still hasn’t reconciled himself to his achievement. What I liked about his story was the opportunity to do what he loved most–exactly what he’d secretly been cooking up. His standoffish didn’t worry me too much because, like his brothers, he’s elegance personified and sooner or later would tell all. Yeap, I wasn’t going to say anything at this point, but his parents did an excellent job raising their sons.

Dearest, sweet Ellie! She’s trying to come to terms with wasted chances, so much time giving her all for nothing and putting herself last saddened me no end. That said, observing her take the next step and learning to have confidence with the help of Zach melted my heart. Foodies, get ready for mouth-watering dishes ‘cause it’s Ellie’s thing! I easily imagined trying out her scrumptious meals! And that is exactly what I look for in a good read. No matter the ups and downs, Bay’s seasoned storytelling involves her readers to the hilt.

Not only did the author take me on a journey to a Scottish isle where I oohed and ahhed, but I also adored how her protagonists listened attentively to each other once they started opening up. Of course, all good things have a way of coming to an end whether it be in a snowstorm or otherwise but are conflicting emotions so necessary when two soulmates are willing to make it work? Methinks Bay was on the right track, especially seeing that the steaminess aspect of the story took second place.

Family. Oh my goodness. I couldn’t have wished for a better one. The leg-pulling between the brothers, their mother, such a beautiful person and their dad…no words. A special character is introduced and hopefully, we’ll see more of him. Flowing words means easy reading in my book. Bravo, Bay!

Start binge-reading or listening to The Doctor Series

Dr. Off Limits #1

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Dr. CEO #3 will be available in KU on August 3rd

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Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, Louise Bay writes sexy, contemporary romance novels – the kind she likes to read.

Her books include the novels The Misters Series, The Royals Collection, The Players Series, The Gentleman Collection, The Empire State Series, The Empire State Series, The Nights Collection, Standalone Romances and Christmas Romances
(The series are stand-alone novels each following different characters).

Ruined by a romantic mini-series of the eighties, Louise loves all things romantic. There’s not enough of it in real life so she disappears into the fictional worlds in books and films.

Louise loves the rain, the West Wing, London, days when she doesn’t have to wear make-up, being on her own, being with friends, elephants and champagne.

She loves to hear from readers, so get in touch!

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