My Top Ten #Romance Reads of 2015
Early this year, I set out to read 100 new romance books before the end of 2015. While I didn't quite make it to 100, I did get awfully close. I finished 91 of the 100, and reread several of them more than once. I gained some new favorites, both books and authors, so I thought I'd share those romance novels that made it to the top of my list.
Before you dive in, just a quick note: Not all of these were published in 2015. They're just the ones I read in 2015.
10. FALLING INTO YOU by Jasinda Wilder
I wasn't always in love with Colton Calloway; I was in love with his younger brother, Kyle, first. Kyle was my first one true love, my first in every way.
Then, one stormy August night, he died, and the person I was died with him.
Colton didn't teach me how to live. He didn't heal the pain. He didn't make it okay. He taught me how to hurt, how to not be okay, and, eventually, how to let go
My Thoughts:
This book killed me. I fell in love with it early on and cried like a baby for hours while reading it. I highly recommend it to anyone who can handle angst. It's worth the tears you'll shed!
Add it to your Goodreads TBR list here.
9. SAFE WITH ME by Kristin Proby
Keeping others safe is what Caleb Montgomery does. He’s never had a problem taking on an assignment, whether it was during his dangerous SEAL days or his most recent job of training war mercenaries. But being assigned to keep Brynna Vincent and her adorable daughters, Maddie and Josie, safe from an unknown threat has thrown Caleb off his axis. Hot for the tall brunette since she came back to town more than a year ago, being close to her day in and day out is cracking Caleb’s resolve to keep his hands off her gorgeous body and his head in the mission.
Brynna is sick and tired of being afraid. All she wants is a normal, quiet life for her and her precious girls. Just as she’s settling into her new home in Seattle and feeling safe again, Caleb shows up on her doorstep insisting the danger is as high as ever. But whether she needs to be sheltered from the threat in her past, or from the intense emotions she feels for the sexy, protective man sleeping in her home, remains to be seen. What will happen if Brynna and her girls fall in love with a man so broken he may not be able to protect them from the danger that threatens, much less himself?”
SAFE WITH ME is the fifth book in the With Me In Seattle series, and continues to follow this tight-knit, loving family through life’s trials and tribulations with humor, passion and everlasting love.
My Thoughts:
Two words: Caleb Montgomery. Seriously, when I read the series, I was dying to get to his book, and it did not disappoint. I love him and Bryn together. I love how he takes care of her, and the things he says to her, and the way he thinks he's not good enough for her. This book made me cry, too. The best ones usually do! Highly recommended. Can be read as a standalone, though if you read the entire series, you get even more Caleb. Just sayin'.
Add it to your Goodreads TBR list here.
8. UNTIL NICO by Aurora Rose Reynolds
Sophie Grates has never had it easy, but she’s finding her way through life one step and one day at a time. That is, Until Nico comes in and flips her world upside-down. He forces her to see you cannot live life from the outside looking in, and sometimes you have to step out onto the ledge so you can really enjoy the view.
Nico Mayson knew the moment he saw Sophie Grates that she was the one. His whole life, he has been judged by what’s on the outside, so finding a beautiful woman who sees the real him only makes his feelings that much stronger.
Nico knows the kind of man he is, and the things he is capable of, and he will do everything in his power to help Sophie fight her demons so they can have their happily ever after. Everything in life worth having is worth fighting for.
My Thoughts:
I love Nico Mayson. He's bossy and has a filthy mouth, and loves Sophie like crazy. He's one of the sweetest badasses I've ever read. If you can overlook the frequent grammatical errors, this book is worth the read. How can you not love a guy who takes care of his girls no matter what?
Add it to your TBR list here.
7. THE MAD TATTER by J.M. Darhower
Reece Hatfield has just one rule when it comes to falling in love: don't fucking do it. There's no room in his life for another person. He can barely keep a handle on things as it is. A shadow of the man he used to be, Reece spends his days tattooing, the artist inside of him longing for the chance to do something different. Avery Moore is all dance, all the time. Ballet is all she's ever known, and she's damn good at it. Her body is her art, a living canvas that captivates Reece the first time he lays his eyes on her. He yearns to leave his mark on her body... in more ways than one. The tattooed degenerate with a shady past. The beautiful ballerina with a bright future. They live in different worlds, yet somehow, they fit. But just because they fit doesn't mean they belong together. Cracks sometimes form. Two pieces don't always make a whole. The course of love never did run smoothly. Things get messy. And Reece doesn't do messy. Not anymore.
