BFF Book Blog

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Review – The Accidental Assassin by Nichole Chase

Ava McKenzie is a creature of habit. Life is passing her by and she has nothing to show for it. She’s had the same job since she started college, she orders the same dish every time she goes to her favorite restaurant, and only reads books from authors she knows. There is nothing new or surprising in her life… until her best friend marries a man from London. When her newlywed friend asks her to house-sit while she honeymoons, Ava jumps at the chance. She thinks this could be the very thing she needs to shake up her life. Ava throws herself head first into her new lifestyle; she wants to try everything, go everywhere, and never get stuck in a rut again. Of course, offing a man in a car garage hadn’t been one of the things on her list to try.

Owen Walker spends every day in a new place with a new case. As one of the most renowned assassins in the world, he has his choice of marks—and he’s never failed in a mission. When a new hit takes him back to his hometown, he looks forward to spending time somewhere familiar. What he isn’t expecting is to help an attractive, confused American woman find out how she’s ended up on a hit man’s list.

As Ava and Owen dodge bullets, will they be able to escape their undeniable attraction to each other? Or will all of that chemistry blow up in a shower of hot and dangerous sparks?

BFF K’s Review

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I enjoy Nichole Chase’s writing! Her books are terrific ‘brain candy’. The Royals Series is a super fun read, so I was excited to get my hands on The Accidental Assassin. I was thrilled to find that it delivered exactly what I was expecting – sweet characters that are fun to read, entertaining scenes, heart-warming romance, and a little steam. The bonus in this book, was a little suspense just to keep it really interesting.

I really enjoyed Ava and Owen’s story. They’re two lonely souls who are really made for one another. They’re brought together in the unlikeliest of circumstance – a hit gone wrong. But, as they work together to unravel the mystery of just who is trying to kill whom, Ava and Owen can’t deny their attraction for one another. They’re surrounded by a cast of quirky and lovable characters. You’ll root for all of them to find love and happily-ever-after….if they survive!

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Buy Links

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

iBooks

Killer with gun close up over grunge background with copyspace.

About Nichole Chase

Nichole Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Suddenly Royal, Flukes, The Dark Betrayal Trilogy, and several short stories. She is also the instructor of Say What? a dialogue class at the Romance Academy.

Nichole lives in Georgia with her husband, energetic daughter, superhero dog, Sulcata tortoise, and two cats. When not writing, you may find her reading, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.

Links

Website: http://www.nicholechase.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NicholeChase

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.nicholechase

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5074162.Nichole_Chase

THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSINGoodreadshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18071293-the-accidental-assassin?from_search=true

New Release – Skip to the Good Part – Vol 2

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Happy Release Day for Skip to the Good Part Volume 2! BFF K. read and reviewed Volume 1 and it was outstanding!

Check out all the info about the book, and be sure to enter the giveaway! 🙂

 

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Skip to the Good Part Vol 2 Synopsis:

Find your next red-hot read in this sizzling collection of sexy scenes.

Volume Two offers even more great reads—buy now for just 99¢

Skip to the Good Part 2: 20 Authors Reveal Their Steamiest Scenes offers face-fanning romance and tie-me-up sizzle (and everything in between) from top authors including New York Times and USA Today bestsellers. The collection features a bride purchased by a powerful man who has sexy plans of her own, a UFC fighter who falls in lust with the sister of his biggest rival, a woman who gets naughty with her ex hoping she can keep it a one-time thing, a biker charged with protecting a woman he desires from the wrath of a rival gang, and a woman held in a captor’s dungeon who finds that only part of her wants to be freed.

Read 20 of the best steamy scenes in contemporary romance and erotic romance today. This 250-page collection will get your blood pumping, your heart racing, and your skin tingling—you’re sure to discover a new favorite.

Due to the graphic nature of some content, this collection is recommended strictly for mature readers.

New York Times bestsellers:

Pepper Winters | Cristin Harber | Aleatha Romig | L.P. Dover | Zoe York | Geneva Lee

USA Today bestsellers:

Carmen Jenner | J.L. Berg

Featuring:

Kendall Grey | Chelsea Camaron | Amity Cross | Elisabeth Grace | Tia Louise | Kimberly Knight | Lisa Swallow | Elizabeth Otto | Zinnia Bennett | Juliana Haygert | Claudia Bradshaw | Delancey Stewart

Buy Links:

Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | Nook

Links:

Publisher Website

Skip to the Good Part Vol 2 Goodreads

Skip to the Good Part Vol 1 Buy Links:

Amazon | iBooks | Kobo |Barnes & Noble

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Enter the fantastic giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

25 Days of Book Boyfriends – Finn Van Brunt

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The BFF’s are very excited to be a part of the 25 Days of Book Boyfriends, hosted by Readers Live a Thousand Lives, Lovin’ Los Libros, and Starbucks & Books Obsession. We have so many book boyfriends…..in fact I’m pretty sure you’ll see a blog post sometime in the future highlighting all of them! Though it was really hard to pick just one, for today’s post, we’ve settled on one of our very favorites from 2014. We present to you, Finn Van Brunt from The Collectors’ Society by Heather Lyons.

 

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Name: Huckleberry Finn Van Brunt
Alias: Finn Van Brunt
Age: 28
Eye color: Blue-gray
Hair color: Golden brown
Height: 6’ 2”
Timeline: 1876/96TWA-TS

BFF K Loves The Collectors’ Society

It is one of my favorite books of all time and was the first 6-Star review on the BFF Book Blog. Click here read that review!

The Top 6 Reasons Finn is our Book Boyfriend

After searching for these quotes, I desperately want to read this book again. I’ve never highlighted so many passages in a book. I love it SO MUCH!

1. Finn is sweet! He’s kind, he’s caring, he wonderful.

“Finn Van Brunt has manners. He’s kind to children. I hate the tingling that spreads in the pit of my belly.”

2. He fiercely loves Alice!

“Finn says my name softly, like it’s a prayer or a plea.”

3. Finn protects Alice, but not in a smothering, doesn’t-think-she-can-take-care-of-herself, kind of way.

” ‘The nice thing about partners,’ he says just as softly, ‘is that two are always stronger than one.’ “

4. He makes us think impure thoughts about spending time in a closet. (BFF K fans herself!)

“Time blurs together until it’s meaningless, until the closet and clothes disappear around us. Everything in this moment is touch and sensation, and I’m drunk on it.”

5. Finn has a sarcastic, silly, teasing side to his personality.

” ‘Oh, I’m familiar with weapons, Finn.’  ‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ he sweeps a hand out, ‘may I present Alice, the master of understatement.’ “

6. He is dreamy.

“He’s beautiful. Handsome is probably a more dignified term, but the golden-brown hair, light blue-gray eyes, and tanned skin really do come across as more beautiful than anything else.”

A visit to Heather Lyon’s Pinterest Board for The Collectors’ Society will reveal her inspiration photo for Finn.

I like to call this pic the “Finnspiration”. (BFF K fans herself again!)

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Heather Lyons

Read more about, and connect with, one of our FAVORITE authors:

Author PhotoAbout Heather Lyons:

Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.

 

Website ** Author Goodreads ** Twitter ** Facebook ** THE COLLECTORS’ SOCIETY Goodreads

 

 

We’re so thankful to Readers Live a Thousand Lives, Lovin’ Los Libros, and Starbucks & Books Obsession for allowing us to be a part of the 25 Days of Book Boyfriends Blog Tour. Be sure to check out these other great Book Boyfriends!
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December 1:
(Madoc, Rival by Penelope Douglas)
December 2:
(Ridge, Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover)
December 3:
(Bones, Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost)
December 4:
(Perry, Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi)
December 5:
(Chaol, Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas)
December 6:
(Will, Damaged Goods by Nicole Williams)
December 7:
(Connor, Kiss the Sky by Krista and Becca Ritchie)
December 8:
(Warner, Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi)
December 9:
(Cade, Caged in Winter by Brighton Walsh)
December 10:
(Kellan, Thoughtless by S.C. Stephens)
December 11:
Readers Live a 1000 Lives

