New Releases – Page 244 – Read-Love-Blog

Blog Tour….Out of Line by Jen McLaughlin

Welcome to my stop on the Out of Line by Jen McLaughlin Blog Tour!

I’ve got a fabulous excerpt to share with you all as well as my review and Jen’s AWESOME giveaway!

Enjoy and thanks so much for stopping by!

Buy Links:

Book summary:

Desperate to break free…

I’ve spent my entire life under my father’s thumb, but now I’m finally free to make my own choices. When my roommate dragged me to my first college party, I met Finn Coram and my life turned inside out. He knows how to break the rules and is everything I never knew I wanted. A Marine by day and surfer by night, he pushes me away even as our attraction brings us closer. Now I am finally free to do whatever I want. I know what I want. I choose Finn.

Trying to play by the rules…

I always follow orders. My job, my life, depends on it. I thought this job would be easy, all the rules were made crystal clear, but when I met Carrie Wallington, everything got muddy. She’s a rule I know I shouldn’t break, but damn if I don’t inch closer to the breaking point each time I see her. I’m ready to step out of line. And even worse? I’m living a lie. They say the truth will set you free, but in my case…

The truth will cost me everything.

Excerpt:

I grabbed my stuff and headed toward the store. After a quick conversation with the employee, I came back out and found Finn standing there, his hands in his pockets and his shoulders hunched. I held my hand out and waited for him to take it with bated breath. I don’t know why I did that. We weren’t dating. We weren’t even friends yet. I couldn’t resist. He stared at my hand for a second, muttered something under his breath, and closed his fingers around mine. A shot of electricity skittered up my arm, making me jump slightly.

What the heck had that been?

His eyes darkened and something weird twisted in my belly in response. Something I was only loosely familiar with. Desire. I was a virgin, but I’d read about sex enough times to recognize the sensation. And I would bet my favorite pair of Converses that he was feeling it, too.

“Ready?” he asked, his voice deeper than usual.

“So ready,” I said, peeking up at him through my lashes. “I’ve always wanted to ride one, but my dad wouldn’t let me.”

He perked up. “Maybe we shouldn’t. You know, if your dad would be mad.”

“Oh, please. I’m nineteen.” I tugged him toward a Harley I could only assume was his. “I’ll ride what I want to ride.”

He groaned under his breath. “I bet you will.” When we reached the bike, he grabbed the helmet off the handle and slid it over my head. I tried to pull back, not wanting to wear the ugly thing in front of him, but he didn’t let me. “My bike. My rules. You wear the helmet.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be fine.” He gently slid the helmet the rest of the way down over my head, making sure to keep my hair out of my eyes as he did so. My heart did a weird little flip flop at the way he watched me, his eyes hot and his lips soft. His touch, gentle as it might seem, held a strength behind it.

“How do I look?”

“Perfect,” he said lightly. Then he climbed onto the bike and looked over his shoulder at me. That look he gave me was the look that so many books described. Like he was inviting me to fall into his arms and stay there forever. God, I wanted to. His muscles flexed, teasing me with his perfection. “Climb on and hold on as tight as you can.”

I swallowed hard and slid on the back of the bike.

My review:

Out Of Line is a work from Jen McLaughlin….an author I also know (and love) by the name of Diane Alberts. As it stands, I am a big fan of Diane and after reading Out of Line, I am now a HUGE fan. This. Book. Was. Incredible.

*I will warn you that this review may be slightly spoilery, but if you’ve read the first 25 pages that Jen has posted on her site, it won’t be*

As a politician’s child, Carrie Wallington is used to being in the spotlight. As a daughter, Carrie Wallington is used to be overprotected. As a college student, Carrie wants to shed all of it and just be. She’s tired of being watched by security and never being able to just live her life. It’s understandable that her dad worries and wants her safe but it’s unreasonable to always have people watching her. So, when she leaves for college and her father agrees to let her go sans security, she’s more than just a little shocked. Now was her time to live. She was never one to get carried away and always had a good head on her shoulders. Studied, got good grades, was always aware of her surroundings and rarely drank and partied. So when she meets the deliciously handsome surfer, Finn, while getting some air at one of the only parties she’s ever been to, she knows he’s exactly what she’s been missing out on. And he’s exactly the kind of guy who can show her how to live. Now’s the chance to make up for lost time and Finn’s just what she needs.

Finn Coram is not sure what he’s gotten himself into on his latest assignment. He’s a marine with an outstanding record that’s caught the eye of a politician with a daughter in need of protection. It just so happens that he also looks the part of a college surfer boy, too. So here he is, on a college campus, with strict orders to keep an eye on Carrie while looking the part of a college kid….while keeping it all a secret Great. Unfortunately for Finn, and his exemplary record, all of the rules he knows he should be following completely go out the window when he sees Carrie on the beach at a frat party. She’s much more than the file he had on her and the minute he starts talking to her, his brain and mouth completely ignore each other and he finds himself making plans to teach Carrie how to surf. Finn knows this is trouble and he’s wondering how long he will be able to keep Carrie at arm’s length….and in the dark as to his true identity of her personal protector.

