April 2014 – Page 2 – Read-Love-Blog

Cover Reveal…One Night With a Cowboy by Elizabeth Otto

Elizabeth Otto’s ONE NIGHT WITH A COWBOY (Paint River Ranch #2)

Releasing May 12^th, 2014 from Entangled Publishing

One night is never enough…

Jobless, broke and struggling to support herself and her invalid mother, paramedic Sophie Miller doesn’t have time or energy for a relationship. Especially with her mother’s clock ticking down. So when the sexy cowboy she meets at a carnival proposes a no-strings one-night stand, she’s all over it. Until her one-night stand shows up again and turns out to be everything she’s ever wanted.

Tucker Haywood has his hands full running Paint River Ranch and trying to deal with all the changes pulling the rug out from under him. His past has taught him it’s better to keep women at arm’s length, for their sake. Stubborn and temperamental, Tucker doesn’t have a clue how to deal with a city girl who’s scared of squirrels and dirt.

So when Sophie gets under his skin, he has to do whatever it takes to push her away. Even if it means losing the part of himself he never thought he’d find.

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This is the second book in the Paint River Ranch series, but reads as a stand-alone. You can find the highly-acclaimed first book in the series, TEMPTING THE COWBOY, on Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

You can follow Elizabeth on Facebook | Twitter | Blog

East of Ecstasy by Laura Kaye…Release Day Event

We are so excited it’s release day for Laura Kaye’s EAST OF ECSTASY! EAST OF ECSTASY is the final book in her Hearts of the Anemoi Series.

See below for a note from Laura and an excerpt!!

East of Ecstasy Excerpt:

By Laura Kaye

You guys! I can’t believe release day for East of Ecstasy is finally here! This is the final book in my Hearts of the Anemoi series, which includes: North of Need, West of Want, and South of Surrender. The Anemoi were wind gods the Greek associated with controlling the wind, weather, and seasons. In East of Ecstasy, hero Devlin Eston is the heir to the East Wind which has long been associated with unluckiness, misfortune, and, thanks to Devlin’s father, even evil. Devlin himself has been the victim of father’s evil, and thereby finds himself an outcast among his own divine family. In this scene, heroine Annalise Fallston—who gets visions that she’s forced to paint in order to quiet them in her mind—sees Devlin for the first time. Here’s what she says:

Forcing the chaos in her mind away, Anna dipped her brush into the gray and stepped to the canvas. Motion captured her attention from the corner of her eye.

The Dark Man, the subject of her recent paintings, stood in the doorway and leaned against the jamb.

Anna jumped and her pulse raced, but this time, anger flooded in instead of fear. “I will deal with you on my own damn terms,” she said, taking a perverse amount of pleasure from putting a figment of her imagination in its place. Because that’s all he was.

He didn’t move or speak. Not that he could, since, you know. Figment.Of.Imagination.

Anna rolled her eyes, done with being scared and so pissed to have to do this again that she was nearly out of her mind. “I’m doing your damn painting already. So just leave me alone.” She cut her gaze back to the expanse of white, but the desire to see if his image would still be there if she looked again drove her to distraction.

Finally, she gave in and…he was still there.

Completely still.Blatantly scowling.Totally unfathomable.

Was this a vision? Another image she’d have to paint?

Her heart tripped into a sprint, and she couldn’t look away from him. Like the compulsion that forced her to paint these images, Anna couldn’t help but return his stare and memorize his masculine features. The sharp angles of his face, the harsh set of his mouth, the dark shadows around his even darker eyes.Black eyes. Blades of black hair hung low over his forehead and just touched the hooded shirt he wore under his short, scuffed leather jacket. He’d crossed his arms over his chest, and the position caused his biceps to bunch up under the worn leather. In fact, everything about him appeared worn—the coat, the threadbare jeans, the scuffed boots. None of it struck her as the kind of shabby chic you could buy in some upscale store for a small fortune, either. The whole effect was rough. Dangerous.Deprived.

Deprived? What a strange way of describing him. But as Anna’s gaze swept over him again, the thought stuck. For his height, he seemed thin, with his lean hips, clad in old black jeans, a trim waist, and pronounced cheekbones. Her fingers twitched around the nearly forgotten paintbrush. What would it feel like to cup that harsh face in her hand?

Anna gasped and tore her gaze away. She had to blink to pull herself out of the haze of thoughts. Frustration surged through her and tensed the muscles of her shoulders and neck. She didn’t want to be working on another of these paintings as it was, so the last thing she needed was to lose a bunch of time daydreaming. Or would it be daynightmaring?

As she stared at the blank canvas, the image of the shackled man behind the prison bars filled her mind’s eye.

Definitely the latter.

Curiosity pulled her eyes to the left again. The doorway was empty.

So, did you have a favorite line from the excerpt? Thanks for reading!

Laura

About EAST OF ECSTASY:

The final chapter in the award-winning and bestselling Hearts of the Anemoi series…

She’s the only one who can give him the strength to save them all…

Annalise Fallston made peace with postponing her big-city dreams to care for her ill father, but lately she’s been filled with a restlessness not even her beloved painting dispels. Worse, the colors don’t speak to her as they always have, and all her efforts produce dark, foreboding images of a dangerous man and a terrifying future.

