Contemporary Romance

Happy Book Birthday to Laura Kaye’s HARD TO COME BY–Review and Giveaway

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Hi there! Today’s a big release. Best-selling contemporary romance author has unleashed her fourth book in the Hard Ink series. HARD TO COME BY brings veteran-amputee Marz together with an unlikely love interest…the sister of his adversary. This is an ADULT read.

Hard To Come By CoverAbout the book:

Caught between desire and loyalty…

Derek DiMarzio would do anything for the members of his disgraced Special Forces team—sacrifice his body, help a former teammate with a covert operation to restore their honor, and even go behind enemy lines. He just never expected to want the beautiful woman he found there.

When a sexy stranger asks questions about her brother, Emilie Garza is torn between loyalty to the brother she once idolized and fear of the war-changed man he’s become. Derek’s easy smile and quiet strength tempt Emilie to open up, igniting the desire between them and leading Derek to crave a woman he shouldn’t trust.

As the team’s investigation reveals how powerful their enemies are, Derek and Emilie must prove where their loyalties lie before hearts are broken and lives are lost. Because love is too hard to come by to let slip away…

How about an excerpt?

Marz was playing with fire. He damn well knew he was. But that didn’t make him want to pull away.

He just wanted more of the heat.

Marz nuzzled the side of Emilie’s face with his nose, his lips. She turned her face toward him and offered her lips. He couldn’t refuse.

Capturing her mouth on a tortured groan, Marz poured every ounce of his longing and confusion and desire into the kiss. They grasped at each other and Emilie turned in his arms. He pinned her against the railing and planted his hands in her hair. She opened to him and accepted his tongue, sucking him in until Marz’s blood ran hot and his hard-on ached. He ground himself against her and devoured every little moan and whimper and gasp she spilled.

Trailing kisses from her mouth to her jaw to her ear, Marz dragged a hand down her body and grasped her breast in his palm. She cried out and her head dropped back, drawing his mouth to her neck, where he licked and sucked and nipped as he kneaded her soft flesh. “You are so damn sexy.”

Her hand flew to his hair and grasped the back of his head. “Touch me,” she said. “Don’t stop touching me.”

Marz pulled away long enough to do a three-sixty scan. The lighthouse cast a dark shadow over them, and the pier was otherwise empty. His heart raced and his pulse hammered. He dove back in, trailing kisses down her neck to her collarbone, which he traced with his tongue. Her nails scratched deliciously at his scalp and her grip urged him down.

Through the thin material of her blouse and bra, he mouthed and flicked at her nipple. He shifted the deep vee of the neckline to reveal a lacy royal blue bra. He tongued her through the lace until she was panting and moaning and writhing against the railing.

“Oh, my God,” she rasped as he shifted her shirt and moved to her other breast. This time, he tugged the lace down to bare the deep pink of her nipple. She tasted and smelled like something fruity and sweet, and it made Marz hunger for more. “Derek,” she gasped. “Yes, yes, yes.”

My Review:
I really enjoyed this! Derek “Marz” DiMarzio has had a lot to overcome in his life. Abandoned at age five, he shuttled through the foster care system and then, into the army. It was there, within his Special Forces unit, that he found family–and all that got shot to Hell about a year ago, when his unit was ambushed, three of his comrades killed, and it came to light that his commanding officer was a drug-runner. Dishonored and disheartened, Marz also has to come to terms with the loss of Righty–his leg, blown off when a grenade landed nearby. His battle buddy, Bennett, still barely speaks to him–shocked from the impact and the knowledge that Marz push him from the blast.

Now the final five members of their squadron have come together to help clear their names, and undo the horrors set in motion by their deceased commander. The three previous books in this series centered on these wounded warriors finding love at the wrong time, and now it’s Marz’s turn.

Emilie Garza is a licensed psychologist, so she knows there’s something really wrong with her brother, Manny. Ever since he returned from Afghanistan he’s paranoid, and sullen, and liable to cause physical harm–and that’s just what she knows. What she doesn’t know is how deep Manny is into the heroin dealing Church gang. She wants Manny to get treatment for his PTSD–and he won’t–but his behavior is only becoming more erratic and more dangerous. How can she convince this man, the one who stepped up and became the father figure she needed when their own dad left, to get treatment?

Well, she’s gonna try her darnedest. In the meantime, she’s just met a man–Derek–and he’s so different from her cheating ex-husband! He’s kind, and thoughtful, and keeping really tight surveillance on Emilie because, well, Manny seems to be a kingpin in the conspiracy that killed his friends and disgraced his unit. Not that Emilie knows anything about the dark side of Manny’s life.

Bigger problem? Derek Marz is falling for Emilie. Hard. She’s a down-home, honest gal who turns all the knobs for Marz–a man starved for family, and affection.

I really appreciated how conflicted Marz is. He knows he’s taking advantage of this situation, and he hates himself for it–at the same time relishing in the first real connection he’s ever had with a woman. He’s a tremendously sympathetic character, working tirelessly to clear his name and to protect Emilie from the problems that surround Manny.

Emilie is a strong character, too. She’s steadfast and loving, her world is all about family and giving back. Her acceptance of his amputation is really heartwarming–and admirable. For Emilie, finding Derek seems too good to be true, and those fears are founded when she learns of his covert mission. He’s got a real battle on his hands to win her back–and keep her out of the crossfire. I’m glad this was an HEA, because I love when two good people find love, even if the road to happiness is littered with land mines.

Interested?  You can find HARD TO COME BY on Goodreads, Amazon, Amazon.ca, Amazon UK,  B&N,  iTunes, and Kobo Purchase before December 2, and get awesome bonus content!

And don’t miss the other Hard Ink books, now available:

Hard As It Gets

Hard As You Can

Hard to Hold On To

 

Praise for Hard to Come By:

“Rough sex and explosive fights power Kaye’s fourth Hard Ink novel, a thrilling adventure that feels more like an action movie with a romantic subplot than a typical contemporary romance. New readers will head straight for Kaye’s backlist after powering through this installment.” ~Publishers Weekly Starred Review


“TOP PICK! If you’re looking for danger, gritty action, and sizzling passion, then Kaye has just the book and the series for you.” ~RT Book Reviews Magazine

***GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win

One of two signed copies of HARD TO COME BY or

one of FIVE Amazon or B&N $10 Gift Cards!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

Oh! Feel free to join the Facebook Release Party today at 12-9pm EST

Lots of Laura’s author friends will be celebrating and giving away books and swag.

LauraKayeAbout Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty books in contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

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Inkslinger

Happy Book Birthday to SUGAR RUSH–Review and Giveaway!

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

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

He deserves a second chance.

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

Everything else comes second.

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

And sometimes, love hurts.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Also Available:

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

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

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

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

With words.

With writing.

With a creative imagination she never knew she harbored.

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

***GIVEAWAY

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
Signed copies of Friend-Zoned and Love Thy Neighbour (2 available)
or one of 5 e copies of SUGAR RUSH

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Happy Book BIrthday THREE OF HEARTS!

Today marks the eRelease of THREE OF HEARTS by Kelly Jamieson. It’s an adult, ménage standalone romance that features three rising country music stars who find themselves in love—with each other. In addition to being a steaming M/F/M and F/M/M story, part of the proceeds from sales of this book will benefit the IT GETS BETTER Project.

The It Gets Better Project’s mission is to communicate to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth around the world that it gets better, and to create and inspire the changes needed to make it better for them. Visit their website for more information and to find out how you can get involved.

Three of HeartsAbout the book:

Haylee Tremayne is tired of the road. The concert tour for Three of Hearts was a success, but she’s confused by the inexplicable tension between her bandmates, Ben and Lucas. She’s also ready to go home to her boyfriend in Nashville. Time off would probably help everyone relax, even if it is Christmas, a season with too many bad memories.

But right before their last concert, Haylee discovers she’s been dumped for a sexy girly-girl. Story of her life: all guys see is tomboy Haylee. At the after-concert party, she drowns her sorrows and—desperate to feel feminine for once in her life—asks Ben and Lucas for a threesome. And it’s just as sexy and fun as she hoped.

Back in Nashville, Ben and Lucas prove again and again that their first night wasn’t a mistake. But the tension between them is still high, and on Christmas Eve, their ménage takes a stunning turn. When it all falls apart, Haylee is terrified that their crazy relationship might cost them the band, their success, and worst of all, each other.

My Review:
Haylee, Lucas and Ben are the members of the country-music trio, Three of Hearts. They are relatively new band, performing for the past two years. They all share Ben’s home in Nashville, due to the constant touring and a willingness to pool resources. It’s working; they have great chemistry and recently won a CMA for Rising Artists.

On the last stop of their successful 6-month tour Haylee is excited to return home to her boyfriend, a player on the Nashville Predators hockey team–until she finds he’s not so celibate in her absence. Pics of him and another singer fairly litter the Interwebs…

Lucas and Ben scrape Haylee out of her heartache, temporarily. And, she bucks up and sings the lights out–for the first time really connecting on stage with Lucas in a way she had never felt before. At the after party Haylee’s one sip from wasted, and Ben and Lucas practically carry her to her room. Haylee knows Ben and Lucas have had some spectacular multipartner sexcapades on the tour, and she’s feeling both bold, and lonely. Their care and concern soon morphs into sexual healing.

Morning after regrets? Yup. But those three hearts hit the well, again. And, again. It’s mindblowing for Haylee, and yet she’s shell-shocked to learn that Ben has real feelings for Lucas…and she feels used, as if Ben accessed Lucas, through her.

Lots of misunderstandings get all smoothed out with some serious conversation and a big TLI–total love in. Liked the way this turned out, but I kinda felt the M/M aspect was rushed and glossed over. Ben is bisexual, and Lucas is…not. He loves Hayley romantically and loves Ben platonically, though he’s open to *maybe* more. Then, suddenly, this GFY boy is going all the way. I would have appreciated a bit more exploration.

Nonetheless, the characters are fun, the smexytimes steam and it’s an interesting first connection story. It’s all told through Haylee’s POV and was DYING to get into Lucas and Ben’s brains…

Interested? You can find THREE OF HEARTS on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Riptide Publishing. Riptide is offering a SHARE THE LOVE SPECIAL BUNDLE price–three books for $12.99, so feel free to investigate that deal! I requested a copy of this from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Kelly JamiesonAbout the Author:

Kelly Jamieson writes romances with heat that’s sweet. Her writing has been described as “emotionally complex”, “sweet and satisfying” and “blisteringly sexy”. If she can stop herself from reading or writing, she loves to cook. She has shelves of cookbooks that she reads at length. She also enjoys gardening in the summer, and in the winter she likes to read gardening magazines and seed catalogues (there might be a theme here…) She also loves shopping, especially for clothes and shoes. But her family takes precedence over everything else (yes, even writing). She has two teenage children who are the best kids in the world, not that she’s biased, and a wonderful husband who does loads of laundry while she plays on the computer writing stories. She loves hearing from readers, so please visit her website, Goodreads and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

It Was HIS SECRETARY: UNDONE–A Review

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

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

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

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

It’s him.

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

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

My Review:

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

Oy vey.

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

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

Still, they are very playful:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Together They Found THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS–A Review

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

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

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

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

My Review:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brenda NovakAbout the Author:

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

She Knew THE TROUBLE WITH CHRISTMAS–Review and Giveaway!

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

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

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

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

My Review:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

They Had A VERY MARRIED CHRISTMAS–Review and Giveaway

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Inkslinger

They Found Love JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS–A Review and Giveaway

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Hi all! Today I’m reviewing a contemporary romance that’s fit for the holidays. JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS by Kim Boykin is a heart-warming read.

JustInTimeForChristmas-LARGEAbout the book:
Nobody does Christmas like Miranda Hamilton, and now that she finally has her chance to chair Magnolia Bay’s tree lighting and the cotillion, which benefits her late mother’s breast cancer foundation, this Christmas is shaping up to be the best ever. That is until her childhood nemesis Logan Mauldin buys his way on her committee and starts making plans of his own.

Logan Mauldin loves to get under Miranda’s very sexy skin, and it’s only fair. She’s been getting under his since long before their first kiss at 13. Logan’s the last man interested in co-chairing a Christmas committee or participating in a sexy bachelor auction, but since that night he interrupted Miranda on a date and cornered her under the mistletoe, he can’t stop thinking about her. Or vying for her attention and bugging the hell out of her.

Christmas cheer isn’t the only thing that heats up between the Miranda and Logan, but, thanks to a lie that is as much her fault as it is his, he loses the woman he’s loved since forever. Logan will need a Christmas miracle for Miranda to forgive him. A grand gesture to melt her heart and win her back just in time for Christmas.

My Review:

This is a cute story with lots of heart. Miranda and Logan have always had sparks–but sometimes those have led to more hellfire than passion. Miranda’s dedicated to organizing the Christmas cotillion of Magnolia Bay. It’s a labor of love, especially because the charity it supports is in memory of her mother who died years ago to breast cancer.

Logan buys his way onto the cotillion committee with a huge donation to the charity. It aggravates Miranda, because, well, this gal holds a long grudge. Back in college it looked like Logan favored Pammy, a mean-girl rival of Miranda’s, and Miranda never let it go. Their sexy-sparring disappeared and it’s only been in the past few years that Miranda’s even spoken to Logan–he’s determined to change that. Their latest interactions sizzle with all the passion missing with Miranda’s newest boyfriend.

Naturally, Pammy insinuates herself into the cotillion committee as well–she’s been burning a flame for Logan since….forever. She even orchestrates a bachelor auction in the hopes that she can buy a date with him. Miranda’s miffed, but what can she do? The auction is raising money hand over fist, even if Miranda can’t afford to continue bidding on Logan. Thank goodness some internet gal is outbidding Pammy at every turn.

There are lovely side characters who don’t hesitate to point out Miranda’s stubbornness, and Logan’s lunacy. All their friends and family are convinced they are in love, but neither Miranda nor Logan will take the final step to sealing the deal–until the cotillion. Logan is as bold as he can be, and it ends up being a real problem. A Kick-Him-Out-Of-Bed type of problem, for Miranda. Good thing Logan can think on his feet, because he’s fed up letting Miranda isolate herself from love, his love.

I had guessed the ending, and I was rewarded in kind. Things seemed a bit rushed at the end–I wondered what in the world happened to Miranda’s previous beau–but it seems clear that this novella is linked to others either written or soon-to-be. No cliffhanger here, just a lot of strands that appear to be woven into the story lines of other characters. I really liked all the texture the author gave to the setting, and the world of Magnolia Bay. It was clear that Miranda had a deep love for her hometown, and her friends. Logan’s a stand-up-guy, for the most part, and his mistakes are very human–and very forgivable. I was glad Miranda finally took a good look at the man who seemed ready to pause the earth’s rotation if it might win her affection. ‘Cause that’s a gem right there.

Interested? You can find JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS on Goodreads, and Amazon.

About the Author:
Kim Boykin is a women’s fiction author with a sassy Southern streak. She is the author of The Wisdom of Hair, Steal Me, Cowboy, and Palmetto Moon (Summer 2014.) While her heart is always in South Carolina, she lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband, 3 dogs, and 126 rose bushes.

You can find Kim on her website, blog, twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and Amazon.

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Happy Book Birthday to ROWDY–And Giveaway

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Now Available from best selling author Jay Crownover, the fifth book in her MARKED MEN series, Rowdy.

Rowdy

About the book:
The New York Times and USA Today bestselling Marked Men series continues with this sizzling, sexy story of love, heartbreak, fate, and second chances.

After the only girl he ever loved told him that he would never be enough, Rowdy St. James knocked the Texas dust off his boots and set out to live up to his nickname. A good ol’ boy looking for good times and good friends, Rowdy refuses to take anything too seriously, especially when it comes to the opposite sex. Burned by love once, he isn’t going to let himself trust a woman again. But that’s before his new co-worker arrives, a ghost from the past who’s suddenly making him question every lesson he ever learned.

Salem Cruz grew up in house with too many rules and too little fun—a world of unhappiness she couldn’t wait to forget. But one nice thing from childhood has stayed with her; the memory of the sweet, blue-eyed boy next door who’d been head over heels in love with her little sister.

Now, fate and an old friend have brought her and Rowdy together, and Salem is determined to show him that once upon a time he picked the wrong sister. A mission that is working perfectly—until the one person that ties them together appears, threatening to tear them apart for good.

Sensual portrait of beautiful girl with tattoo lying on bed.

Excerpt:

WHEN I PUT THE key he had given me in the door to his apartment it felt like the end of a long journey. Really it was only a little over twelve hours and I had stopped to nap once along the way, but it still felt like too long since I had seen his face or been able to touch all that toned and tattooed skin. Jimbo greeted me at the door when I pushed it open. His tongue lolled out of his mouth and he jumped up and put his paws on my legs. He was going to be huge when he finally grew into his fuzzy body and I was overwhelmed at how happy I was to see him. I dropped to my knees and rubbed my face in his neck as he licked me all over my face. I was obviously missed and I had to say it was just one more reason I knew I was finally where I was supposed to be. It was late, so the apartment was dark.
 
I checked the dog’s food and water, trying to be quiet in case Rowdy was already asleep. I was winding my way toward his bedroom when a haphazardly discarded sketch pad lying on the couch caught my eye in the dim light. I paused for a minute to pick it up and felt my heart stop and then start to race as I flipped through the first few pages. There were a couple of drawings that were obviously for clients, tattoos that hadn’t made it from paper to skin yet, but most of the pristine white pages were covered with images wearing my face. There was mermaid me, and naughty- sailor- girl me. There was sassy Indian girl me with long Pocahontas braids and there was sexy devil me standing next to angelic me. There were dozens of them all in different shapes and sizes, but every single image was undoubtedly modeled after my distinct look. I wasn’t sure if he had drawn them all over this last week while I had been gone or over the months we had been chasing each other in circles.
 
Either way it made my heart swell and the full certainty that I was it for him settle deep inside my bones. I set the pad down and tiptoed through the hall. Jimbo took one look at where I was going and huffed out a disgusted- sounding snort. The poor guy had learned early on that he wanted no part of what happened between his humans when they were together in the bedroom. The light was off and Rowdy was sprawled on his stomach across the covers. His blond hair was sticking up every- where and he hand one arm bent up under his head. The only thing that could have made the sight better would have been if he hadn’t bothered with the black boxers before crashing out.
 
Even with them obscuring the view, I couldn’t complain. I let out a breathless sigh and crept closer so that I could lean over and touch my lips to that anchor on the side of his neck. I felt his pulse leap and tasted the salt on his skin as he murmured sleepily and rolled over onto his back. Those infinitely blue eyes glowed at me in the dark as a grin pulled up the corner of his mouth.
 
“Hey.”

Interested? You can find ROWDY on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, IndieBound, or direct from HarperCollins.

And don’t miss the previous books in The Marked Men Series!

RULE, JET, ROME, and NASH!

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Jay CrownoverAbout Jay Crownover:
Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men series. She also introduced the dark and sexy world of The Point in a new series this last summer starting with BETTER WHEN HE’s BAD. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she’ll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.

