Hitching the Pitcher (Belltown Six Pack #1) by Rebecca Connolly

Sawyer Bennett has a secret. A risky thing, being one of the popular Belltown Six Pack, a group of six guys from the same college baseball team, all of whom got drafted and now play in the Major Leagues. Between the media frenzy over them and his bond with the guys, his secret has to stay carefully hidden if he wants it to stay that way. He needs to focus on his pitching and let everything else fall away.

Running into his former college girlfriend wasn’t supposed to happen. Falling for her again wasn’t supposed to happen. Confessing his secret to her was definitely not supposed to happen. But the harder he falls for Erica Moore, the more important his secret—and she—becomes.


Welcome to Belltown! Six baseball players meet in the college town of Belltown, Massachusettes, becoming best friends, their lives intertwining as they each get called up to the Major Leagues.

Follow Sawyer, Cole, Axel, David, Ryker, and Levi in these six swoony sports romances.

 * Amazon * Goodreads *

I cannot even tell you how excited I am for this series!  I LOVE baseball- it's my favorite and when you add some romance with baseball?  😍  Another thing I find really attractive is the feeling of camaraderie I know this series is going to bring as it follows a group of tight knit friends.  I can already feel that from the first book.

Sawyer is something else.  He let Erica go years ago to focus on his blooming baseball career and now she is back in his life.  You would think that Sawyer learned something from his mistakes, but no.  He honestly drove me slightly crazy because I have a hard time with wishy washy men.  I didn't think his "secret" was much of a secret to begin with so I had a harder time buying into his indecision.  I think Erica was way beyond patient with him so to me, she was the real hero of this story.  

I think this first story was probably harder to write because this author had the daunting task of setting the foundation for all the books to come.  She roughly introduced all the characters and gave us a bit of a peek into their personalities.  She also gave the backstory as to how all these men became friends.  It was a lot to pack in with her own story.

While I think this story was just okay, I am going to be reading the next books.  There is so much potential here.  I think it's going to be a fun series and I can't wait to see what (and who!) is coming next! 

Content:  kissing

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 

Forever Yours Featuring Author Ranee S. Clark +$25 Giveaway

 

A hometown hero who’s suffering a personal crisis. A single-mom who’s back on her feet again. And the what-ifs they finally have a chance of seeing come true. A year after her divorce, Chelsea Lewis spends most of her days working part-time at her cousin’s bakery and hiding veggies in her picky son’s lunches. Then she reconnects with an old friend who helps Chelsea in all the ways she’s forgotten she needs—including romantic ones. Former football player, DJ Kaiser, is back in his hometown, working as a fireman to serve his community, but after nearly burning down his own house with a barbeque and wrecking the Chief’s truck, his mistakes are stacked against him—until he sets out to ease the stress of Chelsea’s load. Serving her has him feeling like a hero again. When Chelsea’s ex shows up and begs Chelsea to move closer so his young son doesn’t grow up without his father, Chelsea and DJ have to consider what’s best for Chelsea’s little family, even if that means sacrificing the relationship that has saved them both.

 

 

   

 

They sat there, staring at each other for a moment that kept stretching out. Embarrassment crept over her expression, but she didn’t look away. He reached up with the hand that wasn’t around her shoulder and let his fingers graze over her cheek, feeling the heat there. She took a deep breath, and he had to as well. He wanted to kiss her, to take care of her and help her and . . . be everything for her. He slid his hand around her neck and guided her closer. They stared at each other.

“DJ?” she asked in a soft voice.

He couldn’t pull completely away. He swallowed. “What am I doing?” he whispered.

She tipped her head back. “What do you want to do?”

“That’s simple,” he said with a laugh. “I just . . . we can’t do half-measures here, can we?” Brady was a huge obstacle he didn’t know how to get over, as much as every moment with Chelsea drew her to him.

“No, we can’t,” she agreed.

Still, neither of them moved. Neither of them got up and walked away from this tipping point. He fingered a piece of her hair that fell in front of her shoulder. “He’s like my brother and I don’t know if there’s any point where this won’t feel like I’m betraying him . . . even . . . even if being with you might be more important.”

