STS #116 Bought Borrowed and Bagged #66

Posted 9 January, 2016 by Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms in Memes, Stacking the Shelves / 64 Comments

STS / BB&B - (un)Conventional bookviews

STS #116 – Bought Borrowed & Bagged #66

Stacking The Shelves, hosted by Tynga’s Reviews is all about the latest additions to your library – virtual or actual, with books that are  bought, borrowed, won or ARCs  you will be reading soon. Bought Borrowed & Bagged is a homage to to Barron’s Books and Baubles from Karen Marie Moning’s amazing Fever series, and is hosted by Braine over at Talk Supe.

(un)ConventionalBookViews_Banner-ARCsReceived

Hawke cover - (un)Conventional BookviewsHawke by Sawyer Bennett – thank you Loveswept!

Off the ice, elite defenseman Hawke Therrien enjoys his fair share of booze and good times. And why shouldn’t he? He’s worked his way up from the minor leagues and made himself a star. The only thing Hawke misses from that life is the pierced, tattooed free spirit who broke his heart without so much as an explanation. She’s almost unrecognizable when she walks back into his life seven years later—except for the look in her eyes that feels like a punch to the gut.
Vale Campbell isn’t the same girl she was at twenty. As crazy as she was about Hawke, her reckless behavior and out-of-control drinking were starting to scare her. She had to clean up her act, and that would never happen with Hawke around. Cutting him loose was the hardest thing Vale ever had to do—until now. Because she’s still crazy about Hawke. And if he could ever learn to forgive her, they just might have a future together.

Now and Then cover - (un)Conventional BookviewsNow and Ten by Mira Lyn Kelly – Thank you, Loveswept

Brynn Ahearn is gorgeous, fun, and not just a sports nut but an NBA camera woman whose work takes her all over the country. In other words, she’s a walking male fantasy—or at least, she would be if she weren’t so busy keeping the guys at bay. The fact is, with Brynn’s con-man father fresh out of jail and back in her life, dating is just too risky. Haunted by memories of her past, she couldn’t ask any man to gamble with his life for love—even one as addictive as Ford Meyers.
Ford can’t believe his luck when he walks into a bar in Chicago’s Wicker Park and gets an eyeful of Brynn, the one that got away. After the gorgeous redhead blew him off in college, Ford got on with his life and made his fortune as a bestselling game designer, but he’s never found a woman who compared to Brynn. No stranger to success, Ford is used to getting what he wants—and after a scorching stolen kiss, what he wants is a second shot with his first love. To get it, he just has to convince her that he’s man enough to take on the past she can’t leave behind.

Getting Him Back cover - (un)Conventional BookviewsGetting Him Back by K.A. Mitchell – thank you, Carina Press!

Ethan may have followed his high school sweetheart to college only to get dumped his first day there, but he’s not going to let that stop him from exploring all his new life has to offer. Sex-only hookups, his photography, new friends and a campus-wide game of zombies vs humans all help keep his mind off his broken heart and move him toward building a new, better life without his ex.And then there’s Wyatt. Mysterious, grouchy…hot. And possibly not gay. But Ethan’s not going to let that stand in the way of figuring out what makes Wyatt tick. New college goal? Get Wyatt into bed and into Ethan’s life.
Step one: arrange a “tutoring” date. Step two: “accidentally” bump into Wyatt as often as possible. Step three: explore the sexy body under that ever-present hoodie. And when their friendship deepens into something neither of them expect, convince Wyatt he’s not just a pity fling or a one-time hookup, but that Ethan is in it for the long haul.

The Best of Me cover - (un)Conventional BookviewsThe Best of Me by Elisabeth Barrett – thank you, Loveswept!