Carrie and Finn start on a journey of friendship that turns into so much more than that…and is constantly threatened by the truth. Carrie would be devastated to know Finn is part of the security she is eager to be rid of. Finn knows that every minute he spends with her, he is falling for her more and more….he also knows it’s completely forbidden. With so much on the line, will they be able to keep what they’ve found?

A few times in my life, I’ve voraciously devoured a book and was just about to finish it and stopped. Just stopped reading when I got to the last few chapters. Why? Why the hell would I do that? Well, it’s because I cannot bear the thought of finishing the book and the experience it has brought me. THIS was one of those books. I got to 85% after reading it all day and I just couldn’t go on. I put it down for the next whole day, and when I finally picked it back up and I savored every last word. Finn and Carrie’s story was just so amazing. I was hooked after chapter 3 and completely fell in love with Finn. Yes, he’s got a body made for sin and is gorgeous but he’s also honorable and loyal and has such a way about him that I rank him as one of my all-time favorite characters. He had me laughing out loud while reading his internal dialogue and the next minute had my chest physically aching with his growing love for Carrie and his denial that he would ever be good enough for her. He knows it’s his duty to protect Carrie and he knows he can’t have a relationship with her. But hey, they say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, right? He killed me. He’s just one of those guys any gal would love. Carrie was just as amazing a character as Finn. She’s smart and giving and stands up for the underdog in life. She volunteers and helps those in need, but does it anonymously. She’s a girl we would all be lucky to know. She’s also innocent and that adds to her charm. They balance each other out beautifully and I was cheering them on from the very start. The emotional ups and down they weather are intense and real and so very believable. This is a story that will stay with me and one I will be re-reading as soon as I can. Maybe this time I will read it all the way through without stopping……eh, who the hell am I kidding?

Jen, thank you. Thank you for giving us Carrie and Finn. Thank you for giving me one of those books that I couldn’t bear to finish. It may sound corny to some, but for me, that’s the sign of a kick ass book. I cannot WAIT for more and will be chomping at the bit for book two in the series!

Five Loves

Even though the book was just released, it is already zooming up the charts on Amazon and B&N. To celebrate this, Jen is offering a one-of-a-kind prize for a lucky reader! Anyone who helps spread the word about OUT OF LINE (through tweets, facebook messages, leaving a review, etc.) gets entered to win 30 pages of the manuscript, which include editing marks and special never-before-seen notes from Jen! You will have all the deets on what Jen changed, deleted scenes, and special extras.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Jen McLaughlin is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She writes steamy New Adult books for the young and young at heart. Her first release, Out of Line, came out September 2013. She also writes bestselling Contemporary Romance under the pen name Diane Alberts.Since receiving her first contract offer under the pen name Diane Alberts, she has yet to stop writing. She is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another. Her goal is to write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Website: http://dianealberts.com/

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DianeAlberts6

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DianeAlberts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6921962.Jen_McLaughlin

ARC Review….Lovers Unmasked by Katee Robert, Cari Quinn, Samanthe Beck, and Tessa Bailey.

The Lovers Unmasked Anthology releases tomorrow, 9/23!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Mystery and intrigue surround Halloween night as friends unwittingly become lovers, enemies surrender to long-hidden desires, and the heat of passion threatens to consume them all…

Enjoy your tricks and treats in this sexy anthology featuring bestselling authors Katee Robert, Cari Quinn, Samanthe Beck, and Tessa Bailey…

Seducing Mr. Right by Katee Robert:

Synopsis:

Danielle has a plan—use the company Halloween party to seduce the sexy mail guy who works a few floors up who she’s been meeting for coffee for the past few months. The only problem? He’s not who she thinks he is, and he has seduction plans of his own.

My Review:

This is the first work I have read of Katee’s, and I happily report that I’ve added another name to my list of go-to authors. I really liked this story and the already present nerves from both Danielle and Grayson…and for very different reasons. Danielle for taking a chance on telling Grayson she wants to be more than just friends and Grayson having to reveal he isn’t exactly a mail guy. Their story was hot and intense and I really enjoyed it….oh and the CEO desk scene? DAYUM!

Tempted by His Best Friend by Cari Quinn

Synopsis:

Kindergarten teachers aren’t known for breaking the rules, but Steph is ready to go undercover—and get under the covers—to work her magic on her best friend, Landon. Sexy costume necessary, multiple orgasms crucial, real identity optional.

My Review:

This is also the first work of Cari’s that I have read and also another addition to my list of go-to authors. So, what better night to seduce the best friend you’ve been pining over? Halloween, of course! Steph pulls out all the stops and goes into disguise to a Halloween party to get Landon to realize she can be more than his BFF. Her plans totally work, sort of. Now she just has to break the news to Landon that the mystery woman from the party that rocked his world was her. I adored this story! These two characters were done so well and I had no problem feeling their emotions, and there were more than a few emotions when it involves a deep friendship and the realization that the feelings go way deeper toward one another. The sexual tension was juicy and delicious and let me tell you, there were some crazy intense smexy scenes that rank up there on the list of some of the best I’ve read. The welcome desk in the lobby of Landon’s law firm? Yep….

