This week's Wine and Books Wednesday is brought to you by the lovely author Eve Kasey's Force of Forever and Kuranui's Sav Blanc. These two are a delightful pair you can easily slip into of an evening or afternoon during the busy holiday season and relax with. I love reading feel good novellas this time of year because I can fit them into my crazy schedule with ease. No muss, no fuss. If you're looking for a couple of reading hours  well spent before year's end, (or anytime) grab your glass and a copy of Force of Forever and pamper yourself for a little while. If you love contemporary romance novels and haven't read the rest of Kasey's All In series, I highly recommend it.

Ten years before All In begins...

French billionaire Matt Geier is launching a new business venture, a space tourism company called OrbitAll. Though he’s accepted the 'legacy over love' life handed down over generations, there isn't a damn thing he wants that he doesn't have.

Until her. Until the sexy flight attendant who changes his world in the course of one flight.

Pia Taparo is in flux. She's questioning every decision she's made that's brought her to this point in life. She's twenty-three and still so lost.

Until him. Until one sinfully handsome passenger makes her feel like she's finally found solid ground. On a whirlwind tour of Paris, a city she's always wanted to see, their night together brings them both to new places.

One flight. One night. Two lives changed.

Force of Forever is a prequel to the All In series. This is a steamy one-night stand, accidental pregnancy contemporary romance with no trigger warnings and a guaranteed happily ever after.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09698KK7F

From My Review:

The famed “City of Love” plays host to this prequel novella for Kasey’s All In series, and for Matt and Pia, it lived up to its name. Once again, Kasey takes us on a luxury vacation with her writing and we get to indulge in not only some of Paris’s amazing hotspots but a sumptuous, love-at-first-sight romance. Pia is instantly likeable—devoted to her family, beautiful and quick-witted—she’s the perfect book bestie of a main character, and right away I wanted all the best things to work out for her. Enter handsome, French Billionaire Matt Geier, to sweep her off her feet. From the first moment these two see each other on the plane, I knew I wouldn’t be able to put this book down till the very end and I didn’t. Force of Forever is a delightful, short read and is the perfect icing on the cake for one of my favorite series.

Happy first day of December and welcome back to another Wine and Books Wednesday edition of Romance, Reads & Wine. This week's pairing features author Juliette N. Banks' The Vampire King and The Prisoner Wine Company's Sauvignon Blanc. Read on for the full book description, links and my review!

Will the vampire king fulfill his deadly promise to his queen?

Powerful vampire king, Francis Moretti, travels with his sons to the Yorkshire coast in 1891 where he's confronted by one of the rebels of the race. When Robert Russo throws down an official challenge for the throne, he is unconcerned. He knows his royal blood holds great potency and he will walk away unscathed. He's more concerned about the promise he made to his queen nearly one thousand years ago. The deadline is drawing near and his sons, the Moretti princes, are unaware of the destiny about to catch up with them.
Brayden and Vincent Moretti are eager to return home to Castle Moretti, where the season is kicking off, and females are lining up to attend one of their infamous orgies. When the king shares his darkest secret, the two big alpha vampires are in shock. They now face one of the biggest decisions of their lives that will change their future forever.
Can Francis follow through on the thousand-year promise, and will his sons help him prove his love to his queen one last time?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/‎ B08V1Z13Q4

From my review:

I enjoyed this novella introduction to the Moretti family vampires and thought it was well done of the author to supply readers with an in depth look at where their story began. It’s clear that the series going forward will hinge on things that are explained in this short, sexy prequel book. There are lots of very steamy sex scenes as well as a look at the intrigues involving ancient vampire families that promise lots of conflict ahead. I’m glad I read this book first and am excited to get into the rest of the series. Judging by the excerpt in the back, the next book, “The Vampire Prince,” promises to be very good.
 

Happy Wine & Books Wednesday! I'm so happy to be bringing my Romance, Reads & Wine posts back after taking a break from this blog. I debated waiting till next week to start up again, but S.L Prater's Street Witch and Parrone's Cab Sav looked to good together not to post right away. If you're looking for a really fun fantasy romance read and a nice red to sip as we head into the beginning of the holiday season, give this pair a try. Happy reading!

*Read on for buy links and my review!