Jane Pringle never meant to fall for her boss. After landing a job as a pastry chef at the exclusive Briarwood Golf and Yacht Club in Eastbridge, Connecticut, she just wants to keep her son in a good school district and find some peace and quiet, far away from her manipulative ex-husband. But when Briarwood’s charismatic co-owner takes an interest in her, Jane’s best-laid plans go awry . . . in the sweetest way possible.
Rich and handsome, the grandson of one of the most powerful men in New York City, Preston North hasn’t lived quite the charmed life everyone believes. His family taught him everything he needs to know about betrayal—and Press wants no more of it. What he wants is Jane. The gorgeous single mom is selfless and kind, plus she’s got a backbone. To win her trust, Press just needs to shake off his playboy reputation.
They’ve each been burned in the past. But now Press and Jane will have to choose between letting their fears get the best of them . . . or breaking free and following their hearts.

Leaving Yesterday cover - (un)Conventional BookviewsLeaving Yesterday by Zoe Dawson – Thank you, Loveswept!

Rafferty Hamilton doesn’t plan on putting down roots anytime soon. With her divorce final, the hotel heiress has left Manhattan behind to scout new locations for her family’s chain of resorts. Which is why it’s so frustrating to be stranded in Laurel Falls while a good-looking, slow-talking, Stetson-wearing mechanic takes his sweet time with her overheated coupe.
A decorated vet who paid his dues in Afghanistan, Trace Black can fix anything with an engine and get it revving—even Rafferty’s ridiculous sports car. He couldn’t say the same for the knockout driver, who looks like she’s never gripped a gear shaft in her life. Women like Rafferty don’t usually stick around in Laurel Falls, but Trace finds himself showing her everything his hometown has to offer before she cruises on down the road.
As the days pass, Rafferty finds herself charmed by the pace of life and the openhearted warmth of the residents. She’s even tempted to trust again—and it’s all thanks to Trace. He’s not the kind of guy she’s used to falling for, but he just might be the man she needs.

Lilac Girls cover - (un)Conventional BookviewsLilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly – thank you, Random House Publishing Group / Ballantine

Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this powerful debut novel reveals an incredible story of love, redemption, and terrible secrets that were hidden for decades.
New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France.
An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences.
For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power.
The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross continents—from New York to Paris, Germany, and Poland—as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten.
In Lilac Girls, Martha Hall Kelly has crafted a remarkable novel of unsung women and their quest for love, freedom, and second chances. It is a story that will keep readers bonded with the characters, searching for the truth, until the final pages.

The above ARCs were received through Netgalley, and those below from Edelweiss

We Are Unprepared cover - (un)Conventional BookviewsWe Are Unprepared by Meg Little Reilly – thank you, Harlequin Mira!

Ash and his wife, Pia, in their mid-30s, uproot themselves from hip Brooklyn to northeast Vermont seeking a more self-reliant lifestyle. After a few idyllic months, the days seem to grow unnaturally hot, ill-omened and filled with discontent. The Weather Service, too, is awash with portentous news about a catastrophic hurricane season brewing off-shore. Preparations overtake the community and the couple and deepen the cracks within their marriage. Ash finds support as he prepares with neighbors for the worst, while Pia falls in with radical “preppers” who want to move off the grid. When The Storm finally hits, it razes both external and internal landscapes, leaving everything and everyone permanently altered.

Simply and effectively, We Are Unprepared examines the bonds of love, marriage and community under the strains of fear and impending disaster.

Sweet Little Lies cover - (un)Conventional BookviewsSweet Little Lies by Jill Shalvis – thank you, Avon!

Choose the one guy you can’t have . . .
As captain of a San Francisco Bay tour boat, Pru can handle rough seas—the hard part is life on dry land. Pru loves her new apartment and her neighbors; problem is, she’s in danger of stumbling into love with Mr. Right for Anybody But Her.
Fall for him—hard . . .
Pub owner Finn O’Riley is six-foot-plus of hard-working hottie who always makes time for his friends. When Pru becomes one of them, she discovers how amazing it feels to be on the receiving end of that deep green gaze. But when a freak accident involving darts (don’t ask) leads to shirtless first aid, things rush way past the friend zone. Fast.
And then tell him the truth.
Pru only wants Finn to be happy; it’s what she wishes for at the historic fountain that’s supposed to grant her heart’s desire. But wanting him for herself is a different story—because Pru’s been keeping a secret that could change everything. . . .

What Was Mine cover - (un)Conventional Bookviews

What Was Mine by Helen Klein Ross – thank you Gallery Books!

Lucy Wakefield is a seemingly ordinary woman who does something extraordinary in a desperate moment: she takes a baby girl from a shopping cart and raises her as her own. It’s a secret she manages to keep for over two decades—from her daughter, the babysitter who helped raise her, family, coworkers, and friends.
When Lucy’s now-grown daughter Mia discovers the devastating truth of her origins, she is overwhelmed by confusion and anger and determines not to speak again to the mother who raised her. She reaches out to her birth mother for a tearful reunion, and Lucy is forced to flee to China to avoid prosecution. What follows is a ripple effect that alters the lives of many and challenges our understanding of the very meaning of motherhood.

(un)ConventionalBookViews_Banner-Purchased

the play coverThe Play by Karina Halle – just because it’s a freebie… I haven’t started this series yet

A troubled Scottish rugby player who doesn’t play by the rules.
A vivacious man-eater who’s given up on love.
When it comes to Lachlan and Kayla, opposites don’t just attract – they explode.

Kayla Moore has always been comfortable with her feisty, maneating reputation. At least it was fine until she hit her thirties and saw her best friends Stephanie and Nicola settle down with Linden and Bram McGregor, leaving Kayla to be the odd one out. Tired of being the third wheel with nothing but one-night stands and dead-end dates in San Francisco, Kayla decides to take a vow of celibacy and put men on the backburner.
That is until she lays her eyes on Linden and Bram’s cousin, hot Scot Lachlan McGregor. Lachlan is her sexual fantasy come to life – tall, tatted, and built like a Mack truck. With a steely gaze and successful rugby career back in Edinburgh, he’s the kind of man that makes her want to throw her vow right out the window. But Lachlan’s quiet and intense demeanor makes him a hard man to get to know, let alone get close to.
It isn’t until the two of them are thrown together one long, unforgettable night that Kayla realizes there is so much more to this brooding macho man than what meets the eye. But even with sparks flying between the two, Lachlan can’t stay in America forever. Now, Kayla has to decide whether to uproot her whole life and chance it all on someone she barely knows or risk getting burned once again.
Sometimes love is a game that just needs to be played.

Leveled cover - (un)Conventional BookviewsLeveled by Jay Crownover

We all need a hero…let the Saints of Denver begin
Orlando Frederick knows what it is to be leveled by pain. Instead of focusing on his own, he’s made it his mission to help others: sports stars, wounded war vets, survivors of all kinds. But when Dom, a rugged, damaged, sinfully attractive cop, makes his way into Lando’s physical therapy practice, he might be the biggest challenge yet. Lando loved one stubborn man before and barely survived the fallout. He’s not sure he can do it again.
Dominic Voss is a protector. The police badge he wears is not only his job, it’s his identity, so when he’s sidelined because of an injury, the only thing he cares about is getting back on the force. He expects Lando to mend his body, he just doesn’t realize the trainer will also have him working toward a hell of a lot more. As attraction simmers and flares, Dom sees that Lando needs repair of his own…if only the man will let him close enough to mend what’s broken.

Built cover - (un)Conventional Bookviews

Built by Jay Crownover

Sometimes you have to tear everything down to build something new…
Sayer Cole is frozen inside. At least, that’s what it’s felt like for as long as she can remember. She’s yet to let anyone past her icy exterior – and the one guy she thinks might melt her heart couldn’t possibly be interested in someone so uptight.
Rough, hard and hot-as-hell, Zeb Fuller has rebuilt his life and his construction business since protecting his family sent him to jail all those years ago. His elegant client, Sayer, makes him feel like a Neanderthal in denim, but despite the many hints that he’s been dropping to get to know her better, she seems oblivious to his charms.
Just as things finally start to heat up, Zeb’s past comes back to haunt him and he needs Sayer’s professional help to right a wrong and to save more than himself. As these opposites dig in for the fight of their lives, fire and ice collide in an unstoppable explosion of steam…

Did you get some exciting-looking books this week? Remember to leave me your link so I can check out your Stacking the Shelves and or Bought, Borrowed and Bagged post, too 🙂 Thanks for stopping by! Have a spectacular Saturday.

Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms

About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms

Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.

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64 responses to “STS #116 Bought Borrowed and Bagged #66

  1. What Was Mine by Helen Klein Ross sounds brilliant, I’m going to look out for that one. I haven’t heard of the other books in your post but I hope you really enjoy reading them all. Have a fab weeks of reading!

    • I got introduced to What Was Mine this week during Waiting on Wednesday meme, and since I have automatic approval for Gallery books on Edelweiss, all I had to do was click the download button. It sounds like a pretty tough read, and I really wonder if I’ll end up enjoying the main character.
      Thanks for stopping by, Hayley.

  2. I wouldn’t say that I have exciting weeks with STS…more a case of sighing at the tbr numbers going up! I’m in zombie mode at the moment so lots of fun to be had! Enjoy your new books!

  3. These are some great books, Lexxie! I grabbed Hawke myself this week because how can I pass up a Cold Fury Hockey book? I am curious about Lilac Girls. The publisher emailed me a widget but I haven’t grabbed it…yet. I am really trying to practice a little restraint this year…lol. I can’t wait to see what you think of all of these books!

    Carole @ Carole's Random Life recently posted: Stacking the Shelves #2
  4. Nice haul!! These are all new to me, but I really hope that you enjoy them. The Play looks like one I would enjoy. I’ll have to look for your review.

  5. Lots and lots of good looking books here^^ I especially like the cover for Hawke but if I’m totally honest, you always have some of the best and yummiest book covers in your hauls Lexxie 😀 Enjoy all of your goodies and have a great weekend my friend <3

    Micheline @ Lunar Rainbows Reviews recently posted: Review: Abhorsen
  6. Okay, where did I see What Was Mine before? Here? I really like the sound of it and I think it’s already on my tbr. You made quite the haul this week, Lex. Loveswept was awfully good to you. 😉 And I’m envious of the Crownover books. 😛 Actually, I’m kinda envious of them all! I got some GC’s from Christmas and won one from you and I’m paralyzed…*ha* There IS a way to put brakes on my one-click finger…give me GC’s to spend and I can’t decide what to spend it on so I don’t one-click anything! Shh, let’s not let James in on that secret. 😉

    Happy weekend, my dear! **BIG HUGS**

    • Laurel-Rain featured What Was Mine on her blog on Wednesday, and I just had to pick it up, Brandee.
      Loveswept is always good to me… I’m not exactly pre-approved, but they always accept my requests 😀 And I can’t wait to get started on those titles… they look pretty hot 😉
      LOL when you have more money to spend on book you freeze? Maybe you should never let James in on that secret 😉 I promise I won’t tell! *BIG HUGS*

  7. I haven’t gotten any new books this week. I’m on a book freeze lol I see you got Sweet Little Lies by Jill Shalvis! I love that lady’s books!!!

    • I think not getting any new books is a good idea every now and then, Nelle. I just seem to be incapable of achieving that myself 😀 I love Shalvis’ books, too, and I was so excited to see that she is starting yet another new series 🙂

  8. Such a great haul! I actually went on to request some of those titles based on the blurb 😛 I hope you enjoy reading them and looking forward to your reviews!!

  9. Wow Lexxie!!!! Talk about a great haul. I enjoyed Leveled and Built is up next. I hope you enjoy all your lovely new books. I see a few I’m going to have to add to my to read list. Thanks for sharing!!! Have a great week.

  10. I have The Play still to read in that series, the first two were good. What Was Mine sounds really interesting to me-I will be interested in your thoughts about it 🙂

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