Worth Forgiving by Vi Keeland…Blog Tour Stop & Review

vi blog tour banner

 

worth forgiving goodreads

Genre: A New Adult/Adult Contemporary Romance novel

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1wbsJEK

Amazon UK: TBD

B & N:http://bit.ly/1ljdVzb

iTunes: http://bit.ly/XBTLFX

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1kWP4ka

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18742801-worth-forgiving

Synopsis:

They say men like a lady in the living room and a whore in the bedroom. I never knew the sentiment was reciprocal. Until I met Jax Knight. A gentleman in public, a commanding, dirty talking rogue in the bedroom.

Daughter of legendary fighter “The Saint,” Lily St. Claire knows firsthand how fighters can be. As the owner of a chain of MMA gyms, she’s no stranger to aggressive, dominating, and possessive men. That’s why she’s always kept her distance. But the day Jax Knight walks through her door she’s captivated by his charm. Stunningly handsome, well mannered, Ivy League educated, and confident, he shatters all the preconceived notions she’d come to think were true about men who trained to fight.

But falling for someone so soon after her breakup wasn’t something she’d planned on. And definitely not something her ex plans to allow.

 

My Review:

Worth Forgiving is the third book in author Vi Keeland’s MMA Fighter Series, a series I have loved from the very beginning and this book was no exception. Lily and Jax make one hell of a read!

Jackson, or Jax, Knight is more than happy to have the distraction of business to keep his mind off of the turmoil happening in his private life…thanks to his father. His unfaithful ways have lead to a half brother he never knew about and it turned into a media nightmare. Luckily for Jax, he was heading to NYC and working on his latest business venture, buying into a chain of successful MMA gyms. Two of his passions in one. MMA and business, a beautiful pair. Another thing of beauty was the woman greeting him at the front desk of the gym when he arrives in NYC. Maybe she would be another distraction for him while he was in the big apple….

Lily St. Claire knew all too well the type of guys who came in to train in her MMA gyms and they were the type of guys she would be staying away from…especially after her last relationship was still lingering. She had learned her lesson when she broke things off with her ex. A message the domineering man still hadn’t fully received. But she would deal with that after she got her business affairs in order. Another thing she would be dealing with was Jackson Knight. Jackson would be in town representing the company interested in her gyms and almost immediately she knows he’s different. He’s not like the gym rats she’s used to dealing with and he certainly wasn’t like her ex. The complete opposite in fact. Handsome, sexy, refined, well-mannered, he was a the total package but unfortunately not for her. Or was he? Would getting involved so soon after a breakup be wise?

An obsessive jerk and media frenzy are just two of the issues Jax and Lily have to deal with and at times it proves to be too much. Have they found a connection that will help offer shelter in the storm?

From the very first page, I was totally sucked into this story. We met Jax at the end of the previous book and I knew from that moment he was going to make one hell of a story and boy, did he ever! He’s got that whole preppy look on the outside and dirty talker on the inside thing going for him and I melted when he first came on to Lily. I knew from the beginning that poor gal didn’t stand a chance against him and his charm. I totally understood her reasons for not wanting to acknowledge the attraction between them, and it cam in the form of a large and muscled package of an ex. Wow, he was a total jerk and Lily had tried just about everything to get away from him. But she hadn’t had Jax in her corner before and now that he was, watch out! Lily did try to keep her feeling for Jax at bay but no way was he going to let her. He is used to getting what he wants and whatever he sets his sights on. Who doesn’t love a man like that?! Lily was a great character to read as well. She is strong and has many different facets other than being a gym owner. She’s a talented artist and a great friend and I loved those things about her.

On top of all the delicious push and pull between Jax and Lily there was quite a bit of scandal involving the ex that showed itself at the end of the book and it added a fantastic layer to the story line.

Vi is one of those authors that consistently writes fabulous books. She is one of my go-to authors and if you love MMA fighters, alpha males and strong heroines, she should be one of your go-to authors as well. Thank you, Vi, for another kick ass read!

4LovesRLB

Four Loves

Excerpt:

Dinner and a dirty mouth

My face pinks when the waiter clears his throat, no doubt he’d heard Jax’s last comment.

“Are you ready to hear the specials?”

“Are we?” Jax arches an eyebrow, his eyes gleaming with delight. He’s not the slight bit embarrassed, but knows I am and is quite enjoying himself.

“Yes. Please.” I give him the evil eye and force my full attention back to the waiter. The entire time the waiter talks about the specials I feel Jax’s eyes burning into me.

“I’ll give you a moment to let you decide.” Graciously, the waiter excuses himself.

“Why did you do that?” I scold, my voice low.

“Do what?” He leans back in his seat, crossing his arms over his thick chest.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“Do I?”

“You enjoy watching me flustered, don’t you?”

Jax arches both eyebrows. Bad choice of words.

“You know what I mean.”

Leaning in, his voice gritty and sexy, he looks me straight in the eyes when he speaks. “I love watching you. Period. But what I like best is watching you pretend you’re unaffected. It’s like an unspoken challenge.” He pauses and leans in even closer. “I love the pink that creeps up your cheeks when I say something dirty. The way your pussy throbs when I mention what I’m going to do to you later, and you wiggle in your seat trying to control it. So yeah, I guess I do like watching you flustered. You sit and give your attention to the waiter, trying to pretend you’re listening to whatever he’s saying instead of thinking of me feeding you my cock later, but we both know you didn’t hear one word he said. Hell I didn’t hear one word watching you, just knowing what you were thinking about.”

This time, I see the waiter before he’s close enough to hear us. He smiles as he reaches our table. “So what can I get for you this evening? Did I interest you in one of our specials?”

