Month: February 2014

More Than TEMPORARILY YOURS–Review and Giveaway!

TY_BlogTourBanner copyHi there and welcome to my stop on the TEMPORARILY YOURS blog tour organized by Inkslinger Tours. For more information on the tour click here. Today’s book is a steamy contemporary romance from best-selling author Diane Alberts.

TY_500BOOK SUMMARY:
This soldier’s the perfect hoax…if she doesn’t fall for him first.

Stats whiz Kayla Moriarity knows her way around numbers and algorithms. Men, on the other hand, are unsolvable equations. Now Kayla’s en route to her sister’s wedding—without the fictional boyfriend she invented for her family. Fortunately, her plane comes complete with complimentary cocktails and a ridiculously hot ex-marine in the seat beside her. And that’s all it takes for Kayla’s inhibitions to go sailing out the airlock…

Cooper Shillings has soft spot for people in trouble, but he certainly wasn’t expecting to land in it himself—and definitely not while getting naughty mid-air with a sexy southern belle. When he hears Kayla’s predicament, however, he offers his services as a stand-in boyfriend. After all, he’s heading overseas soon…and how could he refuse a little no-strings wickedness?

It’s the perfect plan. And all Kayla has to do is ensure her family falls for the ultimate bluff, without falling for it—and Cooper—in the process…

My Review:
I’ve read a bunch of veteran love stories this year–men suffering PTSD coping in bad ways, men adjusting to prosthetic limbs being afraid to commit–and so I wasn’t really sure what I’d get with this book.

I’m SO glad it was fantastic.

Sure, Cooper Shillings has a guilt complex that’s driving him back to the frontline–this time as private security not as a combatant–but he’s setting all his emotional baggage aside for the weekend. This stunning gal he met at the airport is worth a bit more time. Her quirky attitude and knock-out looks draw him in so close he springs for a first-class upgrade just to share a few more hours with her.

Kayla Moriarty is an independent gal. She doesn’t NEED a man, and she’s not willing to settle–but her parents hound her relentlessly to Find. The. Guy. Overwhelmed, she concocts an imaginary boyfriend just to appease them. Heading home for her younger sister’s wedding, Kayla knows she’s got some ‘splaining to do. However…the delicious man seated beside her is offering to be her temporary boyfriend. Hang out and answer all the countless questions Kayla herself would have to field is she shows up stag.

Did I mention they are practically combustible with each other?
Holy cow. Not even sure a C-class fire extinguisher could quell their heat.
The smexytimes are superb. And liberally applied, folks. Bam-chicka-wow-wow!

Of course, neither of them is looking for a commitment. Kayla’s flying back to Maine after the weekend, and Cooper’s leaving for the Middle East a day later. Yet, their fake relationship edges ever closer to the real deal. Getting wrapped up in Cooper is one step Kayla will take–if Cooper lets her.

Cue the dramatic breakup.

Then, cue the leading man stalking Vanna White to buy a freaking clue and realizing he’s not the colossal failure he’d built up in his own mind. And, boy does he face his own fears to win Kayla back.

This breezy book will fill a cold afternoon with hot lovin’ and warm fuzzies. HEA guaranteed.

Interested? You can pick up TEMPORARILY YOURS at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It’s currently on sale for $.99, so skedaddle!

DSC_8100_4x6About Diane Alberts:
Diane Alberts is a multi-published, bestselling contemporary romance author with Entangled Publishing. She also writes New York Times and USA Today bestselling new adult books under the name Jen McLaughlin. ON ONE CONDITION hit #18 on the Barnes and Noble bestseller list, and TRY ME hit #76 on Amazon. CAPTIVATED BY YOU hit #31 on the Barnes and Noble bestseller list. Diane is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency. Her goal is to write so many fantastic stories that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Diane has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author.  Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another. You can find her on her website, twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below to win
a beautiful TEMPORARILY YOURS necklace and a $20 Amazon Gift Card!
(This contest is international.)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck, and, as always—keep reading my friends!

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LEGALLY WED–FTW* (For The Win…)–A Review

Hi there! As many of my readers have learned, I read a wide range. Part of that is being a mom. I’m sharing a beloved book with my 4 year old right now…SOCKS by Beverly Cleary. Oh! Takes me back. But my 11 y/o is really loving a book about an invisible boy that I may check out…and my high schooler, well, HUCK FINN is a classic.

Still, my personal reading tastes favor more paranormal, YA, Urban Fantasy, and romance of all stripes. That’s what turned me on to M/M romance–the menage books that featured close M/M relationships. I’ve followed the trend of mainstream authors picking up on the interest as well. In my search for great reads, I came across a newly released title, LEGALLY WED by Rick R. Reed, that really investigates the heart of gay marriage, from an insider’s perspective.

Legally WedLEGALLY WED is a contemporary romance with a M/M story, but the kicker is:  the gay man is marrying a woman. And, not on the down-low.

Here’s what happens:

Duncan is overwhelmed with joy that gay marriage is legal in Washington state. Watching the hordes of couples waiting for their unions, he can’t wait to join that happily married crowd. He’s been with Tucker for three years, and decides to pop the question…to be rebuffed. Soundly.

Devastated, Duncan gets drunk and signs on to Craigslist to post a call for a woman who will marry him–knowing he’s gay and not interested in a physical relationship.  See, Duncan wants to grow old with someone. He wants a lifelong companion, and he’s sure that he won’t find it with a man. But, he’s near forty and never been with a woman, and has no desire to change that. He does, however, have healthy relationships with women, and thinks that a platonic relationship may work.

Well, he gets lots of offers, though only one strikes the right note. He meets with Marilyn, a woman who has always had good friendships with gay men, and they hit it off. Not a Let’s Get Hitched-connection, but they can see being friends. Good friends, even, and a couple months later they are planning a wedding–for real. Struggling with the plans necessitates a planner, however.

Enter Peter. Garrulous, charming, gay bear, wedding-planning Peter. He’s so not Duncan’s type, but dayum…they connect. Not physically, mind you–Duncan’s a great guy, not a cheater–but the attraction is mutual.  Even Marilyn can’t deny how they seem to mesh. It unsettles them, actually, but they are determined to press on with the wedding.

Duncan seems consumed with Peter, and likewise. He knows he’s making a mistake marrying Marilyn, but he can’t seem to derail his desire for companionship, and isn’t willing to sacrifice the relationship he has built with Marilyn by calling it off. Until his brother-in-law dies, and Duncan returns home for the funeral. Seeing the love his beloved sister shared turns Duncan’s thoughts around.

Don’t fear for Marilyn. There’s room in this story for two happily ever afters…

I just loved this book. Duncan’s despondency over his failed relationships is palpable. My own heart twisted right along with his, seeing the happiness of everyone else and wondering “why not me?”. The book is mostly in Duncan’s point of view, but we get some chapters from Marilyn and Peter as well. It’s a solid read with Duncan and Marilyn sharing their dry humor throughout. As for the smexytimes, it’s far tamer than a category romance. In fact, I think the dirty fantasies Duncan and Peter have are smuttier than the deed. Still, it’s for a mature reader.

Interested? You can pick up LEGALLY WED at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

If you have the chance to read this one, let me know your thought in the comments. And, as always, keep reading my friends. 🙂

MOORE THAN FOREVER…is Coming…SOON!

Moore than Forever Release Date BannerHi there folks! Oh, there’s big doin’s happening for Julie A Richman’s Needng Moore series. That’s right. The final book in the trilogy MOORE THAN FOREVER will be out Feb 21st, so all us bloggers are building the buzz, so to speak. Never heard of this sexy contemporary romance? Allow me to catch you up…

Searching for Moore coverSEARCHING FOR MOORE (Needing Moore Series, Book 1)

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Searching for Moore  is on sale for .99 cents throughout this event.

The Blurb:
If your true love was just a Facebook friend request away … what would you do? 

Sexy entrepreneur Schooner Moore never knew why the love of his life, college sweetheart, Mia Silver, disappeared. Now, two decades later, he finds her on Facebook and is a friend request away from the truth about what ripped them apart and a second chance at the love that was torn from them.
Now, if she’ll only accept his friend request …

One true love, two shattered hearts, a single friend request and a second chance at love …

Searching for Moore is the first book in Schooner and Mia’s journey of love, loss and betrayal as they fight for their own happily ever after. It is not meant to be read as a stand-alone.

You can read my review of this steamy love story here.

Here’s a little taste of SEARCHING FOR MOORE–it happens to be from their college years, when they fall in love…

He kissed the top of her head and she looked up at him, a combination of yearning and fear of the unknown in her eyes. Smiling at her, he rubbed his nose against hers, which elicited a little giggle. This made him laugh and he kissed the tip of her nose.

         “I think you’ve figured it out already,” he smiled down at her.

         “Figured out what?” she asked.

         “That I’m crazy about you.”

         She blushed and buried her face in his chest, too shy to look into his eyes.

         “God, she’s adorable,” he thought to himself.

         “Mia, look at me.”

         She looked up, tentatively.

         Smiling at her, he ran his thumb along her high cheekbone, then pushed a mass of curls away from her face. He brought his lips close to hers. “Really, really crazy about you, Mia. I want to be with you all the time. I never want to leave you at the end of the day.”

         “Then don’t,” she whispered.

         He smiled, his lips up against hers and he could feel her returning the smile. Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her lips softly. She made a soft ‘mmmm’ sound which he felt immediately between his legs. He kissed her lips harder until she opened her mouth, letting his tongue slip in to find hers.

         Mia’s tongue met his, cautiously at first and then a little bolder in its exploration. She let her fingers rake through his thick luxurious hair, pulling him deeper into her mouth. The urgency of their kisses increased until they were both breathless.

         Schooner pulled away and reached up to Mia’s bed and pulled down her blanket and draped it over them. Her head was back on his chest and he kissed the top of her head again.

         “Oh Baby Girl,” he sighed, “you have no idea of what you do to me.”

         “It’s smoochal,” they both laughed.

         She snuggled deeper into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her tighter and within minutes they both drifted off to sleep.

It’s a very tender scene, and there are many tender moments in the book, but don’t let it fool you. This book is a steamer, fo sho…

Moore to Lose coverMOORE TO LOSE (Needing Moore Series, Book 2) AMAZON TOP 100 BESTSELLER LIST

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Continuing the fight for their happily ever after, Schooner Moore and Mia Silver struggle to overcome the ghosts and baggage they accumulated during their time apart. Moore to Lose follows Mia’s journey from heartbroken teen to kickass businesswoman to her emotional reunion with Schooner and the exploration of the love that was ripped from them.

But is their love really strong enough to overcome the damage of those missing 24 years or will they continue to be ripped apart by pasts that can’t be changed?

This is not a stand alone book. It is meant to be read after Searching for Moore–and will immediately make you snap open MOORE THAN FOREVER….

You can access my review of MOORE TO LOSE here.

MooreThanForever coverMOORE THAN FOREVER (Needing Moore Series, Book 3)

Releasing February 21, 2014

In this final book in the Needing Moore Series trilogy, Schooner Moore and Mia Silver must learn how to grow together and fight together as a team to hold onto their second chance love.  Continually stumbling on roadblocks and ghosts from their past, can Schooner and Mia take the lessons they’ve learned and use them to forge a future together.

My review will be coming in conjunction with the book’s blog tour…in a couple weeks. Stay tuned!

About Julie A. Richman, in her own words…
I must’ve been 5 or 6 when I started writing “stories”.  I would write them and hide them. Not wanting anyone to see my “secret” thoughts. I needed to write -even back then.  Now I’m just not hiding them anymore.  Is that a sign of maturity?  Nah ….

Writer, photographer, insatiable wanderluster, edge-player, foodie, music addict, pop culture fanatic, animal lover, warrior for the rights of people and planet, and avid cusser (am a Native New Yorker, so very little offends me … and if I am offended, it must be pretty freaking bad .. like bad grammar!).

I am big believer in signs and if we keep ourselves open, there are guideposts all along the way. Stay humble. Be true. Be you. Life is not a dress rehearsal …

You can find this dynamic lady on her website,  Facebook or Twitter.

***GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win

one of (2) Signed Sets of Searching for Moore, Moore to Lose, and Moore than Forever. – US Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, and keep reading my friends!

AToMRTours_mdm

Mindreading? DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!–A Review

If you could read minds, would you?

That’s one part of the premise in Sarah Mlynowski’s contemporary YA novel DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.

What’s this book about?

Twenty-two students at a public high school in NYC (Tribeca, a rather affluent neighborhood) are given a flu vaccine. The next day most of them can read minds. Over the next few days, they all develop this ability.

With consequences.

My Review:

I devoured this title. At first, the style was off-putting. I’m always in search of the narrative character, the viewpoint, through which the story comes–but that’s impossible here. Because the story is told from the collective “We” as a past-tense rehash of how these ordinary kids became infected with the extraordinary. Talk about a side-effect! After that quick adaptation on my part, the story rolled.

While there are twenty-two high school sophomores within this hive mind, there are several who carry the story.

Timid Olivia, who is as big a germaphobe and hypochondriac as her mother, is the first to notice her new telepathy. Unfortunately, it happens while she’s standing in front of her class preparing to deliver a speech on Lyme Disease. Yeah, she faints–but not before alerting a fellow classmate, Pi, that she has telepathy.

Pi’s brilliant. Second in the class, and pining for first, she’s determined to be extraordinary. Imagine her dismay in learning that her telepathy isn’t that unique. Of course, Pi’s the first one to figure out how to use his gift to her advantage. Ever the strategist, she begins to position herself in closer proximity to Number 1, in the hopes of overtaking him.

See, while they can hear other people’s thoughts, there are some rules to this ability:

First, the closer they are to a person, the louder those thoughts are heard. If there are people in the way, they buffer the thought signals, diluting them. Also, vision is important. If a person has his or her eyes closed, their thoughts are unhearable. Likewise, for the new telepaths, closing their own eyes shuts out the noise of thoughts around them. Glasses can magnify the ability, while dark glasses mute it. It’s an interesting story frame, and it’s exploited by many of the characters at different points.

Some of the telepaths want to exploit their position immediately.

Take Tess. She’s bears a secret crush for her best guy-friend Teddy. He’s single and they hang out a lot, and she wants to know if her feelings are returned. Should she listen in? Heck, yeah, she does. But one can’t unhear those thoughts–and Tess isn’t exactly thrilled with Teddy after a bit.

And what about those secrets? Mackensie, class pretty girl, is dating Cooper, class sweetheart. But when he was away at camp this summer she had a fling with Bennett–an older boy in her building. It’s something she’s kept inside, but now everyone knows, except Cooper, who is the last to develop telepathy.

Poor Cooper. His luck just goes from bad to worse when he goes home a gets a taste of parent’s thoughts.

That’s the thing about telepathy. While some kids are grade boosting, others are having complete personal meltdowns. Yet, they all agree to keep this ability secret. They form the hive mind of Espies, and attempt to behave as normally as possible to throw off any suspicion. Pi designates herself as the leader of the group, because Pi is a take-charge gal. Others, like Tess and Olivia, emerge from their “shells” to become more confident individuals–without being outright dishonest–now that they can see how their private fears hampered their happiness.

Soon, the CDC comes sniffing ’round the hallway. Guess there were other affected lots of vaccine produced and they traced the last vial to the school. See, one person from another location who had the vaccine died–so it could be the telepathy is fatal. It’s hard to say as the man was 81 and suffered a stroke–maybe he would have died without the vaccine? Nevertheless, there’s an antidote available, and, for their trouble, the kids will receive a $50,000 payoff from the drug manufacturer when they accept the antidote.

Will they choose to take the antidote? Do they even have a choice? I mean, it’s a nice hunk of money–and nobody wants to die at age 15…

DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT will be available for sale March 11. I received an advanced reader’s copy from NetGalley for the purpose of review. Keep your eyes open for this one in bookstores and libraries. It’s a great read. I think teen and fans of YA fiction will adore it as much as I did.

I wonder what your choice would be: Telepathy, or not? Drop me a comment if you like…I think I’d go with NO telepathy. My money’s on the age-factor with the fatality…but I’m like Mackensie–I don’t want anyone knowing my secrets.

Then again, if someone ELSE had telepathy, they’d know my secrets and I would never know it!

Eeep! The killer conundrum! Okay. I’ll take telepathy. With a side order of dark glasses.

Telepathic, or no, keep reading my friends!   😀

MY DATE FROM HELL–Epic Review and Giveaway

Date Hell banner copyHi there, and welcome to my stop on the MY DATE FROM HELL blog tour, sponsored by YA Bound book tours. Check out other stops here. This YA paranormal romance by best-selling author Tellulah Darling is a perfect blend of snark, fantasy and swoon!

