New Reviews – Page 119 – Read-Love-Blog

Cree by HJ Bellus….Blog Tour Stop & Review

As soon as I felt him go, I let go again, thrusting and rubbing on him as much as I could, milking every last sensation out of him.

My Way Series by H.J. Bellus

Whose parents abandon them in a trashy trailer when they are five years old? Oh Yeah! Mine do!

Hey Hoochies! I’m Milly, and I am tired of taking kicks to the gut. A broken family, an asshole husband and the loss of loved ones have left me crying Uncle, and declaring a serious case of the Fuck-Its!

I had my heart broken, stomped on and shattered before I ever started on my journey to find my little piece of happiness. With a bucket list, a ’66 Ford and wild dreams, I set out on an adventure that changed my life forever.

I found Cree…

A pirate with a little princess and they swept me off my ever lovin’ feet, filling my world with sprinkles, mac n’ cheese and the courage to live again.

They forced my fragile heart to trust and love without fear.

But the truth is, nobody’s past stays hidden forever. It’s an invisible monster waiting to attack and destroy. It has the capability to ruin everything you’ve worked to set right.

All it takes is one final blow to the gut to end everything…

My review:

Cree is the debut work from author H. J. Bellus and let me say, she started her writing career with a real bang! I was already hooked after reading the synopsis….and it only got better from there!

Milly starts out her story by giving us a glimpse into her awfully sad childhood…and I was crying by the second page. Things don’t really improve much for the funny, spirited, entertaining southern gal until the loss of the only person that has ever truly mattered in her life. That’s when Milly decides it’s time to take control of her life and happiness. This is where the fun begins! Starting off with a bucket list “thingy”, Milly takes us on an emotional ride that had be laughing hysterically one minute and crying the next. C’mon, you all know I love that kind of book! After she decides on a new place to start her new life, she finds true friendship and gets a chance at real love. We meet some amazing characters along the way…Lacey, her new BFF, and Cree, the new man in her life but typical for Milly, things are never easy. Cree has a past, and even though Milly is willing to take a chance and look past it, the past comes back to bite them in the ass. But Milly isn’t going to give up her new amazing life without a fight…and it’s one she’s determined to win.

I adored this book! ADORED! I finished it in a day, it was that good. Milly is just too amazing. She’s fun and bright and foul-mouthed and simply incredible. Her outlook on the craptastic cards life has dealt her is truly admirable. Life handed her lemons and she turned it into a spiked lemonade cocktail with a paper umbrella! She is a gal I would love to hang out with! Cree is freaking drool-worthy to the max. He’s gorgeous with a charm about him that had me sighing out loud on more than one occasion. Don’t even get me started on his magic sprinkles! (can’t spoil it for you, you just gotta read the book!) He is one hell of a catch and together Milly and Cree are book-couple perfection. They each bring the missing piece into one another’s lives and it’s magical to see play out.

I also have to mention that Lacey and Milly together are freaking HILARIOUS and have language that gives an insight on what girl talk is really like…at least for me and my gals it is!

So, add this book to your summer reading list and sit back and enjoy the ride….I know it’s going to be a book I will be recommending for quite some time! Thank you, H.J., for a kick-ass read and I can’t wait for more!

Five Loves

Also Check Out Book #2 in the My Way Series:

Coming Soon… May 2014
Miles- Book #3

Contact H.J. Bellus on Facebook (Click image)

Full Measures by Rebecca Yarros…Embrace Entangled Blog Tour Stop & Review

Welcome to my stop on the Embrace Entangled Tour!

I was lucky to be a part of this tour and review Full Measures by Rebecca Yarros and I loved it!

Thank you for stopping by… please enjoy my review and be sure to enter the tour-wide rafflecopter below!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:

Three knocks can change everything…

“She knew. That’s why Mom hadn’t opened the door. She knew he was dead.”

Twenty years as an army brat and Ember Howard knew, too. The soldiers at the door meant her dad was never coming home. What she didn’t know was how she would find the strength to singlehandedly care for her crumbling family when her mom falls apart.

Then Josh Walker enters her life. Hockey star, her new next-door neighbor, and not to mention the most delicious hands that insist on saving her over and over again. He has a way of erasing the pain with a single look, a single touch. As much as she wants to turn off her feelings and endure the heartache on her own, she can’t deny their intense attraction.

Until Josh’s secret shatters their world. And Ember must decide if he’s worth the risk that comes with loving a man who could strip her bare.

My review:

Full Measures is the debut from author Rebecca Yarros and one of the most amazing debut novels I have ever had the pleasure of reading. I will warn you now; this may be one of the hardest reviews I have ever had to write. Not for any other reason than I loved this book so much and I hope I can convey my feelings adequately. (feel free to ignore my blubbering from this point on and just buy this book….because it’s that good.)

When Ember Howard’s little brother came into her room that morning and said there was someone at the door, and her mother wasn’t answering it, she knew her life would never be the same. The men in uniform standing on the other side of her front door waiting to deliver their life-altering news would be certain of that. Now came the choice: break down or be the only person holding it together. Her father was dead. An army surgeon….killed in action. Her mother shuts down, her sister checks out and her little brother needed her. She could do this. Little did Ember know she would find strength in her brother’s hockey coach, and former high school hockey star slash huge past crush, Josh Walker. He’s different now, Ember realizes. He was something back then, but now? Now he was so much more. Mature, kind, patient, gorgeous, sexy…the whole package. Beyond that he will prove to be the rock she so desperately needs and will ignite the flame she had dismissed as a teenage crush. Could she be so lucky to call Josh Walker hers?

Josh Walker has more of a connection with Ember Howard’s family than he hopes she will ever know. Because if she ever knew how deep his connection went, she would never speak to him again. After losing her father, he knew she needed someone to help her carry the burden of caring for her family until her mom got herself together and he wanted to be that man. Wanted it with a passion he knew he couldn’t deny. As he and Ember spend more and more time together he knows he’s falling deeper and deeper and he’s so scared of losing her. He’s determined to do any and everything he can to prevent that from happening…but deep down he knows eventually she will find out the secret he’s hiding. Will the love they’ve found be strong enough to keep them together?

The stakes are high when you’re dealing with love this deep and intense and with emotions running high from an unimaginable loss, the obstacles Ember and Josh have to overcome are immense.

I can’t say that I remember that last time I got this emotional over a book. Yes, a whole lot of books make me cry but holy hell, this book had me sobbing uncontrollably. Please, don’t let that turn you away from reading this book. The emotions were intense from the very first few pages and carried on throughout but it was unlike recent books I have read in the sense that the emotions weren’t centered on one single relationship. These emotions were from a loss of a father, husband, son, and soldier and they were so very real and incredibly touching.

Ember is a heroine that commanded my respect from the very first chapter. She was able to push her own emotions aside to help care for her family. That, to me, is beyond admirable. She was strong when she needed to be and but her share of breakdowns and it gave her such a real feeling. Josh is just amazing. He gave Ember exactly what she needed, even if she didn’t realize it at the time. He was patient with her, and kind and caring beyond belief for a handsome guy with a player reputation. He goes down as one of the most amazing book boyfriends. And knowing how many books I’ve read, that’s saying something. The heat and chemistry between them was delectable and builds at a delicious pace…with Josh being the quintessential gentleman the entire book. He is just too amazing for words.

Ok, the secret that he’s keeping? Whoa. I can’t give it away but I will say this: just when I thought I had cried all the tears I could shed for this book, the waterworks were back. Full force. Big, ugly cry. That being said, I couldn’t be mad at Josh. In fact, I loved him even more and it in the end it brought a deeper meaning to Ember and Josh’s relationship and the relationship he has to her family.

