Month: March 2015

They Were Just FEEDING THE FIRE–A Review & Giveaway!

Hi there! Today I’m reviewing a contemporary romance from Andrea Laurence. FEEDING THE FIRE is the second book in her Rosewood series, but it’s cool as a standalone.

Feeding the Fire (Rosewood, #2)About the book:
Pepper has no interest in Grant Chamberlain…until she accidentally wins him at a school auction and finds the mega-hot firefighter impossible to ignore. Find out what happens next in the second playful and sexy ebook romance in the Rosewood series!

Living in the small town of Rosewood, Alabama, hairdresser Pepper Anthony has one rule—never date a Chamberlain. She’s always said, “the only thing worse than being ignored by a Chamberlain is being dumped by one.” But Grant Chamberlain, town fireman, isn’t used to rejection, and Pepper has consistently turned him down since high school. She isn’t intimidated by his family; she’s one of the few who refuses to take their crap.

When Grant volunteers at the charity bachelor auction, to his surprise, Pepper buys him. She hadn’t meant to, but Adelia Chamberlain dropped a cold drink in her lap, sending her leaping into the air at precisely the wrong moment. Suddenly she had a massive bill to the town and Grant at her disposal. Since the money has to come from her “restore the house” fund, she decides to use Grant for manual labor instead of romantic dinners. Grant is happy to help, sweaty and shirtless, because one way or another, he’s going to get Pepper to admit she’s attracted to him. All it takes is a small spark, and soon they’ll be fanning the flames.

My Review:
This book is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone.

Pepper Anthony grew up poor in a small Alabama town. She and her older brother Logan were occasionally tormented by kids with more wealth and popularity. Their mother always told them to hate the richest family in town, the Chamberlains, and so they have done…mostly.

Well, Pepper did turn down Grant Chamberlain’s advances many a time–not on this past Halloween, but she swore him to secrecy. And, she left his bed before dawn, leaving the local biker, fire-fighting, bad boy with a taste for more.

See, Grant never got hung up on being ‘better than’ anybody just ’cause his daddy was a wealthy attorney. Nope. His daddy was a no-good cheater, and Grant stopped idolizing him early in his youth. He does fancy Pepper bunches, however. And he’s so happy that Pepper outbid every woman at the charity Bachelor Auction. Until he realizes Pepper had no intention on bidding on him. She was devastated by a poorly-timed ambush that cost her $4000 of hard-earned cash she’d saved for house renovations.

Grant, ever the playboy, doesn’t know how to deal with Pepper’s heartache, but some well-timed advice clues him in on a strategy which might could win him this fiery bombshell’s affection. Instead of the big to-do date he’d planned, he spends his week of vacation crossing off the ‘Honey-do’ list on Pepper’s fixer-upper. And the results are incendiary. (<–this is literal and figurative).

Pepper still can’t find herself able to trust what’s developing between herself and Grant, but it’s strong and sure to leave her brokenhearted if she let’s him work his way in. Add to this, her brother’s simmering hate for all things Chamberlain, a Peeping Tom, and family skeletons that could cause a giant scandal in their tiny town, and Pepper’s all too willing to call quits before they even get started.

This is a quick read, and I liked the small-town setting. It did get a bit soap-opera-y, and, while I wished Pepper could have trusted Grant more, I was glad to see members of both Pepper’s and Grant’s family step in and settle the last part of the conflict. I got that Pepper didn’t want to betray another’s confidence, but she deserved to have happiness, even if the secret she kept only obliquely involved Grant. Glad they worked it out.

I loved the resolution of the Peeping Tom storyline, and it underscored the trust issues/infidelity themes that ran throughout his book. The sexytimes are a bit rushed, but, you can’t win them all. I liked how Pepper fought back her youthful prejudices, and how Grant was candid with everyone…well, excepting his father. I expect there will be more news on that front in the next book.

Interested? You can find FEEDING THE FIRE on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Andrea LaurenceAbout the Author:

Andrea Laurence has been a lover of reading and writing stories since she learned to read at a young age. She always dreamed of seeing her work in print and is thrilled to finally be able to share her special blend of sensuality and dry, sarcastic humor with the world. A dedicated West Coast girl transplanted into the Deep South, she’s working on her own “happily ever after” with her boyfriend and their collection of animals including a Siberian Husky that sheds like nobody’s business.

You can catch up with Andrea on her website, Goodreads twitter and Facebook.

Magic and Mayhem in WINTER’S WOLF–Review and Giveaway

Hi there! Today I’m sharing in the blog tour for WINTER’S WOLF a contemporary M/M shifter romance from Tara Lain. I reviewed the first two books in this series not long ago, and though Winter’s Wolf is the third book in the series, it can be read as a standalone.

About the book:
Winter Thane was raised on the two cardinal rules of werewolf existence: don’t reveal yourself to humans under penalty of death, and there’s no such thing as a gay werewolf. It’s no surprise when his father drags him from his wild life in remote Canada back to Connecticut to meet his old pack in hopes it will persuade Winter to abandon his love of sex with human males. Of course Dad’s hopes are dashed when they come face-to-face with the gay werewolves in the Harker pack.

Winter takes one look at FBI agent, Matt Partridge, and decides bird is his favorite food. Partridge is embroiled in an investigation into drug dealing and the death of a fellow agent. He can’t let himself get distracted by the young, platinum-haired beast, but then Winter proves invaluable in the search for clues, a move that winds them both up in chains and facing imminent death. Winter quickly learns his father’s motives are questionable, the pack alphas are a bunch of pussies, humans aren’t quite what they seem, and nothing in the forests of Connecticut is pure except love.

Excerpt

Walk slowly. Look casual. Matt left the way he’d come—out the back door. When his feet hit dirt, he jogged away from the club and ducked behind the shed that had been built on the edge of the forest.
Going to die. Heart can’t beat this hard and survive.
He leaned against the shed and gasped for breath, but his cock had grown to the size of a monster, stealing all his oxygen. Think. What the fuck are you doing? No reasonable human being could believe that Winter Thane wanted Matt Partridge, so there had to be an ulterior motive. The dude had asked the marshal about him. For all Matt knew, Winter could be involved in the disappearance of the agent. Maybe he wanted to discredit Matt or—maybe he had something to do with the weird wolf stories. Jesus, the only man he’d ever seen who looked more like a wolf than Cole Harker had to be Winter Thane. Those eyes. Even his teeth were sharp. All the better to eat you with. He closed his eyes and banged his head against the metal siding. Those teeth scraping his cock—
“Dreaming of me?”
Matt’s eyes flew open. “Shit! How did you get here?”
He looked over his shoulder. “Like you said. Out the front, around the side.”
“But I didn’t hear you.”
He grinned. Oh yes, those teeth glistened. “I’m sneaky.”
Matt took a breath, pushed away from the shed, and walked a couple of steps toward the trees. Need distance. “Look. I don’t mean to lead you on, but I’m with the FBI and this isn’t a good idea—”
The hand that gripped his shoulder must have been iron. In one move, Winter grabbed him, pulled him against a body so hard and hot it penetrated Matt’s jacket on contact, hauled Matt’s head back, and covered his mouth in a devouring kiss.
Tongue. Teeth. Perfection.
Winter held Matt’s head both hard and gentle, like he wanted to control him but didn’t want to hurt him. Oh God, so nice. He tasted like beer and smelled like—what? Musky and clean at the same time, like Matt’s dog Buster when he was freshly washed. Man, he wanted to bury his nose in Winter’s neck like he did with Buster.

 

Winter reduced the speed and intensity of the kiss from fast food to a gourmet meal. He licked and nibbled, tasted and savored, his tongue a finely tuned instrument exploring every cranny of Matt’s mouth. He’d never been so completely kissed. So much so that even the screaming pressure of his cock couldn’t make him want Winter to move on. Matt twined his arms around Winter’s neck. Standing only six feet, he couldn’t get his cock to meet Winter’s, but the prod of that big rod against his belly made him want to beg. He pulled his mouth away an inch. “I should arrest you for carrying a lethal weapon.”

My Review:
Winter Thane is a gay werewolf, no matter how much his father, Damon, insists there is no such beast. His is also an alphanta, or second to Damon, with pure werewolf blood. They have lived in the wilds of Canada for Winter’s whole life (20 years), but are returning to Damon’s home pack–the Marketo Pack–in Connecticut. The reason: Damon wants Winter mated to a proper she-wolf. Winter thinks Damon’s nuts, but he goes along because Winter does not truly wish to be left behind, alone.

Upon arrival, Winter is displayed to all the eligible females, and his only attraction? Matt Partridge, a human FBI agent. While Winter has some support for his homosexuality–the Harker and Marketo packs have several prominent gay werewolves–not a one will allow him to break the Cardinal rule: exposure of his werewolf nature to a human.

Well, Matt Partridge isn’t quite sure why Winter is so captivating. And, he doesn’t understand if Winter’s sudden appearance in this locale has to do with either the uptick in drug trafficking or his dead colleague. Matt knows he can’t mess up this assignment because he’s responsible for his father’s care–and dad’s dementia is getting worse. Moving to another locale will undoubtedly make things worse. Of course, on the full moon both Matt and his dad go a little moon-mad, leading Matt to seek out some hot outdoor interludes with a willing Winter.

The story is more complex than the previous books in this series, but involves crooked law enforcement, homophobia, break-up-to-make-up, and shifting power dynamics in the Marketo and Harker packs. Winter is recruited to help Matt. And also the local drug lord. And also factions in the Marketo/Harker pack who don’t care for current alpha politics. He must carefully tread the lines between these competing interests, and his attempt to woo Matt.

Winter is a truly white knight who rescues more than Matt, and the baddies get what’s coming. The book ends with an HEA, and more than puppy love. Expect hot and dirty lovin’ and a lone wolf who finds a true pack home.

Interested? You can find WINTER’S WOLF on Goodreads, Amazon, Dreamspinner Press (eBook or Paperback), AllRomance and Barnes & Noble.

Tales of the Harker Pack Series

Check out my reviews of THE PANTHER OR THE PACK, and WOLF IN GUCCI LOAFERS for more info on the previous two books in the series, and links to buy them. I really enjoyed!

        

 

About the Author

Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 23. Her best­selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft.

She lives with her soul­mate husband and her soul­mate dog in Laguna Beach, California, a pretty seaside town where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!

You can find Tara at:

               
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Compelled to BREATHE YOU IN–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m reviewing a newly re-released contemporary romance from Lily Harlem. BREATHE YOU IN is the grief-recovery story of Katie, a young widow, and Ruben, a man who received a heart-lung transplant. The catch? Ruben’s donor was Katie’s husband.

imageAbout the book:
Soul-aching desire was only the first layer of emotion around a secret I had to keep for all of time.

If the road to Heaven starts in Hell then I was ready to start climbing my way out and Ruben Strong was the man to accompany me. With his devastating good looks, seductively sexy charm and lust for adrenaline he was sure to make it a sensual and erotic experience as well as one to re-awake the passionate, throw-caution-to-the-wind woman I’d once been.

I’d given Ruben something, though, without him realizing, and that gift had come from the man I’d loved before. But I couldn’t tell Ruben. I had to keep that a tight secret even on the nights our naked bodies wound together, sought out pleasure and hit the dizzy heights of ecstasy. Because Ruben had my husband’s heart, literally, and that heart was still in love with me, so it seemed, and now I was in love with Ruben.

Emotions tangled with bliss and fears were locked away as I surrendered to the touch of Ruben’s hands, the taste of his skin and the sounds of his pleasure. I couldn’t deny that Ruben had brought me back to life the same way I had him and there was no way I was giving up that feeling, not for anyone.

My Review:
This is story about second chances in life and love.

Katie has been living a half-life of depression since her husband Matt died. More than a year since the funeral, Katie still has nightmares and struggles to survive in their home surrounded by constant reminders of their deep love and her great loss. Recently, she has become obsessed over the health of the person who received Matt’s heart and lungs as a transplant. Desperate to know if the recipient is healthy and happy–thinking this will give her peace and allow her to move through her grief–she hires a private detective to find the identity of the man with Matt’s organs.

Learning his name (Ruben) and place of work (less than 40 minutes drive) Katie impetuously plans to take a peek–just to confirm that she made the right decision about organ donation. That actually SEEING this Ruben will show her how Matt didn’t die for nothing, but saved someone in the process.

A chance meeting turns into conversation. Ruben is charming and friendly, saving Katie from two awkward moments. This cathartic encounter with Ruben tips off Katie’s new life. In the course of their conversation Katie states that she’s moving to Ruben’s town, and thinks “why not?” She has the financial wherewithal to do so, and starting over somewhere fresh may allow her to stretch her wings again.

She moves and changes jobs. In her new space, Katie isn’t always seen as ‘the widow’ and she can breathe again, releasing some of her deep grief. That Ruben helps her do this, is especially poignant. Ruben befriends Katie, and they get on very well–moving into a romantic relationship. Katie is scared Ruben will learn that she knows he received Matt’s organs, but she feels so free with Ruben. He is so kind and thoughtful, and, around Ruben, she wants to experience life for the first time since Matt died.

This story had the prospect of being gloomy or icky–but instead it was touching and lovely. Taking careful steps into connection, Katie and Ruben find a real love together.

Interested? You can find BREATHE YOU IN on Goodreads, Amazon, Totally Bound, Barnes & Noble.

About the Author:
Lily Harlem lives in the UK and is an award-winning author of contemporary erotic romance. She writes for publishers on both sides of the Atlantic including Ellora’s Cave, HarperCollins, Totally Bound, Xcite and Sweetmeats Press. Her HOT ICE series regularly receives high praise and industry nominations.

Before turning her hand to writing Lily Harlem worked as a trauma nurse and her latest HarperCollins release, Confessions of a Naughty Night Nurse, draws on her many experiences while nursing in London. Lily also self-publishes and The Glass Knot, The Silk Tie, Breathe You In (USA Today Reviewer’s Recommended Read of 2013) and Scored have been blessed with many 5* reviews since their release.

Lily also co-authors with Natalie Dae and publishes under the name Harlem Dae – check out the Sexy as Hell Box Set Trilogy available exclusively on Amazon – The Novice, The Player and The Vixen – and That Filthy Book which has been hailed as a novel ‘every woman should read’.

One thing you can be sure of, whatever book you pick up by Ms Harlem, is it will be wildly romantic and down-and-dirty sexy. Enjoy!

You can catch Lily on her website, blog, Twitter, Facebook, Author Page, Pinterest. She’s also got a newsletter, Goodreads and Google +.

Check out her blogs on Raw Talent, BritBabes, and Hockey Romance!

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Learning THE PROBLEM WITH HEARTACHE Together–Review and Giveaway

imageHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a newly released New Adult contemporary romance. THE PROBLEM WITH HEARTACHE is the third book in a series and follows the developing relationship between a girl whose love recently died, and a man who feels responsible for the destruction of his family.

imageAbout the book:
The problem with heartache is that there’s no one-size-fits-all relief package. You can go to classes; you can try to embrace change. But when you wake up at two in the morning, a smile on your face because you’ve dreamt about the could have—the should have—nothing will console you.

Because seconds later, you remember.
And remembering can rip you apart.

Kate will do anything for her family. It’s why she took the job with Lee. It’s why she’s attempting to forget her pain. But it’s hard to forget, when you’re desperate to hold on. Even if Lee Collins is the perfect package.

Lee will do anything for the ones he cares about. It’s why he hired Kate. It’s why he keeps his secrets; and it’s why he cannot, will not fall in love. Not with Kate—not with anyone.

Ever.

The one thing he can’t forgive.
The one thing she can’t forget.

My Review:
Kate is 19, Australian, and suffering depression ever since her boyfriend Lachlan died six months ago. Her parents are struggling financially because her dad suffers from Huntington’s Disease and his physical deterioration is becoming rapid. Kate met Lee several months before when he sang at a benefit for Lachlan’s funeral. There seemed to be a spark, not that Kate could acknowledge it.

Now Lee’s band, Coal, is on tour and Lee has offered Kate a job assisting with their reservations and transit, in the US, for two months. Kate doesn’t want to go–doesn’t want to do much of anything really–but she can’t turn down the money.

Still, she feels awkward around Lee, who makes it clear to his band mates that she’s not to be messed with. Lee and Kate develop a rapport, unwittingly and unwillingly. Lee has some big secrets of bad coincidences that tore his family apart. For this, he feels the need to continually punish himself. And, one of those punishments is to remain single so he never screws up another girl again.

Okay, as far as the book goes, it’s a decent story. I liked all the characters, even if I felt their emotional landscape was a bit extreme. Lee is a good man who tries hard to atone for his failings. He hires people who need a hand up, and won’t accept a hand-out. This is admirable. He’s not a big lush, and stays off the drugs. He plays with young Jay, son of the band’s stylist, Lottie. He is buried in his misery, however–feeling (wrongly) that he broke up his parent’s marriage and wounded his brother beyond repair. Classic case of taking on the world’s problems as one’s own. Still, forgivable.

Kate’s hung up on Lachlan. Really, really, hung up on him–and I didn’t get it because they hadn’t been together long before he died. Still, I can’t really blame another for grief, I just thought it was a little overblown. My issue, though younger readers will probably not have such an issue with it. I did have an issue with Lee’s ‘voice’. He’s supposed to be an American, but, no…sorry. Lee and everybody else in the book sound like Aussies. Their words and their diction, it’s not American English usage. It confused me, as a reader.

Those are my big hang-ups. The book is interesting. Both Lee and Kate get past their grief and find a new start with each other. Gets a little smexy near the end. Would recommend to people who like New Adult.

Interested? You can find THE PROBLEM WITH HEARTACHE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iTunes.

****GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to wine books and $5 Amazon gift cards!
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About the Author:
Lauren K. McKellar is an author and editor. Her debut novel, Finding Home, was released through Escape Publishing on October 1, 2013, and her second release, NA Contemporary Romance The Problem With Crazy, is self-published, and is available now. She loves books that evoke emotion, and hope hers make you feel.

Lauren lives by the beach in Australia with her husband and their two dogs. Most of the time, all three of them are well behaved.

You can find Lauren on her website, Facebook and Twitter.

Sometimes LOVE SURVIVES–Review

lovesurvivesblogtourbannerHi there! Today, I’m sharing my review for LOVE SURVIVES a contemporary New Adult military romance from Jennifer Foor. It’s a rough read…

Love Survives (Love's Suicide, #2)About the book:
Imagine being in love with the same girl since you were ten years old, only to have her fall for your twin instead. This story is rocky.

It will rip you apart and possibly put you back together again.

I know this because it’s my story.

The pain and anguish experienced in this is what it was like to hold onto hope that some day we’d find each other again. I won’t sugar coat the details of what I went through to have her, nor will I apologize for any actions that led me right back into her life.

Sometimes love isn’t enough.

Sometimes it takes a little fate.

My Review:
I didn’t read the first book in this series, and didn’t need to. I struggled with this book, for many, many reasons. Some of it was voice–Brooks tells his story of woo and woe, but he doesn’t sound like a young man. At all.

Part of it was content: I had trouble liking the characters. It seemed there was a lot of deception, which is off-putting to me. Throughout, I felt Brooks was a victim, and though I wanted him to have his HEA, the biggest impediment to getting his HEA was…himself.

Brooks Valentine is hopelessly in love with his next-door neighbor, Katy. She is his first everything. Shame she is also the first everything to his twin brother, Branch.

The whole time Brooks is miserable. His brother knows this, knows he loves Katy, and lies to keep Brooks and Katy apart. His parents know Brooks loves Katy. and, probably Katy knows Brooks loves her, but she listens to Branch’s lies.

Brooks joins the army to get away from them, but he returns home for their wedding. Which gets called off because Brooks fights the fight he should have had years before and he and Katy have their moment of glory…all night long. It’s a pretty brutal affair that leaves Brooks reeling on the verge of an Afghanistan deployment.When he returns home…more drama. More problems keeping Brooks from Katy.

Every time it seemed we’d reach a happy ending, another twist snapped loose and Katy, or Brooks, or both, was on the run. It wasn’t heart-tugging, for me. It was exhausting.

Interested? You can find LOVE SURVIVES on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

About the Author:
Jennifer Foor is an award winning Contemporary Romance Author. She’s best known for the Mitchell Family Series, which includes ten books. She is married with two children and spends most of her time behind a keyboard, writing stories that come from her heart.

You can catch up with Jennifer on her website, Facebook, twitter, Amazon, or sign up for her newsletter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends.

Reconnection While FINDING SLOPE–A Review & Giveaway.

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a New Adult contemporary romance from Erin Brown. FINDING SLOPE is a novella reconnecting characters from her two previous books, TAKING FLIGHT and MAKING HEADLINES. It’s a bit angsty, but real and honest.

Finding Slope CoverAbout the book:

A spring break ski trip turns into the reunion Willa and Dan never saw coming.

After months of not talking, Willa and Dan run into each other at the last place they thought they would—a ski lodge in Colorado. Neither of them expected to see the other during spring break, and certainly never expected to meet their ex’s new college friends.

Dan sees this as his last opportunity to win Willa back and wants to make the most of the week together. He knows that they can make long distance work, and when he hears that they may both be in New York for the summer, he’s more determined than ever to convince the girl of his dreams that they should try to have a relationship again. Third time’s the charm, right?

But Willa isn’t sure if that’s for the best—they broke up for a reason, after all, and if they did get back together, the deck is stacked against them. They’re still going to different colleges, they’re still long distance, and they still have no idea how to make that work.

But then again, when Willa is honest with herself, she knows that she wants to spend time with Dan. That she wants to see where the week in Colorado may take them. That she wants them to end up together. She just isn’t sure how—or even if—that’s supposed to happen.

In this Taking Flight novella, set against the snowy, stunning backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, Willa and Dan have to face the truth about their relationship and decide if they want to run back up that slippery slope together, or go their separate ways.

My Review:

Willa and Dan were high school sweethearts. They lived in different cities, but traveled frequently to visit with their non-custodial parents. They met in O’Hare Airport in Chicago at age 14 and dated over the course of four years.

Willa was mad when she learned Dan had secretly been dating a girl back in his hometown, and–when she didn’t get accepted to a school in NYC, like Dan–she decided to end things.

Now, it’s spring break, and Dan and Willa have encountered each other in Vail. It’s awkward, mostly because both of them are still very interested. Unfortunately, Willa can’t get past the cheating aspect. She and Dan go to schools that are halfway across the country, how could she trust him to be faithful?

Dan’s missed Willa every day since they separated. He’s dated casually, but no girl seems to compare to the one who was his best friend before they became more. Still, his group of friends includes Jacqueline–who had her fickle heart set on Dan.

During their week, Jacqueline wants to make trouble, but Dan handles it well. He also works extra hard to demonstrate his true love for Willa. If only she’d give him another chance.

Spoiler alert: Things work out.

It’s a little angsty, but not out of the ordinary for New Adult. It’s a happy ending for two kids who’ve had little to celebrate in the past. Plus, we get to hang out with the characters from MAKING HEADLINES, and it looks like we are set up for a M/M relationship coming down the pike.

Interested? You can find Finding Slope and all of the Taking Flight novels on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBook Store, Smashwords.

Oh! And, click HERE to enter for your chance to win an ebook copy of TAKING SLOPE.

Erin Brown Author PhotoAbout the Author:
Erin Brown is a writer, Whedonite, Whovian, yogi, HGTV addict, and connoisseur of The CW’s TV line-up. She learned to ski at the age of twenty-four and is definitely a skier of the Dan variety. She was born and raised in Arkansas, and lives in Singapore. She is the author of Taking Flight and Making Headlines: A Taking Flight Novel.

You can follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest, Wattpad, and her website.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Love…ADAPTED FOR FILM–Review and Giveaway

AdaptedForFilmTourBanner copyHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a newly-released book from Stacey Rourke. I’ve really enjoyed Stacey’s YA Urban Fantasy and New Adult contemporary horror (CRANE and RAVEN), but ADAPTED FOR FILM is a contemporary romance that is right in my wheelhouse.

AdaptedAbout the book:
Aubrey Evans is living every author’s dream; her sizzling romance novel is being turned into a blockbuster film. She would be celebrating this momentous event, if she wasn’t busy fighting over every tiny production detail with the maddeningly cavalier director, Kole Camden.

When news of their heated rivalry hits the gossip columns, drastic measures must be taken to save their sinking project. In an elaborate PR hoax, she is publicly linked to Greyson Meyers, the swoon-worthy star of her movie. A whirl-wind love affair is staged for the couple to mirror the steamy chapters of her own books.

Can the introverted author resist the charms of Hollywood’s sexiest leading man? Or will love find her in the City of Angels?

My Review:
I love me some humorous romance. And this book fits the bill!

Aubrey is a romance author who–gasp!–doesn’t believe in happy endings. She was head over heels for her first love and husband, but he did her wrong, and left her brokenhearted. It didn’t stop her rise in the world of romance fiction, and now Aubrey’s first novel is being made into a movie, and she’s a producer!

Aubrey and her BFF Tandy head out to LA to be a part of the action. There Aubrey learns that the part of her 6’6″ Russian bodyguard has been given to a 5’3″ Mexican rap star. Because, reasons.

Oh, and they have written a new intro scene for her main characters, and the female lead drives a Prius–product placement. Wardrobe? Unsuitable. Everything, absolutely everything, about the production is wrong, wrong, wrong in Aubrey’s eyes…so she takes it up with the director, Kole Camden.

With each stomped step I rehashed the script changes, prop, swaps, recasting and inferior costuming. Or, as I liked to refer to them, the elements that pushed me over the brink to finally achieving full-blown, bat-shit crazy status.

“Camden! Camden!” I shouted, loud enough to strain my throat, the instant I caught a glimpse of him.

His thumbs were looped in his front pockets, and his denim shirt rolled up his forearms. An annoyingly charming smile curled across his face as her turned my way. That lone dimple plunged deep into his cheek.

Between heaving pants, I recited the speech I’d mentally prepared on my long journey across the extensively large lot. “Hey, I’ve got a question for you. If we hit a local bookstore we could probably finde every book I’ve ever released. If you want, I could gather them all up in a big pile so you can take a shit right on them. Would you like that?

Kole’s eyes narrowed while his amused smile held steady, as if he was struggling to find his place in an argument I’d jumped a few chapters ahead in. “I feel like I know the right answer here, but there’s a chance this is a trick question.”

“No, I’m serious!” I ranted, flicking a stray lock of hair from my eyes. “Because you seem so hell bent on destroying everything I’ve created, maybe we could try this as a time-saver!”

Yep, Aubrey’s got a wicked mouth. Kole, for his part, doesn’t mind riling her up all that much. Their banter is all fun and games, well, until some author loses her eye. Or, her free will…

Art bounced in his chair. “You and Camden had this movie spiraling into absolute failure.”

“And that’s him sugarcoating it,” Kole interjected.

“You nearly killed this project.” Steepling his fingers, Art fiddled with his obnoxious pinkie ring. “Now, my beautiful little swan, you have the chance to make things right.”

“Let’s agree to never call me that again.” Finding my legs suddenly heavy with dread, I sank into the chair I had been leaning against.

“Fair enough,” Art relented. Leaning one elbow on the table, he rested his chin on his closed fist. “To put plainly, Ms. Evans, you made magic for us yesterday. We believe you have created a very unique opportunity–”

Greyson leaned forward in his chair, his elbows resting on his knees. Golden brows hiked up, a light-hearted grin adding a mischievous flare to his appeal. “They want you to be my girlfriend. You up for it?”

For the sake of her novel-turned-movie dreams, Aubrey agrees, but the tension between her and Kole is palpable. And, this only gets more intense when the studio ups the ante, causing Aubrey and Greyson to co-habitate…

The production goes on. Aubrey knows she can’t accept any of Greyson’s affectionate overtures–not when he’s on the studio’s dime. And, she won’t take any of Kole’s advice–to get the heck out of LA with her soul and sanity in tact. Thing is, Kole is so very tempting. He’s also edging his way deep into her heart, and that Aubrey will never allow.

Spoiler alert: He does.

This is a fun, fast read with lots of flirtation and little on-page sexytimes. The pace is brisk and the HEA is delayed enough to keep the pages flying. I really enjoyed!

Interested? You can find ADAPTED FOR FILM on Goodreads and Amazon. It’s currently $.99–a total steal!

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Stacey RourkeAbout the Author:
Stacey Rourke lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant, dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head. Mark your calendars! Her latest literary adventure, Crane, will release May 26, 2014. She is currently hard at work on the continuations of this thrilling Legends Saga, as well as other literary projects.

Catch up with Stacey on her website, Facebook, twitter and Goodreads.
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Their Love Was UNWRITTEN–Review & Giveaway

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Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for Melody Grace’s new contemporary romance, UNWRITTEN. This was a fun swoony read.

Unwritten jan 2015 finalAbout the Book:
He’s my best friend’s brother – and the only boy I’ve ever loved. Movie star, manwhore, and totally off-limits.

Until now.

I told myself it was time to move on, until one epic night changed everything. Now there’s no denying the way I feel when he touches me, or the reckless desire in his eyes.

Once we cross that line, there’s no going back. But can I risk it all for him when he’s still hiding secrets of his own?

Some love stories are destiny. Ours is still unwritten.

How about a little taste?

I only have one New Year’s resolution, and it’s the same I’ve had for six years now:

Make Blake Callahan fall madly, deeply, and uncontrollably in love with me.

Every year, I write it in big block letters on the first page of my new journal, and every year, I finish out December with those some words still taunting me. But not this time. This year, I’ve decided, I’m really going to make it happen.

“Happy New Year!”

Noise floods through my thoughts. The party is in full swing around me, hundreds of people crammed into the amazing beachfront mansion. Music plays so loud I can feel it in my chest, and everywhere I look, people are flirting and laughing, getting ready for that midnight kiss.

I check my phone. Just a few minutes to midnight. My heart beats faster. If I’m going to do this, I need to do it now. I can see Blake out on the deck, looking illegally hot in a vintage white T-shirt and jeans that deserve an award for their services to womankind. I haven’t seen him in a couple of years, but clearly, he only gets more devastating with age. It’s the reason he’s tipped as the hot new Hollywood star, about to break out in his first big movie role. But to me, he’ll always be plain old Blake Callahan: my first love, my unrequited crush.

My best friend’s older brother.

I’ve always been too scared to cross that line, but tonight is different. Tonight, everything changes. I take a deep breath, slide the doors open, and step outside.

“Hello, stranger.” My voice comes, sounding flirty and bold. Good start.

Blake turns, and I swear, his jaw drops. I feel another tremor of nerves, but they melt away when I recognize the familiar look in his eyes, the one I’ve seen from plenty of guys since my transformation, but never from him.

Desire.

He blinks at me in disbelief.

“Zoey?” he says, sounding uncertain. “Holy shit, what happened to you?”

Play it cool, I remind myself. Easy, breezy, like he’s been the last thing on your mind.

I arch an eyebrow. “Good to see you too.”

I sashay over and lean in to kiss him on both cheeks, the way I learned in Europe. I leave a smudge of scarlet on his skin, so I reach up and wipe it away. He looks confused. “Sorry, Paris,” I explain, kicking myself for the familiar gesture.

“Uh, hey,” Blake recovers. “Welcome back. Is it just a vacation visit?”

“It depends,” I say.

“Uh, depends on what?” Blake asks. His gaze drifts down my body, all the way to my peep-toe sandals, the ones that usually make me feel invincible. But now, I feel stripped naked under his blue eyes, my heart beating so loudly in my chest I swear he can hear it over the muffled sound of the music inside.

You.

I bite back the truth. “You’ll see,” I answer cryptically instead. “But, yes, I’m back.”

My Review:
Zoey is a girl abandoned, quite literally. Her parents are wealthy, her dad an ambassador, and she traveled along as their baggage until they left her in boarding school. There she met Tegan Callahan and her three older brothers. Blake, older by four years, was especially nice to Zoey and helped her feel good about herself on all those occasions when Zoey’s parents couldn’t be bothered. You know, like Christmas and graduation day?

Anywho, Zoey idolized Blake, loved him from afar, and ran off to Paris when she finally learned that Blake would never see her as more than his sister’s friend. Two years more worldly and wise, Zoey’s returned to the US, and catching Blake’s eye is her number one priority.

Blake has shielded his heart for so long, he can’t really connect to his needs. His parents’ died his senior year of high school, but Blake keeps up the positive façade to motivate his siblings–and himself. Getting close to a woman is impossible, because they all want to know about his tragic past–but Zoey’s different. She’s always known his backstory, after all. All grown up she’s quite the classy girl, and he can’t seem to escape her now that she’s a production assistant on his movie set.

Their attraction is fierce, but they proceed slowly, neither willing to sabotage their friendship. For Zoey, Blake’s family is all she has. For Blake, Zoey’s dynamite, threatening to blow his positivity persona to Kingdom Come. Plus, Blake’s movie career is starting to blossom. Can Zoey handle the scrutiny and scandals? And, why should Blake expect her to?

I liked Zoey a lot. She takes her lemons and makes meringue pie. She is unfailingly optimistic and loves with her whole heart. Blake is the only man she wants, and–like Grease’s Sandy–she transforms her dowdy juvenile look into a sleek woman to catch his eye. Once there, she proves to be far more intriguing than Blake had ever imagined. Even so, she’s still rather innocent–a little leaguer suddenly promoted to the Yankee’s starting rotation. Blake is captivated, but unable to pursue her due to his (misplaced) loyalty to his sister, at first. A little well-timed jealousy, cultivated by his own pal, forces Blake’s decision to pursue Zoey–and he botches it brilliantly.

Readers, have no fear. Blake makes a spectacular backtrack and the HEA is cinematic. (Good thing, because Blake’s family was really, really, unhappy with him!)

Interested? You can find UNWRITTEN on Goodreads, Amazon (US & UK), iBooks, and Barnes & Noble.

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Melody GraceAbout the Author:
Melody Grace is the New York Times bestselling author of the Beachwood Bay series. A small-town girl turned SoCal beach lover, after spending her life with her nose in a book, she decided it was time she wrote one herself. She loves steamy romance novels, happily-ever-afters, and lusting after fictional menfolk. She lives in LA with her two kittens, Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers.

You can find Melody on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

They Aren’t All LOSING AT LOVE–Review and Giveaway

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for Jennifer Iacopelli’s new release: LOSING AT LOVE. This is a sequel to the (smash!) hit GAME. SET. MATCH. I haven’t read the first bookin this series, but ’tis okay…

book2-publicity-frontAbout the book:

Grass courts, tennis whites and the fiercest competition in the world. Wimbledon. After two crazy weeks in Paris, the girls of the Outer Banks Tennis Academy are headed to London with just one thing on their minds: winning.

Indiana Gaffney is fresh off a surprise win at the French Open junior tournament. Sponsors are clamoring for her attention, but what she wants more than anything—aside from a wild card to Wimbledon—is to be with Jack Harrison, but international fame and a secret relationship rarely mix well.

When Penny Harrison dreamed of playing at Wimbledon she never imagined agonizing pain shooting through her ankle with every step. With just a month until the tournament and the whole world expecting her to win, she’s determined to play, with or without the support of her coach or the love of her life, Alex Russell.

For the first time ever, no one expects anything from Jasmine Randazzo. After a crushing first-round defeat in the French Open juniors, the tennis world has given up on her, but worse than that, so have her parents, her best friend Teddy and maybe even her coach. With everyone writing her off, can she find it within herself to go after her dreams?

My Review:
This is the second book in a series. It can be read as a standalone.

This is a fast-paced sports romance featuring three MC’s all of whom are rising women’s juniors-level tennis stars. Penny Harrison, Indiana “Indy” Gaffney and Jasmine Randazzo are all linked by years of training at the Outer Banks Tennis Academy. They share coaches and living space, but they don’t always share secrets.

For example, Indy–who is a month shy of 18–is secretly dating Penny’s (adult) older brother Jack. Penny and Indy are both pro, but Jasmine is still deciding her future. She wants to go pro, but her coach and parents want her to go to college. Jas feels as if no one truly believes in her, and often she feels unwanted in comparison to her more highly-regarded friends. Her best friend, Penny’s twin brother Teddy, is someone Jasmine wants to date, but he continually pushes her off. Well, at least until she becomes the object of another man’s interest.

Penny, for her part, is coming off an ankle injury at the French Open, and is determined to play singles at Wimbledon. Doing so, however is a real challenge, and not only because she has to eliminate a friend first-round. She has the constant support of Alex, her boyfriend, who is mopping up in the Men’s singles–back in action after a knee injury. It seems as if Penny and Alex have found the right balance between love and tennis, by the end.

After winning the French Open (junior division) Indy starts out strong, but recognizes her few connections in the tennis world are more fragile than even she expected. Plus, keeping her (inappropriate) relationship with Jack on the down-low is a challenge she is not able to meet. And people she should be able to trust only prove themselves more and more untrustworthy. I was glad to see Indy take the high road, more than once, and really carve out her niche in this high-stakes game, even if the tennis isn’t going so spectacularly by the fortnight’s end.

As for putting this book into the New Adult genre, I’m going to disagree. The MC’s are barely 18, if that old. It’s close to innocent, smexytimes-wise. There are some heavy make-outs but the scene always fades-to-black before the sex hits the page. In fact, only one of these relationships breaches the point of penetration, (again, off the page) and that’s just fine. There is plenty of drama between these girls, their opponents, their men, and their parents to fill the pages. It’s a gritty, realistic look into the politics of tennis and passion of a three elite athletes and their drive to the top. I’d say it’s squarely in the mature YA category and suitable for any reader 14+.

Interested? You can find Losing at Love on Amazon, BN, iTunes, Kobo and Goodreads.

book1-publicity-frontAnd the previous book in this series, Game. Set. Match. is also available on Amazon, BN, iTunes, Kobo and Goodreads.

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Screen Shot 2014-08-07 at 3.09.39 PM copyAbout the Author:
Jennifer Iacopelli was born in New York and has no plans to leave…ever. Growing up, she read everything she could get her hands on, but her favorite authors were Laura Ingalls Wilder, L.M. Montgomery and Frances Hodgson Burnett all of whom wrote about kick-ass girls before it was cool for girls to be kick-ass. She got a Bachelor’s degree in Adolescence Education and English Literature quickly followed up by a Master’s in Library Science, which lets her frolic all day with her books and computers, leaving plenty of time in the evenings to write and yell at the Yankees, Giants and her favorite tennis players through the TV.

Catch up with Jennifer online on her newsletter, twitter, Facebook, website, Goodreads, Instagram, and Amazon Author Page.

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Cover Reveal for REVOLUTION OF IVY

Hi there! Today, I’m sharing the cover for Amy Engel’s second novel in the Book of Ivy series. Without further ado:
The Revolution of Ivy (The Book of Ivy #2)
Release Date: 11/03/15
Entangled Teen

About the Book:
**Spoilers if you haven’t read book one**
Ivy Westfall is beyond the fence and she is alone. Abandoned by her
family and separated from Bishop Lattimer, Ivy must find a way to survive on her own in a land filled with countless dangers, both human and natural. She has traded a more civilized type of cruelty–forced marriages and murder plots–for the bare-knuckled brutality required to survive outside Westfall’s borders.

But there is hope beyond the fence, as well. And when Bishop reappears in Ivy’s life, she must decide if returning to Westfall to take a final stand for what she believes is right is worth losing everything she’s fought for.

The Book of Ivy (The Book of Ivy #1)
About the book:
After a brutal nuclear war, the United States was left decimated. A small group of survivors eventually banded together, but only after more conflict over which family would govern the new nation. The Westfalls lost. Fifty years later, peace and control are maintained by marrying the daughters of the losing side to the sons of the winning group in a yearly ritual.

This year, it is my turn.

My name is Ivy Westfall, and my mission is simple: to kill the president’s son—my soon-to-be husband—and restore the Westfall family to power.

But Bishop Lattimer is either a very skilled actor or he’s not the cruel, heartless boy my family warned me to expect. He might even be the one person in this world who truly understands me. But there is no escape from my fate. I am the only one who can restore the Westfall legacy.

Because Bishop must die. And I must be the one to kill him…

I really enjoyed this dystopian YA romance. Both Ivy and Bishop are excellent characters and I totally rooted for their HEA. (Didn’t happen, but I respected the heck out of Ivy. Check out my review for more details.

About the Author
 Amy Engel was born in Kansas and after a childhood spent bouncing between countries (Iran, Taiwan) and states (Kansas; California; Missouri; Washington, D.C.), she settled in Kansas City, Missouri, where she lives with her husband and two kids.  Before devoting herself full-time to motherhood and writing, she was a criminal defense attorney, which is not quite as exciting as it looks on TV.  When she has a free moment, she can usually be found reading, running, or shoe shopping. The Book of Ivy is her debut YA novel. Find her online at http://amyengel.net/ or @aengelwrites.

Author Links:

photo iconwebsite-32x32_zps1f477f69.png  photo icongoodreads32_zps60f83491.png  photo icontwitter-32x32_zpsae13e2b2.png

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