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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.

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June 2013 New Reviews

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Review….Devoured by Emily Snow

by Jilly

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Sienna Jensen had no plans to return home when she graduated college last spring—after all, her dreams lie in California. But when she discovers her grandmother’s Nashville home has been foreclosed, and the new owner has started the eviction process, Sienna has no other choice but go back to Music City. And she comes face to face with the flawed, gorgeous man she never thought she’d see again. The man who now holds the deed to her grandma’s estate.

When millionaire rock star Lucas Wolfe finds the outspoken redhead glaring at him from across a courtroom, he’s both infuriated and intrigued. He still can’t get the night Sienna almost spent with him out of his mind, and the chemistry between them is as undeniable as it was two years ago. He craves Sienna more than ever. And just like everything Lucas hungers for, he’s determined to have her.

Now, Lucas will do whatever it takes to lure Sienna into his bed, even if that means making a deal with her: ten days with him, playing by his rules, and he’ll hand over the deed to her grandmother’s home. Though she agrees to the arrangement, Sienna is conflicted. Because of her duty to her family. Because of promises she’s made to herself and a past that still haunts her. And as Lucas’s game of seduction continues, and Sienna is introduced to his dark, erotic world and even darker background, she realizes that at any moment, she could be devoured.

*This novel contains adult situations and content*

My Review:

Devoured is book one in Emily Snow’s Devoured Series. Being a sucker for a delicious cover, and this definitely falls into that category, I was drawn in at first sight and I gotta say….the story was just as delish as the cover!

Sienna Jensen is a country girl at heart living in L.A., sharing an apartment with her crazy-but-amazing roomie, just barely making ends meet with a job fellow wardrobe stylists would kill for and trying to forget her past. She vows never to head back to her hometown and all the drama and gossip that comes with it but when she gets numerous calls in a row from her younger brother, she knows something has to be wrong. Sienna’s fears are realized when she finds out something is wrong…her Gram is in financial trouble and the only place she ever really truly called home is going to be foreclosed on leaving her Gram with nowhere to go. So naturally, Sienna ends up back in her hometown trying to figure out what to do. But when Sienna realizes who is trying to take her Gram’s home she realizes she is in way over her head…and in over her heart.

The last person Lucas Wolfe ever thought he’d see in this court hearing is the beautiful red-head he left behind two years earlier. But here Sienna is, in this very courtroom fighting for her Grandmother’s home…the very home he wants to acquire. Talk about the fates smiling upon him. He hasn’t stopped thinking about Sienna since their relationship began, and abruptly ended, two years earlier. He knows by the scathing looks she’s giving him, she has no interest in reliving that experience… and now there’s a little issue of him holding the deed to her beloved Gram’s house in his hands. Lucas Wolfe is used to getting what he wants…and Sienna happens to be one of the things he desires most. Can you see where this is going?

Sienna and Lucas have a lot more in common than they think and despite living totally different lifestyles, are more alike then they realize. Both of them will have to fight to overcome ghosts of their pasts and people wishing them the worst at every turn. But the question ends up being, are they both fighting for the same thing? Will love and trust ever be something they can win?

Not only am I a sucker for a delish cover, but I’m also a sucker for a scrumptious bad boy rocker with a soft side, a damaged heart and an effed up past…all of which describes the luscious Lucas. He is the ultimate damaged hero and I alternated between scoffing at his attitude and going all mushy over his words to Sienna. Perfect combo, if you ask me! Sienna is the perfect match for him. She’s a gal who has learned some harsh lessons about love and trust in the past and isn’t willing to make the same mistakes twice but also knows when someone is genuinely trying to make up for their past offenses and is willing to forgive…but she never forgets. Another perfect combo! Together they have chemistry that ignites the pages. And some of the hot scenes in this book are proof of that (I may never look at a piano the same way again *cough*) I have to say, that by the last 15 or so pages I was really nervous it was going to end on one of those unfulfilling cliff hangers but HALELUJAH it didn’t! The ending is perfect. totally swoon worthy that leaves the reader happy but still wanting more with a hint of the mess lurking in Lucas’ past. Oh, how I love those kind of endings!