My Thoughts:
I have a think for tattoos and for ballet, so this story just did it for me. I love Reece. I love how he is with his daughter. I love how he is with Avery. He's exactly what she needs in her life and vice versa. The scenes with his daughter made me smile much. This one isn't too heavy, but it still made me tear up.
Add it to your TBR list on Goodreads here.
6. WHEN I FALL by J. Daniels
For the past nine years, I’ve kept my heart as far away from my dick as possible.
Those two can’t be anywhere near each other. They don’t play nice, and one of them undoubtedly winds up getting hurt.
Not my dick. My dick is good.
The women I take home know exactly what they’re getting from me—sex. Nothing more. At least, that’s what’s supposed to happen. The sweet brunette from Kentucky I set my sights on tonight shouldn’t have been any different. I had her right where I wanted her. Where I needed her. But when my past comes walking into McGill’s pub, the woman in my arms decides to take things to a whole new level, putting me into a situation I never saw coming.
My heart is about to get fucked. My dick can sit this one out.
My Thoughts:
I don't know what it is about this book, but I really loved it. Reed has the filthiest mouth, but he's so charming. He rambles like no one else, and I kind of adore that. I love how completely his life changes when he meets Beth, and how freaking dirty he is. I just love him in general. And I adore Beth. She gives as good as she gets. If you can handle a dirty talker, this one is for you.
Add it to your TBR list here.
5. THE BEAUTY SERIES by Skye Warren
The Beauty Series contains the complete collection of sexy novellas in this new adult romance between a professor and his student.
Erin cleans Mr. Morris's house twice a week to pay for college. When she interrupts him in a private moment and hears him moaning her name, she refuses to hide her feelings for him any longer. Blake Morris is scarred both inside and out. When he receives an offer to return to teach at his alma mater, he knows this is his chance to reenter the world--and to be worthy of the woman he loves.
Except the class he's teaching is the last one she needs for graduation, so they can finally be together. Secrets and shadows lay in wait along the path, and it will be up to Erin and Blake to forge their own happy ending.
My Thoughts:
I'm not sure where I stumbled across the first book in this series, but I ended up snatching every one of them up in a heartbeat and devouring the entire series in a couple of hours. This story is beautiful. Blake breaks my heart and makes me smile at the same time. He's been through hell and doesn't think he deserves someone as pure and beautiful as Erin. It's such a great take on the Beauty and the Beast story. Just read it. You're welcome.
Add it to your TBR list here.
4. PUCKED by Helena Hunting
With a famous NHL player for a step-brother, Violet Hall is well acquainted with the playboy reputation many hockey stars come with. She’s smart enough to steer clear of those hot, well-built boys with unparalleled stamina. That is until she meets the legendary team captain—Alex Waters.
Violet isn’t interested in his pretty, beat-up face, or his rock-hard six-pack abs. But when Alex inadvertently obliterates Violet’s previous misapprehension regarding the inferior intellect of hockey players, he becomes more than just a hot body with a face to match.
In what can only be considered a complete lapse in judgment, Violet finds out just how good Alex is with the hockey stick in his pants. But what starts out as a one-night stand, quickly turns into something more. Post-night of orgasmic magic, Alex starts to call, and text, and e-mail and send extravagant—and quirky—gifts, making him difficult to ignore, and even more difficult not to like.
The problem is, the media portrays Alex as a total player, and Violet doesn’t want to be part of the game.
My Thoughts:
If you know me, you know how I feel about hockey. You also know I'm completely inappropriate and say things a good fifteen seconds before I think about them. This book is exactly like that, and it's hilarious. I love how inappropriate Violet is. The wild shit that comes out of her mouth kept me laughing. My coworkers are forever grateful for this book introducing us to the term 1970s dick-fro. The phrase has served us well.
Add it to your TBR list here.
3. OVER THE FENCE by Melanie Moreland
Two neighbors—strangers—with one thing in common—they share a fence.
But is that the only thing they share?
Nathan Fraser lives a solitary life, never letting anyone get too close. It’s safer that way.
Kourtney Whyte hides from the world and behind her work, too afraid to really live her life to the fullest. Rejection is what she knows best.
But one night, the sound of her soft voice and the tantalizing aroma of her evening meal, prove too enticing for Nathan to ignore.
So begins their unconventional relationship—talking, learning, texting, and gradually opening up to one another, all over the fence.
That is, until the day Nathan braves the high fence to protect Kourtney from her past, and changes everything forever.
Can they move forward together, without the buffer of the fence?
Or will their pasts prove to be too much of a barrier?
