Giveaways

Love & Deception in RISE & FALL–Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

Hi all! Today I’m SO eager to share the latest installment of Charlie Cochet’s THIRD series. I’ve blogged about HELL & HIGH WATER and BLOOD & THUNDER and RACK & RUIN so I’m all in on this M/M Romance/Police/Shifter series. If I HAD a guilty pleasure this series might be it; but, since I feel no guilt, it’s really all about the pleasure….

Rise & Fall 

(THIRDS Series, Book #4) by Charlie Cochet 
About the book: 
After an attack by the Coalition leaves THIRDS Team Leader Sloane Brodie critically injured, agent Dexter J. Daley swears to make Beck Hogan pay for what he’s done. But Dex’s plans for retribution are short-lived. With Ash still on leave with his own injuries, Sloane in the hospital, and Destructive Delta in the Coalition’s crosshairs, Lieutenant Sparks isn’t taking any chances. Dex’s team is pulled from the case, with the investigation handed to Team Leader Sebastian Hobbs. Dex refuses to stand by while another team goes after Hogan, and decides to put his old HPF detective skills to work to find Hogan before Theta Destructive, no matter the cost.

With a lengthy and painful recovery ahead of him, the last thing Sloane needs is his partner out scouring the city, especially when the lies—however well intentioned—begin to spiral out of control. Sloane is all too familiar with the desire to retaliate, but some things are more important, like the man who’s pledged to stand beside him. As Dex starts down a dark path, it’s up to Sloane to show him what’s at stake, and finally put a name to what’s in his heart.

goodreads-badge-add-plus

Available for purchase at

   

How about a little taste?

Dex sorted out all of Sloane’s pillows, fluffing them up and arranging them before bringing the tray over. Once Sloane was settled, Dex placed the tray over his lap and kissed him, tasting a faint hint of minty freshness. Sloane stared down at the tray.

“Is it okay?” Dex asked. Had he forgotten something? “Eggs Benedict and pancakes are your favorite, right?”

Sloane nodded.

“What’s wrong?”

“You made heart-shaped pancakes.”

Dex held back a smile. “Are they too unmanly? Should I have made them grenade-shaped? I’m sure Letty’s got a mold for those.”

Sloane chuckled. “No, hearts are fine. It’s real sweet. Thank you.”

Dex sat down on the edge of the bed beside him. He ran his fingers through Sloane’s hair feeling guilty for having left him on his own last night. Sloane could take care of himself, even if he was injured, but his partner was drugged up and obviously feeling a little out of it, considering his reaction to the heart-shaped pancakes. Maybe it was time he took care of his partner like he’d promised he would.

“Why don’t you eat your breakfast while I shower, and we’ll watch a movie or something together?”

Sloane gave him a wide smile. “I’d like that.”

Dex left Sloane to his breakfast and went off to shower as quickly as he could. Showering wasn’t as much fun without his partner. As he lathered himself up, a naughty thought occurred to him. He’d also promised he’d make his partner purr. Finishing up, he could barely hold back his smile or the heat spreading through him. Easy there, Daley. Don’t get yourself worked up yet. He dressed in his comfy cotton pajama bottoms and a loose faded Back to the Future T-shirt before heading out into the bedroom.

Sloane was smiling, his plate devoid of any evidence food had ever been on there. Wow, his partner had been hungry. Really hungry. Starving. Sort of like after…“Please tell me you didn’t.”

Dex removed the tray and put it on the floor against the wall. He pulled the blanket back and tried to lift Sloane’s T-shirt, but his partner slapped his hand away. “Sloane, let me see, damn it.” He grabbed Sloane’s wrist with one hand and managed to pull up the cotton shirt, cursing under his breath at the tiny beads of blood seeping through the bandage. “For fuck’s sake, did you try to shift?” When Sloane looked away, Dex had his answer. No wonder his partner was out of it. It wasn’t just the meds. Sloane hadn’t recuperated from postshift. Dex opened the minifridge and found it empty.“When?” He slammed the fridge door shut.

“Last night. After you called,” Sloane mumbled.

“Last night?” Dex put a hand to his head. Veggies and hummus were all well and good for Sloane’s Human side, but not for the Felid inside him. He needed meat, protein, and more than the packet of sliced chicken Dex had left him in the fridge. “Fuck. Sloane, you know you’re not supposed to attempt shifting. The doctor said so, and it’s in the packet. To make matters worse, you do it when there’s no one here to perform postshift trauma care? With no access to the right foods? What were you thinking?”

“I’m thinking I need to fucking heal, and if that’s the quickest way to do it, then it’s a risk I’m willing to take!”

Sloane’s ferocity surprised Dex, and he took a step back. His partner’s pupils were dilated and his fangs slightly elongated. Fuck, what the hell was going on? It was like Sloane was having trouble controlling his feral side. Dex could see it. He could see the Felid inside Sloane staring back at him from behind glowing amber eyes. Could the meds be doing this? The recovery packet the doctor had given them specifically instructed Sloane to not shift while he was healing, especially while on his meds.

“Okay, take it easy. It’s me.” Dex held his hands up in front of him and swallowed hard, aware of the telltale signs. “There’s no hurry for you to heal, Sloane. It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay,” Sloane snarled, his fingers flexing against the sheets and his nails starting to grow.

Fuck. Oh fuck.

“Sloane, you need to breathe. Calm down.” Dex slowly edged away from the bed. Why was this happening? Sloane had never lost his grip on his Felid side. Not to mention he’d yet to fully recover from his first attempt. “Please, Sloane. Your body’s not healed from the first try. Who knows what a second attempt will do?”

There was no reply from Sloane. He was gritting his teeth, his face red, and his muscles straining.

“Sloane, you need to stop.”

“I can’t.” Sloane lowered his head, his fierce gaze on Dex.

“Why?”

“To protect you!”

Dex gasped as Sloane let out a roar, his body starting to shift. What the hell was Dex supposed to do? He’d never faced a Therian who’d lost control of his Human side, much less an Apex predator. Quickly, he backed up against the far wall, cringing as Sloane’s cries of agony filled the room. Sloane tore at his clothes, pulling his T-shirt and pajama bottoms off before his mass shifted, bones popped, and fur pierced his skin. Dex reached into his pocket and with shaky hands placed a call.

