Aestas Book Blog

LATEST NEW RELEASES, RECOMMENDATIONS, & PRE-ORDERS — WEEK OF October 5, 2020

October 5, 2020 by Aestas · Leave a Comment

WEEKLY NEW RELEASES RECAP

Muses and Melodies by Rebecca Yarros (rock star romance, standalone in Hush Note series)
The Bookworm’s Guide to Dating by Emma Hart (brother’s best friend romance, standalone in The Bookworm’s Guide series)
The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by VE Schwab (very unique blurb: Nobody remembers her… except him!)
In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren (holiday romance, standalone)
Dare to Play by Carly Phillips (marriage of convenience romance, standalone in Dare Nation series)
More Than Protect You by Shayla Black (romantic suspense, standalone novella in More Than Words series)
The Searcher by Tara French (mystery, standalone)
Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger (suspense/thriller, standalone)
Hail Mary by JB Salsbury (sports romance, standalone in BSU Football series)

now live
Purchase

Oct 08
Pre-Order

…

LATEST NEW RELEASES, RECOMMENDATIONS, & PRE-ORDERS — WEEK OF September 28, 2020

September 28, 2020 by Aestas · Leave a Comment

WEEKLY NEW RELEASES RECAP

Rifts & Refrains by Devney Perry (single dad, 2nd chance rock star romance, standalone in Hush Note series)
Imagine With Me by Kristen Proby (contemporary romance, standalone in With Me In Seattle series)
No Love Lost by Lexi Blake (romantic suspense, Masters & Mercenaries: The Forgotten series)
Follow Me Darkly by Helen Hardt (billionaire romance, Follow Me series)
One Beautiful Promise by Layla Hagen (contemp. romance, standalone in Very Irresistible Bachelors series)
Seduced in Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan (fake relationship romance, standalone in Montgomery Ink series)
Happily This Christmas by Susan Mallery (holiday romance, standalone in Holiday Inc series)
Last Beautiful Girl by Samantha Chase (second chance romance, standalone in Magnolia Sound series)
Stand-In Saturday by Kristy Moseley (pretend relationship romcom, standalone in Love For Days series)
Nice Werewoves Don’t Bite Vampires by Molly Harper (PNR romcom, Half-Moon Hollow series)
All Scot and Bothered by Kerrigan Bryne (historical romance, standalone in Devil You Know series)
Immortal Angel by Lynsay Sands (paranormal romance, Argeneau series)

now live
Purchase

…

LATEST NEW RELEASES, RECOMMENDATIONS, & PRE-ORDERS — WEEK OF September 21, 2020

September 21, 2020 by Aestas · Leave a Comment

TOP RECOMMENDATION: The Anti-Boyfriend by Penelope Ward (Read my Review)
HOLY SQUEEEEEEEE!!!! I read this GORGEOUS book in one sitting! I wasn’t even planning to read a book this afternoon but I had this book on my TBR and I just decided to read the first chapter to see how it was and OHHH MY GOSH I was so hooked that I literally kept flipping pages right until the very end of the book!! You guys!!!!! THE SWOON!!!! THE ANGST!!! THE FEELS!!!! I absolutely loved everything about this book! You could call it an “unexpected friends-to-lovers romance” about single mom and her sexy neighbor and I think my favorite thing about this book was that the timeline and pacing felt SO believable!! GAH! It was EXACTLY the type of sexy, swoony love story I was searching for! I LOVED IT!!!!! Oh, and it’s a standalone. — Be sure to grab a copy if you’re looking for a great new read!

WEEKLY NEW RELEASES RECAP

Lies & Lullabies by Sarina Bowen (star crossed lovers romance, standalone in Hush Note series)
Wild Fire by Kristen Ashley (biker romance, Chaos series novella)
Jonah by Brenda Rothert (hockey romance, standalone in Chicago Blaze series)
Tools of Engagement by Tessa Bailey (romantic comedy, standalone in Hot and Hammered series)
Scandalous Prince by Rachel Van Dyken (mafia romance, Mafia Royals #2)
Any Luck At All by Denise Grover Swank & AR Casella (rom com, standalone in Asheville Brewing series)
Birthright by Shay Savage (romantic suspense)
A Sinful Encore by Lisa Renee Jones (finale to Brilliance Trilogy)
The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult (women’s fiction, standalone)
When You Kiss Me by Bella Andre (contemp. romance, standalone in The Sullivans series)
Not Just Friends by T Gephart (romcom, standalone in Hot in the City series)

now live
Purchase

…

Book Review — The Anti-Boyfriend by Penelope Ward

September 16, 2020 by Aestas · 3 Comments

“Tell me to stay.”
A tear rolled down my cheek as I whispered, “Stay.”

HOLY SQUEEEEEEEE!!!! I just finished reading this GORGEOUS book in one sitting! Honestly, I wasn’t even planning to read a book this afternoon but I had this book on my TBR list and I just decided to read the first few pages to see if it was the right book for my mood-of-the-moment and OHHH MY GOSH I was so hooked from the beginning of this story that I literally kept flipping pages right until the very end of the book!!

You guys!!!!! THE SWOOOON!!!! THE ANGST!!! THE FEELS!!!! This book had it all!

The story is an unexpected friends-to-lovers romance about single mom and her sexy neighbor and I think my favorite thing about this book was that the timeline and pacing felt SO believable!! There was no insta-love, but at the same time I totally FELT their connection and everything about the way their relationship developed and evolved just made so much sense!

At first, my neighbor Deacon frustrated me.

Sure, he was great-looking and friendly.

But our walls were thin, and on occasion, he’d bring women to his place and keep me awake while he “entertained” them.

As a single mother to an infant, I didn’t appreciate it.

So, finally it was my turn.

When my daughter wouldn’t stop wailing one night, Mr. Manwhore came knocking on my door.

Miraculously, at the sound of his voice, Sunny stopped crying. And when he held her…she eventually fell asleep in his arms.

Deacon was rough on the exterior, but apparently on the inside? Mr. Single-and-Ready-to-Mingle was a baby whisperer.

After that night, we became friends.

He’d go for coffee runs. Come over to chat. Normal friend stuff.

But over time, our conversations ran deeper. We got closer.

Until one night we crossed the line.

Our friendship turned into a complicated mess.

I’d gone and fallen for a guy who’d sworn off commitment and kids.

I knew Deacon was starting to care for me too, even though Sunny and I didn’t fit into any plan he’d ever imagined for himself.

He was wrong for me—so wrong that I’d dubbed him the “anti-boyfriend.”

Then why did I wish more than anything that I could be the one woman to change him?

This book starts off with a misunderstanding. A “wallbanger” style situation where the heroine’s hot neighbor’s nightly antics keeping her from getting any sleep but when she works up the courage to mention it to him, she doesn’t expect him to be so understanding or for a friendship to develop out of that awkward conversation…

“Maybe we should come up with a code.” 
“What do you mean?”
“Like, if I’m disturbing your peace, you play a song and crank it up to send me a message…”
“Can’t exactly crank up a song when a baby is sleeping.”
His smile fades. “See? That goes to show how clueless I am. Clueless and so sorry… Truly. I’ll try not to let it happen again.”
“It better not, fuckboy!” a voice shouted from behind one of the apartment doors.
Deacon and I turned around in unison. I noticed Mrs. Winsbanger’s door move across the hall. The old lady must have been listening in…
Deacon grimaced. “Mrs. Winsbanger loves me.”

This book also had just the right amount of angst. It was totally an inevitable will-they-wont-they romantic situation and AHHHHH!!! The payoff was INTENSE! When they finally gave in — OH MY SWOON you guys!!

Oh my F-R-E-A-K-I-N-G swoon!!!!!

He leaned his forehead on mine, his breathing intensified… “Tell me to stay.”
A tear rolled down my cheek as I whispered, “Stay.”

Penelope Ward has been a go-to author for me for many years. Many of her books land on my top favorites list. I feel like she has a really great way of telling storie that makes you care deeply for the characters, understand where they’re coming from, and get fully immersed in the story. Her stories often have a great balance of romance and angst and this is definitely one of my new favorite books!

This was exactly the type of sexy, swoony, angsty love story I was searching for! I absolutely loved everything about this book and highly recommend it to all fans of romance!

Rating: 4.5 stars! Standalone Contemporary Adult Romance.

LATEST NEW RELEASES, RECOMMENDATIONS, & PRE-ORDERS — WEEK OF September 14, 2020

September 14, 2020 by Aestas · Leave a Comment

NEW TOP RECOMMENDATION: The Anti-Boyfriend by Penelope Ward (Read my Review)
HOLY SQUEEEEEEEE!!!! I read this GORGEOUS book in one sitting! I wasn’t even planning to read a book this afternoon but I had this book on my TBR and I just decided to read the first chapter to see how it was and OHHH MY GOSH I was so hooked that I literally kept flipping pages right until the very end of the book!! You guys!!!!! THE SWOON!!!! THE ANGST!!! THE FEELS!!!! I absolutely loved everything about this book! You could call it an “unexpected friends-to-lovers romance” about single mom and her sexy neighbor and I think my favorite thing about this book was that the timeline and pacing felt SO believable!! GAH! It was EXACTLY the type of sexy, swoony love story I was searching for! I LOVED IT!!!!! Oh, and it’s a standalone. — Be sure to grab a copy if you’re looking for a great new read!

WEEKLY NEW RELEASES RECAP

Flirting With 40 by K Bromberg (flirty, lighthearted romance, standalone)
Kane by Sawyer Bennett (friends-to-lovers hockey romance, standalone in Arizona Vengeance)
Thanks for Last Night by Lauren Blakely (sexy friends-to-lovers romance, standalone in The Guys Who Got Away series)
My Fallen Saint by J Kenner (contemporary romance, Fallen Saint #1)
Watch Me by Stacey Kennedy (billionaire/NA romance, Phoenix #1)
Semi-Sweet on You by Erin Nicholas (second chance small town romcom, standalone in Hot Cakes series)
When The Earl Met His Match by Stacy Reid (historical romance, standalone in Wedded by Scandal series

now live
Purchase

…

LATEST NEW RELEASES, RECOMMENDATIONS, & PRE-ORDERS — WEEK OF September 7, 2020

September 13, 2020 by Aestas · Leave a Comment

SALE BUNDLE & TOP FAVORITES: From the Beginning by Devney Perry (savings bundle)
From the Beginning by Devney Perry is a bundle of 3 of my favorite books at a 65% savings over buying them separately! It contains 3 full length novels, the first books in 3 of my ALL TIME FAVORITE romance series: The Coppersmith Farmhouse (Jamison Valley Series Book 1), Tattered (Lark Cove Series Book 1), and Runaway Road (Runaway Series Book 1). My reviews are all on my Devney Perry Reading Order Page. These are series of standalones so you can read book of them alone if you want, but each book begins a series of standalones. I’ve read every book in all the series and HIGHLY RECOMMEND then all! They’re fantastic alpha romances with the perfect mix of heart-warming, swoony romances and a little suspense! Be sure to grab a copy of this sale bundle!!

WEEKLY NEW RELEASES RECAP

Must Love Dogs… and Hockey by Kelly Jamieson (romantic comedy, standalone)
Anxious People: A Novel by Frederik Backman (“poignant, charming novel about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined”, standalone)
Shadows In Death by JD Robb (murder mystery, In Death series)
One By One by Ruth Ware (“suspenseful thriller set on a snow-covered mountain”, standalone)

now live
Purchase

…

Enter the Aestas Book Database

WEEKLY NEW RELEASES RECAP

WEEKLY NEW RELEASES RECAP

WEEKLY NEW RELEASES RECAP

WEEKLY NEW RELEASES RECAP

WEEKLY NEW RELEASES RECAP