This was a quick, intense, delicious read that I recommend for all you book-bad-boy lovers! I am SO looking forward to the next book in the series, Consumed, which is due out this summer. Thank you, Emily, for a great read!

Four Loves

About the author:

Emily Snow is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of the DEVOURED series (2012, 2013) and TIDAL (2012).

Goodreads ~ Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

June 2013 New Reviews

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ARC Review…Officer Off Limits by Tessa Bailey

by Jilly

Officer Off Limits releases June 10

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

His need to possess her is non-negotiable.

Story Brooks’ fiancé just called off their wedding two weeks before the happy day. As if that isn’t bad enough, her semi-estranged father, an infamous NYPD hostage negotiator, has suffered a heart attack. Not wanting to examine her lack of emotion over the broken engagement, she hops on a plane to reconnect with her father before it’s too late.

Playboy hostage negotiator Daniel Chase has never, not once, been refused by a woman, so when a debate over hospital snack foods with a delectable kindergarten teacher ends in flat-out rejection, he makes it his mission to seduce her. His only obstacle? She’s the daughter of his mentor who implicitly forbade Daniel from pursuing her.

Despite her father’s warnings and Daniel’s troubled past, Daniel and Story can’t resist their intense attraction to one another. But when the reason for her fiancé’s abrupt wedding cancellation comes to light, can Story and Daniel’s already forbidden relationship survive?

My Review:

Officer Off Limits is the third book in Tessa Bailey’s Line of Duty Series and if you’ve followed my reviews, you know I’m a huge fan of Tessa and her writing. I was beyond excited to get my hands on this book and after finishing it I can tell you….Tessa has done it again! This book was fantastic!

You know that saying “when it rains, it pours”? Well, never has that saying been truer than it is for Story Brooks right now. Her fiancé just dumped her, two weeks before their wedding, and now she has just gotten a phone call that her larger-than-life NYPD hostage negotiator dad, who she doesn’t exactly have a relationship with, has had a heart attack and is in the hospital. Who knows, maybe the unplanned trip to see her father in NYC just may be what she needs to gain some clarity on her life and make some decisions on what to do next with her future.

NYPD hostage negotiator Daniel Chase is used to taking orders from Jack Brooks…after all, Jack has taken him under his wing from day one and has taught him every thing he knows about hostage situations and negotiations. Now, after unknowingly meeting Jack’s daughter, Story, in the hospital vending area, he has explicit instructions from Jack to stay away from her. Usually Daniel wouldn’t think twice about obeying Jack’s orders but this is not an order he can follow. Add Story shooting down his usually successful flirt tactics into the equation and Daniel is now even more determined to get to Story a whole lot better even if it means disobeying orders and ignoring all sorts of lines not meant to be crossed.

Story and Daniel can’t deny the immediate attraction they both feel when they meet over vending machine snack choices but they don’t have much time to explore the feelings before Story is due to head back home to California. With so many things working against them, will they be able to ignore all the reasons they shouldn’t act on the attraction and instead, focus on all the reasons they should?

So I’ll say it again, this book was fantastic! FANTASTIC! Just when you think you’ve encountered all types of alpha males, and there can’t possibly any more facets to add to an alpha male to make them stand out above the rest, you get a new release from Tessa and BAM! welcome to your new alpha male obsession. Daniel was scrumptious. Drop dead gorgeous, he is all gruff and tough on the outside but holds a soft and slightly insecure inside that made me love him from the very beginning. He has the admirable quality of knowing his weaknesses and, although not always wanting to admit them, does when it was warranted. Story is a perfect pairing for him. She is witty, bright, strong and is willing to listen to that little voice in her head, even when it means she has to step outside of her comfort zone. The chemistry between them is undeniable and pulls the reader in and refuses to let go until the very last page. Delectable. Their story is a journey of finding happiness, coming to terms with the past and learning to trust and to love. So damn good!

