Blog Tour, Excerpt & Giveaway: Notorious By Leslie McAdam

IOU, Book 5

Picking up your favorite adult film star at a bar in Vegas is a bad idea—especially when you wake up the next morning married to him. Ask me how I know.

Before I met Velvet the Cowboy, the public knew me as an innocuous guy who was running for office.

Now I’ve gone from boring to notorious in twenty-four hours.

The hot stranger’s ring on my finger puts a damper on my political ambitions, since his day job isn’t voter-friendly. An annulment is a no-go, and a quickie divorce would make me look unreliable.

In any case, when I find out Velvet’s dark plans, I know I can’t let him out of my sight. Which means I’m taking a gorgeous, 6’6”, slow-talking cowboy home with me to protect him from himself.

Being with him might light my career on fire. I’m just not expecting it to do the same to my heart.

Notorious is a stand-alone contemporary romance about Johnny Haskell, a cowboy turned adult star who stops to pet every good dog (and they’re all good dogs), and Kurt Delmont, a senatorial candidate who wants to save the world. It features recovery from a mental health crisis, healing from old wounds, and love that takes these two by surprise. This book contains sensitive themes; a detailed description of the contents is in the author’s note in the book preview. Happily ever after guaranteed.

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Excerpt:

Velvet gazes at me with concern as he, too, appears to be putting the night together. At least, that’s how I interpret the scrunch of his nose. His sleepy eyes register genuine bewilderment.

“Hey, darlin’,” he whispers, his iconic voice deep, with a hint of a drawl. “Are you okay?” He rubs his temples.

“I … don’t know,” I admit, drawing my knees to my chest and wrapping my hands around my calves. As I do, I notice something amiss. Well, something else amiss.

My naked companion nods, as if my words make perfect sense. “Yeah. Last night must’ve been wild, since I’m not entirely sure how I got back here.” His eyes dart to his left hand, and he squints. “What in tarnation?” Then he looks at my hand at the same time I pull it up to my face to inspect it.

A ring circles the fourth finger. A shiny platinum band without any scratches or dings.

I don’t wear a ring on that hand. I don’t wear jewelry, period. I glance back at Velvet and confirm that he’s got a ring on his fourth finger, too.

I blink.

He blinks.

I furrow my brow.

He does the same.

“Um,” I rasp, staring at my ring, then gesturing to his. “Do you know where these came from?”

Velvet starts to shake his head and then frowns. A light dawns in his now fully awake eyes. He cocks his head as he studies his hand. He blows out his cheeks, then releases the air. “Well, heck,” he says. “I think we might be hitched. What’s your name again?

Enter the Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Notorious, Leslie is away a signed paperback copy of the release!

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

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About the Author:

USA Today bestselling author Leslie McAdam is a California girl who loves romance and well-defined abs. She lives in a drafty old farmhouse on a small orange tree farm in Southern California with her husband and two children. Leslie’s first published book, The Sun and the Moon, won a 2015 Watty, which is the world’s largest online writing competition. She’s gone on to receive additional literary awards and has been featured in multiple publications, including Cosmopolitan.com. Her books have been Top 100 Bestsellers on both Amazon and Apple Books. Leslie is employed by day but spends her nights writing about the men of your fantasies.

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New Release Book Review: Limitless Love: A Polyamorous Charity Anthology

4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

This has to be one of the best anthologies I’ve read. So many are just short stories that make you need to buy the next book in the author’s series if you want any sort of conclusion. But Limitless Love is full of wonderfully refreshing standalone stories full of characters and relationships that stole my heart.

Falling on Schedule by Sage Abbott – An MMMM romance. This is the second book I’ve read recently involving a surrogate for sex, something I’d never heard of before. I liked Brandt & Cairo, and Jim & Merry and enjoyed the way the two couples came together to build a relationship between the 4 of them while each couple respected the other’s needs and desires.

The Two That Got Away by Aurora Crane – I love Aurora Crane’s novels and would have loved for this to have been longer. The connection Drew, Keenan & Evan have was so strong. I’d have loved to have known why Keenan believed he wasn’t worthy of having either of these men, but I’m glad Drew could see the connection he had with them both and made the move to make things happen resulting in a HEA.

Triple XP by Colette Davison – I’m not a ģamer so I was a bit wary going into this one but Dex, Lock & Avery all quickly stole my heart just as they stole each other’s. I really enjoyed Triple XP.

A Sweet Way to Love by Abrianna Dense – This is one of the few open poly relationships I’ve read about and it was interesting to see how the dynamics between the various men and their respective spouses and Eric their longtime partner worked as well as how the new dynamic of Graham being brought in as Eric’s newest lover and possibly the man he didn’t know he was looking for to help complete him, changed or added to the dynamics.

Three’s Cozy by EM Denning – Zeke and Connor were hot as a couple but when they added their long-term crush Micah to the mix then they were boiling. This was a fun read.

What We Wished Four by Elouise East – The joining of two couples, Lev & Bryan, and Rowan & Gary was both sweet and sexy and for them a little scary in case they messed up their friendship. But these 4 best friends were meant to be much more, they just needed to take the plunge.

Not Without You by MJ Green – This one was a little darker than the rest, a family business with underworld ties, these cousins are closer than the norm. I enjoyed Pauli’s forced bi-awakening when he goes after his cousin and best friend who has run from his longtime unrequited love. Finding him with two other men awakened more than he imagined, not only for him but for all of them.

Toward Unity by J.L. Dribble – I loved how Sage, Weston and Val, longtime best friends learn that together they can be each other’s everything, each one filling a need that the other can fill and therefore making the Relationship fully complete.

Balancing Each Other by Leigh Kenzie – Noel and Eddie, assassins who’ve been together for over a decade find their third seeking shelter from a snowstorm. I enjoyed seeing Robbie come out of his shell and recover from the shock of finding his fiance with another man. Robbie discovers parts of himself he never knew he needed and finds two Daddies who will do anything to keep him safe and happy. It was super quick instalove but that’s to be expected in a short novella. A fun read.

Our Sweet Vampire by Michele Notaro With only 2 chapters and an epilogue, this was the shortest story of them all. Two soulmates find their missing soulmate, fall for each other immediately and save him from the bad guy. A short sweet read.

I hope to read more polyamory romances in the future, but for now, I’ve enjoyed this anthology a great deal and found myself some new authors to try out.

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It’s Monday! What are you reading?

First seen over on Book’d Out I’m going to try to do this post regularly linking to It’s Monday! What are you reading? at BookDate.

Well, it’s actually Tuesday, I was too tired after studying on the weekend to turn on the computer. It’s been a fortnight so I’ve read a few books, listened to a few audiobooks and I have started a few others.

I finished reading The Trouble With Trying to Hook a Harbinger by Jennifer Cody (my review), this is the 4th book in the Murder Sprees & Mute Decrees series and so far I’ve enjoyed every one, they do follow on so you need to read them in order or you’ll have no idea what is going on in the crazy world the author has created.

I also finished reading Limitless Love: A Polyamorous Charity Anthology which was one of the best anthologies I have read in a long while (my review).

I finished reading my book for bookclub, The Law of the Heart by Boris Starling, this was my choice and it took until chapter 4 for me to start getting into it and by chapter 7 I was hooked. It is set in North Korea and was really good, everyone who read it for our meeting last week agreed.

I finally finished listening to Cat Lady by Dawn O’Porter this was someone else’s bookclub pick for our meeting in July, I renewed this 3 times and it took me about 5 weeks to get through, I enjoyed the last 2 hours but the rest was a struggle for me. I think I might be the outlier on this one when we have our bookclub meeting.

The other audiobook I was listening to was Ladies’ Rest & Writing Room by Kim Kelly, I loved this novella when I read it and really enjoyed the audiobook, it’s only 3 1/2 hours so if you are looking for something good but short to fill in some of your day this is definitely worth a listen. (My review)

I also finished The Home Game (Book 4 Relationship Goals) by Brigham Vaughn which I thoroughly enjoyed (my review). I read Feral (Wicked Nights at Lair #1) by Mia Monroe an MM Vampire PNR which was very enjoyable, with murder, violence and a no-angst romance (my review). I read Trust the Connection (Peachtree #1) by Brigham Vaughn which was very good.

I finished listening to Happy Endings (Demon Magic #1) by Alice Winters an MM PNR which I enjoyed (my review) and I will be listening to book 2 shortly. I listened to Jonah & the Narwhal by Vinni George a Mpreg Alpha/Omega book which was pretty good, it was very instalove and I think I wanted a bit more otherwise it was a sweet romance.

All in all a pretty good two weeks.

This week I am reading an ARC of Jennie Jones’ new historical fiction novel The Girls From Fitzroy which comes out next month and I’m going to her author talk at the end of July. It’s set in Australia in 1945 just as the war has ended and it’s already shaping up to be a good read.

I’m also reading an ARC of The Golden Handcuffs by K.C Carmine, a MM BDSM romance, a very different read to The Girls From Fitzroy but sure to be just as good.

I am listening to an ARC of Thin Ice by Lane Hayes an MM sports romance, I only have an hour left and have enjoyed it a lot.

My next audiobook will probably be The Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V.E Schwab, an adult fantasy fiction which sounds really interesting but is about 17 hours of listening time, it’ll definitely keep me occupied while I’m driving for a couple of weeks.

I’ve got a few more ARCs to read so I think The Kraken Games (Motham City Monsters #5) by Lilith Stone, a monster romance will be my next read if I get through the two I’m currently reading. I’ve enjoyed the previous books in the series, they are fun and steamy.

I went to an author talk at one of my local libraries on Saturday and am really interested in reading the novel which I’d not heard of before this. I’m just waiting for the library to get it in but I’m first on the waiting list. The book is Shadows of Winter Robins by Louise Wolhuter, it’s a mystery crime novel set in the UK and Australia. If you get a chance to hear Louise talk I recommend it because she was very entertaining.

I hope you enjoyed my catch-up, I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading or are currently reading. Until next week (hopefully) happy reading.

New Release Book Review: The Home Game by Brigham Vaughn

My Review

This is my favourite series by Brigham Vaughn and The Home Game giving Matty his HEA was a great read.

All Matty wants is someone to love, someone who loves him, and a family and in The Home Game he gets all he’s ever wanted.

Antoni is struggling to raise his deceased friend’s 4 children by himself, ranging from 6 months to 15 years old he has his hands full and is overwhelmed. He needs to find a new place to live as well as fight religious, homophobic grandparents for custody of the children. Enter his knight in shining armour Matty.

Matty is adorable and I’d love to find someone like him, but since I can’t manage that I’m glad Antoni did. He cares about everyone, often to his detriment, but that doesn’t stop him from stepping in when he can help Antoni with a place to live.

I really loved the friendship that bloomed between Matty and Antoni and the relationships he formed with the four kids. The kids were great characters and I enjoyed getting to know them all, especially Alexa and Eli.

Matty’s teammates and their partners are as supportive as I’d have expected, they are such a great bunch and while they have some concerns they still embrace Antoni and his children into their ‘family’.

It isn’t all smooth sailing, there are gossip sites to contend with, PR and the team coach, rash decisions made for the right reasons and conflict between Matty and his teammate and friend Dom. We get to find out a bit more about Dom, whose story will be the final book in the series.

This was another great read in the Relationship Goals series and I am looking forward to Dom’s book, he deserves his HEA.

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Blurb

Matty Carlson Playing House with Local Schoolteacher?

Toronto Fisher Cats enforcer, Matt Carlson, was recently spotted in the park with a hot mystery man and four children ranging in age from pre-teen to infant.

A close source indicates that the man is prep school English teacher, Antoni Bianchi, who has been spotted with Carlson in public recently.

Following the cozy park outing, Carlson was photographed with his arm around Bianchi as they returned to Carlson’s home, adding fuel to the speculation that the men are dating and, perhaps, living together.

Just friends or is something else heating up their late summer nights?

Since Carlson’s acrimonious divorce five years ago, he has not been romantically linked to anyone but rumors swirled of involvement with a man prior to the split.

Is the enforcer ready to “switch teams” for good?

When asked to comment on her ex’s sexuality, aspiring actress Courtney Quinn stated, “I don’t know why everyone is surprised. It’s not like it’s the first time he’s been with a man.”

Sour grapes from a jilted lover or secrets from his past revealed?

Check the JockGossip blog for all of the latest developments in this intriguing new chapter of Carlson’s life.

TRIGGER WARNING:

The story contains discussions about the death of background characters in a car accident, children being orphaned, and grieving.

Mentions of biphobia, anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment, and violence against non-binary characters.

New Release Book Review: Deadly Little Sparrow by K.M. Neuhold

4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

My Review

This was something different from this author and since I do enjoy dark romance and dark mafia romance, I was keen to read Deadly Little Sparrow. And it did not disappoint, Sparrow and Xaviaro fed off each other wonderfully. There was humour amongst the murder, the backstory of the characters and their slightly unhinged romance and it was the perfect balance of violence, revenge and sex. I’m glad there’s more to come in this series and I look forward to seeing Sparrow and Xaviaro as characters in the next person’s book.

Purchase Link – Amazon

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About the book

Is there such thing as love at first bar fight?

I may be small and pretty, but what I lack in intimidation factor, I make up for in violence.

I made a vow five years ago that the motorcycle club responsible for my brother’s death would pay the price, and I’m finally ready to collect. May God have mercy on the men who hurt my brother, because I don’t plan to.

Accidentally breaking the nose of the deadliest man in the city wasn’t my best move. Xaviaro Saviano, trigger man for the Moretti Crime Family… and now my own personal stalker. But if I have to go through him to deliver well-deserved justice, so be it.

As strange as it sounds, Xaviaro seems to want to help me more than he wants to hurt me. I can’t shake the man no matter what I do. Threatening him feels like foreplay, tying him up only turns him on… I could play nice, but that’s never been my strong suit.

I’d be lying if I said he wasn’t starting to grow on me, especially when he calls me his Deadly Little Sparrow from his knees. I’ve never met a man who could handle me, let alone one who can’t stop begging me for more.

Can love and revenge live in the same heart? I guess there’s only one way to find out…

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

First seen over on Book’d Out I’m going to try to do this post regularly linking to It’s Monday! What are you reading? at BookDate.

Well, it’s certainly been a while since I had time to write much on my blog, I’ve been studying hard and classes have taken up any free time outside of work. I have made time to read and now I’m on a bit of a break for about 6 weeks, I’m determined to catch up on reviews and these posts I started earlier in the year.

I’ve read too many books to go through them all since I last posted at the end of February so I’ll post graphics and you can investigate or ask me about any that catch your eye. This is quite a long post so read on to see what I’m reading now and what I’ll be reading after.

March, April & May gave me some really great reads and audiobooks and I’ll attempt over the next few weeks to post some reviews on here.

I don’t know how that happened but this year has been flying by. So far in June, I have read Deadly Little Sparrow by K.M Neuhold, an MM Mafia romance that I really enjoyed. It was a different direction for this author and she did a good job. I have just this afternoon finished Fish Stick Fridays by Rhys Ford, an MM romantic suspense, this was my first book by this author and I will definitely be reading more by her.

I am currently reading The Trouble With Trying to Hook a Harbinger by Jennifer Cody, this is the 4th book in the Murder Sprees & Mute Decrees series and so far I’ve enjoyed every one, they do follow on so you need to read them in order or you’ll have no idea what is going on in the crazy world the author has created.

I am also reading Limitless Love: A Polyamorous Charity Anthology which comes out next week.

I am reading a book for bookclub, The Law of the Heart by Boris Starling, this was my choice and it took until chapter 4 for me to start getting into it, but I think it’s going to be good, it is set in North Korea, so it should be interesting. I chose it for 3 reasons, one it sounded interesting, two it’s been sitting on my Kindle for about 2 years, and three it was only a couple of dollars for everyone to purchase on Amazon.

I am listening to a couple of books, the first Cat Lady by Dawn O’Porter is someone else’s bookclub pick for our meeting in July, I’m not enjoying it hence why I have more than one audiobook on the go. I can manage 1 or 2 chapters then I have to have a break, but I’m going to slog my way through it because I’m hoping people are giving my choice a go.

The other audiobook I’m listening to is Ladies’ Rest & Writing Room by Kim Kelly, I loved this novella when I read it and am enjoying the audiobook, it’s only 3 1/2 hours so if you are looking for something good but short to fill in some of your day this is definitely worth a listen. (My review)

This week or next week depending on how time goes I will be reading The Home Game by Brigham Vaughn book #4 in the Relationship Goals series which comes out this week.

As well as picking up Finding Kait by Suzanne Cass a romantic crime fiction read.

So, that’s me up to date in the What am I reading post, now to get on with catching up on my reviews of all the great books I’ve read over the past 3 months. I hope to catch you again next week.

#6Degrees of Seperation #3 – June 2024

I started joining in with this blog at the beginning of the year, but due to study all my good intentions fell away, we are on a bit of a break so I’m going to try to post as much as I can before we start back full classes in July.

This is a monthly link-up hosted by KateW at Books Are My Favourite and Best. Each month a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six other books to form a chain. A book doesn’t need to be connected to all the other books on the list, only to the one next to it in the chain. The rules are:

Link the books together in any way you like.
Provide a link in your post to the meme at Books Are My Favourite and Best.
Share these rules in your post.
Paste the link to your post in the comments on Kate’s post and/or the Linky Tool on that post.
Invite your blog readers to join in and paste their links in the comments and/or the Linky Tool.
Share your post on Twitter using the #6Degrees hashtag.
Be nice! Visit and comment on other posts and/or retweet other #6Degrees posts.

This month we begin with Butter by Asako Yuzuki. It’s billed as a food-related-murder story. I haven’t read this and I tossed up which direction to go with my links before deciding to go with food as my link to start with and maybe finish with as I keep changing my mind.

The first book I’ve chosen is one that I’m currently reading Fish Sticks Friday by Rhys Ford is a romantic suspense, mystery, MM romance that I’m enjoying.

I was going to look for books with names of the week in, but it proved too hard so, I have continued with food as my theme.

A Different Fish in the Sea by Ashlynn Mills was a book I really enjoyed and is an MMM romance (my review).

Next is Salt & Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher and while salt isn’t a food on its own, we put it on our food like we do with butter (it also links to the sea in the previous title so a double link). This is on my TBR and I bought it a while ago because my favourite novel is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and this is supposed to be a witchy retelling of Jane Eyre.

Pumpkin Pies and Potions by Polly Holmes is a cosy mystery where a new witch must find a killer. This is set in Saltwater Cove so I think that links with the previous one x3, salt, witches and food.

We’ve had pumpkins and now we have Mulberries, next is Becoming Mrs Mulberry by Jackie French a historical fiction novel that I couldn’t put down when I read it and since then I’ve also listened to the audiobook which was fabulous as well.

I nearly went off on a different tangent with the last book but reined myself in and stayed with food. Our Own Private Fig Tree by Rania Battany, is a multicultural romance that packs a lot of punch (my review).

So, there we have it, my third #6degreesofseperation finished. I will endeavour to do July’s since we don’t start full classes again until the 20th July.

#6Degrees of Separation #2 – March 2024

I’ve seen this meme on several book blogs I follow, so I thought I would join in to keep up my blogging this year.

This is a monthly link-up hosted by KateW at Books Are My Favourite and Best. Each month a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six other books to form a chain. A book doesn’t need to be connected to all the other books on the list, only to the one next to it in the chain. The rules are:

Link the books together in any way you like.
Provide a link in your post to the meme at Books Are My Favourite and Best.
Share these rules in your post.
Paste the link to your post in the comments on Kate’s post and/or the Linky Tool on that post.
Invite your blog readers to join in and paste their links in the comments and/or the Linky Tool.
Share your post on Twitter using the #6Degrees hashtag.
Be nice! Visit and comment on other posts and/or retweet other #6Degrees posts.

This month’s task was to start with the book Tom Lake by Ann Patchett. I haven’t read this and it’s not on my TBR list so I’ve decided to link the first book with the word LAKE in the title. I was thinking of going with a name in the title, but Lake won the toss.

The Cottage at Whisper Lake by Phillipa Nefri Clark, I loved this book, part mystery, part romance. It was such a great read.

I am going with a lake being a body of water and so is a river, my next book is The Vet from Snow River by Stella Quinn. This is one of my #backlistreads for this year, a very overdue read which has been waiting 3 years for me to read it.

Continuing with the body of water theme, the next book I am linking is Galaxies and Oceans by N.R Walker, this is set on Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia, and this was an emotional read that I really enjoyed.

Continuing with the body of water theme I am choosing Jewel Sea by Kim Kelly, I’m only partway through this book, but I know it’s going to be a fabulous read, it’s also set in my home state of Western Australia. It is about a pearl that comes with a curse and a warning.

I’m going in a completely different direction to the one I had planned, but my next book is P is for Pearl by Eliza Henry-Jones, set in Tasmania, it is an absolutely beautiful and moving story (see my review), one I would like to revisit.

My next book is one I’ve had on my Kindle for a while and we jump across an ocean to visit New Zealand, it might be time to read it. Charlie and Pearl by Tammy Robinson. Apparently, this one might make me cry so I’ll make sure I’m not in public when I’m reading it.

So, there is my second #6Degrees of Separation post which I am quite happy with and it’s brought to my attention a couple of books that I really must read this year. Have you read any of these?

#ThrowbackThursday #2

I was asking Davida from The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for some ideas of memes I could join in with and she suggested I could join her twist on #ThrowbackThursday.

The gist of her Throwback Thursday is to highlight one of your previously published book reviews. I love this idea as it brings to people’s minds wonderful books they might have forgotten or not even heard of.

For the Twists/Instructions for Throwback Thursday visit her here. I’m going to try and keep the same schedule she does, the Thursday before the first Saturday of every month, but you can link to her blog all month.

I’d love to know if you join in.

For my second #ThrowbackThursday post I scrolled back a few years to uncover this one, it was the cover that first drew me to this novel isn’t it lovely?

This was such an interesting concept that I was immediately drawn to wanting to read The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. A dual timeline novel, 1791 and the present day, these two stories are brought together when Caroline, our present-day character who once had dreams of being a historian and who has just found out her husband has cheated on her. Travelling on her own to London, she goes mudlarking (a term I’d never heard of before) and finds a small glass vial hidden in the mud of the Thames. This, in turn, leads her to investigate where it came from and in turn, uncover a 200-year-old mystery.

Click here to read the rest of my review along with an excerpt from the novel

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

First seen over on Book’d Out I’m going to try to do this post regularly linking to It’s Monday! What are you reading? at BookDate.

I’ve had a pretty good reading week this week

I finished 2 brilliant audiobooks

Wildflower by Monique Mulligan – Read my review

The Rat Catcher: A Love Story by Kim Kelly – Review to come

I finished reading

UnConVentional Kiss by K.C Carmine & Katherine McIntyre (ARC) – Review to come

Brighter Than Fear (Fangs and Felons #3) by Becca Seymour (ARC) – Read my review

This week I will be reading

To the RIver by Vikki Wakefield (ARC)

April’s Fool (Northarbor Coven #2) by Jax Stuart (ARC)

The Sea Captain’s Wife by Jackie French (ARC)

I am currently listening to 3 audiobooks but none of them has particularly grabbed me just yet and 1 of them I’m thinking of giving up which is a shame, but there is no point continuing with something I’m not enjoying.

Around the World in 80 Days by Michael Palin which was one of the books I used in my #6degrees Challenge post for February.

The Peacemaker – Sharps and Springfield book 1 by Morgan Brice (ARC)

Lonely Diner (Some Like It Haute book 3) by Dann Hazel (ARC)

I start my study this week, and I have well and truly overextended myself until the end of April adding an extra shift on a Monday evening as well as an Art Therapy client on a Friday, so here’s hoping I survive.

My art lesson went well, it was interesting learning what worked and what didn’t. I also made a card for a client’s 60th birthday tomorrow.

I’d love to hear what you’ve been reading and what you hope to read this week. Until next week, happy reading.