Blind Kiss Renée Carlino

Blind Kiss 
Renée Carlino

Penny is a suburban housewife living in a McMansion and feeling completing unsatisified with her life. On the outside, she has the perfect life--a 14 year old genius who is going to MIT in the fall, an attractive husband, volunteering at her son's school, yet nothing feels right. She loves her son Milo dearly. But he will be leaving soon for college. Penny sits outside of a Subway that used to be the ballet studio she studied at in her youth. She dreams of what could have been before her dance partner dropped her tearing two of her tendons and ending her dancing career.
Gavin has been in the friendzone since shortly after he and Penny participated in a psych study to help out Penny's best friend Ling. Gavin and Penny were blindfolded and asked to kiss to determine whether people can have chemistry without the physical attraction. Gavin asked Penny out immediately after the study but Penny needed to focus on her studies and dancing. But a decision Penny made her senior year changed their relationship.
Gavin has always loved Penny even after the decision she made that changed their relationship. Now, the table have turned. It's Gavin's turn to decide whether their relationship can be pursued or if they will forever be stuck in the friendzone with each other even though they both have incedible chemistry together. But horrible timing. Will Penny find that something to fulfill the emptiness in her soul? Will Gavin make the same mistake that Penny did 14 years ago?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36622744-blind-kiss

Switch and Bait Ricki Schultz

Switch and Bait

Ricki Schultz

Blanche Carter is the manager of Literature and Legislature--a book store in Washington DC. She also runs a side business to help women connect with men. As part of Blanche's services, she takes control of the client's dating profile and begins the small talk with potential dates until the meet up. Then they switch back. This has never been an issue until klutzy Ansley picks an old flame, Henry--who is Blanche's best friend, Isla's brother-in-law. Henry and Blanche had a one night stand on New Year's three years ago. Henry is the adviser to House Representative Byrd. Blanche helps Ansley become comfortable around men Ansley finds attractive by guiding and talking Ansley through her dates. Until finally Ansley is ready to meet Henry. Unlike with her other clients, Blanche doesn't pretend to be Ansley when chatting online with Henry. Blanche blurs the lines between Blanche and Ansley. The more Blanche chats with Henry the more she falls in love with him. Blanche decides to distance herself from Henry by expanding her own love life through a gorgeous book store customer that Ansley spilled hot coffee on--Cliff. But Cliff is not what he appears to be. Can Ansley and Henry find the sparks or are the sparks only online with Blanche and Henry?

Against All Odds N.L. Taylor

Against the Odds: Redline Series

Jake Masercotti is a broken man. His mother committed suicide when he was 12 and his little brother is still in foster care. Yet thanks to Jake's bad choices is unable to gain custody of his brother, Dario. At 21, he is still mourning her death. When he was a teen, he used to spend every Sunday at her gravesite mourning her death. Every Sunday, a blonde angel was doing the same. They both felt alone in their anguish but hearing the other gave them both comfort that someone knows how the other feels. Ironically, both keep a journal about their suffering and mourning. Jake works for Tiger's Den, automotive shop that Sean owns. Jake is Sean's best mechanic even though cars are not his true passion. Photography and art is but that won't pay the bills or help him get custody of his brother. Jake helps out his best friend Johnny by looking at a Mustang when he sees his "angel" at the gas station driving a Sunbeam Tiger. He is determined to find her. His life has been a wreck since he lost his journal in the cemetery and losing his "angel."

Nikki Elliot lost both of her parents. She was lucky that a family friend--Sean took her and her older brothers in instead of going into the system. She was able to continue her racing career that she and her father started when she was 5. But now her mentor, coach, and greatest fan is gone. The only thing she has left of him is his Sunbeam Tiger and her racing. Both of which are put to the test after a horrible crash at Le Mans. Nikki crashed her own Tiger during that race and she lost part of her short term memory. She cannot remember the days leading up to the race or the after the race which is bothersome for her since every racer learns from every race. 

Nikki's racing career is hanging on by a thread. Her older brothers own their parents' auto body shop and occasionally assist her with her racing team. But she's running out of money and sponsors. Her friend and ex-boyfriend Damon who has Mafia connections tries to encourage Nikki to quit racing. He is also still in love with her. But other forces keep them apart. Damon is scared that Nikki will eventually regain her lost memories. What will happen to her if she does?  Will Jake find Nikki? Who will Nikki be with at the end? Will she find her sponsorship to return to the professional circuit?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39922836-against-the-odds?from_search=true

Clutch by Lisa Becker

Clutch

Clutch features numerous types of handbags that the designer Caroline Johnson creates. It is the name of her designer handbag company, she started after graduating Harvard MBA program. During her graduate program, she meets Mike Barnsworth or as his family calls him Michael Fredrick Barnsworth the Third, whose family owns the largest brokerage firm in New York--Barnsworth Brokerage Firm. Mike doesn't want to follow in his father or grandfather's footsteps instead Mike wants to own a bar--just like in the move Cocktail that he used to watch with his favorite nanny.
Each chapter is a different type of handbag--backpack, messenger, doctor bag, diaper bag, briefcase, wallet, cosmetic bag, and clutch. Each type of bag represents the various men that Caroline is dating. Through all the types of bags, men, and business meetings, Caroline and Mike maintain their friendship. Caroline goes to Mike's bar on a regular basis even bringing her dates to the bar for Mike's opinion of the men. While Mike is a love 'em and leave 'em mode especially with the women in his bar. Caroline doesn't understand why one of the waitresses that Mike has "dated" refuses to be friendly with her until the head bartender informs Caroline that the waitress thinks that Mike is in love with Caroline that why none of the women have a chance with him. Will Caroline see how Mike really feels?

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The Break-up by Erin McCarthy

I didn't realize this book was a sequel to The Hook-Up until I was over halfway through the novel. I did have one or two moments where I felt that I was missing an inside joke between Sophie--Bella's little sister and Cain--Christian's identical twin brother. But that didn't take anything away from Bella and Christian's story. Bella is a rich girl from Boston whose family has a vacation home in a tourist town on the coast of Maine. Bella is engaged to Bradley Alexander--was--until she found lewd texts from and to him from various women only days before the wedding. Feeling vulnerable and inept at sexual behaviors sue to the types of texts on Bradley's phone, Bella asks local bad-boy Christian to help her lose her prudish and close-minded ways. Since Bella is still engaged Christian declines her offer--until Bella texts Christian on her wedding day to come pick her up. The duo spend the weekend together. Bella's journey is more than learning about sex--it is also her own self-discovery. Before she blindly followed Bradley because he offered her what she always wanted--a family, stability, the dream of motherhood. Bella's mothering nature is what lead her to social work and the job she left just days before her wedding--social worker at an adoption agency. 

Since Bella gave up her apartment, quit her job, and broke up with Bradley, she has no where to go. She manipulates Bradley into giving her the house that he bought as a wedding gift to her in the small tourist town. Bella decides to remain in Maine to begin her new life. In this sleepy tourist town doesn't have many opportunities for an adoption social worker, so Bella begins working at one of the local bars which Christian also happens to work in. Christian inadvertently fulfills one of Bella's dreams and in the process his own. 

Overdrive by Juanita Kees

Chase Calhoun and his family run Calhoun Customs Garage, where their retired NASCAR driver father started. His father, Marty was just diagnosed with Parkinson's disease thus far only Marty's hands are shaking but that enough that they garage needs to hire a graphic artist for his father to mentor. Chase never expected the girl with a baby to be the one they hire especially after finding her and her three month old baby, Zoe hiding in the attic of the garage--a place that he has rarely gone since his mother's death. 

Charlotte Jackson is used to garages and fast cars since her father and brother are both NASCAR drivers. But unlike her brother, Charlie must follow her father's orders that means giving her beautiful daughter up for adoption. Something that she's not willing to do--so she runs away with her baby. Her original plans fell through so she went to the infamous Calhoun Custom Garage knowing that they are looking for a graphic artist--something she is passionate about but her father doesn't allow her to do.  Charlie is also running from the PI her father hired her to bring her home. Tony Jackson is never told no. He is a sore loser. 

Chase brings Charlie into the family fold and Marty mentors her. The Calhoun family also assist Charlie with standing up to her father. Her brother, Ronan is also finally able to break free of Tony's command. 

The Invitation by Keris Stainton

     

This novel focuses just as much on body image as it does on the romantic notion that a person can find that "one who got away." Piper James is body positive blogger. She focuses on having a healthy body image over healthy living. Yes, Piper is considered "chunky" or "fat" but she works out and maintains a healthy lifestyle. Piper works for a record label in the legal department. But that is not how she lands herself on Hey UK! morning show debating the differences between dieting and maintaining a healthy body image. After her television premier, Piper hears from her high school crush, Robbie Kingsford. She again runs into Robbie at the Starbucks in her hometown of New Brighton when she has to rush home due to her great aunt falling ill. Rob invites her to return home for their high school reunion in a few weeks.

But Piper never wants to return to her old stomping grounds. There are too many memories in New Brighton for her. She can see her parents ghosts almost everywhere in New Brighton. She also hasn't dealt with the fat shaming from her childhood either. Rob just wants a chance to be with his high school crush--Piper.   

    

https://www.keris-stainton.com/