Book Tour Review for RoomHate by Penelope Ward

RoomHate 
by Penelope Ward

From New York Times Bestselling Author, Penelope Ward, comes a new standalone novel.

Sharing a summer house with a hot-as-hell roommate should be a dream come true, right? 

Not when it’s Justin…the only person I’d ever loved…who now hates me.

When my grandmother died and left me half of the house on Aquidneck Island, there was a catch: the other half would go to the boy she helped raise.

The same boy who turned into the teenager whose heart I broke years ago.

The same teenager who’s now a man with a hard body and a hardass personality to match.

I hadn’t seen him in years, and now we’re living together because neither one of us is willing to give up the house.

The worst part? He didn’t come alone.

I’d soon realize there’s a thin line between love and hate. I could see through that smug smile. Beneath it all…the boy is still there. So is our connection. 

The problem is…now that I can’t have Justin, I’ve never wanted him more.

Author's note – RoomHate is a full-length standalone novel. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

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REVIEW: 4.5 STARS

"Trying to hate you is exhausting."

<sigh> This is the third book of Penelope's that I have read and this one is my favorite so far....easily. I really connected effortlessly to the characters and was able to jump right into the story and enjoy it. I read only a tiny bit the first night, but then devoured it all the next day. This was one of those stories that you are pretty much sucked into and stuck in one place while you read it. I didn't want to put it down! I love the kinds of stories that you can get settled into and the outside world just disappears...this was that kind of book.

When we get to 'meet' Justin, he is a pure jerk. The situation Amelia and Justin were put in was pretty original and I really liked the way it all played out. I have to say, Penelope worked the angle so perfectly to make you want to keep reading and find out what was behind his hatred for Amelia, and it hooked me immediately. I will say that this book had me giggling and swooning for him by the end, though, which I thought was going to be a feat. I loved the point of view and the way it was told....seriously, this was my favorite of hers.

Justin has such a sarcastic but overly caring and emotional side that was amazing to discover I read the book. So well written...and the side that I loved the most (besides the sarcastic smartass) was the depth to Justin's character. Penelope added so much to his character that allowed us to explore the many layers that made up his personality. He was deep....and real.....and true. I loved him. He is most definitely Book Boyfriend Material. And by the way, he has a naughty naughty mouth. 

This book was SO fun to read!!!! I'm still smiling thinking about it. The banter. The wittiness. The storyline. The true to life fears and actions were easily read and understood. Overall, this was a great read! Easily and happily recommended!!!

Go HERE for a chance to win a copy!!!

"All that time I spent mad at you...I could have been fucking you. What a dumbass."

~BEE

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Copyright © 2016 by Penelope Ward

ROOMHATE releases February 15th

My heart felt like it was pounding out of my chest. Watching this whole thing unfold had made me totally lose sense of reality. I felt like I’d been experiencing every movement, every feeling right along with him, except I wasn’t allowed to come. It was as if I’d seriously lost my mind in the process. That was the only thing that could possibly explain why my body decided to betray me, letting out an involuntary sigh….moan? I wasn’t sure and couldn’t even tell you what it was except to say whatever sound I made caused Justin to jump back. His head whipped toward me, and his shocked eyes met mine for a brief second before I ran back down the stairs.

Humiliated.

Mortified.

My heart felt like it was in my mouth. Escaping out the front door and down to the water, I continued to run aimlessly on the sand. At one point, about a mile down the beach, it became necessary to stop and catch my breath, even though I wanted to keep running. I’d gotten so wrapped up in Justin that I’d forgotten how sick I was this afternoon. It was all hitting me again as I stumbled over to the shoreline and vomited into the ocean.

I collapsed into the sand and must have sat there for over an hour. The sun was starting to go down, and the tide was coming in. It felt like everything was closing in on me. I knew I couldn’t avoid going home forever.

What if he told Jade what I’d done?

That I was watching him.

Oh God.

He was going to crucify me for this.

What excuse could I possibly give him that would explain why I was hiding behind his door, watching him ejaculate like it was a Fourth of July fireworks performance?

I decided that I needed to get home before Jade did. Maybe I could convince him not to say anything. Brushing the sand off my thighs, I made my way back over to the house.