A Recipe for Disaster: Malicious Magic, Shifting Political Powers, and a Forbidden Love

Marnie is a gifted witch—but magic has a mind of its own. Left unrestrained, it will always misbehave. When a demonic curse threatens Lord Bran, a man she’s loved since childhood, Marnie uses her abilities to save him.

After years of suppressing their feelings—knowing the relationship is prohibited by the Church of the Cloth—the two succumb to their passion. Her growing power triggers a dangerous political war—and their relationship is doomed before it begins.

Now the couple must decide whether to keep their love a secret or face imminent persecution . . . knowing they may not survive.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08YJTMKTF

From my review:

Witty, Fun and Magical
I enjoyed this first installment of Prater’s magical, gaslamp romance series. The stage the author sets is impeccably designed, complete with a Victorian, Steampunk type vibe, forbidding religious and societal mores amid a rich, magic based fantasy world. I found lead character, Marnie, to be a lovely and interesting character. Her secret relationship with Bran was one that, while delicious from the start, grew all the way to the spectacular end. The fantastical new Street Witch series is one I can’t wait to read more of.

Welcome to another edition of Wine and Books Wednesday! Today's pairing is brought to you by the amazing Cassie Laelyn's first-in-series book, Unforsaken, and Callaway Winery's Cabernet Savignon. If you love hunky angels swooping in to save the day, you'll love Unforsaken. Read it while sipping on a glass of Callaway Cab Sav and you have the perfect reading experience. Read on for buy links and my review!

Hidden deep in the Snowy Mountains, lives a brotherhood of immortal Guardians, banished from the Heavens. After centuries of exile, Head Guardian Raven can taste Hell. One wrong move could destroy his soul. When Fate assigns him a female mortal to protect, his forbidden desire becomes a distraction he can't afford. Giving in to temptation risks plummeting into the fiery pits of Hell, dragging her along with him. 
 
Tayla Eason is on the run, escaping a horrific attack on her life. When she lands in the arms of the sexy, alluring man who saved her, the shadows of her past swiftly close in. But when Fate throws a twist, Tayla's forced to choose between saving Raven's soul or fleeing before the creatures strike again. 
 
In an ultimate test of love, the two must battle against the almighty Fate. But will it be enough to save them both?

Continue this action-packed series with Unforgotten, Book 2 of The Fallen Guardians - OUT NOW!
 
Winner in the 2019 best Demons, Devils and Angels romance.
 - The Paranormal Romance Guild's Reviewer's Choice Award
 
Best 2019 Paranormal Romance (finalist)
 - Australian Romance Readers Award
 
Best 2019 Australian Debut Author (finalist)
 - Australian Romance Readers Award

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KNPXDDL

From my Review:

I haven’t read too many angel romances, but I’m so glad I picked this one up. Laelyn’s characters were fun to read about and I enjoyed watching Raven finally come out of the shadows of being Tayla’s sworn Guardian so that they could pursue their soulful attraction to one another. I really liked how the author handled the mythos of her angels. Guardians, Fallen and mortal Chosen are all tied to the demands of fickle Fate, trying to fulfill their, sometimes, perilous destinies. I loved all of the supporting characters as well and am anxious to see what they’ll get up to in the rest of the series. Can’t wait to read more!

Happy Wine and Books Wednesday, everybody! I have a beautiful, fantasy romance pairing for you today. Author Jeffe Kennedy's The Golden Gryphon and the Bear Prince is the first book in her Heirs of Magic series and is a steamy, whimsical ride. If you love high fantasy and sexy, mythical shifters in your romance reads, give this book a try. Add a glass of OVUM Wine's Off the Grid Reisling and you're all set for a truly, magical escape. Keep reading for buy links and my review. Cheers!

Book One in the adult Fantasy Romance adventure series from award-winning, bestselling author Jeffe Kennedy. The Long Night of the Crystalline Moon in the Under a Winter Sky fantasy holiday anthology.


