New Reviews « Read-Love-Blog

Review…Witch Bound by Eleri Stone

by Jilly

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Raquel Lindgren knows what her future holds. An arranged marriage. A new home in Ragnarok, Iowa, with another clan of refugees from Asgard. She should be happy. But there’s a mental block preventing her from tapping in to her true abilities as a witch. And she’s more attracted to the best man than she is to the groom…

Fen can’t believe he’s falling for his best friend’s future wife. As a hound, a wolf shifter, his duty lies with the pack. He’s seen too many hounds destroyed by love, and he’s sworn never to take a mate, never to have children of his own. He can’t deny his desire for Raquel, but she deserves more than he can offer her.

Raquel’s been raised to trust in magic, her clan and her destiny. But when a vengeful demon threatens to break out of Asgard and destroy the clan, Raquel learns she must trust in love if she is to take the future into her own hands.

My Review:

This is the second book in Eleri Stone’s Twilight of the Gods Series and for me, was a fresh look at paranormal and I truly enjoyed it!

Nervous and excited, Raquel Lindgren steps through a portal to meet the man she is betrothed to and to meet the new clan she will eventually be the head witch for. Only there’s a few problems….one major one being she hasn’t exactly come into her full powers yet. The powers are there, just simmering beyond the surface and she needs to figure out how to reach into herself and grasp them. Of course, this has to happen at the same time as demons have been attacking through the portal between the worlds she is supposed to help strengthen. Another problem? Her sudden and intense attraction to Fen, the best man and best friend of the groom. What’s a young witch to do when the weight of the clan is on her shoulders and she has a terrible suspicion that she is marrying the wrong man?

For the last 28 years, Fen has come to grips with his decision to remain and unbounded hound…sadly, that means he will forever remain a virgin. You see, once a hound has sex, he’s bonded to that person forever. The down side to that? Something he’s seen time and time again. The partner the hound bonds to decided she no longer wants to be a part of it. Fen has decided that ignoring his desires will always be easier than having a mate who changes her mind….he’d been ok with that…yep, until he laid his eyes on Raquel. He knows there’s no way he can ignore what he feels for her…too bad she’s going to marry his best friend.

Raquel and Fen not only have to deal with their feelings toward each other, they have to deal with attacks from demons from another realm, Raquel’s issue with her powers, battles, injuries and turmoil within the clan. Will it prove to be too much?

This was a fantastic story. I loved the Norse mythology spin on paranormal and thought it was a fresh take on things. I truly appreciated reading legends that are something new and different! Raquel is a great heroine. She realizes her faults and is willing to do what it takes to fix them and become the woman and witch the people need, even if it means putting her own comfort and security aside. She knows to trust her instincts and is strong and loyal. Very admirable qualities. Fen is one of those deliciously dark and distant heroes that had me pining for him from the beginning. What Eleri did with the triangle between Raquel, Fen and Christian (the man she is supposed to marry) was nail-biting perfection. I felt for both Christian and Fen and for quite some time, couldn’t decide who I wanted Raquel to choose. That, to me, is the sign of great writing. Getting the reader to feel for all sides is a talent. Ultimately, I was Team Fen and was drooling over him! Of course, I won’t spoil it for you but I will say the last chapter was freaking AMAZING! A deliciously perfect ending!

I’m sure we will get to see more of Fen, Raquel, Christian and the whole clan because Eleri has hinted at more drama to come for the clan and our favorite members. Thank you, Ms. Stone, for a fresh and exciting read! I will be looking forward for more in the Twilight of the Gods Series!

Four Loves

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, character-driven storylines and guarantee of a happy-ever-after. Writing fantasy and paranormal romance, she is the author of the Lost City Shifters series (shapeshifter paranormal romance), the Twilight of the Gods series (paranormal romance) and the Spellcraft series (fantasy romance).

Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Website

July 2013 New Reviews

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Review….Second Chances by Jennifer L. Place

by Jilly

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Eight years ago, Eva Sterling left Walnut Hill without a backward glance, her heart and pride shattered. Until recently, she had been living the life she always wanted with her husband Matt, when tragedy struck and turned her world upside down once again. Her hometown has never given her what she needed and has always been more draining than sustaining. Now she must return home to the life…the family…everything upon which she once turned her back and hope the place from whence she came has what she needs to heal. Jesse Hawthorne instigated Eva’s departure. He was utterly responsible for breaking her heart more times than he could count and has carried with him the knowledge and burden that caused her to run away. With her arrival back in his life, he is determined to be the man he always knew she deserved. Second Chances asks its characters and its reader’s one question, “Is it possible to build a future on a foundation of regret?”

My Review:

Second Chance by Jennifer L. Place is a story, quite simply, about second chances and all of the things that come with that… forgiveness, acceptance, trust and courage just to name a few.