Check out Jay on her website, blog, Facebook,  Twitter, and Goodreads.
Inkslinger

Gotta Love HOLIDAYS AT MAGNOLIA BAY–Review and Giveaway

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Hi there! Today I’m sharing one of four newly released contemporary romances all having a bit of a Christmas theme. Tracy Solheim’s novella, HOLIDAYS AT AMGNOLIA BAY seemed like the right starting point for me, as it has little to do with Christmas (it’s not yet Halloween!) and it’s about a hunky ex-soldier finding a true love in the place he least expected.

HolidayAtMagnoliaBay-LARGEAbout the book:

After a mission goes terribly wrong, ending in the death of a teammate, Navy Seal Drew Lanham, is forced to take a leave from active-duty. Retreating to his godmother’s beach house in coastal Magnolia Bay, Drew plans to spend the three weeks R&R licking his wounds and catching some rays while the nightmares from his failed op fade. The last thing he wants to do is mingle with the locals. What he doesn’t count on is an early morning encounter with a goddess rising from the sea. His interest is piqued and his body put on alert when he finds out that same woman may or may not be after his godmother’s money.

 Marine biologist, Jenna Huntley, has been searching her whole life for a place to call home and Magnolia Bay is that place. Unfortunately, she’s underutilizing her education giving tours at the town’s turtle rescue center. With the help of an octogenarian patroness, she maps out a proposal to develop a turtle hatchery on-site. Everything is going as planned until the older woman’s godson arrives. Suddenly, nothing is as it seems and Jenna’s future is hanging in the balance, with a sexy warrior pulling all the strings. Her natural tendency is to help the damaged hero, but she’s sworn off letting military men in her life ever again.

 Will Drew and Jenna be able to put their pasts behind them and learn to trust their hearts long enough to enjoy their Holiday at Magnolia Bay?

My Review:
I really found this to be a good read. Jenna is a gal with too many man problems. Her last BF was a loser more apt to sit on her sofa, using her wifi to gamble online than to notice her sexy lingerie. And, her newest guy–a colleague from Australia who is helping to set up a turtle hatchery project–turns out to be, well, engaged. Yeah, Jenna sure can pick ’em, which is why she wants nothing to do with the strapping military man she meets on the beach. She’s sworn off military men–ever since her father, an Admiral, has ceased talking to her.

Drew Lanham is looking for anything that will distract from his memories of leaving a fallen man behind enemy lines. He strived hard to bring his comrade’s body home for a funeral, but fell short and it’s killing Drew from the inside out. Vacationing in Magnolia Bay, he meets Jenna and feels, for the first time, something other than gut-twisting guilt–he feels attraction.

Jenna and Drew do not fall into bed on the first encounter. They spend a bit of quiet time together, mostly so Drew can ascertain if Jenna and her colleagues are planning to swindle his elderly godmother. (Spoiler: Jenna isn’t) Still, this reconnection to civilian life is difficult for Drew. He struggles in silence, but Jenna continues to meet Drew and an arrangement is made for no-strings sex. As it turns out, both Jenna and Drew get deeply connected, for a bit. Drew gets a bit gun-shy…but still, HEA in more ways than one.

Some good steamy scenes, and a lot of heart packed into this novella.

Interested? You can find HOLIDAYS AT MAGNOLIA BAY on Goodreads and Amazon.

About the Author:

Tracy Solheim is the international bestselling author of the Out of Bound Series for Penguin.  Her books feature members of the fictitious Baltimore Blaze football team and the women who love them.  In a previous life, Tracy wrote best sellers for Congress and was a freelance journalist for regional and national magazines.  She’s a military brat who now makes her home in Johns Creek, Georgia, with her husband, their two children, a pesky Labrador retriever puppy and a horse named after her first novel. Her fifth book for Berkley, Back To Before, will be released in January.

Connect with Tracy online on her blog, twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and Amazon.

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Inkslinger