Review…Keep Me Still by Caisey Quinn

*ON SALE FOR 99 CENTS DURING RELEASE WEEK! THIS BOOK IS ON SALE FOR A LIMITED TIME AND WILL RETURN TO ITS REGULAR PRICE OF 3.99 AFTER SALE ENDS!* 

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**Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads  ~  Kobo  ~  

**THIS IS THE STANDALONE EDITION OF KEEP ME STILL AND INCLUDES THE PREQUEL AND SEQUEL NOVELLAS Let You Leave and Hold Us Close

Synopsis:

Scarred by loss, Layla leaves her hometown of Hope Springs, Georgia, hoping to put her painful past behind her and start over in college in California. When she runs into Landen at freshmen orientation, she has a choice to make. Reinforce those steel walls she’s built up around herself or give the only boy who can keep her still a second chance.

Landen’s more than ready to tear down those walls, but this time when they come crashing down, they might bury her

* This special edition of Keep Me Still includes the novella, Let You Leave & Hold Us Close:

Layla Flaherty had the perfect life, or close to it. Until a stranger gunned her parents down right in front of her, leaving her with seizure inducing PTSD. After years of trying to pass as normal and failing miserably, she resigns herself to being invisible. But new to town Landen O’Brien sees her, and he likes what he sees. Much to Layla’s surprise, he doesn’t freak out when she has a seizure in front of him. He does the exact opposite, calming her until the tremors subside. But Landen has secrets of his own. Secrets that will either bind them together or tear them apart.

 

My review:

Quick note:  the edition that I just read included the novellas Let You Leave and Hold Us Close which in essence are the events leading up to and following the main novel, Keep Me Still.  I do recommend this edition, if for no other reason than you get more Landen!

Keep Me Still is a novel by author Caisey Quinn and the first of her works that I have read.  Well, after this, I will be adding all of her other works to me to-read list (oh, goodie!  She’s got a bunch of books out!).  This book was a crazy, intense emotional trip that I absolutely loved.

Among the many things Layla Flaherty has wished for in her life, being normal and happy are the two that mean the most.  She has been through more in her life than anyone should have to endure.  She lost her parents in a horrible act of violence that left her scarred emotionally and physically.  Even though you couldn’t actually see her physical scars, they have ruined her reputation at school in the form of a seizure disorder and threaten to ruin her chance at a normal life.  Things change, however, the minute new student and star soccer player Landen O’Brien moves to their school.  She thought things had changed for the good when they became fast and close friends that slowly grew to more.  Soon she realized that things actually changed for the worse when he broke her heart and ended up moving again…away from her.  Even a year later, freshly tucked into freshman year at college far away from her hometown and all those memories, she couldn’t forget him.  He was it for her and no one will ever live up.  Imagine her surprise when she finds out he’s on her college’s soccer team.  Is fate giving them another chance?  Would she be able to get over her broken heart now, with him here?

As an army brat, Landen O’Brien was used to moving around.  He was also used to a crap home life with a less than warm and fuzzy father, to put it nicely.  The only good thing in his life was soccer….until he met Layla.  For once, he was thanking his lucky stars that they had to move again and that he ended up here, with Layla, in this small town in Georgia.  After spending time together, he knows he’s fallen hard and fast, but like all things in his life, nothing good lasts and he soon finds out he has to leave her.  He broke her heart the day he left and he knew enrolling at the same college she was going to may not be the best choice, but he has to try to get her back.  She was everything to him and he is going to do all he can to make her realize that.  Since he left her a year ago, he’s been planning this.  Even with his unanswered emails, texts, phone calls, he was determined.  Now, with a little undercover help from Layla’s aunt, he’s here and there’s no way is he going to let her slip away again.

Layla and Landen embark on an emotional, moving, touching journey that will test their commitment to each other as well as to themselves.  Individually they carry their own heavy burdens and things will get hard along the way, but with love and trust in the bond they’ve found, they have the power to make it all work out in the end.  It may not be easy, but some things are worth fighting for.

This book kicked my arse and I absolutely loved it.  Layla broke my heart at the beginning.  She was so damaged and lost and just plain sad.  To have gone through what she did and still be willing to try to get to some kind of normal life was so very admirable.  Then to see her grow with Landen’s help, and to gain some confidence was fantastic.  It was that confidence that had me loving her through the book.  After coming out of her shell, so to speak, she really learned that she could take charge of her future and that her scars and her past didn’t define her.  It was beautiful to see that change in her.  On the flip side, Landen ended up breaking my heart at the end.  He is a book boyfriend that I know tons of gals will be swooning over.  An adorable, all-American jock with a damaged side that slayed me.  Reading some of his scenes had me bawling my eyes out.  Of course, that made me love him even more.  His determination to be with Layla and his love for her was so real and intense.  The dynamic between Layla and Landen is amazing.  He helped her when she needed it most and pulled her from her darkness and eventually she has to do the same for him. Their trip to a happy ending is a really, really, REALLY rough one but so damn well deserved. Gut wrenching, sob inducing, heart breaking, emotional charged scenes put this book on my list of favorites.  I absolutely adore Layla and Landen and reading the last few pages of this book made me so very happy for them.

Oh, and Layla’s roomie?  Corin…. KICKED ASS! That girl is a friend we all would be lucky to have.  She’s there for Layla when the chips are down and it honest even when the truth hurts.  Loved her!

Yes, this is clearly one of my long and rambling reviews, because I just LOVED this book.  Again, I recommend getting the edition with the two novellas because, well, more is always better!  Thank you, Caisey, for Layla and Landen and for this amazing story.

 

4andahalflovesFour-and-a-Half Loves

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About the author:

Caisey Quiin Author PicCaisey Quinn lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, daughter, and other assorted animals. She is the bestselling author of the Kylie Ryans series as well as several New Adult Romance novels featuring country girls finding love in unexpected places. You can find her online at www.caiseyquinnwrites.com .

Website: http://www.caiseyquinnwrites.com/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7041163.Caisey_Quinn

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaiseyQuinn

Release Day Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway….Keep Me Still by Caisey Quinn

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Keep Me Still by Caisey Quinn

November 2013

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Book Links:

amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Kobo  ~  Goodreads  

 

Book Summary:

Layla Flaherty had the perfect life, or close to it. Until a stranger gunned her parents down right in front of her, leaving her with seizure inducing PTSD. After years of trying to pass as normal and failing miserably, she resigns herself to being invisible. But new to town Landen O’Brien sees her, and he likes what he sees. Much to Layla’s surprise, he doesn’t freak out when she has a seizure in front of him. He does the exact opposite, calming her until the tremors subside. But Landen has secrets of his own. Secrets that both bind them together and tear them apart.

Scarred by loss, Layla leaves her hometown of Hope Springs, Georgia, hoping to put her painful past behind her and start over in college in California. When she runs into Landen at freshmen orientation, she has a choice to make. Reinforce those steel walls she’s built up around herself or give the only boy who can keep her still a second chance.

Landen’s more than ready to tear down those walls but this time when they come crashing down, they might bury her.

 

Excerpt:

I move the pillow and look at him, overheating instantly at the sight of his mouth and the memory of what he just did with it. I can’t help but wonder how people do these intimate things to each other and then go on with life business as usual. Pass the salt and all that.

“You are the most dangerous kind of beautiful,” he says, brushing my messy hair away from my face.

I can only imagine what a wreck I look like after that, but with the way he smiles at me, he must actually think I am beautiful right now. I lean in and kiss his mouth. I can taste myself on his lips. It’s kind of strange and kind of a turn on. I pull at his lower lip with my teeth and he groans.

            His voice is raspy against my mouth. “You even taste like peaches, sweet like I knew you would be.”

“What do you taste like, Landen?” I ask, as my sex voice woman comes back to me. “And more importantly, what’s with all the clothes?”

 

 

Dream Cast:

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Giveaway:

Prizes include a $50 Gift Card, a KEEP ME STILL Kindle Case, and a swag pack.
Plus signed copies of WISH I MAY by Lexi Ryan, BREAK IT UP by E.M. Tippetts, and a winner’s choice title from Elizabeth Lee are up for grabs. 5 winners get one or more of these prizes! US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About the author:

Caisey Quiin Author PicCaisey Quinn lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, daughter, and other assorted animals. She is the bestselling author of the Kylie Ryans series as well as several New Adult Romance novels featuring country girls finding love in unexpected places. You can find her online at www.caiseyquinnwrites.com .

Website: http://www.caiseyquinnwrites.com/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7041163.Caisey_Quinn

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaiseyQuinn

 

Entangled Flirt….November releases and giveaway

 Santa to the Rescue by Adele Downs

9781622663811

Author Information:

Email: Adele.Downs@msn.com

Blog: http://adeledowns.wordpress.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Adele_Downs

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

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/19160349-adele-downs

Book Information:

Synopsis

Firefighter Jamey Tucker knows three things in life to be true: an honorable man doesn’t go back on his word; never hurt a woman; and lasting love isn’t a myth. But with his recent move to a new job at Appleton Fire Station, the long hours don’t offer hope of finding the love he’s looking for.

When Jamey meets beautiful pediatric nurse Heather Longhurst after hearing her sing Santa Baby in a supermarket aisle, he offers her a promise he discovers he can’t keep. Heather has been betrayed by men in the past, making it hard for Jamey to gain her trust. Determined to find a way to win her heart, Jamey uses firefighter engine-uity and Heather’s favorite song to prove he’s got Christmas spirit she can believe in all year.

Buy Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18693083-santa-to-the-rescue?from_search=true

Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Santa-Rescue-Entangled-Flirts-Adele-ebook/dp/B00G1IM260/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1382300728&sr=1-1&keywords=adele+downs

Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/santa-to-the-rescue-adele-downs/1117194515?ean=9781622663811

 

Neighbors by L.S. Murphy

9781622663743

Author Information:

Email: LSMurphy524@gmail.com

Website: http://lsmurphy.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LSMurphy

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

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5046440.L_S_Murphy

Tumblr: http://lsmurphybooks.tumblr.com/

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/l-s-murphy/12/218/140

 

Book Information:

Synopsis

Rena Woods has a great life. She recently landed the contract to decorate the home of basketball wife, Cecilia Hood, her business is growing, and this contract could make her the elite decorator in St. Louis. Rena’s sacrificed her personal life for her company without a single regret. When Staff Sergeant C.J. Riker moves in across the hall, Rena can’t stand to be around him. He may be on the volcanic side of hot, but his attitude sucks. Riker does whatever he can to get under Rena’s skin.

After a massive blow to her business sends Rena on a self-destructive binge, Riker is there to save her from doing something she might regret. Could there be more to Riker than meets the eye? And will he open up enough to Rena to tell her how he lost his leg or shut out love forever?

Buy Links

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18593620-neighbors?from_search=true

Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Neighbors-Entangled-Flirts-ebook/dp/B00FILC0Y0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1381187800&sr=1-1&keywords=neighbors+l.s.+murphy

Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/neighbors-ls-murphy/1117003670?ean=9781622663743&itm=1&usri=9781622663743

On His List by Wendy Sparrow

9781622663736

 

Author Information:

Email: Wendy@WendySparrow.com

Website: http://wendysparrow.com/

Blog: http://wendysparrow.com/blog/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WendySparrow

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wendy-Sparrow/471652932872034

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3346109.Wendy_Sparrow

 

Book Information:

Synopsis:

“Where can I take you, Mr. Savoy?”

That was how Remy Maison’s day began, not the glamorous world of guarding underwear from her creepy landlord on laundry day, but taking her brother’s place as driver for businessman Owen Savoy. And what was with this guy? Yeah, he’s hot and all, with eyes like melted chocolate and a lean, sexy figure she’d love to explore, but Remy’s never met anyone so rigid.

Owen has a list for everything. He’s planned the entire day down to the smallest detail. All Remy has to do is stick to the list, but she never follows the rules‚ there’s no freaking way. So why is she spending all her time looking in the rearview mirror, hoping she’ll make Owen’s next list?

 

Buy Links:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18593623-on-his-list?from_search=true

Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/His-List-Entangled-Flirts-ebook/dp/B00FILC23O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1381189283&sr=1-1&keywords=On+His+List+Wendy+Sparrow

Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/on-his-list-wendy-sparrow/1117003671?ean=9781622663736

 

 

Giveaway:

  The giveaway is for a Nook, a $50 Amazon/B&N gift card, and a $25 Ghirardelli gift card.  How awesome!

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ARC Review & Excerpt….Drowning by Rachel Firasek

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Book links:

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads

Synopsis:

*Drowning is a New Adult Contemporary Romance suited for 18+ due to some violence, language, and sexual content*

“I dare you.”

Those words would change adrenaline junkie, Alice Harrison’s life forever. She’s a party girl that doesn’t believe in love until she meets a man that only writes about it.

Seth James escaped his overbearing father and moved into one of the James family’s vacant condos, hoping to create the music he loves in peace. But the fragile calm he’s envisioned shatters when a tiny woman with a world full of energy bounces out of the elevator and nearly takes him out.

With the patience of a saint, Seth seeks the dark that keeps Alice from enjoying life. He challenges her to exorcise the demons in her past in order to discover the true meaning of love. But when the walls fall down, the hidden deceptions will bare the ugly truth about a woman drowning in sorrow and a man who may not know how to be her hero.

 

My review:

Drowning is the newest work from author Rachel Firasek.  I have read most of Rachel’s’ earlier works, and really enjoyed them, but nothing comes close to what she has done with Drowning.  This book was remarkable.

To say that Alice Harrison has had a pretty heavy cross to bear would be a huge understatement.  Feeling responsible for the recent accident that happened to her older sister is just the latest scar left on her emotions.  Those emotional scars add another layer to the physical scars left by a person who was supposed to love and care for her.  That combo has left her hardened and swearing off love and emotions for good.  It was the only way she knew how to survive.  That all changed when she meets her new neighbor, Seth.  He refuses to let something like a slammed door to the face turn him away.  The scariest part is, Alice knows he may be the one that can crumble her resolve and lead her to believe there may be some good left in the world.  Will he have what it takes to love someone as scarred as she is?

Seth James hasn’t really had the best childhood.  One of the things that has helped him through it, besides his brother, was his love for music.  Now that’s his main focus.  Well, it was until he sees Alice, the new neighbor.  Funny that just a little conversation in the elevator can have him dying to know more about her.  She’s going to be a tough nut to crack, but he’s up for the challenge.  Seth soon finds out that there’s more to the challenge than just a tough exterior when he finds her crying in the stairwell and realizes she needs more than just a hot boy toy….she needs a knight in shining armor and damn if he wants to be that for her.

Seth and Alice have so much from their pasts that needs to be healed.  Working on their own really hasn’t gone so well for them.  Will working together finally be the balm they need to heal the wounds they both have?

Talk about an emotional story.  We are given a peek into Alice’s story in the beginning and ever so slowly, the pieces are revealed and the puzzle that starts to take shape is so utterly heartbreaking. From the day she was born, she never stood a chance at happiness in the life she was brought into.  Alice is truly a survivor though.  She is finally free from the hell she called home and is now out on her own and is doing her best to live and be normal.  Then she meets Seth and she gains be a sliver of hope that she could be loved….scars and all.  Seth is amazing.  He’s a man’s man with a huge heart and the love he has for his brother is evident from the first chapter.  That made me love him even more and I knew if anyone can save Alice, he was it.  Regardless of his own personal and family issues, he has a good head on his shoulders and is a delicious balance between hard and soft.  The delicate dance between Alice and Seth was fabulous to read.  There was a slow build of trust and caring between them.  The attraction was instant but the progress into a relationship was done really well.  Especially as we learn about Alice’s past and what she has endured.  I can’t give anything away, but have some tissues handy.

Another fantastic addition to the story were the band members….besides brothers Seth and Gabe we meet Deacon and Evan.  Those two boys are a terrific addition to the entire dynamic and make the whole gang have a real family feel.  Albeit a slightly dysfunctional one, a family nonetheless, with all the teasing, bickering and caring that comes with it.

Rachel takes the reader on an emotional voyage with love, loss, angst, tenderness, anger, lust and so much more.  Thank you, Rachel, for Alice and Seth and for all of the rest of these memorable characters.  I can’t wait to see what you have planned form them all next!

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Excerpt:

He laughs that loud laugh that cuts down into my stomach and vibrates my breakfast to the surface. “Of course. I haven’t seen you in quite some time and thought I’d pay my baby daughter a visit. Did you get my letter?”

I can’t help the tremble that takes root in my chin and bleeds up into my tear ducts. I fight the well of salt water. Seth was right. They were a weakness to him, and he’d feed on them. “You need to go.”

“I’ll go when I’m ready. I think you should remember whose roof you’re living under and be more gracious.”

The door across the hall opens, and I meet Seth James’ bold stare over my father’s shoulder. God no. Please, don’t watch this.

He leaves the door open and steps closer. “Everything okay?”

My father lurches back and clears his throat. “Everything’s fine.” He spins and thrust out his hand, all politician’s smiles and his kissing baby’s grin on his face. “E. Harrison, and you are?”

“Neighbor. Seth James.”

I grip my towel tighter, but Seth’s eyes never stray from Dad’s. He was so wrong about being a hero. He’d just saved me from pure evil. The two men stand taller. My father is forbidding in his expensive threads. He has years of cut muscles beneath that have kept him from sagging like most men his age. Seth, on the other hand, has youth on his side. He’s all hard ridges and full of territorial male dominance.

With a deep sigh that relaxes all those tightened nerves, I ask, “Father, did you need something?”

“I came by to speak to you about something, but, perhaps another time would be better suited.” He glances back at me and sneers, but returns to sleazy smiles before he gives a nod to Seth. “Mr. James, a pleasure. I’ll be on my way.”

Seth puts a hand out and catches my father’s shoulder. “Mr. Harrison, as the owner of this condo, I feel that I should warn you against making my tenants uncomfortable.” Seth steps across the hall and drops an arm around my scarred shoulder. His thumb soothes away the shiver chasing over my collar bone. “I’m not sure of your welcome here, so please correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t want to see either of these girls come to harm.”

I gasp. He spoke so eloquently. Bold and rich. I’d have never thought he had it in him if I hadn’t just witnessed it. And no one has ever come to my defense. Never. Seth James was ten feet tall and made of blue bubble gum right now. I’d chew him, blow him, and make him pop. Vulgar, I know, but there it is.

My father straightens his jacket. “Do you know who I am?”

“I do, but obviously you do not know who I am or what I’m capable of.” Seth tucks me even closer. If he’s noticed the scars stretching across my shoulders, he’s too polite to even give them a second glance, and for that, I’ll forever be indebted to him. “Don’t fuck with Alice again.”

He knows my name. And he just cussed my dad.

Harrison squints at us, and turns, clicking his heels together before stalking to the elevator. As much as I love seeing someone put him in his place, Seth James had just built me a coffin.

Fucking great. As soon as the sliding doors close on Dad, I shove Seth away from me. He’s too much right now. Everything is too much.

His brow wrinkles. “What?”

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

He steps back and glances at the floor before smirking up at me. “Being your hero.”

 

 

About the author:

Rachel Firasek spends her days daydreaming of stories and her nights putting the ideas to ink. She has spent a dull life following the rules, meeting deadlines, and toeing the line, but in her made up worlds, she can let the wild side loose. Her wonderful husband and three children support her love of the written word and only ask for the occasional American Idol or Swamp People quality hour.

She has a philosophy about love. It must devastate or it isn’t truly worth loving. She hopes that you all find your devastating love and cling to it with all your heart!

 Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

ARC Review…Bound by Wish and Mistletoe by Kat Bastion

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Book links:


amazon ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads

Synopsis:

The holiday novella, Book 1.5, following the award-winning debut of Forged in Dreams and Magick in the Highland Legends Series:

Desperate to honor a life-long promise, Susanna MacEalan escapes her abusive clan with the fierce determination of never falling under the power of a man. Ever.

Aggravated by shallow-hearted pursuing lasses, Robert Brodie, commander of his clan’s elite guard, has foresworn scheming women. Forever.

When magick transforms Brodie Castle into a Christmas wonderland, the two despondent souls find solace in a most unexpected place . . . each other’s arms.

Amid a whirlwind of escalating events, Susanna’s traumatic past threatens Robert’s ability to protect the one woman meant for him. In a harrowing moment, as her fears and demons coalesce, will hope, faith, and love be enough to save them?

 

My review:

Bound by Wish and Mistletoe by Kat Bastion follows the fabulous Forged in Dreams and Magick.  I was drawn back into Kat’s gorgeous Highland world from the very first pages and was so happy with this novella and being able to have another taste of the Brodie Clan.

Susanna MacEalan is in the midst of a desperate escape from her horrid clan and her father.  She refuses to live another minute with the barbaric and ignorant people she is supposed to call a family.  The last thing she expects to run into is a group of men in the woods along her escape route.  Now she finds herself at their mercy and in need of their help if she stands any chance of getting away for good.  Will she be able to trust a man?  It’s men that have caused her to run in the first place.  Without many options, she will have to swallow her pride and fears and trust this Highlander, whether she likes it or not.

On a ridiculous mission for something called a Christmas tree, Robert Brodie is annoyed, cold and tired…but not just for having to traipse through the winter woods looking for a tree.  He’s also annoyed with women and has officially sworn them off for good.  Now, with the tree procured, and his task just about complete, he is caught by surprise by the young and beautiful lass waving her dagger at him after stumbling upon him and his men in the woods.  He realizes she’s in need of help and he’s realizes he would do anything to keep her safe.  Struck by a sudden wave of emotions, he also realizes there is no way he’s going to let this woman go.  She may not know it yet, but fate has sent her to him.

The fates and magick, it seems, have brought Susanna and Robert together for many reasons.  The most important reason is simply that they were made for each other.  The attraction and intense emotion they share for one another is a gift, and one they both will treasure.

I wrote earlier that I was so happy to be back in Kat’s gorgeous Highland world.  I adore Kat’s writing and this novella is a prefect addition to the Highland Legends Series.  Susanna broke my heart.  The poor girl has been through so much at the hands of the very people who are supposed to love and care for her.  Reading her stories of the abuse she and her mother endured was so very sad.  I admired her tenacity and resolve in deciding to leave her old life behind in search of happiness and freedom.  She sure is a spitfire!  Robert is amazing.  He’s a warrior though and through with a huge heart and soft side that had me swooning.  He knows he has to work really damn hard to win Susanna over and he’s up for the challenge.  Oh, how I loved his drive to win Susanna.  Together, they are a beautiful match and make a fantastic couple.

I also loved seeing our favorite characters form Forged in Dreams and Magick.  We get to see a bit of what the Clan Brodie has been up to and get a glimpse of what’s to come for them.  Oh, I can’t wait!

Thank you, Kat, for another beautifully written story.

 

4LovesRLBFour Loves

 

About the Author :

Shoe_PhotoKat Bastion is an award-winning paranormal romance writer, poetic warrior, and eternal optimist who loves getting lost in the beauty of nature. On a never-ending, wondrous path of self-discovery, Kat throws her characters into incredible situations with the hope that readers join her in learning more about the meaning of life and love. Her first published work, Utterly Loved, was shared with the world to benefit others. All proceeds from Utterly Loved, and a portion of the proceeds of all her other books, support charities who help those lost in this world. Kat lives with her husband amid the beautiful Sonoran Desert of Arizona.

Visit her blog at www.talktotheshoe.com, her website at www.katbastion.com, and her Twitter account at https://twitter.com/KatBastion for more information.

Blog Tour Stop and Guest Post….Falling for the Marine by Samanthe Beck

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Welcome to my stop on the Falling for the Marine by Samanthe Beck Blog Tour!

I’ve got a yummy excerpt to share with you all as well as a super fun TOP FIVE LIST from Samanthe!  

Oh, and the tour wide giveaway with awesome prizes that are better known as the “Chloe Kincaid Secret Weapon Stash”: A Ready Teddy Hide-a-Vibe, (sorry girls, vibe not included), chocked full of goodies like a $30.00 Victoria’s Secret GC, DuWop Lip Venom, & a hummingbird temporary tattoo.

Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

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Book links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes | Kobo

Samanthe stops by with a fantastic TOP FIVE list of “Interrupted Intimacy” moments:

Hi Jillian, thanks for having me back at Read-Love-Blog to talk about my new Brazen release, “Falling for the Marine”!

I had so much fun writing this story, dreaming up wild, naughty situations for straight-shooting USMC Major Michael McCade and free-spirited massage therapist Chloe Kincaid to land in. One of my favorites had terrible consequences for Chloe, I’m sad to report. When her sexy neighbor Michael shows up at her clinic as a client in need of relief from lower back pain, the massage goes from therapeutic to…ahem…well, let’s just say they’re well on their way to a happy ending when her boss walks in! Oh yeah. She’s fired.

I came to learn there’s a whole trope for this type of situation, called “Interrupted Intimacy,” and it frequently shows up in comedy films, along with two recognizable sub-tropes, “Parents Walk in at the Worst Times,” and “Caught with your Pants Down” (for a solo act). I got to thinking, what are the most epic moments of “Interrupted Intimacy”? This called for a Top Five list, and a glass of wine (okay, two glasses of wine, sticklers). Here’s what I came up with:

5.              “Mean Girls” – Regina, (Rachel McAdams as the girl you love to hate), is making out with her new boyfriend when her stepmother, (played by the always hysterical Amy Poehler), comes in and asks “Do you guys need anything? Some snacks? A condom? Well, let me know!” I wish I could find a clip to link to, but I couldn’t. L

4.              “Friends with Benefits” – Jamie (Mila Kunis) and Dylan (Justin Timberlake) are exploring some of those friendly bennies when Jamie’s mom (Patricia Clarkson) walks in. They’re completely freaked. Mom, not so much. “Whoo, it’s like the seventies in here. I’m starving, got any gin?” J

http://movieclips.com/VEKJ-friends-with-benefits-movie-jamies-mom/

3.              “American Pie 2” – Jim’s dad, (Eugene Levy, who I can’t even look at without laughing), walks in on Jim, (Jason Biggs, who I can’t even look at without cringing), having sex. Then comes Jim’s mom. Then the girl’s parents, and then… “Oh, you must be the parents of this young lady…I’m sorry, I didn’t get her name, but hopefully my son did.”

http://movieclips.com/QgCL-american-pie-2-movie-surprising-jim/

2.              “Four Weddings and a Funeral” – David, (Hugh Grant) attempts to escape the reception table from hell, and ducks into an empty room for a quiet, reflective moment. The bride and groom arrive next, and, not realizing they’re not alone, promptly go at it…marathon-style. David is stuck crouching on a desk, hiding. Finally, he can’t take it anymore and jumps down. When the surprised newlyweds gape at him, he grabs a pen, says, “Found it!” and walks out the door. Sorry again…clip proved elusive.

1.              Yep, you guessed it, “American Pie.” The infamous pie scene. “We’ll just tell your mother we ate it all.”

http://movieclips.com/fzBK-american-pie-movie-warm-apple-pie/

So, now I can’t resist asking, anybody been in an “Interrupted Intimacy” situation for reals? Time to share, if you dare!

 

 

About Falling for the Marine:

Pretending to be in love has never felt so sexy.

USMC helicopter pilot Michael McCade has two goals: Get his damn back into alignment and keep his nose clean until his commanding officer clears him to fly again. The doctor-recommended massage therapy seems like a necessary step toward returning to the cockpit, but when his too-hot-to-handle neighbor, Chloe Kincaid, turns out to be his masseuse, he strays from the straight and narrow in a major way.

Chloe Kincaid is looking for a simple, no strings attached, ego-boosting hook up. But when her positively panty-melting neighbor, USMC Major Michael McCade, (aka “Major Hottie”), shows up on her massage table, she lets desire get the better of professionalism. Now they’re pretending to be engaged to avoid a whole lot of unanticipated consequences of a momentary lapse in judgment. But can a girl who avoids attachments at all costs fake an engagement to a straight-arrow soldier without falling hard?

Excerpt:

Strategy firmly in place, Michael walked into the apartment. Chloe stood at the small table in the dining area, sorting through the mail. She wore a long, body-hugging black tank top over the white skirt he remembered from the infamous day at the massage clinic, and, hot damn, the lucky shoes. She looked up when he came in and gave him a smile, but as he closed in on her, the smile disappeared and her eyes grew wide. 

Her lips parted, but he didn’t give her a chance to speak. He slammed his mouth down on hers. She staggered back a little under the force of this kiss, so he simply hauled her up, hitched her legs around his waist, and kept on walking until he had her pressed against the wall.

She broke away long enough to mumble, “Careful of your back.”

He used the opportunity to shove the tank top over her head. “Uh-huh. I’m done being careful. I’ve got an hour before I have to report back to the base tonight and I don’t plan to spend it being careful.”

“But—”

Covering her mouth again cured her of the desire to speak. Instead, she melted into the kiss. He shoved her bra out of his way and filled his hand with her warm, soft breast. 

Her head dropped back against the wall, and she very nearly purred.

“I’m back on flight status,” he murmured against her throat. 

That piece of news snapped her head up. She put her hands on his cheeks and pulled his face up as well until their eyes met. Hers were blinking back tears. “Oh…Michael. I’m so happy.”

“I’m about to make you even happier, because as far as I’m concerned, if I’m deemed fit to handle a CH-47, I’m fit to brace you against this wall, bury myself as deep inside you as humanly possible, and give you the kind of ride that leaves you sweaty and breathless and trembling from head to toe. Then I’m going to turn you around and fuck you from the other direction, just to prove to you beyond a shadow of a doubt I can make you come whenever I want, however I want. What do you say, Chloe? Would that make you happy?”

 

Giveaway:

ReadyTeddy

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About the author:

Beach bum, book junkie, and award winning author of sexy contemporary romances, Samanthe recently signed with Entangled Publishing to write three novels for their Brazen line!

Sam was transfixed from an early age with any tale featuring a handsome prince, a great dress, and, of course, the all-important kiss, and eventually aspired to write her own happily-ever-afters. Naturally, she became a lawyer. The legal world heaved a sigh of relief a few years ago when Samanthe retired from law to take the plunge as a writer.

When not living the glamorous life of a romance author (i.e., chained to her computer), Samanthe keeps busy with the care and feeding of her extremely patient prince-charming of a husband, a not-so-patient ball of energy known as their son, a furry ninja named Kitty, and Bebe, the trash talkin’ Chihuahua. Their love, support, and willingness to eat Pizza Hut three or more times a week enables Samanthe to pursue her literary dreams.

 Website  ~  Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Goodreads

Release Event…Bound by Wish and Mistletoe by Kat Bastion

Bound by Wish and Mistletoe (Highlands Legends #1.5), holiday novella by Kat Bastion, is here!

See the guest post, enter the giveaway, and don’t forget to check out Forged in Dreams and Magick (Highlands Legends, #1) novel. It is also an Amazon Top 10 Time Travel Bestseller!

BBWAM Cover-1

(Highlands Legend, #1.5)

Release: November 5, 2013

Paranormal Romance / Highlander Romance / Holiday novella

Amazon|  Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

Synopsis:

Desperate to honor a life-long promise, Susanna MacEalan escapes her abusive clan with the fierce determination of never falling under the power of a man. Ever.

Aggravated by shallow-hearted pursuing lasses, Robert Brodie, commander of his clan’s elite guard, has foresworn scheming women. Forever.

When magick transforms Brodie Castle into a Christmas wonderland, the two despondent souls find solace in a most unexpected place . . . each other’s arms.

Amid a whirlwind of escalating events, Susanna’s traumatic past threatens Robert’s ability to protect the one woman meant for him. In a harrowing moment, as her fears and demons coalesce, will hope, faith, and love be enough to save them?

Excerpt:

Whatever power Robert possessed, it had more effect on Susanna than any amount of ale or spiced cider, casting her harrowing fears into faded memories. She had fallen under his spell and somehow couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. His incredible heat and power surrounded her, and all she wanted, what her body and heart, her very soul craved, was to be desired by him, to be protected by him . . . to be his.

“Doona move,” he warned, his voice rasping out, vibrating the skin of her throat.

A soft laugh escaped her lips. “I canna move.”

As he held her head back with her hair fisted in his hand, his devastating lips dragged down the side of her neck and across her shoulder, burning her skin with slow kisses along the way. An unquenchable fire built within her again, the ravenous need of her body overcoming lucid thought.

She swallowed hard. He seemed perfectly content to spend an eternity with his mouth on her shoulder blade. Unable to stand the increasing need within her, she squirmed beneath his hips, trying to ease the tension. For a moment, pleasure coursed through her, the friction against the rug creating a new, exciting sensation.

A loud growl at her ear and hard tug of her head back made her freeze. She whimpered, her scalp stinging, while a surprising erotic heat radiated down, stoking her building fire.

“I said, ‘doona move,’ and I meant it,” he clipped out.

“Robert, I canna help it. I need to move,” she replied.

“Aye, love,” he crooned, his heated breath trekking over the shell of her ear, “I know you do. Be patient. The reward is greater, the longer we wait.”

A heavy sigh whooshed out of her lungs, her feisty nature holding true no matter his wishes. His low chuckle followed.

Silken strands of his hair brushed across her shoulders as he placed his teeth on the skin between her shoulder and neck. He bit down into the muscle; but instead of hurting, an aching pulse shot straight between her thighs. She gasped in shock. He released the primal hold, licking the skin and blowing on it. Goose bumps raced down her body.

“Do you trust me, lass?”

Did she? No one had held her trust other than Mama. She never thought another soul could hold it. Not in her wildest imaginings would she have thought a man could . . . or would.

Forged in Dreams and Magick_Cover

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

Synopsis:

Isobel MacInnes wakes up in present-day California, lunches in medieval Scotland, and by ten days’ end, falls in love with a man and his country, only to lose them in a heart-wrenching twist of fate . . .

Found in the arms of her second soul mate . . .

Forced to balance the delicate strands of time between two millennia . . .

Shocked by revelations rewriting the very foundations of history . . . of everything.

Isobel, a rising-star archaeology student, is dropped into two ancient worlds without warning . . . or her permission. Her fiery spirit resists the dependency thrust upon her. Amid frustration at her lack of control, she helplessly falls in love. Twice.

She struggles to adjust to the unimaginable demands of two leaders of men—a laird in the thirteenth-century Highlands and a Pict chieftain in a more ancient Scotland. Isobel transforms from an academic, hell-bent on obtaining archaeological recognition, to a woman striving to care for those she loves, and ultimately . . . into a fearless warrior risking everything to protect them.

Giveaway:

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
  About the Author Shoe_PhotoKat Bastion is an award-winning paranormal romance writer, poetic warrior, and eternal optimist who loves getting lost in the beauty of nature. On a never-ending, wondrous path of self-discovery, Kat throws her characters into incredible situations with the hope that readers join her in learning more about the meaning of life and love. Her first published work, Utterly Loved, was shared with the world to benefit others. All proceeds from Utterly Loved, and a portion of the proceeds of all her other books, support charities who help those lost in this world. Kat lives with her husband amid the beautiful Sonoran Desert of Arizona. Visit her blog at www.talktotheshoe.com, her website at www.katbastion.com, and her Twitter account at https://twitter.com/KatBastion for more information. a Rafflecopter giveaway
 photo AToMRToursC66a-A00aT03a-Z_mdm_zpsa3cc6896.jpg

ARC Review….Cinderella Screwed Me Over by Cindi Madsen

I’m so happy to bring you my review of Cinderella Screwed Me Over by Cindi Madsen!  I hope you enjoy and be sure to stop back on November 29 when it’s my stop on the blog tour…

Cinderella Screwed Me Over-500

Book links:

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads 

Synopsis:

Darby Quinn has a bone to pick with Cinderella. Burned one too many times by ex-boyfriends, Darby has lost all belief in the happily-ever-after that the fairy-tale princess promised her. She’s sworn off love, Prince Charmings, and happy endings and she’s happy about it. Really. Or at least she was…until she met Jake, her gorgeous neighbor and the manager of her favorite restaurant. But Darby has rules about dating, ones she’s culled from her years spent with so-called “princes,” and starting something with Jake would break all of them.

Charming, fun, and unwilling to give up on her, Jake doesn’t fit any of the profiles Darby has created from her case studies of ex-princes-gone-bad. Finally presented with her own Prince Charming, can Darby take a chance on a happily-ever-after?

Full of wit and sarcastic humor, Cinderella Screwed Me Over proves that sometimes the perfect love, like a perfect pair of shoes, is just within your grasp.

 

My Review:

Cinderella Screwed Me Over is the newest release from author Cindi Madsen and the book that has turned me into a fan!  Fun, flirty and with the perfect amount of snark, this book was way too much fun!

Successful interior designer Darby Quinn has had her share of love…and her share of disappointment.  Now, in her mid-twenties she has learned a lot about love and a lot about how love can really, truly suck.  She has made a list of rules and requirements she lives by when it comes to her dating life, all have come to be as a result of the dating disasters of the past.  Of course, when she meets Jake, she immediately crosses him off the list of prospective dating material because he breaks, like, a bazillion of her rules.  Unfortunately, she runs into Jake more and more and she slowly starts to realize that maybe he’s worth bending some rules for.  Will he end up being just another lesson she was forced to learn in the game of love or will he turn out to be her exception to every rule?

I adored this book! I was completely hooked form the first page.  No joke.  This was a funny, quirky, snarky, Sex in the City-esque story with too many laugh out loud moments to count.  Darby is an absolute hoot!  She literally gives us her past boyfriends and measures each one up to a fairy-tale romance boyfriend and why they suck.  I totally couldn’t argue with all of her reasons for giving up on love and the reasons why she was ready to ditch the happy-ever-after.  She gave so many good and valid arguments.  Don’t count out the tender and romantic moments though.  Jake has more than a few tricks up his sleeve and is certain to be able to win any gal over, just be being himself.  He really is the total package and a total catch! But in the end, she really started to open up to the idea that not all guys are duds and, well, I can’t ruin it, but I will say that even the non-believers get a happy ending.

Cindi has such a great and unique way of writing.  I enjoyed every page and flew through this book without even realizing it!  To me, that’s a sign of a talented writer.  I felt like I was watching a two-hour chick flick with my girlfriends rather than reading a 400 page book, solo on my ipad.  I am now a Cindi Madsen fan girl and will be looking forward to her new releases.

If you’re looking for fun, then by all means get this book on your to-read list!  You will not be disappointed!  Thank you, Cindi!

 

4LovesRLBFour Loves

 

About the author:

Cindi Madsen sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children. She is the author of YA novels All the Broken Pieces and Demons of the Sun, adult contemporary romances Falling for Her Fiancé and Act Like You love Me, and the women’s fiction novel Cinderella Screwed Me Over.

Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Goodreads

Review….Tempting the Cowboy by Elizabeth Otto

TemptingtheCowboyCOVER

Book links:

Tempting the Cowboy: A Paint River Ranch Book (Entangled Indulgence) (Amazon)

Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads

 

Synopsis:

After taking a job on a quiet Montana dude ranch, ex-cop Rylan Frederickson finds herself surrounded by unbelievably sexy cowboys. Too bad the one she wants is her boss…and the single dad of a four-year-old. It doesn’t matter anyway, because after a recent tragedy, there’s simply no more room in her heart.

Letting a new woman into their life is the last thing Cole Haywood wants for him and his daughter, Birdie. But as Rylan’s presence at Paint River Ranch breathes new life into his family he can’t ignore his growing attraction.

When the sparks between them turn into fireworks in bed, Rylan’s torn between the family she’s lost and the one she may have found. Now she must decide if something that feels this good is worth the risk.

 

My review:

Tempting the Cowboy is the first book in a new series from author Elizabeth Otto, and oh my, what an amazing start!

Rylan Frederickson has had too much of her life taken away by tragedy and is looking to make a fresh start.  It’s that desire that leads her to Paint River Ranch.  Certain that a more simple life working as a housekeeper on the ranch is exactly what she needs to start to heal her hurt.  What she’s certain she doesn’t need is to deal with the gorgeous, sexy, yet ornery, co-owner of the ranch.  He’s an attraction she really can’t afford and even worse he’s a single dad of a beautiful four-year old little girl.  The combination of a handsome, doting father and an adorable, loving little girl represents what was taken away from her and what she could never have again.

Cole Haywood is a busy man these days.  Running his family’s ranch and being a single dad take up all of his waking hours, but he wouldn’t change a thing….except maybe adding the love of a good woman into the mix.  On second thought, maybe not.  He’d tried that route before and it didn’t turn out well.  It did, however, lead to a new section to the Paint River Ranch employee handbook.  No *ahem* relations with the staff.  Now, after meeting Rylan, the new housekeeper, he’s thinking that maybe that handbook needs another revision to remove that section.  Unfortunately there’s more than just a policy keeping him away from Rylan and he’s reminded every time that he looks at his little girl.  He can’t afford to make any mistakes and his focus needs to remain on his little girl, Birdie, and his ranch.  The question is, how long can the reasons to stay away from Rylan hold up?

The paths that Rylan and Cole have gone down lead them both to this crossroads in their lives and it seems like fate has led them here together.  Both equally wounded by love and life in the past, they don’t realize it right away, but eventually they will…that they can help each other heal and learn to love again.

I devoured this book.  I read it in just one sitting and loved every minute.  It starts out with Rylan and Cole not liking each other one bit and turns into a passion fueled romance that I adored.  Rylan’s story absolutely broke my heart and I wanted nothing more than for her to have a happy ending.  She deserved it more than I can say.  As a police officer, she was as tough as nails, but in her personal life she wasn’t strong enough and she’s paying for it now.  I really enjoyed seeing her emotional journey through this story and I cried through so much of the last part of this book…but, you know I love that!  Cole is an equally amazing character.  He is gruff and rugged with a gorgeous body and killer looks.  He carries around so much weight on his shoulders but carries it with dignity.  His loyalty to his family and his love for his little girl made him even more delicious than just a sexy cowboy.  Together, Cole and Rylan are a match made in heaven.  They rise above the lows life has given them and in the end, realize they have found love and another chance at a happily ever after.  Now, I will tell you that it isn’t an easy road and the last few chapters had me sobbing and my chest was aching but don’t worry, you’ll love the ending.  I promise!

Thank you, Elizabeth, for a fabulous story.  I am SO looking forward to more from this series and the Haywood boys!

5LovesRLBFive Loves

 

About the author:

I’m a small town girl, writing about small towns and country boys. I grew up riding my Appaloosa, Dreamie, bareback and barefoot, in cut-off shorts. Running through the thick Northwoods forests and swimming in weed-thick ponds was the perfect fodder for a beginning writer’s mind.

Website  ~  Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Goodreads 

ARC Review….Beautiful Player by Christina Lauren

 

Beautiful Player releases TODAY!

BeautifulPlayerCOVER

Book links:

Amazon  ~   Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads 

 

Synopsis:

In the third book in the Beautiful Bastard series, an agreement between a venture capitalist and a bookish woman quickly becomes a very NSFW version of My Fair Lady.

When Hanna “Ziggy” Bergstrom moves to New York City for graduate school, Will Sumner thinks his responsibilities to his best friend’s nerdy little sister will be limited to the occasional dinner and check-in. Little does he know that Ziggy is ready to break out of her bookworm academic shell and move more into bombshell territory. Of course she figures the gorgeous womanizing venture capitalist Will is the best person to help mentor her in this new field of study: dating.

Will takes on the challenge with more than a healthy dose of skepticism and humor, but soon finds that Ziggy just needed a tiny push, not a world of change, to reveal a woman every man seems to notice. Soon “Ziggy” is gone and the unfiltered, innocently seductive Hanna Bergstrom is hijacking his dreams, his moods, and even his orderly no-strings-attached dating life—beginning the night his mentoring activities move between the sheets.

 

My review:

Let me start by saying I’m a huge fan of Christina Lauren’s Beautiful Bastard Series.  I was so flipping excited when I got an early copy of Beautiful Player in the mail, but that excitement pales in comparison to the love I have for this book after finishing it.  Good Lord.  This book is by far my favorite in the series and has left me with a serious book hangover.

As much as she hates to admit it, Hanna Bergstrom knows her social life is seriously lacking.  She doesn’t need her family to point it out….but that’s exactly what they do on their latest visit to see her in NYC.  She’s too busy with grad school for a life and dating and all of the distractions that come with it.  Plus, she’s never really been good at the whole dating scene and hates the uncertainty of not knowing what guys like or what they want.  Her place was in the lab and with all things science related.  However, at the suggestion of her older brother, she reaches out to his childhood friend, and her first crush, Will Summer.  The thought of seeing Will again after all these years was slightly terrifying, if she’s being honest. He is tattooed, gorgeous, smooth, brilliant, successful, edgy, a combo that threatens to bring back all of those young girl crush feelings back to the surface.  Hanna was older now, and surely she could handle hanging out with a friend, right?  Maybe he could teach her the ropes of the dating world and help her gain her confidence with the male species.  Maybe she could lie to herself and deny she’s completely lost to Will the second she sees him….

Will Summer was happy to agree to see Ziggy, aka Hanna Bergstrom, after not seeing her for more than a few years.  Her family had been good to him since he was young and he owes them more than just a few casual meet-ups with his best friend’s younger sister.  He owes a lot of the man he is today to the Bergstrom family.  Things are going really well for him since he last saw her.  He’s successful and happy, not only with his career, but with his regular success with the ladies.  Being a fan of control and order, things are just the way Will likes them.  Imagine Will’s surprise wen he sees Ziggy and the woman she’s grown into and his immediate physical response to her when they meet early one morning for a run.  After spending just a short time with her, he realizes he’s reaction is not only to the beauty she has become but also to her amazing, honest, open, quirky and funny personality.  He may have made a promise to hang out with her, but can he make a promise to keep things strictly friend-zone only with her?  Not.   Freaking.  Likely.

My original review was going to read something like this:

   “Buy this book.  Buy this book. Buy this book. Buy this book. Buy this book.”

But I figured that although I really just want you to trust me, and buy this book, that I should probably write more than that.  Oh, I loved this story.  There were so many things I loved about this book.  Hanna is one of my favorite book gals ever.  She is brilliant, nerdy, funny, no, not just funny, HILARIOUSLY funny, open, real and just plain enjoyable to read.  Will is delicious.  The fact that he’s also brilliant and tattooed under a suit and tie was enough to have me swooning.  Together the relationship they have is enviable.  What starts out as something innocent turns into something so detectably scorching that I have complete sections of this book that moved to the top of my favorite scenes list.  Not only were the scenes hot, but also Hanna’s yearning to learn what makes sex so enjoyable added an honest and open aspect to their relationship that made things so intense. Hanna making Will tell her exactly what he wanted, or Will making her say exactly what she wants him to do….I just have no words.  I actually had chills reading some of their interactions.  Even the scenes with their clothes on had such an amazing feel.  I just loved everything about this book.  There wasn’t anything I didn’t like or even one paragraph that I didn’t savor.  Have I mentioned I have a serious book hangover right now?  *pout*

I also loved seeing our other Beautiful Bastard cast members….Max, Sara, Bennett and Chloe.  They were all there along the way and gave some great advice when Hanna and Will needed it.

Now, here we are at the end of my review and my final thoughts for you all are:  BUY.  THIS.  BOOK.   Thank you Christina and Lauren for my favorite book in your series and for giving us Hanna and Will, a book couple I won’t ever forget.

 

5LovesRLBFive Loves

 

About the authors:

Christina Lauren author picChristina Hobbs & Lauren Billings write under the combined pen-name of Christina Lauren. Separated by the pesky state of Nevada, these co-author besties talk several times a day, agree that Ruby Pumps is the best nail polish color ever, and would, if given the choice, spend all day staring at the ocean from the San Clemente pier.

Facebook  ~  Goodreads  ~  Website  ~  Christina Twitter  ~  Lauren Twitter

Blog Tour & Review…Getting Rowdy by Lori Foster

It’s my stop on the Getting Rowdy by Lori Foster Blog Tour and I’m so happy to be a part of the fun!

Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoy my review…..and be sure to check out the super yummy book trailer below!

image001-1

Book links:

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads

Follow the rest of the tour HERE

Synopsis:

An alpha hero’s attraction to the one woman he can’t have could draw him into a killer’s snare in the sizzling new novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster

Charismatic bar owner Rowdy Yates isn’t the kind of man women say no to. So when he approaches waitress Avery Mullins, he fully expects to get her number. However, the elusive beauty has her reasons for keeping her distance—including a past that might come back to haunt them both.

Avery spends her nights working for tips… and trying to forget the secret Rowdy is determined to unearth. But when history threatens to repeat itself, Avery grows to rely on Rowdy’s protective presence. As the sparks between them ignite, she will be forced to choose between the security she’s finally found… and the passion she’s always wanted.

 

My review:

Getting Rowdy is book three in Lori Foster’s Love Undercover series.  Being a Lori Foster fan, and after seeing the eye candy on this cover, I was really looking forward to this book and I gotta say…I think this may be my favorite book of the series so far!

Bartender Avery Mullins has been quietly lusting after bar owner Rowdy Yates for a little while now and she would love nothing more than to act on that lust, throw caution to the wind and spend a hot night with him.  But there’s more than one thing holding her back from acting on that.  First, there’s the little issue of Rowdy’s extra curricular activities with the ladies and his reputation as a ladies man, and second, there’s the issue of Avery’s less than memorable past.  It’s that less than memorable past, however, that will leave Avery no other choice than to trust Rowdy and accept his help, which leads Avery’s feelings from lust to something much deeper.

Avery Mullins is slowly killing Rowdy Yates.  Well, not literally, but every time she shuts down his advances, he swears the build up of his attraction for her will end up killing him.  He’s not looking for long term by any means but he is dying for just a taste of her.  There’s something about her he is drawn to and with every day he sees he in his bar, it gets stronger.  Little does Rowdy know that they have way more in common than just a mutual attraction.  While he’s used to his craptastic past pushing people away once they learn about it, he has a feeling it may be the sort of thing that Avery may be able to relate to.  She’s definitely hiding something and when he sets out to figure out what it is, it puts them on a path that will lead to much more than a one-night stand.

So, as I had said, I love Lori’s writing.  She does the alpha male so well and Rowdy Yates is one of the best.  I will admit, I was nervous about starting this book, because I wasn’t in love with the previous book in this series….BUT, this book totally turned it back around for me.  The fire between Avery and Rowdy was a delicious slow build to a full on inferno.  The two of them together are smoking hot!  Avery was hesitant to start anything with Rowdy, and I couldn’t blame her.  His reputation for being a ladies man was legendary and with girls constantly falling at his feet nightly at the bar, I would have felt exactly the way Avery did.  She held her ground with him and I really admired her for that.  Then, when I found out about her past, I admired her even more.  She stood up for what she believed in and had to leave her old life, and family, behind to make things better for her.  Unfortunately that past comes back to bite her in the ass, but Rowdy is there to help her and damn if it didn’t make me adore him!

Rowdy is the damaged hero with a terribly sad childhood that broke my heart, but it turned him into the man he is today, and it’s a pretty great one.  He reminds me of a Robin Hood of sorts.  Doing what’s needed to do to make things better for the less fortunate, but not always in the most legal of ways. Oh, and do I need to mention the cover again!?! Drool worthy doesn’t even begin to cover it. The two of them took a really crappy situation and used it to build a relationship that I’m sure will stand the test of time.

The mystery that surrounding Avery has an ending I totally didn’t see coming and I loved feeling the surprise at the end of the book! Well done on that, Lori! Oh, and the introduction of a kick ass character named Cannon has me DYING to see more of him! DYING I tell you!

All in all, I really enjoyed this book.  It was hot, mysterious, emotional and entertaining.  I definitely recommend for a spot on your reading list!  Thank you, Lori, for another fantastic read.

 

4LovesRLBFour Loves

 

About the author:

image003-1Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a Waldenbooks, Borders, USA TODAY, Publishers Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. She also received the Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Series Romantic Fantasy and Contemporary Romance.

Lori believes it is important to give back to the community as much as possible, so she routinely arranges events among authors and readers to gather donations for various organizations.

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