My thoughts:
I was fortunate enough to get to pre-read this for Melanie, and I fell in love with it. Nathan is such a sweetheart, and Kourtney is amazing. She's been through so much and is terrified of what Nathan will think of her, not knowing that he feels exactly the same way. I think we can all relate to that fear of exposing ourselves to someone else. These two just make me so happy. It's a lovely story. Read it!
Add it to your TBR list here.
2. DON'T LET ME GO by Sarah
a story about best friends and a black-lit back room.
Alright, Violet, and all or nothing.
Meeting dark eyes and carrying them for life.
Unmade stars and stripes, and a place deeper than memory.
What it means to be narrowed in, and how a maniac cuts himself loose.
Shoving control, a little denim noose, finding the strength courage takes,
and breaking -
but in the right place.
Pride, and a cry that cuts clean through.
Six Sheets, and all the ways a heart fights and burns and beats.
Fading red marks, feeling the world come apart,
a little past the point of no return,
everything innocent,
and a life sentence.
Walking something sticky off your shoe,
giving until your hands are empty,
and Go.
Just go.
Falling,
and the beautiful, blinding way it makes your only reason to,
glow.
My Thoughts:
This book was nothing like I expected, and I adored it from page one. It's beautifully written, unique, and so unlike any other story I've read this year. I've read it two or three times now, and I always discover something else to love about it. I'm not going to say anything else because of spoilers, but read this if you're up for something new that doesn't necessarily play out like you expect.
Add it to your TBR list on Goodreads here.
1. GOOD GIRL GONE by Tammy Falkner
She's perfect.
He's not.
She's the lead singer in a popular rock band.
He's a tattoo artist.
She's all perfect creases and fancy clothes.
He's covered in prison ink.
She's wealthy.
He doesn't have a pot to piss in.
She's good.
He's bad.
The question is -- Will she ever be good enough for him?
My Thoughts:
First, I have to say I love this entire series so much, especially this book. Josh is in a wheelchair and just out of prison. Star is the famous lead singer of the Zeroes. The two have a whole lot more in common than they think. I LOVE how the author doesn't gloss over life in a wheelchair or try to romanticize it. She's straightforward and lets Josh speak for himself on the matter. He struggles. He overcomes. He gets down. He falls in love. He's perfect for Star, and so freaking sweet. I loved him before I even started this book. It is absolutely worth the read.
Add it to your TBR list here. Did any of these titles (or authors) make it to your Top Ten this year? If not, what did make the cut? Share the love!
Before you dive in, just a quick note: Not all of these were published in 2015. They're just the ones I read in 2015.
10. FALLING INTO YOU by Jasinda Wilder
I wasn't always in love with Colton Calloway; I was in love with his younger brother, Kyle, first. Kyle was my first one true love, my first in every way.
Then, one stormy August night, he died, and the person I was died with him.
Colton didn't teach me how to live. He didn't heal the pain. He didn't make it okay. He taught me how to hurt, how to not be okay, and, eventually, how to let go
My Thoughts:
This book killed me. I fell in love with it early on and cried like a baby for hours while reading it. I highly recommend it to anyone who can handle angst. It's worth the tears you'll shed!
Add it to your Goodreads TBR list here.
9. SAFE WITH ME by Kristin Proby
Keeping others safe is what Caleb Montgomery does. He’s never had a problem taking on an assignment, whether it was during his dangerous SEAL days or his most recent job of training war mercenaries. But being assigned to keep Brynna Vincent and her adorable daughters, Maddie and Josie, safe from an unknown threat has thrown Caleb off his axis. Hot for the tall brunette since she came back to town more than a year ago, being close to her day in and day out is cracking Caleb’s resolve to keep his hands off her gorgeous body and his head in the mission.
Brynna is sick and tired of being afraid. All she wants is a normal, quiet life for her and her precious girls. Just as she’s settling into her new home in Seattle and feeling safe again, Caleb shows up on her doorstep insisting the danger is as high as ever. But whether she needs to be sheltered from the threat in her past, or from the intense emotions she feels for the sexy, protective man sleeping in her home, remains to be seen. What will happen if Brynna and her girls fall in love with a man so broken he may not be able to protect them from the danger that threatens, much less himself?”
SAFE WITH ME is the fifth book in the With Me In Seattle series, and continues to follow this tight-knit, loving family through life’s trials and tribulations with humor, passion and everlasting love.
My Thoughts:
Two words: Caleb Montgomery. Seriously, when I read the series, I was dying to get to his book, and it did not disappoint. I love him and Bryn together. I love how he takes care of her, and the things he says to her, and the way he thinks he's not good enough for her. This book made me cry, too. The best ones usually do! Highly recommended. Can be read as a standalone, though if you read the entire series, you get even more Caleb. Just sayin'.
