Eye Candy, an all-new opposites attract small-town romance from Jiffy Kate, is available now in Kindle Unlimited!
ā¤ļøā¤ļø Now available in Kindle Unlimited ā¤ļøā¤ļø
BOOK REVIEW: This was a nice continuation of what you could call the Viking Invasion series, with the story of another Erickson brother coming to Green Valley. It was cute, well-written, hardly any drama or angst, and thankfully no ridiculous Big Conflict. Just two people falling in love and trying to figure out a way to be together against the odds.
Maggie is 24 years old and has been sheltered growing up, and so it almost felt like a high school or college romance even more than the college hockey romance I read right before this book!
The story and characters are entrenched in Green Valley, which I love, because not all the Green Valley books in the Smartypants Romance collection give me that same feeling.
There are two more Viking brothers, and I look forward to their stories. Thanks to the authors and SPR for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Vali Erickson is the classic middle childāmisunderstood, underestimated, and overlooked. Heās fine with it. Really. The overlooked part is actually serving him well during this phase of life.
Heās in Green Valley in an effort to fly under the radar and regroup after a life-altering blow to his heart and ego. The last thing heās looking for is a woman to warm his bed until one throws him to the mat and rocks his world.
Margaret OāNeal is an only child who has led a sheltered life. Sheās used to being a wallflower. Her ability to blend into the background is what allows her to maintain her anonymity as a gossip columnist for the Green Valley Ledger.
Since the Ericksons moved to town, she’s never felt more inspired, especially with the newest addition. Vali Erickson is the definition of eye candyādevastatingly handsome with muscles for daysāgiving her plenty to report about.
The more Maggie observes, the more she finds herself wanting things sheās only read about in romance novels.
Admiring Vali from afar is good enough for her until their paths cross and she finds herself trying to stay afloat in uncharted territoryāno labels, no promises, and WAY out of her comfort zone.
Will this arrangement be what finally breaks her out of her shell, or will her heart be a casualty of the Viking Invasion?
‘Eye Candy’ is a full-length contemporary romance, and can be read as a standalone. Book #3 in the Fighting For Love series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.
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Excerpt
Standing outside the Green Valley Community Center, Iām getting a little antsy waiting for Maggie. I really hate not picking her up at her house for a date, but she insists itās better this way. Iāve told her I didnāt care if she lived on the outskirts of town or Timbuktu, I still wanted to pick her up but she just laughed and redirected our conversation.
I have a feeling she doesnāt want to formally introduce me to her parents as the man sheās dating, especially after my one and only visit to their feed store. I guess I understand. I didnāt really make the best first impression but thatās on me. How can I redeem myself if she refuses to introduce me to them?
Maybe I need a do-over visit to the store.
Before I can formulate a solid plan, my attention is pulled to the parking lot where I see Maggie walking toward me, looking sexy as fuck. I lean back against a column and enjoy watching her come to me. Sheās so striking with how she carries herself and I donāt think she even knows it. Her height and voluptuous curves paired with her long, dark hair and wide smile command the attention of everyone around her.
And sheās mine.
For now, anyway.
When sheās close enough for me to touch, I slide my arm around her waist and pull her to me. Capturing her mouth with mine, I claim it, not able to hold back any longer. Even though we made out in the parking lot of Genieās on Friday, itās been too long since Iāve been able to see herā¦ touch herā¦ taste her.
I want her so fucking much. I want to learn her body and watch her fall apart over and over. I want her to explore my body and have her way with me, any way she wants. I want so much but realize now is not the time or place for my dick to be running the show, so I slowly and reluctantly pull away.
Maggieās lips are swollen and her eyes are dazed as she looks at me and whispers, āWowā.
āHappy Valentineās Day, beautiful.ā I kiss her forehead, allowing my lips to linger so I can have one last taste before we walk inside.
āSame to you.ā She bites down on her bottom lip, fighting back a smile as she shakes her head. Iād give anything to know what sheās thinking and to replace her teeth with my own. Those luscious lips have made an appearance in every dream Iāve had for the past week.
And as much as I want to make her come again, itās not going to happen in the parking lot of the community center. My instincts tell me Maggieās a virgin. Even though I donāt have a lot of experience in that arena, I know one thing for sure, I want every orgasm I give Maggie to be better than the one before.
I want all her firsts to be worth the wait because she definitely is.
āSo, tell me about the jam sessions. I hear theyāre pretty famous,ā I say as I grab her hand and lead her to the buildingās entrance, needing to distract myself so Iām not sporting a semi as we walk into the community center.
āTheyāve been happening for a few years now and theyāre pretty fun. Typically, theyāre held on Friday nights and people from all over come to enjoy good music and even better food. You like bar-b-que, right?ā
I look at her like sheās lost her mind. āWoman, I am from Texas. Of course, I like bar-b-que.ā
She laughs and squeezes my arm as we step inside, where weāre instantly greeted by a friendly welcoming committee. After we get the rundown on where to find the festivities, we make our way to where the food is and Maggie continues our conversation.
āI know youāre from Texas, which is why I asked. Texas bar-b-que is very different from Tennessee bar-b-que. Some even say your version isnāt bar-b-que at all.ā
I jerk away from her in shock. āThem’s fightinā words, Miss OāNeal,ā I say, laying my Texas twang on thick. āNow, take me to this high-and-mighty food so I can judge for myself.ā
Thirty minutes later, Iām slumped in my chair, fighting the urge to unbuckle my belt and jeans.
āSo, whatās the verdict?ā
Maggieās expression is smug and I want to kiss it right off her face but Iām too full to move right now. So instead, I give her a shrug, trying to play it off. āItās alright, I guess. If you like that kind of thing.ā
Her laughter fills the room and Iām mesmerized. Itās quickly becoming my favorite sound, second only to the sounds of her orgasm. Shit, I cannot be thinking like that right now, when Iām too stuffed to try and hide a boner.
āOne of these days, Iāll fix you some Texas bar-b-que,ā I vow.
She scrunches up her nose, and while the look on her face is absolutely adorable, itās not quite what I was hoping for. āYouāve had my cooking before. Do you doubt my skills?ā
āItās not that,ā she starts. āItās just that Texas bar-b-que is mainly smoked meat, not cooked over an open flame, and you put your sauce on the side!ā Her hand covers her heart to illustrate the horror of her words.
āListen, good meat is good meat, I donāt care where itās from. But, itās only fair that you try my meat since I just tried yours.ā
The words are out of my mouth before I realize how they sound, and when I look at Maggieās face to get her reaction, Iām pleased to see the same dazed look from earlier. Sheās also blushing something fierce, which tells me sheās just as dirty minded as I am. Well, maybe not quite as much, but close.
āHey,ā I say to get her attention.
With flushed cheeks, she meets my eyes. āYeah?ā
āYou gonna take me to one of the music rooms so I can finally dance with you?ā
Her shoulders relax and she gives me one of her mega-watt smiles. āAre you sure youāre up to it?ā
āAbsolutely. Besides, I need to burn off some of this food.ā
Maggie giggles and grabs my hand, pulling me out of my chair and leading me to the first music room we find. There are five or six musicians playing some good olā honky-tonk music, which is exactly what I need right now.
I twirl Maggie around before pulling her flush against my body. āLetās dance.ā
And, dance, we do. We two-step, we waltz, and we even jitterbug a couple of times before weāre worn out and need to take a break.
We leave the room and enter another with a band playing bluegrass music. Iām a little surprised to see both of my brothers, along with their significant others, on the dance floor. Bluegrass is not a genre of music we listened to much back home but itās a slow song and I completely understand the draw of slow dancing with a woman. So much so, I grab Maggieās hand and lead her onto the floor close to my siblings, so we can join in the fun, as well.
What a sight this must be, watching three big-ass dudes from Texas slow dancing to bluegrass music in a refurbished classroom.
āOh, good, Cletus is playing. Heās so good on the banjo,ā Maggie tells me.
āWhoās that?ā
āYou know Jenn from the bakery, right? Well, thatās her husband.ā She uses her head to point in the direction of a man with wild hair, playing a banjo as if itās the easiest thing to do. Not gonna lie, Iām kind of envious of his long beard. Iāve never been able to grow my beard out like that.
It doesnāt take long for me to get lost in the feel of Maggie in my arms again. She fits perfectly, her soft parts molding to my hard ones, and if it feels this good while we still have our clothes on, I canāt fucking wait to be this close to her while naked.
Maggieās head is on my shoulder as we sway to the music, so she doesnāt see when Tempest waves at me. I look up at Tempest and watch as she mouths, āHave you asked about New Orleans.ā Drawing my eyebrows together, I give a small shake of my head in reply. Sheās obviously not happy with my answer because her eyes are now narrowed and her hands are on her hips.
Not wanting to get into it right now, I roll my eyes and sway our bodies so that my back is now facing Tempest. Iām sure Iāll pay for this tomorrow but I donāt care.
Itās not that I donāt want Maggie to go to New Orleans with us, with me, because I do. But I canāt help but wonder if itās too soon for us. Of course, I wouldnāt have any expectations regarding the physical side of our relationship but itād be our first weekend getaway as a couple, and to me, thatās a big deal. Road trips can either make or break a couple and the fact weād also be with my family, as in my entire familyā¦ well, it kind of scares the shit out of me. I donāt want to pressure her or freak her out but, on the flip side, making that trip without her would fucking suck.
I will ask her, but not tonight.
Tonight, I just want to hold her in my arms for as long as sheāll let me.
About Jiffy Kate
Jiffy Kate is the joint pen name for Jiff Simpson and Jenny Kate Altman. Theyāre co-writing besties who share a brain. They also share a love of cute boys, stiff drinks, and fun times.
Together, theyāve written over twenty stories. Their first published book, Finding Focus, was released in November 2015. Since then, theyāve continued to write what they knowāsouthern settings full of swoony heroes and strong heroines.
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