I look at the waiter, then Jax, who arches an eyebrow with a knowing smirk on his face, then back to the waiter. “The specials all sounded delicious. I just can’t decide for myself. I’m going to defer to my date to pick one for me.” I return my eyes to Jax with a cheeky grin.

He throws his head back with a chuckle and looks at the poor confused waiter. “We’ll take whatever two are your favorites. Surprise us.”

 

worth forgiving teaser

 

 

mma series banner

 

worth the fight

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1xC6epE

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1alpVES

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1dbzZ8R

Smashwords – http://bit.ly/1is0zNX

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1co2ZpF

 

It didn’t matter that the ref called it a clean hit. Nico Hunter would never be the same.

Elle has a good life. A job she loves, a great apartment, and the guy she’s been dating for more than two years is a catch and a half. But it’s boring…and she strives to keep it that way. Too many emotions are dangerous. Her own past is living proof of what can happen when you lose control.

Then Nico walks into Elle’s office and everything changes…for both of them. But what can the tattooed, hard-bodied MMA fighter and the beautiful and always steady attorney have in common? A lot more than they bargained for.

***Author’s note*** THIS IS A STAND-ALONE NOVEL. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

 

Worth the Fight Excerpt - Elle on Nico

 

worth the chance

 

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1xC71aa

B&N: http://bit.ly/1gwTyJw

Itunes: http://bit.ly/1gHMCZg

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1fqQcnj

Smashwords:http://bit.ly/NU2rCR

Meet Liv Michaels

It may have been seven years, but I’d know him anywhere. Sure, he’s grown, filled out in all the right places, but his captivating blue eyes and cocky grin are exactly the way I remember. Even though I’d much rather forget.

Liv Michaels is almost there. She’s smart, determined and weeks away from landing the job she’s dreamed about for years. Time healed old wounds, even her broken heart from the devastation of being crushed by her first love.

 

Meet Vince Stone

Women love a fighter, especially a good one. Lucky for me, I’m damn good. But there’s one woman that isn’t interested. Not again, anyway.

Vince ‘The Invincible’ Stone is every woman’s fantasy…strong, sexy, confident and completely in control. Growing up surrounded by chaos, he’s learned never to get too attached. Love will drag you down. He adores women, treats them well, puts their own needs before his own…for the night anyway. With the biggest fight of his life coming up, his focus should be on training.

When fate brings Vince & Liv back together again, there’s no denying the chemistry is still there. But can Vince erase the old scars their past left behind? Or will Liv hurt him instead?

***Author’s note*** THIS IS A STAND-ALONE NOVEL. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the 18.

 

Worth the Chance Excerpt 1
a Rafflecopter giveaway

vi keeland bioAbout the author:

Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn’t change for the world. She is a bookworm and has been known to read her kindle at stop lights, while styling her hair, cleaning, walking, during sporting events, and frequently while pretending to work. She is a boring attorney by day, and an exciting smut author by night!

 

Stalk Her: Website |Facebook |Twitter |Goodreads

Additional Books by Vi Keeland

First Thing I See

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1qLL4ET

Belong to You (A Cole Novel, Book One)

Amazon US : http://amzn.to/1jdAlRk

Made For You (A Cole Novel, Book Two)

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1qLLdIk

Chronicles of a Lincoln Park Fashionista by Aven Ellis….Book Spotlight & eBook Giveaway

LincolnParkFashionista_200[1]

Chronicles of a Lincoln Park Fashionista

Synopsis:

Recent college graduate Avery Andrews is ready to begin a new life in the big city. She’s landed an apartment in Chicago’s famed Lincoln Park neighborhood–and has her eye on the cute commodities trader just a floor above.
If Premier Airlines knew about her fear of flying, they never would have hired her to be their marketing assistant—but it’s not like Avery wants a lifelong career. Right now she simply wants a job to pay her bills…and fund a few little shopping excursions, too.
Her new lifestyle comes with a price tag, as Avery is not only faced with paying a ridiculous rent but finds she’s perceived as one of the vacant, husband-hunting fashionistas who live in the area. Avery resents this stereotype—so she doesn’t want a lifelong career, and she loves fashions she can’t afford, but that doesn’t mean she is empty-headed and spoiled, does it?
When an opportunity to participate in a documentary at work arises, Avery finds a two-fold solution to her problems. She’ll earn extra money for it, and the documentary will show her as a serious career woman, enabling her to shed that husband-hunting fashionista label for good.
When the camera is on, Avery attempts to be a motivated professional woman. But when she is challenged by Deacon Ryan, the videographer assigned to cover her story, Avery finds herself wanting things she was never supposed to want—like a lasting career—and Deacon. And Avery might just gain more from the experience than a perfect career image and extra cash to put in her Tory Burch wallet…

 

Comment on this blog post to win one of 3 ecopies of 

Connectivity by Aven Ellis!

I adored Connectivity and can’t wait to share it with you…

Winners will be chosen on Friday, 8/28

Connectivity cover

about Connectivity:

Overachiever Mary-Kate Grant (who is indeed named after an Olsen Twin) has followed every rule to the letter to pursue her dream of working in TV programming. Ripping a page from the “hard work pays off” playbook, she takes an assistant level job at a Chicago sports network to break into the industry.

MK has no time or desire for a relationship right now—she is totally focused on her career and being independent, unlike the other women in her family.

But MK’s plans are run through the shredder when she finds herself working for William Cumberland, a British media mogul who made his fortune with Connectivity, a social media site. William blows into Chicago just like the winds off Lake Michigan and purchases the group of networks MK works for—and makes her his personal assistant in the process.

Suddenly MK finds her career plans in jeopardy. William makes her question everything she has ever thought and has the uncanny ability to see right through her. And for the first time in her life, MK finds herself not only questioning what she wants for her career but for her personal life as well.

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Pocket Star eBook Summer Event & Giveaway…..Tempt Me Eternally by Gena Showalter

42646-Star-E-Nights-Banner3

Your summer Mondays just got more exciting!

XOXOAfterDark, Pocket Star’s romance and genre fiction community site, is hosting a special Summer eBook event!
Every Monday in July and August, you’ll find a Pocket Star-E Night post on XOXOAfterDark featuring three great Pocket Star eBooks…and Read-Love-Blog will also be highlighting one of the amazing titles each Monday!
So, mark your calendars to stop by every Monday to see what exciting new title is highlighted AND for a chance to win an Ecopy of that title!

Tempt Me Eternally - cover

Tempt Me Eternally

by

Gena Showalter

Today Read-Love-Blog is thrilled to feature TEMPT ME ETERNALLY by Gena Showalter!
We will also be having a giveaway for 5 ecopies of TEMPT ME ETERNALLY!
Just comment on this blog post to be entered to win.
Thanks for stopping by!

SUMMARY:

The huntress becomes the hunted in this sizzling paranormal romance from New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Gena Showalter, previously published as part of the Deep Kiss of Winter anthology with #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole, now available as a stand-alone ebook!

With only skin-to-skin contact, Aleaha Love can change her appearance, assuming any identity. As an AIR (Alien Investigation and Removal) agent, her newest mission is to capture a group of otherworldly warriors. So imagine her surprise when the hunter becomes the hunted, and she’s taken captive by dangerously seductive Breean, a golden-skinned, iron-willed commander, who threatens everything Aleaha stands for—and makes her want to be only herself, for the first time in her life.

 

EXCERPT:

They were coming.

 

Warriors unlike any other. Monsters of unimaginable power. Otherworlders. Fierce creatures with the ability to look inside your soul, glimpse your greatest fear, and present it to you with an unrepentant smile.

 

Should’ve stayed home, Aleaha Love thought. ’Cause we’re gonna get spanked. Hard. And not in a good way. Instead, she’d answered her cell and her captain’s call to action, and now found herself crouched in the middle of a gnarled forest, staring into a snow-laden clearing, moonlight shooting bright amber rays in every direction as flakes wafted in the breeze like fairy dust.

 

Though she wore white from head to toe, had a pyre-gun stretched forward, and was burrowed in a drift as cover, she felt exposed. Vulnerable. And yeah, damn cold.

 

What in the hell did I get myself into?

 

“Everyone in position?” a voice whispered from her headset.

 

A whisper, yeah, but it startled her. She managed to cut off a yelp, but couldn’t stop tremors from sweeping through her. Steady. She’d never hear the end of it if she accidentally fired her weapon before the fight had even begun.

 

“Premature weapon ejaculation,” they’d say with a chuckle, and she wouldn’t be able to deny it.

 

One by one, twenty teammates uttered their assent. They had wicked cool nicknames like Hawk Eye and Ghost. Her turn, she said, “Lollipop, in place.”

 

She rolled her eyes. “Dress her up and watch her play bad alien, delicious cop,” the boys had laughed before giving her the stupid moniker her first day on the job. “Naughty lawbreakers will want to taste her, not outrun her.”

 

That had been, what? Five weeks ago, she realized with a jolt. Oh, how life had changed since then. From hiding in the shadows, afraid of what she was, to working cases with New Chicago’s elite team of smart-asses, content with her somewhat pampered existence. A pampered existence she didn’t deserve and hadn’t earned, but whatever. No guilt for her. Really.

 

“Need someone to snuggle against, Lolli?” a quiet, amused male voice asked. Devyn, supposedly a king of some sort and a self-proclaimed collector of women. He wasn’t really a member of Alien Investigation and Removal but was a special contractor, as well as the man who’d once wired her gun to blow bubbles rather than fire at target practice.

 

Word on the street, he was more powerful than God and deadlier than the devil, though no one would tell her outright what he could do. He was an otherworlder, that much she knew. That, and most of AIR’s flunkies kept their distance from him. They feared him, which only heightened Aleaha’s need to keep her own secrets.

 

She, too, was different.

 

She didn’t know whether she was human or alien. Or both. She didn’t know whether there were others like her or not. She didn’t know who her parents were or why they’d abandoned her on the dirty streets of the Southern District—a.k.a Whore’s Corner—of New Chicago, and she didn’t care. Not anymore. All she knew was that she could assume anyone’s identity with only a touch. That person’s face became hers; their height became hers; their body became hers.

 

For years, she’d lived in fear of being found out, of being hunted and tortured for her unnatural ability, afraid that everyone who looked at her saw the truth and knew she wasn’t who she claimed to be. But she couldn’t drop the mask. As herself, she was wanted for theft, assault against a police officer, and more theft. And then maybe kinda sorta murder. Not that she was culpable. He’d deserved it.

 

She’d rather lose a limb than spend any more time in jail.

 

Her fear of discovery was waning, though, and she was settling comfortably into her newest life as Macy Briggs. Maybe one day I’ll even be worthy of it. Again, not that she felt guilty. Really.

 

But with Christmas only a few weeks away . . . ugh. Worst. Holiday. Ever. Her “friends” would bake Macy’s favorite foods, not Aleaha’s. They would give her gifts meant for Macy, and reminisce fondly about good ole days she knew nothing about, and she would have to smile through every minute of it. And yeah, okay. Fine. Then she would feel guilty.

 

“What, ignoring me?” Devyn said with another of those snarky laughs. “Wasn’t like I was going to ask to feel you up or anything. I mean, I was just gonna surprise you with my handsiness.”

 

God, she was on the job, yet she’d lost track of her thoughts. Mortifying. “Can you take nothing

seriously?”

 

“Hello, have you met me? I take making out very seriously.”

 

All the men on the line snorted in their attempts to muffle their laughter. They might be wary of him, but they couldn’t help but enjoy his perverted sense of humor.

 

“Fuck you, Chuckles,” she said, trying not to reveal her amusement. Irreverent bastard.

 

“Excellent. We’re on the same page, because that’s exactly what I’m trying to do to you.”

 

Give herself to Devyn? Not in this lifetime, and not because he wasn’t attractive. If anything, he was too attractive. Hell, he was total screw-like-ananimal perfection. Tall, with dark hair, wide amber eyes, and skin that glittered like a jewel; there was no one else like him. There was a recipe for his smile, though: wicked desire dipped in acid, wrapped in steel and sprinkled with candy. The recipe for his laughter? Well, that was wicked desire tossed in the gutter, wrung out in a whorehouse, and slathered with scented body lotion. Women threw themselves at him constantly, and he ate it up like they were his own personal smorgasbord.

 

They probably were. Thank God she wasn’t in the market for a boyfriend. Or, rather, a lover, since that’s all someone as fickle as Devyn could ever amount to. Macy—the real Macy—had been dating a piece of scum Aleaha was still trying to lose and she didn’t have the time or patience to throw anyone else into the mix.

 

“Temper, temper,” Jaxon Tremain chided. He was one of two agents who hung out with the sexy otherworlder, and the resident smoother. There was something unnaturally calming about his presence, as if he could slink inside a person’s psyche and wash away her fears. “Would you kiss me with that mouth?”

 

“Funny,” she said dryly.

 

She could hear the others chortling and snorting with more surprised amusement. Someone said,

“Soliciting kisses from women, Jaxon? Mishka will kill you for that.”

 

“If by kill you mean seduce, then yeah,” Jaxon replied. “You’re right.”

 

Mishka was Jaxon’s wife and a hired killer who possessed a robotic arm. Aleaha had only seen her once, but that had been enough to scare ten years off her life. Never had she seen eyes so cold or heard a voice so uncaring. Of course, the moment Mishka spied Jaxon, her entire demeanor had changed. So had Jaxon’s, for that matter. Usually he was as con- servative as a priest. One glance at Mishka, though, and he’d morphed into gutter man.

 

Aleaha had marveled at the change in him, a change she was witnessing once again. Empathetic as he was, perhaps he was veering onto the perverted track now to get her mind off the bloody massacre sure to begin. Apparently, though, she didn’t need help today. She couldn’t concentrate worth a damn. What was wrong with her?

 

“Well,” Devyn said, drawing the spotlight back to him. As always. “Be a good lollipop and answer the man. Will you kiss him or not?”

 

“I could give you a list of all the things I’ll never do to you with my mouth,” she muttered. “How ’bout that?”

 

Devyn laughed, and, yep. It was wicked desire. “She reminds me of Mia when she talks like that. Tell us, Lolli, is that list for everyone or just Jaxon?”

 

“All right, team,” Mia Snow herself interjected before Aleaha could reply. “Save it. You know I only want you to stun these men. Do not burn them. I repeat, do not burn them. An open wound will bleed and that will spread their infection. And believe me, I will kill every single one of you myself if that happens.”

 

There was a moment of frightening silence. Infection. What a delightful reminder. Not only were the warriors coming here vicious, there was a possibility that they were bringing the plague with them.

 

“Good,” Mia continued. “I’ve got your attention. Solar flare approaching in ten.” She was inside a van about a mile away, watching the action on a night- vision monitor with a handful of backup agents. “Nine.”

 

Aleaha tensed. A few months ago, a big case had busted wide open and AIR had learned that otherworlders were traveling to Earth through interworld wormholes that initiated with solar flares. Then, a few weeks after that, another case had come to light. Members of a race of aliens known as the Schön had descended, their bodies carriers of a virus that passed to humans through their blood and ejaculate. This virus turned men and women into cannibals. Their queen—or living host of this sickness—was on her way here, due to arrive in the near future.

 

Tonight, ten members of her horde were supposed to utilize one of those wormholes. Their purpose: to smooth the way for her. Which meant, destroying AIR.

 

“Six.”

 

Shit. The countdown. Despite the frigid temperatures, sweat beaded on Aleaha’s brow, dripping from the brim of the white cap she wore. Stay calm. You have to stay calm.

 

“Five.”

 

Though her résumé claimed she’d worked as a cop for more than two years, this was actually Aleaha’s first mission.

 

What seemed forever ago but had only been a few months, she’d stumbled upon the body of a woman who’d been raped and killed in a back alley—a woman she’d recognized as Miss New Chicago’s Finest in Uniform calendar girl, Macy Briggs.

 

She’d almost walked away. The higher the public profile, the more scrutiny she received. But . . .

 

Already tired of the adult-toy-store clerk identity she’d previously stolen, Aleaha had seized the chance to better herself, hiding the body and shifting so that she was an exact match to Macy’s appearance, thereby claiming the woman’s life as her own.

 

Only later had she learned that Macy had applied to AIR and been accepted. To back out would have looked suspicious and changing identities yet again hadn’t appealed. So she’d done it. She’d attended that first day, then the next. And the next. They’d watched her suspiciously, as if they knew the truth, but they had never accused her and she’d realized she was probably paranoid. Soon they’d even relaxed, accepting her as one of their own. Now, here she was, done with trials and on mission one.

 

“—was actually your warm-up,” Mia said, cutting into her thoughts. “Ten. Nine.”

 

Shit. She’d missed the end of the first countdown? She was practically begging to be killed tonight.

 

“Seven. Six.”