MyDateFromHellCoverBook Description:
Sophie Bloom’s junior year has been a bit of a train wreck. After the world’s greatest kiss re-awakened Sophie’s true identity as Persephone (Goddess of Spring and Savior of Humanity), she fought her dragon-lady guidance counselor to the death, navigated mean girl Bethany’s bitchy troublemaking, and dealt with the betrayal of her backstabbing ex, Kai (sexy Prince of Darkness). You’d think a girl could catch a break.

Yeah, right.

With Zeus stepping things up, it’s vital that Sophie retrieve Persephone’s memories and discover the location of the ritual to stop Zeus and Hades. So when Aphrodite strikes a deal that can unlock Sophie’s pre-mortal past, what choice does the teen goddess have but to accept?

The mission: stop media mogul Hermes from turning Bethany into a global mega-celebrity. The catch? Aphrodite partners Sophie and Kai to work together … and treat this suicide mission as a date. Which could work out for Sophie’s plan to force Kai to admit his feelings for her–if she doesn’t kill him first.

Add to that the fact that BFF Theo’s love life and other BFF Hannah’s actual life are in Sophie’s hands, and suddenly being a teenager—even a godlike one—seems a bit like … well, hell. Whatever happened to dinner and a movie?

The YA romantic comedy/Greek mythology fireworks continue to fly in My Date From Hell. Love meets comedy with a whole lot of sass in book two of this teen fantasy romance series. Breaking up is easy; dating is deadly.

My Review:
MY DATE FROM HELL begins where it should—with Sophie being tortured within an inch of her life by her dad, Zeus. Family, ain’t it grand?

Still Sophie—a reincarnation of Persephone—can’t reclaim the memories she’s being tortured to divulge. So she battles on. In the process she frees herself, and Kai—Kyrillos, son of Hades—who is likewise up for execution. Sophie returns to her Vancouver boarding school to learn her magically-enhanced-bully, Bethany, is poised to claim supreme star-status with the help of Hermes—god of tricksters.

Oh, and Sophie has less than two months to regain Persephone’s memories and fall in love with Kai, or humanity is doomed. But Sophie can’t seem to let go of her fears that Kai will only love her for Persephone’s sake, and not her own. And that’s kinda not so okay with Sophie.

Though Eros and Aphrodite toss in some magic, Sophie can’t overcome her own romantic notion that a person should be really in love, not simply faking it. Kai gets it, and he’d like to let her know his own feelings on the matter, but hey, gods have their pride.

In order to unravel Persephone’s memories, Sophie turns to master caster-Hephestus-also known by his hipster name, Festos. And, he’s game to help if Sophie can maybe sway Theo into looking his way again. Oh, and Eros volunteers to reverse the brain-drain, but it’s gonna hurt. So the merry bunch takes off after Hermes, on a date arranged by Aphrodite, to cut the cord on Bethany’s villainous popularity.

The date between Sophie and Kai soon becomes a Game of Death to rescue Hannah and gain Hermes’ cooperation. Along the way Sophie begins to see that Kai isn’t all bubbly over Persephone any longer. No, he’s realized that Sophie’s a pretty extraordinary gal—what with her snark and her magic powers and her saving the day. In fact, Sophie’s willingness to accept Kai is what returns Persephone’s memories. Now she knows who tried to kill her years ago in Hades.

And, sadly, that person is back to finish the job.

Interested? You can find MY DATE FROM HELL at Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Book Depository.…

my ex from hellgodlike proportions The first book in the trilogy, MY EX FROM HELL, is a total blast. Check out my review here. To pick it up for yourself…try AMAZON  or Barnes & Noble.

Oh! And Tellulah has written Book 2.5 in this saga, A DATE OF GODLIKE PROPORTIONS, which you can download FREE here. Go on and get that. It’ll get you all geared up for the release of the final book, My Life From Hell, releasing March 20, 2014. With the Spring Equinox comes Sophie’s final showdown with Zeus and Hades in the book. I have a feeling Sophie’s gonna kick some tail!

TD photoAbout the Author
Tellulah Darling:  noun
1. YA romantic comedy author because her first kiss sucked and she’s compensating.
2. Alter ego of former screenwriter.
3. Sassy minx.
Geeks out over: cool tech.
Squees for: great storytelling.
Delights in: fabulous conversation.
Writes about: where love meets comedy. Awkwardness ensues.
Sassy girls. Swoony boys. What could go wrong?

Find the delightful Ms. Darling on her blog, Goodreads,  Twitter,  Pinterest, and Facebook 

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win an
eBook three pack of My Ex From Hell, My Date From Hell and A Date of Godlike Proportions
(mobi or epub only, open internationally)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

RULES AND RESTRICTIONS: Contest is void where prohibited. 
Entrants must be 13 or else have parent or guardian’s 
permission to enter. Winners will be notified via email 
and will have 48 hours to respond  or another winner’s 
name will be selected. Winning entries will be verified 
for authenticity.

Good luck, and, as always, keep reading, my friends!

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Cover Reveal! EASTLAND by Marian Cheatham

Eastland

by Marian Cheatham

Coming 2/14/14

Would you risk your life for just one day of freedom?

Book Summary:
For hardworking teen, Dee Pageau, the annual employee picnic will let her escape the drudgery of work and possibly find love with her best friend Mae’s older brother, Karel. But in 1915 Chicago,
girls don’t go on picnics without their mother’s approval.

Unfortunately for Dee, Mama has had a premonition of disaster and forbids Dee from going. Forced
to watch as Mae and Karel leave without her, Dee defies Mama and rushes off to join her friends.

But Dee’s joy soon turns to terror when the ship ferrying them to the picnic capsizes. Rescued not once, but twice, by Karel and a mysterious sailor, Dee finds herself tested in unimaginable ways. What happens next turns out to be worse … and better … than anything Dee ever expected.

My PhotoAbout the Author:
Marian Cheatham lives in a suburb of Chicago with her family and their menagerie of pets. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, Marian taught Special Education for many years before becoming a full-time writer.

Catch up with Marian on her blog, Goodreads and Facebook.

I’ll be blogging a review for this book later in the month, so stay tuned! And, as always, keep reading my friends!

THIRD DAUGHTER–Book Blast, Review and Giveaway!!

Third Daughter Tour

Hi there! And welcome to MY stop on the THIRD DAUGHTER book blast. For other stops on the tour, click here. It’s my great pleasure to recommend this YA Steampunk/Bollywood Romance by a great friend, and prolific indie author Susan Kay Quinn.

Third daughterThird Daughter by Susan Kaye Quinn

Skyships, saber duels, and lots of royal intrigue… and, of course, kissing.

The Third Daughter of the Queen wants her birthday to arrive so she’ll be free to marry for love, but rumors of a new flying weapon may force her to accept a barbarian prince’s proposal for a peace-brokering marriage. Desperate to marry the charming courtesan she loves, Aniri agrees to the prince’s proposal as a subterfuge in order to spy on him, find the weapon, and hopefully avoid both war and an arranged marriage to a man she does not love.

Third Daughter is the first book in the The Dharian Affairs Trilogy (Third Daughter, Second Daughter, First Daughter). This steampunk-goes-to-Bollywood (Bollypunk!) romance that takes place in an east-Indian-flavored alternate world filled with skyships, saber duels, and lots of royal intrigue. And, of course, kissing.

From the author of the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy, The Dharian Affairs is a new series filled with equal doses of action-adventure and romance, meant to appeal to fans of Mindjack.

NOMINATED for the Illinois Librarian’s “Soon to be Famous Author Project” wherein librarians hope to discover local authors whose “work will jump off the page for readers.”

“Third Daughter is vividly breathtaking. Quinn delivers royal intrigue, exotic locations, and sweeping romance. Not to be missed!” – Pavarti K. Tyler, author of Shadow on the Wall

“Susan Kaye Quinn writes characters that leap off the page… Incredibly well written, the vivid setting was crisp in my mind… As the plot raced on, I was cursing real life for not letting me just sit glued to my kindle, punching the touch screen to get to the next page.” – Tiffany on Goodreads

My Review:
If you had to marry for love or marry for peace, what would you choose?

That’s the question facing Princess Aniri, Third Daughter to the Queen of Dharia.

It’s two weeks until Aniri can choose to marry her beau–Devesh–a courtesan and emissary from Samir. Her two older sisters have already married men that compliment their station, even when love is not present, and Aniri is determined to follow her heart, not her duty.

Especially when her duty involves marrying Prince Malik, heir to the throne of the barbarous northern Jungali provinces. No. No! NO!

Except, Aniri knows she can’t decline outright–and rumors of a Jungali airship weapon are serious indeed. If Aniri accepts the prince’s proposal she can get close enough to find out if the airship is real–and maybe she can help her homeland and her mother’s Queendom figure out how to avoid a war.

Prince Malik makes it easy on Aniri–he tells her their marriage would be one of business. That she could (discreetly) take a lover if she wished. Hmm… And her mother, the Queen, assures her that the choice is hers.

Aniri does what she must–becomes a spy. I loved her reactions to the ‘barbarians” she encounters on her journey north! Oh, how sweet to have her realize, “Hey, they’re pretty awesome in their own way!” Then Devesh shows up and tells her the airship is a ruse–a trick to get her to marry Malik. After which she will be killed and her beloved country Dharia overrun by Samir and Jungali. Aniri doesn’t know who to believe, and espionage is not her strong suit. The political intrigue is high and Aniri barely escapes an attempt on her life.

The tension is fierce throughout. Each new chapter brings Aniri closer to either love, or death. We got a fantastic steampunk world, with an east Indian flair, and a strong female main character who picks up the ball and runs her hardest. Even when she fumbles, Aniri is worthy of cheers because she learns from her mistakes and never quits.

What I hadn’t expected, and thoroughly adored, was Malik’s assistance. He realizes his only shot at peace is this marriage, and he’s willing to trust a confessed spy with the biggest military secret of his country. Aniri could never have learned what was necessary to save her people without Malik earning her forever trust. And Devesh? Well, perhaps an on-the-side lover isn’t the best place for him in the Jungali court. In the end, Aniri does choose her own husband. And she chooses very well indeed.

Three words to describe this Third Daughter? Indomitable. Passionate. Resourceful. She’s my kind of heroine.

Interested? You can find THIRD DAUGHTER at: Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Book Depository

Excerpt

A lone two-wheeled surrey ambled out of the shadows of the Samirian embassy and headed toward her dark corner of the Queen’s estate. Aniri held her breath and silently cursed the full two-moon night. If the carriage came much closer, the occupants would surely see her clinging to the side of the palace like a spider on her thread.

The six-hooved beast pulling the surrey slowed as it neared the giant stone statue of Devkasera. The mother goddess of ancient Dharia loomed larger-than-life, threatening the carriage with a sword and a scroll—the powers of destruction and creation—clasped in two of her six hands. The Queen loved the ancient traditions, so the goddess held a place of respect in the middle of the palace lawns. Aniri preferred the clean streets and steam-driven inventions of modern Dharia to the unwashed feet and mystic religion of her country’s past, but that didn’t stop her from sending a silent prayer to Devkasera—for invisibility for herself or perhaps a sudden loss of sight by the persons in the carriage.

susan quinnAuthor Susan Kaye Quinn

Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy, which is young adult science fiction. The Dharian Affairs trilogy is her excuse to dress up in corsets and fight with swords. She also has a dark-and-gritty SF serial called The Debt Collector and a middle grade fantasy called Faery Swap. It’s possible she’s easily distracted. She always has more speculative fiction fun in the works. You can find out what she’s up to by subscribing to her newsletter (hint: new subscribers get a free short story!) or by stopping by her blog (www.susankayequinn.com).

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Goodreads

BookBlast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 3/14/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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ALL THE PRETTY POSES–Book Blitz and Mega Giveaway!

Newly Released! 

ALL THE PRETTY POSES by M. Leighton
a Contemporary New Adult Romance

Book Description:
Reese never wanted to be a hero…until she needed him to be.

Strength…
It took Kennedy Moore years to put her life back together after Reese Spencer shattered it. But she did. Now, years later, strong and independent, she is in pursuit of a single dream—to dance with the Altman American Dance Theater. Unfortunately, Kennedy is learning that a girl from nowhere with no money and no contacts might never be able to realize her goal.

That is, until Reese reappears, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that Kennedy just can’t pass up. In exchange for working on his yacht for a few short weeks, he’ll get her an audition with the famous dance troupe. All Kennedy has to do is keep her head down, work hard and resist Reese. That sounds easy enough, right?

Weakness…
Reese doesn’t want to make it easy for Kennedy. Seeing her again has started a fire in his blood—an unwelcome one—so Reese has a plan. It’s simple: Get Kennedy on his yacht, seduce her, get her out of his system, move on with his life. That sounds easy enough, right?

But the one thing Reese didn’t plan for was Kennedy herself—a girl so strong yet so broken, she makes him want to rescue her, to take care of her. To save her. Even if he has to save her from himself.

Interested? You can find ALL THE PRETTY POSES at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Super giveaway!  Click the linky-loo to enter!
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, M. Leighton, is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, Michelle finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days Michelle enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you’ll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren’t roaming in that direction, she’ll be riding wild horses, skiing the slopes of Aspen or scuba diving with a hot rock star, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office. About Michelle: I love coffee and chocolate, even more so when they are combined. I’m convinced that one day they could be the basis for world peace. I also love the color red and am seriously considering dying my hair.

Shorter Bio: New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, M. Leighton lives in the deep South with her super-hero husband and super-smart maltipoo. She has a fondness for coffee and chocolate, loves the color red, laughs at almost anything and often stares out her window, daydreaming of far-away places.

Feel like stalking the fabulous prolific Michelle M. Leighton? Try her blog, or Facebook, or Goodreads, or Twitter, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and if all else fails, you can simply email her.

Other books by M. Leighton
Beginnings: An M. Leighton Anthology,
The Blood Like Poison Series: For the Love of a Vampire, Destined for a Vampire, To Kill an Angel
Down to You, Up to Me, Everything for Us
The Wild Ones, Wild Child, Some Like It Wild (March 4, 2014), There’s Wild, Then There’s You (June 3, 2014)
All the Pretty Lies (November 12, 2013)
Madly, Madly & the Jackal, Madly & Wolfhardt
Fragile
The Reaping
The Reckoning
Gravity
Caterpillar
Wiccan

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Steampunk With Heart–Guest Post and Giveaways

Hi there! Today I’m letting my good friend and writing pal Susan Kay Quinn take over my page for:
Steampunk with Heart: Steampunk IS Romance
with Susan Kaye Quinn and Scott E. Tarbet
She’s a great gal and an awesome writer–who might could like giveaways as much as me, so:
 **see bottom of post for steampunk giveaways** AND
**see Steampunk With Heart Page for Facebook Party schedule**

Without further ado, Susan, and her fellow steampunker, Scott…

Susan Kaye Quinn: As I was writing my steampunk romance (ThirdDaughter, The Dharian Affairs #1), it struck me that the term Steampunk Romance is just a bit redundant. Yes, some steampunk stories have romance as the main driver of their plot, but to me, the entire genre is inherently romantic. These stories take place in a bygone era (or entirely fictional analogue of one), alleviating some of the oppressive ideas of the past while keeping the lush aesthetics and romantic ideas about relationships and love. How could that be termed anything other than Romantic?

I discussed this very issue with fellow Steampunk Romance author Scott Tarbet, over tea and fictional crumpets (the tea was real; tea is always real):
Susan Kaye Quinn: Scott, you suggested the title for our little chat, Steampunk IS Romance. How is it you think Steampunk is romance?

Scott E. Tarbet: Steampunk is all about goggles, right? We use them as a convenient symbol of the entire genre. Through our steampunk goggles we look at the world in a different way, a more romantic way. We get to reimagine reality (sometimes the Victorian past, sometimes alternative futures) without the fettering realities of modern technology and recent history. We get an imagined do-over.


Let’s face it: from an historical perspective the 20th Century was horrible. Sure, there were rapid technological advances, but with them came the worst wars, genocides, and horrors in all of human history. What a wonderful thing it is to put on our Steampunk goggles and imagine a simpler, more romantic world without that 20th Century baggage!
Susan Kaye Quinn: I love the idea of using our magic googles of re-imagination! Speaking of imaginative retellings, your book, Midsummer Night’s Steampunk, is a Shakespearean love story retold in a steampunk setting. It’s like a multiplication of romances! Can you tell us a bit about it, and how the romance of steampunk plays into your story?

Scott E. Tarbet: Susan, you’re 100% right! A Midsummer Night’s Steampunk (AMNS) is just what you would expect from the title: a resetting of Shakespeare’s beloved comedy/romance into the Victorian Era. Let me do a little stage-setting:

If you ask any three Steampunks for a definition of what Steampunk is, you’ll get at least five different answers involving the clothing, the weaponry, and the literature. But common to every definition I’ve seen is the gender politics. Did the genders have equal rights and influence in the real life version of the Victorian Era? Not even close. Would the 20th Century have been very different if they had been? Ooooh yeah!

 One of my favorite academic writers, who takes on Steampunk as a field of study, Dr. Mike Perschon, puts it this way: “[W]e make the past in our image, as we do whenever a nineteenth century woman isn’t slowly going crazy in a room with psychedelic wallpaper.”

 Writing AMNS I had great fun projecting how history would have been different if Vicky, the mother of Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, who happened to be the eldest daughter of Britain’s Queen Victoria, had been able to take that brat over her knee and straighten him out. There would have been no World War I, no Russian Revolution, no World War II, no Holocaust, no Cold War. Millions around the world would have lived out very different lives. The world we live in today would be a very different place.
Would the two young girls in Shakespeare’s romance also have been different people? Yes, in fundamental ways. As a result many of the elements of their respective romances would have been different in interesting ways. My heroine, Pauline, is a Sorbonne-educated engineer, the epitome of the strong, educated woman.

 So AMNS gave me the opportunity to play with this romantic concept, and bring these three strong women (and several others) to the center of the stage of world politics. It was a lot of fun.

 My turn to ask you, Susan: the world you create in Third Daughter also has gender politics flipped on their ear, making strong female characters possibleóeven necessary. How did that feel for you as a woman, and as a writer?

Susan Kaye Quinn: Wow, that’s quite a question! Third Daughter definitely turns gender politics upside down, imagining an analogue India where Queens rule and society is very used to the fact that all women, especially the Daughters of the Queen, carry significant influence and power. As a writer, I loved playing with the concept of male courtesans, and how a princess who carries true power might have to wrestle between marrying for love and marrying to keep her country from war. That premise takes a classic political intrigue and interweaves a very feminine perspective into it without losing either the romance or the adventure. Add in the inherent lushness and romance of an east-Indian aesthetic, and I like that reviewers are calling it vivid and crisp. It tells me that I got something right in the descriptions!

Personally, as a woman who has worked in engineering but now writes fiction, strong female characters come naturally to me. But I know that female empowerment is a huge issue in India, and I hope that I can, through a small flight of fancy, give a taste of that empowerment to young woman, no matter where they live in the world.
Speaking of India, Scott, I hear you have an east-Indian character in your story as well! Can you tell us about her and her role in the story?

Scott Tarbet: I do! Her name is Lakshmi, and she is the Steampunk analogue of the character Titania in Shakespeare’s play. In the play, Titania and Oberon are the fairy queen and king. In my adaptation they are genius inventors. Lakshmi is the daughter of the sultan of Golkondah, a physician, engineer, inventor, and philanthropist. Truth be told, not only is she my ideal woman, but she is everything I myself would like to be my idealized feminine side. To me she embodies all aspects of love: romantic, filial, and godly. She is a profoundly romantic figure, in the best possible sense.

Her efforts to stave off the disasters that will befall the 20th Century world the analogue extension of the conflict between Titania and Oberon over the little Indian boy are the heart of the political intrigues of the novel. Together with the other queens, she forms the heart (literally and figuratively) of the resistance to evil.
I think of Lakshmi as embodying all that is best and most charming in the Steampunk genre: she represents the bridge between unattainable magic and the good that can come from attainable technology. The spirit of Lakshmi is why I love Steampunk.
Now, I see that Third Daughter is part of a series, The Dharian Affairs. What can you tell us about the future of the characters we meet in Third Daughter without spoiling the surprises for us, of course.
Susan Kaye Quinn: The Dharian Affairs will be a trilogy: Third Daughter, Second Daughter, First Daughter. Aniri, the spunky Third Daughter who wrestles with love and duty, will be the main character throughout, but in Second Daughter, we’ll get to see more of Aniri’s beloved sister, the princess whose fate was sealed from the start by an arranged marriage to protect an alliance. In First Daughter, the adventure will continue closer to home, where Aniri’s oldest sister and heir-apparent, the First Daughter, plays a prominent role in bringing the trilogy to a close. In fairy tales, the number three plays an almost mystical role, and I love the idea of exploring each daughter’s role in the fate of the Queendom.
Will we see more from the characters you created in AMNS?
Scott Tarbet: Yes! There’s a short story called Ganesh that tells the backstory of one of the characters in AMNS. It is to be part of anthology of AMNS short stories at some point in the future. I’ll soon be putting it online exclusively for people who have already enjoyed AMNS.
The next book set in the AMNS universe, Lakshmi, is well underway. It’s up to Xchyler Publishing whether it will come out before or after my novel Dragon Moon.
Susan, it has been a great pleasure chatting with you. All the best to you and your readers!

Susan Kaye Quinn: The pleasure was all mine, Sir!
Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy, which is young adult science fiction. The Dharian Affairs trilogy is her excuse to dress up in corsets and fight with swords. She also has a dark-and-gritty SF serial called The Debt Collector and a middle grade fantasy called Faery Swap. It’s possible she’s easily distracted. Her business card says “Author and Rocket Scientist” and she always has more speculative fiction fun in the works. You can subscribe to her newsletter (hint: new subscribers get a free short story!) or stop by her blog to see what she’s up to.
Third Daughter (The Dharian Affairs #1)

Kindle|Nook|Print

The Third Daughter of the Queen wants to marry for love, but rumors of a new flying weapon force her to accept a barbarian prince’s proposal of a peace-brokering marriage.

I reviewed THIRD DAUGHTER back in December. SO GOOD! Check it out here.




Scott Tarbet is the author of A Midsummer Night’s Steampunk from Xchyler Publishing, Tombstone, in the paranormal anthology Shades & Shadows, and the forthcoming Lakshmi, Dragon Moon, and Nautilus Redux. He writes enthusiastically in several genres, sings opera, was married in full Elizabethan regalia, loves steampunk waltzes, and slow-smokes thousands of pounds of Texas-style barbeque. An avid skier, hiker, golfer, and tandem kayaker, he makes his home in the mountains of Utah. Follow Scott E. Tarbet online at his website or on Twitter.

A Midsummer Night’s Steampunk
Kindle|Nook|Print

Immerse yourself in this Steampunk retelling of Shakespeare’s classic, replete with the newfound wizardry of alternative Victorian technology, mistaken identities, love triangles, and deadly peril, set against the backdrop of a world bracing itself for war, and Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.

***GIVEAWAY***
Twenty prizes are up for grabs, folks!
All you gotta do is click this little linky-loo…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, and as always: keep reading my friends!

Loved COMING HOME–Review and Giveaway…

Coming-HomeTour-Banner

Hi there! And welcome to my stop on the COMING HOME blog tour organized by AtoMR Book Tours. For other stops on the tour click here. Today’s book is contemporary romance from Priscilla Glenn–and it FREAKING MADE ME CRY, so it’s a damn good read.

Coming Home CoverABOUT THE BOOK:
Leah Marino hasn’t been on a date in two years. After discovering the man she loved had manipulated and deceived her, she refuses to even entertain the idea of a relationship. Instead, she focuses her attention on taking care of her family, a role she’s assumed since the death of her mother and the one place she knows her kindness won’t be taken advantage of again.
When a nostalgic trip back to her childhood home results in a chance encounter with Danny DeLuca, a smart-mouthed mechanic who’s as attractive as he is mysterious, Leah’s carefully cultivated walls begin to crumble. She finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Danny, despite his unreliable behavior and mixed signals.
But Danny has a secret…
One that could shake Leah’s already precarious foundation and bring her world crashing down around her. Suddenly, she’s faced with an incredibly difficult decision–is she willing to risk everything for the chance at finding the love she’s always wanted? Or are some obstacles just too big for the heart to overcome?

My Review:

Wow. Just…I cried, okay. I CRIED!

Leah’s the caretaker of her family–since her mother died sixteen years ago. She’s the middle child and her last relationship crumbled under infidelity. Yet, her cheating ex stalks her (subtly) reinforcing Leah’s belief that she’s got bad taste in men. She’s shut down so many in the past two years she’s almost forgotten how it feels to find a man attractive…until she meets Danny.

Danny’s a good, hard-working man. His home life was crap, but he has strong ties to Gram, the grandmother of his childhood best friend Bryan. Now that Bryan’s gone, Danny takes care of Gram like she’s his own. In fact, part of what attracts Leah is Danny’s selflessness and devotion to family–something her ex never indulged.

But Danny’s quixotic moods keep them separate. One day he seems interested, and the next–he’s pushing Leah away. For a gal who hasn’t put herself ‘out there’ in two years, well, she’s not willing to press. Too much.

The chemistry is strong, but is it enough? Especially when Leah learns that Danny’s got legal troubles. Is she willing to stand by his side even if it means losing him later?

The author has asked that Danny’s secret not be revealed, and at first I thought: why should I hide the problem, you know? But then I recognized that all new relationships are built on uncertainty. There’s always a chance that one of the partners isn’t as ‘invested’ as the other and the loving one will get hurt, right? And, romance books all have a separation of the lovers right before the climax.

So, it’s the same with Leah and Danny–only they have a guaranteed relationship hiccup. In the meantime they make the absolute most of each moment they have–which really drew me in. They are so genuine, so open with each other, I just wanted them to make it. Wanted something to happen that would change their course for the better. Watching their separation occur tore me in two–hence, the tears.

Naturally, I felt like a sap, wiping my eyes on the bed sheet while trying not to sob and wake the hubby, but damn, it felt good, or bad, or…whatever, I LOVE when I get emotionally invested. That’s when I know the author done good. I loved this story. I loved Danny and Leah–two REALLY good people without any actual defects who, due to chance, meet, fall in love, separate and overcome in the most natural of manners. No BDSM. Minor head games–but, in the normal way of two people mis-communicating.  No insta-love, COMING HOME begins with a tiny spark that leads to a slow burning love.

Interested? You can find COMING HOME on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble.

Priscilla GlennAbout the Author

Priscilla Glenn lives in New York with her husband and three children. She has been teaching English at the middle and high school levels for the past twelve years while moonlighting as a writer, mom, coach, student, and professional laundry-doer.

If you catch her when she’s feeling sophisticated, she’ll tell you her favorite things are great books and good wine. In the moments in between, she’ll admit her love for anything Ben and Jerry’s, UFC fights, and Robert Pattinson.

Glenn is the author of the contemporary romance novels Back to You, Emancipating Andie, and Coming Home. You can catch up with her on twitter, Facebook and Goodreads.

***GIVEAWAY***

Click this Rafflecopter link to win one of

three signed paperback copies of COMING HOME (international)

Good luck, and as always, keep reading my friends!

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