Contemporary Romance

Is He READY TO FALL? Review and Giveaway!

Ready to Fall Banner

Hi there and welcome to my stop on the READY TO FALL blog tour, sponsored by The Novel Tease! Today’s book is a Contemporary Romance by Daisy Prescott and it’s filled with a sexy lumberjack…er, I mean, sexy silvaculturalist.

Ready to Fall CoverAbout the book:
When you fall, you fall hard…

Readers first fell in love with John Day as the hot next-door neighbor in Romantic Comedy Best Seller Geoducks Are for Lovers. Tall, dark, and handsome is an understatement. With the beard, a dog named Babe, and his ever present plaid shirt, John is a modern lumberjack in more ways than one.

Lurking beneath the flannel and beard could be the heart of a romantic. Or is John a wolf in flannel clothing?

After his favorite neighbor rents out her cabin for the winter, John finds himself playing fireman and tour guide to Diane Watson, a beautiful brunette with her own messy past and recent battle scars. When an ex shows up unexpectedly, their lives will be changed forever.

Will he be ready to fall in love? Or will he fall back into his old, flirty ways?

Hold onto your heart… and get ready to fall with John Day as he tells his story in this contemporary romance/romantic comedy told in male POV.

How about a little taste?

I pulled the bike off the road and we ran for the overhang of the store. Standing in the shadows next to the bagged ice freezer on the side of the building, I took off my helmet and brushed the rain from the back of my neck. Diane was dry on her front, but the back of her jacket appeared nearly soaked.

After she took off her helmet and set it on the ground, I gave her a stern look. “See what I mean about not talking about the weather? Around here it can rain when the sun’s out.”

Brushing the water off her jacket, she peered up at me with a sheepish smile. “Sorry. How long do you think we’ll have to wait it out?”

I left the dry safety of the overhang to stare up at the fast moving clouds swirling above us. “Hard to say. Might turn back to being a mist. Might not.”

“Can we ride home in the rain?” she asked, leaning against the wall. Her wet jeans clung to her legs and I found myself staring while she lifted one leg to brace it on the wall.

“Sure. Do we want to? Not really.”

“What should we do?”

I lifted my eyes to her face. Her eyes sparkled same as they did back in the bar. I swept my thumb across my lower lip and then ran it across my chin.

Since our hike at Deception Pass, I couldn’t stop thinking about kissing her. The day she received a letter from the asshole wasn’t the right time. Normally, I didn’t give this much thought to making a move. If I wanted to kiss a woman, I did. As long as she gave me the right signals. Maybe that was part of the problem with Diane. I didn’t know her signals. We flirted, we teased. I caught her staring, but it never moved from thoughts to action. My hand was getting tired of all the time I spent thinking.

There was a time and place for action.

That time and place was now.

“Store’s closed. Nothing to do but stand here and watch the rain fall.” I moved closer to her along the wall, my shoulder brushing hers when I mirrored her posture. My hand dropped between us and brushed against her leg, but I faced the line of water dripping from the roof gutter.

“Nothing?” she asked, her voice more of a whisper.

“Can’t think of anything,” I whispered back while I turned to gaze down at her. “You?”

I could see everything in her eyes. I wasn’t the only one thinking about kissing. When I entwined our fingers, her breath hitched. I broke eye contact and stared down at her mouth. Her lips parted and her tongue peeked out to wet the bottom one.

“John …” Her words faded away when I leaned down.

My review:

First, let me say, I love reading a male POV in romance. It’s so fun to pretend I’m inside a guy’s head.

John Day is a man’s man. He’s big, burly and built. He fishes, and hunts, but prefers fishing. He lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest. He’s rugged. But, he’s kind, and broken-hearted that his mom died years before when she got caught in a snowstorm after visiting him at school. And, he hates that his dad was a cheating husband. Currently, John’s dating Kelly–sister to his high school BFF–but it’s casual because she’s getting a divorce…sort of.

Diane is subletting John’s neighbor’s home on Whidbey Island. This city gal is out of her element, completely, and John steps in to help her out. They decide to build a friendship–neither is emotionally available anyhow–John’s dealing with Kelly’s messy life and Diane’s pretty shattered after discovering her soon-to-be ex’s infidelity. Hence, her cross country escape from NYC.

