My TBR Pile: February 2019

Every month I put a list together of the books that I either need to read for review or the books that I want to get around to reading (finally). I’m also trying to be more responsible with my Kindle Unlimited and Audible Romance Package subscriptions so I’m going to post my TBR Pile on the blog so you guys can keep me honest. Before we get to my list for next month, let’s see how I did in January.

Previous Month Stats

Books to Read: 7
Books Read: 7
Books Unread: 0
Pages Read: 2,708 | Hours Listened: 0
Favorite TBR Book: The Scoundrel in Her Bed | Least Favorite TBR Book: The Wrong Game

This month, my TBR reading really came down to the wire. I finished the last book on my January TBR pile in the wee hours of this morning. What’s funny is that it is my favorite read of the month. Woot!

My least favorite read from my TBR pile was The Wrong Game by Kandi Steiner. The hero was damn near perfect but the heroine’s immature games and the slowness of the second half of the book left me feeling a bit meh about the overall experience. Oh well.

February’s TBR Pile

The Kiss Quotient (The Kiss Quotient #1) by Helen Hoang
Released on June 5th, 2018
Publisher: Penguin, Berkley
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 336
Format: Audiobook
Source: Audible Romance Package
Length: 9 hours, 36 minutes

A heartwarming and refreshing debut novel that proves one thing: there’s not enough data in the world to predict what will make your heart tick.

Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases — a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn’t help that Stella has Asperger’s and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice — with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can’t afford to turn down Stella’s offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan — from foreplay to more-than-missionary position…

Before long, Stella not only learns to appreciate his kisses, but to crave all the other things he’s making her feel. Soon, their no-nonsense partnership starts making a strange kind of sense. And the pattern that emerges will convince Stella that love is the best kind of logic…

For February’s book club, we’ll be reading and discussing The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang and I am not mad about that at all. Mostly I’m not mad about that because that’s the book I chose for us. Yes, it was my turn and if my book club doesn’t like this book, I’m going to be super bummed because they also didn’t love my last book the same way that I did. Wish me luck! Be sure to check out my buddy review with Shy and Tasha of this one later in the month.

The Assist (Smart Jocks #1) by Rebecca Jenshak
Released on November 1, 2018
Publisher: Self Published
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Pages: 270
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited

You know those stories where the smart girl tutors the dumb jock? This isn’t it.

Blair

What’s the probability of insulting the one guy on campus I need to help me pass statistics? If I knew, I wouldn’t be standing in front of Wes Reynolds begging him to tutor me.

Basketball player, sexy, arrogant, always sleeping through class… these are the things I knew about him. What I didn’t know is that he is a seriously smart jock.

Wes

What’s the best way to get rid of the peppy and unrelenting girl that keeps asking me to tutor her? If I knew, I wouldn’t be staring at her tan legs and attempting to teach her statistics.

Sorority girl, fine as f**k, determined, ball buster… these are the things I knew about her. What I didn’t know is that she is all the things I didn’t realize I wanted or needed.

Or that one semester with her would change everything.

My February buddy review book with Ames is this one. I chose our book this month so I hope it’s a good one because if it isn’t, I’m going to feel bad that I made Ames read a trash book. Wish me luck!

Huge Deal (21 Wall Street #3) by Lauren Layne
Releases on February 12, 2019
Publisher: Amazon, Montlake Romance
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased

Even for a top-gun banker, temptation this hot is quite a gamble, in a sexy Wall Street romp from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne.

An alpha among the wolves of Wall Street, Kennedy Dawson rose to the top of the pack by striking the right contracts at the right times. But there’s one deal that’s been giving him a run for his money—a pact to never again let his assistant, Kate, get under his skin. She may be smart, gorgeous, and sharp as a whip, but she’s definitely off-limits.

Kate Henley isn’t a banker, but she knows a thing or two about risk management—specifically, about managing her attraction to her smolderingly sexy boss. She already fell once, and Kennedy showed no sign of paying a return on her investment. So when Kennedy’s brother starts pursuing her, Kate figures she has the best of both worlds. Jack is charming, rich, very attentive, and the spitting image of his older brother.

It’s also making Kennedy think twice. But to win Kate’s heart, he’ll have to broker the deal of a lifetime…and prove he’s worth the risk.

The minute I get my hands on a copy of this book, I’m dropping everything else and reading it. I have been waiting patiently for Kennedy and Kate so everything else will wait.

The Risk (Briar U #2) by Elle Kennedy
Releases on February 18, 2019
Publisher: Self Published
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased

A sexy standalone novel from New York Times and international bestselling author Elle Kennedy.

Everyone says I’m a bad girl. They’re only partly right—I don’t let fear rule me, and I certainly don’t care what people think. But I draw the line at sleeping with the enemy. As the daughter of Briar’s head hockey coach, I’d be vilified if I hooked up with a player from a rival team.

And that’s who Jake Connelly is. Harvard’s star forward is arrogant, annoying, and too attractive for his own good. But fate is cruel—I require his help to secure a much-coveted internship, and the sexy jerk isn’t making it easy for me.

I need Connelly to be my fake boyfriend.

For every fake date…he wants a real one.

Which means this bad girl is in big trouble. Nothing good can come from sneaking around with Jake Connelly. My father would kill me, my friends will revolt, and my post-college career is on the line. But while it’s getting harder and harder to resist Jake’s oozing sex appeal and cocky grin, I refuse to fall for him.

That’s the one risk I’m not willing to take.

This is another book that I’m probably going to read directly after I get my hands on a copy. I adored Brenna in The Chase and have been crossing my fingers that her hero was going to be Harvard Boy, the enemy QB from the rival school so I’m super happy that HE IS! I can’t wait for this one. There is no doubt that I’m going to read this in February.

Devil’s Daughter (The Ravenels #) by Lisa Kleypas
Releases on February 19, 2019
Publisher: Harper Collins, Avon
Genres: Historical, Romance
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Source: Edelweiss

New York Times bestselling author Lisa Kleypas delivers a scintillating tale of a beautiful, young widow who finds passion with the one man she shouldn’t…

Although beautiful young widow Phoebe, Lady Clare, has never met West Ravenel, she knows one thing for certain: he’s a mean, rotten bully. Back in boarding school, he made her late husband’s life a misery, and she’ll never forgive him for it. But when Phoebe attends a family wedding, she encounters a dashing and impossibly charming stranger who sends a fire-and-ice jolt of attraction through her. And then he introduces himself…as none other than West Ravenel.

West is a man with a tarnished past. No apologies, no excuses. However, from the moment he meets Phoebe, West is consumed by irresistible desire…not to mention the bitter awareness that a woman like her is far out of his reach. What West doesn’t bargain on is that Phoebe is no straitlaced aristocratic lady. She’s the daughter of a strong-willed wallflower who long ago eloped with Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent—the most devilishly wicked rake in England.

Before long, Phoebe sets out to seduce the man who has awakened her fiery nature and shown her unimaginable pleasure. Will their overwhelming passion be enough to overcome the obstacles of the past?

Only the devil’s daughter knows…

Another book that I’m so looking forward to reading. I got this for review so it’s on my review pile and I need to read this one sooner rather than later to give me enough time to review it. West and Phoebe, yay!

River Marked (Mercy Thompson #6) by Patricia Briggs
Released on March 3, 2011
Publisher: Ace
Genres: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 351
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased

Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. And she’s never known any others of her kind. Until now.

As Mercy comes to terms with this new information, an evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River. Something deadly is coming, facts are thin on the ground and Mercy feels ill at ease. However, her father’s people may know more. To have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need all the resources the shifters can offer. Or death will be the least of their worries.

This is the book that I will be reading for Wendy’s TBR Challenge for February. The prompt is Series (a book in an on-going series you’re reading) so I chose the next book in a series that I’m hoping to finish out this year. Wish me luck!

The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie (Mackenzie’s & McBrides #1) by Jennifer Ashley
Released on May 1, 2009
Publisher: Penguin, Berkley
Genres: Historical, Romance
Pages: 320
Format: Audiobook
Source: Audible Romance Package

The year is 1881. Meet the Mackenzie family—rich, powerful, dangerous, eccentric. A lady couldn’t be seen with them without ruin. Rumors surround them—of tragic violence, of their mistresses, of their dark appetites, of scandals that set England and Scotland abuzz.

The youngest brother, Ian, known as the Mad Mackenzie, spent most of his young life in an asylum, and everyone agrees he is decidedly odd. He’s also hard and handsome and has a penchant for Ming pottery and beautiful women.

Beth Ackerley, widow, has recently come into a fortune. She has decided that she wants no more drama in her life. She was raised in drama—an alcoholic father who drove them into the workhouse, a frail mother she had to nurse until her death, a fussy old lady she became a constant companion to. No, she wants to take her money and find peace, to travel, to learn art, to sit back and fondly remember her brief but happy marriage to her late husband.

And then Ian Mackenzie decides he wants her.

Each month over on Book Binge, the Book Binge team reads a book together that we then review together and it’s Holly’s turn to choose our book so she chose this one. I’m super glad that it’s on the Audible Romance package so I’ll be listening to this one at work.

Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry
Releases on January 22, 2019
Publisher: Tor Teen
Genres: Young Adult
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley

Bestselling author Katie McGarry’s trademark wrong-side-of-the-tracks romance is given a new twist in the gritty YA contemporary novel, Only a Breath Apart.

Jesse Lachlin is cursed.

So the town folklore says, but while Jesse’s had his fair share of tragedy, the only curse he believes is in his grandmother’s will: in order to inherit his family farm he must win the approval of his childhood best friend, the girl he froze out his freshman year, Scarlett Copeland.

Scarlett Copeland is psychic.

Glory Gardner tells Scarlett she has hidden psychic abilities, but Scarlett thinks Glory is delusional. What is real is Scarlett’s father’s irrational fears, controlling attitude, and the dark secrets at home. Scarlett may have a way to escape, but there’s a hitch: she’ll have to rely on the one person she used to trust, the same boy who broke her heart, Jesse Lachlin.

Each midnight meeting pushes Jesse and Scarlett to confront their secrets and their feelings for each other. But as love blooms, the curse rears its ugly head…

So I requested this book a long ass time ago for review but I just got it for review a couple of weeks ago and so this request has come to bite me in the ass because I got it for review like a week before it was released and I’m done with my January review pile so I’ve already moved on…but I’m pretty anal about my review pile these days so this got looped into my February and March review pile, which means I’ll be reading this in February. Sigh. I’m gonna be honest and say that this book fell off my radar and I’m not that jazzed about reading it anymore but it’s a McGarry so hopefully she’ll take care of me anyway. *shrugs*

The Dating Game by Kiley Roache
Releases on April 1, 2019
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Genres: New Adult
Pages: 304
Format: eARC
Source: Edelweiss

The Social Network gets a romantic twist in this fresh and engaging new read from the author of Frat Girl, Kiley Roache. Experience the whirlwind ups and downs of college life in this authentic and entertaining new novel!

When a notoriously difficult class for future entrepreneurs leads to three freshmen developing the next “it” app for dating on college campuses, all hell breaks loose…

Type A control freak Sara lives by her color-coordinated Post-it notes.

Rich boy Braden wants out from under his billionaire father’s thumb.

Scholarship student Roberto can’t afford for his grades to drop.

When the three are forced to work together in one of the university’s most difficult classes, tension rises to the breaking point…until, shockingly, the silly dating app they create proves to be the most viable project in class. Late nights of app development, interest from investors and unexpected romance are woven into a true-to-life college drama that explores what it means to really connect online and IRL.

This book came onto my radar as I was browsing Edelweiss for new ARC’s. This sounds like a really cute read so I’m all in for it and it’s coming out soon so I’ve got to get this one read in February.

Eyes on Me by Rachel Harris
Releases on March 26, 2019
Publisher: Entangled, Entangled Teen
Genres: Young Adult
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley

Look up the word “nerd” and you’ll find Lily Cooper’s picture. She’s got one goal: first stop valedictorian, next stop Harvard. Until a stint in the hospital from too much stress lands her in the last place a klutz like her ever expected to be: salsa dance lessons.

Look up the word “popular” and you’ll find Stone Torres’s picture. His life seems perfect—star of the football team, straight-A student, lots of friends. But his family is struggling to make ends meet, so if pitching in at the Torres dance studio helps, he’ll do it.

When Lily’s dad offers Stone extra cash to volunteer as Lily’s permanent dance partner, he can’t refuse. But with each dip and turn, each moment her hand is in his, his side job starts to feel all too real. But in dance, as in life, one wrong move and someone could get hurt.

I have enjoyed Rachel Harris’ books in the past and this one looked pretty cute so I requested it for review. It’s a March release but it’s going on my February TBR so that I can stay on top of my review pile. You know how I roll.

What books are on your TBR pile for February? Anything good that I should keep my eye out on? Please share the books you have on deck to read next month.