A gruff voice answered. “What do you want?”

“Ash, you have to help me.” The panic in his voice must have been clear, because Ash’s tone instantly transformed from its usual gruffness to concern.

“What’s going on, Dex? Talk to me.”

“It’s Sloane. He’s shifting, but it’s not… not normal. He tried last night but couldn’t complete the transformation. Then we got into an argument, and it’s like he’s lost it. I don’t think he’s in control. How is that possible?”

“Hide.”

“What?”

“Hide somewhere he can’t get to you. I’m on my way. I’ve still got my key to your place.”

Ash hung up, and Dex shoved his phone in his pocket. Where the fuck was he supposed to hide? When he moved his gaze to the bed, he stilled. There was no time for hiding. The huge black jaguar lay in the center of the bed, his tail thumping against the headboard. He sniffed the sheets, then the air before his gaze landed on Dex.

Wow! I can tell you, reading that passage had my heart racing!

My Review:
OMG. I’ve just… Well… Where to start?

*takes a deep breath* *remembers how Dex had to be assertive to win Sloane* *channels her inner Dex*

Okay. This is the fourth book in the THIRDS series. And at the end of the previous one, Sloane Brodie was injured by a car bomb explosion. It was (perhaps) fatal and we waited on pins and needles, praying alongside Dex, his partner in their job–and in bed (though THIS is a down-low issue)–to hope that his heart (and Sloane) will make it through the night.

I’m not spoiling this part. I will say that it is tense, and the feels are heart-wrecking.

Ash has been left to care for/tail Dex as Dex begins the revenge mission to end all revenge missions. Beck Hogan, chief of the Ikelos Coalition and person responsible for Sloane’s injuries, is Dex’s target–but Dex doesn’t know that he is Beck’s target. He and Cael are the prime targets for Ikelos operatives who consider Therian THIRDS operatives to be traitors to their race–and knowing that Cael is precious to Ash, who had recently infiltrated then double-crossed the Coalition.

Problem with Dex’s vengeance plan? Destructive Delta is put on leave. With Ash and Sloane severely injured, they can’t go on patrol, and the brass is determined to keep the unit on ice until Hogan is in custody, or dead.

Dex works on the side, however, setting up a shadow office and calling in favors from Delta and Alpha agents–all to take Hogan out. It’s dangerous, from a real life and a professional standpoint. There are set-ups and double crosses, and Hogan gets the best of Dex time and again.

Plus, Dex’s really walking a very very thin line of dishonesty–one that could very well cost him his job, and Sloane.

The pace never lets up. There is loving that THIRDS fans have been clamoring for (cough, cough CALVIN & HOBBS!!!) and Cael and Ash reach an understanding, if nothing else.

The intricate web of this world is being tightened and the relationships are becoming strong, more open, and trust is a conscious element within the Destructive Delta group. Plus, all the side characters are more fleshed out, filling roles as POV characters and humor elements.

I didn’t read this book, I inhaled it. Can’t wait for the next chapter in this series.

About the Author
Charlie Cochet is an author by day and artist by night. Always quick to succumb to the whispers of her wayward muse, no star is out of reach when following her passion. From Historical to Fantasy, Contemporary to Science Fiction, there’s bound to be plenty of mischief for her heroes to find themselves in, and plenty of romance, too!
Currently residing in South Florida, Charlie looks forward to migrating to a land where the weather includes seasons other than hot, hotter, and boy, it’s hot! When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading, drawing, or watching movies. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.  You can find Charlie at
                  
Giveaway
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
a $25 Amazon GC and a THIRDS swag pack.
Good luck, and keep reading my friends!
Presented By

She Learned HOW (not) TO FALL IN LOVE–Review and Giveaway!

How(not)to-fall-in-love_tour copy
Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a YA contemporary romance by Lisa Brown Roberts along with YA Bound Book Tours. HOW (not) TO FALL IN LOVE is a compassionate look at a rich girl whose life has gone bad, real quick.

HOWNOTTOFALL_1600pxAbout the book:
Finding true love on the other side of the tracks was never so much fun in this heartfelt and hilarious contemporary novel.

Seventeen-year-old Darcy Covington doesn’t know the difference between a pawn shop and a thrift shop. Even her dog eats gourmet food, so she’s totally unprepared when her car is repossessed from the parking lot of her elite private school. Turns out her father, a semi-famous motivational speaker, has skipped town, abandoning his family while his business collapses. Even David Letterman comes up with ten reasons why her father won’t ever return home.

Desperate to sell her expensive jewelry for much-needed cash, Darcy discovers that her dad’s brother runs a funky thrift shop on a street full of eccentric characters, including a coffee shop owner named Liz and one supremely hot fix-it guy named Lucas.

Darcy finds some solace hanging out with her uncle and Lucas in the thrift shop and working in Liz’s coffee shop, while the rest of her life falls apart. The time she spends with the uber hot Lucas helps takes her mind off her family’s troubles, even though she’s sure he’s only nice to her because he works for her uncle, especially when she meets the cover girl beauty she thinks he’s dating.

Can Darcy find the courage she needs to adapt to the necessary changes brought about by her family’s drastically reduced lifestyle? And will she open her eyes to the amazing realization that Lucas wants much more than friendship from her?

How about a tiny taste?

“Truth, Darcy,” Lucas said. “How’s everything going? For real.”

I stumbled and he put out a hand to steady me, which didn’t help since the sudden warmth of his touch made me even more klutzy.

“I’m okay,” I said, once I’d figured how to walk again.

“You’re lying,” he said conversationally, like he’d asked me about the weather. He tossed his long dark hair out of his eyes and I swallowed, trying to maintain my composure. “You’re worried about something. More than usual, I mean.”

My lips parted in surprise. “How can you tell?”

He shrugged. “I just can.” I gazed down at Toby, whose tail wagged at warp speed. “It might help to talk about it,” Lucas said, his voice soft.

I glanced at him, startled at the intensity I saw in his eyes. I turned away, pretending to be interested in the jumble of model airplane kits in the window of the run-down hobby store.

