I WANT IT THAT WAY–Review and Giveaway

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Hi all! Today I’m part of a blog tour for Ann Aguirre’s newly released novel I WANT IT THAT WAY. This atypical New Adult Romance is a slow burn with a simmering love story.

IWantItThatWayAbout the Book:

Nadia Conrad has big dreams, and she’s determined to make them come true. But between maintaining her college scholarship and working at the local day care to support herself, dating’s the last thing on her mind. Then she moves into a new apartment and meets the taciturn yet irresistible guy in 1B….

Daniel Tyler has grown up too fast. Becoming a single dad at twenty turned his life upside down—and brought him heartache he can’t risk again. Now, as he raises his four-year-old son while balancing a full-time construction management job and night classes, the last thing he wants is noisy students living in the apartment upstairs. But one night, Nadia’s and Ty’s paths cross, and soon they can’t stay away from each other.

The timing is all wrong—but love happens when it happens. And you can’t know what you truly need until you stand to lose it.

“A tender, sweet, and sexy story about how life—and falling in love—can never be planned.”

—Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You

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My Review:
Nadia is a straight-laced college junior at Mt. Albion College in Michigan, far from her small Nebraska hometown. Her dream is becoming a special education teacher. She keeps her grades up, striving always to do well enough to keep her scholarship and make her hardworking parents proud. The day she (and three roomies) move into their apartment, Nadia meets the man she secretly calls Hot Ginger.

Ty, as he is REALLY called, is a little older, twenty-four, and very much the professional man. Yes, suits and ties seems to turn Nadia on. A lot. But, Ty has something serious going on in his life–he’s a single parent to his four year old son, Sam–and he’s unwilling to bend his life plans, completing his college degree in architecture and being an amazing father, for anyone. Certainly not Nadia.

Well, at first, anyhow.

Thing about plans? They are made to changed. I think that’s the take home message of this book: that it’s okay to take risks and alter plans when life puts the right people in your life.

Nadia works part-time for a daycare center. When Ty needs help looking after Sam, she recommends it. Then she gets shifted into Sam’s class. The two bond. And on the side, Nadia and Ty bond, too. But Ty insists on keeping his budding relationship with Nadia completely separate from Sam. They indulge in some sexy nights when Sam stays with Ty’s parents, but the “friends with benefits” scenario isn’t enough for either if them…

There is a breakup. There is a makeup. There are concerned parents, and drunk roomies, and faltering friendships. Secondary characters are interesting and well-written. Nadia tells this story, and she tells it well. She is direct, and fun. I loved how matter-of-fact she was about everything, and how she allowed herself to wonder if she was making the right choices with her life, without sounding whiny.

Her first meeting with Ty is inauspicious, at best. While trying to move her sofa upstairs, aided by Lauren, one of her three roomies, Nadia tumbles down the stairs. Ty arrives and, begrudgingly, assists the two gals.

“I’m Nadia,” I said.

At first he didn’t say anything so she tried, “That makes me Lauren.”

“Ty,” he said finally, like this basic introduction was akin to signing a long-term cell contract.

Lauren started, “The guys will be back with drinks in a bit, off you want—”

“No, it’s okay. I need to get home.” If curt was a hat, he would be wearing it with jaunty disregard for our feelings.”

Not a great start for these two, for sure, but the middle is very good. De-lish smexytimes for Nadia and her Hot Ginger, Ty. The separation is believable, anguish and tears, but not a sobfest. No, Nadia copes well. She’s stalwart and steady, which makes her Ty’s perfect match. Good thing he figures that out in the end. I very much enjoyed. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced review copy.

Interested? You can find I WANT IT THAT WAY on Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, BAM, Indiebound, Vroman’s, Book Depository , Powell’s, and iTunes

And, it you’re not convinced this is a good one, you can read the first chapter HERE!

Plus, I WANT IT THAT WAY is part of planned New Adult series! The next two books will be out in the coming months.

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I Want It That Way

As Long As You Love Me (9/30/14)

The Shape Of My Heart (11/25/14)

Ann AguirreAbout Ann Aguirre:
Ann Aguirre is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author and RITA winner with a degree in English Literature; before she began writing full time, she was a clown, a clerk, a voice actress, and a savior of stray kittens, not necessarily in that order. She grew up in a yellow house across from a cornfield, but now she lives in sunny Mexico with her husband, children, and various pets. Ann likes books, emo music, action movies, and she writes all kinds of genre fiction for adults and teens, published with Harlequin, Macmillan, and Penguin, among others.

You can find Ann online on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Goodreads, or you can sign up for her newsletter.

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
one of three signed copies of I WANT IT THAT WAY.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!
Inkslinger

RIGHT KIND OF WRONG–Release, Review and Giveaway

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Hi there! Today I’m happy to share in the Release Day Launch for Chelsea Fine’s RIGHT KIND OF WRONG! Published by Grand Central Forever, RIGHT KIND OF WRONG is the third novel Chelsea’s Finding Fate Series and is a New Adult Contemporary Romance. I’ve been smitten by both BEST KIND OF BROKEN and PERFECT KIND OF TROUBLE, so I had to jump on this new release.

Right Kind of WrongAbout the book:
Sometimes wrong can feel oh so right . . .

Jenna Lacombe needs complete control, whether it’s in the streets . . . or between the sheets. So when she sets out on a solo road trip to visit her family in New Orleans, she’s beyond annoyed that the infuriatingly sexy Jack Oliver wants to hitch a ride with her. Ever since they shared a wild night together last year, he’s been trying to strip away her defenses one by one. He claims he’s just coming along to keep her safe-but what’s not safe for her is prolonged exposure to the tattooed hottie.

