Narcissistic Tendencies by Jennifer Peel

Synopsis:

He wants her future. She can’t forget her past.

Psychologist Kate Morgan loves her job evaluating clients for the matchmaking service Binary Search. That is, until the one and only Nicholas Wells becomes a client and the new face of the company. Now Kate must take on a new role as his relationship manager to “fix” the actor-turned-writer-and-producer—not to mention egotistical, possibly narcissistic celebrity—and save Binary Search’s reputation.

Once upon a time this would have been a dream come true, but older, wiser, and live-within-her-rules Kate knows more than she would like to about narcissists. Annulment is an ugly word and one she can’t or won’t forget. But is Nick the man he says he is on paper or is he the man she sees before her eyes? An adoring father with a generous heart who’s willing to smooth out some of his rough edges for the right woman, making her think who’s fixing who?

Can this Hollywood playboy and reluctant matchmaker make the ultimate connection?

My Review: 5 Stars

Serendipity - the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.

Magical - beautiful or delightful in such a way as to seem removed from everyday life.

Kate Morgan will never forget her serendipitous moment with her childhood crush, Nicholas Wells. That magical moment would bring her through some of the toughest times in her life. A moment that will always be hers and hers alone. She never thought that their paths would cross a second time. But working as the Psychologist for Binary Search has brought her face to face with the man again.

When Kate meets with Nick, she sees all kinds of red flags. He's not what Binary Search needs but it's a done deal. He's the new face of the company. Now she will need to become his Personal Relationship Manager and make sure he doesn't do anything that will bring the company she works for down.

While spending time with Nick, his daughter, Skye and his dad, Jack, Kate finds herself extremely confused. Not only does he seem to be one person on paper and another person in real life, but she realizes that connection she felt with him all those years ago is still there. And that just cannot happen. Nick breaks all her rules and she refuses to let herself get hurt a second time.

There's no denying the chemistry between the two of them. She's doing her best to stop all his efforts but Nick's not making it easy. She finds herself opening up to him and letting him in. On top of that, she's developing a friendship with Skye that has her wishing for things of the past.

But just as Kate starts to let her guard down and really let Nick in, she's blindsided. How could she have let this happen again? There were rules in place to stop her from falling in love with someone like Nick. But the heart wants what the heart wants. Now she has to decide if she's going to let him go, pick up her broken pieces and move on with her life. Or if she's going to let all her walls fall, grab on tight to what's in front of her and fight for their happily ever after.

Oh. My. Gosh! You guys! All I can say is WOW! What a roller coaster ride that was! The feels were definitely real my friends! Kate and Nick are definitely favorites of mine. I found myself routing for them from the beginning. I know some people will probably say they found themselves really disliking Nick, but I didn't. There was just something about him. I knew there was more than meets the eye and I couldn't wait to figure out what. I loved watching their relationship develop and seeing the walls come down on both sides. These two really were perfect for each other.

I have to say that one of my favorite parts of this book was watching Kate and Skye's relationship develop. They both had lost a lot in their lives and their hearts were broken. As they got to know each other and spend time together, they were able to help each other heal and fill a void that was missing in both of their lives. Their bond was special and beautiful.

Narcissistic Tendencies is a perfect ending to an amazing series! I loved seeing the characters in the previous books playing a role in this book. We are able to see what they've been up to since we left them. It was icing on the cake for me as I got to see all of their happily ever afters continue on. I'm not going to lie... I'm kinda sad to see this series come to an end! But it's definitely one that I will be reading over and over again! If you haven't read these books yet then I highly recommend you add them to your TBR list!

I have been a Ms. Peel fan from the very first book of hers I read and I don't see that changing anytime soon! She is a very talented author! I look forward to seeing where she takes us next!

And let's just take a moment and stare at these two. I may be a bit bias but I think they are perfect! What do you think?! 

Statistically Improbable by Jennifer Peel

Synopsis:

According to Binary Search’s matchmaking service, Meg Dawson’s and Zander Grainger’s odds of ever having a successful relationship are statistically improbable. Meg has run the numbers and knows the probability, but for some reason she can’t quit thinking about her coworker, and self-proclaimed eternal bachelor, Zander.

To make matters more interesting, Zander approaches her with an unusual proposition. He’s in need of a pretend girlfriend. Meg thinks this could be the answer to get him out of her system; and maybe knock the arrogant man down a few notches in the process. But what she doesn’t realize is, there is more to this man, something he carefully hides behind his arrogant exterior. And when her feelings begin to be anything but pretend, she knows the odds of getting hurt are more than probable.

Will they let the odds overcome them, or will they find that all the reasons they are wrong for each other are exactly what make them a perfect fit?

My Review: 5 Stars

Statistically Improbable. That's what the Binary Search says. But against all the scientific evidence, Meg still finds herself drawn to Zander. She doesn't know what it is but she just can't resist his pull. Maybe it's his charm or his gorgeous face or just him. But whatever it is has her going to goo whenever he's around. 

So when Zander asks Meg to be his fake girlfriend to keep the unwanted women away, she has to stop herself from instantly saying yes! Guys like him don't fall for girls like her. She has to keep her heart safe. But this is a chance to prove science wrong. It's also the perfect chance to bring the King of Arrogance down a notch or two. Zander won't know what hit him... 😉

On the outside Zander is the eternal bachelor, the center of attention, the best friend.. pretty much anything anyone needs him to be. He's got to be in order to keep his secrets locked up tight. He's always been good at hiding the real him. There have been very few people who have ever been able to see past his façade. So when the feisty, sassy, beautiful Meg adds herself to that list, it scares the crap out of him and he does his best to keep her at bay. 

But with all the chemistry and fireworks between these two, it proves statistically improbable to fight against the inevitable. These two bring out the worst and the best in each other. This is all new territory for the both of them. Zander is bound to make mistakes and say the wrong things, but he will not waste a second to make things right between them. It may take some time, but Meg will prove to Zander that if anyone deserves a happily ever after, it's them. 

*dreamy sigh* I absolutely LOVED this book! I have wondered about Zander ever since we first saw him in His Personal Relationship Manager. Some people loved him, other people didn't. But if you really paid attention to him, you would have realized that there was more than meets the eye. What he was on the outside, was not who he is on the inside. He's a diamond in the rough. And it took just the right woman to make him shine. And Meg was that woman. These two were absolutely perfect for each other! 💗

I know I say this all the time but I swear Ms. Peel's book just keep getting better and better! Just when I think I have found my favorite, she releases a new book and I end up changing my mind. I think I have finally come to the conclusion that I will never have just one favorite book of hers. It's impossible! I seriously cannot choose! Do NOT make me choose! Haha. 

And this casting! *dreamy sigh* I don't care what anyone thinks... these two are perfect in my opinion! 😉

The Re-reading Adventures of a Book Dragon!

 

Book Dragons! Do you remember a couple of months ago when I said I was going to dedicate an entire month to re-reading my favorite books? Well, I decided that July was going to be that month! What better way to celebrate my birthday month than by doing something I love!

Now which books will I be re-reading? I'm glad you asked! Here's my list... 😉

Statistically Improbable by Jennifer Peel

Narcissistic Tendencies by Jennifer Peel

How to Get Over Your Ex in Ninety Days by Jennifer Peel

One Choice I'd Never Make by Remi Carrington

Heart Thief by Taylor Dean

Stone Silence by Taylor Dean

Believing in You by Jess Mastorakos

Romance on the Reef by Jess Mastorakos

More Than Second Chances by Sara Jane Woodley

Faceoff by Rebecca Connolly

Powerplay by Heather B. Moore

Rebound by Sophia Summers

Crosscheck by Rebecca Connolly

Midnight Reckoning by Rebecca Deel

Payback by Rebecca Deel

Best Served Cold by Rebecca Deel
In Plain Sight by Rebecca Deel

Wheels of Justice by Rebecca Deel

Deadly Game by Rebecca Deel

Resurgence by Rebecca Deel
Vendetta by Rebecca Deel

Shadow Guardian by Rebecca Deel

Ambitious? Yep! Am I going to read them all? No clue! But I'm definitely going to try! Haha. And P.S. I may or may not be adding more depending on my mood while reading certain books... 🤣

So. Who are my Book Dragons that love to re-read favorite books? Will you be joining me in my Re-reading Adventures? What books do you want to re-read this month?

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!

Swoon Worthy Spotlights!

Welcome to Swoon Worthy Spotlights hosted by KJ's Book Nook! 

Once a month I'll feature 1-3 of my favorite books that I have read during the month. I'll share the cover(s) and my review(s).

For this month I'm going to choose... 

Silent Partner by Jennifer Peel

Stranded at the Sandbar by Jess Mastorakos

Breaking All the Rules by Cindy Roland Anderson

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What are some of your favorite reads from June? 

Breaking All the Rules by Cindy Roland Anderson

Synopsis:

She needs a romance coach. He needs a last-minute date for a wedding. They agree to help each other as long as they don’t break their number one rule. No falling in love. That’s not a problem…until their hearts decide that some rules are made to be broken.

My Review: 5 Stars!

Breaking All the Rules is just ONE of the TWENTY books in the Love, Laughter and Happily Ever After anthology. It releases on July 20th and is only 99 cents! Click here to snag your copy today! 

Now for my review... 😉

Dear Ms. Anderson,

We need to talk about a visit I received from Camdyn and Beckett. Apparently they were able to feel my sadness when I finished their story. Why was I feeling sad? Because everyone knows that when you absolutely adore a book and connect with the characters, you never want said book to end! But alas, it did. 😭 *le sigh* Anyway, back to their visit. They wanted me to let you know that it's totally fine if you continue on with their story... just for me. Can you believe that?! I was so shocked and excited that I just could not WAIT to tell you! You seriously have the BEST characters! I will be not so patiently waiting for more of their story. 😉

Anxiously waiting,
KJ

P.S. Don't worry... I wont tell a single soul that you're doing this for me. It will be our little secret... I promise! 😉

Y'all! If you couldn't tell by my letter to Ms. Anderson, I absolutely loved this book! But shhhh... don't tell her that I shared it with you. It was supposed to be a secret! 🤫

From the moment I started this book, I did not want to put it down! Camdyn and Beckett quickly became favorites of mine. I couldn't get enough of these two! Their chemistry was sizzling and jumping off the pages! YOWZERS! *fans herself*

I always love when Ms. Anderson releases a new book. I can always count on them to make me laugh out loud, swoon, let out little dreamy sighs and give me that much needed break from reality. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next! 

As for my casting... this one is kind of a funny story. I picked out my casting BEFORE I saw this gorgeous cover. Y'all. I had to do a double take. Haha. I absolutely adore these two! What do you think? 

Stranded at the Sandbar by Jess Mastorakos

 

Synopsis:

When they get stranded in paradise, can they put aside their differences until the cavalry arrives?

Kate Wilson jumps at the chance to live in Hawaii when her brother offers to let her rent his extra room. Unfortunately, the last time she was in town, she kissed his best friend... then ghosted him. And he does not seem pleased to see her.

US Marine Tyler Stone prides himself on being a nice guy. But when he gets stranded at the sandbar with the kind of girl who would rather date a long string of losers than find a life partner, he's done being nice. Her loss.

Kate and Tyler aren't on the same page about much when they first wind up alone in the clear-blue water. They'll need to find common ground--and fast--when Tyler gets injured. As the fellow castaways get closer to being rescued, they also find themselves falling in love. But what happens when they get back to civilization and old wounds re-open?

Stranded at the Sandbar is the third book in a new sweet military romance series. Follow along with six handsome heroes in these interconnected stories about the Marines stationed in Kailua, Hawaii.

My Review: 5 Stars

As a reader, there's no greater feeling than seeing a new book by a favorite author waiting for you to dive in and get lost among its pages. And there's nothing worse than real life pulling you away and stopping you from devouring said book. Y'all... I may or may not have gotten irrationally angry that this was happening to me while reading. Apparently it was too much to ask for uninterrupted reading time. Life can be so rude sometimes! 🤣

Because of all the interruptions, I treasured every single minute I spent in this book. I absolutely adored Tyler and Kate! They quickly became favorites of mine. Being stranded on an island can definitely bring two people closer together. I loved that, even though Kate was scared out of her ever loving mind, she trusted Tyler to protect her and keep her safe. His calm demeanor helped her to put all her faith in him and know that he could and would get them through anything. These two were absolutely perfect for each other. ❤️

Y'all know by now that one of my favorite things about series like this is getting to see and catch up with old friends and meeting new ones. I love how close knit this group is and how they're always there for each other. We all need friends like this in our lives. I cannot wait to get my hands on PJ's book. He has intrigued me from the very beginning and I'm dying to know what makes that man tick. And bonus for me... it's a single parent trope! Whoop! Whoop! Haha. 

Ms. Mastorakos has quickly climbed my list of favorite authors. I may or may not squeal and do a little happy dance whenever I see one of her books hit my kindle. I can always count on her to give me that much needed break from reality. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next! 

As for my casting... y'all! I'm in love! What do you think?!

Don't Marry the Ex by Emily C. Childs

 

My Review: 1 Star

I don't normally review anything less than 3 stars on my blog. But I'm making an exception for this one.

Everyone knows how much I love finding new authors. It's something that I'm constantly doing. I want to be the first of my friends to find a book and then scream about it from the rooftops. That is exactly what is happening with this book. But, sadly, it's not going to be a good scream from the rooftops.

As I'm reading this book, I'm getting a weird sense of deja vu. The more I read, the angrier I become. If you're a Jennifer Peel fan and you start reading this book, then you'll probably feel the same way. This book is pretty much a copy of My Not So Wicked Ex-Fiancé. There are just WAY too many things in this book for it to be a coincidence. 

The heroes in both books are heartbroken and jilted. Both heroes leave and come back after making it big by creating an app. Both heroes are set on getting even with the heroines to show them what they've lost. Both heroes have a special tattoo for the heroines. Both heroes have a brother that works with them. Said brothers both date a boutique owner named Marlow(e). Both heroines have the same saying... Oh Mylanta! Both couples were going to elope until they discovered "the big secret" and breakup. The reason behind the breakup is the exact same except flipped. There are more similarities but you guys get the picture. Again... WAY too many things to be considered a coincidence. 

I have to admit, I've looked at other books by this author and between the synopsis and titles, they sound an awful lot like other books I've read by other authors. What in the world is wrong with people? I get that you really can't do original stories because everything has been done over and over again. But to copy someone else's work, switch details around and claim it as your own? Did the author think that no one would notice that she copied Jennifer Peel's book? Did she not think that fans of Jennifer Peel's would be reading her books? Did she think that no one would call her out on it? Well guess what! Here I am... calling her out. Sorry, not sorry. I know these kinds of things happen more than I realize but I never thought I would see it in any of the books I read. This is disgusting and extremely unprofessional. How many other authors has she done this to? One thing is for sure... I will be telling EVERYONE I know NOT to read anything by this author. 

Silent Partner by Jennifer Peel

Synopsis:

He thinks his silence will protect her. She needs to hear what’s in his heart.

When it comes to love and life, Kinsley Kramer knows one thing—she’s always second best. Tired of feeling like she’s never enough, she decides to give up on men and adopt a cat. What Kinsley doesn’t know is that Brant Holland wants nothing more than to tell the world how much he loves her, but he has kept his distance to protect Kinsley from the secrets he keeps and from his ex-fiancée’s family.

But when Kinsley is about to lose her restaurant, Brant can’t help but act. He steps in and becomes her silent partner. Unable to deny the passion that sizzles between them, they must open painful doors to the past, and the secrets Brant has been keeping must be unleashed. Secrets that threaten to destroy everything and everyone he holds dear. Kinsley must now decide if she can bear the pain of Brant’s past choices and an uncertain future as everything in the Hollands’ world hangs in the balance.

See how it all unfolds in this heart-tugging final chapter of the Pine Falls series.

My Review: 5+ Stars!

Holy Hannah! Y'all! Brace yourselves! And while you're bracing, clear your schedules of any and all the thangs. Once you start this book, you will NOT want to put it down! Y'all are in for one heck of a ride!

From the moment I started this book, I was transported to Two Girls and a Guy in Carrington Cove, where I sat in a booth, eating yummy food and listening to Kinsley and Brant tell me a story. A story of heartache, of pain, of trials, of hope, of forgiveness, of family, but most of all of unconditional love. They told me their story. And oh what a heartachingly beautiful story it was! The feels are alive and well in this book... and I mean ALL the feels!

Kinsley has become one of my all time favorite heroines... HANDS DOWN! Wow! She went through A LOT but she remained super sweet and down to earth the entire time. Out of all three Kramer girls, she is definitely the strongest and most resilient. People seem to underestimate her and count her out. I loved watching her prove them all wrong.

And can I just tell you how freaking amazing Brant is?! Y'all. I have all the heart eyes in the world for this man! I absolutely adored him! He's not afraid to go out and get what he wants and refuses to take no for an answer. I loved how much he loved Kinsley and I loved how he fought for her. If ever there was a couple who deserved a HEA, it's these two. 🥰

Now, it would be remiss of me if I didn't mention all the swooniness that was going on in this book. Y'all. That first kiss? And that second kiss? And all the kisses after that? Explosive! The chemistry between these two was hot, hot, HOT! 😍

I loved seeing all our friends in Pine Falls and catching up with all the happenings of their lives. But I do have to say that I may or may not have been livid with a few of them for the way they treated Kinsley. I also may or may not have yelled at them to back off and leave her the heck alone. Y'all. If I could've, I would've jumped through my kindle and Gibbs slapped the lot of them with a cast iron skillet! I'm sure you'll feel the same way when you read this book. 😉 Haha.

I'm not going to lie. I did not want this book to end. And not just because I loved every single minute I spent in this book. It's also because I'm not ready to say goodbye to all my friends in Pine Falls. This series has quickly become one of my favorites and it's always a little bittersweet to see it come to an end. But I will say, if it does have to end, this was the perfect ending to a phenomenal series!

It's no secret that Ms. Peel is one of my all time favorite authors. I am in awe of the worlds she creates and the journeys she takes us on. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next! Knowing her it's going to be fantastic!

And of course no review of mine would be complete without my casting. I am seriously in love with these two! What do you think?