adult contemporary

Get With THE PLAN–Review and Giveaway

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

ThePlan_coverDay of Employment: 359

11:05 a.m.

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

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

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

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

It is a goal. Emma has a plan.

My Review:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About the Author

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

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

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

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

***GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win one of
(5) Print Copies of The Plan – International
(5) eBook copies of The Plan – International
or  (1) Omnific Publishing Gift Cards – choose an Omnific title of your choice – International
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Good luck, and keep reading my friends!

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More Than TEMPORARILY YOURS–Review and Giveaway!

TY_BlogTourBanner copyHi there and welcome to my stop on the TEMPORARILY YOURS blog tour organized by Inkslinger Tours. For more information on the tour click here. Today’s book is a steamy contemporary romance from best-selling author Diane Alberts.

TY_500BOOK SUMMARY:
This soldier’s the perfect hoax…if she doesn’t fall for him first.

Stats whiz Kayla Moriarity knows her way around numbers and algorithms. Men, on the other hand, are unsolvable equations. Now Kayla’s en route to her sister’s wedding—without the fictional boyfriend she invented for her family. Fortunately, her plane comes complete with complimentary cocktails and a ridiculously hot ex-marine in the seat beside her. And that’s all it takes for Kayla’s inhibitions to go sailing out the airlock…

Cooper Shillings has soft spot for people in trouble, but he certainly wasn’t expecting to land in it himself—and definitely not while getting naughty mid-air with a sexy southern belle. When he hears Kayla’s predicament, however, he offers his services as a stand-in boyfriend. After all, he’s heading overseas soon…and how could he refuse a little no-strings wickedness?

It’s the perfect plan. And all Kayla has to do is ensure her family falls for the ultimate bluff, without falling for it—and Cooper—in the process…

My Review:
I’ve read a bunch of veteran love stories this year–men suffering PTSD coping in bad ways, men adjusting to prosthetic limbs being afraid to commit–and so I wasn’t really sure what I’d get with this book.

I’m SO glad it was fantastic.

Sure, Cooper Shillings has a guilt complex that’s driving him back to the frontline–this time as private security not as a combatant–but he’s setting all his emotional baggage aside for the weekend. This stunning gal he met at the airport is worth a bit more time. Her quirky attitude and knock-out looks draw him in so close he springs for a first-class upgrade just to share a few more hours with her.

Kayla Moriarty is an independent gal. She doesn’t NEED a man, and she’s not willing to settle–but her parents hound her relentlessly to Find. The. Guy. Overwhelmed, she concocts an imaginary boyfriend just to appease them. Heading home for her younger sister’s wedding, Kayla knows she’s got some ‘splaining to do. However…the delicious man seated beside her is offering to be her temporary boyfriend. Hang out and answer all the countless questions Kayla herself would have to field is she shows up stag.

Did I mention they are practically combustible with each other?
Holy cow. Not even sure a C-class fire extinguisher could quell their heat.
The smexytimes are superb. And liberally applied, folks. Bam-chicka-wow-wow!

Of course, neither of them is looking for a commitment. Kayla’s flying back to Maine after the weekend, and Cooper’s leaving for the Middle East a day later. Yet, their fake relationship edges ever closer to the real deal. Getting wrapped up in Cooper is one step Kayla will take–if Cooper lets her.

Cue the dramatic breakup.

Then, cue the leading man stalking Vanna White to buy a freaking clue and realizing he’s not the colossal failure he’d built up in his own mind. And, boy does he face his own fears to win Kayla back.

This breezy book will fill a cold afternoon with hot lovin’ and warm fuzzies. HEA guaranteed.

Interested? You can pick up TEMPORARILY YOURS at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It’s currently on sale for $.99, so skedaddle!

DSC_8100_4x6About Diane Alberts:
Diane Alberts is a multi-published, bestselling contemporary romance author with Entangled Publishing. She also writes New York Times and USA Today bestselling new adult books under the name Jen McLaughlin. ON ONE CONDITION hit #18 on the Barnes and Noble bestseller list, and TRY ME hit #76 on Amazon. CAPTIVATED BY YOU hit #31 on the Barnes and Noble bestseller list. Diane is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency. Her goal is to write so many fantastic stories that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Diane has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author.  Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another. You can find her on her website, twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below to win
a beautiful TEMPORARILY YOURS necklace and a $20 Amazon Gift Card!
(This contest is international.)
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Good luck, and, as always—keep reading my friends!

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Swooning over MR. 365–Review and Giveaway!

Hi there and welcome to the MR. 365 Blog Tour sponsored by AToMR Book Tours. For other stops on the tour click here. Today’s book is a contemporary adult romance from Ruth Clampett–author of a personal fave:  ANIMATE ME.

mr-365-cover-finalBook description
When reality show producer Sophia is assigned to convince Christmas fanatic Will to be on their holiday special, she imagines him to be an oddball momma’s boy wearing a reindeer Christmas sweater. What she doesn’t expect is the handsome, mysterious man who captures her attention, and seems determined to win her heart.

Their attraction is undeniable, and as charming Sophia convinces Will to work with her, she slowly unwraps the secrets in his past that make this determined and soulful man still yearn for the childhood he never had.

When the chaos of production starts, will Sophia be able to keep her promises to protect Will from being exploited, or will the bitter truth of reality television be a runaway train of disaster for both of them?

Join Sophia, Will and his dog Romeo to enter the world of his enchanting holiday house where stars shine indoors and snow is always falling…365 days of the year.

My Review:

Will is a man’s man. He’s big, burly and…decorates his house like it’s Christmas everyday. Of course, he ramps it up for the holidays–much to his neighbors’ chagrin–but his mission is to simply give back. He had a lousy childhood, spent time in juvie and on the streets, but he made it out. Grew up and realized his good fortune is a blessing he should spread around.

Sophia is a film producer new to ‘reality’ TV. Her first big show is to showcase Will and his “Christmas obsession” but she recognizes the emotional frailty that resides within Will and wants to show him in a favorable light–in fact she promises to. He never wanted to do the show and only agrees when Sophia tells him how a positive piece–highlighting Will’s charity work, might ease the heat he gets from his neighbors over his lawn decorations.

And then they fall in love. Sigh. Okay, okay–it’s deep, deep like anyway. It’s adorable how they try to keep their attraction on the down-low, what with the production staff (female and male) swooning over Will! They do try to maintain a professional attitude in front of others. Mostly.

Then the shoot wraps and Will and Sophia are finally able to indulge in their passion for each other. Briefly. Add one Insane Neighbor Vendetta and you got yourselves an old-fashioned front yard brawl, complete with serious injuries, fire department call-outs, and overnight jail stays.

Sophia heads on to her next assignment and the powers that be, well, let’s say their “creative” take on Will’s Christmas house would earn them coal-filled stockings…It’s not going to win over Will’s neighbors, in any case. Sophia can’t bear the part she played in Will’s show–and their budding relationship…well…

*stage whisper* IT’S A ROMANCE, SILLIES! SOMEHOW IT ALL WORKS OUT!

Yes, HEA indeed. And it’s a great ride. The steam is subtle, and the tension is high, and I’d love me a little bit of Mr. 365–if Ms. Clampett has any to spare. Fact is, I love Ruth Clampett’s characters. Will is damaged goods, but achingly vulnerable and entirely loveable. Sophia is career-minded and driven, but she takes time to listen and learn. The book will surely appeal to contemporary romance fans.

About the Author

Ruth Clampett, daughter of legendary animation director, Bob Clampett, has spent a lifetime surrounded by art and animation. A graduate of Art Center College of Design, her careers have included graphic design, photography, VP of Design for WB Stores and teaching photography at UCLA. She now runs her own studio as the fine art publisher for Warner Bros. where she’s had the opportunity to know and work with many of the greatest artists in the world of animation and comics.

Mr. 365 is Ruth’s second novel and is inspired by her varied experiences in the television world from winning big on a game show, to guest hosting on the QVC shopping network, to sharing a studio with a production team that produced early reality television. Her first novel, Animate Me, is a contemporary romance set in the animation world. (Can I mention again how much I loved ANIMATE ME? Because–I so did! V:) ) She lives in Los Angeles and is heavily supervised by her teenage daughter, lovingly referred to as Snarky, who helps her plan and execute their yearly Christmas extravaganza.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

***Giveaway***

One Grand prize consisting of:Mr.365 Grand Prize pic 2

(1)  Signed print copy of Mr. 365,
(1) metal Mr. 365 ornament,
(1) embellished Studio Coffee tumbler,
(1) studio keychain – US Only

Also up for grabs:

(3)  Signed print copies of Mr. 365  – International
(5) eBook copies of Mr. 365 – International

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

Good luck, and as always: Keep reading, my friends!

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Could Love FIX YOU? Review and Giveaway

Fix-You-Banner

Hi there, and welcome to my stop on the FIX YOU blog tour sponsored by AToMR Book Tours. For other stops on the tour click here. Today’s book is an adult contemporary romance from Beck Anderson.

