Blog Tour – Page 74 – Read-Love-Blog

Heart in Wire by R.L. Griffin….Blog Tour Stop & Review

Synopsis:

This book has spoilers in it if you haven’t read the By A Thread series yet, you may not want to read the synopsis. This is a companion book to that series and I highly suggest reading it first.

Have you ever been involved in an epic love story where you wound up alone? Have you devoted yourself so completely to someone that you lost yourself in their abyss?

Patrick Greer spent the past five years revolving around El. He fought like hell to not feel the emotions for her that were hidden deep in his gut, until he couldn’t anymore. He was so sure of them, of her, of what they were to each other, until he wasn’t.

Patrick couldn’t even imagine the things he’d done for her, with her and to her. El broke him.

He was a liar, a friend, a lover, a fixer, a runner and a killer.

Now he had to figure out who he was without her.

*There are adult situations, tons of cussing and you may enjoy this book with an adult beverage.

My review:

(reviewer’s note: if you haven’t read the rest of the By A Thread series, I suggest you do in order to truly understand and get the feel for Heart in Wire)

Heart in Wire is book four in author R.L. Griffin’s By A Thread Series but I kind of feel like you could say it’s a different POV of book three, Seamless. I say that because this book is from Patrick’s point of view and takes place around the same time as Seamless did…sort of. I know I’m probably confusing the hell out of you! Either way, I adored this book and seeing things from Patrick’s view was just as heart wrenching as I imagined it would have been.

Patrick Greer’s life had revolved around one thing for the past few years: Stella. Not his job, not his friends, hell, not even his girlfriend. No, it was only Stella. To say their relationship was complicated would be understatement of the year. Maybe the decade. Their relationship put “complicated” to shame. He had done everything for her. He held her through the faked death of her fiancée, gotten her through her grief, picked her drunken self off of the floor too many times to count, and had even committed an unthinkable crime. All for her. And for a few days, he thought maybe, just maybe she loved him back the way he loved her. Turns out she didn’t. She loved him, just not in the way he wanted he to. The way he needed her to. Now, he was a mess and tangle of emotion and utterly confused as to what the hell he was supposed to do now. One thing was for certain; he had to leave. He had to get away from her and if it meant moving a few hours away and ignoring all phone calls and texts from her, then so be it. At some point you have to make the choice to save yourself. If he wasn’t what Stella wanted then he would go own without her. Which of course, was easier said than done. And so beings the story of Patrick and his journey of healing, accepting and moving on….

I fell in love with Patrick through this series but no more so than in Seamless. He was the ultimate good guy protector and was there for Stella through thick and thin. But when I noticed while reading that she clearly didn’t feel the same way for him that he felt for her, I knew he was headed for his own personal hell. And that’s where he ends up in Heart in Wire. Damn, this man killed me. I wanted to hug him and assure him that he would one day be able to move on and find the love that he was so worthy of and deserved whole heartedly. To read things from his POV was an experience I won’t soon forget. I was so torn in wanted Stella to just run away with him, knowing after reading Seamless that it wouldn’t end that way, and wanting him to find a gal who loved him and cherished the big-hearted protector he was. I have a saying that I use often: face it, embrace it and erase it. I wanted to tell Patrick to do just that. He is trying his damnedest to cut the ties that bind him to Stella and be ok with himself without her…and it’s a rough road. But luckily there’s alight at the end of this wretched tunnel for Patrick. I won’t spoil anything for you but I will tell you that the very end of this book had me sobbing my eyeballs out and tweeting poor R.L. and thanking her for where Patrick’s journey takes him.

If you haven’t read this series, I urge to you get started and meet Patrick and the rest of the gang. This is one of those series that I will always look forward to new releases from. Thank you, R.L., for another amazing addition to the By A Thread series (and for dealing with my Patrick tweets!)

Five Loves

Excerpt:

She was naked, standing right outside the shower, and glared at him, incredulous. He could tell she wasn’t used to getting turned down, but she was nothing he was attracted to. He knew why he picked her though, she was dumb, blonde, and tan, everything opposite of El. He would stick his dick in random females until he rid himself of the heaven he felt when he’d been inside her. He’d do whatever he needed to do to get through this bitch shit he was going through. Hell, he’d rather grieve over killing his friend than continue to mourn a woman who’d been such a big part of his life, only to find out he wasn’t a part of hers.

“Fucking asshole,” he heard Blondie growl as she was leaving the bathroom.

Billy’s words rang through his head as he let the scalding water run down his back. “You’re holding her hand because you want to; she’s holding yours because she needs to.”

Patrick would never let himself be in that situation again. El had been calling him and leaving messages for months, but he refused to listen to any of them. He felt like if he listened, even to just one, he’d fall back into the abyss that was Stella Murphy. Her existence tightened the barbed wire around his heart. He needed someone with wire cutters to come along and rescue him, but it definitely wasn’t a blonde bimbo.

About the author:

R.L. resides in the Atlanta area with her husband, son and two dogs. She was born and raised in the South. She attended Georgia Southern University and moved to Washington, D.C. to intern in the United States Senate during the impeachment trial. Falling in love with the city, she went to law school at American University, Washington College of Law. By a Thread is R.L.’s second book, but is the first in a series of books.

