Review: All the Love in the World

Karina Halle has given a gift to her most avid readers. All the Love in the World is a collection of short stories that visit some of her past characters and check in on how they're doing. Readers will be reminded of so many good memories as they read through the collection.

Here's the description of the collection:

This collection of five sexy, funny, thrilling, & emotional short stories and novellas bring together some of the most beloved characters from such books and series as The Forbidden Man, The Nordic Royals, Experiment in Terror, Dirty Angels, and The McGregors into one amazing anthology.

Each holiday story is all original, never-before published, revolving around a specific holiday. So whether you're in the Christmas spirit, all loved up with Valentine's Day, want to be spooked by Halloween, or ring in the New Year, there's something for everyone.

First things first...there has been a bit of confusion that even the description hasn't cleared up for some people. This is not a Christmas collection. Halle writes about all sorts of holidays throughout the year, including summer vacation. So, if you're looking for a book full of holly jolly festive spirit, this is not the one for you!

I felt like these stories were a love letter to Halle's biggest fans and by biggest I mean those who have read every single thing she's written. I've read a lot but not nearly close to everything. There are a few of her darker and paranormal series that I know I'll never read and I've missed a few of her others here and there (she writes SO fast that it's hard to keep up with all of the new releases). I'm mentioning this because even I, someone who feels like I'm an avid fan of Halle, felt like I could only enjoy a portion of the book. I knew that going in and only read one story that featured characters I had never read before (mostly to confirm that my feelings were accurate and that series wasn't for me). All told, I feel like I only read about half the book - even though I did read 4 of the 5 main stories (there are longer stories and shorter ones at the end and only a couple of those were of interest to me). Not the end of the world but a major consideration to make before purchasing it for yourself (which you should consider if you've read a lot of Halle's work).

All that being said, I did really like being able to revisit some of the characters I've read in the past. I loved both the McGregor and Nordic Royals series so those were the two stories I was most looking forward to reading. My favourite of all the ones I read was "Arrow Through the Heart" where I got to check in with Lachlan and Kayla, and all the other McGregors. Plus, that story was set in Edinburgh and I have a major love affair with that city at the moment. Coming in at a close second was "A Nordic New Year." I really liked what Halle did with that story - had a character from each couple narrate a chapter. It allowed for a really well-rounded catch up of each character.

While Karina Halle's collection All the Love in the World allowed for readers to catch up with some of their favourite characters, I was left wanting just a little bit more from the book. The stories, as is the very nature of short stories, were short and I guess I'm just greedy in wanting more! I appreciate what she did with the collection and I had fun reading it.

*An egalley of this collection was provided by the author via Valentine PR in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The One That Got Away

I always say I love a good second chance romance. Turns out Karina Halle has made me love a good fourth chance romance, too. The One That Got Away is her latest and I adored it. It was the perfect book to sink into over a sunny, last weekend of summer. I read it so quickly, as I always do with Halle's books, and then was so sad when it was over, like always with Halle's books. 

Here's the synopsis:

Ruby Turner was never meant to be mine.
When I first met her, she was a fresh, young, American sports journalist trying to find her footing in a new life abroad. She was the one interviewing me for an article, yet I wanted to know more about her. She captivated me.
But she went home with Marco that night.
My agent.
My brother.
And I did what I could to pretend I was fine with it.
After all, I’m Luciano Ribeiro. As the captain of Real Madrid, and Portugal’s National Team, it’s my job to be cool, calm, and collected, not easily rattled.
Only what I felt for Ruby over time, shook me to my very core.
It made me do things I never imagined I would do.
It started with a stolen kiss in the middle of the night.
It led to a passionate tryst.
It created a burden of guilt that I had to carry, as Ruby came in and out of my life until she left for good, leaving her mark on me.
Now, seven years later, she’s back.
She was the one that got away.
I don’t think I’ll let her go this time.
But I might not have a choice.
Because my heart still belongs to her.
And her heart might belong to my brother.

Halle has published two other (excellent!) novels this year but neither were particularly...heart-wrenching, I suppose is the right word for it. I mean "heart-wrenching" as a good thing, of course. I love that she can write lighter romances but also ones that are able to reach into you and rip your heart out. Before lovingly putting it back together. In this case, it was put back together with the most satisfying Happily Ever After I've read in awhile. I've read lots of good ones lately, of course, but there was something about this one that made me SO happy by the time they figured out what was best for them. (We all know that's not a spoiler, right? This is a romance, after all.)

If you're looking for a little armchair traveling during the pandemic, Halle has you covered. This book takes place in Portugal and should help your wanderlust, at least a little bit. I know Halle likes to set her books where she's actually traveled so I know she knows what she's talking about. 

I have to say...the only little thing that gets to me with Halle's books is how sometimes they're sometimes a wee bit too angsty. You read how the synopsis is written, right? Sometimes the story gets like that too and it's just...a lot. It never bothers me too much but sometimes I find myself skimming the internal dialogue of the characters because they're a bit...earnest.

I liked that Luciano was an athlete but wasn't super macho or alpha. He respected Ruby's choices - so much so that they weren't able to communicate as much as they should have. Instead of voicing his feelings, he shoved them aside because he didn't think he deserved romance and the happiness that can come from that. He was a good man with a past that's damaged him and he hasn't been able to heal from it. It was so great to read as he met Ruby and realized there was someone out there in the world who could understand him.

Ruby was a delight to read. She was so lost and unsure of where she wanted to go in life, which I could totally understand. I mean, I'm now in my 30s and still feel lost sometimes so I get how a twentysomething could feel. I liked that she figured out one part of her life and went after that dream - moving to Europe and working on her sports journalism career. She was so full of life and she and Luciano together brightened her already vibrant personality. It was so lovely. Their relationship was also off-the-charts steamy which was great to read too!

The One That Got Away is a must read for anyone looking for a story to escape into. Karina Halle's novel will get deep into your soul and Ruby and Luciano will stick with you for awhile. I can't wait for what she writes next (and it's looking like it's going to be a holiday anthology!). 

