New Adult Romance

New Adult is UNWRAPPED!! Release and Giveaway…

RELEASE EVENT

UnwrappedcoverfinalNew Adult Multiple Genre Novella Collection

Stories by Laurelin Paige, Sierra Simone, Melanie Harlow, Tamara Mataya, Katherine McGee, Gennifer Albin

Available December 23, 2013

Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Six romance authors present six very different novellas in this anthology of new stories: Ménage a tango lessons. A bride DYING to say, ‘I don’t.’ A horny college boy at a purity rally. Time-traveling graduate students meet Victorian playboys. A rugby player who’s as dirty off the field as on. And kissing under the mistletoe with a Scottish exchange student. Something for everyone, the NAturals present sweet, funny, and erotic tales of new adults meant to be Unwrapped all year long and not just at Christmas.

TEASER FROM CHERRY POPPER By Laurelin Paige
Then all he could do was kiss her, kiss her the way he should have kissed her the first time—slowly, sweetly. She responded perfectly, molding her mouth to his, sighing softly.

TEASER FROM TRY FOR LOVE By Kayti McGee
But right here, right now, in the flickering candlelight, she’d show him how she felt one last time. Mischa stood on her tiptoes to press her lips against the soft hollow at the base of Clifford’s throat, his heart beating against her kiss.

EXCERPT FROM THREE TO TANGO By Melanie Harlow
Secretly I’m a smut fiend, but only when it comes to books. Until last night, the only outwardly kinky thing about me was my hair on a rainy day. I’m a kindergarten teacher, for heaven’s sake. I wear fuzzy slippers and granny panties. Ballet flats and sweater sets. I didn’t even have sex until I was twenty-one, and then it was a lights-out, missionary-position, TV-blaring-to-cover-the-squeaky-dorm-room-bed kind of experience. (I still remember the rerun of How I Met Your Mother that was on, and let’s just say that Marshall’s description of the perfect burger was way more orgasmic than losing my virginity.)

Eventually I learned how to get myself off (in the total privacy of my shower, of course) and figured out what all the throbbing and moaning in my books was about, and I did manage to have two lovely little orgasms with Guy #2 last summer, but it took a lot of work. And time. So much time that I kept apologizing to the guy, and I couldn’t relax. I mean, he stuck with it and all, but compared to the fast-building, toe-curling, earth-shattering, mind-blowing romps on my Kindle, my sex life was totally vanilla.

And then I took a tango lesson.

WHOA!! Take out some insurance on your e-Readers if you pick THIS collection up!

Goodreads Button photo goodreads-badge-add-plus_zps5d68ec23.png
About the Authors
Laurelin Paige, Gennifer Albin, Melanie Harlow, Sierra Simone, Kayti McGee Downey, and Tamara Mataya are the six authors who blog for TheNaturalAuthors.blogspot.com. They each write romance and adore pushing the boundaries of the genre. Above all, they love reading smut, looking at pictures of hot men, and making up names for the band they’re always talking about forming.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win:
1- $50 USD Gift Card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble – International
or one of 5- eBooks of Unwrapped – International
Click HERE>>>a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good Luck! And, as always, keep reading my friends! photo AToMRTourslogo_zps3d9025b5.jpg

Catch TEN TINY BREATHS–A Review

Surviving tragedy is often harder than being a victim of it.

Ten Tiny Breaths (Ten Tiny Breaths, #1)TEN TINY BREATHS, a New Adult romance by  K. A. Tucker is a solid tale of loss, redemption and forgiveness.

Kacey Cleary survived the car accident that claimed the lives of her parents, boyfriend and best friend. She overcame bone shattering injuries and fought through the crushing depression in order to be there for the sole remaining member of her immediate family–younger sister Livie. Kacey is plagued by nightmares of the crash–being trapped in the car holding hands with her dead boyfriend as the heat left his skin, hearing the gasping breaths of her mother fade into nothingness. It’s been four years since the drunk driver stole her family away, but she can’t escape the revulsion she feels when another hand touches hers.

Kacey and Livie are on the run from her aunt and uncle–mostly her lecherous uncle who has taken an unnatural interest in fifteen year-old Livie. Relocating to Miami, Livie’s outgoing spirit draws the friendship of Storm–a bartender/stripper, and mother of young Mia. Through Storm, Kacey takes up tending bar in the strip club, as is not-so-subtley stalked by their attractive neighbor, Trent.

Trent is rather relentless in his pursuit of Kacey–shattering her every boundary against intimacy. It seems that he’s going to get her to come to terms with her PTSD, but an abrupt separation nearly destroys their fledgling relationship. In the meantime, Kacey’s anger issues are getting harder to hide.

