Fix Her Up

Tessa Bailey

Hot & Hammered #1

Ebook 400 Pages

Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: June 11, 2019

Overall Rating: 4/5

Disclaimer: I received a ARC of this book from the publisher on Edel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions stated on here are my own.

Georgette Castle’s family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven’t taken her seriously since. Frankly, she’s over it. Georgie loves planning children’s birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She’s determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World... whatever that means.

Phase one: new framework for her business (a website from this decade, perhaps?)
Phase two: a gut-reno on her wardrobe (fyi, leggings are pants.)

Phase three: updates to her exterior (do people still wax?)
Phase four: put herself on the market (and stop crushing on Travis Ford!)

Living her best life means facing the truth: Georgie hasn’t been on a date since, well, ever. Nobody’s asking the town clown out for a night of hot sex, that’s for sure. Maybe if people think she’s having a steamy love affair, they’ll acknowledge she’s not just the “little sister” who paints faces for a living. And who better to help demolish that image than the resident sports star and tabloid favorite?

Travis Ford was major league baseball’s hottest rookie when an injury ended his career. Now he’s flipping houses to keep busy and trying to forget his glory days. But he can’t even cross the street without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his… bat. And then there's Georgie, his best friend’s sister, who is not a kid anymore. When she proposes a wild scheme—that they pretend to date, to shock her family and help him land a new job—he agrees. What’s the harm? It’s not like it’s real. But the girl Travis used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman and there’s nothing fake about how much he wants her...

Georgie is the youngest sibling in her family and feels like she must fight her way in the family just to be heard. While I, as the oldest in my family have no idea what she is going through I can sympathize with her. I thought Travis was a good fit for her, someone in her life who saw her as an actual person, as an adult with thoughts of her own.

I most definitely didn’t hate this story at all but I didn’t love it the way I wanted to and that’s fine because I still like and enjoyed it. The fake dating troupe is one of my favorites and if a book has that in it, I’m reading it. Georgie was definitely my favorite thing about this book. She was happy with her life even though people judged her for being a clown. She enjoyed her work and wanted to expand on it. I really loved the beginning of the book, I didn’t love the rest of it as much but I liked it. There were some things at the end that I took issue with that was all me and not the fault of the book. I won’t give away what it away because that would spoil it. My real issue with the story was it felt like aside from Travis, and towards to the end her sister no one else really stopped and listened to Georgie, almost as if the problem was resolved but there was no actual resolution.

I do recommend this book to people who are looking for a good quick read with a great heroine. Travis and Georgie are great together, they work to better the life of the other and it really come through the pages. This is a book worth reading.

Since the book has yet to be released details are subject to change by author without warning

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Fight or Flight

Samantha Young

Paperback, 288 Pages

Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Piatkus

Release Date: October 9^th, 2018

Overall Rating: 4/5

The universe is conspiring against Ava Breevort. As if flying back to Phoenix to bury a childhood friend wasn’t hell enough, a cloud of volcanic ash traveling from overseas delayed her flight back home to Boston. Her last ditch attempt to salvage the trip was thwarted by an arrogant Scotsman, Caleb Scott, who steals a first class seat out from under her. Then over the course of their journey home, their antagonism somehow lands them in bed for the steamiest layover Ava’s ever had. And that’s all it was–until Caleb shows up on her doorstep.

When pure chance pulls Ava back into Caleb’s orbit, he proposes they enjoy their physical connection while he’s stranded in Boston. Ava agrees, knowing her heart’s in no danger since a) she barely likes Caleb and b) his existence in her life is temporary. Not long thereafter Ava realizes she’s made a terrible error because as it turns out Caleb Scott isn’t quite so unlikeable after all. When his stay in Boston becomes permanent, Ava must decide whether to fight her feelings for him or give into them. But even if she does decide to risk her heart on Caleb, there is no guarantee her stubborn Scot will want to risk his heart on her….

This book has been on my list for a while now. I just knew it was the type of book I would enjoy. Ava is having a rough time and meeting Caleb at the airport was both the best thing that happened to her and the worst. I’ll be honest Caleb was a complete jerk and I was wondering what was going to change in order to make me like him. There wasn’t a problem between me and Ava, I really liked her from the very beginning and as the story went on, I found myself liking her much more.

This was a quick read. While it was the typical three act romance novel, the characters had depth, real flaws, neither one was too perfect or completely broken. The book was fun and funny yet serious and heartbreaking at times. I really enjoyed the ever-evolving relationship between the two leads, it felt realistic. I loved the dynamic between Ava and her best friend Harper. I really want to know more about Caleb’s brother Jamie, the little we know about him makes me want to dig deeper into his background. Ava and Caleb had problems that they had move past in order for them to be together and their reasons felt like they had merit, it felt believable, not the cheap reasons couple’s breakup just because they have to. I would love to read more about these two or from this world.

I really enjoyed this book and recommend it everyone.

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Today we are celebrating the release of THE FALLBACK, a standalone, contemporary romance title by Mariah Dietz! It is the book many readers and bloggers are calling Mariah's best work to date. It's FREE with KindleUnlimited.

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THE FALLBACK by Mariah Dietz

Available now in KindleUnlimited

Blurb:

Breaking up is hard to do.

It's even harder when you're not expecting it. Brooke Jensen is a planner. Not only in her personal life but also professionally as one of the most sought after event planners in Chicago. But, when the ideal life she built for herself, complete with handsome, long-term boyfriend and perfect apartment crumbles, she realizes there are some things you just can’t plan for. While trying to start anew from her best friend's guest room and discovering the best doughnuts in the city, an idea sparks to life when she meets Levi. He's intriguing, funny, and shockingly good-looking, and what had been a few stray thoughts becomes a new passion for Brooke, a blog detailing learning how to be single. The project introduces Brooke to new people and experiences, and keeps returning her back to Levi. But, Brooke learns kismet may have been wrong when she learns Levi is the last person she should be interested in. Falling for the wrong guy once has Brooke hesitant to start a new relationship, but Levi is quickly proving that The Fallback might be even better.

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Excerpt from The Fallback by Mariah Dietz

Yeah, but I think you got the wrong impression. See, I’m not…”

“Confusing? Frustrating? Enigmatic? You are. All of them. You’re also funny, and smart, and creative, and while I get the impression this scares you”—he waves a hand between us—“this thing between us, I’m going to shoulder this for both of us until you realize it’s worth it.”

The idea of he and I becoming a we is terrifying. It’s also inexplicably exciting.

“Is this because you see me as a challenge? Because I’m not falling at your feet?”

Levi shakes his head. “There’s something different about you. I recognized it the second I saw you.”

“What?”

He shakes his head again. “I have no idea.”

My attempt at laughing is as ludicrous as his claim. “That’s ridiculous. You didn’t know me—you don’t know me. Claiming there’s something different about me is absurd. I’m boring. I prefer pajamas to dresses, barefoot to shoes, and I am realizing that I really suck at almost all girly things. My idea of fun is finding the best doughnut shops in town, though you and Jerry sort of ruined that for me recently. And I’ve realized I’m about to turn thirty and I don’t think I know who in the hell I even am.”

“You’re almost thirty?”

“How old did you think I was?”

“Not thirty.”

“Cradle robber.”

He laughs. “I didn’t think you were twenty.”

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re looking for wrinkles on my face.”

Levi closes his eyes, his laughter growing. “Did you know that when you get upset, your nose crinkles and you bite the inside of your cheek?”

“I’m not upset. I’m flustered.”

For some reason, this only makes him smile wider. “And when someone pays you a compliment, you deflect it and look away, which concerns me. Because I’m starting to believe you’re not actually hearing what people are saying to you.”

“Are you hearing what I’m saying to you?”

“I know Felicity, her kids, and husband are family to you and that when you feel threatened, your brilliance shines and you become really funny.”

“I’m not funny,” I say. “I’m mildly sarcastic, but most people don’t actually catch on, so I generally just sound like a moron.”

“Will you shut up and accept my compliment?” He looks at me again, daring me to oppose. It’s harder than it should be to keep his gaze and not refute his words—and even harder to consider them being true.

“Prepare yourself. Prepare your walls of defense and your excuses because I’m ready. I’m ready for all of it. I’m going to be here to break down every brick you build and shatter every lie you try to believe. And tonight, after I clean up this fuckface’s mess, I’m going to sleep with you, and you’re going to forget caring about what my mother might think, or do, or say and realize me being your client means jack shit.”

I stare at him, searching for words of protest, but I can’t find a single one because more than I want to object … I want to believe him.

He grins. “By the way, I’m going to be busy for the next two weeks.”

“What?”

“Apparently, I’ve got to work on my doughnut skills. That old fucker.”

I giggle so hard tears form in my eyes, and when I look across at Levi, he’s looking back at me like I’ve just hung the moon.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mariah Dietz lives with her husband and three sons, who are the axis of her crazy and wonderful world in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Mariah grew up in a tiny town outside of Portland, Oregon, where she spent most of her time immersed in the pages of books that she both read and created.

She has a love for all things that include her family, good coffee, books, traveling, and dark chocolate. She’s also obsessed with Christmas ornaments and all things Disney.

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Today we are celebrating the release of THE FALLBACK, a standalone, contemporary romance title by Mariah Dietz! It is the book many readers and bloggers are calling Mariah's best work to date. It's FREE with KindleUnlimited.

------

THE FALLBACK by Mariah Dietz

Available now in KindleUnlimited

Blurb:

GET YOUR COPY NOW

Available to read for FREE in KindleUnlimited

ADD THE FALLBACK TO GOODREADS

-----------------

Mariah Dietz lives with her husband and three sons, who are the axis of her crazy and wonderful world in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Mariah grew up in a tiny town outside of Portland, Oregon, where she spent most of her time immersed in the pages of books that she both read and created.

She has a love for all things that include her family, good coffee, books, traveling, and dark chocolate. She’s also obsessed with Christmas ornaments and all things Disney.

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