Recently in Romance is my mini-review feature where I bundle my recent reads and buys for those of you who are fans of romance and erotica.

Recently Read:

Bedmates

Goodreads
Author: Nichole Chase
Find the author: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Instagram, Pinterest
Also by this author: Suddenly Royal, Recklessly Royal, Reluctantly Royal
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: October 4th 2016
Source: Edelweiss
Format: eARC
My rating:
Buy It: Indigo.ca | The Book Depository | Google Books | Audible

From the New York Times bestselling author of Suddenly Royal comes the first in a sparkling new series about America’s favorite royal—the First Daughter.
Everyone makes mistakes, especially in college. But when you’re the daughter of the President of the United States, any little slip up is a huge embarrassment. Maddie McGuire’s latest error in judgment lands her in police custody, giving the press a field day. Agreeing to do community service as penance and to restore her tattered reputation, Maddie never dreams incredibly good looking but extremely annoying vice president’s son, Jake Simmon, will be along for the ride.
Recently returning from Afghanistan with a life-altering injury, Jake is wrestling with his own demons. He doesn’t have the time or patience to deal with the likes of Maddie. They’re like oil and water and every time they’re together, it’s combustible. But there’s a thin line between love and hate, and it’s not long before their fiery arguments give way to infinitely sexier encounters.
When Jake receives devastating news about the last remaining member of his unit, the darkness he’s resisted for so long begins to overwhelm him. Scared to let anyone close, he pushes Maddie away. But she isn’t about to give up on Jake that easily. Maddie’s fallen for him, and she’ll do anything to keep him from the edge as they both discover that love is a battlefield and there are some fights you just can’t lose.

I really enjoyed Bedmates by Nichole Chase, the author’s take on “American royalty” aka the President’s daughter and the Vice-President’s son. This is an adorable romance between Maddie and Jake, who have known each other for a long time but are seeing each other anew. It started off choppy with alternating points of view, but smoothed out as the characters became more comfortable with each other.

It’s also an interesting, if a light take on PTSD in returning veterans and the support they need. As a Canadian, this probably spoke to me less than it would to Americans. I was reading this while in Washington, DC, and so much of what I saw and heard there was dedicated to US troops. So I understand that this issue is deeply important and affects many families in the States. In Canada, we’re not as inundated with information about our troops, so while I found it a worthwhile cause and discussion, I didn’t feel as connected to it as I probably should have.

The other thing that bothered me in this book was that I felt like I was constantly being TOLD how smart and patient Maddie was, but I never got to really see it for myself. This was a bit of a case of telling-vs-showing.

That said, the romance was steamy and I appreciated how much of the characters’ personalities played into their love scenes . It’s definitely an enjoyable read. I also REALLY appreciated how much we got to see of Prince Alex and Duchess Sam of Suddenly Royal. If you loved that book, you’ll love getting to see how they are now.

While Bedmates by Nichole Chase doesn’t have as much of the urgency of Chase’s original, it definitely gets the sweetness down. Looking forward to the next chapter in this series.

The Year of the Crocodile

Goodreads
Author: Courtney Milan
Find the author: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Tumblr
Also by this author: , Once Upon a Marquess, Hold Me
Publisher: Courtney Milan
Publication date: September 12th 2016
Source: Author newsletter freebie
Format: eBook
My rating:
Buy It: The Book Depository

Tina Chen and Blake Reynolds have been together for almost a year. In that time, they’ve grown closer on just about every front. The one exception? Blake’s father has never let anything stop him. Tina’s parents have never let anyone push them around. And they’ve never met. 
That’s about to change. But don’t worry—fireworks are traditional at Chinese New Years.
Note: This is a short story (10,000 words) that assumes that you’ve already read Trade Me.

If you’ve read Trade Me by Courtney Milan, you’ll know about Tina Chen and Blake Reynolds. This explosively brilliant couple – Tina poor, Blake unbelievably rich – end up getting together in spite of their economic differences and jointly suspicious natures. They’re a power couple. But the one thing that could bring them down? Their parents.

Blake’s father is a big tech company magnate with no filter. Tina’s parents are politically active, Falun Gong practitioners who were persecuted by the Chinese government. Tina never wants the parents to meet – but meet they do in this adorable novella. It’s super short, but if you enjoyed Trade Me, you’ll doubly enjoy this hilarious meet-the-parents story. Included: more sexytimes, a mystery around Adam Reynolds, and one of the best Chinese moms I’ve ever seen in literature. Enjoy.

Prime Minister

Goodreads
Author: Ainsley Booth, Sadie Haller
Publication date: May 25th 2016
Format: eBook
My rating:
Buy It: The Book Depository

A kinky Prime Minister, a vanilla intern, and a scandal that shouldn't feel so right or cost so much.

USA TODAY BEST SELLER

Gavin:
Ellie Montague is smart, sensitive, and so gorgeous it hurts to look at her. She’s also an intern in my office. The office of the Prime Minister of Canada.*
That’s me. The PM.
She calls me that because when she calls me Sir, I get hard and she gets flustered, and as long as she’s my intern, I can’t twist my hands in her strawberry-blonde hair and show her what else I’d like her to do with that pretty pink mouth.**

Ellie:
How much I like the PM varies on a daily basis. He’s intense, controlling, and a perfectionist in every way—and he demands the same of his staff.
How much I want him never wavers.
There’s something about him that tugs at me deep inside, and makes me wish that just once he’d cross the line in a late night work session. I’d take that secret to the grave if it meant I got a taste of the barely restrained beast inside him.***
.
.
.
FOOTNOTES:
* This is a fictional erotic romance. No prime ministers or interns were harmed in the making of this book.
** Except it’s a BDSM romance, so they were hurt a little.
*** Spoiler alert: she gets more than a taste. And she likes it.

I love reading Canadian books where I recognize a ton of the references! While I don’t work for the federal government, Ellie’s early experiences in the office remind me of my first days working for (other) government and I very much enjoyed seeing Ottawa through her eyes.

PM Gavin Strong is as sexy and smoldering as you would expect from a substitute for Canada’s current Prime Minister. His kinky side is luckily not too sadistic (thank goodness since this is my first dom/sub read), but it’s there. I loved seeing Gavin and Ellie explore their sexual chemistry – and more – together. There are also some funny moments with their secret code texting.

What really drew me in, though, was the tenderness and understanding that they showed one another in a very difficult situation. I’m not usually one for a “man in power, women as submissive” book, but this sold me on it a bit as an agreement where both parties share the control.

That said, I’m pretty sure I’ve reached my limit on the amount of kink I can take. Some of the sex scenes got a little tiresome, maybe because spanking just doesn’t do it for me. I’m not sure I’ll be reading the next book because I might just be a bit too vanilla for it. But damned if I didn’t have fun reading this.

Recently Bought:

I’ve been loading up my Kindle whenever I see a sale on something I like – I’m woefully behind on reading these!

Calling It

Goodreads
Author: Jen Doyle
Find the author: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Pinterest
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication date: April 11th 2016
Buy It: The Book Depository

Baseball player Nathan Hawkins needs to get away from Chicago. After a near career-ending car accident and with paparazzi surrounding his penthouse, Nate can only think of one place to go: home. But when he finds his old apartment occupied by a half-naked woman wielding a baseball bat, he's not sure what to think…except that maybe his luck has finally changed for the better.

Librarian Dorie Donelli never thought she'd get to meet her fantasy man in person—much less in her bathrobe. To her surprise, her nearly naked run-in with Nate leads to more unclothed encounters. But Dorie is sure their fling is only temporary. As long as she remembers he'll be gone once his life gets back on track, she won't get hurt. In the meantime, she throws herself into enjoying their three weeks together before he has to report for spring training and go back to his old life.

For Nate, being with Dorie is the only time in months that he finds himself smiling. Laughing. And he has no intention of letting that go. He might even be falling in love…if only Dorie will let him say the words. What they have isn't just a dream, but the start of a dream come true.This book is approximately 101,000 words

I first heard about Calling It from Jaime Arkin at Fiction Fare and immediately bought it. I’m a sucker for a good baseball/sports romance, and Jaime and I often like the same things.

Act Like It

Goodreads
Author: Lucy Parker
Find the author: Website, Twitter, Amazon
Also by this author: Act Like It, Pretty Face, The Austen Playbook
Publisher: Carina Press
Publication date: November 30th 2015
Buy It: The Book Depository

A sharp-witted heroine and an infuriating-but-swoon-worthy leading man bring down the house in this utterly charming contemporary romance debut from Lucy ParkerThis just in: romance takes center stage as West End theatre's Richard Troy steps out with none other than castmate Elaine GrahamRichard Troy used to be the hottest actor in London, but the only thing firing up lately is his temper. We all love to love a bad boy, but Richard's antics have made him Enemy Number One, breaking the hearts of fans across the city.Have the tides turned? Has English rose Lainie Graham made him into a new man?Sources say the mismatched pair has been spotted at multiple events, arm in arm and hip to hip. From fits of jealousy to longing looks and heated whispers, onlookers are stunned by this blooming romance.Could the rumors be right? Could this unlikely romance be the real thing? Or are these gifted stage actors playing us all?75,000 words

For awhile, everywhere I turned, I would hear about Act Like It. My friend Gail from Ticket to Anywhere recced it to me more than once! When I saw that it was only $1.99 on Kindle, I snapped it up. As an Anglophile and a lover of drama, I feel like it’s gonna speak to me. Bonus: not a series!

Do You Want to Start a Scandal

Goodreads
Author: Tessa Dare
Find the author: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Instagram
Also by this author: , Romancing the Duke (Castles Ever After, #1), Say Yes to the Marquess, When a Scot Ties the Knot, A Night to Surrender, Once Upon a Winter's Eve (Spindle Cove, #1.5), A Week to Be Wicked, A Lady by Midnight
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: September 27th 2016
Buy It: The Book Depository

On the night of the Parkhurst ball, someone had a scandalous tryst in the library.
Was it Lord Canby, with the maid, on the divan? Or Miss Fairchild, with a rake, against the wall? Perhaps the butler did it.
All Charlotte Highwood knows is this: it wasn’t her. But rumors to the contrary are buzzing. Unless she can discover the lovers’ true identity, she’ll be forced to marry Piers Brandon, Lord Granville—the coldest, most arrogantly handsome gentleman she’s ever had the misfortune to embrace.
When it comes to emotion, the man hasn’t got a clue.
But as they set about finding the mystery lovers, Piers reveals a few secrets of his own. The oh-so-proper marquess can pick locks, land punches, tease with sly wit . . . and melt a woman’s knees with a single kiss. The only thing he guards more fiercely than Charlotte’s safety is the truth about his dark past.
Their passion is intense. The danger is real. Soon Charlotte’s feeling torn. Will she risk all to prove her innocence? Or surrender it to a man who’s sworn to never love?

Ah, here’s the Tessa Dare. I pre-ordered this book, the latest in the Castles Ever After series, and kind of forgot that the next one was out. And then it showed up on my Kindle! I love it when that happens! The only issue with this book is that even though it features a character from the CEA series, it’s also a crossover with the Spindle Cove series. And thus, the next book on my “Recently Bought.”

A Night to Surrender

Goodreads
Author: Tessa Dare
Find the author: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, Instagram
Also by this author: , Romancing the Duke (Castles Ever After, #1), Say Yes to the Marquess, When a Scot Ties the Knot, A Night to Surrender, Once Upon a Winter's Eve (Spindle Cove, #1.5), A Week to Be Wicked, A Lady by Midnight
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication date: August 30th 2011
Buy It: The Book Depository

“An engaging love story with strong, believable characters. I can’t wait to read the sequels!”—Mary Balogh
“Prepare to fall in love.”—Julia Quinn
Presenting the winner of the Avon FanLit contest, the immensely talented Tessa Dare! Tessa’s first Avon historical romance, A Night to Surrender, is a love story to remember—kicking off her wonderfully inventive Spindle Cove series, set in England’s Regency Era in a small seaside resort town that caters specifically to ladies “of good breeding and delicate constitution.” Fans of Lisa Kleypas, Christina Dodd, and Liz Carlyle will delight in the passionate chaos that ensues when a dashing British officer, under orders, “invades” this community of strong-willed “spinsters,” only to discover he’s met his match in Miss Susannah Finch!

I didn’t feel like I could read DO YOU WANT TO START A SCANDAL without reading this series first, so I sucked it up and bought it. Really need to get to it anyway, I’m just afraid it will take away all my reading and sleeping time ever. =p

Catching Cassidy (Harborside Nights, Book 1) New Adult Romance

Goodreads
Author: Melissa Foster
Find the author: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Pinterest
Publisher: World Literary Press
Publication date: April 28th 2015
Buy It: The Book Depository

If you enjoy the LOVE IN BLOOM series by Melissa Foster, you'll love HARBORSIDE NIGHTS:

Wyatt Armstrong never imagined that instead of celebrating his college graduation, he and his twin sister would be dealing with the death of their parents.  Then again, Wyatt had never been one to think past tomorrow. He heads to their summer home in Harborside, Massachusetts, with his best friend Cassidy Lowell in tow, to spread his parents' ashes and to try to figure out his next step.
Six foot two, infuriatingly handsome, and flirtatious, Wyatt Armstrong has always been there for Cassidy, helping her pass her classes and fend off unwanted advances, while driving her insane with his one-night stands--but that's what best friends are for, isn't it? Having each other's backs. There was never any doubt that she would accompany him to his family's summer home--even if her jealous boyfriend is giving her hell for it. But he doesn't have anything to be jealous of...or does he?
It's impossible to ignore the sizzling heat between them as Wyatt and Cassidy get even closer, but Cassidy knows Wyatt's past, and she has a real job to begin in the fall. Wyatt may be a sure thing for the summer, but Cassidy needs more. For the first time in his life, Wyatt is forced to look toward the future if he doesn't want to lose the one woman who's shared his past and owns his heart.
COMING soon, the complete Harborside Nights series:
Catching Cassidy (Het)Discovering Delilah (F/F)Tempting Tristan (M/M)Chasing Charley (Het)Breaking Brandon (M/M)

I first read an excerpt of Melissa Foster’s Love in Bloom series in Skip to the Good Part and really enjoyed it. I’ve since downloaded the (free) first books of both her big series, but haven’t been able to commit yet. This one is a new series, so I feel like it’s less of a time investment? Let me know if you’ve read her work, and what I should start first!

The Deal

Goodreads
Author: Elle Kennedy
Find the author: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, Instagram
Also by this author: Him, Us, Untitled, Good Boy, The Deal, Stay (WAGs, #2), Top Secret
Publication date: February 24, 2015
Buy It: The Book Depository

She's about to make a deal with the college bad boy...
Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she's carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush's attention, she'll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice...even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.
...and it's going to be oh so good
All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he's worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he's all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn't take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn't going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

Oh, Elle Kennedy. I loved Him and Us, your jointly written m/m romances with Sarina Bowen so much. And you’re Canadian! And every one of my romance reading friends adore your work. Why haven’t I read The Deal yet? I have no idea.

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Are you into the romance genre? What have you read recently? Who are your favorite authors – give me recs, especially sports ones and holiday ones for Christmas!