Now, if you’ve stayed with me up until this point, I hope I’ve conveyed to you just how amazing this book is. I gave it a “five loves” and I would give it more than that if my rating system went higher. Rebecca poured heart and soul into this story and it showed with every page. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this awesome up and coming author!

Thank you, Rebecca, for giving me puffy eyes and for giving us Ember, Josh and this incredibly amazing story!

Five Loves

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Rebecca Yarros is a hopeless romantic and lover of all things chocolate, coffee, and Paleo. In addition to being a mom, military wife, and blogger, she can never choose between Young Adult and New Adult fiction, so she writes both. She’s a graduate of Troy University, where she studied European history and English, but still holds out hope for an acceptance letter to Hogwarts. Her blog, The Only Girl Among Boys, has been voted the Top Military Mom Blog the last two years, and celebrates the complex issues surrounding the military life she adores.

When she’s not writing, she’s tying on hockey skates for her kids, or sneaking in some guitar time. She is madly in love with her army-aviator husband of eleven years, and they’re currently stationed in Upstate NY with their gaggle of rambunctious kiddos and snoring English Bulldog, but she would always rather be home in Colorado.

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Author Goodreads

Love, Lies & The D.A. by Rebecca Rohman…Blog Tour Stop & Review

Welcome to my stop on the Love, Lies & The D.A. by Rebecca Rohman Blog Tour.

Thanks for stopping by and please enjoy my review!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Jada McLean is about to get married in nine days, when she walks in on her fiancé in a little more than a compromising position. Days later, she’s on a trip that she intends to be relaxing and a prelude to her fresh start, when she runs into the rude, obnoxious, but gorgeous Jonathan Kole.

Jonathan Kole is San Francisco’s newest District Attorney. When he finds himself deeply attracted to a stunning beauty, he has no idea that she’s about to get into BIG trouble with the law—and he’ll be the one presiding over her trial. To make matters worse, his father is the lawyer representing her in the high-profile case.

When a series of events force them together over New Year’s weekend, Jonathan’s feelings and ethics will come into question, while Jada comes to terms with the fact that she is falling for the man that will be responsible for attempting to put her behind bars… Little do they know, they’re both about to fall into a whirlwind so deep, it will send both their lives spiraling out of control.

My review:

Love, Lies and the D.A. is the latest release from author Rebecca Rohman and the first of her work I have read. Well, Rebecca has a new fan in this blogger. This book was wonderful.

Young, beautiful, smart, savvy and über successful businesswoman Jada McLean has worked hard at building her popular up-and-coming hotel chain and is now just a week away from the next meaningful chapter in her life….her wedding. It’s in preparation for that day that she heads home early one afternoon and finds her fiancée and her best friend in a very compromising position. A very naked, bent over her desk, hot and sweaty compromising position. Immediately Jada calls off the wedding and cuts her now EX-fiancée and EX-best friend out of her life. Trying to seek some solace and time alone, Jada heads to Lake Tahoe and almost immediately upon arriving meets an arrogant man who irritates her every time they run into one another. Unfortunately that seems to be an awful lot. Just when she can’t imagine things getting much worse, she gets the horrible news that her ex-fiancée has been murdered. Now, instead of mending a broken heart, Jada finds herself a suspect in his murder investigation. Jada also finds herself getting closer and feeling a bit warmer to the irritating man, who just happens to be the D.A.

Jonathan Kole has just been appointed to the position of D.A. and he couldn’t be happier. He’s smart, handsome and things seem to be going well…unless you count how many times he’s put his foot in his mouth with the beautiful new face around town in Lake Tahoe. It seems he can’t manage to stop being a jerk around him and he needs to change that. He gets his chance when she becomes his father’s law firm’s client and he starts seeing more and more of her. Jonathan also realizes that she is completely off-limits and could be career suicide considering her suspected role in a murder but he can’t help it. She needs a shoulder to lean on and dammit; he wants to be the one. Is she worth risking it all?

What starts out as a relationship of annoyance between them slowly builds into more when Jada and Jonathan find themselves in the middle of some intense situations. Murder, kidnapping, theft, and deceit, just to name a few. But can something good and true come from such an impure origin? Only time will tell.

This story started out with a one-two punch in chapter one and just got better from that point on. Jada has ben dealt quite a crappy hand and needs to pick up the pieces. That proves to be easier said than done and the hits just keep coming for her. Luckily, even though Jada and Jonathan’s relationship started out a bit strained, they find out pretty quickly that the attraction they feel is something that shouldn’t be pushed aside. In the meantime, the investigation into Jada’s ex-fiancée’s murder leads to some incredible findings that involve many more players in a plot that I never expected. I can’t give anything away but I will tell you this: You will be on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Oh, and the epilogue? Simply perfect. I had a big grin when I read it and let out a happy sigh.

If you enjoy romantic suspense with every emotion packed into the pages, this is definitely a book for you! Thank you, Rebecca, for an amazing story!

Four Loves

Excerpt:

The pretty, young host escorts me to a table for two near a window with panoramic water vistas. Within minutes, a server takes my order. As my café latté arrives, I can’t help but overhear a rude exchange between a man and his leggy blonde with the host that escorted me to my seat.

“Look, I reserved that exact seat yesterday,” he says.

“I apologize sir, but that seat is not available,” the host replies.

“Well, if you were doing your job in the first place, it would be available to me, wouldn’t it?”

“Sir, I’m sorry for the error, but it wasn’t written here. If you like, you can wait at the bar where I’ll be happy to serve you a complimentary beverage of your choice while you wait, or I can accommodate you at an available table now.”

I can’t help but look to see who this asshole is.

Everything about him smells of money. From the designer jeans that hug his ass, all the way to the Jaeger Reverso watch that graces his wrist. He’s hot—probably in his mid to late thirties, tall, broad shoulders, piercing grey eyes, and a head of black hair like I’ve never seen.

Ordinarily, I might have found him attractive, if only he would just shut up.

Everything he says to that poor young girl, who has tried so hard to rectify someone else’s mistake, pisses me off. He’s been nothing but rude and condescending. As I look up, my eyes land straight on his. Then I realize they’re all looking my way. I turn around to look behind me, but there is no one. Then it dawns on me that he’s arguing with the host about my seat.

My meal arrives. I mind my business, and I proceed to enjoy it. Before I know it, I see him approaching my table. I pretend not to notice and focus all my attention on my lemon ricotta pancakes before me, but within seconds, he stands beside me.

“Excuse me, my name is Jonathan Kole. Would you mind terribly if you were seated elsewhere?”

My eyes travel across my pancakes to his broad thighs, to his crotch, and to what I suspect is an extremely trimmed stomach beyond his black ribbed sweater. Then I stare into his grey eyes in silence.

“You see, my girlfriend and I met right here at this table a year ago, and I wanted to propose to her. Here. Today.”

“Actually, Jonathan, I do mind. Seeing that I’m enjoying my meal, surely you wouldn’t mind waiting until I’m done. Or perhaps you can let that polite host, who has done everything possible to accommodate you, have you seated elsewhere.”

“Do you have any idea who I am?” he asks.

Asshole! Your name might sound familiar but who cares…

“No. You could be the king of England and I wouldn’t give a damn.”

“Who the hell do you think you are?”

“You really want to know?” I ask quietly.

He lowers his head slightly, as if he’s seriously interested.

“I am a woman who walked in on her fiancé screwing her best friend one week before her wedding, so forgive me if I’m not in a sentimental mood.”

His mouth drops open at my response.

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, Mr. Kole, I’d really like to enjoy my brunch.”

His piercing grey eyes are glaring into mine. I know he’s angry. His temple pulsates as he stares at me. He walks away completely flushed.