Devlin Eston, black-souled son of the evil Anemoi Eurus, is the only one who can thwart his father’s plan to overthrow the Supreme God of Wind and Storms. But first, Dev must master the unstable powers he’s been given. Distrusted and shunned by his own divine family, he never expected to find kindness and passion in the arms of a mortal.

But Devlin’s love puts Annalise in the path of a catastrophic storm, and in the final Armageddon showdown between the Anemoi and Eurus, sacrifices will be made, hearts broken, and lives changed forever…or lost.

Buy at Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

Catch up on the whole series with the Hearts of the Anemoi box set featuring the first three books: North of Need, West of Want, South of Surrender!

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

About Laura Kaye:

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

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Girl Lost by Nazarea Andrews…Teaser Blitz

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Synopsis:

Northern was supposed to be a fresh start—a place where people didn’t know who I was or how I had spent years in and out of mental institutes. People didn’t know about my parents death or the island no one heard of. But when Peter sits next to me in lit class, I can’t stop the memories, and I don’t want to. He looks too much like the boy from the island, and despite my best intentions, coaxes my secrets from me.

He’s gorgeous, irresistible, a little mad, and completely lost—we are a pair of broken cogs in a world neither of us truly fits into. He is somehow gentle and fierce, heartbreaking in his devotion and savage in his defense.

When Belle, his best friend, shows up, pale and lovely and sick, Peter pulls away from me, a startling withdrawal. It’s a relationship that scares and confuses me. She is at times warm and friendly, and other times is violent and unpredictable.

Peter says that he wants me, but refuses to let himself get close. And there are secrets, surrounding both of us, that border on nightmares. As the memories close in, as Belle gets sicker and more violent, I’m torn between what is true and what I believe, and what this magical boy knows about my mysterious past.

GL_Teaser1

CONTEST:

We’d love to include a fun contest we are doing. It’s called “Re-telling Your Story” and people can share Nazarea’s post on facebook in order to enter to win. Just leave a comment on that post to enter and one person will get a Girl Lost paperback and a necklace.

Please remember: you must visit the facebook link and comment there in order to be officially entered to win.

LINK: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152080989493517&set=a.10151733385393517.1073741825.43623123516&type=1&theater

GOODREADS link:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20648608-girl-lost

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About the author:

Nazarea Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.

Site – http://www.nazareaandrews.com/

Blog – http://www.nazarea-andrews.blogspot.com/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/NazareaAndrews

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nazarea-Andrews/43623123516

Dash of Peril by Lori Foster…Blog Tour Stop & Review

Book links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

A no-nonsense female cop reluctantly teams up with the one man who makes her lose control in a deliciously sensual new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster…

To bring down a sleazy abduction ring, Lieutenant Margaret “Margo” Peterson has set herself up as bait. But recruiting Dashiel Riske as her unofficial partner is a whole other kind of danger. Dash is 6’4″ of laid-back masculine charm, a man who loves life—and women—to the limit. Until Margo is threatened, and he reveals a dark side that may just match her own.

Beneath Margo’s tough facade is a slow-burning sexiness that drives Dash crazy. The only way to finish this case is to work together side by side…skin to skin. And as their mission takes a lethal turn, he’ll have to prove he’s all the man she needs—in all the ways that matter.

My review:

Dash of Peril is the fourth book in author Lori Foster’s Love Undercover series. I was so excited to get to Dash’s story and oh my, this by far was to hottest book of the series to date and I loved it!

Lieutenant Margaret “Margo” Peterson is used to down playing the fact that she’s a woman. She has worked damn hard to get her position as lieutenant and being a bit hard assed came with the territory. She had more to prove as a female and her fellow officers respected that about her. But sometimes being a woman had its advantages and right now, working on the type of case she was currently, was one of those times. She was on the hunt for the people responsible for repeat crimes involving the drugging and raping of innocent women. She realizes she is getting closer when she’s almost killed…most likely by the people she’s trying to catch. Now she’s injured and pissed. Pissed at the dirt bags responsible but also because she finds herself in need of help while recovering and getting that help from Dash. She has been desperately trying to ignore her attraction toward him and his advances toward her but now with him in her house, staying with her night after night, she realizes it may be a losing battle. Surely he would go running for the hills if he ever learned what she liked in the bedroom…right? It didn’t matter though because she wouldn’t let things get that far. Or would she?

Dash Riske has had a thing for Margo for far too long and now she needs his help. Even if she won’t admit it. There was no way he would let her stay alone to recuperate. Not with her life on the line. He knew she was tough as nails and was more than capable of taking care of herself, hell, it was one of the things he loved about her, but he wasn’t going to leave her to face this debacle alone. And maybe, just maybe, this would be the opportunity he’s been needing to prove that they could be great together. This could be the chance to get her to open up to him and let her walls down and to let him in. He wanted that so damn badly he could taste it. She’s everything he wanted. Smart, tough, ballsy, and no-nonsense all wrapped up in a beautiful package with a killer body. One thing was for sure: when Dash had his eye on something, he got it. And he would get Margo. She was the ultimate prize for him.