Just when a reconciliation seems about to happen, a new curve lands Kacey in the psych ward.  And Trent? He’s not who he seemed to be…at all. But, the betrayal of Trent is small potatoes in comparison of the plot arc. Through his deception, Kacey and Livie are able to claim their inheritance that they had thought was squandered by Creepy Uncle. And Kacey’s aversion to intimacy is overcome–in fact, Kacey finally receives the help she needs to get past her anger and begin living a life of hope.

In the end, Kacey learns to forgive the drunk driver who killed her family–and forgive herself for actually surviving. It’s a redemption for her, and others, that leads to a HEA we want and in the best way possible.

I really enjoyed it–and think readers of contemporary romance will find the story strong and uplifting.

Interested? You can pick up TEN TINY BREATHS through Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

If you’ve read this one, drop me a comment about what you thought about it.

And, as always, keep reading my friends!

Happy Book Birthday to WRECKED by Priscilla West

AVAILABLE TODAY!!

Wrecked CoverA New Adult Romance Novel by USA Today Bestselling Author Priscilla West

Book Summary:
Two years ago, Lorrie’s mother was murdered. But that wasn’t the end of it. Reeling from the tragedy, Lorrie’s father spiraled into alcohol, depression, and finally suicide.
The two most important people in Lorrie’s life are both gone but she’s still alive.
Trying to recover from the tragedy, Lorrie returns to campus, ready to pick up the pieces of her life. All Lorrie wants is to get back to “normal.”
Then she meets Hunter. The man, the legend, “The Hammer.”
Hunter is a cage fighter who takes on every fight like he’s got nothing to lose. His life is a tangled mess of girls, booze, and fist fights. And while it may seem like he’s got a devil-may-care attitude, he’s fighting a private cage-match with a monster he can’t defeat.
Lorrie knows that Hunter is exactly the type of guy she should stay away from, especially in her fragile state, but Hunter has other ideas.
As Hunter and Lorrie grow closer together, will they be able to overcome their pain and heal each other? Or will they both end up wrecked?

How about a little taste?
I sighed heavily then inhaled through my mouth. The crisp winter air entering my lungs felt refreshing. The thick puffer jacket I wore kept my chest warm, but the cold stone beneath me sucked the heat from my bottom through my jeans, leaving my ass slightly numb.

My ass matched my feelings. I was numb when I should’ve been excited. Wasn’t it supposed to feel good returning to college? To go to fun parties and meet hot guys? To be moving on with my life again? Wasn’t that what Mom and Dad would have wanted?

Reaching into the inner pocket of my jacket, I pulled out a folded piece of notebook paper. I unfolded it and stared at the black letters shakily written in cursive by Dad. My chest grew tight and my fingers trembled but there were no tears in my eyes as I read the letter again, for the thousandth time.

Dear Lorrie,

Whatever happens after this, I want you to know that I love you and that this had nothing to do with you. Even after the divorce, I still loved your mother. I guess you always knew that. I can only blame myself for what happened to her. Maybe if I hadn’t worked so much, had paid more attention to her, we would’ve never gotten divorced, and she would’ve never met that monster.

I’m so sorry Lorrie. I’m sorry to you, and I’m sorry to your mother. She was so beautiful. She was the best thing in my world, and even after the divorce, I was happy to just be a part of your lives.

I know that you need me now, more than ever, but I can’t. I just can’t Lorrie. I’m too weak. It hurts so much that she’s no longer here. You’re the strong one Lorrie, you’ve always been strong. Ever since you were born, you were always so strong. You have to keep going, don’t make the same mistakes I made.

I’m sorry Lorrie. Goodbye.

Love,
Dad

I should cry now, I thought. That’s what normal people did right? In the movies, whenever someone read their father’s suicide note they cried afterwards. I’d cried the first hundred times I read it but now I couldn’t cry. I couldn’t feel anything. Not even when I wanted to. It was like there was a switch in my brain that was connected but nothing was transmitting. No sadness, no pain, no joy. Just numbness. Was that what dad meant when he said I was strong? That I could numb away the pain and move on?

I dipped the toe of my boot into the water and nudged a thick ice piece floating by.

Dad took his own life a few months ago, after the trial was over. It was a hell of a thing to do to your loved ones. It was a hell of a thing to do to his sister, Caroline. And to me, after I spent most of my time living with him after the divorce. Didn’t he know how much we cared about him? Didn’t he know how broken we’d be when he committed suicide?

I folded up the note and put it back into my pocket. When I patted my jacket for my phone to check the time, I remembered I’d left it back in my room. I should probably head back.

A soft gurgling drew my attention to the water beneath the bridge and I looked down. I almost didn’t see it at first, but then I spotted it. There was a large goldfish making slow circles under the water.

“Hey fishy. What are you doing? Aren’t you freezing in there?”

The fish glugged a few bubbles to the surface and I took it as a yes. It was slow but looked alive in the bitter coldness of the water. I envied that feeling of being alive. My ass was numb and I was numb on the inside. I wanted to feel something. Anything. Just to know that I was still here.

I tucked my legs beneath me and leaned over the side of the bridge, dipping my fingers into the water. A frigid chill spiked up my arm invigorating me.

I could still feel something.

I leaned further over the side of the bridge so that I could reach deeper into the water. My wiggling fingers must’ve looked like dinner because the fish approached and started nibbling at me. The icy bite of the water made me alert and awake, clearing the numb fuzz that I thought had settled permanently on my mind. I pushed up the sleeve of my jacket with my other hand, before leaning further, to plunge my arm deeper. The edge of my sleeve was getting wet but I didn’t care. The cold had a cleansing quality, even as the tips of my fingers were starting to lose their feeling.

I thought about leaning further, but it was already the furthest I could go without losing my balance. If I fell in the freezing water, I might die—there was certainly no one around to help me. I might have been numb but I wasn’t stupid.

Something felt odd around my shoe. I twisted my head and saw a black, furry creature tearing viciously at my shoelaces. “Hey!” I yelled.

The cat screeched and jumped three feet in the air, scaring the shit out of me. I wanted to pull my hand out of the water, but it was too late. I flailed for a split second, trying to grab onto the stone I’d used earlier to save myself, but this time I missed. I tipped forward, losing all balance.

Then I was underwater.

WOW!! Lorrie sure has a messed up life. And then she meets Hunter…I’m planning to review this one next month and I Just. Can’t. Wait.

Interested in WRECKED? You can find it at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

About the Author
Priscilla West is the author of the popular Surrender series. Her next release titled: Wrecked will be available on December 16th. She likes to write stories with sassy heroines and strong but flawed heroes.

She enjoys: cuddles, men in suits, eskimo kisses, life-sized teddy bears, and eggs over medium.

You can find her at Facebook, too.

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win
a $50 Amazon Gift card (open internationally)
Good luck, and keep reading my friends!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

AToMRTours_mdm

They are HOLDING ON FOREVER–Review and Giveaway

Holding On ForeverHi there and welcome to my stop on the HOLDING ON FOREVER blog tour sponsored by YA Bound Book Tours. For other stops on the tour click here. Today’s book is a New Adult romance by Cecilia Robert.

HoldingOnForever.v3 - Final (1)Book Summary:
Liese is finally moving on with Frey by her side. But sometimes letting go is the hardest part, and trusting is a risk one has to take. In between her practicum and spending time with Frey whenever he is town, she fights her insecurities, and wins. Then something happens and Frey’s priorities momentarily shift, making her second guess their relationship. Suddenly, going back to their former best friends status has never looked so appealing.

Frey’s life has never shined so bright now that Liese is his. But there is a part of him that is shrouded by memories he’d rather have them buried where no one can touch them.  Not even him. But even buried memories and people can’t stay hidden for forever. What Liese doesn’t know is that Frey isn’t about to let go so easily, and he will throw in everything he’s got to stop her from leaving him. He has waited an eternity for her. Giving her up is not an option.

My Review:

This short novel is the sequel to TRULY MADLY DEEPLY YOU, which I have not read. Still, it can be read alone. It picks up with Liese and Frey already in serious with each other. This may not sound odd, but Liese and Frey are childhood friends. They are young (about 24 each I’d say) yet have suffered deep personal losses. Liese had a miscarriage and lost her husband after a terrible car wreck two years prior. She has tremendous abandonment issues, as a result.

Frey’s parents died in a Christmas Day fire ten years ago and his only brother died in duty five years ago–so they’ve suffered. Unfortunately, I didn’t really sense this in the book.

Here’s Why:  At first I thought the pacing was off. That everything happened too slowly for me to really agonize about the characters, but as I read on I realized that the tension was the problem.

As soon as anything remotely dangerous or upsetting occurred, it got dealt with. When Frey went MIA for a few weeks Liese barely got anxious. She didn’t go alcoholic, or turn her house into a Monument of OCD behavior; she spent some nights at her parent’s house and talked to her therapist about her feelings. Then, when he called she tried to break up with him. The rapid transition was very superficial–it never gave me a chance to really get into Liese’s head and feel her pain, so I couldn’t connect with her abandonment, or her worry, or her…anything.

Likewise with Frey–he thinks his brother’s dead for FIVE YEARS. Then one night he gets a call from his brother’s cell number. First, I’m sure people update their cell phones more often than that. If he’d gotten a new phone, I’d imagine he’d have deleted his bro’s contact info…amiright? But, that aside, his brother shows up–alive–and after a brief confrontation they go to Frey’s house. End of chapter.

So, my biggest complaint of the story was a complete lack of emotional resonance. There was no pitch and roll, no “Will they, or Won’t they?” heartstring tug that made me stay up too, too late and show up to work the next day groggy with a book hangover.

My second biggest issue was with setting. I didn’t learn where this story happened until page 50. The book is clearly written by a “Queens English” speaker–meaning the grammar and diction is that of a subject of the Crown, not a gal from Queens, NY–and I’ve read an unGodly amount of British authors who apply their familiar speech and colloquialisms to characters in, say, Texas. Or, New York. Or, some other distinctive US locale wherein persons would never, for example, “have a row” or discuss how “smartly” a woman dresses. Those Brit-isms are rampant throughout the manuscript, so I kept waiting for the London references and crossing my fingers were weren’t going to take a ride up the Empire State Building. Turns out the setting was Vienna, Austria. I’d not known anything about Vienna–and have learned little more than areas within the city are called “Districts”. I’d have loved a bit more immersion into this destination.

Interested in HOLDING ON FOREVER? You can find it at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

About the Author

Cecilia Robert  writes YA, NA and Adult. Her motto: Passion rules. She enjoys writing stories about people finding love in the most unexpected of places, and also about people finding their true purpose in life coupled with adventurous journeys, whether it’s urban, fantasy, sci-fi, contemporary or paranormal romance. There’s always a happy ever after, no matter how long it takes for the characters to get there. When she’s not working in her full time job, she dons her supermom cape, or in most cases find herself trapped between the pages of a book in search for a hero who’ll make her swoon with just a look or a word. Her favourite form of therapy is knitting. Best. Therapy. Ever.

You can find Cecilia on her blog, Goodreads, twitter, Facebook or Pinterest.

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the link below for your chance to win
one of 3 ebook copies of Holding On Forever (INT)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

642fa-yabounktourbutton

Sneak Peek of HARD GLAMOUR by Maggie Marr

SNEAK PEEK:  HARD GLAMOUR

A new series by Maggie Marr

Hard Glamour Cover

New Adult Contemporary

Releasing January 14, 2014

Lane Channing doesn’t have much to leave behind in Kansas. She promised her dying mother she would follow her dreams no matter what. That’s why this summer Lane is taking ‘the big risk’ and leaving the Midwest for an internship in LA at CTA. She arrives for her internship in her old jeep with 20 bucks until her first paycheck — but she has a job! A dream job that will get her into the Industry…or she thought she did until she finds out that CTA gave her job away! Now she’s broke, unemployed and stuck in LA with no safety net.

Dillon MacAvoy has one goal–to become a star. His agent and publicist have been honing his bad-boy can’t-be-tamed forever-single image in preparation for the release of Dillon’s first film. An image that will sell tickets, solidify Dillon’s career. Besides, it’s an image that is very close to the truth. Nothing matters to Dillon but his career and his brother. He’s got offers for great roles stacking up but the studios are getting ready to pull the deals if he won’t give them answers. Problem? He keeps sleeping with his script readers and then tossing them aside. Then Dillon’s brother Choo finds the perfect reader for Dillon, a reader that is completely untouchable–Choo finds Lane Channing.

Lane is saved by the job opportunity to read for Dillon MacAvoy and if she can last the entire summer as his reader then she will have a job next spring when she graduates college. But she will have to ignore the heat that pulses through her whenever Dillon is in the room. Dillon can’t get distracted by Lane–she could ruin the brand that his agent and publicist have built a brand that includes Dillon as forever single bad boy–an image that as Dillon gets to know Lane Channing might not fit his identity anymore.
photo goodreads-badge-add-38px11_zpsba99ee71.jpg

Sneak Peek Excerpt
Dillon
I couldn’t stop myself. I wanted to because I didn’t want to hurt Lane. I didn’t want to draw here into my insane world. I wanted her to read for me this summer and then go back to Kansas where she could meet someone good for her, someone that would take care of her, but when I looked in her eyes and saw that she understood. She got how hard it was to go into that room and pretend to be happy but how it was also an honor and of course I couldn’t cry in there. It was tragic and sad but it would be selfish to cry–that family was experiencing that pain.

It was my job, to do the very best I could to bring some light and joy into that room if only they got to have their son for 6 days or 6 months I was meant to lighten their load. I wasn’t the star of that show.

And Lane got it.

Her lips trembled and her voice shook and her eyes those damn turquoise eyes with specks of green were wet and wide and she was just so their and so alive and so beautiful what else—there was nothing else I could do. I wanted her. I’d wanted her from the moment I met her.

I needed to kiss her, it wasn’t a choice. I reached out and I grabbed her by both arms and pulled her to me. Her lips were soft and at first surprised but she yielded to me. I pressed her against the elevator wall. My mouth was so greedy for her.

Heat burst through my belly. I was hard and my cock throbbed. I hadn’t been this turned on — ever.

My hand skimmed over her bare thigh and along the edges of her shorts. Damn that amazing beautiful thigh. My hand pressed up over the top of her shirt, against her waist and to the edge of the roundness of her breast. A soft moan came from deep in her throat and I nearly exploded. She pressed her hips forward against mine. I touched the edge of her breast and another soft little moan escaped her throat. A moan that nearly undid me. I pressed harder against her.

Then the elevator dinged. I looked at her and the heat in my body stunned me. What was I thinking? We were in a fucking elevator in a hospital? I wasn’t … I couldn’t think, that was obvious–I couldn’t even think when Lane was around. I jerked away from Lane and burst off the elevator and toward the hospital doors. I needed air. This…I hadn’t meant to, didn’t — shouldn’t have. Fuck what had I done? I looked over my shoulder once before I slammed through the automatic doors, the look on Lane’s face–the look she was shocked and surprised and stunned. Her fingers lingered on her lips where seconds before my lips had been.

Maggie MarrAbout the Author
Maggie Marr grew up in the Midwest and made the move to Los Angeles to work in the movie business. She was a motion picture literary agent for ICM before becoming a full time writer. She’s written for film and TV and ghostwritten for celebrities. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and children.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads
photo AToMRTourslogo_zps3d9025b5.jpg

Wrecked by CRASHING INTO YOU–Review

Alcohol and adolescents make a dangerous cocktail.

That’s the premise behind B. D. Rowe’s newly released New Adult romance CRASHING INTO YOU.

Crashing Into YouSummary from Goodreads:

Bookish college sophomore Sydney Baker wants Evan Taylor with every ounce of her being. The hottest stud on campus, Evan is six foot four, ripped, stacked with muscles. He’s even easy to talk to.

There’s just one problem: he’s her roommate Melanie’s boyfriend.

But when Melanie tragically dies after a night of wild partying, Sydney and Evan turn to each other in a time of intense grief. And it doesn’t take long for their close friendship to blossom into something more.

Unfortunately for Sydney, secrets from the past soon put her relationship with Evan to the test. Especially when a sexy blonde freshman makes her way into Evan’s life, and tries to rip away everything Sydney holds close to her heart.

My Review:

This book is currently on a blog tour, of which I am not a participant; I got a free reviewer’s copy through NetGalley. The premise sounded interesting, and I’m always down for a New Adult romance, but the story here didn’t grab me. ***This review contains some spoilers***

Background: Sydney’s a survivor of a car accident that killed three people–her drunk, at-fault boyfriend, and a mother and her young child. Sydney hardly drinks and acts as the DD for her friends now. Oh, and she’s still underage for alcohol.

While at school, Sydney struggles with the binge drinking she witnesses around her. She seeks to intervene to help kids not over-indulge–with mixed results. Secretly she pines for Evan, her roommate Melanie’s boyfriend.

It’s not so clear that Evan and Melanie are in trouble, romance-wise. And Sydney does nothing overt to damage their relationship. She and Evan are friends. They do some friend-type stuff: hanging out, studying for a mutual class. It is Evan who makes a move on Sydney. And she shuts him down, because Friend Code, and all that. Good girl. I don’t want to hate you.

The same night Evan puts the move on, Melanie dies from alcohol poisoning. Now Evan is free, but grieving, and Sydney blames herself for not stepping in the path of Melanie’s self-destructive alcohol issues. I can buy that.

Later that summer Sydney and Evan reunite. They behave as friends though Sydney wants more. And she eventually gets the whole Evan-chilada. The smexytimes are a bit overdone to me. Here’s why: throughout this story I felt Sydney read very teen-angsty and immature. She’s kinda petty, and jealous, and well, apart from the “DD-Be-Alcohol-Responsible” stuff she felt rather juvenile. Some people are adult-y in grade school. Sydney felt kiddie, despite being twenty y/o, thus the graphic sex gave me an awkward vibe.

Then school starts again. That this tale was swimming into dark waters wasn’t subtle–more fore-bludgeoning than foreshadowing–and we have Melanie’s Doppleganger appear on campus. Why is Sydney worried? She’s got her man. And the Look-a-like is Melanie’s younger sister. Do guys really want to date their dead ex-girfriend’s younger sister? I struggled with the logic. But it reinforced my feeling that Sydney is too immature to move forward with an adult relationship.

Sydney’s BIGGEST problem isn’t a boyfriend’s potentially-wandering eye, it’s how to develop the skills to cope with disappointment–sans alcohol. The very second she catches Evan in a lie what does Sydney do? Pound two cocktails and vomit in the bushes. Yeah. Great job being a mature adult, Syd.

The ending consists of a melodramatic twist that does a disservice to the story.  A fatality occurs and the plot value of it was nil, IMHO. It felt so unnecessary. What lesson did Sydney learn anyway? Don’t drive while consumed by jealousy? Meh. Not big enough to justify the death–and if it was designed to create plot problems for a sequel, well, I don’t like the characters nearly enough to hitch along for that ride.

I want to recommend the book to younger readers so they can learn how absolutely stupid it is to binge on alcohol–but I can’t because the smexytimes are icky-sticky for younger readers. Some New Adult-ers might relate with Sydney, but mostly I shook my head.

You can find CRASHING INTO YOU at Goodreads, Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

If nothing else, reading stinkers helps me to appreciate the awesome books that much more. The book  wasn’t awful, but the plot didn’t catch me like I thought it would, and the ending was a total downer.

As always, keep reading my friends!

Looking for MEN AND MARTINIS? Got them! Review and Giveaway

Men and Martinis-tour banner copy

Hi there and welcome to my stop on the MEN AND MARTINIS blog tour sponsored by YA Bound Blog Tours. For other stops on the tour click here. Today’s book is a sassy New Adult romance by Delancey Stewart.

men and martinisSummary from Goodreads:
Candace Kanie wins at every game she plays. From the boardroom to the bar, she’s confident, clever, perhaps just a tad overbearing. It’s not easy for a girl like Candace to admit that love may be the one game she can’t win…at least not until she’s willing to change her strategy. In Men and Martinis, Candace Kanie will learn that sometimes to be at the top of your game, you have to hit rock bottom.

Men and Martinis is the first release in Delancey Stewart’s series “Girlfriends of Gotham” – a voyeuristic voyage through the lives of a group of twenty-something girls who dance, date, and drink their way through Manhattan during the days of the dot com boom. During an era when the up-and-comers in New York were partying like Studio 54 had never died, this group of friends discovers that the city is theirs for the taking; and they find their often-hilarious way through the forces that work to redefine the way they know themselves and each other.

My review:
This New Adult adventure follows the lives of two young gals tackling New York’s business landscape in their own way. Natalie is befuddled. She only knows she needs to get away from the watchful eyes of her family in San Diego. So she drives herself across the country and shares an apartment with a complete stranger. She lucks into a fantastic marketing job that she has no knowledge or skill to actually do, yet she gives it her all.

At a business party she crosses paths with the brash, take-no-prisoners, chic Candace “Don’t call me Candy” Kanie and they hit it off. Candace is a investment manager–and she will accept nothing less than her exact ideal job, mate, or life.

This dual-viewpoint tale is endearing. We see the internal vulnerabilities of two competent women both swimming for the surface in shark-infested seas. Despite all effort, Candace can’t seem to land the man she wants–nor seal the crucial investment her firm needs to get it’s financial footing. Lacking experience, Natalie is mired in too much work she cannot possibly handle–and a relationship that is going nowhere. Her attraction to a co-worker causes too much friction, and a new executive hired to train her is not helping matters.

Ultimately, we get a great look at the world of fledgling adults attempting to make a “success” of themselves. I really enjoyed the pacing and felt the characters were well-drawn and admirable. For those who clamor about too sexy New Adult, they have nothing to flinch at here. All the smexytimes takes place behind closed doors.

 Interested? You can find MEN AND MARTINIS at Goodreads, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.

delancey stewartAbout the Author
I’m not big on labels, but there are a few that fit me (not necessarily in this order. Or maybe in this order):
– wine drinker (and wine geek)
– mother of small boys
– military spouse
– writer
– chocolate eater

I’ve written the Wine Country Romance Series, which ties my love of wine to my love of falling in love… and the Girlfriends of Gotham series, which begins publishing with Swoon Romance in December 2013.

I also love short stories, and my themed collection (all set in the same NYC brownstone across the span of a century) published in 2012. You can catch ups with Delancey on her blog, Goodreads, Facebook and twitter.

***GIVEAWAY***
Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win:
4 – ebooks of Men and Martinis + $10 iTunes gift card (INT)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

266ec-yabounktourbutton

He can ANIMATE ME!–A Review

Animate MeHi there!  Wanted to share something fun I picked up as an Amazon Freebie a couple weeks ago. This fun New Adult romance by Ruth Clampett is everything I look for in a book–solid love story, some realistic complications, and a resolution that leaves me swoony.

ANIMATE ME does it animal-style. (more on that below!)

Here’s what happens:

Twenty-four year old animator Nathan Evans has the biggest crush on Brooke, an executive at his studio. Not only does he admire her from afar, he names is comic book character B-Girl after her.

One day their paths cross in the elevator and there’s some banter about Brooke wanting a coffee. As Nathan was on his way out for coffee anyway he buys one for Brooke, too. Being the shy-romantic he is, he draws her a tiny cartoon on the paper cup. Something to make her flash that megawatt smile he adores.

They chat a bit and he’s so into it he decides to repeat this encounter the next day. And the next. Soon it becomes an afternoon ritual they both enjoy. It’s a giant leap for Nathan–he’s a bit (deliciously) socially awkward–to reach out to a woman. See Nathan’s only had two “relationships” in his life and neither was actually consummated…that’s right. Nathan’s a 24 y/o virgin.

I love how Clampett turns the innocence tables here–having Nathan be the fumbling novice and Brooke the savvy instructor! Genius!

In fact, Brooke thinks their flirtation is designed to attract another co-worker Nathan desires. Too shy to correct her–and wanting more than anything to spend more time with Brooke–he proceeds with Brooke’s Love Lessons all the while getting more action than he’d ever dreamed. Not that it’s all roses. Cause it ain’t.

Brooke’s pseudo-boyfriend, Arnauld, is the president of their animation studio. And when he learns that Brooke is falling hard for Nathan, Arnauld’s not willing to let her go. His attempt to destroy Nathan’s career is vicious and yet perfectly believable.

Through the flame war that erupts, Nathan and Brooke get separated. The longing, anguish and anger that Nathan experiences are so poignant–I wanted to jump into the book and hug him. Tell him, “Hold on baby, it’ll all work out!”

And it does, so HEA’s for everyone.

ANIMATE ME is a home run for me. I loved the male viewpoint! I loved Nathan’s innocence and excitement and steadfastness. He’s the kind of guy I hope my sons grow into–the kind that look for a special girl to cherish and then pour their whole soul into loving her. And, bonus, we get cute little cartoons that build on the love story!

Here’s where you can find ANIMATE ME:   Goodreads   AMAZON

New books are coming out from Ruth Clampett and they sound just as fun.  I’ll keep you posted when I get my eyes on them…

Let me know if you pick up ANIMATE ME and drop me a comment on how you liked it.

And, as always, keep reading my friends!

Can one boy KEEP ME STILL?–Tour Review and Giveaway!

KeepMeStill_TOURBANNER

Hi there and Welcome to my stop on the KEEP ME STILL blog tour sponsored by InkSlinger Promotions. Today I’m reviewing a YA Romance from best-selling author Caisey Quinn, whose GIRL WITH GUITAR I absolutely loved…

KMS Amazon GR SWBOOK SUMMARY:
Layla Flaherty had the perfect life, or close to it. Until a stranger gunned her parents down right in front of her, leaving her with seizure inducing PTSD. After years of trying to pass as normal and failing miserably, she resigns herself to being invisible. But new to town Landen O’Brien sees her, and he likes what he sees. Much to Layla’s surprise, he doesn’t freak out when she has a seizure in front of him. He does the exact opposite, calming her until the tremors subside. But Landen has secrets of his own. Secrets that both bind them together and tear them apart.

Scarred by loss, Layla leaves her hometown of Hope Springs, Georgia, hoping to put her painful past behind her and start over in college in California. When she runs into Landen at freshmen orientation, she has a choice to make. Reinforce those steel walls she’s built up around herself or give the only boy who can keep her still a second chance.

Landen’s more than ready to tear down those walls but this time when they come crashing down, they might bury her.

My Review:
This YA/New Adult Romance is an emotional rollercoaster. Layla is used to being the invisible girl–until Landen comes along. His unabashed affection brings her out of her isolation and causes her to hope that love is possible. That perhaps everybody doesn’t leave.

Until he does. His mother is separating from his abusive father and he’s moving to Colorado. Heartbroken, Layla can’t move on, but a new diagnosis helps her see that she can give up on life, or actually live it.

She moves to LA to go to USC only to reunite with Landon. Can she trust him again, is one huge question. But, more importantly, should she give in to her desire knowing that her medical issues will guarantee her time with him is finite?

It’s a difficult decision, for sure. Especially when Layla learns that she doesn’t have any secrets. Landon’s the one keeping everything from her.

I enjoyed this one. I’ve been a Quinn fan since GIRL WITH GUITAR and was not disappointed here. The emotions run high, but not to the melodramatic. Given the additional novellas–LET YOU LEAVE and KEEP US CLOSE that come along for the ride, the story is well-rounded and touching. Watching these broken souls find peace is a satisfying journey. I think the book(s) are fine for any upper YA reader. The smexytimes aren’t terribly graphic and make sense within the book’s plot lines.

Interested? You can find KEEP ME STILL at Amazon,  Barnes & Noble, or Kobo.

Caisey QuinnAbout the fan-tab author:
Caisey Quinn lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, daughter, and other assorted animals. She is the bestselling author of the Kylie Ryans series as well as several New Adult Romance novels featuring country girls finding love in unexpected places. You can find her online at her website, Goodreads, Facebook and twitter.

***GIVEAWAY****
Want a chance to win a $50 Gift Card (1), a KEEP ME STILL Kindle Case (1), and a swag pack (1). Plus signed copies of WISH I MAY by Lexi Ryan (1) , BREAK IT UP by E.M. Tippetts (1), and a winner’s choice title from Elizabeth Lee (1)? Click the link below to enter!

5 winners get one or more of these prizes! US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don’t forget to let me know if you pick up KEEP ME STILL and if you liked it!

And, as always, keep reading my friends!

BloggerButton

COME ALIVE–an Experiment in Terror Series Blast and Giveaway!

EIT PROMO

Hi there, and welcome to my stop on the Experiment in Terror Blog Tour. Experiment in Terror is a collection of full-length New Adult Romantic Suspense/Horror from diabolically best-selling author Karina Halle. Today’s feature is COME ALIVE. You can check out other books in the series here.

Come Alive coverBook Description:
It’s one thing to bring the woman you love back into your life. It’s another to try and keep her there. For Dex Foray, con­vinc­ing Perry Palomino to open her­self to their bur­geon­ing rela­tion­ship has been more chal­leng­ing than hunt­ing ghosts, bat­tling demons and stalk­ing Sasquatch com­bined. Add in the fact that the only way they can keep their Exper­i­ment in Ter­ror show run­ning is to take on a third part­ner in the form of the mys­te­ri­ous Max­imus Jacobs — all while inves­ti­gat­ing a sin­is­ter voodoo sect in New Orleans — and you’ve got the per­fect South­ern storm and a recipe for dis­as­ter. Luck­ily, Dex has never been one to back down, even when his life –and heart — are on the line.

Come Alive is told from Dex’s POV.

The big tease:

“No,” she said, smiling. I wanted to kiss her nose. “It’s okay. I’m glad you did. I’m sorry I’m being such a weirdo about all of this. It’s just hard to believe how far we’ve come, you know? My brain is just catching up now.”

“So you’re okay with me being your boyfriend? I’ll treat you real nice. We can go steady and you can wear my letterman jacket.”

“Ooooh, maybe,” she said playfully. “What letter is on it?”

“No letter, just a picture of a cock.”Come Alive Dex2

She snorted. “Of course there is.”

“It’s a rooster, you pervert.”

She eyed me dryly. “Oh yeah? Why a rooster?”

“It symbolizes my cock. Can’t love me without loving cock.”

Oh…that Dex. He’s incorrigible…

Interested? You can find COME ALIVE for $.99 (through Nov 14th) on Goodreads, Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

I also happened to notice that the first book in this series–DARK HOUSE is currently free at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I snapped that deal right up!

About the talented Ms. Karina Halle

Karina Halle is the USA Today Best Selling Author of The Artists Trilogy (On Every Street, Sins & Needles, Shooting Scars, and Bold Tricks) published by Hachette, the Experiment in Terror series, and The Devil’s series published by Diversion.

The daughter of a Norwegian Viking and a Finnish Moomin, Karina Halle grew up in Vancouver, Canada with trolls and eternal darkness on the brain. This soon turned into a love of all things that go bump in the night and a rather sadistic appreciation for freaking people out. Like many of the flawed characters she writes, Karina never knew where to find herself and has dabbled in acting, make-up artistry, film production, screenwriting, photography, travel writing and music journalism. She eventually found herself in the pages of the very novels she wrote (if only she had looked there to begin with).

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her fiance and rescue pup.

Karina is represented by Scott Waxman of the Waxman Leavell Literary Agency. You can find her on Facebook, twitter, and Goodreads. The Experiment in Terror books are also on Facebook.

***GIVEAWAY***
2 EIT Swag Packs
a Rafflecopter giveaway
AToMRTours_mdm