Reviews

Books I’ve read and reviewed

Get Captivated by Charlie Cochet’s THIRDS–Reviews and Blog Tour

Hi all, Today I’m reviewing a new M/M police/urban fantasy/paranormal/shifter romance series by Charlie Cochet. Sorry for all the tags, but I almost can’t classify this genre-bending phenom. And, frankly, neither can anyone else–it’s been nominated for six (maybe more) different awards from Goodreads includeing Best M/M Romance Series, Best Police, Best Sci-Fi, etc.  There’s criminals, and terrorists, and prejudice and family ties, and head-spinning sexy, sexy men, and goofballs.

What else can I tell you? Well, at the heart of these stories, is a boy standing in front of a boy, asking him to love him…and that just melts me! 😉

There are three books released in this planned series of eight, and I’ve finished two: HELL AND HIGH WATER and BLOOD AND THUNDER. RACK AND RUIN was released last week and it’s getting high praise from fans. It’s in my TBR and I’ll likely start it nearer to Thanksgiving, so expect a review update. Right now, Charlie Cochet is having blog tour for RACK AND RUIN, which is outstanding. It’s a series of character vignettes touring the “press” through the THIRDS command center. Check it out and see why Charlie Cochet’s humorous writing is driving fans insane for each book in the THIRDS series. (Oh, and there’s a giveaway, too!)

Hell & High Water (THIRDS, #1)About Hell and High Water (Book 1):
When homicide detective Dexter J. Daley’s testimony helps send his partner away for murder, the consequences—and the media frenzy—aren’t far behind. He soon finds himself sans boyfriend, sans friends, and, after an unpleasant encounter in a parking garage after the trial, he’s lucky he doesn’t find himself sans teeth. Dex fears he’ll get transferred from the Human Police Force’s Sixth Precinct, or worse, get dismissed. Instead, his adoptive father—a sergeant at the Therian-Human Intelligence Recon Defense Squadron otherwise known as the THIRDS—pulls a few strings, and Dex gets recruited as a Defense Agent.

Dex is determined to get his life back on track and eager to get started in his new job. But his first meeting with Team Leader Sloane Brodie, who also happens to be his new jaguar Therian partner, turns disastrous. When the team is called to investigate the murders of three HumaniTherian activists, it soon becomes clear to Dex that getting his partner and the rest of the tightknit team to accept him will be a lot harder than catching the killer—and every bit as dangerous.

My Review:
This book is set in an alternate contemporary reality where shifters are fully out in society. “Therians” resulted from genetic mutations due to a virus and the anti-viral treatment of it. They are into their third generation of procreation and have governmental rights. The action takes place in NYC and THIRDS is the joint police force comprised of equal numbers of humans and Therians.

Dex Daley is a detective on the Human Police Force who has just testified against his human partner for killing a Therian in cold blood. The rest of the HPF is out for Dex’s blood, and he’s been beaten more than once before he gets a “promotion”. Yep. Dex Daley’s going to THIRDS, he’s to be the replacement partner for Agent Sloane Brodie, a jaguar Therian with a seriously bad attitude.

Dex is a jokester, and uber-friendly human, always willing to reach out and charm the pants of anyone (mostly men) who he contacts. His boyfriend fled after the trial, and he’s not feeling a lot of lot from the Destructive Delta crew to which he’s been assigned. It helps that his adoptive brother, Cael, and adoptive father, Sgt Maddox, are on the Delta team, but Dex works his own magic inserting himself. See, all the Deltas were pretty broken up losing their teammate, Gabe, but Brodie took it worst because Gabe was his lover and he feels it a betrayal to accept any replacement for him.

Of course, Brodie also knows that if he refuses another partner he’ll be reprimanded. So he makes life tough for Dex–who basically turns the tables time and again, working his hardest and proving himself. He’s smart, and funny and charming and so unlike Gabe, but there’s an attraction, one which makes Brodie furious. Dex does help Brodie blow off steam (read: smexytimes) and they engage in a down-low affair.

Meanwhile, several upstanding HumaniTherian supporters (people who fight for equal Therian rights) are killed, and all the evidence points to a jaguar Therian. Brodie is not under suspicion, per se, but he’s not comfortable with all the scrutiny. He’s faced a good deal of prejudice in the press and from humans–particularly from Gabe’s brother Isaac. Isaac, for his part, seems interested in Dex, and wants to ruin Brodie–which leads to a whole plot arc regarding tolerance and prejudice.