Wicked Games by Samanthe Beck

Synopsis:

When Stacy discovers her sex-on-a-stick ex at her Hollywood Halloween blow-out, she decides to show the cocky homicide detective exactly what he’s been missing. But she’s not the only one plotting revenge, and Ian’s the only one who can save her.

My Review:

Oh how I love Samanthe’s writing and I was so happy to get a look into what’s been going on in the lives of our favorite gal twins and their men! Stacy has had a really great go of things recently….a new career in TV and a hot sex life. Well, she HAD a hot sex life with Ian until they broke up. Now, she’s at the strip club she used to dance at for a fun, uninhibited Halloween night with her sister. Ready to let loose and have fun, she doesn’t want to think of the sexy ex she knows is at the club and the reason he is here. Stacy has been getting threatening letters and he’s here to make sure she’s ok. She knows it’s him behind the mask he’s sporting and she’s gonna show him she still knows how to push his buttons. Damn I love Stacy and her bold, take no prisoners attitude. She’s a contradiction though in that she’s got more than a few insecurities. Ian is sex on legs and I love that he knows Stacy better than she knows herself. Their heat and sexual connection burns up the pages. An above-and-beyond VIP lap dance? Someone better open up a window cause it’s getting hot in here!

Protecting What’s Theirs by Tessa Bailey

My Review:

Well, since I am anti-spoiler, I can’t give much away but I will tell you this is another example of Tessa and her hot, sexy, intense, emotional writing starring Derek and Ginger. Derek is more alpha male than ever and damn, it is beyond hot! Ginger is exactly how I remember her from Protecting What’s His and I was reminded of her loyal, strong-willed personality and how well her and Derek are together. Positively delectable! This couple has made it through some rough spots and this latest novella just proves that they can weather any storm and what they have is ironclad. Oh, some of Derek’s dirty talking and his sexual prowess up against the hallway wall? Oh. Lord. Yes PLEASE…and pass the fan!

Five Loves

Release Day Spotlight & Giveaway….Losing Virginity by Ava Michaels

Happy Thursday and welcome to the release day spotlight on Losing Virginity by Ava Michaels! I’ve got this on my to-read list and am dying to get to it…I think it looks fab!

I’ve got a great excerpt below and Ava is offering a giveaway for a $25 Amazon Gift Card and 5 copies of Losing Virginity giveaway. Awesome! (Enter in the rafflecopter below)

Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

WARNING: THIS BOOK IS DEFINITELY ONLY FOR AGES 18 OR OLDER. OLIVIA HAS CRAZY THOUGHTS. IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY INAPPROPRIATE THOUGHTS I RECOMMEND YOU DON’T READ THIS. IF YOU HAVE VIRGIN EARS I RECOMMEND YOU DON’T READ THIS. IF YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR THEN READ THIS.

Olivia Spurgeon has been a good girl her entire life. Her friends have called her Spurgeon the Virgin since 9th grade. Why? Because everyone in her group of friends had already lost there virginity by then. Over the past four years it has been like a foreign object attached to her and even named it something simple.

Virginity.

Now, she’s a freshman in college and still hasn’t done the deed. All three of her roommates do not have Virginity attached to them and they aren’t scared to show it off. Olivia is jealous. She wants what they are having, feeling. One day she finally decides that she doesn’t want Virginity attached to her anymore and begins the journey of losing it

Excerpt:

Victorian women had a complex system of sending courtship signals with their fans. If she was available, she would fan quicker, and if she was taken she would fan slower. If her fan rested on her left cheek, then she was not that into you. If it was on her right cheek then you were in. Whoever got rid of the fan thing? That sounded great to me! I’ve been borrowing my courtship rituals from Victorian England and sending the slightest, tiniest, most miniscule signals to guys that I was interested. I was assuming that boys could understand a complex system of unspoken language. It wasn’t me after all. It was them!
I needed to be more obvious about my signals, it was as simple as that.
In Finland, girls who were ready to marry would wear an empty sheath around their waists. When a guy wanted to date the girl, he would either make or buy a knife and put it in her sheath.
Tell me it doesn’t get any more obvious than that. Maybe I should just walk up to the next boy I want wearing a sheath. Would he get it then? Somehow I doubted it.
If the woman wasn’t interested in the man, she would give the knife back, but if she wanted to marry him she would keep it. Women in those cooler climates always carried knives around.
I resolved that I was going to drop the fan and go for the knife. It’s time I made a sheath.

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

“I use to blog about books but now I’m writing a book. You can like me on Facebook, add me as a friend on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter.”

Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook

Review…Dazzled by Jane Harvey-Berrick

Book links:

Goodreads ~ Amazon

Synopsis:

When Hollywood calls, is the price for fame too high?

Miles Stephens is a young actor from London. Out of work, unemployable, and fired from his last job, he gets the chance to star in a break-out role in a big-time Hollywood film.

The film is a great success, propelling him to worldwide Hollywood fame – but it’s not all it’s cracked up to be, and the pressure starts to get to Miles.

Throughout, he is supported by his friend, Clare, the girl next door whom he grew up with – and who is secretly in love with him.

Miles finds out that fame and fortune isn’t everything he’d dreamed about.

My Review:

Dazzled is the newest release from author Jane Harvey-Berrick. I am a huge fan of Jane and always look forward to new material from her and while this was a little different from the style and feel of her previous books, I really enjoyed it!

