ARC Review….A Matchless Romance by Christi Barth

A Matchless Romance releases February 17

Book links:

Synopsis:

Tabitha Bell is the face of Chicago’s premiere matchmaking service. At least, she hopes it will be someday, once business really takes off. What she needs is more clients, so when she meets a sexy gamer in need of help, it’s the perfect opportunity.

His discomfort talking to women almost cost Drew Watson his job. He’d be happy holed up in his office, designing blockbuster video games, but his boss considers talking to investors a nonnegotiable requirement. Who better than a matchmaker to teach him how to be comfortable around the opposite sex? Trouble is, Drew wants to get more than comfortable with Tabitha, while she’s determined to keep their relationship all business.

Soon Tabitha learns that beneath the geek-chic hoodie lies six feet of sexy physique–and the more time she spends with Drew, the more she appreciates his brainy brand of charm. Will she succumb to his sweet-but-nerdy charm offensive or will it be game over before he can win her heart?

My review:

A Matchless Romance is the final work in author Christi Barth’s Aisle Bound Series, and if I had to vote on my favorite book in the series, this would be it. Oh, how I adored this story!

Video game designer Drew Watson and matchmaker Tabitha Bell meet by running into each other, quite literally, and forge a quick and unlikely friendship and business relationship.

You see, Drew doesn’t have what you would call great social skills and it has almost cost him his biggest career move and almost killed his dream of his newest game hitting mainstream blockbuster status. Enter Tabitha. After almost being run over by Drew, and after a quick chat, Tabitha thinks she may be the one person capable of helping him with his social cluelessness. He wasn’t awkward, per se, just totally clueless. Saying the first thing that came to mind and lacking a filter. Tabitha thought his personality was refreshing, but the big wigs in his company? Not so much. Drew ends up hiring her, not for her match making skills, but to smooth out his rough edges and get him out into the social scene. And always up for a challenge, Tabitha goes for it. She doesn’t really think this will be too hard considering Drew is completely gorgeous with a delicious tall and athletic build and a geeky charm about him that totally works well on him. But the rules in her matchmaking business are pretty strict about dating the clients…so her drool worthy client is off-limits. However, we all know the saying that some rules were meant to be broken…

Where to begin? There were so many little things that I loved in this story. All those little pieces added to the big picture and made up one hell of a great read! Drew is so freaking adorable and deliciously handsome. His geekiness cup overfloweth and it made him an incredibly endearing character. I wanted to hug him too many times to count over some of his dorky antics. But besides his adorable nerdiness, he’s an amazing athlete and has a brilliant mind. Can we say triple threat? Hell yes! The most lovable thing about him though is that he has no clue what a catch he is and just sees himself as a video game nerd. Don’t you just love that type of guy? I know I do! Tabitha was a colorful and spirited character with an interesting past and such confidence. She’s an amazing judge of character and nailed Drew and his quirks from the very first day. The chemistry between them is almost instant and builds beautifully…of course I can’t spoil anything for you so that’s as far as I can go!

Oh, and the ending? In typical Christi fashion, she wrote an ending so fitting and perfect for Drew and Tabitha. Honestly, it was one of the best endings ever! I get a big goofy grin just thinking about it.

We also catch up with the rest of the Aisle Bound crew and it was beautiful and bittersweet. I couldn’t be happier for all of the couples and where their futures are headed.

Thank you, Christi, for a fabulous ending to a series I have truly enjoyed. I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us next!

Five Loves

About the author:

Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage.

A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes contemporary romance.

Christi is President of the Maryland Romance Writers and lives in Maryland with her husband.

Website ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Cover Reveal….Gabby Revealed by Amy Gregory

Title: Gabby Revealed (Finding Perfect #2)

Author: Amy Gregory

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publication Date: March 25, 2014

Cover Design: The Killion Group, Inc.

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.

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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 Amy: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

Cover Reveal…Twisted Temptation by Phoebe Chase

I am BEYOND excited to reveal the very first cover from the debut work of my friend and author Phoebe Chase.

I give you Twisted Temptation…..

Twisted Temptation (Ever After #2)

Synopsis:

The Ever After series takes beloved childhood fairy tales and turns them into wickedly sexy adventures–making bedtime reading for adults only. Your favorite characters battle for their happily ever after, fighting against curses, secrets, and powers beyond their dreams–including an unexpected evil bent on turning the world into a dark unhappy place.

