New Reviews – Page 122 – Read-Love-Blog

Mike’s Way Back by Amy Gregory…Book Tour Stop & Review

Welcome to my stop on the Mike’s Way Back by Amy Gregory Book Tour!

Please enjoy my review below and as a treat during the tour Mike’s Way Back is on sale for .99! Yay!

Title: Mike’s Way Back (Finding Perfect #1)

Author: Amy Gregory

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publication Date: September 30, 2013

Cover Designed By: Davis Snodgrass

Event organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.

Synopsis:

Detective Mike Sterling walked away from his dream job telling himself it was to honor the promise he’d made his mother, while lying in a Chicago emergency room. A year later, he’s still fighting the demons that followed him back to his boyhood town.

Taryn Watts is an award-winning designer, going from project to project, living from a suitcase. Her plan for Renlend Kansas was the same as always. Go in, get the job done and get out, just the way she likes it. Growing up as a cop’s daughter, her every move was controlled. When she escaped to college she vowed to never fall in love with a cop –ever. Until she found herself sitting across from the ruggedly handsome stranger. Looking into Mike’s ice blue eyes they pulled her, called to her, but there was a haunting in them she knew too well.

Mike is drawn to Taryn, her passion for her work and her stunning beauty left him breathless, but what surprises him most is the peace he feels when he’s near her. Maybe it’s because Taryn is a temporary addition to his town and his secret is safe, or maybe it’s because she makes him feel safe. Mike knows he can’t keep up this charade and when Taryn moves to Renlend for an extended stay he can’t hide the truth any longer.

Can Taryn forget he’s a cop and give him her heart, or will his demons drive them apart?

My Review:

Mike’s Way Back is the first book in author Amy Gregory’s Finding Perfect Series and was an enjoyable kick-off!

Detective Mike Sterling is back in his hometown after leaving the police force in Detroit. Now, if he could just leave the horrible memories that went along with it. He’s settling into life with a quieter pace even if the nightmares haunt him at night. Things are looking up and start looking even better when a beautiful stranger shows up at his favorite pub. Determined to find out more about her, he shares a meal with her and is thrilled at the prospect that she may be spending a bit of time here and with any luck, he’ll be spending that time with her….

Designer Taryn Watts is at the top of her field and loves every minute of her success. She has worked damn hard to get here and is finally at a good place in her life. It’s this award-winning career that has brought her to this charming little town and into this charming local pub. Another charming thing about this town is the gorgeous blond detective sharing her table with her. Yep, she could really learn to like this place. It’s a crying shame she didn’t call this place her home because a gal could really get used to this town and this guy….

Mike’s Way Back was a sweet and beautiful romance with a very real feel to it. Taryn is smart and talented with a fantastic job and some amazing friends. She was an enjoyable character to read with reservations that are very relatable. The uncertainty of new feelings and what it could mean for the life she’s worked hard for. Mike is a delicious, smart and respectable man also with a great career and a close knit family. He is also very real and thoughtful with his relationship with Taryn. I think that’s one of the things I enjoyed most about this book….that Mike and Taryn are more adult in how they proceed with their feelings and ultimately their relationship. The secondary cast of characters is also terrific. Taryn’s business partners and close friends are the best! A fabulous addition to the story, indeed.

Overall this was a great true-blue romance with an ending that I adored. Thank you, Amy!

Three-and-a-Half Loves

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Purchase Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble

About the Author

When asked ‘when do you have time to write’, Amy Gregory simply laughs. The real answer is, “in bits and pieces”. She and her husband live in Kansas City with their three fantastic kids that keep them running in three very different directions. Because she sits so much, she always carries a notebook with her at all times.

She has an off the wall, snarky, off the cuff sense of humor that often shocks even those who’ve known her for years. And she loves that her children have all been blessed that ability to make others laugh as well. At least she’s grateful most of the time! Her husband often teases her about how she “makes this stuff up” when he’s reading a piece of her work. … The answer—“it just comes to me when I’m typing”. Scary thought, huh!

Connect with the Author: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

Tour-Wide Giveaway

Pushing The Line by Kimberly Kincaid…ARC Review

Coming January 2014

Goodreads

Synopsis:

Free-spirited artist Harper McGee is happy to go wherever the wind takes her…until her flight pattern sends her back to Brentsville, New York for her beloved grandmother funeral. Harper’s grief turns to shock, however, when she discovers her grandmother has named her sole proprietor of her candy shop, Luscious. But she has no intention of being anchored to one place, and anyway, she doesn’t know the first thing about running a kitchen or a business. Selling Luscious is the only viable option— until the shop catches fire due to old wiring. Fixing the damage requires major work, and if Harper wants to put it on the market, she needs major help.

Thrill-seeking firefighter Aaron Fisher has never walked away from a challenge or a friend. So when a fellow firefighter is hurt on a call and can’t complete a side job for his contracting company, Aaron’s quick to jump in. He’s done plenty of fix ‘er ups for his buddy in the past, and despite his silver spoon upbringing and his no-holds-barred attitude, swinging a hammer suits Aaron just fine. That is, until he discovers the client is the same impetuous woman he forcibly dragged from the flames of Brentsville’s local candy shop.

The more time Harper and Aaron spend at Luscious, the hotter their attraction burns, daring them both to shed their tough outer layers to reveal the tender desires beneath. But when a buyer makes Harper the offer of a lifetime, she must choose between roots and wings. Can two people who live in the moment learn to see past the moment, or will Aaron and Harper always live their lives pushing the line?

My review:

Pushing The Line is the latest in author Kimberly Kincaid’s Line Novella Series, a series that I love and always look forward to reading more of. Well, this was no exception. As a matter of fact, this novella is in a tie for my first place in the series. I loved it!

Harper McGee has only had two constants in her life….her grandmother and her grandmother’s candy store, Luscious. You could say that Harper lived by the saying “a rolling stone gathers no moss”. Unfortunately Harper’s whole life changes when her grandmother suddenly passes away. Never one to stay in one place for long, Harper is beyond shocked when her grandmother’s will reveals she is now the owner of Luscious. Her grandmother knew her so well, and knew she never put down any sort of roots. Why on earth would she have left the store to her? The answer to that question would have to wait when a fire rips through the candy store kitchen and effectively puts Harper in Brentsville until the repairs are completed and she can get the store up for sale. Funny how things work out sometimes though. This whole situation puts Harper working side by side the handsome firefighter/construction guru Aaron Fisher and before long Harper realizes that staying here in this town may not be such a bad thing after all.

The last thing firefighter Aaron Fisher thought he’d be doing when he got the call that there was a fire at Luscious was wrestling with a damsel in distress. Ok, so maybe he wasn’t exactly wresting, but he did have to physically drag her out after she insisted on grabbing one last thing from the flaming kitchen. He had no idea until his buddy’s construction company got the call to head up the renovations that the damsel in distress is actually the late owner’s granddaughter, and now the new owner. His friend had gotten hurt in the fire so it was now his responsibility to get this job done. He has no idea when he agrees to this job that the renovations aren’t just within the kitchen….Harper is in need of some emotional renovations and like the fire ravaged kitchen, Aaron is just the guy for the job.