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the author via Valentine PR in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Lovewrecked

When I first heard that Karina Halle was writing Lovewrecked, a novel about a couple who got shipwrecked, I thought, "Really? There's a pandemic and I'm supposed to read about a boat run aground on a deserted island?" The novel was coming out at the end of April and I was really struggling at that time. I shouldn't have doubted Halle. It turns out a sexy story set on a deserted island was exactly what I needed.

Here's the synopsis:

Daisy Lewis is experiencing a relentless string of bad luck.

Fortunately, Daisy has her sister’s destination wedding coming up. A week of sand, sea, and sun in the South Pacific as the maid-of-honor is exactly what Daisy needs to forget her upturned life and focus on the positive.

That is until Daisy meets the best man.

If you take tall, dark, and handsome, and add a dash of rugged, a pinch of brooding, and a whole lot of sexy, you’ve got Tai Wakefield. Unfortunately he’s also a major grump, total alpha, and seemingly out to antagonize Daisy at every turn.

As if being part of the wedding party with Tai wasn’t bad enough, Daisy’s bad luck soon resurfaces when she ends up on a cramped sailboat with Tai and the newlyweds.

Which then shipwrecks on a deserted island near Fiji.

Okay, so they aren’t completely alone. There’s an oddball research scientist who has been isolated for far too long, they have rundown bungalows as shelter, stores of water and canned food, plus a feral goat named Wilson.

It’s Lost…without the smoke monster.

But with rescue weeks away, Tai and Daisy realize the only way they’re going to get through this mess is to stop fighting and start working together.

And with their guards down, they get closer.

A lot closer.

Soon, Daisy realizes that the only thing worse than being stuck on a deserted island, is being stuck on a deserted island with a man she hates to love and loves to hate.

A man that can break her heart.

I think one of the things I loved most about this book (and there was a lot I loved) was the ability to do a bit of armchair traveling. I mean, I knew they were going to end up in a really terrible situation, what with the whole shipwreck thing, but I enjoyed reading as Daisy traveled to New Zealand, which is on my bucket list, for her sister's wedding. And even the scenes on the island were so vivid. I found myself sort of thinking, well, if you have to be in isolation, may as well be on a beautiful island. (Pandemics sure are weird, mentally, aren't they?) Halle pretty much only writes about places she knows and/or has traveled to at least once and has a wonderful knack for really capturing the setting. 

I really felt for Daisy...she's been dealt a pretty shitty blow with her boyfriend cheating on her and losing her job. For some reason, though, her family (particularly her sister) seems to think she just waltzes through life and is so lucky and doesn't work for anything. That perception drove me absolutely bananas. It was like her family refused to recognize who she really was and what she had worked for. Just because she and her sister were so different didn't mean either was better than the other. The sisters did work through their issues throughout the novel and Halle did such a good job of writing their relationship so I was feeling all the emotions right along with them.

Speaking of emotions. The relationship between Daisy and Tai? Hoo boy. Lots of tension and sexy times there. You get a little bit of both enemies to lovers and close proximity tropes in there and they're done in a really great way (no surprise for long time blog readers...I'm pretty much always gushing about the way Halle writes). They both had some things to work out and why not work those out together while stranded on an island and super duper attracted to one another? You could tell even through their early sniping that neither was a bad person and they were just putting up walls to protect themselves so it was so worth it by the time they decided they definitely belonged together - even if they figured it was just for the time they would be stuck on the island.

I never watched Lost but I appreciated the few little pop culture references Halle snuck into Tai and Daisy's conversations. They bonded over understanding each other when the others on the island were totally oblivious to the references.

Halle has since published another novel since Lovewrecked (she works fast!) and I definitely recommend both this one and One Hot Italian Summer (review here) for your pandemic reading. As well as a good number of her backlist. I am here and on social to help with your Halle recommendations needs!

Like almost all of Karina Halle's novels, Lovewrecked will give you all the feels and you'll enjoy ever second of it. There's angst, there's family drama, there's romance and steamy moments, and there's lighthearted banter (and a goat) to keep things from getting too heavy. Read it and enjoy!

*An eARC of this novel was provided by the author via Valentine PR in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: One Hot Italian Summer

Ready for a hot summer read? Karina Halle has you covered with her latest book, One Hot Italian Summer. This is the read we all need during a pandemic when we can't travel yet want (need?) to escape. I had a wonderful time with Grace and Claudio in sunny Italy and I think many other readers will enjoy it as well.

Here's the synopsis:

After the death of her best friend and writing partner, Grace Harper is struggling both with grief, and with her next novel, the first one she’ll have to write alone.

Fortunately, her new powerhouse agent, the formidable Jana Lee, has a solution for her. She can stay at her villa in Tuscany for a month, soak in the sunshine, relax, and find her confidence again. After all, Jana has a lot riding on Grace’s next book, and the last thing she wants is for her reputation as a “super-agent” to be tarnished.

At first the villa is a dream come true for Grace – that is until Claudio Romano shows up one day with his ten-year old son, Vanni, in tow. Turns out, this is Claudio’s house, and Claudio happens to be her agent’s ex-husband from long ago. Thanks to their annual father and son bonding trip being cancelled, Claudio and Vanni are here to stay.

So is Grace.

With the three of them sharing the same house, Grace’s writing plans are thrown out the window. But even if she’s not pounding the keyboard, she’s still finding beauty and inspiration... in none other than Claudio. He's unlike any man Grace has met before. He’s smart, charming, and wickedly sexy, plus a great father to Vanni. He’d be the perfect summer fling – if only he wasn’t completely off-limits.

But as the hot Italian summer wears on, Grace and Claudio are destined to succumb to the heat, no matter how hard they try to resist each other. One steamy encounter with Claudio could affect Grace’s chances of starting her career over.

Or he could be exactly what she needs.

This is a slow burn romance. You know (and hope) Grace and Claudio will get together but it takes almost half the book before they give into the tension between them. Sometimes slow burns drive me nuts but Halle does this one so well. I wanted the pair to finally hop into bed but the teasing and flirting and figuring out what they really want and need in life? Ooh, it was a delight to read just as much as the start of the physical relationship.