 

Oh, God. What if she did, in fact, die out here? What if she lost everything she’d worked so hard to gain? Her gun hand shook. You have to stay calm, damn it.

 

With bouts of extreme emotion, she shifted from one identity to another without any control. “Four. Remember, guns set to stun and only stun.”

 

Her pyre-gun was already dialed to the proper setting, so she curled her index finger around the trigger and swallowed the hard lump in her throat. Breathe in, breathe out. You do know how to fire a weapon, at least. A skill she’d learned from her only true friend, Bride McKells. A vampire, and her champion. They’d been separated more than a decade ago, chased apart by cops who’d caught them breaking into homes for food, and Aleaha hadn’t been able to find her since. She’d never stop looking, though.

 

“One.”

 

Link continuing the excerpt to XOXO After Dark:

http://xoxoafterdark.com/2014/08/12/pocket-star-e-nights-tempt-eternally-gena-showalter/?mcd=z_140825_ShowalterTemptMe_PSEN

 

Don’t forget to leave a blog post comment….
Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

 

Review Rewind….Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia

So….some of you may know this already, but I wrote reviews on a different blog before Read-Love-Blog.  After a great run of things, my blog partners and I decided to pursue different interests, and that led me here, on my very own site.

Well, I have some old reviews that I haven’t posted here yet.  Tonight, on the eve of some very exciting things from Debra Anastasia, I am reposting my review of her book, Poughkeepsie.  I loved this book so very much….so much, I have the tattoo.  (I will post a pic for you guys at the bottoms of the review)  Anyway, enough of my blabbing…enjoy my review and stay tuned for the fun from Debra tomorrow!

Poughkeepsie cover

Book links:

Amazon  ~  Goodreads  ~  Barnes & Noble 

Synopsis:

He counts her smiles every day and night at the train station. And morning and evening, the beautiful commuter acknowledges him—just like she does everyone else on the platform. But Blake Hartt is not like the others . . . he’s homeless. Memories of a broken childhood have robbed him of peace and twisted delusions into his soul. He stays secluded from the sun, sure the world would run from him in the harsh light of day.

Each day, Livia McHugh smiles politely and acknowledges her fellow commuters as she waits for the train to the city. She dismisses this kindness as nothing special, just like her. She’s the same as a million other girls—certainly no one to be cherished. But special or not, she smiles every day, never imagining that someone would rely on the simple gesture as if it were air to breathe.

When the moment comes that Livia must do more than smile, without hesitation she steps into the fray to defend the homeless man. And she’s surprised to discover an inexplicable connection with her new friend. After danger subsides, their smiles become conversation. Their words usher in a friendship, which awakens something in each of them. But it’s not long before their bond must prove its strength. Entanglements from the past challenge both their love and their lives.

Blake’s heart beats for Livia’s, even if her hands have to keep its rhythm. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails. Love never fails, right?

In an interwoven tale of unlikely loves and relationships forged by fire, Debra Anastasia takes readers into the darkest corners of human existence, only to show them the radiant power of pure adoration and true sacrifice. Complicated families and confused souls find their way to light in this novel, which manages to be racy, profane, funny, and reverent all at once.

 

My Review:

There are very few times that I stray from my favorite genre of paranormal romance. I read different reviews from different sites and blogs and have come across stories that I have high hopes for only to be, let’s say, underwhelmed by. This is NOT one of those stories……

I started this book and was hooked by the third page. No, not hooked…more like obsessed, in love, heartbroken, well, you get the picture.

We begin by meeting Blake and Livia. Blake is a young man who sits every day at the Poughkeepsie train station and waits to see Livia, a grad student and train passenger, who gives Blake his daily dose of sunshine in life…..her smile. Blake is a kind, soft-spoken, extremely polite and well-mannered and is also homeless. Livia is sweet and caring and feisty when she is backed up against a wall….and she will certainly be put to the test during this book.

They begin a friendship that introduces us to their lives and families where each character is developed so well that I feel as if I can go down the street and have a cup of coffee with them.

Blake has two foster brothers, Beckett and Cole. The three boys have endured so many awful hardships in life and your heart will break a million times over before the end of this book. Beckett is a real tough ass with a heart of gold. He lives his life completely on the wrong side of the law but loves his brothers so purely and unconditionally that you can’t help but love him, no matter how terrible his faults are. Cole is working to be a priest and has a hard time overlooking Beckett’s “line of work” but again, you just can’t help but love Beckett! Each brother’s story is told throughout the book and each brother’s story will rip your heart out. But in the end, they will all have their own turn at a happy ending….you will just have to trust me! I am so not going to give any of it away.

We also meet Kyle, Livia sister. Three words…I LOVE KYLE. She is hilarious and fun and fiercely loyal to her sister and totally someone you’d love to be friends with. She is also a complete emotional mess. Her story is one of personal loss and overcoming the loss to learn to live….and love.

There is also Eve, Mouse and Livia and Kyle’s dad who are also amazing characters. Perfectly flawed in their own ways.

I will also tell you we meet some, let’s say “unsavory”, people who you will loathe as the story unfolds……but luckily karma always wins in the end.

I loved every minute of this book. For every tear I shed, there was a total laugh out loud moment that followed. This book was everything I love about books. I felt every emotion the characters felt and I pictured every scene in my mind so completely that I felt as if I was there with them. I texted all my reading friends and MADE them get this book and start reading it….and I wasn’t even halfway into the book myself! I thank you, Debra, for writing this book.

My only complaint? There should be a warning label on the cover: You will need a box of tissues, anti-puffy eye cream and a babysitter for your kids….. because they will be on their own till you’re finished reading!!

5LovesRLBFive Loves

 

My Poughkeepsie tattoo:

PoughkeepsieTatt

 

 

 

 

About the author:

Debra Anastasia is busy, just like every other mom. There’s dinner, the dogs, the kids, and their homework. The laundry pile turns into a big, heaping monster. When the clothes finally make it into the washer, it gets unbalanced and puts on an elaborate show before it cuts out. This crazy job that never ends is her first love and her crowning achievement.

Her writing started a decent handful of years ago when along with the dogs, cat, kids, and husband, the voices of characters started whispering stories in Debra’s ear. Insomnia was the gateway for the plots that wouldn’t give up, wouldn’t let go. In the shower, a twist would take hold and–dripping and frenzied–she’d find somewhere, anywhere to write it down.

Debra grew up in New York and got a bachelor’s degree in political science at SUNY New Paltz. At the start of her marriage, she moved to southern Maryland with her husband. She still doesn’t trust crabs and all their legs, though everyone else in her family thinks they’re delicious. Her favorite hobbies include knitting, painting furniture and wall murals, and slapping clowns.

Omnific Publishing published her debut novel, Crushed Seraphim, and the sequel to angel Emma’s adventures,Bittersweet Seraphim. She’s working on Return to Poughkeepsie right now to be released in late 2013. You can visit her website at DebraAnastasia.com and find her on twitter @Debra_Anastasia.

Cover Reveal…Bound by Wish and Mistletoe by Kat Bastion

I am so excited to reveal the stunning cover of Kat Bastion’s Bound by Wish and Mistletoe….Enjoy!

BBWAM Cover

 

Title: Bound by Wish and Mistletoe

Author: Kat Bastion

Expected release: November 4th, 2013

Genre: Paranormal Romance / Highlander Romance

Age Group: Adult

Cover designed by: Mooney Designs

Synopsis:

Desperate to honor a life-long promise, Susanna MacEalan escapes her abusive clan with the fierce determination of never falling under the power of a man. Ever.

Aggravated by shallow-hearted pursuing lasses, Robert Brodie, commander of his clan’s elite guard, has foresworn scheming women. Forever.

When magick transforms Brodie Castle into a Christmas wonderland, the two despondent souls find solace in a most unexpected place . . . each other’s arms.

Amid a whirlwind of escalating events, Susanna’s traumatic past threatens Robert’s ability to protect the one woman meant for him. In a harrowing moment when all seems lost . . . hope, faith, and love prevail, transforming silent prayers into wishes granted.
 photo goodreads-badge-add-38px11_zps1ae6e47f.jpg

About the Author

Kat Bastion Author Shoe PhotoKat Bastion is an award-winning paranormal romance writer, poetic warrior, and eternal optimist who loves getting lost in the beauty of nature.

On a never-ending, wondrous path of self-discovery, Kat throws her characters into incredible situations with the hope that readers join her in learning more about the meaning of life and love.

Her first published work, Utterly Loved, was shared with the world to benefit others. All proceeds from Utterly Loved, and a portion of the proceeds of all her other books, support charities who help those lost in this world.

Kat lives with her husband amid the beautiful Sonoran Desert of Arizona. Visit her blog at www.talktotheshoe.com, her website at www.katbastion.com, and her Twitter account at https://twitter.com/KatBastion for more information.
 photo AToMRToursC66a-A00aT03a-Z_mdm_zpsa3cc6896.jpg

Cover Reveal….Connectivity by Aven Ellis

I am so honored and so excited to bring you the beautiful cover of Aven Ellis’ debut novel, Connectivity!

connectivity850x1275@300dpi

Connectivity releases October 23

Synopsis:

Overachiever Mary-Kate Grant (who is indeed named after an Olsen Twin) has followed every rule to the letter to pursue her dream of working in TV programming.  Ripping a page from the “hard work pays off” playbook, she takes an assistant level job at a Chicago sports network to break into the industry.

MK has no time or desire for a relationship right now—she is totally focused on her career and being independent, unlike the other women in her family.

But MK’s plans are run through the shredder when she finds herself working for William Cumberland, a British media mogul who made his fortune with Connectivity, a social media site. William blows into Chicago just like the winds off Lake Michigan and purchases the group of networks MK works for—and makes her his personal assistant in the process.

Suddenly MK finds her career plans in jeopardy. William makes her question everything she has ever thought and has the uncanny ability to see right through her. And for the first time in her life, MK finds herself not only questioning what she wants for her career but for her personal life as well…

 

About the author:

305735_174313112726906_715903293_nAuthor. Writer of stories about the girl trying to figure out her career, her dreams, and THE GUY–whether she knows it or not!

Connect with me on Facebook  ~  Talk to me on Twitter  ~  Visit me on the web  ~  Check out my pins on Pinterest

 

 

 

Blog Tour & Giveaway….The Protected by Shiloh Walker

TheProtectedTour200x200Ani

 I am beyond excited to be a part of The Protected by Shiloh Walker Blog Tour!

Shiloh has an amazing excerpt below and is giving away some AMAZING prizes (enter in the rafflecopter below)

ENJOY!


Enter to win a prize pack from Author Shiloh Walker…
prizes will include
$50 GC to either BN, BAMM or Amazon
Signed copies the previous FBI Psychic books, including:
The Missing
The Departed
The Reunited
Hot In Handcuffs (includes the novella The Unwilling)
A Download of The Unwanted
A signed copy of WRECKED, a contemporary from Shiloh Walker
A tote bag
A notebook
Bath goodies from LUSH cosmetics
A signed copy of Angel’s Blood by Nalini Singh
A unsigned copy of Games People Play by Shelby Reed
…and more stuff may be added as the days go by….visit Shilohwalker.com for details

protectedgiveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crash Into Me author K.M. Scott visits for a release day guest post….