In fact, the book is whole lot on cooperation and clashes within the Delta squad. Dex is finally accepted, but Brodie’s not sure what to do with his feelings toward Dex–and he might not have a lot of time to figure it all out once the heat gets too hot searching for the murderer, and the terrorists come out to play.

This is a fast-paced shifter M/M romance that has a lot of great characters and a well-planned story. Dex is hysterical–a perfect blend of whimsy and intelligence. His antics are well placed to diffuse the tension and also get his Delta squad to lighten up. He’s a great match for the taciturn Brodie, who is so Type A I wondered if he arranged his sock drawer by color. Watching Dex melt Brodie’s reserve was so fun. I really enjoyed this.

Interested? You can find HELL AND HIGH WATER on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Dreamspinner Press.

Blood & Thunder (THIRDS, #2)About Blood and Thunder (Book 2):
When a series of bombs go off in a Therian youth center, injuring members of THIRDS Team Destructive Delta, and causing a rift between agents Dexter J. Daley and Sloane Brodie, peace seems unattainable. Especially when a new and frightening group, the Order of Adrasteia, appears to always be a step ahead. With panic and intolerance spreading and streets becoming littered with the Order’s propaganda, hostility between Humans and Therians grows daily. Dex and Sloane, along with the rest of the team, are determined to take down the Order and restore peace, not to mention settle a personal score. But the deeper the team investigates the bombings, the more they believe there’s a more sinister motive than a desire to shed blood and spread chaos.

Discovering the frightful truth behind the Order’s intent forces Sloane to confront secrets from a past he thought he’d left behind for good, a past that could not only destroy him and his career, but also the reputation of the organization that made him all he is today. Now more than ever, Dex and Sloane need each other, and, along with trust, the strength of their bond will mean the difference between justice and all-out war.

My Review:
As much as HELL AND HIGH WATER is about Dex winning over Sloane, I think BLOOD AND THUNDER is a lot about Sloane learning to love again. And recognizing that the feelings he has toward Dex are, in fact, love.

Sloane Brodie is a First Gen Therian. Life has not been easy. His first shift, at age eleven, was so catastrophic he ended up institutionalized. His only friend from those years is Ash, the lion Therian and general dickhead on Destructive Delta squad. They are close, and Ash has no problems giving Sloane his unfiltered opinion, mainly because Ash only comes unfiltered. In this book we get to see many new burgeoning relationships, and understand the inner workings of this select group of law enforcement agents.

Potential couples to be eyeing: naturally Calvin and his tiger Therian partner, Hobbs. (I KNOW! The jokes are merciless, seriously.) But, there’s also some really, really touchy-feely things happening between Ash–who is straight–and Dex’s step-brother Cael, the sweet and tender cheetah Therian. All of this will likely bear fruit down the pike, but I can’t help wonder who’ll do the chasing…

As for the plot, the THIRDS teams are being led on a merry chase for the terrorist organization, Order of Andrasteia, who longs to see Therians exterminated, if possible. Hunting down the leader is, well, daunting. He is a former Human Police a force detective, and doesn’t make a whole lotta planning errors. In fact, this dude’s set on hurting Sloane most heinously–by ripping Dex away, and letting Sloane suffer the grief of losing another lover.

In the meantime, relationships are getting complicated. Dex only wants Sloane, but can he continue with everything on the down-low? What about when Dex’s ex-boyfriend stumbles onto the scene? And how can Sloane keep Dex to himself when his own Delta team–even the lesbians–would pick the suave and quirky Dex for a one-nighter in Marry, F@ck, Kill? (Poor Ash, he really got nailed in that little game!)

Be prepared for sexy-sexy men, terrorists, tough-love, bombs, ex-boyfriends, vengeance and karaoke music.

The tension is super high throughout. Sloane has lots of secrets about his recruitment to THIRDS that he wants to remain secret, but the Order seems hell-bent on revealing all it can to discredit THIRDS and the Therians, in general. There are some great tender moments, and some that are plain-out hot. While this is a continuing series, there is a complete resolution to the main plot arc. Still you kinda gotta read the series in order. Not that I’m complaining. I’m a Dex-Girl; I gotta see this one through.