She settled her hands at his waist, gripping the sides of his T-shirt. “I hate that this has to be so complicated.” She tipped her head so that her forehead rested against his shoulder.

He pressed his cheek to the side of her head. “I know.” He lifted both of his hands to rest behind her neck and tilted her face back up to him, brushing a thumb along one of her cheeks. “I know.” He studied her from inches away, heat spreading through his chest.

Kiss her?

Walk away?

What do I do?

Her expression must mirror back his emotions. Fear. Uncertainty. Longing.

Did he want to take the next step and deal with the consequences? He should make the decision soon, especially if he wanted it more than he was scared of it. Any moment, he might come to his senses. They both might.

“I want this,” she whispered.

That was all it took to make his decision.

 

   

 

"From page one, readers will delight in the realistic qualities of the characters as they come to life through their flaws and weaknesses, but also their strengths and triumphs.” -Singing Librarian Books

 "I'm not sure I've ever read an author who can show personal growth as well as Clark does.” -Amazon Review

 “I could not put this book down. Once it started I HAD to know how it ended… I felt invested in Chelsea’s story.” Good Reads Review

   

   

Author Raneé S. Clark

During her early years of reading, Raneé S. Clark devoured fantasy books, which continued into her adulthood—since she often believes that a well-written romance novel is a delightful fantasy. Though raising three boys can sometimes hamper both romance with her own Mr. Charming and her writing, she tries to get a little of both in every day. And most of the time she succeeds.

Raneé is the author of four contemporary romances and one historical novel, Beneath the Bellemont Sky.

   

 

 

   

   

   

Giveaway Details $25 Amazon Gift Code or $25 in PayPal Cash Ends 2/18/19 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner may be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, BookBub, Instagram, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader & Clean Wholesome Romance and is sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Sweetest Kiss (Kissed by the Bay #4) by Susan Hatler

Megan Wallace wants three things: to make a living as an artist, to fulfill a promise she made her grandmother to visit the Boboli Gardens in Italy, and—oh yeah— for her best friend Brian Watts to fall in love with her. When the local library hosts an art competition, in which the winner will receive a one-year contract to paint in Florence, Italy, Megan sets out to make all her dreams come true.

Since Brian is a talented woodworker, Megan plans to ask him to make the custom frames for her paintings. She’s crushed to discover he’s already partnered up with Chelsea Chambers, Megan’s rival since art school. Megan is even more devastated when Chelsea sets her sights on Brian romantically.

The stakes are high and there can only be one winner. When the contest judges praise Chelsea’s classic style, Megan wonders if she should forego her own surreal painting style for one that’s more traditional. Brian urges her to be true to her talent. He also gives her reason to believe that maybe he feels more than friendship for her after all.

Will Megan have to give up her vision in order to win the contest? And if she wins, will she have to say goodbye to the love of her life?

 * Goodreads * Amazon *

I love reading books by Susan Hatler.  She's one of my favorites because her books are so easy to settle in with.  Every time I pick up one of her books, I know I'm going get romance, yes, but fun dialogue and characters full of personality as well.

This series is set in a magical place to me.  I LOVE the whole legend of the bay and how it is incorporated into every book.  I also love seeing people from past books making an appearance in this book.  It feels like a community of friends and family continuing in each story and I never really have to say goodbye to anyone.

I liked Megan.  She had dreams but also insecurities about her ability to actually fulfill those dreams.  Her vulnerability helped me to connect with her and her unrequited love left me rooting for her.  I loved the first kiss and I loved the second kiss almost as much.  :)  The ending was sweet and I think that's where I fell in love with Brian too.

Content:  kissing, drinking alcohol

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Indian Paintbrush (Carson Chronicles #3) by John A. Heldt

Arizona, December 1943. After surviving perilous six-month journeys to 1889 and 1918, the Carsons, five siblings from the present day, seek a respite in their home state. While Adam and Greg settle down with their Progressive Era brides, Natalie and Caitlin start romances with wartime aviators and Cody befriends a Japanese family in an internment camp. The time travelers regroup, bury some ghosts, and continue their search for their missing parents. Then old problems return, new ones emerge, and a peaceful hiatus becomes a race for survival. In INDIAN PAINTBRUSH, the sequel to RIVER RISING and THE MEMORY TREE, several young adults find love and adventure as they navigate the home front during the height of World War II.

