Amber Walton was best friends Lainey Lord.  When Lainey unexpectedly dies, Amber starts hanging around her brother Channing and his friend Rory Calhoun.  They become the best of friends bonding over the tragedy.  Channing and Rory make a pact that neither of them will make a move on Amber.  When Channing leaves to go away to college, Rory makes his move.  Rory and Amber end up dating for 9 years until he breaks her heart because he needs a break.  Enter Channing.

Channing hears the news and quickly calls Amber.  He also has a favor to ask...can he rent her extra room at her place for a few months for a temp contractor job he just got.  Amber hesitantly agrees.  Problem is, she has always had a crush on Channing!  What she doesn't know is that Channing has always wanted her!

When Channing finds Amber's laptop open he sees that she has contacted a male escort service for a sex with no strings type of night.  She also sees that Amber has admitted that she is attracted to Channing.  This causes Channing to make believe like he is the Gentleman Nine Amber wants to hook up with.  She has a list of things she wants to try and Channing can't wait!  When Amber goes to meet Gentleman Nine, she runs into Channing.  He convinces her to do those things with him instead.  Of course, over the time they spend together, they start to realize there is more to their relationship than just sex.  

I loved this book and couldn't put it down!  I really enjoyed these two characters too.  They both deserved a happy ever after even if they had to wait a really long time for it.  The ending was so perfect....and a big tearjerker! 

What a crazy month, but I did read some good books.  Well, mostly I listened, because, wow, 13 Audio's for this month. 

(Audiobook) Away From The Light by Aleatha Romig

Finish Date:  08/01

☆4.7☆STARS - GRADE=A

(Audiobook) Gentlemen Nine by Penelope Ward

Finish Date:  08/02

☆4.3☆STARS - GRADE=A-

(Audiobook) Hero At The Fall by Alwyn Hamilton

Finish Date:  08/06

☆3.7☆STARS - GRADE=B

(Audiobook) Alex, Approximately by Jenn Bennett

Finish Date:  08/07

☆4☆STARS - GRADE=B+

(Audiobook) Like Never And Always by Ann Agguire

Finish Date:  08/09

☆2.8☆STARS - GRADE=C-

(Audiobook) The Empress by S.J. Kincaid

Finish Date:  08/13

☆4.2☆STARS - GRADE=B+

(Audiobook) Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Finish Date:  08/15

☆4.7☆STARS - GRADE=A

(Audiobook) The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Finish Date:  08/19

☆4.3☆STARS - GRADE=A-

(Netgalley e-ARC) Paradox by Catherine Coulter

Finish Date:  08/19

☆3☆STARS - GRADE=C

(Audiobook) All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover

Finish Date:  08/21

☆4.5☆STARS - GRADE=A-

(Audiobook) The Naturalist by Andrew Mayne

Finish Date:  08/23

☆4.2☆STARS - GRADE=B+

(Audiobook) Warcross by Marie Lu

Finish Date:  08/27

☆4.5☆STARS - GRADE=A-

(Audiobook) The Swan & The Jackal by JA Redmerski

Finish Date:  08/29

☆3.5☆STARS - GRADE=B-

(Audiobook) Bad Mommy by Tarryn Fisher

Finish Date:  08/31

☆5☆STARS - GRADE=A+ 

(Kindle eBook) Speak Easy, Speak Love by McKelle George

Finish Date:  08/31

☆3.5☆STARS - GRADE=B-

13 Audiobooks, 1 Kindle eBook, and 1 Netgalley eARC, for a total of 5,510 pages.  That's my most read pages in one month, ever.

and since I tend to pick books based on there covers...best cover of the month goes to:

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~BOOK BLURB~

Gentlemen Nine

Penelope Ward

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Growing up, the three of us were friends. 

He was the nerd. 

I was the playboy. 

She was the beauty. 

Deep down, I only ever wanted her. I kept it inside because Rory and I made a pact that our friend, Amber, was off-limits. 

He lied. 

I went off to college, and he got the girl. 

Amber never knew how I felt. 

They were together for years—before he broke her heart. 

Through it all and across the miles, she and I casually stayed in touch. 

When my job sent me to Boston for a three-month contract position, Amber let me stay in her spare room. 

Still reeling from her breakup, she’d sworn off men. 

One night, I opened her computer to find the shock of my life. She’d hesitantly contacted a male escort company. Afraid to date and get her heart broken again, she was looking for sex with no strings. 

Every emotion imaginable ran through me: protectiveness, jealousy—curiosity. 

Amber had chosen Gentleman Number Nine and sent him a message. 

She opened up to him, confessing, among other things, her physical attraction to her friend—me. But she considered me off-limits—and she thought I was a manwhore. (Ironic, considering the circumstances.) 

Eventually, she set up a date to meet Gentleman Nine at a hotel. 

When she showed up several nights later to meet him, she was stunned to see me standing there—with an offer I hoped she wouldn’t refuse.

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~MY QUICKIE REVIEW~

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I purchased this as an Audible "Deal of the Day" and it surprised me.  Early on it felt like it was going to be everything I hate about this genre, but it actually turned out to be a story with substance.  The characters were fairly likable and while their chemistry wasn't off-the-charts hot, it was still hot. They had real-life issues and not some overtly contrived dribble.  It won't be that for everybody, I'm sure…but for me, I liked it.   A few elements of the story actually resonated with me, personally.

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~MY RATING~

☆4.3☆STARS - GRADE=A-

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~BREAKDOWN OF RATINGS~

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Plot~ 4/5

Main Characters~ 4.2/5

Secondary Characters~ 4/5

The Feels~ 4.3/5

Pacing~ 4/5

Addictiveness~ 4.5/5

Theme or Tone~ 4/5

Flow (Writing Style)~ 4.3/5

Backdrop (World Building)~ 4/5

Originality~ 4/5

Ending~ 5/5 Cliffhanger~ Nope.

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Book Cover~ That guy is seriously hot…

Narration~ ☆5☆ for Sebastian York & Andi Arndt, these two are masters at this genre, especially when they are together in one book.

Setting~ Boston and a little Chicago

Source- Audible Audiobook

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