Contemporary Romance

I’m Rooting For HUDSON–A Review

Hi all! Today I’m reviewing a new release from Laurelin Paige. HUDSON is book four in the FIXED series. Last week I started book one, FIXED ON YOU, and–frankly–I couldn’t stop. It’s a sexy contemporary romance that is sure to be enjoyed by fans of FSOG or the THIS MAN series.

Hudson (Fixed, #4)About the book:
“I can easily divide my life into two parts—before her and after.”

Hudson Pierce has led a life few others could even imagine. With money and power at his fingertips, he’s wanted for almost nothing. He’s never experienced love, however, and he’s seen few examples of it in his dysfunctional family. The ridiculous notion of romance has always intrigued him. He’s studied it, controlled it, manipulated it, and has yet to understand it.

Until he meets Alayna Withers.

Now, the games he’s played in his quest for comprehension can finally come to an end. Or are they just beginning?

Told from his point of view, Hudson fills the holes in his love story with Alayna Withers. His past and relationship with his long-time friend Celia is further revealed and light is shed on his actions during his courtship with Alayna.

My Review:
This book is the fourth in a series, and it should really be read in order–otherwise there will be spoilers to the first three books. See, in HUDSON, we get an intimate portrait of what shaped his life, and how all of this changed when Hudson met Alayna Withers.

Hudson Pierce is a cold, sterile void of a man. He’s grown up in a family where his parents became estranged early in their marriage, and yet never divorced. His mother floated into alcoholism to cope with her loneliness, whereas his father resorted to trysts to assuage his need for connection. The only person for whom Hudson holds any true affection is his younger sister, Mirabelle. In fact, it is on this romantic sibling that Hudson leans in order to learn how to engage in romantic relationships–even as a teen.

Hudson knows how to get a girl in bed, but he’s never loved one of them. As the story unfolds the POV shifts from past to present–BEFORE chapters reflect Hudson’s first summer after college began, when Hudson begins his “experiments” in love. AFTER chapters reflect his developing relationship with Alayna.

Hudson has always wanted to understand love, to understand why a person would make himself/herself weak and vulnerable to another. His parents are no good example, so Hudson sets out to prove that love is false. One of his first subjects is his childhood friend, Celia. They are both 19, and he knows that she’s harbored a crush for him for years. He has an affinity for her, much like his feelings toward Mirabelle, but that’s it. Celia claims to have found a true love at college, and Hudson, in the interest of his experiment, attempts to woo Celia from her beau, without lying about his feelings. He manipulates her, allowing her to assume he holds great affection for her, and when she dumps her boyfriend, Hudson callously refuses to have anything more to do with her. In fact, he breaks her heart entirely.

Ten years later, Hudson and Celia are friends, of a sort. They had a long history–some of which is revealed in the Fixed books–of working in tandem to upset relationships of others. Hudson’s detached, almost clinical, interest is clearly less passionate than Celia’s more sadistic pleasure. They aren’t intimate, and Hudson’s sister Mirabelle has convinced him to enter therapy for his emotional problems. He stops his experiments with Celia, much to her dismay.

When Hudson sees Alayna the first time, he is intrigued by her bright mind but senses a vulnerability, as if she had risen above some personal challenge. This is later confirmed when Celia unearths Alayna’s troubled past, her parent’s early death which lead to compulsive dating and stalking behavior. In order to draw Hudson away from his therapeutic goals, Celia makes Alayna the center of a new experiment. This game is one that Hudson decides he must play, if only to protect Alayna from Celia’s heartbreaking influence.

In short, the book gives Hudson’s side of the Fixed stories–the emotional growth he experiences is tremendous, and his rather ruthless early character is rendered likable, if not admirable–by the end. Throughout, the chess match between Celia’s machinations and Hudson’s protective influence adds a lot of tension. Having read the first three books I knew where this was going, but the ride was no less interesting. (See my rant on over-divulging reviews and why they aren’t a problem here.)

I was very much satisfied with this story, and though it features fewer smexytimes than its predecessors, it’s chock full of emotional ups-and-downs. I was cheering for Hudson, almost from the start, and glad to follow along with all the steps he took, even if some of them were sideways, to becoming the loving, compassionate man he was in the Fixed books. Really enjoyed. I honestly preferred these books to FSOG and THIS MAN because Hudson, though flawed and somewhat domineering, was more willing to compromise with Alayna. He’s a kinder, gentler billionaire tycoon. The love scenes, while graphic and intense, are straight vanilla, and still they steam.

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

About the Author:

NY Times & USA Today Bestselling author Laurelin Paige is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however. When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Mad Men and the Walking Dead, or dreaming of Adam Levine. She is represented by Bob Diforio of D4EO Literary Agency.

You can find Laurelin online on Goodreads, her blog, twitter and Facebook.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends.

I WANT IT THAT WAY–Review and Giveaway

IWITW BT Banner

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

IWantItThatWayAbout the Book:

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

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

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

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

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

IWITW-6

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

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

Well, at first, anyhow.

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

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

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

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

“I’m Nadia,” I said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

banner(1)

I Want It That Way

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

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

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

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

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

Good luck and keep reading my friends!
Inkslinger

RIGHT KIND OF WRONG–Release, Review and Giveaway

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

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

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

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

EXCERPT:

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

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

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

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

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

Jack.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My heart stops.

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

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

Tattooed beautiful woman in old spooky interior

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!
Inkslinger

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

0ed81-coffeehouse
Hi there! Welcome one and all to the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, a cozy gathering of book lovers, meeting to discuss their thoughts regarding the tomes they enjoyed most over the previous month.  Pull up a chair, order your cappuccino and join in the fun.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

STEALING HIS HEART Wasn’t Easy! Review and Giveaway

SHH_BlogTour
Hi there! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for a sexy contemporary romance from Diane Alberts, STEALING HIS HEART! This is the 2nd book in the Shillings Agency series. I loved TEMPORARILY YOURS, the first book in the series, and jumped at the chance to read the second installment.
ShH_500
Book Summary:
A sexy category romance from Entangled publishing’s Brazen imprint…
Shillings Agency employee Jake Forsythe is not happy to discover that the thief who he has to track down is none other than his ex-partner from his past. Now he’s forced to blackmail her into submission…or throw her in jail.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DianeAAbout the Author:

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

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

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

-zBloggerButton

Happy Book Birthday to STEALING HIS HEART! And GIVEAWAY

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

ShH_500
Book Summary:

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

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

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

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

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

****GIVEAWAY****

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

DianeAAbout the Author:

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

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

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

-zBloggerButton

He learns How to DOUBLE UP–A Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Review:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vanessa NorthAbout the Author:

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

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

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

He Falls for LEATHER AND LACE–A Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

MAKE ME WHOLE–A Magical M/M Romance

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a slow-burning, magical M/M Romance from Marguerite Labbe. MAKE ME WHOLE is a bit contemporary, a bit ancient history, and a bit mythology, all wrapped up in a realistic romance.

Make Me WholeAbout the book:

After a grueling battle in ancient Greece, lovers Dexios and Lykon committed their lives to each other in the name of Goddess Cythera. After the war, fearing the strength of his love for Dexios, Lykon abandoned his vow and returned home. Heartbroken, Dexios called on Cythera, who changed him into four unfinished statues. In that form he would wait for his fickle lover to return, break the curse, and make him whole.

Thousands of years have passed when Galen Kanellis finds the statues in the storeroom of a Seattle museum and makes them the focus of his new exhibit. Needing information, he contacts his ex-lover Nick Charisteas. Nick has a lifelong dream of finding the Dexios Collection, and the last thing he expected was for it to wind up in the hands of the man who broke his heart. As both men search for answers about the statues, worries of abandonment and fear of loss test their renewed relationship, threatening to separate them again—this time permanently

My Review:

Nick and Galen were on/off lovers, not exclusive, about 6 months ago. Nick wanted a commitment and Galen couldn’t give him one, so he walked out. This isn’t as heartless as it sounds. Galen had previously been in a serious relationship but his lover was killed in a car wreck with a drunk driver–while Galen was driving. Galen survived in body, but heart and spirit remain crushed even two years later–he still can’t get behind the wheel without panic attacks. So, he wasn’t ready to commit to another man, though he did feel that something promising had been building between them.

