Red Velvet: 2 (Blackwood Cellars Series)

Product Information

I also want to thank the publishers Moon Manor Press and the writer Carla Luna for my e-copy of this book. I enjoyed it and I hope others will as well. About the Author He wrinkled his nose. You know how I feel about cat hair on my clothes. And I won’t be long. He sauntered over to the breakfast bar and frowned at the cupcakes. Baking again? Butter and refined sugar are terrible for your waistline. His unabashed affection for her baking skills filled her with a warm glow. Though she’d been seeing Chris for five months, she still harbored a tiny crush on Brody. How could she not? He’d been one of the first people to befriend her when she’d relocated from Santa Barbara to the Temecula Valley—an hour north of San Diego—to work for his family’s company. And he was brilliant, funny, and totally hot for a self-proclaimed computer nerd. No. After being available for Chris whenever he needed her, after cheering him on at all his races, she’d asked him for one thing. Granted, it was a big ask, but he’d given her his word. And by breaking it so casually, he’d shown her exactly how little she meant to him. Too bad there’s a grueling 10k race and a cutthroat trivia night to endure. Not to mention a massive secret to protect. But will the biggest secret of all be that this fake relationship feels more real than April or Brody ever imagined? My Thoughts

For a brief, blissful moment, the fire inside April burned bright. Screw Chris. She was through with all his calorie counting and all his rules. Like no sleeping over. After they were done, he always dressed and headed for the door. No matter how many times she asked him to stay, he claimed spending the night would derail his morning run. It has the one bed trope, it has the forced proximity trope, fake dating, friends to lovers, and protective maleThe memory still stung, like a cut that refused to heal. Taylor had been his plus-one for Marc’s wedding, but she’d dumped him, via text, two hours before her plane was due to arrive on the island. He’d been so distraught he’d gotten wasted at the rehearsal dinner, made an inappropriate speech, and passed out at the table. Did he think her clothes looked that bad? Granted, some of her outfits were out of style, but they weren’t unwearable. I was trying to pare down the options for my brother’s wedding. We’re going to be there for six days, and the weather might be iffy since fall in Wisconsin isn’t dependable. Too bad there’s a grueling 10K race and a cutthroat trivia night to endure. Not to mention a massive secret to protect. But will the biggest secret of all turn out to be that this fake relationship feels more real than April or Brody ever imagined? I love how hard Brody works to make things easier for April. He knows how anxiety-ridden she becomes when with her parents and sisters, and he does everything in his power to alleviate her stress. It’s clear long before he realizes it that Brody loves April, and I love how he supports and defends her throughout their trip. From running in a 10k to participating in trivia night to enduring painful events with her terrible family, Brody puts his own problems aside to be there for his best friend, which says so much about him and their relationship. But before Chris, her bed had been empty for months. Even the crumbs of his affection were better than slowly morphing into a lonely cat lady.

No, I can eat whatever I want at the wedding. And no, you can’t make it up to me in the bedroom. Because if you bail this late in the game, then we’re done. I know. And you’re right—Chris didn’t respect me. I realize I’m better off without him, but that doesn’t solve the problem. He was my plus-one for the wedding. I told my entire family about him. I wouldn’t have been able to read this book – or participate in this Blog Tour- without Rachel (of Rachel’s Random Resources) so I just wanted to say thank you to her for organising the tour and for letting me have a spot on it, too. This might’ve been one of the books I read whilst I was sweating on a sun bed last month but, on the face of it, it is a cosy autumn romance through and through. This trip means a lot to me, she said. And you promised you’d go. If you can’t be there for me, then I don’t want to be with you anymore.

Princess Peach leapt off her chair and approached him, meowing and bunting him with affection. He scratched her soft white fur but stopped her from jumping on the table. Once April set out plates and cutlery, they dished out the food. Over bites of lo mein, interrupted by the occasional groan of pleasure over the wontons, she filled him in on the situation. Only what I’ve told them. They haven’t come to visit since last year, and I wasn’t dating him then. So, without any photos, I don’t have a shred of proof. I think I could pull it off, he said. Your family’s never met me, so I could easily pretend to be Chris for six days.