Interested? You can find BLOOD AND THUNDER on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Dreamspinner Press.

Rack & Ruin (THIRDS, #3)About RACK AND RUIN (BOOK 3):

New York City’s streets are more dangerous than ever with the leaderless Order of Adrasteia and the Ikelos Coalition, a newly immerged Therian group, at war. Innocent civilians are caught in the crossfire and although the THIRDS round up more and more members of the Order in the hopes of keeping the volatile group from reorganizing, the members of the Coalition continue to escape and wreak havoc in the name of vigilante justice.

Worse yet, someone inside the THIRDS has been feeding the Coalition information. It’s up to Destructive Delta to draw out the mole and put an end to the war before anyone else gets hurt. But to get the job done, the team will have to work through the aftereffects of the Therian Youth Center bombing. A skirmish with Coalition members leads Agent Dexter J. Daley to a shocking discovery and suddenly it becomes clear that the random violence isn’t so random. There’s more going on than Dex and Sloane originally believed, and their fiery partnership is put to the test. As the case takes an explosive turn, Dex and Sloane are in danger of losing more than their relationship.

Interested? You can find RACK AND RUIN on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press eBook, Dreamspinner Press paperback ,
Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Barnes & Noble.

If you are interested in THIRDS, check out the blog tour now running. It’s jam-packed with extras–fun little vignettes from many members of the THIRDS Destructive Delta squad. Each one shares a bit more of him/her self and you get a real sense of the humor and whimsy of this series. Plus, there’s a $15 GC and book swag giveaway you can enter! (Yes, I’m in it to win it!)

4th Nov – Hearts on Fire Reviews (Invitation from Lieutenant Sparks)
5th Nov – Carly’s Book Reviews (Sergeant Maddock)
6th Nov – The Novel Approach Reviews (Team Leader Sloane Brodie)
7th Nov – Bookwinked (Agent Dexter J. Daley)
10th Nov – It’s About the Book (Chief Medical Examiner Hudson Colbourn)
11th Nov – MM Good Books Reviews (Agent Rosa Santiago)
12th Nov – Joyfully Jay (Exclusive Excerpt)
13th Nov – Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews (Agent Cael Maddock)
14th Nov – TTC Books and More (Agent Ash Keeler)
15th Nov – The Blogger Girls (Agents Calvin Summers and Ethan Hobbs)
17th Nov – Love Bytes (Agent Julietta “Letty” Guerera)
18th Nov – Attention is Arbitrary (SSA Austen Payne)
19th Nov – Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews (Character Interview)
20th Nov – Books Make Me Happy Reviews (Interview)
21st Nov – Prism Book Alliance (Farewell from Destructive Delta)

Charlie CochetAbout 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.

Website | THIRDS HQ | Facebook | Facebook Author Page | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr | Instagram | Charlie’s Newsletter | Email: charlie@charliecochet.com

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

 

It Was HIS SECRETARY: UNDONE–A Review

Hi there! Today, I’m sharing a review for Melanie Marchande‘s sexy new release HIS SECRETARY: UNDONE. I reviewed one of Melanie’s books, ROMANCE IMPOSSIBLE, and loved it, so I couldn’t wait to read this one.

His Secretary: Undone (A Novel Deception, #1)About the book:

I’m about to throw an ashtray at my boss’s head.

Turns out, the mind behind my favorite, steamy romance novels…the ones I only read in private…the ones that are my only escape after a long day of dealing with The Boss From Hell? It’s not Natalie McBride, the sweet, rural housewife.

It’s him.

That’s right: my boss, Adrian Risinger, the thirty-three-year-old, maddeningly sexy, pissant billionaire “bad boy” who thinks he runs my life. He is also the author of all my deepest, most secret fantasies. And to make matters worse, he needs me to impersonate “Natalie” at a series of book signings and conventions. But, of course, that’s only if I want to keep my job.

On second thought, I’m going to need something heavier than an ashtray.

My Review:

Well! This one is a hoot. Imagine a secretary (let’s call her Meghan!) with an overbearing, pretentious boss, who shall be named: Adrian Risinger. Meghan finds herself addicted to a set of erotic books–about a secretary and her domineering boss, no less!–only to discover that Mr. Adrian Risinger actually wrote them. Under a pseudonym. Oh, and this is AFTER she fangirled and began an email correspondence with the “author” confessing all sorts of angst over her job, and how sexy, but utterly trying and ridiculous, her boss is…

Oy vey.

Meghan is right torqued off–but before she can even wrap her head around the nightmare of her gargantuan embarrassment, Adrian is offering her a huge bonus to pose as the author at literary events. See, the books are selling like hotcakes, and he can’t bring himself to reveal his Man-ful-ness to his adoring fans. Plus, he’s a bit nervous that his billionaire buddies won’t respect him if they realize he’s a smut-peddler. *shrugs*

Before they are even on the plane the sparks fly between Meghan and Mr. Risinger. She thinks it’s meant to be a fling, and frankly, she’s kinda desperate. In the five years she’s worked for Adrian she’s devoted herself to his managing all his issues, at the sacrifice of her own friendships. And boyfriends…there are none. Nonetheless, Meghan takes a rather pragmatic approach to their tryst. It seemed to me, the reader, that Adrian wanted more than a fling, but Meghan is sure this will fizzle when they return home.

Still, they are very playful:

“If you’re not going to eat the fruit, stop poking at it. I’ll finish it.”

“Fine.” He pushes the dish across the little table. “So is that an official thing, now? I can spank you at work?”

I grin at him, taking a bite of cantaloupe. “You’re my boss, Mr. Risinger. You can do whatever you want.”

He lets out a noise that’s half-laugh, half-groan. “I’ll end up arrested if you keep saying things like that. We both will.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s private property.” I lick my lips. “You could send everybody home and f— me on every single floor, every single room of that building, and not a law in the land could touch you.”

He raises his eyebrows slightly. “And once again, having too much money just robs me of all the usual thrills in life.” Moving lightning-fast, he snatches a grape out of my hand and pops it in his mouth. “What’s the fun of having sex at work if you can’t get in trouble for it?”

There are, of course, complications. Meghan and Adrian are lying to everyone–about his books and about their relationship–and Adrian’s agent seems to be a mite jealous of their “partnership”. The tension becomes too much to overcome, for a bit. It came down to the wire, regarding the HEA. Meghan was rather hurt by Adrian’s seeming nonchalance, and he’s a proud man. The necessary compromises were steep, and took awhile to bear fruit, but they were deliciously captured.

I liked this fun spin on the billionaire romance. Meghan was hysterical as a narrator. I think she got overly sensitive about 75% in, but she wasn’t obtuse, so I still liked her. Adrian was interesting. Who can’t love a man with a filthy imagination and the gumption to write best-selling fantasies about the woman he craves? He wanted Meghan from the time she was hired, and pined for FIVE years, knowing he couldn’t breach the sexual harassment clauses but desperate for all of Meghan’s attention. He had me at “I noticed you didn’t ride in on your broomstick today.” Okay, maybe not then. But, surely a few pages later. Adrian, once he reveals his literary side, has an almost transparent hunger for Meghan which sucked me in. I kept waiting for that light bulb to go off in her brain, and it took a LONG time for that to happen.

Interested? You can find HIS SECRETARY:  UNDONE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iTunes. I received an advanced reader copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

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

She is the author of the “I Married a Billionaire” trilogy. You can find Melanie on her blog, Goodreads, Facebook, and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Together They Found THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review of best-selling author Brenda Novak’s newly released, THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS. It’s books seven of her Whiskey Creek series, and fans will applaud Eve (finally) getting her happy ending.

The Heart of Christmas (Whiskey Creek, #7)About the book:

Eve Harmon has always enjoyed Christmas, but this year it reminds her of everything she doesn’t have. Almost all her friends are married now, and that’s what Eve wants, too. Love. A husband and kids of her own. But the B and B she manages, and even Whiskey Creek, the small Gold Country town where she was born and raised, suddenly seem…confining.

Eve’s worried that her future will simply be a reflection of her past. There’s no one in the area she could even imagine as a husband, until a handsome stranger comes to town. Eve’s definitely attracted to him, and he seems to have the same reaction to her. But his darkly mysterious past could ruin Eve’s happily ever after–just when it finally seems within reach. And just when she’s counting on the best Christmas of her life!

My Review:

I haven’t read any of the Whiskey Creek books, and I didn’t feel the lack. This story is about Eve, the single gal on the fringes of all the couples in her small California town. She’s thirty-five, and a year ago had a brief relationship with a longtime friend, Ted, who later broke it off–at Christmastime–for another woman. They are amicable, but Eve’s still hurt. And, she feels like she’s sliding into spinsterhood—unwillingly. Seeing her friends’ newly-settled lives is really hard.

So, she goes out on her 35th, alone because her friends can’t get together on a weeknight, and ends up taking home a stranger. Little does she recognize how strange he really is….

Rex has been a class A screw-up in life. He has some serious emotional baggage, and a criminal history. He was in prison, in a gang and is clean from drug addiction for four years. Eight years ago he went on the run, first in WITSEC, and later on his own when his identity had been compromised. His former gang wants blood; his. Meeting Eve is a blessing at the wrong time–he’s hiding in Whiskey Creek after being tipped off that the gang was on his trail…again.

Eve, to her horror, realizes her indiscretion about four drinks too late–waking with a blinding hangover and a skittish bed partner is NOT her style. Oh, and they may not have used protection, in one or more of their encounters the night before. Plus, Mr. Right Now, well, he’s about as forthcoming as a bankster before Congress; he doesn’t even give her his real name.

Okay, the stage is set for some real interesting plot twists. Rex and Eve find a connection. He plans to spend a few weeks in Whiskey Creek and would rather not be alone. The town is so welcoming, and Rex–despite his determination for a no-strings life–is so lonely, so starved for connection, he can’t stay away–and he’s terrified that Eve could be pregnant. How can he be a father and stay on the lamb from his gang?

Eve’s friends rally to her side–with support, and answers when Rex won’t come clean. Eve wants to help Rex, even if it means never seeing him again…and with the tight-knit Whiskey Creek community she’s able to keep Rex safe long enough for him to get another clean slate.

The whole thing is an HEA, with fairly reasonable plot turns and enough suspense to keep readers interested. I liked the elements of danger, and how candid Eve’s friends were, with both her and Rex. Though I didn’t know these characters, I got caught up in their world for a bit, and had the good kind of tingles when this story ended.

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

Brenda NovakAbout the Author:

New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author Brenda Novak is the author of more than fifty books. A four-time RITA™ nominee, she has won many awards, including the National Reader’s Choice, the Bookseller’s Best, the Book Buyer’s Best, the Daphne, and the Holt Medallion. She also runs an annual on-line auction for diabetes research every May at http://www.brendanovak.com (her youngest son has this disease). To date, she’s raised nearly $2.5 million.
Catch up with Brenda online on her website, twitter, and Facebook.
Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Sometimes SIDEKICKS are the Real Heroes!–A Review

Hi there! Today is Veteran’s Day in the US. I’m actually a pacifist–which is pretty cool! While it means that I do not support war, violence or brutality, it DOES NOT mean that I do not support soldiers. I do. These people put their lives on the line in ways I can’t imagine, and don’t wish to. What I hate, and I’m gonna use that word, is the (unnecessary) use of soldiers to “protect people” (read: corporate interests) in places we should not be.

See, I am not an Imperialist. I’m not an elitist. I do not think that America is THE VERY BESTEST PLACE. It is a good land, with some problems. It is a good place, that could use some improving. It is better than lots of places, and I am glad to be here, but I’m sure I could find a good life in other countries just as well. In terms of war, I think that many world leaders have forgotten the human cost of it, and that saddens me greatly.

My father, rest his soul, served in Vietnam. He enlisted, actually. Believed he would be helping out the poor Vietnamese find democracy and a better way of life. What he found was an autonomous nation of people who wanted to be left alone. As an 18 y/o kid, my dad saw a lot of combat. He was given a Bronze Star and an Airborne patch, for dropping into over 30 LZs (live zones) as an infantryman.

In honor of Veteran’s Day I hope I can urge anyone reading this to ONE: consider peace. Consider it with your life’s breath. Imagine it was your son, daughter, father, mother, brother, sister being recruited to take on a “war” and how that person may not return home to your loving embrace.

TWO: Please, don’t forget our active military and veterans. They need support. The rates of veteran suicide are so high–22 people a day! If you know a vet, or an enlisted soldier, who is suffering please reach out. Try to get that person to reach out, too. The Veteran’s Crisis Line can help.

Okay, so, back to the Reading portion of this blog… My son recommended this book, SIDEKICKS, because it struck a nerve with him. And, I’m so glad I read it. Honestly. This book got my son thinking about all the falsehoods out in the real world. The images we are sold to gain support for shadowy ideals. This is why I wanted to share it on Veteran’s Day.

SIDEKICKS is a YA romance/adventure about Scott Hutchinson, a super strong/super fast teen boy whose alter ego is Bright Boy. He is sidekick to the world’s greatest superhero–Phantom Justice. And, man is his world crumbling beneath his feet! Like many combat veterans, Scott’s a hero, who doesn’t show it.

SidekicksAbout the book:
Batman has Robin, Wonder Woman has Wonder Girl, and Phantom Justice has Bright Boy, a.k.a. Scott Hutchinson, an ordinary schoolkid by day and a superfast, superstrong sidekick by night, fighting loyally next to his hero.

But after an embarrassing incident involving his too-tight spandex costume, plus some signs that Phantom Justice may not be the good guy he pretends to be, Scott begins to question his role. With the help of a fellow sidekick, once his nemesis, Scott must decide if growing up means being loyal or stepping boldly to the center of things.

My Review:

Scott/Bright Boy has reached the Age of Awareness. Though he’s been a sidekick for seven years, he’s just now into puberty. And, well, his uniform tights…they are TIGHT! One night, his rescue of a pretty woman leads to (gasp!) an erection–one that is captured on live TV and broadcast all over the news networks.

Remember, how boners in class are a big problem for normal boys? Well, poor Scott has to suffer in silence as all his classmates snicker about the Big Deal and the newscasters cracking tasteless jokes about his “rising” to the occasion. Even Trent (Phantom Menace) is giving him a side-eye, thinking he’s a perv and telling him he better settle all that down right quick. Scott’s rage and embarrassment  knows no bounds, and when he’s taunted by Monkeywrench at a meet-up, well, Bright Boy loses his ever-lovin’ cool. He attacks, and the results? Romantic.

Okay, not at first, but Monkeywrench, sidekick to Dr. Chaotic (Phantom Justice’s nemesis), is more than meets the eye. She, well, is gorgeous, and intelligent, and interacting with her teaches Scott that “good” is a label that is truly subjective. Especially when Bright Boy gets a handle on what EXACTLY Phantom Justice stands for.

I’m not going to ruin this one–at all–because, it is a fantastic book. It takes all the superhero tropes and twists them. I loved Scott’s complete naivete. And Monkeywrench, aka Allison, is frankly a great accessory character. There is a love story here, and it’s not forced. Scott has never really connected with his peers, and Allison is the first person he can be honest with regarding his life, and his dreams. And, she’s tender to him in a way he absolutely needs. Plus, Scott/Bright Boy is just such a great kid. He is so pure of purpose, so incredibly self-less, and yet a bit sulky regarding his own personal life, teen readers will find him easy to connect with.

Interested? You can find SIDEKICKS on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and libraries everywhere.

About the Author:

Jack D. Ferraiolo is the author of The Big Splash (a 2009 Edgar Award nominee), the forthcoming sequel, The Quick Fix (Spring 2012) and Sidekicks (2010), which received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and School Library Journal. He also works in animation, winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing in Animation as the head writer for PBS’s WordGirl (a series he co-created).  He was an editor and producer for Home Movies (on Adult Swim) and a writer, director, editor, and producer for O’Grady (on The N).  Recently, he created Chuck Vanderchuck’s “Something Something” Explosion for PBSKidsGo.org, a broadband-based show about an 8-year-old David Lee Roth-type kid who’s sole purpose in life is to teach the world the awesomeness of music.

In his personal time, Jack enjoys apples and American-style blue jeans.

You can catch up with Jack on his website, or email.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

 

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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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

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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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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!

Couldn’t Keep it BOTTLED UP SECRET–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a recently published YA gay romance about a boy who wants to come out–and his secret boyfriend, who doesn’t… Brian McNamara’s BOTTLED UP SECRET is a coming-of-age book that puts the focus on feelings.

Bottled Up SecretAbout the book:

Brendan Madden is in the midst of his senior year of high school and couldn’t be happier. He has a great group of friends, his pick of colleges, and he has recently come to terms with his sexuality. One night, he meets Mark Galovic, a gorgeous, younger classmate of his. In a matter of minutes, Brendan is hooked.

As the friendship between them grows, Brendan reaches his breaking point when he spontaneously confesses his feelings to him. Brendan is shocked and elated to find out that Mark feels the same way about him. The two begin to date, but because Mark is not out, it must remain a secret.

As their friends and family become suspicious, openly gay Brendan becomes increasingly frustrated with their discreet relationship, while Mark becomes more and more paranoid that they’re going to be found out.

My Review:

Brendan is a high school senior at an all-boys Catholic school in Ohio. He recently accepted the fact that he is gay, but has yet to come out or act on his feelings. He meets Mark, a younger classmate, through Chris, a mutual friend, and is enamored. In his infatuation, Brendan realizes he needs to make a statement to his friends, most of whom are girls, about his sexuality.

While Brendan’s coming out is not met with scorn–his good friend Chris is already “out”–he’s still nervous about revealing his sexuality to his family. What he actually does is reveal his crush to Mark, who is stunned, but not upset. In fact, Mark is anxious to remain friends. A couple weeks pass, and Brendan is blindsided by Mark’s confession of interest.

They begin a relationship, under the agreement that no one know. This causes a lot of problems for Brendan. He has to hide Mark from his friends, and keep his nosy mom out of his business. In fact, his mom picks up on Brendan’s sexuality and while Brendan tells he truth, she is upset. She wants him to deny it, and go on pretending he is not gay. It’s an awkward experience as they are the only people in the house–it leads to a lot of silence.

The secrets seem to pile up around Brendan, however. He is enjoying his brief, stolen moments with Mark, but his friends begin to notice–and ask questions. Will an accidental “out”ing cause Mark to freak?

I did enjoy this quiet romance. The physicality of their relationship is extremely downplayed–only a few kisses with little description, and one (maybe) hot-n-heavy experience that is completely glossed over. I would have really liked a bit more headiness from Brendan–more exuberance or excitement about the thrill of first love, first contact. His attitude is almost dauntingly even keeled.

Don’t get me wrong, I thought Brendan acted very maturely. He was presented with a difficult opportunity for a relationship and he handled it with grace. I just felt the story was a bit superficial when it came to the emotional context. We hear that Brendan cries, for example, but we do not experience his pain, per se, which left me feeling a bit removed as a reader. I suppose this might be okay for some readers, but I wanted more. I wanted to feel Brendan’s highs and lows, and instead of getting a thrill ride, I bounced along a lazy river, so to speak.

I do believe this book will resonate with young gay readers, however, and I am glad that it showed some positive relationships in both Brendan and Mark’s social/family spheres. Brendan’s mom was not my fave–because I’m not the kind of mom who would try to pressure my child into my point of view (case in point:  I’m a flaming liberal and my eldest is, gasp, a libertarian), but she still came across as an honest character. Her disappointment, and the fear behind her constant inquisitions, was palpable, even if I didn’t agree with her point of view.

I also appreciated how Brendan didn’t allow his experience with Mark to shut down his life. He still visited with friends, and performed in the school musical and tennis, and even attended two proms with gal pals. His life went on, and it actually got better, to some degree. That’s a very positive message for questioning youth to encounter, and I applaud the effort by the author to write an approachable coming out story where the MC isn’t bullied, hazed, disowned or a pariah.

Interested? You can find BOTTLED UP SECRET on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

McNamara, BrianAbout the Author:

The youngest of six kids (and the only boy!), Brian McNamara was born and raised in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. His favorite hobbies growing up were tennis and musical theater. He obtained a degree in finance in 2009 and moved to New York City shortly after to work for a management consulting firm. While pursuing his true passions of writing and acting on the side, he decided to quit his corporate job to focus all his energy on what he loved. Using his own high school experience as inspiration for his debut novel, he is thrilled to publish Bottled Up Secret with Bold Strokes Books.

Brian can be contacted at BrianMcNamara.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Get Caught in CURTSIES & CONSPIRACIES–A Review

Hi all! Today I’m getting a little punky…steampunk-y, that is. As you may have learned from some of my reviews, I’m a total science geek. *shrugs* As, such, the steampunk genre lights up all my bells and whistles. Gail Carriager’s Middle Grade/Tween/YA steampunk novel, CURTSIES & CONSPIRACIES, features a 15 y/o girl with a big imagination and lots of spirit, Sophronia, who happens to be my kindred spirit.

Curtsies and ConspiraciesAbout the book:

Sophronia’s first year at Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality has certainly been rousing. For one thing, finishing school is training her to be a spy. Now, as she sneaks around the dirigible school, eavesdropping on the teachers quarters and making clandestine climbs to the ships boiler room, she learns that there may be more to a school trip to London than is at first apparent. A conspiracy is afoot—one with dire implications for both supernaturals and humans.

Sophronia must rely on her training to discover who is behind the dangerous plot and survive the London Season with a full dance card.

My Review:
This second book of the Finishing School series picks up several months after the first, with (now 15 y/o) Sophronia Temminnick back at school following the thwarting of several groups’ attempts at obtaining the “prototype”. What we learn is this prototype is a guidance valve, for use in transmission across the aetherosphere. And, it had been created by the parents of Sophronia’s dearest friends, Dimity and Pillover.

This tale brings Mlle. Geraldine’s floating Finishing School into London–along with the company of ten male students from Bunsen’s School of Evil Geniuses, among them Pillover and Lord Felix Mersey who is quite taken with Sophronia.

Attempts to kidnap Dimity are dashed by Sophronia’s quick thinking and incomplete training, but Sophronia knows she must learn whom is behind the attempts, in order to keep her dear friend safe. Also, the cause of their mission–observation of a transchannel trip through the aetherosphere—seems to be far outside the realm of normal intelligencer behavior. It seems there is a covert test planned, one that may cause great harm to Sophronia’s favorite vampire professor.

In unraveling the conspiracy, Sophronia must keep her wits and seek alliances with old friends and new acquaintance–even dandy vampires riding about the London scene. Sophronia’s uncanny ability to spy, scheme and escape are put to the test when Dimity and Pillover are finally napped. But, can she apply her training to remover herself from the sticky business of finding herself caught between two suitors–especially those who do not suit? In the end, Sophronia discredits one teacher, nearly gets another murdered, and learns to accept that sometimes her schemes will force her to employ–gasp!–a dandy gentleman’s attire.

Oh, and it seems Sophronia’s being courted. By more than one powerful man. With all the mayhem and gore, this book’s heavy on the espionage and light on the romance, though the book seems decidedly more YA than the first one in the series (which I would suggest is Tween). The pace is blistering and the language is humorous and fascinating. I love the period speech, and the nuances of manners, how they are used to advantage by these intelligencing women. Lord Mersey will be a problem, no doubt, going forward, but so will Sophronia’s “friendship” with Soap, the black sootie. Looking forward to the next adventure.

Interested? You can find CURTSIES AND CONSPIRACIES on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and lots of other places, for sure. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

As this is the second book in the series, I’d recommend reading book one, ETIQUETTE AND ESPIONAGE, first. Not only because it’s a hoot of a story, but because the books are built to be a series, and so lots of the characters and their relationships have been fully described in ETIQUETTE. Click here for my review.

Etiquette and Espionage (Finishing School, #1)About the book:

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is the bane of her mother’s existence. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper etiquette at tea–and god forbid anyone see her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminnick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. She enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine’s Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But little do Sophronia or her mother know that this is a school where ingenious young girls learn to finish, all right–but it’s a different kind of finishing. Mademoiselle Geraldine’s certainly trains young ladies in the finer arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but also in the other kinds of finishing: the fine arts of death, diversion, deceit, espionage, and the modern weaponries. Sophronia and her friends are going to have a rousing first year at school.

Gail Carriger
About the Author:
Ms. Carriger writes steampunk urbane fantasy comedies of manners to cope with being raised in obscurity by an expatriate Brit and an incurable curmudgeon. She escaped small town life and inadvertently acquired several degrees in Higher Learning. She then traveled the historic cities of Europe, subsisting entirely on biscuits secreted in her handbag. She now resides in the Colonies, surrounded by a harem of shoes, where she insists on tea imported directly from London and cats that pee into toilets. Her books are all New York Times Bestsellers.

You can find her on her website, Goodreads and twitter. Gail has a fun newsletter the Monthly Chirrup, and you can sign up here.

They Had A VERY MARRIED CHRISTMAS–Review and Giveaway

SBB Christmas Banner

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

a $50 Visa gift card and a tote bag full of books!
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Inkslinger