Miles and Clare have been best friends for as long as they can both remember. And for as long as she can remember, Clare has been madly in love with him. After all, what’s not to love? Miles is gorgeous, talented, kind and humble….the perfect package. Surely he would never be interested in the plain Jane she was. He deserved so much more, according to her. So when he’s called away to Hollywood to audition for and snags the role in the anticipated next big hit, she supports him like she always has. This is what he was meant for and she would be there for him whether it was to build up his ego when the Hollywood life crushed it, or protect his kind heart when the media tried to break it. She would also continue to pine over him in secret and love him from afar…in other words, doing what she’s been doing for years.

This was a whole new world for Miles. Hollywood, stardom, fame, fortune, tabloids….all of it. It was so overwhelming at times and the only thing keeping him grounded was his rock. His best friend, Clare. He doesn’t know how to handle these kinds of things and sometimes it ends up coming out sideways and unfortunately Clare was the one who paid for it. She was the only one here in this fake, plastic world that truly cared for him and he knows he isn’t showing her just how much he appreciates her. His constant salvation, she was the person who mattered most in his life. He also knows she can’t stay with him forever in Hollywood. She had a life back in the UK and eventually she will leave him. Will he be able to bear it? Could it be she means more to him than just a friend?

Clare and Miles have a strong relationship with a strong background that makes their journey an emotional ride. Miles is the shy artistic one while Clare is the strong opinionated one. They really balance each other out quite well and it felt very real. Miles really broke my heart while reading him trying to cope with all of the new things in his life….and he doesn’t cope very well at times. Poor guy. I just wanted to bring him home with me and make him tea and chocolate chip cookies. Clare was a real spitfire! Loved her tenacity and fierce loyalty when it came to defending Miles and being his rock. Plus, her snark was brilliant! She was quick witted and a total smart ass at times and it was a treat! I also loved that Jane had two Brits in the U.S. making fun of the slang differences. Lift vs. elevator is just an example. Again, this was different from Jane’s other works in that it was more lighthearted to me compared to the intensity of The Education of Sebastian, for example. Still just as enjoyable, though.

Thank you, Ms. Harvey-Berrick, for a fun and witty read!

Four Loves

About the author:

I love to write.

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

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

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

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

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

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

Blog Tour stop & review….Hollywood Homecoming by Sasha Summers

Welcome to my stop on the Hollywood Homecoming by Sasha Summers Blog Tour!

Sasha is having a terrific giveaway (enter in the rafflecopter below) and find out how much i ADORED this book in my review….enjoy!

Book links:

Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Make-up artist to the stars. The favorite aunt. Dance teacher. Baby sister. Talented musician and song-writer.

Single.

Why did that word rank above the rest? Helen loved her family and understood they wanted her to have the real love they’d all found. It’s just that she’d found her someone special and learned to live without him. She’d been too young for the quirky, idealistic doctor-off to save the world-to notice. And, really, if she had it her way, he’d never know how she’d felt. Now, he was one of her best friends, a pen pal, losing him would be too much.

Seeing him at their parents wedding, Helen realizes the horrible truth: she still loves Joseph… which wouldn’t be so bad if she wasn’t in the situation she was in.

But she was. And her secret will change everything.

Will it destroy hope for a Hollywood happy ending too?

My Review:

Hollywood Homecoming is the third book in Sasha Summers’ Red Carpet Series and sadly, the first in the series that I have read. Well, I can safely say that after reading this book, I now own all three books in the series because this book has got me hooked! I absolutely loved, and devoured, this book!

If you asked Helen, she would tell you herself that she was totally content with her life. She was a make-up artist in Hollywood, working with special effects and amazing people, she had a wonderful family and was dubbed the favorite aunt to her nieces and nephews. The only piece of the puzzle missing was from her love life. But, she was working on that. She was finally coming to terms that the man she’s been in love with since her teen years, Joseph, would never return her affections, and she was certain that she was finally over him. He was a doctor working in Africa and hadn’t been around in two years and that time away has helped strengthen her resolve to move on. But when he returns for their parents wedding, she realizes how wrong she was in thinking she was over him. Her heart knew the truth…she would never, ever be able to forget Joseph.

Joseph is back and realizes just how much he’s missed in the past two years. Things have changed. The kids were bigger, he’d missed too many birthdays and holidays and has vowed to never miss that much time away from his family again. They all had meant too much. One person especially….only she had no idea how much she meant to him and how much he looked forward to the letters she sent him while he was away. Would he have the courage to tell her how he felt?

Helen and Joseph have a long standing history that can either help or hinder the secret feelings the both harbor….and now, when they just might each be wiling to admit their feelings, they are blindsided with a situation that will change everything.

My interest in this story was piqued after reading the synopsis and it only grew after I started reading. I adored Helen. ADORED! I don’t normally fall in love with the heroine in a story….I also don’t get along with a lot of real life women (ha!) but I absolutely love Helen! She is so quirky and honest and refreshing. She had me laughing at her sarcasm and had me bawling my eyes out during the last few chapters. Full-on, tears running down my face, sobbing. She is totally a gal I would love to hang out with and truly appreciates the love and goodness in life and looks for it in even the most dismal of situations. Joseph is an all-around great catch. He’s a handsome, intelligent, philanthropic doctor who has the biggest heart and loves without limit. He is a guy anyone would feel lucky to know and is a prince among men.

The cast of characters, as a whole, is stellar. An enjoyable and loving family anyone would want to be a part of. As I had said earlier, I haven’t read the previous two books in the series but that didn’t affect how much I loved this story. I never felt I was missing something or didn’t quite understand a reference. I really appreciate when an author is able to do that for a reader. You can enjoy one, or all, in the series without feeling lost.

There were more than a few memorable moments in this book and more than a few dreamy-sigh-worthy moments that I cherished…but the last few chapters absolutely slayed me. I was a WRECK! Talk about speed-reading to make sure things worked out ok….WHEW! I can’t give you any spoilers so you’ll just have to trust me on this one.

Hollywood Homecoming was a title I texted to my best friend the second I finished reading it with the: “you MUST get this book right this instant!” text. Yep, I loved it that much. Thank you, Sasha, for an emotional and charming read filled with characters I won’t soon forget.

Five Loves

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the rest of the tour here

About the author:

Sasha is part gypsy. Born June 9, 1974, stories have always played an important role in her life. Her passions have always been storytelling, Hollywood, history, and travel. It’s no surprise that her books include a little of each. Her first play, ‘Greek Gods and Goddesses’ was written for her Girl Scout troupe. She’s been writing ever since. She loves getting lost in the worlds and characters she creates; even if she frequently forgets to run the dishwasher or wash socks when she’s doing so. Luckily, her four brilliant children and hero-inspiring hubby are super understanding and supportive.

Website/Blog ~ Twitter ~ FB Author Page ~ Goodreads ~ Pinterest ~ YouTube

Official Release Day Blitz & Giveaway…Out Of Line by Jen McLaughlin

Welcome to the official release day blitz of…..

Out of Line by Jen McLaughlin

September 2013

Book summary:

Desperate to break free…

Trying to play by the rules…

The truth will cost me everything.

Buy Links

Amazon – http://amzn.to/17HLrFu

B&N – http://bit.ly/17hfkvi

For a limited time, Out of Line is on sale for only .99! Hurry!

…..and your version for the first week of release will have a special signed message from Jen!

Giveaway:

Even though the book was just released, it is already zooming up the charts on Amazon and B&N. To celebrate this, Jen is offering a one-of-a-kind prize for a lucky reader! Anyone who helps spread the word about OUT OF LINE (through tweets, facebook messages, leaving a review, etc.) gets entered to win 30 pages of the manuscript, which include editing marks and special never-before-seen notes from Jen! You will have all the deets on what Jen changed, deleted scenes, and special extras.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Information

Jen McLaughlin writes steamy New Adult books for the young and young at heart. Her first release, Out of Line, is due out September 2013. She also writes Contemporary Romance under the pen name Diane Alberts. She is a multi-published, bestselling author and is represented by Louise Fury from the L. Perkins Agency. Since receiving her first contract offer under the pen name Diane Alberts, she has yet to stop writing.

Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another. Her goal is too write so many well-crafted romance books that even a non-romance reader will know her name.

Website: http://dianealberts.com/

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/DianeAlberts6

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DianeAlberts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6921962.Jen_McLaughlin

Blog Tour Stop & Review….Feeling This by Casey Blue

Welcome to my stop on the Feeling This by Casey Blue Blog Tour!

Casey is hosting a fabulous giveaway (enter in the rafflecopter below) and there are some great teasers also below……enjoy!

Genre: New Adult (Romance)

Cover Design: B Design

Event Organized by: Into the Night Reviews

Book links:

Goodreads ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon CA ~ Smashwords

Synopsis: Whoever said life is hard didn’t know the half of it! Completely devastated when his life is ripped out from underneath him, Jordan Rhodes decides to take a break. A break from everything he’s always known; the country club life-style, his life-long friends and his overbearing parents. He just wants to be free to get lost and not feel the pain he has endured. Kimber Maguire has been dealt the tough card her entire life. An ailing mom, a sister who refuses to face reality and a yearning for the one that got away, she finds putting one foot in front of the other as her only saving grace. What she really wants is to be free of feeling the pressure that is her life to get lost. But when Jordan finds Kimber while losing himself, they both discover, sometimes you just need to feel to be found.

My review:

Feeling This is the debut novel from author Casey Blue. Kimber Maguire is tired. She’s tired of dealing with entirely too many problems for entirely too long. She should be enjoying her youth, not taking care of a sick alcoholic mother and sister who wants no part in their life. But she’s trying to get out of this dead-end life. She’s taking classes at the community college, working as a bartender and helping out with the family that has always been there for her and her mom. Things are looking up from time to time. One of those times is when a handsome, quiet stranger comes into the bar. Little does Kimber know just how much this stranger will come to mean to her. Having grown up in the lap of luxury, Jordan Rhodes hasn’t ever known real suffering. He’s smart, educated, wealthy and has the love of an amazing woman. Things are going really well for him….until he starts to notice some changes in how the love of his life is behaving. Concern drives him to speak to her family and he is entirely unprepared for the tragedy that is about to unfold. Needing to get away he leaves his life behind in search of something new. That something new comes in beautiful package serving him his beer in the small town he stopped in. Together, Kimber and Jordan have enormous personal demons to slay and they will need to relay on the strength they give one another to overcome. They can do it…as long as they have each other. Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I thought the emotional turmoil both Kimber and Jordan have to endure was really intense and well done. Both of their situations deal with really powerful issues and as an intense as they both are, I feel they are extremely prevalent social issues many people deal with and can identify with. If I have one complaint, it’s that around the middle of the book, I lost my connection with Jordan and Kimber and it didn’t build as well as I thought it should have. It was a tad rushed, I felt. The ending, however, held up to what I had envisioned as their happy ending. So as a whole package, I did enjoy it….and went through my share of tissues during the first half! You know how much I love to cry during a book…strange to some, I’m sure, but I do love it! Thank you, Casey, for bringing emotional, intense and very real situations to life in your writing! I’m happy that Kimber and Jordan found each other and helped one another heal.

Three-and-a-Half Loves

*Review note: I received an advance copy of this title and I feel, on the off-chance that all mistakes weren’t corrected before publication, that I should mention I did notice more than a few punctuation errors within the work. It was slightly distracting to me as a reader, and as a blogger, I don’t want my word to be tarnished by not warning fellow readers of the possibility of missed corrections in the final published work. Thank you and in no means do I feel the errors should sway you in buying, and enjoying, this title.

Giveaway

Prizes are:

Ebook of Two Roads by L.M. Augustine ~ Ebook of Tied Up in Heartstrings by Felicia Lynn ~ Paperback of Tied Up in Heartstrings by Felicia Lynn ~ Ebook of Love Notes by Heather Gunter ~ Ebook of Heartstrings by Heather Gunter ~ Paperback of Heartstrings by Heather Gunter ~ Ebook of Fatalism by LK Collins ~ Ebook of So Much It Hurts by Melanie Dawn ~ Ebook of Sweet Contradiction by Peggy Martinez ~ Ebook of I Have Her Liberation and SWAG by EL Lea ~ Ebook of Fading by E.K. Blair ~ Ebook of Every Rose by Lynetta Halat ~ Ebook of Everything I Never Had by Lynetta Halat ~ Ebook of Feeling This by Casey Blue ~ Paperback of Feeling This by Casey Blue

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Casey Blue is a hopeless romantic always striving for the perfect love in which to write about. Her ideal swoony boy constantly changes. She is the Hyde to Jekyll and Hyde; whatever her other half does, she’s a little naughtier! J She is addicted to caffeine and loves Jelly Bellies. She loves imperfect characters because in the end we are all imperfect. She has been writing her whole life but ‘Feeling This’ is her first New Adult masterpiece. She is happily married with kids and lives in the sunny state of Florida.

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Blog ~ Goodreads

ARC Review….Midnight Lies by Ella Grace

Midnight Lies releases September 24

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

The Wilde sisters of Midnight return in this thrilling novel of romantic suspense, perfect for fans of Maya Banks, Allison Brennan, and Lori Foster.

IT’S ALWAYS HOTTER AT MIDNIGHT.

The winds of fate have blown cruelly on a family that once had it all: money, power, prestige. The lives of three beautiful daughters were forever changed when, on a sultry night in Midnight, Alabama, a murder-suicide shattered the Wilde family. The girls grew up to live separate lives but now have returned home, each to face a danger no one can see coming.

Former homecoming queen Samantha surprised everyone by going into law enforcement, but beneath her tough façade lies a wary heart. The tragedy that struck her family is an ever-present reminder that nothing is ever as it seems. When the man she loves, Quinn Braddock, a doctor and Iraq war veteran, is accused of murder, Samantha assumes the worst. Brokenhearted, her confidence shattered, she returns to Midnight. Though exonerated, Quinn still feels the sting of Samantha’s doubt, but he can’t forget his feelings for her and follows her. Soon after his arrival, a shocking murder terrifies the town, and once again, Quinn is under suspicion. This time, Samantha will not turn her back on the man she loves—even if it means walking into a killer’s trap.

My review:

Midnight Lies is the second book in Ella Grace’s Wildefire Series. After loving the first book, Midnight Secrets, I was anxious to get my hands on this book and I was not disappointed!

As a homicide detective with the Atlanta police department with a sexy M.D. boyfriend, Samantha Wilde is pretty content with her life. She knows Quinn isn’t looking for more than what they share now…and for the time being they are sharing some great times and equally great chemistry. She can’t blame him after hearing about the nasty divorce he’s dealt with. Besides, thanks to her parents’ murders, she always lingering doubts about the true nature of people. Now, just when Sam is feeling pretty good about things, life throws a curveball. Quinn has just been accused of his ex-wife’s murder and instantly she is thrown back into the past and the memories of being a young girl thinking her father was a murderer. All of those trust issues are now threatening to destroy the relationship between her and Quinn. Is he capable of murder? Does anyone really know everything about a person?