If you haven’t read anything by Tessa, you REALLY need to…like, stop reading this review and get to the bookstore or go online and buy a Tessa Bailey book right now. She writes hot, sexy, and delightfully dirty dialogue like no other….add in some romance, mix in some drama like Tessa does and you’ve ALWAYS got a winner in my book! I can add Daniel to my list of fave book guys and this story to the list of books I will recommend time and time again. Thank you, Tessa, for another fantabulous read!

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

Five Loves

About the author:

Tessa lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and young daughter. When she isn’t writing or reading romance, Tessa enjoys a good argument and thirty-minute recipes.

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website

June 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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ARC Guest Review….Phoebe Chase reviews Fire Inside by Kristen Ashley

by Jilly

Please welcome my friend, Phoebe Chase, and her review of Fire Inside by Kristen Ashley

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Lanie Heron isn’t looking for love—no surprise, considering her last serious relationship nearly got her killed. So when Lanie propositions Hop Kincaid, all she wants is one wild night with the hot-as-hell biker who patrols with the Chaos Motorcycle Club…

For Hop, Lanie has always been untouchable. She’s too polished and too classy for his tastes. But when she gives Hop the once-over with her bedroom eyes and offers him a night in paradise, he can’t say no. And he doesn’t regret it when he finds that Lanie is the best thing that’s ever happened to him—in or out of bed. Now the trick will be to convince her of that.

Phoebe’s Review:

Kristen Ashley writes books that readers liken to crack—and with good reason. Though she has written several books, I’ve only read the ones centered around the Chaos motorcycle club (with plans to read the rest!). Her characters are vibrant and her world building of life in a motorcycle club is detailed enough that I feel like I could walk into a biker bar and know how to act.

I’m a sucker for a redemption story, and Hopper Kincaid did not have the best reputation when it came to how a man should treat a woman. But Ashley redeems him one chapter at a time—with a few bumps in between—until you’re staring at the words and thinking, “Holy crap, he’s hotter and deeper than Tack.” No, really. Hop is my number one alpha biker male in Chaos right now. Lanie is damaged after going through a mess with her fiancé that got her and Tyra (best friend, old lady to Chaos leader Tack) kidnapped by the Russian mom, Tyra stabbed, and Lanie shot. And her fiancé dead due to his own stupidity. Lanie is gun-shy about getting involved with a man who lives a dangerous life, but Hop breaks through the walls she puts up and wins her heart and soul.

What Ashley got right—again—is the romance story and the ridiculously hot sex. What was missing from this book and the previous one in the series, Own the Wind, was the action. The Chaos series is an offshoot from Motorcycle Man and that book had both a great love story and some serious nonstop action (see previous comments about Russian mob, kidnapping, etc.). This book was missing that and missing that “crack” feeling. I needed a fix and it didn’t exactly deliver.

So, in a nutshell, hot alpha biker male who has issues, believable heroine who has some issues, and great story that works through those issues but lacking in the action. A definite must read.

Three-and-a-Half Loves

About the author:

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn’t taken her first breath!).

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Website ~ 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

June 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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Review….My Now & Forever by H.J. Bellus

by Jilly

My Now & Forever releases today!

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

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

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

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

I found my soul sista from another mista, and opened my dream shop along the way. Just when I gave up on finding true love, a pirate and a princess swept me off my ever lovin’ feet and filled my world with sprinkles, mac n’ cheese and the courage to live again. They forced my fragile heart to trust and love without fear.

Truth is, nobody’s past stays hidden forever. It’s an invisible monster waiting to attack and destroy. It has the capability to ruin everything you’ve worked to set right. All it takes is one final blow to the gut to end everything.

My Review:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Five Loves

About the author:

I am an independent author excited about releasing my first novel very soon. A big dream coming true!!! I’m all country…the kinda country where green grass grows and corn pops up in rows….love Miranda and her bad ass music!!! Just a simple country girl getting one story out of her head at a time…I always fall hard for a trucker style hat…especially if it’s a John Deere hat….loves me a good ol’ farm boy!!!!!!

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June 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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Guest Review….Clockwork Mafia by Seleste deLaney

by Jilly

Please welcome my friend, Phoebe Chase, and her guest review of Clockwork Mafia by Seleste deLaney:

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Inventor Henrietta Mason is retiring from airships and adventuring to return home to Philadelphia. Determined to erase all trails leading to her late father’s duplicity, she dismantles his lab and removes all records of the Badlands gold. While in the city, she can’t resist the lure of a charity gala but winds up regretting the whole experience. Well, everything except a heart-racing dance with a certain U.S. Marshal.

His career and vengeance on the line, Carson Alexander must prove a connection between Senator Mason and the mafia. He lucked out happening across Mason’s strikingly beautiful daughter, only to have her slip through his fingers. On a desperate hunt to track her down, he never expects his search to take him into the brutal Badlands.

With a mechanically enhanced enforcer after them, only Carson knows the extent of the danger they face. He’ll have to win over Henrietta’s trust, and her heart, before it’s too late…

Phoebe’s Review:

Lots of adventure mixed in with a little romance and, of course, gadgets.

This is my second steampunk novel, the first being Delaney’s prequel to Clockwork Mafia–which I recommend both because I liked it and it helps set up this book–and I’m now calling myself a steampunk fan! Also, a Seleste deLaney fan.

The thing that shines the most in Clockwork Mafia is the adventure. If you like a fast-paced, fun romp that includes corsets, airships, strong females, and steampunk gadgetry, this is the story for you. Let me get back to that list for a minute and talk about the strong females. Delaney does an excellent job of creating women who have strength in one way or another that doesn’t make you roll your eyes with it’s over-the-top, hear-me-roar-I-am-woman feel. I love her characters.

The romance is secondary to the action, but it’s sweet and is weaved in quite nicely. I like Henrietta and Carson’s first encounter. The instant attraction is believable, but as always, I have a hard time buying the depth of those feelings right off the bat. Delaney does a good job of building on that through the rest of the story.

The steampunk elements are fun. And cool. And a little nerdy. I loved them. Animals and people enhanced by clockworks to become something stronger and, in some cases, very hard to kill. Henrietta’s own inventions are pretty and can be functional or deadly–or both.

I’m looking forward to more from this author!

Four Loves

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

About the author:

Author of speculative romance (aka Julie Particka, young adult author).Two series coming soon from Entangled Publishing!My steampunk romance series is from Carina Press: BADLANDS and CLOCKWORK MAFIA (coming April 2013).The Blood Kissed novels (KISS OF DEATH and, coming soon, KISS OF LIFE) are available from Mundania Press.

The short stories that begin the Blood Kissed series (OF COURSE I TRY and THE GHOST OF VAMPIRE PRESENT) are available at Decadent Publishing.

My short stories YES,ALANA, THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS; MAKING THE NAUGHTY LIST; and A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS are part of Evernight Publishing’s holiday anthologies, in addition, Evernight is the home of the Cupid’s Conquests multi-author, shared world series. (GUNSHY–book 1, and LOVE & OTHER INDOOR SPORTS–book 4)

Also writes young adult fiction as Julie Particka.

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Guest Review May 2013 New Reviews

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Review….Brave Girl by Kate Baum

by Jilly

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Synopsis:

Eve is beyond excitement for her new adventure. Only a truly brave girl could move thousands of miles from home to begin a five year commitment teaching on an American Indian Reservation. As soon as she arrives, she finds that many of the tribe’s people are not very welcoming. They are suspicious of the college students that work and live on the reservation in exchange for free graduate tuition. After a misunderstanding, Eve decides she absolutely despises a certain tribal police officer. Circumstances cause her to keep running into him.

Lou regrets the awkward situation where he first met Eve. He had been openly distrustful of the college girls who have come to live on the reservation. In the past, some of the girls were disrespectful of the tribe’s culture. There is something different about Eve. He can’t get her out of his head. The more he tries to get to know her, the more she pulls away. What will it take for Lou to convince Eve that their attraction for each other cannot be denied?

Eve has given up on men. She has had unsatisfying sex in the past and decided that men are just not worth the trouble. She’s a modern young woman and decides that using a handy tool is all she needs to relieve her sexual frustration. The problem is……there’s a gorgeous sexy police officer that stirs her blood like no man has ever done before. Eve is tough and strong and brave. She doesn’t like the fact that her legs shake and her voice trembles whenever she crosses paths with him. Maybe if she keeps running from him, she won’t have to face what her body…..or her heart is telling her.

