Contemporary Romance

Dealing With AN INFATUATION–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m reviewing Joe Cosentino’s newly released contemporary M/M romance novella AN INFATUATION. This was a quick, humorous read, but don’t let that give you the impression that it’s fluff. Within the pages you have homophobia, abuse, love, finding one’s true self, losing a first love, naked temptation and steadfastness.

An InfatuationAbout the book:

With his ten-year high school reunion approaching, Harold wonders whether Mario will be as muscular, sexy, and tantalizing as he remembers. As a teenager, it was love at first sight for Harold while tutoring football star Mario, until homophobia and bullying drove Mario deep into the closet.

Now they’re both married men. Mario, a model, is miserable with his producer wife, while Harold, a teacher, is perfectly content with his businessman husband, Stuart.

When the two meet again, will the old flame reignite, setting Harold’s comfortable life ablaze? How can Harold be happy with Stuart when he is still infatuated with his Adonis, his first love, Mario? Harold faces this seemingly impossible situation with inimitable wit, tenderness, and humor as he attempts to reconcile the past and the future.

My Review:

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This review may contain some *mild* spoilers.

4.5 stars for this non-traditional M/M romance.

Lots of people rail about 3rd person over 1st person narratives. Well this is 1st person, which is my personal preference. But not only is the POV close, it’s actually interactive with the reader, obliterating the fourth wall. This has worked for me with other books, and it worked for me here. It is told entirely as if the MC, Harold, if recounting his tale of enchantment and woe for my personal benefit. I dug that.

And here’s why:
*Insert wavy lines/turn on the Way-Back machine*
*travel 20 years into the past*
Harold High is the typical teenage nerd, who is also gay. His sexuality isn’t readily apparent, but his status is low enough that he’s a bully target. He is assigned as a chemistry lab partner for Mario Ginneti, Adonis and football captain. Harold does so well helping Mario with chemistry, that Mario asks Harold to tutor him in…everything, including completing his college applications. Harold is more than happy to do so, as he’s fully-gaga over Mario.

The more time Harold and Mario spend, the closer they become. Mario allows Harold to see the vulnerable side of him. Mario is beautiful, but hates himself. His alcoholic father is abusive and his mother is neglectful. His nonna is the only one who show him any care or love. Except Harold.

There are some explorations, always ending with Mario mortified and Harold emotionally shattered. Mario knows how Harold feels, and he seems to reciprocate, but he can’t let himself be G. A. Y. He dates the cheerleading captain and gets into Yale and he and Harold are no longer in contact by graduation.

*Return to Way Back*
*the 10 year high school reunion looms*
Harold is excited to see Mario. Harold’s life has gone picture book well. He has a rewarding career and a loving husband. He’s been candid about his childhood feelings for Mario and Stuart, his husband, is anxious to meet The Legend. Mario’s life hasn’t gone the happy route. He is deeply unsatisfied and still desires Harold.

There is a point where Mario and Harold are alone and things could go bad (or good dependent upon one feels about infidelity) and I think the resolution of this infatuation is honest and reasonable.

This book is less a romance, and more a come-to-Jesus. It is about first love and faith and fidelity and finding one’s real self. It is mostly told in flashback with brisk pacing so there isn’t a ton of backstory bogging the pace. Harold is a lovely narrator, who is (at times) a bit teen-spastic. He’s also very glib, and the humor comes off less snarky because he’s so genuinely nice.

I loved Stuart, he’s super brave and generous. In high school, Mario is timid about his questioning sexuality, but kind to Harold. He protects him and befriends him. As an adult, his greatest regret is not openly loving Harold. I did feel sorry for his choices, and didn’t hate him for continuing to make poor ones. Understanding the deeper connections between these men–Harold and Mario–yielded a tender story. Do not expect any heat. This story is all about feels.

The end was unexpected, a bit sad, yet emotionally satisfying.

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

About the Author:

Joe Cosentino is the author of AN INFATUATION (Dreamspinner Press), PAPER DOLL Jana Lane mystery 1 (Whiskey Creek Press), DRAMA QUEEN Nicky and Noah mystery 1 (Lethe Press–releasing this summer), A SHOOTING STAR (Dreamspinner Press–releasing this September), A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (Dreamspinner Press–releasing this December), PORCELAIN DOLL Jana Lane mystery 2 (Whiskey Creek Press), DRAMA MUSCLE Nicky and Noah mystery 2 (Lethe Press), and THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING (Eldridge Plays and Musicals).

He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. His one-act plays, INFATUATION and NEIGHBOR, were performed in New York City. He wrote “The Perils of Pauline,” available on CDROM (through Prentice Hall Publishers). Joe received his MFA from Goddard College in Vermont, and MA from SUNY New Paltz. He is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York.

You can find Joe online on Facebook, twitter and his website.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Love…ONCE UPON A DARE–Review & Giveaway

Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for a hot new contemporary romance from Jennifer Bonds. ONCE UPON A DARE is a fun and sexy novel about letting go and wising up. Don’t forget to click down to enter the $250 gift card giveaway!

Once Upon a DareAbout the book:
The first night was a dare. The second night was trouble…

Advertising guru Olivia Masterson is all work and no play. But on the eve of earning her dream promotion, her best friend dares her to drop her ice queen façade for one night and seduce a sexy stranger. Olivia’s worked her ass off to get where she is-why the hell not?

Cole Bennett never thought he’d run into his feisty one-night stand at the office, furious that he stole her promotion. No matter how hard she tries to ice him out, they can’t seem to keep their hands to themselves…or their clothes on.

Olivia’s talented-maybe even more than Cole-so when his dropped hints to the boss net her a promotion of her own, he’s ready to celebrate…until she accuses him of fueling office rumors that she slept her way to the top. She wants to earn her own way? Fine. So what the hell does a guy have to do to permanently melt an ice queen?

Teaser 6 copyMy Review:
Olivia Michaelson thinks she’s getting a promotion at her ad agency, and goes out for a drink with her bestie Chloe to celebrate. While there, Chloe dares Olivia to hit on a man, and have her first one night stand evah…

Cole Bennett has just returned to NYC to take a partnership at an ad agency. He’s out for a drink, and captivated by the blonde goddess at a nearby table, and he’s not averse to flirting when she approaches him. Nor is he going to turn down her very forward request…

Cue the hot sex, and early Saturday walk of shame.
Then, cue the Monday morning meeting where Olivia meets the newest partner in her firm, Cole Bennett.

To say Olivia is shattered would be accurate. She’s always kept pleasure FAR away from business, and she’s just banged her new boss…

Okay, it’s awkward, but hot. Olivia and Cole just fit each other sexually. Working together poses the expected difficulties, especially because Olivia is determined to make partner on her merit, not her back.

Cole and Olivia are assigned a joint project to land a multi-million dollar project, and the chemistry between them cannot be contained. They adopt a “no-strings” strategy, which goes to heck the second Cole catches Olivia out on a blind date….

The tension is great, and the resolution is HEA, but the middle is a break-up-to-make-up, which was well done. This is an entertaining, sexy, quick read. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

Interested? You can find ONCE UPON A DARE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, KOBO, and iTunes.

****GIVEAWAY****

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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

JBonds Head Shot copyAbout the Author:
Jennifer Bonds writes sizzling contemporary romance with sassy heroines, sexy heroes, and a whole lot of mischief. When she’s not writing or wrangling toddlers, she can be found curled up with a good book and a bottle of wine. Jennifer lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where her overactive imagination and weakness for reality TV keep life interesting. She’s lucky enough to live with her own real life hero, two adorable children, and a pair of rambunctious dogs. Loves Buffy, Mexican food, the Winchester brothers, and all things zombie. Sings off-key.

You can find Jennifer online on Twitter, Facebook, Website, Goodreads, and Pinterest.

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Can’t SCRAP Love–My Review on Joyfully Jay!

Hi there folks! Well, I’ve been blogging a bit, and as it stands I think I’m doing it right. I read books, I write about books, people actually read what I write about books, and I’m feeling good about that.

I recently snatched up the opportunity to “branch out” a bit as an ad hoc reviewer for Joyfully Jay. That’s a lady with a kick-ass book blog, let me tell you.

Anywho, from time to time, I’ll be reviewing books on her blog, and I’m going to post a short bit here to let you know you can find me there.

Make sense? Of course it does!

You folks are awesome, that way.

Today’s my first appearance on Jay’s blog, so I hope you’ll tune in and check out my review of SCRAP by Josephine Myles. It’s a heartwarming story about two unlikely British men–one a toff and the other a working-class bloke–finding love in a junkyard. Here’s the cover and info…

Scrap (The Bristol Collection, #3)

About the book:

When things come to a head, there’s nowhere to go but down…

On the surface, Derek “Call Me Dare” Nelson’s life is simple, doing up custom campervans while living in a slightly illegal caravan in his riverfront yard. When a handsome, smooth-talking developer offers to buy the land out from under his feet, Dare realizes it’s the same man he had to escort home from a party months ago for causing a drunken scene.

Grant Matravers lives a double life, attempting to adjust to weekends as a single, divorced gay man while staying closeted at work. The strain of keeping up the part-time pretense, missing his kids, and now a problematic attraction to the shave-headed, tattooed Dare, has worn his emotional barriers dangerously thin.

Dare blasts through those barriers in a way Grant isn’t prepared for, challenging everything he thought he knew about himself as a gay man. But as their chemistry heats up and the intimacy between them grows, Grant edges toward a decision that could blow up in his face. Exposing a hornet’s nest of complications that could destroy any chance for happily ever after.

It was ever so luscious… Click here for my full review.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Happy Book Birthday FEVERED HEARTS–Review and Giveaway

Hi there! I’m sharing in the release day hijinks for Em Petrova‘s FEVERED HEARTS. This is a quickie ménage that packs a lot of heart and a good story into its pages. THIS is an ADULT read.

Fevered HeartsAbout the book:
When faced with a challenge, it’s best to pool your resources.

Liam Mattson used to play his wife’s body like a fine violin. Until a logging accident dampened his fine motor skills and rendered his legs—and the most important part of his below-the-waist playground—useless.

If only Liam would throw himself into therapy with the same vigor he used to throw into bed, Ivy is sure he’d fully recover. But lately she’s felt adrift, while he’s stuck in self-pity and pre-occupation with a serious threat to his logging business.

When Ward Bose returns from the backwoods, Liam isn’t blind to the heated, guilty glances between his best friend and his wife. And he takes a step he never could have taken if his legs were working—ask Ward to service Ivy in bed.

The moment the three come together, Ward’s heartstrings are tied in knots, and Liam holds them in his fist. But secrets they’re each keeping could tear them all apart…unless they can find a way to share their burdens as easily as they share their love.

Warning: Men who wield big saws know how to care of business—in bed and out.

My Review:
Ward has returned to his western Pennsylvania hometown to help run his family logging company now that his father is on his death bed. For the past six months a poor manager has been running the company into the ground, authorizing an illegal clear-cut of prime forest. Unfortunately, this gross mismanagement of he land has been blamed on another company, one owned by Ward’s former lover’s (Liam) family.

Liam has been wheelchair-bound for the past year since a logging accident. He’s surly and standoffish with his wife, Ivy, barely speaking to, or touching, her. The doctors believe Liam might make a more stable recovery, and even walk again, but he feels diminished physically and sexually and won’t undergo therapy in the event he fails. Plus, he doesn’t know how Ivy will react to finding out that he and Ward were lovers, and a radical activist group is attacking his business as a result of Ward’s manager’s clear-cut….and Ivy’s life is under threat.

Ivy loves Liam like crazy, but finds Ward remarkably attractive. It’s been a bad, lonely year, with no hope in sight as far as Liam’s recovery. She makes ends meet as a court recorder and selling knitted handicrafts, hoping that Liam might snap out of his funk.

Ward is attracted to Ivy, and fully acknowledges that he is still in love with Liam–he attempts to reconnect, and doing so puts him in the right place at the right time, directly between husband and wife. That’s right. Indecent proposal time. Liam asks his former lover and current business partner, Ward, to be his surrogate, and well, there’s some fireworks to this request… The book? It gets hot, and hotter.

The fun thing about this steaming hot ménage story is that there is a story unrelated to all the sexytimes. Ward and Liam have to track down and neutralize the threat to their businesses, and to Ivy. Ivy, for her part, is a smart woman who gets the best of two men. I enjoyed the development of this story, and the relationship, where each partner had his/her say and they all felt equally valued. There are parts that seemed a little physically unrealistic, mostly pertaining to Liam’s recovery of function, but it didn’t detract. Readers who enjoy ménage will love this one.

Interested? You can find Fevered Hearts on Goodreads, Amazon (US and UK), Samhain Publishing, and Barnes & Noble.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win one of 4 $5 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift cards!
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:

Em Petrova lives in Backwoods, Pennsylvania, where she raises four kids and a Labradoodle named Daisy Hasselhoff. Her dream is to buy an old pickup and travel small-town USA meeting people and hearing their stories. Her heroes are hardworking—in bed and out—and she is known for panty-scorching erotic romance.

You can find Em online on her website, twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Amazon, or join her Street Team for exclusive insider action!

 

THE HAZARDS OF SLEEPING WITH A FRIEND–Blitz, Excerpt and Giveaway

THoSWaF Review & excerpt tour BannerHi all! Thanks for popping in. Today I’m sharing in the blog blitz for Alyssa Rose Ivy’s new contemporary romance THE HAZARDS OF SLEEPING WITH A FRIEND. Drop down below for a taste and giveaway.

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000026_00023]About the book:
Warning: Sleeping with a friend might change your life forever.

Sleeping with Kyle was never in the plans. Pretending to be his girlfriend was one thing, but letting our relationship become anything but platonic was another. The problem with mixing friendship with sex is that inevitably feelings get involved, and when that happens there’s no turning back.

When Kyle’s life fell apart around him, I needed to help, but doing that meant opening myself up to the most terrifying thing in the world—falling in love.

How about a little taste?

After a fabulous dinner, a shared bottle of wine, and a starry night walk on the beach, we eventually made it to bed. I was exhausted from the sun, but excited to spend a night with Kyle when I wasn’t worried about Savy and Glen overhearing.

“Could you get naked already?” I teased Kyle. He was taking his time that night.

“In a hurry, are you?” He grinned before running his lips down my neck. “I don’t see any reason to rush things tonight.”

“Of course you don’t. As usual I’m the one who wants it more.” I was only half kidding.

“Is that what you think?” He moved over me. His grin widened. “That I don’t want you?”

I nodded, ignoring that I was only in a bra and underwear while he still had his shorts on.

“It’s exactly the opposite.” He gently pulled one of my bra straps down my shoulder. “I don’t like rushing things. I want to savor every moment.”

“I could understand if this was the first time, but it’s not. We do this all the time now.”

“We do. Don’t we?” He pulled down my other bra strap. “Funny how that happened.”

“You know very well how it happened.” I tried to calm down my body. No guy had ever made me want them more than Kyle. You’d think after all the times we spent together I wouldn’t be as affected, but it had only gotten worse.

“Do I?” He unbuttoned his shorts before getting up just enough to toss them off.

“Yes. You do.”

He left tiny kisses on my shoulder while he reached around and unclasped my bra. “Was it because you threatened to start having random hook-up sex?”

“No. It was because you made me pretend to be your fake girlfriend.”

“Made you?” He tossed my bra where he’d thrown his pants. “I seem to remember you agreeing without a fight.”

“That’s not how I remember it.”

Interested? You can find THE HAZARDS OF SLEEPING WITH A FRIEND on Goodreads, Amazon, iBooks, Google Play,  Kobo, and Barnes & Noble.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link for your chance to win a paperback copy of any of the HAZARDS books!
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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Alyssa Rose Ivy- Author PhotoAbout the Author:
Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

You can find her online on Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest, her website, and Facebook.

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Their Love was INDELIBLE–Review

10488071_816176168417691_8746734945318429889_nHi there! Today I’m sharing in the book blitz for INDELIBLE, a contemporary romance from Shae Scott. INDELIBLE is the sequel to UNFINISHED, and follows the reconnection of Owen and Ally, two people who broke up for all the wrong reasons, and struggle to reconnect for all the right ones…

1About the book:
in•del•i•ble (adjective): making marks that cannot be removed. Not able to be forgotten or removed. Permanent, lasting, ingrained, enduring, unforgettable, haunting

Some people stay with you. Sometimes love won’t let go. Some marks on the heart cannot be erased.

When Owen walked away from Ally he thought he was doing what was best for her. That’s what he told himself. It was a decision that he regretted instantly. Now, he has to figure out how too change his ways and win her back. This will be the hardest fight of his life. But she is worth it. She is everything.

Ally isn’t the same girl that Owen left six months ago. She shut down. It was survival. She can’t go back. She can’t let him back in. Losing him was too hard to go through the first time. But he keeps showing up, saying all the right words, doing all the right things. Will she be able to resist him? Can a person really change? Is he worth the risk to find out?

2My Review:

This is a good reconnection story. Why? Because Owen finally gets it. He and Ally had a rocky relationship, mostly because he was so busy working that he didn’t notice Ally suffering, wishing he loved her like she loved him.

So, he did what he thought was best: he gave her the freedom she begged for, and broke off their relationship. He immediately regretted it.

Six months have passed, and during that time Owen has relocated to Nashville, and bought the perfect house to share with Ally. He’s taken a new job that is satisfying without being consuming. And now, he’s looking to prove to Ally just how right he can be for her.

Problem? She’s dating someone else.

Ally wants to get over Owen, really, but everything in Nashville reminds her of her heartbreak. She starts dating, but can’t commit. Then, she’s not just seeing ghosts of her and Owen in Nashville, she’s seeing OWEN in Nashville.

3Totally unprepared for the kind and compassionate man who’s eager to drop in for a quick visit or scoop Ally up for a puppy-buying afternoon, Ally is reluctant to trust that Owen will be the man she hoped for once upon a time. Plus, she’s kinda pissed that he’d make all these changes, now, when they can’t make a difference for her and Owen. So she thinks. While Ally’s busy building walls to protect her heart, Owen’s sneakily pulling them down brick by brick.

I liked Owen’s determination, and I respected Ally’s reluctance. I’m a ‘once bitten twice shy’ kinda gal myself, but even I got melted a bit by Owen’s patient and relentless attack on her fears. At times I struggled with the angsty pace of the book, wishing we could get to the action already, but I did enjoy.

Interested? You can find INDELIBLE on Goodreads, Amazon (US and UK), Barnes & Noble, and iBooks.

4About Unfinished (Book 1):
Sometimes life begins with a second chance.

On graduation night, Ally Montgomery walked away from her best friend, Owen. One night changed them forever. One night, one decision to cross the line of friendship, one decision to walk away.

She never forgot him.

Ten years later, Owen finds her.
And this time, they’re not letting anything go unfinished.
10401953_816176285084346_8569687657536581855_nInterested? You can find UNFINISHED on Goodreads, Amazon (US and UK) Barnes & Noble and iBooks.

5About the Author:
Growing up an only child, Shae Scott fell in love with words at an early age, learning the best friends in the world can be found among the pages of a book.

Born in Oklahoma, she fell in love on vacation in San Francisco and ended up with a happily ever after in Missouri. Her first book, Unfinished, was released in 2014. She currently lives outside Kansas City with a bearded man, a Pomeranian and a cat formally known as Tinkerbell Waffles. She loves rainy days, the month of February and the Kansas City Royals.

You can catch up with Shae online on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Tsu.
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They Were Just FEEDING THE FIRE–A Review & Giveaway!

Hi there! Today I’m reviewing a contemporary romance from Andrea Laurence. FEEDING THE FIRE is the second book in her Rosewood series, but it’s cool as a standalone.

Feeding the Fire (Rosewood, #2)About the book:
Pepper has no interest in Grant Chamberlain…until she accidentally wins him at a school auction and finds the mega-hot firefighter impossible to ignore. Find out what happens next in the second playful and sexy ebook romance in the Rosewood series!

Living in the small town of Rosewood, Alabama, hairdresser Pepper Anthony has one rule—never date a Chamberlain. She’s always said, “the only thing worse than being ignored by a Chamberlain is being dumped by one.” But Grant Chamberlain, town fireman, isn’t used to rejection, and Pepper has consistently turned him down since high school. She isn’t intimidated by his family; she’s one of the few who refuses to take their crap.

When Grant volunteers at the charity bachelor auction, to his surprise, Pepper buys him. She hadn’t meant to, but Adelia Chamberlain dropped a cold drink in her lap, sending her leaping into the air at precisely the wrong moment. Suddenly she had a massive bill to the town and Grant at her disposal. Since the money has to come from her “restore the house” fund, she decides to use Grant for manual labor instead of romantic dinners. Grant is happy to help, sweaty and shirtless, because one way or another, he’s going to get Pepper to admit she’s attracted to him. All it takes is a small spark, and soon they’ll be fanning the flames.

My Review:
This book is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone.

Pepper Anthony grew up poor in a small Alabama town. She and her older brother Logan were occasionally tormented by kids with more wealth and popularity. Their mother always told them to hate the richest family in town, the Chamberlains, and so they have done…mostly.

Well, Pepper did turn down Grant Chamberlain’s advances many a time–not on this past Halloween, but she swore him to secrecy. And, she left his bed before dawn, leaving the local biker, fire-fighting, bad boy with a taste for more.

See, Grant never got hung up on being ‘better than’ anybody just ’cause his daddy was a wealthy attorney. Nope. His daddy was a no-good cheater, and Grant stopped idolizing him early in his youth. He does fancy Pepper bunches, however. And he’s so happy that Pepper outbid every woman at the charity Bachelor Auction. Until he realizes Pepper had no intention on bidding on him. She was devastated by a poorly-timed ambush that cost her $4000 of hard-earned cash she’d saved for house renovations.

Grant, ever the playboy, doesn’t know how to deal with Pepper’s heartache, but some well-timed advice clues him in on a strategy which might could win him this fiery bombshell’s affection. Instead of the big to-do date he’d planned, he spends his week of vacation crossing off the ‘Honey-do’ list on Pepper’s fixer-upper. And the results are incendiary. (<–this is literal and figurative).

Pepper still can’t find herself able to trust what’s developing between herself and Grant, but it’s strong and sure to leave her brokenhearted if she let’s him work his way in. Add to this, her brother’s simmering hate for all things Chamberlain, a Peeping Tom, and family skeletons that could cause a giant scandal in their tiny town, and Pepper’s all too willing to call quits before they even get started.

This is a quick read, and I liked the small-town setting. It did get a bit soap-opera-y, and, while I wished Pepper could have trusted Grant more, I was glad to see members of both Pepper’s and Grant’s family step in and settle the last part of the conflict. I got that Pepper didn’t want to betray another’s confidence, but she deserved to have happiness, even if the secret she kept only obliquely involved Grant. Glad they worked it out.

I loved the resolution of the Peeping Tom storyline, and it underscored the trust issues/infidelity themes that ran throughout his book. The sexytimes are a bit rushed, but, you can’t win them all. I liked how Pepper fought back her youthful prejudices, and how Grant was candid with everyone…well, excepting his father. I expect there will be more news on that front in the next book.

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

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win a $100 Amex GC and books from the Rosewood series!

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Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Andrea LaurenceAbout the Author:

Andrea Laurence has been a lover of reading and writing stories since she learned to read at a young age. She always dreamed of seeing her work in print and is thrilled to finally be able to share her special blend of sensuality and dry, sarcastic humor with the world. A dedicated West Coast girl transplanted into the Deep South, she’s working on her own “happily ever after” with her boyfriend and their collection of animals including a Siberian Husky that sheds like nobody’s business.

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

Learning THE PROBLEM WITH HEARTACHE Together–Review and Giveaway

imageHi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a newly released New Adult contemporary romance. THE PROBLEM WITH HEARTACHE is the third book in a series and follows the developing relationship between a girl whose love recently died, and a man who feels responsible for the destruction of his family.

imageAbout the book:
The problem with heartache is that there’s no one-size-fits-all relief package. You can go to classes; you can try to embrace change. But when you wake up at two in the morning, a smile on your face because you’ve dreamt about the could have—the should have—nothing will console you.

Because seconds later, you remember.
And remembering can rip you apart.

Kate will do anything for her family. It’s why she took the job with Lee. It’s why she’s attempting to forget her pain. But it’s hard to forget, when you’re desperate to hold on. Even if Lee Collins is the perfect package.

Lee will do anything for the ones he cares about. It’s why he hired Kate. It’s why he keeps his secrets; and it’s why he cannot, will not fall in love. Not with Kate—not with anyone.

Ever.

The one thing he can’t forgive.
The one thing she can’t forget.

My Review:
Kate is 19, Australian, and suffering depression ever since her boyfriend Lachlan died six months ago. Her parents are struggling financially because her dad suffers from Huntington’s Disease and his physical deterioration is becoming rapid. Kate met Lee several months before when he sang at a benefit for Lachlan’s funeral. There seemed to be a spark, not that Kate could acknowledge it.

Now Lee’s band, Coal, is on tour and Lee has offered Kate a job assisting with their reservations and transit, in the US, for two months. Kate doesn’t want to go–doesn’t want to do much of anything really–but she can’t turn down the money.

Still, she feels awkward around Lee, who makes it clear to his band mates that she’s not to be messed with. Lee and Kate develop a rapport, unwittingly and unwillingly. Lee has some big secrets of bad coincidences that tore his family apart. For this, he feels the need to continually punish himself. And, one of those punishments is to remain single so he never screws up another girl again.

Okay, as far as the book goes, it’s a decent story. I liked all the characters, even if I felt their emotional landscape was a bit extreme. Lee is a good man who tries hard to atone for his failings. He hires people who need a hand up, and won’t accept a hand-out. This is admirable. He’s not a big lush, and stays off the drugs. He plays with young Jay, son of the band’s stylist, Lottie. He is buried in his misery, however–feeling (wrongly) that he broke up his parent’s marriage and wounded his brother beyond repair. Classic case of taking on the world’s problems as one’s own. Still, forgivable.

Kate’s hung up on Lachlan. Really, really, hung up on him–and I didn’t get it because they hadn’t been together long before he died. Still, I can’t really blame another for grief, I just thought it was a little overblown. My issue, though younger readers will probably not have such an issue with it. I did have an issue with Lee’s ‘voice’. He’s supposed to be an American, but, no…sorry. Lee and everybody else in the book sound like Aussies. Their words and their diction, it’s not American English usage. It confused me, as a reader.

Those are my big hang-ups. The book is interesting. Both Lee and Kate get past their grief and find a new start with each other. Gets a little smexy near the end. Would recommend to people who like New Adult.

Interested? You can find THE PROBLEM WITH HEARTACHE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iTunes.

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About the Author:
Lauren K. McKellar is an author and editor. Her debut novel, Finding Home, was released through Escape Publishing on October 1, 2013, and her second release, NA Contemporary Romance The Problem With Crazy, is self-published, and is available now. She loves books that evoke emotion, and hope hers make you feel.

Lauren lives by the beach in Australia with her husband and their two dogs. Most of the time, all three of them are well behaved.

You can find Lauren on her website, Facebook and Twitter.

Sometimes LOVE SURVIVES–Review

lovesurvivesblogtourbannerHi there! Today, I’m sharing my review for LOVE SURVIVES a contemporary New Adult military romance from Jennifer Foor. It’s a rough read…

Love Survives (Love's Suicide, #2)About the book:
Imagine being in love with the same girl since you were ten years old, only to have her fall for your twin instead. This story is rocky.

It will rip you apart and possibly put you back together again.

I know this because it’s my story.

The pain and anguish experienced in this is what it was like to hold onto hope that some day we’d find each other again. I won’t sugar coat the details of what I went through to have her, nor will I apologize for any actions that led me right back into her life.

Sometimes love isn’t enough.

Sometimes it takes a little fate.

My Review:
I didn’t read the first book in this series, and didn’t need to. I struggled with this book, for many, many reasons. Some of it was voice–Brooks tells his story of woo and woe, but he doesn’t sound like a young man. At all.

Part of it was content: I had trouble liking the characters. It seemed there was a lot of deception, which is off-putting to me. Throughout, I felt Brooks was a victim, and though I wanted him to have his HEA, the biggest impediment to getting his HEA was…himself.

Brooks Valentine is hopelessly in love with his next-door neighbor, Katy. She is his first everything. Shame she is also the first everything to his twin brother, Branch.

The whole time Brooks is miserable. His brother knows this, knows he loves Katy, and lies to keep Brooks and Katy apart. His parents know Brooks loves Katy. and, probably Katy knows Brooks loves her, but she listens to Branch’s lies.

Brooks joins the army to get away from them, but he returns home for their wedding. Which gets called off because Brooks fights the fight he should have had years before and he and Katy have their moment of glory…all night long. It’s a pretty brutal affair that leaves Brooks reeling on the verge of an Afghanistan deployment.When he returns home…more drama. More problems keeping Brooks from Katy.

Every time it seemed we’d reach a happy ending, another twist snapped loose and Katy, or Brooks, or both, was on the run. It wasn’t heart-tugging, for me. It was exhausting.

Interested? You can find LOVE SURVIVES on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

About the Author:
Jennifer Foor is an award winning Contemporary Romance Author. She’s best known for the Mitchell Family Series, which includes ten books. She is married with two children and spends most of her time behind a keyboard, writing stories that come from her heart.

You can catch up with Jennifer on her website, Facebook, twitter, Amazon, or sign up for her newsletter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends.

Reconnection While FINDING SLOPE–A Review & Giveaway.

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for a New Adult contemporary romance from Erin Brown. FINDING SLOPE is a novella reconnecting characters from her two previous books, TAKING FLIGHT and MAKING HEADLINES. It’s a bit angsty, but real and honest.

Finding Slope CoverAbout the book:

A spring break ski trip turns into the reunion Willa and Dan never saw coming.

After months of not talking, Willa and Dan run into each other at the last place they thought they would—a ski lodge in Colorado. Neither of them expected to see the other during spring break, and certainly never expected to meet their ex’s new college friends.

Dan sees this as his last opportunity to win Willa back and wants to make the most of the week together. He knows that they can make long distance work, and when he hears that they may both be in New York for the summer, he’s more determined than ever to convince the girl of his dreams that they should try to have a relationship again. Third time’s the charm, right?

But Willa isn’t sure if that’s for the best—they broke up for a reason, after all, and if they did get back together, the deck is stacked against them. They’re still going to different colleges, they’re still long distance, and they still have no idea how to make that work.

But then again, when Willa is honest with herself, she knows that she wants to spend time with Dan. That she wants to see where the week in Colorado may take them. That she wants them to end up together. She just isn’t sure how—or even if—that’s supposed to happen.

In this Taking Flight novella, set against the snowy, stunning backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, Willa and Dan have to face the truth about their relationship and decide if they want to run back up that slippery slope together, or go their separate ways.

My Review:

Willa and Dan were high school sweethearts. They lived in different cities, but traveled frequently to visit with their non-custodial parents. They met in O’Hare Airport in Chicago at age 14 and dated over the course of four years.

Willa was mad when she learned Dan had secretly been dating a girl back in his hometown, and–when she didn’t get accepted to a school in NYC, like Dan–she decided to end things.

Now, it’s spring break, and Dan and Willa have encountered each other in Vail. It’s awkward, mostly because both of them are still very interested. Unfortunately, Willa can’t get past the cheating aspect. She and Dan go to schools that are halfway across the country, how could she trust him to be faithful?

Dan’s missed Willa every day since they separated. He’s dated casually, but no girl seems to compare to the one who was his best friend before they became more. Still, his group of friends includes Jacqueline–who had her fickle heart set on Dan.

During their week, Jacqueline wants to make trouble, but Dan handles it well. He also works extra hard to demonstrate his true love for Willa. If only she’d give him another chance.

Spoiler alert: Things work out.

It’s a little angsty, but not out of the ordinary for New Adult. It’s a happy ending for two kids who’ve had little to celebrate in the past. Plus, we get to hang out with the characters from MAKING HEADLINES, and it looks like we are set up for a M/M relationship coming down the pike.

Interested? You can find Finding Slope and all of the Taking Flight novels on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBook Store, Smashwords.

Oh! And, click HERE to enter for your chance to win an ebook copy of TAKING SLOPE.

Erin Brown Author PhotoAbout the Author:
Erin Brown is a writer, Whedonite, Whovian, yogi, HGTV addict, and connoisseur of The CW’s TV line-up. She learned to ski at the age of twenty-four and is definitely a skier of the Dan variety. She was born and raised in Arkansas, and lives in Singapore. She is the author of Taking Flight and Making Headlines: A Taking Flight Novel.

You can follow her on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest, Wattpad, and her website.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!