Contemporary Romance – Page 319

Dare to Resist by Laura Kaye…Review Tour Stop

This Review Tour for Laura Kaye’s DARE TO RESIST is awesome!! DARE TO RESIST is the prequel novella to Laura’s Wedding Dare Series and is being published by Entangled Publishing.

DARE TO RESIST is the prequel novella to the sexy wedding event of the year! The Wedding Dare Series brings together five New York Times bestselling authors, one sizzling story of how the bride and groom fell in love, and four super sexy tales of bridesmaids who hope to get lucky in lust—or maybe even love—at their friend’s wedding. Here’s the story that starts it all!

Review Tour Schedule

May 13

Little Read Riding Hood

Cocktails and Books

Make My Day Book Club

Hesperia Loves Books

Talking Books Blog

Books Books& More Books

May 14

The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club

May 15

Made For You Book Reviews

Bittersweet Book Love

May 16

My Favorite Things

Madison Says

The Romance Evangelist

Book Lovin’ Mamas

Read-Love-Blog

The Geekery Book Review

Reading Between the Wines

Romantic Reads and Such

Dare to Resist Excerpt

By Laura Kaye

Damn she had a smart mouth on her. So many things he’d like to do to temporarily cure her of that. Andnow he knew she’d enjoy them, too. “Kady, I just meant—”

She huffed, stoking both the flames of his aggression and his arousal. “I got it.”

He fisted his hands. “No, you fucking don’t, because you won’t stop talking long enough for me to explain myself.”

She blanched. “Well, do it. What do you want to say?”

Here it was. Moment of truth time. Fucking finally. “Three years ago—”

“Colton, I don’t want to talk about ancient—”

He was on her in a flash. One hand over her mouth, the other cradling the back of her head so that he didn’t hurt her when he shoved her against the closet door. He held her there with the weight of his own body, his legs on the outsides of hers effectively boxing her in. “It’s not your turn to talk. Understand?”

Eyes wide, nostrils flaring, Kady searched his eyes and finally nodded. He could almost feel the questions rolling off of her.

“Three years ago,” he said again, arching a brow, “I pulled back from what we started for a couple of reasons. Same reasons why I pulled away again yesterday when I wanted to kiss you. But this book…this book makes me wonder if maybe one of those reasons isn’t as relevant as I originally thought.” He heaved a breath and leaned his forehead against hers, bringing them eye to eye. “The guy in your book? I’m that guy,” he said, putting it in terms he hoped she’d understand.

A shiver ran over her body. Against his chest, her nipples went hard.

Holy hell. Did his declaration just turn her on?

Her pupils were dilating. Right there was his answer. His cock went from hard to downright torture.

“You get what I’m saying?” he asked. A small nod. “I get off on being rough. Because I like and respect you, and because you’re my best friend’s little sister—”

Her brows furrowed.

He pressed his hand more firmly against her mouth and nailed her with a stare. “I get it. After our talk yesterday, that’s not how I see you. But it is how Tyler sees you. How he’ll always see you. Big brothers are genetically programmed to be protective of younger sisters no matter their age. Trust me. I know from firsthand experience. So I’ve backed off because I didn’t want to scare you or offend you with what I want, and I certainly didn’t want to piss Tyler off, either.”

Her fingers pulled softly at the hand covering her mouth, a gentle plea. He removed his hand immediately. “Can I say something now?” she asked quietly.

When had Kady Dresco ever asked for permission to speak around him? But he’d exerted a little dominance over her, and she’d responded with submissiveness. Probably wasn’t even aware she’d done it. A dark satisfaction heated his blood and further hardened his cock. “Go ahead.”

DARE TO RESIST Synopsis:

Trapped and tempted, this battle of wills rages all night long…

Kady Dresco and Colton Brooks click on a level that defies logic. There are only two problems. One, he’s her older brother’s irritating best friend, and two, they’re bidding on the same military security services contract.

When the competition heats up, Colton is torn between wanting to strangle Kady (and her annoying brilliance) and kissing her into submission. Which is a bad idea for a million reasons, because Kady’s submission is exactly what he craves. Being trapped in a tiny motel room with the object of his darkest fantasies will require every ounce of his restraint.

Kady doesn’t want his restraint, but Colton knows better. She deserves love, marriage, and a white picket fence—three things Colton can’t give her. But her proximity and the memory of their steamy near-miss three years ago slowly destroys his resolve. And he’s not sure how much longer he can keep his hands off…or his heart closed.

My review:

Dare to Resist kicks off the Wedding Dare Series written by some of my favorite authors and with Laura being one of them, I was so excited for this book and let me say….what an amazing series kick off this was. Holy hotness!

Computer guru Kady Dresco has got some stiff competition when it comes to bidding on one of the biggest contracts of her career. Colton Brooks. She’s known him almost her entire life and has never been able to shake the attraction she’s had for him, which of course isn’t making this whole bidding for the same contract thing any easier. And now, after a huge storm cancels all travel plans to get home, they are stuck together in the last motel room in the area. She’s used to keeping her feelings for him under wraps for years so one night in a motel room should be fine…right? Easier said than done….especially when she starts to think her one sided attraction may not be one sided any more.

Colton Brooks can’t believe his luck. It’s bad enough he’s up against Kady for the contract he’d love to get for his company, but now Mother Nature has them stuck together for the night. There was always something about Kady that drew him in, but she’s his best friend’s little sister and was off limits. Sure, she isn’t little any more, but it still didn’t mean he could entertain the idea of being with someone like Kady. She’d surely run for the hills if she knew what turned him on and that made staying away from her a little easier. But when he finds out she may actually be willing to try things his way, his hopes are raised. Could he possibly have a chance with the girl he’s been drawn to for too many years to count?

Despite knowing each other for years, and having a shared secret mutual attraction, there was never a good time for Colton and Kady to get together until the fates intervene. Things are bound to heat up between this two when they both face what they’ve been hiding for each other for far too long.

Oh. My. Yum. This book was absofreakingloutely amazing. The heat factor was off the charts and with two amazing characters, Dare to Resist may be one of my favorite Laura Kaye works. Colton is a bit of a damaged hero and is wrapped in one handsome, kind, charming package. Kady is strong and honest with a dash of spitfire attitude that makes her a great character to read. The two of them together make one hell of a great match. I think one of the things I liked best about them is that having known one another for so long, we got to skip all of the early parts of relationship building and get right to the hot stuff….and oh my was it HOT! I mean really, really, hot. There’s also a lot of honesty between Kady and Colton, which made for a great pace of the story. There wasn’t a whole lot of game playing between them and being able to cut to the chase was pretty amazing.

I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the rest of the series! Thank you, Laura, for another amazing read!

Five Loves

Dare to Resist on Goodreads

About the Wedding Dare Series:

When four bridesmaids dare one another to find lust—or maybe even love—at the destination wedding event of the year, the groomsmen don’t stand a chance. But little do the women know, the men are onto their game, and sparks will fly alongside the bouquet.

Four bridesmaids. Four groomsmen.

Four New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling authors. Long-carried torches, sizzling new attractions, and forbidden conquests will ensure a wedding never to be forgotten.

Tessa Bailey, Baiting the Maid of Honor

Diane Alberts, Falling for the Groomsmen

Katee Robert, Seducing the Bridesmaid

Samanthe Beck, Best Man with Benefits

Coming June 9!

All Wedding Dare Series Books on Goodreads

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Laura Kaye Bio:

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

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Out of Mind by Jen McLaughlin…Blog Tour top & Review

Synopsis:

Reaching for sunlight…

Finn survived the ambush and came home to me, but in his head, the battle is still raging. He’s falling apart and I’m trying my best to pick up the pieces of him, to find the us we used to be. I love him as much as I ever did, but love isn’t enough to fix this. I thought telling my father about our relationship would be the hardest thing we’d ever have to face. I was wrong.

Lost in shadows…

All I wanted was to be worthy of Carrie. One mission, just one, and I’d be able to give her the future she deserved. Then everything went wrong, leaving me tainted and broken. Carrie wants me to be who I was, but all that’s left is what they made of me. I’m no good for her. No good for anyone like this. I have to figure out how to move forward. Alone.

Sometimes love isn’t enough…

My review:

*dreamy sigh* Out Of Mind is the last book in author Jen McLaughlin’s Out Of Line Series and if I’m being honest, I am so sad to see this series end. But, in the same token, this was as perfect an ending as I could have ever imagined for Finn and Carrie!

If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, I really wouldn’t read any more of this review until you do! Seriously.

Finn is finally back home. He may be broken, but he’s home. It’s been an agonizing wait for Carrie just to be able to see that he was, in fact, ok. But is he? OK?

All of the undercurrents of unworthiness Finn had felt before he left to go overseas will resurface with a vengeance when he returns home…less than whole. Sure, the outward appearance says he’s whole but deep down he knows he’s not. His memories begin to torment him and he has no idea how to handle all of it. All of the past, all of the future, all of the “what ifs” and “should have beens”. He tries to rationalize that he can overcome anything with Carrie by his side. Soon enough though, he has doubts. Will their relationship stand the test of stress and loss?

From relief one minute to confusion and pain the next, Carrie isn’t sure which way is up anymore. Yes, she’s beyond happy to have Finn home and safe. Yes, she will do anything she can to help him recover. No, she isn’t sure she’s enough to help him fight his inner demons. And damn if that doesn’t kill her inside. Surely the love they share is enough to fight even the darkest times, right? Carrie isn’t so sure anymore…

This journey is what matters most. This journey is what will define Carrie and Finn’s relationship and truly test the love they share. This journey is what will make or break them…

If you know me and my history with this series, you know I adore Finn. So much so that I got a tattoo in his honor. There’s just something about this surfer Marine that I have loved from the very beginning. It’s that love that made this book so damn hard for me to read. Finn is a mess. He’s mentally and physically broken and I wanted nothing more than for him to be whole again. This was really rough to read. The emotions were high and intense. I think what hit home most was that real veterans go through this every damn day and I hope they have their own versions of Carrie to help them through their darkest hours. Of course Carrie was amazing. She stood by Finn and never gave up. Even when she really wanted to, deep down she never truly gave up on him. Thank God for Carrie. He may have pushed her away, but Finn knew deep down that he needed her….eventually. I can’t give away too much of the story because there are a few spoilers but know this: you will need a whole lot of tissues and you will LOVE the way the book ends. Trust me!

Again I say that I’m sad to see this series end but I know Jen will have some fabulous works for us in the future and I can’t wait to read them!

Thank you, Jen, for Finn and Carrie and the entire Out of Line Series.

Five Loves

BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY:

Jen is giving away a FINN necklace and a signed set of the OUT OF LINE series. US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buy Links

Amazon – http://amzn.to/1lqa3cw
B&N – http://bit.ly/1mSkmpP

About the author:

Jen McLaughlin is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She writes steamy New Adult books for the young and young at heart. Her first release, Out of Line, came out September 2013. She also writes bestselling Contemporary Romance under the pen name Diane Alberts.Since receiving her first contract offer under the pen name Diane Alberts, she has yet to stop writing. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Website ~ Facebook Fan Page ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

His to Keep by Katee Robert…Blog Tour Stop & Review

Synopsis:

A sexy category romance from Entangled’s Brazen imprint…

He’s always wanted her. Now’s his chance to claim what’s his.

School teacher Marceline Bellini gave up everything—men, sex, anything resembling a social life—to raise her young daughter. To be the perfect parent. But when she attends an engagement party in her standard stick-in-the-mud mode, her friends begin plying Marcy with shots. Just enough to convince her that a little fun doesn’t sound like a bad idea… and having some naughty fun is an even better one.

Like finding herself deliciously pressed against a dark alley wall by the very familiar and very hot body of her best friend’s older brother.

After years of waiting in painful silence, police officer Aaron Robinson finally has Marcy’s attention. And man, does he have it. But nothing could have prepared either of them for the rush of fiery lust between them. So he’ll just have to convince Marcy he’s for real. And that a rainy, lust-fuelled romp is the first step to a lifetime of completely imperfect happiness…

My review:

His to Keep is story number 1.5 in author Katee Robert’s Out of Uniform Series and oh…my….yum. I couldn’t put this book down. The heat and chemistry were apparent form the very first chapter and only got better and better from there.

Marcy Bellini would much rather be at home, on her couch, with her daughter watching a princess movie than hanging in this bar. She wasn’t exactly the going out type anymore and that suited her just fine. What didn’t suit her just fine is when she finally starts to loosen up, and possibly dance with a handsome guy, Aaron Robinson stepping in and chasing her dance partner away. Sure, she and Aaron had known each other since they were practically kids, and sure she had an undying school girl crush on him, but he never thought of her “that way” and didn’t have any right to tell her that dance dude wasn’t right for her. So to say she was shocked when he suggested HE was the one for her, would be understatement of the year. Not wanting to second guess what he said, she decides to act on her slightly buzzed impulses and make Aaron put his money where his mouth was and show her why he was right for her. Marcy soon realizes she’s in way over her head with Aaron….

Aaron Robinson had waited entirely too long for a chance with Marcy Bellini. He has wanted her for as long as he could remember but it was never the right time to act on it. Now, while she flirts with some dude at this bar, he has never been surer that THIS is the right time. It was time to act on it. He had no way to know Marcy would be beyond what he could have dreamed of that night…or that she would kick him to the curb the next day. But Aaron was a persistent man and always gets what he wants in the end. And he wanted Marcy. For the long haul.

With so many years of friendship between them, Marcy and Aaron have the luxury of skipping all the new dating small talk and formalities and can get right to the good stuff…and oh my, is it good!

This book rocked. The fact that we were able to jump right into this section of Aaron and Marcy’s life was like skipping the long and boring meal and heading right for dessert. Sometimes, you just want the damn dessert. The chemistry between these two was instantly recognizable and there was just enough push and pull between them. Aaron and Marcy both went for what they wanted, when they wanted it and both were pretty honest characters. Sure, there was a bit of conflict but it was just enough to round out their story perfectly. Aaron is deliciously alpha and had waited long enough or Marcy. The predator after his prey…only his prey was just as predatory which was a bit of a surprise to him a real treat to read. Marcy is quite the feisty one when she lets herself go and it was in beautiful contrast to the mom and teacher she also is. Together they are combustible and I loved every minute of it! Oh, and the ending? Simply freaking picture-perfect!

If you’re looking for a sweet and sexy read with plenty of heat, get His to Keep on your list! Thank you, Katee, for one hell of a story.

Five Loves

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Entangled

Entangled Brazen:

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

Twitter: @BrazenBooks Steals and Deals

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Author Bio:

Katee Robert learned to tell stories at her grandpa’s knee. Her favorites then were the rather epic adventures of The Three Bears, but at age twelve she discovered romance novels and never looked back.

Though she dabbled in writing, life got in the way—as it often does—and she spent a few years traveling, living in both Philadelphia and Germany. In between traveling and raising her two wee ones, she had the crazy idea that she’d like to write a book and try to get published.

Her first novel was an epic fantasy that, God willing, will never see the light of day. From there, she dabbled in YA and horror, before finally finding speculative romance. Because, really, who wouldn’t want to write entire books about the smoking-hot relationships between two people?

She now spends her time—when not lost in Far Reach worlds—playing imaginary games with her wee ones, writing, ogling men, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.

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Good Girls Don’t Date Rock Stars by Codi Gary…blog Tour Stop & Review

Title: Good Girls Don’t Date Rock Stars

Author: Codi Gary

Genre: Contemporary Adult Romance

Publish Date: April 22, 2014

Publisher: Avon Impulse an Imprint of HarperCollins

Event organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.

~ Book Synopsis ~

Gemma Carlson didn’t plan on waking up married.

She also didn’t count on running into her old flame—and her son’s father-turned-country-rock star—Travis Bowers, followed by a night of drunken dares. Apparently one of those involved a ring on her finger and a vow…neither of which she intends to keep. Now with a hangover from hell, this good-girl-gone-bad knows there’s just one thing to do: run.

Travis has been all over the world, but Gemma has never been far from his thoughts. So when he had the chance to catch up over a few drinks, he didn’t hesitate. Of course he didn’t expect it would lead to marriage, or a runaway bride! Travis finally has a second chance and doesn’t plan on losing Gemma again—or the son he didn’t know he had. He proposes—albeit belatedly—a date. Or rather, a few. If they can make this marriage work by starting over, he stays. If not…

Gemma’s not interested; she’s got a son to protect and a heart to heal. But having Travis around could make both a little easier. Still, good girls don’t date rock stars…right?

My review:

Good Girls Don’t Date Rock Stars is the second book in author Codi Gary’s Rock Canyon Romance series and the first in the series I have read. I know there are a lot of rock star books out these days but I have to say, this one was different. This story held a whole lot of heart and I absolutely loved it from start to finish.

Single mom Gemma was enjoying every second of her weekend away in Las Vegas. She was here for a romance book convention of sorts and had been having an amazing time. Sure, she missed her son like crazy, but getting away in the past 9 years since he’d been born wasn’t an option to she was going to savor every second of this trip. The last thing she ever expected was running into Travis. The country rock star god who also happened to be her ex high-school boyfriend….and father of her son. The even bigger problem was that he had no idea he even had a son. She shouldn’t be worried though. She would just go along with the pleasantries, say her goodbye, and go back to living without him. He, of course, had other plans and she’d never been good at saying no to Travis. Agreeing to a night out didn’t seem like a terrible idea but when she wakes up the next morning, in Travis’ bed, wearing a wedding ring, she knew she should never should have said yes. In a blind panic, Gemma leaves Travis in Vegas and heads home. Back to her son and her normal life. Imagine her surprise when Travis shows up at her front door….to give their marriage a real shot. What. A. Mess.

Gemma had never been far from Travis’ thoughts. Even all these years later he knew he let “the one” slip away and now that he had gotten a second chance, there was no way he would let her go. Even if she did give him a “Dear John” letter and his ring back. He had been prepared for the fight to convince her that they were meant to be. He wasn’t prepared to find out he had a son. With Gemma. That she never told him about. He was also unprepared for the immense feelings of hurt and betrayal he now harbored toward her or the instant love her felt for his son. He had come to save his marriage. Now he was here to become the father his son had never known. Would he ever be able to forgive Gemma and could they ever be a real family?

The obstacles Gemma and Travis have to overcome are great and many but if there’s one thing I’ve learned about reading a great book, is that where there’s even a bit of will, there’s a way. And this book surely didn’t disappoint!

Oh, how I loved this book. I said earlier that it was different than all of the other rock star books I have read lately and I meant it. The rock star part was really secondary to the journey Gemma and Travis had gone on and the road that lay ahead. This was one hell of an emotional read and Cori did a kick ass job at getting me to feel the emotion in both points of view. I understood why Gemma didn’t tell Travis she had been pregnant. Travis had a pretty sad childhood and his talent was his ticket to a better life. She didn’t want to be the one to hold him back from that and end up resenting her one day. On the flip side, I really felt for Travis and I hurt for him and the betrayal he felt and I was angry right along with him at Gemma. It was really a push and pull of emotion and I think it’s a huge talent that a writer be able to get the reader to feel that. I was cheering these two on from the beginning and really, really wanted them to have a happy ever after. There were a lot of times I didn’t think they would and I was a worried mess! I won’t ruin it for you, but know that I wouldn’t recommend a book that ended badly and I totally DO recommend this book. (so you can take that as a hint!)

Thank you, Cori, for an amazing and emotional book. I will absolutely be keeping up with this series and can’t wait to see what you have in store for us!

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Purchase Links

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Excerpt from GOOD GIRLS DON’T DATE ROCK STARS by Codi Gary

How many glasses of champagne did I have last night?

Gemma Carlson groaned, gritting her teeth against the stabbing pain that seemed to be spreading through her brain. She didn’t want to open her eyes, afraid of what she would find. Right now she was only sure of two things. One, her head hurt like a son of a bitch and two, she was very, very naked.

Prying open her right eye, she tried to focus on her surroundings, but instead of seeing intricate, golden wallpaper, she found the walls were now light colored. A couch sat in the corner of the room, though her room had had a tiny office chair and desk. The landscape on the wall was new, too.

She opened both eyes, blinking rapidly at the dryness, and realized she had no idea where she was.

Which meant she obviously wasn’t in her hotel room.

A light snore behind her caught her attention and she stiffened, turning her head slowly to look at her bedmate. She sucked in a breath at the sight of dark curls and a broad back, the only things visible above the heavy comforter.

What have I done?

Sitting up, she swallowed down the rolling nausea and fought the splitting headache, catching her face in her hands. And then she felt it. Something cool and metal on her finger. Something that definitely shouldn’t be there.

Pulling her hands back, she stared at the large three-stone diamond ring on her left index finger and froze.

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About the Author

An obsessive bookworm, Codi Gary likes to write sexy small-town contemporary romances with humor, grand gestures, and blush-worthy moments. When she’s not writing, she can be found reading her favorite authors, squealing over her must-watch shows, and playing with her children. She lives in Idaho with her family

Authors Social Media

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Review…Perfect Pitch by Mindy Klasky

Book links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Reigning beauty queen Samantha Winger is launching her pet project, a music program for kids. All she has to do is follow the pageant’s rules—no smoking, drinking, or “cavorting” in public.

That’s fine, until D.J. Thomas—God’s gift to baseball—throws her a wild pitch. He slams her in an interview, and the video goes viral. Sam’s no shrinking violet. She parlays D.J.’s apology into a national T.V. appearance—and a very unexpected, very public kiss.

Soon, paparazzi catch the couple in a steamy make-out session, and Sam’s music program is on the block. The blazing hot relationship is threatened even more when D.J.’s son begs to trade in Little League for music class.

Can Sam and D.J. sizzle past the sour notes and find their perfect pitch?

My review:

Perfect Pitch is the first volume in author Mindy Klasky’s Diamond Brides Series and threw one hell of a home run. I loved this book!

Beauty queen Samantha Winger had given up a lot for this title. She had to pretty much act like a complete vanilla angel in public, lost a lot of her friends because she couldn’t go out and party, and certainly wasn’t allowed to go out on dates and be caught kissing anyone. You’d think it was the 1940’s with the rules this pageant had in place. But it was all worth it when she’s able to get her music education program into the local schools. She had become the person she was thanks to her love of music and she wanted other kids to be able to experience what she had. Things were going smoothly until baseball star D.J. Thomas belittles her on national TV. Ok, he didn’t exactly belittle her, just her title. He shows up a day later with an apology and she sees this as one hall of a golden opportunity….to help get her music program some TV exposure. Only problem was that from their first introduction, there are some serious sparks between the beauty queen and the baseball star. A problem because she couldn’t act on in while reigning as queen. It was written in the rules. And when they start spending time together, and are caught by the paparazzi kissing, her time as queen may be over. But like a run of strikeouts that bring the losing team back from being down to win the game, can D.J. make everything ok?

Oh man, the amount of heat packed into this story was positively delectable! Both Sam and D.J. were likeable characters from two pretty different backgrounds and with two pretty different views on things. But you know what they say about opposites attracting, right? Thanks to a baseball team road trip, their relationship was able to grow over hours long phone calls and that made their story even more special and believable. They learned one another inside out and backwards in those phone calls. They also had some sexy convos that I’m sure would have any eavesdropper blushing! Of course, it wasn’t all happy moments for this unlikely couple and they have more than one obstacle to overcome. But like all good love stories, they are able to make it all work out in the end.

Thank you, Mindy, for a sexy, sweet read! I will definitely be looking forward to the next in this series!

Four Loves

About the author:

Mindy Klasky learned to read when her parents shoved a book in her hands and told her that she could travel anywhere in the world through stories. She never forgot that advice.

Mindy’s travels took her through multiple careers, including copyright lawyer and law librarian. Mindy now writes full time. Her books fall in a number of genres — including traditional fantasy, urban fantasy, and category romance.

In her spare time, Mindy knits, quilts, and tries to tame the endless to-be-read shelf in her home library. Her husband and two cats do their best to fill the left-over minutes in her days.

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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!

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