Eva Sterling is at a crossroads in her life. The recently widowed wife of a police officer killed in the line of duty, she faces the unyielding question of “what now?”. Ultimately deciding to move back to her hometown, with the family and friends she had left behind years ago, she now must face all the memories she had been blissfully ignoring…memories of heartbreak and a lost love that she had never been able to get over.

Fresh from signing the divorce papers, and happily kissing his failed marriage goodbye, Jesse Hawthorne is ready to move on. Now, with the prospect of working on a new project for the construction company he manages, things are looking up. That is, until he realizes the new project he’s heading is for Eva Sterling….the girl he lost years ago and the girl he is still desperately in love with.

Eva and Jesse have both been through hell in their personal lives since the incident that ruined their relationship. Broken trust and shattered dreams aren’t something easily forgotten or easily regained. But, having gone their separate ways they now find themselves once again back in each other’s lives. Have they each earned a second chance at the happiness and love they let slip away all that time ago?

This was a heartwarming story that takes the readers through all of the emotions the characters are experiencing. It went from the sadness Eva is feeling from the death of her husband; to the remorse Jesse has for breaking Eva’s heart. But, also there were some great happy moments spent with Eva and her girlfriends and her family. I enjoyed Eva’s journey and watching as she decided to grab the second chance at life she has been given by moving back to her hometown and with her family and friends. I thought the last few pages with her and Jesse were really well done and ended the book on a great note.

Thank you, Jennifer, for an enjoyable read!

Three-and-a-Half Loves

About the author:

I have been writing for as long as I can remember – little snippets here, short stories there, awful teenage poetry, novels. Some people write out of enjoyment and some write out of necessity. I am a bit of both.

Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Website ~ Twitter

July 2013 New Reviews

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Read-Love-Blog’s Cowboy Summer…..Intro & Review of Long Hard Ride by Lorelei James

by Jilly

Happy Sunday and welcome to Read-Love-Blog’s Summer of Cowboys! I am SO happy to have my dear friend and guest reviewer, Selene, here every Sunday for some cowboy loving fun! She will be stopping by each week with a new review from Lorelei James’s Rough Rider Series….totally delish! Enjoy!

A Summer of Cowboys

by Selene Ramirez

Fifteen books, two anthologies, one short story…

…and one very happy rider. GIDDY UP!!!

Almost two years ago now, a few friends of mine suggested I read the first title of Lorelei James’s Rough Riders series. Having never picked up a romance novel of the cowboy persuasion, I thought I’d give it a whip, er, I mean, whirl. Personally, I never understood the appeal of a man in Wranglers, a flannel shirt, and a cowboy hat. Boy howdy did these books change my opinion on that!

Now that I’ve exhausted all the cowboy references I know, onward to the purpose of this narrative; a summer of cowboys. My dear friend Jillian, blogger extraordinaire, loves to post reviews from the serious reader. That’s me. And I’m seriously in love, lust, whatever you want to call it, with the McKay men, protagonists of the Rough Riders series. Jillian will be posting my reviews of all the books and stories of this series so we can persuade you to pick up these scorching titles and make your hot summer even hotter.

Ok, y’all. Let’s shut up and ride…

Selene reviews book #1

Long Hard Ride

Book links:

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

…One lucky woman…three sexy cowboys…she’s in for the ride of her life!..

Channing Kinkaid itches for a change; a wild western adventure with an untamed man. Determined to shed her inhibitions and embrace the steamier, seamier side of life, she sets her sights on hooking up with a real chaps-and-spurs-wearing cowboy.

Enter Colby McKay—bull rider, saddle bronc buster and calf roper. From the moment he sets lust-filled eyes on the sweet and fiery Channing, he knows he’s found the woman who’s up to the challenge of cutting loose. What rough and rowdy cowboy could resist a no-holds-barred sexual romp with a sassy young thing starring as his personal buckle bunny?

Intrigued by Channing’s bold proposition of horsing around on the road, Colby impulsively sweetens the deal; sexual escapades not only in his bed, but in the bedrolls of his rodeo traveling partners, Trevor and Edgard.

Although Channing’s secretly longed to be the sole focus of more than one man’s passions, Colby’s demand for complete submission behind closed doors will test her willful nature.

Can Channing give up total control? Especially when not all is as it seems with the sexy trio? Or will the cowboys have to break out the bullropes and piggin’ string to break in this headstrong filly?

Selene’s Review:

Holey sheets and pillows, Batman! The sex was SCORCHING HOT!!!

After reading this little ditty, it’s no wonder why the novel was categorized as erotic and not just romance. Fortunately for us readers, this was a win-win all around!

