✯RELEASE DAY LAUNCH:✯ The V Card by Lauren Blakely and Lili Valente {REVIEW + EXCERPT}

A brand new sinfully sexy standalone romantic comedy from bestselling authors Lauren Blakely and Lili Valente, THE V CARD is about all of the seduction and emotions that come when one woman is ready to ditch her V card and enlists her brother’s best friend to teach her the art of seduction! What happens next when he agrees to help her get top marks in seven days are lots of steamy and heartfelt moments. THE V CARD is available now! 

Now available on all retailers! Get your copy delivered now!

The V Card by Lauren Blakely and Lili Valente

Release Date: December 13th 2017

Pages: 300

Genres: Romantic Comedy

A brand new sinfully sexy standalone romantic comedy from bestselling authors Lauren Blakely and Lili Valente!

When you think about how easy it is to lose keys, phones, sunglasses and your dignity on social media, you might figure it'd be a cinch for me to ditch my V Card.

You'd be wrong.

At 25, I run a successful business, live in a fantastic apartment, and have fabulous friends to go out with any night of the week. And yet I'm still a card-carrying member of a club I don't want to belong to anymore. Good thing I know just the man for the deflowering job—my brother’s business partner and best friend.

Graham Campbell is charming, smart, and, I’m told, oh-so-skilled in the sack. As long as I keep my eyes on the prize, there’s no way this pluck-the-flower project could possibly complicate matters.

***

Work and pleasure. As the CEO of a fast-growing company, I've been enjoying both to the fullest. What do I do when the board throws me for an unexpected loop so I can keep my business in my hands? I enlist the help of my best friend's little sister since she holds a big stake in the company. But then I learn there's another big stake she wants.

The one between my legs.

I can do this. Seven nights to teach her everything I know in the bedroom. There's no way I'll fall for her, even though she’s earning top grades in every single sinfully sexy lesson. And turns out I’m learning something too. The trouble is I don’t have the answer key to what to do when I fall hard for her. 

And that throws a whole new hitch in my plans.

Purchase: Kindle US, Kindle CA, Kindle AU, Kindle UK, iBooks, Kobo, Nook, Google Play, Amazon PB

My Review:

Having read other books by Lauren Blakely before, I can say that I’m familiar with her writing style and stories, but this collaboration took the story to a new whole new level. From the sexy cover to the interesting synopsis, the authors managed to delivered a great romantic comedy that will definitely leave you wanting for more. In the story we get to meet twenty-five year old, CJ Murphy whose jewelry business has kept her busy making her successful at job, but not in other areas especially in one that she hope will end soon. Growing up with an older brother didn’t make her relationship with guys any better, and that left her with no time to lose her virginity. But now she is tired of waiting for the right guy to come to her rescue and that’s how she enlists the help of her brother’s best friend, Graham Campbell to teach her to to seduce a man and help her lose her v-card once and for all. It’s when they start to spend more time together that feelings begin to change and they both equally want more yet they’re not able to admit it to each other. 

Graham Campbell is wealthy and charming. He can get just about any woman he wants, but he has never thought about getting into a serious relationship. It took years for him and his best friend Sean to start their lingerie business and now he has worked really hard to make it successful. But after Sean passed away it has taken a toll on the company and Graham might just be losing investors. He realizes that he need Sean’s sister, CJ to appease everyone in order for him to remain as CEO of the company. So that’s what he ultimately wants for her to do in return for what she wants. Soon their friendship takes a different turn and they’ll have to decide if admitting their feelings towards each other is worth it or not.

Though the friends-to-lovers story is not new, the characters in this story were refreshing with a bit of a twist. The story is sweet and funny as well as the characters themselves. Graham is kind, good looking and a womanizer. He has a lot of experience in that department and CJ knows that from the very beginning. She trusts him completely as someone would a friend, but their relationship evolves throughout the book. Their dynamic is very interesting, they both complement each other very well and that just makes the story that much more enjoyable to read. The authors have done an amazing job bringing two characters whose friendship bond turns into so much more, and it’s completely swoon worthy. I would highly recommend reading this book, you will not want to miss the ending! :)

***ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.***

My Rating:

{EXCERPT}

As we settle in, the busboy brings the waters, and I cut to the chase. “So, I hate to crash the Sunday Funday vibe, but I invited you to brunch with an ulterior motive. I need a favor.”

She spreads her napkin on her lap with a raised brow. “What kind of favor?”

“I need you at next Monday’s board meeting. As you know, we lost an important account last month when Beaux Rêves in Paris went with a cheaper option. Obviously, they aren’t our only account, not by a long shot. But given how volatile the industry has been lately, I need to make it crystal clear to the shareholders that selling isn’t the right path. With the number of mergers and acquisitions going on, they’re seeing dollar signs, but quick money isn’t the answer. That’s where you come in.”

“You want them to hear from me because of my shares?” she asks, her brow furrowing. “We don’t have anything close to a majority.”

Though CJ inherited Sean’s share of the business when he passed away, that’s not why I need her at the meeting. CJ has a way of putting people at ease, of winning their trust and confidence. She’s a successful business owner in her own right—her accessories company Love Cycle Creations is growing by leaps and bounds every year. Plus, she was courted early on by an accessories conglomerate and she declined—totally the right call, as her company is now a rising star in her field.

I nod. “Of course, but that’s not the only reason. I need to convince them that now is not the time to explore getting into bed with a huge multinational retailer. And to do that, it’ll help to hear from someone with an insider’s stock holdings and an outsider’s perspective. I want them to hear from you in particular since you went through something so similar with Love Cycle.”

“On a much smaller scale, though. My company is tiny compared to Adored.”

“Size doesn’t matter.” I pause to wiggle an eyebrow for effect. “Well, in this case.”

A faint blush spreads on her cheeks. “You and the innuendo.”

“I do love innuendo. I also love Adored. That’s why I want to keep it the way it is—growing, profitable, and independent. I don’t want it swallowed by some faceless corporate giant.” A smile teases her lips for a moment and then disappears. I can’t read her at all, so I’m on the edge of my seat, waiting for an answer. “Please, CJ,” I add when she stays silent for a long beat. “I need you.”

“You need me,” she echoes, her brow smoothing as she sighs. She takes a drink of water, sets down her glass, and runs the tip of her tongue across her lips.

I watch her tongue move, wondering why I’ve never noticed how amazing her mouth is. She has the bee-stung lips of a cover girl, in a shade of pink so deep it brings to mind flushed, hot, intimate things.

Things I should be thinking of in her presence.

In anyone’s presence.

Resist, Campbell, resist…

Finally, just as I’m gearing up to beg, she looks up, a mysterious smile curving her lips. “I know exactly what you need, Graham.”

Damn, that sounded…naughty.

I reach for my water glass, needing something to cool me down since innocent words from a woman I’ve known forever are sending my thoughts straight into the gutter.

“But before I agree to your request,” she adds, her fingers drumming lightly on the white tablecloth, “I need something from you, too. Something I’ve been thinking long and hard about. Very long. And very hard.” Her eyes meet mine, trouble flickering in her gaze.

Glass halfway to my lips, I freeze.

Christ. Who the hell is this sexy-as-sin woman, and what has she done with CJ?

About Lauren Blakely:

A #1 New York Times Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that's hot, sweet and sexy. She lives in California with her family and has plotted entire novels while walking her dogs. With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than 85 times, and she's sold more than 2 million books. In December she'll release THE V CARD, a sinfully sexy standalone romantic comedy co-written with Lili Valente. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter! laurenblakely.com/newsletter

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Newsletter ** Goodreads

USA Today bestselling author Lili Valente writes both naughty things and funny things (that are also naughty). She has slept under the stars in Greece, eaten dinner at midnight with French men who couldn’t be trusted to keep their mouths on their food, and walked alone through Munich’s red light district after dark and lived to tell the tale.

These days you can find her writing in a tent beside the sea, drinking coconut water and thinking delightfully dirty thoughts.

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✯BOOK BLITZ:✯ The Mistakes by Elizabeth Brown {EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!}

The Mistakes by Elizabeth Brown

Release Date: April 4th 2017

Series: Off-Limits #3

Pages: 325

Genres: Adult, Romantic Comedy

It started as a promise.

A momentary lapse in sanity had me agreeing to two months of celibacy. 

Then Mark Bishop showed up. My new boss was cocky, possessive, and unfortunately, sexy as hell. 

My first mistake?

Thinking I would last two months.

The Mistakes - A Sexy Office Romance

Book III in the Off-Limits Series - Winnie and Mark's story.

Dual POV. A standalone. 

Warning: This story contains mature humor, a lot of cursing, and of course, sexual situations. It’s intended for adult readers who enjoy that kind of thing.

Purchase: Amazon

{EXCERPT}

“What about herpes? Is it herpes?”

“Hang on,” Ainsley said, her voice muffled by the bathroom door.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m looking it up on my phone,” she explained as I gnawed on the edge of my lip. “Okay, wait, do you have more than one sore?”

I felt around down there with my hand. “No, I don’t think so, but I can’t really see it.”

“But it doesn’t hurt, right?”

“No... I mean, not really. It’s not itchy or burny or anything… just annoying.”

“Okay, hang on.”

I frowned at myself in the mirror. This was so dumb. I knew better. I was twenty-six years old, for Pete’s sake. And while I might get around on a fairly regular basis, I also knew how to protect myself. So why the fuck was I now in my best friend’s bathroom, staring at my vagina, trying to figure out how I’d pissed it off?

I started to go through a list of partners in my head. They’d all seemed clean and professed as much on their OK Cupid profiles. But even then, I’d bagged that shit up.

I wasn’t stupid.

I bet it was fucking Troy. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted a guy in red skinny jeans.

“And you’re sure it’s not a bite?”

I sat back on the toilet. “Pretty sure. Bugs and me don’t get along. I swell up way more than this.”

Ainsley paused long enough that I started to wonder if she’d left.

“You still there?”

“Yeah. Sorry. Still reading. I’m wondering if it’s maybe a genital wart. You said it’s just in one area?”

I looked back down. “Uh, yeah, I think so.” A wart? Great. That’s hot. If Troy gave me a genital wart I swear, I will cut it off and leave it taped to his Honda Civic.

Dick.

“Hmm,” Ainsley continued. “Could be HPV. This article says that we can test it with vinegar.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Gross. I hate vinegar.”

“You’re not gonna drink it, Winnie. The article says if you put vinegar on it and it turns white, that means you have HPV. If it stays the same, it’s something else.”

I was beginning to regret enlisting my best friend to help me with this. “Are you sure you’re not on foodnetwork.com or something?”

“It’s Mayo Clinic.”

I sighed. “Do you even have vinegar?”

“Yeah, I think Lam has some in the pantry. Hang on.”

A few moments later Ainsley thrust a glass bottle of white vinegar and a few Q-tips through the crack in the door. “Here. Dab this on and watch it in the mirror.”

“I don’t know if I can, Ains.”

“It’s just vinegar. It won’t even sting.”

“No, I mean, I don’t know if I can watch it. I can barely see down there. I need you to—”

“No freaking way, Win.”

“Oh come on, it’s not like you haven’t ever—”

I could hear her exasperation through the door. “Exactly. I have seen your vagina way more times than I need to.”

“It’s clean, I promise. I mean, except for my STD. I’m all waxed up. Taint is one-hundred percent untainted.”

“No.”

“Come on, you’re really gonna just leave your best friend here to season Wally all by herself?”

“Wally?”

“The wart.”

Ainsley drew in a deep breath and then forced it out. “You are insane. You know that right?”

“You love me. Now get in here and help me with my vagina.”




A little while later…

As Ainsley pulled off the yellow plastic dish-washing gloves she’d donned to do the procedure, I frowned. “Were the gloves really necessary?”

“Win, I love you, but I’m not risking genital warts a week before my wedding. I’d never be able to explain myself to Lam.”

“Lam” was short for Lambo, Ainsley’s finance. Lucky for him, he made her really happy, because I also thought it was short for “The stupidest fucking nickname on the planet”. They’d been seeing each other for almost a year now, but they’d known each other for much longer, since Lam was best friends with her older brother Ryan.

I pulled my underwear back up as she scrolled through her phone. “Well? Anything?”

“Hang on.”

“Ainsley. You’re freaking me out. Did it change color or not?”

“Hang. On.”

A few more moments passed in silence. At this point, I wasn’t sure what I was hoping for. Was a wart better than HPV or herpes? I was pretty sure one of them could cause cancer, but I couldn’t remember which one… was it HPV? I think it started with an H.

Fuck.

I should have paid better attention in health class.

“Would you just tell me? It’s HPV, isn’t it?”

Ainsley sat back on her heels. “Nope. It didn’t change color. Winnie, I think—I think it’s just an ingrown hair.”

I felt the blood return to my face. “Are you serious?”

She nodded.

“But I don’t get ingrowns—I use the fancy gel.”

The fancy gel that costs eighteen dollars a bottle.

“No, really. I don’t think you have an STD. Look, it looks just like these pictures.”

I glanced at the pictures and was about to respond, when my cell phone started buzzing. I glanced at the incoming call. “Hang on Ains, it’s Lucy.”

She started to clean up the supplies as I answered the call. “What’s up Luce, everything okay?” I said, carefully disguising any concern in my voice. My younger sister Lucy has Down’s Syndrome and she gets super annoyed if I treat her like a little kid. Which I suppose is fair, considering she’s almost eighteen.

“I was going to make tacos, but we’re out of cheese,” she said, matter-of-factly.

I looked up at the ceiling, knowing where this was going. I loved my sister, but when it came to meal time, she had her rituals, and Tuesdays meant tacos. And Lucy refused to live in a world with cheese-less tacos.

I hesitated before I responded. Our mom had run off years ago, and consequently I was always walking the line between older sister and parent. In this case, it was between a benevolent sister who could easily pick up cheese on the way home, and a realistic parent who wanted to teach her the importance of learning to deal with a world that sometimes didn’t have cheese.

This time though, the sister won.

Mostly because the sister had bigger issues at hand. “Yeah, I can pick up some cheese on the way home.”

“Cheddar?”

I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. “Yep. Sure. Cheddar. Got it.”

“Not jack.”

“Not jack.”

“Orange cheddar.”

“The orange-est. I’ll even take it past the tanning salon on the way home.”

“Winnie, don’t joke.”

I laughed. “Don’t worry kid, I got you.”

The line went dead, and as I hung up Ainsley looked at me, concerned.

“Everything okay?”

I sat down on the toilet. “Yeah. Just a minor freak out. It’s taco Tuesday and tacos apparently don’t exist without orange cheddar cheese.”

Ainsley’s face softened. “How is she doing anyway?”

I shrugged. “Good… I think. I told you she started this volunteer gig, right? The one where she’s helping out at this community garden?”

Ainsley pressed her lips together and tilted her head at me. “I don’t think so.”

“Someone donated this plot of land near the high school so a bunch of kids are turning it into a garden.”

“That sounds right up her alley.”

Ainsley knew how obsessed my sister was with all things green and growing. “Yeah. She loves it. It’s cool too, because it’s not just the kids with special needs, it’s a mix.”

“That’s awesome. She’s still coming to the wedding, right?”

I laughed. “Are you kidding me? She’s obsessed. It’s all she talks about. Right now your wedding is ranking right up there with succulents.”

“Oh, succulents, is that good?”

“The only thing that supersedes succulents is her obsession with this new orchid she got a few weeks ago. And speaking of obsessing,” I said, grabbing the mirror next to me. “I need to see this ingrown hair.” I stood up, pulled my underwear down, and flung my foot on the bathroom counter, trying to get a better angle.

“Jesus, Win,” Ainsley said turning away.

“Relax, you were just up front and personal with her a minute ago.”

“What if Lam walks in?”

“Oh please, it’s just a vagina. Fifty percent of the population have them.”

She watched me as I angled the mirror. “Win, you won’t be able to see it. It’s way in the back. Trust me, you’ll be fine. Just give it a few days. It has a dark center where the hair is. I’m sure it will work its way out.” She paused and got out her phone. “Here, hold still for a second would you? I can take a pic.”

I complied and she moved her phone down near my asshole, snapped a photo, and then held it up for me to see.

“Ew. That’s an ingrown hair?” I squinted at the blurry photo. “It looks like a Furby sitting on my ass. Can’t you just like, fix it for me?”

Ainsley got up. “Uh-uh. No way. I just vinegar-ed it. That is officially my boundary. I am not going to lance and drain your ingrown hairs.”

“I’d do it for you.” I said in a sing-song voice.

“No, you wouldn’t, because I’d never ask you to.”

“Come on, you said it’s right near the surface. It’d be easy.”

“Winnie. You are officially insane. No.”

“I’m not going to stop asking. Do you really want your bridesmaid to be uncomfortable during your whole wedding because she’s got an ingrown hair yammering in the vicinity of her perineum?”

Ainsley frowned. “You are the worst, you know that?”

“And you are the best friend, remember?”

Ainsley studied me for a moment and then the corners of her mouth began to tick up. “Okay, you know what? I’ll do it for you. Under one condition.”

I didn’t like the sound of this. “What?”

“I’ll lance it for you if you promise to take a break. ”

“A break?”

“From dudes.”

I wrinkled my nose. I didn’t like the sound of this.

“Just a little one.”

I frowned. “Why?”

“Come on, Win. Do I really need to explain why?” she lowered her voice to a whisper, “You almost had a Wally.”

“But I didn’t. I got… an Ian.” I said, smiling.

“Ugh, see?” Ainsley groaned “That’s what I mean. You are so dick-centric that you even give your STDs male nicknames. Don’t you see how messed up that is?”

I frowned. Okay, yes: I was more promiscuous than my chaste friend. But so what? “You know as well as anyone that my lifestyle doesn’t make it easy to date someone.”

Ainsley laughed. “Your lifestyle? You’re making it sound like a choice.”

I pressed my lips together. “Well, whatever you call it. I have to take care of Lucy and between work and everything I’m just too busy to do the relationship thing.” I paused. “And you know I don’t want to skip the good stuff.”

“You mean sex.”

“Duh. Spice of life.”

Ainsley crossed her arms. “Well, if you want me to fix your Furby, that’s my price.”

I hesitated. “So you’re saying I have to give up all the dicks?”

“Yeah. All the dicks. That’s my price.”

I sighed. “For how long?”

She pressed her lips together. “Two months.”

My eyebrows shot up. “Two months!”

“Yep. Just to give yourself time to D-tox,” she quipped, over-annunciating the D.

I grinned and shook my head. “That’s cute. You think that all up on your own?”

She chuckled. “Clearly I’ve been hanging out with you way too much.”

I thought for a moment. “I can still use my toys?”

Ainsley shrugged. “Don’t see why not. Just no sleeping around. This freaked me out, Win. I need you to be safe. I don’t know what I’d do if anything ever happened to you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Boy, you really know how to bum a girl out, Ains.”

“But you’ll do it?”

I pressed my lips into a thin line. “If I do, you’ll lance Ian for me?”

She nodded.

“Fine. Whatever. Two months. But only because I love my vag more than dicks. I can’t have her feeling like a freak.”

AUTHOR BIO:

Hocker of smut, drinker of wine, and more often than not- #NSFW.

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★RELEASE DAY LAUNCH:★ Monster Prick by Kendall Ryan {EXCERPT}

Monster Prick by Kendall Ryan

Release Date: November 17th 2015 by Kendall Ryan Books LLC

Pages: 150

Genres: Romantic comedy

Over my dead body. 

That's what I told Gracie when she informed me of her plan to pick some random guy she met online to get rid of her pesky virginity. 

If anyone is touching her, it's going to be me. 

I shouldn't even be considering it, but I can't get it out of my head: her, under me, begging me.

***

Arrogant. Cocky. Prick.

Those are the words I’d use to describe my older brother’s dangerously handsome best friend. 

When he learned of my plan to kick off my white cotton briefs, ditching my good girl persona once and for all by losing my virginity to the first eligible bachelor I could find, he flipped out. Said over his dead body. 

He says if anyone’s going to do it, it’s going to be him. 

I hate that I’m even considering his offer. 

But I am … I sooo am. 

Ever since he suggested it, all I can think about is his cocky smile on those full lips as he’s driving in to me. 

But if we cross that line … will I ever be able to go back?

MONSTER PRICK is a spin off novella from SCREWED, but can be read as a standalone, as it features a new couple.

Purchase: Amazon, Amazon UK, iBooks

{EXCERPT}

Hudson

“What if I could help you?”

I have no idea what the hell I was thinking. The words just leaped out of my mouth. Listening to Gracie talk about kicking off her granny panties and popping her cherry with some random Internet dick...I guess it drove me temporarily insane.

But there's no taking back the idea now. Gracie sucks in her breath, blinking wide-eyed. “What do you mean?” she asks.

What do I mean? Here I am, sitting next to the world's most beautiful girl—drowning in her eyes, her scent, the gentle puff of her breath on my mouth that begs me to close the distance. I know what I want, but I also know what will happen if I take it. My best friend will rip off my balls and feed them to me. And I'll probably deserve every second.

But sweet Jesus, I'm pretty sure Gracie wants this, too, and that's enough to blow my better judgment to pieces. All I care about right now is making her feel better. In as many ways as possible. And if her slightly quickened breathing, blown pupils, and flushed cheeks are anything to go by...

As an experiment, I dart out the tip of my tongue to wet my lips. Her darkened eyes drop like a magnet yanked them. Yeah, bingo. Having a little black book as thick as the dictionary has its advantages. I know damn well how to tell when a woman wants me.

Author Bio:

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than 18 titles, Kendall Ryan has sold more than a million ebooks and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. She's a traditionally published author with Simon & Schuster and Harper Collins UK, as well as enjoying success as an independently published author. Since she first began self-publishing in 2012, she's appeared at #1 on Barnes & Noble and iBooks charts around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller list 23 times. 

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