Dash and Margo go through a boatload of drama which brings them closer than either one of them could have imagined. When all is said and done though, will what they’ve found in each other be enough to take a chance on? For the long haul?

I will say it again, this book was insanely hot! The chemistry between Dash and Margo is scorching and their personalities play beautifully off of one another with so much heat and intensity that I was practically panting while reading. Margo is a tough gal. She’s had to be and I totally get why she has a really hard time letting her hair down, so to speak. But underneath her tough exterior is a woman. It’s hard for her to almost lead two separate lives. The tough lieutenant vs the woman she is…and what she wants when she’s with a man. But leave it to Dash to figure her out. He’s had her number from the very first chapter and there was no way she was going to escape that man. He’s smoking hot, caring, attentive and knows exactly what she needs. And when he gives it to her? Oh my yum. Of course beyond all the steamy hot time spent together, they are working on solving one hell of a crime and if there’s one thing Lori does so well, it’s write suspenseful nail-biting moments. There was also a bit of a shocker at the end when they figure out who is really behind the drugs and rapes. My lips are sealed but be ready for a “whoa” moment!

And of course another thing to love about this book is seeing the rest of the gang: Rowdy, Cannon, Reese, Logan…and did I mention Cannon? I do love me some Cannon and I am DYING for his book!

Overall, Lori Foster fans will love this latest installment and if you aren’t a Lori fan yet, get your hands on a copy of Dash of Peril. You won’t be disappointed!

Five Loves

About the author:

Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a Waldenbooks, Borders, USA TODAY, Publishers Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. She also received the Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Series Romantic Fantasy and Contemporary Romance.
Lori believes it is important to give back to the community as much as possible, so she routinely arranges events among authors and readers to gather donations for various organizations.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

Marked by Hades by Reese Monroe…Blog Tour Stop & Review

Welcome to my stop on the Marked by Hades Blog Tour!

Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoy my review.

Marked By Hades

Reese Monroe

One choice away from eternity…

Synopsis:

For 911 years, Gatekeeper companion Justin Bradford has denied the possibility of being mated to only one woman. He enjoys them all too much to settle down. So when he feels his mate’s Ahavah mark surface, his first instinct is to ignore it. But when he sees the leather-clad beauty in need of his help that’s easier said than done…

Yvonne wakes up naked on a cold park bench in a small town with no memory of who—or what—she is. All she knows is the gentle man who woke her was turned to dust when she touched him. And now the strange mark that appeared on her shoulder throbs in the presence of the raven-haired man now offering to help her…

As Justin and Yvonne navigate the mystery of her past, their bond grows, but the secrets they discover and the sacrifices that must be made could be enough to rip them apart for eternity.

My Review:

Marked by Hades is the second book in author Reese Monroe’s Bound by Hades Series and offered up an enticing and interesting look at the paranormal world. It was an enjoyable read from start to finish and although I didn’t read the first in the series, I wasn’t lost at any point.

Yvonne hasn’t a clue about anything other than her name…and that she just turned the Good Samaritan offering to help her into a pile of dust. Clearly something is really different about her. If she could just remember something about her past. Now she’s on a mission to find out not just who, but what she is. Yvonne has no idea that her quest will take her on a path into a world she never knew existed with gods and demons…and with fated mates. She knew when she met Justin that she couldn’t explain, or ignore, the urge to be near him but she never imagined what he would come to mean to her or the fight she had ahead of her.

Gatekeeper companion Justin had sworn off the whole fated mate idea years ago. He didn’t want the insanely intense feelings and needs that came along with a mate and that bond. Too bad the powers that be have the ultimate say and he soon finds out what it’s like. But when he finds out the his mate may not be playing for Team Good he questions the whole idea even further. Could he possibly be mated to someone belonging to the group he’s been fighting against for the last 900 years? Could fate be that cruel?

The journey Justin and Yvonne embark on is one that will change them both…forever.

Now there’s a lot that happens in this story that I don’t really want to touch on because it may be considered spoileryish, and you know I don’t do spoilers! So here goes…. I really enjoyed the fresh take on the paranormal world author Monroe has given us. I felt terrible for Yvonne from the very beginning. She had nothing, knew no one and knew her touch was dangerous. But she was determined, and I admired that about her. Justin was an enjoyable character and I loved that his mating took him by surprise considering he was more than happy in his bachelor like state. But what I liked the most was the author’s take on good vs. evil. The soldiers, if you will, that “The Great One” has created to keep Lucifer’s demons out of the human world and their tight knit bonds were fantastic. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept this story engaging and interesting throughout.

Plus, getting to see the well thought out foreshadowing of what may be to come in the next installment was pretty awesome!

All in all, paranormal fans will enjoy the world and characters Reese has created and I will be looking forward to book three in the series!

Four Loves

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Entangled Embrace:

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Twitter: @EPEmbrace Steals and Deals

Author Bio: Originally from Minnesota, Reese Monroe currently enjoys living in the sunny Arizona desert with her husband of seventeen years and her loveable Shetland Sheep dog, Maddux. Monroe holds a degree in psychology from Southwest Minnesota State University and a master’s degree from the University of Iowa. When she’s not busy writing her next trilogy, she can be found pounding the pavement, training to run her first marathon.

Reese Monroe is a contributing blogger at the widely popular siteNew Adult Alley and has been part of the New Adult revolution for years having penned over thirty novels in the exciting new category.

Connect with Reese onTwitter, throughFacebook or herwebsite. Reese also writes as Lynn Rush and you can find her alter egohere.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway:

Marked by Fate prize pack including: a Marked By Fate necklace, $10 Starbucks gift card and a $10 iTunes gift card (if the winner is intl a $25 Amazon gift card will be substituted for the prize pack)

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Cover Reveal….Hard to Hold On To by Laura Kaye

Laura Kaye is thrilled to share with you the cover to her next Hard Ink book, Hard to Hold On To which releases on August 19, 2014! Check it out:

Edward “Easy” Cantrell knows better than most the pain of not being able to save those he loves–which is why he is not going to let Jenna Dean out of his sight. He may have just met her, but Jenna’s the first person to make him feel alive since that devastating day in the desert more than a year ago.

Jenna has never met anyone like Easy. She can’t describe how he makes her feel–and not just because he saved her life. No, the stirrings inside her reach far beyond gratitude.

As the pair are thrust together while chaos reigns around them, they both know one thing: the things in life most worth having are the hardest to hold on to.

Pre-Order at Amazon | Amazon.ca | Amazon UK | B&N | iTunes

Hard to Hold On To on Goodreads

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

Hard As It Gets

Hard As You Can

A Note from Laura:

Hey guys! I am so excited about Easy’s book that I can hardly wait for August to get here! Easy’s character was a total surprise to me. When I initially plotted out the series, there were four surviving members of the Army Special Forces team and therefore I planned for and sold four book in the series. But then, when I sat down to write Hard As It Gets, all of a sudden the story demanded there were actually five guys, and Edward “Easy” Cantrell was born. And I’m so glad! Because Easy’s character is a totally tortured hero, which I adore writing! So I’m super happy that we added his story and this novella into the series, and I can’t wait for you to learn about Easy in Hard to Hold On To!

Is it August yet???

xo, Laura

Praise for the Hard Ink Series:

For Hard As You Can:

“TOP PICK! There is a sinister and desperate edge to this tale that will keep readers glued to their seats. Kaye has dark romantic suspense nailed!” ~ RT Book Reviews Magazine

“Hard As You Can is another five star read. The characters Ms. Kaye has created are wonderfully broken and the drama is gritty, but the burgeoning romance and the tight-knitted relationship of the team leaves you with a sense of redemption. A must read series!” ~San Francisco Book Review

For Hard As It Gets:

“Edgy, sexy and full of suspense! A great read from a great new author!” ~ #1 NYT Bestselling Author J.R. Ward

“Sizzling romance… The intriguing tattoo parlor and military background will appeal to fans of Suzanne Brockmann and Lindsay McKenna.” ~Publishers Weekly Review

“Kaye’s depiction of sexual tension and her sex scenes are masterful and this will appeal to fans of Maya Banks’ KGI and Julia Ann Walker’s Black Knight’s series.” ~Booklist

About Laura Kaye:

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Review….Dyed and Gone by Beth Yarnall

Book links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Synopsis:

Hairstylist Azalea March is looking forward to a wild weekend in Las Vegas with her friends. Oh, sure, they’re supposed to be there on business, attending the biggest hair show on the west coast, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a little fun. But fun quickly turns to drama. On the first morning of the show, Dhane, the biggest celeb of the hair-styling world, is found dead. As it urns out Azalea’s friend, Vivian, not only knew Dhane, but the tale she weaves of how they met is faker than a showgirl’s uh… assets. When Vivian confesses to the murder and is arrested, Azalea knows there’s no way she could have done it and suspects Vivian may be trying to protect someone. But who?

Azalea now has to convince Alex, the sexy detective from her past, to help her prove Vivian’s innocence and comb through clues more twisted than a spiral perm. But the truth is stranger than anything found on the Las Vegas Strip, and proving Vivian’s innocence turns out to be more difficult than transforming a brunette into a blonde.

My review:

Dyed and Gone is the first book in the Azalea March Mystery series by author Beth Yarnall and let me say kicked this series off with a fantastic start! Funny, entertaining, suspenseful, and witty, this book was all that and more.

When hairstylist Azalea March packed up for a weekend away in Las Vegas for the biggest hair event of the year she had no idea that it would go from trying out new shears and blow dryers to trying to solve a murder. The reigning king of hair, Dhane, has been murdered and Azalea finds herself smack dab in the middle of the investigation. Not only because she happens to be new friends with his inner circle but also because her business partner, Vivian, had a past with Dhane and that past would be called into question. Especially when Vivian confesses to the murder. A murder Azalea is positive Vivian didn’t commit. Now, Azalea has a bigger mess on her hands than if she forgot to wear gloves while dying a blonde to a dark brunette. Adding even more to the debacle is Azalea having to rely on her sort-of-ex-fling and detective, Alex, to help her and Vivian out of this pickle. And to think, Azalea’s biggest worry just days ago had been what shoes to pack.

When I say this book has it all, I mean it. There were parts that had me laughing out loud and there were parts that had me worried. Parts that had me fanning myself and parts that had my upset. I loved how much was packed into Dyed and Gone. The characters are wonderfully colorful and delightfully quirky with personalities that leap off of the page. The murder mystery had me guessing from the very beginning until the last few pages. I couldn’t put my finger on who I thought committed the crime and I loved that I was kept on my toes until the very end. I say “very end” because just when I thought I got my killer, BAM, we were treated to a great twist. Azalea is a smart and witty heroine that I can’t wait to read more of! I’m dying to see what adventures she has in store and if things heat up more with her kinda-sorta-ex/kinda-sorta-boyfriend Alex. He is so opposite Azalea in many ways and they really compliment each other well. Great chemistry that totally deserves exploring!

Overall, I loved this story and would recommend it to any reader whether a mystery fan or a chick lit fan. There really is something for everyone! Thank you, Beth, for Dyed and Gone. I can’t wait to read more!

Four Loves

About the author:

Best selling author, Beth Yarnall writes romantic suspense, mysteries and the occasional hilarious blog post. For a number of years, Beth made her living as a hairstylist and makeup artist and co-owned a salon with her very best friend. Somehow hairstylists and salons always seem to find their way into her stories. Beth lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their dog where she is hard at work on her next novel.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Cover Reveal….Settling Ashes by Diana Gardin

Title: Settling Ashes

Author: Diana Gardin

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Publication Date: May 15, 2014

Cover Design: Jimmy Gibbs, OctogonLab

Event Organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.

Synopsis

He broke her heart, but she’s missing the largest piece of the puzzle…

Paige Hill is no stranger to physical pain, but the ache that plagues her heart is an entirely new kind of hurt. She left Rutherford to escape it, but did she make a huge mistake? Her ex-boyfriend Beau, who scooped up the broken pieces of Paige like he never got the chance in their past, doesn’t think so. He wants her to stay…

Clay Forbes can’t eat, can’t sleep, and can’t fight the murder charge that hangs like a guillotine over his head. None of it matters if Paige won’t forgive him. He’ll do anything to find her and bring her home.

But how safe will that home be when the two are finally reunited? It seems the death of Hannah Davis is definitely unfinished business in their small college town, and someone is still on a mission to keep Clay and Paige apart…this time forever.

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21398656-settling-ashes?from_search=true

About the Author

Diana Gardin was born and raised combing the coasts of Southeastern Virginia. She is now a happy resident of South Carolina as she married into an enormous Carolina-rooted family. She loves the beach, and even more than that she loves to read while sitting on the beach.

While writing was always a passion of Diana’s, she enrolled in college to become an elementary-school teacher. After eight years of teaching in both Virginia and South Carolina, she decided to stay at home with her first child. This decision is what opened her eyes to the fact that she still very much loved to write, and her first novel was written.

Diana is the author of the Young Adult novel COLOR BLIND and the new adult novel OUT OF THE ASHES, which is the first in the Ashes series.

Social Media for the Author

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Unfixable by Tessa Bailey….Blog Tour Stop & Review

Synopsis:

He’s the last thing she wants…but the only thing she needs.

Willa Peet isn’t interested in love. She’s been there, done that, and has the shattered heart to prove it. Ready to shake the breakup, she heads to Dublin, Ireland. But there’s a problem. A dark-haired, blue-eyed problem with a bad attitude that rivals her own. And he’s not doling out friendly Irish welcomes.

Shane Claymore just wants to race. The death of his father forced him off the Formula One circuit, but he’s only staying in Dublin long enough to sell the Claymore Inn and get things in order for his mother and younger sister. He never expected the sarcastic American girl staying at the inn to make him question everything.

But even as Willa and Shane’s fiery natures draw them together, their pasts threaten to rip them apart. Can Shane give up racing to be with the woman he loves, or will Willa’s quest to resurrect the tough-talking, no-shit-taking girl she used to be destroy any hope of a future together?

A new adult novel from Entangled’s Embrace imprint…

My Review:

Unfixable is the newest work from author Tessa Bailey and is Willa’s story. I had been dying for Willa’s story since we first met her in Protecting What’s His and it was so worth the wait. This book, in true Tessa fashion, blew me away.

To say Willa Peet has given up on love and happy endings would be a gross understatement. Willa had a childhood made up the complete opposite of gumdrops and rainbows. Her mother was a junkie prostitute, bringing home unsavory men and constantly putting her and her sister Ginger at risk of the dangers that come with the underbelly of society. The only person she could ever rely on was Ginger and when Ginger got her happy ending, Willa couldn’t be happier. That still didn’t mean she believed in all that love and happiness for herself. She’d given it the old college try recently with a nice guy who was good to her and said he loved her but in the end she only proved herself right: she wasn’t meant for love. Life and the baggage that came with it was just too much recently and she needed to take a step back and get away. The perfect opportunity arises when she wins a photography contest and an all expense paid trip to Ireland for a month. Ever since Ginger bought her a camera when she was little, it was the one escape she had. The one thing she truly felt at peace doing. And now it had given her a chance to escape. Escape her inner turmoil, her too familiar town, her personal chains, her ex-boyfriend. Ironic that the minute she lands in Ireland she will meet a ruggedly handsome, dark-haired, blue-eyed, ornery Irishman whose family just happens to own the inn she’s staying at. He gets under her skin immediately and she’s scared to death that it may not exactly be in a bad way.

Shane Claymore begrudgingly spends his day running his family’s inn and is counting down the minutes until he can get out of there and return to what he loves. Racing. He was between a rock and a hard place at the moment and was pissed as all hell about his situation. He had left his family, thanks in part to his disapproving father, and never wanted to see the insides of this inn again. Yet here he was. Since his father had died he had been back at the inn helping his mother and sister run the place but he was itching to get back on the track….and just biding his time until he was behind the wheel again. So here he is, at the airport, waiting for some contest winner to take her back to the inn where his family would host her for the next month. Almost immediately thought he realizes he’s in trouble. He never counted on the smart mouthed, understatedly beautiful girl who walked off the plane. And he sure as hell didn’t count on being attracted to her.

You know what they say about finding love when you least expect it, right? Willa and Shane both have zero desire to get attached…. especially not to each other. But the undeniable attraction and chemistry will win out in the end. The questions that will remain are: will a month be enough time to scratch the itch? With both Willa and Shane having plans to move on with their lives after the visit ruin what they’ve found?

So, you may know that I’m a huge Tessa Bailey fan. I love all of her Line of Duty books and I was so sad to see that series end, but also excited for Tessa to write something different and new. Willa’s book was just that…different and new. Willa is a complicated gal and when we first met her I knew she was going to be an amazing character. And she truly is. She has every right to feel the way she does about flowery love and colorful happiness. It’s also just not who she is. She’s a heroine that doesn’t do girly crushes, writing doodles with hearts and “Mrs. Willa (insert guy crush last name)” and I totally love her for that. I can relate to that. I knew there would be someone out there who would love her for being that way. For being her. And oh my, was Shane the freaking perfect match! He’s almost like the guy version of her. He’s been hurt before and gets the whole messed up family thing. He also calls Willa out when she needs it and that’s what I loved most about him. He made her face things she wouldn’t have otherwise and made her admit there was something between them. And what they have between them is a combustible spark that heats up hotter and hotter every scene. Damn, Tessa can write some chemistry! I will admit I was worrying that things wouldn’t work out for them because, let’s face it, their time came with an expiration date. But don’t you worry. If there’s another thing Tessa does so freaking well it’s write some killer endings. This ending? Had me crying, laughing, palms sweating, reading wide-eyed, nervous, and ultimately so freaking happy. It stands out in my mind as one of the best book endings I’ve ever read….and I’ve read a whole lot of book endings.

I will always recommend Tessa’s work and Unfixable is now the newest member of my rec list. Thank you, Tessa, for continuing to give us amazing stories with tremendous characters. You freaking rock, girl!

Five Loves

Buy links:

Entangled | Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Entangled Embrace:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmbraceImprint

Twitter: @EPEmbrace Steals and Deals

Giveaway:

An Irish-themed/Unfixable themed swag pack and a Kindle Fire.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Bio: Tessa lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and young daughter. When she isn’t writing or reading romance, Tessa enjoys a good argument and thirty-minute recipes.

Beautiful Ties by Alicia Rae…Book Tour Stop & Excerpt

Title: Beautiful Ties (The Beautiful Series #4)

Author: Alicia Rae

Genre: Contemporary Romance 18+

Publication Date: March 25, 2014

Event Organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.

Synopsis

While watching her brothers find their happily ever afters, Abbey dreams of falling in love. Smart, fun, and sexy, Abbey is also independent and works hard alongside her brother, Kyle. When Kyle joins his business ventures with his wife’s cousins, Jason and Damon, Abbey struggles with keeping things professional.

Jason is instantly enamored with Abbey, and he becomes determined to win her over. Although she does not want to mix business with pleasure, he uses his good looks and sweet charm to work his way into her heart. All the while, Abbey begins building a friendship with a neighborhood child, Pearl. Abbey’s heart warms to Pearl, and their friendship quickly blossoms into a loving relationship.

Can Abbey find a way balance her growing feelings for Jason and her need to take care of Pearl? Or will Abbey need to sacrifice one relationship for the sake of the other?

Goodreads

Purchase Links: Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK

Excerpt:

I swung the door open, and my eyes went wide at seeing Pearl standing on the other side with a backpack clutched to her chest. Her eyes peeked up at me, and at first, they were filled with sadness, then relief, and finally happiness as she seemed to slip her mask into place. Pearl had never been here this early in the morning.

As I noticed her holding her bag so close, I became overwhelmed with concern, and I lowered down to her. “Pearl, sweetie, are you okay?”

She nodded rapidly. Her eyes moistened with tears, but as fast as they had appeared, she blinked them away.

“Yep,” Pearl said in a wavering tone, shifting nervously on her feet. “Um…” she murmured. Her expression turned hopeful. “Do you mind if I hang out with you today?”

“Of course you can,” I answered without hesitation, regarding her.

She was once again dressed in worn clothes that were way too small for her body. Her eyes were slightly puffy as if she had been crying, and her hair looked like it hadn’t been brushed in days. Her appearance cut me deep. My gut told me something was wrong, really wrong, and I needed to get to the bottom of it, but I knew I needed to tread lightly.

When she didn’t respond, I motioned her inside. “Come on in, sweetie. I’m just about to start breakfast. Do you like pancakes?” I asked, shutting the door behind us.

We walked into the kitchen, and her eyes lit up. “I love pancakes!”

“Okay.” I smiled, wishing I had awesome cooking skills right about now. The pancake mix I had was the kind that only required water to be mixed in, so that would have to make do for today.

I pointed to the stool in front of the kitchen counter. “Why don’t you hop on up there, and you can watch me?”

Jason emerged from around the corner. He was dressed in his clothes from yesterday. His eyes were perplexed, and then they filled with understanding as he glanced back and forth between Pearl and me.

“Good morning,” he politely greeted the two of us.

“Hi!” Pearl said in delight. Then, she frowned. “Um…what’s your name again?”

“Jason,” he said, extending his hand out to her.

Pearl looked down and then back at him again, outstretching her hand to shake his. “Hi, Jason,” she said in a shy voice. “What are you doing here so early?”

Jason nervously met my stare, and then he saw the pancake box and mixing bowl. He returned his attention to Pearl. “I’m going to have pancakes,” he replied smoothly, but I could see that he was stifling his humor.

“Me, too!” Pearl exclaimed with excitement.

Laughing, I pulled out a pan and set it on the burner. Then, I prepared the batter in a bowl, sliced a banana, and peeled a few oranges.

“Would you like some help?” Jason offered.

“No, that’s okay. I’ve got it.” I smiled at him. “You go ahead and have a seat.”

He sat on the stool next to Pearl, and she immediately started firing off questions.

“Do you have a dog?” she asked him.

“No, but I want one,” he answered kindly.

I poured the pancake mix onto the hot pan, and then I started to pull plates, glasses, and silverware out of the cabinets. I peeked glances at the two of them conversing as I set each item on the kitchen counter. It was so cute to watch him interact with her. He had such a soft side.

“What kind?” she asked.

Jason leaned on his elbow, dropping his chin to rest on his palm. He seemed to enjoy talking with her. “Hmm…maybe a Siberian husky or a Great Dane,” he responded.

Pearl’s eyes widened. “Great Danes are huge!” she nearly shouted.

I flipped the pancakes with a spatula.

Then, Jason asked a question. “Do you have a dog?”

She frowned. “No, Diane won’t let me have one. She said they’re expensive and too much work. But when I grow up, I’m going to have three dogs.” She sighed dreamily.

“Three?” Jason chuckled.

“Yep,” Pearl answered. Then, she rested her head on her hand, mimicking Jason. “Maybe four.”

“I hope you have a big yard.” He laughed softly again.

“So, did you have a sleepover last night?” she asked.

Her question caught me off guard. Spatula in hand, I whipped around to face the two of them.

“Uh…” Jason mumbled, stalling for a response.

About the Author

Alicia Rae is a Contemporary Romance Author who lives in Dekalb, Illinois, with her husband and three beautiful boys. Alicia has a passion for reading all types of romance, writing to bring a story to life, and photography.

Thank you to my dear sister, Kels, who showed me a few years ago how much I truly missed reading. And to my loving husband, for not throwing away my Nook, and planting the seed of writing into my mind. I am forever grateful. Xo

Readers, words cannot thank you enough for supporting me along this incredible journey. I hope you enjoy my novels as much as I do writing them. I thank each and every one of you.

Believe in yourself and follow your dreams…

Connect with the Author: Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads

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ARC Review…The Collector of Dying Breaths by M.J. Rose

The Collector of Dying Breaths releases today

Synopsis:

A lush and imaginative novel that crisscrosses time as a perfumer and a mythologist search for the fine line between potion and poison, poison and passion…and past and present.

Florence, Italy—1533: An orphan named René le Florentin is plucked from poverty to become Catherine de Medici’s perfumer. Traveling with the young duchessina from Italy to France, René brings with him a cache of secret documents from the monastery where he was trained: recipes for exotic fragrances and potent medicines—and a formula for an alchemic process said to have the potential to reanimate the dead. In France, René becomes not only the greatest perfumer in the country but the most dangerous, creating deadly poisons for his Queen to use against her rivals. But while mixing herbs and essences under the light of flickering candles, Rene doesn’t begin to imagine the tragic and personal consequences for which his lethal potions will be responsible.

