Will They Get MOORE THAN FOREVER?–Review and Giveaway

Hi there and welcome to my stop on the MOORE THAN FOREVER blog tour. For other stops on the tour click here. This contemporary romance by Julie A Richman is the final installment of the Needing Moore trilogy. And boy, is it smoking!

MOORE THAN FOREVER

(Needing Moore Series, Book 3)

In this third and 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:
With this final book in the Needing Moore series we start with turmoil. Mia’s pregnancy takes a dramatic turn for delivery–while Schooner is still in California watching over his teenaged son, Zak. Oh, and living in his old house with his wife–as their divorce proceedings move forward. It leaves Mia so angry, she doesn’t bother to call Schooner when she’s rushed to the hospital, fully prepared to be a single mother.

Drama much, Mia? We all know Schooner loves you to pieces.

There’s a lot of tension when they reconnect, but Schooner’s patience and tenderness eventually thaw Mia’s iceberg act. In truth, the first two books of the series had so many twists–with characters constantly in peril, I felt the third book was inordinately tame. No one almost dies. Relationships get patched up, and we get an up-close look at the impact of money in sub-Saharan Africa.

I was glad to see the resolution, though at times I felt the pace lagged. And, of course, there’s finally a wedding for our star-crossed, Facebook-reunited lovers. Two new kids for the happy couple, too. The ending was HEA all the way, and left the door open for further Moore adventures, of the Zak kind. Good thing Zak became infinitely more likable in this third book…

As with the other two books, there’s plenty of smexytimes to go around. Giddy up!

Interested? You can find MOORE THAN FOREVER at Goodreads, Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

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 …

Find Julie A Richman here: Website | Facebook | Twitter

***GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win on of these prizes:
(5) eBook copies of Moore than Forever – International
(3) $5 Gift Cards – International
(3) Print Copies of Moore than Forever. – US Only
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Sneak Peak and Review: BEST KIND OF BROKEN

Hi there! Today I’m offering a review and a Sneak Peak of Chelsea Fine‘s newest release BEST KIND OF BROKEN, a contemporary New Adult romance organized by InkSlinger Promotions. The book releases March 4th, but you can start your engines, folks. It’s a bumpy ride!

SOMETIMES MOVING ON MEANS MOVING IN

Pixie Marshall wishes every day she could turn back time and fix the past. But she can’t. And the damage is done. She’s hoping that a summer of free room and board working with her aunt at the Willow Inn will help her forget. Except there’s a problem: the resident handyman is none other than Levi Andrews. The handsome quarterback was once her friend-and maybe more–until everything changed in a life-shattering instant. She was hoping to avoid him, possibly forever. Now he’s right down the hall and stirring up feelings Pixie thought she’d long buried . . .

Levi can’t believe he’s living with the one person who holds all his painful memories. More than anything he wants to make things right, but a simple “sorry” won’t suffice–not when the tragedy that scarred them was his fault. Levi knows Pixie’s better off without him, but every part of him screams to touch her, protect her, wrap her in his arms, and kiss away the pain. Yet even though she’s so close, Pixie’s heart seems more unreachable than ever. Seeing those stunning green eyes again has made one thing perfectly clear–he can’t live without her.

“By turns humorous and heartbreaking, Best Kind Of Broken has become one of my favorites!”
— CORA CARMACK, New York Times bestselling author of Losing It.

“You’ll fall for Pixie and Levi, just like I did!”
— JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT (J. Lynn), #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wait For You

“Tangled with friendship, history and heartbreak–not to mention a huge dose of humor–Chelsea Fine’s New Adult novel is not to be missed! Beyond an incredibly HOT read, Pixie and Levi’s longing for each other will have
you rooting for them till the very end.”
— JAY CROWNOVER, New York Times bestselling author of Rule

“This book destroyed me. Tore me into little tiny pieces. But somehow with lots of laughs and some very steamy times, Chelsea put me back together again! Chelsea Fine’s style is witty, visceral and fresh. All I wanted to do was crawl inside this book and live with the characters. And now all I want is MORE.”
— CHELSEA M. CAMERON, New York Times bestselling author of My Favorite Mistake

“Sandwiched between laugh out loud moments and some serious heat, Best Kind of Broken is an unforgettable story of loss and forgiveness that will leave your heart aching.”
— LISA DESROCHERS, USA Today bestselling author of A Little Too Far

My Review:

Levi and Pixie are long-time friends. They’ve grown up around each other, by virtue of Pixie being BFF’s with Levi’s younger sister, Charity. Pixie’s life hasn’t been good. Her mother–a teen mom filled with regret over the loss of her youth and boyfriend–she has resented Pixie and been emotionally abusive from a young age. Needing love, Pixie took refuge with Charity’s close-knit family and grew to love them all in return–especially Levi who was her steadfast hero. Just as they seem to connect, there’s a horrific accident. Levi and Pixie are plagued with guilt and shame, and Charity is dead.

Fast forward 10 months: Levi’s family has broken up. He’s dropping out of college and none of the family has spoken to Pixie. Isolated without Charity and her family’s love, Pixie refuses to spend her summer at home with her own mother. Instead, she turns to her aunt for a summer job–without knowing that Levi’s already living at her Bed & Breakfast and working as a handyman. Now Pixie’s longtime crush and former friend is her next-door neighbor.

Levi hasn’t handled the implosion of his family well, but it’s even harder for him to see Pixie–the one girl he absolutely adores who bears physical scars from his bad decision–in such close quarters; they share a bathroom. Desperate to talk with her, but unwilling to venture into serious territory, he stoops to antagonizing her, stupid tricks like using up all the hot water in the shower to irritate her into conversation.

Their friends work to get each of them to return to their pre-tragedy life plans, but it’s so difficult to let go of the guilt. Still, their close interactions lead to mini confessions, tiny breakthroughs, and finally the healing emotional purge they both need. Building on these small successes, Levi is empowered to contact his parents and let them know how betrayed he has felt since they moved away from him and each other. This opens the lines of communication leading to a reconciliation for their family.

Just when we think Levi and Pixie are going to make it, another curve ball–in the form of a college transfer–gets tossed out. Will Pixie move to New York and start over? Or, will she stay in Arizona with the only family she’s ever loved?

It’s a strong story with plenty of snarky humor and personal tragedy. Levi and Pixie make a wonderful couple, and it’s easy to see how their plans got so jumbled. Dealing with trauma is complicated, and many people pull away from those they love in an act of self-defense. For Pixie, her abandonment by Charity’s family is just as hard to accept as it is for Levi. It was good to see that all of these relationships were repaired during the summer. I liked the story. The sexual tension between Pixie and Levi is palpable. Watchingtheir love story come together, and apart and together again was very satisfying. Due to the alternating point of view I could feel their pain and triumph. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

Interested? You can find BEST KIND OF BROKEN at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

If you’d like to read an exclusive EXCERPT, click here.

ABOUT CHELSEA FINE:

Chelsea lives in Phoenix, Arizona where she spends most of her time writing stories, painting murals, and avoiding housework at all costs. She’s ridiculously bad at doing dishes and claims to be allergic to laundry. Her obsessions include: superheroes, coffee, sleeping-in, and crazy socks. She lives with her husband and two children, who graciously tolerate her inability to resist teenage drama on TV and her complete lack of skill in the kitchen.

You can catch up with Chelsea on her website, Facebook, twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Goodreads.

If you have the chance to read BEST KIND OF BROKEN remember to come back and tell me if you liked it!

Keep reading my friends!

Is It ROMANCE IMPOSSIBLE?–A Review and Giveaway

Confession Time: I’m a Food Network Junkie. I have been a huge fan of cooking shows since I was young–growing up watching The Frugal Gourmet, and Julia Child’s Kitchen on PBS. Then Dessert Circus and Jaques Pepin…into Mario Batali and Bobby Flay and the list goes on.

I am also totally into food competition shows, and restaurant makeovers…which led me to Gordon Ramsay. Which led me to ROMANCE IMPOSSIBLE. This contemporary romance is a love story for foodies, like me.

Here’s what happens:

Jillian Brown is a chef. She has worked many kitchens around Boston, but is currently out of work due to so many restaurants failing in the depressed economy. Her bank account is nearly empty, and she’s desperate.

Chef Maxwell Dylan (undoubtedly inspired by Chef Gordon Ramsay) is a demanding prick. He’s brash and abrupt and honest. He is unflinchingly critical when it comes to cooking and has built a fortune through his hard work and exacting standards. He is opening a new restaurant. And he wants Jillian to be his sous chef.

Jill knows Chef Dylan, by reputation and by introduction. A few years ago he demanded to meet the chef who had prepared a meal he found lackluster. Jill never forgot that humiliation, and she’d rather eat her chef jacket that work for the notorious Chef Dylan, but that would likely be her last meal as broke and she is, so she accepts his job offer.

In the ramp up to opening the restaurant, Jill and Dylan develop a decent working relationship. She is submissive, as is to be expected, and he is steadfast in his resolve to not get involved with any woman–especially not Jill. He wants to stay focused on the restaurant, but doesn’t miss the quiet confidence Jill exudes. Her patience and attention to detail are just as attractive as her trim physique and pleasant face.

Jill is enamored with Dylan, after a time she is able to get over that horrifying initial meeting. She sees the man behind the frosty rep, and begins to appreciate his confidence and companionship. Over the course of the year there are aborted forays into romance. A kiss here, an embrace there, but each time Dylan pulls back–unsure of so many things. He’s never had a long-term relationship and won’t risk his stable work environment for what he’s sure will be a brief fling. Also, having amassed a fortune, he’s never sure if a woman is interested in him personally, or financially. This is a real fear, because Dylan’s personality is generally disagreeable.

Dylan seems to make extra effort to include Jill in his other endeavors, each time elevating her status and career. This includes recommending she be a part of a reality TV show to help ‘soften’ Dylan’s brash appeal. While on location in LA, Jill’s ex-fiance turns up. She and Eric had been together for 5 years and three weeks before their wedding she discovered he was dating another woman. Yet another humiliation, and one she had confessed to Dylan some months ago. With Eric trying to woo her back, Jill can only recognize how little she cares for him. He’s a cheater who hides all his treachery behind a nice demeanor, unlike Dylan. She’s about to tell all this to Eric, but another shoe had yet to drop, and Jill’s shattered once more.

Not long after, Dylan’s attempt to comfort Jill turns physical. Real physical. And Dylan panics. He’s not confident enough to risk his heart and tries to strike the best balance he can–to Jill’s great disappointment. She turns in her resignation and finds a new job as head chef in a prestigious restaurant. But fate isn’t finished with Jill. And one chance encounter leads these two to the place that were meant to be.

It’s a slow simmer of a romance, realistic in size and scope. Throughout there are tiny vignettes, excerpts of one of Dylan’s ‘cookbooks’, to illustrate his passion for food and cooking. The passion he contains for Jill is just as potent–and magnifies his fear of rejection by ten-fold. Then he sees how gracefully Jill accepts continued rejections and finally casts his whole heart on the line. It’s a joyful ending, and I really enjoyed the book. It’s told from alternating point of view so we can wallow deliciously in the tension between these two strong characters.

Interested? You can find this book on Goodreads, and Amazon. Right now it’s only available as a paperback, but the eBook will be out Feb 25th.

Melanie Marchande is the author of the “I Married a Billionaire” trilogy.

In her own words:

“I’ve always been fascinated by that feeling, that little spark – that tingle – the way your stomach can flip-flop at just hearing someone’s name. We all remember what it’s like. With my books, I hope to make you remember that feeling, to experience that thrill one more time. And the best part is, you can always come back and experience it again, and again, and again…”

You can find Melanie on her blog, Goodreads, Facebook, and twitter.

She’s hosting a GOURMET GIVEAWAY for the next five days on her website and Facebook. Click this link for your chance to enter.

Up for grabs: TWO bulbs of indulgent black garlic, ONE package of gourmet squid ink pasta, ONE Dylan’s Trattoria logo apron, and ONE $25 Amazon.com gift card

One can probably make quite a tasty meal with all those fixin’s.

Best of luck and keep reading my friends! 🙂

ALL FOR YOU–Gritty Romance–A Review

Who protects our soldiers?

That’s a question I continue to wonder about. Right now, after more than a decade of war, our soldiers are seeing record numbers of suicides–more than one a day across all branches of the military. My own father was a Vietnam veteran and, through him, I have first-hand experience with the ravages of combat on a soldier’s emotional state. How difficult it is to return home, to return to “normal” life.

And, that’s what drew me to ALL FOR YOU, a newly released contemporary romance by Jessica Scott. My regular readers know I review a ton of romance. Most of it is pretty breezy and–with regard to those books–I almost hesitate to call ALL FOR YOU a romance. There is a strong romantic plot line within the story, don’t misunderstand that, it’s simply that the emotional tenor of the book is not-at-all breezy.

In fact, it’s downright gritty.

Army Sergeant Reza Iaconelli is just returning to command. He’s considered an NCO, non-commissioned officer, and is on probation. He has served several tours of duty, in Iraq and Afghanistan, but is currently training soldiers for duty at Fort Dix in Texas while he battles an alcohol addiction. Sergeant Ike–as he is called–wants nothing more than to report for combat duty himself. He is a survivor of horrific child abuse and watched his father beat his mother to death as a young teen. For him, the living moment-to-moment atmosphere of combat is easy. It takes his mind away for the ghosts of his memory, people he didn’t save, couldn’t protect, like his mother. Due to his intoxication, Sergeant Ike missed the signs of addiction for one of his men. Guilt drives him to get that battle-scarred warrior a full medical discharge–and there’s one thing in the way.

Captain Emily Lindberg is a “slick sleeve”–a non-combat psychologist–working the enormous case load of depressed, shell-shocked, and potentially suicidal soldiers. She joined the army to help patients she felt needed it–not the pseudo-disturbed clientele of her parents’ lucrative practice. In fact, Emily’s wealthy family all but disowns her when she enlists. Her docket of files is overflowing and overwhelming. Being a female, and a slightly-built one at that–Emily sometimes suffers the scorn of the commanders–like Sergeant Reza Iaconelli. Reza directly challenges her over the care of his men, but Emily is a strong advocate. It is through her tireless devotion to care that Emily saves one of Reza’s soldiers from a pattern of hazing from a superior.

Of course, as I said, this is a romance. But it’s not the mushy-gushy type. There is an attraction between Reza and Emily. One he fights the same way he battles alcohol–one day at a time. In the guise of combat mentor Reza soon develops a rapport with Emily. And, for Emily, whose philandering ex-fiance is the son of a senator, Reza embodies the honesty and conviction of a hero and an officer.

Romance aside, there are many pressures facing this couple, not the least of which is military politics. Emily risks her commissioned status if she openly dates Reza–due to his embroilment in a potential hazing scandal. True, he didn’t perpetrate it, but he’s in the chain of command and all the lower rungs on the ladder may be sacrificed to protect the reputation of the higher-ups. Plus, he’s an easy target due to his alcoholism and short temper.

In the middle, a tragedy binds Reza and Emily together, but at what cost?

Can Emily trust Reza to keep her safe from his personal demons? And, for Reza, can he trust Emily to care for him–without constant emotional analysis? Besides, she’s a rich gal. She certainly can do better than a half-washed out officer, right?

There are some really dark parts of this story. It’s gripping in the way of A FEW GOOD MEN, but bears a slightly softer side, as well. We have alternating view point, allowing us to see inside Reza’s battle-scarred psyche, and it’s a scary place to exist, as you might imagine. In an age where our soldiers are coming home for the front lines in greater numbers and finding less opportunity and a difficult return to “normal” civilian life, the coping mechanisms are often chemical in nature. This book doesn’t shy away from that dark side. At all. Nor does it paint a rosy picture of the mental toll of war.

My father used to say something along these lines when he spoke of his army experience: They ask you for your life, and that’s exactly what they take. That’s the kind of realism I found in this story. It’s powerful and profound, and I hoped against all hope that Sergeant Ike would get it right this time around. The pacing is tight, keeping the story rolling fast. The ending isn’t a typical bright and shiny HEA–but the reader is definitely left with a sense that life will get better for these characters. That they have been tempered by the fire, not burned.

Interested? You can find ALL FOR YOU at Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble–among other places I’m sure…

If you have the chance to pick this one up, make sure to come back and tell me what you thought!

And, as always, keep reading my friends! 🙂

Out Now! CONSEQUENCES OF DECEPTION by Ella Fox

Newly Released!

Consequences of Deception:

Once upon a time, girl met boy and a love story began.

Their future was assured until tragedy struck and deceptions were made.

There are consequences to every action, and the Consequences of Deception are always the most punishing.

Sloane Evans lost nearly everyone that she’s ever loved, but losing Killian Brandt left a scar that never healed.

Four and a half years after turning his back on her, Killian steps back into Sloane’s life in the most shocking of ways, giving her no choice but to abandon her life and go with him.

Why would a man buy a woman that he hates?

Not everything is as it appears.

Love is beautiful, revenge is ugly, and lies destroy lives.

Prepare to discover the Consequences of Deception.

Interested? You can find CONSEQUENCES OF DECEPTION at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Ella Fox Author Bio

When she’s not writing, Ella likes to indulge the gypsy in her soul by traveling the country. She loves road trips! At home, she spends time with her family and friends laughing & being inappropriate. She loves reading, writing, music, movies and anything funny. Consequences of Deception is her ninth book.

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

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win

one of 18 e-Books from other indie authors!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, and keep reading my friends!

Cover Reveal! CHALLENGING DESTINY by Cherie Colyer

Being Chosen is a terrible thing when there’s no one you can trust

CHALLENGING DESTINY

Coming spring 2014 from the Wild Rose Press, Black Rose Imprint

Synopsis:

Logan Ragsdale and his younger sister, Ariana, have been marked, chosen to be unwilling participants in a war between angels and demons. Logan can sense something’s not quite right. Like an unexpected chill on a summer’s day, he can feel the unseen closing in. He’s had these feelings before and, each time, someone close to him died. He’s afraid this time it might just be Ariana.

Logan’s fears are soon confirmed when he discovers their new friends aren’t human, but rather representatives from Heaven and Hell sent to Earth to ensure he and Ariana accept their roles in an ancient prophecy. Demons want Logan to open the gates of Hell. Ariana has the power to stop them, but if she chooses to side with Heaven to spare the lives of thousands of innocent people, she’ll damn her brother for eternity. Together, they must derail the biblical event if they hope to save themselves and the future of mankind…but what price are they willing to pay to keep the other safe?

Sounds like a conflict of biblical proportions…

Well…perhaps not THAT kind of thing, exactly. But, man it sounds intense!

About the author:

Cherie Colyer is the author of YA paranormal thriller/romance, EMBRACE and HOLD TIGHT from Omnific Publishing. Her latest novel, CHALLENGING DESTINY will be available this spring from The Wild Rose Press, Black Rose Imprint. Check out her website and blog for news on her books and bonus material. Follow Cherie on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and/or Goodreads to get the latest updates on her books.

Can’t wait to share more about this great book with you!

In the meantime, keep reading my friends! 🙂

Get With THE PLAN–Review and Giveaway

Hi there and welcome to my stop on the blog tour for THE PLAN organized by AToMR Book Tours and OmniFic Publishing. For other stops on the tour click here. Today’s book is a steamy contemporary romance from Qwen Salsbury that will tickle your funny bone just as much as your naughty bits…

Day of Employment: 359

11:05 a.m.

Location: Cubicles outside Canon’s office.
Co-workers: Betting on how long Canon’s new PA will last.
Me: No doubts. Ms. Gum-smacker won’t last the day. I need to place my bet.
Manolo Blahnik’s New Fall Shoes: Mine. As soon as Madeline hands over my winnings.

Emma Baker has never spoken a word to Alaric Canon, nor has he to her. But she’s studied him every day across the office tundra for almost a year. Canon is hard and fierce, terrifying and beautiful. He’s also the most stern, unforgiving person Emma has ever seen. Emma’s co-workers run a betting pool for Personal Assistant terminations. There’s a separate pot for the day one leaves without crying. Not likely…Canon made a former Navy SEAL cry.

He has high standards and low tolerance. Everyone knows it. Everyone stays away. Everyone who can, that is. Except Emma. She can’t look away. Alaric Canon is the single most attractive man she’s ever seen. Bar none.

Canon has never noticed her. Not once in almost a year. She’s not even a blip on his radar. But she will be. His radar will be blipless no more.

It is a goal. Emma has a plan.

My Review:

This book brought me to chocked-up, snotty laughter. I can’t help giggling just remembering. Emma is a strong female lead–determined to make her own way. She’s had to for a while now. Her parents divorced when she was young and each started a new family, leaving Emma…on the outskirts, if you will. She’s working her way through law school and delights in her personal eye candy–Alaric Canon. His brutal temperament is nothing less than fierce and try as she might, she can’t get his gaze to land on her. Not ever.

So, she decides to change things up. Enter the ‘classy lady’ role she has seen Canon’s dates wear. Forgo her bright plumage and beige-down.

I'm a big blender full of subdued. So beige Helen Hunt would 
be envious. Total corporate drone, all business.
Plan forecast: Nothing but black, navy, and beige, with 
scattered gray and a slim chance of red.

Her first attempt to begin an early morning exercise regimen is divine:

My feet hit the cold hardwood floor and I fight the urge
to creep back under my duvet. Sleep is my friend.

Not as faithful a friend as cellulite. It is so loyal.
Always there.

OMG. I nearly wet myself. Emma’s acerbic wit and Spartan diction had me in absolute fits. Especially when she learns her boss is installing her as Canon’s newest Personal Assistant.

I see the look she has leveled at me. She's terrified.
Rebecca.
Terrified.
I may soil myself.

No, Emma’s not ‘a blip’ anymore; she’s front-and-center on the radar screen, and Canon is certainly a trial. He barely even speaks to her–leaving her notes everywhere telling her what to do and how he wants it done. Having observed his antics for the past year, however, Emma does more than hold her own–she shines. So much so that she’s indispensable on the acquisition trip Canon must take to plan the merger of their struggling company with another.

The trip is uproarious, with Emma stashing grounds of Canon’s favorite coffee in her luggage so she can ensure a perfect brew in the morning, and cobbling together the wardrobe of a professional business woman gleaned from all her friends’ closets. Suffering the simpering adoration of Canon’s admirer at the other company unhinges Emma in a way she has never been before. Taking matters–and bits of Canon’s anatomy–into her own hands solidifies Emma’s place in Canon’s mind. The woman is practically a closet dominatrix…

It’s an interesting love story, one where the reader knows Canon’s totally into Emma, but Emma can’t bring herself to believe it, which I enjoy. The trip drags on, and between them Emma is the brute–shoving Canon away, sure she’s going to get hurt. Falling for Canon wasn’t in the plan.

But getting rid of a man like Alaric Canon proves to be twice as difficult as gaining his attention in the first place.

I just loved this book. Emma’s so dead-pan in her cutting humor I was shocked into laughter nearly as often as I was tickled into it. The smexytimes are well-written–descriptive without being pages long and sloppy with it. The two characters are brash, and I delighted in seeing the demanding Canon tamed in the bedroom. So very fun, indeed.

Interested? You can find THE PLAN at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

About the Author

Qwen Salsbury was born in Kansas and somehow keeps ending up back there. Raised on her grandparent’s five acre homestead within the city limits, her imagination was honed during long days of quiet play and spartan access to a TV signal. Now mother to handsome boys, she strives to ensure they appreciate potential adventures found within the pages of a book, an honest day’s work, and what ingenuity may yield from mundane objects like a string and a cup. The boys prefer a PS3.

After spending time in corporate America, she returned to school and received a BA in English, Creative Writing and Poetry from Pittsburg State University, the alma mater of Pulitzer Prize winning poet, James Tate. She worked on a Masters there until going on to receive a juris doctorate from Washburn School of Law.

A seven-time Sigma Tau Delta writing award winner, her fiction and poetry have appeared in literary magazines and have been selected by fiction communities as featured story of the month and year. Predominantly a writer of romance, her romantic fiction varies from contemporary to historical to fantasy, though often with a humorous slant and poetic undertones.

For reasons she can’t even articulate herself, she decided to start writing fiction again while solo parenting and attending law school (during Constitutional Law class, to be exact.). You can find Qwen at her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

***GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win one of
(5) Print Copies of The Plan – International
(5) eBook copies of The Plan – International
or (1) Omnific Publishing Gift Cards – choose an Omnific title of your choice – International
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, and keep reading my friends!

More Than TEMPORARILY YOURS–Review and Giveaway!

Hi 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.

BOOK 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!

About 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.)
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Good luck, and, as always—keep reading my friends!

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 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!

Hi 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 (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 (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.

MOORE 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 ….

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

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Good luck, and keep reading my friends!

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Author: Veronica Rundell

Will They Get MOORE THAN FOREVER?–Review and Giveaway

Sneak Peak and Review: BEST KIND OF BROKEN

If you’d like to read an exclusive EXCERPT, click here.

Is It ROMANCE IMPOSSIBLE?–A Review and Giveaway

ALL FOR YOU–Gritty Romance–A Review

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Get With THE PLAN–Review and Giveaway

More Than TEMPORARILY YOURS–Review and Giveaway!

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

MOORE THAN FOREVER…is Coming…SOON!