A Legacy of Honor

Crown Prince Astar has only ever wanted to do the right thing: be a credit to his late father’s legacy, live up to his duties as heir to the high throne of the Thirteen Kingdoms, and cleave to the principles of honor and integrity that give his life structure—and that contain the ferocious grizzly bear inside. Nowhere in those guiding principles is there room for the fierce-hearted, wildly free-spirited, and dizzyingly beautiful shapeshifter, Zephyr. Still, even though they’ve been best friends since childhood, Astar is able to keep Zephyr safely at arm’s length. He’s already received a list of potential princess brides who will make a suitable queen, and Zephyr is not on it.

A Longtime Obsession

Zeph has wanted the gorgeous, charming, and too-good-for-his-own-good Astar for as long as she can remember. Not that her longing for him—and his perfectly sculpted and muscular body—has stopped her from enjoying any number of lovers. Astar might be honorably (and foolishly) intent on remaining chaste until marriage, but Zeph is Tala and they have no such rules. Still, she loves Astar—as a friend—and she wants him to at least taste life before he chains himself to a wife he didn’t choose. There’s no harm in him having a bit of fun with her. But the man remains stubbornly elusive, staving off all of her advances with infuriatingly noble refusals.

A Quest to Save the World

But things change when a new terror threatens the Thirteen Kingdoms. Following prophecy, Astar and Zeph—along with a mismatched group of shifters, warriors, and sorceress friends—go on a quest to stop a magic rift before it grows beyond anyone’s ability to stop. Thrust together with Zephyr, Astar finds himself increasingly unable to resist her seductive invitations. And in the face of life-and-death battles with lethal monsters, he begins to lose sight of why having her, just once, is such a terrible idea…

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NSXS6JN

From my review:
 
When I saw the beautiful cover on this book, I had to have it! The gorgeous, fantasy romance style really caught my eye. This is my first read of Jeffe Kennedy’s and, I have to say, I’m already intrigued by the story world involving all of these magical, shifter characters. The writing was lovely with rich world building and some harrowing action scenes. I did have a bit of a time connecting with the heroine at first, but I was glad to see Astar and Zephyr find their happy ever after in the end and now I’m looking forward to reading about some of the other characters in future books.

Hi, everybody! I have a really fun pairing for you today, especially, you contemporary romance lovers out there. Check out Author A.D. Brazeau's first book in her new Page Turner's Series, Love Between the Lines. Pair this cute read with a glass of A to Z Pinot Gris and you have the perfect reading experience. Ahhh. Keep reading for buy links and my review.

Marlowe Bennet only wants three things – to live in sweats, write her books, and cuddle her cats. Real-life men are toxic sludge, and she wants nothing to do with them. Maybe it’s that, or maybe bruised and anxious Marlowe just sees herself as unlovable.

Heath Rochester is ready to give up the glamor and travel modeling has afforded him in favor of settling down to run his family’s bookstore and to, hopefully, make Marlowe Bennet his.

Marlowe’s best friend, Iris, and sister, Lucy, are there every step of the way, even through their own travails, to help Marlowe build herself up and take control of her life and her anxiety with the best medicine of all – love and laughter.

Love Between the Lines, a sweet contemporary romance that’s a little chick-lit and a little rom-com, is the first book in the Page Turners series. This series takes place in Colorado Springs, Co.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B08SJ3TJWM

From my review:

Cute And Sweet
A story centered around the real world lives of romance novelists, Love Between the Lines was super cute. It was filled with great characters to fall in love with, a beautiful setting and a really sweet leading man. I had a lot of fun watching the romance between Marlowe and Heath grow. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
 

Happy Wine & Book Wednesday! Meet my favorite new couple. This week's pairing is brought to you by Author Nikki Kardnov's Midlife Wish and Elio Perrone's Sourgal Moscato d'Asti. Both are sure to bring you a reading experience full of enchantment. Midlife Wish is the first book in Ms. Kardnov's Blackwell Djinn series and now that I've read it, I'm hooked! The story world is sexy, fun and magical. I fully recommend that you grab a copy of Midlife Wish, pour yourself a glass of Sourgal and dive right into to the mysterious realm of the modern day Djinn. Cheers, and happy reading!

*If you are looking for some of my older wine / book pairing reviews, they can be found on my original author blog tab.

When your life is a mess and you need a quick fix, what’s a woman to do? Strike a deal with a smoking hot djinn who might just be able to give you some new perspective on life...along with three wishes.

A few months ago, Ashley Laurent’s husband said he wanted to take a break. With their passion fizzling and their marriage on life support, Ashley thought they’d just hit a midlife rough patch. She didn’t realize break was code for I’m having an affair with the receptionist.

Now she’s got divorce papers and a whole lotta heartache. Desperate to heal, Ashley is willing to believe in the impossible. Because there’s a rumor floating around Blackwater that the very family the town was named after might just be a family of djinn.

Surprisingly, Dae Blackwell doesn’t laugh Ashley out the door when she asks if he can grant her a wish. In fact, Dae seems all too eager to strike a deal. When the things Ashley wishes for start to come true, she’s quickly converted to a believer. Except...now that she has the world at her feet, she realizes she’s not sure what she wants anymore.

With only one wish remaining, Ashley has to make a decision—does she want to return to her safe, mundane life? Or take a leap of faith and forge a new one?

NOTE: Midlife Wish was previously published under the title Three Wishes.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TJCX1SX

From my review:

So much fun!
I loved this book and cannot wait to read the rest of this series. Djinn are a new type of paranormal character for me to read so I liked the difference to begin with. And Dae is just so swoonworthy! I also really liked that this book dealt with a mature FMC. Ashley is super cute. Right away I was rallied to her defense in the situation with her cheating ex and was so glad when she got involved with Dae. Great story world, fun characters—I can’t wait to read more about these sexy Djinns!

Happy Wednesday, everybody! I'm so excited to talk books and wine again with you this week! Today's pretty pairing is brought to you by Romance Author, Eve Kasey's first book in her All In series, Falling like Stars, and one of my go to wines. Kim Crawford's Pinot Gris is the perfect accompaniment to this exciting contemporary romance. Falling Like Stars pulls you into a world of luxury, space tourism and heady romance with a group of endearing characters. So, find your favorite reading spot, pour yourself a glass and get ready to head off into the cosmos. Cheers, and as always, happy reading!

*Find buy links and my review down below.

“I’m afraid I’m going to spend the rest of my life loving you for this. For everything.”

Elle’s fairy-tale is simple. Job, man, cottage by the sea. She just ticked the first thing off the list: a dreamy new job planning guest experiences for OrbitAll, the world’s first space tourism company. Cottage by the sea? More like an apartment in California’s Mojave Desert. And the only man in her life is Chen, OrbitAll’s annoying new astronaut, who also happens to be her (loud) upstairs neighbor. 
Chen’s always hated boundaries. He became an astronaut so not even gravity could hold him back. Unfortunately, his parents can. As the oldest son in a Chinese family, his fate has been decided since birth. When Chen gets an incredible offer from a space tourism company in America, he ditches his duties—for now. There he meets Elle, the eye-rolling beauty who lives and works ways too close. With her wild hair and fast car, she looks like freedom. Tastes like it, too. 
Together, Elle and Chen are hotter than the center of the sun. And they’re hurtling towards their deadline as fast as they’re falling. 
Falling Like Stars, Book One of the All In series, is a steamy contemporary interracial romance that takes place all over the globe and beyond, and guarantees a happily ever after. The All In books are standalones in a series with no trigger warnings.

From my review:

This was a great start to what promises to be an excellent series. I’m already looking forward to reading the rest of the books promised for couples introduced during the course of this first book because the author did such a great job of hooking us into their stories (I’m already smitten with Vadim *sigh*). But, ahem, let’s try to stay focused here and move things along to our star-crossed lovers from Book 1, Elle and Chen.
Oh, my goodness did I love these two! They were both incredibly interesting characters all on their own, but, together, the sparks absolutely flew. Right from their very first meeting, the tension between them had me reeled in and when they finally got together, it was epic!
Chen was a hero to die for. I loved his cocky side as well as his sweet one. He and Elle’s banter had me giggling on more than one occasion. And the cultural background Ms. Kasey put into his side of the story was really well done. A definite five star read for me. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

All the Romance, Reads & Wine posts will now be posted right to their own page. I thought this would make finding them a whole lot easier. I'll may try to migrate some of the older R,R&W posts to this location eventually, but for now if you're looking for anything older than a 2021 review, it will still be over on my author blog page.