My heart nearly stopped upon finding Justin standing in the kitchen, drinking out of a half-gallon of orange juice. I stood silently behind him and watched as he put the container back.

Justin turned around and finally noticed me standing there. His hair was wet, making it appear brown instead of blonde. He must have taken a shower to wash away the awkwardness of our encounter. Looking painfully handsome in a brown distressed t-shirt that fit his chest like a glove, he just stared me down.

Here it comes.

I braced myself for his humiliating words. My heart was beating out of my chest as he just continued to look at me blankly without saying anything. He slowly walked toward me, and all of the muscles in my body tightened. He was going to get in my face and do it.

Shit.

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~MEET PENELOPE WARD~

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and 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, before switching to a more family-friendly career. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 11-year-old girl with autism and a 9-year-old boy. Penelope and her family reside in Rhode Island. 

~CONNECT WITH PENELOPE~

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ARC REVIEW

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Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward have a NEW BOOK COMING!! *Cover Reveal*

STUCK-UP SUIT

by VI KEELAND AND PENELOPE WARD 

◆ SYNOPSIS ◆

From the New York Times Bestselling authors of Cocky Bastard, comes a sexy new standalone novel. 

It started out like any other morning on the train.

Until I became mesmerized by the guy sitting across the aisle.

He was barking at someone on his phone like he ruled the world.

Who did the stuck-up suit think he was…God?

Actually, he looked like a God. That was about it.

When his stop came, he got up suddenly and left. So suddenly, he dropped his phone on the way out.

I might have picked it up.

I might have gone through all of his photos and called some of the numbers.

I might have held onto the mystery man’s phone for days—until I finally conjured up the courage to return it.

When I traipsed my ass across town to his fancy company, he refused to see me.

So, I left the phone on the empty desk outside the arrogant jerk’s office.

I might have also left behind a dirty picture on it first though. 

I didn’t expect him to text back.

I didn’t expect our exchanges to be hot as hell.

I didn’t expect to fall for him—all before we even met.

The two of us couldn’t have been any more different. 

Yet, you know what they say about opposites.

When we finally came face to face, we found out opposites sometimes do more than attract—we consumed each other.

Nothing could have prepared me for the ride he took me on. And I certainly wasn’t prepared for where I’d wind up when the ride was over.

All good things must come to an end, right?

Except our ending was one I didn't see coming.

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Other books from Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

Cocky Bastard

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~MEET PENELOPE WARD~

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and 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, before switching to a more family-friendly career. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 11-year-old girl with autism and a 9-year-old boy. Penelope and her family reside in Rhode Island. 

~CONNECT WITH PENELOPE~

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~MEET VI KEELAND~

Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn't change for the world. She is a bookworm and has been known to read her kindle at stop lights, while styling her hair, cleaning, walking, during sporting events, and frequently while pretending to work. She is a boring attorney by day, and an exciting smut author by night!

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The FIRST Chapter for Elastic Hearts by Claire Contreras!!!

I am *SO* excited for this next book....but crazy sad it's the last one in the series. These are ALL standalones in the series. Here is the FIRST chapter of the book she posted on her website. ~B

ELASTIC HEARTS

by CLAIRE CONTRERAS

Chapter 1.

Victor

Nicole Alessi, my boss’s daughter, rarely visited the law firm these days. I could count on two hands the amount of times she’d come all together, and six of those were before she’d gotten engaged. One of the last few times she came after she had the ring on her finger, I saw her in passing and she made sure to steer clear of me. As if I was going to pull her into my office and have my way with her while that thing was glaring at me, reminding me that she belonged to somebody else. It was fine by me. It wasn’t like I felt hurt by the engagement, I was more caught off guard. One day we were talking about how crazy people were to want to get married, and the next she was one of those crazy people. She’d given me no inkling, no sign that she wanted more, out of me, out of life… out of anything.

Even though that ship had long sailed, or more accurately had never taken off to begin with, the buzz of her name around the office had put me on alert. Everybody from my secretary to the receptionist was whispering about the beautiful Nicole, wife to the handsome Gabriel Lane, coming in for a visit as if she herself were Hollywood royalty. Maybe she was. I made it my job not to keep up with her whereabouts. What was the point, anyway? And because I knew she was coming in, I busied myself in researching Sam Weaver, a star running back I was representing in a high-profile divorce. I’d asked him more questions than the SAT and the guy still hadn’t been one hundred percent honest with me.

How people expected me to represent them in court without all of the information I asked for and win was beyond my understanding. My focus was cut by the loud knock on my office door. It was pushed open before I gave permission, and I didn’t have to look away from my screen to know it was William. He was the only one with enough balls to do that. It also helped that he was my boss and owned the building.

“What can I do for you?” I said as my eyes scanned the latest TMZ post about Sam and his encounter with not one, but two prostitutes. I looked away from the screen when I heard Will walk toward me without saying a word. He had the look on his face, the one that told me he was about to ask me to do something he knew I didn’t want any part of. Like the time he asked me to take on a case of a porn star divorce, which my sixteen-year-old self would have literally cum all over, but the thirty-one-year old me was too busy using disinfectant every time I went near any of my client’s “work spaces”.

“Fuck. Just spit it out,” I said.

Will chuckled, unbuttoning his suit with one hand as he took a seat across from me. The fact that he didn’t just come out with it and actually sat down to discuss made me develop a little ringing noise in my ears. I gave him my full attention.

“You know you’re the best damn attorney on my team,” he said. I stayed quiet. I knew he wasn’t going to fire me, but starting a conversation out like that could only mean… my heart skipped a beat at the mere suggestion in my thoughts. “Your worth ethic is enviable. You’re driven, you’re a cocky son of a bitch, but somehow you maintain a level of humanity with the clients.”

“Unless you’re about to drop down on one knee and propose to me, I think you should just ask for what will clearly be a massive, Victor please don’t leave my firm after I say these words favor,” I said, mainly because I was starting to feel uncomfortable with the way his blue eyes leveled on mine. 

He smiled.

“I want to make you partner,” he said. My mouth dropped. Those six words were my reason for everything. I’d dreamed about them every night since I started law school. I worked hard every day to hear them come out of his mouth. I reeled in my emotions before they let me get ahead of myself and sat back in my seat a little.

“Just like that? What about Bobby?” Bobby, whose parents were old family friends of Will, had gotten hired a year before I did. Even if I was a much better lawyer, I couldn’t imagine him not giving Bobby the opportunity first.

“I’ve spoken to him about this at length. He knows where I’m coming from and he agrees that you’re better suited.”

“Better suited… to make partner,” I said, needing to clarify.

“To make partner, and for the job I need you to do in order to make partner.” He delivered that with a wide grin. My heart sank. What the fuck was this man going to ask me to do?

“What is it this time? An actor needs representation because his wife slapped him with a divorce after he was caught cheating with their nanny?”

“Not quite, but good guess,” he said, his smile turning somewhat serious. “I need you to represent Nicole in her divorce.”

I blinked. What? No. I shook my head and swallowed loudly. It wasn’t often I was at a loss for words, but this was just…

“She’s getting a divorce?”

“Yes and obviously I can’t be her attorney, so I wanted her to get the next best thing.”

Me.

I closed my eyes momentarily, but suddenly the only thing I could visualize was Nicole’s tan legs spread open in front of me on this very desk, and the way she threw her head back and said my name with that slight Spanish accent she had.

“I can’t do it.”

“Is this about the Sam Weaver case? If you want to take on less things at once you can give that one to Bobby. I want you for Nicole.”

I want you for Nicole. Nicole who used to visit me in my office, with her blue eyes that held a wicked promise every time she looked at me. Nicole who swore she was completely against marriage until the day she got engaged and the tabloids dropped that bomb. Nicole who weaved some powerful shit with her wild streak and her funny comments that rivaled anything that came out of my mouth. Nicole whose fucking mouth was made by the gods for the gods and hadn’t been anywhere near me for at least five years. I breathed out a heavy breath, trying to rid myself of all things Nicole. He had no idea what he was asking of me.

“Did she request me?”

“No. She doesn’t know yet. She should be here shortly. I wanted to give you a heads up first, but Victor, you do this, you do right by her and then I’ll make you partner.”

Fuck. My. Life. That word was too tantalizing to fuck around with. It was the sole reason I was billing up so many damn hours.

“Okay.”

“You’ll do it?”

“Yes.”

Now I just had to make sure I didn’t do her and lose my goddamn license in the process.

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~MEET CLAIRE CONTRERAS~

Claire is a New York Times & USA Today Best Selling author, mother of two, wife of one, owner of three dogs, and breast cancer survivor.

She enjoys writing anything from children’s stories to erotic suspense, but her most notable work is a contemporary romance. When she’s not writing, she’s reading and dreaming about places she wants to visit.

~CONNECT WITH CLAIRE~

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Dual Review for Kaleidoscope Hearts and Paper Hearts by Claire Contreras

Kaleidoscope Hearts

by Claire Conteras

He was my older brother's best friend.
He was never supposed to be mine.
I thought we would get it out of our system and move on.

One of us did.
One of us left.

Now he’s back, looking at me like he wants to devour me. And all those feelings I’d turned into anger are brewing into something else, something that terrifies me.
He broke my heart last time.
This time he'll obliterate it.

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Paper Hearts

by Claire Contreras

I lost her. No, I didn't lose her. I threw her away. She was my best friend. I was never supposed to fall in love with her. I was careless. She was heartbroken. I thought I was doing fine. But here she is, years later, forced to work with me, reminding me why I fell in love with her in the first place. And this time I'm going to do everything in my power to never let her go.


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SERIES REVIEW: 5 STARS

So I decided, after reading Kaleidoscope Hearts, Torn Hearts and then Paper Hearts, ALL IN A ROW that I'm mush. My heart got a workout. I love how drained I feel....it's such a different feeling in that I don't get it all the time. I'm on a serious book downer!! WHAT could possibly live up to that lineup??? What is going to make me FEEL those emotions like I did??? Geez. I am seriously in love with Claire Contreras and her style of writing.

What style is that, you ask? Emotion filled words.....and the kind that you can FEEL. They tugged on my heart! They aren't just words you are reading, coming to you off a page. Nope. You are feeling them. I felt a serious ache in my heart while reading Kaleidoscope Hearts and Paper Hearts. They were beautiful reads....no doubt about it. The pain that I felt....I actually enjoyed it. It was so torturously good. And sexy. And agonizing. And amazing. And excruciating. And angsty. I loved that part of it!!! I love me some good angst.

I am finding the more and more that I read, the more picky I get because I'm just starting to realize what plots and authors really work for me. Claire Contreras is officially one of those authors now that I know will write me a story that will just render me speechless. Because I am. Where do I even begin to explain this book?

We have seen all those reviews that explain this very touching story that she writes of heartache and pain, and the chance to find one another again while working to get past the pain they caused. Yep. We have. And all of the ones that say this is an amazing book, they aren't lying. Not one bit....and I will back every one of those reviews. I want to talk about Claire and her style. I want YOU to know that she writes these super emotionally captivating stories that make you FEEL. Like, I want to say she is different than many of the others I have read because I FELT her. I seriously had to stop a few times and just ponder the possibilities of what she was writing about. Her words were so deep...so many things were said that could've meant so many other things. Man!!! I just want to scream it out....these books were AMAZING.

Seriously. Love. Her.

And now....the realization comes. I met her in July 2015 in Portland (sat next to her, no less!!!) and I didn't get a signed copy of Kaleidoscope Hearts. Are you crying along with me? Because....yeah. Now I'm even more bummed. <sigh>

Overall, I would give Paper Hearts a 4.5 star rating. The only reason I couldn't give it a full 5 stars was because at one point I wanted to punch Mia. Like....pick up a damn phone, woman!! But the angst and the heartstrings-pulling love that these two had? Yes, amazing. Jenson is IT. SOLID. He is the man. He is an artist, so his love comes out in such a romantic way and I loved seeing things through his eyes.

Kaleidoscope Hearts gets a 5 star rating from me for the pure torture I felt while reading this back and forth love story between Oliver and Elle. I know some people wont like the back and forth part of it, but that was realistically written. This one made me yearn for their touches for them. Ok? Yearn FOR them. Yeah, I know...I'm weird. They had an intensity that was HOT and undeniable. And it was this intensity that had me pacing.

Other than that....I loved this series and Claire ranks right up as one of my new favorites. I seriously loved these books. Now I have to go buy all her others so I can get soaked into her little worlds again. Just wrap myself up and veg....her books were THAT good.

~BEE

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~MEET CLAIRE CONTRERAS~

Claire is a New York Times & USA Today Best Selling author, mother of two, wife of one, owner of three dogs, and breast cancer survivor.

She enjoys writing anything from children’s stories to erotic suspense, but her most notable work is a contemporary romance. When she’s not writing, she’s reading and dreaming about places she wants to visit.

~CONNECT WITH CLAIRE~

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Book Review for Corrupt by Penelope Douglas

CORRUPT

by PENELOPE DOUGLAS

Erika
I was told that dreams were our heart's desires. My nightmares, however, became my obsession.

His name is Michael Crist.

My boyfriend's older brother is like that scary movie that you peek through your hand to watch. He's handsome, strong, and completely terrifying. The star of his college's basketball team and now gone pro, he's more concerned with the dirt on his shoe than me.

But I noticed him.

I saw him. I heard him. The things that he did, and the deeds that he hid...For years, I bit my nails, unable to look away.

Now, I've graduated high school and moved on to college, but I haven't stopped watching Michael. He's bad, and the dirt I've seen isn't content to stay in my head anymore.

Because he's finally noticed me.

Michael

Her name is Erika Fane, but everyone calls her Rika.

My brother's girlfriend grew up hanging around my house and is always at our dinner table. She looks down when I enter a room and stills when I am close. I can always feel the fear rolling off of her, and while I haven't had her body, I know that I have her mind. That's all I really want anyway.

Until my brother leaves for the military, and I find Rika alone at college.

In my city.

Unprotected.

The opportunity is too good to be true, as well as the timing. Because you see, three years ago she put a few of my high school friends in prison, and now they're out.

We've waited. We've been patient. And now every last one of her nightmares will come true.

*Corrupt is a STANDALONE dark romance with no cliffhanger. It is suitable for ages 18+.

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3.5 STARS

This was my first book by Penelope Douglas and I will admit....the synopsis when it was revealed hooked me. I was drooling over the possibility of this book and the darkness of it, all the while having a 'hidden protector'. I was seriously intrigued. I started in on this with high expectations because of all the hype I have heard about it. I will say this, I definitely enjoyed this book. It was a good book.

The synopsis tells you what you need to know in order to jump in....because that is what grabbed me.

Angst? Check

Complex characters? Check

Storyline that made you turn the pages? Check

Love that surpassed any and all road blocks? Check

This really was one that kept me turning the pages and continuing to read it. I wanted to figure out the big secret....I needed to know what happened and who/why/what was going on!! We saw Rika grow a lot and come into her own. We saw Michael man up and mature right before our eyes. We saw challenges....and we saw determination. This book revolved around an evil game that just took you through the wringer. I really liked the ups and downs of this book. It was really intense. The actually shocking twist had me gasping. Like, totally hand to mouth OMG gasp!! Really well played....I had an inkling, but to see it play out was really good.

However, down to the wire.....it didn't quite live up to the hype for me. Not that the story wasn't a convoluted, twisty-turny, amazingly complex story as you weave in and out of the past and the present while putting their story together. That was amazing. I loved how crazy the characters were, I loved how the story played out....until.the.very.end. It was way too over the top for me. It was HOT. It was busy. It was excitement running rampant through the pages. I just don't like endings that go that far over the top....it was way too unrealistic to me.

Will I read her books again? Hell yes! She can write a mean story....she can work you up and throw you down, all the while wrapping you up in a blanket. I have no doubt that her other books will do the same and I fully intend on jumping in to more. I really LOVED this story until the very end. I did. Would I recommend this story? Oh yes!! Easily....because what didn't work for ME, clearly worked for a lot of others. And that's the best part. It was an amazingly written story, a crazy ride through some serious times....but overall, it was REALLY GOOD.

~BEE
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~MEET PENELOPE DOUGLAS~

Penelope Douglas is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Fall Away series. 

She dresses for autumn year round, loves anything lemon flavored, and believes there is too much blood in her Coca Cola stream. Or too much Coca Cola in her blood stream. Or...

You know what? It doesn't matter. She loves Coke. Now you know. 

She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and daughter.

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