#XOXperts Romance Blog Hop!

Visit all the blogs and XOXperts this month!

August 1st: Victoria from Art, Books, & Coffee

August 5th: Katrina from Bookish Things & More

August 6th: Kat from KT Book Reviews

August 9th: Chrissy from Reading Past My Bedtime

August 13th: Shelley from Tsk Tsk What to Read

August 15th: Tammy from Reviews by Tammy and Kim

August 19th: Samien from Wild Wordy Women

August 21st: Alana from Dark Obsession Chronicles

August 24th: Nina at The Literary Gossip

August 27th: Kathy from My Nook, Books & More

 

Don't forget to check out the Blog Hop Giveaway! 
Scroll down to the bottom of this post to enter... :)
 

As a member of the XOXperts Street Team I've had an opportunity to sample some amazing books! There are a few that have stood out the most for me as particularly memorable stories. 

I read and enjoy all types of romance from Hot and Spicy Erotica to Soft, Sweet and Vanilla!  Despite that, I do have kind of a soft spot for Women's Fiction that gives me a good life story to go along with the romance.  Here is a small sample of some of my favorite Women's Fiction/Romance novels I've had the pleasure of reading from XOXO After Dark. 

 

The Life Intended by Kristin Harmel 

Click HERE for my Review

From the author of the international bestseller The Sweetness of Forgetting, named one of the Best Books of Summer 2012 by Marie Claire magazine, comes a captivating novel about the struggle to overcome the past when our memories refuse to be forgotten.
In this richly told story where Sliding Doors meets P.S. I Love You, Kristin Harmel weaves a heart-wrenching tale that asks: what does it take to move forward in life without forgetting the past?
After her husband's sudden death over ten years ago, Kate Waithman never expected to be lucky enough to find another love of her life. But now she's planning her second walk down the aisle to a perfectly nice man. So why isn't she more excited?
At first, Kate blames her lack of sleep on stress. But when she starts seeing Patrick, her late husband, in her dreams, she begins to wonder if she's really ready to move on. Is Patrick trying to tell her something? Attempting to navigate between dreams and reality, Kate must uncover her husband's hidden message. Her quest leads her to a sign language class and into the New York City foster system, where she finds rewards greater than she could have imagined.  

The Canterbury Sisters by Kim Wright

Click HERE for my Review

Che Milan’s life is falling apart. Not only has her longtime lover abruptly dumped her, but her eccentric, demanding mother has recently died. When an urn of ashes arrives, along with a note reminding Che of a half-forgotten promise to take her mother to Canterbury, Che finds herself reluctantly undertaking a pilgrimage.
Within days she joins a group of women who are walking the sixty miles from London to the shrine of Becket in Canterbury Cathedral, reputed to be the site of miracles. In the best Chaucer tradition, the women swap stories as they walk, each vying to see who can best describe true love. Che, who is a perfectionist and workaholic, loses her cell phone at the first stop and is forced to slow down and really notice the world around her, perhaps for the first time in years.
Through her adventures along the trail, Che finds herself opening up to new possibilities in life and discovers that the miracles of Canterbury can take surprising forms.

 

 

The Coincidence of Coconut Cake by Amy E. Reichert

Click HERE for my Review

 

YOU'VE GOT MAIL meets HOW TO EAT A CUPCAKE in this delightful novel about a talented chef and the food critic who brings down her restaurant—whose chance meeting turns into a delectable romance of mistaken identities.
In downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lou works tirelessly to build her beloved yet struggling French restaurant, Luella’s, into a success. She cheerfully balances her demanding business and even more demanding fiancé…until the morning she discovers him in the buff—with an intern.
Witty yet gruff British transplant Al is keeping himself employed and entertained by writing scathing reviews of local restaurants in the Milwaukee newspaper under a pseudonym. When an anonymous tip sends him to Luella’s, little does he know he’s arrived on the worst day of the chef’s life. The review practically writes itself: underdone fish, scorched sauce, distracted service—he unleashes his worst.
The day that Al’s mean-spirited review of Luella’s runs, the two cross paths in a pub: Lou drowning her sorrows, and Al celebrating his latest publication. As they chat, Al playfully challenges Lou to show him the best of Milwaukee and she’s game—but only if they never discuss work, which Al readily agrees to. As they explore the city’s local delicacies and their mutual attraction, Lou’s restaurant faces closure, while Al’s column gains popularity. It’s only a matter of time before the two fall in love…but when the truth comes out, can Lou overlook the past to chase her future?
Set in the lovely, quirky heart of Wisconsin, THE COINCIDENCE OF COCONUT CAKE is a charming love story of misunderstandings, mistaken identity, and the power of food to bring two people together.

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