Four Loves

Review….Dyed and Gone by Beth Yarnall

Book links:

Synopsis:

Hairstylist Azalea March is looking forward to a wild weekend in Las Vegas with her friends. Oh, sure, they’re supposed to be there on business, attending the biggest hair show on the west coast, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a little fun. But fun quickly turns to drama. On the first morning of the show, Dhane, the biggest celeb of the hair-styling world, is found dead. As it urns out Azalea’s friend, Vivian, not only knew Dhane, but the tale she weaves of how they met is faker than a showgirl’s uh… assets. When Vivian confesses to the murder and is arrested, Azalea knows there’s no way she could have done it and suspects Vivian may be trying to protect someone. But who?

Azalea now has to convince Alex, the sexy detective from her past, to help her prove Vivian’s innocence and comb through clues more twisted than a spiral perm. But the truth is stranger than anything found on the Las Vegas Strip, and proving Vivian’s innocence turns out to be more difficult than transforming a brunette into a blonde.

My review:

Dyed and Gone is the first book in the Azalea March Mystery series by author Beth Yarnall and let me say kicked this series off with a fantastic start! Funny, entertaining, suspenseful, and witty, this book was all that and more.

When hairstylist Azalea March packed up for a weekend away in Las Vegas for the biggest hair event of the year she had no idea that it would go from trying out new shears and blow dryers to trying to solve a murder. The reigning king of hair, Dhane, has been murdered and Azalea finds herself smack dab in the middle of the investigation. Not only because she happens to be new friends with his inner circle but also because her business partner, Vivian, had a past with Dhane and that past would be called into question. Especially when Vivian confesses to the murder. A murder Azalea is positive Vivian didn’t commit. Now, Azalea has a bigger mess on her hands than if she forgot to wear gloves while dying a blonde to a dark brunette. Adding even more to the debacle is Azalea having to rely on her sort-of-ex-fling and detective, Alex, to help her and Vivian out of this pickle. And to think, Azalea’s biggest worry just days ago had been what shoes to pack.

When I say this book has it all, I mean it. There were parts that had me laughing out loud and there were parts that had me worried. Parts that had me fanning myself and parts that had my upset. I loved how much was packed into Dyed and Gone. The characters are wonderfully colorful and delightfully quirky with personalities that leap off of the page. The murder mystery had me guessing from the very beginning until the last few pages. I couldn’t put my finger on who I thought committed the crime and I loved that I was kept on my toes until the very end. I say “very end” because just when I thought I got my killer, BAM, we were treated to a great twist. Azalea is a smart and witty heroine that I can’t wait to read more of! I’m dying to see what adventures she has in store and if things heat up more with her kinda-sorta-ex/kinda-sorta-boyfriend Alex. He is so opposite Azalea in many ways and they really compliment each other well. Great chemistry that totally deserves exploring!

Overall, I loved this story and would recommend it to any reader whether a mystery fan or a chick lit fan. There really is something for everyone! Thank you, Beth, for Dyed and Gone. I can’t wait to read more!

About the author:

Best selling author, Beth Yarnall writes romantic suspense, mysteries and the occasional hilarious blog post. For a number of years, Beth made her living as a hairstylist and makeup artist and co-owned a salon with her very best friend. Somehow hairstylists and salons always seem to find their way into her stories. Beth lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their dog where she is hard at work on her next novel.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Lie by Night by Cathy Marlowe…Book Tour Stop & Review

Lie by Night

by: Cathy Marlowe

Release Date: 3/24/14

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Synopsis:

When Emma Bailey’s brother disappears, leaving her in possession of dangerous information, there’s no one she can turn to for help. Her desperate search for her brother leads her to a remote island where she discovers the one man who can help her is a man she can’t trust.

Cole Stevens is on a mission to bring down the drug mastermind who threatens to destroy the lives of his family. His plans take an unexpected turn when Emma runs head first into his investigation. Not only is she a danger to his heart, but her brother is one of his key suspects.

Cole and Emma reluctantly join forces to unravel a web of deceit that reaches deeper into their lives than either had imagined. As the lies unravel they will be forced to choose between fear of betrayal and their willingness to put their emotions on the line in order to save the people they love.

My review:

Lie by Night is an Out of Darkness novel by author Cathy Marlowe and the first of her work that I have read. The cover alone had my attention and the story kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.

Emma Bailey was used to not knowing where her brother was, what type of mission he was off doing, or how long he would be gone for but one thing she always knew was that he would call her every Sunday. After all, they only had each other as family. So it was extremely unnerving when she didn’t get that Sunday phone call. Even more unnerving was the package she received from her brother for her birthday a couple of days later. Enclosed in the package was a cryptic note telling her not to trust anyone along with some important looking information. Without a doubt she knew he was in danger and she knew she was the only one that could save him. So she did what any sister would do…packed her bag and went in search for him.

Right in the middle of his top-secret investigation into one of the most dangerous operations headed by one of the most devious men, the last person Cole Stevens expected to see was Emma Bailey. But here she was in a very dangerous spot…literally. After saving her from her precarious position, he now realizes there is no was she is leaving his side. For too many reasons to count. One being she needs help finding her brother, the brother he has a suspicion may be a part of the operation he’s trying to squash. The operation that has already hurt too many people. Cole wanted to make sure no one else had to suffer…especially Emma.

Each with reservations about working jointly, Emma and Cole decide that maybe working together could actually be beneficial to taking down an operation that time and time again has proved to be infallible. But as time passes, and they spend more and more time together, their relationship threatens to grow from old acquaintances to so much more.

The story line in Lie by Night was intricate and weaved with deceit, drugs, danger, disloyalty, and murder. It was also weaved with love and compassion. All of that created a great balance and it kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. There were a lot of players in the plot that I was unsure of and that kept me guessing and I really enjoy that aspect of a romantic suspense. Cole and Emma were well matched and were equally stubborn and yielding when it mattered. Overall, I was pleased with all facets of this story and the last few chapters had me almost speed-reading because I was so nervous! My lips are sealed but know that it was intense and, ultimately, very satisfying.

Thank you, Cathy, for a fantastic and suspenseful read!

Four Loves

Book links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | EP Link

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Cathy lives in Missouri with a huge chocolate lab whose crazy antics occasionally appear in her books. She’s blessed with a supportive husband and three wonderful children. When not writing, she coaches soccer and works to create a safe world for children. She loves dark chocolate mint M&Ms accompanied by a steaming mug of coffee, and smart stories that touch the heart while making you laugh, cry and stay up all night turning pages.

When her children were young, she wrote stories for them. Her daughter encouraged her to pursue publication, presenting her with a card that read “God is cheering for you and so am I.” This sign of support has been a source of inspiration for her throughout her writing career.

She believes in the power of each of us to change the world, by word and by deed, in big ways and small.

Her first published novel, Lie by Night, was a winner in the Entangled Smackdown Competition held during National Novel Writer’s Month. A romantic thriller, Lie by Night will be available in March 2014.

Email: cathy@commonpurpose.biz | Website | Twitter: @Cathy_Marlowe | Facebook | Goodreads

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.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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

You Again

by: Ashlee Mallory

Release Date: 3/24/14

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Synopsis:

A hopeless crush…

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

The cute kid from high school is all grown up…

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

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

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

My Review:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Four Loves

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Entangled

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Bio:

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

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

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

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

Hopefully she pulls it off.

Email: Ashleemallory7@gmail.com

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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

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

Pretty Reckless

by: Jodi Linton

Release Date: 3/24

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Synopsis:

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

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

My Review:

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

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

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

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

Four Loves

Goodreads | Amazon Buy Link | Barnes & Noble Buy Link | EP Book Page

Guest Post from Jodi:

THE MAKING OF DEPUTY LANEY BRIGGS.

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

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

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

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

After that, it all sort of fell into place.

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

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

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

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

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

Twitter: @JodiLinton1 | Facebook | Goodreads | Newsletter