The items being built between Harper and Aaron aren’t just new floors and drywall…there’s an undeniable connection that just keeps getting stronger with each day they spend working together. In the end, will what they’ve built be enough to keep Harper in this town…and with Aaron?

I was so excited for this story. We met Aaron earlier on the series and I have been waiting for his story since that first intro. Well, it was worth the wait. Aaron is self assured and confident in his abilities as a firefighter, in construction and as a man. He lives life to the fullest and loves with that same intensity. He is loyal, understanding and has a big heart. Not to mention, tall, dark, adorably dimpled and handsome! He’s got sex appeal to spare but without being cocky. A delicious combo, indeed. Harper is a tough nut to crack but when she finally starts to open up she is just as amazing as Aaron. She’s had a tough life and losing the only thing that mattered to her really hit hard. Her honestly from the very start was really refreshing and admirable. She is a really well rounded character with her equal measures of strength and vulnerabilities. The connection between Aaron and Harper was fast, furious and oh so fantastic. The way they just “got” each other was a treat to read. I also loved seeing the characters form the rest of the series hanging out in Mac’s and enjoying one another’s company. The joking and laughter between all of them warmed my heart and had me smiling from ear to ear.

One of Kimberly’s many talents is her ability to make characters so real to the reader. Just an example is that Aaron and Harper both have tattoos and their reasons for getting the designs they have are very personal and hold a special meaning. That character facet alone gave so much more depth to Harper and Aaron and really added to the story as a whole. It’s very easy to fall in love with these characters and that is a gift that I thank Kimberly for.

As always, I will be eagerly awaiting Kimberly’s next release and what she has in store for us. Thank you for another fantastic and enjoyable story!

Five Loves

The Line Trilogy:

Amazon

About the author:

Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she’s not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as “The Pleather Bomber”, she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a 2011 RWA Golden Heart® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. Kimberly resides in northern Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Death of the Mad Hatter by Sarah J. Pepper….Blog Tour Stop & Review

“Little mad, good. Lots mad, blissfully dangerous.” Pg 293

Welcome to my stop on the Death of the Mad Hatter by Sarah J. Pepper Blog Tour!

I have a great excerpt to share with you along with my review and info on the tour wide giveaway.

Thanks so much for stopping by and enjoy!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Kobo ~ Smashwords ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

The Jack prophesied: If the king loses his head, then the Queen with a Bleeding Heart would rule the Red Court until Time ceased to move forward. When a second carried on for infinity, every creature in Wonderland would tip their Hat to the misfit girl with a Boy’s name (or was it a boy with a Girl’s name?) who’d end the Reign of Terror. However, it all hinged on the One-Eyed Hare being able to convince an uninspirable Heir that the impossible was indeed possible—like stopping time—and that Love was worth a Beheading.

Heads would Roll…

Hearts would Break…

In the end, would it matter who Reigned?

My review:

Death of the Mad Hatter is the first work of author Sarah J. Pepper’s that I have read and being a book outside of my “norm” I was excited to give it a try. This is a retelling of sorts of Alice in Wonderland but with a new spin on it. Sometimes it pays to step outside of the typical reading box…this was one of those times.

High school senior Ryley Edgar was looking forward to getting out of high school and this small town. He and his mom have move around a ton growing up trying to outrun the rumors of his father’s mental illness. They had stayed in this town longer than any of the others and he was happy that no one had found out about his dad yet. What Riley doesn’t know is that his dad isn’t exactly mentally ill. Instead, his father had ties to Wonderland, a place Ryley unknowingly also has ties to. A magical and twisted world that Ryley would soon learn a whole lot more about courtesy of the new student in school, Alice Mae.

Working, reluctantly, for The Queen of Hearts, Alice Mae’s mission is to find the heir to the Wonderland throne….and ultimately send him to his death. All because the Queen had her husband killed and she wasn’t technically in line to rule. Oh, and there’s the little problem of the Jack’s prophesy. The problem arises when, somewhere in the middle of her mission, Alice Mae falls in love with Ryley….and he falls in love with her.

Between the Queen, the prophesy, two different realms and the emotional turmoil it seems like the odds are stacked against Alice Mae and Ryley. But, like all things in Wonderland, nothing is as it seems and almost anything is possible.

I will admit that this book took a little bit of time to really get in to but when it finally clicked, I was hooked and couldn’t wait to see what was happening next. The characters in this story range from evil and merciless to confusing and mischievous and at times innocently sweet. I thought the love aspect between Ryley and Alice Mae was a fantastic addition to the story and was cheering for things to work out between them from the first few chapters. They had a real love/hate thing going for the first half of the book that only added to the layers of story. The end chapters had me on the edge of my seat wondering and hoping that things would work out for them and they can find their own Wonderland version of a happy ending….because, after all, anything is possible in Wonderland.

Overall this was an enjoyable, magical story with loads of twists and turns. If you’re a fan of Alice in Wonderland and taking a trip down the rabbit hole, then by all means this is a book for you! Thank you, Sarah, for giving us Alice Mae, Ryley and their story!

Four Loves

Excerpt:

There were the types of girls who dressed for guys, the type who still played dress-up, the type who lived in sweatpants, and then there was an entirely different breed who wore mismatched socks with pride. This chick fell into the last category. Why anyone could possibly think bright orange and blue would go together, unless they were a Boise State fan, was beyond my thought process. Her shoes were quite possibly handcrafted a hundred years ago, and her tattered skirt looked as though she found it in a dusty box tucked away in an attic. However, the zebra patterned gloves actually appeared to be from this decade.

“Well, it’s rather fortunate that you didn’t dribble. Mr. Ruth would have a fit if he became familiar with the underside of your pet-soaked shoe,” the girl said, petting the stuffed animal’s head. Her accent was none that I’d heard before—and I’d lived in a lot of different places. She sounded like a British gal impersonating a southern bell. “It’d be quite regrettable if anything happened to him on the first day of school. He must have fallen out of his hidey-hole.”

“You named your stuffed rabbit, Mr. Ruth?”

She covered the bunny’s ears. “Rutherford is his real name, but he hates it and makes all the other rumperbabbits call him by his nickname.”

“Rumperbabbits?”

“Bunnies, rabbits, hares—rumperbabbits. Same thing,” she said with a wink. She had the most volatile light-blue eyes that were so electrifying I couldn’t look away.

Time out—just for reference, I didn’t believe in juvenile notions, like love at first sight. In my book, time didn’t cease to move forward when two people fell in love. As a matter-of-fact, I’d have to be drunk (not on love) for such an irrational thought to enter my mind.

But, there was something magical about her. A mischievous charm. I wouldn’t have said that I necessarily liked it, but it was intriguing. She was intriguing… and new. For a town whose newspaper’s biggest story was the harvest report, having a new girl in school would most likely be headlined on The Gossiper’s front page.

Giveaway:

Enter to win a signed paperback copy of Death of the Mad Hatter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

I specialize in dark, paranormal romance – think “happy ever after” but with a twisted, dark chocolate center. Real-life romance isn’t only filled with hugs, kisses, unicorns, and rainbows. True-love can be more thoroughly described in times of darkness and tribulation. It’s in those harsh moments where you see what a person is truly capable of – both the good and bad. Sometimes prince-charming isn’t always on time, and the glass slipper is a little snug. However, it doesn’t mean Charming is not Mr. Right, and who says every shoe is the perfect fit?

Website

Twitter: @sarahjpepper

Facebook author page

Facebook profile

Goodreads

Reaver by Larissa Ione…ARC Review & Giveaway

It’s Friday the 13h, one of my favorite days of the year and it’s only FOUR more days until Reaver by Larissa Ione releases!

I thought why not do something fun on this favorite day and to go along with my review?

So, in honor of that Reaver, that sexy angel, and because Larissa is awesome, I have THREE signed copies of Larissa’s Rogue Rider to give away!

Two copies are ARCs with a different cover than the mass market paperback, which is pretty cool if you ask me. Oh, and this contest is open internationally!

I hope you enjoy my review and thanks so much for stopping by!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ IndieBound ~ Powell’s ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

WARRIOR OF HEAVEN

Reaver is an angel with a past, a record, and a less-than-heavenly attitude. Powerful enough to fight alongside the fiercest battle angels-and crazy enough to risk his wings on a one-way mission to hell-he’s agreed to go where no angel has ever gone before…to steal the most seductive and dangerous prize of Satan himself.

ANGEL OF HELL

Harvester is one of the Fallen, a once-heroic angel who sacrificed her wings to work as an undercover agent in hell. But now her cover has been blown, and she’s been doomed to an eternity of agonizing torture. Even if Reaver can snatch her away from Satan’s lair, even if they can fight their way out of the underworld’s darkest depths, there is one thing Harvester can never escape-her newfound thirst for an angel’s blood…

My review:

Reaver is the fifth book in Larissa Ione’s Lord of the Deliverance Series and is also the tenth book in her Demonica Series. As some of you may know, I absolutely adore this series. It’s one of the series I will continue with as long as Larissa writes it and one that I will always recommend. I have been chomping at the bit to start this book and holy book gods in booktopia…..this book was truly amazing.

There are mysteries solved in this book as well as many secrets revealed…so I am going to do my best to give you a review without spoiling anything. Trust me, you would be mighty angry if I did because there are some major “WHOA” moments you need to experience for yourself. Okay, here goes nothing!

Reaver, the badass angel with a rebellious streak a mile wide, is a man on a mission. A mission he never would have thought he’d be on. Once again he will be breaking the rules set by the Heavens but this time, the stakes are much higher than they ever have been. He is going into enemy territory to rescue Harvester. The enemy being Satan’s lair, of course, and Harvester being the Fallen he has an extreme love/hate relationship with. Having been robbed of his memories, he had no idea what connection they shared, just that they shared one. What he learns about their connection had rocked him to his core and he knows, at the very least, he owes her this rescue and to be returned to safety. Many questions arise when his decision is made to go find her. Will they survive the journey back from the underworld? Will she agree to let him help her? What will she think when he tells her the truth of what they once were? That last question is the one that will plague Reaver and worry him most.

Harvester has pretty much accepted her fate in the underworld as the torture plaything for Satan. After she had been ousted as a traitor and spy, she knew it would happen. And yeah, it sucked but she knew what she was getting involved in when she volunteered to fall all those years ago and watch over the Horsemen. She would do it all over again for the angel she once loved and the one she made an oath to. The memories of that angel, Yenrieth, were the only things keeping her somewhat sane during the endless hours and days of torture. Memories were erased of Yenrieth so she was lucky that she still had any at all, even if she could never see his face. She had given up on ever getting out of this (literal) hell until Reaver shows up…to save her.

In the end, getting out of the underworld may not be the hardest journey for Reaver and Harvester. There’s five thousand years worth of history they will need to sort through and with the possibility that they shared more history than either one had imagined, putting up with Satan may be less complicated. Oh, and there’s also the itty-bitty problem of an impending war between Heaven and Hell. Yeah, lets just say the odds are stacked against them from the word GO.

I literally just finished this book ten minutes before I stared this review and I’m sill in awe of everything I just read. Larissa has blown my mind. I was already in love with Reaver from the previous books. On the flip side, I hated Harvester until the very end of Rogue Rider, the last book. Reaver was amazing in this story. His resolve and determination from start to finish is beyond anything I’ve read. He adapted to every twist and turn and proved himself a worthy warrior on the side of good. Harvester is beyond damaged, emotionally and physically, and broke my heart. When we finally learn her history and why she agreed to fall, oh my….she now goes down as one of my favorite heroines. She has a whole lot of rough exterior to break down and it was poignant when she showed her vulnerable side. Luckily Reaver realized what a gift that was and tried his best to handle her with care. As I had said earlier, there are MANY twists and surprises I never saw coming. Wow. Just wow. Larissa threw some zingers in this story that blew my freaking mind and I loved every single one! Oh, and the fight between Heaven and Hell is reaching a fevered pitch and had me on the edge of my seat until the last freaking chapter! Well done….

Oh, and I can’t go without mentioning how great it was to see our Demonica friends…Eidolon, Gem, Wraith, to name a few and of course the Horsemen and their other halves. Than talking about a play date between his kid and Wraith’s was priceless! The humor peppered into the story from these guys and enjoying their sibling bond was a treat to read.

And so here we are, at the end of my long, somewhat vague review and if you can take away one thing this should be it: BUY. THIS. BOOK. It was everything I was hoping it would be and ended exactly how I wanted it to for Reaver and Harvester (lips are zipped up tight!)

Thank you, Larissa, for an amazing, emotional, edge-of-your-seat, kick-ass read. You have done it again!

Five Loves

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

Air Force veteran Larissa Ione traded in a career as a meteorologist to pursue her passion of writing. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her U.S. Coast Guard husband, her teenage son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhound, a King Shepherd named Hexe.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Seamless by RL Griffin….Blog Tour Stop & Review

Welcome to my stop on the Seamless by RL Griffin Blog Tour!

Be sure to enter the tour wide giveaway in the Rafflecopter below. Prizes up for grabs include to $50 gift cards and a signed copy of the entire trilogy!

Thanks for stopping by and checking out my review…..enjoy!

Book links:

Amazon ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Professional, successful, survivor Stella has mastered the art of appearances and conquering what life throws at her. Time after time, she chooses to fight even though she’s consistently poised to break. It’s that fight to get her life back, to make things right, to survive that defines who she is. She’s been loved, left, lost, blown up, shot, and exploited. Physically, she’s almost completely put back together. Mentally, Stella’s one step from a vindictive retaliation that may or may not be her best choice.

In Seamless, Stella has no choice but to step into the ring with someone who she once loved. It’s a dirty fight that will take all she has. Will she do what it takes to win? Will she make it out alive?

You’ll cheer her on until you realize all is not what it seems. Appearances can be deceiving.

My review:

Seamless is the final installment in author R.L. Griffin’s By A Thread Trilogy and let me say….whoa! What a pulse pounding, emotional finish. I loved it!

Stella has had just about enough of what life is dishing out. She’s buried a fiancé (or so she thought), grieved for her lost love, been shot, caught in an explosion and kidnapped. Yep, she’s just about done with all of it. Now, with the media hounding her and sick to death of all of the creative hashtag nonsense on twitter every time she leaves the house, she’s ready to just run away. But then she thinks of her best friends and her boyfriend and realizes that despite all the bad, she really does have a fantastic amount of good in her life. Now, with the unexpected, and in essence reincarnation, of the man who shot her, Stella’s biggest fight is on the horizon. She will need to get him to confess to the shooting and the treachery he is responsible for, all without killing him herself. Yeah, easier said than done when she is oozing the need for revenge. Between the ups and downs of her own mental state, wanting desperately to be worthy of her amazing boyfriend and friends, trying to catch a ghost and just wanting to live a normal life, you could say Stella’s plate is full. Will she make it thought the darkness and into the light? Only time and her will to survive will tell…

Holy hell! This book had me on the edge of my seat and cursing out loud too many times to count! What a wild and crazy ride. Stella, as in the other books in the series, is a force to be reckoned with. She’s smart, emotional, realistic, and intense and has phenomenal taste in heels. She’s tattooed, curses and drinks like a sailor and damn I adore her. She is a gal I would love to share a bottle of wine with. She is absolutely pushed to her limits by the end of this book and my heart broke for her as she finally herself broke. But like all amazing heroines, in the end she gets herself together and it was a Phoenix rising from the ashes moment. Her support system is amazing. Her friends are behind her and are there for her every step of the way but her boyfriend, George, is the one that had me swooning. That man is just freaking perfect. Gorgeous, sexy, intelligent and with a heart the size of Texas, he just kept winning me over from start to finish. The two of them together are freaking fantastic. The mystery and intensity of Stella’s situation was full throttle until the very last chapter. It was such a kick ass ride! The best part though? The epilogue. I could NOT be happier with that ending. It was pure perfection and I was crying big happy tears for Stella. Her tattooed, foul-mouthed self got her happy ending. No spoilers from me…just know you’ll love it. Promise!

Thank you, R.L., for an intense, emotional, kick ass ending to this series!

Five Loves

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

R.L. resides in the Atlanta area with her husband, son and two dogs. She was born and raised in the South. She attended Georgia Southern University and moved to Washington, D.C. to intern in the United States Senate during the impeachment trial. Falling in love with the city, she went to law school at American University, Washington College of Law. By a Thread is R.L.’s second book, but is the first in a series of books.

www.rlgriffinauthor.com

http://facebook.com/rlgriffinbyathread

http://www.goodreads.com/RLGriffin

@RLGriffinauthor

Piper Day’s Ultimate Guide to Avoiding George Clooney by Vanessa Fewings and Christina Cannarella….Book Tour Stop & Review

Welcome to my stop on the Piper Day’s Ultimate Guide to Avoiding George Clooney by Vanessa Fewings and Christina Cannarella Book Tour!

I hope you enjoy my review and thanks for stopping by!

Book links:

Add to Goodreads

Purchase Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Barnes & Noble

Genre: Chick – LIt

Publication Date: December 3rd, 2013

Event organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.

Synopsis:

Finding romance in the world’s most glamorous city isn’t easy.

For Piper Day, fresh in town to work as a studio nurse on one of Hollywood’s busiest backlots, finding love seems impossible. Two men who couldn’t be more different vie for her affection: a wildly wealthy actor who gleefully bathes in the adoration of his public and a sweet, humble teacher who works at the on-lot childcare center.

Throw in the task of having to avoid one of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities or risk losing her job, Piper’s life is anything but smooth sailing.

On any given day, Piper can be helping a patient on the dusty set of a western or on the futuristic bridge of a starship or in the plush office of a studio executive. She never knows where a nurse will be needed once she enters the legendary gates of Gemstone Studios.

These are the adventures of Piper Day, a life where reality and fantasy tango in the dream-soaked world of Tinseltown.

My review:

This is the work of collaboration between authors Vanessa Fewings, whose The Stone Masters Vampire Series I love, and debut author Christina Cannarella. All I can say is that I hope these gals team up for more because this book was awesome!

Piper Day realizes she’s hit the jackpot when she was hired for her new job as a nurse at Gemstone Studios in Hollywood. I mean who wouldn’t want to practice nursing at one of the biggest studios, rubbing elbows with movie stars and seeing the amazing work that goes into putting movies and TV shows together? The only problem is that she was avoiding one of the biggest stars there was: George Clooney. It all started when she was on a junk food mission while having a break-up cry fest with her BFF and ended up running into George. In pajamas. With a cart full of George Clooney merchandise. And with chocolate smeared on her face. She’s convinced if he sees her on the lot, he will put her in the stalker category and she will lose this dream job. And so, Operation: Avoid The Clooney begins. Who would have thought that in her mission to avoid George she would end up catching the eye of two very different, very handsome, bachelors? How much more can a gal juggle?

Talk about a laugh out loud book! Piper Day goes down as one of the funniest, most adorable, kindhearted book gals in history. I adore her! Her antics and adventures ranged from hilarious to solemn and had every range in-between. She is an optimistic gal with a big heart and a fantastic sense of humor. There were more than a few of her avoidance scenes that had me crying with laughter. I couldn’t blame her for never wanting to show her face to George again after the chocolate-faced disaster! The people Piper meets along the way are almost as amazing as she is. Her two co-workers welcome her with open arms and become fast friends she is lucky to have found. There’s also a special man she meets in the beginning…but not in the sense you’re thinking. A very unassuming and kind older gentleman who turns out to be someone she never would have guessed. Almost a fairy godfather in a way. As for the two gents vying for her attention, well, I don’t envy Piper one bit in having to choose between the two! Very different guys but equally attractive, I do believe she chose wisely in the end *dreamy sigh* As for her best friend, I must admit I have a love/hate view on her. A few of the conversations Piper had with her left me a tad annoyed but luckily in the end, she came through for Piper.

I hope we get to see more of Piper in the future and I highly recommend this book if you want a fun, light hearted and entertaining read! Thank you, Vanessa and Christina, for teaming up and giving us Piper!

Four Loves

About the authors:

Vanessa Fewings (aka V.M.K. Fewings) is the award-winning author of The Stone Masters Vampire Series. Her first erotic novel, Enthrall, will be released later this summer. Prior to publishing, Vanessa worked as a registered nurse and midwife. She holds a Masters Degree in Psychology. She has travelled extensively throughout the world and has lived in Germany, Hong Kong, and Cyprus. Born and raised in England, Vanessa now proudly calls herself an American and resides in California with her husband.

Vanessa has been invited as a special guest to attend the Anne Rice Vampire Lestat Fan Club’s Annual Ball and Undead Con in New Orleans this Halloween. Alongside some of the most distinguished authors, including Anne Rice herself, Vanessa will be a guest on writer panels and at the author meet and greet where fans will get the chance to chat with her personally about her new vampire novel Bohemian.

Vanessa Fewings is repped by management firm IPG.

Connect with the Author: Website | Goodreads | Pinterest | Facebook| Twitter

Christina Cannarella is a Los Angeles-based creative writer, actor and medical consultant for tv shows and films. She fused her nursing career with Hollywood when she began working in the entertainment industry, both behind and in front of the camera over a decade ago. Some of the shows included in her resume are Parks and Recreation, Masters of Sex, Private Practice, Revenge and Parenthood.

Her first original sitcom script, “On the Boulevard”, was chosen as one of the winners of an FX Competition for “the next great half-hour comedy show.”

Christina grew up in an Italian family from Wisconsin, intermingling her midwestern values with her quick wit, she adds a sprinkle of this in all of her creative endeavors.

She is very excited to be releasing her first novel, Piper Day’s Ultimate Guide to Avoiding George Clooney in collaboration with Vanessa Fewings.

Connect with the Author Goodreads

Review…Tinsel My Heart by Christi Barth

Tinsel My Heart Links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Becca Huntley’s produced the Lyndale Park Players’ over-the-top Christmas show for ten years. It’s a beloved Minneapolis tradition, and the theater’s main fundraiser. But this year’s production is in danger of being canceled when their director disappears into rehab. Good thing his directing partner steps in to save the day. Except for the minor fact that he hates everything about Christmas.

Jack Whittaker wiped this town off his shoe with his graduation tassel and never looked back. But duty compels him to fulfill Tyler’s promise to direct the show. Even though it means working with Becca, the girl he always wanted, lost to Ty, but never forgot.

It’ll take more than a few handfuls of tinsel to soften Jack’s heart toward Becca’s favorite holiday. Steamy kisses that melt the snow right off his boots are a step in the right direction. They’ll both discover that Christmas is about making each other’s dreams come true. But will it require sacrificing their chance at a happily-ever-after together?

My review:

Tinsel My Heart is a holiday novella by author Christi Barth and is part of the All I’m Asking For: A Contemporary Christmas Anthology. I adored this read and, in fact, it may actually be my favorite work from Christi!

The pressure to put on the Lyndale Park Players’ annual Christmas show and fundraiser has never been greater for Becca Huntley. And of course, this is the year that the show may not go on. In an attempt to raise money for a new home for the LPP, they decided to make this year’s show into a DVD to sell. Ty, her childhood friend and famous movie director, agreed to donate his time and make it happen. Now, only a few weeks before LPP needs to make the move to a new home and have their funds raised, the director ends up in rehab. At a loss for what to do next, Becca is shocked when Ty’s directing partner and also a childhood friend, Jack Whittaker, comes to the rescue. Figures that the guy she’s had a crush on since a kid and the biggest Grinch she’s even known would be here to help. Becca’s new mission is to change Jack’s mind about Christmas and try to keep her old feelings at bay…..the latter of those two not looking promising.

Jack Whittaker couldn’t believe the mess he was in now, thanks to his best friend and business partner Ty. He never wanted to step foot in his hometown again, especially at Christmas. Now, facing all of the bad memories of being made fun of all through his childhood, he has to direct the annual Christmas play. He was going to kill Ty when he gets out of rehab. The only saving grace in this whole mess is that he would be working with Becca. The girl he’s had an insane crush on for as long as he can remember. Seeing her again may be the only thing that keeps him sane during this Christmas hell. Seeing her again also makes him realize he has to tell her how much she means to him and how much he needs her. She’s the one that could thaw out his frozen heart.

This story was fantastic from start to finish. They backstory between Ty, Jack and Becca really added to things. The way they were the three amigos when they were kids was a layer to the story that I enjoyed. I loved that Becca and Jack had a mutual hidden attraction for years and finally have a chance to act on it. Becca is a loyal and caring gal with a big heart for the ones she loves. I admired how much she put into making this show work. Jack was a tough nut to crack, if I do say so myself. Not that I didn’t love him from the very beginning, but in that Becca sure had her work cut out! He is also loyal and kind to the people he holds close which is at odds with the gruff exterior he displays. I fell in love with him even more when we learned about his childhood and how rough it was for him growing up in a small town and being labeled a poor kid. It absolutely broke my heart. Becca, knowing how difficult it was for Jack to be back, was there for him and it was beautiful to see them reconnect but in a much deeper way than they ever had….and it was sexy and hot and oh-so-delicious! Oh, and the ending scene? So. Freaking. Perfect!

I highly recommend this holiday read. So, grab some hot cocoa, sit by the fire and enjoy! Thank you, Christi, for a heartwarming story!

Five Loves

All I’m Asking For: A Contemporary Christmas Anthology Links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Put love on your wish list

This Christmas, the producer of a small-town holiday spectacular is swept away by a handsome Hollywood director. Being stranded in a snowstorm offers a couple a second chance at a future together. And an American in London helps a brooding Brit put the ghosts of Christmas past behind him. Wherever you are, however you celebrate, this collection of three festive novellas will bring warmth to your holiday season.

Edited by Angela James, this anthology includes:

Tinsel My Heart by Christi Barth
Season of Second Chances by Brighton Walsh
Mine Under the Mistletoe by Kat Latham

Stories also available for purchase separately.

About the author:

Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage.

A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes contemporary romance.

Christi is President of the Maryland Romance Writers and lives in Maryland with her husband.

Website ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

ARC Review…Out of the Ashes by Diana Gardin

Out of the Ashes releases December 12

Goodreads

Synopsis:

Out of the frying pan and into the fire…

Paige Hill is discovering who she is again after losing everything she loves in a tragic fire. She’s endured a long road to recovery with the help of her best fiend Gillian and is finally beginning her life again: college, a job, and a blossoming love she never even saw coming.

Clay Forbes is the notorious campus playboy. He’s a star athlete, a senior architecture major, and the only son in a family with power and money back in his hometown. When he crashes into Paige, his whole perspective on life shifts, and his world as he knew it becomes nonexistent. He’s wrapped up in her.

They’re both learning how to love, but Clay’s ex-girlfriend Hannah won’t make it easy for them. She puts a target on Paige’s back, and won’t stop until she’s derailed their budding romance once and for all. Who will be left standing after the ashes settle for the second time?

My review:

Out of the Ashes is the first in a new series from author Diana Gardin and a book I really enjoyed.

After a horrific fire took her entire family from her, Paige Hill enrolls in college with her best friend and is trying her best to live her life. The scars that mar her skin have healed pretty well, but the scars that mar her soul will never go away. It’s those emotional scars she wants to keep buried deep. Keeping people at a distance is always a safe bet but when Paige meets a gorgeous soccer player at the beginning of the semester and, after spending more and more time with him, she finds herself wanting to share her secret pain. Can this gorgeous, blue-eyed soccer jock look past her scars and grow to love her? Not if his vindictive ex-girlfriend has anything to say about it….

Running into the beautiful stranger at the bookstore has been on Clay’s mind for the last few days. Never had he been so affected by a girl before. On a mission to find out who she is, he’s surprised when she turns up at a party at his apartment. Turning on the charm he’s known for, he can’t help but feel that she’s special and she won’t be like any other girl he’s ever been with. With her shy smile and her understated beauty, he knows he will do whatever it takes to gain her trust and her heart. Now he just has to make sure his ex-girlfriend knows it’s over between then for good.

Paige and Clay have more than a few obstacles in their way. Paige’s family tragedy, Clay’s hateful ex-girlfriend, raw emotions and navigating a new love are just a few of them. They have found something special, but will it be strong enough to withstand all that life throws at them?

Ok, so I will say it now: this book has a cliffhanger ending. Now, I don’t mind them but I know a lot of people do. If you’re one of them, I suggest waiting until the second book comes out and read both books back to back. That being said, the ending had me gasping and my eyes bugging out when I read it. Not in a bad way….quite the opposite. It was a huge twist and I loved it. Paige has been through so much and I admire her will to live and to pick up her pieces and move forward as best she can. Clay is so amazing with her and treats her exactly how she needs to be treated. He is really in-tune with her needs and emotion states. He’s gentle, loving and kind but knows when he can give her a little push. I really enjoyed watching their relationship grow. Paige’s best friend, Gillian, is a friend anyone would be lucky to have. She’s strong and loyal and is the rock Paige needs at her lowest moments. Clay’s has two close friends that also some great people. However, the ex-girlfriend, Hannah, is a raging psycho and tormented poor Paige. I wish I could hunt her down and give her a piece of my mind. Grrrrr. All of the relationship building and ups and downs leads us to an ending I never saw coming. Whoa. Diana really shocked me and I loved it!

Overall, Out of the Ashes is an enjoyable story about new love, letting go of the bad and letting in the good and overcoming the worst life can throw at you. If you don’t mind the cliffhanger ending, I definitely recommend this book. Thank you, Diana, for a fabulous story. I cannot WAIT to see what book #2 holds for us!

Four Loves

About the author:

Books are my passion. Whether I’m writing them or reading them, they have always been a big part of my life. As an adult who just entered my thirties, I realize that it’s something I can’t live without, and what I really want to do for a living every day. It’s, for me, the job that doesn’t feel like work. So now, I’m proudly able to say that I’m a crazy wife, a worrywart mama of two, and a passionate writer. Love this life!

Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Website

Out of Time by Jen McLaughlin….Blog Tour Stop & Review

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

I am beyond excited to share my review with you and my Finn tattoo!

I’m also thrilled to share Jen’s AMAZING giveaway! The grand prize winner will get to help name a character in book 3 of the series, and will get their name in the acknowledgement section of the book! How exciting is that!?

Also, to celebrate the release of OUT OF TIME, book one in the series, OUT OF LINE, will be just .99¢.

Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

Buy links:

Out of Time: Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Out of Line (book #1): Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble

Follow the rest of the tour HERE

Synopsis:

Desperate to keep him…

I’ve finally gotten everything I ever wanted: love, freedom, happiness, and, most importantly, Finn. Our love is everything I expected it to be and more. We’ve finally found each other, but the world seems determined to tear us apart. We thought my father was the only obstacle between us, but now it’s the military. With Finn’s departure looming, we’re squeezing in every moment together before we run out of time.

Trying to make every moment count…

Being Carrie’s bodyguard was one thing. Being her boyfriend is another. Every day she’s mine is a day the sun shines in my life. Yet our time together is running out. Her father will never think a tattooed Marine will be good enough, so I’ll do whatever it takes to be worthy of her love. But the road will take me away from the girl who makes me feel alive–the girl I can’t live without.

Time only gets us so far…

My review:

Out of Time is the second book in Jen McLaughlin’s Out of Line Series. After falling completely in love with Carrie and Finn in the first book, Out of Line, I was beyond eager to get my hands on this book. Well, it was everything I could have dreamed of…and more. I loved, loved, loved this book.

Carrie and Finn have overcome the obstacle of Finn being Carrie’s bodyguard and are enjoying their newfound love. Well, they’ve sort of overcome that whole bodyguard thing. Carrie’s father, a senator, still has no idea their relationship went from professional to personal. They plan on telling him, eventually, but now the more pressing problem is Finn’s role in the Marines. He’s gotten an ominous call and fears he will be deployed much sooner than he thought. Fearing he will upset her if he hides what little info he has about leaving, he has no choice but to tell her what may be in store. Finn sees an upside to this mess when he’s given the chance of a lifetime in the form of a special mission. One that will hopefully improve the senator’s view of him and ultimately the senator’s view of him as someone worthy of dating Carrie. Now, the only thing left is to just enjoy the possibly limited time they have left together. Of course, that’s when her father decides to come for a surprise visit. Now the question becomes will it be the Senator’s visit or Finn’s choice of a mission that will threaten their relationship more….

As some of you may know, I completely adore this series. So much so that I deemed it “tattoo worthy”….and got a Finn tattoo. Well, I was a nervous wreck waiting to read this book. I had an idea from the message Finn got in the last book that he would be leaving Carrie. Well, between the waiting game and Carrie’s dad visiting, I didn’t think my emotions could get any more chaotic! I was a ball of nerves from one page to the next but then I would get to a Finn and Carrie moment and I would just swoon and give a happy sigh. The heat and passion between them is scrumptious. I adore these two. I don’t know of many book couples that I enjoy this much. Finn is just, well, the perfect package. Loyal, caring, sweet, sexy and so in love with Carrie he is the perfect guy. If he didn’t already win my heart in the first book he would have won it in this one. His love for Carrie is so intense and so real. I just adore that man! Carrie is once again a girl with quite a head on her shoulders and really shows it at the very end of this book. She knows what she wants and will do what it takes to make it happen for her and Finn. The navigation from Carrie’s POV to Finn’s POV is so well done and makes his book that much better, which I didn’t think possible.

The ups and downs Carrie and Finn have to deal with in the beginning of the story are nothing compared to what they go through right before this story ends. Get tissues handy. Not a few tissues, a box of tissues. I was a complete and utter mess by the time I finished reading (I’m actually tearing up as I type this review). Not all sad tears though….there were tears of joy and relief after all the sad tears. I won’t give anything away, but I will say I would never recommend a book that ended badly….so you’ll just have to trust me on this.

Jen writes emotion so damn well. It’s raw and beautiful and makes the reader feel everything Carrie and Finn are feeling. It’s a rare gift and I appreciate every moment of it.

After all my blubbering, if you take one thing away from this review, it’s that you MUST get this book and if you haven’t read the first in the series, read it….and then read Out of Time. I am waiting on pins and needles for the next book and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for Finn and Carrie. Thank you, Jen, for another amazing read and for a book dedication that still has me smiling from ear to ear! Heart you, girl!

Five Loves

My Finn tattoo!

Giveaway:

Jen is giving away 4 $10 Amazon Gift Cards and an amazing grand prize! The grand prize winner will get to help name a character in book 3 of the series, and will get their name in the acknowledgement section of the book! Contest is international.

If the book happens to hit the top 10 on amazon during the blog tour, there just might be another special surprise in the works for the fans!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:

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

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

Website ~ Facebook Fan Page ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads

Review…Christmas Roses: Love Blooms in Winter by Mary Jo Putney, Patricia Rice, Susan King

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Love blooms in Winter. Three rare, historical romance novellas by acclaimed writers Patricia Rice, Mary Jo Putney, and Susan King are collected together here for the first time in this exclusive eBook, Christmas Roses. “The Snow Rose”, “The Black Beast of Belleterre”, and “The Kissing Bough” weave tales of the joy of unexpected Love, at a special time of year, Christmas – as only these talented writers can. Discovery in the midst of a clash of clans, hidden desires from an unexpected suitor, and a love once lost and found combine for a truly romantic journey through history. This tantalizing collection of historical romances also includes all-new introductions and recipes to add to the delight of the season.

My review:

The Snow Rose by Susan King

Catriona MacDonald is in need of help and calls on a promise made to her family years ago by her now enemy clan, the Frasers. She needs to regain control of her family’s estate from her uncle and knows they are the only ones that can help her. After being turned away and her plea for help falling upon deaf ears, she heads back to her makeshift home to ring in the New Year. Alone and in need of luck, she tries to lift her spirits and is surprised when Kenneth Fraser shows up at her door. He comes bearing gifts and well wishes but still won’t offer to help her take back her rightful home. But fate indeed had a plan for Kenneth and Catriona and has brought these two soul mates together. Together, they will be able to conquer anything, especially getting her home back.

I loved this story. I was instantly transported to 16^th century Scotland with rich descriptions and dialogue worthy of the Highlands. Despite the length of the story, the characters were well developed and there was plenty of emotion and even a few laughs. Kenneth is a loyal man with a huge heart and a soft side that had me swooning. Catriona is a strong and resilient woman caring for the ones she loves and puts her own needs second. Together they prove to be a perfect match. The Snow Rose was a fantastic start to this collection!

The Black Beast of Belleterre by Mary Jo Putney

Lord Falconer has the gifts of wealth and intelligence. He owns gorgeous properties and has traveled and visited many beautiful places. What he didn’t have the gift of were handsome looks. He was burned as a child and has kept himself hidden behind the hood of a cloak for too many years to count. It was easier to be thought a phantom than be known as a horrid looking monster. Resigned to the notion he would never take a wife, he was surprised when he had no other wish than to do just that after seeing the beautiful daughter of one of his debtors. As luck would have it, his debtor needed to marry his daughter, Ariel, off to a wealthy man so he could pay of his debts. Was it fate that Falconer happened to be wealthy and a creditor owed a substantial debt by this man? After hearing the name of the weasel she was going to be married off to, he stepped in and offered his hand. She was offered anything her heart desired and he promised it would remain a marriage in name alone. Never would such a beautiful woman love someone as hideous as he……or was it possible after all? They do say love is blind….

This was my absolute favorite story in the collection. A take on Beauty and the Beast, it was a beautiful story. Falconer broke my heart. He was warm and compassionate but never though himself worthy of love and affection. He had lived a life almost entirely alone and was so grateful to have this beautiful woman in his home. He was kind to his new bride and gave her everything she desired. The more time Ariel spent with Falconer, the more she started to fall in love with him and his reaction to it was fear and disbelief. Ultimately though, Ariel took a chance at showing him how she felt and it was simply perfect! This is a story that will stay with me for quite some time and deserves a re read very soon!

The Kissing Bough by Patricia Rice

Mourning over the recent death of her dear father, Diana Carrington certainly wasn’t in the mood to decorate her home for the holiday but she knew it had to be done. Her family needed a bit of happiness and on the chance that her brother would be returning home from war very soon, he would need that happiness as well. Of course, if her brother was set to return, it most likely means he would be coming home with his best friend, Jonathan. Jonathan, the young man she had been madly in love with before he went off to war four years earlier. She thought he had loved her too but when he didn’t send word about his departure, her heart had shattered. Clearly he hadn’t cared for her as much as she thought. She had no idea how wrong she was and luckily Jonathan would get a chance very soon to show her just how much he missed her and how much he truly did care for her.

The ending story to this anthology was a sweet finish. The Carrington family dynamic was fantastic with a mischievous set of twins that proved to be quite a handful. They had me laughing out loud a few times at their antics. Diana has a good head on her shoulders and wasn’t afraid to give Jonathan a piece of her mind more than once. I loved her spirit! Jonathan is a stand-up man not willing to let Diana go and his ability to bear his heart to her was so touching. The ending scene with Diana and Jonathan was so sweet and loving and just perfect.

Overall, this anthology was a win from start to finish and I recommend to anyone who loves love and the holiday season. Thank you, Susan, Mary Jo and Patricia, for three fabulous stories!

Four Loves

About the authors:

Patricia Rice
With several million books in print and New York Times and USA Today’s bestseller lists under her belt, former CPA Patricia Rice is one of romance’s hottest authors. Her emotionally-charged contemporary and historical romances have won numerous awards, including the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards. Her books have been honored as Romance Writers of America RITA® finalists in the historical, regency and contemporary categories.

A firm believer in happily-ever-after, Patricia Rice is married to her high school sweetheart and has two children. A native of Kentucky and New York, a past resident of North Carolina, she currently resides in Southern California, and now does accounting only for herself. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Authors Guild, and Novelists, Inc.

Mary Jo Putney
A New York Times bestselling author, Mary Jo Putney was born in Upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition with no known cure. Her entire writing career is an accidental byproduct of buying a computer for other purposes. Most of her books contain history, romance, and cats. Her current Lost Lords series include No Longer a Gentleman, May 2012, and Sometimes a Rogue, September 2013. October sees the release of the mass market edition of Mischief and Mistletoe, a Christmas anthology by the eight authors of the Word Wenches blog. She has had ten RWA RITA nominations, two RITA wins, and in 2013 is the recipient of the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award.

Susan King
Susan King is the bestselling, award-winning author of 22 historical novels and novellas praised for historical accuracy and lyrical writing. Writing as Susan King and Sarah Gabriel, she is the author of several historical romances for major publishing houses; as Susan Fraser King, she writes highly acclaimed historical fiction, including Lady Macbeth and Queen Hereafter, published by Random House. Her backlist novels are now being released in e-book form and she is currently working on new fiction. A founding member of the successful author blog Word Wenches, Susan holds a B.A. in fine arts and an M.A. in art history, and did her Ph.D. work in medieval art history. She lives in Maryland with her family.

ARC Review…On Solid Ground by Michelle Kemper Brownlow

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

Emotional abuse can break both your heart and your spirit. Twenty-one year old Gracie is broken and weak but she’s determined to heal. With the encouragement from her best friend, Becki and her best friend-turned-boyfriend, Jake, she is ready to do what it takes to heal from the pain she suffered while with her ex, Noah. Gracie’s post-Noah days are filled with the gentle love she receives from Jake but in her sleep she is plagued by nightmares that she fears will never go away.

It’s summer on UTK’s campus and Gracie, Jake and Becki have all decided to stay at school for the summer, each for their own reason. Gracie wants to be as far away from Noah as possible, Jake knows Gracie will need him to lean on and, because of a late in the game change of major, Becki has a ton of classes to take before her senior year.

In the beginning of summer, Gracie and Jake continue to steam the windows with their beautiful love-making but Gracie’s internal struggles with self-esteem and confidence weigh heavily on their relationship. Jake’s point-of-view alternating throughout the book will have readers falling even harder for him.

When Gracie’s new counselor suggests she may have jumped into a relationship too quickly, Gracie knows what she needs to do to make a full recovery. With strength she didn’t know she had, she walks away from Jake to recover her spirit. Staying true to the promise he made her the semester before, although heart-broken, Jake remains her closest friend and support system while trying to give her the space she needs to heal.

Gracie has spent years pouring her heart into volume after volume of journals. Gracie starts writing poetry that seemingly pours from her heart, proof that writing is merely an extension of her soul. Gracie also reconnects with her musical talents and takes up guitar again, a talent not even Jake knew about. The beauty in her passion for both playing music and writing renders Jake speechless.

Gracie is inspired by what she’s learning about herself in therapy, writing poetry and lyrics. And as fate would have it, she unexpectedly runs into Calon Ridge, the lead singer of her favorite local band, Alternate Tragedy.

Memories of an evening she spent with Calon two years prior and his sudden intense interest in Gracie throws both she and Jake for a loop. Jake experiences something he’s never had to deal with. He is jealous; fist-clenching, pulse-thumping jealous.

With broken souls and passion for music in common, Calon and Gracie reconnect on a different level. Calon becomes a creative confidant for Gracie and with his cocky humor, sexy mannerisms and sensitive spirit, he convinces her to begin to explore the depths of her talent by taking the stage. Jake’s new job as a bartender gives him a front row seat to the sensual connection between Calon and Gracie as they practice. But that connection is just what Gracie needs to lift her confidence as she starts to find herself again.

Becki and Gracie spend more time together than usual because of their shared newly-single status and Becki is completely intrigued by Calon. Becki’s honesty and no-filter humor is gut-busting hysterical and keeps Gracie grounded and giggling. She’s up for a summer fling but may not be expecting the intensity Calon’s soul holds.

And when the end-of-summer festival brings the whole cast of IN TOO DEEP back, front and center for a weekend none of them will soon forget, stakes are set, tempers flare, truth prevails, and unexpected plans are made. And Gracie finally finds herself On Solid Ground.

My review:

On Solid Ground is the follow up to Michelle Kemper Browlow’s emotional debut, In Too Deep. I fell in love with Gracie and Jake in that debut and damn if I didn’t fall in love with them even more in On Solid Ground.

Gracie is just at the very beginning of her personal journey to become stronger and get back to the girl she once was. The girl she was before she experienced the emotional abuse at the hands of her ex-boyfriend, Noah. Luckily she has the amazing Jake by her side to help her realize the amazing and beautiful soul she is. But it won’t be an easy road for her and certainly not her and Jake’s relationship. Will they be able to weather the storm left behind by Noah?

Jake is bound and determined to make his Gracie see just how amazing she is. He needs to her to see herself through his eyes. She has been too broken and seeing her like that is killing him. He will give her whatever it takes to build her back up….even if it means time away from the woman who holds his heart.

Together Jake and Gracie have more hurdles to overcome than anyone they know. Determined to put the past in the past, and heal the hurt that has been caused, they will need to reach within to find the strength to be survivors…..together.

This. Book. KILLED. Me. Gracie broke my heart when she opened up and started the healing process. She is an amazing, strong, determined, resilient and beautiful person. Inside and out. She is an inspiration to anyone who reads this book. I think we can all learn something from her. To take the steps she knows she needs to get herself to a better place and admit that she needs help getting there is truly amazing and it is gift to be able to read. Now, let’s get to Jake….*dreamy sigh*. Damn, where to even begin? He is truly an amazing partner. He gives Gracie any and everything she could possibly need to get back to the girl he fell in love with all that time ago. He is a guy and girl would be lucky to call hers and had me crying too many times to count with his insight and caring soul.

Michelle also introduced us to Calon, the smoking hot lead singer of a local band and one that shares a deep connection with Gracie. He’s another beautiful and intense person with a story that broke my heart. I really, REALLY, hope he gets his own happy ending because that boy truly deserves one.

But beyond On Solid Ground, and In Too Deep, I have to say that I think Michelle Kemper Brownlow is one of the most truly unique and special authors I have come across these days. She writes from her heart and soul and I can feel it in every page. Rarely does a reader come across a gift like that. My wish is that my review reaches someone who may not have heard about Michelle and that person decides to read her work. Thank you Michelle, for another phenomenal story and I look forward to seeing more from you!

Five Loves

About the author:

Michelle Kemper Brownlow has been a storyteller her entire life. Her debut was on the high school cheerleading bus granting requests to re-tell her most embarrassing moments for a gaggle of hysterical squadmates.
Earning her Bachelor’s degree from Penn State University in Art Education and then marrying her very own “Jake,” she moved to Binghamton, NY where she taught high school. After having two children she quit work and finished her Master’s degree in Elementary Education at Binghamton University.

The Brownlow family of four moved to Michelle’s hometown of Morgantown, PA while the children were still quite young. A few years after moving, her family grew by one when they welcomed a baby into their home through the gift of adoption. The family still resides in PA, just miles from where that high school cheer bus was parked.

Michelle has been an artist for as long as she can remember, always choosing pencils and crayons over toys and puzzles. As a freelance illustrator, her simple characters play the starring roles in numerous emergent reader books published by Reading Reading Books.

“Writing is my way of making sense of the world. When I give my characters life on the pages I write, it frees up space in my mind to welcome in new stories that are begging to be told,” says Brownlow.

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