FixYou_CoverBook Description:
When Kelly Reynolds’s husband died, he left her—the awkward, cautious one—to raise their two young boys. She’s pieced herself back together, barely. Now she takes refuge in her routine: running her kids around and running the trails near her Idaho home.

Two years after her husband’s death, a chance encounter on a run brings Andrew into her life. But Andrew is Andy Pettigrew, the Andy Pettigrew, famous actor. Kelly hates risk, and a love affair with Andrew is certainly tempting fate. She doesn’t fit into his Hollywood world. She doesn’t own a pair of Louboutins, and she couldn’t walk five paces in them if she did. Andrew oozes cool. She reeks of dork.

But despite this, they click. It may be inexplicable, but it works. However, it’s also becoming clear that Andrew struggles with the pressures of his fame. Kelly’s hold on a so-called normal life is already tenuous, and as much as she might want to indulge the fantasy, she doesn’t know how either of them is supposed to cope with stalkerazzi and tweet-happy fans with camera phones. She and Andrew both have secrets that seem impossible to keep.

Beck Anderson’s witty, engaging writing yields an emotional tale of love, loss, and all the little things that make up a life. In the end, what is it that really holds us together? Kelly must decide if love can fix two people who might be broken beyond repair.

My Review:

Sometimes we live life; sometimes we just survive it–and Kelly Reynolds is surviving her life. Losing her husband was a nightmare she can’t escape–and her dreams are often tortured by her guilt for moving on–or not moving on enough. See, Kelly was always cautious. Her life has been played by the rules and she figures she lost the game already. Kelly can only pull herself out of bed to take care of her two boys, Hunter and Beau. But even they know she’s dead inside.

Cue the intervention. A quick trip to Indio has Kelly moving. Or, at least running. She’s taking her daily jog when realization strikes: today is the second anniversary of her husband’s death.  Overcome, she nearly collapses in tears and is assisted by a tall stranger. He dashes off so quickly he leaves behind his jacket. Kelly’s attempt to return it opens the next chapter of her life.

The stranger is movie star Andrew Pettigrew, another lonely soul surviving life. Meeting Kelly–a grounded, caring mother–is somewhat of an epiphany for him. He meets her the next day and they chat. Then they go for a run and chat some more. Kelly keeps all of this so down low it’s practically down under–a trait Andrew seems to like. He takes her number in the event he ever stops in Boise.

What do you know. A couple months later he does stop. Pops in unexpectedly. Kelly and her sons put him up for the weekend. A weekend filled with discovery. And a bit of guilt. But mostly there is something Kelly hasn’t felt in good long time: hope.

Their strange romance is kept super-down-under-low in order to foster the image of a fake romance between Andrew and his newest co-star, a Hollywood device that seems to increase ticket sales. It’s nerve-wracking for both Andrew and Kelly bringing along some unexpected baggage–Andrew’s alcoholism.

Though Kelly and Andrew share a strong love, Kelly knows she’s broken, and can’t imagine how she can help Andrew through his disease. She’d kicked her husband out years ago for alcoholism and they’d reconciled shortly before he died. This new facet with Andrew is deja vu of the Worst Kind. But maybe together they can find a way…

This book hit me hard. Maybe it’s because I’ve recently lost my father and an uncle, but a story about moving on after losing a loved one is always going to touch its readers. The romance is so super-down-low we only get Fade To Black scenes–no super steamy interludes, but that’s okay here, I think. Keeping the focus on working through grief and learning to trust in another love is amenable to a quiet love affair. At times I wanted to shake Kelly and give her a Cher-Snap-Out-Of-It smack, but she manages to right the ship and find the best course in time.

Interested? You can find FIX YOU at Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

beck anderson press releaseAbout this author:
Beck Anderson believes in the power of perfectly imperfect women and in the healing power of love. Her new novel, Fix You, grew out of those beliefs and the time to write afforded by the worst Thanksgiving blizzard she’s ever witnessed in West Yellowstone.

For Beck, the path to published novelist has taken lots of twists and turns, including a degree in anthropology, a stint as a ticket seller at a ski resort, a much-loved career as a high school English teacher, and a long tenure as a member of the best writing group ever, hands down.

Beck balances (clumsily at best) writing novels and screenplays, working full-time as an educator, mothering two pre-teen males, loving one post-40 husband, and making time to walk the foothills of Boise, Idaho, with Stefano DiMera Delfino Anderson, the suavest Chihuahua north of the border. You can find Beck on her website, Facebook and twitter.

****GIVEAWAY****
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance at winning
(7) eBook copies of Fix You provided by Omnific Publishing – International
(1) $25 USD Gift Card to Omnific Publishing (to purchase any of their titles) – International
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Make an EXCEPTION–Blog Tour and Giveaway!

Exception-Banner

Hi there and welcome to my stop on the EXCEPTION blog tour organized by AToMR Book Tours. For other stops on the tour click here. Today’s Adult Contemporary romance is a new work by Patty Maximini.

Exception CoverBook Description:

When all hope for moving on from a life filled with pain was gone, Emily Watson closed herself off to the world, packed her bags, and moved across the country in search of a new life. What she found was a career she adored and friends whom she loved. It wasn’t a full and complete life, but it was definitely better than what she knew before.

When all hope for being loved and accepted for who he was instead of what he had was gone, Taylor Carter decided that trusting people outside of his family wasn’t really smart and would only lead to disappointment. With his world turned upside down, his life became about his work, and every new relationship was meaningless and superficial. He was safe, and definitely content, but never truly happy.

When all hope for staying awake during a long day was gone, Emily and Taylor found themselves at the same coffee cart. Little did they know then that the worst coffee they’d ever drank would forever change their lives.

When hopeless people are blinded by an endless pain. When contentment and safety feels like the best option, and love seems impossible, they may just find an EXCEPTION.

My Review:
I can appreciate the emotional baggage these two characters bring to the table. Emily has PTSD following years of physical and emotional abuse. She’s reluctant to let people close, but knows she needs to find support where she can. In her case, it’s platonic friendships with her gay neighbor Zack and his best friend, a marriage-averse engaged gal named Jody. Together they are a great trio. All that Emily requires, but somehow a chance encounter brings Taylor into her sphere–and the gravity is too much to bear.

Taylor’s been burned by a gold digger–and doesn’t want to let anyone close as a result. But Emily’s kind nature and unassuming charm captivate him. His need to protect her from all harm surpasses his own resolution to keep women away. It’s easier as Emily only desires his friendship.

Through months of closeness and connection, it’s clear that a romance is brewing. Zack and Jody are overjoyed to see the love grow, but hesitate to point it out–afraid Emily will pull away from the one man who seems to fill all her empty spaces. More fits than starts keeps the relationship from progression…though the bond between Emily and Taylor tightens deliciously.

The dramatic curveball at the end only solidifies the connection between Taylor and Emily. That each of them would sacrifice life for the other’s safety is the true measure of their bond.

The romance builds slowly, and at times the pacing of the novel seemed too slow. I am always a little impatient for the HEA, so a slow-burning romance is murder on me. (It’s the prefect book for my sis, who loves to get into a character’s head and stay there forever…) Also, I tend to struggle with novels where the point of view shifts from character to character rapidly–head-hopping, as it is called, which is how this story is told. Nonetheless, it’s a heartwarming story of two brokenhearted souls finding the one person they needed, but were too afraid to hope they’d find. Smexy factor: Warm and satisfied, not slippery and graphic.

Interested?  You can find EXCEPTION at Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Kobo.

What Patty Says for Herself:

I’m Patty, and words have always been a passion of mine. I’ve always loved to read them, write them and learn them in other languages. Last year, I’ve decided to take that passion and turn it into a book, the result was Exception, my very first novel.

Whenever I’m not sitting behind my computer, I’m either enjoying the company of my dear hubby, Alex, and our four four-legged babies or reading. I’m a firm believer in long hand written letters, love of any kind and good stories.You can find me on my blog, Facebook or twitter.

****GIVEAWAY****
Giveaway: 1 – $15 Amazon Gift Card,  5-Exception ebooks
Click the Rafflecopter link to enter.
Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and, as always, keep reading my friends!

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JUST ONCE? Not a chance! Review and Giveaway

Just-Once-Tour-Banner

Hi there! Welcome to my stop on the JUST ONCE blog tour organized by AToMR Book Tours. If you want to check out other stops on the tour, click here. JUST ONCE is an adult contemporary romance from debut author Julianna Keyes newly released by Omnific Publishing.

 JustOnce_cover_revBook Description:
Kate Burke is done making bad decisions. Thirty years old and belatedly determined to grow up, the successful travel writer and one-time party girl returns to work at the remote Ponderosa Pines Ranch to reassess her life.

Although her kitchen/cabin staff is lacking and the workload never relents, Kate’s main challenge is Shane Maddox, the ruggedly handsome and doggedly stubborn ranch foreman. Instantly at odds, they battle over everything from ceiling fans to bothersome bats—studiously ignoring the sparks they generate with each confrontation.

They can’t explain their explosive physical chemistry, but after a few frustrated weeks they can’t deny it either. Their solution? Just once. They’ll get past their inconvenient lust and move on.

Kate’s been trying to think with her head instead of her hormones, but is this just another bad decision in a lifetime of careless choices? Has she really changed at all?

Set in the striking and serene hills of southern Colorado, Julianna Keyes’ debut novel offers a sizzling and satisfying tale of unexpected chemistry and the power of second chances. Her characters will get under your skin and into your heart. Just once may not be enough for you either.

My Review:
This isn’t your typical downtrodden rich girl story. Kate’s always had it all, true, but after a brutal attack she finds her vapid life unsatisfying. Instead of being the globetrotter/writer she’s taken a managers job at Ponderosa Pines, the dude ranch she worked as a teen, believing spending three months in the same place will help her regain her lost bearings.

Quickly Kate’s high cleaning standards ruffles the unruly teenaged staff–who desert–and she’s agitated the ranch manager, the burly Shane Maddox. He’s not her type–too burly, too demanding–but she’s undeniably attracted. Not that she’s going to act on it. Risky, reckless, Eight-Shot Kate is a girl of the past. From now on, Kate’s the model of responsibility…

Sort of.

Seems Shane shares Kate’s attraction–even though she isn’t his type either. And he willing to trade one afternoon of passion to scratch that sexy itch.

Raowr!! That’s an offer Kate can’t refuse. Of course, one time isn’t enough, but keeping their trysts on the down-low is important, and besides, they’re just going to keep it casual, right? No strings.

Oh how I love when the best laid plans of bed buddies go HEA!

Shane is swoonworthy supreme, and Kate’s smart, sassy and strong-hearted. I adore them both, and this vanilla-tale is steamy enough to make Christian Grey sweat.

Interested? You can grab JUST ONCE at Goodreads or Amazon.

About the Author
Julianna Keyes is a Canadian writer who has lived on both coasts and several places in between. She’s been skydiving, bungee jumping, and white water rafting, but nothing thrills—or terrifies—her as much as the blank page. She has volunteered in Zambia, taught English in China, and dreams of seeing pink dolphins in the Amazon. This is her first book. Check her out on Twitter.

****GIVEAWAY****

Juliana and Omnific Publishing are giving away 5 ebooks, 1 Print Copy, 1 Swag Pack.

Click here for your chance to win!

And, as always, keep reading my friends!

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Sleepless night? TELL ME About it!

imageDamn you, Olivia Cunning!
I’m a working mother. I gotta be at work by 7am every morning come hell or crying children.
And, yet, I gave away my sleep for Gabe and Melanie. Again.
I am such a sucker.
But, I got a smile on my face.
In fact, I’m feeling bulletproof right now–and that’s not tequila talking. That’s the delicious afterglow of a great read, my friends.
Here’s what happened: the email came in that my pre-order of TELL ME had arrived at 2:37 am. I sparked up my iPad and boy howdy, I had me a piece of fantastic fiction to keep me solidly awake until my alarm, had I bothered to set one, would have blared.
Oh, wait…that’s what happened to me.
Here’s what happened in the story: Gabe and Melanie met way back when in TRY ME, which I reviewed in a week-long Sole Regret lovefest. In their world, it’s five days later and Gabe can’t wait another night to have Mel in his bed. Or the shower. Or wherever he doesn’t have to just phone-sex-her-up. He convinces her to join him a night early so they can have three nights together. Mel’s on board—the plane—when her bestie Nikki shows up even though she’s been completely disinvited from this rendezvous. Melanie’s pissed, but she can’t tell Nikki no—not while she’s in the plane, anyhow.
Still, the heat sizzles between Gabe and Mel. So much so that they practically meld with each other. They leave Nikki to enjoy Gabe’s empty suite in New Orleans while they visit his ranch in Austin for the weekend. Mel loves everything about her kinky drummer—his passion, his house, his dogs—even his parents who pop in unexpectedly.
Just when things really start to get emotional, Nikki calls for yet another rescue. And Gabe’s left in the cold. Quite literally. I nearly tossed my iPad (but I forged on!) and WOW. I’m over the moon—at daybreak, Ms. Cunning.
Some favors, if I may?
Write faster?
Or, maybe, get Amazon to release your preorders at a more human hour?
I’m desperate for TEASE ME, so if you could release it…soon?
Pretty please, with Owen on top?
Thanks. You’re a peach, dear.
You want a sleepless night, too?  TELL ME is live on AMAZON and B&N… Probably other places, but I’m too tired to track them down just now…