At the point where the story begins, Galen ‘s art museum is prepping for a new exhibit and (astonishingly) he finds four bronze statues in the back of his storeroom. These four statues have no known provenance but they are clearly old and seem form a continuous exhibit, a nude warrior in four separate poses that suggest a missing mate.

Stunned and overjoyed with his find, Galen immediately incorporates the statues into his new exhibit, but he also reached out to Nick–who is a an art fanatic and also an antiquities hunter. Nick knows all about the statues as it turns out–his family had OWNED them in the past but they were lost at sea decades ago. Nick had, in fact, been planning a dive to discover the wreckage.

As it turns out, the statues have a curious history. They are all of Nick’s ancient ancestor Dexios, and depict him awaiting the return of his missing lover, Lykon. Throughout history, these statues have been cared for–at times they have been completed. It seems the real Dexios was cursed to wait eternally for Lykon to return, and the only way for these lovers to be reunited is through reincarnation and reconnection.

So, Nick’s thought is HE is the Dexios while Galen must be Lykon. Galen is appropriately appalled–he’s still not sure he can HAVE a relationship. Yet, the two (Galen and Nick) embark on a real relationship. They go on dates and begin to develop the kind of intimacy they had missed the first time round. It remained to be seen if this would reunite Dexios and Lykon, UNTIL THEY STARTED TAKING OVER THEIR BODIES!!!

I really enjoyed this book. Such great emotional angst. So many stakes–not just can Galen get over his grief? Or, can Nick overcome his fear of abandonment? No, we also have mythology and magic interfering in ways designed to truly test the love and faith of both Galen and Nick.

It was a slow burn, with tentative steps toward reconnection. Many times Nick, Galen, or both, had to slow the machinations of Lykon and Dexios. This was all to the good because they’ve waited hundreds of years to be together and failed several rounds of reincarnation. Smexytimes were well-written and steamy.

Interested? You can find MAKE ME WHOLE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Dreamspinner Press. I received a copy of this book via Goodreads’ Don’t Buy My Love program in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author:

Marguerite has been accused of being eccentric and a shade neurotic, both of which she freely admits to, but her muse has OCD tendencies, so who can blame her? Her husband and son do an excellent job keeping her toeing the line, though. Together with her co-author Fae Sutherland, Marguerite has found a shared passion for beautiful men with smart mouths.

When she’s not working hard on writing new material and editing completed work, she spends her time reading novels of all genres, enjoying role-playing games with her equally nutty friends, and trying to plot practical jokes against her son and husband. Her son is learning the tricks too quickly and likes to retaliate. You’d think she’d learn.

You can find Marguerite on Goodreads, her website and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

He Worked Hard SEDUCING LAUREN–A Review

Hi there! Today’s book is a contemporary romance from best-selling author Kristin Proby. SEDUCING LAUREN is part of the Love Under a Big Sky series of novels written about a group of connected friends in Cunningham, Montana. And Lauren is the Cunningham heiress.

Seducing Lauren (Love Under the Big Sky, #2)
About the Book:
Now that his best friend, Josh, has happily settled down with his true love on a Montana ranch, small-town lawyer Ty Sullivan starts thinking that maybe single life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And when Lauren Cunningham’s no-good ex-husband comes after her for an unexpected trust fund, Ty steps in to protect her.

But soon he can’t help but think of her as more than a client. Lauren’s in no mood to jump into another relationship, so how can Ty convince her that her mistake wasn’t getting married, but marrying the wrong guy?

My review:
This book is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone. It features the love story of Ty, a successful lawyer, and Lauren, a newly divorced woman with some pretty lucrative secrets–and a gold-digging ex-husband.

The ink is barely dry on the divorce papers when Lauren is served a suit seeking half the trust fund she inherited after she kicked out her emotionally-abusive, philandering husband, Jack. And, he’s appearing on her doorstep seeking money, however he can get it. Lauren wants Ty to help her shut down Jack’s suit, but he won’t–because he thinks it’s a conflict of interest to take on the legal case of a woman he’s been secretly admiring.

Ty has wanted Lauren for the past year, or so, but he’s been biding his time. She was embroiled in a brutal divorce, and then her parents died suddenly–leaving her both an heiress, and utterly alone. Ty’s history isn’t fantastic. Working his way through college and law school, growing up,with an abusive, alcoholic father, he’s developed a giant “protector” complex. As he attempts to woo Lauren, this become more and more prominent–mostly because Jack is behaving more and more psychotic.

When Jack’s manipulations escalate into threats, Lauren seeks an order of protection, and Ty become the rock on which she leans. Expect domestic violence.

The end is an HEA, but in my opinion it came too fast. I would have wanted to see a bit more of a courtship, especially as Lauren has been burned (badly) before in love. Ty is clearly nothing like Jack, yet, after all the legal and physical battles Lauren has endured/survived, I’d expect more wariness.

Because this series is based on a group of friends, the accessory characters are the ones being spun off. Ty’s friends Cara and Josh had been linked in the first book, and Ty’s (divorced) sister Jillian will find love again in the third. It seems divorced women being successfully matched is the theme here, which is nice.

Expect lots of smexytimes, though the gory details aren’t overwhelming. Expect many professions of love, though they seem to happen too quick. Expect some extremely erratic and illogical ex behavior, though doing so only harms the chance of satisfying his own greed. (My opinion: Jack was almost cartoonishly evil. Not only was he bad, he was bad at being bad, too. His physical threats didn’t serve his self-interest, whatsoever, and that seemed Jack’s whole modus operandi: getting more for Jack. If he had stuck to being cool, slick and litigious, I could have found him more acceptable as a problem.)

Now, a slight rant, because there a lots of books out with ex’s hell-bent on “revenge.” I know that domestic violence is a problem. I know that some men never get over being tossed out, and they stalk, beat and kill their former lovers/partners/wives. I TOTALLY get that. Really. But, if that’s a part of the fiction, I really want to see the possessive behaviors. The unwelcome overtures. The escalating violence. Not because I’m into it–I’m not. But, if that’s the character being written, well, that character needs to be written authentically. Given a whole persona. Most times, I feel this characterization is begun, and left half-done, with a big leap on the reader’s part to fill in the blanks. For me, it always leaves the story arc falling short.

Unfortunately, I felt this was the case for Jack. He was somewhere between annoying and menacing but quickly snapped into psychotic. I saw it happening, and couldn’t make the leap. Partly, I believe it was because Lauren’s notions that her home had been invaded never had any corroborating evidence, just her “feeling,” which left ME feeling skeptical, and emotionally flat, instead of tense or worried.

Back in my youth I was chilled to the bone by SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY. I will never forget that scene when Laura (Julia Roberts) returns to her new home, in her new town, and senses “someone” has been there. Nothing is broken, in fact nothing is out-of-place. Then she opens the cabinets to find all the canned goods are stacked in perfect columns just as her abusive husband had ALWAYS dictated and she knows he has found her. The fear just slices through her, and the audience.

I guess I was waiting for that to happen here, and it didn’t, so I couldn’t connect as well as if it HAD happened. If Lauren had found, maybe, a trinket left out, or even better something beloved destroyed beside some sort of symbol that couldn’t be directly tied to Jack, but would send a strong message that he’d been in the house, I would have had the requisite fear that she was in physical danger. There is a property crime, yet, it still seemed impersonal; unidentified vandalism often feels that way, for me. As if, once done, it’s exhausted the vandal’s anger and thus the threat. Only if there are serial instances showing more and more damage does a sufficient pattern develop indicating a growing problem.

In short, the book is interesting, and held my attention, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I am kinda sad to say that because I really had high expectations, based on reviews of earlier work. I think I’d like a more straight-forward romance, better, and will look forward to the next book (Jillian’s story) filling the gaps.

Interested? SEDUCING LAUREN releases tomorrow, Aug 19th. You can find it on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. I received an advance copy for review via NetGalley.

Kristen ProbyAbout the Author:

Kristen is the author of the Amazon and USA Today bestselling With Me In Seattle series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong characters who love humor and have a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves.

Kristen spends her days with her muse in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.

Readers can catch up with Kristen on Goodreads, and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!