Lili Valente

Hope and Blake have a secret. And they're about to get married... again. What starts as a marriage of convenience in order to prevent Hope from losing her beloved Alpaca (adorably named Chewpaca), soon turns into something more. But with Hope's family issues, can she let herself be truly loved?

Hitched, by Pippa Grant and Lili Valente, was just as fun as I expected! While I haven't yet read the other books in their joint series, I have read all the Pippa Grant and absolutely love her! So I show more knew this wouldn't be any different.

I am a huge fan of romantic comedies and consider them to be my happy place. Light-hearted, full of fun, giggles, chuckles, and laughs... and of course the steam-factor. And Hitched definitely didn't disappoint in any way! It was a fast and fun read with plenty of building tension and steamy scenes to boot.

The heat between Blake and Hope was immediate, but definitely not in an insta-love sort of way. It was just something that you could feel had been sizzling between them for quite some time, even though they've both been fighting it.

Perhaps most importantly, Hope and Blake definitely grew together, both individually and in their relationship. I absolutely love how the authors made this happen naturally and without feeling forced. They kept the tone light and the laughs coming, but at the end of the book there is a total feeling of satisfaction and "awww" as the characters meet their Happily Ever After.

I can't believe I haven't read the first two books in the series and can't wait until they come back to Kindle Unlimited on September 7! And I will definitely be checking out Lili's books next! show less

Hot as Puck is a friends to lovers with a cute awkward heroine and an athletic playboy hero. The dynamic between the two is cute and they are a fun couple to get to know. I liked the drama that played out around them and found it enjoyable. There are just some moments I find more cringe than cute. This one is fun, but it isn't my top favorite romance. It's cute and quick, so it is the kind of book that I feel would be good for getting myself out of a reading slump.

Okay, I'm not into "baby" romances. But for Lili Valente, I'll make one of my rare exceptions. I'm SO glad I did. It's not the first book about a woman who wants to have a baby on her own. It's not even the first book about that woman picking a donor and sleeping with him. However, it's a fresh take on the concept, and I utterly loved it.

Emma Haverford (I kept thinking about Parks & Rec, couldn't help it. 😄) is the new girl in town. She left a high-pressure life to become a vintner, and show more is pretty good at it. The one thing she's missing is a baby. The biological clock thing is definitely a factor, and she has a solution, even if it's one that she's hesitant to attempt.

Dylan Hunter is part of a well-known family, and not just for wine making. Turns out the rumor is that they can put a baby in a woman by osmosis. The problem is that they have a bit of a adversarial relationship. Dylan and Emma both want the same plot of land, and it's made Dylan a little "cranky".

Emma decides it's worth the risk, especially since there's an attraction between them despite the bickering. She wants to do it the old fashioned way, because WHY. NOT.

Dylan is grumpy, yet kind, funny, and generous. Emma doesn't put up with his crap, is capable, and super smart. They're going to make a great baby, and it turns out, they make great fireworks too.

I give The Baby Maker five thrown pumpkin stars. show less

In the traditional sweet but fire hot writing style of Lauren Blakely (and collaborating author Lili Valence) – we are taken back to New York for yet another tongue in cheek best friend’s sister to lover trope.

CJ can’t believe she is a 25 year old virgin! With her 26th birthday within her grasp, she refuses to hold onto her V-card for another second. Granted, most of her life had been under the watchful eyes of her brother and the last few years coping with his untimely death had not show more been easy; but, CJ finally feels like she is in a good place to move forward with her life. She is tired of missing out and feeling like a social pariah. As luck would have it, the perfect opportunity arises when her good friend (and her brother’s best friend and business partner) Graham needs her help with an upcoming meeting to save their business. When Graham meets CJ for brunch, he has no idea that the quid pro quo would be stepping into the role as CJ’s “teacher” for a week. Believing, even in death – his best friend would kill him, he gets a second opinion and decides to take on the challenge – teaching CJ everything she wants to know between the sheets. As the cities most infamous playboy, he knows he can show her the ropes (and then some), but isn’t prepared for what she can teach him.

In typical playboy/rake fashion, we get to enjoy the evolution of Graham as he falls desperately for CJ and learns the hard way, what it feels like to be so consumed with someone and then let go.

The lessons between CJ and Graham were in true Blakely form. Never for the subtle, always for the adventurous, creating scenes so visual, so scorching, so breathtakingly delicious that you need a second to make sure your seatbelt is securely fastened before she grabs you and throws you into another blistering hot scenario!

Savoring almost everything about the story, the one thing I found off-putting was the movie references. Charming at times, they seemed to be very out of place for Graham’s character. I felt like those moments took away from who he was more than added to it. There is an explanation for them at the end; however, I feel that insight would have been more relevant at the beginning. show less