From the get go, I definitely had my reservations about the female protagonist Channing Kinkaid, what with her enormous rack, killer body, and hunger for a man sandwich that our male lead Colby McKay was more than happy to provide, along with hot studs Trevor Glanzer and Edgard Mancuso. How can someone like that be relatable or even interesting beyond the scope of being the recipient of some smokin’ sex? But by the end of the book, I found my doubts were completely pointless; Channing is an incredibly charming character with a big brain and an even bigger heart. Honestly, I loved her just as much as her sexy counterpart.

Colby McKay, tall, dark, beyond handsome and with some piercing icy blue eyes, is easily one of the better fantasies ever written on a page. He gave Channing exactly what she wanted – unattainably hot sex and plenty of it. And he did this even when his feelings for her grew deeper and his instinctual possessiveness became an issue for them. Add to that his competency with everything rodeo and you have the perfect man.

Secondary characters Trevor Glanzer and Edgard Mancuso added a sizzling factor to an already boiling hot scene. Not only that, but they added mystery and a very rare element. Whereas Trevor and Colby are easily the best of friends, sharing everything together…and I do mean everything…Trevor and Edgard are something else entirely. And when their true relationship is revealed, it produced, in my opinion, one of the hottest scenes in the entire series. Also, Trevor and Edgard’s good treatment of Channing made these two even more appealing, if that’s even possible.

I’d definitely read some erotica and romance before these books, but I have to admit that James is one of the few authors out there that within the span a few chapters can make what seems to be a shallow or extraneous character become something much more and with layers, depth. Her main characters compliment each other so perfectly and her writing style makes it so you forget you’re even reading and more like you are experiencing everything happening in the story.

This first book in what has quickly become one of my favorite series of all time will always hold a special place in my heart…and other areas.

*All books in series were bought by the reviewer through Amazon.

Four-and-a-Half Loves

From author website:

A bit about me: When I’m not squirreled away behind my laptop writing fun, sexy, contemporary erotic romances set in the modern day Wild West, I can be found reading everything under the sun, practicing yoga until I’m a pretzel, shootin’ my .22, watching the Professional Bull Riders tour on Versus, and running a kid’s taxi service, all in the guise of avoiding housework and rustlin’ up vittles.

Why do I have a particular fondness for all things western? Well, I’m a fourth generation South Dakotan, living in the Black Hills, which is chock-full of interesting characters, including cowboys, Indians, ranchers, and bikers. The geographical diversity of the surrounding area showcases mountains, plains, and badlands. Living in and writing about rural settings gives me a unique perspective, especially since I’m not writing historical westerns. Through my fictional world, I can show the ideals and the cowboy way of life are still very much alive.

June 2013 New Reviews Summer of Cowboys

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Blog Tour & Review….This Love by Nazarea Andrews

by Jilly

I am so happy to be a part of the Blog Tour for THIS LOVE by Nazarea Andrews!

Hope you enjoy my review and thanks for stopping by!

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

She wants a summer job and a ride to a wedding.

He wants an assistant and a distraction from the mess life his had become.

They didn’t know they needed each other.

Avery Emili needs two grand. Two grand and a plane ticket–her sister is counting on her to get to Jamaica for her wedding. But the semester is over, and tutoring college freshman and high school students has dried up until the fall.

Atticus Grimes needs help–the messy split with his wife left the twenty-eight year old professor scrambling to keep things together as the semester winds down. Now he’s got a research grant he has to actually do research for and all he wants to do is drown himself in a tall bottle of bourbon.

When Avery sees his ad for an assistant, all she’s thinking is a summer job. But as they spend time together, in the office and out, both of them begin to realize something is there. Something that can’t happen–he’s a professor and she’s a student. And both of them have histories, pasts that won’t let go. Can two broken people pulled apart by expectations find a way to be whole?

My Review:

This Love is the first work I’ve read from author Nazarea Andrews and is the first in her University of Branton Series. Well, she’s got a new fan in this blogger. I devoured this book….it was famtastic!

Avery Emili needs two things during this summer break at college….she needs to make some good money for a plane ticket to get to her sister’s wedding and she needs a reason not to go home for summer break. Easier said than done when the college town you live in turns into a ghost town during the summer months. So when she finds an add for a research assistant in her area of study, she thinks she’s found the perfect job….until she sees who she will be working for. A deliciously handsome young professor complete with perfectly mussed dark hair and tattoos peeking out from his dress shirt. Surley she would be able to keep her mind out of the gutter and keep things professional….right?

Atticus Grimes looks around at the mess of paperwork, files, pizza boxes and realizes he’s desperately in need of some help. His lif has been turned upsidedown after he left his marriage and his work is suffering now, too. He’s relied on help from his best friend, which apparently included a Craigslist add for a research assistant he had no clue was placed. Unfortunately, as he sits across from a beautiful and charming applicant, he can’t be upset about the surprise ad. He’s gotta get focused on getting stuff back on track…he has a feeling this applicant may be exactly what he needs, in more ways than one.

Atticus and Avery both have there own versions of a painful past and in need of healing. Little do they know that they just may be able to find that in each other.

So, I started this book on a Friday night and was finished by Saturday afternoon. Yes, it was that good. It was flirty and fun and emotional and perfectly balanced. Atticus, or shall I call him Professer Hottiepants, is delectable. He is smart, sexy, playful and broken, all of which makes for a great book guy. Avery is equally smart, playful, beautiful and also broken. Together they just work. Really, really well. They play off of one another beautifully and build such exquisite sexual tension. The scenes between them are emotional and damn sexy…really well done *fans self* totally yummy. This is one of those books that pulls you in from the very beginning and doesn’t let up until the last page.

I cannot wait for this book to release so all of you can grab yourself a copy, settle in by the pool or on the beach, and enjoy some quality time with Professor Hottiepants and Avery! Thank you, Ms. Andrews, for an amazing story! I am really looking forward to more of the University of Branton Series! *cough, Dane, cough*

Five Loves

About the author:

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

Facebook ~ Twitter.

Blog Tour June 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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ARC Review….Love at High Tide by Christi Barth

by Jilly

Love at High Tide releases July 8

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Darcy Trent is lucky Cooper Hudson is on hand to sweep her off her feet—literally—when she nearly drowns while swimming in the ocean. But life-saving aside, Mr. Perfect’s timing stinks: Darcy’s career is about to take her to the complete opposite side of the Atlantic. Still, a little summer loving with the tall, blond and sexy former cop is far too tempting to pass up.

When his plans to enter the Secret Service went south thanks to a bum knee, Coop retreated to the family beach house to mull his future. Romance is the last thing on his mind, until he fishes a curvy brunette out of the sea. Now, spending time in Darcy’s arms seems like the ideal distraction, even if it is just for a week.

But with Darcy’s departure date fast approaching and their careers on the line, can they realize in time that their beach fling might become the real thing?

My Review:

Love at High Tide by Christi Barth is the perfect start to your summer reading list. What better way to start off your beach reads than with a cute, fun and entertaining story that takes place on the beach? Perfect!

Darcy Trent is enjoying some R&R with her BFF on the beach in Ocean City, Md. She has a lot on her plate and has a big decision to make regarding her career and whether to use all of her schooling and degrees studying cultures and tribes in Africa, or to find a way to let her overachieving parents down gently and choose another path. Luckily, Trina, her best friend, is on her new career path…which this month is self-training to become a private investigator. If anything it will be the welcomed distraction Darcy needs. Another welcomed distraction is the gorgeous, hunky stranger who rescues her from a near drowning disaster in the ocean. Looks like this may end up being the perfect hot and steamy beach vacation.

Trying to shake off the rejection from the secret service, thanks to his injured knee, Cooper Hudson is here at his family’s beach house looking to make heads or tails of his future in law enforcement. He’s not ready to go back to his old department just yet with the sting of rejection still lingering. Some time in the sand sounds just about perfect and the beautiful brunette he pulls out of the surf draws him in with a sudden attraction he knows he needs to investigate further. But with his meddling family always calling to check up on him, he hopes he will be able to get to know her without his phone ruining the moment. When his cousin, Brad, decides to show up and stay for a few days, he just about loses his cool until he realizes that Darcy’s friend and his cousin seem to be hitting it off as well. Could the fates finally be on his side?

This story was so fun and entertaining, I couldn’t put it down! Darcy and Trina are hilarious together…going off on an amateur private investigating sting and just being entertaining gals. From wigs to Russian mobsters, these two were just too much fun. Cooper is delish. He is the ultimate rule following, knight in shining armor and has a heart of gold. He is a hero any gal would love. Darcy and Cooper together are sizzling. They know their time is limited, being it a beach fling, and they don’t waste time with a lot of fluff. Their sexy banter back and forth was done really, really well. I was so pleased with how much was packed into a story of 183 pages….really well done! It had action, humor, tugged on the heartstrings and had plenty of heat! Oh, and I’m curious to see if we see more of Trina and Brad in the future because I think they would make a fantastic couple!

Thank you, Christi, for a great kick-off to beach read season!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Four Loves

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 ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

June 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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ARC Review…The Officer and the Secret by Jeanette Murray

by Jilly

The Officer and the Secret releases July 2

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

After a rougher than expected deployment, Captain Dwayne Robertson craves the sense of normalcy that his friends can bring him. But when he returns home, there’s an unexpected, but pleasant, twist in the mix—Veronica Gibson. As he struggles to adjust to daily life again, Dwayne craves Veronica and the peace she brings him. But Veronica isn’t without faults. Dwayne hates lies, and Veronica’s entire past is a well-guarded mystery. When the completely unexpected happens, they both realize it’s time to lay their cards on the table and hope they’re ready for love.

My Review:

The Officer and the Secret is the third book in Jeanette Murray’s Semper Fi Series and like the other two in this series, this book was fantastic!

Dwayne Robertson is back from deployment and is more than happy to be home. He’s happy to see his friends and get back into the normal, every day life here in the States. He’s also happy to finally meet the girl who had unexpectedly given him a lifeline to cling to when he was away. Even though he and Veronica had only spoken to a few times on skype, she has made such an impact on him and he needs to explore more of his feelings for her and see if they can build on what they have. But this deployment had been rougher than expected and Dwayne isn’t having such an easy time getting back into things. He may need Veronica and her lifeline more than he thought….

Veronica Gibson is finally feeling more and more like a normal woman in today’s times. She had lived a very sheltered life, to put it mildly, and has had some struggles with adjusting to the way life was lived in these current times. Fortunately she has her cousin, Skye, and her new friends to help her learn how to be a modern woman…and with that comes dating. Not fully knowing if she’s ready to jump into the dating pool just yet, she is sure of one thing…the attraction she feels toward the big, handsome southern Marine just back from deployment. Nervous and unsure of how to handle those feelings, she realizes quickly that she may be in over her head. But she also realizes Dwayne may need her help with his reentry into life here and they just may have more in common than she ever imagined.

Together Dwayne and Veronica have somewhat similar issues with life at the moment, and they find their mutual attraction has become very strong and very real. Just when they think they’re on the right track to starting a relationship and have taken steps that were controlled, well though out & responsible WHAM! life throws them a curve ball. Will they be able to handle the newest obstacle?

This is one of my favorite series and I was eagerly waiting for Dwayne’s story and I was so happy with how it all played out! Dwayne is a big ol southern teddy bear with a huge heart. He’s loyal and strong….all wrapped into a deliciously handsome package. He knows how to make the gals swoon with his sweeter than sugar accent but also knows when to take things slowly and give space that is sometimes needed. Veronica, although still working through her own issues, knows what she wants out of life and is willing to learn how to get it. She learns that taking risks is all a part of life and sometimes those risks reap great rewards. It was really great to see her grow and turn into an amazing woman by the end of the book. Dwayne and Veronica as a couple are a great match, totally balancing each other out and willing to lean on one another when they needed it. That being said, they sure do have their share of struggles in this book, but it made the ending all the sweeter!! And as always, it is great to see the characters form the first two books in the series…Tim and Skye and Madison and Jeremy. They really are a dynamic group and I sure hope we get to see more from them!

Thank you, Jeanette, for another kick ass addition to the Semper Fi Series!

Four-and-aHalf Loves

About the author:

Kat (or Jeanette!) spends her days surrounded by hunky alpha men…at least in her imagination. In real life, she’s a wife and a mother, keeping tabs on her husband of six years, her three year old daughter and the family dog, a lovable (but completely stupid) Goldendoodle. Hang around long enough and you’re guaranteed to hear at least one or two stories about these three.

What’s with the two names? Great question. Kat (or Jeanette) writes for a few different publishers. And due to the timing of some releases, two names just seemed like the right option. But Jeanette (or Kat!) can assure you, no matter which pen name you’re reading, you’re going to get sexy contemporary love.

If you want to stay in the know on when my books are coming out, sign up for my newsletter below! I never spam my readers, I love you all too much. But I’ll keep you up to date when new releases are coming out so you’re never caught unaware!

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

June 2013 New Reviews

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ARC Review…Out of Control by Stephanie Feagan

by Jilly

Out of Control releases June 24

Book Links:

Barnes & Noble ~ Amazon ~ Goodreads

Synopsis:

And they thought the blowout was hot…

Oil rig blowout specialist Blair Drake is finished with men—especially after her disastrous marriage that caused her family to disinherit and cut all ties with her. But when Nick Robichaud, a handsome, roguishly charming oil well fire expert, wildcats into her life, throwing his devil-may-care attitude all over the place, the real sparks begin to fly.

Forced to work together to kill a string of sabotaged oil rig explosions, Nick and Blair discover a plot to cripple the world’s oil supply. Unless they stop the doers, it’ll mean global economic catastrophe. With time running out and their lives on the line, they risk everything to prevent disaster. But nothing can stop the fire between them from burning out of control….

My Review:

Out of Control is the first work of Stephanie Feagan that I have read. I was pulled in the minute I read the synopsis and wasn’t let go until I finished the last page! What an incredible ride!

As an oil rig blowout specialist, a work field made up of 99% men, Blair Drake is used to being the only woman on the job. She’s used to the ribbing from the guys and has successful tuned it out for years….well, the ribbing along with men in general. Since her divorce from the jerk she had married and divorced, she’s decided her career is really the only thing she loves and wants to focus on. But when the latest job puts her in contact with her ex, she has no choice but to deal with him once again. Luckily for her, a handsome newbie crew member is a welcomed distraction. The attempts on her life upon witnessing suspicious things after a string of oil well explosions? Well, she soon realizes on this particular job, nothing will be following protocol.

Nick Robichaud, an oil well fire expert, is a man on a mission and a man with a past. He’s here on this latest job not only to put out a fire but to protect the beautiful and sassy gal running this crew. There have been a slew of suspicious blowouts and the one person who has put together a few odd coincidences and circumstances is Blair. Even though she is his supervisor and her life is at risk, he can’t ignore the attraction he feels toward her and will be happy to lay on his Southern charm to get her to admit she feels the same attraction toward him.

Together, Blair and Nick embark on a mission to prove the well fires were set on purpose and to find out who is responsible. Not an easy task when you’ve got players from Homeland Security, a Saudi King, oil company execs and a slimy ex husband involved. But what Blair and Nick find along the way is beyond what either one of them were looking for…..love.

Wow….just wow. I absolutely loved this book! What didn’t this story have? Mystery, suspense, action, emotion…a total package of awesome! Blair is an amazing character with so many facets to her that I adored her. Sure, she’s tough and strong but she’s still a woman and when she starts to show those feminine sides, it completes her complexity. She’s no-nonsense and a straight shooter and goes after what she wants but she’s also vulnerable and has her share of weaknesses. I loved when she started telling us about her past and let us see what made her who she is today. Nick is simply delish! He oozes charm and confidence and is all alpha male but also has his share of weaknesses. He’s loyal and honorable and has secrets and a past that are heartbreaking when he shares them. Together the relationship they form isn’t one of a typical romance….and I loved it. They build on an instant and intense attraction but do so slowly and it ends up being so real and believable to the reader. There are a few scenes toward the end that I absolutely died over….emotional and intense and absolutely beautiful! I was so pleased with how their story ended and loved the inside jokes that Blair had with the reader….fantastic way to build a connection to a character! (When you read this book and get to the “killing the shark” parts, you’ll get it)

Overall I adored is book and recommend to all you romantic suspense fans. I hope we see more from this series and the secondary characters because they are all amazing! Thank you, Stephanie, for a fantabulous story!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Four-and-a-Half Loves

About the author:

Stephanie Feagan is a multi-published RITA winning author who also writes YA paranormal romance as Trinity Faegen. A practicing CPA who loves travel, books, and smart guys, Stephanie lives in the oilfields of west Texas with her husband and a mean cat.

Goodreads ~ Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

June 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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Review…Skin in the Game by Jackie Barbosa

by Jilly

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Angela Peterson was always the quiet, shy kid growing up in Harper Falls, crushing on the high school quarterback and honing her football strategy skills. Now grown up and coaching the high school team, she’s shocked when that same sexy quarterback returns to Harper Falls asks her back to his hotel room. And then tries to steal her job.

Injured NFL quarterback Cade Reynolds is in Harper Falls to take over as interim head coach, and he never thought the tall, blond bombshell he propositioned would offer up any resistance. Not to a repeat of the amazingly wild night they shared and certainly not to his coaching position.

But the Harper Falls High Eagles are Angie’s team, and even the hometown hero won’t take that away from her, no matter how hot he is. As the two engage in a battle of wits and wills, this is one game neither is prepared to lose.

My Review:

Skin in the Game is book #1 in Jackie Barbosa’s Play Action Series and this story definitely kicks the series of with a great start!

Angela Peterson can’t believe her eyes. Is that Cade Reynolds she sees sitting in her little hometown coffee shop? The very same Cade Reynolds NFL quarterback who she’d gone to high school with and had the biggest crush of her life on? What could he be doing back here? Before she can think of those answers, she finds herself sitting at the table with him and accepting an invitation to dinner…now she’s questioning of she should be upset that he didn’t recognize her from all those years ago. Guess she really had changed from the awkward, football fanatic teen he’d known back then.

Cade Reynolds, after being sidelined with an injury, is back in his hometown and ready to help coach his old high school football team at the request of the coach who’d practically raised him. It feels good to be back and feels even better to have met the beautiful blond at the coffee shop this morning. He has a nagging feeling he knows her from somewhere but surely he wouldn’t have forgotten a woman like her. Maybe he can learn more about the sexy high school math teacher over dinner….or room service if he has anything to say about it.

Well, the fates certainly have surprises in store for Cade and Angie. When they realize their history and realize they will both be coaching the football team, sparks start to fly. Their chemistry is undeniable and now, being thrown into a situation where they see each other and work together, they will have to decide if they have something between them worth throwing a pass at. With emotions, and careers at stake, hopefully it won’t end in a fumble.

What a great take on a contemporary romance! I adored the sporty spin on things! It was a fresh and interesting story packed with emotions, sexiness and fun. I really enjoyed Cade and Angie as characters and the chemistry between them was done just right. She wasn’t a starry-eyed gal mooning over the larger than life sports star Cade has become and Cade wasn’t a self-absorbed jock. He was humble when needed most and was really a heart-warming hero. The ending was absolutely perfect and played out like a chick flick and I loved it! Well done, Jackie!

If you’re looking for sweet and sassy with a sporty spin on romance, then definitely pick this book up! Thank you, Ms. Barbosa, for a great read!

Four Loves

About the author:

“I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a writer when I grew up, but there were plenty of times when I wasn’t sure I ever would be. As it turns out, it just took me about twenty years longer to grow up than I expected!

On the road to publication, I took a few detours, including a stint in academia (I hold an MA in Classics from the University of Chicago and was a recipient of a Mellon Fellowship in the Humanities) and many years as a technical writer/instructional designer for a data processing company. I still hold my day job in instructional design, but my true passion is writing steamy romances–both historical and contemporary.

I learned to believe in love at first sight when I met the man of my dreams twenty years ago and to believe in happily ever after when I married him. I live in Southern California with my husband, our three children, and an ever-changing menagerie of pets.”

Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

June 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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Guest Review…Phoebe Chase reviews Just What He Wanted (The Holloway Series, Book Four) by Helenkay Dimon

by Jilly

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Travis Yardley thought he had everything he needed, but one look at Andrea Patterson shows him he was wrong. Andie is a gorgeous, curvy blonde who moves to town to manage a nearby campground. Seizing the chance to get close to her, Travis volunteers himself as tour guide and “bodyguard.’

After a bad breakup, Andie is looking to start over and determined to put her heart on hiatus. She’s working on her self-esteem, and she is not ready for the likes of Travis. He comes on strong, with all the energy of a guy almost ten years her junior, which is exactly what he is.

Even as Travis’s troubled past catches up with him, he pulls out all the stops to convince Andie he deserves a chance. And with the spring thaw hitting the Mountain View Resort, Andie discovers her own temperature rising whenever Travis looks her way…

My Review:

When I approached Jillian about doing an occasional review for Read-Love-Blog, I wanted to focus on stories that were out of my wheelhouse, my wheelhouse being quite narrow the last few years: paranormal romance, fantasy, YA, and, yeah, that’s about it. So this contemporary novella with a zaftig heroine who has 10 years on the hero was right up my alley.

Andie is a 35-year-old woman who comes to small-town Holloway after a break-up looking to simplify her life. She takes a job as manager at Mountain View campground and promptly runs into 25-year-old hottie, Travis. Travis is the nursery foreman for the company that owns the campground. Sparks fly, but Andie is hung up on the age difference and uses a few hang-ups about her body (even after dropping 20 pounds) as excuses for reasons to not get involved with Travis. I loved their first meeting. It was sweet and funny and sexy. Travis is not without his baggage. An abusive childhood means he has some issues that speedbump the happily ever after. But they do get there.

I liked this couple. I liked the accurate representation of women whose size is in double digits. And even though it’s a novella, it has emotional depth. Andie and Travis’s interactions rang true and the sexual chemistry was high. I loved the small-town setting (makes me want to pack up and hit the mountains this weekend!). This is the fourth book in the Holloway Series, but can be read on its own. I’m planning on revisiting Holloway and reading the first three books.

Four Loves

About the author:

HelenKay Dimon spent the last twelve years in the most unromantic career ever – divorce lawyer. After dedicating all that time and effort to helping people terminate relationships she is thrilled to write romance novels full time. Her books have earned praise, appeared on besteller lists and won numerous awards. Her first single title, YOUR MOUTH DRIVES ME CRAZY, was featured in Cosmo as a “Red-Hot Read” for August ’07 and spotlighted at E! Online. Her novella, “It’s Hotter At Christmas” from the KISSING SANTA CLAUS anthology, was featured in Cosmo as a “Red-Hot Read” for November ’09.

Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

About the guest reviewer:

Phoebe Chase loves books. Keep your eye on her, she may just tempt you with some stories of her own. You can catch a little of what goes on in her head at Wickedly Twisted Tales.

Twitter ~ Facebook

Guest Review June 2013 New Reviews

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Guest Review…Phoebe Chase reviews Bayne by Misa Buckley

by Jilly

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Champagne Books

Synopsis:

Malia dreams of a life less ordinary but when her planet is visited by the Bayne, Destroyer of Worlds, she surrenders herself to him in order to give her people time to collect the tribute that the Overlord demands. Despite Bayne being as much machine as man and having a violent temper, he rescues her from the unwanted attentions of his second-in-command and gives Malia a glimpse at the battered heart lying beneath the steel and scars.
As they start their relationship over, Malia discovers a man very different to the reputation that precedes him and probes deeper. However, her investigation uncovers a dark truth: a truth that someone wants to remain hidden no matter what the cost.

Review:

In just 70 or so pages, this sci-fi romance whisked me away to another time and place. I wish this story was longer so we could really get into all the interesting twists and action.

The characters were well developed and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop from one of an arrangement to an actual partnership. Both Malia and Bayne are quite interesting. Malia with her affinity for technology and Bayne with a ruthless reputation built on a mysterious past. The twists and intrigue kept me turning the page.

The world building was good. I got a good sense of their environment and could easily picture both the station on Malia’s home world and Bayne’s ship. I think with a longer story we would have gotten more, but for the length of the story it worked well enough.

Would definitely read more from Misa Buckley.

Four Loves

About the author:

Misa Buckley is a sci fi geek who escapes the crazy of raising five children by creating imaginary characters who experience adventure, romance and really hot sex on their way to a happily-ever-after. You can keep up to date with Misa’s latest news by following her on Twitter (@MisaBuckley) or at her website (www.misabuckley.com)

About the guest reviewer:

Phoebe Chase loves books. Keep your eye on her, she may just tempt you with some stories of her own. You can catch a little of what goes on in her head at Wickedly Twisted Tales.

Twitter ~ Facebook

Guest Review June 2013 New Reviews

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Review…Drawing the Line by Kimberly Kincaid

by Jilly

Buy from Amazon

Synopsis:

When Detective Jason Morgan is tasked with keeping a local restaurant owner safe as part of a make-or-break case, he rises to the challenge. The job is his first priority, and he owes it to the memory of his father, a detective killed in the line of duty, to do it at any cost. But Jason never expected Serenity Gallagher to be so beautiful, so serious…or so tough to protect.

Serenity has moved from place to place at the whim of her capricious mother all her life. The last thing she wants is to leave the diner she finally calls home, even if it means being stuck with a sexy blue-eyed detective. But she’s the only witness to a horrible crime, and the man behind it wants her very, very dead. Going into protective custody means survival, no matter how much Serenity hates hiding.

As Jason and Serenity bide their time together, they are shocked to discover they have much more in common than the surface reveals. But keeping her safe is Jason’s number one priority, no matter how much he’s drawn in by the woman beneath the witness, and Serenity’s past makes it difficult to trust. As the stakes get higher and the spark burns hotter, can Jason and Serenity draw the line?

My Review:

Drawling the Line is the first work I have had the pleasure of reading from author Kimberly Kincaid and I have to say, she is now on my list of go-to authors! Really enjoyed this novella!

Serenity Gallagher has just walked into an honest-to-goodness nightmare unfolding in her diner. Mac’s, the diner she has built with her recipes and home cooking and the place she calls home. Her cook is lying on the floor, bleeding to death and while on the phone with 911, she finds herself a victim right alongside him. After leaving the hospital, and being anxious to return to Mac’s, she finds she can’t exactly do that…not with the suspect out on bail. She finds herself in a safe house under the watchful blue gaze of the handsome detective who she is used to seeing weekly for lunch at Mac’s. If she thought him as delicious as one of her apple turnovers before, imagine how she’ll feel after having to be in close quarters, alone with him for the next few weeks.

Jason Morgan can’t believe his favorite diner is the scene of a crime. Who would want to ruin what the beautiful and talented owner has made here? As determined as he is to find the answer to that, he’s just as determined to keep her safe. He has seen too many people close to him hurt, first his father killed in the line of duty then his partner shot, and he refuses to let Serenity become more of a victim than she already has become. He’s always admired her from afar and now, being forced to keep her in protective custody, his protective custody, he will do what it takes to keep her safe. One problem…he knows the longer he spends with her, the harder it will be to ignore his attraction to her.

Being forced into a stressful situation together, Serenity and Jason have a whole lot of time on their hands to get to know one another. Will they be able to start something meaningful from a dismal beginning? Surely, if you have the right ingredients to start with, a delicious dish is bound to be served, right?

This story was jam-packed with drama, suspense, passion, mystery and lots of sizzling heat! I started it and ended up finishing it in one sitting….of course I did have to get up a few times to indulge in some sweets along the way! Jason is a delicious, loyal, trusting, caring and handsome detective who I enjoyed tremendously. Serenity is a beautiful, sassy, no-nonsense kind of gal who I admired a lot. She isn’t looking for anything but the truth, even if it is hard to swallow. I appreciate that kind of heroine! Together, they were perfect. I liked that when the book picks up, Serenity and Jason already know each other and have a history. It made the story more believable, to me, because it wasn’t as thought they met one day and fell in love the next. I feel that’s the problem with some novellas, but certainly not the case here! I truly enjoyed every step of Jason and Serenity’s journey!

As I said earlier, Kimberly has a new fan in me! I will be on the lookout for more from her and say get this delectable story on your summer reading list…you will be happy you did!

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Four Loves

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.

Goodreads ~ Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

June 2013 New Reviews

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