 * Amazon * Goodreads * 

Do you love historical fiction?  How about time travel with a bit of romance and a whole lot of family dynamics?  That's what you will find with every book in this Carson Chronicles Series by John Heldt.  This is the third book in the series and really must be read in order.  The series follows a family who have been separated by time travel.  The children are trying to find their parents and vice versa.  As they jump through time they encounter different trials, experiences and even love.

Each chapter alternates between the voices of different people in the family.  We follow each sibling, living their own lives but strongly connected to each other and their purpose in finding their parents.  I like these characters.  I have become invested in what happens to them over the course of this series.

I love how the author draws from actual historical events and makes me feel like I am a part it all.  The history is actually my favorite part.  This particular book has a slow build up of tension as the siblings dig themselves into a bit of a hole and they have to make their escape.  It was great to end on a more heart pounding note verses the placid rate of the rest of the book.  I enjoyed this one!

Content:  one intimate scene that gets interrupted before things progress too far

- I picked this book up on Kindle Unlimited

 

Forever Yours Featuring Lorin Grace + $25 Giveaway

  

Candace’s ten-year plan has two flaws, year eleven and Colin. Everyone who meets Candace wearing one of her colorful wigs knows she is a cancer survivor. Determined to live life to the fullest, her accomplishments range from painting murals to convincing students on campus to give up drinking. Few people know the secret to her success includes a detailed ten-year plan and a bucket list full of check marks. Candace never dreamed she’d make it to year eleven. Computer expert Colin Ogilvie can navigate the most difficult codes. While his friends were chasing girls, he was hacking past firewalls and developing billion-dollar apps. He never felt he was missing out until he met Candace. After five hundred and twelve days in the friend zone, he wonders if he can ever crack the code to the wall protecting her heart. What science can’t solve, art can. Their relationship changes when a meddling friend commissions Candace to help restore an antique merry-go-round. As Candace brings new life to the old merry-go-round, she discovers her own life can have a different path than she planned. But is she brave enough to not only reveal her biggest secrets to Colin but brave a chance on her own happily ever after?

   

    

   

 Gathering his courage, he moved to the leather seat facing her. “Penny for your thoughts.”
 She raised one of her painted brows. “Do you even have a penny?”
 “I can transfer it via two or three different apps.”
 “But I don’t need a penny.”
 “What do you need?”
 “Chocolate?”
 “I can do chocolate.” He pulled up a shopping app. “It will be waiting at the Blue Pines Inn’s front desk.”
 “Caramels and cherries?”
 “Of course. And they are hand dipped in Blue Pines.”
The first hint of a real smile flashed across her face. “So how many of your thoughts does that get?” Candace patted the seat next to her. “Probably not as much as it should. I was thinking about what Dr. Christensen told me about turning a corner. I just don’t know where to go.”

   

   

   

 “If you haven't read this book or series, this is Colin! Great and unassuming, flying under the radar but amazing beyond all expectations.” ~Julie

“Mending Hearts is my favorite!! Colin is one swoon-worthy guy. “ ~Renee

 “This is a wonderfully written story about these struggles and the importance of being there for each other.” ~Deborah

    

   

 

Author Lorin Grace Lorin Grace was born in Colorado and has been moving around the country ever since, living in eight states and several imaginary worlds. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Graphic Design. Currently, she lives in northern Utah with her husband, four children, and a dog who is insanely jealous of her laptop. When not writing Lorin enjoys creating graphics, visiting historical sites, museums, and reading. Lorin is an active member of the League of Utah Writers. Her debut novel, Waking Lucy, was awarded a 2017 Recommend Read award in the LUW Published book contest. Mending Fences received a 2018 Recommend Read award in the LUW Published book contest 

   

   

 

   

   

 

Giveaway Details $25 Amazon Gift Code or $25 in PayPal Cash Ends 2/14/19 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner may be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, BookBub, Instagram, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader & Clean Wholesome Romance and is sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway