Category: New Releases

Crash Into Me releases August 28

Book links:

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Synopsis:

What would you give up for everything?

Tristan Stone was powerful, commanding, sex incarnate. And he wore it all so well. From the moment his mesmerizing gaze met mine, I had no choice but surrender to everything he was. His power. His decadence. His passion. He was all I never knew I needed.

He wanted to possess me, and I wanted to be his everything. All I had to do was accept what he offered. But everything has a price.

The world he gave me fulfilled my wildest dreams, but would that be enough when the past crashed into the present?

My review:

Crash Into Me is the first in the first novel in the Heart of Stone Trilogy and certainly kicked off the series with an emotional and passionate bang!

Taking a job as the low man on the totem pole at an art gallery in SOHO wasn’t exactly what Nina Edwards had thought she’d be doing with the art degree she recently earned. But she knew this was all part of paying her dues and would hopefully lead to bigger and better things in the art world. Certainly there had to be bigger and better things than handing out cocktail weenies at art shows. Always one to appreciate the beautiful, eye catching things in life, it’s at one of these showings that she sees Tristan. He’s totally gorgeous and holds himself in a completely powerful and sexy way…he’s also totally out of her league. So when he shows up outside the gallery after she finishes cleaning up, she’s shocked that he asks her if she’d like a ride home. Nina is a pretty street smart gal, and knows she really shouldn’t accept a ride from a stranger, but deciding to take a chance, she says yes….and he ends up taking her on a ride that will ultimately change her life.

Nina and Tristan’s relationship is like a pair of magnets. If one magnet faces the wrong direction, they won’t attract to one another, but if you give that one a flip, the attraction is instant. The thing is, each magnet is just one flip away from repelling the other magnet, and it’s a delicate dance.

I started this book and, being totally honest here, I thought: “oh, another rich, gorgeous billionaire playboy meets the average looking girl and decides he has to have her. He clearly has some sort of issues and she’s going to try fix him. This has SO been done before.” Yes, that is part of the story line BUT that’s where the similarities end. Nina and Tristan’s relationship felt more real to me than any of the other similar stories I have read. They both have a painful past and they both know they have their issues to work through but the crazy intense (almost psycho) tendencies that show up in other stories wasn’t here….and I appreciated that. The steamy parts were deliciously steamy but not overly kinky and held more of a passionate feel. It was a welcome change and again, made their connection seem that much more real.

Now, there are plenty of “hmmmm” moments throughout the book that all come into to play in the last few chapters and really had be looking back and realizing the author did a fabulous job at putting the pieces into place. There is somewhat of a cliffhanger ending but not one that I minded. It was actually a great lead into the next in the series and I am DYING to get my hands on that next book!

All in all, this was a really enjoyable story and I really felt for Nina and Tristan and their situation. It’s steamy, loving, mysterious and enjoyably written. Thank you, K.M., for a kick ass beginning to what I’m sure will be a kick ass series!

Four Loves

About the author:

A writer for years in other genres, I love the sexier side of romance, both as a reader and author. Well-written erotic romance is just what a girl needs some days when the rest of the world is dumping problems on her doorstep, and I love that I can give readers that erotic escape.

I love hearing from readers, so if you want to get in touch with me, email at kmscottauthor@gmail.com and I’ll get back to you asap.

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Unlocked releases TOMORROW!

Book links:

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads

Synopsis:

Who is Sebastian Lock?

The heart can lead you to dangerous places.  Abandoned by the man she loves, with nothing more than sweet riddles for an explanation, Sophia Pearce felt like her life was crumbling before her eyes.  And then they came for her.  Now, things will never be the same.

Confronted with the truth about Sebastian’s identity, she’s thrust into a high stakes world beyond anything she could have imagined.  A world that threatens much more than just her feelings.  Sebastian’s enemies will stop at nothing to get what they want, and they want her.

Their passion for one another consumes them, but as danger mounts, and loyalties are tested, Sophia must answer one simple question.  What is she willing to risk for love?

My review:

Unlocked is the final book in The Alpha Group series by Maya Cross and picks up where the second book in the series left off…..which was quite the cliffhanger. Well, let me say, the action and suspense in this third installment was the perfect ending to this intense trilogy!

After the devastating breakup with Sebastian and the loss of her career, Sophia was trying to figure out what to do next.  Those plans were interrupted when she finds herself being kept hostage after being kidnapped from her home.  What could anyone possibly want from her?  Clearly this has to do with Sebastian and the secret life he was trying to save her from.  Does he know he has put her right in the middle of danger?  Will he come to her rescue?

Sebastian will never forgive himself for getting his former love killed all those years ago.  Even though no one has ever blamed him for Liv’s death, he knows his life in the Alpha Group had to be somewhat responsible.  Now, getting the information that Sophia has been kidnapped, he refuses to let history repeat itself and will do whatever it takes to get Sophia back safe.  But the question is, will he be able to keep himself at a distance once he gets her back?  He must keep her safe, and if that means staying away as he had originally planned when he broke up with her, then that’s what he must do….no matter how much it breaks his heart.

Sophia and Sebastian have more to overcome than either of them realize.  After getting Sophia back, and trying to keep her safe, they realize there’s no way they can deny what’s between them, and with a little faith and trust, they give their relationship another go.  Soon enough, they are thrust into more danger than ever before and it’s soon apparent that they only have each other to rely on.  Sebastian isn’t sure whom he can trust in the Alpha Group anymore.  With threats mounting against them and very little leads to go on, it’s clear they must go off the grid and try to solve who is behind the mess they are living.

Whew!  This was the most intense, action packed story out of the series and I adored it!  It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire read and more than once I went into a nail biting frenzy.  We finally get to learn what the Alpha Group is all about and what Sebastian’s role is and it’s clear there are some heavy hitters in this group.  It’s pretty powerful and not something to be messed with.  Unfortunately, the threats seem to be coming from an insider.  The journey Sophia and Sebastian have to travel on to get to the bottom of things is INTENSE! The twists and turns were fantastic and holy hell…..the ending was a twist I never in a million years saw coming! Way to go, Maya! As always, Sophia is one kick ass heroine and she really showed just how strong she is in Unlocked.  What a gal! I feel like we were able to see a more vulnerable and a softer side to Sebastian, and it was a really nice change of pace and just added to the charm of his whole yummy package.  Oh, and speaking of yummy, even with their lives on the line, there were plenty of hot and sexy scenes.  Maya does sexy so well!  One of my favorite things about Unlocked was the dual POV.  It was a real treat to get into Sebastian’s head.

Overall, I am so happy with the way Maya wrapped up this series. We got all the answers we have been waiting for with a whole lot of juicy suspense and action!  I loved it and I’m sure all of you Maya Cross fans will too.  Thank you, Maya, for a fantastic end to a fantastic series!

Four Loves

About the author:

Maya Cross is a writer who enjoys making people blush. Growing up with a mother who worked in a book store, she read a lot from a very young age, and soon enough picked up a pen of her own. She’s tried her hands at a whole variety of genres including horror, science fiction, and fantasy, but funnily enough, it was the sexy stuff that stuck. She has now started this pen name as an outlet for her spicier thoughts (they were starting to overflow). She likes her heroes strong but mysterious, her encounters sizzling, and her characters true to life.

She believes in writing familiar narratives told with a twist, so most of her stories will feel comfortable, but hopefully a little unique. Whatever genre she’s writing, finding a fascinating concept is the first, and most important step.

The Alpha Group is her first attempt at erotic romance.

When she’s not writing, she’s playing tennis, trawling her home town of Sydney for new inspiration, and drinking too much coffee.

Website  ~  Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Goodreads 

Book links:

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads 

Synopsis:

Four years after escaping her abusive ex-husband, Kim finally believes she’s in control of her life and her emotions and she’s determined to never risk either again with a man.  She has a great home, a job as a security specialist which she loves, and Jake for a best friend.  But things are a tad lonely in the sex department, so she decides to embark on a no-strings-affair with one of her hot co-workers.  And who better to help her remember how to lure a man then her best friend?

Jake has wanted Kim from the moment he first saw her, but for four years ago, she was too young and too damaged.  So he kept her close and he kept her safe, offering her a job in his security company and the training to feel safe again, and he bided his time.  But now, after the long wait, if she imagines he’s going to stand by while she seduces some other guy…

Never going to happen.

My review:

Losing Control is part of Nina Croft’s Babysitting a Billionaire Series and the first of her work that I have read and I’m thrilled to have come across this story.  What a hot, sexy, enjoyable read!

Finally, Kim feels like her life is on the right track.  She had the strength to put her abusive ex-husband in her past four years ago and has been moving forward since then.  Having a dream job in her best friend, Jake’s, security company as a security specialist has given her the confidence and skill to make sure she never repeats the mistake she made when she was young and vulnerable.  Now she’s on a new mission….hot sex.  She’s been so focused on not needing a man that she’s now painfully aware that she hasn’t had one in a really long time.  Luckily she works with some prime pieces of beefcake and she’s certain one of them will be more than willing to help her scratch her itch.

Jake has been watching over Kim since she started working for him four years earlier, and while he’s been watching over her, he’s watched himself fall head-over-heels in love with her.  He knows she’s had a really rough past and that her ex-husband really did a number on her and has all but ruined her outlook on love.  He’s hoping that he can be the one to show her that not all guys are abusive and love really is a great gift.  He’s been waiting patiently for the right time to start showing his affections….but as soon as he realizes she’s becoming a little too flirty with the new hire, he knows he’s gonna have to speed up the process.  There’s no way any other guy is going to Kim.  She’s been his since he laid eyes on her….she just doesn’t know it yet.

Jake certainly has his work cut out for him when it comes to Kim, and even though he’s pretty much convinced her that he is the perfect guy to scratch her itch, sex and love are two completely different things.  Will he have what it takes to break down her defenses?

Yum, this was one delicious story!  Kim is a kick-ass gal and she really has had a rough past.  I really admired her determination to move past that crappy hand she had been dealt.  She really had a lot to overcome emotionally and I was worried she wouldn’t be able to.  Jake is the ultimate good guy.  He understands Kim and her situation and is willing to do whatever it takes to win her heart.  He is deliciously sexy with sex appeal to spare but knows when to tone it down for Kim’s sake.  On the flip side, he turns it on hardcore when he knows Kim is ready.  Man, there were some smexy scenes in this book!  Jake is equally sweet and caring which really rounded him out well.  The ending was totally perfect and I let out a happy “awwww”!

If you’re looking for an easy-to-get-into-and-get-lost-in kind of story, this is definitely a book that should be on your list! Thank you, Nina, for a sexy and sweet read!

Four Loves

About the author:

I grew up in the north of England, and after training as an accountant, I spent four years working as a volunteer in Zambia which left me with a love of the sun and a dislike of 9-5 work. I then spent a number of years mixing travel (whenever possible) with work (whenever necessary) but have now settled down to a life of writing and picking almonds.

I share the farm with my husband, four dogs, three cats, a horse, two goats, a three-legged Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, and a handful of chickens. It’s a perfect place to indulge my two great passions, reading and writing.

I write lots of different things, but mainly paranormal and science-fiction, usually with a strong element of romance.

Website  ~  Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Goodreads 

Book links:

Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~  Goodreads

Synopsis:

Subject: Captain Sam “Jaws” Brody

Mission: Test his limits…and push hers!

Air force pilot Sam Brody’s posting at Holloman AFB is a new start…and a brutal reminder that he’ll never fly again. The bright side? It’s the same town as teacher (and widow) Emma Lockwood—the woman he’s always had a major thing for. The woman who married his best friend….

For years, Emma ignored the spark between her and Sam. Now that he’s in town, the spark has turned into full-on electrical overload! She tells herself to stay grounded. She doesn’t want another hotshot flyboy, no matter how sexy. But with every night of wicked passion with Sam, she finds herself closer to the point of no return….

Uniformly Hot!  The Few. The Proud. The Sexy as Hell.

My review:

To The Limit is part of the Uniformly Hot Series and the first book of Jo Leigh’s that I have read and I was hooked after just reading the summary….I mean, really, who doesn’t love a sexy fighter pilot?

Even though Sam Brody has had a year to get used to the idea that he’ll be in the classroom rather then a cockpit, it still isn’t getting any easier to swallow.  Now, it seems the only bright spot is that his assignment takes him to the same town that Emma hopefully still lives in.  Emma had married his best friend but that didn’t stop him from loving her from afar since they all met years ago while the guys had been in flight school.  However, after his best friend Danny died in a tragic accident, she had asked for space and he hadn’t seen her in almost three years.  Faced with an uncertain future, he is hoping she can be the friend he desperately needs…and secretly he hopes for more.

Emma Lockwood, widowed three years earlier, has made a life for her here in Alamogordo, NM, and is content teaching and volunteering…well, as content as one can be as a young widow.  Sure, she knew the risks marrying a fighter pilot, but she really never thought her late husband was anything but invincible.  She missed him, and the life she had with him and his brother-like best friends and thought of them all from time to time but knew they had respected her wishes for space after the funeral.  That was three years ago.  Imagine her surprise when she gets a call from Sam, completely out of the blue, and learns he’s moved here and wants to know if they can meet.  She’s kept hidden the attraction she’s always felt for Sam, but now? Now there wouldn’t be anything to keep her from exploring it…but that would never happen.  She couldn’t allow it.  Besides, Sam only thought of her as his best friend’s widow…..little did she know that was so far from the truth.

Together, the obstacles they face are great and many.  Not only does seeing one another open old, unhealed wounds, but the attraction they feel is undeniable.  The emotions that come with that attraction are almost crippling at times…the guilt, uncertainty and fear of history repeating itself.  Will they be able to put their past behind them and learn to live with the chance they’ve been given?

This story was so emotionally charged from the first pages and was amazing.  I loved every second of it.  Sam, while being a modern day warrior fighter pilot has one of the biggest hearts and his not being able to fly hurt in a way that was tangible. He is loyal and kind and thought so much of the feelings of others before himself…I lost count of how many times I said “oh, Sam” with a pout while reading.  I adore him!  Emma is equally big hearted and a great match for Sam.  I loved her strength and willingness to take a chance.  Their story is one that was told beautifully…especially the last two chapters.  I was literally biting my nails!  No spoilers from me but I promise you, you will love how it ends just as much as I did!

Thank you, Jo, for giving us Sam and Emma’s story!

Four Loves

About the author:

Award winning author and screenwriter Jo Leigh began her career in 1975 as a reader in the Comedy Development department for 20th-Century Fox. She left Fox in 1977 to go on location with THE DEER HUNTER. She then worked as an auditor, associate producer and producer on such projects as WHEN SHE SAYS NO for CBS, BEULAH LAND for NBC, GREAT AMERICAN TRAFFIC JAM for NBC and CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR for Jozak Productions. In 1987 she became head of development for the McCarran Film Corp., overseeing a roster of twelve feature films.

As a screen writer, she’s had a series idea purchased by Cinemax, and has worked as a script consultant on more than 50 screenplays. Currently, her screenplay APACHE TEARS was optioned by Northern Lights Productions in Canada.

Ms. Leigh also teaches writing at workshops across the country and on-line, and is a frequent guest speaker at writing conferences. Her tape on Advanced Plotting from the Dallas Romance Writers of America conference is the best selling tape in RWA’s history.

Her first Silhouette novel, SUSPECT, was awarded BEST FIRST SERIES BOOK by Romantic Times Magazine, garnered the 1994 ROMANCE WRITER OF THE YEAR award from Pike’s Peak RWA, and was a finalist for BEST ROMANTIC SUSPENSE NOVEL OF 1994 by Romance Writers of America.

Her first Temptation novel, ONE WICKED NIGHT was a finalist for BEST SHORT CONTEMPORARY NOVEL OF 1998 by Romance Writers of America.

Jo was invited to write one of the launch books for the Harlequin imprint, Blaze, with her book GOING FOR IT!

Her 2006 Blaze RELENTLESS was a RITA finalist for BEST ROMANTIC SUSPENSE.
She also ghost-wrote GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL DOLL – THE ANNA NICOLE SMITH STORY for Barricade Books.

Jo lives in an incredibly rural area of Utah where her many rescue dogs have room to run and play and her rescue cats are determined to win the International Shedding Award. She spends an inordinate amount of time reading about how the brain works, listening to music and trying not to kill the basil.

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Dear Adam releases September 16

Book links:

Goodreads

Synopsis:

“You’re the more real to me than any man I’ve ever known … ”

To book blogger Eden, Adam is the embodiment of every literary fantasy she’s ever had. Intelligent, wickedly funny, sexy, and attentive – he and his fascinating life seem right out of a novel. Their whirlwind relationship is so intense and all consuming that soon she can’t imagine being with anyone else.

But there’s one little thing that’s keeping Adam and Eden from their happily ever after.

They’ve never met. She doesn’t even know what he looks like.

Despite how hard she’s fallen for him and how he makes her feel, Eden’s doubts begin to threaten their passionate love affair. Why is he so mysterious? Why does he seem reluctant to meet her? What is Adam hiding?

Afraid that she’s being made a fool of, Eden is forced to choose between her heart and her head. Is Adam too good to be true, as her common sense is telling her, or is the truth more startling than fiction?

My review:

Dear Adam is the second work of author Ava Zavora’s that I have read and I’m really, really hoping that I can adequately convey how much I adored this book in my review…..here goes nothing!

A thirty-something single mom, Eden has taken her love and comfort in books to the blogging world and for the past three years, it has been her happy place.  She’s tried the relationship route, but the thought of spending time with a good book usually beat out any of her dating prospects.  And that was enough for her.  Until she starts chatting with Adam.  Not one to be very chatty in on-line forums, Eden is surprised with herself when she finds the friendly banter between her new on-line friend, Adam, something she increasingly looks forward to.  Before she realizes it, they have formed quite a meaningful relationship…even if they haven’t actually met in person.  After months of phone calls, emails and messaging, Eden and Adam seem to be a perfect match in every way possible.  Their interests and personalities just click, and even with opposing views on some issues, they still have a special and undeniable connection.  Or do they?  As open as Eden eventually becomes, Adam is equally secretive at times and she starts to wonder if he really is who he says he is.  Will Adam ever truly open up to Eden and let her see all of him?  Will Eden wait around long enough to find out?

So, I read a lot of books.  Most of the stories I read are somewhat similar, which is fantastic and keeps me happy and my library full.  Then, every so often, a book comes out that is completely unlike anything I have ever read and keeps me in my seat, e-reader in hand, for hours, from start to finish….Dear Adam is one of those books.  I’m not sure exactly what I loved most.  Maybe it was that in the digital age, and the heroine being a book blogger like myself, it was easy to relate to?  I understand her reluctance to reveal too much about herself but understand how it’s equally as easy to fall into fun, lively conversation and friendship on-line.  Maybe it was that this book was written so differently in that we read much of Eden and Adam’s email interactions and we got to see the relationship blossom from innocent chatting to something much deeper? Maybe it was the way Ava had me going back and forth the entire time between being afraid Adam wasn’t real, the suspicions that came and went about him and the desperate hopes I had for Eden that he was real and she get her happy ending.  Perhaps it was the entire package.  I can’t exactly put my finger on just one thing that I loved about this book….I simply loved it all! I will tell you one part I can say I loved a tad bit more than the others though.  The epilogue.  Completely surprising and not at all what I had expected but so amazingly perfect….I think I have lost count as to how many times I have re-read the epilogue.  Five? Ten? Who knows, honestly. The epilogue was like the fluffy, sweet icing on the deliciously decadent cake otherwise known as the book Dear Adam…..deliciously perfect.

I hope that if you’ve gotten one thing from this review, it’s how much I am imploring you to read this book.  It’s different and smart and entertaining and adventurous and relatable and well written and romantic and so truly refreshing and amazing.  People, this book will NOT disappoint!

Ava, thank you for bringing us Dear Adam and for bringing me on an emotional, sweaty palmed (those last few chapters had me a nervous wreck!) journey with some awesome sigh worthy moments.  Such a treat!

Five Loves

About the author:

“In my childhood, I used to ride water buffaloes and wade in swamps. When I discovered books, I would go adventuring with Anne of Green Gables, the Pevensies, Bilbo Baggins, or Alanna of Trebond. I incurred my mother’s displeasure for reading too many romance novels, so I learned to hide them and read underneath covers with a flashlight late at night. Nowadays, I travel and write dark fairy tales and romantic novels about adventurous women. And I still stay up too late reading, even though I don’t get in trouble for it anymore.”

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