Giveaways

Happy Book Birthday to SUGAR RUSH–Review and Giveaway!

Hi there! I’m happy to offer up a spunky contemporary romance as today’s book. SUGAR RUSH, by Belle Aurora, is a quirky rom-com with the largest bunch of foul-mouthed characters I’ve ever liked. They may be Croatian, but they could be my extended Irish family…and the love is fun.

About the book:
Max Leokov has watched the people around him find love. At one point in life, he not only wanted that, but lived for it. He loved once. He loved with all his heart. His heart broken, he was left to care for his young daughter.

He deserves a second chance.

Helena Kovac has spent years studying, worked her ass off to get her degree. She doesn’t have time for love. Hell, she doesn’t have time to mess around, even. Books and work are her life.

Everything else comes second.

When Max and Helena join forces to help his daughter, Ceecee, they are shocked at the spark between them.
A cynic.
A workaholic.
When love hits, it hits hard.

And sometimes, love hurts.

My Review:
Helena got snubbed by the world’s biggest flirt, Max, while attending her sister Nat’s wedding. She took it pretty hard, which is why she’s cold to Max after moving to NYC for a job. Thing is, Nat’s extended family includes Max, and Helena and Max have to interact. It’s actually a sore point for Nat that Helena’s so bitter.

Max has had bad luck in love. His first love, Maddy, got pregnant young, and suffered PPD. Then, she was negligent and it caused a horrific spine injury to Ceclia, their infant child. In the aftermath, Maddy fled, leaving young Max and his big family to care for the paralyzed Ceecee. And he does this extremely well–the whole dad-thing. But he’s not ready to hand his heart over again, maybe ever….except Helena is too intriguing.

Helena’s a physical therapist, and Max immediately catches on to how much Ceecee likes her–hopes to turn their friendship into regular therapy. It works, perhaps a little too well for both Max and Helena. Their constant interaction fans the flames of interest into an inferno of attraction. But Helena doesn’t want a man to interfere with her career and Max is too wounded to step out of his celibacy. Okay. Not for long. They “date” sorta.

Of course, Max’s whole family is ecstatic, and it’s clear that Helena’s heart is getting in too deep, but what about Max? Yup. He’s a tough nut to crack. And he messes up spectacularly. Good thing he’s found the exact right woman…especially when he tells her to hit the bricks.

Plenty of times I laughted out loud. Couple times I teared up. Lotsa feels in this rom-com deluxe. I didn’t read the first two books in this series, so I got a bit swamped in the initial mish-mash of names, but I plowed through and definitely enjoyed the book.

Interested? You can find SUGAR RUSH on Goodreads, AMAZON: US, UK, or AU.

Also Available:

Friend-Zoned: AMAZON: US, UK, and AU, B&N, KOBO, iTUNES
Love Thy Neighbour: AMAZON US, UK, and AU, B&N, KOBO, iTUNES

About the Author:
Belle Aurora is twenty seven years old and was born in the land down under. At an early age she fell in love with reading. Boredom one summer had her scouring the bookshelves at home. She stumbled across Sandra Brown’s Breath of Scandal and fell in love with romance.

Having been brought up in a loud and boisterous family of Croatian descent, she developed a natural love for dramatics and humor. Only some years ago had she discovered a new love:  humorous romance novels. Kristen Ashley and R.L. Mathewson had opened a brand new world where she could lose herself yet feel safe and at home in their stories. Belle has been known to become a screeching banshee while anxiously awaiting their newest titles.

Belle never thought she would write. It had never interested her until recently. Friend-Zoned began to form and in February 2013 Belle typed the words Chapter One. And she fell in love.

With words.

With writing.

With a creative imagination she never knew she harbored.

Friend-Zoned is the first in the Friend-Zoned series. Keep an eye out for this cheeky author online on her Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

***GIVEAWAY

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or one of 5 e copies of SUGAR RUSH

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

The Future Exists in THE BOOK OF IVY–Review and Giveaway

The-Book-Of-Ivy-TOUR
Hi there! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for THE BOOK OF IVY sponsored by YA Bound Book Tours. For other stop on the tour click here. This YA dystopian romance by Amy Engel is a compelling read.

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

This year, it is my turn.

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

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

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

My Review:
I wasn’t sure what to expect based on the blurb: 16 y/o Ivy Westfall is arranged to be married to the only child of the President of their post-apocalyptic town, and then she’s supposed to kill her new husband. I was genuinely surprized at how well I liked this book.

In this dystopian future, there aren’t many people left: 10,000 in the fence-protected Ozarks town of Westfall. No one knows about the rest of the world because anyone venturing out of the fence is killed (presumably). Ivy’s father is the lone child of the town’s founder, and his town of Westfall was seized in a police coup by the grandfather of her husband-to-be, Bishop Lattimer. Ivy has been coached throughout her life that the Lattimers are evil, and need to be deposed. Her elder sister, Callie, was originally betrothed (in the arranged marriage system of Westfall) but Bishop objected and it is now Ivy’s duty–not only to marry him, but also (in accordance with her father and Callie’s plans) to kill him.

Quick note, because of the history of nuclear war and disease, the lifespan of this world is lower, and younger procreation yields healthier babies, hence the marrying of teens with the objective of early pregnancy. Also, it’s a bit of a 1950’s world where the wives are strongly expected to remain home as baby incubators–something which greatly dismays the literate and curious Ivy.

Frankly Ivy is terrified. She has been home-schooled and rarely ever mixed with anyone, let alone boys. She can’t understand why Callie was passed over; cunning Callie is petite, dark and lovely while Ivy is too tall and too awkward and too impetuous. Still, Ivy presents herself for the marriage, because to not agree to marrying is a crime in Westfall–one that carries a banishment (death) sentence. Ivy is afraid Bishop will assert himself as her husband against her will (read: rape her), and yet, he doesn’t. At all. I wasn’t sure if he was interested in girls, or not, for a bit there. It seems Bishop wants a real relationship with Ivy–not just a sex partner.

Meanwhile, Ivy has been told her entire life that President Lattimer killer her mother. Remaining with Bishop teaches her the folly of trust–her own family lied, repeatedly, in order to gain Ivy’s cooperation. The more time Ivy spends with Bishop, the more she realizes that she cannot achieve her family’s goals. And why should she! Vengeance is not a dish Ivy is comfortable serving–warm, hot or cold–and cold is not the way to describe her new feelings for Bishop.

I really enjoyed this book. I had a few qualms–it seems that Ivy and Bishop pretty much do….nothing. Unorthodox Ivy barely knows how to cook and requests a job so she doesn’t have to sit around all day. Bishop is being groomed to replace his father, but he spends long hours just hiking around, lazing about in the sun. Pretty poor showing for a world where the collective number of citizens is barely twice the population of my son’s high school. I can’t fathom anyone being spared in terms of skill training. This seemed a glaring oversight in the world-building. I did appreciate the frank discussions of domestic violence, and the hardships of forced marriage very much.

The romance that blooms between Ivy and Bishop is organic and well-paced. He has no trouble calling her out for “putting on a show” for others, and demands her honest affection–which she is reluctant to give. How can she give her heart to a boy she is required to kill?

Ivy, of her own self, is an admirable character. She has real spirit and a desire to do right, no matter her familial influences. Her willingness to sacrifice for Bishop was heart-rending. I eagerly await her next adventure.

And check out this trailer. Seriously gave me chills!

Interested? You can find THE BOOK OF IVY on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo Books, iTunes, and Google Books. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

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

Website│Goodreads│Twitter

Let’s Talk about APPEARANCES–Blog Blitz and Giveaway

 

Appearances

book 2 the Opposites series

Adult Dystopian majorly M/M series

TTC Publishing

August 1st 2014

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Appearances, can be deceiving.

Raven and Tanis are trying very hard to merge their vastly different lifestyles, but Tanis’s issues with his own past could prove to be more than their fragile relationship can handle. Is their love for each other strong enough to weather the oncoming storm?

Aiya and Sawyer have fought hard to be together in a world where Opposite relationships are generally forbidden. Yet, they are still forced to keep their relationship a secret while they are outside the walls of House Gaeland.

Everyone assumes that the only threat lies outside their walls, the group of rebels led by Cillian. But something is happening within House Gaeland, something that hasn’t happened since GWI. And with all the attention focused on that, their guard is down. An evil that was under their nose all along strikes, and someone will make the ultimate sacrifice to save another.

Appearances is the second book in the Opposites series, the series should be read in order.

** Warning, Opposites is an Adult Dystopian majorly M/M series that contains explicit sexual content and relationships between gay, straight and lesbian couples. **

Grab your copy of Appearances from Amazon | ARe | Smashwords
My Review:
This sequel to OPPOSITES is another interesting read in the dystopian-future M/M romance genre.

This story centers almost exclusively on the M/M relationships developed in Opposites. Namely: Aiyan + Kaden and Raven + Tanis. Newly-married Aiyan and Aiya travel to their spouses homelands to pay respects and be received.

Tanis, Raven and Sawyer accompany Aiya and Maeve to Greece. Along the way Aiya develops a potentially dangerous health condition, and it’s up to Maeve and Sawyer to keep her safe. Meanwhile, Tanis ruthlessly woos his betrothed, Raven. Well, until things get complicated.

Aiyan and Kaden continue to indulge in furniture-destroying sex at every opportunity. I swear, they need to invest in a rubber-paneled room!

And, of course, the plotting continues, not only with Outkast Cillian who wants to punish his brother Cirian, but also with True Believer Marcus. It seems geneticist Marcus has been playing God a bit too fast and loose and his chickens have come home to roost…in his brain. Yup. Cray-cray-town for that dude.

I still had some issues with POV that were frustrating, but I really enjoyed these characters and the story is definitely coming together better for me now. It ends on a cliffhanger.

Also, I read an ARC, so my hope is that the typos I saw were eradicated in the final product. I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Join Author TM Smith and her gang of followers on Facebook

Sunday, Nov 23, for a release party for THE CELLAR, an Opposites novella.

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Author bio:
A military brat born and raised at Ft. Benning Georgia; Smith is an avid reader, reviewer and writer. She now calls Texas home from her small town on the outskirts of the DFW Metroplex. Most days you can find her curled up with her kindle and a good book alongside a glass of something aged and red or a steaming cup of coffee!

At 42 years young, she’s decided to enter the next phase of her life by adding the title of “author” to her list of accomplishments that includes single mom of three disturbingly outspoken and decidedly different kids, one of which is Autistic. Smith is and outspoken advocate for Autism and equal rights for the LGBTQ community.

Her Opposites series is based outside the normal parameters of social acceptability, examining a ‘what if’… What If to be gay or lesbian were the norm? What if to be straight labeled you as an Opposite and made YOU the Outkast?

 
Author Links….
Amazon | ARe | Website | Goodreads | Twitter

Facebook | Pinterest | Youtube  

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a signed copy of an Opposites novel and a swag pack! (age 18 & older, please)
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Happy Book Birthday THREE CHRISTMASES! Review and Giveaway

Three Christmases RDL
Hi there! I’m so happy to celebrate the release of the 4th book in Kat and Stone Bastion’s No Weddings series. It’s a super steamy New Adult romance series that follows the relationship of Cade Michaelson and Hannah Martin–two business professionals working (and loving) in Philly. (for 18 and older readers)

4-ThreeXMas_CoverAbout Three Christmases:
As the holiday season approaches in this fourth book in the No Weddings Series, Cade Michaelson strives to be better at balancing work and love, and Hannah Martin’s growing ability to trust is put to the test.

Lust and friendship brought us together, but with the increasing demands of my two businesses, Hannah’s thriving bakery, and our successful event-planning company, stability becomes my focus.

Then a once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity takes me to the West Coast, and everything goes into a tailspin.

Laughter, love, and excitement fill our lives, but Cade refuses to settle into the wonderful bliss we’ve found—he wants spectacular fireworks and an unshakable foundation. Driven like no one I’ve ever met, Cade insists a dream job across the country will be better for our future together, but I worry about whether we can survive the present apart.

When intimate time diminishes…and lives get more hectic…

Will a little bit of faith be all that it takes? Or will the sacrifice to get there be too great?

My review:
I am loving how this series hits all the notes of a relationship. Not just the initial phases of infatuation or lust, but the “how do we make this work” parts of integrating another person’s hopes, dreams and reality into one’s own.

Cade and Hannah have been dating several months now. They have jobs, which they work separately, and the event planning business Cade runs with his sisters, and Hannah. It seems that all is going well, even though Cade’s consulting is taking him away from home more and more frequently. While reunion lovin’ is fun, it’s also super hard on a fledgling relationship to have so much distance. And both Cade and Hannah are feeling the lack.

Then, Cade’s offered a staggering amount of money for a management position. Problem? The company headquarters are in San Francisco. Hannah wants him to follow his heart, as she would do, and he takes it. Reduced to weekend visits, their relationship suffers further strain.

Thing is, Cade and Hannah keep saying they value the other more than anything–so doesn’t that include their careers? Kinda. Looks like a new work/life balance is in order!

This book has less steam, but more of it happens in the wild…expect some (nearly) voyeuristic trysts. And, expect a good deal of soul-searching in absentia. With all this solitary time on their hands, Cade and Hannah have a lot of space to figure out their real motivations. And, it ends in an HEA.

Interested? You can find THREE CHRISTMASES on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBooks, and Goodreads. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

Don’t forget to check out the other books in this series. It’s meant to be read all together, in order. Click on the links below to find my reviews, and pick up the books!

No Weddings (No Weddings, #1)No Weddings: (My Review!)

Award-winning author Kat Bastion teams with her husband, Stone Bastion, in this first book in the No Weddings Series about Cade Michaelson, a successful man with his sights set on a new venture in business, and Hannah Martin, the woman who makes it personal.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | Goodreads

 

One Funeral (No Weddings, #2)One Funeral: (My Review!)

Chosen by FreshFiction.com as their Fresh Pick for October 7, 2014

The stakes climb higher in this second book in the No Weddings Series for Hannah Martin, a woman restrained by her past, and Cade Michaelson, the man who could help set her free.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | Goodreads

 

Two Bar Mitzvahs (No Weddings, #3)Two Bar Mitzvahs: (My Review!)

Summer heats up in this third book in the No Weddings Series, where Cade Michaelson strives to balance his and Hannah Martin’s new relationship with the growing demands of his financial success.
 Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | Goodreads

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
a $25 Giftcard and a signed set of the No Weddings series
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Shoe and Boot PhotoKat Bastion with Stone Bastion Bio:

Award-winning and bestselling romance author Kat Bastion has teamed up with her husband Stone Bastion to create the new contemporary romance series No Weddings.

A few factoids about the writing team…

Kat enjoys her chocolate rich and dark, her music edgy and soul-filling, and her vacations exotic with toes dug into the sand. And she’s wildly, madly, deeply in love with Stone.

Stone likes pounding the trails on a mountain bike, vibrating the sound system with rock music, and down time spent on a stand up paddleboard. And he loves Kat wildly, madly, deeply…and then some.

Together, they’re having a blast bringing fun-filled romantic stories to life and hope you’ll join them in the exciting adventure.

Kat’s first published work, Utterly Loved, was a twentieth anniversary gift of love poems to Stone that they decided to share with the world to benefit charity. Net proceeds from Utterly Loved, and a portion of net proceeds from all their books, go toward charities involved in the fight against human trafficking.

Kat and Stone live amid the beautiful Sonoran Desert of Arizona. Visit their blog, website, Facebook page, and their Twitter accounts (Kat and Stone) for more information.

Inkslinger

She Knew THE TROUBLE WITH CHRISTMAS–Review and Giveaway!

SBB Christmas Banner
Hi there! Today’s book is a contemporary Christmas romance from Kaira Rouda. THE TROUBLE WITH CHRISTMAS is a fun read about reaching one’s true potential. (For adults…because of the S-E-X)

TheTroubleWithChristmas-LARGEAbout the book:
At 35-years-old, Cole Stanton is burned out. His high-paced, uber-successful career has left him yearning to start over. He finds Indigo Island, buys a restaurant and settles into an uncomplicated life. But Christmas is a mess. He has over-committed the small restaurant’s resources again, and is over his head. He finds himself longing for everything he has left behind, until a chance encounter with gorgeous Lily offers a spark of salvation to his business and, perhaps his life.

Beautiful pastry chef Lily Edmonds is thirty years old and heartbroken. It’s just before Christmas and she’s just been dumped by via telephone by her fiancee. Her best friend Avery Putnam invites her to Indigo Island, hoping to add joy back into Lily’s life. A chance encounter with the sexy owner of a local restaurant makes Lily feel an attraction she thought she’d never feel again, and offers her a business challenge to keep her mind focused on something other than her broken heart.

Cole Stanton and Lily Edmonds are both starting over. Will the joy of the holiday season bring them together or will the troubles with Christmas push them apart?

My Review:

Everyone would be a couple, except for her. That was the trouble with Christmas. There were just too many expectations and not enough sprinkles of magic when someone needed them.

Yep. Lily’s alone again. Her dad abandoned her mother when Lily was a teen. Her mom is/was an alcoholic and out of the picture. And now Bob has cut their engagement, announcing his impeding marriage to a known socialite. Christmas pretty much sucks. Which is why Lily allowed Avery, her BFF, to helicopter her off to Avery’s parents’ estate on Indigo Island.

While there, Lily meets Cole, and his altruism is such a shock to her system. Bob was a narcissist, and Lily–a hardworking pastry chef–never measured up to his, or his family’s, expectations. Being the center of Cole’s attraction is pretty heady for Lily.

Cole’s got 99 problems, but a girl ain’t one. He’s haunted by his free-wheeling days as an investment broker. Cavalier portfolios left a number of his clients financially and psychologically ruined, and the emotional fall out caused him to change paths quickly. Now, all he wants to do is fix the business of Marshside Mama’s, a local eatery, but his high fallutin’ ideas have pushed the restaurant even closer to the brink.

Meeting Chef Lily is a Christmas miracle, if Cole allows himself to believe such exist. The attraction is magnetic, but their cooperation is kismet. Lily applauds Cole’s initiative, but recognizes his skills set isn’t in the kitchen. She works with Sally Ann, the restaurant’s owner and and cook, to create a Christmas menu that brings to locals in in droves. And the way Lily and Cole fit together? Delicious.

This is a fun Christmas novella with good pacing. I was a bit alarmed by how fast the attraction built–from a spark to a blaze–but there are moments where Lily pulls back on the reins and finds that she too can have some power in a relationship. Avery’s family is indeed too good to be true, but I love me some socially-conscious billionaires. I was really happy to see Lily figure out the trouble with Christmas, after all…

The trouble with Christmas wasn’t because of the holiday at all. Christmas was what people made it. It was their choice to focus on the bad things that had happened to them and the people who had hurt them, or choose to focus on the magical, light-filled, sparkling season that promised hope and dreams would come true.

Interested? You can find THE TROUBLE WITH CHRISTMAS on Goodreads and Amazon.

About the author:
Kaira Rouda is an award-winning and bestselling author of both fiction and nonfiction. Her books include: Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs; Here, Home, Hope; All the Difference; In the Mirror; and the short story, A Mother’s Day. She lives in Southern California with her husband and four children and is at work on her next novel.

Connect with her on Twitter, on Goodreads, Amazon, and on Facebook, and of course, on Pinterest! For more about Kaira and her books, please visit her website.

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<img class=”aligncenter wp-image-2393 size-medium” src=”https://vsreads.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07

She Aced Her PRIVATE INTERNSHIP–Review and Giveaway

Private-Internship banner

Hi all! Today I’m featuring a New Adult romance recently released by Kitsy Clare. PRIVATE INTERNSHIP explores how the lurking secrets in our lives can ruin the sweetest of romances….

Private Internship (An Art of Love novel)About the book:
Sometimes sugar isn’t so sweet and secrets can be deadly…especially with matters of the heart.

Sienna’s bestie, Harper warned her not to intern for famous bad boy artist, Casper Mason. After all, he just fired Harper who helped Sienna get the interview. But the moment Sienna sees Casper—or Caz—sweaty, practically shirtless and swinging from chains as he works on his sculpture, she’s hooked. He’s the richest, hottest artist in New York, and he lives in the fabulous Williamsburg Sugar Factory. But he’s also an incorrigible game-player, who seems to relish testing Sienna’s loyalty with a string of unsettling tests.

She knows she should get away fast. But by the time Sienna sneaks into his locked storage room and begins to unearth his dark and terrifying secret, she’s fallen way too hard for the handsome, charismatic Caz.

My Review:
Sienna is a 22 y/o graduate of art school who takes an internship working for a notoriously difficult artist. Caz is wealthy and eccentric and sometimes mean, but Sienna is determined to make her mark, so she sticks it out.

She actually learns a lot from Caz, and ends up falling for him–despite being in a long-distance relationship, which she dissolves via Skype when she feels the attraction to Caz getting too hot. There are some interesting interactions and one steamy scene, but mostly there’s a lot of Sienna getting bogged in her OCD life and wishing things with Caz were, well, cleaner.

I actually liked Caz a lot. He has some real depth and texture, and a tragic past that haunts him. I was glad that he worked through those issues, to some degree, but I wanted Sienna to be more compassionate. For someone who’s so hung up on monogamy she wasn’t terrifyingly up-front about her relationship with her touring, successful-artist boyfriend to Caz. There are some clear issues with style that didn’t appeal to me, because I am an Anglophile and Sienna read more like an Englishwoman than a 22 year old American artist. She was a bit too stiff and graspy for me to relate to on a reader-level, and I had higher hopes.

Interested? You can find PRIVATE INTERNSHIP on Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, and Kobo Books.

model positionThere’s a prequel novella, MODEL POSITION which deals with Sienna’s last two months of art school and how she falls for the sexy model in her oils class, Erik, who’s got a lot more going on than his Tarzan loincloth.

It’s a quick read with a clean storyline. Erik shines for me in this one, as Sienna comes off rather mercenary. It was an HEA, which set high expectations for PRIVATE INTERNSHIP.

Goodreads│Amazon│B&N│Kobo Books

***GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win

Kitsy Claire books and a $30 Amazon Gift Card!
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

kitsy clareAbout the Author:
Kitsy Clare hails from Philadelphia and lives in New York. A romantic at heart, she loves to write about the sexy intrigue of the city, and particularly of the art world. She knows it well, having shown her paintings here before turning to writing. Model Position, her new adult novella is about artist Sienna and her friends. Living in a Bookworld says: “Beautifully written! We get to learn things about art & painting, which is refreshing. A colorful story from a promising new adult author.” The next in her Art of Love series, Private Internship launches in September with Inkspell.

Kitsy loves to travel, draw, read romance, speculative fiction and teach writing workshops. She also writes YA as Catherine Stine. Her futuristic thriller, Ruby’s Fire was a YA finalist in the Next Generation Indie book awards. Fireseed One, its companion novel, was a finalist in YA and Sci-Fi in the USA News International Book Awards, and an Indie Reader notable. Her YA horror, Dorianna, launches fall 2014 with Evernight Teen. She’s a member of SFWA, RWA and SCBWI.

Catch up with Kitsy on her Website, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.

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She Was A WILDCAT IN MOSCOW–A Review and Giveaway

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a contemporary romance from author Storm Chase featuring some landscape I’d never read before–Moscow! I’ve read a few of Storm’s sexy shorts, but this is the first novel I got my hands on.  WILDCAT IN MOSCOW is a fast-paced tale about a down-on-her-luck gal and her unlikely hero.


About the book:
Chelsea is a 21 y/o British national who has traveled the world fighting for environmental and human rights. She’s returned home to London to claim her inheritance to learn that her criminal stepfather, George McAllister, has frittered it all away on “bad investments.” Destitute, Chelsea takes up camping in her mother’s empty, and about to be repossessed, flat while plotting her next steps.

Not only is Chelsea broke, but the police think she has colluded in a financial swindle. Worse, loan shark Carlos Santiago is after her too, determined to make her pay up for her stepfather’s debts.

Then Vladimir Voyeykov, rumoured to be a member of the Red Mafia, enters the mix. He whisks Chelsea to Moscow where she is catapulted into a world filled with intrigue – and passion.

This is a contemporary romance with some explicit sexual content. Adults only, please.

 

Excerpt:

The bouncer at the door wasn’t too pleased at the sight of Chelsea’s parka or her Save The Rainforest t-shirt, but when she smiled sweetly and mentioned George’s name, he reconsidered and let her in.

The club was loud, crowded with groups of half-drunk rowdy men and very, very pink. The walls, tables and even the bar stools were a uniform creamy rose that exactly matched the skin tones of half a dozen scantily clad girls dancing on a stage. From a distance it looked as though six sets of tiny bikinis were gyrating to the beat of the music.

“Surreal,” Chelsea said out loud. Still laughing, she turned and bumped
up against someone.

“Surreal?” a voice repeated with amusement. “That’s not an expression I’ve heard used here before.”

“Sorry,” Chelsea said automatically. “I didn’t see you.” She looked up and stepped back instinctively.

His short cropped blond hair and lean aquiline features were classic but the hard grey eyes and deadpan expression screamed danger. I shouldn’t have come here, Chelsea thought.

As if sensing her thoughts, he smiled slightly. “No problem.” He looked her over critically. He spoke fluently but with a rough inflection that was definitely foreign. “You don’t belong here,” he said bluntly. “Why are you here?”

“I’ve come to look for someone,” Chelsea stammered.

“Who?”

Chelsea wanted to tell him to mind his own business but realised that he might be able to help her. “I’m looking for friends of George McAllister.”

He frowned down at her. “But not for McAllister himself,” he noted.

“Do you know him?” Chelsea asked. “He comes in here pretty often, two or three times a week I think.”

He said nothing and Chelsea could read nothing from his expression.

“If you know him, maybe you can help me,” Chelsea pleaded. “It won’t take long and I have money.” He frowned at her. “I mean, I can buy you a drink,” Chelsea faltered.

The hard grey eyes looked her over again, resting on her hair, her t-shirt and her jeans. Despite the thick parka, Chelsea suddenly felt naked. Resisting the impulse to run away, she stood her ground determinedly.

“I’ve met him,” he finally conceded.

“Then can we talk?”

“He’s bad news. Not the sort of person you should be hanging out with.”

“You don’t understand. I’m in real trouble. Please, I just need a few minutes of your time.”

“Vlad, are you coming?” A tall blonde in a sequined black cocktail dress appeared at his side. She looked at Chelsea and seeing the thick parka dismissed her instantly. “I’m thirsty,” the blonde said while taking his arm possessively.

Vlad, Chelsea thought. Short for Vladimir. Russian. And by the look of his dark blue silk shirt and slim gold watch, a rich one too. One of those business moguls, she thought to herself, vaguely remembering stories in the newspapers of Russian oil and telecommunication billionaires.

Vladimir shrugged the girl off. “Go sit. I’ll be there in a moment,” he said.

“But the others have just arrived,” the blonde pouted. “They’ll be expecting you to join them.”

“So they’ll wait a bit,” Vladimir said coldly. “Go on. I want to talk to this girl here.” With a malevolent glance at Chelsea the girl flounced off.

“Thanks,” Chelsea said gratefully. “I really appreciate your helping me.”

“I haven’t said I will yet,” he answered.

My Review:
Poor Chelsea! Her only family is long dead, and she’s a crusader for fair trade, fair treatment of animals, and ecological awareness. She has traveled far and wide, helping wherever she goes, and collecting precious stones and tusks (ethically!) to build into one-of-a-kind jewelry. She returns home to claim her inheritance, and learns that her philandering step-father George has spent her fortune–seemingly, anyhow.

Her only remaining asset seems to be a box of receipts and collections notices. Trying to unravel the financial disaster, Chelsea goes to one of the clubs she finds on numerous receipts–there she meets Vlad. He’s more than just big, Russian and scary. He takes a moment to hear her tale of woe and gives her the best advice he can: run, for your life.

Vlad knows how ruthlessly Chelsea would be treated if she gets caught up in her stepfather’s bad debts—some of those creditors wouldn’t hesitate to prostitute, or even kill, her. They are, after all Vlad’s business associates. See, he’s a Russian “businessman” (read: mobster) and he greases the wheels in ten countries to make sure his construction projects get finished, early.

Before Chelsea can take Vlad’s advice, she’s taken in by the police–who want to pin her down for George’s fraudulent scams– and later the nefarious Carlos Santiago, who plans to sell her into prostitution to cover George’s debt. Chelsea attempts a daring escape, humiliating Carlos and earning Vlad’s admiration. Knowing Chelsea’s life hangs in the balance, Vlad buys out her debt and whisks her off to Moscow.

Isolated within Vlad’s inner circle, Chelsea finds that Vlad isn’t the cold enforcer she’d first suspected. He is generous and kind, lavishing her with affection, new clothes and art. If only Chelsea could get over his harem of highly paid prostitutes and his new ventures in drug running…

LOL. All is not what it seems with Vlad and his merry band of vodka swilling comrades. As Chelsea and Vlad spend more time together, a real affection grows, and Chelsea finds the one thing she’d longed for more than her fortune: a home.

There’s lots of twists and turns in this fast-paced romance. We’re kept very much in the dark regarding Vlad’s alter ego, until the end–which felt a little rushed. There’s a bit of smexytimes, but lots of fade-to-black scenes which keep the focus on the emotional development between Vlad and his “Wildcat”, not that Chelsea is a huge fan of all Vlad’s ‘possessives’! Still, their arrangement, which is more out of convenience at first, turns into a tender romance. It’s a bit PRETTY WOMAN with a Russian twist.

And, I liked the Russian scene. The pragmatic nature of Vlad and his friends was very different, and (I felt) in keeping with the post-Soviet culture. The seemy underbelly of this world is on constant display, with real issues like human trafficking, prostitution, drug running and corruption being center stage. Still, there was a lot of heart packed into this romance. Vlad is a tender man who’d been missing a companion, and Chelsea’s pure heart and indomitable spirit both captivates and challenges him. I had a bit of trouble with the head-hopping POV of the narrative, bit that’s my biggest peeve. Some typos, and the British English spellings, didn’t throw me off my read.

Interested? You can find WILDCAT IN MOSCOW on Goodreads, Amazon, Amazon UK, B&N and Smashwords

Giveaway

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Click the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win a symbolic adoption worth $30 from the National Wildlife Federation. You’ll get a small plush Lynx, a poster and a certificate and the rest of the money goes towards protecting the lynx.
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About The Author:


Delicious novels with fully depicted love scenes that straddle the categories of Romance and Erotica with the occasional Crime committed on the side.

Storm Chase was born September 2012. Her alter ego is Ellen Whyte, a syndicated author who has published roughly 3000 articles and 10 print books. The alter ego is the steady type; Storm is the tearaway who’s dedicated to making it work with e-publishing. Since November 2013 Storm also acquired alter ego, AJ Adams who writes cartel and mob
stories.

Connect with Storm on her Amazon Page, Goodreads, Facebook, Email, and her website.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

They Had A VERY MARRIED CHRISTMAS–Review and Giveaway

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Hi all! Today I’m sharing another contemporary romance in prep for the holiday season. A VERY MARRIED CHRISTMAS by Erika Marks is a reconnection story–of spouses. It was a bitter, and then sweet, novella.

AVeryMarriedChristmas-LARGEAbout the book:
Cookbook author Marley Chambers can’t think of a more festive way to spend Christmas than at a friend’s holiday wedding in her hometown of Magnolia Bay. If only her soon-to-be ex-husband, all-star pitcher, Beckett “Beck” Chambers wasn’t bringing his new girlfriend—and if only he wasn’t still the sexiest man to ever walk out onto the mound…

Beck never wanted the chaotic life of a sport star—especially not at the cost of his marriage to the only woman he’s ever truly loved. But his career is a runaway train—and he’s afraid it’s too late to hit the brakes.

But when a mix-up leaves Beck and Marley stranded together for Christmas Eve on the barrier island where Beck proposed years before, old memories burn bright—and sparks fly hotter than a bonfire on the beach.

Could the magic of the season bring the gift of a second chance, just in time for Christmas?

My Review:
I wasn’t sure how I’d handle this. It’s never easy to read a story about estranged partners. Marley and Beck are high school sweethearts weeks away from a divorce. They nearly made it to their 10th anniversary when Marley decided she just needed a break.

See, Beck is a pitcher in the big leagues. Marley did the serious wife thing, living for her hubby’s games and being there whenever needed–and it wasn’t very fulfilling. She wanted more for her life, and she achieved it–getting a cookbook published. Yet, Beck wasn’t happy. He was downright petulant, and the tension caused by their joined acrimony led to Marley walking out.

Only now, seeing Beck with his sportscaster girlfriend, Marley’s having the buyer’s remorse. She hasn’t stopped loving Beck and with days until their first Christmas apart, in the company of all their friends for a holiday wedding, Marley’s downright frustrated. For his part, Beck is seeing Marley in a new light. Men are hitting on her, she looks poised and confident, and the joy she has chatting about her book is really something he never appreciated. In their year apart, he’s had a lot of time to sample the wares available. Turns out lots of women are career-oriented. Huh. Who knew?

Guess it’s true: You don’t know what you got, ’til it’s gone.

As Beck begins to reconcile his expectations for a wife with Marley–and his new gal’s devotion to her career over himself–he recognizes that he’s been, well, selfish. Good thing he’s big enough to admit it. Especially when he and Marley find themselves in a place that evokes the best memories of their life together.

This is a solid HEA, with a more upbeat vibe than I had expected. Both Marley and Beck make sacrifices to repair their marriage, and it’s that kind of cooperativeness their marriage had previously lacked.  I was happy to see Beck and Marley reconnect in an equitable way. I bet most readers will like this, too.

Interested? You can pick up A VERY MARRIED CHRISTMAS on Goodreads, and Amazon.

About the Author:
Erika Marks is a women’s fiction writer and the author of LITTLE GALE GUMBO, THE MERMAID COLLECTOR, THE GUEST HOUSE and IT COMES IN WAVES (July, 2014). On the long and winding road to becoming published, she worked many different jobs, including carpenter, cake decorator, art director, and illustrator. But if pressed, she might say it was her brief tenure with a match-making service in Los Angeles after college that set her on the path to writing love stories (not that there isn’t romance in frosting or power tools!) A native New Englander, she now makes her home in Charlotte, NC, with her husband, a native New Orleanian who has taught her to make a wicked gumbo, and their two little mermaids.

For more on Erika, visit her website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and Amazon.

***GIVEAWAY***
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Inkslinger

They Were Linked by RANDOM ACTS–Review and Giveaway

Hi there! Today I’m reviewing a M/M romance that I just loved. I read Mia Kerick’s YA novel, THE RED SHEET, a few months back, and found her straight-forward storytelling enchanting, so I jumped at the chance to review her newest release–an Adult romance that deals with everything from class differences, to personal insecurity, to hate crimes, and to PTSD.  RANDOM ACTS is a contemporary romance that challenges the notion that, well, that shit happens.  See, for me, Random Acts is a book about the power of love and kindness in the human experience.

Random ActsAbout the Book:

Bradley Zelder can’t find his way in life. After struggling for nearly a decade, he has yet to complete his college degree. Working as a school custodian, living in blue-collar Landsbury, MA, his love life is as empty as the rest of his existence. But on his way home after another disastrous date, his truck breaks down in upscale Oceanside. When he thinks life can’t get any worse, a man who is the epitome of Boston elite and everything Bradley finds attractive and intimidating helps him move his truck to the side of the road. Ashamed of his lot in life, Bradley almost lets the opportunity slip away, but he comes to his senses in time and tracks Caleb down.

From a random act of kindness, romance begins to grow, filling all the dark corners of Bradley’s empty life—until a random act of violence threatens to take it all away. Bradley must step up and be the man Caleb believes him to be. Caleb rescued him from a life without hope. Can Bradley rescue him in return?

My Review:

Bradley Zelder is a bisexual man, working as an elementary school custodian, when he meets the handsome and very put-together Caleb Jorde. Caleb picks Brad up on the roadside when Brad’s truck breaks down and this is the beginning of a tentative and tender romance.

Caleb is a widower. His husband died three years ago in a car wreck and it took him a long time, and a lot of therapy, to recover. Meeting Brad is exciting to him, in a way he hadn’t been excited since David died. He decides to pursue Brad–seriously. Caleb’s not in for a sex-friend; he’s a relationship kind of guy, and Brad is, too. Unfortunately Brad is a very self-conscious person. He’s constantly afraid that Caleb will look down on him for his lack of education–especially as Caleb is a teacher and very wealthy.

Through the growth of their relationship, Brad begins to see himself in a new light: that of a determined person–one who continues to study for a new career. One who is tenacious and passionate, mostly because this is how Caleb sees him. Being slightly revered by Caleb (who Brad adores to the point of almost worship) gives Brad a sense of confidence he has never had.

Still, doubts creep in, especially when Brad is belittled by Caleb’s co-worker and others at his school. Yet, by making the first tentative steps out of his shell, Brad sets into motion other tiny ripples of change. He helps a young girl find her confidence–who then helps a family heal. Each pingback of change further bolsters Brad’s confidence.

The relationship between Brad and Caleb is slow to build. Caleb is reticent to begin a physical relationship as his only previous lover was David, and they spent 17 years together. It is Brad’s acknowledgement that he is not a replacement for David, nor does he wish to remove David’s memory in any way, which allows Caleb to work through his grief. It seems that all is going to go well with these two, until a Caleb suffers a dramatic setback–of the hate crime variety. Brad is wary, but determined to see Caleb through the worst of his fears–because he developed his own strength from basking in Caleb’s affection.

I really relished the way these men came together. They are cautious and kind. They are respectful, and interesting. This is a quiet romance. The passion is muted, to give way to a textured emotional landscape. Brad and his foul-mouthed working-class family are very different to the genteel Jordes, yet, Caleb meshes well–because he wishes to do so. Brad, himself, wants to be a better man, a partner that Caleb can be proud of–and he later realizes that he already WAS that kind of person in Caleb’s eyes. The mutual support and affection they experience is truly what any couple (gay or straight) would desire and it’s rendered in a way that is at times humorous and horrifying.

Caleb has a lot of injuries to contend with, and not all of them are physical. Brad approaches each uphill battle with compassion and the strength that Caleb lacks. Their growth as a couple is so beautiful. I definitely cheered them on from my side of the screen.

Interested? You can find RANDOM ACTS on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Dreamspinner Press.

***GIVEAWAY***

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About the Author:
Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—all named after saints—and five nonpedigreed cats—all named after the next best thing to saints, Boston Red Sox players. Her husband of twenty years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about that, as it is a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled young men and their relationships, and she believes that sex has a place in a love story, but not until it is firmly established as a love story. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with romantic tales of tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to Dreamspinner Press for providing her with an alternate place to stash her stories.

Mia is proud of her involvement with the Human Rights Campaign and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of marital equality. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.

Mia has published four works of adult contemporary gay romantic fiction with Dreamspinner Press and four novels of contemporary LGBT fiction with Harmony Ink Press. Mia Kerick’s books are recommended reads in the LGBT blogging/reading community, have spent many weeks on Amazon Hot New Releases and LGBT Best Sellers lists, as well as other notable bestseller lists, and have won awards for excellence in YA literature.

Catch up with Mia on her website, blog, Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, Amazon author page, Dreamspinner author page, or sign up for her newsletter.

Happy Book Birthday to ALL BROKE DOWN! With Giveaway

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Hi all! Today I’m sharing the release of best-selling author Cora Carmack’s ALL BROKE DOWN. It’s a New Adult romance and it surely steams…

brokedown_coverAbout ALL BROKE DOWN:
In this second book in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cora Carmack’s New Adult, Texas-set Rusk University series, which began with ALL LINED UP, a young woman discovers that you can’t only fight for what you believe in . . . sometimes you have to fight for what you love

Dylan fights for lost causes. Probably because she used to be one.

Environmental issues, civil rights, corrupt corporations, and politicians—you name it, she’s probably been involved in a protest. When her latest cause lands her in jail overnight, she meets Silas Moore. He’s in for a different kind of fighting. And though he’s arrogant and infuriating, she can’t help being fascinated with him. Yet another lost cause.

Football and trouble are the only things that have ever come naturally to Silas. And it’s trouble that lands him in a cell next to do-gooder Dylan. He’s met girls like her before—fixers, he calls them, desperate to heal the damage and make him into their ideal boyfriend. But he doesn’t think he’s broken, and he definitely doesn’t need a girlfriend trying to change him. Until, that is, his anger issues and rash decisions threaten the only thing he really cares about, his spot on the Rusk University football team. Dylan might just be the perfect girl to help.

Because Silas Moore needs some fixing after all.

Excerpt:

I think I get it then. That decision I saw in her eyes back in the kitchen. That’s what this, what I’m about for her, too. I’m just another part of whatever rebellion she started earlier today. About doing what she wants, not what’s expected of her.

“We’re not talking about me, though,” she says. “So you went to meet your friend, and then what happened?”

She keeps her eyes down as she picks up the gauze and begins winding it snugly around the knuckles of one hand, and then the other.

“He said the wrong thing.”

“Which was?”

“Dylan.” Now it’s her that’s pushing too hard. I didn’t want to talk about things with my friends, and I won’t talk about them with her, either, no matter how gorgeous she is.

“I’ll guess. You were mad about what he did, and he wasn’t sorry.”

“This isn’t middle school, Pickle. He didn’t hurt my feelings. He said some shit he had no business saying, and it pissed me off. The end.”

“But you don’t think some of that anger stems from what you feel is a betrayal of your friendship?”

She finishes taping down the last of the gauze, but doesn’t let go of my hand.

“I think you’re analyzing me again. Making things more complicated than they are.”

“And I think you’re just a guy who doesn’t like to admit he has feelings.”

She drags out the word, teasing me with some goofy smile on her face. I turn my hand over so I can clutch her wrist. I curl my other bandaged hand around her waist and pull her closer. “I feel plenty of things.”

The teasing stops. She swallows.“I wasn’t talking about that kind of feeling.”

With her standing and me sitting, I’m eye level with her chest. I see the sharp rise and fall as she sucks in a breath. I want her in my lap again, straddling me this time.

“Doesn’t mean we can’t talk about that kind of feeling. Or experiment with it.”

“Is that Stella girl an ex?”

I cough, surprised. My throat twists uncomfortably, and it takes me a couple of solid breaths to get a hold on myself.

“Ah, no. Stella and I have never dated.”

“Have you—”

“Do you ever run out of questions?”

“Not ever.” She turns playful again, and I’m done doing this the careful way. If she wants a rebellion, I’ll be the one to give it to her. I want her against me, and I’m tired of waiting.

I pull her forward, insinuating my knees between hers, and her body naturally follows, settling across my thighs. Her lips part, but she catches herself before she gasps this time. I keep her steady with my hands at her waist and say, “I’ll make you a deal. A question for a kiss.”

Tentatively, she lays her palms against my shoulders. They rest there, her grip light and casual. She ponders my offer for a moment, and it drives me mad that she can do that while our hips are inches away from alignment.

“Okay then. Are you—”

I cut her off. “Not so fast, Dylan Brenner. I’ve already answered one question. We’ve got to settle up first.”

I wrap her braid around my hand like I’ve been waiting to do all night, and I use it to pull her head back just enough that I can crush my mouth against hers.

Interested? You can find ALL BROKE DOWN on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iTunes.

***GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
signed copies of the first two Rusk University books
or a $25 GC for Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

HeadshotAbout the Author:
Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She’s done a multitude of things in her life– boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

Catch up with Cora online on her website, Twitter, Facebook and Author Goodreads.

Inkslinger