I am so happy to have author K.M. Scott on the blog today with a fun guest post on the official release day of Crash Into Me!

Hope you all enjoy and be sure to check out the yummy goodness of Tristan and Crash Into Me….ENJOY!

 

Crash Into Me Cover

Book links:

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads

 

K.M.’s guest post:

Thank you, Jillian, for having me here today at Read-Love-Blog as I celebrate the release of my new book, Crash Into Me! Release day is always very exciting, so today’s a busy day for me.

I wouldn’t be able to have this day if it weren’t for my characters Tristan and Nina. When the idea for Crash Into Me began to spin around in my head, sort of like a hurricane out in the warm ocean waters that just sits and spins and spins until it becomes huge, I only knew one thing: Tristan was the focus.

The reason for that is that I write erotic romance and he’s the character who drives the sex. That isn’t to say Nina is an innocent virgin. Sexually, she’s very much like anyone else in their mid-twenties. She may be naive in many ways because she’s a small town girl at heart, but sexually she’s very much Tristan’s equal.

However, it’s Tristan who’s the show for romance readers. Gorgeous, wealthy, and deliciously mysterious, he’s a powerful man who wants what he wants. And he gets it. I loved writing his character (and continue to love him as I write the follow up book, Fall Into Me). He has a wonderful way of saying just enough to make Nina crazy or want him like she’s never wanted another man in her life. There’s just something so sexy about a man who speaks only when he chooses to. It can be infuriating, but any woman who’s met a man like that knows that when he does speak, it’s meaningful.

Someone asked me to describe the heat level in Crash Into Me. It’s hot. Very hot. The sex scenes between Tristan and Nina are definitely sexy, but they’re also sensual, and for me, that’s the important part. The reader senses that it’s not just sex for either of them but something far more powerful. As they become more important to one another, the feelings they have for each other deepen and the sex grows more passionate.

That’s what’s great about erotic romance, isn’t it?

Thanks again for having me here on Crash Into Me’s official release day!

 

K.M.

 

About the author:

A writer for years in other genres, I love the sexier side of romance, both as a reader and author. Well-written erotic romance is just what a girl needs some days when the rest of the world is dumping problems on her doorstep, and I love that I can give readers that erotic escape.

I love hearing from readers, so if you want to get in touch with me, email at kmscottauthor@gmail.com and I’ll get back to you asap.

 Website ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter

 

 

Blog Tour….Heartstrings by Heather Gunter

HS_BlogTourBanner

Read-Love-Blog is happy to be a part of Heart Gunter’s blog tour for her release of Heartstrings!

Enjoy the teasers and playlist and be sure to enter the giveaway in the rafflecopter below….some great prizes including an Amazon gift card, signed paperbacks and more! 

Follow the whole tour here and stop by the blog tour Facebook page here

Heartstrings_FinalCover

Book Links:

Amazon  ~  Smashwords  ~  CreateSpace  ~  Goodreads  ~  Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Everyone thinks of me as this happy and upbeat person. What they don’t know is that I carry a deep, dark secret. Something horrible happened to me a year ago, and I have kept it quiet all this time. I was fine for a while, but somehow it’s chosen this time to come back, and it’s eating at me–like a cancer.

I need to tell someone about it, I just don’t know how. I’m pushing everyone I love away, including my mom and my best friend Charlie.

Then there is Will. Handsome, sweet Will. We went out on a date a while back, but then the incident happened leaving me crushed and him confused.

How do you tell someone you care about all of your secrets, and will they still want you when the truth comes out?

 

Heartstrings_Teaser5

 

Heartstrings_Teaser4

About the author:

AuthorPhotoHeather is a devoted mother of three gorgeous boys.  She balances spending as much time with them as possible with writing, updating her Into the Night Reviews book blog and her day job.  Her love of animals sees her home in Canton, GA bursting with numerous dogs and ferrets.

Heather campaigns passionately for anti-bullying initiatives and has a strong conviction to reduce peoples suffering at the hands of bullies.

A talented singer, who once dreamed of pursuing a career in that field, she has put that goal aside in exchange for her writing.  A self proclaimed geek, whatever spare time she has is spent curled on the couch reading and listening to music.

 

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Goodreads  ~  Blog

Cover Design:  Robin Harper, Wicked by Design (http://www.facebook.com/WickedByDesignRobinHarper)

Event Organized by:  Into the Night Reviews (http://www.facebook.com/IntoTheNightReviews)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal….Beautiful Broken by Nazarea Andrews

I am BEYOND excited to be able to reveal the amazing cover of Beautiful Broken by Nazarea Andrews.

This is the second book in Nazarea’s University of Branton Series and a series I adore after reading the first novel, This Love.

I also have an excerpt below to share with you and a fantastic giveaway Nazarea is hosting (enter in the rafflecopter below). Two winners will receive ebook copies of THIS LOVE and BEAUTIFUL BROKEN!

Now, for a surprise! If BEAUTIFUL BROKEN gets 500 adds on Goodreads by this Friday, August 30th, Nazarea is going to release the book EARLY! The release day would move from October 8th to September 24th! Let’s do it!

BeautifulBroken-1

Beautiful Broken by Nazarea Andrews

University of Branton, #2

October 2013

Book summary:

She’s been broken by her past. He’s been breaking for as long as he can remember.

Together, they can make each other whole–or destroy each other.

When his best friend asks for something, Dane rarely says no. But babysitting a newly sober Scout Grimes for three weeks isn’t exactly a normal request. And with their history, it’s a recipe for disaster. Not to mention, she’s drop dead gorgeous and he can’t touch her.