  (Preston, Pieces of Olivia by Melissa West)
December 12:
(Morpheus, Splintered by A.G. Howard)
December 13:
(Josh, Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins)
December 14:
(Finn, The Collectors’ Society by Heather Lyons)
December 15:
(Noel, My True Love Gave To Me Anthology)
December 16:
(Prince Tristan, Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen)
December 17:
(Roth, The Dark Elements series by Jennifer L. Armentrout)
December 18:
(Jackson, The Arcana Chronicles by Kresley Cole)
December 19:
(Titus, The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas)
December 20:
(Gansey, The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater)
December 21:
(Gideon Cross, Crossfire series by Sylvia Day)
December 22:
(Matt Finch, Open Road Summer by Emery Lord)
December 23:
(Adrian Ivashkov, Vampire Academy/Bloodlines by Richelle Mead
December 24:
(Willem, Just One Day by Gayle Forman)
December 25:
(The Darkling, Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo)

New Release – The Ballad by Ashley Pullo

 

BFF K. loved The Album by Ashley Pullo! It is one of her favorite reads of 2014. Today is release day for The Ballad, a companion novel. Take advantage of the release day special price, just $1.99. And, look for her review coming VERY soon!

 

 

Two Lovers.
Two Dreamers.
One Love Song.

 

Locations: New York City (Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights, TriBeCA) Las Vegas,
San Francisco

Setting: 2003-Present day

Characters:

Chloe LeGrange Ford – talented musician craving resolve

Adam Ford – handsome attorney longing for a revelation

Natalie LeGrange Brooks – creative free-spirit dreaming of the stars

Chris Brooks – sexy Texan waiting for the right time

Objective:

Authentic situations and original characters capture the intimate moments in a
timeless love story.

Themes:

Patience, impulse, pride, joy, and undeniable sexual attraction.

Genre:

Indie/Romance/Drama/Humor

The Ballad is a love song following dreamers and lovers over a span of ten
years. Set against the picturesque backdrop of New York City and paired with a
reverse narrative, their story is an original retelling of what it means to
find the happily ever after in the midst of the journey.

 Links to Buy

AMAZON US / UK
 

Also Available

$1.99 for Release Day Only
AMAZON US / UK

Read BFF K’s Review of The Album,

THEN check out That’s What She Said, a fun and informative interview with Ashley Pullo,

where she answers all of BFF K’s most pressing questions about The Album!

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About the Author

 

Fifteen years ago I became a permanent New Yorker, but I’ve yet to abandon my Texas charm. NYC is an amazing place to find inspiration – the random and the ordinary that make up reality. My writing showcases inspired ideas, as well as my love for dichotomy, authenticity and humor. 

I’m just a girl. A girl with a dream. A dream to write for television. I also had a dream to marry Christian Bale, but I digress. I’m a girl with a dream to write and write and
write until someone tells me to stop. And even then I would find a way to write about the jerk who wanted me to stop.

Author Links

GIVEAWAY

New Release – Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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The BFF’s are super excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Jennifer L. Armentrout’s WICKED! WICKED is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and the first book in Jennifer’s Wicked Trilogy!

 

Wicked

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans.

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

 

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** Kobo

 

Wicked Teaser 1

Excerpt

He left me standing there as he disappeared into the bathroom, and I tried to make sense of what just happened. All I knew was that the punch-in-the-chest sadness that came whenever I thought of Shaun wasn’t there. And I didn’t know what to make of that.

Or anything.

Taking a deep breath, I put my clothes on his dresser and all but dashed into the bed, and good Lord, the mattress was comfy! I scooted to the middle and froze, having no idea what side he slept on or if he had a side. I totally had a side—always the furthest away from closet doors because I was a dork. Straightening the shirt out so my undies weren’t saying hi to the world, I tugged the blanket up to my hips and lay flat on my back.

I so needed an adult to explain to me what the hell I was supposed to do from this point on.

There wasn’t much time to stress over it because Ren returned from the bathroom. His ever-present half grin spread as he saw me. I clutched the blanket, my breath caught in my throat. My heart pounded so fast that I wondered if I was going to have a heart attack, and God, wouldn’t that be embarrassing. I swallowed nervously and willed my heart to slow.

Turning off the lamp, shadows fell around Ren, but when he faced me, I could tell that he’d frozen. I couldn’t make out his expression as he bent, taking a hold of the covers on his side.

“Ivy?”

“Hmm?”