Diane and John build a cozy friendship–he helps her find a good vehicle and they share some small adventures–then John decides Kelly’s simply using him and cuts her loose. This opens a path to romance between him and Diane, but neither of them will take it–at first. See, John’s convinced that everyone he loves leaves him–and Diane’s lease is up in May.

What would happen if he gave in an actually loved her, then she left? City girls don’t change, and couldn’t be happy with 24/7 island life, right?

Man, does John do a mental number on himself. I was so happy to see him break out of this funk, and give his heart a chance…especially since Diane is a great gal.

These two broken souls do find happiness in each other eventually–and life plans are much less fixed than John had first thought. It’s a solid romance with a compelling lead man and a strong female lead. We don’t get any of her voice, but her spirit is indomitable, nonetheless. It’s a fun read, and I loved the setting. Might need to consider another trip out west, soon… 🙂

Interested? You can fine READY TO FALL on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Daisy PrescottAbout Daisy Prescott:
Before writing funny contemporary romances about adults, I dreamed of being an author while doing a lot of other things. Antiques dealer, baker, blue ribbon pie-maker, fangirl, freelance writer, gardener, pet mom and wife are a few of the titles I’ve acquired along the way.
Born and raised in San Diego, my husband and I currently live in a real life Stars Hollow in the Boston suburbs with our dog, Hubbell, and an imaginary house goat who remains nameless.
Ready to Fall, my second novel, features John Day, the hot, sexy neighbor in my debut novel Geoducks Are for Lovers. Both can be read as stand-alones. I’m busy writing my next novel, which will not feature any bivalves.

Connect with Daisy Prescott on her website, Goodreads, Facebook, or Twitter.

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below to be one of THREE lucky winners in the Ready to Fall Blog Tour Giveaway!

Grand Prize – Signed Ready to Fall Paperback, button, & magnet
Runner Up – Ready to Fall & Geoducks Are for Lovers E-books
Second Runner Up – Ready to Fall E-book
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

How They Come UNDONE–Review

How can a city girl fit in a small town world?

Undone (Country Roads #1)Everything about Paige Morrison is loud. Her voice, her manner of dress, her mannerisms. Even being an artist is too wild for the sleepy community in which she finds herself.

UNDONE is a newly released contemporary romance by Shannon Richard.

Like many twenty-somethings, Paige is recently unemployed. She has relocated from Philadelphia to tiny Mirabelle, Florida a sleepy gulf coast town to move in with her retired parents now that her boyfriend has decided she isn’t The One. Deep down, Paige knew this–but it’s still hard to accept. Even harder to accept is the stodginess of the neighbors and the general lack of friendliness she finds in her new locale.

At least, until Brendan King rides in on his blazing tow truck. [Did I mention Paige’s Jeep has decided to crap out as well? That girl has some rotten luck!]

Brendan King is no stranger to being on the outs in Mirabelle. His mother was a single teen, and she later had a second child out-of-wedlock, the shameless hussy! Of course, she also died young of breast cancer, so some of her chief critics silenced out of respect for the dead. That doesn’t mean Brendan’s forgotten how it feels to be a pariah. Seeing a kindred spirit–and a damn sexy lady–riding shotgun in his wrecker, well, he decides to pay it forward.

He seeks our a job for Paige, and they continue to encounter each other–in the most delicious ways. It’s hard for Paige to get over her insecurities–especially when an “anonymous” gossip blogger begins spreading rumors about Paige’s wantonness in Mirabelle’s e-community–but Brendan wears her down.

It seems that life is picking up for these two–they do move in together and plan a wedding when we get some further family drama. Brendan is called upon to hide a big secret–one that may tear their relationship apart. In the end, Paige learns that peace is within one’s self to find–and holding the people she loves close will always ensure that she fits in her world.

As far as a romance, this is on the breezy side. Not too smexy. The majority of the conflict lay in emotional insecurity, which is natural and not melodramatic. I had some problem with how long Paige held a grudge against Brendan for something outside his control–but the resolution was adequate–and acceptable. The locale and main players are clearly outlined–with an obvious plan to build more stories centering on this group of characters. It a solid read. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

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

Don’t forget to come back and let me know if you check out UNDONE–and what you thought of it!

And, keep reading my friends! 🙂

Cephalopod Coffeehouse February 2014–GOOD GUYS LOVE DOGS

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.

Before I get started, I’d like to remind everyone that there’s a New Adult Erotic Romance up for grabs on the blog–just comment on this post (ends Sunday March 2nd midnight CST).

This month, I’m reviewing a contemporary romance, by Inglath Cooper called GOOD GUYS LOVE DOGS. Why I liked this story–this four POV tale doesn’t just follow the leading lady and her leading male–it also encompasses their teen children, who themselves have a bit of a fling…

Good Guys Love DogsHere’s what happens:

Ian McKinley has worked hard to reach the top. He’s a major player in an NYC stockbrokerage and he’s newly engaged. Sure, the relationship is more a merger than a romance, but hey, he lost his heart when his first wife died of a stroke days after delivering their only child, Luke. Ian’s perfect little world bottoms out when he’s called to pick Luke up from the police precinct on a drug possession charge. Desperate to reconnect with Luke, and keep him out of trouble, Ian takes a year of paid leave and moves them to a small Virginia town to complete Luke’s senior year of high school.

Colby Williams got pregnant her freshman year of college. Baby Lena didn’t stop the dynamo from completing her BS, and DVM, however. Colby has prided herself on the strong relationship she has with her precious girl, but things are suddenly strained –and she’s pretty sure that new boy Luke McKinley is to blame–particularly when she finds birth control pills in her 15 y/o daughter’s backpack. Bigger problem? Ian McKinley, Luke’s father, is the first man Colby’s felt even a tingle of attraction for in the time since Lena’s father walked away without a second glance. Biggest problem? Rachel, Ian’s fiance.

I really enjoyed the interplay between the points of view. There’s some good misdirection going on with the input of Luke–a boy who totally wants his absentee father’s love and approval, yet can’t talk to him at all. Not to mention he’s at a loss to understand why they now live on a farm. And Lena, who thought her father had died, is acting out NOT because she twitterpated (though she is) but because…well…how would you behave if the one person you could trust most turned out to be a big fat liar, huh?

Colby’s desperate to keep her matchmaking friends at bay–she’s not a home wrecker, for goodness sake! Meanwhile, engaged Ian is losing his city slicking mind. Buying farms and sterile calves (of the bovine kind) and rescuing dogs from the shelter. It’s enough to drive one lonely veterinarian over the edge.

Through the first month following the McKinley’s arrival, there’s a lot of drama, and a lot of personal connection, and pretty soon Ian’s not so sure about settling for a marital merger. Not when there’s a heady attraction that could so easily blossom into the kind of love he once knew. And Luke’s taking a shine to a slower paced life–when there’s a quirky girl like Lena to smooth the path.

It’s a not-too-smexy tale of hearts connecting. Both man-to-woman and parent-to-child. Colby learns to step back from mothering Lena, just enough to let her see that it’s okay if one parent didn’t want you–especially when the other so absolutely did. And Ian’s hands-on parenting gives Luke the satisfaction of having a Dad, not a wallet. I really enjoyed this one.

Interested? You can find GOOD GUYS LOVE DOGS at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It’s been out since 2012, so it may also be in libraries…

Now, don’t forget to enter to win that erotic romance e-book. And, stop in to check out the other Coffeehouse offerings below. Meanwhile, keep reading my friends! 🙂

Click these linky-loos for other great book recommendations!!

1. The Armchair Squid 2. Scouring Monk
3. Trisha @ WORD STUFF 4. Wishbone Soup Cures Everything
5. The Random Book Review 6. Words Incorporated
7. StrangePegs — The Casual Vacancy 8. Read, Write, Repeat
9. Mockity Mock Mock 10. I Think: Therefore, I Yam
11. Julie Flanders 12. The Writing Sisterhood
13. StrangePegs — Brave New World 14. V’s Reads

Will They Get MOORE THAN FOREVER?–Review and Giveaway

Moore-Than-Forever-Tour-Banner

Hi there and welcome to my stop on the MOORE THAN FOREVER blog tour. For other stops on the tour click here. This contemporary romance by Julie A Richman is the final installment of the Needing Moore trilogy. And boy, is it smoking!

MooreThanForever cover

MOORE THAN FOREVER

(Needing Moore Series, Book 3)

In this third and final book in the Needing Moore Series trilogy, Schooner Moore and Mia Silver must learn how to grow together and fight together as a team to hold onto their second chance love.  Continually stumbling on roadblocks and ghosts from their past, can Schooner and Mia take the lessons they’ve learned and use them to forge a future together.

My review:
With this final book in the Needing Moore series we start with turmoil. Mia’s pregnancy takes a dramatic turn for delivery–while Schooner is still in California watching over his teenaged son, Zak. Oh, and living in his old house with his wife–as their divorce proceedings move forward. It leaves Mia so angry, she doesn’t bother to call Schooner when she’s rushed to the hospital, fully prepared to be a single mother.

Drama much, Mia? We all know Schooner loves you to pieces.

There’s a lot of tension when they reconnect, but Schooner’s patience and tenderness eventually thaw Mia’s iceberg act. In truth, the first two books of the series had so many twists–with characters constantly in peril, I felt the third book was inordinately tame. No one almost dies. Relationships get patched up, and we get an up-close look at the impact of money in sub-Saharan Africa.

I was glad to see the resolution, though at times I felt the pace lagged. And, of course, there’s finally a wedding for our star-crossed, Facebook-reunited lovers. Two new kids for the happy couple, too. The ending was HEA all the way, and left the door open for further Moore adventures, of the Zak kind. Good thing Zak became infinitely more likable in this third book…

As with the other two books, there’s plenty of smexytimes to go around. Giddy up!

Interested? You can find MOORE THAN FOREVER at Goodreads, Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Julie A Richman, in her own words…
I must’ve been 5 or 6 when I started writing “stories”.  I would write them and hide them. Not wanting anyone to see my “secret” thoughts. I needed to write -even back then.  Now I’m just not hiding them anymore.  Is that a sign of maturity?  Nah ….

Writer, photographer, insatiable wanderluster, edge-player, foodie, music addict, pop culture fanatic, animal lover, warrior for the rights of people and planet, and avid cusser (am a Native New Yorker, so very little offends me … and if I am offended, it must be pretty freaking bad .. like bad grammar!).

I am big believer in signs and if we keep ourselves open, there are guideposts all along the way. Stay humble. Be true. Be you.

Life is not a dress rehearsal …

Find Julie A Richman here:  Website | Facebook | Twitter

***GIVEAWAY***

Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win on of these prizes:
(5) eBook copies of Moore than Forever – International
(3) $5 Gift Cards – International
(3) Print Copies of Moore than Forever. – US Only
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck and keep reading my friends!

AToMRTours_mdm

Is It ROMANCE IMPOSSIBLE?–A Review and Giveaway

Confession Time:  I’m a Food Network Junkie. I have been a huge fan of cooking shows since I was young–growing up watching The Frugal Gourmet, and Julia Child’s Kitchen on PBS. Then Dessert Circus and Jaques Pepin…into Mario Batali and Bobby Flay and the list goes on.

Romance ImpossibleI am also totally into food competition shows, and restaurant makeovers…which led me to Gordon Ramsay. Which led me to ROMANCE IMPOSSIBLE. This contemporary romance is a love story for foodies, like me.

Here’s what happens:

Jillian Brown is a chef. She has worked many kitchens around Boston, but is currently out of work due to so many restaurants failing in the depressed economy. Her bank account is nearly empty, and she’s desperate.

Chef Maxwell Dylan (undoubtedly inspired by Chef Gordon Ramsay) is a demanding prick. He’s brash and abrupt and honest. He is unflinchingly critical when it comes to cooking and has built a fortune through his hard work and exacting standards. He is opening a new restaurant. And he wants Jillian to be his sous chef.

Jill knows Chef Dylan, by reputation and by introduction. A few years ago he demanded to meet the chef who had prepared a meal he found lackluster. Jill never forgot that humiliation, and she’d rather eat her chef jacket that work for the notorious Chef Dylan, but that would likely be her last meal as broke and she is, so she accepts his job offer.

In the ramp up to opening the restaurant, Jill and Dylan develop a decent working relationship. She is submissive, as is to be expected, and he is steadfast in his resolve to not get involved with any woman–especially not Jill. He wants to stay focused on the restaurant, but doesn’t miss the quiet confidence Jill exudes. Her patience and attention to detail are just as attractive as her trim physique and pleasant face.

Jill is enamored with Dylan, after a time she is able to get over that horrifying initial meeting. She sees the man behind the frosty rep, and begins to appreciate his confidence and companionship. Over the course of the year there are aborted forays into romance. A kiss here, an embrace there, but each time Dylan pulls back–unsure of so many things. He’s never had a long-term relationship and won’t risk his stable work environment for what he’s sure will be a brief fling. Also, having amassed a fortune, he’s never sure if a woman is interested in him personally, or financially. This is a real fear, because Dylan’s personality is generally disagreeable.

Dylan seems to make extra effort to include Jill in his other endeavors, each time elevating her status and career. This includes recommending she be a part of a reality TV show to help ‘soften’ Dylan’s brash appeal. While on location in LA, Jill’s ex-fiance turns up. She and Eric had been together for 5 years and three weeks before their wedding she discovered he was dating another woman. Yet another humiliation, and one she had confessed to Dylan some months ago. With Eric trying to woo her back, Jill can only recognize how little she cares for him. He’s a cheater who hides all his treachery behind a nice demeanor, unlike Dylan. She’s about to tell all this to Eric, but another shoe had yet to drop, and Jill’s shattered once more.

Not long after, Dylan’s attempt to comfort Jill turns physical. Real physical. And Dylan panics. He’s not confident enough to risk his heart and tries to strike the best balance he can–to Jill’s great disappointment. She turns in her resignation and finds a new job as head chef in a prestigious restaurant. But fate isn’t finished with Jill. And one chance encounter leads these two to the place that were meant to be.

It’s a slow simmer of a romance, realistic in size and scope. Throughout there are tiny vignettes, excerpts of one of Dylan’s ‘cookbooks’, to illustrate his passion for food and cooking. The passion he contains for Jill is just as potent–and magnifies his fear of rejection by ten-fold. Then he sees how gracefully Jill accepts continued rejections and finally casts his whole heart on the line. It’s a joyful ending, and I really enjoyed the book. It’s told from alternating point of view so we can wallow deliciously in the tension between these two strong characters.

Interested? You can find this book on Goodreads, and Amazon. Right now it’s only available as a paperback, but the eBook will be out Feb 25th.

Melanie MarchandeMelanie Marchande is the author of the “I Married a Billionaire” trilogy.

In her own words:

“I’ve 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…”

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

She’s hosting a GOURMET GIVEAWAY for the next five days on her website and Facebook. Click this link for your chance to enter.

Up for grabs: TWO bulbs of indulgent black garlic, ONE package of gourmet squid ink pasta, ONE Dylan’s Trattoria logo apron, and ONE $25 Amazon.com gift card

One can probably make quite a tasty meal with all those fixin’s.

Best of luck and keep reading my friends! 🙂

ALL FOR YOU–Gritty Romance–A Review

Who protects our soldiers?

That’s a question I continue to wonder about. Right now, after more than a decade of war, our soldiers are seeing record numbers of suicides–more than one a day across all branches of the military. My own father was a Vietnam veteran and, through him, I have first-hand experience with the ravages of combat on a soldier’s emotional state. How difficult it is to return home, to return to “normal” life.

And, that’s what drew me to ALL FOR YOU, a newly released contemporary romance by Jessica Scott. My regular readers know I review a ton of romance. Most of it is pretty breezy and–with regard to those books–I almost hesitate to call ALL FOR YOU a romance. There is a strong romantic plot line within the story, don’t misunderstand that, it’s simply that the emotional tenor of the book is not-at-all breezy.

In fact, it’s downright gritty.

Army Sergeant Reza Iaconelli is just returning to command. He’s considered an NCO, non-commissioned officer, and is on probation. He has served several tours of duty, in Iraq and Afghanistan, but is currently training soldiers for duty at Fort Dix in Texas while he battles an alcohol addiction. Sergeant Ike–as he is called–wants nothing more than to report for combat duty himself. He is a survivor of horrific child abuse and watched his father beat his mother to death as a young teen. For him, the living moment-to-moment atmosphere of combat is easy.  It takes his mind away for the ghosts of his memory, people he didn’t save, couldn’t protect, like his mother. Due to his intoxication, Sergeant Ike missed the signs of addiction for one of his men. Guilt drives him to get that battle-scarred warrior a full medical discharge–and there’s one thing in the way.

Captain Emily Lindberg is a “slick sleeve”–a non-combat psychologist–working the enormous case load of depressed, shell-shocked, and potentially suicidal soldiers. She joined the army to help patients she felt needed it–not the pseudo-disturbed clientele of her parents’ lucrative practice. In fact, Emily’s wealthy family all but disowns her when she enlists. Her docket of files is overflowing and overwhelming. Being a female, and a slightly-built one at that–Emily sometimes suffers the scorn of the commanders–like Sergeant Reza Iaconelli. Reza directly challenges her over the care of his men, but Emily is a strong advocate. It is through her tireless devotion to care that Emily saves one of Reza’s soldiers from a pattern of hazing from a superior.

Of course, as I said, this is a romance. But it’s not the mushy-gushy type. There is an attraction between Reza and Emily. One he fights the same way he battles alcohol–one day at a time. In the guise of combat mentor Reza soon develops a rapport with Emily. And, for Emily, whose philandering ex-fiance is the son of a senator, Reza embodies the honesty and conviction of a hero and an officer.

Romance aside, there are many pressures facing this couple, not the least of which is military politics. Emily risks her commissioned status if she openly dates Reza–due to his embroilment in a potential hazing scandal. True, he didn’t perpetrate it, but he’s in the chain of command and all the lower rungs on the ladder may be sacrificed to protect the reputation of the higher-ups. Plus, he’s an easy target due to his alcoholism and short temper.

In the middle, a tragedy binds Reza and Emily together, but at what cost?

Can Emily trust Reza to keep her safe from his personal demons? And, for Reza, can he trust Emily to care for him–without constant emotional analysis? Besides, she’s a rich gal. She certainly can do better than a half-washed out officer, right?

There are some really dark parts of this story. It’s gripping in the way of A FEW GOOD MEN, but bears a slightly softer side, as well. We have alternating view point, allowing us to see inside Reza’s battle-scarred psyche, and it’s a scary place to exist, as you might imagine. In an age where our soldiers are coming home for the front lines in greater numbers and finding less opportunity and a difficult return to “normal” civilian life, the coping mechanisms are often chemical in nature. This book doesn’t shy away from that dark side. At all. Nor does it paint a rosy picture of the mental toll of war.

My father used to say something along these lines when he spoke of his army experience:  They ask you for your life, and that’s exactly what they take. That’s the kind of realism I found in this story. It’s powerful and profound, and I hoped against all hope that Sergeant Ike would get it right this time around. The pacing is tight, keeping the story rolling fast. The ending isn’t a typical bright and shiny HEA–but the reader is definitely left with a sense that life will get better for these characters. That they have been tempered by the fire, not burned.

Interested? You can find ALL FOR YOU at Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble–among other places I’m sure…

If you have the chance to pick this one up, make sure to come back and tell me what you thought!

And, as always, keep reading my friends! 🙂

Out Now! CONSEQUENCES OF DECEPTION by Ella Fox

Newly Released!

Consequences of DeceptionConsequences of Deception:

Once upon a time, girl met boy and a love story began.

Their future was assured until tragedy struck and deceptions were made.

There are consequences to every action, and the Consequences of Deception are always the most punishing.

Sloane Evans lost nearly everyone that she’s ever loved, but losing Killian Brandt left a scar that never healed.

Four and a half years after turning his back on her, Killian steps back into Sloane’s life in the most shocking of ways, giving her no choice but to abandon her life and go with him.

Why would a man buy a woman that he hates?

Not everything is as it appears.

Love is beautiful, revenge is ugly, and lies destroy lives.

Prepare to discover the Consequences of Deception.

Athletic man

Interested? You can find CONSEQUENCES OF DECEPTION at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Ella Fox Author Bio

When she’s not writing, Ella likes to indulge the gypsy in her soul by traveling the country.  She loves road trips!  At home, she spends time with her family and friends laughing & being inappropriate.  She loves reading, writing, music, movies and anything funny.  Consequences of Deception is her ninth book.

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

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win

one of 18 e-Books from other indie authors!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, and keep reading my friends!

Get With THE PLAN–Review and Giveaway

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

ThePlan_coverDay of Employment: 359

11:05 a.m.

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

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

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

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

It is a goal. Emma has a plan.

My Review:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About the Author

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

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

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

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

***GIVEAWAY***

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

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More Than TEMPORARILY YOURS–Review and Giveaway!

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

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

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

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

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

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

I’m SO glad it was fantastic.

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

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

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

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

Cue the dramatic breakup.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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LEGALLY WED–FTW* (For The Win…)–A Review

Hi there! As many of my readers have learned, I read a wide range. Part of that is being a mom. I’m sharing a beloved book with my 4 year old right now…SOCKS by Beverly Cleary. Oh! Takes me back. But my 11 y/o is really loving a book about an invisible boy that I may check out…and my high schooler, well, HUCK FINN is a classic.

Still, my personal reading tastes favor more paranormal, YA, Urban Fantasy, and romance of all stripes. That’s what turned me on to M/M romance–the menage books that featured close M/M relationships. I’ve followed the trend of mainstream authors picking up on the interest as well. In my search for great reads, I came across a newly released title, LEGALLY WED by Rick R. Reed, that really investigates the heart of gay marriage, from an insider’s perspective.

Legally WedLEGALLY WED is a contemporary romance with a M/M story, but the kicker is:  the gay man is marrying a woman. And, not on the down-low.

Here’s what happens:

Duncan is overwhelmed with joy that gay marriage is legal in Washington state. Watching the hordes of couples waiting for their unions, he can’t wait to join that happily married crowd. He’s been with Tucker for three years, and decides to pop the question…to be rebuffed. Soundly.

Devastated, Duncan gets drunk and signs on to Craigslist to post a call for a woman who will marry him–knowing he’s gay and not interested in a physical relationship.  See, Duncan wants to grow old with someone. He wants a lifelong companion, and he’s sure that he won’t find it with a man. But, he’s near forty and never been with a woman, and has no desire to change that. He does, however, have healthy relationships with women, and thinks that a platonic relationship may work.

Well, he gets lots of offers, though only one strikes the right note. He meets with Marilyn, a woman who has always had good friendships with gay men, and they hit it off. Not a Let’s Get Hitched-connection, but they can see being friends. Good friends, even, and a couple months later they are planning a wedding–for real. Struggling with the plans necessitates a planner, however.

Enter Peter. Garrulous, charming, gay bear, wedding-planning Peter. He’s so not Duncan’s type, but dayum…they connect. Not physically, mind you–Duncan’s a great guy, not a cheater–but the attraction is mutual.  Even Marilyn can’t deny how they seem to mesh. It unsettles them, actually, but they are determined to press on with the wedding.

Duncan seems consumed with Peter, and likewise. He knows he’s making a mistake marrying Marilyn, but he can’t seem to derail his desire for companionship, and isn’t willing to sacrifice the relationship he has built with Marilyn by calling it off. Until his brother-in-law dies, and Duncan returns home for the funeral. Seeing the love his beloved sister shared turns Duncan’s thoughts around.

Don’t fear for Marilyn. There’s room in this story for two happily ever afters…

I just loved this book. Duncan’s despondency over his failed relationships is palpable. My own heart twisted right along with his, seeing the happiness of everyone else and wondering “why not me?”. The book is mostly in Duncan’s point of view, but we get some chapters from Marilyn and Peter as well. It’s a solid read with Duncan and Marilyn sharing their dry humor throughout. As for the smexytimes, it’s far tamer than a category romance. In fact, I think the dirty fantasies Duncan and Peter have are smuttier than the deed. Still, it’s for a mature reader.

Interested? You can pick up LEGALLY WED at Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

If you have the chance to read this one, let me know your thought in the comments. And, as always, keep reading my friends. 🙂