Blog Tour/ Excerpt Reveal: The Hot Shot (Game On #4) By: Kristen Callihan

I'm so excited to get to share my review and a super fun excerpt of THE HOT SHOT with ya'll today.

I absolutely adore Kristen's GAME ON series, and Chess and Finn's story was a super fun romantic read.

I want to give a huge thanks to InkSlinger for sending out this pretty for review too. Ya'll are the stinking best 😉

First we were friends. Then we were roommates. Now I want more…

What can I say about Chess Copper? The woman is capable of bringing me to my knees. I know this about five minutes after getting naked for her.

No one is more surprised than me. The prickly photographer my team hired to shoot our annual charity calendar isn’t my usual type. She’s defense to my offense, a challenge at every turn. But when I’m with her, all the regrets and darkness goes away. She makes life fun.

I want to know Chess, be close to her. Which is a bad idea.

Chess is looking for a relationship. I’ve never given a woman more than one night. But when fate leaves Chess without a home, I step up and offer her mine. We’re roommates now. Friends without benefits. But it’s getting harder to keep our hands off each other. And the longer we live together the more I realize she’s becoming my everything.

Trick is… Now that I’ve made her believe I’m a bad bet, how do I convince her to give this player a true shot at forever?

GOODREADS

AMAZON 

iBooks

B&N

KOBO 

Paperback

Kristen Callihan is an author because there is nothing else she’d rather be. She is a three-time RITA nominee and winner of two RT Reviewer’s Choice awards. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and the Library Journal, as well as being awarded top picks by many reviewers. Her debut book FIRELIGHT received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence, was named a best book of the year by Library Journal , best book of Spring 2012 by Publisher’s Weekly, and was named the best romance book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she is not writing, she is reading.

WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER / AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

I was so excited to get my hands on this book. while it wasn't the next one is was expecting in the series, it sounded just as good and I really was happy to get an early copy to review.

The characters sounded cute, and hey I get to see more Dex in this one.... happy reader right there hehe.

And while I have to admit. This one wasn't my favorite of the series (sorry no one will beat out my man Dex and even Gray holds a tight push for my top one haha)

I did like Finn and Chess's story too.

The two characters for the most part were pretty fun and easy going. and I loved the easy witty banter between them.

I found myself snorting a few times at some of the dialog. And even enjoyed the the little retro feel this book had at times.

Plus it actually had some football being played in it. Which was a plus for me. I see so many sports romances lately where there actually isn't even hardly any sports being played. And as a sports lover, I want to see at least glimpses of it.

Chess was a fun character. she's a little outside the norm and I liked that about her. She's smart and funny and a whole lot sarcastic, and that played right into my love for characters that can do that.

I will admit she probably isn't one of my all time favorite female characters. But ya'll know how I feel about them, and if I'm saying good things that means she's pretty good. Plus there is just something about her and the way she interacts with everyone that made me smile. I could easily see myself being friends with a real person like her.

And then there's Finn and her. They really do make an adorable little friendship. I'm a sucker for a good old guy girl friendship. And thought it was totally adorable him and Chess together. They dish it out just as well as the other takes it. And the 2 honestly are hilarious to read the dialog between. It's flirty and a tad ribbing. But fun and so so cute.

And Finn is just to adorable and sexy. And a total goofball. That man had me laughing so hard. But we also get this vulnerable unsure side too. And I loved seeing the contrast of two when reading about this big old muscular football player on the field. And silly joker off it. He made the story easy and fun. And while I wanted to smack him in the head with his own football a couple times, I loved the big guy.

Plus I loved James. He's one of those background characters I kept wanting to see little glimpses of. Because he's so funny. And a little out there at times. He would be the ultimate friend to have. And I loved how easy going and silly he was, down to his crazy clothing choices.

There were a few things that didn't jive with me on this book. But nothing too big to write home too. I still enjoyed the book a lot. And thought it had a great story line. Plus it was fast paced and read like the super cute romance I hoped it would (how many times have I used the word cute now? hehe)

And don't think I won't be ready for the next book in the series. I'm just as excited to get my hands on whatever Kristen has planned for us as I was for this one.

I give THE HOT SHOT ⭐⭐⭐⭐4 STARS⭐⭐⭐⭐

CHESS

Grumbling, I toss on some black lounge pants and my oversized Tulane t-shirt and head to the drugstore. 

My head throbs by the time I get there, and my insides are writhing. I rest my hand against my lower stomach and grab a basket before calling James to complain. 

“I swear,” I tell him as I grab a bottle of painkillers. “It’s like this entire day has been cursed.” 

He snickers. “Curse. Get it? Curse?” 

I roll my eyes, even though he can’t see me. “Laugh it up. Meanwhile, it feels as if someone is playing Battleship in my uterus.” 

“Poor Chessie bear. At least we know why you were in such a foul mood.” 

A flush washes over my cheeks. “Yeah.” Lie. Lie. Lie. A tub of salted caramel gelato makes its way into the basket. 

“Tell me you’re getting some gelato,” James says. 

I smile. “Just grabbed it.” 

“Salted caramel?” 

“You know it.” 

I find the feminine products aisle and search for my brand. “I’m going to go home, take a long bath with my gelato, and forget this fucking day.” Forget Finn. “And then I’m going to go on Amazon and buying a freaking year’s supply of tampons so I don’t have to make these kinds of emergency runs anymore.” 

A low, deep chuckle rumbles from behind me, and all the tiny hairs lift on my arms. 

“But you’ll still need your gelato,” a familiar—fuck me, seriously?—voice points out. 

My insides swoop even as my cheeks burn. 

“Who is that?” James asks in my ear. 

I slowly turn on one heel. “The plague,” I say, glaring up at Finn Mannus’s smiling face. 

“From asshat to plague.” Finn scrunches up his brow. “I’m not sure if that’s a step down or a tie.” 

“Who is that?” James nearly yells now. 

I don’t take my eyes off Finn. “I’ll call you back.” 

James’s squawks of protest cut off as I hit the end button. 

“Are you stalking me, Mannus?” 

Finn a rests his hands low on his lean hips. “Having a healthy amount of conceit myself, I have to admire yours, but no, buttercup. My buddy Woodson lives a few blocks away. It’s poker night. I’m stocking up on beer.”

It’s only then I notice a twelve pack tucked under his other arm. 

“And tampons?” I ask, with a pointed look around the aisle we’re standing in. 

 “Not tonight,” he says easily. “Though we used to keep a pack of them back in college. Light flows were perfect for stopping up bloody noses.” 

A snort escapes me. “Now there’s a visual.” Somehow, I’ve taken a step closer to him. He’s freshly showered, the golden brown strands of his hair still damp at his temples. And I wonder if he’s just come from the gym or practice. “So back in college you went and bought these tampons?” 

“Nah,” he says with a cheeky smile. “I’d ask one of the girls hanging around to get me some.” 

“Of course you did.” My nose wrinkles with annoyance. 

“Give me a little credit, Chess. I’d buy them now if I had to.” 

“Hmm…” I eye him, trying not to return his smile. If only because it’s more fun when he teases. “So why are you in this aisle now, if not for potential nosebleed needs?”

“That’s easy.” He steps closer, a warm wall of muscle and clean scent. “I heard your voice.” 

For a second I just blink. “You recognized my voice?” 

His gaze darts over my face as if he’s trying to get a read on why I’m gaping at him. “Not to be…ah…rude, but you’re loud when you talk on the phone.” 

“Yeah, but… You recognized it.” We’d only just met. It occurs to me that I’d recognized his both times he’d snuck up on me. Then again, his voice is distinctive, flowing like hot honey when he’s relaxed or hammering down like iron to rock when he’s taking command of a situation. 

A soft flush of pink tints the tips of his ears. If I wasn’t staring at him, I might have missed it. He shifts his weight. “Was I not supposed to?”

“No. Yes.” I shake my head and laugh. “I don’t know.” 

He grins then. “You’re cute when you’re flustered.”

“I’m not flustered.” I am. 

Easy magic (Boudreaux #5) By: Kristen Proby

I'm so excited to get to share my review of EASY MAGIC with you today.

This book was absolutely amazing, and I can't tell you how much I loved not only it, but the whole Boudreaux series in general.

It's just one of those series that pulls you in and leaves a mark, and will stick with you, very similarly to the way Kristen's With Me in Seattle series did.

And I can't thank Kristen enough for bringing early copies of EM with her to Apollycon. Not only was it absolutely amazing to get to finally meet her (and get my bookish fangirl on)

But she literally put up with my awkward crazy unorganized self, and I mean that says so much haha

Plus I got to give her one of the bookish key chains I make, so that was pretty cool 😉

The Boudreaux Series. Sexy. Intriguing. Easy.

Family. Responsibility. Stability.

As the co-CEO of Bayou Enterprises, and the eldest of the Boudreaux clan, Beau is the epitome of these. Now that his baby sister Gabby is happily settled down, Beau has moved into the company loft in the heart of the French Quarter to be closer to his office while his own home is built. He doesn’t have time for anything but the family he adores and the company that drives him.

If only the bewitching owner of the herb shop downstairs from Beau’s loft wasn’t so damn tempting.

Mallory Adams is living the life. The good life. The best life for her. After years of hiding who she is, and the gifts she’s been cursed with, Mallory opened her little shop in the French Quarter, offering herbs and lotions for anything from soothing a sunburn to chasing those pesky ghosts New Orleans is known for out of a client’s home. Some call her eccentric, and some say she’s simply odd, and that’s okay with her. She is a bit odd, but in her experience, all of the best people are.

When an old pipe bursts in the loft above her store, flooding her storeroom, Mallory comes face to face with Beau Boudreaux, and she doesn’t need the clairvoyant abilities that have been passed down through generations to know that she’ll never be the same. Beau is her exact opposite; serious, straitlaced. He wears suits for Pete’s sake and probably wouldn’t know the difference between arnica and flaxseed if his life depended on it. But when he touches her, the electricity is through the roof and she’s smart enough to know that a chemistry like theirs doesn’t happen every day.

Can two people so very different possibly find their way to happily ever after?

Awww I adored this book so so much.

I was so hoping the next in the series was going to be Van's book. And was sort of disappointed when it was announced it was Beau's instead.... But ya'll... After starting this one, I couldn't have asked for a better book. and I think it went in the exact order it should have.

Because let me just tell you... This book was absolute perfection.

It was so sweet, and so romantic.

And I loved that little bit of paranormal that Kristen threw into this one.

This series has always sort of had a spiritual fell in the sense that all the Boudreaux kids have this special connection to their late father.

But this book pushes even that with Mallory's abilities.

But the way Kristen tackled them, and not only Beau's, but the whole Boudreaux clan’s reaction to them was what I loved.

She’s created such a kind caring set of characters with that family. And I love watching as their dynamic changes and molds to the new additions of each of the siblings new relationships.

But let's get right into this. Mallory and Beau themselves were the stars of this book, and I just loved the story Kristen wove with the 2 of them.

We get to see this whole new side to the before, somewhat mysterious workaholic Beau.

And of course we only got the smallest glimpses of Mallory in the past books so really dicing into her story I loved. She's such a complex character.

And the more we get to read and know her, the more I loved her, and her small little family of Mrs. Sophia and Lena.

They gave this very unique and interesting story. And I loved the love between the two them. How they helped and worked with each other.

But I also loved how Beau just accepted tings so easily. He's so not the type of character I thought he would be. And I loved that I was so surprised by him.

He is such a kind caring man, but yet seems to have the weight of the world on his shoulders. And seeing him really slip from that role and into a man that just wanted love and affection and someone to truly are his life with made me just a big ol' pile of goo.

It's the way he is with Mallory and her gifts will make you swoon. I won't go into details so I don't spoil things, but ya'll!!

That Beau, is a real keeper.

 

This book was so fast paced though. I found myself sort of shocked as I neared the end, we didn't have that massive conflict that normally signals... Oh looks like things are gonna wrap up soon. But more just eased into the conflict and blew through it.
It was sort of refreshing seeing such a breezy way of going about the story line in this book, and I'm happy Kristen can write such different stories but yet still hold that thing that I love so much about her books.

Kristen constantly surprises me, and I can't tell you how much I loved this book. And I can't wait for it to be out and in everyone's hands.

Thanks so much Kristen for the early copy from Apollycon. I can't tell you how much I loved getting this awesome story just a little early.

No brainier on this one
I give EASY MAGIC
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐5 STARS⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