He slowly edged the covers back from his side and climbed in, and although I couldn’t make out his eyes, I knew he was watching me. “I’m happy that you’re here.”

My fingers eased off the blanket.

As he stretched out beside me, my eyes adjusted to the lack of light, and I could see that he was smiling. “Are you?”

“Yeah,” I whispered.

“Good. That’s all I wanted to hear.”

Wow, the warmth that flooded my chest could’ve turned me into a puddle of goo in that bed. I waited for him to make a move on me, but seconds ticked by. He seriously was behaving himself. I dared a quick peek at him, and found I could not look away.

Ren lifted his arm closest to me, and a heartbeat passed. I hesitated for a moment, and then, my heart pounding even more, I slid over until my leg brushed his. He curved his arm around my waist and drew me up against his side, guiding me down until I was nestled against his warm, bare chest. Another moment passed and then I lowered my cheek, and the simple pleasure of lying like this nearly broke me right open.

A picture of a fresh cupcak placed on a sensual female butt

Author PhotoAbout Jennifer L. Armentrout:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Novel Goodreads ** Author Goodreads

 

New Release – Dirty Secret by Emma Hart

Conner Burke never expected Sofie Callahan to come back.

Where she’s been for the last two and half years is a mystery, and so is the reason she left in the first place. Now, though, she’s back in their hometown of Shelton Bay, South Carolina, at the same time Conner’s band Dirty B is home on a tour break.

Sofie Callahan has spent the months since her father’s death avoiding anything to do with her home town. But with her brother in Afghanistan, she has no choice but to return and sort out her father’s house, even if it means facing the boy she fell in love with and revealing the reason she left.

Conner has questions, and when his broken heart and her guilty one collide, Sofie has to start answering them. Their present is rocky, their future unknown. Only one thing is certain:

Sofie’s daughter will change everything.

This is a new series by NY Times Bestselling Author Emma Hart, it just released on December 1 and sounds SO Good!

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AMAZON

iTunes

BARNES&NOBLE

BLIO

BAM

GOOGLE PLAY

EXCERPT

That kid that could be mine.

I get up and let the empty bottle drop to the floor. The woods are eerily quiet, as if it can sense my anger. As if it knows the bitterness that lingers in my veins, as if it knows the burn of not knowing anything.

Like the woods, I’m left in the dark. Completely.

Branches and twigs crunch under my feet as I increase my pace to a gentle jog. And again, to a slow run. Then to a sprint.

The need to know increases with every footstep, as evenly paced as the ticking of the clock. It doesn’t matter that I’ve probably drunk too much beer to be here or that we’ve only been back for a matter of days.

I can’t be in this shithole full of memories without knowing. I can’t move on until I know. I can’t forgive her for a single fucking thing until I know—and even then, maybe I won’t be able to.

Maybe she’s unforgivable.

Instead of knocking on the back door like I did yesterday, I round the side of the house to the front door. The front room light glows softly through the curtains, but the rest of the house is dark.

My chest heaves with the exertion of my run here and I grab the doorframe to balance myself. I’m definitely too fucking drunk for this conversation, but what the hell.

I bang on the door, once, twice, again and again and again. “Sofie! Open the fuckin’ door!”

“Shut up!” she hisses, yanking it open. “The hell’re you doing here?”

I smirk, leaning against the wall. “Shouldn’t I be askin’ you that, princess?”

“Are you drunk?” Her voice rises a little at the end, and her eyes widen.

Those eyes. Fuck, those baby blues that have always undone me.

“Drunk? No. If I was drunk I’d be sitting at home like a miserable bastard and not here facing the cause of my misery.”

“You’re being an asshole. I don’t have to listen to this.”

She pushes on the door, but I wedge my foot in front of it. I let go of the wall and grab the edge of the door.

“Actually, you do.”

She can’t overpower me, and she knows it, because she lets up and the door swings open. “Why are you here, Conner?”

“You have a kid.”

She smacks her lips together. “Yep.”

“When? When did you have her?”

Sofie takes a deep breath in and presses her hands to her stomach. They’re shaking, even as she links her fingers to hide it. I can see that fucking tremble.

She whispers something but I’m too pre-occupied by her hands to hear it.

“What?”

“August last year,” she repeats, still a whisper.

August. Last year. My stomach clenches as I meet her eyes. “When? When in fuckin’ August, Sofie?”

“August fifteenth.” Her voice hitches halfway through the ‘fifteenth.’

Almost seven months to the day she walked out on me and the rest of Shelton Bay.

Adrenaline hums through my body, and I stare at her. At the tears building in her eyes, the quiver of her lips, the bob of her throat as she swallows harshly.

It’s no different from the burn in my chest, the twisting of my stomach.

“Is she mine?”

She shudders and a tear drips from her eye.

“Sofie. Is. She. Mine?!”

By day, New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to two beautiful little monsters. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of whatever she fancies – usually wine – and writes books.Emma is working on Top Secret projects she will share with her followers and fans at every available opportunity. Naturally, all Top Secret projects involve a dashingly hot guy who likes to forget to wear a shirt, a sprinkling (or several) of hold-onto-your-panties hot scenes, and a whole lotta love.She likes to be busy – unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to be when all the ideas come to life.
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New Release – The Accidental Assassin by Nichole Chase

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BFF K’s review will be coming VERY Soon!

Ava McKenzie is a creature of habit. Life is passing her by and she has nothing to show for it. She’s had the same job since she started college, she orders the same dish every time she goes to her favorite restaurant, and only reads books from authors she knows. There is nothing new or surprising in her life… until her best friend marries a man from London. When her newlywed friend asks her to house-sit while she honeymoons, Ava jumps at the chance. She thinks this could be the very thing she needs to shake up her life. Ava throws herself head first into her new lifestyle; she wants to try everything, go everywhere, and never get stuck in a rut again. Of course, offing a man in a car garage hadn’t been one of the things on her list to try.

Owen Walker spends every day in a new place with a new case. As one of the most renowned assassins in the world, he has his choice of marks—and he’s never failed in a mission. When a new hit takes him back to his hometown, he looks forward to spending time somewhere familiar. What he isn’t expecting is to help an attractive, confused American woman find out how she’s ended up on a hit man’s list.

As Ava and Owen dodge bullets, will they be able to escape their undeniable attraction to each other? Or will all of that chemistry blow up in a shower of hot and dangerous sparks?

 Young couple in love on the bed in the moonlit night

 

Buy Links

Special price – $2.99 for release week only!

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

iBooks

Killer with gun close up over grunge background with copyspace. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About Nichole Chase

Nichole Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Suddenly Royal, Flukes, The Dark Betrayal Trilogy, and several short stories. She is also the instructor of Say What? a dialogue class at the Romance Academy.

Nichole lives in Georgia with her husband, energetic daughter, superhero dog, Sulcata tortoise, and two cats. When not writing, you may find her reading, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.

Links

Website: http://www.nicholechase.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NicholeChase

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.nicholechase

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5074162.Nichole_Chase

THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSINGoodreadshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18071293-the-accidental-assassin?from_search=true

Coming Soon – All I Want Anthology


9 fabulous bestselling authors are giving you 9 HOT novellas to brighten your December.

Snowflakes & Fire Escapes by J.M Darhower – Cody Moran and Gracie Callaghan wanted nothing more than to escape the life they’d been born into, but it’s the kind of life that doesn’t like to let go. A story of love and heartache spanning the streets of Hell’s Kitchen to far, far away, where it doesn’t snow.

Winter Kiss: Ryley and Ash by L.P. Dover – Now that his time for revenge is over, Ryley wants to make the season special for the woman he loves. Not only will you hear the sound of Christmas bells during the holiday, but maybe another type of bell followed by the pitter patter of little feet.

A Merry Mitchell Affair by Jennifer Foor – Come join the entire Mitchell clan for a very merry Christmas and a surprise wedding.

Hit or Mistletoe by HJ Harley – London and her twin brother Trent are headed home for the holidays. This year Trent has brought home his hockey teammate and friend Pratt Montgomery. Who if wasn’t for Trent, would have spent them alone. London is convinced Pratt is just another beer drinking jock, until she sees a completely different side of him when he opens up to her.

Stranded by BJ Harvey – Stranded in Chicago just two days before the holidays, Porter Daniels and Harlow Wilson have to clear the air. Can they finally stop circling each other and get what they really want for Christmas?

12 Days of Forever by Heidi McLaughlin – A Beaumont Novella – The Christmas trees are trimmed and the bells are ringing. For one lucky couple in Beaumont, Christmas has a whole new meaning.

Adam by K.A. Robinson: A Torn Series Novella – In Tamed, you heard Amber’s side of the story. Now, it’s Adam’s turn. What happened after Tamed? What was going through Adam’s mind in key scenes of Tamed? It’s time Adam had his say.

Lost in Translation by S. L. Scott – When two opposites attract in Paris, can the language of love bring them together or will they be Lost in Translation?

Fighter by Tijan – Jax Cutler is one bail jumper Dale doesn’t want to help her family catch, but he soon becomes the one she can’t let go.

ADD TO GOODREADS
This story sounds so good that I posted two teasers. I’ll be 1-clicking this on the 13th!
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That’s What She Said: Ashley Pullo Author Interview

Five Friends.

Five narratives.

One Epic Soundtrack.

The Album
Location: New York City (TriBeCa, Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill)

Setting: 1996-2013

Characters:
Chloe LeGrange – talented musician searching for a purpose
Natalie LeGrange – lovable bad girl chasing her dreams
Adam Ford – perceptive attorney longing for a surprise
Zach Parker – philosophical Marine defending love
Chris Brooks – charming Texan with perpetual bad timing

Objective:
Unexpected encounters and brushes with fate construct a web of stories about the journey of love and acceptance.

Themes:
Fate, acceptance, sex, drugs, and really good music.

Genre:
Indie/Romance/Humor/Drama

The Album is a journey following five friends over the course of two decades. Set against the timeless backdrop of New York City, their story is a classic retelling of what it means to follow your dreams, accept reality, and have a lot of fun in the process.

BFF K gave this book a 5-Rating!

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This book is a must read, instant BFF Bestie!  It is so fantastic; an epic story of interwoven characters, spanning years, a few countries, countless pop culture references, heart-break, romance, incredible love, a little angst and moments that will make your heart plummet and soar. Read the review here. When I finished, I had so many thoughts and questions. So I reached out to the author and was thrilled to find she was just a clever, kind and generous as I hoped she would be. Please read her great thoughts below! 

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Buy it today on Amazon

 

“That’s What She Said”

An Author Interview with Ashley Pullo for the BFF Book Blog

BFF K: I love the writing style for The Album. It’s so fresh and unique. Each chapter is from the POV of a different character, but…there are a few chapters from a 3rd person perspective. How did you decide which chapters to change your style? Why did you make that decision?

AP: Honestly, I was cleaning the bathroom with bleach when I realized the only way this would work is if the stories within the story each had a narrative voice. Admittedly, it was a writing challenge, but one that ended up being very rewarding. The third-person snippets are a technique I borrowed from Balzac – invite the reader into the scene and he/she will experience the journey as it unfolds.

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BFF K: Did you have all of those 90’s pop culture references in your head or did you have to research them?

AP: Yes! My random knowledge is filed nicely and color-coded in my head. Lyrics from a dozen songs, the prices from a Taco Bell menu in 1995, relevant movies, Nickelodeon, the roller rink, Contempo Casuals, and Mario Lopez.

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BFF K: Are you a current pop culture junkie too, or just a 90’s-early 2000’s specialist?

AP: I appreciate the decades in which I’m not only directly influenced by the popular culture, but also the cultural references that create a sense of nostalgia. One of the purest human emotions is memory. And the best way to make the past tangible is to have things like art, music, entertainment, fashion, and materials reflect specific moments from our lives.

Oh yeah, pop-culture today is lame. It’s more about trends and scandals – a culture of technology and fear. I’m scared that my children will never understand what it feels like to listen to a record/tape, stand in line for concert tickets, save money for purple Doc Martens, eventually get to said concert to enjoy a night of lasting memories. It’s a shame.

_______________

BFF K: The characters in The Album collect vinyl records that remind them of events, times and places. I LOVE this idea! Is this something you do or how did you come up with this idea?

AP: I wish I had a vinyl collection! The records were a random idea that aided in linking the characters together.

________________

BFF K: Are you fluent in French? The bits of the book with French were so lovely, how did those happen?

AP: Je parle français. One of the themes in The Album is the idea of perception. I wanted the characters to have distinct geographical traits, but also ignore the stereotypes often seen in movies or television. Zach only speaks French when necessary – as do I.

________________

BFF K: Maybe I missed this, but I don’t think that Chris revealed to Natalie his relationship with Zach. Is there or will there be a scene where this happens?

 AP: Wow! See next question.

________________

BFF K: I love how these characters are connected in ways they know and in ways they don’t know. What was your inspiration or thought process behind the interwoven lives and experiences of the characters?

AP: This is by far the most interesting question!

The inspiration came from a conversation my husband (then boyfriend) had about our separate trips to Italy. We discovered we were in Rome at the same time, years before we actually met. I’ve held on to that “random” idea for almost fifteen years…

And then I thought, wouldn’t it be brilliant to have the reader discover the connections. Allow the reader to decide if things were discussed “off-screen”. Let the reader act as an additional narrator!

Chris and Zach only knew each other as Ace and Frenchy. Adam never saw the girls outside the Tim Horton’s. Chloe never discovers the connection between Adam and Nat. Mr. Parker is simply a client. Pete’s sweatpants.

And trust me, there are a few more surprising connections that reappear in The Ballad. {insert winky face}

_______________

BFF K: Obviously, music is like a character in the book and I LOVE the Spotify playlists! Is music also a character in your life? Did you listen to these playlists while you were writing? Can I share the links?

AP: I’m a character writer. Part of developing a rich, fictional person is to give them a personality. All the songs chosen for the playlist and/or referenced in the novel are specific to their personality. I admit, there are some songs I don’t actually like, but this isn’t my playlist of Jams – it belongs to the five.

________________

BFF K: Obviously, music is like a character in the book and I LOVE the Spotify playlists! Is music also a character in your life? Did you listen to these playlists while you were writing?

AP: I’m a character writer. Part of developing a rich, fictional person is to give them a personality. All the songs chosen for the playlist and/or referenced in the novel are specific to their personality. I admit, there are some songs I don’t actually like, but this isn’t my playlist of Jams – it belongs to the five.

(BFF K: The Spotify playlists are below the giveaway – you have to check them out, I’m in LOVE!!!)

________________

BFF K: Are you a full-time author? What are you plans for future projects?

AP: I’m a full-time author and a part-time television junkie. I take both jobs very seriously.

Next up is my debut Young Adult novel, The Brat Pack! It’s like a genre all on its own – Urban Fantasy/Humor/Satire/Romance/Para-YA/Mosh Pit.  I can’t reveal too much, but I promise it’s true to my style of writing. Five strong characters, humor and heartache, and most definitely, pop-culture galore.

________________

BFF K: So, you were voted most witty at Garland High School. Any other prestigious recognitions we should know about?

AP: Sadly, no. Can you give me a fake award?

________________

BFF K: We award Ashley Pullo with the highest honor of:

Best First Author Interview To Ever Appear on the BFF Book Blog!

Thanks for popping our cherry…..That’s What She Said!

Giveaway

I am so taken by this book and the author that we’re giving you the opportunity to win some wonderful prizes in celebration of the book.

Thank you to Ashley Pullo for donating a SIGNED COPY of The Album to one lucky U.S. winner! And, a special shout out to Daisy Prescott, another one of my favorite authors for recommending this book and gifting me a copy. Show her some love in this Rafflecopter too. Both of these women are fantastically fun and you’ll love getting to know them and getting their newsletters!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotify Playlists for The Album

 About the Author

Let me just preface by saying, I adore her. Ashley is generous, talented and funny. Check out our next post to learn more about Ashley as she answers BFF K’s questions about The Album in our VERY FIRST Author Interview, “That’s What She Said.” (Thanks for the title, Ashley!)


The Lone Star State will always be my home, but fifteen years ago, I took the plunge and became a New Yorker. NYC is an amazing place to find inspiration in my daily surroundings–the random and the ordinary that make up reality. My writing showcases inspired ideas, as well as my love for dichotomy, authenticity and humor.

When not sitting in front of the TV devouring my favorite shows, I can be found at a soccer game with my husband and two children.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AshleyPullo
Twitter: @ashpullo
My NEW AMAZING WEBSITE http://www.ashleypullo.com
Or find me at any local Starbucks around 3 p.m.

 

Review – The Album by Ashley Pullo

Five Friends.

Five narratives.

One Epic Soundtrack.

The Album
Location: New York City (TriBeCa, Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill)

Setting: 1996-2013

Characters:
Chloe LeGrange – talented musician searching for a purpose
Natalie LeGrange – lovable bad girl chasing her dreams
Adam Ford – perceptive attorney longing for a surprise
Zach Parker – philosophical Marine defending love
Chris Brooks – charming Texan with perpetual bad timing

Objective:
Unexpected encounters and brushes with fate construct a web of stories about the journey of love and acceptance.

Themes:
Fate, acceptance, sex, drugs, and really good music.

Genre:
Indie/Romance/Humor/Drama

The Album is a journey following five friends over the course of two decades. Set against the timeless backdrop of New York City, their story is a classic retelling of what it means to follow your dreams, accept reality, and have a lot of fun in the process.

BFF K’s Review

rating_5_80

Stop what you’re doing BFFs! This book is a must read, instant BFF Bestie! I just finished this weekend and I think I’m still in a book fog. It is so fantastic; an epic story of interwoven characters, spanning years, a few countries, countless pop culture references, heart-break, romance, incredible love, a little angst and moments that will make your heart plummet and soar. All of this set to the most amazing playlists.

This is the incredible story of characters and lives that are layered together and intertwined whether the characters know it or not. It is thoughtful, heartfelt, well-written and refreshing. The Album is the kind of book that leaves you savoring passages and re-reading highlights to embrace the characters just one more time.

In thinking about my review, I tried to decide which character I liked best or which scenes or lines I should highlight to share. I came to the conclusion that I simply LOVE it all. I adore all of the characters for the way that they’re uniquely and fully developed and shared on the page. I can’t identify one that I love more than the other, but the way it all comes together is nothing short of exquisite.

Has this ever happened to you: you’ve finished a book, but all you can do is think about it? Maybe you pick it up and re-read a few lines again? And you go about your regular day thinking about the characters in a really unhealthy way, like obsessively? And you want to get over the book, but you don’t want the experience to be over? So, you go online and obsessively look up information on the book and things related – like songs and quotes and mildly stalk the author? (Like in a fun fangirl way, not showing up on her front stoop kind of stalking….) Yeah, so that might be how I feel about The Album.

When I finished, I started frantically sending texts and messages encouraging all of my friends to buy and read this book. I want every one of my friends to have the shared experience of loving this book. Consider this a personal nudge from me to you…Read this book now! The Ballad releases on December 11 and you’ll be waiting to read it too!

cd_5

angst_4

romance_5

tears_4

hero_5

heroine_5

I am so taken by this book and the author that we’re giving you the opportunity to win some wonderful prizes in celebration of the book.

Thank you to Ashley Pullo for donating a SIGNED COPY of The Album to one lucky U.S. winner! And, a special shout out to Daisy Prescott, another one of my favorite authors for recommending this book and gifting me a copy. Show her some love in this Rafflecopter too. Both of these women are fantastically fun and you’ll love getting to know them and getting their newsletters!

signoff_K_sm

Buy it today on Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Let me just preface by saying, I adore her. Ashley is generous, talented and funny. Check out our next post to learn more about Ashley as she answers BFF K’s questions about The Album in our VERY FIRST Author Interview, “That’s What She Said.” (Thanks for the title, Ashley!)


The Lone Star State will always be my home, but fifteen years ago, I took the plunge and became a New Yorker. NYC is an amazing place to find inspiration in my daily surroundings–the random and the ordinary that make up reality. My writing showcases inspired ideas, as well as my love for dichotomy, authenticity and humor.

When not sitting in front of the TV devouring my favorite shows, I can be found at a soccer game with my husband and two children.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AshleyPullo
Twitter: @ashpullo
My NEW AMAZING WEBSITE http://www.ashleypullo.com
Or find me at any local Starbucks around 3 p.m.