The setting of this novel was as much a part of the story as the characters, I thought. Italy was a fresh start for Grace, who was finding Edinburgh hard to deal with after the death of her best friend and writing partner. I've never been to Italy but I know Halle has so I really trusted the picture she was painting...with her words (that's weird to write but you know what I mean, right?). Perhaps it helped that it was incredibly hot in my part of Canada as I was reading this but I felt like I was right there at Villa Rosa with Grace, Claudio, and Vanni. In fact, Halle's powers of persuasion were so great that I decided to pour a glass of wine (or three) instead of cracking open the beer I had fully planned on having. It just seemed wrong to enjoy a craft brew when Grace was drinking a cold glass of white wine.

Grace had a lot of issues she needed to work out before she could give into Claudio (which helped with the slow burn...I knew it would be so much better for the waiting). She was still dealing with an immense amount of grief and hadn't really been able (or willing) to release it. Not only that, but she was feeling a bit like a fraud when it came to her writing. Her confidence was pretty much non-existent, which Claudio helps with. She does accuse him of trying to "fix" her but I thought he responded well and rationally. She was in a spiral and couldn't see that he wasn't controlling her or making her into something she wasn't (not the kind of dudes Halle writes). He could see what was inside her and was helping that part of herself emerge - just like he would with his sculptures.

Like almost all of Halle's novels, there's a balance of sweet and (very) sexy as well as light and dark. There's humour but there's also a lot of heavy topics - death of a loved one and feelings of abandonment being the two most prevalent. I love how Halle is able to write so many of these scenes and feelings so well and it's part of why I keep reading her new titles.

One Hot Italian Summer is a must-read for anyone who likes books with a romance. I'd also recommend Karina Halle's latest novel to anyone who just likes a really good story. There's a depth to this novel I know many people won't expect and I encourage you all to give it a try. The time you "spend" in Italy will be thoroughly enjoyed. 

About Karina

Karina Halle is a former travel writer, music journalist & screenwriter, and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today Bestselling author of over 55 bestselling novels, ranging from horror and suspense to contemporary romance. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband, and her adopted pitbull Bruce, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.

Halle is represented by the Root Literary Agency and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster, Hachette & Montlake. Her work has been translated and published in 20 languages. 

Hit her up on Instagram at @authorHalle, on Twitter at @MetalBlonde and on Facebook. You can also visit www.authorkarinahalle.com and sign up for the newsletter for news, excerpts, previews, private book signing sales and more.

Connect with Karina

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*An egalley of this novel was provided by the author via Valentine PR in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Disarm

Happy release day to Disarm by Karina Halle! This is the second book in the Dumont series (the first was Discretion, which I reviewed here back in August). Halle is one of my favourite authors as she writes such great romances that are real, raw, and pretty addicting to read. I enjoyed Discretion and the story she set up but something about this particular novel that just didn't thrill me. And I'm so upset about that.

Here's the synopsis:

Seraphine Dumont seems to have it all: she’s gorgeous, brilliant, and part of one of France’s most illustrious dynasties. But underneath the facade, Seraphine struggles to hold it all together. Besides grieving her adoptive father’s suspicious and sudden death, she also shares a tenuous role in the family business with Blaise, her in-name-only cousin. As tumultuous as their history is, he may be the only member of the deceptive Dumont family she can trust.
Seraphine is a temptation Blaise can’t resist. The torch he’s carried for years still burns. It’s his secret—a quiet obsession just out of reach. Until his brother demands that he spy on the increasingly cagey Seraphine, whom their father considers a dispensable Dumont outlier. But the more Blaise watches her and the closer he gets, the more he sees Seraphine may have every right to be suspicious. And she could be the next one in danger—from his own family.
As blood runs hot and hearts give in, Seraphine and Blaise have only each other. But can their love survive the secrets they’re about to uncover?

I never like it when I don't like a book (does anyone?) and it's especially frustrating when I can't pinpoint why and it's by an author who I normally adore. This leads me to believe it's a weirdly personal reason that it didn't mesh with me which also makes it a really hard review to write. Most of the time I know why I don't like something or why a particular element throws me off and I've been at this long enough to not let it colour my review. This time? I don't want to keep you from reading the book but I also want to give my opinion. That's why I'm here in my little corner of the internet, after all.

I can say it wasn't the "forbidden" romance aspect of the novel that bothered me (as I anticipate it bothering other people but maybe I'm wrong). Seraphine and Blaise are cousins but not by blood and Seraphine didn't come into their family until she was nine or so (all the boys - Blaise, Olivier - who is featured in Discretion, and Pascal, Blaise's older brother and the focus of the third book - are all older than her). There was an attraction in Discretion that I picked up on and it continues into the second book. Some people might be put off by it but I rolled with it. So, no, that was not the issue.

It could have been the way it was written. The novel goes back and forth in time and also between points of view. We get Seraphine's and Blaise's perspectives in both past and present. It was a lot of back and forth and I found it a bit jarring. And while the jaunts into the past shed some light on a few things - like how Seraphine came to be adopted by the Dumonts' and one particular summer when they were in their late teens - I'm not sure they really added a whole lot.

Even though I wasn't totally head-over-heels in love with Disarm I still feel the need to finish the series because I want need to know what's going to happen with the family problems that have been the thread that ties the series together. I think I might be in the minority with my weird feelings on Karina Halle's latest so if you're intrigued by the storyline, check it out!

*A copy of this novel was provided by the Canadian distributors, Thomas Allen & Son, and an e-galley by Montlake Romance, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Discretion

It is a happy, happy day in my world when Karina Halle has a new book out. Discretion is her latest and, unlike the majority of her books, has been traditionally published. I wasn't exactly thinking about how the book might be different than her self-published titles but I realized after devouring finishing it that it was true Halle, through and through and I am so thankful the publisher didn't mess with her signature steamy angst that I've come to love.

Here's the synopsis:

From New York Times bestselling author Karina Halle comes a delicious saga of wealth, luxury, and scandal—and the wicked secrets of success behind an envied family dynasty.
The Riviera means indulgence—if you’ve got money. For Sadie Reynolds, a down-on-her-luck student, the Riviera means dingy hostels and back streets. When a wrong turn puts her in jeopardy, the last thing she expects is to be saved by the most handsome stranger she’s ever locked eyes with. When she later wakes up in a luxury suite with a Mediterranean view, she’s in the tender care of her rescuer: Olivier Dumont, France’s most eligible bachelor, billionaire hotelier, and heir to the Dumont fashion fortune.
Olivier also owns his reputation for scandal. But Sadie is unlike any woman he’s ever met. Her humble persona and wild innocence promise real passion. He’s promising Sadie something too: anything she wants. From Bordeaux to Cannes to Paris, Sadie’s past in America is swept away and replaced with a fantasy too good to be true.
Pulled into Olivier’s orbit of wealth, glamour, and excess, Sadie discovers that the Dumont dynasty comes with a legacy of wicked secrets. And Olivier’s secrets may be the most damning of all…

On the one hand, I am PUMPED that Discretion has kicked off a new series from Halle. I loved it and want more. Lots more. I was not ready to say goodbye to this family and all of the secrets that are still hidden. On the other hand...now I have to wait to find out what happens next! And there are so many secrets that still needs to be unravelled. Luckily, we only have to wait until November for the second book, Disarm. It will feature Olivier's adopted sister and their cousin.

So, obviously, if I'm that psyched about a sequel, I clearly adored this book. Halle delivered her usual angsty romance in a BIG way and I was completely committed to Olivier and Sadie's relationship. I liked that, while they were immediately attracted to one another, they took it slow and really found respect for one another before jumping into bed together. Both Olivier and Sadie were, in a way, running from something - Olivier from a deal he signed with his uncle a decade prior (and I have THOUGHTS on that deal but can't spoil it) and Sadie from a recently broken heart and her reality back in Seattle - and they were so wary of the feelings they were having for each other. And those feelings? Hoo boy, they were smokin' hot. 

Even though there are a lot of "rich boy, poor girl" stories out there, Halle's take on the trope felt original. Olivier's wealth is so outrageous that it almost didn't seem real. It was sort of like a fairy tale. He also, thankfully, wasn't the kind of guy who felt the need to show off his money in ridiculous ways. He was as secure as a thirty year old guy can be as he's facing down a ticking time bomb of a deal with an evil family member. He also recognized that Sadie was fiercely independent and spoiled her in a way that respected her as a person and made her feel comfortable. She fought it a bit and never once took advantage of his wealth either. But, hey, who would want to turn down elegant dresses or luxurious hotel rooms, complete with room service?

And those evil family members? Oh my word, I don't trust them at all. They's so terrible and vindictive and Halle writes them so well. I can actually say that I hate them - that's how powerful Halle's characters are.

There's so much more that could be said about Discretion but I fear I'll get even closer to rambling territory if I go on much further. Basically all you need to know is that I loved Karina Halle's new book and think that she's hit on a series that will be just as addictive to other readers as it was for me. 

*A copy of this novel was provided by the author via Social Butterfly PR and by the Canadian distributor, Thomas Allen & Son, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: My Life in Shambles

Karina Halle is one of the best at writing heart-wrenching, sexy, enthralling stories. Her latest, My Life in Shambles, is no exception. I devoured it in a day because I couldn't put it down.

Here's the synopsis:

When Valerie Stephens made the resolution to say yes to new adventures, she never thought she’d end up in the tiny town of Shambles, fake engaged to one of Ireland’s top rugby players. But there’s a first time for everything.
They say bad things happen in threes.
After my boyfriend broke off our engagement, and I lost my apartment, and was laid off from my job, I can more than attest to that.
They also say life happens when you say yes to new adventures.
So when my two sisters invited me to ring in the new year in Ireland, I decided to throw all caution to the wind and go for it. I was going to let “saying yes” be my new resolution.
Little did I know I’d spend New Year’s Eve having a hot and dirty one-night stand with Padraig McCarthy, one hell of a sexy Irishman. I also didn’t know that the brooding and intense sex god was one of Ireland’s top rugby players.
A rugby player with a proposition for me:
Come with him to his tiny hometown of Shambles and pretend to be his fiancée for a few days, just so that his ailing father can have some peace of mind.
It sounded simple enough.
It was anything but.
Not when a town gets up in your business, not when the media hunts you down, not when your past comes back in the picture, not when there are real hearts and feelings at stake.
Not when there are secrets that could break you.
They say life is what happens when you say yes to new adventures.
This is my life in Shambles.

Halle's contemporary novels all have a similar feel - lots of intense emotions, interesting characters, great settings - but none of them are ever close to feeling the same. I don't know how she does it because she writes a lot of books and you'd think they'd start to get repetitive. Not with Halle. That's one of the things I love about her books - they may have a trope you've read time and time again but she always manages to twist things just enough to keep the story feeling fresh.

This book is really heavy. There are illnesses (yes, plural) and childhood traumas (also plural) and the emotions that come from falling head over heels in love with someone after only a few short weeks. One of the things I liked about this book was jow it challenges our typical view of a Happily Ever After. I had to check myself a few times because of the...prejudice, I guess, I (and tons of other people) have. It's uncomfortable, to be sure, but I'm happy Halle and her novel challenged my views. (OK, I know that's super vague but I can't give anything away!)

The characters were so multi-layered, just like real people, and the reader can't help but fall in love with Padraig and Val as their feelings for each other grew. Val seemed older than her mid-twenties age but I imagine that has a lot to do with the issues she dealt with growing up. Padraig has just as many issues stemming from his childhood and teen years that shaped him. They were both able to face those traumas and have some healing and closure by the end of the book. An aside: I wanted to throttle Val's mother. I could not believe some of the cruel things she was saying to her own daughter and how misguided she was. She thought she was saying it out of love but she was so out of touch with her daughter's feelings that she couldn't see how much pain she was causing. So frustrating!

Like all of Halle's books, this one is super swoony. You'll get so caught up in the love and lust that is practically leaping off the pages. So good.

All in all, My Life in Shambles is another winner from Karina Halle. It's a must if you love real stories that have all the highs and lows life has to offer.

Buy a Copy
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Meet Karina
Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.
Halle is represented by the Root Literary and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

Connect with Karina
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*An eARC of this novel was provided by the author via Social Butterfly PR, in exchange for a review for the purposes of a blog tour. All opinions are honest and my own.*

New Release: My Life in Shambles

Karina Halle is one of my favourite contemporary writers and it's been awhile since she's blessed us with a new book but this week My Life in Shambles was released. I'll have my full review next week but know this: I read it in one day!

Here's the synopsis:

When Valerie Stephens made the resolution to say yes to new adventures, she never thought she’d end up in the tiny town of Shambles, fake engaged to one of Ireland’s top rugby players. But there’s a first time for everything.
They say bad things happen in threes.
After my boyfriend broke off our engagement, and I lost my apartment, and was laid off from my job, I can more than attest to that.
They also say life happens when you say yes to new adventures.
So when my two sisters invited me to ring in the new year in Ireland, I decided to throw all caution to the wind and go for it. I was going to let “saying yes” be my new resolution.
Little did I know I’d spend New Year’s Eve having a hot and dirty one-night stand with Padraig McCarthy, one hell of a sexy Irishman. I also didn’t know that the brooding and intense sex god was one of Ireland’s top rugby players.
A rugby player with a proposition for me:
Come with him to his tiny hometown of Shambles and pretend to be his fiancé for a few days, just so that his ailing father can have some peace of mind.
It sounded simple enough.
It was anything but.
Not when a town gets up in your business, not when the media hunts you down, not when your past comes back in the picture, not when there are real hearts and feelings at stake.
Not when there are secrets that could break you.
They say life is what happens when you say yes to new adventures.
This is my life in Shambles.

Sounds intense, right? But that's typical for Halle's books and part of why I, and so many others, love them. Plus the fact that it's set in Ireland is just a fun bonus!

Amazon US * Amazon Worldwide * Amazon Canada
Download your copy today or read FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

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Meet Karina
Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.
Halle is represented by the Root Literary and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

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Review: A Nordic King

I feel like royal stories are becoming a dime or dozen these days (thanks, Harry and Meghan) but when they're as well told and as engrossing as Karina Halle's are, I don't mind one bit. A Nordic King is Halle's latest book in a sort-of-but-not-really-at-all series she's been writing about Scandinavian princes and kings. The new book (just published today) is all about King Aksel, who we met briefly in her two previous books, The Swedish Prince (review here) and The Wild Heir (review here). The books have been getting better and better (to me, personally) and this last one totally swept me off my feet.

Here's the synopsis:

When I first applied for the job I thought it would be like all the others: working as a nanny for an aristocratic family.
Then I got the job and found out how wrong I was.
Now I’m the new nanny for two adorable little girls who happen to be princesses.
Their father is the widowed King of Denmark.
And my new home? The royal palace in Copenhagen.
Adjusting to my new life isn't easy but the hardest part hasn’t been the girls who still grieve over the loss of their mother.
It’s their father.
Cold, mysterious and moody, with an icy stare that seems to penetrate your soul, King Aksel may have hired me to take care of his daughters but he wants as little to do with me as possible.
Yet the longer I share these palace walls with this man, the more that I’m drawn to him. His chiseled face and sexual swagger are only part of the package. It’s in the long, intense glances at the dinner table, the way we’ll brush up against each other in the halls, the rare glimpses of the man deep inside, like the sun passing through clouds.
But no matter how I feel about him, we can never be together.
You think it's bad enough being in love with your boss?
Try falling in love with a king.

I hadn't realized I have a problem with romances involving a couple with one person in a position of power over the other. That is, until I read a really, really good one. Obviously King Aksel has all of the power in this novel. Not just over Aurora but over the whole of Denmark. But he doesn't use that power for evil (sorry, lapsing into fairy tale speak here). Sure, he and Aurora joke about it in the bedroom but they're doing so in a safe space. Plus, Halle makes it extremely clear that Aurora wouldn't put up with any of that nonsense - and Aksel knows that. A strong heroine makes all the difference (plus having a man who's, you know, not an asshole. Though she does call him King Asshole on occasion!).

On a personal note, I loved that Aurora was Australian. I've been to that marvelous country twice (her hometown, Windorah, is just a mere 14 hour drive from where I stayed) and I love when contemporary stories feature Aussie characters.

As I mentioned, this is the third book in Halle's royal sort-of series. You can read any of these books in any order. Trust me! Aksel only flits through the first two and readers of those books likely got the same first impression Aurora did - that Aksel was unhappy, cold, stand-offish, grieving. But unlike Viktor and Magnus, the princes featured in the other books, Aurora actually tries to figure out what makes Aksel tick and she truly wants to help the family, Aksel and his two adorable daughters, heal after their loss. (To be fair to the princes, they had their own issues to deal with that didn't involve figuring out what was happening with the king in a neighbouring country.) Even though this isn't a series, you'll probably still want to read the other two for a great dose of royals and romance.

Halle's books are always super emotional and will always deliver a few gut punches and heartbreaks. But there's always a Happily Ever After waiting at the end and it's never cheesy. Her books are real (even with the whole "falling in love with a royal" thing) and that means there are highs (lots of laughs and sexy times) and lows (lies and sorrow). She strikes such a good balance and I know when I dive into her books I'll be feeling all the feels. I can't think of another author who does that so well.

I experienced a major book hangover when I finished Karina Halle's A Nordic King. The story - and  characters - burrowed right into my heart and soul and I fell in love with it. I can't wait for everyone else to read it too. It's one to pick up (immediately!) if you love love and really well told stories.

Download A Nordic King today! 

FREE in Kindle Unlimited * Amazon US * Amazon UK * Amazon CA * Add to Goodreads

Meet Karina
Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.
Halle is represented by the Root Literary and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

Connect with Karina
Facebook * Amazon * Instagram * Website * Join her Reader Group
Stay up to date with Karina by signing up for her newsletter here

*An eARC was provided by the author via Social Butterfly PR in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Wild Heir

About two months ago I read Karina Halle's The Swedish Prince (you can read my review here in case you missed it). It was a lovely addition to royal fiction and I enjoyed it. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the book she was planning next, The Wild Heir, which was going to feature Magnus, the Prince of Norway (not the real prince...all her royals are fictional). Don't tell Prince Viktor but...I loved Magnus and his story so much more. It was really enjoyable - and timely since Royal Wedding coverage was everywhere as I was reading it.

Here's the synopsis:

At first glance I probably seem like any good-looking guy in their late twenties. I have an obscene amount of confidence, a tattooed body sculpted by the Nordic gods, and I love the ladies as much as they love me.

If I’m not BASE jumping or car racing, I’m chasing other devious thrills with the woman of the week. And that’s fine if you’re the average single guy.

But I'm not the average single guy.

I’m Crown Prince Magnus of Norway and my latest scandal just landed my entire royal family in hot water.

Now the only way the monarchy can save face is for me to smarten up – publicly. If I don’t, I’ll no longer be heir apparent to the throne. So it’s either I abdicate my future role as King or… I get married.

To a blue-blooded stranger.

Enter Princess Isabella of the tiny country of Liechtenstein.

Quiet, intelligent, and uniquely beautiful, Ella doesn’t like this arrangement any more than I do and she’s not afraid to show it. She says I’m a womanizer, that I don’t take anything seriously, that my ego should be taken down a few pegs, and I think she aims to make me miserable for the rest of my life.

But even as our arranged marriage becomes a war of wit and words, I’m determined to break through Ella’s prim and proper façade to find the wild, sexual and risk-taking woman underneath. I want to uncover the Queen inside her.

The only question is – will she let me?

Like many of Halle's books (actually, I think it might be all of them but can't say for certain), the story is told from two perspectives. In the case of The Wild Heir, readers hear from both Magnus and Ella. I like having both main characters represented because the story always feels so much more in depth and richer for it. I also like that it doesn't always alternate evenly. A chapter may end with Ella but instead of automatically switching back to Magnus, Halle might stay with Ella because her thoughts and part of that story isn't finished yet. Halle knows how to tell her characters' stories so well which is one of the reasons I love her books.

Halle is always very clear that her books are standalones even if they play off each other. I'm a pretty big series purist so I always recommend reading all the previous books before because then you won't be spoiled or missing out on any particular storylines. But this one? Totally can stand on its own. Viktor shows up for one fun weekend plot point but Maggie is really only mentioned in passing. So, if you want a royal marriage, pick this one up, dive in, and don't worry about feeling left out. 

I had an idea of Magnus in my head after reading The Swedish Prince and it was not unlike what Ella thought of Magnus before she got to know him. It was a lesson to both of us (and I'm sure many other readers as well) that you should never assume you know what someone is really like, especially when they're in the public eye. I know Ella was happy with the man she got to know over the course of the novel and I was too. Magnus also really grew as a man which was really great to see and I liked that Halle didn't make it too obvious. She never veered away from his true character. I would really like to read another book about Ella and Magnus in part because I'd like to see how Ella grew and evolved after their marriage. And I just really want to read more about them!

The slow burn of their relationship was perfection. The whole arranged marriage thing could have been done so badly but Halle did it well. I loved reading as Ella and Magnus slowly (oh so slowly) got to know each other. Ella seemed like a skittish colt but she was a strong woman who wasn't about to get pushed around by some brutish prince. 

The Wild Heir was a delight to read - it was funny, deep, and sexy - three things I always look for in my romances. I'm fairly certain you're going to fall in love with Magnus and Ella once you read their story. So what are you waiting for? Get your own copy and discover Norwegian royalty for yourself!

*An eARC of this novel was provided by Social Butterfly PR in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

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Meet Karina

Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.

Halle is represented by the Root Literary and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

Connect with Karina

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* Sign up for her newsletter * Visit her website *

Blog Tour: The Swedish Prince

I love Karina Halle and all of her contemporary stories. But here’s the thing. I could not find myself loving The Swedish Prince. It was good, don’t get me wrong. I rated it 3 stars on Goodreads because I simply expected more from Halle. Maybe some people might find that unfair but sometimes even your favourite authors won't hit the highest note for you. All that aside, if you’re a romance lover and/or a royal lover, this is definitely a book you’ll like.

Here's the synopsis:

I never believed in fairy-tales.

Never held out for Prince Charming.

Growing up poor in small-town California as the oldest of six siblings, I knew I would never ride off into the sunset with anyone. That was even more apparent when a senseless tragedy took the lives of my parents, forcing me to become the sole guardian of our dysfunctional household at the mere age of twenty-three.

Then a fateful encounter literally brought Prince Charming to my dusty doorstep.

At first I thought Viktor was just your average businessman passing through, albeit obscenely handsome, six-foot-five, blue-eyed, and mysteriously rich.

But soon I discovered the truth behind Viktor’s façade.

Beneath his quiet, enigmatic gaze and cocky charm, is a man who is running away from who he really is. A role he’d rather not fulfill.

He is Viktor of House Nordin, His Royal Highness, The Crown Prince of Sweden.

Yet uncovering Viktor’s secret was only the first step.

I didn’t expect to fall in love with him.

I didn’t expect to have my whole life turned upside down.

When you’re from two different worlds, can your hearts meet somewhere in the middle?

Or do happily-ever-afters only exist in fairy-tales?

The Swedish Prince is a standalone romance inspired by Roman Holiday.

There were times when I think I found this book too angsty. You see how the synopsis is all chopped up in quick sentences that are sort of meant to hit you right in the feels? I love a good angsty story as much as the next girl but this one sometimes delved too much into the characters’ feelings and it was choppy sometimes just like the synopsis. It's a really hard thing to explain but something didn't flow for me in this regard.

I also think the light-hearted nature of the royal-meets-commoner story didn’t quite jive with some of the really serious tones of the rest of the story. I don’t know why it didn’t work for me because Halle usually does that balance so very well.

Like I said, this was still a good book. The story was engaging and I kept turning the pages. I liked Viktor and Maggie – but didn’t love them. Maybe I didn’t really connect with them. They were lovely but I really didn't have much of a connection which is something I expect with Halle's books.

I’ll also admit I may not have been in the best place when starting this book. The ARC came in late and really close to the pub date, I wasn't really sure how it was going to relate to Roman Holiday, and I was leaving one job and starting a new one. Hello, lots going on. I really don’t think that had much of an impact on my feeling on the actual story and I've been doing the reviewing thing for a long time so I'm usually pretty good at realizing what could affect my reading. There is a teeny chance it affected me more than I thought so I decided it was worth a mention.

It totally sucks when a book doesn't meet your high expectations but that happens. I still think The Swedish Prince was a good story. It just wasn't a great one. It won't deter me from picking up Karina Halle's next contemporary read though and it shouldn't deter you from buying The Swedish Prince if you're at all interested.

*An eARC was provided by Social Butterfly PR in exchange for a review for the blog tour. All opinions are honest and my own.*

New Release: The Swedish Prince

The day is finally here! The Swedish Prince, an all-new emotional standalone by Karina Halle is now published! It's been a hell of a time getting it here with ARCs coming in late, as well as promo pieces, and some asshat who decided it'd be cool to upload part of the copy they were beta-reading to iBooks. Not to mention trying to get this post formatted and the book read while starting a new job this week! Phew! I always love having a new Karina Halle book to read but you'll have to check back next week to see what I thought of The Swedish Prince. For now, here's all the info you need to know about this brand new book.

I never believed in fairy-tales.
Never held out for Prince Charming.
Growing up poor in small-town California as the oldest of six siblings, I knew I would never ride off into the sunset with anyone. That was even more apparent when a senseless tragedy took the lives of my parents, forcing me to become the sole guardian of our dysfunctional household at the mere age of twenty-three.
Then a fateful encounter literally brought Prince Charming to my dusty doorstep.
At first I thought Viktor was just your average businessman passing through, albeit obscenely handsome, six-foot-five, blue-eyed, and mysteriously rich.
But soon I discovered the truth behind Viktor’s façade.
Beneath his quiet, enigmatic gaze and cocky charm, is a man who is running away from who he really is. A role he’d rather not fulfill.
He is Viktor of House Nordin, His Royal Highness, The Crown Prince of Sweden.
Yet uncovering Viktor’s secret was only the first step.
I didn’t expect to fall in love with him.
I didn’t expect to have my whole life turned upside down.
When you’re from two different worlds, can your hearts meet somewhere in the middle?
Or do happily-ever-afters only exist in fairy-tales?
The Swedish Prince is a standalone romance inspired by Roman Holiday.

Here's where you can find The Swedish Prince (and, psst, it's free with Kindle Unlimited.)

 

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon Universal

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About Karina Halle

Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books. Halle is represented by the Root Literary and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

Teaser: The Swedish Prince

It's that time again...when I flail about having a new Karina Halle novel to read! I'm so excited to get my copy of The Swedish Prince - which will be out next week. In the meantime, please enjoy today's teaser post!

I never believed in fairy-tales.

Never held out for Prince Charming.

Growing up poor in small-town California as the oldest of six siblings, I knew I would never ride off into the sunset with anyone. That was even more apparent when a senseless tragedy took the lives of my parents, forcing me to become the sole guardian of our dysfunctional household at the mere age of twenty-three.

Then a fateful encounter literally brought Prince Charming to my dusty doorstep.
At first I thought Viktor was just your average businessman passing through, albeit obscenely handsome, six-foot-five, blue-eyed, and mysteriously rich.

But soon I discovered the truth behind Viktor’s façade.

Beneath his quiet, enigmatic gaze and cocky charm, is a man who is running away from who he really is. A role he’d rather not fulfill.

He is Viktor of House Nordin, His Royal Highness, The Crown Prince of Sweden.

Yet uncovering Viktor’s secret was only the first step.

I didn’t expect to fall in love with him.

I didn’t expect to have my whole life turned upside down.

When you’re from two different worlds, can your hearts meet somewhere in the middle?

Or do happily-ever-afters only exist in fairy-tales?

The Swedish Prince is a standalone romance inspired by Roman Holiday.

Be on the look out on iBooks and Nook for Pre-Order to go live on March 20th.

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2FU5oBC

Blog Tour: Hot Shot

Thank goodness Karina Halle writes - and publishes - quickly because I don't know how much longer I could have waited for Hot Shot! It's the third book in the North Ridge series and we finally (finally!) get to see Fox and Delilah get together. I couldn't wait to dive back in to the world of the Nelson brothers and, once I did, I didn't want to leave.

Here's the synopsis:

Delilah Gordon has a secret.
She’s been in love with her best friend and the boy next door, Fox Nelson, since she was six years old.
And while most of her friends and family know about her unrequited crush, the one person who remains oblivious is Fox himself. To Delilah, it’s better this way. She’d rather pretend that they’re just friends, even though her feelings for the moody rugged mountain man are anything but tame.
Fox Nelson has a secret too.
As a wildland firefighter or “hot shot,” Fox parachutes into danger every day he’s on the job, risking all to fight wildfires that threaten ranches, forests and thousands of lives. But while Fox’s job is only for the brave, inside he feels anything but. The more he grapples with his raging demons, the more he realizes Delilah is the only one who can put out the flames.
As the two friends grow closer – and more intimate – than ever before, the more complicated their relationship becomes.
And Delilah has one more secret to reveal.
A secret that will change both their lives…forever.

I mentioned that this book is part of a series but I always want to note that Halle's series don't require you to read all the stories in order. That being said, I'm a series purist and always need to start from the beginning. This way you're not being spoiled by any little details. The big details - who ends up with who - are pretty easy to figure out so skipping a book isn't really going to be the end of the world. 

Wild Card (which I reviewed here) was really dark and heavy. Maverick was more lighthearted (and a tad steamier!). Hot Shot was somewhere in between. No one way is better than the others and I think it highlights how well Halle can write both light and dark. 

I don't know if it was just the mental headspace I'm in right now (see my post earlier this week about my favourite 2017 reads to get an idea) or what, but the emotional punch Halle almost always delivers in her books was particularly hard this time around. I always get so incredibly invested in her characters that my emotions are soaring and diving right alongside theirs. It's intense for an empathetic reader like myself. It's great because it shows how freaking amazing Halle is at writing these stories but it's also hard because some of the emotions are so hard to deal with.

Even though I knew Fox and Delilah were probably going to finally get together in the end, it was agonizing (in a weirdly good way) for me to read as they slowly realized that what they assumed the other was feeling might not actually be the case. They had buried their feelings for so long that it was hard to face them. Fox, in particular. His were so far buried that he almost seemed shocked when he realized he might want Delilah as more than just a friend. (Jeez, boys are dumb sometimes!) 

But, Fox had a lot of issues to work out before he was ready to commit to Delilah. And I am so glad that she knew what she deserved even if it was breaking her heart. It made the ending so much sweeter.

One final note - I absolutely loved the squirrel in this story. He wasn't a major plot point but he provided lighthearted moments (I literally laughed out loud when a chapter opened with Delilah's mom telling her that her squirrel was trying to drink her coffee) as well as deeper moments when Delilah realized some parallels (can't get too spoilery here!). It sounds a bit weird, I know, but I just loved that little guy.

I think I might be in denial that the series is over but Karina Halle gave us readers the most delightful epilogue so we know what all the Nelsons are up to and where their lives are heading next. Hot Shot, just like the rest of the North Ridge novels, was an absolute delight to read (even when it was ripping my heart out) and I highly suggest everyone pick up this series!

*An eARC of this novel was provided by the author and Social Butterfly PR in exchange for a review for the purpose of a blog tour. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Find (and buy!) Hot Shot
Amazon US * Amazon UK * Amazon CA * iBooks * Nook * Kobo
Add to Goodreads

Meet Karina
Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.
Halle is represented by the Root Literary and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

Connect with Karina
Facebook * Amazon * Instagram

Join her Reader Group
Sign up for her newsletter 
Visit her website

Review: Bad at Love

I've been reading Karina Halle for a long while now and I'm thrilled that she's been writing more contemporary romances lately. She is one of the best at writing romances that are realistic, heartwrenching, sweet, sexy, and funny. It sounds like a tall order but she does it well! Bad at Love had all of those elements and was a really enjoyable read.

Here's the synopsis:

She's bad at love, but he's even worse...
Marina is hot, blonde, and wickedly smart, but when it comes to men? She's hopeless. Between her quirks and her lack of filter, there isn't a man in Los Angeles that will stick around after the third date.
Her handsome, charming friend Lazarus has the opposite problem. Everyone wants to be his girlfriend, but he gets bored and moves on quickly.
There's only one way to figure out why neither of them has cracked this love thing-- they'll date each other. On paper, it's the perfect experiment. But in reality, things between Marina and Laz get complicated quickly.
They might be bad at love, but they are even worse at being friends.

The main characters in Bad at Love were really interesting. Their career paths were ones that I definitely hadn't read about before. Marina is a beekeeper and Laz fronts a Depeche Mode cover band and is an Instagram famous poet. They're both still working hard to make it in their respective careers which I could identify with as I'm about the same age they are.

Even though I knew why Marina and Laz were bad at love and what was going to happen by the end of the book, I was still completely drawn into their story. The people who say romances are boring or terrible because they're so predictable obviously haven't been reading the right romances. Halle writes the right kind of romances. They're sweet but steamy. They're dark but light. Some have more elements of one than the other but they're always balanced perfectly. It's one of the reasons I keep coming back to Halle's books again and again and again.

In fact, dark and light played a big part in this story. Marina is all light and sunshine and honey whereas Laz is dark and brooding and a bit mysterious (I think it's the poet/musician persona). At one point someone (it might have been Marina's best friend Naomi...maybe?) mentions how Marina and Laz really balance each other because neither is fully dark or light. Marina has her shadows and Laz can be a goofball too. It was so perfect and really shows how right the two of them are for each other.

There's more to the story than just Marina and Laz finally figuring out how they feel about each other. They each have issues and, because they're such good friends (which, by the way, I'm really glad they were friends for so long before they started "dating"), both Marina and Laz aware of the other's issues. However, they're each still holding back and part of their relationship building is fully letting down those walls and allowing the other to fully see who they are and help the other to move past their...demons, shall we say. It was really interesting (and a bit heartbreaking) to read but I was rooting for the two of them the whole way.

Bad at Love was another wonderful read from Karina Halle. I was really glad I got the chance to read it and get to know Marina and Laz (even though my heart was being broken in some parts). Definitely get your hands on this one if you like romances that have a little bit of everything and are well-written!

Meet Karina 
Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.
Halle is represented by the Root Literary and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

Connect with Karina
Facebook * Amazon * Instagram * Join her Reader Group * Website 

Stay up to date with Karina by signing up for her newsletter here

*An eARC of this novel was provided by the author in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Cover Reveal: Bad at Love

I'm so excited to share the cover of another Karina Halle novel! Her covers are usually so freaking gorgeous that it's fun to be involved in the official reveal. Bad At Love is coming at you in just under three weeks - it publishes on November 16. Because my life has been just a tad insane lately, I actually missed the initial announcement about this novel. But now that I've caught up? Cannot. Wait. 

Here's what Halle's new contemporary standalone novel is all about:

She's bad at love, but he's even worse... Marina is hot, blonde, and wickedly smart, but when it comes to men? She's hopeless. Between her quirks and her lack of filter, there isn't a man in Los Angeles that will stick around after the third date. Her handsome, charming friend Lazarus has the opposite problem. Everyone wants to be his girlfriend, but he gets bored and moves on quickly.
 There's only one way to figure out why neither of them has cracked this love thing-- they'll date each other. On paper, it's the perfect experiment. But in reality, things between Marina and Laz get complicated quickly. They might be bad at love, but they are even worse at being friends.

It sounds like such a Halle book - funny, steamy, and full of heart. 

Now...are you ready for the cover? It's yet another one designed by Hang Le which should tell you that it's going to be beautiful and perfectly capture Halle's story.

Drum roll please....

Gah. I absolutely love it. This is definitely a book I want to take on vacation next month because I feel like I'm on vacay just looking at it.

What do you think? Do you think you'll buy this one? At the very least, you should add it to your Goodreads shelf!

Meet Karina 

Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Love, in English, The Artists Trilogy, Dirty Angels and over 20 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.

Halle is represented by the Root Literary and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.

Connect with Karina

Website

Facebook

Amazon

Instagram

Join her Reader Group

Stay up to date with Karina by signing up for her newsletter here