His hand brushed mine, lacing our fingers briefly, but before I could catch my breath, he released my hand and took hold of Toby’s leash. He cleared his throat. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

Friends. Right. Of course. I let go of the leash, letting Lucas take over. “Yeah,” I said, my voice a little wobbly. We walked in silence and I wondered if I’d hallucinated the whole almost-held-my-hand thing.

“If you don’t tell me what’s up, I’ll just ask Charlie.”

I took a deep breath. Inhale calm. Exhale obsessive need to analyze potential hand-holding event.

My Review:
Darcy is a girl in a serious bind. Her car is repossessed, her mother is distraught and her father, uber-positive celebrity life coach and motivational speaker Ty Covington, is gone. AWOL. Radio silent. The first few days are terrifying, but that doesn’t even compare to the terror of realization when his postcards begin to arrive: Dad my never return.

The family assets are frozen while Darcy’s father’s company Harvest Industries refunds thousands of tickets for upcoming Harvest shows on his speaking schedule. Without Ty Covington, Harvest Industries is…well, bankrupt. See, HE is the product, his endless hope and uplifting platitudes, and without him to share his good will with the people who attend his event, Darcy’s family is flat-busted financially.

Thing is, Darcy doesn’t care about the money. She sees how her mother drinks herself to sleep every night, and the ugliness of the media who speculate that her father took off with Harvest’s money to an island in the sun. Darcy wants her dad back.

In the meantime, however, Darcy bucks up and gets a job. She reconnects with her Uncle Charlie–her dad’s brother who’d been locked out of her life a long time ago–and learns more about relationships that MEAN SOMETHING. Plus, she meets Lucas, the college engineering student who fixes all the gadgets that arrive in Charlie’s thrift store.

Lucas has a broken family, too, but he’s past the initial grief and is able to give Darcy some perspective. They develop a bit of a tender romance, though this is secondary to Darcy’s life missions: 1. Survive 2. Get her mother sober 3. Find dad.

See, she thinks she’s found a pattern to the random postcards that arrive every few weeks. They originate in areas near Stonehenge replicas and Henge tourists stops all along America. As she plots the course, she begins to suspect where he may be, at a given time.

Darcy wants to find her dad more than anything. But hunting him down could nearly cost her everything.

It’s a heart-felt story with excellent pacing and realistic plot. Darcy moves from mouse to lioness as she claws her way through the morass of bankruptcy, estate sales, eviction and starting over. Throughout Darcy hears echoes of her dad’s many talks–the words she always felt were hollow and barren–and realizes that the hope in them is what she always found lacking. Now, when all Darcy only has hope to her name, she embraces the power of these positive thoughts and changes her life into something that works–even if it’s a far cry from her previously posh life. The life lessons abound, but they aren’t preachy. The book deals with alcoholism in a frank way, and touches upon mental illness near the end. The romance is wholly innocent, which was a source of humor in the book. Especially when Darcy’s mom attempts what she believes is a “belated” sex talk.

Interested? You can find HOW (not) TO FALL IN LOVE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo Books, iBooks.
Grand Prize

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win one of FOUR prize packs that may include a signed hardcover copy of HOW (not) TO FALL IN LOVE, Ninja salt & pepper shakers, a necklace a mini-Stonehenge
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

LBRAbout the Author:
Lisa Brown Roberts still hasn’t recovered from the teenage trauma of nearly tweezing off both eyebrows and having to pencil them in for an entire school year. This and other angst-filled memories inspire her to write YA books about navigating life’s painful and funny dramas, and falling in love along the way.

Her almost forever home is Colorado, though she occasionally pines for the days when she lived within walking distance of the Pacific Ocean. Her house is full of books, boys, several four-legged prima donnas, and lots of laughter.

You can catch up with Lisa online on her website, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.

ef137-yabounktourbutton

TELL ME A SECRET–Blitz and Giveaway!

Hi there! Today I’m sharing in the book blitz for Ann Everett’s New Adult romance, TELL ME A SECRET. It’s a flirty romance with plenty of poignant banter.

About the book:
Jace Sloan has it all. He’s smoking hot, a college football star with a storybook family, and he’s never met a woman he couldn’t charm. He’s also never met one who makes him want to be a better man…until he meets Maggie. Now, this self-proclaimed geek with wild red hair and the greenest eyes he’s ever seen has him thinking all kinds of crazy thoughts. Like settling down and being a one-woman man.

Maggie Fielding is anything but Jace’s type. For starters, her IQ is bigger than her chest size. But Jace is panty melting hot, and she’s having a hard time remembering that he’s bad news. If only she could stop telling him her secrets, because her answers to his questions just might have both of them falling in love for the first time.

photo add-to-goodreads-button_zpsc7b3c634.png
How about a little taste?
“Why do you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Go from girl to girl. My mother was promiscuous because she tried to make up for everything wrong in her life—no relationship with her family, a kid she didn’t want. But you have the most wonderful family in the world. And you have friends—and talent. I don’t understand what you’re trying to compensate for.”
He didn’t say anything, so she said, “You don’t have to answer. I shouldn’t have asked. I just finished telling you to stay out of my business and now I’m butting into yours.”
“It isn’t that I don’t want to answer. It’s—I don’t know the answer. Maybe it’s evolutionary psychology. You know, spill your seeds and all that crap.”
“You’re kidding, right? That theory has to do with finding the best candidate for breeding to produce the best offspring. It isn’t an excuse to screw every female in Texas. Unless you’re saying you want to impregnate women to create a bunch of little football All-American’s?”
“Hell, no. My policy is no glove, no love. I’m saying, could be, men aren’t supposed to be monogamous.”
“You’re speaking for your entire gender?”
“Yeah.”
“So—your dad could have women on the side and that would be okay.”
“No! All right, you’ve made your point. Some men can be happy with one woman.”
“But not you.”
He rolled up on his elbow and rested his face in his hand. “I don’t know how to say this without sounding like a complete jerk. I guess I do it because I can. From the time I was in junior high, girls have thrown themselves at me and all I’ve done is take advantage of it. I’ve never lied to get a girl to sleep with me. I’ve never told one I loved her or promised forever. I don’t even spend the night. They know what to expect from me.” He flopped back down. “Maybe I’ve slept with more than my share, but I don’t consider myself a bad guy. Do you?”
“Does it matter what I think?”
“Yeah.”
“Well then, I think you’re just as emotionally unavailable as I am. I avoid men because I’m afraid I’ll lose my heart, and you go from girl to girl to keep from giving yours away.”