I don’t care. Perhaps if he had been nicer to that host I would have considered his request. However, because he comes from money doesn’t give him the right to speak to people any which way he wishes.

I continue to enjoy my meal and notice him walking hand in hand to the bar with Malibu Barbie. Half an hour later, I ask for the check then purposely make him wait an additional five minutes before I leave.

On the way out, the host looks at me bright-eyed. “No one ever speaks to Mr. Kole that way, Miss McLean.”

“Well, it’s time someone taught him some manners,” I reply. I hand her a healthy tip, and I’m on my way.

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Rebecca Rohman is a wife and designer currently living in the Northeastern United States. She was a Sales Manager for a tourist magazine, and for many years prior, she was involved in marketing for a jewelry company, and later for a fine wine distributor.

About fifteen years ago, she started writing her first romance novel, Uncorked, just to purely entertain herself. It was not until early in 2012 when she decided to complete it and share it with the world. The story was published in February of 2013. Love, Lies & The D.A. is her second novel.

www.RebeccaRohman.com ~ Facebook Rebecca Rohman Page ~ Facebook Love Lies & The D.A. Page ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest

In the Stars by Joan Duszynski….Blog Tour Stop & Review

Welcome to my stop on the In the Stars by Joan Duszynski Blog Tour.

I have my review to share with you all today as well as info on the tour wide giveaway and other fun things!

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!

Book links:

GoodReads ~ Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:

Caroline Reyes is starting her second year of college nothing like the first. Following a car accident over the summer with her best friend Raleigh she is now stuck with a bitch for a roommate as Raleigh recovers at home.

One Saturday morning starts off with a bang, literally at Caroline’s door and leads to her needing to comfort a very distraught stranger. This brings Caroline into her first run in with Eric. She feels completely lust driven at just the sight of him, even though his words just piss her off. She can’t shake the sensations running thru her though even after their brief meeting is over. Then comes Kyle and he is determined to get to know Caroline better and she feels the same way dismissing her earlier run in as just crazy hormones.

Now she is left with decisions having to be made and knowing someone is going to get hurt in the process. That someone could be her alone.

Caroline has always looked into the stars for comfort and reassurance since she was a little girl with her Daddy. Now she is looking up into them praying for the right answers and hoping they can help her along with her Daddy who is amongst them now.

My review:

In the Stars is the debut work from author Joan Duszynski and kicks off her In the Moments Series. It was a sweet and hot beginning with potential to sizzle more as the series continues.

College sophomore Caroline Reyes is woken up early one morning by a very angry “other woman” and has no way of knowing it at the time, but things are about to change in almost status quo life. Turns out the angry gal, Tara, is the girlfriend of the guy her roommate has been shagging. They soon form a friendship that will introduce Caroline to a deliciously hot police detective….Tara’s brother. But before Caroline can explore that attraction, she catches the attention of a hottie physical therapist while attending one of her best friend’s therapy sessions. Torn between the two, Caroline finds herself wondering which her heart will end up choosing.

I enjoyed this book and the rock and hard place Caroline is stuck between is a pretty yummy place to be. Both of her love interests have great qualities and she certainly has a tough choice. The was a delicious build up and slow burn throughout the whole book and it ended with the choice of guy I would have made for myself. There was plenty of steamy scenes and they were written really well *fans self*. Of course, my lips are sealed and I can’t reveal who it is! I look forward to see what the rest of the series holds for Caroline, Tara and the gang as In the Stars builds a pretty good foundation for the series ahead.

Thank you, Joan, for an enjoyable read!

Three-and-a-Half Loves

Giveaway:

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

About the author:

I live inVirginia with my husband and our three wonderful (at least typically wonderful) children. I love the privacy I have back in the woods surrounding our home. Honestly thru out my school years I was not a big reader then something amazing happened and I finally opened up my mind to the world of stories. I have some of the greatest and most supportive friends ever that without my sanity might be gone.

Facebook ~ Goodreads

Cider Brook by Carla Neggers…Blog Tour Stop, Review & Excerpt

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Unlikely partners bound by circumstance…or by fate?

Being rescued by a good-looking, bad-boy firefighter isn’t how Samantha Bennett expected to start her stay in Knights Bridge, Massachusetts. Now she has everyone’s attention—especially that of Justin Sloan, her rescuer, who wants to know why she was camped out in an abandoned old New England cider mill.

Samantha is a treasure hunter who has returned to Knights Bridge to solve a 300-year-old mystery and salvage her good name. Justin remembers her well. He’s the one who alerted her late mentor to her iffy past and got her fired. But just because he doesn’t trust her doesn’t mean he can resist her. Samantha is daring, determined, seized by wanderlust—everything that strong, stoic Justin never knew he wanted. Until now…

My review:

Cider Brook is the third book in author Carla Negger’s Swift River Valley Series. It is the first in the series I have read and really enjoyed it.

Being the granddaughter of a treasure hunter grandfather, daughter of an underwater explorer father and marine archaeologist mother, you could say Samantha Bennett treasure hunting is in her blood. She has spent her childhood aboard ships and learning about all kinds of stores and artifacts and she loves every minute. After her grandfather’s death, Samantha decides to take her own adventure and look for the treasure in New England. The only problem was the possible treasure was in a small, tight-knit town and she would stick out like a sore thumb. Not normally a big deal, but it so happens she had tried this treasure hunt years before and her reputation had been tarnished back then. Her mission now is two-fold. Earn back the trust of this town and find out what mysteries are hidden. Oh, but before all that? Escape a fire in the mill she’s currently waiting out a storm in. Lucky for Samantha, a handsome firefighter happens to own the mill and was driving by at that very moment. Could it be that Sam finds a treasure other than gold coins and jewels? Could she find love as well?

This was an enjoyable story with a lot of small town history and large family ties, which I liked a lot. Samantha is like a rolling stone and has never had roots anywhere and is content living life out of her backpack, looking for lost treasure and forgotten history. I enjoyed her character in that aspect. Justin, the handsome firefighter, pulls no punches and has a bluntness about him that I liked a lot. There are a whole lot of trust issues in this story that the whole town will have to work thought if Samantha ever wants to clear her tarnished reputation. And Justin and Samantha will have the most to work on, since deeper feelings are developing almost right off the bat. But besides all of the treasure and trust, what I liked most about this story was the large family Justin comes from and the interactions between brothers, wives, fiancées, and sisters. It added a heartwarming element to the story as a whole and I really enjoyed it.

Thank you, Carla, for another terrific story!

Three-and-a-Half Loves

Excerpt:

Samantha Bennett slipped her grandfather’s antique silver flask into an outer pocket of her khaki safari jacket. He’d claimed the flask was from an old pirate chest, but she’d discovered in the three years since his death at ninety-six that not everything he’d told her had been factual. Harry Bennett had been a grand spinner of the strategic tall tale. He’d probably been drinking run from the flask when he’d spun the pirate-chest story.

No rum for me, Samantha thought, glancing around her grandfather’s cluttered office on the second floor of the Bennett house in Boston’s Back Bay. She’d filled the flask with the smoky Scotch he had left in one of his crystal decanters. If she was going to hunt pirate’s treasure, she figured she ought to have whiskey with her.

Although what could go wrong in little Knights Bridge, Massachusetts?

Her grandfather smiled at her from a framed black-and-white photograph hanging on the wood-paneled wall behind his massive oak desk. At the time of the photo, he’d been forty-seven roguishly handsome wearing a jacket much like hers. He’d just arrived back in Boston after the Antarctic trip that had sealed his reputation as a world-class explorer and adventurer. It had almost killed him, too. Her couple of nights’ camping in an out-of-the-way New England town hardly compared to an expedition to Antarctica.

She buttoned the flap of her jacket pocket. There were endless pockets inside and out. She was already forgetting where she’d put things—her phone, compass, matches, map, the earth-tone lipstick she’d grabbed at the last second, in case she went out to dinner one night during her stay in Knights Bridge.

Out to dinner? Where, with whom—and why?

If nothing else, a few days away from her grandfather’s clutter would do her good. He had been born on a struggling New England farm and had died a wealthy man, if also a hopeless pack rat. Samantha hadn’t realized just how much he’d collected in his long, active life until she’d been hired by his estate—meaning her father and her uncle—to go through his house and his Londom apartment. She swore she’d found fum wrappers from 1952. The man had saved everything.

The morning sun streamed through translucent panels that hung over bowfront windows framed by heavy charcoal velvet drapes. Her grandmother, who had died twenty-five years ago, when Samantha was four, had decorated the entire house herself, decreeing that gray and white were the perfect colors for this room, for when her husband was there, being contemplative and studious—which wasn’t often, even in his later years. He’d spent little time in his office, mostly just long enough to stack up his latest finds.

Samantha appreciated the effect of the filtered sunlight on the original oil painting that she’d unearthed from the office closet a few weeks ago. The painting was unsigned and clearly an amateur work, but it had captivated her from the moment she’d taken it out into the light. It depicted an idyllic red-painted New England cider mill, with apples in wooden crates, barrels of cider and a water wheel capturing the runoff from a small stone-and-earth dam on a woodland stream. She’d assumed it was untitled but two days ago had discovered neat, faded handwriting on the lower edge of the simple wood frame.

The Mill at Cider Brook.

Her surprise had been so complete that she’d dipped into the Scotch decanter.

She didn’t know if the mill depicted in the painting was real, but there was a Cider Brook in Knights Bridge, barely two hours west of Boston.

Of all places.

A quick internet search had produced a year-old notice that the town of Knights Bridge was selling an old cider mill in its possession. Had someone bought it? Was it still for sale?

Samantha had checked the closet for anything else her grandfather might have stuffed in there related to Cider Brook. Instead, she discovered a legal-size envelope containing about fifty yellowed, handwritten pages—the rough draft of a story called The Adventures of Captain Farraday and Lady Elizabeth.

She suspected but had no way to prove that the story was by the same hand as the painting, but it didn’t matter. It had sealed the deal, and now she had Harry Bennett’s antique silver flask tucked in her jacket and her plans made for her return to Knights Bridge—a town she had expected, and hoped, she would never have to visit again.

About the author:

Carla Neggers has been spinning stories ever since she climbed a tree with pad and pen at age 11. Now she has millions of copies of her books in print in more than 30 countries, and more than two dozen of her books have placed on the New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. Cider Brook is the third novel in her acclaimed Swift River Valley romantic mystery series that launched with Secrets of the Lost Summer and That Night on Thistle Lane. Secrets of the Lost Summer spent four weeks on theNew York Times bestseller list and garnered rave reviews, including a starred review from Booklist and a Top Pick from RT Book Reviews. Growing up in rural western Massachusetts with three brothers and three sisters, Carla developed an eye for detail and a love of a good story. Her imagination, curiosity and sense of adventure are key to creating the complex relationships, fast-paced plots and deep sense of place in her books.

Hard As You Can by Laura Kaye…Release Day Event & Review

Happy Release Day to Laura Kaye and Hard As You Can!

I’ve got tons of goodies to share today including an excerpt, my review and a Q&A with Laura! I’ve also got info on Laura’s fabulous giveaway!

Thanks for stopping by and ENJOY!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Five dishonored soldiers.

Former Special Forces.

One last mission.

These are the men of Hard Ink.

Ever since hard-bodied, drop-dead-charming Shane McCallan strolled into the dance club where Crystal Dean works, he’s shown a knack for getting beneath her defenses. For her little sister’s sake, Crystal can’t get too close. Until her job and Shane’s mission intersect, and he reveals talents that go deeper than she could have guessed.

Shane would never turn his back on a friend in need, especially a former Special Forces teammate running a dangerous, off-the-books operation. Nor can he walk away from Crystal. The gorgeous waitress is hiding secrets she doesn’t want him to uncover. Too bad. He’s exactly the man she needs to protect her sister, her life, and her heart. All he has to do is convince her that when something feels this good, you hold on as hard as you can—and never let go.

My review:

Hard As You Can is the second book in Laura Kaye’s Hard Ink Series. Being a huge fan of Laura’s work and this series, I was so excited to read this second installment…and it did not disappoint! Filled with action, emotion, intensity, and suspense, this book is a WIN!

Knee deep in a mission to answer some haunting questions, former Army medic Shane McCallan is working with the men he never thought he’d have the honor of doing so again. After half of his Special Forces until had been killed in a horrific ambush, the surviving members had pretty much gone their separate ways after returning from overseas. But his brothers in arms were never far from Shane’s mind. Now, they were trying to put the pieces of an act of betrayal together and figure out just what happened to their unit in the desert that day. Their first not-exactly-legal mission has come to and end but has left more questions. With hopes of finding the answers, Shane keeps thinking about the strip-club waitress who helped him and his team the night of the daring rescue they pulled off. If she hadn’t helped them, who knows what the outcome may have been. But that’s not the only reason Shane keeps thinking about her. She was beautiful and held a certain something that Shane knew was special. She didn’t belong in the dangerous world he and his buddies were up against. Little did he know just how right he would be and just how much that waitress would need the lifeline he gives her.

Cocktail waitress Crystal Dean has been pushed to her limits so many times that she isn’t sure she even has them anymore. But she only has eight more months of living this hell. The hell of working in this strip club, of being a thug’s girlfriend, and of paying off her father’s debt to one of the most dangerous gang’s in Baltimore. In eight short months, her sister will have graduated from college and they can start over in a new town, with new identities and really live life the way it was meant to be for two young women. The only problem now was the handsome grey-eyed stranger who kept coming back into her life and threatened to make her bad situation much worse. She had helped him when he and his men came in to rescue the poor guy being kept in the basement of the club and she sure as hell never thought she’d see him again. But he keeps coming back. To the club and to her apartment and she finds herself taking chances with him that she knows are potentially deadly for her and her sister. But there is something so good and honest about him that makes Crystal want more out of this hellish life she’s living. Maybe he can help her and she can get out sooner. Crystal has never wanted anything more. Could Shane be her savior? Could he be more?

The odds against Shane and Crystal are stacked a mile high and the dangers are severe but they won’t prove too great to defeat hope. Hope for a new life, hope for love, hope for becoming whole again. Both Shane and Crystal need those things more than ever and together they can accomplish them….but at what cost?

This book rocked. There was so much packed into the pages that I was excited and anxious for every chapter and to see what would happen next. Shane is delectable. He is charming and kind with a confidence most would envy. But under all of that, he has a huge heart and has his own painful past that has made him hold the ones he loves even closer. He is persistent in his pursuit of Crystal because he knows she’s in trouble and he knows she’s an anomaly in this world of crime and corruption. He can feel her attraction to him and he vows to get her out of this hell. His honor is immeasurable and I adored reading him. Crystal is in an awful spot and really could use someone to trust. She has been through so much all while showing a brave face to the world. I was so happy Shane found her. She proved to be an immensely strong woman and I was pulling for her and Shane to get together. Did they? Well, I won’t spoil anything for you but I will say this…..the sexual tension between them builds beautifully and ends in a most delicious way.