There are few people Scout trusts as much as Dane Guillot. He’s always been her safe place, where nothing can hurt her. He’s also been the only man she’s never let herself want–screwing up their friendship isn’t worth one amazing night together.

They have too much history, and too much personal baggage to ever work. But if they are willing to take a chance on love–it might be worth the risk.

 

Excerpt:

I can hear her crying, her sobs shredding through me like sharp knives. I don’t even know what to do with her quiet words. You keep the nightmares away.

 I’m not good at this. I’ve been broken and breaking things for years. The best—smartest—thing to do would be to call Atti and have him come take care of her.

But I want to be strong for her.

That’s the thing—I know I can’t be, but it doesn’t stop the want to be better for Scout. I shake my head and open the door, dropping clothes on the counter. In the foggy mirror, I can see the shape of her, huddled on the floor of the big shower. “Are you okay?” I ask.

She sniffles. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

It’s a clear request for space, so I back away, reluctantly giving it to her. Pull on a pair of faded flannel pants that I wear when Dad comes to town, and sit on her bed.

Scout comes in a few minutes later, wrapped in the scent of oranges and soap and wearing a shirt three sizes too big.

My shirt looks amazing on her.

“Do you want to sleep here or my room?” I ask.

Her eyes widen.  She might ask—almost opens her mouth to ask—but then she shakes her head and says, “Yours.”

I nod and switch off her lamp, leading the way down the hall. I let her crawl into bed, tucking the blankets around her when she shivers, then slip in on my side and hit the lights. “Dane?” she whispers in the dark.

“We’ll talk in the morning, Scout. Go to sleep.”

 aren’t any more nightmares. For either of us. 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

photo-11Nazarea 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  ~  Blog  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

 

 

 

 

Covet’s August Releases and Giveaway….

Covets have all the sexiness, emotion, and happily ever after that readers have come to expect and love from Entangled. They are firmly grounded in the contemporary world, but each novel brings in supernatural twists, breaking the contemporary and paranormal rules, alike. To find out more about their titles, chat with authors, participate in special events, and to find out what books you’ll be coveting next, visit the Entangled website, follow them on Twitter, and LIKE their Facebook page.

Today I’m happy to be featuring Covet’s August releases!!

 

The Awakening: Liam by Abby Niles
The Awakening #2


Shifter, Liam Doyle knows Hell. At least he believed he did. The night he feels his mate die, he learns how very wrong he was. Nothing he’d struggled with since Ava’s rejection compares to the emptiness that fills his soul by her death. Lost in his grief, he’s taken by surprise and drugged. When he wakes, everything changes. Nothing is what it seems, and someone is dead set on making him pay.

When Ava Michaels is taken captive, she’s thrust into a dark and terrifying world along with the man she was forced to leave behind. While being near Liam again is heartbreaking, the motive behind her kidnapping is gradually revealed. The more she learns, the more she worries Liam isn’t the man she believed him to be. He has enemies willing to do anything to extract their revenge. Can their love survive a crazy man’s vengeance?

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Itunes * Goodreads

 

The Demon’s Desire by Kendra Leigh Castle
Hearts of the Fallen #2

He’s as dark and dangerous as the storms he once commanded…and she can’t get him out of her heart.

Dru has spent two thousand years fighting to keep the people of Terra Noctem safe. In all that time, she’s only opened her heart to one man, with disastrous results. But when her city takes in a group of renegade Fallen, she finds herself drawn to the brooding and tormented Meresin, despite the fact that he seems to be the least redeemable of them all. When his instability hits a breaking point, Meresin’s only chance at survival is a perilous journey into a place from which few ever return. What he never expected was that confronting his demons would mean risking not only his future, but Dru’s as well…and that one stubborn vampire might give him back not just hope…but his heart.

 

About Abby:
 

Ever since Abby Niles picked up her first Sweet Valley High book in sixth grade and fell in love with Elizabeth and Todd, she’s been hooked on romance. By the time she reached high school, she was devouring meatier romances with pirates, cowboys and knights. She never imagined that those years of reading would one day lead to her becoming a published author.

In her late twenties, after having twins and becoming a stay-at-home mom, she started doodling stories to keep her sanity. Next thing she knew, she was actually submitting to publishing houses. And was immediately rejected. That didn’t stop her though. She found herself some kickass critique partners, honed her craft, and continued submitting.

And eventually sold a short story, then a novella, then a novel, and now a series.

Today, she juggles work, home life, and writing. It’s not always easy, but hey, who said life was easy?

In her downtime, which isn’t often, you can find her playing ‘Just Dance’ with her kids or trying to catch up on her never-ending to-be-read list. She also loves Zumba, and refuses to admit she looks more like Animal doing his Muppet flail than a sensual Latin dancer.

Find Abby online:




About Kendra:

Kendra Leigh Castle was born and raised in the far and frozen reaches of Northern New York, where there was plenty of time to cultivate her love of reading thanks to the six-month-long winters. Sneaking off with selections from her mother’s vast collection of romance novels came naturally and fairly early, and a lifelong love of the Happily Ever After was born. After graduating from SUNY Oswego (where it also snowed a lot) with a teaching degree, Kendra ran off with a handsome young Navy fighter pilot and has somehow accumulated three children, three dogs, and one enormous cat during their many moves.

While stationed in a remote corner of the Nevada desert, Kendra penned her first romance, and a career often spent working in fuzzy slippers and pajamas was born. Her work has garnered both critical praise and award nominations, but the best part has been connecting with readers who share her love of dark romance (not to mention heroes with sharp, pointed teeth). Kendra currently lives in Maryland, and can usually be found curled up with her laptop and yet another cup of coffee working on her next book. She loves to hear from her readers, and can be contacted via email or her Facebook page.

Find Kendra online:


a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway