Moonlight Scandals by Jennifer L. Armentrout ~ Review

Source: Review copy provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Moonlight Scandals (de Vincent #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

It takes a fearless woman to love the most scandalous man alive in New York Times Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout’s breathtaking novel

Even a ghost hunter like Rosie Herpin couldn’t have foreseen the fateful meeting between two mourners that has brought her so intimately close to the notorious and seductive Devlin de Vincent. Everyone in New Orleans knows he’s heir to a dark family curse that both frightens and enthralls. To the locals, Devlin is the devil. To Rosie, he’s a man who’s stoking her wildest fantasies. When a brutal attack on her friend is linked to the de Vincents, he becomes a mystery she may be risking her life to solve.

Devlin knows what he wants from this sexy and adventurous woman. But what does Rosie want from him? It’s a question that becomes more pressing—and more dangerous—when he suspects her of prying into the shadows of his past.

Now, the legends surrounding the de Vincents may not be myths at all. But if she’s to discover the truth, she must follow them straight into the arms of the man she can’t resist—the handsome devil himself.

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Since this series started, I've been waiting for Devlin's story. He's always been the most mysterious de Vincent brother (plus his nickname was Devil which I think is awesome). Plus, there were so many questions surrounding the family and the events of the first two books that couldn't be answered without getting to this one--so I picked Moonlight Scandals up prepared to dig right into all the answers and enjoy a fun ride along the way. And let me tell you, this final installment did not disappoint.

The absolute best thing about this book was Rosie. I liked her a whole heck of a lot when we met her in Monlight Seduction, but I love her even more now. She is hilarious. Honestly one of my favorite MCs I've read in a while. And her ghost obsession basically gave me life. So. GOOD. Though I felt her backstory deep in my heart--but that along with everything else made her such an expertly written, well-rounded character.

Then there's of course the Devil himself, Devlin de Vincent. Who we FINALLY get in the mind of, and get to spend time with behind closed doors. As I said above, he's always been intriguing--a fact that remained true through this installment. I liked learning more about him, leading to understanding him so much better. And after everything...I'm pretty sure he's my favorite de Vincent brother. And by pretty sure I mean he is totally my favorite de Vincent brother.

As for the romance, I LOVED Dev and Rosie together. They had the absolute best banter. Like, I literally laughed out loud. And when they had their hot moments...they were steaming hot. Really, they were a couple that could do it all and I had such a great time reading all of it.

Now, for the super vague part of this review because I am NOT going to spoil a single thing: the plot & writing. There was a lot going on in this book, and the fact that so much happened but I sped through it happily means it was executed well. I didn't get bored or want to put the book down or any of that. There was a satisfying balance of banter and romance and mystery and information...and, you know...reveals. I will say that there was a particular thing that literally made me GASP. 

And...that's all I'm going to say about that.

Overall, Moonlight Scandals is my favorite installment in the de Vincent series! It hooked me early and kept me interested throughout top notch banter, romance, and mystery. I'm sad to see this series end, but man it ended on an amazing note. If you haven't picked these ones up yet, what are you waiting for?

5 stars - My favorite installment in the de Vincent series!

Stuck In Books Featured Releases & Giveaway

From Avon...

Mia Sosa returns with another fun, flirty romance in her critically-acclaimed Love on Cue series!

For Hollywood agent Julian Hart, representing his best friend—megastar Carter Williamson—means it’s nearly impossible to keep his personal life and career separate. To make matters worse, Carter’s younger sister has been starring in Julian’s wildest fantasies more often than he’d care to admit. He knows she’s off-limits, but when Ashley shows up on his doorstep, needing a place to crash… suddenly his greatest temptation is sleeping down the hall.

Free-spirited Ashley Williamson doesn’t do commitment. Jobs, apartments, men… why let herself be tied down? But she’s had a crush on her older brother’s best friend for years and she’s committed to making Julian want her, one towel-clad midnight encounter at a time. But just as things start heating up, their steamy flirtation is interrupted by Carter’s east coast wedding. Ashley has no desire to go home and face her reputation as the family disappointment. But living with—dare she say dating?—a successful, sexy film agent could give them something else to talk about.

Julian can’t believe he agreed to fake a relationship with the one woman he can never have. And it’s going to take more than a little willpower to remember it's all pretend. Or is it?

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Moonlight Sins by Jennifer L. Armentrout ~ Blog Tour Excerpt & Giveaway

~ About the Book ~

Moonlight Sins by Jennifer L. Armentrout

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout delivers the unforgettable story of a woman whose new life has just begun—but may end in murder...

Julia Hughes has always played it safe until she learned a very painful lesson. Now Julia’s starting over with a job in the Louisiana bayou—and a scorching encounter with a stranger, only to discover he’s Lucian de Vincent... her new employer. The de Vincent brothers share a massive fortune and a dark reputation. Julia cares for their troubled sister, but a menacing presence in the mansion—and the ever-present temptation of Lucian—prove dangerously distracting.

Lucian’s grandmother claimed de Vincent men fall in love once—and hard. Apparently, it’s Lucian’s turn. Julia’s compassionate care of his twin makes Lucian want to lay himself bare. But some secrets are better for Julia not to know.

The recent “suicide” of Lucian’s father is the latest in a string of deaths on the estate. Someone is eliminating the de Vincents. And the best way to get to Lucian may be through Julia...

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Jess' Review

Val's Review

~ Excerpt ~

“I want to know about you,” he spoke before she could, and then shifted closer, his knee pressed into her thigh once more. “I have questions. I’m made of them.”

She gave a little laugh as she shook her head. “There’s nothing more to know about me than what you already know.”

“There’s literally everything to know about you,” he insisted. “Where did you go to school? What really made you take a job like this one where you leave everything behind?”

“I went to Shippensburg University. You’ve probably never heard of it.” Like she’d ever answer that last question. Finishing off her tea, she smiled faintly. “It’s really late and I do need to get to sleep. Thank you for the tea. I think it will work.”

“But I haven’t asked you the most important question.”

Slipping off the stool, she let her hair fall forward, past her breasts. “And what is that?”

“How can you be here and be the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen?”

Julia’s head swung to his so fast she thought her it would fall right off her shoulders.

Everything about the tone of his voice and the slightly wide eyes of his said he was being genuine, but he couldn’t be serious.

Her gaze sharpened. Was he drinking something harder than chamomile? Because there was no way in the world that he truly believed that she was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen.

The question burned to the tip of her tongue. If he thought she was so beautiful then why did he walk away from her that night in her apartment? She swallowed the question so she didn’t have to swallow her pride.

At the end of the day, she knew who Lucian was.

He was the kind of guy who couldn’t go a weekend without getting laid. They existed. She’d met a few while in college and when she did her stint at the hospital. They weren’t exactly particular when it came to who’d they be with. Pretty much came down to whoever was available at the time. Which meant she wasn’t going to be impressed with stray compliments that were tossed out as often as the trash was.

Lucian leaned and then spoke in a low voice, “There is another reason why I didn’t tell you who I was.”

The change of subject rattled her and she whispered back. “Why?”

He tilted his head so his mouth was directly above her ear. “Because I knew the moment you’d figured out who I was, you wouldn’t have let me come back to your apartment.”

Exhaling roughly, Julia knew she needed to pull away and stop this conversation. That was the professional and mature thing to do, but she didn’t move. She was frozen on her stool, her heart thumping in her chest.

He wasn’t done yet. “I knew that if you realized who I was, you would’ve never let me get my hand between those pretty thighs of yours and I would’ve never known how soft and slick you felt against my fingers.”

A bolt of red-hot lust blasted through her veins as heat poured into her very core. Those words created a storm inside her. A tremble rocked her body.

“So, yeah, that’s another reason why I didn’t say who I was.” His lips brushed the lobe of her ear, sending an illicit shiver across her skin.

Pulse pounding, she drew back. She felt unsteady as Lucian straightened on his chair, and she felt so close—too close to do something irrevocably reckless. Like hopping off her stool and into his lap.

“You’re not supposed to bring that up,” she reminded him. “You promised.”

He tilted his head to the side. “I didn’t promise that.”

She opened her mouth.

“I didn’t,” he insisted, and when she dragged the conversation back through her thoughts, she realized he was right. He hadn’t.

Her eyes narrowed. “Even so, it would be the appropriate thing for you to do.”

“And I think you already know how I feel about doing the appropriate thing.”

She shook her head. It was way past time to end this conversation. “Thank you for the tea, Lucian, but—” A gasp cut her off.

Lucian rose and was in front of her so quickly that she was startled. “Say it again.”

Confusion swamped her. “Say what?”

“My name.”

They were close, and he towered over her by a good foot. Julia reached out, gripping the edge of the island. “Why?”

“Because I asked?” he offered, his lips curving up at the corners. “And because I like the way it sounds coming from your lips.”

Her heart did a weird little jump. She had no idea how to respond to that request. None whatsoever.

But then he moved. He reached into the small place between them, catching the piece of her hair that had fallen across her cheek. Before she could move away, the back of his hand dragged across her cheek as he tucked the hair behind her ear. Her stupid, stupid body immediately responded once more.

~ Teasers ~

~ Giveaway ~

- One winner will receive a paperback copy of Till Death by Jennifer L. Armentrout!

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- Click the link below to enter!!

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Moonlight Sins (de Vincent #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout ~ Review

Source: ARC provided by author/publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Moonlight Sins (de Vincent #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout delivers the unforgettable story of a woman whose new life has just begun—but may end in murder...

Julia Hughes has always played it safe until she learned a very painful lesson. Now Julia’s starting over with a job in the Louisiana bayou—and a scorching encounter with a stranger, only to discover he’s Lucian de Vincent... her new employer. The de Vincent brothers share a massive fortune and a dark reputation. Julia cares for their troubled sister, but a menacing presence in the mansion—and the ever-present temptation of Lucian—prove dangerously distracting.

Lucian’s grandmother claimed de Vincent men fall in love once—and hard. Apparently, it’s Lucian’s turn. Julia’s compassionate care of his twin makes Lucian want to lay himself bare. But some secrets are better for Julia not to know.

The recent “suicide” of Lucian’s father is the latest in a string of deaths on the estate. Someone is eliminating the de Vincents. And the best way to get to Lucian may be through Julia...

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I've been oh so curious about Moonlight Sins since this book was announced however long ago. Contemporary romance with mystery/suspense elements? The Kennedys of the South? A...haunted mansion? It sounds so cool. And let me tell you, my friends, IT WAS.

The novel focuses on the mysteries of the de Vincent family, with the youngest brother Lucian at the forefront. Lucian is...interesting. He's hot, of course. And snarky. And arrogant. But as the book goes on, we see a sweeter side to him, too, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't end up adoring the crap out of him. It took a little bit for him to win me over, because in the beginning of the book he was so, hmmm, I guess the word would be douche-baggy? I don't know. I didn't immediately like him. But he grew on me, and I am so glad I gave him a chance because ahhhh he's fantastic.

The heroine of the novel is a woman named Julia Hughes who gets thrown into the de Vincent shuffle by accepting a job as a live-in caregiver. She's kind and caring, but she's also not a doormat. She was such a fun MC and I truly liked her!

The romance between Lucian and Julia is prominent throughout almost the entire book (save for the beginning portion before they meet--which, coincidentally is the portion where Lucian wasn't my favorite...), and goodness gracious the romantic tension was off the charts. It was so well constructed! And by the end, they were a solid ship I was most definitely on board of. I loved it so much.

The romance was the core of Moonlight Sins, but there were also mystery aspects strewn throughout which I really liked! The particular mystery encompassing this one was good. I felt like I had an idea of what was going on as I read the book, and it turned out that I did--but it also went FARTHER and I was so floored by that, in the very best way. It was fun. And then there's the cloak of mystery surrounding the entire de Vincent family, and the brothers, that will likely be delved into more as the series progresses--I wasn't sure I'd be super interested in it, to be quite honest. I'm a very impatient here-for-the-romance reader a lot of the time. But after reading Moonlight Sins? I am SO EAGER to learn more about this family (and most specifically, these brothers).

Speaking of the de Vincent brothers. While Lucian was the MC of this one, his brothers were still present and I am quite fond of them. I currently have a soft spot for Gabe, but I am very intrigued by Dev too. But most relevant to Moonlight Sins, I'll say that the dynamic of the three brothers was incredible. It's complex. They have their differences, but at the end of the day they're brothers and I am so here for it.

Overall, Moonlight Sins was an expertly written romance with the most perfect dashes of mystery to spice things up. I was caught up in this book from beginning to end, and I enjoyed it so much! And now I am seriously looking forward to continuing the series!!

4 stars - A well constructed romance with the perfect dashes of tension and mystery!

Tangled Up In Tinsel by Candis Terry ~ Now Available

Meet the Kincade brothers: they’ll go to any lengths to protect their legacy—but what happens when love gets in the way…?

As if the holidays weren’t stressful enough, Parker Kincade has a restaurant to open. The fact that his Groomzilla brother wants the place for his perfect Christmas wedding doesn’t help. Then there’s the stunning woman who appoints herself his new chef before he’s ready to hire one. But one look at Gabriella Montani has Parker reassessing needs vs. wants. And that’s before he tastes what she has to offer…

Gabriella doesn’t need to get tangled up with a sexy man. What she needs is a job and a chance to prove herself. A place in Parker’s kitchen could give her the opportunity she’s been waiting for. The heat between them is sizzling, but a place in his bed could be downright dangerous. Neither Christmas nor men have ever lived up to her expectations, but Parker has soulmate written all over him. Should Gabi let herself be swept up in his holiday magic, or will it disappear before Christmas Day?

About the Book

Tangled Up In Tinsel

by Candis Terry

Series

Sunshine Creek Vineyard #3

Genre

Adult

Contemporary Romance

Publisher

Avon Books

Publication Date

September 26, 2017

About Candis Terry

Candis Terry was born and raised near the sunny beaches of Southern California and now makes her home on an Idaho farm. She’s experienced life in such diverse ways as working in a Hollywood recording studio to chasing down wayward steers. Only one thing has remained the same: her passion for writing stories about relationships, the push and pull in the search for love, and the security one finds in their own happily ever after.

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Accidentally on Purpose (Heartbreaker Bay, #3) by Jill Shalvis ~ Review

Source:  Received book from publisher in exchange for fair and honest review.

There’s no such thing as a little in love…

Elle Wheaten’s priorities: friends, career, and kick-ass shoes. Then there’s the muscular wall of stubbornness that’s security expert Archer Hunt—who comes before everything else. No point in telling Mr. “Feels-Free Zone” that, though. Elle will just see other men until she gets over Archer . . . which should only take a lifetime . . .

There’s no such thing as a little in lust…

Archer’s wanted the best for Elle ever since he sacrificed his law-enforcement career to save her. But now that she’s earned happiness and success, Archer just wants Elle 24/7. Their chemistry could start the next San Francisco Earthquake, and Archer doesn’t want to be responsible for the damage. The alternative? Watch her go out with guys who aren’t him . . .

There is such a thing as…

As far as Archer’s concerned, nobody is good enough for Elle. But when he sets out to prove it by sabotaging her dates, she gets mad—and things get hot as hell. Now Archer has a new mission: prove to Elle that her perfect man has been here all along…

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Now Available from Avon Books!

Don't miss the Stuck In Books Giveaway for book 2 in this series!

While this book can be read as a stand alone, it was so fun to watch these two through the first two books.  Archer is all protective but keeps his distance and Elle is a total bada$$ who doesn't want anyone to see her feeling for Archer...no feeling (especially when he appears to have NONE).  Yeah, right on both counts!  And I'll admit I wondered what was up with these two as I enjoyed the other stories.  This book...this book tells it all.

Definitely enjoyed this series!  Check out all of these books on Goodreads.

It was interesting to find out about their past and why they are acting the way they are.  They try very hard to just be friends but the sparks flying are hard to resist.  It was a delight to watch these two.

Elle decides she's over Archer and starts to date other men.  Archer feels like no one is good enough for Elle which obviously means he should ruin her dates with other men.  Yeah, that all went well.  Lots of laughs, which I so love in my romance.  And two more stubborn  people I've never met.

And there is the case of the sofa endangerment.  I reveal NOTHING because it's fate must be experienced.

When you mix all this fun with some great characters, excellent story telling skills and the perfect ending and I couldn't help but read it straight through in one night.  This author does such a good job of crafting a group of friends that are really a family.  I just wanted to be part of it.

It's always nice when a series continues to hold my interest this long and this one certainly does.  I'll definitely be waiting for book four in the series to see what's up with Spence.  He peeked my interest in this one and I want to know his story.

If you love books that focus on a group of friends who support and tease each other, than make sure to check out this great one.


                                          

“Shalvis continues her Heartbreak Bay series with Elle and Archer’s roller-coaster romance…using her signature witty banter, emotional back story, hot chemistry, and affecting romance. Sexy, engaging, and fun.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Sexy, touching, and often funny, this San Francisco-set romance brings the city to life and a superbly matched couple to their senses. The popular Shalvis never disappoints.”—Library Journal

“Shalvis is back at it with another unforgettable romance set in San Francisco. The third book in the Heartbreaker Bay series is a lot of fun and just plain enjoyable to read.”—RT Book Reviews, 4 stars

Devil in Winter (Wallflowers, #3) by Lisa Kleypas ~ Review & Giveaway

Source:  Received copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A Devil's Bargain

Easily the shyest Wallflower, Evangeline Jenner stands to become the wealthiest, once her inheritance comes due. Because she must first escape the clutches of her unscrupulous relatives, Evie has approached the rake Viscount St. Vincent with a most outrageous proposition: marriage!

Sebastian's reputation is so dangerous that thirty seconds alone with him will ruin any maiden's good name. Still, this bewitching chit appeared, unchaperoned, on his doorstep to offer her hand. Certainly an aristocrat with a fine eye for beauty could do far worse.

But Evie's proposal comes with a condition: no lovemaking after their wedding night. She will never become just another of the dashing libertine's callously discarded broken hearts--which means Sebastian will simply have to work harder at his seductions...or perhaps surrender his own heart for the very first time in the name of true love.

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Review...

It's been a while since I read a historical romance.  This genre filled my teen years so it's nice to read one again.

This book is the third in a series but it stands alone.  I haven't read the first two and was able to follow the story just fine.  I did enjoy meeting the other wallflowers and seeing their characters, post wallflower status.  It's a fun group of four strong women and I like them all.

Speaking of strong women, this story is about Evie.  Strong enough to go propose to a man that changes beds like most people change clothes.  But both Evie and Sebastian are in difficult circumstances so they agree to marry.  And doesn't that just smack of a pretending kinda story, which I just love.  

Evie is shy and has a stutter yet she wants something badly enough to go through with marrying a man who has never given her a second look.  What I love about her is how she stands up to Sebastian.  She knows he's just as desperate so she doesn't give him an inch.  They banter back and forth so much and I just loved it.  And what comes of the banter?  A relationship that either expected.

As for Sebastian, he's never worked a day in his life and charming the lady's is all he's good at.  But has he banters back and forth with Evie he learns he's good at other things and that he cares for her.  He's charming and has a good heart.  I love how he treats her despite his reputation.  He's kind and though he tries not to care, he cares.  

I really enjoyed watching these two go from wanting nothing to do with each other, to intrigued with each other, to caring for each other and then more.  It's a great story and I'm glad I picked it up.

Thinking historical?  This one should be on the short list.

                      

Giveaway...

Val's review copy if up for grabs!

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