Paris, France—The Present: A renowned mythologist, Jac L’Etoile, is trying to recover from personal heartache by throwing herself into her work, learns of the 16th century perfumer who may have been working on an elixir that would unlock the secret to immortality. She becomes obsessed with René le Florentin’s work—particularly when she discovers the dying breaths he had collected during his lifetime. Jac’s efforts put her in the path of her estranged lover, Griffin North, a linguist who has already begun translating René le Florentin’s mysterious formula. Together they confront an eccentric heiress in possession of a world-class art collection. A woman who has her own dark purpose for the elixir… a purpose for which she believes the ends will justify her deadly means. This mesmerizing gothic tale of passion and obsession crisscrosses time, zigzagging from the violent days of Catherine de Medici’s court to twenty-first century France. Fiery and lush, set against deep, wild forests and dimly lit chateaus, The Collector of Dying Breaths illuminates the true path to immortality: the legacies we leave behind.

My review:

The Collector of Dying Breaths is the sixth novel in author M.J. Rose’s Reincarnationist series and admittedly the first in the series I have read. However, not having read the previous stories did not leave me loving this story any less. It was a work of art.

This novel is essentially two stories happening centuries apart being told in tandem all leading up to an emotional and fascinating end.

The early tale being of René le Florentin, perfumer to Catherine de Medici, and his life from orphan to alchemy apprentice to de Medici’s personal perfumer, friend, and loyal subject and importantly, collector of dying breaths. René had been fascinated and compelled to learn about the possibility of reincarnating souls using the dying breath captured on one’s deathbed. Ever since his mentor and teacher, Brother Serapino, had died and René collected his last breath, he had been attempting to complete the proper mixture of ingredients to make reincarnation possible. He was a renowned perfumer and cunning adversary to de Medici, using his knowledge of scents and poisons to help keep her reign intact. René had no way of knowing then that eventually his loyalty to Catherine would tragically cost him the only love he’d ever known. Fortunately, a bond of true love had been formed and would end up spanning centuries, looking for a chance to grow and blossom without being cut short.

The later tale being of mythologist Jac L’Etoile and her journey of healing after the devastating loss of her brother. It’s because of that loss that she finds herself in the middle of a project her brother had been working on before his death. The project involved a wealthy heiress and her obsession with immortality. The heiress had amassed an impressive collection of items needed to complete an elixir and finally harness the properties of the dying breaths that had been captured all those centuries ago. But Jac would need help and calls on her former love, Griffin, to aid in her quest. While working on the project, Jac has experiences that tell her that this is much more than an eccentric woman’s latest obsession. This could be the chance for two lost souls to finally be reunited after hundreds of years of trying to get it right. Could she and Griffin be fated to be together in this life?

The two stories weaved together to make one harmonious and entertaining read. On top of the rich and beautiful storytelling with detail that made me believe I could smell the scents being so richly described, there was deceit, mystery, and murder. I felt a connection to René from the very beginning and was so emotional reading the end to his part of the story. Jac was smart and full of emotion being torn between not wanting to believe she had a connection to the past and opening up to the notion that it was possible. The heiress, Melinoe, reminded me of an old porcelain doll. The kind that looks beautiful at a glance but if you really look closely, and stare long enough, becomes unnerving and frightening.

My favorite parts of this experience were how gorgeously author Rose described everything from the perfumery workspaces to the décor in rooms to the scent in each moment. And finally, how it all culminated into a heartbreaking yet beautiful ending.

This is quite different from the books I’ve been reading lately, and I’m grateful I had the chance to read The Collector of Dying Breaths….it was the coffee beans to my reading palate. Thank you, Ms. Rose, for a stunning read.

Five Loves

About the author:

M.J. Rose grew up in New York City mostly in the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum, the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park and reading her mother’s favorite books before she was allowed. She believes mystery and magic are all around us but we are too often too busy to notice… Books that exaggerate mystery and magic draw attention to it and remind us to look for it and revel in it.

She lives in Connecticut with Doug Scofield, a composer, and their very spoiled dog, Winka.

Rose is a the Co-President and founding member ofInternational Thriller Writers and the founder of the first marketing company for authors: AuthorBuzz. She runs the blog, Museum of Mysteries.

In 1998, her first novel Lip Service was the first e-book and the first self-published novel chosen by the LiteraryGuild/Doubleday Book Club as well as the first e-book to go on to be published by a mainstream New York publishing house.

Rose has been profiled in Time magazine, Forbes, The New York Times, Business 2.0, Working Woman, Newsweek, andNew York Magazine.

She has appeared on The Today Show, Fox News, The Jim Lehrer NewsHour, and features on her have appeared in dozens of magazines and newspapers in the U.S. and abroad, including USAToday, Stern, L’Official, Poets and Writers, and Publishers Weekly.

Rose graduated from Syracuse University and spent the ’80s in advertising. She was the Creative Director of Rosenfeld Sirowitz and Lawson and she has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC.

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