Add it to your Goodreads TBR list here.
8. UNTIL NICO by Aurora Rose Reynolds
Sophie Grates has never had it easy, but she’s finding her way through life one step and one day at a time. That is, Until Nico comes in and flips her world upside-down. He forces her to see you cannot live life from the outside looking in, and sometimes you have to step out onto the ledge so you can really enjoy the view.
Nico Mayson knew the moment he saw Sophie Grates that she was the one. His whole life, he has been judged by what’s on the outside, so finding a beautiful woman who sees the real him only makes his feelings that much stronger.
Nico knows the kind of man he is, and the things he is capable of, and he will do everything in his power to help Sophie fight her demons so they can have their happily ever after. Everything in life worth having is worth fighting for.
My Thoughts:
I love Nico Mayson. He's bossy and has a filthy mouth, and loves Sophie like crazy. He's one of the sweetest badasses I've ever read. If you can overlook the frequent grammatical errors, this book is worth the read. How can you not love a guy who takes care of his girls no matter what?
Add it to your TBR list here.
7. THE MAD TATTER by J.M. Darhower
Reece Hatfield has just one rule when it comes to falling in love: don't fucking do it. There's no room in his life for another person. He can barely keep a handle on things as it is. A shadow of the man he used to be, Reece spends his days tattooing, the artist inside of him longing for the chance to do something different. Avery Moore is all dance, all the time. Ballet is all she's ever known, and she's damn good at it. Her body is her art, a living canvas that captivates Reece the first time he lays his eyes on her. He yearns to leave his mark on her body... in more ways than one. The tattooed degenerate with a shady past. The beautiful ballerina with a bright future. They live in different worlds, yet somehow, they fit. But just because they fit doesn't mean they belong together. Cracks sometimes form. Two pieces don't always make a whole. The course of love never did run smoothly. Things get messy. And Reece doesn't do messy. Not anymore.
My Thoughts:
I have a think for tattoos and for ballet, so this story just did it for me. I love Reece. I love how he is with his daughter. I love how he is with Avery. He's exactly what she needs in her life and vice versa. The scenes with his daughter made me smile much. This one isn't too heavy, but it still made me tear up.
Add it to your TBR list on Goodreads here.
6. WHEN I FALL by J. Daniels
For the past nine years, I’ve kept my heart as far away from my dick as possible.
Those two can’t be anywhere near each other. They don’t play nice, and one of them undoubtedly winds up getting hurt.
Not my dick. My dick is good.
The women I take home know exactly what they’re getting from me—sex. Nothing more. At least, that’s what’s supposed to happen. The sweet brunette from Kentucky I set my sights on tonight shouldn’t have been any different. I had her right where I wanted her. Where I needed her. But when my past comes walking into McGill’s pub, the woman in my arms decides to take things to a whole new level, putting me into a situation I never saw coming.
My heart is about to get fucked. My dick can sit this one out.
My Thoughts:
I don't know what it is about this book, but I really loved it. Reed has the filthiest mouth, but he's so charming. He rambles like no one else, and I kind of adore that. I love how completely his life changes when he meets Beth, and how freaking dirty he is. I just love him in general. And I adore Beth. She gives as good as she gets. If you can handle a dirty talker, this one is for you.
Add it to your TBR list here.
5. THE BEAUTY SERIES by Skye Warren
The Beauty Series contains the complete collection of sexy novellas in this new adult romance between a professor and his student.
Erin cleans Mr. Morris's house twice a week to pay for college. When she interrupts him in a private moment and hears him moaning her name, she refuses to hide her feelings for him any longer. Blake Morris is scarred both inside and out. When he receives an offer to return to teach at his alma mater, he knows this is his chance to reenter the world--and to be worthy of the woman he loves.
Except the class he's teaching is the last one she needs for graduation, so they can finally be together. Secrets and shadows lay in wait along the path, and it will be up to Erin and Blake to forge their own happy ending.
My Thoughts:
I'm not sure where I stumbled across the first book in this series, but I ended up snatching every one of them up in a heartbeat and devouring the entire series in a couple of hours. This story is beautiful. Blake breaks my heart and makes me smile at the same time. He's been through hell and doesn't think he deserves someone as pure and beautiful as Erin. It's such a great take on the Beauty and the Beast story. Just read it. You're welcome.
Add it to your TBR list here.
4. PUCKED by Helena Hunting
With a famous NHL player for a step-brother, Violet Hall is well acquainted with the playboy reputation many hockey stars come with. She’s smart enough to steer clear of those hot, well-built boys with unparalleled stamina. That is until she meets the legendary team captain—Alex Waters.
Violet isn’t interested in his pretty, beat-up face, or his rock-hard six-pack abs. But when Alex inadvertently obliterates Violet’s previous misapprehension regarding the inferior intellect of hockey players, he becomes more than just a hot body with a face to match.
In what can only be considered a complete lapse in judgment, Violet finds out just how good Alex is with the hockey stick in his pants. But what starts out as a one-night stand, quickly turns into something more. Post-night of orgasmic magic, Alex starts to call, and text, and e-mail and send extravagant—and quirky—gifts, making him difficult to ignore, and even more difficult not to like.
The problem is, the media portrays Alex as a total player, and Violet doesn’t want to be part of the game.
My Thoughts:
If you know me, you know how I feel about hockey. You also know I'm completely inappropriate and say things a good fifteen seconds before I think about them. This book is exactly like that, and it's hilarious. I love how inappropriate Violet is. The wild shit that comes out of her mouth kept me laughing. My coworkers are forever grateful for this book introducing us to the term 1970s dick-fro. The phrase has served us well.
Add it to your TBR list here.
3. OVER THE FENCE by Melanie Moreland
Two neighbors—strangers—with one thing in common—they share a fence.
But is that the only thing they share?
Nathan Fraser lives a solitary life, never letting anyone get too close. It’s safer that way.
Kourtney Whyte hides from the world and behind her work, too afraid to really live her life to the fullest. Rejection is what she knows best.
But one night, the sound of her soft voice and the tantalizing aroma of her evening meal, prove too enticing for Nathan to ignore.
So begins their unconventional relationship—talking, learning, texting, and gradually opening up to one another, all over the fence.
That is, until the day Nathan braves the high fence to protect Kourtney from her past, and changes everything forever.
Can they move forward together, without the buffer of the fence?
Or will their pasts prove to be too much of a barrier?
My thoughts:
I was fortunate enough to get to pre-read this for Melanie, and I fell in love with it. Nathan is such a sweetheart, and Kourtney is amazing. She's been through so much and is terrified of what Nathan will think of her, not knowing that he feels exactly the same way. I think we can all relate to that fear of exposing ourselves to someone else. These two just make me so happy. It's a lovely story. Read it!
Add it to your TBR list here.
2. DON'T LET ME GO by Sarah
a story about best friends and a black-lit back room.
Alright, Violet, and all or nothing.
Meeting dark eyes and carrying them for life.
Unmade stars and stripes, and a place deeper than memory.
What it means to be narrowed in, and how a maniac cuts himself loose.
Shoving control, a little denim noose, finding the strength courage takes,
and breaking -
but in the right place.
Pride, and a cry that cuts clean through.
Six Sheets, and all the ways a heart fights and burns and beats.
Fading red marks, feeling the world come apart,
a little past the point of no return,
everything innocent,
and a life sentence.
Walking something sticky off your shoe,
giving until your hands are empty,
and Go.
Just go.
Falling,
and the beautiful, blinding way it makes your only reason to,
glow.
My Thoughts:
This book was nothing like I expected, and I adored it from page one. It's beautifully written, unique, and so unlike any other story I've read this year. I've read it two or three times now, and I always discover something else to love about it. I'm not going to say anything else because of spoilers, but read this if you're up for something new that doesn't necessarily play out like you expect.
Add it to your TBR list on Goodreads here.
1. GOOD GIRL GONE by Tammy Falkner
She's perfect.
He's not.
She's the lead singer in a popular rock band.
He's a tattoo artist.
She's all perfect creases and fancy clothes.
He's covered in prison ink.
She's wealthy.
He doesn't have a pot to piss in.
She's good.
He's bad.
The question is -- Will she ever be good enough for him?
My Thoughts:
First, I have to say I love this entire series so much, especially this book. Josh is in a wheelchair and just out of prison. Star is the famous lead singer of the Zeroes. The two have a whole lot more in common than they think. I LOVE how the author doesn't gloss over life in a wheelchair or try to romanticize it. She's straightforward and lets Josh speak for himself on the matter. He struggles. He overcomes. He gets down. He falls in love. He's perfect for Star, and so freaking sweet. I loved him before I even started this book. It is absolutely worth the read.
Add it to your TBR list here. Did any of these titles (or authors) make it to your Top Ten this year? If not, what did make the cut? Share the love!
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