Website: www.rlgriffinauthor.com

Twitter: @rlgriffin

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rlgriffinauthor?fref=ts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1254833.R_L_Griffin?from_search=true

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/rlgriffinauthor/

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

Goodreads | Amazon | Entangled

Entangled Embrace:

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

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)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fix You by Christine Bell…Blog Tour Stop & Review

“Fresh, sexy, and addicting–you won’t want to put it down!“—New York Times Bestselling Author Jen McLaughlin

FIX YOU is part one in the new adult McDaniels Brothers serials from USA TODAY Bestselling Author, Christine Bell. Fans of Monica Murphy, Jen McLaughlin, and H.M. Ward will be seduced by Bash and Olivia’s story and will look forward to a new installment in this ongoing family saga every month!

Buy from Amazon

Synopsis:

Olivia Beckett’s once-charmed life is falling apart. Her family is about to lose everything, and she has almost no chance of continuing her college education. She can’t even seek solace from her high school sweetheart. He’s changed. She doesn’t recognize the boy she used to know— his violent behavior is escalating and it scares the hell out of her. Her whole world is crumbling, and she has no one to turn to……

Sebastian “Bash” McDaniels is an up and comer in the boxing world working nights at the local college bar until he can land the fight of his dreams that will get him the hell out of Boston and away from his family’s tragic past. He’s weeks from his goal when Olivia Beckett comes tumbling into his life in a flash of silky dark hair and haunted eyes. When he saves her from a potentially brutal beating, they begin to grow close, but Olivia’s ex isn’t ready to let her go so easily.

Bash can’t bring himself to walk away, but fixing Olivia just might leave him broken…

My review:

Fix You is the first book in author Christine Bell’s Bash and Olivia\McDaniel’s Brothers Series and I will warn you, has a bit of a cliff hanger ending. Now, I don’t mind those type of endings and even if you do, I totally say read this book anyway…it was THAT good! (and the second book comes out soon)

College student Olivia Beckett has entirely too much weight on her shoulders. Her family is going through a major rough patch and is losing all financial stability and she’s starting to realize her boyfriend since high school is turning into someone she doesn’t want to be with. His temper is getting out of hand and the excuses she’s been making for him come to an end when she is saved from a violent situation in a bar bathroom. As embarrassing as that was, it was the turning point she needed. There were no more excuses to be made for his behavior and her bartender in shining armor savior, Bash, is just what she needs to help her through this. But adding insult to injury, Bash loses his job over saving her. He insists it was just a job to tide him over until he gets in the ring, but she knows better. Seizing the opportunity, Olivia decides Bash is the perfect teacher for the self-defense lessons she fears she will need when she breaks things off with her boyfriend. Hopefully it will also help ease her guilt over getting him fired…the bigger question is, will is ease her wicked strong attraction to the gorgeous boxer?

Sebastian McDaniels, aka Bash, does not need this kind of distraction or complication in his life right now. He just needs to keep his focus on training and getting ready for his fights. He does not need to be involved in a clearly effed up relationship between some douchebag college kid and his girlfriend. Nope. Too bad there’s no way he could ever allow a girl to be hurt by a guy. Especially someone as beautiful as Olivia. Now he’s lost his job, thanks to his heroics, and she shows up asking for self-defense lessons. He wouldn’t be any better than her ass of a boyfriend if he turned her away and didn’t help her again. Now, if he can just convince himself that as soon as the lessons are over, he will be able to let her go….

What starts out as two people thrown into a situation by chance turns into a sizzling hot and undeniable attraction that will prove too strong to ignore. But with so many forces working against them, will they be able to make things between them work? Or will Olivia’s ex turn out to be more dangerous than just in the physical sense?

Oh man, I loved this book. Again, I will say that it has a kinda cliffy ending but please don’t let that turn you away from Bash. He is too delicious to ignore. He’s the strong, silent type that comes from the wrong side of the tracks but has a true moral compass and could never let a man hurt a woman. His hard edged looks are at odds with his soft heart and who doesn’t love that?! The bad boy boxer with a soft side is always a win for me and Bash was all that and a bag of chips. Olivia is in a pretty tough spot and I feel for her. She’s starting to realize her “boyfriend” isn’t who she thought he was and is changing right before her eyes. But she’s decided to get rid of him and knows it may become dangerous so she’s trying her best to prepare for the worst. I’m worried for her but knowing that she has forged a friendship with Bash comforts me a bit. I say a bit because something happens at the end and Olivia may be on her own for a little while, without Bash, and the boyfriend is mighty pissed. But the spark between Olivia and Bash can’t be denied and they are positively delectable together! (so HA to you, loser boyfriend!)

I cannot wait for the next installment in Bash and Olivia’s story and will be anxiously awaiting its release! Thank you, Christine, for one hell of a story!

Five Loves

Add FIX YOU to your TBR pile on Goodreads!

Want to learn more about FIX YOU? Be sure to check out this exclusive interview with Christine Bell!

Follow the tour and win some awesome prizes!

Prizes:

A $50 e-giftcard to Amazon or Barnes & Noble (winner’s choice, open internationally) and an opportunity to have a character named after the winner in serial #3 of The McDaniels Brothers series!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Christine Bell

Christine Bell is the USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romances, and one half of the happiest couple in the world. She doesn’t like clowns or bugs (except ladybugs, on account of their cute outfits), but loves movies, football, and playing Texas Hold ‘Em. Writing is her passion, but if she had to pick another occupation, she’d be a wizard. She loves writing fun, sexy romance and deep, emotional new adult novels, but also hopes to one day publish something her dad can read without wanting to dig his eyes out with rusty spoons.

Subscribe to Christine’s mailing list for exclusive content, ARCs, giveaways and more!

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook

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.

Sex & the Single Vamp by Robin Covington….Blog Tour Stop & Review

Synopsis:

Cici Trent, vampire and media darling, spends her days finding true love for humans and supernaturals (the “Others”) at her dating agency. But someone is trying to sabotage her business and she needs help. Unfortunately, the best man for the job is the one who broke her still-beating heart two hundred fifty-four years ago.

Deacon is a patient vampire. He’s only loved one woman in over three hundred years— CiCi— and she chose another. So when she shows up in his office asking for help, he finally has the chance to lay that demon to rest. He’ll help her, but for a price—a night in his bed.

Adrenaline, mischief, and a little late-night B&E light the passion that even a couple of lifetimes couldn’t put out. But Deacon has a secret and when CiCi is suddenly mortal, his deception might be the only way restore her immortality. Can love bridge the gap between a heartbeat and forever?

My review:

Sex & the Single Vamp is author Robin Covington’s first dip into the vampire world and after loving Robin’s contemporary work, I was really excited for her vampires. Well, she didn’t disappoint. This book was fantastic!

CiCi was used to those opposing her matchmaking business. There are a lot of people who just don’t believe a person can have a hand in matching up a couple like two puzzle pieces. As if those doubt weren’t enough, add human/supernatural matches and she just about tripled the people opposing it. But she wasn’t going to let that stop her from helping people find true love. Supernatural or not. Everyone was entitled to that kind of happiness. She had once dreamed of that kind of happiness for herself but that was a lifetime ago and she refused to let her memories drift back to that time…and that man. Things really start to get messy for CiCi when someone starts trying to ruin her reputation and hurt her clients. There’s only one person she would ever go to for help…and it just so happens to be the man who broke her heart a couple of hundreds of years ago.

Deacon could say that he was shocked when CiCi shows up at his office asking for help, but if he’s being honest, he’s not. He’s been keeping tabs on her for years and had hoped when things starting happening involving her matchmaking business that she would come to him for help. He still loved her and any excuse to see her was good for him. Besides, he couldn’t turn her away if he wanted to. He promised her dying father hundreds of years ago that he would protect her at all costs for the rest of her life. So here she was, asking for help. And Deacon, being more than happy to provide that protection, agrees. Of course, he has his own terms that she must agree to and it may involve making up for some lost time….between the sheets.

The mystery surrounding the sabotage and who, or what, is responsible for them will take Deacon and CiCi on a road that will change them forever….if they live that long.

Wow. As I said earlier, I’m a big fan of Robin and her work and she totally rocked the vamp world with this book. The backstory between CiCi and Deacon gave their relationship so much depth and it was easy to imagine the feelings they had toward one another. It was easy to feel the sexual tension between them in that first meeting and it was easy to cheer for them to get together. Oh, and when they do? Smoking hot! Deacon is total alpha vampire who knows exactly what he wants and isn’t afraid to get it. CiCi is strong-willed and can’t let go of her feelings of hurt, even if it was hundreds of years earlier. I can’t really blame her either. Having to work together to solve the mystery on their hands really helps push them into spending time together and working things out. Of course, there’s a pivotal moment near the ending that had me a nervous wreck for this couple. Luckily, endings are another one of Robin’s strong suits and this was no exception!

All in all, this was a fresh and sexy read and I really enjoyed it. I will be looking forward to more of the supernatural from Robin….well, actually, anything from Robin because I do adore that gal!

Four Loves

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Allromance ebooks

Add it to your Goodreads shelf

Website book page with trailer, playlist and more

About the author:

Robin Covington loves to explore the theme of fooling around and falling in love in her bestselling books. When she’s not writing sexy, sizzling romance she’s collecting tasty man candy, indulging in a little comic book geek love, and stalking Joe Manganiello. You can find Robin at her website (robincovingtonromance.com), Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Don’t send chocolate . . . send eye candy!

Social Media Links:

Dazed by Kim Karr….Tour Stop & Excerpt

Synopsis:

Jagger Kennedy never went looking for fame, he just fell into it. After scoring a major modeling contract, his clean-cut good looks and charm catapulted his career. But when his actress girlfriend breaks his heart, he moves to L.A. to try his hand at acting. He’s not looking for love—he just needs to make a change.

Aerie Daniels is a woman in control … until she meets Jagger. Her surprising connection with him leaves her dazed and it’s unlike anything she’s ever felt. But just when she lets her walls fall, she makes a startling discovery about Jagger that breaks her fragile heart into a million pieces.

To keep from losing the woman who’s changing his world, Jagger is willing to give up anything—including his career. But even that might not be enough to regain Aerie’s shattered trust…

DAZED PURCHASE LINKS & OTHER:

AMAZON | B&N | iTUNES | Goodreads | Dreamcast

Excerpt:

Aerie Daniels

There’s something deliciously perverse about staring through the clear glass. All of

my senses engage as I wait in line—the fragrance that fills the air as the fire crackles

beneath the foil wrapped treats wafts under my nose, the beauty in each and every small

package as they line the shelves with tiny dots and colored sprinkles mesmerizes me, the

sound made as the silver sheet is peeled back to reveal the magnificence it holds

captivates me, and the anticipation of the taste makes my mouth water. Ummm… just

thinking of the first bite into the moist brown exterior with its bittersweet Belgian

chocolate complimenting the flavor of the Madagascar bourbon vanilla that oozes from

its inside has me trembling. The black and white cupcake—it’s simply perfection.

Amidst the skyscrapers in Los Angeles’ South Park neighborhood, Sprinkles is a

gem tucked away for those of us who seek out a small piece of heaven. I don’t come here

often, but when I do it’s for that one special treat. The menu describes it as, “Yin and

Yang.” An ancient proverb that says, “Complementary opposites, such as light and dark,

day and night, and masculine and feminine, seemingly may exist as contrary forces, but

are actually interconnected.” Simply put, it says one gives rise to the other and it’s true—

opposites attract. Without the vanilla inside, one could not possibly crave the chocolate

outside—looking at the two parts united has me drooling.

“You know what they say about staring through the glass,” a deep husky voice says

from behind me.

His words tingle my skin and my gaze snaps up. “Excuse me?” I stop short, in a

daze, not even sure what he just said I was so lost in my thoughts.

He chuckles. “You know what they say about staring through the glass,” he repeats.

My eyes blink and come into focus on the upward tilt of his full lips. Then my eyes

move to his smooth pale skin flecked with a light stubble, his nose seemingly sculpted

even with a slight imperfection in its slope, large eyes with the most unusual gray color

swirling from within, and chocolate brown colored hair framing his face in pieces—I’m

not sure if he has just rolled out of bed or if product molds it just so. Either way, he is

utterly beautiful.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Just be careful so you don’t fall in like Alice.” He smiles, displaying his bright

white teeth.

“Again, I’m sorry but I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I notice his eyes

sweep over me and my heart starts pounding.

“Through the Looking Glass,” he responds in a dangerously husky voice.

This time when he speaks I catch an accent, ever so slight but extremely sexy.

It reminds me of how Robert De Nero talks, just not as loud or fast. I continue to stare,

unable to respond. I notice that his physique is long and lean. He’s dressed in worn jeans

that fit him perfectly. His orange laced hiking boots scream I don’t conform. A pair of

tortoiseshell sunglasses hang from the V of his gray sweater, which clings to his body

perfectly. And an outdoor vest tops the outfit. It throws me off. It makes him look more

like an Abercrombie model than a James Dean type. It’s a navy blue down and quilted

one with a silver zipper. I don’t know why, but something about his outfit, about this

man, captivates me.

“Number 98,” calls the girl from behind the counter.

He steps closer. His warm breath whispers across my neck. “Through the Looking

Glass is the sequel to Alice in Wonderland. When Alice gets too close to the glass, she

falls in and starts on a crazy journey,” he tells me as his arm waves in the air with a green

ticket on display. Stepping closer, his gaze cuts from mine to the glass case as he hands

his number to the clerk whose wearing a cute brown apron with the word Sprinkles

scripted across it.

“Can I have a dozen of the black and white cupcakes?” he asks.

Suddenly alarmed, my eyes dart to the case as I watch the single remaining row of

beautifully crafted cupcakes diminish until there are none left. My irritation flares as I

glance at my number—97.

The beautiful stranger hands the clerk his credit card and waits to sign the slip.

“I was number 97, my number was before yours,” I say as he’s handed the bag that

holds his treasure.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Here let me get the sales clerk’s attention so you don’t have to take

another number,” he says.

I want to stomp my feet. I want to scream. I don’t want her attention. I don’t want

another number. I want the cupcakes that he stole from me.

“Miss,” he calls draping his perfectly fit body over the case. She looks his way and

with a charming grin he says, “Can you help this lovely lady? She missed her number

being called.”

“Of course, I’m so sorry. How can I help you?” the girl asks averting her eyes from

the man who looks like he should be on the cover of GQ magazine, over to me.

He smiles at me with a face that belongs on a billboard. “Don’t fall in.”

I swear he’s goading me. But then he tips his chin and a sexy, smoldering grin passes

over his lips and I’m not so sure anymore. He turns to look at me one more time before

he exits, and excitement flushes over my face. I nod a slight cursory acknowledgement,

then he disappears and disappointment washes over me—he’s gone. Crap. The cupcakes

are also gone. Double crap. And now I’m left wondering if he saw me staring at that

flavor? Did he distract me on purpose so he could purchase them first? Urrr…I’m so

angry right now I consider walking out, but when the clerk asks me what I’d like I settle

for the Vanilla Milk Chocolate cakes—they are the mirror reflection of the black and

whites, with vanilla cake and chocolate frosting, but they are not nearly as good.

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About the author:

I live in Florida with my husband and four kids. I’ve always had a love for reading books and writing. Being an English major in college, I wanted to teach at the college level but that was not to be. I went on to receive an MBA and became a project manager until quitting to raise my family. I currently work part-time with my husband and full-time embracing one of my biggest passions—writing.

I wear a lot of hats! Writer, book-lover, wife, soccer-mom, taxi driver, and the all around go-to person of the family. However, I always find time to read. One of my favorite family outings use to be taking my kids to the bookstore or the library. Today, my oldest child is in college and my twins are juniors so they no longer go with me on these outings. And although I don’t need to go to the actual store anymore because I have the greatest device ever invented—a Kindle, I still do. There’s nothing like a paperback. So now my four year old and I make dates out of going to the bookstore–it’s time I love and cherish.

I like to believe in soulmates, kindred spirits, true friends, and Happily-Ever-Afters. I love to drink champagne, listen to music, and hopes to always stay young at heart. <3

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

You Again by Ashlee Mallory….Blog Tour Stop & Review

You Again

by: Ashlee Mallory

Release Date: 3/24/14

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Synopsis:

A hopeless crush…

Back in high school, Allie McBride thought the sun set around Sam Fratto’s smiles, even if they were only friends. Now she’s older, wiser, hotter, and teaching at the same school they grew up in. When Sam joins the faculty, she has a chance to make good on the crush that got away. But when a dead body turns up on school grounds, they realize there might be a murderer in their midst. The heat keeps getting hotter between Allie and Sam, but more might be in danger than their hearts…

The cute kid from high school is all grown up…

A family crisis brings true-crime writer Sam Fratto back to town after more than a decade’s absence. Teaching at his alma mater seems like a good way to pass the time—especially when he sees that Allie, the geeky, sweet-mannered girl from high school, has blossomed into the saucy teacher in the classroom next door. Too bad finding a dead body transforms his return into one of his true-crime books come to life. And when it seems the killer might be after Allie next, it’s up to him to keep her safe…

A killer determined to keep the past buried at any price…

As if dealing with the return of one ghost from her past wasn’t enough, it looks like the killer might be the person they least suspected. Someone from the past. Someone with something to hide. Someone who thinks Allie and Sam are getting a little too close to the truth. If Allie and Sam are going to get out of this alive, these two friends to lovers will have to work together…or die together…

My Review:

You Again is the first book by author Ashlee Mallory that I have read and from start to finish I really enjoyed this suspenseful romance!

English teacher Allie McBride cannot believe he’s back. Sam Fratto. The one and only huge crush she had devoted her entire high school career to pining over from afar. He was smart, handsome and a star soccer player back then and everything a girl wants in those teen years. Of course now, he was just as desirable. Still handsome and even more sexy. And also a bestselling true crime author. SO it was a little bit shocking that he was here, back in their small hometown, offering to take up some of the English classes from a recently retired colleague at her school. As if Sam being back wasn’t emotionally jostling enough, a body has been found on the school grounds. The body of their beloved high school English teacher who had gone missing 14 years earlier. Allie soon finds herself working with Sam on trying to solve the mystery of what happened to Mr. Williams and also finds herself working on trying to squelch the attraction she thought had died out so many years ago….

Sam knew the beautiful blond looked familiar but he just couldn’t place her. Now being back at his old school and seeing she was on the faculty here with him, he figured out who she was. The shy, fresh-faced sweet underclassmen he had fond memories of working on the school paper with back in the day. She had turned into quite a stunning woman now and he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Determined to give a memorial to Mr. Williams, he offers to help her along the way and try to find out the truth of what happened to one of his favorite teachers. Will he also find more than an old friendship with Allie along the way?

The mystery surrounding the death of one of the kindest and well respected teachers in their alma matter will not only bring many suspects and scandals to life but will bring two people closer than they ever had imagined.

The suspense in this murder mystery had me guessing from the very beginning. The subtle hints that author Mallory dropped throughout were really well done and all came together in beautifully in the end. All the thoughts I had were validated when the pieces of the puzzle started fitting together. The story was well thought out and had more to it than just a murder. There was plenty of deceit, cover-ups and even infidelity, all leading to a “whoa” ending. The relationship between Allie and Sam built beautifully and believably along the way… something I really appreciate in a romantic suspense.

All in all, this was a very entertaining and suspenseful story with a juicy plot and unexpectedly devious characters. I enjoyed it from start to finish and will be putting author Mallory on my list of authors to watch for!

Four Loves

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Author Bio:

Ashlee lives with her husband, two kids, a dog, and cat surrounded by the majestic mountains of her hometown of Salt Lake.

Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, she always wanted to know what it was like to live on the other side of the mountains. In college, she interned a semester in DC and later attended law school in Syracuse, New York, where she also ventured to Israel for a summer semester. After graduating law school with a taste of what it’s like living in the bigger world, she moved back home to Salt Lake and took the Utah Bar Exam, got married, and settled in with her hubby and two wonderful kids. After a few more years in the legal realm, she grew restless and turned her pen to one of her first loves—writing stories.

Currently, when she’s not working the day job as in-house counsel, she spends her time with the family and squeezing in writing time—anything to avoid the housekeeping. Just kidding, honey!

She writes with romance and humor at the heart of every story—and a healthy dash of mystery and suspense.

Hopefully she pulls it off.

Email: Ashleemallory7@gmail.com

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Gabby Revealed by Amy Gregory…Blog Tour Stop & Review

Welcome to my stop on the Gabby Revealed Blog Tour!

Title: Gabby Revealed (Finding Perfect #2)

Author: Amy Gregory

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publication Date: March 25, 2014

Event Organized By: Literati Author Services, Inc.

Synopsis

Gabby James didn’t have the idyllic childhood many in her little hometown of Renlend, Kansas had. High school was a living hell, but when she graduated she couldn’t bring herself to leave Renlend. The town was her prison, but her family’s bookstore, The Looking Glass, was her one true love. It was the place she could run to, and escape the prying eyes of the ones who taunted her.

Shane Compton was a literary agent in one of the most prestigious publishing houses in New York City. He found no greater rush than finding the next big talent, someone who could take the written word and turn it into an art form. In the span of one rude phone call Shane was drawn into the mystery of just who the fiery new author from Kansas was. When everyone else in the office refused to deal with her, Shane willingly accepted the challenge. There was no logic to the madness, but every time he had contact with her, she drove him wild.

Gabby tried every trick in the book to keep Shane at arm’s length, but he had made good on his promise to come to Kansas. He wanted to pull her out of anonymity, he wanted her in the public eye. Now here he stood, on the sidewalk in front her bookstore, and one look told her he was everything she was afraid he’d be. Too bad she was anything but who he thought she was.

Gabby quickly discovers Shane has more on his mind than just books and with a little help from an ornery matchmaker, he shows her a whole new life through her looking glass.

My review:

Gabby Revealed is the second book in author Amy Gregory’s Finding Perfect Series. I read and enjoyed the first book but had been dying to get my hands on Gabby’s story. We met Gabby briefly in the first book and there was something about her that I knew would make a great character. Well, I wasn’t disappointed…this book was amazing.

Gabby James has come to terms with small town life. Well, as much as a girl that had been tormented by the “in-crowd” all through high school could be. The thing was, if she could have moved out of this town, she would have been able to let it all go. But she could never leave this town because this town held the very thing she loved the most….her book store. Within the shelves of this store, among the typed pages, she could let go of those years of hurt and live in her own skin. Sure she still had to deal with the uppity mean girls when they came in from time to time to buy the latest bestseller from the current most popular author, but she could deal with them because she had a secret. A secret that kept her smiling inside and giving those mean girls the silent “eff you” every time she sold one of those best selling books from that über popular author. It’s also the secret that lands literary agent Shane Compton on her doorstep. The same agent she’s been trying to keep firmly outside of her emotional barriers for the last five years. Now that he’s here, she realizes she’s in big trouble and in danger of those very carefully erected walls to come crumbling down.

Lit agent Shane Compton was always up for the challenge and the chase of finding the next big author. He’s found more than a few but the one he is most proud of, and the one he’s determined to meet, is the one he’s travelling to small town Kansas to see. She has piqued his interest for the last five years he’s worked with her and as crazy as it sounds, he’s pretty much resigned to that fact that he’s fallen for her. A woman he’s never seen in person. But he knows her and he knows her amazing mind. He also knows her smart mouth and somewhat abrasive personality…a personality he truly adores. Now, standing on the doorstep of the address the checks have been coming to, he can’t believe his eyes. The beautiful storeowner was one in the same as his amazingly talented and smart-mouthed author.

In reality, they’ve known each other for years. They’ve talked on the phone millions of times and know a lot about one another for the most part. But meeting in person for the very first time proves to be life changing for Gabby and Shane. The feelings that have Shane convinced that Gabby is worth moving across the country to be with are the same feelings that had Gabby running for the hills and hiding behind the hurt she suffered years ago. Will Shane have what it takes to convince Gabby that love is worth taking a chance on? Because Shane is convinced what they have is real and worth everything.

Before I start the (probably) long-winded part of this review, I just have to say that I’ve been talking about this book to anyone who will listen since I finished reading it two days ago. Oh, how I loved it!

As I said earlier, there was something about Gabby that had me anxiously waiting for her story. She was the broken butterfly. The kind-hearted artist that just wanted to see the good in life and was knocked down at every chance. A victim of the mean girls in high school, Gabby tried for years to get over all of that hurt…but just couldn’t. It was always there, that nagging feeling of unworthiness. I hated that she felt that way. But as much as I hated what those girls did to her, I had to thank them because they turned Gabby into an amazing person. Yes, she’s foul-mouthed and far from sweet and fuzzy, but damn that’s why I loved her. I am not a fan of the fluffy heroines so Gabby had me from the very first time she called Shane a jackass. I want to go out and share a beer with her…cause she’s so awesome. I relate a lot to her because I’m not a warm and fuzzy gal myself (seriously, just ask Mr. Read-Love-Blog, he’ll tell you).

As for Shane? Damn. That guy paid such careful attention to all of Gabby’s personality traits for five years and when he shows up in person, she has no case against why they can’t make it work. He knows her inside out and backwards before they even laid eyes on one another. And he’s got a fight in him that kept going. He’s amazing and just what Gabby needed when she needed it most. What a catch he is!

I also have to mention (and give a shout out to a certain 4^th grade teacher for having tissues in her room at school) that there was a part that had me crying my eyes out. If you know me, you know I love that and that just added to how awesome this story was for me.

Amy, thank you for Gabby. This story is one that will stay with me for quite some time and one I will continue to recommend!

Five Loves

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Purchase Links

Gabby Revealed: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Mike’s Way Back: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the Author

When asked ‘when do you have time to write’, Amy Gregory simply laughs. The real answer is, “in bits and pieces”. She and her husband live in Kansas City with their three fantastic kids that keep them running in three very different directions. Because she sits so much, she always carries a notebook with her at all times.

She has an off the wall, snarky, off the cuff sense of humor that often shocks even those who’ve known her for years. And she loves that her children have all been blessed that ability to make others laugh as well. At least she’s grateful most of the time! Her husband often teases her about how she “makes this stuff up” when he’s reading a piece of her work. … The answer—“it just comes to me when I’m typing”. Scary thought, huh!

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

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Pretty Reckless by Jodi Linton…Blog Tour Stop, Review & Bonus Guest Post

She’s dead-set on giving one bullheaded cowboy the boot.

Pretty Reckless

by: Jodi Linton

Release Date: 3/24

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Synopsis:

Welcome to Pistol Rock, Texas where everyone knows secrets last about as long as the sporadic west Texas rain showers.

Laney Briggs has long been considered reckless by the denizens of her hometown, but she’s finally turned it all around—she’s happily engaged to the local veterinarian and she’s become a Pistol Rock deputy sheriff. Everything’s fine and dandy—until a dead body turns up and her ex, Texas Ranger Gunner Wilson, decides to stick his boots into the town’s first murder case. Of course, the troublesome cowboy’s rugged good looks and T-shirt-straining muscles are already leaving Laney knee-deep in hot water, but she’ll be damned if she lets Gunner trample all over her turf. She’s decided that, instead of conflict, she wants a contented, steady life with her vet—a life in which Gunner Wilson and his seemingly endless ability to undermine her resolve and her libido plays no part. Still, it’s hard to keep her head as forbidden sparks ignite and suspicions arise between old rivals and old flames. And when the bodies start to pile up, Laney has to ask the lethal bad boy for a hand—and a truce in exchange for his help. But after uncovering the pack of lies surrounding not only her job but her heart… Having an ex-boyfriend as an ally might not be the best idea, but it’s certainly the most reckless, and Laney has always been pretty reckless…

My Review:

Pretty Reckless is the first in author Jodi Linton’s Deputy Laney Briggs Series and really sets us up for what I think will be a great collection!

Sherriff’s Deputy Laney Briggs is used to the slow and somewhat boring country life in a small southern town. She’s been able to get past a pretty hurtful breakup and is adjusting to life as the fiancée of the town’s veterinarian. Life is pretty good. For Small Town, USA, that is. Things take a turn for the worse when there’s a dead body found up on one of the big local farms. Suddenly everything is turned upside-down. Not just because there’s clearly been a murder, but because her ex is now here working the case with her. He’s a Texas Ranger and is assigned to help on the case. A distraction she doesn’t need especially when this turns into a real humdinger case of who-done-it. The murder turns out to be the tip of the iceberg and Laney uncovers a huge case of debt, drugs and deceit. The likes she never thought she’d see in her small town. Add working alongside her sexy as sin ex and digging up all sorts of feelings she’d like to leave behind, and this may prove to be the hardest case of Laney’s life.

Whew, talk about a mystery that had me on the edge of my seat until the end! Laney sure had her hands full from the very beginning and with so many colorful townspeople and viable suspects; she had her work cut out for her. That poor gal was put through the ringer in this book but I loved that she never gave up…or even thought about quitting. One of my favorite parts of this book though was Jodi’s ability to write a small town that I truly felt a part of. The characters were described with such great detail that I loved some of them, hated others and laughed with many of them. I think this is a great start to the series and feel like we have a great foundation for the series to come.

Thank you , Jodi, for Pretty Reckless! I’m looking forward to what’s in store for Laney in the future.

Four Loves

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Guest Post from Jodi:

THE MAKING OF DEPUTY LANEY BRIGGS.

Often I’m asked how I came up with Laney Briggs. It’s a long story, so I’ll give the condensed version of it for now.

When we first moved to Austin from north Texas, my husband and I found ourselves thrust into a big city with small town charm. I worked various temp jobs for several months since having a bachelor’s degree in history really didn’t get the plum pickings in the job department. When it came down to the writing part of this story, I didn’t actually start typing away on the computer until I became pregnant with my first child. After several failed attempts at trying to complete a manuscript, I shoved writing aside and focused on raising my son for a few years.

Then, one day I decided to try my hand at writing again.

For the most part, the series started out with a brainstorming session I had with my husband. As I was in the middle of writing a manuscript (which will never see the light of day), I hit a wall and decided to trash the project until I could find my writing muse again. In the end, my husband suggested that I should write what I knew, and that was…Texas. My inner cheerleader wanted to shake her pom-poms when the name Laney Briggs popped into my head.

After that, it all sort of fell into place.

I grew up in a small town, so I knew the language and the fun peculiarities of small town people. Within days of that conversation with my husband, I had a clear vision of who my protagonist would be. There she was, a sassy female sheriff deputy whose sharp tongue could outwit any hunky cowboy.

Now if you want the longer version of the story, buy me a cold one if we ever cross paths later on down the road, and we’ll sit down for a spell.

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About the author:

Jodi Linton grew up across the street from a cow pasture, where she was more likely to be seen selling Kool-Aid in a Dixie cup at ten cents a pop, or inviting neighbors over to watch one of her plays staged on her father’s Bass boat.

In 2001, she traded in the rednecks, cowboys, and mesquite trees of her hometown to chase destiny out west. After a few years of mucking it around with the roughnecks, dust storms, and droughts, she decided to dust off her boots and head home. With a History degree in one hand and a marriage license in the other, she followed her husband in 2006 to central Texas the heartland, fabulous Austin.

After settling into the Texas Hill Country with her husband and two kids, she joined the Austin Romance Writers of America, and signed with The Belcastro Agency. Today she can be found cozied up to the computer escaping into a quirky world of tall tales, sexy, tight jean wearing cowboys, and a protagonist with a sharp-tongue quick enough to hang any man out to dry.

Twitter: @JodiLinton1 | Facebook | Goodreads | Newsletter

Chasing Serenity by Eden Butler…Blog Tour Stop & Review

Welcome to my stop on the Eden Butler Blog Tour!

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoy my review of Chasing Serenity a much as I enjoyed reading it!

Synopsis:

Graduate student Autumn McShane has had her share of heartbreak. She’s been abandoned and betrayed and she lost her beloved mother in a tragic car accident five months ago. That loss damaged her body and fractured her spirit but she’s learning to recover, until her ex-boyfriend returns to town, intent on making her life miserable.

Declan Fraser hates her ex as much as Autumn does, but the last thing she needs is to put her trust in the hands of another man, especially one like Declan: his hard body and lulling Irish accent makes more than a few girls weak-kneed. The talented rugby player is rude and sarcastic, with tattooed, muscular arms and a cocky attitude, but he’s the only one who can help Autumn win an ill-advised bet that, if lost, could cost her more than she’s willing to pay. The reluctant alliance between Declan and Autumn stirs up cravings she doesn’t want to admit, but Declan is a hard man to resist.

Just when Autumn starts letting down her carefully constructed walls to the sexy bad boy, he betrays her when she needs him most. Autumn suspects Declan has secrets, and she is determined to uncover what drove him away from her, even if that means fraternizing with the enemy. But will the truth return Declan to her arms or add to the scars on her heart?

My review:

Chasing Serenity is the debut work from author Eden Butler and a debut that completely blew me away. I was drawn into this story from the very first few pages and loved every minute of this book.

Autumn McShane’s life was forever altered five months ago. Since that night, she has slowly been rebuilding herself since the tragic accident that took her mother’s life and almost took hers. Maybe it would have been easier to rebuild with the help of her family, but she didn’t have that. You see her father had left her and her mother years earlier and now that her mother was gone too, she only had her two close friends to rely on for the strength needed to rebuild. They had been there for her not just through the death of her mom and her rehabilitation but also through the devastating breakup with her boyfriend. Although boyfriend seemed to be a trivial term for what he had been to her. He was the rugby captain, gorgeous and pretty much consumed her. Autumn thought she would be with him forever. So, when you add all of the loss Autumn had experienced together, it’s a wonder she was able to get out of bed each day. But the things she loved managed to drive her. Her town, her home, her friends, her love for the game of rugby….they mattered. Imagine the crippling effect having her ex show up back into town was. Even more is that he seems hell-bent on making her life even more miserable when he tries teaching one of his new rugby teammates, Declan, a lesson in humility after he drunkenly groped her. Like she needed the headache of the tattooed, ill-mannered, ruggedly handsome rugby player. It’s a good thing she wasn’t attracted to him. Nope, not even a little bit. (Lie.) Between her ex trying to win her back and her unwelcome feelings toward Declan, Autumn sure has her hands full. The problem is, with each day that passes she becomes more lost to Declan….

Declan hasn’t found much to like since coming to this fecking school…except, of course, rugby. That will always be a bright spot no matter what the situation. Unexpectedly, the feisty red-head he groped while being three sheets to the wind turns out to be another bright spot. Even if she wants nothing to do with him and keeps pushing him away. He was never known for giving up on something he wants. And he wants her. The question is, is she worth all the heat he keeps taking from the rugby captain, aka her ex-boyfriend. Without question he knows….yes. Yes, she is.

Their relationship starts out with a one-two punch but what starts out as two people very much at odds with each other turns into so much more when they both acknowledge the magnetic ties that pull between them. And when they finally do acknowledge that pull? Oh my….

I get a lot of blog tour requests these days. I do as much as I can and if I can’t read the book that’s touring, I at least try to host some other sort of post. After all, it’s what I love doing! But every once in a while a book comes along that I just HAVE to read and review. I will rearrange my schedule and squeeze it in. This is one of those books. Oh man, I loved it. So much so that I ordered the paperback for my bookshelf. There is something about these characters that pulls you in from the very beginning and keeps you glued to the pages until the very end….and even after. Delcan is freaking insanely delicious. He’s kind of a jerk with a gruff exterior but you just can’t help but love him. His mannerisms are at odds with his prickly banter and good Lord I loved that about him. He was barely leashed at times and I so wanted to see him let go and devour Autumn with all of the intensity he felt for her. He’s sexy and brooding and tattooed and 100% alpha male but with a huge heart. The total package if you ask me! Autumn is one of the strongest heroines I’ve read. She has been through so much within the past year and I felt terribly for her at times but her spirit was so resilient. From the beginning, I knew no matter what she faced, she would overcome and she did…in spades. Now, there is quite a twist toward the end that I never saw coming and it had me a crying and worried mess. I won’t give anything away but remember my mantra: I won’t suggest a book that ends badly!

As I sit here and type this review I am missing Declan and stopping my typing from time to time to have a dreamy sigh moment. I hope that’s an indication as to how much I loved this book!

Thank you, Eden, for Chasing Serenity. I cannot wait to see what you have in store for us next!

Five Loves

Buy Links:

Chasing Serenity Amazon | Chasing Serenity Barnes and Noble

Behind the Pitch Amazon | Behind the Pitch Barnes and Noble

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Eden Butler is an editor and writer of New Adult Romance and SciFi and Fantasy novels and the nine-times great-granddaughter of an honest-to-God English pirate. This could explain her affinity for rule breaking and rum. Her debut novel, a New Adult, Contemporary (no cliffie) Romance, “Chasing Serenity” will launch October 2013.

When she’s not writing or wondering about her possibly Jack Sparrowesque ancestor, Eden edits, reads and spends way too much time watching rugby, Doctor Who and New Orleans Saints football.

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