Leave the Night On by Laura Trentham

Love, betrayal, and sweet revenge—life in Cottonbloom is about to get a whole lot hotter . . .

Sutton Mize is known for lavishing attention on the customers who flock to her boutique on the wealthy side of her Mississippi town. So when she finds a lace thong in her fiancé’s classic cherry-red Camaro, she knows just who she sold it to: her own best friend. In an instant, Sutton’s whole world goes up in flames. . .

Wyatt Abbott has harbored a crush on Sutton since he was a young kid from the other side of the tracks. He witnessed Sutton’s shocking discovery in the Camaro at his family-owned garage—and it made him angry. What kind of man could take lovely, gorgeous Sutton for granted? But then Sutton comes up with an idea: Why not give her betrothed a taste of his own medicine and pretend that she’s got a lover of her own? Wyatt is more than happy to play the hot-and-heavy boyfriend. But what begins as a fictional affair soon develops into something more real, and more passionate, than either Sutton or Wyatt could have imagined. Could it be that true love has been waiting under the hood all along?

 

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Review: On the Plus Side by Alison Bliss

Big girls don't cry.

They go after what they want.

Thanks to her bangin' curves, Valerie Carmichael has always turned heads-with the exception of seriously sexy Logan Mathis. Just Valerie's luck that the object of her lust-filled affection is also best friends with her overprotective brother. But Valerie's determined to get Logan's attention . . . even if it means telling a teeny little lie to get a job at his new bar.

Logan can't remember a time when Valerie didn't secretly fuel all his hottest fantasies. Now the curvaceous she-devil is working behind his bar, tempting him every damn night. It's only when he finds Valerie's naughty things-to-do list that Logan decides to break every rule in the book-by making each red-hot deed a reality.

No one warned them that they were going to fall this hard. And no one warned them that sometimes the smallest secrets can have the biggest consequences.

On the Plus Side features one of my favorite tropes:  romance with a friend's younger sister.  Valerie has had a thing for Logan for a long time.  A.  Long.  Time.  Despite his leaving their hometown, that thing has not diminished.  Now Logan is back and in need of help with his bar, so Valerie immediately steps in. 

As with the first book in the series, Size Matters, this book contains several Big Misunderstandings and outright lies between Valerie and Logan.  Some of their arguments seemed really contrived.  While they had great chemistry, their non-sexual interactions needed work, and I was really surprised by the rushed ending.  It didn't feel necessary or ring true. 

(A very special thank you to Forever Romance, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of On the Plus Side.)

Review: The Rebel of Clan Kincaid by Lily Blackwood

LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD

Since childhood, Magnus has been led to believe he is the Laird Alwyn’s bastard, and raised to hate the Clan Kincaid. But when he learns he is without a doubt the son of the murdered Laird Kincaid, his life as he has always known it is shattered. Now, hiding his knowledge and his fury, he returns to Burnbryde Castle, awaiting the chance to strike against the man whose treachery robbed him of his legacy. His first act of rebellion: to steal a kiss from the redheaded beauty who’s betrothed to the Alwyn’s eldest son and heir.

Since her arrival at Burnbryde, Tara Iverach has been confined to a tower to guard her virtue before she marries. But after a surprise embrace with a lean, bare-chested Highlander who claims to be the Alwyn’s oldest son, she can’t contain her excitement over her good fate. Unfortunately, he is the wrong eldest son, and she is set to marry his cruel and lecherous half brother, Hugh. Can Magnus conquer his rivals and claim his Kincaid destiny before the woman who’s captured his heart becomes his sworn enemy’s bride?

The Rebel of Clan Kincaid picks up almost immediately after The Beast of Clan Kincaid.  Magnus is dealing with the fallout of learning his true identity, which comes with a lot of emotions, when he meets Tara Iverach.  He steals a kiss from Tara, who happens to be engaged/betrothed to Hugh, Alwyn's legitimate son. 

Tara has lived in a nunnery before the Earl of Buchan claims her as his ward.  She is thrust into the fray after she learns of her sister's death and is promised to marry Hugh, the son of Buchan's friend and supporter. 

Tara and Magnus are tossed together in a convenient line-of-sight plot.  I didn't always buy their chemistry or connection, but they were able to work together and achieve their respective goals with the help of the other.  The Rebel of Clan Kincaid wasn't as dynamic or intriguing as The Best of Clan Kincaid, and I think the pacing hindered the story, probably because I wanted to see Magnus lose control and reveal his true self to Alwyn. 

(A very special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a ARC of The Rebel of Clan Kincaid.)