****Warning – for adults only. Contains graphic sex including a group sex scene and a m/m sexual situation.*

My Review:

Brave Girl is the second installment of the Girl Series by Kate Baum. I really enjoyed the first in the series, Nice Girl, but I adored and devoured Brave Girl! This is Eve’s story….and what a story it was.

Eve O’Malley has been accepted into a graduate program that placed her teaching on an American Indian Reservation. As much as Eve admires and is interested in American Indian cultures and history, she soon realizes that the local tribe’s people aren’t very welcoming. Add that to the fact that she is living with three strangers and this surely is a situation only a brave girl would be able to handle. Lucky for Eve she has the support and weekly chats with her best girlfriends to keep her spirits up. The girlfriends she has known since forever, they chat about any and everything. These days the main topic of their weekly web chats is the orgasm pact they all made before splitting up in different directions for school. You see, none of them have ever had an orgasm courtesy of a man, and now they are determined to experience just that. Only with the lack of friendly faces here, there’s no way Eve is going to win. Or so she thinks. When a handsome, rugged police officer catches her eye, things start to get interesting.

Lou Red Wolf immediately notices the new red-haired spit fire teacher…probably because she is currently giving a fellow officer a verbal bitch slap after a few undeserved rude comments his peer has made to her and her roommates. These new teachers weren’t exactly welcome here. Not after the debacle the last teachers this program had brought to their Reservation. But no matter what the previous situation, Lou knows his fellow officer is out of line and feels terribly for what had just been exchanged. He knows he owes her an apology on behalf of his department and now has an excuse to come back to see her. Hopefully he will be able to cut through her temper long enough to hear his apology and hopefully give him a chance to introduce himself properly…because he absolutely wants to get to know her better.

Eve and Lou have a whole lot to deal with on their way to a friendship….let alone attempting to take things further. Their attraction is undeniable. Unfortunately also undeniable is the contempt his family, friends, and well, most of the town feels towards these new girls. The odds are stacked against them from day one.

This book was a-freaking-mazing. Eve has so much life, spirit and determination. She knows who she is and why she is the way she is and has no apologies for any of it. She has a short fuse, speaks (hell, sometimes yells) her mind and fights for what she believes is right…consequences be damned. She also had a side she rarely shows, and we were lucky to see it. When she lets her guard down, it only adds to her amazing personality and gives her a depth I could feel. Lou is absolutely delicious. He was an alpha male that simmered slowly and came to a rolling boil before our eyes. He always had a dominating presence but when he showed it in a sexual manner, it was delectable! Together, Eve and Lou are a fantastic match and compliment one another beautifully!

The secondary characters in this story were all equally well-developed and I feel like I could pick up the phone and invite them to dinner. Along with the original BFF’s of Grace, Dee, and Janie, the newbies we meet, Cora, Joe, Julia, Lauren, Lane and Cash are a group I hope we get to see more of. There were a few twists in this story that I totally didn’t see coming but only added to my adoration to each one of them. I find that it’s rare to be able to get to build that relationship to a whole cast of characters, but I did it with Brave Girl….Well done, Kate!

I will continue to look forward to the releases in the Girl Series (Funny Girl and Smart Girl) and have to thank Kate for giving us Eve and Lou. This book should absolutely be on your summer reading list!

Five Loves

About the author:

I have always been a voracious reader. My favorite genres were tailored to YA type of horror, fantasy and science fiction. I guess it fit being that I am a middle school librarian. I have a young adult series in mind that I always told myself I would one day write. Then, at the young age of 46, I picked up an erotic romance book. I only read it out of curiosity. It was a best seller and ALL the teachers in my school were talking about this particular book. You know the one. It had a certain “tie” on the cover. Instantly, overnight, I became of fan of erotic romance. That summer, I think I read twenty erotic romance books. Since I work in a school, I have the beauty of summers off. I read day and night. My face was always plastered in front of my e-reader. I couldn’t get enough of erotic romance. The passion was exciting and contagious!
What this genre did for me was to bring out characters in my head that I had been dreaming about for years. I became obsessed at the idea of writing my own fantasies. Reading other talented authors gave me the inspiration to write stories about my favorite sexy alpha men. I created the “Girl Series”. Please email me with your comments. I would love to hear what you think!

Website ~ Goodreads

May 2013 New Reviews

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Review….Tangled by Emma Chase

by Jilly

Buy from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Drew Evans is a winner. Handsome and arrogant, he makes multimillion dollar business deals and seduces New York’s most beautiful women with just a smile. He has loyal friends and an indulgent family. So why has he been shuttered in his apartment for seven days, miserable and depressed?

He’ll tell you he has the flu.

But we all know that’s not really true.

Katherine Brooks is brilliant, beautiful and ambitious. She refuses to let anything – or anyone – derail her path to success. When Kate is hired as the new associate at Drew’s father’s investment banking firm, every aspect of the dashing playboy’s life is thrown into a tailspin. The professional competition she brings is unnerving, his attraction to her is distracting, his failure to entice her into his bed is exasperating.

Then, just when Drew is on the cusp of having everything he wants, his overblown confidence threatens to ruin it all. Will he be able untangle his feelings of lust and tenderness, frustration and fulfillment? Will he rise to the most important challenge of his life?

Can Drew Evans win at love?

Tangled is not your mother’s romance novel. It is an outrageous, passionate, witty narrative about a man who knows a lot about women…just not as much as he thinks he knows. As he tells his story, Drew learns the one thing he never wanted in life, is the only thing he can’t live without.

My Review:

Tangled is the debut from author Emma Chase. By the third page I was laughing out loud and completely hooked!! This book was deliciously AMAZING!

This story open up with Drew Evans, über successful investment banker and ladies man extraordinaire, complaining to us about his awful bout with the flu….or so he is trying to convince us (as well as trying to convince himself). Turns out Drew is the newest member of the Broken Heart Club, something he’s totally unfamiliar with. You see, Drew is a wealthy, handsome, successful, young and single playboy. He loves his life. Working hard and playing harder. It’s a new girl every weekend and that’s how he likes it. He has no desire to be tied down…well, at least in the whole relationship sense that is *wink*. It’s at the start of one of those bachelor weekends that he meets a stunningly beautiful brunette who turns him down flat….a concept he’s also unfamiliar with. Naturally he can’t stop thinking about her…and as luck would have it, he won’t have to wonder about her for too long as she is the newest member of his family’s investment firm. Drew isn’t sure whether to curse or thank the fates for this little surprise. Kate is totally off limits…not only does she work with him, she’s engaged to another man and there’s also that little problem of her shutting down every advance he makes. Drew has never wanted anyone more than he wants Kate. Ever. Will he be as successful with Kate as he is in every other aspect of his life? God, he sure hopes so.

So as I had said, by page three I was HOOKED! This book is effing HILARIOUS! I will say, I have never read a romance told from the guy’s perspective, but Emma kicked ass! Drew is seriously a guy any gal would be lucky to have. He is funny, charming, handsome, the whole package. He’s loyal to his bro-friends. He loves his family, even if he has a colorful nickname for his sister and although he’s pretty much a womanizer, he does it in the cutest way! What’s most enjoyable about this story is that he talks to the reader. Actually speaks to us. It plays out like a Ferris Bueller movie! Like, in the middle of a scene, Drew stops and makes side notes to the reader. I LOVED that! It was such a different reading experience and will be really hard to beat. I loved Kate as well. She is a perfect match for Drew. And she knocks him to his knees…hard and fast and it is delicious to watch play out. Oh, I should probably mention there are some of the hottest and well-written smexy scenes I’ve had the pleasure of reading and had me drooling! Damn, Emma can write a sex filled weekend like no other! Over all I LURVED this book and devoured it. It was one of those take-your-ereader-everywhere-you-go-in-case-you-have-a-mesely-five-minutes-to-spare kind of reads.

If you’ve started your summer reading list, move this one to the TOP! And if you haven’t started your summer reading list, who cares….buy this book and read it now! You will not be disappointed! Thank you, Emma, for a kick-ass, fresh and addictive read….I will certainly be looking for more of your work in the future!

Five Loves

About the author:

By day, Emma Chase is a devoted wife and mother of two who resides in a small, rural town in New Jersey. By night she is a keyboard crusader, toiling away the hours to bring her colorful characters and their endless antics to life. She has a long standing love/hate relationship with caffeine.

Emma is an avid reader. Before her children were born she was known to consume whole books in a single day. Writing has also always been a passion and with the 2013 release of her debut romantic comedy, Tangled, the ability to now call herself an author is nothing less than a dream come true.

Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

May 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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Blog Tour, Giveaway & Review….Chica Bella by Carly Fall

by Jilly

I am honored to be a part of the Chica Bella by Carly Fall Blog Tour!

Also, Carly is giving away a $10 gift card to one lucky winner so be sure to enter to win in the rafflecopter below and enjoy the excerpt below my review!

But from Amazon ~ Buy from Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Landon “Blackhawk” Walker is ready to get out of the Navy SEALs. He has seen and done enough, and can’t wait to get to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico where three tasks await him: get back into civilian mode, take a boat out to the El Arco Rocks, and win back the heart of the woman he lost because of his career.

Maya Gonzalez has tired of the heartbreak that comes with Landon’s deployments year after year. When he walks back into her life, she cannot deny her heart, despite her reservations.

As they lose themselves in each other and the beauty of Cabo, their passion is rekindled once again, but Maya knows that one phone call means deployment for Landon, putting an end to their reunion, and possibly their relationship.

My Review:

Chica Bella is the first work I have read by Carly Fall and is part of her Honor Guard Series. Being a sucker for a man in uniform, I was eager to dig into this book and was happy I did….it was a great read!

Landon Walker is a Navy SEAL who has recently come off of assignment and has come to realize that he may be finished with the SEAL life. He is back in Cabo San Lucas and hoping the woman he has had to leave behind more times than he cares to think about will take him back…again. Only this time, he hopes he will be able to stay with her, forever.

Maya can’t believe he’s back, sitting here at her bar, and bringing all sorts of emotions back to life within her. Hurt, relief, longing, lust, just to name a few. He had left her nine months ago and she has been worried sick and trying to live a life without him…and now he’s back. Popping in just as he always does. This time she isn’t sure she has the strength to love him and have him leave without a word until he can return again. Sure, she understands his service to his country comes first, but she’s tired of coming second.

Landon and Maya only have two weeks, maybe less, to reignite the flame they have between them and enjoy as much of one another as they can. Landon is praying he gets the call he desperately wants…the call that they have found his replacement and he can spend the rest of his life at peace, with Maya.

Even though this story is only 53 pages, is has everything a 300 page story has. Love, emotional turmoil, lust and eventually, happiness. I really enjoyed Carly’s writing style and was drawn to the characters from the beginning of the story and was entertained until the very end. I will definitely be checking out more of her work!

Thank you, Carly, for packing a whole lot into a small package!

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

Four Loves

Excerpt:

“Where were you?” she finally asked, her voice quiet.

“Afghanistan.”

He didn’t look at her, but he felt her body tense next to his. “Were you hurt?”

He shrugged, but then thought better of trying to blow off her questions. Maya had always said she wanted nothing but honesty from him, and he had been the one to offer this Q&A.

“I took some shrapnel in my chest, but it was all superficial.” He gazed down at her as she studied his chest as if she could see the wounds he was talking about.

“Did you kill?” she whispered, her stare never leaving his chest.

Dammit. This was the part he hated because she abhorred violence, but killing was his job. If he didn’t take out the bad guys, they would kill American soldiers, and he would be damned if that happened on his watch. “Yes.”

She closed her eyes for a moment.

“Did you think of me?”

“Oh, God, Maya.” He put his finger under her chin and turned her face to his. Her brown eyes sparkled with tears that made his heart feel as though it might quit beating. “Maya, it’s always you. It’s thinking of you that made me want to stay alive. It’s the thought of your smile, your face, your body pressed up against mine that kept me warm at night, the sound of your laughter that made me smile when I felt like I couldn’t smile again. Maya….”

He didn’t know what else to say, so he did what he had wanted to do since the day he left her almost a year ago.
He brought his lips to hers.

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About the author:

I am a wife, a mother and a slave to Nicky the dog.

I think chocolate and wine should be considered their own food group, and I wish Christmas happened twice a year.

I love the hot summer nights here in Arizona when my family and I play in our pool until late at night, and I hate 99.8% of politicians.

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ARC Review….Lockout by Maya Cross

by Jilly

Lockout releases May 22

Synopsis:

Who is Sebastian Lock?

Sophia had never felt attraction like that before. Raw. Electric. Irresistible. Swept off her feet by the dashing, enigmatic billionaire Sebastian Lock, she was taken on a journey of self-discovery, taken to places she never dreamed she’d go.

But things are never as simple as they appear. Sophia’s trust is a fragile thing, and Sebastian seems insistent on testing it. He has his own demons to battle, and nobody has brought them to the fore like she has.

As their relationship deepens, and Sophia begins to break down his walls, all that greets her are more questions. Why is Sebastian fighting so hard to keep her at a distance? Who is the girl on the background of his phone? And why does the strange tattoo on his chest seem so familiar?

These puzzles plague her, but as Sebastian’s mysteries begin to unravel, she must face an entirely different truth. Staying in the dark may be painful, but finding the answers could be deadly.

My Review:

This is the second installment of The Alpha Group Series by Maya Cross and picks up where book one, Locked, left us. I was eagerly awaiting this story and finding out what was to come next for Sebastian and Sophia.

Sophia is enjoying what started out as a casual fling with Sebastian, but is slowly turning into something much deeper…to her at least. She has been burned in the past and knows that Sebastian wasn’t looking for a serious relationship when they first got together but she knows she sees the same feelings developing in Sebastian that she has developed herself. Now she must decide if she’s ready to lay it all out on the line and express what Sebastian is coming to mean to her. Will he reciprocate?

Sebastian is a mysterious man with a lot of secrets. Some secrets he is willing to share with Sophia, as she is coming to mean much more than a casual fling to him. Some secrets aren’t his to share. He knows Sophia is going to want more from him besides great sex…and the problem is he is finding he wants the same things from her. Sebastian realizes it’s only a matter of time before she asks him to open up and let her in, and he knows not being able to let her in completely will break what they have found.

Together, Sophia and Sebastian will have to walk a perilous line between letting a relationship grow or cutting off the sunlight and letting it wither and die completely.

As I had said earlier, I was anxiously awaiting part two in the Alpha Group Series, Lockout, and I wasn’t disappointed. Sophia and Sebastian continue their hot and heavy love affair with heated nights together and delicious chemistry…this time, however, we get to see the bliss spent in the hours after which eventually turn into mornings after. Sophia, of course is thrilled but something is bothering Sebastian. Eventually Sophia calls him out on his aloof attitude, because honestly, that’s what kind of a kick ass heroine she is. He shares some things about his past, and we learn to love Sebastian for more than his wealth and devastating good looks. He has come from some very humble beginnings and has loved, and lost, along the way. But it’s when Sophia wants to know more about his work that turns things into an ugly direction. All of this, added with more hint of mystery and an unsolved murder, has Lockout earning a spot on my recommendation list!

I am looking forward to seeing what Ms. Cross has in store for Sophia and Sebastian as the series continues! Thank you, Maya, for another fabulous read!

Four Loves

About the author:

Maya Cross is writer who enjoys making people blush. Growing up with a mother who worked in a book store, she read a lot from a very young age, and soon enough picked up a pen of her own. Her previous work spans many genres including horror, science fiction, and fantasy, and she has now started this pen name as an outlet for her spicier thoughts (they were starting to overflow). She likes her heroes strong but mysterious, her encounters sizzling, and her characters true to life.

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

The Alpha Group is her first foray into erotic romance, and she absolutely loved writing it.

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

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May 2013 New Releases New Reviews

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