Jack can’t get Jenna out from under his skin. She makes him feel alive again after his old life nearly destroyed him-and losing her is not an option. Now Jack’s troubles are catching up to him, and he’s forced to return to his hometown in Louisiana. But when his secrets put them both in harm’s way, Jenna will have to figure out how far she’s willing to let love in . . . and how much she already has.

EXCERPT:

Padding my bare feet back into Jack’s bedroom, I start riffling through his drawers like a wet raccoon, searching for something that can pass as pajamas. I try on four pairs of basketball shorts and two shirts before finding items small enough to fit me without being obscene.

I’m not a small person—not at all. I’m average height, average weight. It’s just that Jack’s a giant who, apparently, wears size 100 in everything. Twisting the shirt around my middle so it hangs properly, I absently inhale and smile when I catch Jack’s scent.

What? No. Don’t smile about that, you idiot.

I unclench my fists from his shirt and smooth out the wrinkles I created clutching it to my nose. I’m not like a wet raccoon at all. I’m worse. Raccoons would be ashamed of me.

My inner dialogue—I’ve just accepted that I’m certifiable, at this point—comes to a halt when I hear an engine in the front yard.

Jack.

My first instinct is to run outside and smack him—you know, violent tendencies and all—but I regain my composure and choose a more mature tactic.

I stand perfectly still in the dark living room and wait for him with a scowl.
Through the window, I watch his dark figure stumble out of the car and slowly climb the front steps all hunched over. What did he do, go get drunk? Great.

I cross my arms, scowl still poised to kill, and wait as he opens the door and quietly steps inside. He flicks on the living room light and I ready myself for the shit storm I’m about to rain all over his ass. But my words, my anger, my bitter intentions fall away the instant I see his face.

“Jack.” It’s more of a gasp than a word as it leaves my mouth.

He pulls his eyes up from his bloody and torn hand, and sets them on me. “Jenna. What the hell?” Several emotions cross his eyes. Anger. Fear. Relief. Anger.

I pull a face. “Don’t ‘what the hell’ me. You’re the one who stole my car and drove off into the night.”

He screws his face up. “So you waited up to yell at me?”

“Well…” I pause. Is that why I waited up? Well, crap. “Yeah,” I finally say, not particularly proud of my answer.

“Typical,” he mutters. “Listen. I’m not in the mood to bicker with you right now so if you don’t mind rescheduling this bitch-out for tomorrow, that would be great.”

He brushes past me, his shoulder lightly sweeping mine, and halts at the touch. Facing me, he softens his husky voice. “I’m sorry.”

Long eyelashes lower over his storm-gray eyes as he searches my face, and the wicked wildfire inside me instantly reignites as his gaze drops to my mouth.

The thick frustration that filled the room just moments ago thins into a sweet trepidation, curling around us with a daring charge. So delicious. But so dangerous.

I carefully step back and clear my throat. Jack does the same. We’re masters of avoidance.
Without another word, he moves past me and marches down the hall. That’s when I spy the blood running down the back of his shirt from a large gash between his shoulder blades.

My heart stops.

“Jack?” I say, staring with wide eyes. “What happened to your back?”

He looks over his shoulder and frowns. “Oh. That.” Turning back around, he continues striding down the hallway. “Knife wound.”

Tattooed beautiful woman in old spooky interior

My Review:
Jenna is a girl on mission: become an independently wealthy gallery owner selling her sculptures. She has fought hard for this dream scrimping to make ends meet in college and living on a scholarship. See, she knows not to depend on a man; her father and grandfather didn’t stick around much past the birth of their kids, and she and her mother grew up in poverty. So, there’s no chance Jenna’s gonna change plans for a man who’ll undoubtedly just leave her when the going gets rough.

That’s why she struggles with Jack. He’s her friend–the closest male friend she’s ever had–and they did the deed once, back in December. Seven months have passed, and yet, that night still holds its place in Jenna’s heart. She can’t deal with the tenderness Jack showed her, and they both walked away changed–not that Jenna will admit it. She doesn’t want a boyfriend…ever. But, she can’t stop feeling more than she wishes for Jack.

Jack is exasperated. With Jenna, and his family. Jenna loves him, he knows this, and he loves her–so why the heck is she being so stubborn? When the opportunity arises for Jenna to take a road trip back to New Orleans to visit her sick grandma, Jack jumps at the chance to got with her–he’s needed back home, too. Seems his brother, Drew, has gone missing and it’s up to Jack to ferret out the situation.

Jack’s past was a rough one, if his scars have anything to say about it. He worked hard to keep his mother and brothers out of trouble with the gang life in their small Louisiana town, but it seems trouble found them anyway, and from the most reprehensible source possible. Jenna has a front row seat to the seedy side of Jack, and though he frets that she’ll run for the hills, it is his steadfast devotion to his family–he people he loves–that causes Jenna to rethink her hardcore ‘no romance’ stance.

This is a mature read with some serious steam and occasional, okay ONE, stabbing. The characters are interesting and fun, though I sometimes got overwhelmed with all the names–between Jenna’s three cousins, three sisters, grandma and mom, there were too many Lacombes to keep track of. I liked Jack a lot–outwardly, he was steady and sure even when he seriously struggled on the inside. He was kind and compassionate and unafraid to put himself out there, for the people he loved. And, he really pushed all the right buttons with Jenna. He showed her it was safe to let her control slip, once in a while.

The Finding Fate series interleaves with each book, giving glimpses of characters from other stories (Pixie, Daren, Kayla and Levi) as secondary characters. Nonetheless, each reads as a standalone. This is fun, quick read with a likable heroine and a lickable male lead. The smexytimes are interesting, but not overblown, with a clearly respectful tone throughout. Jack woos Jenna hard–and that makes for some delicious interactions. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.

Interested? You can find RIGHT KIND OF WRONG on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Indiebound, and BAM.

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

You can find Chelsea on line on her website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Author Goodreads page, and RIGHT KIND OF WORNG’s Goodreads page.

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
one of 5 sets of the Finding Fate series, including
BEST KIND OF BROKEN, PERFECT KIND OF TROUBLE, and RIGHT KIND OF WRONG

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!
Inkslinger

FIXED ON YOU–A Review for the Cephalopod Coffeehouse August 2014

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Hi there! Welcome one and all to the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, a cozy gathering of book lovers, meeting to discuss their thoughts regarding the tomes they enjoyed most over the previous month.  Pull up a chair, order your cappuccino and join in the fun.

I never know which book to choose! Just yesterday I posted about a FANTASTIC historical fiction novel–LISETTE’s LIST–about a French woman surviving the Nazi occupation and and endeavoring to keep her family’s art from plundering, and I would highly recommend that one.

I’ve read some fun YA (One Smart Cookie) and M/M Romance (BOUND FOR TROUBLE and Double Up), too. But, I think I’m going to focus on some spicy contemporary romance this month.

Fixed on You (Fixed, #1)I suffered a bit of trepidation picking up Laurelin Paige’s FIXED ON YOU–because I’ve been let down in the wake of 50SOG. See, I read a lot of contemporary erotica. This whole “alpha male” thing gets taken to extremes, and often the Dom/sub stuff is overblown, and rushed. I can’t imagine a sensible woman “submitting” for spankings…etc with a man she’s only just met. Which makes THOSE sort of stories ring hollow and lacking.

Still, I helped with the pub for Paige’s newest release HUDSON, and won a copy of the book. Her Fixed trilogy was on sale, so I dove in. And, I really have enjoyed it. So much so, I’m behind on my reading for my blog, having progressed from book one through to book three in a day….

Here’s what drew me in:
Alayna is a newly graduated MBA working in an NYC nightclub. She has no plans to leave however, because she sees great things for this club, and the manager has promised her a promotion to co-manager. This way she can use her marketing savvy to raise the nightclub’s profile. Only thing? The club has recently been sold, and they have no idea what the new management will be like. Alayna also has a problem with men. Her parents died in a car wreck (caused by her own father’s intoxication) and she suffers severe abandonment issues. To the point that she ends up stalking men she has hooked up with, thinking they’re THE ONE. She has been through therapy since the last episode, three years ago, resulted in a restraining order.

Hudson Pierce is a young, sexy businessman who catches Alayna’a eye–and her job, sortof. He just bought her nightclub and he has some ideas about Alayna’s new role–as his “pretend” girlfriend. See, his parents are rich, manipulative and mean, and they are sure he should marry Celia Werner–a childhood friend and daughter of his mother’s BFF. Hudson has other ideas, and other problems. He’s not a very nice guy–or he wasn’t. He used to manipulate women, get them to fall for him, and then callously break their hearts. It was his fave pass time, in fact, until a couple of years ago. He’s sure he can’t fall in love, but he doesn’t want to marry Celia. He figures if he APPEARS to love Alayna, a smart, beautiful woman, his mom will back off on the Celia-front.

These two misguided, emotionally unstable people, Alayna and Hudson, are the most sexually charged beasts on the planet. Alayna is constantly on guard that she doesn’t FALL for Hudson, double and triple checking her “obsessive” tendencies, while Hudson is riding a very thin line between convincing his family of his “real” affection and convincing himself that he doesn’t love Alayna.

It was a very fun, sexy story, and I’ll admit I immediately opened the second book FOUND IN YOU. I had feared Hudson would get all “whips and chains” but he didn’t. This is a passionate “vanilla” romance. Alayna is a compassionate lead, with very real self-doubt and very approachable emotional frailty. Fun moments included Alayna’s backbone of steel when speaking to Hudson’s ruthless mother for the first time.

“Tell me, Alayna–were you attracted to my son because of his money or his name?”

Pissed didn’t even begin to describe how I felt. I was seething, but still in control. Without skipping a beat, I wrapped my arm around Hudson’s and answered. “Neither. I was attracted to him because he’s hot. Though, I stayed with him because he’s fucking awesome in bed.”

Yeah, I love me a sassy heroine. Anywho, that was my fave book of the month. You can pick up the series ($3.99), or the single book ($2.99), on Goodreads, Amazon or Barnes and Noble. Or maybe even at Target by now…the series is getting pretty popular.

Don’t forget to hop on over to the other blogs listed below. I always get great reading recommendations from these folks! Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

1. The Armchair Squid 2. WOMEN: WE SHALL OVERCOME
3. Stephanie Faris, Author 4. Cherdo on the Flipside
5. StrangePegs — The Graveyard Shift 6. My Creatively Random Life
7. Life Before the Hereafter 8. Stephanie’s Studio
9. V’s Reads 10. A Creatve Exercise
11. Hungry Enough To Eat Six 12. StrangePegs — A Swiftly Tilting Planet
13. Katie @ Read, Write, Repeat 14. Huntress
15. I Think: Therefore, I Yam 16. Words Incorporated

Caught in the Crossfire–LISETTE’S LIST–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m featuring a historical fiction novel from best selling author Susan Vreeland. LISETTE’S LIST is an enchanting story of love, loss, sacrifice and redemption in France before during and after WW II.