A lot of factors have gone into making Quinn Braddock the man he is today…and not all of them good. After years in the Army as a medic and trying to ignore his painful past, he finally feels like he is where he should be. He loves being an emergency room doctor and after a failed marriage, he finally is enjoying the company of a fantastic woman. Life finally seems to be agreeing with him until he’s charged with the violent murder of his ex-wife. Luckily, the walls he’s built up through the years prove to serve him some good as he tries to hide the hurt with the suspicion from Sam. Doesn’t she know he would never hurt anyone? Why was she so quick to doubt him?

Sam finds solace in the rooms of her childhood home and the streets of her hometown. Even though Quinn is innocent until proven guilty, her foundation has been shaken and she no longer feels confident in herself and her judge of character. Just when she thinks she can start making a fresh start in Midnight, Quinn shows up and turns her entire world upsidedown….again.

Talk about a thrill ride! This book started out with a bang and the hits kept coming until the very end. What a fantastic experience. Sam is soft at heart with a tough exterior who’s been hurt far beyond what most can imagine and she just can’t shake it. Quinn is an amazing hero. He’s had a really rough go of things and tries so hard to still believe in the good in people even though it seems he’s let down at every turn. Together, the push and pull between them is so intense and emotional. It went between heartbreaking and heartwarming and had such highs and lows and was truly a growing experience for both of them. Meanwhile, the murder mystery and who done it had me guessing until the last few chapters….when the “aha!” moment came, I literally yelled “I KNEW IT!”. It was a real nail-biter until the very end. It was so great to be back in Midnight and see what the Wilde sisters were up to and get back with the familiar characters. I can’t wait to see what Ella has in store for us and Bri, the other Wilde sister, because she has definitely built up some juicy mystery surrounding her!

Thank you, Ms. Grace, for another delicious, scandalous, mysterious visit in Midnight….I look forward to see what’s next for the Wildefire Series!

Four Loves

About the author:

Writing a biography, short or long, can be daunting. I’m so used to writing about fictional characters, I’d love to embellish and tell you about the amazing feats I’ve accomplished. Alas, as Popeye would say, “I am what I am.”

I grew up in the Deep South, went to a small school, in a small town. Everyone knew everyone and though I had friends, my best friends were my books. Reading was almost as necessary to me as breathing. Without those glorious hours of entertainment they provided each day, who knows what kind of trouble I might have gotten into.

After living in various states, I’m now back in Alabama, where most of my family still resides. I have a wonderful, incredibly supportive husband who believes in me. How I was so fortunate to snag him, I truly do not know. Along with my hubby, I live with five fur-kids. Having five dogs definitely keeps us hopping. The noise quotient is often beyond what’s bearable but the unconditional love these wonderful creatures give makes up for that. In addition to the fur-kids, we have a turtle named Turdie Joe who is, as you might guess, the quietest member of the family.

Since writing takes up a huge part of my life, my hobbies are somewhat narrow. I love to read, of course, make the occasional meal, go to movies, take long walks and travel when possible.

Creating characters in my head has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. The need to get these characters and their stories on paper only started a few years ago. Once I started, I didn’t want to stop. Having a successful career as Christy Reece was a dream come true. And now, writing as Ella Grace, too, my life couldn’t be more exciting or fulfilling.

Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website

Review….Take Me by Diane Alberts

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Married in the morning…

Professional heartbreaker Mike Worth thrived on the chase—and dancer Morgan Collins represented the ultimate prize. But there was no way he was going to throw away his single-man status…not even for an elusive redhead with sparkling eyes and mile-long legs. So how did he let one drunken Vegas night end with I do instead of hell no?

Morgan’s life revolved around her career and she had no intention of letting a man interfere—even if Mike made her question all her rules about love. At his urging, she reluctantly agreed to give their spur-of–moment marriage a chance. But once their trial-honeymoon ended, would she choose to follow the dance and leave her unforgettable husband behind?

My review:

Take Me is the fourth book in Diane Alberts’ Take a Chance Series and I have been a huge fan of the series from the first book. Take Me is a fantastic addition and rivals the first book, Try Me, as my fave in the series.

Morgan Collins isn’t like a lot of women her age. She’s not looking for a husband or the 2.5 kids all comfortably tucked away behind a white picket fence in the suburbs. She’s a dancer and it’s all she’s ever wanted to be. She lives in the spotlight and thrives on the stage. When she meets Mike at a bar after a show, she’s completely put off by his attitude and cockiness. But if she’s being honest with herself, she can’t deny he’s pretty damn sexy and may be quite interesting to get to know better….for tonight. After overhearing Mike talk to his buddies and his own theories on love, she is more certain that he’s perfect company for tonight. His views on love and relationships are exactly the same as hers. Surely one night between the sheets will be enough for both of them…..well, you know what they say about the best laid plans.

Looking around the bar at his friends, Mike Worth knows there’s no way these guys will ever be celebrating HIS bachelor party. He’s not the marrying type. Never has been. He’s living his love life exactly the way he wants and in his own terms. He loves his job as a middle school history teacher and loves having new women to keep him occupied after hours. Yep, life is good and the feisty red-head he met at the bar tonight is exactly the type of gal he’s in the mood for tonight. True to his exemplary taste in women, she doesn’t disappoint when it comes to the sex….but she does disappoint when she’s the one to cut the evening short after their tryst. That’s neer happened to Mike before. He’s the one to let the gal down easy after the fun had ended. Now, he can’t get Morgan out of his head and he soon realizes he may be in serious jeopardy of throwing all his relationship cautions to the wind.

From start to finish, this novella was hot and filled with passion and feeling. To have the smart and sexy Mike meet his match was just priceless! Morgan had him all tied up in knots from the moment they meet and is it so delicious! She really gave his game right back to him and it was so fun to watch how it played out. We know Mike from the pervious books, and as much as I love him, I knew although he may be constantly knocking the whole ball and chain thing, he truly was missing it. Morgan is strong, talented and determined. She lives her life to make herself happy and even thought she is happy, you can tell that deep down she has a longing for more. Morgan and Mike were paired beautifully and the push and pull between them jumped off the pages. They have fantastic chemistry. Without getting spoilery, I will just say that I absolutely LOVED the last few chapters. I could see it all playing out in my mind’s eye and it was just perfect for Mike and Morgan *dreamy sigh* I also loved that in the epilogue we got to see all of the characters form the series, together. To see the entire family with spouses and kids was just wonderful! Such a treat!

Thank you, Diane, for another fun, flirty, sexy and emotional read!

Four Loves

About the author:

Diane Alberts has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author. Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, a cat, and a Senegal parrot. In the rare moments when she’s not writing, she can usually be found hunched over one knitting project or another.

She is a multi-published, bestselling author with Entangled Publishing, Swoon Romance, and Decadent Publishing. ON ONE CONDITION hit #18 on the Barnes and Noble Bestseller List, and TRY ME hit #76 on Amazon. CAPTIVATED BY YOU hit #31 on the Barnes and Noble bestseller list. Her goal is to write so many fantastic books that even a non-romance book fan will know her name. She also writes New Adult books under the name Jen McLaughlin. Diane is represented by Louise Fury from the L. Perkins Agency.

Website ~ Facebook Fan Page ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

ARC Review….Beautiful Bombshell by Christina Lauren

Beautiful Bombshell releases September 3

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

The gentlemen from Beautiful Bastard, Beautiful Stranger, and Beautiful Player are out for a wild night on The Strip.

When Max, Henry, and Will steal Bennett away for a weekend of shenanigans and strippers in Vegas, the first stop of the night doesn’t go at all as planned. With their scheme for a Guys Weekend completely derailed anyway, Max and Bennett begin to play a wild game of stealth and secrecy in order to have their bombshells all over Sin City.

My review:

Beautiful Bombshell is the novella that follows Max Stella’s book, Beautiful Stranger, and leads us into Will Sumner’s book, Beautiful Player. I am a huge fan of this series and like all the other books in this series; Beautiful Bombshell kicked some major ass!

Bennett and Chloe are getting married and of course, that calls for a bachelor party trip. Somewhere the guys can go to let loose, party till all hours of the night, see some beautiful half-naked women, and eat meals fit for kings…..in other words, Sin City! Sadly for the ladies attached to these men, the only weekend that worked for all of the guys was Valentine’s Day weekend. Lucky for Bennett and Max, Chloe and Sarah seem to take it in stride and give them the green light for a weekend filled with bachelor shenanigans and let them off the hearts-and-flowers Valentine’s hook….little to the guys know their women have a few surprises in store for them when they arrive in Vegas. Let the real fun begin….

I freaking adored this novella! The dynamic between Bennett and Max is just so utterly enjoyable and their personalities play so well off of one another. Max had me laughing out loud so many times throughout the story. From his cheeky comments to his hilarious stunts, I was totally reminded just how much I loved him from Beautiful Stranger. Bennett isn’t thrilled about being in Vegas but eventually lets loose a bit and ends up having a weekend he won’t soon forget. I was also reminded of the guy that drew me in from the first chapter of Beautiful Bastard and how much I love him and the very opposing sides to his personality. Hard yet soft, firm but gentle. The true allure to these guys, in my opinion, is how Christina Lauren writes them both. They are powerful and successful men and can handle themselves with the biggest of bigwigs in the business and corporate worlds but are completely owned by their women and relationships. These guys will do anything to make sure their women are always happy and have everything they desire. Being a slave to their relationships is just so endearing and gives a facet to their personalities and makes the whole package a win. It’s because of that charming quality that has both Bennett and Max as two of my all time fave book guys.

Oh, and I have to assure you all that even though the guys are away from their women, there were a few hot scenes that I was positively dying over. Oh, my YUM! *fans self*

I also want to say that Will and Henry are fantastic additions to the debauchery that happens with this group. Good sports, those two!

I laughed, had many dreamy sigh moments, and fanned myself on more than one occasion. Fans of the Beautiful Bastard Series will really enjoy this story and I cannot WAIT for Will’s story! Thank you, Christina Lauren, for more of our favorite bastards!

Five Loves

About the authors:

Christina 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

Release Day Blitz & Giveaway…Take Me by Diane Alberts

Happy Release Day to Diane Alberts and Take Me!

To celebrate, Diane is giving away ebooks of the 3 previous books in the series. This includes TRY ME, LOVE ME, and PLAY ME, for one lucky reader. (Enter in the rafflecopter below)