Interested? You can find TELL ME A SECRET on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

***GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win
a $10 Amazon gift card
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Ann Everett embraces her small town upbringing and thinks Texans are some of the funniest people on earth. When speaking to writing groups, businesses, book clubs, and non-profit organizations, she incorporates her special brand of wit, making her programs on marketing, self-publishing, and the benefits of laughter, informative and fun.

An award winning author, she’s also a member of Northeast Texas Writers’ Organization and a top ten reviewer on thenextbigwriter.com.

When Ann’s not writing, she spends her days listening in on people’s conversations at the local Wal-Mart, beauty shop, Goodwill, and numerous other gathering spots. She draws from that research to pen her romantic suspense novels full of southern sass and Texas twang. For her new adult romance stories, she blends her dramatic writing style with a kick of humor.
You can find Ann online on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and herblog.

photo readingaddictionbutton_zps58fd99d6.png

They Connect In a PULSE–Review and Giveaway


Hi there! Today I’m reviewing the second book in a New Adult series from Amity Cross. PULSE is the sequel to BEAT–(click here for my review)–and features two Australian ultimate fighters–Ash and Renee. It’s a sexy, passionate, gritty tale that packs an emotional (and physical) punch!


About the book:
Ren Miller never dreamed her life would turn out quite like this.

On the cusp of qualifying for the brand new woman’s UFC league, she’s finally found the thing that makes her tick. She finally has a whole new life before her, but it’s one that doesn’t include Ash Fuller.

No one has seen or heard from Beat’s Golden Boy in six months, not even Ren. He’s disappeared off the face of the earth and he’s just another person who’s ended up abandoning her when she needed him the most. He broke her heart, but he took the one thing that was hers. Her spirit.

When someone unexpected turns up at Beat with an ultimatum, Ren must make a decision. Go after Ash and her own heart or make her Dad’s dream of winning a Championship come true.

Will Ren choose to fight?
Or sacrifice everything to save the man she loves?
18+ due to mature sexual content

My Review:
Ren has had a rough year. Her mother died, she had to seek out the father who abandoned her at the age of five, for his other family, and he’s not so keen to see her again. Nor is his daughter, Monica. Relegated to closet bedroom at her father’s gym, Ren learns to channel her rage by training in mixed martial arts. She strikes up an uneasy friendship/sex buddy relationship with Ash, the disgraced boxer her father once trained. The more they interact, the more Ren begins to trust that she won’t always be alone.

Banned from the UFC, Ash fights in an underground fight club, and Ren joins him. Well, until Thunder, a title contender, tries to take out Ren. Ash and Thunder both disappeared that night six months ago, leaving a bloody mess of the training gym, and Ren with a broken heart.

In PULSE, Ren is fighting in both the UFC qualifiers, and the underground, needing the brutality of the ring to dull he sense of loss. Then she learns what truly happened between Ash and Thunder, and she’s initially furious. She suspected Ash had killed Thunder, and he’s currently under house arrest, but the story is more complicated.

Thunder is rotten to the core, and there’s only one way Ash and Ren can take him down…in the underground cage fighting championship. Ren and Ash both get the chance to step into the legitimate ring, as UFC fighters, but to do so would scrap their plans for revenge.

It’s a well-told erotic romance, though the romance is a bit back-burnered for the vengeance plot. Thunder makes a perfect villain, antagonizing Ren during her matches, taunting Ash every chance he gets, but he’s not the only problem. Secrets are being kept that could influence the rest of their lives, and no doubt cause a good bit of conflict.

Interested? You can find PULSE on Goodreads, Amazon (US, UK, AU), B&N, iBOOKS.

Also Available

Renee “Ren” Miller was five when her Dad left to go to the shops and never came back.

Left to grow up with a cancer riddled mother, things have never been easy for a teenager who had to be wise beyond her years. Then one day they lose the battle and she’s all alone.

Now twenty-two, Ren reluctantly goes to find her estranged father. He owns the down and out boxing studio, Beat, and Ren finds herself drawn to the ring. She thrives on learning a new way of fighting a life that kept kicking her down…instead of struggling against the current, she kicks it right between the legs.

Then one day, Ash Fuller, her Dad’s star fighter comes back to town. Mysterious, handsome… Dangerous… Everything Ren doesn’t need.

But he’s got other ideas…and so does she.

AMAZON US / UK / AU
SMASHWORDS
****GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a
$20 Amazon gift card.
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:

Amity Cross isn’t her real name. That’s no secret.
She is the author of wicked stories about rock stars looking for redemption, gritty romances featuring MMA fighters and dark tales of forbidden romance. She loves to write about screwed up relationships and kick ass female leads that don’t take s**t lying down.
Amity lives in a leafy country town in southern Australia and can be found chained to her desk, held at ransom by her characters.

Don’t send help. She likes it.

Author Links

Teen Love in PAPER OR PLASTIC–Review and Giveaway

paper or plastic tour bannerHi all! Today I’m sharing in the blog tour for for Vivi Barnes’ new YA romance, PAPER OR PLASTIC. It’s a sweet tale of love, loyalty and friendship. For other stops on the tour, click here. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway below!

Paper or PlasticAbout the book:
Welcome to SmartMart, where crime pays minimum wage…

Busted. Alexis Dubois just got caught shoplifting a cheap tube of lipstick at the local SmartMart. She doesn’t know what’s worse—disappointing her overbearing beauty-pageant-obsessed mother for the zillionth time…or her punishment. Because Lex is forced to spend her summer working at the store, where the only thing stranger than the staff is the customers.

Now Lex is stuck in the bizarro world of big-box retail. Coupon cutters, jerk customers, and learning exactly what a “Code B” really is (ew). And for added awkwardness, her new supervisor is the totally cute—and completely below her social sphere—Noah Grayson. Trying to balance her out-of-control mother, her starting spot on the school softball team, and her secret crush on the school geek makes for one crazy summer. But ultimately, could the worst store in the world be the best thing that ever happened to her?

My Review:
Lex, as she likes to be called, is a 16 y/o girl growing up near Tampa, Florida. She’s pretty, and popular and the star pitcher on her softball team. She has some close friends, among them Sydney, Courtney and Bryce. Bryce is a star baseball player and he’s helped Lex with her pitching for years. They even volunteer together at a baseball camp for needy youth. Despite having plenty of cash, Lex is caught shoplifting.

She knows it’s dumb, but can’t help rebelling a little. Her mother is preoccupied with her 7 y/o sister Aurora who easily conforms to Mama’s ideal beauty pageant child, unlike Lex. And, Lex’s grandma is rapidly declining with Alzheimer’s disease…so things are bit out of control. Taking the lipstick seemed a harmless prank, until her mother got involved. Now, instead of whiling away her summer, Lex is working at the SmartMart (think WalMart) on the condition that she does a good job, the police will not be notified. It’s, well, mortifying.

Mean girls come in to taunt the Princess of SmartMart, and Lex is missing softball practice due to schedule conflicts, prompting pushback from her coach. And worst/best of all? One of Lex’s managers is a senior at her high school–Noah–who is a categorical NOBODY after turning Bryce in for a vandalism episode two years prior.

Thing is, Noah is nice. And, cute. And, Lex is determined to show up her mother, by being responsible–for a change. In the meantime, Lex learns the truth behind appearances. Maybe Bryce is petty for holding a grudge so long. Maybe the goofy greeter lady at SmartMart is the most positive, loving girl Lex’s ever met. And maybe Noah’s the sweetest, most forgiving person in the whole wide world–someone she shouldn’t cast aside on a misplaced loyalty.

I really liked this one. Lex is a human girl, with human feelings of inadequacy and fear. Her Grandma is slipping away, and she and her mother don’t connect well. She’s losing her dominance in softball, and feeling very disloyal to a good friend. But she sees the best in people, and she works hard, and refuses to give up. The romance between Noah and Lex blooms slowly, with Lex alternately dependent upon (and frustrated with) Friend Zone status. The closer she and Noah get, the more guilty she feels on Bryce’s behalf, but in the end Lex makes the choice that is right for her, not anyone else.

This is a sweet book, with an interesting and well-paced plot. There are elements of domestic violence which may be a trigger for some. The innocent romance is age-appropriate to teen readers and the life-lessons Lex learns are suitable for everybody on the face of the Earth.

Interested? You can find PAPER OR PLASTIC on Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Kobo.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
one of 2 Prize Packs (US only) containing a $15 Target gift card, PAPER OR PLASTIC journal and tote bag
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Vivi BarnesAbout the Author:
Vivi Barnes is the author of Olivia Twisted and the upcoming release, Paper or Plastic. She was raised on a farm in East Texas where her theater-loving mom and cowboy dad gave her a unique perspective on life. Now living in the magic and sunshine of Orlando, Florida, she divides her time writing, working, goofing off with her husband and three kids, and avoiding dirty dishes.

You can catch up with Vivi online on her website, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.
ef137-yabounktourbutton

Love Between The BLURRED LINES–Review and Giveaway!

20150129-073345.jpg
Hi there! Today I’m reviewing a new contemporary romance from Jen McLaughlin! BLURRED LINES is a quick read that steams and stuns.

BlurredLinesAbout the book:
Once burned…
Finding my fiancé naked on my couch might’ve been a good thing, if her ex-boyfriend hadn’t been with her. For the past eight years I’ve been a witness to the power of true love, but after getting burned I’d decided there wasn’t any hope for me finding it for myself. Until I met Noelle Brandt in a hotel bar. Maybe it wasn’t the most romantic meeting, but the moment I met her I knew I had to have her. The more I learn about her, the more I know I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her.

Twice shy…
I’d already found the love of my life, but I’d lost that love forever. And I’d been lost ever since. But one night a wounded man makes all of that go away. He makes me laugh, live, and feel alive. When he tells me he has no intention of letting me go, I finally begin to believe in the power of true love again. That is, until I find out who he really is…and by then, it’s far too late to correct the mistakes we’ve already made. By the time we both know the truth, the lines have already been blurred beyond recognition.

My Review:
This is the first book in the Out Of Line series that I have read, but it’s a standalone, in my opinion.

I’m gonna say, there are elements of this story that I usually dislike: drunken meet-cute, instalove, republicans… But somehow, this book took me past all of the cliches. I really enjoyed it!

Riley Stapleton is the only child of a senator–he’s 30’s, attractive, a successful lawyer, and engaged to be married. Then he comes home to find his fiancé, Sarah, giving her ex-BF an oral happy ending on Riley’s custom sofa. And they mailed the wedding invites last week. Riley is, understandingly, furious. I mean, it’s CUSTOM sofa. LOL.

Here’s the thing: Riley and Sarah were compatible. They were set up by Riley’s mother, and worked well together as a couple, with Riley hoping he’d grow to love Sarah. He’d loved once and lost, so he thought he’d take the safe route–and marrying a woman he didn’t love (but cared for and would cherish) was a smart move. Especially as his father was looking at a call for vice-presidential candidate.

Still, he’s bummed out and leaves his home, heads to a local hotel bar and proceeds to get hammered-drunk.

Noelle Brandt is an erotic romance author visiting San Diego for a writer’s conference and can’t take her eyes off the sexy man (Riley) pounding whiskey at the bar. Noelle’s kept herself pretty much to herself–most of her life. She had a traumatic childhood, parents in jail and her adult life isn’t much better. She lost her groom so soon after the wedding she’s still in shock 18 months later. But she’s got a bulldog of a sister-in-law/BFF, Emily, who continues to encourage Noelle to reach out for happiness.

Finding the sloppy-drunk Riley lingering by the elevator, Noelle learns that he can’t book a room–the hotel is full. It triggers all of Noelle’s care taking instincts. Hearing his tale of woe? Well, she invites Riley to sleep on the empty bed in her room, rather than have him crash in his car.

They both swear that nothing’s going to happen, but their inebriated confessions build a rapport, and there’s non-penetrative exchange of bodily fluids…a first for both, this one-night stand. Well, until Riley does the unthinkable. And the next day he’s got a furious Noelle on his hands! Their attraction smolders, and they decide that a fling is imperative and the sex–when they have it–is nuclear. Still, if the FIRST morning after was uncomfortable, the second one is unbelievable. That Riley, he says the darnedest things when he’s getting some oral attention….

There’s a lot of fun here. There’s also a lot of secrets, and misunderstandings, and making up. Oh, and Riley does find love, sorta–at first–but for realz by the HEA. And Noelle learns to let go of her past, and embrace a brighter future.

Readers of this series will no doubt like the call-backs of other characters into Riley’s story, and the sexytimes are yum. I’d eat Riley with a spoon. And Noelle’s a great female lead.

Interested? You can find BLURRED LINES on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the link below for your chance to win
A Kindle Paperwhite with the first three books in the Out Of Line series pre-loaded!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

About the Author:
Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy New Adult books. Under her pen name Diane Alberts, she is a multi-published, bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, released September 6 2013, and hit the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. 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, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

You can find Jen on her website, Facebook, twitter and Goodreads.
Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!
Inkslinger

Discover HENGE! Blitz, Review and Giveaway

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a new YA urban fantasy from Realm Lovejoy. HENGE is a modern retelling of Camelot’s myths, with a kick-butt girl who’s bent on being the best sorcerer King Aurthur has ever seen…


About the book:
Modern-day Camelot. Where knights no longer carry swords. Magic is dangerous. And those who seek control are not to be trusted.
Sixteen-year-old Morgan le Fay is a fire user. An ordinary girl with an extraordinary skill, she has the ability to create and command fire at will. Her dream is to become the Maven—the right hand of the future King Arthur. In the chance of a lifetime, Morgan is selected to join Arthur’s Round, an elite group of young magic users from which the new Maven will be chosen.

But Morgan has a secret—years ago, her mother was executed for using fire magic, and Morgan’s desire for justice makes her more than ready to take on the challenge before her. Can she prevail in Camelot’s tests of survival and magic?

Only time—and Morgan’s powerful fire—will tell.

 "Camelot meets Hogwarts meets Panem in 
this intriguing, well-written beginning to a 
planned YA series."
--Kirkus Reviews

My Review:
This is a very strong YA urban fantasy, bringing a contemporary twist to the Camelot story.

Morgan La Fay is a fire user, a fact her father has tried to hide her entire life. Morgan’s mother, Morgause, was executed a decade before for the murder of her husband–while in self-defense–but no one would hear Morgan’s testimony. It seems that Morgan’s father wasn’t Morgause’s husband, and Morgause took great pains to keep Morgan’s identity secret.

Still, Morgan has a lot of anguish over losing her mother, and she’s unhappy about the restrictions placed on all magic users in the realm. She wants to be the Maven, or head magic user charged with protection of the next king, Arthur. As Maven, Morgan would use her power to help magic users have a better life.

Morgan auditions for a spot in Arthur’s Round, the selection cycle for Arthur’s Maven, and comes up against some talented magic users. Morgan and Guinivere, who has healing energy, become friends, but Morgan suspects something about water-user Merlin that isn’t straight up. There are others, and the plot thickens when Morgan learns her mother was a member of the Luminary–a rogue group of magic users who attempted to kill King Uther, Arthur’s father, fifteen years before. This attack resulted in the sweeping crackdown on magic use under which Morgan now exists.

There are some definitely dangerous goings on, with Morgan sometimes smack in the middle of what appears a plot to incapacitate, or even kill, her. It also becomes clear that powers are working behind the scenes to promote Merlin ahead of Morgan–when Merlin doesn’t even want to be Maven. Morgan struggles to figure out whom is responsible, and keeps coming up just short, but her determination and craft catapult her into the neck-and-neck race for Maven.

There’s significant mystery here. Morgan isn’t a dishrag; she fights hard for all she believes, risking her very life to save others. The tension is real, though I sometimes felt the story jumped too fast. The end is a fierce resolution with plenty more story to tell…in the next book.

I definitely would read on in this series. A great start with believable drama and well-crafted characters. Innocent, excepting, well, the grisly deaths of a couple baddies. So, safe for all ages.

Interested? You can find Henge on Goodreads and Amazon.

GIVEAWAY:
Click the Raffelcopter link below for your chance to win
a $20 amazon gift card, 4 ebooks, and 1 paperback (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Goodluck and keep reading my friends!


About the Author

Realm Lovejoy is a writer and an artist. She was raised in Washington State and the alps of Nagano, Japan. Her father is a Japanese ex-monk and her mother an English teacher from Rhode Island. Her art is influenced by both the East and the West.

Realm aspires to tell stories through her writing and art. She is agented by Jessica Regel. Her YA Sci-Fi book CLAN was released in 2013.

Author Links: photo iconwebsite-32x32_zps1f477f69.png  photo icongoodreads32_zps60f83491.png  photo icontwitter-32x32_zpsae13e2b2.png  photo iconfacebook-32x32_zps64a79d4a.png  photo icontumblr-32x32_zps959818ca.png

Book Blitz Organized by:

New In Paperback! HOT AND BOTHERED–Review and Giveaway!

Hot-and-Bothered-Launch-Day-Blitz
Hi there! Today I’m featuring a contemporary romance that combines romance, family, and cooking–all set in Chicago, my hometown. Kate Meader’s HOT AND BOTHERED, the third book in her Hot in the Kitchen series, is D-Lish.

Hot and Bothered (Hot in the Kitchen, #3)
About the book:
Although her baby boy keeps her plate full, Jules Kilroy is ready to take her love life off the back burner. Despite a bevy of eligible bachelors, it’s her best friend, Taddeo DeLuca, who’s fueling her hormones with generous servings of his mouth-watering Italian sexiness. But Jules learned her lesson once before when she went in for a kiss, only to have Tad reject her. She’s vowed never to blur the lines again . . .

After a lifetime of excuses and false starts, Tad has finally opened a wine bar, a deal made even sweeter when Jules joins his staff. Lovers come and go, and he’s had his share, but friendships like theirs last forever. Still, ever since he tasted her luscious lips, he can’t stop fantasizing about what could be. Then she signs up for an online dating site—and the thought of his Jules with another man makes Tad’s blood boil. Even if he gets burned, Tad can’t stop himself from turning up the heat this time.

How about a little taste? (from Tad’s POV)

“I’m just trying to look out for you, Jules.”

“That’s a neat trick. You move your lips and Jack’s words come out. I’ve already told you I don’t need another brother.”

She might not need a brother but she needed a protector. Someone who could be with her through the tough times, who understood the meaning of sacrifice and family. Someone not like him.

But he could be her friend. “What happened to get you so upset tonight?”

Her brows drew together over eyes sparking with determination. “I realized I have to take what I need and fight for what’s mine.”

Whoa, if he wasn’t turned on before, he sure as hell was now. Mine. He loved how that sounded on her lips, even though he had no idea what she was yammering on about. She was grabbing something by the balls—her destiny, perhaps, and he was man enough to say, she had him by the balls as well.

The smoky lines around eyes dark with emotion hit him like a shot of moonshine. Every hair, and more, stood to attention at the sight of her Cabernet-red lips in that beautiful bow shape that would look so perfect trailing scorching kisses across his chest and beyond. Warmth washed through his veins. The edge of desire rose up to meet him and he embraced it fully.

He was only human.

She padded toward him, showcasing the sultry sway of her hips even without the sparkly fuck-me heels. Her eyes turned to shadowy emeralds like the pupils had swallowed the usual sea-green brightness. He recognized that look. He had seen it the other night in the wake of his kiss. Except for one difference: Juliet Kilroy, his friend, hot MILF, was now seducing him.

She brushed by him and closed her fist over the doorknob. Looked like her difficulties with the open/close thing were a thing of the past. Drawing the door ajar a few inches, she speared him with a look that might have flattened a lesser man.

“I’m giving you a choice. You can walk out this door and pretend there isn’t something happening between us or you can stay and give me what I need.”

His cock thickened and grew achy. “What do you need, Jules?”

“You. Inside me. All night.”

Oh, sweet Jesus.

He held her green tilty gaze, aiming to infuse his next words with cut-the-bull clarity. “I’m not like the others, those men you’ve been dating, the ones who slobbered all over you tonight. I’m not boyfriend material.”

“That’s not what you offered, though, was it?”

Leaning past her shoulder, he pressed the door shut, the snick short and final.

Inevitable.

“That’s not what I offered.”

My Review:
Two years ago Juliet ‘Jules’ Kilroy left England bound for Chicago. She was young, upset, and pregnant. Her brother Jack, renown chef and restauranteur, took her in not only to his home but to his new extended family–his wife Lili hails from a close-knit Italian family. Among them, Tad DeLuca, Lili’s cousin and a single man with tragic secrets.

Being the odd people out, Jules and Tad strike up a friendship. He’s the rock she can lean on when Jack’s busy working. Tad even takes birthing classes with Jules and attends the delivery of little Evan. Jules knows Tad’s no good for her–he’s rarely with the same woman twice–but she’s been celibate since conception and lays a sloppy kiss on Tad one night, one he quickly rebuffs.

See, Tad knows he can’t lose his heart to Jules–he doesn’t have one to give. Not since his parents died in a car wreck ten years ago that was his fault. They remain friends, nonetheless. Fast-forward a year and Jules is helping out cooking at Tad’s new wine bar. She’s also ready to get “out there”. A dating Jules is one facet of her Tad has no will to witness, however. His attraction to her begins to get the better of him–he even offers his “services” when he learns she’s looking for a fling…

And, she turns him down. Their lives a so intertwined; his aunts babysit little Evan and his cousins are her closest gal pals–she doesn’t want to tip the boat.

Still, they manage to seal the deal, leaving only awkwardness and hunger in its prime form. Tad even disrupts some of Jules’ dates, that rascal.

In the end there’s a lot of break-up-to-make-up. Evan’s father learns of his existence and wants to meet his son–something Jules and Jack want to prevent. Yet, Tad’s the voice of reason, even if it clashes with Jules’ gut instinct. And, when the anniversary of Tad’s parents’ death rolls around, Jules is there to love him out of his drunken stupor.

I liked this one. A solid breeze-read. I generally like a little more conflict, the biggest obstacle to Jules and Tad getting together is their insecurity, but the friends-to-lovers trope was well-handled here. Jules is fun gal to get into. Tad is really a great guy–and head over heels for both Jules and Evan, but at times his “voice” rang more Brit than Chicago-Italian. (I’m probably most sensitive being that I am from Chicago, and of Italian descent.) I enjoyed how cooking was such a big part of the book–family meals are the lifeblood of Italians–and how it eventually brought Jules and Tad together.

Interested? You can find HOT AND BOTHERED at Goodreads, Amazon, BAM, IndieBound, iBooks, and Barnes & Noble.

***GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
a set of the three Hot In The Kitchen books!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Kate MeaderAbout the Author:
Kate Meader writes contemporary romance that serves up delicious food, sexy heroes, and heroines with a dash of sass. Originally from Ireland, she now makes her home in Chicago, a city made for food, romance, and laughter – and where she met her own sexy hero. When not writing about men who cook and the women who drool over them, she works in an academic library.

You can find Kate at all these fancy locations…
Website | Email | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

Thanks for stopping by, and keep reading my friends! 🙂

Book Birthday Kindle Giveaway for BLURRED LINES!

BlurredLines_Blitz copy
Hi there! Today I’m celebrating the release of a contemporary romance from Jen McLaughlin! BLURRED LINES is a quick read that steams and stuns.

BlurredLinesAbout the book:
Once burned…
Finding my fiancé naked on my couch might’ve been a good thing, if her ex-boyfriend hadn’t been with her. For the past eight years I’ve been a witness to the power of true love, but after getting burned I’d decided there wasn’t any hope for me finding it for myself. Until I met Noelle Brandt in a hotel bar. Maybe it wasn’t the most romantic meeting, but the moment I met her I knew I had to have her. The more I learn about her, the more I know I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her.

Twice shy…
I’d already found the love of my life, but I’d lost that love forever. And I’d been lost ever since. But one night a wounded man makes all of that go away. He makes me laugh, live, and feel alive. When he tells me he has no intention of letting me go, I finally begin to believe in the power of true love again. That is, until I find out who he really is…and by then, it’s far too late to correct the mistakes we’ve already made. By the time we both know the truth, the lines have already been blurred beyond recognition.

Interested? You can find BLURRED LINES on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the link below for your chance to win
A Kindle Paperwhite with the first three books in the Out Of Line series pre-loaded!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

About the Author:
Jen McLaughlin is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sexy New Adult books. Under her pen name Diane Alberts, she is a multi-published, bestselling author of Contemporary Romance with Entangled Publishing. Her first release as Jen McLaughlin, Out of Line, released September 6 2013, and hit the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal lists. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal-clear water. 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, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

You can find Jen on her website, Facebook, twitter and Goodreads.
Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!
Inkslinger

Celebrating Bollywood! Interviews and Giveaway

Romance and Intrigue: Bollywood Style Giveaway
Something Bollywood Going On Here

Sonali Dev and Susan Kaye Quinn met in a most unusual place: Library Journal’s Top 10 E-Romance List for 2014. Sonali’s A Bollywood Affair and Susan’s Third Daughter both made the list with their Bollywood-themed romances – something that was so cool, it cried out to be celebrated!

Scroll down to win some great Bollywood-themed prizes!
Contemporary and Steampunk Bollywood Romance

A Bollywood Affair by Sonali Dev
Mili Rathod hasn’t seen her husband in twenty years–not since she was promised to him at the age of four. Yet marriage has allowed Mili a freedom rarely given to girls in her village. Her grandmother has even allowed her to leave India and study in America for eight months, all to make her the perfect modern wife. Which is exactly what Mili longs to be–if her husband would just come and claim her.
Bollywood’s favorite director, Samir Rathod, has come to Michigan to secure a divorce for his older brother. Persuading a naive village girl to sign the papers should be easy for someone with Samir’s tabloid-famous charm. But Mili is neither a fool nor a gold-digger. Open-hearted yet complex, she’s trying to reconcile her independence with cherished traditions. And before he can stop himself, Samir is immersed in Mili’s life–cooking her dal and rotis, escorting her to her roommate’s elaborate Indian wedding, and wondering where his loyalties and happiness lie.
Third Daughter (The Dharian Affairs #1) by Susan Kaye Quinn
The Third Daughter of the Queen wants to her birthday to arrive so she’ll be free to marry for love, but rumors of a new flying weapon may force her to accept a barbarian prince’s proposal for a peace-brokering marriage. Desperate to marry the charming courtesan she loves, Aniri agrees to the prince’s proposal as a subterfuge in order to spy on him, find the weapon, and hopefully avoid both war and an arranged marriage to a man she does not love.

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

I have read and loved all the books in this series. Aniri is a fantastic character, and her fearless devotion to her family and friends leads her on a journey that risks much and saves her world from war. Eventually… Click the titles for my reviews on THIRD DAUGHTER, SECOND DAUGHTER, and FIRST DAUGHTER.

~*~
Romance and Intrigue: Bollywood Style

This short Q&A with Sonali and Susan talks about marrying for love and writing romance!

Q: Marrying for love is a modern, and in some ways Western, concept, but arranged marriages have a long and complicated history. How does your novel tackle the subject of arranged marriage?

Sue: Third Daughter is set in a fantasy world, but it’s a blend of cultures in the real one, including being an analog to India (both current day and some of the past). In the Dharian Affairs world, royal marriages have a history of being arranged for political purposes, but the general population of the countries marry for love. This leaves the titular Daughters with varying conflicts between marrying for duty and marrying for love ñ some embracing their arranged marriages, some fighting against it. The marriage dynamics of the three daughters in the trilogy (Third Daughter, Second Daughter, First Daughter) drive much of the story- along with political intrigue and skyships, of course!
Sonali: In India where I grew up arranged marriages are still very much a part of the fabric of the culture. Having said that, one of the most interesting and unique things about Indian society is how diverse it is within itself. While you still have communities and families who will give the marrying person absolutely no say in whom they marry there are those who don’t believe their parents and families have any say when it comes to whom they choose to marry or live with, and then there is the rest of the sizable population who falls somewhere between those two belief systems. In A Bollywood Affair, Mili is from a tiny village from a very orthodox family and it is perfectly natural that her family would arrange her marriage. She would expect that. It wouldn’t even strike a girl from her background that she could choose for herself. The age at which she was married isn’t usual, though, but there is a reason why her grandmother gets her married that young. As for her being in love with her husband, again, the conditioning to be devoted to your husband is so ingrained in the culture that it would be strange if someone like Mili didn’t love someone she believed was her husband. 
Q: Whether set in a fantasy world or the modern one, romance is romance! There are many romance tropes–star-crossed lovers, lovers thrown together by circumstance, enemies turned lovers–what kind(s) of romance tropes does your novel contain?

Sue: My books are really a blend of romance and adventure, although the first book is a classic ‘lovers thrown together by circumstance’ as Aniri (the Third Daughter) goes undercover in accepting a marriage proposal from the barbarian prince in the north in order to spy on him and determine if his country truly has the rumored flying machine that would upend the political dynamics in both their countries.
Sonali: Although I didn’t set out to write it that way, several readers have pointed out that A Bollywood Affair is a Worldly Rake and an Ingenue Virgin trope. And now that I think about it, there’s truth to that. 
Q: Are you planning on writing more romances in this story-world? If so, tell us about it!

Sue: The Dharian Affairs trilogy is complete, but I’ve enjoyed writing in this east-Indian steampunk fantasy romance world so much, I’ve decided to do a follow-on trilogy from the point of view of a new character–a female tinker who has a grand invention that may change the world, but also is caught between the spy she might love and the spy she can’t resist. Those books likely won’t be written for a year or two, but I will cycle back to writing in this world in the future!
Sonali: The Bollywood Bride comes out next year and it’s the story of a Bollywood star who comes home to Chicago after ten years to escape a scandal in Mumbai and comes face to face with the man she betrayed for stardom. And then there are two more stories I’m working on in the same series. Which isn’t a series in terms of continuity or overlapping characters but because the stories are set in the same world and either the hero or the heroine work in Bollywood. 
~*~
WIN BOLLYWOOD PRIZES
Paperback of Third Daughter (The Dharian Affairs #1)
The Dharian Affairs Trilogy in Ebook
2 Paperback copies of A Bollywood Affair 
Handwoven Pashmina shawl from India
Sticker Henna Tattoos
Indian bangles (bracelets)
(all physical prizes are US ONLY; ebook is INTERNATIONAL)

***GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!