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About the book:
In 1937, young Lisette Roux and her husband, André, move from Paris to a village in Provence to care for André’s grandfather Pascal. Lisette regrets having to give up her dream of becoming a gallery apprentice and longs for the comforts and sophistication of Paris. But as she soon discovers, the hilltop town is rich with unexpected pleasures.

Pascal once worked in the nearby ochre mines and later became a pigment salesman and frame maker; while selling his pigments in Paris, he befriended Pissarro and Cézanne, some of whose paintings he received in trade for his frames. Pascal begins to tutor Lisette in both art and life, allowing her to see his small collection of paintings and the Provençal landscape itself in a new light. Inspired by Pascal’s advice to “Do the important things first,” Lisette begins a list of vows to herself (#4. Learn what makes a painting great). When war breaks out, André goes off to the front, but not before hiding Pascal’s paintings to keep them from the Nazis’ reach.

With German forces spreading across Europe, the sudden fall of Paris, and the rise of Vichy France, Lisette sets out to locate the paintings (#11. Find the paintings in my lifetime). Her search takes her through the stunning French countryside, where she befriends Marc and Bella Chagall, who are in hiding before their flight to America, and acquaints her with the land, her neighbors, and even herself in ways she never dreamed possible. Through joy and tragedy, occupation and liberation, small acts of kindness and great acts of courage, Lisette learns to forgive the past, to live robustly, and to love again.

My Review:
Lissette is a Parisienne, an orphan raised her whole life in Paris. She was educated and cultivated a great love of art. Moving to the rural southern Provance region of France to care for her husband’s ailing grandfather, Pascal, seems like a death sentence. Or, at the very least, a great punishment. Especially when she learns he has no indoor plumbing!

This cultured girl soon takes to the country life–mostly out of necessity. And she very much loves her husband Andre, growing also to love Pascal. And, art. Pascal has wondrous tales of his communications with Cezanne and Pissarro, and beautiful paintings he earned in trade for the frames he built.

The relationship that builds between Pascal and Lisette is a balm for her loss of family, and she grieves him terribly when he passes, promising to protect the valuable paintings that are his legacy. Then the war breaks out, and Andre hides the paintings and joins the battle, leaving Lisette to care for herself the best she can in her remote locale. If you have read COLD MOUNTAIN, you may have some inkling how difficult it would be for a woman of few skills to sustain herself in the absence of a man to tend the house, or protect her, in the midst of a war, and I felt an instant connection to Lisette in this regard. She is resilient, and formidable, despite her young age.

She also turns society on its head, forcing her way into the “men’s world” by visiting the cafe during the aperitif hour to listen to the wireless radio document the war unfolding around her. When the Germans occupy her village, she comes under scrutiny for her knowledge of the artistic treasures–and is accosted for their whereabouts, but she cannot give them up. Andre is gone, and with them the secret of their hiding place.

Through Lisette’s eyes we can experience the secondary effects of war. The suspicions of ones neighbors–who are collaborators? Who are resistance?–and we gain the sense of the sacrifices all civilians made. Lack of basic supplies, staple foods, rationing of everything. Lisette even cuts her hair, sending the clippings to become the insoles of boots for the soldiers, and donates the remainder of Pascal and Andre’s wardrobe for soldiers and refugees.

When the war ends, Lisette knows she can return to Paris, but she stays in the country, fulfilling her promise to Pascal to care for the art–by finding it. Wherever Andre hid it, she must uncover the secret. See, thousands of paintings had been destroyed by the German forces, and those Pascal had—and Andre hid—mark important artistic transitions in French art history. They are valuable not only in themselves, but in the rich history they can document. This is important to Lisette, and becomes a part of her mission, and her way to cope with so much loss in her life. There is a bit of a love story that develops, as well. It is tentative and fragile as the players involved–the war has changed everyone, not just Lisette, and yet this change has brought new poignancy to love, and finding it anew.

For the record, this book was recommended to me by a dear friend–and I’m so glad I found it. I really love to expand my reading, and this this quiet, period tale almost read like a movie script. I could–throughout–feel the chilling winds of the mistral, sense the fear and loneliness of Lisette, not only when Andre left her to go to war, but (spoiler warning) more so when he didn’t return.

This story is as beautiful as the art it describes. I felt transported to southern France through Lisette’s frank point-of-view, and vivid descriptions. In experiencing Lisette and Pascal and even Andre’s love of art and passion for paintings in this book, I really lamented the loss of so much cultural teaching in our schools today. My children will never understand the names of these artists–nor the evocative nature of art–unless I teach them myself, and I am woefully unprepared for such a challenge having spent very little of my own youth learning about art. Still, I feel moved to learn, and share, and to ‘live in a painting,’ as Lisette put on her list of needs and hungers–the list which gave her the courage to go on when’s he disappointments of her life almost crushed her spirit. If you like historical fiction, this book will not disappoint.

Interested? You can find LISETTE’S LIST on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I snatched an advanced review copy off NetGalley.

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About the Author:
From Susan Vreeland, bestselling author of such acclaimed novels as Girl in Hyacinth Blue, Luncheon of the Boating Party, and Clara and Mr. Tiffany, comes a richly imagined story of a woman’s awakening in the south of Vichy France—to the power of art, to the beauty of provincial life, and to love in the midst of war.

Susan Vreeland is an internationally renowned best-selling author and four-time winner of the Theodor Geisel Award for Fiction, the San Diego Book Award’s highest honor. She is known for writing historical fiction on art-related themes, including Girl in Hyacinth Blue, The Passion of Artemisia, Luncheon of the Boating Party, and Clara and Mr. Tiffany. Her books have been translated into 26 languages. She lives in San Diego, California.

You can catch up with Susan online at her website, Goodreads, and Facebook.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

STEALING HIS HEART Wasn’t Easy! Review and Giveaway

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Hi there! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for a sexy contemporary romance from Diane Alberts, STEALING HIS HEART! This is the 2nd book in the Shillings Agency series. I loved TEMPORARILY YOURS, the first book in the series, and jumped at the chance to read the second installment.
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Book Summary:
A sexy category romance from Entangled publishing’s Brazen imprint…
Shillings Agency employee Jake Forsythe is not happy to discover that the thief who he has to track down is none other than his ex-partner from his past. Now he’s forced to blackmail her into submission…or throw her in jail.

Tara Harris steals from the rich and corrupted, returning objects to their rightful owners one case at a time. When Jake shows up in her life, at first, she’s thrilled. But then when she finds out that she has to help the man she stole from or go to jail…it’s the choice between two evils.

These two can’t deny the burning passion between them, but when push comes to shove, they’ll have to lay their hearts and their lives on the line.

My Review:
Tara is the modern day catburglar equivalent of Robin Hood–she “recovers” stolen possessions, returning them to their rightful owners, for a fee. Her latest mission, however, goes astray when she’s apprehended at the scene by a private security agent–Jake Forsythe. Tara and Jake have history–they were childhood sweethearts/theft partners–at least until Jake left her unfulfilled on his last night before reporting to basic training. Since then, Tara’s been on her own, and doing quite well.

Jake is a shell of a man. Wounded in battle, and scorned by his fiance, he’s sure no woman will ever feel for him again–so he won’t allow anyone close. Especially not Tara. She had gotten in before, and he’s never quite forgotten her, but he won’t let his attraction get in the way of his job. He has to figure out how she was able to get past his security protocol to steal a precious vase, and if she doesn’t? Prison.

Thing is, neither Jake nor Tara can deal with this reunion. Tara hasn’t had a steady lover in all the years Jake’s been gone, and Jake hasn’t been with a woman in more than a year. The passion they ignite is both fiery and familiar, with Tara’s shenanigans thawing the ice in Jake’s heart until all he can imagine is the life he could have had, should have had, if only he wasn’t battle worn and scarred.

But, Tara is strong, stalwart and crafty. She knows Jake will turn her in if she doesn’t comply–and yet she doesn’t hold back on her affection. She won’t give up her secrets, but she’s not going away without getting what she also wants: to see Jake laugh with abandon before she’s rotting in a jail cell.

I really loved Tara. She was funny, and fearless. Her heart was so open and she held her convictions so tight–there was no way she was sharing any secrets that would benefit a gangster, even if he was Jake’s client. Jake, too, was stubborn, unwilling to send Tara to jail, but caught in the need to do his job–even after recognizing his client was a bad dude.

I had a hard time warming to Jake. At points he was really intriguing, but his control freak nature was…too much, perhaps. I found him much more interesting once Tara started breaking through his walls. Partly, at fault was Tara’s innate stubbornness; Jake knew that he’d never get Tara to reveal her thieving secrets and had to really push to make her give it up–even if it totally pushed her away–knowing it was the only way to save her.

I appreciated having some input from Cooper Shillings, of TEMPORARILY YOURS, in here. His sound advice helped put these two double-crossed lovers back on collision course. Some nice smexytimes, and a solid, if darker, romance in the series.

Interested? You can find STEALING HIS HEART on Amazon and B&N.

****GIVEAWAY****
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
one copy of TEMPORARILY YOURS and a $20 gift card
a Rafflecopter giveaway

DianeAAbout the Author:

Diane Alberts is a multi-published, bestselling contemporary romance author with Entangled Publishing. She also writes New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling new adult books under the name Jen McLaughlin. She’s hit the Top 100 lists on Amazon and Barnes and Noble numerous times with numerous titles. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. Diane is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Diane has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author. Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many fantastic stories that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Catch up with Diane on her website, Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

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They Were BOUND FOR TROUBLE–A Review

Hi there! I was looking through some of my new purchases, and realized I never got around to blogging EM Lynley‘s newest release! Silly me! BOUND FOR TROUBLE is a contemporary M/M BDSM romance featuring a sexy FBI agent and a former male stripper on the hunt for a drug dealer and a ruthless killer.

20140826-103334.jpgAbout the book:
Daniel “Deke” Kane is a broken man, facing the end of his career in the FBI. He’s on desk duty after a botched drug raid left the suspects and two children dead. He’s got one chance to prove himself, or the only thing he’ll be investigating is the Help Wanted ads.

Ryan Griffiths has been on the run for ten years. Forced onto the streets when his father kicked him out, Ryan earns his living in other men’s beds. Finding his john dead in a hotel room drives him under the radar until a favorite client gives him a chance at a safe, clean life. But Ryan’s relatively stable new world shatters when Deke Kane catches up with him.

When Deke’s tasked to take down a drug dealer with terrorist ties and a taste for the dark side of BDSM, his only chance to get close is the suspect’s interest in Ryan, and he convinces Ryan to become a confidential informant. In return, Deke offers Ryan immunity from his past. As Ryan falls under the drug lord’s domination, Deke finds himself falling for Ryan.

My review:
Deke is an FBI agent returning to duty after a horrific resolution to his last big case 4 months prior. He knows this case–tracking a Russian gun-runner–is his last chance to prove himself, and may be his only opportunity to salvage his career. Noting that his mark, Petrov, favors sexy men, Deke recruits Ryan, a former stripper/sex worker to infiltrate Petrov’s circle.

Ryan wants to help–he knows that Petrov’s hitman killed his friend–so he gets hired at a BDSM club Petrov favors and shakes his “thang” (in all senses of the word) in order to get noticed. This has all the right effects, including turning on our stalwart Deke, who is gay but not outright “open” about it. Ryan suspects Deke’s sexual preference, and is thrilled to learn Deke is aroused by him.

There begins the cat-and-mouse game of Ryan gleaning intelligence, being a bedable sub and a bane to Deke’s strained professionalism. There is a whole lot of sexual tension, and the plot moves along quickly. Petrov’s Dom behavior is exceptional, so much so that Ryan falls hard–and had to decide between turning in his passionate Dom or helping his intriguing FBI protector/contact.

The book is told in alternating point of view, which I love. Both Deke and Ryan struggle with their attraction–Deke because he doesn’t want to take advantage of his informant, and Ryan because he can’t believe that a professional law-man could overlook his sordid history. When a sub is murdered, however, Ryan realizes he’s too close to the fire. Thus begins a climax that takes out far more than a gun-runner.

I really enjoyed this! One tiny niggle I had was the very end–I wondered if Deke could have been so impetuous….otherwise, LOVED. A quality BDSM M/M romance, with scenes that steamed and a plot that raced as fast as my heart.

Interested? You can find BOUND FOR TROUBLE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes &Noble and Dreamspinner Press.

About the Author:
EM Lynley writes gay erotic romance. She loves books where the hero gets the guy and the loving is 11 on a scale of 10. Her Precious Gems series is best described as “Indiana Jones meets Romancing the Stone”—only gayer. The Delectable series is Gay Romance with Taste.

A Rainbow Award winner and EPPIE finalist, EM has worked in high finance, high tech, and in the wine industry, though she’d rather be writing hot, romantic man-on-man action. She spent 10 years as an economist and financial analyst, including a year as a White House Staff Economist, but only because all the intern positions were filled. Tired of boring herself and others with dry business reports and articles, her creative muse is back and naughtier than ever. She has lived and worked in London, Tokyo and Washington, D.C., but the San Francisco Bay Area is home for now.

She is the author of Sex, Lies & Wedding Bells, the Precious Gems series from Dreamspinner Press, and the Rewriting History series starring a sexy jewel thief, among others. Her books are available in print and e-book from Amazon & other book distributors.

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

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Happy Book Birthday to STEALING HIS HEART! And GIVEAWAY

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Today is the release of the newest Brazen title by Diane Alberts, STEALING HIS HEART! This is the 2nd book in the Shillings Agency series. Be sure to check out the contest below and enter to win a signed paperback of the first book in the series.

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Book Summary:

A sexy category romance from Entangled publishing’s Brazen imprint…

Shillings Agency employee Jake Forsythe is not happy to discover that the thief who he has to track down is none other than his ex-partner from his past. Now he’s forced to blackmail her into submission…or throw her in jail.

Tara Harris steals from the rich and corrupted, returning objects to their rightful owners one case at a time. When Jake shows up in her life, at first, she’s thrilled. But then when she finds out that she has to help the man she stole from or go to jail…it’s the choice between two evils.

These two can’t deny the burning passion between them, but when push comes to shove, they’ll have to lay their hearts and their lives on the line.

Interested? You can find STEALING HIS HEART on
Amazon and B&N.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
one copy of TEMPORARILY YOURS and a $20 gift card
a Rafflecopter giveaway

DianeAAbout the Author:

Diane Alberts is a multi-published, bestselling contemporary romance author with Entangled Publishing. She also writes New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling new adult books under the name Jen McLaughlin. She’s hit the Top 100 lists on Amazon and Barnes and Noble numerous times with numerous titles. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. Diane is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Diane has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author. Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and a cat. Her goal is to write so many fantastic stories that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Catch up with Diane on her website, Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

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He learns How to DOUBLE UP–A Review

Hi all! Today’s book is a contemporary M/M romance perfect for summer. Why? Because it takes place in sunny Florida and features wakeboarders. Oh, and I have to feature fellow “V” authors whenever possible…

Now, I’ll be perfectly honest here, I know zero about wakeboarding, but I still really enjoyed DOUBLE UP by Vanessa North. It’s quick read with a compelling lead character and a tender romance.

Double UpAbout the book:
Knowing he’s loved can make any man fly.

Fifteen years ago, Ben Warren was a wakeboarding champion: king of big air, ballsy tricks, and boned grabs. Until a career-ending injury left him broken in ways he still has no hope of fixing. Now he takes his thrills where he can get them, and tries not to let life hurt too much.

Then Davis Fox arrives in Ben’s sporting goods store with a plan to get in touch with his estranged brother by competing in the annual wakeboarding double-up contest. The catch? He’s never ridden before. It’s crazy, but Ben’s a sucker for the guy’s sob story—and for his dimples, too—so he agrees to coach Davis.

Davis is everything Ben isn’t: successful, confident, and in love with life. And he wants Ben to love life—and him—too. But before Ben can embrace a future with Davis, he needs to remember how to hope.

My Review:

First off, I’m going to say I read this book in nearly one evening. I got sucked into the voice of the book and had to let up in the wee hours before work. Ben is a fun narrator. He’s a 40 y/o “washed up” wakeboarding pro who now runs a surf shop in his hometown of Lake Lovelace, FLA. I say he’s washed up, mostly because that’s how Ben talks about himself. He had a serious accident in his last competition busting a bunch of lumbar vertebrae. Frankly, it’s a miracle that he’s walking, let alone giving private lessons.

Still, Ben suffers addiction issues–booze and prescription painkillers. He’s been sober the past 8 years, but he hasn’t gone back for his last corrective surgery too afraid that the post-op medicine will draw him into a pill-popping abyss.

One day a delicious specimen of man arrives in the surf shop–needing lessons. Well, Ben isn’t gonna turn down the money. Especially not when he recognizes Davis as being gay, too. See, Davis has been forbidden contact with his teenaged half-brother, Ridley, because his stepfather is homophobic.  While Ben attempts to teach Davis the basic skills of wakeboarding the heat builds between them. Out together socially, the connection is stronger than Ben has previously had–he’s mostly a hook-up type of guy.

This is perfect for Davis, the connection, that is. He’s a ‘One Man’ kinda guy, and their courtship has such a foreign dynamic for Ben–Davis is bossy and tender and flexible–that it completely unsettles him in the best way. For the first time he’s in a relationship. At least, until Davis finds out Ben’s hiding his back injury. Davis can’t really deal with Ben being one bad landing away from paralysis–but this isn’t why he pushes Ben away.

Fear not, however. Ben learns to face his biggest fears, and in the process reconnects Davis and Ridley in a way that makes estrangement impossible.

The writing is fun and the characters are flamboyant. Ben’s boss/bedbuddy/childhood BFF, Eddie, is a total hoot. Ben doesn’t take himself seriously, but he’s serious about Davis. The connection might have been a touch too quick to develop, but it was handled well. Smexytimes were well-written and steamy. In short, a quality summer read.

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

Vanessa NorthAbout the Author:

Author of over a dozen novels, novellas, and short stories, Vanessa North delights in giving happy-ever-afters to characters who don’t think they deserve them. Relentless curiosity led her to take up knitting and run a few marathons “just to see if she could.” She started writing for the same reason. Her very patient husband pretends not to notice when her hobbies take over the house. Living and writing in Northwest Georgia, she finds her attempts to keep a quiet home are frequently thwarted by twin boy-children and a very, very large dog.

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

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

He Falls for LEATHER AND LACE–A Review

Hi there! Today’s book is a contemporary romance from Jessie Evans. LEATHER AND LACE is a fun Texas romance, without all the cowboy stuff…(unless you like the cowboy stuff in which case, it’s not VERY cowboy-ie, but there’s a sorta cowboy in it…)

Leather and Lace
About the book:
Cowboy bikers, fireworks, and romance, oh my…

Wild girl, Mia Sherman, has a secret—she isn’t as fearless as she pretends. Descended from Lonesome Point, Texas’s founding family, Mia grew up hearing tales of an old Irish curse that had followed the Shermans to America. At age twenty-four, Mia is still terrified of the stories, because they aren’t stories. They are a warning about what will happen if Mia allows love and romance into her life. The curse struck Mia’s grandmother and her great-great-whatever grandmother, and Mia knows she could be next. The first-born daughter of every generation is cursed to lose her husband on her wedding night, which is one of the many reasons Mia has sworn off relationships.

Until the fateful day Sawyer Kane rides his Harley into her life …

Rancher turned restoration expert, Sawyer Kane, can’t believe his luck when the feisty owner of the lingerie shop next to his hotel turns out to be the curator of his latest project, a ghost town he’s been sent to restore. He’s looking forward to long, hot days talking history, and hotter nights with Mia, but the redhead with the killer smile seems determined to keep him at a friendly distance. But when a dangerous man from Mia’s past arrives in town, Sawyer finds himself drawn into her inner circle, and into the legend of Lonesome Point itself.

Can true love conquer all, even a centuries-old curse? Mia and Sawyer may be the first couple to find out.

My Review:
Mia is a strong, educated businesswoman with a horrible ex—-so horrible he’s in jail. Paul haunts Mia’s nightmares, but he’s back in LA and she’s in Lonesome Point, Texas living near her family and friends. Mia’s a bit of a prankster, and she topples into Sawyer mid-prank, very early one Saturday morning. Like 2:30am, after having far too many shots of whiskey.

Sawyer isn’t looking for romance in Lonesome Point. He’s there to bid on the restoration of the nearby ghost town, but he’s more than happy to oblige the rambunctious redhead who stole his breath, okay knocked him breathless, in the street. Yeah, that Mia’s got spirit. Or, was filled with spirit… In either case, he’s intrigued enough to pursue her.

Mia turns Sawyer away for two reasons: she’s still scared of intimacy after Paul’s abusive ways, and she’s sure the firstborn women of her family are cursed to lose their husbands on their wedding night. It seems a crazy curse, but Mia’s granny swears by it. She should know–her hubby died that way, too.

It’s a fun, but not long, pursuit. All of Mia’s friends encourage her to leap–and Sawyer assures her everything will be casual. That’s before he gets her between the sheets however. Then it’s all Floodgates of the Past Confession Central and they spend a whole lotta time confiding in each other–excepting about Paul, he’s a taboo topic. Well, he’s taboo until he breaks parole.

Can Mia survive Paul’s love? Can she give her heart to Sawyer, believing a curse might steal him away when they should be at their happiest?

It’s a fun read with some interesting twists. I rather knew where the story was headed, but that’s likely equal parts good foreshadowing and attentive audience. The V-card issue was, perhaps, unnecessary. Lots of talk of unwedded parenthood, with the culture-clash in tiny Lonesome Point teetering on the disapproving side. For me, it seemed “meh.” I have no qualms about unwed parents. I do have trouble with deadbeat fathers–and this story seemed a bit littered with them.

I’m glad Mia found the courage to love. I’m not glad that she kicked Sawyer aside out of fear. Or that she takes too much on herself. Made her seem a touch, um, naive, for me. That said, this is breezy read with a cool setting, fun characters and well-written smexytimes. I enjoyed it.

Interested? You can find LEATHER AND LACE on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I received a review copy from the author in exchange for my honest review.

About the author:
Jessie Evans gave up a career as an international woman of mystery to write the sassy, Southern romances she always wanted to read.

She’s married to the man of her dreams, and together they’re raising a few adorable, mischievous children in a tree house in the boonies. She grew up in rural Arkansas, spending summers running wild, being chewed by chiggers, and now appreciates her home in a chigger-free part of the world even more.

When she’s not writing, Jessie enjoys playing her dulcimer (badly), sewing the worlds ugliest quilts to give to her friends, going for bike rides with her house full of boys, and wandering the woods, glass of wine and camera both in hand, on the lookout for Bigfoot.

A southern girl, born and bred, Jessie loves writing Southern romances with just the right amount of sizzle, and hopes you’ll enjoy her stories set in the fictional town of Summerville, Georgia. Especially the “Always a Bridesmaid” series!

You can catch up with Jessie online on Goodreads, her website, and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Voyeurism Rules! A Review of MY WIFE, THE SEDUCTRESS

Hi all! I’m prepping to pack my kids off to school, so this week’s reading has been spotty, at best. However, I ran across an interesting erotica FREEBIE recently–and it kinda stuck with me. Max Sebastian’s MY WIFE, THE SEDUCTRESS is voyeurism at it’s finest.

My Wife, The SeductressAbout the book:

Joshua Shaw is amused at his wife’s clear attraction to the boy she used to babysit as a teenager, now that he’s all grown up. Robert Donovan has turned into a fine figure of a man going into his sophomore year at college, and he’s even on track to make the football team. No wonder he gets Tessa all hot under the collar.

Feeling the urge to tease her about her little crush, Josh invites him over for some regular summer work at their house.

But teasing soon gives way to a surprising fantasy for them both — of Tessa seducing the younger, athletic college stud while her husband is away at work. In the heat of the summer, with Tessa contending with her new status as a stay-at-home mom, a husband’s quiet encouragement might just drive his insatiable wife into the arms of another man.

My Review:
I really wasn’t sure if I would like this one. The “skeevy potential” seemed inordinately high. I mean, a married man getting excited about the prospect of his wife seducing another man? Hmmm….

Anywho, I thought, V, it’s free! If it stinks, you don’t even have to return it… But what I found is, I actually liked it!

Here’s why:
Josh and Tessa felt real. I’ve been a new/young mother. It’s hard to separate that motherhoodness–for both husband and wife. Caring for a baby saps strength and tests bonds, mainly because one partner, or both, feels unfulfilled.

Tessa’s clearly having some pangs about giving up her job to raise a baby–and Josh is working longer hours to compensate for lost pay. Their love life is okay–not feeling stale exactly, but a chance encounter–Tessa meets (of all people) the grown version of a boy she used to babysit, Robert, and it sparks something in her. Josh is blown away watching their bashful reunion. Tessa is one step shy of twirling her hair around a finger, while Robert’s glowing puppy-dog eyes don’t even try to hide his attraction. For the first time in, perhaps, years Josh sees Tessa as a vibrant sexual creature, not just his bedmate/wife/mother of his child.

The story is told from Josh’s point-of-view, so we have a front row seat on his voyeuristic journey. Not only does he grant Tessa a “hall pass” he arranges for Robert to come to their home regularly, to do fixer-upper projects over the duration of Robert’s summer break before going back to college. (FYI–Robert’s 20 and a strapping football player, so this isn’t a pedophilia case) In fact, Josh actively encourages Tessa to flirt with Robert all day long, with extremely spicy results. Tessa practically attacks Josh when he returns home from work, having suffered extreme sexual desire all day while doting on the attractive young Robert.

Okay, this is erotica, so, it’s NOT safe for the kiddos. In truth, I’m not sure it was safe for ME! I know there’s a buried part of the Hubs’s reptile brain that gets off on other men complimenting me, finding me attractive. Well, Josh takes that to the 18th Level. His voyeuristic cravings lead Tessa to acting out some of Josh’s very kinky fantasies creating a combustible passion for Tessa, Josh and Robert. Passion that is handled swiftly, and often. And repeatedly, and….

It’s a fun perspective in erotica. First, it’s male POV. Second, it’s a committed couple exploring all new parts of their relationship. Third, it’s hot, but not sloppy. A lot of the sex happens at one remove–Josh watching through a window or via FaceTime, or even simply hearing about it later. Fourth, it’s different–no Alpha males, no BDSM, no meet-cutes or brooding, damaged leads–just a normal couple who spice up their sex life in an unconventional way. Tessa and Josh never stop exploring this new outlet, or each other. The bitterness and jealousy Josh expected to experience is overshadowed by his ravenous hunger for more of Tessa, especially after she’s been active with Robert. So, if you read erotica, this is worth a try.

Interested? Sadly, this title is no longer free, but you can find MY WIFE THE SEDUCTRESS on Goodreads and Amazon.

About the Author:
Max Sebastian is a thirty-something writer, author and occasional journalist who lives in London with his wife and child. He has been writing erotica for more than 10 years.

Breaking into the world of indie publishing in late 2011, his first full length erotic novel Anarchy of the Heart arrived in 2012, and the second, Submitting to Her, came a year later. His latest effort is a trilogy of novels, The Madeleine Trilogy, published by KW Publishing.

Max’s writing explores various erotic sub-genres, from sweet coming-of-age stories to spicy tales of wife-sharing and power play, and is often characterized by sexy, intelligent and empowered females and strong, responsive men who can help them find their happy ever after.

You can connect with Max on Goodreads, his website and twitter.

Don’t forget to follow me on twitter or Facebook to find FREE reads, like I do…

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends.