Tag Archives: second chance romance

Review – Broken Rivalry by R G Angel #rgangel #midnightreaders

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Amazon / Goodreads

MY REVIEW

First off, I want to say, I loved the first R G Angel book I read, Hades’ Game. It told me that she is an author on my automatic read list. That means, I see it, I read it. But, Broken Rivalry was not my favorite. It read like a young adult, teenage angst novel, with some steam sex thrown it. Poppy was a character that peaked my interest and I would like to know what is in story for her next.

But, in Broken Rivalry by R G Angel, we have a rich, have it all girl who loses it all. I cannot imagine what it would feel like to go from living in a mansion and having designer everything to living in a trailer park and shopping, if you can afford it that week, at the thrift store.

I liked the idea of the three girls and the three guys, and we will have to hang around for the next book in the series to see how all that pans out.

Poppy is a character that stands out. She sacrifices for the needs and the happiness of her mother and two brothers. Even with all the hardship, she managed to get a scholarship to Silverbrook University, where she met her two best friends. They all have their own tragic story to tell, holding secrets close.

The story was pretty predictable, but it still pulled out a lot of the feels that I look for in a romance. Anger at those who wield their power, chopping down those who get in their way. Sorrow for the innocents who get caught in the middle, through no fault of their own. Respect for the ones who pick themselves up and make a new life for themselves. Love, loyalty, forgiveness, passion, second chances, sacrifice…and a happy ever after.

Animated Animals. Pictures, Images and Photos
3 Stars

GOODREADS BLURB

Poppy:
Once, I walked the halls of privilege, but in a heartbeat, I watched my world crumble. Now, as I stand at the threshold of Silverbrook University, I’m armed with nothing but a scholarship and a determination to reclaim a semblance of my former life.
But fate has a cruel sense of humor. Ethan Hawthorne, the golden boy of my former elite world and my ex-rival, is here. His every smirk is a reminder that the past is not easily outrun.

Ethan:
At Silverbrook, I’m the guy with the world at his feet—star athlete, heir to a legacy, the guy who always wins. But Poppy? She was the one challenge I never conquered, the one competitor who never played by my rules.
Her return in my life is a curveball I never saw coming. She’s changed, hardened by life’s twists, and now she captivates me more than ever. Our history wasn’t just competition; it was a clash of hearts and egos. Now, the rules have changed. I’m not just out to win a petty game. This time, I’m playing for her heart.

In the elite corridors of Silverbrook University, a tale of passion, redemption, and undeniable attraction unfolds. Poppy and Ethan, bound by their tumultuous past, are caught in a dance of denial and desire. Can an alpha athlete truly humble himself for love? And can a strong-willed girl find forgiveness in her heart? Dive into a steamy saga of love, scars, and second chances.

  • Genre: Fiction, Romance, Sports
  • 280 pages, Kindle Edition
  • Expected publication January 22, 2024S
  • Series: Silverbrook University, #1

ABOUT R G ANGEL

On top of being an International Bestselling Author, I’m a trained lawyer, world traveller, coffee addict and cheese aficionado.

When I’m not busy doing all my lawyerly mayhem or writing Contemporary Romance with heart, heat and a little darkness, alpha heroes and strong heroines and because I’m living in rainy (yet beautiful) Britain, I mostly enjoy indoor activities such as reading, watching TV, playing with my crazy puppies.

I hope my stories will make you dream and will bring you as much joy as they brought me by writing them.

If you want to know any of the latest news join my reader group R.G.’s Angels on facebook or subscribe to my newsletter!

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MY R G ANGEL REVIEWS

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Giveaway – A Viscount For The Spinster by Samantha Holt @XpressoTours @samholtwrites

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A Viscount for the Spinster
Samantha Holt
(Spinsters and Rebels, #1)
Publication date: July 27th 2023
Genres: Adult, Historical Romance

Some sinners deserve a second chance. Not this one, though…

Miss Maisie Beaufort has no intention of running away ever again. She’s more than ready to return home after a decade in the midst of society and take charge of her life as a spinster businesswoman. Nothing will distract her. Especially not her first love, the rebel who destroyed her young heart…

Apollo Everly always knew Maisie was too good for small town life…and for a spare heir like him. He never stopped wanting her, though. Not that it matters. Even though he’s reformed and a viscount, his lingering reputation is still a threat to her. He should stay away. But fate—and Mother Nature—seem to have other ideas…

If Maisie and Apollo want to rebuild their village after a devastating flood, they’ll need to work together. The only question now is whether they can trust each other when it matters most. And if they can avoid heartbreak this time around…

If you love second chance romance, spinsters, and a hero who will prove he isn’t beyond redemption set amongst a village of unusual and eccentric characters, A Viscount for the Spinster is perfect for lovers of steamy historical romance!

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

The fierce beat of Apollo’s heart thudded against her palm. Warmth seeped into her fingertips and left her breathless. She glanced briefly to the side, spying the tile embedded inches into the ground.

That could have been her.

She met Apollo’s gaze, his pupils dark. His breaths were ragged and whispered through her hair. She smelled sweetness on his breath for a moment until it gave way to a soapy fragrance that wrapped about her.

His arms framed her against the wall, a protective cocoon that should have slowed the pounding of her pulse. But he was so close. Inches away. And he was so warm. Her fingers remained splayed upon his chest. She couldn’t move them even if she wanted to.

And she didn’t.

The firmness of his chest and thump, thump of his heart eased away the breathlessness and brought her back to the world. A breeze tousled her hair, sending a curl tickling around her neck. Somewhere in the village a baby cried. And the tingle of awareness that came with touching Apollo continued, rippling through her and leaving her feeling as though her entire body was aflame.

When she met his gaze, everything but the awareness dissolved. Gone were the sounds of life in the village. She swore she could hear the raging hammer of his heart which had yet to slow and each thick inhale she took.

Maisie dragged her gaze over his features, lingering upon the white scar then to the slight stubble on his jaw and up again to meet a gaze that remained intense. All she needed to do was push him away. To utter a quick thank you for saving her life and retreat inside.

Neither her legs nor her arms would obey such a command.

His gaze flicked down and up again. He twisted the golden ring on his index finger, his body swaying ever so slightly forward.

Her breaths quickened, rasping in her throat. A single word would stop him. All she had to do was force one from her throat and it would put an end to the inevitable.

Perhaps she’d known this would always come, even from the moment she’d first spotted him. Perhaps that was why she’d hidden from him. Apollo had always held sway over her, and years apart hadn’t changed that. If anything, it was worse. She liked the man he had grown into far too much.

“Maisie,” he murmured, his tone guttural.

She blinked. Her name echoed in her ears, and a flash of recollection flared. He’d uttered her name in exactly the same manner when he’d sent her away. A word tinged with regret.

Well, she wasn’t giving either of them anything to regret now.

She ducked under his arm and backed up by several steps. He offered a rough curse and pushed away from the wall.

“That was a mistake.”

He scrutinized her, his face giving nothing away. Could he not at least show regret at his actions? It would make escaping what had to have been a near kiss easier—if he did not really want it either.

She knew what she wanted, and it wasn’t a kiss from Apollo.

Was it?

Author Bio:

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Samantha Holt is known for fun, witty, and usually steamy historical romances. She’s been a full-time writer for longer than she ever thought possible having originally trained as a nurse and an archaeologist. She’s a champion napper, owner of too many animals, mum to twins, and lives in a small village near the very middle of England.

She’s usually writing (or napping) but when she’s not, Samantha is plotting (books of course!) with her husband, drinking coffee, climbing hills that are far too high for her fitness levels or visiting stately homes and pretending she’s posh.

You can claim a free book by signing to to her newsletter www.samanthaholtromance.com

If you’re not sure where to start, why not try:

Capturing the Bride (The Kidnap Club #1). A fun Regency read full of spice and an unusual heroine trying to escape an arranged marriage and a hero who has no idea how to keep his hands off her!

You’re the Rogue That I Want (Rogues of Redmere #1) is a longer read with heat, witty dialogue, a feisty heroine and adventure. All books in the series are standalone.

There Are Plenty More Dukes in the Sea (The Inheritance Clause #1) is a fun, steamy read focused on the Templeton family as they fight to save their inheritance.

Wake Me With a Kiss is a sweet, fairytale romance. Twists on Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella are also available if you love a clean, fun read.

To Steal a Highlander’s Heart is a full length dive into the world of sexy highlanders. For those who love braw Scots, some steamy scenes, and medieval romance, this series is a perfect escape.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Newsletter


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Giveaway – Secretly by Talya Blaine @XpressoTours

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Secretly
Talya Blaine
(Transformation Series, #2)
Publication date: February 28th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Unquenchable chemistry. The rare gift of a second chance. Choices that could destroy it all.

Quinn and Jonathan’s erotic journey continues as sizzling tension tests their “friends for now” pact.

After a desperate call interrupts a failed platonic dinner—and a water main break renders Quinn homeless—she’s left with little choice: Take Jonathan up on his just-friends-no-benefits offer to share his apartment.

But getting closer? A romantic relationship? Not an option. Even after that one impulsive and magical but heartbreaking kiss.

Damn, that kiss. It tells Jonathan all he needs to know about Quinn’s feelings and only deepens his desire to build a life with her. Until her defensive walls throw him back into reality. The reality in which his sweet gig as Spice of Life’s travel show host is on the line. The reality in which he can’t fully accept Quinn’s involvement at Octavia’s dungeon. The reality in which the woman he adores is still grieving—and not ready to hear the three words he needs to say.

The second novel in the Transformation Series, Secretly turns up the heat: A secret trip to a Parisian chateau dungeon, a last-minute wedding to plan, a bold, perhaps impulsive, career decision. Quinn and Jonathan each make choices that alter the course of their lives. Can they forge a shared future?

A story about discovery and desire, friendship and boundaries, freedom and risk. About the delicate balance between intimacy and autonomy. About the struggle to love again and how we choose to live the second chapter of our lives.

Friends to lovers, slow burn, second chance, fish out of water—readers will click with the themes in this edgy contemporary erotic romance. Features characters over 40 and a sexy beta hero. Mature themes, strong language, kink, dungeon and steamy open-door bedroom scenes.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Q&A with Talya Blaine:

How did you come up with the idea for Secretly?
As I was writing one of the later scenes in the previous book, Silently, the scene where Quinn is in the hospital and Jonathan climbs into bed with her and they talk–really talk–I realized there was too much growing between them for their story to end. After I finished writing Silently, that feeling continued–I could not get Quinn and Jonathan out of my head. So I began writing Secretly, and the two of them took it from there.

What was your favorite scene or theme in Secretly to write?
That’s easy. Wait, actually I have two favorites. The first is when… Hmm, how to say this without spoilers… The first is when Jonathan catches Quinn off guard at one point and she’s a sweaty mess in the summer heat, and she’s SO awkward with him. He gloats a bit rethinking it later, but in the moment he’s himself–sweet and sexy and relieved she’s not angry with him. They’re both so real with each other in that scene.

And the other scene I loved writing is when they think they see each other in Paris. During revisions, I was this close (pinching fingers together) to cutting it. But I kept it in and I believe the book is better for it. I think it shows that, at the end of the day, no matter what issues have arisen between them, they’re just really connected to each other.

What was the hardest scene or theme to write?
The hardest theme through all three books was Quinn’s grief. Although it lessens over time, it was difficult to balance showing the depth of her sorrow with keeping the story moving forward. In a way, I had to do the same thing to her that the characters were doing — trying to respect her feelings, her experience, her healing process while also nudging her on at a pace that felt “right” for the story.

Your blog says you love-love-love to read. What are you reading right now?
A funny, sharply written erotic romance with fake dating and multiple partners, Mint to Be by Madelynne Ellis, and I just finished–and am still thinking about (in the best way)–Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

What’s your writing routine like?
Writing routine. Hah, that’s a good one. I’m more of a fits and starts kind of girl. I wish I could say otherwise but that’s the truth. I don’t always write everyday. But when I’m in the middle of a draft, with the ideas clamoring to be put onto the page, I will write every single minute of the day that I can.

How can readers find you online?
Visit my blog, or connect with me on BingeBooks, BookBub or Goodreads. To keep up with new releases and special offers, the best way is to add your email to my list.

Author Bio:

Talya Blaine writes later-in-life contemporary romance that’s emotionally intense and thought-provoking, spicy and sweet. She writes “older” characters (40+), sexy beta heroes, and explores how relationships of all types change over time. Silently (Transformation Series Book 1) is her debut romance, with Secretly (Book 2) and Entirely (Book 3) completed and releasing soon.

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Giveaway – Temporarily In Love by Danica Flynn @XpressoTours @DanicaFlynn10

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Temporarily In Love
Danica Flynn
(MacGregor Brothers Brewing Company, #3)
Publication date: October 31st 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

I’ve never loved someone quite like my high school sweetheart. But she shattered my heart to pieces when she moved to California for college and never came back.

Now she’s back in Drakesville and for the first time in sixteen years, I’ve come face-to-face with the only woman I’ve ever loved. Kissing her was a bad idea. Spending countless nights tangled in my sheets was an even worse idea.

She’s only here long enough to make sure her parents’ bar stays afloat. I can’t get attached, when I know she’s just going to leave again.

And I know I’m not reason enough to make her stay.

Temporarily In Love is a small-town second chance autumn-themed romance book. If you love fall and Halloween, you’ll love this book.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play / Eden Books / Smashwords

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SNEAK PEEK:

Declan’s dark eyes seared across the length of my body like he remembered all the times he had stripped me out of my clothes. He always did like the knee-high boots I wore during the fall.

“You cold?” he asked.

I nodded. “Been in California too long.”

He shed his zip-up hoodie and put it over my shoulders. “Here.”

A memory of this exact scene played through my mind’s eye. Of me not wearing proper attire because I wanted to dress cute for him and him giving me his jacket. But that was sixteen-year-old Declan and Lila; we weren’t those people anymore.

“Dec…”

“Come on, love, let’s go on the zipper,” he said and took my hand.

I didn’t question his slip up. The old pet name rolled off his tongue like it hadn’t been sixteen years since I broke his heart. Like I hadn’t stood in his driveway all those years ago and told him I got accepted to Stanford and wasn’t going with him to Penn State. I told him I wanted to break up, because long-distance relationships never worked, but I’d always love him. That part had been true, was still true, but I never came back to him. I went to California and stayed there while he stayed in our gossipy small town and made a name for himself.

The pad of his thumb brushed against the back of my palm. “Love?”

“Right. Let’s go on the zipper!” I said excitedly, pulling myself away from the trip down memory lane.

We walked over to the ride and waited in line for a few minutes, but neither of us wanted to sever the connection of our hands. I wondered if he was thinking about all the times we had done this before. Of those times back in high school when he was the one dragging me toward the rides. Adult Declan was quiet and reserved, and I couldn’t get a read on him. He wasn’t the boy I fell in love with, but yet, at the same time, he was.

He led me into the cage and made sure I was seated before he slid in next to me. We pulled the lap bar down, and the ride operator clicked us in before shutting us inside the metal cage. We were pressed so close together, I felt his thigh against my own.

I didn’t know why I did it, but I turned to him and found he was staring back at me intensely. He didn’t jerk back when I brushed my lips against his. He threaded his hands through my hair, one of them gripping my neck possessively as he deepened the kiss. We kissed like we hadn’t forgotten, like it hadn’t been years since we were pressed together. We still fit so perfectly.

Then the ride lurched, and I pulled away to grab onto the handlebar above my head as we moved upwards. We screamed our heads off as our cage flipped us around. I held onto Declan’s arm when the ride took us up to its full height and then brought us back down to the ground, all the while flipping us upside down in our cage.

I felt dizzy by the time we were back on the ground, and the ride operator opened the cage for us. Declan got out first, then offered me a hand when I stumbled out.

He studied me. “Okay, love?”

I could only nod.

My heart was doing somersaults, and it wasn’t because I was motion sick from the ride. It was singing with the way this man still turned me inside out. But I couldn’t get ideas like that. I didn’t deserve him after what I did. Not after I had been such a coward and cut him out of my life.


Author Bio:

Danica Flynn is a marketer by day, and a writer by nights and weekends. AKA she doesn’t sleep! She is a rabid hockey fan of both The Philadelphia Flyers and the Metropolitan Riveters. When not writing, she can be found hanging with her partner, playing video games, and reading a ton of books.

Visit her at danicaflynn.com for the latest news.

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  • You can see my Giveaways HERE.
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  • If you like what you see, why don’t you follow me?
  • Look on the right sidebar and let’ talk.
  • Leave your link in the comments and I will drop by to see what’s shakin’.
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