Of course, the heart of the story is the unraveling of the mystery surrounding Shane’s former unit’s commander and his betrayal of them. Laura is doing an amazing job of building this aspect of the story and I can’t wait to see how it all progresses as the series continues!

Thank you, Laura, for another kick ass Hard Ink book!

Four Loves

Excerpt:

Today, I’m excited to share Shane and Crystal’s first kiss! Don’t you love first kiss scenes? Gah! I so do. *grins* Here we go:

“Tell me not to,” Shane said, his voice a raw scrape.

“I can’t,” Crystal whispered in a shaky voice. “I don’t want to.”

Shane’s body took over then, all urgent need and basic instinct. The rest of the world be damned. He pulled her in and kissed her, his lips devouring, his tongue exploring deep. Nothing held back. Nothing denied. Not even as her lips reawakened the sting from the cut on his lip. Totally worth it.

Crystal’s arms came up around him. She trembled against him, and Shane wasn’t sure if it was caused by adrenaline or fear. Unable to tolerate the thought that she might feel forced, he eased off.

She moaned and held him tighter, like his retreat had made something snap within her. Their kisses deepened, and her body moved against his, sinuously, maddeningly, desperately.

They tasted one another again and again, giving in to the heat that had sparked between them from the moment Crystal had collided with him at Confessions. Little nips and bites of lips and teeth warred with long, sensual strokes of tongue that stole his breath and made him instantly hard. The sting in his lip, the throb of his GSW, the aches from Nick’s asskicking, every bit of it faded away—no, her touch made it all go away.

The few times they’d spoken, Crystal had most often been guarded, tentative, fearful. Just as she’d been when he first kissed her. But, now, she was revealing a passionate woman who could be fearless, giving and receiving openly and without hesitation. Christ, the thought that this fierceness was the real Crystal slayed him because it meant she was burying and denying her true self, not because she wanted to, but because she had to.

No, because someone forced her to.

The thought reminded him of the bruises on her arm. Shane had known this woman for three days, and twice in that time she’d been hurt by another man. And both as a consequence for things Shane had done.

A crack of thunder echoed from the heavens, making Crystal jump and gasp into his mouth.

“I’ve got you,” he rasped around a kiss.

Part of him wanted to say more, to tell her he had her and he’d keep her safe. But he couldn’t make himself give up her heat, her sweetness, her obvious hunger—for him.

So he made her a silent promise instead.

Never again, Crystal. He’ll never hurt you again. Not on my watch.

Because Shane McCallan had made a mistake like that once. And, as bad as his sister’s disappearance had been, something’s happening to Crystal would actually be worse because Shane knew it was coming. The one break he’d ever given himself over Molly was that he’d had no way to know she’d be abducted. Didn’t excuse the role he played in allowing it to happen, but he couldn’t have known. But with Crystal, while he might not know when or how this Bruno asshole would strike out to do the ultimate damage, it was all but a done deal at this point. Always was with guys like him. And Shane would go to the grave before he let it happen, before he failed another female for whom he cared.

Because he did care. Made no damn sense given how long he’d known her. And the timing was beyond piss-poor. But there it was all the same.

So that’s Shane and Crystal starting to give in to what they feel for one another – I hope you enjoyed! Did you have a favorite line? Thanks for reading!

~Laura

“Edgy, sexy, and full of suspense! A great read from a great new author!”

~J.R. Ward on Hard As It Gets

Q & A with Laura:

HARD AS YOU CAN is your second book in the “Hard Ink” series (after USA Today bestseller, HARD AS IT GETS). What can readers look forward to?

Readers can look forward to tons of sexy alpha male goodness, awesome bromance between the Hard Ink men, more antics from the Hard Ink puppy, and another great love story between Shane and Crystal. But readers should also be ready for a book that is darker, more intense, and more emotional. This book pushed me to emotional places that were tough as a writer, and might be tough for readers, too. But I think that just makes the payoff at the end so much sweeter!

Describe Shane and Crystal. What are their best traits? What are their weaknesses?

Shane and Crystal are such an amazing couple to me. They’re each exactly what the other needs. Shane’s best traits are his protectiveness, his fundamental kindness, and his soul-deep loyalty (his southern accent and humor are also right up there!). His biggest weakness for sure is a tragedy from the past for which he blames himself—and it’s something that continues to motivate him in Hard As You Can. Crystal’s best traits are her courage, protectiveness, and selflessness—she’s willing to do anything to keep her younger sister safe. Her biggest weakness is also that selflessness, because the sacrifices she’s required to make are getting bigger and bigger and bigger.

If you could describe your book in a 140 character tweet, what would it be?

When a woman in trouble assists an ex-soldier’s covert mission to regain his team’s stolen honor, he finds a new mission to save her, too

What are you most excited about with this second book release?

I’m really excited to take readers deeper into these awesome characters and into the mystery behind the Hard Ink team’s ambush and discharge!

What books are you reading right now?

I’m almost done with Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander (yes, I’m very late to the party but OMG JAMIE FRASER!!!). And I’ve recently devoured and loved Juliana Stone’s Offsides and Shelly Thacker’s time-travel historical romance, Forever His.

What can fans of your “Hard Ink” series look forward to next?

There will be two more Hard Ink books in 2014!

Hard to Hold on To – August 2014

Hard to Come By – November 2014

Read an Extended Excerpt of Book 1, Hard As It Gets

Buy Hard As You Can at Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Laura Kaye:

Laura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

ARC Review….Theirs to Cherish by Shayla Black

Theirs to Cherish releases March 4

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

The perfect place for a woman on the run to disappear…

Accused of a horrific murder she didn’t commit, former heiress Callie Ward has been a fugitive since she was sixteen—until she found the perfect hideout, Club Dominion. The only problem is she’s fallen for the club’s Master, Mitchell Thorpe, who keeps her at arm’s length. Little does she know that his reasons for not getting involved have everything to do with his wounded heart…and his consuming desire for her.

To live out her wildest fantasies…

Enter Sean Kirkpatrick, a Dom who’s recently come to Dominion and taken a pointed interest in Callie. Hoping to make Thorpe jealous, she submits to Sean one shuddering sigh at a time. It isn’t long before she realizes she’s falling for him too. But the tender lover who’s slowly seducing her body and earning her trust isn’t who he claims…

And to fall in love.

When emotions collide and truths are exposed, Sean is willing to risk all to keep Callie from slipping through his fingers. But he’s not the only man looking to stake a claim. Now Callie is torn between Sean and Thorpe, and though she’s unsure whom she can trust, she’ll have to surrender her body and soul to both—if she wants to elude a killer…

My Review:

Theirs to Cherish is the 8^th installment in author Shayla Black’s Wicked Lovers Series and can absolutely be read as a stand alone. Talk about a delicious thriller! This book was sexy, sensual, and mysterious all rolled into a delectable package. I adored it!

Callie Ward knows she’s been stationary too long. She’s been on the run since she was 16 after her seeing her family brutally murdered and almost becoming a victim herself. She’s also been unjustly accused of the brutal crime. It’s that mystery killer she’s been running from for years now. She’s been at Club Dominion for four years and fears the feelings she has developed for not only her Dom, but also the club’s master, will be her downfall. Callie has fallen, hard…for both men. Sean the sexy Scottish Dom and Thorpe, the club master. Both men have been kind to her over the years and they make her feel safe. Almost like feeling at home. To her, those feelings are practically as terrifying as a killer stalking her from the shadows. Deciding to flee Club Dominion was one of the hardest choices she’s ever had to make. Leaving the people you love is never easy. But Callie has no idea that these two men love her just as much and will do anything to protect her. They refuse to let her shoulder this mess on her own and with their help she may be able to live her real life again. But will she be able to live it with just one of these amazing, caring, sexy guys? Hopefully she won’t have to choose.

As if all of that wasn’t enough to deal with, the plaguing mystery of her family’s murders will come to light once more and Callie with Sean and Thorpe’s help, she may finally get the answers she needs. Hopefully without anyone else getting hurt or killed.

Wow. This book was fantastic. Callie’s life has been filled with heartache. She lost her entire family and has been on her own. She’s finally found a home within the walls of a BDSM club and went from loving no one to loving two very different, but equally desirable, men. I don’t blame her one bit for being torn. I don’t think I would have been able to choose between the two. Sean is smart, strong, understanding, kind, and ridiculously sexy. Thorpe is all of those things and more. He’s experienced and more dominant than Sean and holds the power to rein her in in a way she’s never known. It would be like asking someone to choose between two decadent desserts….who could?! I won’t say what Callie’s choice ended up being but I will say that the ending made me very happy.

Oh, and the mystery surrounding the murders? Wow. Shayla did an amazing job of weaving the who-done-it through the entire story and had me on the edge of my seat up until the very end. Really well done!

Fans of The Wicked Lovers Series will love this latest steamy installment and if you haven’t tried the series yet, I highly recommend you do! Thank you, Shayla, for a truly enjoyable read.

Four Loves

About the author:

Shayla Black (aka Shelley Bradley) is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 40 sizzling contemporary, erotic, paranormal, and historical romances produced via traditional, small press, independent, and audio publishing. She lives in Texas with her husband, munchkin, and one very spoiled cat. In her “free” time, she enjoys reality TV, reading and listening to an eclectic blend of music.

Shayla’s books have been translated in about a dozen languages. She has also received or been nominated for The Passionate Plume, The Holt Medallion, Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, and the National Reader’s Choice Awards. RT Bookclub has twice nominated her for Best Erotic Romance of the year, as well as awarded her several Top Picks, and a KISS Hero Award.

A writing risk-taker, Shayla enjoys tackling writing challenges with every new book.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Tyler & Stella (Tattoo Thief #2) by Heidi Joy Tretheway…Blog Tour Stop & Review

Welcome to my stop on the Tyler& Stella by Heidi Joy Tretheway Blog Tour!

Thanks for stopping by and please enjoy my review!

Book links:

Kindle | B&N | Print via Amazon | Createspace

Synopsis:

Stella Ramsey always says bad boys can’t break your heart. They don’t call, don’t cuddle and don’t send flowers—but what do you expect? For Stella, no strings means no regrets.

When the biggest story of her fledgling career as a music journalist nearly ruins her relationship with her best friend, Stella has one chance to redeem herself. Tyler Walsh could be that chance.

Stella promises the bassist for the rock band Tattoo Thief anything in exchange for behind-the-scenes access. But Tyler doesn’t want anything. He wants everything—and that’s more than Stella is prepared to give.

When Tyler’s explosive secret thrusts Stella into the media spotlight, she must choose between the selling the story and telling the truth—and exposing the truth about herself as well.

Tyler & Stella (Tattoo Thief #2) is a sizzling story of lust, lies, and sacrifice, revealing how much love can forgive.

My review:

Tyler & Stella is the second book in author Heidi Joy Trethway’s Tattoo Thief Series and the first in the series I have read. Well, after reading this book I have added this series as one I will be looking forward to more from. I freaking loved this book!

Anxiously looking for a way to further her music journalism career, Stella Ramsey knows she is holding that very thing in the palm of her hand. Literally. But she also knows that if she leaks what she has, she won’t just be reporting an über exclusive piece on hot rock band Tattoo Thief, she will be risking losing her best friend and her best friend’s trust. Without really thinking her actions through, she leaks it anyway and regrets it immediately. Now Stella finds herself having to gain her friend’s trust back. She also has to get more stories on Tattoo Thief, which means she’s going to have to gain their trust back as well. Enter Tyler Walsh. As Tattoo Thief’s hot and sexy bassist he steps in and gives her a chance to fix things while giving her material for a story. Tyler seems to good to be true but Stella knows all about the bad boy rocker types. The thing is, Tyler keeps surprising her. He turns out to be unlike any preconceived notion she had about him and that becomes dangerous. Dangerous because Stella doesn’t do the whole nice guy thing. She’s used to dysfunction and hurt. It’s all she’s known when it comes to guys. Could Tyler be the one to change her mind? The better question is, would Stella ever feel worthy of a guy like Tyler?

Rock star bassist Tyler Walsh has learned the hard way that he’s got to keep his guard up. He went from awkward teen to gorgeous and sexy rock star in such a short amount of time that he still isn’t used to all the attention that comes along with it. It was hard believing a girl wanted him for him and not just his fame and face. Then came Stella. She was sort of a mess when they met and he knew he could help her. He wanted to help her. The problem was he had to keep her at arm’s length until he got to know her better. Tyler finds himself hoping beyond hope that Stella could see past all the hype and into who he really is. He was willing to give her everything if she could do just that.

The attraction and chemistry between Tyler and Stella is positively delicious and they both feel it. But with old trust issues and constantly being in the spotlight, will they be able to find something true and real in a world of hype and tabloids?

*Dreamy sigh* Oh, how I loved this book. From the very beginning the story grabbed me and I was kept in its hold until the very end. I devoured it in 24 hours and loved every minute. Stella is kind of a mess. She drinks too much and hurt her best friend. She’s got a messed up past that has cut her deep emotionally and in turn has made her self-worth take a nosedive. But I loved her. She is raw, gritty and fresh at the same time. She wasn’t the flawless heroine that every guy drools over and I truly enjoyed that facet of her as a character. As for Tyler, all I can say is: yes, please! Talk about the complete opposite of the rock god persona. He is so amazing. He’s the good guy in a bad boy role. He’s kind and warm and has a huge heart. He’s got his share of secrets that he holds close to his vest and rightfully so. He treats Stella with such care both physically and emotionally and I absolutely fell in love with him. He is one of those book guys that I will hold future book guys up to for quite some time. I think one of the reasons I enjoyed this story so much was that Stella and Tyler’s roles were almost reversed. She was the one in need of love and kindness and he was the one who had so much love to give. The build up of heat between them was perfect. It was ever-present but acting on it was something that took time and when it finally happened it was sublime.

The secrets that both Stella and Tyler are keeping are two pretty big doozies and I let out a huge “whoa” when one of Tyler’s was revealed. Never saw it coming throughout the whole book. I love being shocked like that!

Overall if you love a good guy saving a damsel in distress with a modern rock and roll twist, this is a book for you! Thank you, Heidi Joy, for an amazing story! I can’t wait to see what’s next for Tattoo Thief!

Five Loves

About the author:

Heidi Joy lives in Happy Valley off Sunnyside Road. She swears she did not make that up.

Heidi’s obsessed with storytelling. Her career includes marketing, journalism, and a delicious few years as a food columnist. Media passes took her backstage with several rock bands, where she learned that sometimes a wardrobe malfunction is exactly what the rock star intends.

You’ll most often find Heidi Joy with her husband and two small kids cooking, fishing, exploring the Northwest, and building epic forts in their living room.

She loves to hear from readers via messages at facebook.com/author.heidi.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Author Goodreads | Tyler & Stella Goodreads

Reaper’s Touch by Eleri Stone….Guest Post & Review

Happy Friday!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I recently read Reaper’s Touch by Eleri Stone and really enjoyed it. I was also lucky enough to have Eleri stop by the blog with a fabulous guest post!

Please enjoy and thanks again for visiting!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Abby is a Ranger, part of an elite group who defend the border against Reapers—humans infected with a parasite that turns them into mindless cannibals. Rangers are immune to Reaper infection, and as one of the only female Rangers, Abby is expected to settle down and breed more Rangers—a fate she’s keen to avoid. When she’s ambushed on the plains, she’s ready to go out with guns blazing—until a mysterious, handsome cowboy rides to her rescue.

Jake has his own motives for helping Abby, beyond aiding a damsel in distress. He’s a Reaper, and while he’s learned to wrest control of his mind from the parasite, the effects won’t last without a permanent cure. And he needs Abby to get it.

Abby and Jake are natural enemies and unlikely partners. But when their search reveals a conspiracy between Reapers and the rich industrialists who own the mountain cities, they must work together to find the cure—or lose the border, and each other, forever.

My review:

Reaper’s Touch by author Eleri Stone is a cowboy meets zombie story with a steam punk feel that I really, really enjoyed!

One of a very few female Rangers, Abby is a rare breed. She is part of a select group born to defend the population against the Reapers….or zombies as we know them. These reapers are infected humans that have been taken over by a parasite and have turned from normal people to cannibals. The Rangers are blessed with the immunity of that parasite which makes them perfect to police the infected and keep the uninfected safe. Rangers rely not only on their physical training to fight but also an innate ability to actually sense a Reaper’s presence. It’s that combo that has kept Abby on the battlefield and not in a Ranger village somewhere having little ranger babies, which is what most female Rangers did. So not Abby’s style. So when Abby is sent to give a message to another Ranger camp, she is a little suspicious that her Captain may be setting a retirement in motion for her. Being strong-willed, Abby agrees to go on the mission but knows to keep her guard up. She was never going to do anything other than fight. That’s what she was good at. Imagine her surprise when the training she has relied on fails her when she meets Jake. A sexy and rugged cowboy who saves her ass from a nasty group of men while on her mission only to find out that he is exactly what she’s supposed to be fighting…..a Reaper.

Jake has been a reaper for over a hundred years now and has come so very far from those first mindless days of being infected. He has learned to control his urges and hopes one day to find a cure for the parasite he’s been infected with for far too long. This is where he needs Abby’s help. He never thought he would be asking a Ranger to trust him and ask for her help but that’s what he needed to do if there was any hope of eradicating this sickness. This was his last chance and his only hope….

Never would Abby and Jake have thought they would be working with the enemy for the common good but that’s exactly what needs to happen. Will Abby be able to trust Jake won’t hurt her when all she’s even known was killing reapers? Would Jake have what it takes to earn that trust? Only time will tell and unfortunately time isn’t something they have a whole lot of. Forming an unlikely alliance will slowly turn into something more for these two and oh how I loved it!

Again, I have to say that I loved this cowboy/zombie mash-up! It was different and exciting and interesting to read packed with suspense, intensity and even some sexy heat. Abby and Jake are on opposite teams in this war and the building of trust between them was really great to read. Neither one of them wants to be working with the other one but luckily they are pretty reasonable and realize they may be able to save the human race…together. There were more than a few twists and turns in this book that I enjoyed as well. Of course I won’t spoil it for you!

If you’re looking for something fresh and exciting, this is a book for you. Thank you, Eleri, for giving me a book I was excited to read from start to finish!

Four Loves

Guest Post:

Hi! Thank you so much for having me here to talk about my new release Reaper’s Touch. The inspirational “what if” question behind the Reaper series was: What if early explorers to the Americas discovered the fountain of youth but found that immortality came at a terrible price?

The story strayed from that original concept. The parasite that turned men into Reapers—immortal, violently aggressive cannibals—didn’t come from a fountain. Hurricanes and flooding contaminated the drinking water unleashing a plague on pre-Civil War era America. Because the parasite is killed by freezing temperatures, small populations of people survived by fleeing north or retreating into the mountains. Reapers migrate with warm weather, running south during the winter and rising again in the spring. A small percentage of the survivors are immune to the parasite and they become Rangers whose job it is to protect human farming and ranching settlements on the plains.

That’s the basic premise. Is it science fiction? Most biological plagues and apocalyptic stories fall into that category. The historical setting puts it more within the realm of alternate history/fantasy. And when you throw a strong romantic storyline into the mix, what the heck is it then? Not really paranormal romance, but what? I’ve spent a lot of time scratching my head trying to figure out what category to put this story in and it got me thinking about how much genre labels really matter.

Genre categories are supposed to aid in the discovery process and help set reader expectations. If you feel like reading Fantasy, you go find the shelf marked Fantasy and when you pull one of those books, you have a general idea of what you’re getting yourself into.

This traditional system works fine for physical bookstores and libraries. There are a limited number of books to look at and you can skim covers and blurbs until you find something close to what you’re looking for. Online is a different story. For one thing, there are so many titles available, especially if you’re looking at digital books. Browsing aimlessly isn’t really an option unless you have hours of time on your hands. And using the booksellers’ search engines can be an exercise in frustration.

Instead of browsing by genre-categories, what I’d really like to be able to do is type in a specific search “Epic Fantasy Romance Anti-Hero Sorcerer” or “Biological Plague Wild West” and get a list of relevant suggestions. Or maybe search for favorite tropes. But right now it can be hard to find what you’re looking for.

Reaper’s Touch ended up categorized as Paranormal Romance and Sci-Fi Dystopian. I’m curious about how much people pay attention to genre categories when they’re looking for books. And what would you call a cowboys vs. zombies + romance story?

Thanks for stopping by today, Eleri! ~Jillian

About the author:

Eleri Stone was born and raised in New Jersey. She graduated from the University of Iowa, married her college sweetheart, and settled in the Midwest where she still lives with her husband and their three children. A lifelong fan of fantasy, she started reading romance as an adult and was instantly captivated by the strong female protagonists and character-driven storylines. All of her stories have some element of speculative fiction and they all end with a happy-ever-after.

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads

Worth the Chance by Vi Keeland…Review & Tour

Book links:

Amazon | Kobo | Itunes | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Meet Liv Michaels

It may have been seven years, but I’d know him anywhere. Sure, he’s grown, filled out in all the right places, but his captivating blue eyes and cocky grin are exactly the way I remember. Even though I’d much rather forget.

Liv Michaels is almost there. She’s smart, determined and weeks away from landing the job she’s dreamed about for years. Time healed old wounds, even her broken heart from the devastation of being crushed by her first love.

Meet Vince Stone

Women love a fighter, especially a good one. Lucky for me, I’m damn good. But there’s one woman that isn’t interested. Not again, anyway.

Vince ‘The Invincible’ Stone is every woman’s fantasy…strong, sexy, confident and completely in control. Growing up surrounded by chaos, he’s learned never to get too attached. Love will drag you down. He adores women, treats them well, puts their own needs before his own…for the night anyway. With the biggest fight of his life coming up, his focus should be on training.

When fate brings Vince & Liv back together again, there’s no denying the chemistry is still there. But can Vince erase the old scars their past left behind? Or will Liv hurt him instead?

My review:

Worth the Chance is the second book in author Vi Keeland’s MMA Fighter Series and follows Worth the Fight, a book I simply adored. I was beyond excited for this book and I have to say…it was freaking amazing.

Vince Stone, or Vinny as some people know him, has got a chip on his shoulder a mile wide and the fight to back it up. He’s as skilled an MMA fighter as all of the best and he knows it. He’s had a pretty crappy life and fighting in the ring has saved him from a pretty bleak fate. The ring and Nico. Nico, the only father figure he’s ever known. His mother is a drug addict and has been less than worthless his whole life. He’s finally got his life somewhat together with a killer fight record, a whole lot of success with the ladies, teaching some classes at the gym, and keeping out of trouble. Besides his fighting, he’s only ever had one other bright spot in his life. A girl who helped tutor him in high school. A girl he fell in love with seven years earlier. A girl he knew deserved better than him…so he left her without a reason or a backward glance. A girl he’s regretted not having a chance with. A girl who just walked into one of his classes. Could fate finally be smiling down on him and be giving him a second chance? Does he truly deserve it?

Just about to land her dream job as a reporter for one of the biggest newspapers around, Liv Michaels has one more assignment before the final decision is made and she hopefully goes from intern to official reporter. Of course the last person she expected to see when walking into the gym for her assignment was Vinny. And of course HE was the one she was supposed to interview for her last big assignment. She wasn’t the same young and awkward girl anymore. Hopefully he wouldn’t recognize her. She sure as hell wasn’t ready to face the memories of the pain his rejection had caused her seven years earlier. She thought they had something between them back then but now, hindsight being 20/20 and all, she realizes there was no way the deliciously sexy fighter could have shared her feelings back then. Now she just needed to get through this class and get the hell out, unnoticed. Liv should have known it wouldn’t be that easy and trying to remember why it is she’s supposed to hate Vinny isn’t proving to be easy either. Not when he’s looking at her like she’s dessert. She couldn’t resist him back then and she her resolve to resist him now is looking pretty shaky too.

The history between Liv and Vinny proves to be a blessing and a curse for them. A blessing because the whole “get to know you better’ phase is out the window and a curse because all the old feelings of hurt surface almost killing their chance at a reconciliation. Luckily Vinny is one hell of a persistent guy and is used to getting his way….and his way is having Liv in his life. Permanently.

Oh my. You’ll have to give me a minute here. Just remembering this book while writing this review is enough to have me swooning and getting totally distracted. I LOVED this book. Yes, LOVED, in shouty caps. Vinny is the guy from the wrong side of the tracks, trying his hardest to just stay out of trouble with a huge heart buried deep down beneath a gruff (and gorgeous) exterior. He broke my heart more than once. He takes care of his junkie mother, even though he knows there’s no hope for her. He hangs onto the memory of his dead war hero father by wearing his dad’s dog tags and even though he has a tough time showing it, loves Nico and Elle. He’s harder on himself than anyone else and his belief that he wasn’t good enough for Liv back in high school killed me. God, I love him! Liv is one hell of a perfect match for Vinny. She’s been hurt by him in the past and is wary to start anything up again with him. Thankfully she gives him another chance. She is smart and sassy and takes Vinny on toe-to-toe and I loved every minute. They are hot and beyond sexy together. He needs to dominate their intimacy and she gives in willingly and it works so delectably well. YUM!

So yes, Liv and Vinny are freaking amazing but besides that, Vi throws a huge twist in toward the end and I literally said “HOLY HELL” when I read it. My lips are sealed, but I have to say, the added element to their story made me a nervous wreck and left me emotional and crying when I got to the end. Of course, I love that and it made Liv and Vinny’s story even better and their ending even sweeter.

Ms. Keeland is an author I know we will be seeing great things from because damn, that woman can write! I enjoyed every minute of this book. I never felt something was missing or was rushed or went too slow. The characters are well developed and interesting and I was invested in them from the first chapter. Oh, how I love that feeling!

Thank you, Vi, for another hot, sexy, raw, emotional, and gripping story. I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us next!

Five Loves

Giveaway:

(8) Sets of “Bookchick glasses” and 5 custom wine charms, one of each of Vi Keeland’s book covers – International

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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 smut author by night!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

The Darkest Joy by Marata Eros….ARC Review & Giveaway

The Darkest Joy releases February 18th

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

A sexy and poignant new adult novel from New York Times bestseller Marata Eros, about two lost souls who find each other in the wake of tragedy, only to learn that love may not be enough to heal the wounds of a dark and tortured past…

Twenty year-old Brooke Starr has escaped the aftermath of a brutal tragedy by abandoning her music studies and moving north to take a summer position as a part-time deck hand on a deep-sea fishing boat. When her survivor’s guilt becomes unbearable, Brooke realizes there’s only one thing she can do to finally erase the pain.

Deep sea fisherman, Chance Taylor, has just wrapped his guitar set at the local saloon when he sees the silhouette of a young woman in repose, the full moon highlighting her shadow as she plummets from a pier too high for diving… into water too cold to survive. Without thinking, he plunges in after her, saving Brooke from drowning.

As Chance works to save her from her own emotional fragility, Brooke finally begins to learn how to save herself. But when their chemistry begins to consume them, Brooke withdraws. She’s determined to be the master of her own destiny… until the past catches up with her in a cataclysmic plan so dark, so final… it threatens their love and their very lives.

My review:

The Darkest Joy is the newest work from author Marata Eros. This story pulled me in from the very first chapter and kept hold until the amazing ending.

Gifted and talented young pianist Brooke Starr is dealing with more grief than possibly imaginable. Her entire family has been brutally murdered and she is left with no one. It’s because of this loss that she decides to give up everything and head to her late aunt’s cabin in Alaska and try to make sense of things. Try to overcome the unimaginable pain and grief. Of course that is easier said than done and she finds herself slipping deeper into a dark depression. She has found work on a fishing charter as a deck hand and hopes that is the distraction she needs. It’s there that she meets Chance Taylor, the owner of the charter. Chance will prove to be more than a boss when he saves her from her lowest point and starts to breathe life back into her broken soul.

Chance Taylor has lived his life for the sea. It’s where he feels most at home and at peace. In small town Alaska, there isn’t much more to life and that is ok with him. Being a single guy, he didn’t need the hassle of love and relationships and loved the freedom the ocean gave him. That all changes when he meets the new deck hand he hired. Sure he knew it was a girl, but he never expected the broken and fragile beauty that walks into his office. There is a pain within her he can sense…and relate to. He had no idea when he first met her that her pain would affect them both and end up bringing them together and finally give Brooke a chance to heal.

Together, Brooke and Chance make their way through the choppy waters of grief and pain and find a safe haven from the storm in one another’s arms. But there’s still one problem lingering….her family’s unsolved murder and an investigation into a similar murder. Will the nightmare for Brooke ever come to an end?

This book started out with heartbreak and slowly grew into something beautiful. It was gut-wrenching to read Brooke’s attempt at healing and moving on. She is such a lost soul. I admired her attempt to pick up the pieces and find solace in Alaska. For a young woman, she had immense strength. I also admired her willingness to embrace life again after the death of her family. Yes, there were many dark moments and she didn’t have a whole lot of hope in the beginning of the story but she eventually snapped out of it and it wanted to hug her! Chance is amazing. He’s strong and understanding with an insight into Brooke’s heart that had me swooning. They work so well together and create a beautiful match.

Oh, and I can’t forget to mention the suspense of the murder investigation! We knew there was a possible serial killer out there but were really kept guessing until the very end. Ms. Eros did such a fabulous job with not giving out too many details and letting the reader draw their own ideas….until about the last 20 pages. Then puzzle pieces really start to fall into place and it was a huge “whoa” moment when we learn the killer’s identity. Really well done!

Overall, I really enjoyed all of the different emotional layers within this story and recommend to all you romance and mystery fans! Thank you, Marata, for a wonderful read!

Four Loves

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

My name is Tamara Rose Blodgett and I write dark romantic erotica and new adult dark romantic suspense under the pen name Marata Eros, and new adult dark fantasy under my real name.

Reader feedback is important and I take it very seriously. I check my email each day. All questions about my dark erotica and romance should be directed to the above email address.

*As an aside, I just wanted to comment that: I am writing what I love to read. I enjoy dark paranormal and edgy romantic erotica with suspense and intrigue.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter