Five Loves

Dance in the Wind, Rising Storm Episode 4, by Jennifer Probst….ARC Review

Dance in the Wind releases TOMORROW!

Synopsis:

Secrets, Sex and Scandals …

Welcome to Storm, Texas, where passion runs hot, desire runs deep, and secrets have the power to destroy… Get ready. The storm is coming.

During his time in Afghanistan, Logan Murphy has endured the unthinkable, but reentering civilian life in Storm is harder than he imagined. But when he is reacquainted with Ginny Moreno, a woman who has survived terrors of her own, he feels the first stirrings of hope.

My Review:

Dance in the Wind by Jennifer Probst is the fourth episode in the Rising Storm Series. With each episode I get more and more sucked into this amazing and uniquely written series and with each episode I swear it’s my favorite one! This was no exception. It was amazing.

I know I’ve said it before but I need to say it again: if you haven’t read the previous episodes you will be pretty lost so make sure you’re all caught up!

Ok, Dance in the Wind has my favorite story line so far…Logan Murphy and his return home. I just knew when Elisabeth Naughton introduced him in episode 3, Crosswinds, he was going to be someone special and boy is he ever. He’s caught between being happy to be home back in Storm and not really feeling like he fits in. Luckily he rekindles a bond he shared before he left for the Army with Ginny. Of course Ginny has her own host of issues with her pregnancy and secrets she’s hiding, but they are very similar in their struggle to just handle day-to-day life. I love them together. Things are still a bit of a mess with Luis and his girl problems and there is one HUGE bombshell that he overhears one afternoon that had me texting Liz Berry as soon as I read it. This bombshell threatens to unravel so many things and oh man, am I a worried mess! I’m totally sitting on pins and needles waiting for the next episode!

Again, the seamless transition from each story and author to the next is truly awe-inspiring and this will continue to be a series I highly recommend!

Thank you, Ms. Probst, for another stellar episode packed with drama and emotion!

Book links:

Rising Storm Website

About the author:

Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.

She makes her home in Upstate New York with the whole crew. Her sons keep her active, stressed, joyous, and sad her house will never be truly clean.

She is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of sexy and erotic contemporary romance. She was thrilled her book, The Marriage Bargain, was ranked #6 on Amazon’s Best Books for 2012, and spent 26 weeks on the New York Times. Her work has been translated in over a dozen countries, sold over a million copies, and was dubbed a “romance phenom” by Kirkus Reviews.

She loves hearing from readers. Visit her website for updates on new releases and her street team.

Need You For Always by Marina Adair….ARC Review

Synopsis:

Emerson “Emi” Blake dropped out of culinary school to care for her ailing mother, but she has bigger dreams than running St. Helena’s most popular pita cart. First on the menu: upgrade to a gourmet food truck. A new part-time job as a personal chef will definitely provide the funds, but it also forces her into close contact with her one and only one-night stand, Dax Baudouin, who’s daring her to try a second taste.

Former army Ranger Dax has a clear mission: come home, get healed, and get gone. Yet Emi’s tough-girl exterior and hidden soft side are even harder to resist than her mouthwatering baklava. After years of battles, he knows better than to try and rescue anyone—not that she’ll let him get close enough to try. Truth is, Dax is starting to think that Emi’s the one person who can save him…if he can just persuade her to give him another shot.

My Review:

Need You For Always is the second book in author Marina Adair’s Heroes of St. Helena series and honestly, I just love each and every single book Marina writes. This was no exception. I can’t stop swooning over Dax and Emi’s story!

Now, because the synopsis for this book is pretty detailed, I won’t waste time and get right into why I loved this book.

Every single detail of this book, the small town setting, descriptions of the food Emerson expertly makes, the deliciously sexy banter between Emerson and Dax, the emotions both Emerson and Dax are battling within themselves, the family drama Emerson is going through, Dax’s own family dynamics, is done so beautifully and expertly. There isn’t one thing about this story that isn’t done well. Not one. The characters are so multi-faceted and have so many layers that I feel as though they could be standing in front of me. As with all of Ms. Adair’s books, they play out like a movie in my mind’s eye and I can’t even tell you how much I adore that. The growing attraction between Emerson and Dax was simply delicious and very real. There stories both individually and together are real life and relatable. Real life is messy and responsibilities are overwhelming at times. There are bills to pay and kids events to take care of and the way Ms. Adair incorporates those real life moments with a beautiful romance is just spectacular.

And I have to mention that the ending of this book had me crying big happy tears and was BEYOND amazing! Totally movie worthy!

If you haven’t read Marina Adair, I URGE you to pick up one of her books. I know you will not be disappointed and will become hooked on her writing as much as I am! She is an author I will recommend over and over again and one I will always look forward to reading.

Thank you, Ms. Adair, for Dax and Emerson!

Five Loves

Book Links:

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

About the author:

Marina Adair is a National bestselling author of romance novels. Along with the St. Helena Vineyard series, she is also the author of Tucker’s Crossing, part of the Sweet Plains series. She currently lives in a hundred-year-old log cabin, nestled in the majestic redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains, with her husband and daughter.

As a writer, Marina is devoted to giving her readers contemporary romance where the towns are small, the personalities large, and the romance explosive.

Stroke of Midnight by Lara Adrian…ARC Review

Stroke of Midnight releases TOMORROW!

Synopsis:

Born to a noble Breed lineage steeped in exotic ritual and familial duty, vampire warrior Jehan walked away from the luxurious trappings of his upbringing in Morocco to join the Order’s command center in Rome.

But when a generations-old obligation calls Jehan home, the reluctant desert prince finds himself thrust into an unwanted handfasting with Seraphina, an unwilling beauty who’s as determined as he is to resist the antiquated pact between their families.

Yet as intent as they are to prove their incompatibility, neither can deny the attraction that ignites between them. And as Jehan and Seraphina fight to resist the calling of their blood, a deadly enemy seeks to end their uneasy truce before it even begins…

My Review:

Stroke of Midnight is novella number 15 in the 2015 1,001 Dark Nights line up as well as part of Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breed series, a series I have loved for years now. This novella from start to finish was a complete package of heat, emotion, and even some suspense. I loved it!

Seraphina and Jehan find themselves in quite an unwelcome predicament. The bond that has kept their two families from warring for the past few centuries is in danger of becoming no more and the only two people who can save it is them. Together. As in mated. Not something either one of them was interested in…ever. And yet here they were, stuck in this ridiculous hand fasting ceremony that is supposed to last eight long days. They figure it will be fine. They can spend the eight days on opposite ends of the villa they were sequestered to. There was only one problem: there was no way ignoring the spark of attraction they felt towards each other would be that easy. Of course fate would have a hand in pushing them together as well…

Whoa. Who would have thought that so much scorching heat and emotion could be poured into anything other than a full length book? I should have known better. I mean it IS Lara Adrian after all. She was able to out so much into these pages and I loved everything about Sera and Jehan’s meeting and mating. It started out with a slow burn and soon turned hot and heavy between them and oh my, it was positively delicious. As if that wasn’t enough tot love about these two, Ms. Adrian threw in some suspense and duplicity I never saw coming and it added a wonderful element to this story. Bonus? It only drew Sera and Jehan closer together which had me swooning!

The midnight Breed series is a series that continues to grow and evolve with each installment and never gets stale or old. I can only imagine what a feat that must be for a writer: to not only keep established fans of the series wanting more but to also gain new fans. Kudos to Ms. Adrian for continuing to do so year after year.

Whether you’re a fan of the Breed already or looking for something new, Stroke of Midnight is a story for you. Thank you Ms. Adrian for a beautifully heated read peppered with just the right amount of action!

Five Loves

Book Links:

Amazon | 1,001 Dark Nights

About the Author:

Lara Adrian is the New York Times, USA Today and #1 internationally bestselling author of the Midnight Breed vampire romance series and seven award-winning, historical romances, previously released under the pen name Tina St. John.

Lara’s Midnight Breed series is available in hardcover, mass market paperback and e-book through Random House, and in limited edition through Doubleday Book Club, Rhapsody Book Club, Book of The Month, and the Science Fiction Book Club. Unabridged audio editions are available through Tantor Media, Random House Audio, Amazon, iTunes, etc. Lara’s new releases regularly appear on all of the key bestseller lists including including the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Indiebound, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, etc. There are more than 2 million copies of the Midnight Breed novels in print in the United States.

The House by Christina Lauren…ARC Review

Synopsis:

Gavin tells Delilah he’s hers—completely—but whatever lives inside that house with him disagrees.

After seven years tucked away at an East coast boarding school, Delilah Blue returns to her small Kansas hometown to find that not much has changed. Her parents are still uptight and disinterested, her bedroom is exactly the way she left it, and the outcast Gavin Timothy still looks like he’s crawled out of one of her dark, twisted drawings.

Delilah is instantly smitten.

Gavin has always lived in the strange house: an odd building isolated in a stand of trees where the town gives in to mild wilderness. The house is an irresistible lure for Delilah, but the tall fence surrounding it exists for good reason, and Gavin urges Delilah to be careful. Whatever lives with him there isn’t human, and isn’t afraid of hurting her to keep her away.

My Review:

The House is the newest work from authors Christina Lauren and was honestly unlike anything I have ever read…it was one hell of a phenomenal experience!

Let me start out by telling you that I adore all things that go bump in the night. I will watch any scary movie, love creepy places, and have loved reading Stephen King and Dean Koontz since I was a kid. I also want to say that I haven’t read YA since Twilight came out. But because I am a huge Christina Lauren fangirl, I knew I had to read this book and I am so incredibly glad I did.

From the very beginning I was hooked. I was hooked on Gavin’s dark and mysterious persona. I was hooked on Delilah’s fascination with him and wanting to know more about him and learn what lurks beneath his exterior. I was hooked on this unlikely couple and their blossoming relationship. I was hooked on The House. There was so much to love about this story. It was fresh and exciting. It was goose bump inducing and spine tingling.

What started out as an almost youthful and playful vibe turned into something very grown up and sinister. I loved the juxtaposition between the beauty of the love growing between Gavin and Delilah and the darkness seeping out from the house when it feared it was losing Gavin. Yes, the house was very much a character in this story and was one hell of a manipulative villain. That too was a fascinating aspect…typically inanimate objects being treated as people. The way the authors wrote things like Hallway Table, Fireplace, and Piano, with proper names really ratcheted up the creepiness factor.

Beyond that, the mystery of how Gavin grew up in that house was truly a doozy. I certainly never expected it to end the way it did but I was so glad that’s how things ended up. I can’t give anything away but be prepared for one hell of a ride!

I have two other creepy books that have stayed with me for years: Thinner by Stephen King and The Eyes of Darkness by Dean Koontz. I can honestly tell you that The House now has joined that list. I loved everything about this book and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a bit of fascinating darkness in a young love story. Thank you Christina and Lauren for a fantastic book!

Five Loves

Book Links:

Amazon | Christina Lauren Website

About the Authors:
Lauren Billings (but everyone calls her Lo) has a Ph.D. in neuroscience and before she made writing her full-time job, would spend her days doing nerdy research-type things wearing a lab coat and goggles. She is silly Mommy to two littles, wife to one mountain biking homebrewing scientist, bestie to a shoe-stealer, and an unabashed lover of YA and romance.

Christina Hobbs (but you’ll always hear Lo call her PQ) used to spend her days in a junior high counseling office surrounded by teenagers. These days you’ll probably find her on tumblr. She is married and absolutely not old enough to be the mom of a 14 year old (right??), thinks she’s the luckiest person in the world to write books with her best friend, and is an unapologetic lover of boy bands and glitter. She also likes to steal Lo’s shoes.

Rising Storm Episode 3: Crosswinds by Elisabeth Naughton…ARC Review

Crosswinds releases tomorrow!

Synopsis:

Secrets, Sex and Scandals …

Welcome to Storm, Texas, where passion runs hot, desire runs deep, and secrets have the power to destroy… Get ready. The storm is coming.

Lacey Salt’s world shattered with the death of her brother, and now the usually sweet-tempered girl is determined to take back some control—even if that means sabotaging her best friend, Mallory, and Mallory’s new boyfriend, Luis.

My review:

Crosswinds by Elisabeth Naughton is the third episode in the Rising Storm Series, a series I am totally 100% addicted to. I can tell you that Ms. Naughton did a spectacular job at heating things up to a scorching temp in this latest installment. It was amazing!

Ok, now I will tell you before I even begin that if you haven’t read the first two episodes, you really need to otherwise you’ll be totally lost. That being said, Crosswinds takes the situations that have been going on and really kicked it up a notch! Lacey Salt is starting to act out after the death of her brother and in the worst way possible…by going after her best friend’s boyfriend. Yep, the claws really came out in this story and I had more that a few “oh no she didn’t” moments! I really wanted to slap some sense into Lacey and tell her to knock it off. On top of all that we still have the drama going on with poor Ginny being pregnant and living with the Salt family, which is turning into quite the stifling living arrangement if you ask me. Poor girl really needs some space.

My favorite part about this story, though, is the very end and meeting Logan Murphy who has just returned from the military and being away at war. Even from the few pages he was introduced in I can tell this man is going to rip my heart out and make me swoon all at the same time. He is totally a broken hero and I adore those types!

I cannot wait for more of this series and highly recommend picking it up if you haven’t already! Thank you Ms. Naughton, for this fantastic episode!

Five Loves

Book links:

Rising Storm | Crosswinds

About the author:

Before topping multiple bestseller lists–including those of the New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal–Elisabeth Naughton taught middle school science. A voracious reader, she soon discovered she had a knack for creating stories with a chemistry of their own. The spark turned into a flame, and Naughton now writes full-time. Besides topping bestseller lists, her books have been nominated for some of the industry’s most prestigious awards, such as the RITA® and Golden Heart Awards from Romance Writers of America, the Australian Romance Reader Awards, and the Golden Leaf Award. When not dreaming up new stories, Naughton can be found spending time with her husband and three children in their western Oregon home.

Playing With Fire by Kate Meader…Blog Tour Stop, Review & Giveaway

Welcome to the blog tour for Playing with Fire by Kate Meader!

We are excited to do a Fire Giveaway today for Kate Meader’sPLAYING WITH FIRE blog tour. The Fire Giveaway will include Flirting with Fire and Baby, It’s Cold Outside (which includes Kate Meader’sRekindle the Flame, the prequel Hot in Chicago e-novella which will publish 11/30/15 for $1.99!)

You can visit all sites on the blog tour to enter the Fire Giveaways – but keep in mind you can only win once! U.S. only.

Scroll down to enter…

PLAYING WITH FIRE
A HOT IN CHICAGO NOVEL
KATE MEADER
Pocket Books
September 29, 2015
ISBN 9781476785929
$7.99

Synopsis:

The scorching-hot Dempsey siblings continue to fight fire with fire…

Her heart’s in his line of fire…
Heating up reading lists and leisure time long after the summer heat has cooled will be Kate Meader’sPLAYING WITH FIRE, which tells the story of rookie firefighter Alex Dempsey. She may be the only woman in Engine Company 6—and may have burned through thirty-four dates in the last ten months—but she’s got everything under control. At least until she rescues Eli Cooper, Chicago’s devastatingly handsome mayor, from a hotel blaze. These two have clashed before—Eli’s a brilliant politician, used to the spotlight, and Alex has no use for a man who can smooth-talk anyone into anything, including his bed. But after their headline-grabbing encounter, Alex is the one starting to sizzle…

…but first she’ll set his world aflame…
Eli Cooper has one goal: winning the next election, and Alex, his sassy savior, may be the spark he needs to light up his sputtering mayoral campaign. “Dating” the female firefighter who saved his life is political gold, but her total lack of filter makes Eli incensed—and more than a little hot and bothered. For the sake of ratings, their bickering will have to wait until they get some privacy…

And once these two are alone together, there’ll be no way to extinguish the flames in Kate Meader’s second sizzling installment in the Hot in Chicago series,PLAYING WITH FIRE!

My Review:

Playing With Fire is the second book in author Kate Meader’s Hot in Chicago Series. I adore this series and this book was such an amazing addition. Packed with heat, tension, and emotion I loved everything about Alex and Eli’s story.

Alex and Eli have had quite a volatile relationship but it was always with an underlying sexy push and pull vibe. Never wanting to admit they were attracted to one another, the banter that went on between them was delicious and prickly at the same time. Now they were faced with a situation that put them in extremely close quarters and would test just how far their attraction went. Would it turn into a relationship that would burn hotter than and fire Alex had ever fought or would it sizzle and burn out like a flame getting drenched with cold Chicago snow?

Oh man, Alex and Eli. I’m just going to sit here for a minute and sigh dreamily. These two were off the charts hot and the sexual tension between them was like nothing I’ve ever read. But beyond that, the emotional connection Eli and Alex build is so beautiful and meaningful. They both have tragic pasts and it truly brought them together in a most special and deep way. Their story isn’t a walk in the park and their happy ever after certainly doesn’t come easy but it was so worth it for both of them. Their personalities were so different and their upbringings equally diverse but they completed one another so perfectly and the balance they bring into the relationship is simply spectacular. I also have to mention that Ms. Meader wrote one of the HOTTEST scenes ever….good lord the mirror scene had me fanning myself. It was scorching!

Ms. Meader brings so much into her stories. She is a writer who gives so much depth and dimension to her characters that I can’t help but feel as thought they are real people we could go and have dinner with. They have quirks and wonderfully individual character traits. I love that about her writing. She also gives so many facets to the story, which makes for interesting moments, sprinkles of drama, and never a lull. I truly appreciate her writing and will always look forward to reading her work!

Oh! And shout out to Alex being a regular sized woman, not model thin, and Eli for loving that about her!

Thank you, Ms. Meader, for once again knocking my socks off and giving us a book that I couldn’t get enough of!

Five Loves

“Meader packs the flawless second Hot in Chicago romance with superb relationship development…and note-perfect dialogue…The secondary characters play their parts beautifully, and Eli and Alexandra are a captivating couple…”
—Publishers Weekly starred review

“Thank you, Kate Meader, for creating a heroine who does not fit the status quo! The idea of a plus-size female firefighter being described as sexy and irresistible makes this book stand out. Meader also provides readers with steamy sex scenes, colorful characters and riveting dialogue. The themes of staying true to yourself and the impact of family legacies make for an interesting storyline. This tale is a real page-turner.”
—RT Book Reviews four and a half star “scorcher” TOP PICK GOLD review

About the Author:

Kate Meader was raised on romance. An Irish girl, she started with Catherine Cookson and Jilly Coooper novels, and spiced it up with some Mills & Boon. Now based in Chicago, she writes romances of her own, where sexy contemporary alpha heroes and strong heroines match each other quip for quip. When not immersed in tales of brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron or a fire hose, Kate lives on the web atkatemeader.com, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and Pinterest.

Please note that each participating blog will do a Fire Giveaway: one copy each ofFlirting with Fire and Baby, It’s Cold Outside (which includes Rekindle the Flame,the prequel e-novella which will publish 11/30/15 for $1.99!) You can visit all sites on the blog tour to enter the Fire Giveaways – but keep in mind you can only win once! U.S. only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

9/28: Night Owl Reviews, Author Chat

Week 1, three Fire Giveaways per day
9/29: A Book Whore’s Obsession
Abigail Books Addiction
Night Owl Reviews
9/30: The Literary Gossip Book Blog
Mrs Leif’s Two Fangs About It Book Blog
In Between the Pages
10/1: Talk Supe
The Romance Dish
Four Chicks Flipping Pages
10/2: Harlequin Junkie
Bea’s Book Nook
Collector of Book Boyfriends

Week 2, two Fire Giveaways per day
10/5: Read Your Writes Book Reviews
Fire and Ice Book Reviews
10/6: Cocktails & Books
Read-Love-Blog
10/7: Bookish Temptations
Art Books Coffee
10/8: Ramblings From a Chaotic Mind
WTF Are You Reading?
10/9: Romance Obsessed Book Blog
Fiction Fangirls
Red Cheeks Reads

Week 3, one Fire Giveaway per day
10/12: The Lovely Books Blog
10/13: Margie’s Must Reads
10/14: The Book Enthusiast
10/15: Short and Sassy Book Blurbs
10/16: About That Story

A Lover’s Lament by KL Grayson & BT Urruela…Release Day Event & Review

It’s the release day of A Lover’s Lament by KL Grayson & BT Urruela! I love this fantastic contemporary romance so much. Today, we have an excerpt and a fantastic giveaway, so be sure to check out all of the release day festivities!

About A Lover’s Lament:

In a matter of seconds my entire world changed, and it was in that moment that I stopped living and simply began to exist.

In my grief, I sent a letter to the first boy I ever loved. I hoped in writing it I’d find some peace from the nightmare I was living, some solace in my anger.

I didn’t expect him to write back. I wasn’t prepared for his words, and I certainly wasn’t ready for the impact this soldier would have on my life. A deep-rooted hate transformed into friendship, and then molded into a love like I’d never known before.

Sergeant Devin Ulysses Clay did what I couldn’t: he put the shattered pieces of my heart back together, restoring my faith in humanity and teaching me how to live again.

But now that I’m whole, I have a decision to make. Do I return to my life as I knew it and the fiancé I left behind, or do I walk away from it all for the only man to ever break my heart?

***

I’ve been living in hell, but you won’t hear me complain.

These men depend on me, as I do them, and this brotherhood is the only family I’ve ever known.

The Army saved me from a callous mother and a life on the wrong side of the tracks that was quickly spiraling out of control. So unlike most of the men in my platoon, going home wasn’t something I longed for.

I was content overseas, spending my days defending this country that gave me my life back. Fighting became my new normal … until her.

A letter from Katie Devora—a letter that I almost didn’t open. Her words put a fire back inside of me that I didn’t know I’d lost. She gave me hope during a time when I was fighting every day just to stay alive, and now it’s time I fight for her.

My Review:

A Lover’s Lament is a joint work from author KL Grayson and debut author BT Urruela and is, hands down, one of the most emotional and touching books I’ve ever read. I loved every single second of this book.

Young love wasn’t very kind to Devin and Katie. The love that they found in their youth had been torn apart when Devin moved away and even though, years later, they had both moved on in very different directions, they both thought of one another often. Neither one of them ever could have imagined that by a cruel twist of fate they would be brought back together. Neither one was ready for what lay ahead for them but one thing they both knew: this was a second chance, one they needed to grab onto with both hands and hold on tight.

But sometimes second chances aren’t without sacrifice, pain, and loss…

I can assure right now that as I sit and type this review I am indeed crying. As I said earlier this was one of the most emotional books I have ever read. Knowing BT is a veteran and that the things Katie and Devin go through in this story is a very real situation the men and women in our military deal with every day made my heart hurt. It also gave me such a deep appreciation for what they do and the families they have supporting them along the way. Of course it also gave a taste of what they live through day in and day out and the worry for their loved one’s safety. I can’t even imagine what it must be like. That being said, the letters and emails between Katie and Devin were such a bright spot and gave me such hope for this rekindled relationship. I wanted nothing more than for Devin to return home to Katie and for them to live their lives together. Their correspondence gave such beautiful depth to their relationship and I loved reading it. There truly is something to be said for long distance love and the bond that it creates.

Now, I have to say, this ending of this book had me in hysterics. No joke. I was ready to hyperventilate. To say that I was worried sick would be the understatement of the year! Luckily, even though it wasn’t without some sadness, things end up ok. I honestly don’t think I have ever, EVER, been that worried for a book couple as I was in this instance.

Emotional, beautiful, moving, and touching, A Lover’s Lament is a book everyone needs to read. I gained such an appreciation for so much I have in my life after reading this book and an even bigger appreciation for all the men and women in uniform and the loved ones who support them. Thank you K.L. and B.T. for writing this story. It’s truly a gift.

Five Loves

Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

Exclusive Excerpt:

I wake before the sun has checked in for the day and scan the tent, noting my men still sleeping heavily. My morning ritual, at least the days I have time to do it, requires a bit of privacy, and I make certain I have it before I begin. Most of these clowns will just jerk it from their cots in the middle of the night with the rest of us passed out around them. There’s always been something odd about that to me. On a regular basis, I’ve woken up to the sounds of heavy breathing and skin slapping skin, and it pisses me the fuck off. If I’m not dog-tired, they’ll get a boot heaved in their direction, aimed straight for the dick and with the express purpose of putting them out of business for a while.

No, jackin’ the beanstalk in public isn’t for me. Unfortunately, that leaves only one other place to do it—the Drop Zone. Porta-shitters, as we like to call them, sit for weeks without being emptied and capture every bit of the sun’s heat. It’s like a fucking greenhouse in there, and one breath in that motherfucker while beating off and your dick is in full retreat.

So there’s a trick to doing this just right; you have to prep him first. You get him up and going, and then you quickly finish in the shitter. For most of these guys, the bikini-clad chicks above their cots or the porno mags stashed in their bags are a necessity for a proper jerk-off, but I’m an imaginative guy. I close my eyes and my mind becomes like a time machine of fuck. Marilyn Monroe in Some Like it Hot … bam! … cum everywhere. Farrah Fawcett in her iconic red swimsuit bent over the counter … set the time machine and go.

This time my mind goes for none other than Jackie O. She’s spread-eagle, with my tongue lightly flicking her throbbing clit while she’s begging for my dick. And, of course, I’m making her call me Mr. President. I laugh at the last thought but notice it’s at least gotten the job started. Since my dick is half-mast and ticking its way to full form, I slink my way to the tent’s entrance.

Stepping out, I’m met by the sun creeping softly over the tops of the barriers, and I hurry toward the porta-shitters, positioned just past the Humvees in front of the eastern wall. This two-hundred-yard walk is the most important part of the process. You have to walk with speed but not urgency, in hopes that you don’t attract attention from the few others also awake—all while the imagined porn still reels in your head.

I manage to make it into the shitter undetected and quickly go to work on my shaft while my left hand pinches my nose like a vise and my eyes squeeze tightly shut. Only this time it isn’t someone famous that I picture. It’s Katie.

Even as early as it is, the Drop Zone is like a sauna, and beads of sweat collect on my forehead. I try desperately to hold in my breath as the seconds tick down. Just as my lungs begin to demand air and my body stiffens, I toss my head back with a stifled groan. My body recovers from its high much quicker in this setting, but at least the job is done. Two weeks of combat stress gone, just like that.

About the Authors:

K.L. Grayson resides in a small town outside of St. Louis, MO. She is entertained daily by her extraordinary husband, who will forever inspire every good quality she writes in a man. Her entire life rests in the palms of six dirty little hands, and when the day is over and those pint-sized cherubs have been washed and tucked into bed, you can find her typing away furiously on her computer. She has a love for alpha-males, brownies, reading, tattoos, sunglasses, and happy endings…and not particularly in that order.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/KL-Grayson/1403900879892076?ref=hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorklgrayson

IG: @booksbyklgrayson

Taylor Urruela was an infantryman in the US Army from August 2004 until February 2011. At the end of a year long tour in Baghdad, IQ, his vehicle was hit by two roadside bombs, which took his right leg below the knee and the life of his commander. He was awarded the Purple Heart for his wounds, an Army Commendation Medal and Combat Infantryman’s Badge. He medically retired from the Army in 2011 and moved to Tampa, FL where he currently works as a Director and Brand Ambassador of VETSports, a veteran community sports nonprofit he co-founded in 2012. He also conducts speaking engagements and he’s a personal trainer for Tampa Sports Academy.

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BTUArmy

IG: @BTUrruela

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Rising Storm Episode 2: White Lightning by Lexi Blake…ARC Review

White Lightning releases TOMORROW!

Synopsis:

Secrets, Sex and Scandals …

Welcome to Storm, Texas, where passion runs hot, desire runs deep, and secrets have the power to destroy… Get ready. The storm is coming.

As the citizens of Storm, Texas, sway in the wake of the death of one of their own, Daddy’s girl Dakota Alvarez also reels from an unexpected family crisis … and finds consolation in a most unexpected place.

My Review:

White Lightning by Lexi Blake is the second episode in the “soap opera you can read”, Rising Storm, which happens to be one of the coolest book concepts I have ever read.

Things are REALLY heating up on Storm, Texas, and with this latest episode we are getting deeper and deeper into the character’s lives. I will stop here for a second and tell you that you do have to read the first episode, Tempest Rising, to have an idea of what’s going on. You’ll be quite lost if you don’t. That being said, this story continues on with the current situations in the Alvarez, Salt, Moreno, and Rush families. To say they are becoming quite entangled in some serious situations would be an understatement! There’s duplicity, unplanned pregnancies, infidelity, and secrets galore! Without giving anything away, just promise me when I tell you this series into growing into quite the scandalous affair and I ADORE it!

I also want to mention that the writing between authors is seamless and flows so beautifully. Talk about a gift these authors have! And I can also tell you I’ve had the chance to read episode 3 already and again am so impressed that the writing style is seamless and it just keeps getting juicier and juicier!

If you’re looking for something completely new and exciting, this is a series to pick up. And with an episode releasing each week you’re guaranteed to have plenty continuing excitement, emotion, and scandal!

Thank you, Lexi, for this amazing episode!

Five Loves

Book links:

About the author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband and three kids. She began writing at a young age concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. Lexi believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome or foursome may seem.

Hard As Steel by Laura Kaye…ARC Review

Hard As Steel releases tomorrow, 9/22

Synopsis:

After identifying her employer’s dangerous enemies, Jessica Jakes takes refuge at the compound of the Raven Riders Motorcycle Club. Fellow Hard Ink tattooist and Raven leader Ike Young promises to keep Jess safe for as long as it takes, which would be perfect if his close, personal, round-the-clock protection didn’t make it so hard to hide just how much she wants him—and always has.

Ike Young loved and lost a woman in trouble once before. The last thing he needs is alone time with the sexiest and feistiest woman he’s ever known, one he’s purposely kept at a distance for years. Now, Ike’s not sure he can keep his hands or his heart to himself—or that he even wants to anymore. And that means he has to do whatever it takes to hold on to Jess forever.

My Review:

Hard As Steel is the newest work from author Laura Kaye and is part of the 1,001 Dark Nights 2015 line-up as well as a cross-over of Ms. Kaye’s Hard Ink Series and her Raven Riders Series. I am a huge fan of Ms. Kaye’s and when I tell you I devoured this story, that would be a gross understatement. I couldn’t put it down! It was phenomenal. Filled with suspense and scorching heat, it was just amazing.

The attraction between Jessica and Ike was two things: mutual and hidden. Neither one wanted to admit to the other that they had this secret yearning but now that they were stuck together in very close quarters, shut off from the rest of the world, deep down they both knew it would only be a matter of time before the need took over. The reasons both of them felt unworthy of the other were different but also very much the same: fear. Fear for their safety. Fear of unworthiness. But fate and emotion would help with Ike and Jessica overcome the fear and when it did? It was a thing of burning hot beauty.

I loved every thing about this book. I loved the plot, the suspense, the building emotion, the attraction between these two headstrong and vulnerable characters…all of it. Ms. Kaye does such a beautiful job with building the entire situation and sexual tension between Ike and Jess and it connected me to both of them on such a delicious level. I wanted nothing more than for these two broken souls to get together and trust in one another. Separately, Jess and Ike are wonderful characters. She is feisty and quirky and had me laughing out loud so many times. I loved that she lives her life on her own terms and she’s such a breath of fresh air in the world of book heroines. Ike is just as amazing with his gruff exterior and hidden big heart. I loved that he lets Jess be who she is and appreciates it with an adoration that had me swooning. Together these two are off the charts smoking hot. Hands down, this is one of the hottest books from author Kaye and I loved every smoking hot second of it!

This is a story you won’t want to miss. I cannot wait to see what’s in store for this series and will be anxiously waiting for more!

Five Loves

Book links:

Amazon | 1.001 Dark Nights

About the author:

Laura Kaye is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance and romantic suspense, including the Hard Ink, Heroes, and Hearts of the Anemoi series. Laura’s hot, heartfelt stories are all about the universal desire for a place to belong. Laura grew up amidst family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses, cementing her life-long fascination with storytelling and the supernatural. Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

ARC Review… Rising Storm Episode 1: Tempest Rising by Julie Kenner

Rising Storm Episode 1: Tempest Rising releases September 24, 2105

Synopsis:

Episode 1:
Secrets, Sex and Scandals …

Welcome to Storm, Texas, where passion runs hot, desire runs deep, and
secrets have the power to destroy… Get ready. The storm is coming.

Nestled among rolling hills and painted with vibrant wildflowers, the bucolic town of Storm, Texas, seems like nothing short of perfection. But there are secrets beneath the facade. Dark secrets. Powerful secrets. The kind that can destroy lives and tear families apart. The kind that can cut through a town like a tempest, leaving jealousy and destruction in its wake, along with shattered hopes and broken dreams. All it takes is one little thing to shatter that polish.

Ginny Moreno didn’t mean to do it, but when she came home to Storm, she brought the tempest with her. And now everyone will be caught in its fury…

My Review:

Rising Storm Episode 1: Tempest Rising by Julie Kenner, kicks off the brainchild of authors Julie Kenner and Dee Davis, presented by 1,001 Dark Nights, and is what I can only describe as one of the most exciting and unique versions of storytelling that I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. I loved it!

Ok, quick confession…growing up I was addicted to two T.V. shows: the old daytime soap, Santa Barbara, and when I got older, Beverly Hills 90210 (…and maybe some Melrose Place but I was probably a bit too young to be watching that so don’t tell anyone!). I loved everything about those shows. The drama. The relationships. The scandal. The beautiful people living a life I certainly wouldn’t want for myself, but it was so juicy to watch on the screen. Well, this is like all of the best parts of those shows mashed up and typed onto pages. It’s the best of both worlds!

From the very first few pages, I was totally hooked. The people. The town. It’s all just so fascinating! We are hit with a one-two punch right out of the gate and the hits just kept coming. Good hits for the reader, maybe not so good for the characters. That, of course, just made it even juicier and more engrossing. I was having so many thoughts while reading and it reminded me so much of when Kelly would try to steal Dylan from Brenda in 90210, or when the wife was sleeping with the gardener in Santa Barbara. I had more than a few moments talking to my e-reader, saying things like: “oh, no WAY!”. I waded through a ton of emotions while reading and I’m totally invested in seeing what is going to happen to the characters and this town.

I certainly don’t want to give any spoilers away (and let me tell you, there are some doozies!) so you just have to take my word that this is one hell of a reading experience and one I highly recommend. I can’t wait to get my hands on more episodes of this amazing project!

Five Loves

Add to Goodreads

Pre-Order links:

Amazon | iBooks | Google Play | Rising Storm Website

…and be sure to check out the rest of the episodes!

About the author:

Julie Kenner (aka J. Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 international bestselling author of over seventy novels, novellas, and short stories in a variety of genres.

Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” JK writes a range of stories including super sexy romances, paranormal romance, chick lit suspense, paranormal mommy lit, and, with Rising Storm, small town drama. Her trilogy of erotic romances, The Stark Trilogy (as J. Kenner), reached as high as #2 on the New York Times list and is published in over twenty countries, and her Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series (written as Julie Kenner) has been optioned by Warner Brothers Television for the CW Network.

A former attorney, JK lives in Central Texas with her husband, two daughters, and several cats. One of her favorite weekend activities is visiting small towns in the Texas Hill Country.

Pure Wicked by Shayla Black….ARC Review

Synopsis:

During his decade as an international pop star, Jesse McCall has lived every day in the fast lane. A committed hedonist reveling in amazing highs, globetrotting, and nameless encounters, he refuses to think about his loneliness or empty future. Then tragedy strikes.

Shocked and grieving, he sheds his identity and walks away, searching for peace. Instead, he finds Bristol Reese, a no-nonsense beauty scraping to keep her family’s business afloat while struggling with her own demons. He’s intent on seducing her, but other than a pleasure-filled night, she’s not interested in a player, especially after her boyfriend recently proposed to her sister. In order to claim Bristol, Jesse has to prove he’s not the kind of man he’s always been. But when she learns his identity and his past comes back to haunt him, how will he convince her that he’s a changed man who wants nothing more than to make her his forever?

My Review:

Pure Wicked is part of author Shayla Black’s Wicked Lovers series as well as novella number thirteen in the 1,001 Dark Nights 2015 lineup and is a delish rocker meets small town girl romance that I devoured. With Ms. Black’s signature heat, this story was a total win!

Looking for a little bit of light in a dark point in his life, the sexy rock star bad-boy Jesse McCall sets off on a road that will lead him to small town U.S.A., and straight into playing knight in not-so-shining armor. When he overhears a conversation involving a very disheartened and beautiful Bristol, he steps in. He wasn’t used to the role of “good guy” but he was determined to make this woman smile and if it helped get her out of a crappy situation with her ex, and get him a safe haven to lay low for a while, it was a win-win. But the bonus would be what he and Bristol find after spending just a few short days together. Could it be love?

This was one of those books that I stopped reading close to the end. No, no. Not because I didn’t like it, but because I knew it was going to end and I didn’t want it to happen! Yes, I am totally one of those people. I loved everything about this story. Jesse is like a lost puppy in need of some love and not a clue where to turn. He is tired of the rock star life and just wants some peace for a little while. Luckily he found Bristol when he did. She needed love as much as he did. Saddled with a jerk of an ex and a pain in the arse family, she really only had her best friend. I just loved her, admired her strong personality, and would choose her as a girl I would love to be friends with.

I loved the way these two met. It was Kismet and totally swoon worthy at that! The fire and heat between them was undeniable but beyond that, Jesse has such a soft heart and I loved the little things her did for Bristol; a woman very used to doing everything for herself. Of course, there are some downs to go with their ups but it only added up to a very happy ending that I just ADORED!

From start to finish, I loved it. This story had me hooked, kept me glued to each sexy sweet page, and finished off with a romantic movie worthy ending. Thank you, Ms. Black, for a fabulous read!

Five Loves

Book Links:

Amazon | 1,001 Dark Nights

About the author:

Shayla Black is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than forty novels. For over fifteen years, she’s written contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances via traditional, independent, foreign, and audio publishers. Her books have sold well over a million copies and been published in a dozen languages.

Raised an only child, Shayla occupied herself with lots of daydreaming, much to the chagrin of her teachers. In college, she found her love for reading and realized that she could have a career publishing the stories spinning in her imagination. Though she graduated with a degree in Marketing/Advertising and embarked on a stint in corporate America to pay the bills, her heart has always been with her characters. She’s thrilled that she’s been living her dream as a full-time author for the past seven years.

Shayla currently lives in North Texas with her wonderfully supportive husband, her teenage daughter, and a very spoiled cat. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, reading, and listening to an eclectic blend of music.