ARC Review….Falling for the Marine by Samanthe Beck

Falling for the Marine releases today!

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Book links:

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads 

Synopsis:

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 theyre 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?

 

My review:

Falling for the Marine is the second book in Samanthe Beck’s McCade Brothers series and follows Lover Undercover, a book I freaking loved.  Well, Samanthe has done it again….I fell for the marine in the very first chapter!  This book was yummy goodness!!

Having a whole lot of not-so-great in her life, Chloe Kincaid is ready to turn her luck around.  Looks like lady luck has another idea in mind, however.  Chloe finds herself in a *cough* compromising position and is handcuffed to her bed frame…with the keys having fallen down her HVAC vent.  With no other option, she yells for help and is rescued by her hot and sexy neighbor.  After that debacle, she plans on avoiding him at all costs but when he shows up on her massage table to deal with an injury, clearly she realizes avoiding him isn’t an option.  Lady luck ends up having the last laugh when circumstances between Chloe and her hottie neighbor lead to faking an engagement….that in turn leads to some very NOT fake feelings between them.  Has Chloe’s luck finally turned around?

Never having had to deal with physical limitations, USMC Major and helicopter pilot Michael McCade is not happy being grounded after a lower back injury.  Things start to look up, however, after he walks into his therapy appointment and finds the delicious damsel in distress he rescued the other night as his massage therapist. But when things get too hot during their session, he has to rescue her again….apparently there’s only specific, above the belt touching allowed during a massage.  Feeling responsible for Chloe’s current situation, which involves a lack of a job and apartment, he invites her to stay with him until she gets back on her feet.  Unfortunately his chivalrous actions end up going much further when his CO finds out about his living arrangements.  Shacking up with a girl is kinda frowned upon…well, unless that girl was his fiancée.  Problem solved! If only it was that easy. Soon Michael starts to have dreams of Chloe being his real fiancée….can he convince her what they have may be real after all?

The undeniable and instant attraction between Chloe and Michael was intense and delicious.  Chloe had more than a few admirable qualities about her. She had great optimism despite being unlucky in love before.  She has a free spirit but in the end, knows she needs to put her heart on the line.  Michael is the ultimate loyal, responsible, big-hearted alpha male with looks to kill.  On the flip side, his vulnerability shows with his injury and it made me love him even more.  He figures Chloe out almost instantly and calls her out when she tries to shut down.  Their personalities work so well together and it was such a treat to be able to see their relationship grow into something very real.  There were more than a few fun peculiarities in their relationship that I adored and the very end was abso-freaking-loutley PERFECT!  I laughed and cried and was so happy with the way Samanthe wrote Michale and Chloe’s book ending.  Pure perfection for a couple that started out quite the opposite!

Samanthe has a way about her writing that pulls the reader in from the very beginning and holds that interest until the end….I love that.  I will be looking for more from her and can’t wait to see what else she has in store for the yummy McCade brothers!  Thank you, Ms. Beck, for another marvelous read!

 

5LovesRLBFive Loves

 

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

Book Tour & Review….Never Let Go by Scarlett Edwards

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Welcome to my stop on the Never Let Go by Scarlett Edwards Book Tour!

Please enjoy my review and be sure to enter the amazing tour wide giveaway happening.  

Prizes include:

20 eBook copies / 10 Audio copies /5 hard cover copies / 4 $50 GCs (prepaid Visa cards, redeemable anywhere) / 2 $100 GCs  / 1 Kindle Paperwhite (newest version)    

OPEN INTERNATIONALLY   

ENDS NOVEMBER 1

Thanks so much for stopping by.

NeverLetGoCover

Title:   Never Let Go

Author:  Scarlett Edwards

Genre: New Adult Romance

Purchase Links:

Add to Goodreads

Synopsis:

The start of college heralds new beginnings and new friendships. It gives every girl a chance to reinvent herself.

I go and screw mine up by meeting the most gorgeous guy I’ve laid eyes on in five years while talking to my cat outside my dorm.

But Andrew Crowner is far from judgmental. After helping me move my things to my room, he has me smitten by his easy manners and kind smile. And from the way his eyes linger on me before he leaves, I start to think that maybe I’ve caught his attention, too.

I let myself believe that luck might finally be on my side until I stumble upon my roommate… and her overnight guest.

Spencer Ashford.

Lean and tattooed, sexy as sin and dangerous, Spencer is exactly the type I want to avoid. I would have no trouble with that… were it not for his swift and inexplicable interest in me.

In the span of a week, I go from a girl with next-to-no experience with boys to one caught in the cross hairs of two totally different men.

Andrew’s interest is wholesome and sweet. Spencer’s is edgy and raw. The choice should be easy. But there are always complications, and sometimes, matters of the heart take the least expected turns.

 

My review:

Never Let Go is the first book in a new series from author Scarlett Edwards and gives us an emotional, intense and delicious start.

Paige is starting her first year at college and it’s definitely a new beginning and a fresh start for her.  Something she didn’t exactly think she’d find herself, however, is torn between two very different but equally attractive guys.  Andrew is the all-American, clean cut guy next door while Spencer is the sexy, tattooed guy with a reputation the certainly precedes him.  Now, not only is Paige trying to navigate life on her own, she’s trying to navigate very foreign feelings for two different guys.  Will she end up with either one of them?

Never Let Go was an emotional story with bits of mystery surrounding all of the main characters, which really added to the story as a whole.  Paige had gone through some things in her life, it was clear from the beginning, but we didn’t really find out until later in the book exactly what events had transpired that made her who she was today.  I enjoyed that aspect.  The same went for Spencer and Andrew.  There was clearly a history between them and that mystery lasted almost the whole book.  When we did find out, it was a total “WHOA” moment that really made a lot of pieces fall neatly into place.  Pieces that I really didn’t even realize were there.   Paige was a likeable girl with a smart head on her shoulders and wasn’t all starry eyed and boy crazy which added to her charm.  She made these guys really work to earn her friendship and a big high-five to that.  Spencer had me wanting to hate him with his (I hate to say it) semi-womanizing ways, but I could tell there was more to him and I am glad I gave him a chance.  Andrew was my first choice for Paige but, the exact opposite of what I felt for Spencer, I felt like there was something off with him and that he was too good to be true.  I won’t tell you what the final verdict was, but I will say that the back and forth feelings I had for these two guys lasted almost the entire book.  That, to me, is the sign of great writing.

Now, I have to at least warn you all that this book did have a bit of a cliffhanger ending.  Some issues were indeed resolved, but we are left kind of hanging.  The ending isn’t as abrupt as most cliffhanger endings, but I did feel like it should qualify as one.  I don’t mind them in the least, but I know some of you do so I felt I should mention it.

All in all this was a great read with lots of back and forth emotion that I really enjoyed.  I can’t wait for book 2 in the series and see how life is going for Paige!  Thank you, Scarlett, for an emotional and entertaining book with some delicious man candy!

4LovesRLBFour Loves

 

Giveaway:

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About the author:

ScarlettEdwardsPicI’m Scarlett Edwards.  I wrote my first book as a college sophomore.  After six months of edits, it made its debut as Yours to Savor.

That was at the start of 2013.  I’ve written more books since then.  You can find them all here.

It’s funny how quickly life changes.  I used to think I’d need a degree to get a “Real Job.”  Then I wrote a few books, they got somewhat popular, and now I’m living the life as a full-time romance author.

Thanks to all my readers for making my dream come true.

Website | Amazon Author Page | Goodreads

Entangled Edge’s October Releases

Edge, a digital-first single-title romance line from Entangled Publishing, takes its lead from our popular Select imprint but gives its novels an edge in the marketplace by bringing great stories to readers at reasonable prices in a quick-and-easy way. Whether sexy or sweet, traditional romance or love and lust with a women’s fiction bent, at the center of every Edge book is heart. From Urban Fantasy to Contemporary Romance to Science Fiction Romance, Edge has a book for all romance readers—and right at their fingertips! As they say, all’s fair in love and war. To find out more about our titles, chat with authors, participate in special events, and to find out what books are coming next, visit the Entangled website, follow us on Twitter, and like our Facebook page.

Today I’m happy to be featuring Edge’s October releases!!

Dark Angel by TJ Bennett

When young widow Catherine Briton is washed ashore, the sole survivor of a violent shipwreck, all she wants is to go home to London. But injured as she is, she can’t escape when a shadowy stranger rescues her and takes her to his castle—where she’s healed with suspicious, almost magical speed.

The more time Catherine spends in the castle, the more her curiosity rises where her fiercely handsome new “master,” Gerard, is concerned. As she begins to investigate, though, her discoveries only bring more questions. It seems Gerard isn’t the only one on the island keeping secrets…

The small town is full of strange mysteries and townspeople who know more than they should about her. And when a hulking beast that stalks the nearby hills and valleys catches up to her, Catherine must figure out what’s going on before it’s too late.

Far Too Tempting by Lauren Blakely

Jane Black has written the break-up album of the century, earning her a Grammy, a huge legion of new fans, and the pressure to repeat her success. Sure, the heartbreak from her husband’s unconventional abandonment might have been her inspiration, but it hasn’t done her any favors in the dating department. So when Matthew Harrigan, the toughest music journalist out there, asks for an interview, Jane agrees—as long as her personal life is completely off-limits.

British, gorgeous, and way too tempting, Matthew’s the first guy Jane’s been attracted to since her husband. As she spends more time with him and their relationship heats up, though, so does her writer’s block. How can the queen of the break-up pen the perfect follow-up when she’s seriously in love?

Hunter’s Moon by Lisa Kessler
Moon #2

Sasha’s future was stolen from her the moment she was bitten. Now she’s on the run from the Nero Organization that transformed her from a human detective into a shape shifting jaguar assassin.

When a rogue bounty hunter threatens her younger sister, she’ll be forced to fight, and with nowhere else to turn, Sasha will need to trust the one man who has every reason to want her dead.

Aren is a werewolf with a secret. While protecting his twin brother and Alpha of the Pack, he found his one mate for life. Sadly she’s also the jaguar assassin who tried to kill them both. Now Aren is struggling between his animal nature to love and protect her, and his loyalty to the Pack.

Undying Embrace by Jessica Lee
Enclave #2

Arran MacLain is a vampire on a suicide mission, driven to kill his former partner who betrayed him and the Enclave they served. But two things stand in his way: Gabrielle, the human female who holds his heart, and the past that won’t let him go. If only death was enough to cleanse his soul.

Gabrielle Steven’s sister is missing. Her hunt for clues brings her face to face with the one vampire she can’t forget. Their missions combine and thrust them into the heart of evil. Will their passion be enough to overcome the pain from their past, or will their dark desires destroy them both?


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Guest Review……Selene reviews Possession by J.R. Ward

Possession Cover

Book links:

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads

Synopsis:

When Cait Douglass resolves to get over her broken heart, throw off her inhibitions, and start really living, she’s unprepared for the two sensual men who cross her path. Torn between them, she doesn’t know which to choose–or what kind of dire consequences could follow.

Jim Heron, fallen angel and reluctant savior, is ahead in the war, but he puts everything at risk when he seeks to make a deal with the devil–literally. As yet another soul is unwittingly caught in the battle between him and the demon Devina, his fixation on an innocent trapped in Hell threatens to sidetrack him from his sacred duty…

Can good still prevail if true love makes a savior weak? And will a woman’s future be the key, or the curse, for all of humanity? Only time, and hearts, will tell.

 

Selene’s Review:

I will admit here and now that Possession is my absolute favorite book of the series.

I will also freely admit that it has 99.9% to do with the fact that my favorite character from anything EVER, John Matthew of J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, made a cameo appearance. WOW. One mention of his muscular buttocks and I’m in heaven!!!

So many deliciously wonderful things happen in this book – not necessarily all good, but so very fascinating and even downright shocking!

J.R. Ward is the queen of interweaving story arcs and character interactions and this is very present in Possession. She reminds us of everything that has happened so far in the novels without making the new series of events suffer as a result. The only small, miniscule gripe I had (and have had with this author) is that I would have liked to see more of the main couple; they sometimes get a little drowned out by the other equally as intriguing story lines.

Female protagonist, and former brunette, Cait Douglass is probably one of the more relatable female leads in the series so far. She’s imperfect but very kind, caring, mature, and incredibly protective, as seen during the intense climax of the story. She’s strong, but not the in-your-face kind of way – she makes her own choices, discounting obstacles that may sway her decisions. Plus, she has two very, very scrumptious men after her.

Enter G.B.; long, lean, gorgeous, irresistibly charming, and a presence that you cannot escape.

Enter Duke; big, muscular, temperamental, and so singularly focused he’d make you feel like the only thing in the universe.

These brothers (big shock) are similar in their wants, namely Cait, but so very different in every other way conceivable. So when single lady Cait meets both in one significant evening, it’s easy to understand that she would want to spend time with both. Fortunately for Duke, and us readers, she decides to *erm* get to know Duke a whole lot better. Whereas G.B. eventually makes Cait, and the audience, feel uneasy, Duke has us all leaning in our seats for just one more tiny little glimpse of him. From the start, Ward has us rooting for them to get together and, in the end, they almost miss their chance. Luckily, the author, as well as myself, loves happily ever afters so we do get to see those two come together… while G.B. takes a trip down south.

I absolutely cannot get enough of the heaven vs. hell match featuring heavy contenders Jim, Devina, Adrian, Sissy, Eddie, the ever-amusing archangels, and, of course, Dog. I could go on and on about the shocking revelations and the amount of detail that J.R. Ward provides us with in Possession but instead what I’ll do is demand you go out and read this book!

I’d almost give my soul to have the next installment in my greedy little hands already…

 

5LovesRLB Five Loves

 

About the author:

Jessica Rowley Pell Bird was born on 1969 in Massachusetts, USA. She is the daughter of Maxine F. and W. Gillette Bird, Jr. She began writing as a child, penning her thoughts in diaries as well as inventing short stories. She read her first Harlequin Presents novel in a rose garden when she was in her teens. She was hooked immediately. By the time she went to college, she had boxes and boxes of Harlequins and Silhouettes. Every year, her mother would ask why all those books had to live in the house and Jess would reply that if even one of them disappeared she would know. (She’d catalogued them.)

Jess finished her first romance manuscript the summer before her freshman year of college. She attended Smith College and graduated with a double major in history and art history. She then received a law degree from Albany Law School. Shortly after that, she began working in the healthcare industry in Boston. She spent many years as one of the premier medical center’s Chief of Staff. While working as a lawyer in Boston, she completed two novels more and started a number of partials. In 2001, Bird married John Neville Blakemore III. Both her mother and her new husband kept telling her to send something in to an agent, a publisher, the Tooth Fairy, anyone. She thought they were nuts, but eventually got her nerve up and bought a lot of stamps. Since getting published, she has written contemporary romances as Jessica Bird and paranormal romances as J. R. Ward. She has been a Rita Award finalist, received two Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice nominations and has been a HOLT medallion finalist.

New England born and bred, Jess is surprised to find herself living south of the Mason Dixon line. (But that’s what happens when you marry a Southern gentleman.) She and her husband live with their golden retriever, who oversees her writing in a supervisory role.

ARC Review…..Bad Idea by Damon Suede

Bad Idea COVER

Book links:

Goodreads  ~  Dreamspinner Press

Synopsis:

Some mistakes are worth making.

Reclusive comic book artist Trip Spector spends his life doodling super-square, straitlaced superheroes, hiding from his fans, and crushing on his unattainable boss until he meets the dork of his dreams. Silas Goolsby is a rowdy FX makeup creator with a loveless love life and a secret streak of geek who yearns for unlikely rescues and a truly creative partnership.

Against their better judgment, they fall victim to chemistry, and what starts as infatuation quickly grows tender and terrifying. With Silas’s help, Trip gambles his heart and his art on a rotten plan: sketching out Scratch, a “very graphic novel” that will either make his name or wreck his career. But even a smash can’t save their world if Trip retreats into his mild-mannered rut, leaving Silas to grapple with betrayal and emotions he can’t escape.

What will it take for this dynamic duo to discover that heroes never play it safe?

 

My review:

Prologue:

No, that’s not a typo.  Yes, this may be the only review in the history of reviews that has a prologue, but I feel like a bit of backstory was needed here. You see, this story holds a HUGE spot in my heart.  Ginormous. It all began when my good friend, Rina, and I went to NYC for the day and were able to spend some time with Damon.  We had known him for a bit at that point and absolutely LOVE spending time with him.  He’s pretty incredible.   Rina and I were gearing up for a zombie run we were participating in a few weeks after being in NYC and naturally, this came up at lunch.  Zombies and burgers really go well together, apparently.  Anyway, here we are, chatting it up with Damon and talking about this crazy zombie run and apparently the thought of us running through the woods like loons being chased by people dressed as zombies sparked an idea.  So when you read this book, and you really do need to read this book, you may notice some familiar character names, oh say like, Jillian and Rina.  Yep….that’s us.  There are also two guys in this story who are quite familiar to me, Ben and Max….my real life husband and son.  So now you can see why this story holds such a huge spot in my heart.  Damon has not only written one hell of a story, he’s given me a tremendous gift in giving me the honor of being included in his work.  For that, I will be forever grateful and I have no words to describe what an honor it is.

Now, don’t worry, my review isn’t the slightest bit biased, I promise. I will admit that I was a bit nervous to read it, because what if I hated it and had to write a not-so-hot review!? Luckily, Damon is a talent beyond measure and gave me nothing but good things to write a review on……so, enjoy!

 

My review:

Bad Idea is the newest work from author Damon Suede and I was SO excited to be able to read an early copy.  Well, the excitement only grew from there and with every page after….this book was incredible.

Trip Spector is an uber talented comic book artist with an unhealthy crush on his straight editor and the secret longing to draw something other than the comic he has been drawing for years.  But Trip can’t bring himself to ditch the status quo.  He really is thankful for the success he has but it seems like something’s gotta give.  He’s not happy…really, truly happy.  His two best friends have been trying to get him into a relationship for what seems like forever, but he just can’t bring himself to jump into that just yet.  Show all his quirks and his insecurities with dating and life to a stranger?  Not likely.  Well, that’s until he’s dragged to a zombie run by those two best friends and meets Silas….suddenly the notion of staying single seems as ridiculous as a zombie not eating brains.

Special FX makeup artist Silas Goolsby has just about had it with his empty sex life and may be ready to look for something more.  He can hardly believe it himself, if he’s being honest.  But he’s had his share of meaningless fun and is ready to find someone to share his zest for life with.  He knows right away when he meets the shy, sneezing, allergy-laden Trip at the zombie run that he may have met just the guy he’s been looking for.  Now, he’s just gotta throw caution to the wind and make it happen.

The beautiful thing about Silas and Trip’s story is that is it just so real.  The feelings, emotions and insecurities are things most of us have gone through when starting a relationship.  It’s what Silas and Trip decide to do with all of that baggage that is a treat to read.  There were so many parts during this book that I hurt for these two. I wanted to hug Trip and reassure him that he was so amazing and to give love a chance.  I wanted to sit down with Silas and tell him to just bear with Trip and I had faith that everything would be ok.  That’s just how real they were to me.  I can’t think of any book couple that balances one another out more beautifully than Trip and Silas do.  Where Trip is shy, Silas is outspoken.  Where Trip is hesitant, Silas goes for it.  The best part though was seeing Trip’s personal growth thanks to Silas and their relationship.

The rest of the cast of characters is equally as fabulous.  Jillian and Rina are strong and loyal friends who love Trip like family and want only the best for him and for him to find real happiness.  Even one of the love-to-hate characters turned out to be a favorite of mine in the end.  So much depth was written into each personality, it played out like a movie in my head while I was reading.  I could picture it all.

I also want to add that the geeky, quirky aspects of this story were like pop culture gold!  So different and fun and fresh….I loved it.

In the end, this book left such a lasting impression on me.  I laughed and I cried and I fell I love with Trip and Silas.  Thank you, Damon….for giving us the gift of Bad Idea.

 

to sum it up:  Quirky and fun, emotional and sexy….Bad Idea was all that and so much more. It plays out like a romantic comedy chock full of comic books, superheroes and pop culture starring colorful and charming characters with easily relatable emotional baggage and relationship hang-ups.  I adored Trip and Silas.  I laughed with them and cried with them and they go down as one of my favorite book couples EVER.

 

5LovesRLBFive Loves

 

About the author:

DS-Spring12 200Damon Suede grew up out-n-proud deep in the anus of right-wing America, and escaped as soon as it was legal. Having lived all over (Houston, New York, London, Prague), he’s earned his crust as a model, a messenger, a promoter, a programmer, a sculptor, a singer, a stripper, a bookkeeper, a bartender, a techie, a teacher, a director… but writing has ever been his bread and butter. He has been happily partnered for nearly a decade with the most loving, handsome, shrewd, hilarious, noble man to walk this planet.

Damon’s first novel was published by Dreamspinner Press in 2011. Though new to M/M, he is an award-winning author who has been writing for print, stage, and screen for two decades, which is both more and less glamorous than you might imagine. He’s won some awards, but he counts his blessings more often: his amazing friends, his demented family, his beautiful husband, his loyal fans, and his silly, stern, seductive Muse who keeps whispering in his ear, year after year.

Cravings: sweetness that isn’t sentimental, wit that isn’t bitter, strength that isn’t cruel. Loathings: professional victims, half-assery, clichés. Damon is a proud member of the Romance Writers of America and the Rainbow Romance Writers. He would love to hear from you… you can get in touch with him here.

Email  ~  DamonSuede.com  ~  Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Dreamspinner Press  ~  Amazon  ~  The Romance Reviews(less)

 

ARC Review….Connectivity by Aven Ellis

connectivity850x1275@300dpi

Book links:

 Goodreads

 

Synopsis:

Overachiever Mary-Kate Grant (who is indeed named after an Olsen Twin) has followed every rule to the letter to pursue her dream of working in TV programming. Ripping a page from the “hard work pays off” playbook, she takes an assistant level job at a Chicago sports network to break into the industry.

MK has no time or desire for a relationship right now—she is totally focused on her career and being independent, unlike the other women in her family.

But MK’s plans are run through the shredder when she finds herself working for William Cumberland, a British media mogul who made his fortune with Connectivity, a social media site. William blows into Chicago just like the winds off Lake Michigan and purchases the group of networks MK works for—and makes her his personal assistant in the process.

Suddenly MK finds her career plans in jeopardy. William makes her question everything she has ever thought and has the uncanny ability to see right through her. And for the first time in her life, MK finds herself not only questioning what she wants for her career but for her personal life as well…

 

My review:

Connectivity is the debut work from author Aven Ellis and is by far, one of the best debuts I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

Educated and career driven, Mary Kate Grant has gotten her foot in the door working at a sports network with the hopes of fulfilling her dreams of working for a widely known home and garden network.  When a young British media tycoon buys the network, she tries her best to make a good first impression, but instead ends up making a bumbling fool of herself.  Lucky for her, it’s a lasting impression and she soon finds herself as his personal assistant, which leads to much more than she ever could have dreamed of.

Talk about a feel good, funny and charming read.  Aven Ellis has such personality packed in her pages and I enjoyed every single second of this book.  Mary Kate, or MK as she is better known, is an adorable, clumsy, witty and endearing gal with a solid head on her shoulders.  Totally a gal I could see myself being friends with.  She also has a bit of bad luck when it comes to trying to make a good impression and had my laughing out loud so many times just within the first chapter that I instantly fell in love with her.  That’s tough to do with me, since I don’t really love a whole lot of heroines.  William is a classic Brit with manners and charm set to a cool and controlled attitude.  He has come from an equally fortunate and unfortunate upbringing that has shaped the brilliant businessman he is today and also has made him leery of people and close relationships.  But don’t worry; it’s not the deeply disturbing back-story that so many books these days tend to gravitate toward.  Thank God, right?  I think I’ve just about had my fill of the deeply scarred billionaire hero.  William is anything but.  He’s just very controlled and honest with himself.  He knows himself well…so does MK and that makes them so suitable for each other.  They are both focused solely on their careers and that makes their desire for one another, and a relationship, such a surprise for both of them.  The relationship starts off strictly business and slowly grows into much more and is beautifully done.  MK and William have an evenly matched wit that brings a delightful facet to their relationship and makes reading their conversations and interactions pretty freaking fantastic.  They really “get” one another and it works so well in building a friendship into more.  This really is a modern day fairy tale and has so much love and tenderness.  Really, really well written and such a joy to watch grow.

Add deliciously loving moments, two truly likable characters and throw in some laugh-out-loud funny parts for a total package of reading WIN! This definitely needs a spot on your to-read list because every once in a while, it’s great to read a tried and true romance.  Thank you, Aven, for Connectivity!  I am really looking forward to see what else you have in store for us!

 

5LovesRLBFive Loves

 

About the author:

305735_174313112726906_715903293_nAven Ellis has been writing fiction since she was sixteen. She studied communications at a large Midwestern university, and after graduation, Aven worked as a reporter for a community newspaper, followed by a stint at a public relations agency.

But writing about city council meetings and restaurant franchises was not as much fun as writing for young women trying to figure out their careers and potential boyfriends. So Aven got herself a job in television that allowed her to write at night. Connectivity is Aven’s debut novel; Waiting For Prince Harry and Chronicles of a Lincoln Park Fashionista (New Adult romantic comedy) will be published next year.

Aven lives in Dallas with her family. When she is not writing, Aven enjoys shopping, cooking, connecting with friends on social media, and watching any show that features Gordon Ramsay.

 

Goodreads  ~  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook 

Worth the Fight by Vi Keeland…Launch Day Event and ARC Review

It’s release day for WORTH THE FIGHT by Vi Keeland and I am so happy to be a part of the fun!

Along with some teasers and the rafflecopter for a fab giveaway, you will find my review…I loved this book!! 

Enjoy! 

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Add Worth the Fight to your TBR list on Goodreads HERE 

Synopsis:

It didn’t matter that the ref called it a clean hit. Nico Hunter would never be the same.

Elle has a good life. A job she loves, a great apartment, and the guy she’s been dating for more than two years is a catch and a half. But it’s boring…and she strives to keep it that way. Too many emotions are dangerous. Her own past is living proof of what can happen when you lose control.

Then Nico walks into Elle’s office and everything changes…for both of them. But what can the tattooed, hard-bodied MMA fighter and the beautiful and always steady attorney have in common? A lot more than they bargained for.

 

My review:

Worth the Fight is the first book in author Vi Keeland’s MMA Fighter Series and the synopsis had me completely hooked.  Oh boy, did this story live up to my expectations…..it was excellent.

Attorney Elle James’ life is pretty good and relatively normal these days.  A great job in a small firm with a great boss, a handsome and successful boyfriend and a nice apartment.  Pretty normal and pretty bland. A big difference from the childhood she lived through. Those are the years she would love to forget.  Those are also the years that shaped her into the woman she was today….and also why she craves normal and bland.  It was safe and that meant a lot to her.  Of course, just when she is settled in her normal, safe life, MMA fighter Nico Hunter walks into her firm and immediately she knows things aren’t going to be normal and boring where he was concerned.  Suddenly safe and bland aren’t what she yearns for….

Nico Hunter hasn’t been in the cage for eighteen months.  It was in a fight eighteen months ago when his life changed forever, and not for the good.  Now, he’s gearing up for his return into the MMA fighting world.  His body is fine-tuned and ready to go….his mental state?  Not so much.  When he meets Elle, he can’t deny the instant connection he has with her.  Boyfriend or not, he has to have her.  After spending some time together, he soon realizes she may be the one to help him tame his inner demons.  He has no idea how right he is and can’t even begin to imagine the kind of connection they end up sharing.  Will they both be able to let go of their haunted pasts and move forward into the future….together?

When I hosted the cover reveal for Vi, I was immediately drawn in with the teasers she shared for the post and was so excited to get a chance to read this book.  Well, I didn’t just read it…I devoured it. Nico is the ultimate contradiction…a hard-bodied alpha male with a heart as big as the cage he fights in and a soft side that would make a teddy bear jealous.  His sex appeal is second to none and his personality leapt off the pages.  Damn that man is fiiiiiiiine!  Elle is a gal I admired greatly.  She’s worked really hard to move past the nightmare she lived as a child and she really has a good head on her shoulders.  She’s smart and knows herself really well.  She also was amazing at taking a chance on Nico.  She didn’t balk at his advances, instead she recognized there was a thrill she felt with him and wanted to grab it and explore where it took her.  Together, they hold each other up when each needs it most.  So many touching and tender moments happen between them.  It was an emotional ride for sure!

I have to say, I think Vi did a fantastic job at giving the reader pieces of information throughout the story that all fit together perfectly in the end.  It was as if we lived Elle and Nico’s growing relationship right along side them.  I also adored what she did at the very end!  A very cute way of wrapping things up.

Thank you, Vi, for an amazing start to a series I will absolutely be keeping up with!  I cannot wait for book two!

5LovesRLBFive Loves

 

Worth the Fight excerpt pic - Nico on Elle

Worth the Fight Excerpt - Elle on Nico

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Worth the Fight Dream Cast

About the author:

Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn’t change for the world. She is a bookworm and has been known to read her kindle at stop lights, while styling her hair, cleaning, walking, during sporting events, and frequently while pretending to work.  She is a boring attorney by day, and an exciting USA Today Best Selling smut author by night!

Facebook  ~  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Goodreads

Email: vikeeland@gmail.com

Blog Tour & Guest Post….Beautiful Broken by Nazarea Andrews

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It’s my stop on the Beautiful Broken Blog Tour and I am so happy to have Nazarea Andrews on the blog this morning with a fab guest post!

Nazarea is also hosting an amazing giveaway (be sure to enter to win in the rafflecopter below)…..ENJOY!

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Buy links:

Amazon  ~  Paperback  ~  Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:

She’s been broken by her past. He’s been breaking for as long as he can remember.

Together, they can make each other whole–or destroy each other.

When his best friend asks for something, Dane rarely says no. But babysitting a newly sober Scout Grimes for three weeks isn’t exactly a normal request. And with their history, it’s a recipe for disaster. Not to mention, she’s drop dead gorgeous and he can’t touch her.

There are few people Scout trusts as much as Dane Guillot. He’s always been her safe place, where nothing can hurt her. He’s also been the only man she’s never let herself want–screwing up their friendship isn’t worth one amazing night together.

 You can find my review HERE

Guest Post:

BOOK COVERS

I love book covers. It’s one of my favorite things about self-publishing. Talking to my cover artist is one of my favorite things in the world. I spend a lot of time before I send my thoughts to Melissa (The Illustrated Author)—trying to determine what theme and overall feeling of the cover. Eventually, I quit and send her something incredibly basic like “Can it be sexy and set in the fall??” and she gives me the text equileveant of a pat on the head. A few days later, she sends me back something so perfect, it blows me away.

So what do I love about this cover? Everything? Specifically, there are no eating faces kisses (win!) but the embrace is sexy and almost desperate—something that is very true of the characters. The colors of the trees and the beams of sunlight are particularly gorgeous and eye catching. But what totally sold me on the cover was the font. I loved how it was stark and beautiful and a little bit twisted and turned around. It fit the mood of the story perfectly.

You tell me—what’s your favorite cover and why?? I’d love to hear from you here or on Twitter @NazareaAndrews

 

Giveaway:

One lucky winner will get a loaded MP3 player, 2 signed bookmarks, bookplates, and the first 25 pages of Beautiful Broken with editing marks and special extras from Nazarea.

Follow the rest of the tour HERE

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:
photo-11Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.

Site  ~  Blog  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

 

ARC Review….Beautiful Broken by Nazarea Andrews

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Book links:

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads

Synopsis:

She’s been broken by her past. He’s been breaking for as long as he can remember.

Together, they can make each other whole–or destroy each other.

When his best friend asks for something, Dane rarely says no. But babysitting a newly sober Scout Grimes for three weeks isn’t exactly a normal request. And with their history, it’s a recipe for disaster. Not to mention, she’s drop dead gorgeous and he can’t touch her.

There are few people Scout trusts as much as Dane Guillot. He’s always been her safe place, where nothing can hurt her. He’s also been the only man she’s never let herself want–screwing up their friendship isn’t worth one amazing night together.

They have too much history, and too much personal baggage to ever work. But if they are willing to take a chance on love–it might be worth the risk.

 

My review:

Beautiful Broken is the second book in Nazarea Andrews’ University of Branton Series.  I absolutely loved the first book in the series, This Love, and was dying to get my hands on this book and it was freaking incredible.

Attorney Dane Guillot is used to taking care of Scout.  She’s his best friend’s sister and has needed him more times than he can count.  He has never taken issue with that…he cares way too much about her to ever let her down.  If he’s being honest with himself he cares way too much about her, period.  He has for as long as he can remember, even though he shouldn’t think of his best friend’s sister that way.  Now she’s back in his life and is just starting her latest attempt at sobriety, something he knows a little something about himself, and his best friend wants her to stay with him.  So wrong on so many levels, and Dane knows having Scout in his house is going to test his resolve to keep her at arm’s length.  Will he be able to ignore his desire for her long enough to help her get on her feet and out from under his roof?

The reasons that led Scout down the road to addiction are reasons she and only one other person know.  Dane has kept her secret for six years and has always been the safe harbor she’s needed in the storm that rages within her.  Now, she’s out of rehab and wants nothing more than to stay clean and give normal life a try.  As always, Dane is there for her and at the request of her brother, Atticus, gives her a place to stay until she can get her bearings and start living again.  But when too many memories come rushing back and the darkness inside threatens to swallow her whole, she leans on the only person who truly understands her….Dane.  Suddenly Scout sees that he’s not just he brother’s best friend.  He’s the reason she wants to be better and clean and whole.  He’s who she wants to start living life with.  Will he ever look at her other than a broken soul?

A shared history and memories, both good and bad, will either be able to being Scout and Dance together as more than friends or end up pushing them apart, keeping them in friend-only zone forever.  Will they both be able to look past the reasons they shouldn’t and take a chance on the reasons they should?  It’s not easy putting a friendship on the line, especially when that friendship has saved you more times than you can remember.

We met Scout and Dane in This Love and I have to say, as excited as I was for this book, I knew it was going to be an emotional story and damn if I didn’t cry my eyes out more than once. But, if you know me, you know I love that!  Dane is the take charge, no mincing words best friend and cares for Scout something fierce.  He’s sexy and charming when he wants to be but also has an uncontrolled and vulnerable side I didn’t see coming.  With his own share of skeletons in his closet, he has a past that is equally as heartbreaking as Scout’s.  Is there anything better than a sexy alpha male with a broken side? Nope!  Scout really surprised me as well.  I wasn’t sure if I could understand her and her reasons for her drug use, but when the truth came out, it broke my heart.  I admired her strength to make sobriety stick this time and I admired that she saw what she wanted most and went for it.  She took chances when it scared her to death and took her future in her own hands and decided enough was enough.  I loved Scout and Dane together…two broken pieces fitting together to make an imperfect whole but a whole nonetheless.

Nazarea just has a way of telling a story that I adore.  She doesn’t give us a whole heaping spoonful of information in the beginning, but instead gives us juicy bites along the way.  Really enjoyable and makes for a great read.

Thank you, Nazarea, for Dane and Scout and for another kick ass read!

4andahalfloves

Four-and-a-Half Loves

 

About the author:

photo-11Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.

Site  ~  Blog  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

Blog Tour & Review…Forged in Dreams and Magick by Kat Bastion

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Welcome to my stop on The Forged in Dreams and Magick by Kat Bastion Tour!

Please enjoy my review and enter to win Kat’s amazing giveaway below…she’s got prizes that include signed paperback copies of Forged in Dreams and Magick,  eBook copies of Forged in Dreams and Magick and a Pandora sterling silver Happily Ever After charm with a Pandora sterling silver bracelet!

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Book links:

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads

Synopsis:

The award-winning debut in the Highland Legend Series:

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.

 

My review:

I have always loved stories rich with Highland legend, so when Kat asked if I would be interested in reading Forged in Dreams and Magick, I jumped at the chance.  Well, this may very well be my favorite Highland adventure yet! It was phenomenal!

Isobel MacInnes has always had a deep-seated love for all things ancient.  That love began as a child and after visiting the Highlands and her dying grandfather, she returns back to her position as Assistant to the head of the Archaeology Department at UCLA with a very interesting treasure. Isobel stumbled across a mysterious box that had unfamiliar markings and appeared to be made from materials she had never seen.  Kind of strange considering she works with ancient artifacts. Her quest to learn more about this box has her reaching out to her friend, Iain Brodie.  He’s a cinema heartthrob but also shares her love of Highland history, having come from Scotland, and competes in the modern day Highland Games.  It’s where they met and where she realized she had seen the markings from the box before…..the broach that held Iain’s plaid during the games.  When she asked for his help, Isobel knows she will have to deal with Iain’s flirtations, and was prepared to rebuff him (Sure, she’s attracted to him, but she doesn’t have time for a relationship) What she wasn’t prepared for was his somewhat closed off reaction when he sees the box…or what happens when they kiss while holding the box.

Isobel suddenly finds herself in the thirteenth-century Highlands…with Iain.  Only thirteenth century Iain seems very much at home and apparently this is where Isobel will also be calling home now.  Talk about a shock to the system! Once the shock wears off, Isobel realizes she has a mystery to solve and knows the box and some sort of magic are responsible.  In her journey to find answers, she realizes she’s found love.  Love in her Highland warrior and love in the history she is now currently living.  Was this where she was truly meant to be?

Isobel will be thrown into another time, yet again, before she can contemplate that question.  Thrown even further back in time, and away from the man, and time, she has fallen in love with, Isobel finds those very same things here in a more ancient time with a Pict chieftain.  Is it possible to feel the same things toward two different men in two different times? What is her role in all of this magical mystery? Never have answers been so needed for Isobel.

This story was a magical journey from start to finish with so many amazing twists and turns throughout that I was on the edge of my seat while reading.  The mystery surrounding this “magic box” and why Isobel was thrown around like a time traveling rag-doll was kept artfully hidden through the story and was revealed at just the right moment…when the fate of the people Isobel has grown to love was held in the balance.   Isobel’s story is one filled with love, passion and self-discovery.  She realizes nothing is as what it seems and has to push aside her “scientific brain” in order to wrap her head around what is happening.  Iain Brodie is so yummy and pure alpha Highland male but also is willing to bend when Isobel needs it most in order to help her find her way in a world he has always had the knowledge of.  Velloc is Isobels’ other love interest when she is thrown back into the Pict times and is such a worthy hero.  A strong, caring, loyal and fierce warrior it was easy to see how Isobel could love both men.  I wasn’t sure I would be ok with her loving two men at first, but I grew to love both men for their similar qualities as well as their differences.  It was really, really tough to try to predict how the story was going to go and that was one of the treats about this book.  There were so many unknowns and it was a fantastic mystery almost until the very end.  One of my favorite things was the lush description of the lands and times.  Kat painted such a beautiful picture that I could feel the furs, smell the foods and see the beautiful landscapes.  It was a gift to be able to read such gorgeous narrative.

This is a series I am so lucky to have been introduced to and will be looking forward to reading more from and I highly recommend if you want to be whisked away from the norm and pulled into a world of Highland fantasy filled with magic and mystery.  Thank you, Kat, for a fantastic read!

5LovesRLBFive Loves

 

Kat’s Giveaway:

(5) Signed Paperback Copies of Forged in Dreams and Magick

(5) eBook copies of Forged in Dreams and Magick

(1) Pandora sterling silver Happily Ever After charm with a Pandora sterling silver bracelet.

 

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, Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kat-Bastion/382546338470769 ,and her Twitter account at https://twitter.com/KatBastion for more information.

 

 

 To see other stops on the tour for reviews, guest posts, and excerpts click here or the tour button below.

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Release Day Blitz….Beautiful Broken by Nazarea Andrews

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Happy Release Day to Nazarea Andrews and her second book in the University of Branton Series……

Beautiful Broken!

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Book links:

Amazon  ~  Paperback  ~  Barnes and Noble

Book summary:

She’s been broken by her past. He’s been breaking for as long as he can remember.

Together, they can make each other whole–or destroy each other.

When his best friend asks for something, Dane rarely says no. But babysitting a newly sober Scout Grimes for three weeks isn’t exactly a normal request. And with their history, it’s a recipe for disaster. Not to mention, she’s drop dead gorgeous and he can’t touch her.

There are few people Scout trusts as much as Dane Guillot. He’s always been her safe place, where nothing can hurt her. He’s also been the only man she’s never let herself want–screwing up their friendship isn’t worth one amazing night together.

They have too much history, and too much personal baggage to ever work. But if they are willing to take a chance on love–it might be worth the risk.

 

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Giveaway

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


About the author:

photo-11Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.

 

Site – http://www.nazareaandrews.com/

Blog – http://www.nazarea-andrews.blogspot.com/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/NazareaAndrews

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nazarea-Andrews/43623123516