Jacinda is thrilled to be out from under the watchful palace eyes and on her very own adventure, but when the lamp she’s sent to retrieve attracts the attention of a sexy stranger who ignites her body and also reveals a hidden world she thought only existed between the covers of books, she must choose who and what to believe.

Alád never expected to be racing into a world where it seems time stopped long ago to escape assassins and hidden plots–especially not with a princess in tow. But after one night of seduction in order to get his hands on the lamp, he wants more of her.

Together they piece together the puzzle of the lamp and those after it, bent on harnessing its power to turn the world into a dark and unhappy place. But will their intense desire for each other grow into a happily ever?

A Romantica® Xanadu erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

About the author:

Phoebe Chase got tired of daydreaming about a different life while staring at institutional-blue cubicle walls and put pen to paper, trying to craft stories like the ones that kept her up reading until well past bedtime. She lives in beautiful New England with her husband, who fills out a police uniform very nicely, and her three children.

Twitter ~ Facebook

In the Lyrics by Nacole Stayton…Blog Tour Stop & Excerpt

Thanks for visiting my stop on the In the Lyrics by Nacole Stayton Blog Tour!

Please enjoy the fabulous excerpt below and be sure to enter the rafflecopter for the tour-wide giveaway.

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Hensley Bradley is the definition of the girl-next-door. She’s kindhearted, beautiful, and talented. Bored with her mundane life, thoughts of fleeing her small town begin to consume her. With aspiring dreams to use her voice as a one-way ticket, she suddenly discovers that music might not be her only passion.

After a fallout back home, Colby Grant decides to leave his family’s farm, determined to show his father he’s more than just a wanna-be country singer. With his All-American good looks, it doesn’t take long for girls in his new town to focus their eyes on him. But things aren’t what they appear from the outside, and it isn’t long until Colby feels he doesn’t fit into the perfect world that so quickly embraced him.

A chance encounter places Hensley in Colby’s path, but it isn’t her natural beauty that first captures his attention – it’s her voice.

When love and music mix, will the combination blossom into a beautiful melody or wither into a heart-wrenching tune?

Excerpt:

“Do you know the first thing that I noticed about you?”

She shakes her head no.

“It was your confidence. I had just gotten to town and was going to grab a bite to eat and then call Dusty, but I saw this girl sitting on the street corner.”

“I felt like you were staring holes in my head,” she says softly.

“Truthfully, I was. Anyway, once you started to sing…it was like…ya know when your favorite song comes on the radio and you’re jammin’, listening to every word, your heads bobbin’, and you’re just feeling the music, but then your phone rings and you know it’s a call you can’t miss? There’s a split second where you debate on pressing forward to voicemail so you can finish the song, but you’ve been waiting for this call, so you turn down the radio knowing you’ll miss your favorite part just to answer it. It was like you were my favorite song, and I was forwarding my calls to voicemail. In that moment, I didn’t care who was standing around me. All I was worried about was tuning in to you, listening to your voice.”

“I love you.” Those three simple words are spoken, and much to my amazement it’s Hensley that says them first.

Clutching her face hard in my hands, I kiss her. I kiss her for being so darn dumb and insecure, for acting like a jealous girl, and more importantly, for loving me through it all.

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:

Nacole Stayton is twenty-something years young and currently resides in the Bluegrass State. She spends her days working at a local hospital in the billing department and nights writing vigorously on her current novel. She has a passion for helping others and wears her University of Kentucky gear proudly. While her husband loves all things outdoors, Nacole enjoys the finer things in life, like getting pedicures while reading on her Kindle Fire. She is passionate about her faith, family, and The Bachelor.

Enticing Interlude by Michelle Mankin….Review & Blog Tour Stop

Make sure to check out the TEASER & enter the GIVEAWAY below for some Rockin’ prizes!

Now Available

Come join our Facebook Release Day & Blog Tour Event

Title: Enticing Interlude ~ Series: Tempest Series # 2

Genre ~ New Adult

To the talented vocalist Justin Jones, love is merely a game that he plays by his own rules.

But to Bridget Dubois, love and heartache are one and the same.

Broken too many times before, the delicate beauty keeps her emotions carefully concealed. Bridget has her own set of rigid rules when it comes to men. She prefers to avoid them altogether, especially dangerously seductive auburn haired emerald eyed players like Justin.

But the new lead singer of the rising rock band Tempest doesn’t like to be ignored. Justin is used to getting what he wants, and now he’s set his sights on Bridget.

Suddenly, it’s no longer a game.

What do you do when the one you can’t have turns out to be the one you can’t live without?

As the pressure builds, will it temper them or will it shatter them both like fragile crystal?

*Each book in the Tempest series focuses on a different band member so technically they could be read alone, BUT would be much more enjoyable if read in order because of character back stories & continuing story lines*

A portion of proceeds from this book go to Covenant House. http://www.covenanthouse.org/ They have a helping hand for single mother’s program that acknowledges that being a good mom is one of the toughest jobs in the world but also one of the most important. The program offers free on-site day care so moms can complete their education or hold down a job.

“It would be so much easier with someone else to rely on.”—Bridget Dubois

Review:

Enticing Interlude is the second book in author Michelle Mankin’s Tempest series and admittedly the first of her work that I have read. Both enjoyable and entertaining, this was a great read.

Single mom Bridget Dubois has recently lost the only family member she could ever count on and now faced with picking up the pieces has decided to start over in a new city. Thanks to a good friend she met in rehab, she has a place to stay until she can get her bearings in her new hometown. She has been hurt by too many people in the past and is beyond thankful to have found a true friend in Lace. It’s through her friendship that she meets Justin Jones, the talented and sexy musician and new front man of the rock band Tempest. After her less than stellar track record with men, Justin is a risk she isn’t willing to take. But trying to keep her distance gets really hard when Justin proves to be incredibly kind and sweet to both her and her son. Would she have the strength to stay away? More importantly, would she have the strength to give a relationship with Justin a chance?

Things are going really well for Justin Jones these days and after seeing the beautiful blond living with his friend Lace, things just got even better. He’s landed one of the most coveted positions in music, has finally managed to get his relationship with his family better than it ever has been and now after meeting Bridget starts to think in terms of a real relationship. Sure, it may seem fast but there’s just something special about her that he can’t ignore. After getting to know her better, he knows she’s been hurt in the past and Justin is determined to prove he won’t be one of the people to let her down. Her or her son. Justin wants to be in it for the long haul. Will she let him?

Together Justin and Bridget have a whole lot to work on as far as letting go of the past and moving forward together but with a little bit of luck and a whole lot of determination, they truly have a shot at a happily ever after.

The story of Justin and Bridget started out slow and steady and kept building at a terrific pace. I think that is one of my favorite things about this book. It was believable. Bridget’s guard is up and rightfully so. She isn’t going to just jump into things because she finds Justin attractive and attentive to her and her son. She’s got a smart head on her shoulders and I appreciated that. One of my other favorite things about this book was the relationship between Bridget and her son. Having a son of my own, I really enjoyed reading the interactions between mom and son. He’s an adorable and smart little boy and Bridget knows how lucky she is to have him. Justin is kind and patient, which is at total odds with his perceived bad boy rocker persona. I loved that about him. He was willing to wait for Bridget to learn to trust him and did everything in his power to make that decision an easy one for her. Together they make a great couple and family.

There were also a few side plots that were really interesting and added another layer to this love story.

All in all, I think this is a story all romance fans will enjoy! Thank you, Michelle, for a great read!

Four Loves

I got up, tagged last night’s jeans from the floor, and hastily pulled them on.

I found the remaining pieces of her scattered clothing and threw them at her.

“Get dressed and get out.” Succinct and decisive.

I didn’t make the slightest attempt to soften my words.

Her lips thinned. “Turn around while I put them on.”

“Babe, I’ve already seen everything you got. And believe me when I say I’m not interested in having a do over.”

“F**k you,” she huffed.

I resisted the urge to remind her that she already had.

Several times.

MICHELLE MANKIN is the author of the Black Cat Records series of novels. Romance with subtext. For many years she worked in the insurance industry as an underwriter. Somehow, the boredom didn’t kill her but the hour and hours of looking at facts and figures provided ample time for her mind to wander. Black Cat Records in Vancouver provides the central backdrop for all of Michelle’s current novels. Love Evolution, Love Revolution, and Love Resolution are a Brutal Strength centered trilogy, combining the plot underpinnings of Shakespeare with the drama, excitement, and indisputable sexiness of the rock ‘n roll industry. Things take a bit of a darker, edgier, once upon a turn with the Tempest series. These pierced, tatted, and troubled Seattle rockers are young and on the cusp of making it big, but with serious obstacles to overcome that may prevent them from ever getting there. When Michelle is not prowling the streets of her Texas town listening to her rock music much too loud, she is putting her daydreams down on paper or traveling the world with her family and friends, sometimes for real, and sometimes just for pretend as she takes the children to school and back. BRUTAL STRENGTH SERIES: Love Evolution Love Revolution Love Resolution TEMPEST SERIES: Irresistible Refrain.

Connect with Michelle Mankin on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michelle-Mankin/233503403414065

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichelleMankin

On her website: http://www.michellemankin.com/

Irresistible Refrain – Tempest Series (Book #1)

Genre: New Adult

Two years ago everything changed for the remaining members of the Seattle rock band Tempest.

Two years is a long time.

Too long to keep on remembering.

Not nearly long enough to forget.

In trouble with nowhere else to go songstress Lace Lowell seeks refuge with the band during their stop in New York City. It’s a risky move for her because they are both there, two impossibly good looking men whose lives are inseparably entwined with hers. One who bruised her heart and one who smashed it into pieces.

Warren “War” Jinkins, the mercurial lead singer of Tempest, has always had a thing for Lace. But then again so does his best friend and band mate.

Bryan “Bullet” Jackson, the sinfully handsome tat-sleeved lead guitarist, has a bad boy reputation befitting his nickname. For the past two years Bullet’s had a rule with the groupies: one time, never twice, leave ‘em satisfied, but always leave ‘em.

Two guys, one woman, and a host of dark secrets all together within the tight confines of a tour bus as the group travels cross country.

Can the past be forgotten and buried?

Will friendships prevail?

Or will the three of them succumb to seductive impulses too addictive to resist?

** Irresistible Refrain is a gritty rock and roll tale intended for mature readers seventeen and up. Contains sexual situations, strong language, and drug use. **

Brutal Strength series:

Love Evolution:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/KZoJS4

B&N: http://bit.ly/1j25xkP

Love Revolution:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1aeXf43

B&N: http://amzn.to/1aeXf43

Love Resolution:

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

B&N: http://bit.ly/1cZkZ8T

“ultimate rocker pack” IR+ EI paperback with Black Cat Records tattoo, a BS and Tempest concert bracelet, and a Tempest lanyard with a piece of souloftherose.com rocker jewelry and concert bracelet and GNR & other band stickers.

“grand groupie pack” IR+ EI paperback with Black Cat Records tattoo, a BS and Tempest concert bracelet, and a Tempest lanyard and an Aerosmith moto inspired black jacket with zip off sleeves & a Black Cat Records luggage tag.

An e-pack with both IR + EI

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Rock It by Jennifer Chance…Cover Reveal

Rock It

Author: Jennifer Chance | Genre: New Adult Romance | Release Date: March 4^th, 2014

Synopsis:

Lacey Dawes is a total pro at the talent agency where she works, and it doesn’t hurt that IMO Worldwide Media represents Dante Falcone. The rock god has starred in her fantasies since she was sixteen—and remains her secret crush to this day. So when Dante picks her to be the interim manager on his Dream It tour, Lacey can’t believe her luck. Handling Dante is sure to be the most exquisite, spine-tingling, nerve-wracking mix of business and pleasure ever.
Although Dante is grateful for the adoring fans who scream for one more of his full-throttle, soul-searing songs, being surrounded by a cadre of corporate types backstage is wearing thin. Then Lacey shows up. Yeah, she’s organized, smart, quick to get him what he wants before he knows he wants it—but Dante senses there’s something else going on with sweet, sexy Lacey. One kiss tells him what that “something” might be . . . and makes him hungry for more.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

About the author:

Jennifer Chance is the award-winning author of the new adult Rule Breakers series. A lover of books, romance, and happily-ever-afters, she lives and writes in Ohio.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Shadows on the Mirror by Frances Fyfield…Book Tour Stop

Title: Shadows on the Mirror (Sarah Fortune Mystery #1)
Author: Frances Fyfield
Genre: Mystery, Crime Thriller
Publish Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Witness Impulse, an imprint of HarperCollins

Event Organized By: Literati Author Services, Inc.

~ Book Synopsis ~

Sarah Fortune is bored to death – but few know, and less would guess, how the beautiful and successful lawyer escapes the stultifying tedium of her career. Since the death of her unfaithful husband, she has been moonlighting as a generous mistress, offering intimate company to lonely men. Sarah is satisfied with her routine. But then she meets Charles Tysall, an important client of the firm, whose charisma and enormous wealth conceal an implacable will and a misogynist’s mad aggression. Soon Sarah finds herself implicated in a murder when a decaying body is found of the coast. Inexorably, Sarah is hurdling towards a confrontation where there will be no escape from the shadows, no turning from the face of lethal obsession…

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Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE MYSTERY GENRE, OR DID IT CHOOSE YOU?

The mystery genre chose me rather than the other way round. Always wanted to write from the days of composing gloomy, teenage poetry and winning the essay prize in school, but it took a while to know what to write about. I became a criminal lawyer, with a wild ambition to write romance as an antidote to the daily diet of homicide, theft and lives of quiet desperation.

I came to write mystery fiction because I wanted to explore the unfinished, incomplete stories that unfold in a court room, where no one knows more than half of what really went on. Storytelling, the use of compassionate imagination, penetrates the darkness and squares the circle of half truth like nothing else.

It also allows for wit, humour, irony and romance, and you can always include the enduring power of love, in which I heartily believe. This genre is the best. What better to write about than Crime and Redemption?

About the Author

I grew up in rural Derbyshire, but my adult life has been spent mostly in London, with long intervals in Norfolk and Deal, all inspiring places. I was educated mostly in convent schools; then studied English and went on to qualify as a solicitor, working for what is now the Crown Prosecution Service, thus learning a bit about murder at second hand. Years later, writing became the real vocation, although the law and its ramifications still haunt me and inform many of my novels.

I’m a novelist, short story writer for magazines and radio, sometime Radio 4 contributor, (Front Row, Quote Unquote, Night Waves,) and presenter of Tales from the Stave. When I’m not working (which is as often as possible), I can be found in the nearest junk/charity shop or auction, looking for the kind of paintings which enhance my life. Otherwise, with a bit of luck, I’m relaxing by the sea with a bottle of wine and a friend or two.

Connect with the Author: Website | Goodreads

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In the Lyrics by Nacole Stayton…Book Spotlight & Kindle Giveaway

Happy Release Day to Nacole Stayton and IN THE LYRICS

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Title: In the Lyrics

Author: Nacole Stayton

Publication Date: February 7, 2014

Book links:

:Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

A chance encounter places Hensley in Colby’s path, but it isn’t her natural beauty that first captures his attention – it’s her voice.

When love and music mix, will the combination blossom into a beautiful melody or wither into a heart-wrenching tune?

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:

Lifers by Jane Harvey-Berrick…Release Day Blast & Giveaway

Happy Release Day to Jane Harvey-Berrick and LIFERS!

I absolutely ADORED this book and have an eCopy to give away to one lucky winner. Just comment on this blog post to be entered to win.

Thanks for stopping by!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Goodreads ~ My review

Synopsis:

After eight years in prison, twenty-four year old Jordan Kane is the man everyone loves to hate.

Forced to return to his hometown while on parole, Jordan soon learns that this small town hasn’t changed since he was carted off to juvie all those years ago. He is the local pariah, shunned by everyone, including his own parents. But their hatred of him doesn’t even come close to the loathing he feels every time he looks in the mirror.

Working odd jobs for the preacher lady, Jordan bides his time before he can leave this backwards town. But can distance erase the memories that haunt him? Trapped in the prison of his own mind Jordan wonders if the pain of living will ever subside?

Torrey Delaney is new in town and certainly doesn’t behave in a way the locals believe a preacher’s daughter should. Her reputation for casual hook-ups and meaningless sex is the talk of the town. Add that to her budding friendship with the hardened ex-con handyman, and the good Reverend is less than thrilled with her estranged daughter’s path.

As friendship forms, is it possible for two damaged people who are afraid to love take their relationship to the next level? Can Torrey live with Jordan’s demons, and can Jordan break through Torrey’s walls? With the disapproval of a small town weighing heavily on them, will they find their place in the world? Can they struggle against the odds, or will their world be viciously shattered?

Is love a life sentence?

Due to scenes of a sexual nature, not recommended for under 18.

Q&A with Jane:

If one of your books could be a movie, which one would you pick and why?

Dangerous to Know & Love because it covers a subject that doesn’t get mentioned much.

When writing some of the more difficult scenes, do you get as emotional as we do when we read it? For example, Seb’s scene when he got hurt?

Definitely. I typed through tears on several occasions in that section, and again recently for a scene toward the end of At Your Beck & Call. The characters become very real to me.

Do you get nervous or anxious right before one of your books release?

Hell, yeah! My friends get tired of talking me down from the ledge.

Does it bother you if you get a negative review?

I’d love to say no, but that’s a big fat lie. Yet another ledge my friends have to talk me down from. You put your heart and soul into these stories and then c-r-a-s-h. It’s hard. It must be worse if you’re an actor, because it’s not just your work, but your face and voice, too.

I’m aware that you are a British novelist but most of your books are in an American voice. Was that difficult and how did you overcome it?

Surprisingly it wasn’t difficult, although I still include Britishisms without realizing it. My fabulous beta reader ruthlessly cuts them out!

Do you give sex scenes a trial run to test logistics before you write them?

Of course!

Do your family/friends know you write and have they read your books?

My husband hasn’t read any of my books. My mother has. Some of my friends say they can’t because they KNOW me. I remind them… it’s f-i-c-t-i-o-n, but then again, there is a lil bit of me in every story…

Is there anyone who you don’t tell (and why)?

Most people in the village where I live think I’m just that person who walks her dog every day. They have no clue what I do. Only my close friends know what I do. It’s more interesting to be the person who lurks. I’m good at lurking.

About the author:

I love to write.

Out of the crowd of voices in my head, I love to thread together their thoughts and tell the kind of stories that I want to read.

I’ve written my whole life, in one form or other, but it’s only since I started writing adult/new adult books that everything finally made sense.

I’ve lived in the metropolis and now I live in a small village by the sea. Inspiration comes from unexpected places and often when I’m walking my dog.

I hope my stories make you laugh and cry, and feel every emotion in between, because then I guess it’s job done.

Without you, there’s no me. Thanks for reading. jhb x

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

Prince of Blood and Steel by Nazarea Andrews & AJ Elmore…Blog Tour Stop & Review

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Seth Morgan has returned home after two years spent building an alliance that will take his family’s crime syndicate to a new level in New York City’s black collar society. He expects a warm welcome as heir of the Morgan empire. He hopes to finally marry Nicolette, the woman he’s loved his whole life.

What he finds is a different world, one where his family’s legacy is in ruins. His big brother, Caleb, has changed into someone cold and bitter, plotting to overthrow their patriarch. And Nicolette, daughter of the criminal banking industry, has left the family entirely.

When a vicious misunderstanding leaves Caleb dead, Seth is left reeling. Desperate for truth, Seth is forced to turn to his only remaining cousin, Emma, for support. As he tries to mend his relationship with Nicolette, he begins a search for answers that will take him from the dirty streets to the highest reaches of their illicit empire.

Torn between the desire to protect those who mean the most to him, and a need to learn more about Caleb’s death, he grows distant to protect them. As each secret surfaces, he realizes that the only way to restore his family is to take his place at its head, and fully embrace the brutal way they live.

My review:

Prince of Blood and Steel is the collaborative work between authors Nazarea Andrews and AJ Elmore. I have been a fan of Nazarea’s other works and was really looking forward to what was in store with this book. It was different than what I am used to from her, but every bit as good!

Prince of Blood and Steel follows the young rising royalty in New York City’s world of organized crime and all of the deceit, bloodshed, pain, and corruption that comes with it.

The ability to trust never comes easy to the members of organized crime and Seth Morgan was no exception. He has just returned to New York City and is slated to rejoin the ranks in his family’s lucrative and illegal lifestyle and believes his brother Caleb is someone he can trust. He was proven wrong faster than a New York minute and his brother is murdered for that broken trust. Faced with being the sole heir to the crime world throne, Seth finds the number of trustworthy people dwindling down. He knows he can count on his cousin, Emma, and is hoping he can win back the trust of his one true love, Nicolette. But what about everyone else he’s supposed to trust? His uncle, his aunt, his father’s former right-hand man? Will Seth find out the hard way who he can’t trustTrying to navigate through the darkest and dirtiest organized crime has to offer, Seth will unearth many truths and will learn the hard way that sometimes people can smile the biggest while they are stabbing you in the back and that the saying “hold your friends close and your enemies closer” really does have worth.

This book really has it all. Crime, corruption, deception, greed, and plenty of evil but it also has heart and shows how strong some bonds can become. It played out like a movie while I was reading with young Hollywood owning all the starring roles. Seth is a tortured and confused mess without a direction and wanting no part of the responsibilities thrust into his hands. He’s young and isn’t prepared for the chaos that crime life is. He has no idea who he can trust and leans on the two women he thinks he can….Nicolette and Emma. What I will say about those two gals is that I wasn’t sold that either one of them would be a wise choice for Seth to be able to trust until almost the last quarter of the book. Well played, Nazarea and AJ. I was so worried for Seth and was really pulling for him to take control of all of his swirling emotions and take control. Now, you know I’m not going to give anything away here but trust me when I say, the ending climactic scene had me reading wide-eyes and white-knuckled and yelping a big “HELL YES!” when it was over.

If you’re a fan of The Soprano’s and movies like Cruel Intentions, then this is a book you really need to pick up! Fast paced with twists and turns and plenty of characters that keeps you guessing, there wasn’t a dull moment to be had. Thank you Nazarea and AJ for teaming up for one hell of a read!

Four Loves

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the authors:

AJ and Nazarea became friends in a writers group. Drawn together by a love of fictional bad boys and good wine, they are best kept several states apart but rack up a ton of emails and text messages arguing plot points.

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

Site – http://www.nazareaandrews.com/
Blog – http://www.nazarea-andrews.blogspot.com/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/NazareaAndrews
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nazarea-Andrews/43623123516

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/MtHwj

Aj has seven tattoos, two dogs, and a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She enjoys live music, and a diverse range of writing styles and genres. She has been writing creatively and therapeutically since childhood. She also supports artist collaboration and cross-media projects. She is an advocate of experience as inspiration. She lives and works in southern West Virginia as a bartender novelist.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Aj-Elmore-author-muse/329812783118
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MissVish

Phoebe’s Picks….Reaper’s Legacy by Joanna Wylde

My good friend and up-and-coming author, Phoebe Chase, will be stopping by every now and then with a recent read she would love to recommend.

Thanks for stopping by to check out her latest pick. Enjoy!

Reaper’s Legacy (Reapers MC #2) by Joanna Wylde

Synopsis:

Eight years ago, Sophie gave her heart-and her virginity-to Zach Barrett on a night that couldn’t have been less romantic or more embarrassing. Zach’s step-brother, a steely-muscled, tattooed biker named Ruger, caught them in the act, getting a peep show of Sophie he’s never forgotten.

She may have lost her dignity that fateful night, but Sophie also gained something precious-her son Noah. Unfortunately, Zach’s a deadbeat dad, leaving Ruger to be Noah’s only male role model. When he discovers Sophie and his nephew living in near poverty, Ruger takes matters into his own hands-with the help of the Reapers Motorcycle Club-to give them a better life.

Living with outlaw bikers wasn’t Sophie’s plan for her son, but Ruger isn’t giving her a choice. He’ll be there for Noah, whether she wants him or not. But Sophie does want him, has always wanted him. Now she’ll learn that taking a biker to bed can get a girl dirty in every way.

***

Are you a Kristen Ashley fan because of her Chaos Motorcycle Club books? Then you’re a Joanna Wylde fan too, you just may not know it yet. It took me almost a year to get around to reading the first Reaper MC book, Reaper’s Property, but it only took me a few hours to be hooked. Cue instant gratification and heading right into book two.

Ruger is the step-brother of Sophie’s baby daddy. He also just happens to be a member of the Reapers Motorcycle Club, dangerously sexy and pierced in all the right places with the requisite ink and low-slung pants. Ruger and Sophie’s backstory was so well written that by the end of chapter two I was already fully invested and rooting for them as a couple.

The pacing is good, the plot is interesting and the sex is HOT. I didn’t think anything would be able to stand up to my love for Motorcycle Man and the Chaos books, but Wylde and her band of Reapers have proved me wrong. I’m only halfway through this second book and I’m so jazzed about it that I’m calling Reaper’s Legacy a Phoebe’s Pick!

Links:

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Reaper’s Legacy is a Phoebe’s Pick!

About the author:

Joanna Wylde is the author of erotic and mainstream romance novels.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

About Phoebe:

Phoebe Chase loves books. Keep your eye on her, she may just tempt you with some stories of her own. You can catch a little of what goes on in her head at Wickedly Twisted Tales.

Twitter ~ Facebook