My Life in Shambles is an emotional and sexy new standalone contemporary romance from the New York Times bestselling author of A Nordic King and The Pact.When Valerie Stephens made the resolution to say yes to new adventures, she never thought she’d end up in the tiny town of Shambles, fake engaged to one of Ireland’s top rugby players. But there’s a first time for everything.They say bad things … everything.
They say bad things happen in threes.
After my boyfriend broke off our engagement, I lost my apartment, and was laid off from my job, I can definitely attest to that.
They also say life is what happens when you say yes to new adventures.
So when my two sisters invited me to ring in the new year in Ireland, I decided to throw all caution to the wind and go for it. I was going to let “saying yes” be my new resolution.
Little did I know I’d spend New Year’s Eve having a hot and dirty one-night stand with Padraig McCarthy, one hell of a sexy Irishman. I also didn’t know that the brooding and intense sex god was one of Ireland’s top rugby players.
A rugby player with a proposition for me:
Come with him to his tiny hometown of Shambles and pretend to be his fiancé for a few days, just so that his ailing father can have some peace of mind.
It sounded simple enough.
It was anything but.
Not when a town gets up in your business, not when the media hunts you down, not when your past comes back in the picture, not when there are real hearts and feelings at stake.
Not when there are secrets that could break you.
They say life is what happens when you say yes to new adventures.
This is my life in Shambles.
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I’ve been a fan of Karina Halle’s for YEARS. Before I even started publishing myself. This is some of her best work. So real and raw, but also with plenty of humor and heat. Halle takes us through the full range of emotions and leaves us wanting MORE.
A deliciously steamy, heartfelt romance, this one will make you laugh and hit you right in the feels. And, it’s a sports romance, with an Irish rugby player. How can you not fall in love with these characters? An absolute must read!
Another amazing read from Karina! Make sure you check out this emotional and sexy new standalone contemporary romance that gives all the good feels.
Karina broke my heart with this one and then put it back together with her words and characters.
Don’t miss this all-new Karina Halle book! Two words: fake engagement. And that cover says it all!
This book wrecked me in all the best ways. An emotional, steamy tear-jerker!
“It takes a moment to change someone. Sometimes it just takes a kiss.”
Author Karina Halle delivers an utterly stunning and beautifully written novel in My Life In Shambles. I love a book that can evoke such a wide range of emotion, and this book gives all the feels and more. The characters are so dynamic I found myself laughing out loud, moved to tears, and stunned by the raw emotion. My Life In Shambles is absolutely magnetic, moving, and poignant beyond words – an absolute must read.
I fell in love with the main characters and their sizzling connection. You’ll feel the heat for days, and the swoon for longer. I felt it was a little slow to start, however once I hit the core of the book, I was completely sucked in and could barely put it down. Padraig’s character is striking and enigmatic, and more than just a little broken. You can’t help but be in his corner from the start, and Valerie’s kind and compassionate heart feels the same. This story is too special to give anything away, you simply have to experience it for yourself! I so enjoyed the ride, and I think you will too.
If you’re looking for a read you’re sure to feel soul deep, one-click My Life In Shambles today! Enjoy xo
Just what I needed. Hot. Fun. Fresh storytelling. Loved it.
This was my first book by this author and I really loved it. It was well written, without too much cliche for the Irish setting or the fake fiancee trope. The characters and situations were written with heart, humor, and as much realism as possible. Really felt transported into the world of Padraig and Val. Well done!
Karina Halle never disappoints, but this one? Oh my holy romance! I think I’ve said elsewhere that I’m not, on the whole, a super sporty sort of person, but I have a bit of a weak spot for romances featuring sexy athletes. And this is Karina at the top of her game, so don’t miss it!
As funny as it is romantic. This story has it all. Five stars!
Life in Shambles is an extremely emotional and sexy story with a lot of emphasis on family, grief, acceptance, making amends, illness, and oh, did I mention sexy? Grab this one from Karina Halle now!
Karina Halle writes one heck of an emotional love story!
After a series of unfortunate events, Valerie decides to start saying yes to new adventure, beginning with a trip to Ireland. Sexy ruby star Padraig McCarthy wasn’t in her plans, but she’d be crazy not to say YES to one hot night with him. I love Karina’s books, and this one is no exception!
Karina Halle continues to prove why she is one of my favorite authors! And oh my gosh, that cover!!!
It’s emotional, sexy, and deeper than the blurb might make you believe. With an emphasis on family, grief, acceptance, making amends, illness… but did I mention sexy? Oh yes, you’re going to love it!
“Do you know what I see? I see someone who is more real than anyone I’ve ever met. I see someone who overcame a tragedy and turned into someone vibrant. I think you’re more beautiful because of it.”
I don’t know how Karina Halle does it, but she always comes up with the most interesting and likable characters. My Life in Shambles is a beautiful, heartbreaking, and hopeful contemporary romance about two characters that are dealing with their own demons. Both Val and Padraig are great characters that really fit together perfectly. Padraig, is a bit of a loner and especially lately been on his own. Val is very caring and protective, things he has been missing in his life. They both made each other feel like they mattered and were perfect they way they are. The attraction between these two was scorching hot. I usually am not super invested in a lot of sex scenes, but I really loved them in this book. Especially, the dirty talking was great!
“…see reminds me of the first day of spring. Not the arbitrary date in March, but that first real day when the sun is out and the air is fresh and you close your eyes and you can almost feel yourself being reborn again.”
I loved that this book was set in Ireland, and the author really made me feel like I was actually there. All the secondary characters were great and added a fun and sometimes sad element to the story. Overall, I think My Life in Shambles was a great contemporary romance. It was fun, sad, sexy, romantic, heartbreaking and more. I think the balance between the sad and happy parts was really good. One moment I was smiling and the next I got teary-eyed. This story was more than just a romance, it was a story about family. Both characters had their issues with their own particular family member, and I loved that the author took time to concentrate on that as well. I think dealing with these issues played a very important part in the growth of both characters. Both Val and Padraig weren’t perfect and had their insecurities, but they helped and supported each other to deal with them.
“You are fierce, Valerie Stephens. A wild bird that could fly away but chooses to stay with me, and I am forever grateful for that. Believe me, I am.”
***5 ‘Always Hold Out For Brilliant’ Stars***
O.M.G. The swoons in this one are real!
Oh. So. Real.
So were the sniffly moments, which has me very happy that my eyeliner has proven to be waterproof, because there are some heavy moments in this one that just broke my heart. But there were were also a good dose of sweet, funny and oh so smexy ones to helped keep my heart in one piece and kept me turning the pages to see where Padraig’s and Valerie’s journey would take them.
I adored Padraig and Valerie and it happened almost instantaneously and that’s not something that happens often. Valerie was so easy to connect with. She’s got her hang ups (outside of her life falling apart) which could crush a person’s spirits and yet she’s sweet, kind and sassy and has a kind and genuine heart. Padraig has a lot of demons riding him hard, some of his own making, some beyond his control and it makes him something of a loner and brooder, but there is this unexpected kindness in him that comes through in his actions and a blunt honesty that makes him quite irresistible.
Valerie and Padraig’s journey to their HEA was a highly emotional one, but it was also a fun one. Their first collision was not necessarily meet-cute material, but what came after that was. Things may have happened quickly between them, and the whole fake relationship thing definitely put them in a corner at times, but through all of that they truly got to know who the other was at their deepest and darkest levels and found that they truly liked each other. I loved their bantering and the smexy was scorching hot! They faced quite a few issues and some of them were truly heartbreaking, but I loved how they both came out stronger for it and got the HEA they definitely deserved.
This book just did hit all the right buttons for me, even the ones that get me all teary and sniffly, and though we get a pretty awesome HEA. As for the supporting cast of characters, I loved Angie, Val and Major and would have loved a little more of Hemi and Alistair, but what I got I loved and Hooter McGavin definitely has a place in my heart, but Agnes and her wooden spoon stole the show and I definitely want to be her when I grow up! And though this is a standalone, I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing some of these characters again, so toes crossed!
~ Copy provided by the author via Social Butterfly PR & voluntarily reviewed ~
I devoured this book. Karina Halle delivered a swoon worthy and emotional read that left me with all the feels. A brooding Irish rugby player, a woman trying to find herself and a fake engagement tie this story together with more than one twist. SOOOO many tears and even some laughter this story is everything I want out of a good romance and so much more. You won’t be disappointed!!
I know I’ll be rereading this book! Yes, it’s that good!!! There is plenty of steam but what I loved the most was how my heart felt as they worked through their serious issues.