KCBR Blog

Heartbreak Warfare is phenomenal.  I'm still processing my emotions from this book.  Check out my spoiler-free review. This book is going on my Best Romance Books of 2018 list. One-click this one.  

Title: Heartbreak Warfare

Authors: Heather M. Orgeron & Kate Stewart
Genre: Contemporary Military Romance

Release Date: November 2, 2018

BLURB

Briggs,

Remember when I said we couldn’t speak after parting ways in Germany? It was the day I broke your heart. What you didn't know was that I was breaking mine too.

I thought they’d be enough–my husband and my son. That I’d get home and everything would go back to the way it was . . .

Before the war.
Before the ambush.
Before you.

But, no matter how hard I try, I can’t erase the trauma we shared. I can’t seem to forget the way my heart beat in time with yours.

The truth is I’m lost without you.

I thought the nightmare was over when they pulled us from that hole in the ground, but nothing could have prepared me for the war I’d face at home.
I know it’s selfish of me to ask, but, please, I have to see you one last time. . .

All my love,
Scottie 

GOODREADS LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32249934-heartbreak-warfare 

PURCHASE LINKS 

Free in Kindle Unlimited!

US Kindle: https://amzn.to/2OrDYDA

US Paperback: https://amzn.to/2SXwjQG
UK: https://amzn.to/2DiJRBQ
CA: https://amzn.to/2SGndb5
AU: https://amzn.to/2F0ghCW 

SPOILER-FREE Review of Heartbreak Warfare

Heartbreak Warfare by Heather M. Orgeron

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

All the stars.
Did you ever stop reading a book because you were afraid of the ending? You’ve already felt so much, and you don’t know if your heart can take anymore. This was me. I had to stop or peek at the end. I stopped every so often to come up for air. Heartbreak Warfare is one of the most angsty books I have ever read. I finished it days ago, and I still have a monumental book hangover. I think it’s been prolonged because I’ve been messaging with friends who have read it and we have formed our own support systems to discuss it. Does this sound crazy to have this reaction to a book? Maybe so but my heart has been through a war. You have to read it to comprehend all of the emotions that I experienced. I totally understand Frank Smedley’s quote “All’s fair in love and war.” Briggs & Scottie’s relationship personifies this quote. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines this quote as “used to describe a situation in which people do not follow the usual rules of behavior and do things that are normally considered unfair.” I'm not going to spoil this book for you. Go in blind like me and experience it.

This story was so gripping and raw. I literally wanted to drop kick my Kindle at times and then hug these characters a few paragraphs later. Heartbreak Warfare is going on my All-Time Best Kindle Crack List and Best of 2018 book lists. I’m just blown away.

EXCERPT

“I need you to break my heart,” she declares, wringing her hands nervously. “Give me a reason to hate you, because wanting you this way is…it’s ruining me. It’s ruining my life.”

She is dead serious.

Lifting her chin, as if ready to take a blow, her turbulent eyes implore mine. “Tell me about them. Tell me about all of the women you’ve been with since Germany.”

“No.” I shake my head. “Hell no.”

“Oh, please, Briggs. How long did you wait? A few days?” She laughs sarcastically. “I bet you didn’t even make it a day.”

She’s coming out guns blazing, and I can see it’s physically killing her to do it.

“Are we playing the guessing game? Do I get to ask how many times you’ve fucked your husband?”

“Sure,” she says with a shrug. “We’ll trade. You go first.”

She’s bluffing, and I’m calling her on it.

“Don’t do this, Scottie. You don’t really want to hear about that.”

“Humor me, Briggs.” Her eyes plead with mine. “I need to hear this.”

“Fine. You want the truth?”

She nods.

“Complete honesty?”

Again, she bobs her head.

She stands stock-still as I pace the small room, feeling the blood begin to boil beneath my overheated skin.

Fuck it.

I stalk back toward her, stopping inches away. “You really want to know that there have been so many that I’ve lost count? How they’re all blondes with blue eyes? But the blue, it’s never right, and their smiles—all wrong.” 

She swats at the fresh tears that trail down her cheeks as her lips begin to tremble. Reaching out, she places a hand on my chest, and I know that she must feel the way my heart is pounding against my rib cage, reaching for her. Always reaching for her.

I jerk myself away and brand that touch to memory.

In about forty-five seconds, my heart is going to implode. I start ticking them down.

“You want me to tell you all about how I have to drink myself stupid, till their faces blur enough that I can pretend…” I pause running a hand down my face. “So that I can pretend they’re you? You want to know how fucking miserable I am? How when I slide between their legs, I close my eyes, and it’s your face I see? How I’m always careful not to kiss them because their lips are all wrong. How every time I finish I want to fucking kill myself, because I can’t stand the pain of wanting the one woman I can never have.”

Thirty seconds.

 “Is that enough?” Her eyes snap to mine. “Hate me yet?”

Face crumbling, she gasps out a sob, wrapping her arms around her shoulders.

“Come on, Scottie. Let’s not kid ourselves. I’m still the same prick you hated when we met. Nothing’s changed. I think we’ve romanticized this situation long enough, don’t you?”

Taking another step away from her, I tilt my head. “You’re a housewife,” I say snidely. “Someone else’s wife and I’m a career soldier. This isn’t exactly ideal.”

She flinches visibly, and my heart bottoms out.

Fifteen.

I cut my hand through the air. “At the end of the day, this was nothing but a big mistake. And we never would have happened if—”

“Stop,” she cries out painfully, “stop, I’m good,” she whispers before rocketing toward the door just as I reach for her, my fingers curling in the space she just left. Handle in hand, she looks back at me with the sweep of her eyes until they meet mine. That’s how we started, and it’s only fitting it’s how we should end. For the moment, we’re right back there in the place we created, where we are perfect. Where our souls line up without any visible smudge on the seams. In a place where there is still so much love, so much that I can’t stop the tear that slides out before batting it away with the back of my hand.

An identical tear runs down her cheek. “Thank you.” 

Three. Two. One.

AUTHOR BIOS & LINKS 

Heather M. Orgeron

Heather M. Orgeron is a Cajun girl with a big heart and a passion for romance. She married her high school sweetheart two months after graduation and her life has been a fairytale ever since. She’s the queen of her castle, reigning over five sons and one bossy little princess who has made it her mission in life to steal her Momma’s throne. When she’s not writing, you will find her hidden beneath mounds of laundry and piles of dirty dishes or locked in her tower (aka the bathroom) soaking in the tub with a good book. She’s always been an avid reader and has recently discovered a love for cultivating romantic stories of her own.

Website: http://www.heathermorgeron.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHeatherMOrgeron 

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1738663433047683 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hmorgeronauthor 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heather_m_orgeron_author 

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/HMOrgeronAuthor 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/HeatherMOrgeron 

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cAaZv9 

Kate Stewart

A Texas native, Kate Stewart lives in North Carolina with her husband, Nick, and her naughty beagle, Sadie. She pens messy, sexy, angst-filled contemporary romance, as well as romantic comedy and erotic suspense because it's what she loves as a reader.

Kate is a lover of all things '80s and '90s, especially John Hughes films and rap. She dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity, and on occasion, does very well at whiskey.

Facebook: https://facebook.com/authorkatestewart 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorklstewart 

Instagram: https://instagram.com/authorkatestewart

A standalone romance novel published by Montlake Romance

New York Times Bestselling Authors Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

Release date: Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Photo/Cover Details: 

Photo Credit:  Tijana Vukovic

Model: Dusan Susnjar

SYNOPSIS

It all started with a mysterious blue note sewn into a wedding dress. 

Something blue. 

I’d gone to sell my own unworn bridal gown at a vintage clothing store. That’s when I found another bride’s “something old.” 

Stitched into the lining of a fabulously feathered design was the loveliest message I’d ever read: Thank you for making all of my dreams come true. 

The name embossed on the blue stationery: Reed Eastwood, obviously the most romantic man who ever lived. I also discovered he’s the most gorgeous. If only my true-love fantasies had stopped there. Because I’ve since found out something else about Mr. Starry-Eyed. 

He’s arrogant, cynical, and demanding. I should know. Thanks to a twist of fate, he’s my new boss. But that’s not going to stop me from discovering the story behind his last love letter. A love letter that did not result in a happily ever after. 

But that story is nothing compared to the one unfolding between us. It’s getting hotter, sweeter, and more surprising than anything I could have imagined. 

Something new. 

But I have no idea how this one is going to end . . .

PURCHASE LINKS

Hate Notes Review
Hate Notes by Vi Keeland
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dear Penelope Ward & Vi Keeland:

Only the two of you could create craft a heartfelt, whirlwind romance that rivals any cherished fairytale.

If readers believe in love, second chances, and ever dreamed of creating and conquering a bucket list of life experiences, they are going to love this unputdownable book. Charlotte is a bit of a dreamer. She's also strong, sensitive, quirky and relatable on so many levels. Reed. Wow, he’s beautiful, cocky and a bit prickly. Charlotte is determined to peel back the acidic like layers that surround his heart and get to know the man behind that letter.

“The dress was my spirit animal, and I felt like the note could have been written for me by my imaginary perfect fiancé. I didn’t want to guess the story behind this one. I wanted to live it, create my own story for this dress.”

The end of this book had me laughing and crying at the same time. Reed and Charlotte complete each other. Just like Vi and Penelope compliment each other’s writing so beautifully. Another perfect romance book to add to my best of 2018 list. Vi and Penelope make it impossible to not fall in love with their characters and their co-authored books.

Love,
Cheri @ Kindle Crack

 

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Vi Keeland 

Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles have appeared in over a hundred Bestseller lists and are currently translated in two dozen languages. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

Sign up for Penelope & Vi’s mailing list now and be the first one notified when it goes live!  ➜  https://www.subscribepage.com/Vi&Penelope

Do you like texts better than email? Receive text notices of Vi’s new releases by texting the word BOOKS to 77948  You will ONLY receive a text when a new book goes live - no other messages at all!  

Find Vi here: 

Facebook Fan Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ViKeelandFanGroup/ 

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/vi.keeland 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Vi-Keeland/435952616513958

Website: http://www.vikeeland.com

Twitter: @vikeeland - https://twitter.com/ViKeeland

Instagram: @Vi_Keeland - http://instagram.com/Vi_Keeland/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6887119.Vi_Keeland

Penelope Ward

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism. 

With over 1.5 million books sold, she is a twenty-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over twenty novels. 

Sign up for Penelope & Vi’s mailing list now and be the first one notified when it goes live!  ➜  https://www.subscribepage.com/Vi&Penelope

Find Penelope here: 

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/penelope.ward 

https://www.facebook.com/penelopewardauthor 

Facebook Fan Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/PenelopesPeeps/ 

Website

http://www.penelopewardauthor.com

Twitter

https://twitter.com/PenelopeAuthor

Instagram

@penelopewardauthor

http://instagram.com/PenelopeWardAuthor/

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7105545.Penelope_Ward

“Kennedy Ryan’s writing continues to amaze and inspire. She is a genius wordsmith and a prose poet. And in Banner Morales, she has created the perfect heroine for this day and age. Don’t miss this read. It’s everything.” — Emma Scott, Bestselling Author 

Block Shot, Kennedy Ryan’s enemies-to-lovers, second-chance standalone romance is LIVE and FREE in Kindle Unlimited! 

JARED

If I had a dollar for every time Banner Morales made my heart skip a beat...

The heart everyone assumes is frozen over.

Her anger is...arousing.

Every glare from those fire-spitting eyes, every time she grits her teeth, 

gets me...well, you know.

If I had a dollar for every time she's put me in my place, I'd be an even richer man.

I'm a successful sports agent because I assume "no" means you'll think about it.

I'm sure what you meant to say is "Coming right up.”

They say even rich men don't always get what they want, 

but those men don't know how to play the game. The trick is to keep them guessing.

Take Banner. She assumes she's winning, but this game? 

She doesn't even know how to play.

BANNER

If I had a dollar for every time Jared Foster broke my heart, I’d have exactly one dollar.

One night. One epic fail. One dollar...and I'm out.

I've moved on.

I’ve found success in a field ruled by men. 

Anything they can do, I have done better.

They can keep the field while I call the shots, blocking them when I have to.

And Jared has the nerve to think he gets a second chance?

Boy, please. Go sit down. Have several seats.

I'll just be over here ignoring the man carved from my fantasies with a lust-tipped chisel.

Oh, I didn't say the struggle wasn't real.

But I've got that one dollar, and Jared won't have me.

Dirty Headlines, an all-new sexy, enemies-to-lovers romance from bestselling author L.J. Shen is LIVE! Check out my spoiler-free review. This book is FREE in Kindle Unlimited.

"Dirty Headlines is a fantastic enemies to lovers office romance with a perfect filthy asshole hero that I wish I'd written myself." - Laurelin Paige, New York Times bestselling author 

Célian Laurent.

Manhattan royalty.

Notorious playboy.

Heir to a media empire.

…And my new boss.

I could have impressed him, if not for last month’s unforgettable one-night stand.

I left it with more than orgasms and a pleasant memory—namely, his wallet.

Now he’s staring me down like I’m the dirt under his Italian loafers, and I’m supposed to take it.

But the thing about being Judith “Jude” Humphry is I have nothing to lose.

Brooklyn girl.

Infamously quirky.

Heir to a stack of medical bills and a tattered couch.

When he looks at me from across the room, I see the glint in his eyes, and that makes us rivals.

He knows it.

So do I. 

Every day in the newsroom is a battle.

Every night in his bed, war.

But it’s my heart at stake, and I fear I’ll be raising the white flag.

Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited! 

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2NTwsSE

Paperback: https://amzn.to/2NNRtht

Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/DirtyHeadlines 

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2GuCKIB

Review of Dirty Headlines

 Dirty Headlines by L.J. Shen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OMG LOVED THIS BOOK!
“All I’m saying is he’s like a half-priced facelift in an unregistered clinic in Eastern Europe. I would still do it, even knowing it’s deadly.”

Dirty Laundry by L.J. Shen is easily one of my top reads of 2018.  This enemies-to-lovers romance managed to tug at my heart, fog up my Kindle screen and make me laugh more than a few times. I’m obsessed with this addictive new release. I couldn’t get enough of dirty talking Célian and his razor-sharp wit. Good lord, he was such a character. Célian was the epitome of the sexy and smart alpha beast.  Much like Jude, I hated and loved Célian.

Jude had no intention of falling for her one-night-stand turned nasty boss.  Jude thought she was going to be lonely forever. She never expected to fall for such an uber sexy prick like Célian.

“She said a lonely heart—such as my lonely heart—would never fall in love, and so far, she wasn’t wrong. Maybe that’s why tonight happened. Maybe that’s why I’d stopped trying.”

When Célian’s virtual fangs came out along with his venomous comments, he would either cut you in half, or devour your mind, body, and soul.

“I wanted to marry Lily slightly less than I wanted to fuck a cactus on live television.”

Célian had his eye on the prize.  He was going to take the helm of his family's media company at any cost.  He trusted no one, especially with his heart.   He had a heart.  Right? Buried underneath all of Célian's savage snark he had a heart of gold.  Is he is he worthy of Jude's love?

"Every relationship you touch wilts. Every connection you make perishes. I don’t want to burn. I want to flourish. I deserve to bloom.”

Will a few too many dirty little secrets and lies keep Jude and Célian from a headline-worthy relationship?  I’ll never tell.   You need to one-click this book on 9/7.

About LJ Shen:

L.J. Shen is an International #1 best-selling author of Contemporary Romance and New Adult novels. She lives in Northern California with her husband, young son and chubby cat.

Before she’d settled down, L.J. (who thinks referring to herself in the third person is really silly, by the way) traveled the world, and collected friends from all across the globe. Friends who’d be happy to report that she is a rubbish companion, always forgets people's’ birthdays and never sends Christmas cards.

She enjoys the simple things in life, like spending time with her family and friends, reading, HBO, Netflix and internet-stalking Stephen James. She reads between three to five books a week and firmly believes Crocs shoes and mullets should be outlawed.

Connect with L.J. Shen: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorljshen/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lj_shen

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/authorljshen/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorljshen/

Stay up to date with L.J. Shen by signing up for her mailing list:

http://bit.ly/2umcYPg

Website: http://www.authorljshen.com/

Love Online is on a limited-time release sale for $3.99! (Changing SOON to $4.99. This will be the ONLY sale ever.) A fun, sexy, refreshing STANDALONE romance!

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward, comes a new, sexy STANDALONE novel.

We met in the least likely of places. It started out innocently enough. I was “ScreenGod” and she was “Montana,” but of course, those weren’t our actual names, just the virtual cloaks we hid behind.

Logging in at night and talking to her was my escape—my sanctuary.

Her real name was Eden, I’d soon come to find out.

From the first time we connected online, I found myself transfixed.

She was an addiction.

At first, we knew nothing about each other’s real identities…and she was adamant that we keep things that way. Anonymity had no effect on our unstoppable chemistry, though. If anything, it allowed us to open up even more in ways we may not have otherwise.

Eden was funny, intelligent, gorgeous—everything I’d ever wanted in a woman.

But I couldn’t really have her.

I had accepted things would have to stay the way they were—until the day I found a clue that led me straight to her.

So I took a chance.

BUY LINKS:
Kindle: https://amzn.to/2PzxO62
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/2OkuxGs 
Amazon Audio: https://amzn.to/2PEBO5k