Here are great books I read in 2016 but that were not published during that year. 

I am always looking for more wonderful books. Please share your favorite reads of the year with me! 

In no particular order... 

1. The Milch Bride: by J.R. BIERY

A good historical western is hard to find and this one is very compelling with all the best elements of the genre. 

2. The Year We Hid Away by Sarina Bowen

This whole series was beyond great and I power read it. 

3. Takes Two to Tackle by Jeanette Murray

Wonderful sports romance. 

4. Louder Than Love  by Jessica Topper

Gah. 5 Stars. Rock Star Romance with grown people. This book. Yes.

5. Stealing Mercury by Charlee Allden

Great Science Fiction Romance World building Gladiator style. 

6. Kulti by Mariana Zapata

5 Stars. I have already reread it 3 times. The best slow burn. 

7. His Christmas Gift by Sarah Mayberry and Three Nights before Christmas by Kat Latham

A perfect pair of Christmas Romances. 

8. Saving the CEO by Jenny Holiday

Charming and sexy. 

9. SATED: #3 in the Fit Trilogy by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Fun. Hot. I love this author. 

10. Dukes Prefer Blondes by Loretta Chase

5 Star. Historical Romance doesn't get any better than this. 

It's been over three years since a train accident made a widow of Katrina Lewis, sending her and her young daughter Abbey back to the suburban town of her youth...the only place that still makes sense. Lauder Lake is the perfect place to hide and heal.

Recluse rocker Adrian "Digger" Graves survived the implosion of his music career, but his muse has long lain dormant. Until Kat hires him to play at her library—not on the basis of his hard rock credentials but rather, because of the obscure kids' TV jingle he wrote years ago. In a case of mistaken identity, Adrian stumbles into the lives of Kat and her comically lovable daughter.

Using tattoos as a timeline, Adrian unfurls his life for Kat. But as the courtship intensifies, it's unclear whose past looms larger: the widow's or the rocker's. Will their demons ever rest, or will they break these soul mates apart?

Review

I discovered this book when someone listed it as a comfort read and I thought I can always take comfort in a rock star.

Oh. This book. I love character driven romance and this love story is wonderful in the complexity of the characters and the rich development of who they are apart, together, and with the people in their lives.

The book is achey dealing with grief of all kinds, trust, past mistakes, current mistakes with hope and risk pushing the plot forward.

The characters are both grown with complete lives, interests, talents, strengths, and failings so the intersection and opportunity of their falling in love is pretty special.

There is just right tension but the heroine does frustrate me a bit when she holds back too long but then so does the hero. They are flawed and yet tactically real and loving.

The book is also a love letter to New York City.

There could be more reckoning with the addition past of the hero but this is quibble because really a what could be more joyous the an British metal post punk rocker? That accent, oy!

I really loved so much about this book and will for sure be keeping on the shelf for when I want to be comforted by a wonderful romance.

Today’s stop is for Heidi Joy Tretheway Say It Louder. We will have info about the book and author, and a great excerpt from the book, plus a great giveaway Make sure to check everything out and enter the giveaway. Happy Reading :) 

I had a choice—dump my toxic girlfriend, or break up my band.

It should have been easy. But she’s been collecting dirt on all of us for years.

Just when I think I’ve hit rock bottom, a pink-haired street artist rocks my world. They call Willa “the Parking Lot Picasso.” I call her my refuge, my center, my last reason to hope.

When Willa’s life on the streets collides with a sudden spotlight on her art, I’ll stop at nothing to protect her. But when the spotlight turns on my secret shame, she might be my only salvation.

Buy Links

“Show me more?” Dave stills, waiting for an answer. I chill and wrap my free arm around my chest, shy knowing my full breasts are apparent through the thin T-shirt. There’s warmth in his touch, in his voice, in his gaze. And I want more. I want him closer, the way our arms kept brushing as we sat on that rail beam, neither of us admitting that every single touch was intended. Every one. “I’ll show you a few.” I walk back to my bed and sit, nodding at him to follow before I lose my nerve. “But you have to show me yours, too.” Dave chuckles. “I like the sound of that.” I glare at him. “Don’t. I’m a professional, remember?” I tip the cracked shade on the lamp near my bed so the bare bulb stares at us. I’m too exposed but Dave looks comfortable in his own skin, like he parades around in black boxer briefs all day. Maybe he does. Rock stars are known for weird shit. “I like this one.” Dave says as he sits on the mattress and turns toward me. One hand wraps around my wrist again, anchoring my arm in place. His other hand explores, tracing the lines of my honeybees and their flowers. He pushes my T-shirt sleeve up to the top of my shoulder, then trails his fingers down my arm. My flesh prickles with goosebumps and I feel my cheeks heat, the color climbing down my neck in parallel with his gaze. I’ve never been inspected like this before. Even when other people look at my tattoos, and many of them do because it’s some of Thomas’s best work, I never see this hunger behind their eyes. Dave swallows, his tour of my left arm complete. “Which one do you want to see?” “Your favorite.” He smiles, and it’s an easy smile, relaxed, like I’ve just asked if he likes ice cream. He stands up and turns around, draping himself across my bed so I can see the magnificent back piece that spreads across his shoulder blades. It’s an owl, wings spread in full flight, its legs extended forward as if it’s descending to grab its prey. It’s almost a blackwork tat—the only color in the intricate design is the owl’s yellow eyes. It feels so Dave, so commanding and sharp-eyed. Like if you peeled away his poor-me routine you’d get a wise creature ready to capture exactly what he wants. What if I were exactly what he wants? The thought of that thrills and frightens me. “I’ll tell you a secret,” he mumbles, his face in my pillow as I bend over his back to get a closer look at the ink. “I have a second mirror in my bathroom so I can see it. It’s my favorite, but I can’t even look at it straight. Kind of stupid, huh?” I trace the curves of it, my fingers skidding lightly over the owl’s feathers on his muscular back. “Not stupid at all,” I whisper. No. Not stupid in the slightest. He just lies there and lets me touch him. Lets my fingers wander, up his back and down it, from the crease of his spine to his muscled shoulders, from the cords of his neck down his lower back, and the elastic top of his boxer briefs. The feel of the room is shifting fast, changing from tattoo talk to something entirely … other.

Heidi Joy Tretheway is a sucker for campfires, craft cocktails, and steamy romance in books and real life. She sings along with musicals (badly), craves French carbs, and buys plane tickets the way some women buy shoes.

Her first career as a journalist took Heidi behind the scenes with politicians, rock stars, and chefs, all of whom inspire her stories. Heidi Joy is currently working on her tenth book from her home in southwestern Washington.

Links

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

September 30th                              

Socially Awkward Book Nerd     Review

Barbara's Book Reveiws                              Excerpt

October 1st                      

Books,Dreams,Life          Excerpt

The Silver Dagger Scriptorium                   Excerpt

Vera is Reading                Excerpt

October 2nd                    

Sassy Girl Books                             Review

A Dream Within A Dream            Excerpt

Quesarasera Book Blog                Review

October 3rd                     

Southern Belle Book Blog            Excerpt

Ticket to Anywhere                       Review

Reading Tigress                Review

October 4th                     

My Favorite Things         Review

SnoopyDoo's Book Reviews        Excerpt

October 5th                     

Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess           Review

Reese's Reviews               Excerpt

Bound By Books Book Review    Review

October 6th                     

Romance Book Nerd      Excerpt

EskieMama Reads           Excerpt

October 7th                     

Collector of book boyfriends      Playlist

iScream Books Review

Captain Reads A Lot       Excerpt

Inked in Chapters            Review

October 8th                     

CReeeBookWorld            Review

Renee Entress's Blog      Review

Author Groupies              Review

October 9th                     

A Brit and a Yank             Review

Reading Between the Wines Book Club Guest Post

bookshelf dreaming       Review

Ashley Book Blog            Review

October 10th                   

The Smut-Brarians          Review

Books to Breathe             Review

Books Need TLC                              Review

October 11th                   

Adventures in Writing    Playlist

Live read and breathe    Review

Novel Addiction                              Review

October 12th                   

Alpha Book Club              Review

Red Cheeks Reads           Excerpt

Wild and Dirty Book Blog             Review

October 13th                   

G & T's Indie Café            Excerpt

Short and Sassy Book Blurbs       Review

Ramblings From This Chick         Review

The Phantom Paragrapher          Review

Nay's Pink Bookshelf      Excerpt

Dave faces an ultimatum—dump his toxic girlfriend Kristina or break up his band Tattoo Thief. But Kristina won’t go quietly. She has enough dirt to ruin each member of the band, and enough on Dave to send him to jail. This stinking, bloody threat has haunted him for years. As Dave hangs in limbo, a new star emerges: Willa, dubbed “The Parking Lot Picasso” by the modern art world. When a magazine feature catapults her to sudden fame, Dave helps her cope with the spotlight when all she’s ever known is the shadows. Life as a runaway jaded Willa, and it leaves her deeply in doubt of her fifteen minutes of fame. Nothing good lasts forever. Especially not love. It seems like everyone wants a piece of Willa now. When their music and art worlds collide, Dave's the one person who isn’t trying to take something from Willa, and who might have something to give. As Dave’s secret is laid bare, a mystery unravels, pointing to his guilt and its dangerous intersection with Willa’s old life on the streets. Both must risk their success and the intense connection to each other to prevent their pasts from defining their future.

I was super excited when I saw that after almost two years, we finally getting another Tattoo Thief book. Dave’s Story. Each book in the series is a standalone but it doesn’t hurt to have read the other books in the series. And not only because it helps to get to know all the characters and the band buy they all are fantastic and I loved each book in the series. This book of course was no different and I think I so far this was one my favorite books out of all of them ... for now. I pretty much read the book in one sitting, I just couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed Dave and Willa so much. This book was raw, emotional, sweet and sexy all at once. In the beginning I thought Dave was really whiney and I was super excited when Willa called him out on it. I really enjoyed Dave once he started hanging with Willa and what he became. I LOVED Willa, her backstory and her attitude. Loved them both but together they simply just perfect for each other and balance each other out so perfectly. Dave ways struggling with his past and Kristina, but also with his part in the band, this will be solved in this book and I really liked the outcome. Overall, I really absolutely loved this book and the ending was just beautiful. I may or may not have teared up reading it. I rate this book a full 5 ★ and I can NOT wait to read Ryan’s story Skip a Beat.

*I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Will be available September 29, 2016.