Monday, September 10, 2018

Release Blitz & Review: But First, Coffee - Sarah Darlington

But First, Coffee
by Sarah Darlington
Published: September 10, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance

She’s the boss.
I’m only a barista in her company.
I really don’t give a f**k about her one way or the other.

And then there’s Doug Maddox, a man with a lot of power over me. He’s blackmailing me. Making me spy on her. I’m supposed to find her weaknesses and destroy her. But the closer I get, the more the lines between us start to blur.

She’s sweet. She’s kind. She’s sexy as hell.
Why am I the only man who see’s this?

So now I’m stuck—between keeping my sister safe against Doug, because that’s what’s really at stake here, and these feelings I can’t deny for a woman who shouldn’t mean anything to me.

I know what I have to do. I’ll destroy her.
It doesn’t matter if I have to destroy my own heart in the process.


Review
4 Stars

Lana Bitterman: creator of Java Bean and wearer of white pant suits.
Joe Coffee: handsome barista and recovered addict.
The two might've never met, Lana doesn't venture into her coffee shops, though she's heard of the handsome man and his ability to make a cup of coffee faster and better than anyone else. Her research shows he's capable and her mind says it's the right thing to do, so she promotes him unaware that he's being led by something other than the love of coffee. They have instant chemistry, but beneath the surface lacks another's hand, playing puppet master over their office romance and the fate of Java Bean.

Part suspense, part romance, and maybe a tiny bit humorous, But First, Coffee tells the story of Lana, Joe, their well selected last names, and the instant romance they fall into as they work side by side on the future of Java Bean. The two are drop dead gorgeous, so it was no surprise to me that they fall into one another, but they're also both fairly damaged by life's events and it's hard to predict how two damaged souls can work together to be one. They challenge one another and work through the loneliness, the shame, and the embarrassment as a team. I wish there had been more sincere conversation between them and there was so much going on that I never really felt like I understood them both completely, but they worked well together as a couple still. More than the romance though, this book tells the story of a crazed man and his desire to control all those who cross him. He likes the power and he believes he lost it years ago when Lana turned him down and went on to succeed on her own. He employs Joe to assist in destroying her and he might succeed, if the romance doesn't get in the way first.

Yes, the cover is absolutely outstanding, hello those abs, but the story inside is pretty good too. I loved the coffee chain idea, the incredibly successful heroine, and the difficult things the characters had to work through in order to find success. It's an entertaining, engaging read that will keep you guessing, that's for sure. But First, Coffee is my first Sarah Darlington book and I definitely don't think it'll be my last.

ARC provided.

Giveaway:
"Just like I liked my coffee, he was bold, strong, a little bitter, a little sweet, and always hot."
Up for grabs: $20 Amazon GC (international) and signed Paperback copy of BFC (US only)
Link to Enter: @CarleneInspired

Post a Comment

© Carlene Inspired. Made with love by The Dutch Lady Designs.