Review: Fortunate Encounters by Caterina Passarelli

When I first read the blurb for Fortunate Encounters I was intrigued. It sounded amusing and different. And to a degree, it is an amusing story but it gets bogged down in some romance cliches.

Juliette is an English teacher who is perpetually single. She is trying to meet a man she really likes but so far, her recent dates have been duds (one man abandons her completely at a ball game!). The only man she has been truly interested is a man she shouldn’t even know but fate has a way of putting them together. When Juliette sits down at Clark’s table, believing he is her date, well, they are now on a collision course together to find love.

Clark finds Juliette amusing. And he is most definitely attracted to her. But Clark is not interested in relationships of any sort. He proposes a friends with benefits type situation to Juliette and though she is really interested in Clark (and his body!), she also is looking for something more serious.

I liked Juliette. In reading some reviews about this book after I finished, a lot of people were claiming she was rather passive and lacking in character. And maybe she is for some people but for me, I related to her. She is kind of dorky, she loves cardigans (hello, librarian here!), she gets a cat part way through the story, and she doesn’t always say the right thing or have the confidence she needs. But I can relate to all of that in a character so I empathized with her a lot.

Clark was kind of a typical romance hero of late. He isn’t interested in relationships, he sees Juliette as super special (which is not bad, but he also goes on a lot about how other women are kind of airheads, which didn’t endear me to him), and he is super successful. There isn’t a stand out trait about Clark that really elevated him to fully dimensional character for me. This book was all about Juliette ultimately, and how I related to her.

That being said, I liked how they met and how they kept running into each other. I liked their interactions with each other and I did find Clark’s slow fall into love believable.

While I cannot say I am 100% on board for the next book in the Signs series, I will keep my eye out for information about it. This is also the first book I have read by Caterina Passarelli and I liked her writing style and voice enough to investigate her back list. She seems to write in several romance genres so I’m excited to see what else catches my eye.

Fortunate Encounters is a fun way to pass the time. It’s a sexy romance that, while it has its unbelievable moments, ultimately left me pleased.

Today we have the blog tour for FORTUNATE ENCOUNTERS by Caterina Passarelli, a first in the new Signs Series!

Title: FORTUNATE ENCOUNTERS
Series: The Signs Series
Author: Caterina Passarelli
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release: September 20
Cover Designer: Najla Qamber Designs

About FORTUNATE ENCOUNTERS

Sitting at the wrong table turned my life upside down.

I was supposed to be on a date with one man but made a huge mistake—a mistake I keep bumping into all over New York City.

Clark Chambers is arrogant, straightforward, devastatingly handsome, and takes what he wants. And right now his sight is set on me.

But he only wants friends with benefits. And I’d rather eat dirt than agree to that.

After an “enough is enough” moment, I turn to the Universe for help & ask for a special sign.

And it’s just my luck … looks like rabbits & romance really do mix!

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About Caterina Passarelli

Former TV News Producer turned Romance author, Caterina Passarelli has always had a love for words. From real-life Detroit crime to fictional love stories around the globe, she hopes to take her readers on a fast-paced adventure.

Caterina is the author of five titles in multiple genres: Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense.

When she’s not writing about alpha males and strong, sarcastic women, she is the CEO of an online fitness coaching company.

Caterina is the fur mom to her three-year-old rescue dog, Piper, who she spoils uncontrollably.

She loves hearing from her readers on her Facebook page!

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Review: American Asshole by Tara Sue Me

I feel like I am the last romance reader on the planet to read Tara Sue Me. I’ve seen her books before but never actually read one. Well, American Asshole proved to be a great introduction to this author. This is the first book in the Bachelor International series.

When Mia’s mother dies unexpectedly, she passes on a lot of debt to Mia. Debt that unfortunately, Mia had no idea even existed. Mia and her mother ran a matchmaking service. It wasn’t super successful but both women loved their work and were good at their roles, Mia as the matchmaker, her mom as the numbers woman. Well, Mia thought they were good at their jobs. Mia discovers that the only person willing to give her mother a loan (of $250,000 at that!) is Tenor Butler, a very successful owner of the dating agency, Bachelor International. Mia is determined to confront him and figure out what she can do to pay off the loan…slowly.

Tenor has his own wish though. He sets up a plan to get Mia to work for him at Bachelor International. He appreciates her expertise and thinks she will bring a personal touch to the company that is currently lacking. Mia cannot believe that she’s about to accept his job offer but she doesn’t have much choice. Time to work with Tenor and pay down her debt.

I have to say, the title is very misleading. Tenor is far from an asshole. He was pretty dang caring and nice. Sexy for sure! But he was also a really nice guy for the most part. He is conflicted because he is very attracted to Mia but he has a rule against dating coworkers. And given the circumstances of how Mia came to the company, it definitely would not be smart to get involved.

I really liked the instant chemistry that Mia and Tenor have. From the moment these two meet on the pages, I was interested and connected to them. I admit to being surprised that I would respond to Tara Sue Me’s writing this easily but she definitely had me intrigued from the get-go. Mia is really good at her job and it’s a facet of her that Tenor admires. Unfortunately, like most romance novels, there has to be something that drives these two apart.

I do want to give one content warning. Early on in the book when Mia meets a man she knew back in college, she goes out with him at a hotel bar in Atlanta to catch-up. He ends up drinking a lot. When he walks her to her door, he tries really hard to get into her room with her to the point where Mia is scared. Tenor is waiting up to make sure she had made it home safely so she was safe fortunately, but given the things that are being discussed in the media right now regarding sexual assault and women, I think this is a crucial scene to mention. Tara Sue Me gives this scene the value it deserves in regards to Mia and I really appreciate that immediately, Tenor validates what Mia was feeling. No gas lighting on these pages.

The romance is steamy but there is a last-minute melodrama that kind of caused me to roll my eyes. That being said, overall I thoroughly enjoyed American Asshole and I’m ready to dig into Tara Sue Me’s backlist. This is a fun introduction to a series I am quite looking forward to reading more from.

Take a look at the excerpt below if you’re intrigued! American Asshole is available now.

“I have to be honest, Mia. As much as I’m attracted to you, you and I can never happen.”

I wasn’t sure why I just lied to her. I probably didn’t sound very convincing, because Mia froze for a brief second before she continued eating. She took her time chewing and swallowing her bite of pancake.
“Okay.”
That was all she said. Okay. My proclamation didn’t seem to bother her a bit. I was shocked. I thought she’d push back or argue with me. Anything. But the calm, cool, and collected way she continued to eat her breakfast told me one of two things:
Either she wasn’t attracted to me at all, which implied I’d read her all wrong or…
She thought I was completely filled with horse shit.
I was more inclined to go with the second option. I was, after all, a matchmaker and there was no way possible I could have been that wrong about the signals she was throwing my way the night before.
And if option two was correct, she didn’t believe a word I’d just said. Not that I did either.
I cleared my throat. “Can we at least pretend that I meant what I said?”
She gave me a sultry grin. “You’re the boss.”
That shouldn’t have made me hard. It really shouldn’t have. But damn…
“Did you sleep okay last night?” I asked. Maybe a change of subject would help.
Help what? I didn’t know.
“I did. And if I didn’t say it before, thank you for everything you did.”
“No need to thank me, Mia.”
I wasn’t sure she would thank me if she knew how much I’d enjoyed holding her during the night or how I’d spent a lot of the night battling my erection.
We fell into silence as we finished eating our breakfast. We would start meetings soon and we had plans to continue business through lunch. But tonight I had plans.
Plans that didn’t involve Benjamin. Meetings. Or anything remotely similar to behavior my lawyer would approve of.
Which made me wonder why I even spoke that lie about us never happening. Maybe I should have worded it differently. Much differently.

AMERICAN ASSHOLE by New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Tara Sue Me is finally LIVE! American Asshole is the first book in the new series, Bachelor International! Grab your copy now #FREE in Kindle Unlimited.

About AMERICAN ASSHOLE

He’s a self proclaimed bastard with a double helping of lying asshole.

Mia Matthews never thought much of big shot matchmaker Tenor Butler, but when she finds out he loaned her late business partner a quarter of a million dollars and no one told her, there aren’t enough four letter words to describe him. She’d like nothing more than to pretend Tenor doesn’t exist, but she owes him all that money, not to mention he’s hot as hell.

Tenor doesn’t see why it’s his fault Mia didn’t know about the loan. In fact, he thinks he’s being very magnanimous when he offers to forgive the loan if Mia closes her own matchmaking business and works for him for five years. But as he gets closer to Mia, he realizes two things: 1) he doesn’t want her as an employee and 2) she hates his guts.

When an old flame threatens them both, Mia and Tenor find themselves working together and are unable to ignore their mutual attraction. But it might be too late for these two romance experts to create their own love story.

This is a standalone romance. No cliffhanger.

Buy Now

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About Tara Sue Me

Tara Sue Me wrote her first novel at the age of twelve. It would be twenty years before she picked up her pen to write the second.

After completing several clean romances, she decided to try her hand at something spicier and started The Submissive. What began as a writing exercise quickly took on a life of its own. An avid reader of all types of fiction, she soon discovered she enjoyed writing a variety as well.

Tara lives in the Southeastern United States with her family, two dogs, and a cat.

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Review: Life on the Leash by Victoria Schade

When I saw the cover of this book and read the description, I was immediately intrigued. I have a dog (a Pomeranian named Helga) and dogs have played an important role in my life since I was a kid. So, to say I am partial to a good dog story is putting it mildly. I was immediately hooked into the story though I did have some qualms about it as the story progressed.

Cora owns her own dog training business. She does great work and she is passionate about working with dogs and people to make sure the dog is comfortable. One of the most fun parts of this book is her encounters with her clients (Fran and her dog, Sydney, were one of my favorite parts of the book!) and how she treats each dog individually. You can clearly tell author Victoria Schade knows her dogs!

Cora is about to take a step out of her comfort zone. She is applying to be part of a dog training reality television show. Though she is unsure about it, she knows she has to show people the proper way to lovingly train dogs and NOT the monstrous way that her Russian dog training nemesis prefers. Add in two potential beaus and well, Cora has a lot on her plate.

Unfortunately, this is where one of my qualms sets in. I would not classify this book as a pure romance. It has strong romantic elements (which is just fine, I read plenty of books like this) but Cora gets involved with a guy who is already involved with someone. Charlie is handsome and sexy and is throwing out all kinds of signals Cora’s way. Unfortunately, he is involved and on the verge of proposing to his girlfriend as he tells Cora. This does not stop her from becoming involved with him. There is kissing and groping and well, cheating is not something I am a fan of in my books. I know perhaps it’s a “human” thing, a motivation for character growth but it really made me dislike Cora and Charlie. The other guy on Cora’s horizon, Eli, is sweet and he is fostering a dog that Cora rescued from an owner unable to care for her any longer. He is a nice guy all around. The choice is obvious. And the thing is, Cora knows it to an extent because her best friend and roommate, Maggie, tells her straight up that it is wrong to get involved with Charlie. Cora blames it on her hormones and being horny which was kind of lame to me.

But I did enjoy many elements of this book overall. I really liked getting to know all these doggy personalities and the owners who went with them. I feel like Cora really does stretch her wings when she applies for the reality television show (you’ll have to read to see how that pans out). And there is a nice forgiveness scene between Cora and Eli. It doesn’t absolve Cora completely (in my eyes) of basically being partner to a cheating scenario but I did appreciate that she tries hard to make amends to Eli once she realizes how much she has come to like and admire him.

So, Life on the Leash is a bit of a mixed bag. But an enjoyable one. It reads really quickly. I raced through this book in one afternoon. I loved the elements of Cora’s personality that shine through (when she talks French to dogs, her constant blushing) and I feel like though I got off on the wrong foot with Cora as a character, in the end, I did like the time I spent with her.

Life on the Leash may be a library book for some of you but I think if you enjoy doggy antics and seeing the dog training side of things (which is integrated really nicely by the way) then this book should be added to your to-be-read pile!

Life on the Leash is available now from your favorite book retailers.

Other reviews:

Booklovers for Life

The Book Collective

LIFE ON THE LEASH
By Victoria Schade
On sale September 18, 2018!

Trade Paperback • Price: $16.00 • ISBN: 9781501191671
eBook • Price: $7.99 • ISBN: 9781501191688

Cora Bellamy is a woman who thrives on organization. She’s successfully run her own dog training business for years, perfectly content with her beloved rescue pitbull as the main man in her life. She’s given everything to her business, and her lack of social life (or slobber-free clothes) has been completely worth it.

But all that changes when she meets Charlie Gill, the hottest client she’s ever had. The only problem? Charlie’s taken. Luckily, Cora has a new friend—the sweet, lovably geeky Eli Crawford. More loyal than a retriever, he’s always there to help Cora with her problems, including her love life. That’s why she’s shocked to realize that even as things start heating up with Charlie, there might just be a more-than-friends spark between her and Eli, too.

As Cora’s life gets more tangled up than a dog walker’s leashes—and as she prepares to audition for a dog-training TV show that may irrevocably change her entire life—she has to figure things out before it all goes straight to the dogs.

About the Author:

Victoria Schade is an author, speaker and dog trainer known for her upbeat approach to living and working with dogs. She’s published two books, “Bonding With Your Dog; A Trainer’s Secrets for Building a Better Relationship” and “Secrets of a Dog Trainer: Positive Problem Solving for a Well-Behaved Dog.” LIFE ON THE LEASH is her first novel.

She’s a frequent resource for the media, including the CBS Early Show, The View, WEtv, and FOX. Victoria has been featured in The Washington Post, Martha Stewart Living, Real Simple Magazine, Reader’s Digest, The Bark, and many dog-specific publications. She currently serves as a pet expert for petMD and PawCulture, writing training and behavior content and appearing in educational videos.

Release Blitz: Fortunate Encounters by Caterina Passarelli

Today we have the release blitz from FORTUNATE ENCOUNTERS by Caterina Passarelli, a first in the new Signs Series!

Title: FORTUNATE ENCOUNTERS
Series: The Signs Series
Author: Caterina Passarelli
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release: September 20
Cover Designer: Najla Qamber Designs

About FORTUNATE ENCOUNTERS

Sitting at the wrong table turned my life upside down.

I was supposed to be on a date with one man but made a huge mistake—a mistake I keep bumping into all over New York City.

Clark Chambers is arrogant, straightforward, devastatingly handsome, and takes what he wants. And right now his sight is set on me.

But he only wants friends with benefits. And I’d rather eat dirt than agree to that.

After an “enough is enough” moment, I turn to the Universe for help & ask for a special sign.

And it’s just my luck … looks like rabbits & romance really do mix!

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA

Add to Goodreads

Enter the Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Caterina Passarelli

Former TV News Producer turned Romance author, Caterina Passarelli has always had a love for words. From real-life Detroit crime to fictional love stories around the globe, she hopes to take her readers on a fast-paced adventure.

Caterina is the author of five titles in multiple genres: Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense.

When she’s not writing about alpha males and strong, sarcastic women, she is the CEO of an online fitness coaching company.

Caterina is the fur mom to her three-year-old rescue dog, Piper, who she spoils uncontrollably.

She loves hearing from her readers on her Facebook page!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon

 

 

Release Blitz: American Asshole by Tara Sue Me

AMERICAN ASSHOLE by New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Tara Sue Me is finally LIVE! American Asshole is the first book in the new series, Bachelor International! Grab your copy now #FREE in Kindle Unlimited.

About AMERICAN ASSHOLE

He’s a self proclaimed bastard with a double helping of lying asshole.

Mia Matthews never thought much of big shot matchmaker Tenor Butler, but when she finds out he loaned her late business partner a quarter of a million dollars and no one told her, there aren’t enough four letter words to describe him. She’d like nothing more than to pretend Tenor doesn’t exist, but she owes him all that money, not to mention he’s hot as hell.

Tenor doesn’t see why it’s his fault Mia didn’t know about the loan. In fact, he thinks he’s being very magnanimous when he offers to forgive the loan if Mia closes her own matchmaking business and works for him for five years. But as he gets closer to Mia, he realizes two things: 1) he doesn’t want her as an employee and 2) she hates his guts.

When an old flame threatens them both, Mia and Tenor find themselves working together and are unable to ignore their mutual attraction. But it might be too late for these two romance experts to create their own love story.

This is a standalone romance. No cliffhanger.

Buy Now

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

Enter the Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Tara Sue Me

Tara Sue Me wrote her first novel at the age of twelve. It would be twenty years before she picked up her pen to write the second.

After completing several clean romances, she decided to try her hand at something spicier and started The Submissive. What began as a writing exercise quickly took on a life of its own. An avid reader of all types of fiction, she soon discovered she enjoyed writing a variety as well.

Tara lives in the Southeastern United States with her family, two dogs, and a cat.

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Review: Ten Reasons to Stay by Candace Knoebel

Okay. This book is kind of different for me as a romance reader. Corinne’s husband, Jack, wants an open marriage. She reluctantly agrees because he seems to be unhappy in their marriage. Corinne is sure this will be an awful experience for her. But as Jack explores other options, Corinne also meet someone. So, there is deliberate and consensual betrayal on the part of these characters. Jack may be Corinne’s husband but he is not the traditional romance hero. That role falls to Cole Blackwater, Corinne’s paramour and Jack’s boss. So, off the bat, if you don’t like romance stories where there is cheating, I would say avoid this book unless the idea of an open marriage romance intrigues you as it did me.

I didn’t particularly like Corinne (and I did not warm up to Jack at all!) in the beginning but as she begins to explore who she is outside of her marriage, my interest in her grew. As she tells herself, she is finally taking the time to be selfish. I’m not a fan of the word selfish, especially when it’s applied to a woman who has up to a certain point in her life, given everything she has to other people. But, I don’t think Corinne initially has the language to describe just why she has decided to go along with the open marriage idea. I think meeting someone outside of her marriage who attends to her needs and desires really opens her eyes to how Jack has been treating her. (It is seriously hard to believe they were ever in love except for the fact that Corinne insists they were. He even cheated on her during college.)

Let me add another warning. At one point during the story when Jack starts to realize that Corinne is happier and has met someone she really likes, he gets angry. So angry in fact that he punches the wall next to her head. I really thought he was just going to outright hit her but the author decided to avoid that thank goodness. Still, Jack is a jerk. He is not kind and I had no sympathy for him.

Cole is kind of the standard romance hero. He is kind, sexy, a playboy. He quickly comes to care for Corinne (as they always do) and really wants her to leave Jack. But throughout the course of the story, that just isn’t a step Corinne is ready for. Fortunately, Cole accepts this for the most part. I don’t have much to say on Cole despite him being a major character in the story. He is a standard romance hero archetype but at least he was kind to Corinne.

It takes Corinne awhile to learn who she is outside of Jack. She starts taking interior decorating classes and discovers it is something she really enjoys. When she gets a job offer, Jack is furious and insists she doesn’t need to work. Again, I really did not like Jack. Cole is supportive on the other hand. I feel like even at the end of the story, Corinne is still getting to know herself and what she wants for her life, but that’s not a bad thing at all.

This story is filled with drama and some non-standard romance tropes. If this review and the synopsis intrigues you, I would definitely give this book a try. It’s not bad at all and once I started understanding Corinne more, I did find my enjoyment in the book increased. Still, it’s not what you will want to read if you’re looking for a more traditional happily-ever-after.

We are thrilled to be sharing with you the release of TEN REASONS TO STAY by Candace Knoebel. TEN REASONS TO STAY is the first standalone in the Risky Hearts duet and fans of contemporary romance won’t want to miss this one! Be sure to grab your copy today!

 

About TEN REASONS TO STAY

One day a week—Thursdays—my husband and I could do whatever or whomever we pleased.

Protection was non-negotiable.

And no matter what, we had to be home by midnight.

Jack was the one who wanted an open marriage, but we were supposed to keep things simple. No strings. No commitments. It seemed so easy…until it wasn’t.

Devilishly handsome Cole Blackwater was only supposed to be a fling, but everything about him made me feel alive. Wanted. Seen. When I realized he was my husband’s boss, I should have broken things off right then…but I didn’t.

One day a week, I could pretend that I was his and he was mine…until Cole wanted more.

But how could I decide between the man I’d promised to love, honor, and cherish, and the man who tempted me to break every single vow I’d made?

Add TEN REASONS TO STAY to your Goodreads TBR here!

 

Get your copy of TEN REASONS TO STAY today!
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Don’t miss FIVE REASONS TO GO, book two of the Risky Hearts duet, out October 25th!

Add it to your Goodreads TBR today!

 

 

About CANDACE KNOEBEL

Candace Knoebel is a hopeless romantic with an affinity for whiskey and good music. Her love of words began when she met the boy who lived in the cupboard under the stairs. She’s a self-proclaimed Lost Girl. Words are her mirror.

With two completed series, her work ranges from paranormal to contemporary, all centered heavily around romance. Currently she lives in Florida with her husband and two children, and has just completed her thirteenth novel, The Taste of Her Words.

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