November 2014 – Page 2 – Read-Love-Blog

The Flame by Christopher Rice…eBook Giveaway

Giveaway!

I have FIVE kindle copies of Christopher Rice’s THE FLAME to give away! (if you don’t have a kindle, not to worry! You can download free Kindle reading apps HERE)
Enter to win in the rafflceopter below…the contest runs through midnight next Thursday and winners will be announced Friday, November 28.
Thanks for stopping by!

I also had the pleasure of interviewing Christopher for the 1,001 Dark Nights Monthly Newsletter. Here is a snippet:

The Flame is a decadent blend of erotic romance and paranormal. What was your inspiration for the story?

When I was staying at my mother’s house over the holidays last year, someone placed an old scented candle in my bedroom. It was small and mostly used up, but the fragrance hit me as soon as I walked through my bedroom door. I couldn’t believe it at first. I was actually getting turned on. By a smell! From a candle! Fragrances don’t typically arouse me sexually, but for some reason this one did. That experience planted the initial seed of the idea. But I had another inspiration flash, if you will, while I was visiting New York City. I was walking by a hotel where I’d stayed on a previous trip and experienced, let’s just say, a pretty intimate and passionate evening with someone. But when all was said and done, it turned out to be just an evening. (I don’t do long distance well.) So the memory brought with it all of this painful nostalgia and longing, and I thought, “What if there’s a way to go back to that hotel room and draw some spiritual essence of that experience out of the air itself?” What better tool for such a strange ritual than a candle? From there, my mind started racing. I actually bought a small notebook at a bookstore nearby and found the first Starbucks so I could start scribbling down some notes.

If you had to choose a dream cast for the characters, who would play Cassidy, Andrew, and Shane?

Dream casting is always hard because I was always want to play at least one of the characters in my books. And in some sense, I like for my readers to be able to imagine how the characters look. I find readers will do this anyway no matter how exhaustively you describe your characters. I know I do. But if I had to cast Shane from the world outside of my head, I think Ian Somerhalder would be a great choice. Jack Falahee who plays Connor on HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER would also do just fine as Shane. As for Andrew, Stephen Amell, hands down. Forever. In anything. Anywhere. As for Cassidy, I’m going to let the ladies decide on that one. Just remember. She’s supposed to be very petite. Like 5’2”.

As this is your first time writing in this genre, how did it feel diving into the world of erotic romance?

It was so much fun. Really. It was so refreshing and different. Much of what I’ve written in the past is dark; there’s usually some form of happy ending but it’s after some real toil and struggle. But with THE FLAME, for the first time I was writing in a universe in which everyone is safe, in which things are going to work out, it was literally soothing to my soul. There are stakes, for sure, and I hope there’s plenty of suspense. But erotic romance is a genre in which we’re rewarded for making ourselves vulnerable, in which our sexuality is exalted and embraced. And I love both of those ideas. I had no idea ménage even existed as a popular genre. When it’s done well, it’s complex and rich and sexy as hell.

Besides writing, you have a successful Internet radio show, The Dinner Party Show. How do you juggle new show ideas and your writing?

I’m the busiest I’ve ever been! I’m not sure when my weekends actually are anymore. We do a live show on Sunday evening at 8 PM ET/ 5 PM PT at TheDinerPartyShow.com and that show typically includes pre-produced sketch comedy we write on Monday and record on Tuesday. But that still leaves plenty of time for books and other projects. I’m incredibly impressed by the output of most of my romance writer friends. It’s inspired me to quit worrying about what I’m going to write and start writing it instead. Nothing’s being carved in stone and it can always be revised and edited later.

You were once named one of People Magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive. Who did you share a page next to? Do you still have a copy?

Ha! You know, I don’t know if I do still have a copy. Isn’t that a shame? I was included in the “Sexiest Sons” insert and the guys on either side of me were Faye Dunaway’s son and Deepak Chopra’s son.

You can read the entire interview HERE

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About 1,001 Dark Nights:

1001 Dark Nights is a collection of novellas that are breathtakingly sexy and magically romantic. Some are paranormal, some are erotic. Each and every one is compelling and page turning. Inspired by the exotic tales of The Arabian Nights, 1001 Dark Nights features 12 New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors. In the original, Scheherazade desperately attempts to entertain her husband, the King of Persia, with nightly stories so that he will postpone her execution. In our versions, month after month, each of our fabulous authors puts a unique spin on the premise and creates a tale that a new Scheherazade tells long into the dark, dark night.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

About the author:

By the age of 30, Christopher Rice had published four New York Times bestselling thrillers, received a Lambda Literary Award and been declared one of People Magazine’s Sexiest Men Alive. His latest novel is THE HEAVENS RISE, a supernatural thriller about a young woman who is exposed to a mysterious parasite in the Louisiana swamp that gives her the power to control minds and unleash living nightmares. THE HEAVENS RISE is currently a finalist for the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Novel. Together with his best friend, bestselling novelist Eric Shaw Quinn, Christopher recently launched his own Internet radio show. An outrageous and irreverent comedy variety program, THE DINNER PARTY SHOW WITH CHRISTOPHER RICE & ERIC SHAW QUINN streams 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at TheDinnerPartyShow.com, with new live episodes premiering Sunday evenings at 8 PM Eastern, 5 PM Pacific.

Christopher’s first novel, A DENSITY OF SOULS, was published when he was just 22. The controversial bestseller was greeted with a landslide of media attention, much of it due the fact that Rice’s mother is a legendary vampire chronicler who shares his last name. He served as a contributing columnist to The Advocate for many years and his additional criticisms and witticisms have been featured in The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Review of Books, Salon.com and his own Facebook page, which currently hails over 100,000 subscribers. The members of the InsightOut Book Club selected his novel BLIND FALL as one of the best novels of 2008, and his noir thriller LIGHT BEFORE DAY was hailed as a “book of the year” by mega-best selling thriller novelist (and Jack Reacher creator), Lee Child. His short fiction has been featured in the anthologies Thriller and Los Angeles Noir. He recently served on the board of directors of the West Hollywood Library Fund, which was instrumental in securing private funds to build a brand new state-of-the-art library in the heart of the city he now calls home.

Website | Twitter | The Dinner Party Show

I Belong To You by Lisa Renee Jones…Blog Tour Stop & Excerpt

I Belong To You Synopsis:

Master…

Being that person, that man is how I define myself, how I allow the rest of the world to define me as well. And now, with a terrible loss shredding me inside out and someone trying to destroy my family to punish me, control is more important than ever. It is everything. It is what I need. It is all I need. Or maybe I just need…her.

I shut the door and then motion to the small, round conference table in the corner. “Let’s sit.” I’m irritated that I’m aware she’s wearing the same outfit she’d worn the first night I met her, several weeks ago.

She nods and moves with the same pace, the same confident steps, confirming that she is not my type. As she once said, we’re too alike, two bulls fighting for the same red flag. We come together at the edge of the seats, neither of us voluntarily claiming one first, standing toe to toe, our gazes locking.

A band seems to tug our bodies closer; I feel our shared connection in my chest and see it in the dilation of her soft blue eyes. The howl of memories is like a heavy wind that refuses to be ignored. I’d buried my pain over the news of a search for Rebecca’s body in Crystal’s body. I’d been weak, drunk, hurting. I’d tried to recover with a business-from-this-point-forward talk.

But when I’d walked Crystal, not Ms. Smith, to a private jet the next day, I’d needed to touch her, to taste her one last time—the “one last time” I’d never had with Rebecca. My weakened armor had dropped, and I’d pulled her to me and kissed the hell out of her.

And damn it to hell, I want to do that again.

But I won’t. Ms. Smith lifts her hand to touch me, the way I’ve often let her and no one else do, though I still don’t understand why. Then she seems to sense the change in me, pulling back before contact.

“How are you?” she asks.

The rasp in her voice edges down my nerve endings and evokes emotions that, on some level, I want to arouse in her, though all I should desire from any woman is passion and lust. Those needs are within the realms I have always controlled, so they are acceptable.

But I sense Ms. Smith wants more. And what I want from her is more—which infuriates me.

“How am I?” My words are as tight as my spine. “Ready to get back to normal. Sit.”

Her brow furrows in silence at the command, a prelude to the many battles I suspect are before us, but she claims her seat, as I do mine. Setting my briefcase on a chair, I pull out a document and set it in front of me, intentionally building her expectation as to what it might be.

And I think she knows that, since she refuses to look at it. I narrow my stare on hers, wondering if there’s more behind her iron will than growing up in a rich family with dominant men. And in doing so, I see the slightest hint of discomfort in the depths of her eyes, the weakness I’m looking for to push her well beyond her comfort zone.

“I have the answer to my first question,” I state. “Clearly, we still want to fuck.”

Her lips part in surprise, then a look of incredulity slides over her delicate features as a disgusted sound slips from her lips. “Funny. I thought your first question would be ‘How’s my mother?’ Or ‘How’s my father?’ Or ‘How is the staff, after they’ve taken a beating from the press and customers pounding them with questions?’ ”

“We’ve had that conversation three times in four days, including last night. I trust you. That’s the point.”

“No. The point seems to be us wanting to fuck again.”

My lips quirk at her bold statement. “I’ll take your lack of denial as confirmation you agree. And us wanting to fuck has everything to do with us working together on a day-to-day basis, Ms. Smith.”

“Crystal,” she amends. “You know ‘Ms. Smith’ bothers me, since long before we got naked together. Not even the staff calls me that.”

“Formality is how I manage and how I operate. It’s not a slap. It’s not a reflection on us getting naked together. I simply cannot maintain structure with the staff by treating you differently, nor would we be able to avoid questions.”

She inhales and lets it out. “Point taken, Mr. Compton.”

“Thank you, Ms. Smith.” I pause for effect. “My plan is to be by my mother’s side as much as possible, and leave you with your present duties if you’re agreeable. I’ll simply help you navigate the ship in the more treacherous waters.”

She nods. “I have a list of powerful clients and prospective clients who represent large dollar figures, and it’s taking time to earn the trust that you’d have in one phone call. So I need backup.”

“You have it.” I lean back and study her a moment. “You treat this company and my family as your own.”

“Is that a question?”

“No. I’m just trying to figure out why you’re doing it for us, since your own family owns one of the largest tech companies on the planet. That’s a lot to walk away from.”

“You did the same: Riptide is one of the largest auction houses in the world. And, like I told you, my father and brothers are very controlling, much like you. In fact, I’d say they are equally overbearing.”

I arch a brow, amused at her boldness.

“You think I’m overbearing.”

“You take pride in being overbearing.” I incline my head. “It works for me. But my mother wrote the book on overbearing—yet here you are.”

“It’s different. She isn’t them.”

“But I am?”

“You’re arrogant, intolerably bossy, often rude, and infuriating, but—you’re my boss, not my family. And I’ll point out that you chose to open your gallery across the country, despite being emotionally close to your parents.”

“Birds of a feather,” I say.

“But there’s more to your story.”

“There’s more to yours.”

I lean in closer, lowering my voice to a soft rasp. “I never take what isn’t given to me freely, Ms. Smith.”

She smiles. “Nor do I, Mr. Compton.”

The unexpected reply curls my lips. “You are nothing that I expect.”

“Because you never expect anyone to be like you. Two birds of a feather. Remember?”

“I’m fairly certain you won’t let me forget.” We’re close, a mere lean-in from a kiss, one I crave more each moment I’m with her.

I lean back before I forget my agenda. “Whatever the rest of your story is, when I look into your eyes I see honesty and sincerity, qualities I value more than ever. Qualities I owe you in return. That means giving you a clear understanding of who and what I am—because the past few weeks have not been an example of those things.”

Her gaze lowers and she says softly, “I know I’m a gateway to a place you’re using to cope with . . . things.” Then she looks at me. “Maybe I even am that place. You’ve just lost someone important to you. You fear losing your mother to cancer. So anything you feel with me is about them, not me. Sex is an escape for you.

“And it is for me, too. It’s how I’ve handled the emotion all of this creates in me. So I don’t need or want your guilt. We’re clear on everything.”

But we’re not; the muddied water we’re traveling is dangerous. Worse, she makes me want to believe we can continue. But she brings out a part of me I don’t want to exist; if I let it, I will deserve the guilt.

“If we’re clear up to this point,” I reply, sliding the contract across the table, “then you understand why it’s so important that we’re equally clear on what our relationship is or isn’t going forward.”

Her eyes hold mine and she swallows hard, before her gaze drops to the contract. She stares at the first line, “Master and Submissive Contract,” for two beats and then calmly hands it back to me. “I told you. I will never be your submissive.”

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Buy Links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | I Belong To You Goodreads

About the author

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT SERIES, and is now in development by Suzanne Todd (Alice in Wonderland, Austin Powers, Must Love Dogs) for cable TV. In addition, her Tall, Dark and Deadly series and The Secret Life of Amy Bensen series, both spent several months on a combination of the NY Times and USA Today and USA Today lists.

Since beginning her publishing career in 2007, Lisa has published more than 40 books translated around the world. Booklist says that Jones suspense truly sizzles with an energy similar to FBI tales with a paranormal twist by Julie Garwood or Suzanne Brockmann.

Prior to publishing, Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by Dallas Women Magazine. In 1998 LRJ was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at www.lisareneejones.com and she is active on twitter and facebook daily.

Links:

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Author Goodreads | Author Amazon

Want You Dead by Peter James…ARC Review

Want You Dead releases TODAY

Book links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

Synopsis:

The 10th book in Peter James’ multi-million-copy selling crime series, featuring the definitive Brighton detective, Roy Grace.

IF HE CAN’T HAVE HER, THEN NOBODY CAN . . .

Virtual romance becomes a terrifying obsession in Want You Dead . . .

Single girl, 33, redhead and smouldering, love life that’s crashed and burned. Seeks new flame to rekindle her fire. Fun, friendship and—who knows—more maybe?

In Peter James’ Want You Dead, thirty-year old Red Cameron meets handsome, charming and rich thirty-five year old Bryce Laurent through an online dating agency, and is instantly attracted to him. But as their love blossoms, the truth about his past begins to emerge, and with it his dark side. Everything he has told Red about himself turns out to be a tissue of lies, and her infatuation with him gradually turns to terror.

Within a year, and under police protection, she evicts him from her flat and her life. But far from being over, her nightmare is only just beginning. For Bryce is obsessed and besotted with her. He intends to destroy, by fire, everything and everyone she has ever known and loved—and then her, too. It’s up to Detective Superintendent Roy Grace to stop him before it’s too late…

My review:

Want You Dead is the tenth book in author Peter James’ Roy Grace Series and admittedly the first of Mr. James’ work that I have read. While this is the tenth book in the series, I didn’t feel lost in any way as this book follows one case in particular, and I believe the series is written in a way that you can pick up any of the books and enjoy it as a standalone novel. This particular story was done really well and I enjoyed the characters as well as the plot, even though it was a bit twisted and dark.

Bachelorette Red Cameron was still getting over her last breakup, but not for the reasons one would think. She dated Bryce Laurent for almost a year and in that year he had gone from a charming and wealthy man to a complete nightmare. She had to go to great lengths to get him out of her life, including moving and getting the authorities involved. He was completely controlling and unbalanced…to the point she was petrified. Finally, she thinks she is done with him for good. She couldn’t be more wrong. When she finally decides to date again, and meets a wonderful widower, she is thrilled to be starting this new chapter in her life. That elation is short lived when her new love interest is brutally murdered. Red is devastated and has a sneaking suspicion that her unbalanced ex may have something to do with it. Could he still be holding her in his psychotic grasp?

What I liked most about this book was that the reader, from the very beginning, knew who was responsible for the murder. We got to see it all play out knowing that one crucially important piece of information and I thought it was done really well. Watching Detective Grace and Red try to put the pieces together was an interesting point of view for the reader and one I really enjoyed. This book was a bit dark and not for the faint of heart, but if you love a good drama, and a villain you just love to hate, and can’t wait for him to be brought to justice, this is a book for you. Now there are more than a few things I can’t give away so while this review may be short, you know I don’t do spoilers.

As I stated earlier, this is the first book of author James’ that I have read and I can say that I will be looking into more of his work. Thank you Mr. James, for a terrific read!

Four Loves

“…With over 14 million book sales, there’s no arguing with James’ lethal talent but even by his stellar standards this terrifying, excruciatingly tense tale of twisted obsession is outstanding.”
—The Daily Record

“James continues to impress with his great imagination, conjuring up grisly murders and improbable crime scenes.”
— RT Book Reviews

About the author:

An established film producer and scriptwriter, James (@peterjamesuk) lived in the U.S. for a number of years and produced films, including The Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, and Joseph Fiennes. A TV adaptation of the Roy Grace series is currently in development, with James overseeing all aspects, including scriptwriting, In 2009, James was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Brighton in recognition of his services to literature and the community. He is Patron of Crimestoppers in Sussex alongside Vera Lynn and in 2012 was made Patron of The Whitehawk Inn. In 2011, James became Chair of the Crime Writers’ Association. He has won many literary awards, including the publicly voted ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards People’s Bestseller Dagger in 2011 and was shortlisted for the Wellcome Trust Book Prize for Perfect People in 2012.
James’ novels have been translated into thirty-six languages and three have been turned into films. All of his novels reflect a deep interest in the world of the police, with whom he does in-depth research and has unprecedented access, as well as science, medicine, and the paranormal. James divides his time between his homes in Notting Hill in London and near Brighton in Sussex.

Visit Peter James’ Website
Vist Peter James on Facebook
Visit Peter James on Twitter

Other novels in the Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series
DEAD SIMPLE * LOOKING GOOD DEAD * NOT DEAD ENOUGH * DEAD MAN’S FOOTSTEPS * DEAD TOMORROW * DEAD LIKE YOU * DEAD MAN’S GRIP * NOT DEAD YET * DEAD MAN’S TIME * WANT YOU DEAD
Also by Peter James
DEAD LETTER DROP * ATOM BOMB ANGEL * BILLIONAIRE * POSSESSION DREAMER * SWEET HEART * TWILIGHT * PROPHECY * ALCHEMIST HOST * THE TRUTH * DENIAL FAITH * PERFECT PEOPLE

Hart Attack by Cristin Harber…Release Day Event

We’re so thrilled for the release of HART ATTACK by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cristin Harber! Roman and Beth’s sexy and explosive story is not to be missed!

About HART ATTACK

Outside of Titan Group, there are few people that Roman Hart would die for. He’s a soldier, a protector, and he’s haunted that one of the people he should’ve been able to protect didn’t let him. That was years ago, and now a hardened heart and a cocky attitude are his impenetrable shields, until one woman—one challenge—drives him to distraction.

On the outside, Beth Tourne has it all. Luxury car, gorgeous condo, and a job partying with the rich and famous. It’s a plush CIA cover, but she wants more. Anything for an adrenaline rush that can override her guilty numbness and let her forget the tragedy she never saw coming.

Their scars make them perfect operatives. Their mirrored pasts give them deep, wounded reasons to stay alone. But the more they ignore the tension, the more vulnerable they become. Survival means trust. In one another, behind closed doors, and on the job. The only way they’re making it out alive is if they find peace while waging a war.

Add HART ATTACK to your Goodreads list here!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo

EXCERPT

Her lips tingled for wanting feel his against hers. When he stepped away, she couldn’t stand losing him. Her fingers grabbed his thick arm before she could think better of it.

Roman looked at her hand then at her. “Don’t tempt me, Beth.”

None of the reasons to stay away mattered when she needed to forget everything. “But—”

Roman backed her against the wall, hands crawling up her arms, down her back. His body was too cut, too big. Too much to want to say no to. She arched into him, on him, her breathing far too stilted.

His fingers traced her jaw, his lips so close to hers. “You’ve changed your mind?”

No. Maybe. “Yes.”

ABOUT CRISTIN HARBER

Cristin Harber is a USA Today bestselling romantic suspense and military romance author. Fans voted her onto Amazon’s Top Picks for Debut Romance Authors in 2013, and her debut Titan series was #1 romantic suspense, #1 military romance, and a USA Today Top 100 bestseller.

She lives outside Washington, DC with her family and English Bulldog.

All Wrapped Up by Kimberly Kincaid…Cover Reveal & Guest Post

I am SO excited to have this post for you all today!

Kimberly Kincaid is such a fabulous author and a super fun gal with cooking skills that put mine to shame. She puts her yummy recipes into each of her stories and even has recipes in the books as well as on her website to share with us.

I’m so lucky she wanted to stop by today with not only a cover reveal, but a guest post…

All Wrapped Up is the upcoming release from Kimberly in her Pine Mountain Series, a series I adore, and will be releasing soon!

Enjoy and thank you, Kimberly!

AWU cover

Talk about a hot lead…

Christmas is coming to Pine Mountain—and it has a way of stirring up memories, good and bad. Nick Brennan may manage the Double Shot bar smooth as good whiskey, but his past is a hot mess. When he runs into a burning building to save a little boy, some people start thinking there’s more to his heroism than holiday spirit. And then the local reporter assigned to the story turns out to be gorgeous Ava Mancuso, the girl who got away.

Ava knows what it’s like to have a past. But the changes she’s seen in Nick since she knew him do more than set off her natural curiosity—his warm eyes and gruff charm have her instincts fired up. Still, all the chemistry in the world doesn’t erase history, even when Nick invites her to his little sister’s mistletoe wedding. Does he have a heart under all those secrets? Or is this going to be just another Christmas past?

Praise for Kimberly Kincaid

“Kimberly Kincaid knows how to whip up a delicious love story.”

—Susan Donovan

“An author on the rise.”

–RT Book Reviews

“A sweet and sexy treat!”

—Bella Andre

“Smart, fun, and heartwarming.”

—Jill Shalvis

Kimberly’s guest post:

Holiday Food Traditions: Let It Snow

As a self-proclaimed great, big, giant foodie, I have a particular fondness for the end of the year. Thanksgiving, with its sweet potato casserole and cranberry stuffing, Hanukkah with latkes and brisket, Christmas ham with all the trimmings…nothing quite embodies my mantra that “food is love” quite like the holidays that wrap up the season. So it’s pretty meaningful to me that both the first and last story in my Pine Mountain series center around the holidays, and the food (and love!) that go with them.

Over here at Chez Kincaid, we bake a lot of cookies at Christmastime. By a lot, I don’t mean five or six dozen—although that’s quite a few sweets for sampling and sharing. I mean, my daughters and I flour bomb the kitchen for an entire weekend, coming away with plate after plate of goodies (I feel I should note that we do give them as gifts…aside from the ones we “taste test” for quality assurance, of course!) When my editor came to me with the idea to pair up with Donna Kauffman and Kate Angell to introduce readers to Pine Mountain in The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap, I knew I’d found my element. I came up with a chef on chef battle for the top spot in a high-stakes Christmas cookie bakeoff. Pete Mancuso and Lily Callahan both want first prize, but they end up winning each other’s hearts in the process. Their signature dishes were a ton of fun to bake, and we’ve added a few Pete and Lily specials to our holiday baking repertoire.

Fast-forward through four more Pine Mountain books, as well as another novella, and we arrive at the end of the series. I knew I needed something special to tie the Pine Mountain series up with a bow that was sweet and sexy enough to make readers swoon. How better to do that than to give Pete Mancuso’s sister Ava a Christmas story of her own in All Wrapped Up? Ava’s not much of a cook, but as a newspaper reporter, she sure can sniff out a great story. When her make-or-break assignment turns out to be her old flame, bar manager Nick Brennan, let’s just say things heat up in the kitchen! But not only are both books holiday-themed love stories, they’re also stories about family and friends making connections through cooking, baking, and sharing food. Traditional recipes like sugar cookies and snickerdoodles come together with quirky, personally inspired dishes (in All Wrapped Up, Pete makes Ava a very unique comfort food that my kids all adore—you’ll have to read to discover what it is!) to bond the characters and take their holiday experiences to a whole new level.

So tell me, reader-friends! What do you make at the holidays? Do you have a sweet tooth or do you go for savory meals with all the trimmings?

Oh, PS—if you want to add new recipes to your files, each Pine Mountain book from The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap to All Wrapped Up has them in the back. Season’s eatings…and season’s readings!

Thank you, Kimberly! And thanks for mentioning another fave of mine, The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap

A mouth-watering, heart-warming, toe-curling holiday romance!”

—Amanda Usen on The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap

SCSS new cover

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

About the author:

Kimberly Kincaid Author Pic

Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance novels that split the difference between sexy and sweet, taking the traditional idea of boy-meets-girl and infusing it with a sassy magic all her own. She believes in fiery yet flawed characters destined for a crash-course in falling in love– usually the hard way– and injects her trademark humor as well as poignant touches into her writing to create her stories.
Kimberly’s writing journey has led down some bumpy roads (that first manuscript is under the bed, where it is very likely to stay), but there has been some fresh pavement too (her second manuscript earned her very first contest final, and landed the fantastic Maureen Walters at the Curtis Brown Literary Agency). One thing is certain — the wild ride of being a writer is a lot richer in both its ups and downs because of friends and readers along the path.

When Kimberly’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 eclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. She resides in northern Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters.

Connect with Kimberly:

Email: kimberly.kincaid1@gmail.com
Facebook
Twitter: @KimberlyKincaid
Blog

The In Too Deep Series by Michelle Kemper Brownlow…Guest Post & Facebook Takeover

Happy Thursday!

We are gearing up for the fabulous Michelle Kemper Brownlow’s takeover on the Read-Love-Blog Facebook page tonight and to kick things off, I have a fantastic guest post from Michelle to share with all of you.

Being a big fan of Michelle’s, I am so excited for this evening’s event and in case you haven’t checked out her books, here are the links to my reviews and book information to Michelle’s In Too Deep Series:

In Too Deep | On Solid Ground | Above the Noise

IN TOO DEEP BOOK BLITZ WEEK

Michelle’s Guest Post

The White House has deemed sexual assault an epidemic on college campuses and over the last few weeks has started a nationwide movement to bring awareness to what is happening under everyone’s nose.

80% of sexual assault is committed by someone the victim knows and in Gracie’s case, it’s her boyfriend, Noah.

“For this to be a debut novel just absolutely amazed me. I was completely captivated and blown away. Michelle Kemper Brownlow has written one hell of a book and I am seriously in LOVE. Look out folks because I am telling you, this one will be moving up, up, up until it reaches the top.” – Brooke Hunter, True Story Book Blog

Last year, Michelle Kemper Brownlow’s debut novel, IN TOO DEEP, was released and Gracie’s story of abuse, friendship, true love, and the healing power of music was brought to life and hit Amazon best-selling status immediately.

****

Authors will tell you that they are personally connected to their characters as if they were real people. Well, Gracie is as real as they get for me. And, every day I’m humbled by the attention our story has gotten. I say “our” story because Gracie and I have a lot in common. I’ve always taught my own children and the teen girls I mentor that “a positive always comes out of a negative” and that’s the reason I wanted to share Gracie’s story…I want her to help you find the positive in your negative.

There’s one part in the series where Gracie says, “I had to go through Hell to know how beautiful Heaven was.” These were words I’d spoken on more than one occasion when talking about my own story of emotional abuse at the hand of my college boyfriend.

Throughout my life I’ve had people say, “You should write a book!” And my answer was always, I don’t have the patience or attention it would take to work out a story longer than a couple pages. Well, I proved myself wrong two years ago when I was reading through an old college journal. The evidence of abuse in that journal wrecked me on that day. I saw my former relationship much differently than I ever had. I wasn’t just in a reckless, intense relationship…I was being abused. I hit rock bottom that day and wrestled with some pretty big demons.

When life throws me a curve-ball, I self-medicate with music and that’s exactly what I did that day. After a long shower trying to calm myself down and deal with the triggers that sent me into a full-on PTSD reaction, I lay on my bed with Pearl Jam’s TEN album blaring.

The song DEEP came on and I heard it like it was brand new…I knew the words by heart, I’d been singing them for twenty years, but on that specific day they really reached out and shook me.

“Deep”

on the edge
windowsill
ponders his maker
ponders his will
to the street below
he just ain’t nothin’
but he’s got a great view…

on the edge
know-nothin’ town
feelin’ quite superior
the aged come
to the sky above
he just ain’t nothin’
but he’s got a great view…

on the edge of a
christmas clean love
young virgin from heaven
visiting…
to the man above her
she just ain’t nothin’…
she doesn’t like the view
doesn’t like the view
doesn’t like the view…
but he sinks himself deep.

can’t touch the bottom
in too deep
can’t touch the bottom

can’t touch the bottom
in too deep
can’t touch the bottom
can’t touch the bottom
deep…

And it was the repeated chorus at the end that gutted me. It’s exactly what I felt like while I was going through the hell of that relationship and it’s what I felt like at that very moment trying to shake the feeling of brokenness and heartache all those years later.

In my mind, a writer’s mind, I began to describe what it would feel like to drown. I hopped up off my bed and grabbed a pencil and paper and began to write. This is what I wrote those minutes after Eddie Vedder’s voice spoke something brand new to me…

“The strong force of the wave pulled me under. I gasped for air just before my face disappeared below the surface. My body rolled over and over, my arms flailed, and my head pounded into the sea bed which felt like a concrete floor. The salty water stung my eyes. I forced myself to keep them open, fearing I would slip into unconsciousness from the blow I took to the head. I knew I had to hold it together long enough for the swell to pull me back up when the wave rolled. But something was pulling me deeper. I fought with all my might, kicking against the thick water swallowing me whole. I used my arms like underwater oars and sliced through the depths trying to reach what I needed most, but I was in too deep.”

And with that Gracie, Noah, Jake and the entire cast of the IN TOO DEEP series were born. I wrote the whole novel in thirty days and proved myself wrong. When a story grabs ahold of your heart as violently as this one, you don’t need to worry about becoming distracted and not finishing it. It will eat you alive until you’ve set it free.

While writing the series and seeing a therapist of my own, I uncovered some more of my own story that I’m still working through. But, sharing this journey with Gracie has given me strength to deal with whatever will be thrown my way in my recovery process. Gracie and I…and so many others… are survivors and the positive out of this, probably the biggest negative of my life, is the response I’ve gotten from readers who are survivors. Gracie’s story has touched so many young women in ways I could only have dreamed and I will forever be grateful for that one day…just me and my journal.

The IN TOO DEEP series will forever have a special place in my heart and the characters within its pages are real to me…very real. Although this is a work of fiction, as writers we are taught to write what we know. I tried to keep the structure and the cycle of abuse as real and accurate as I could. And Gracie’s story is not an easy read, you’ll want to shake her, yell at her and knock some sense into her. But through her story you will gain an understanding of the psychological break down of a victim and you will see why it’s so hard to leave an abusive relationship. It’s as real as it gets in this series. It was tough to write, to put myself back into that dark place to be able to summon the demons I needed to hit Gracie with but the outcome is an authentic peek inside the life of an emotional abuse victim.

But, don’t worry, Gracie’s story has a happy ending – the positive that comes out of the negative. You will see Gracie’s healing process in ON SOLID GROUND and you’ll also get to know a beautiful soul named Calon Ridge. Yes, he’s the dreamy rock star we all fantasize about. But, like all of the characters in this series, he’s based on a real person, someone I knew a long time ago.

And you’ll fall even deeper in love with Calon as his story continues in ABOVE THE NOISE.

It’s been a crazy ride, three books out in twelve months. But I wouldn’t change a single thing. And I’m a third of the way through my first book that is NOT in any way related to Gracie and I’m loving it.

I hope, if you read the series, you will let me know what you think as you read!

Take a peek at the synopses and some excerpts from the IN TOO DEEP series at Book Plug Promotions…

http://www.bookplugpromotions.com/2014/11/book-blitz-in-too-deep-series-by.html

Find Michelle on:

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The Reluctant Elf by Michele Gorman….Review

Synopsis:

Meet Britain’s Worst Innkeeper

Single mother and extremely undomestic goddess, Lottie, has five days to become the ultimate B&B hostess to save her beloved Aunt Kate’s livelihood.

When Aunt Kate ends up in the hospital, Lottie and her seven-year-old daughter are called to rural Wales to stand in at the B&B. Without the faintest idea how to run a hotel (she can barely run her own life), Lottie must impress the picky hotel reviewer and his dysfunctional family who are coming to stay over Christmas. Without the rating only he can bestow, Aunt Kate will lose her livelihood.

But will Danny, the local taxi driver who she hires to help her, really be Santa’s little helper, or the Grinch who stole Christmas?

My review:

The Reluctant Elf is the first work of author Michele Gorman’s that I’ve read and totally put me into the holiday spirit. Filled with more than a few chuckles, plenty of mishaps, and even a bit of romance, this novella was the perfect afternoon read.

Game software designer and single mother, Lottie, was gearing up for the holiday season when she got a phone call that would change all of her plans of how she and her daughter were going to celebrate the holiday season. Her aunt had ben in a car accident and needed her help. Not only with recuperating, but with running the bed and breakfast that was booked with very important guests for the holiday. No problem, right? Lottie would just pack up her daughter, and head to help. Easy. Until she sets her eyes upon the bed and breakfast which was in quite a state of disrepair and soon realizes she was in a heap of trouble. Luckily for her, she’s managed to wrangle the help of her unsuspecting cab driver when he drops her and her daughter off at the B&B and with a bit of imagination and determination, maybe she could pull it off and survive the weekend…

In a word, this story was adorable! Poor Lottie is stuck in a run down B&B, hosting some obnoxious and rude guests, praying she can just convince them that this was a B&B worth writing a beaming review for. But with hijinks at every turn, and things going wrong more often than they went right, Lottie sure has her hands full. Her daughter is a bright spot in all of the craziness and helps remind her what’s important and that if you put your mind to it, anything is possible. Lottie also has some great help from Danny and soon realizes how lucky she was to find him. Together, they really make things work and have a few laughs along the way. They also find an attraction starting to blossom between them and it was great to see. I really enjoyed every aspect of this story and felt as though I was reading a holiday version of the Money Pit…it was fantastic!

Michelle’s voice is witty and charming and I will certainly be looking forward to reading more of her work!

Four Loves

Book links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the author:

I write romantic comedy, including SINGLE IN THE CITY (the first in The Expat Diaries series) and BELLA SUMMER TAKES A CHANCE. Born and raised in the US, I lost my heart to London 16 years ago, where I’ve lived ever since. I’ve also turned my hand to upmarket commercial fiction under the pen name Jamie Scott.

I spend way too much time on twitter and facebook when I should be writing, so please come say hello there. I’m @expatdiaries on twitter, and we can connect on Facebook.

website

Have Me by J. Kenner…Blog Tour Stop & Excerpt

ABOUT HAVE ME

For fans of Fifty Shades of Grey and Bared to You comes an erotic, emotionally charged eBook novella from New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner. Following the novels in her blockbuster Stark Trilogy—Release Me, Claim Me, and Complete Me, as well as her tie-in novella Take Me—Have Me continues the story of fan favorites Damien Stark and his new wife, Nikki Fairchild.

Our wedding was everything I dreamed of, and now the honeymoon is a living fantasy. To be Mrs. Damien Stark is the ultimate rush—to know that our claim to each other is real, our fierce passion sealing our bond. My kiss is forever his, his touch is forever mine.

We both harbor deep scars from our pasts, and we’ve done everything we can to lay our ghosts to rest. But there are still dreams that haunt me, and people that threaten to tear us apart.

Our shared ecstasy makes me feel alive, and I’ll do anything to keep Damien close. He is my future, my hope, my every want and need. And once you’ve tasted that kind of obsession, nothing can make you give it up.

Add it to your Goodreads list here!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

Excerpt:

His hand closes over mine, and I tremble with anticipation. I draw my hand away, then close my eyes, more than willing to let him undress me.

Except he doesn’t.

I stand for a moment, confused and disoriented, then open my eyes to find him looking at me. I see the desire on his face, as vibrant and wild as my own need. And yet he makes no move to touch me again. On the contrary, he takes a single step back, his eyes never leaving mine.

He is denying us both, and that simple fact both pisses me off and turns me on.

I gather self-control around me like a cloak, then lift an eyebrow. “Playing games, Mr. Stark?”

“Absolutely,” he says with a wicked grin. “And just in case you’ve forgotten, I don’t play if I can’t win.”

“Really?” I say, enjoying myself. “And what’s the prize?”

He steps closer, still not touching me, but so close that I can hear my own heartbeat echoing against the hard breadth of his chest. “You are.”

My heart flutters in my chest. Even now—even married—he makes me feel as deliciously alive as I did the first time he touched me. “In that case,” I whisper, the words thick with the weight of truth, “you’ve already won.”

About J. KENNER

Julie Kenner (aka J. Kenner and J.K. Beck) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” J.K. writes a range of stories including super sexy romances, paranormal romance, chick lit suspense and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, is in development as a feature film with 1492 Pictures.

Her most recent trilogy of erotic romances, The Stark Trilogy (as J. Kenner), reached as high as #2 on the New York Times list and is published in over twenty countries.

J.K. lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and several cats.

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Entity by Patricia Leever…Release Day Event

Entity

by Patricia Leever

“I’d been face to face with some of the most vicious and evil creatures on this world and the next. heck, i’d even stared into the eyes of lucifer himself. but I’d never had a deeper, more intense feeling of dread in my life.”

Sometimes I liked to imagine, just for a second, that I was plain old Evelyn with nothing better to do in the morning than lie here with her man.

But that’s not how it was. That’s not who we were…

Evelyn Brighton and Daniel Summers are demon hunters, and they wouldn’t have it any other way. Or would they, given the choice again?

Los Angeles is crawling with demons in disguise, and Evelyn and Daniel are a dynamic and fearless demon-slaying duo. Under the authority of Lebriga Corporation and protection of their Divinity blades, this duo has never felt more ass-kicking against evil or more in love with each other.

But something is rotten in the state of home demonstration parties—and it’s not because a seal’s broken in the Tupperware. Beautiful Illuminations is the latest rage in home-consulting cosmetics, founded by Annabelle Simmons. But beneath the layers of makeup and human flesh lurks Anabael, a disembodied Spectoral demon that inhabits people and steals their physical form. To a spirit like that, an ageless demon hunter has a body to die for.

And Evelyn just might.

As Lebriga battles Anabael mind, body, and soul, Evelyn and Daniel must draw on the strength of their relationship to win the war against the Spectoral menace. But what if winning the war means losing their love?

Add Entity to your TBR: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17887125-entity?from_search=true

Author: Patricia Leever

Title: Entity (Divinity Series Book Two)

Genre: Supernatural Romance

ISBN: 9781623421472

Release Date: November 11th, 2014

Available in eBook and Paperback

Author Website: http://patricialeever.com/

Twitter: @Patricia_Leever

Author Bio:

Patricia Leever is a wife, stay-at-home mom of four and owner of one dog and one really old cat. On the average school day she runs about town like a lunatic picking up and dropping off kids and trying to find a moment of quiet to write down a word or two.

She’s a sci-fi geek that loves to dress up like a zombie and participate in the local zombie march down Main St. and laugh as much as possible; laughter frees the mind and heals the soul.

Live. Breathe. Write.

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Illusion by J.S. Cooper…ARC Review and Paperback Giveaway

Illusion releases TODAY

Book links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Goodreads

Synopsis:

Indie sensation and New York Times bestselling author of the Ex Games series and the Private Club series, J.S. Cooper introduces the Swept Away series—three new, dark and sexy romances about a woman marooned on a desert island with a mysterious stranger—but is he friend or foe?

The day started like every other day…

Bianca London finds herself kidnapped and locked up in a van with a strange man. Ten hours later, they’re dumped on a deserted island. Bianca has no idea what’s going on and her attraction to this stranger is the only thing keeping her fear at bay.

Jakob wants only to figure out why they’ve been left on the island and how they can get off. But as the days go by, he can’t ignore his growing fascination with Bianca.

In order to survive, Bianca and Jakob must figure out how they’re connected, but as they grow closer, secrets are revealed that may destroy everything they thought they knew about each other.

My review:

Illusion is the newest work from author J.S. Cooper and the first of her work that I’ve read. Packed with mystery and suspense, this was a read that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time I was reading.

Now, this is definitely a twisted tale with lots of twists and turns and many things I don’t want to give away because it will ruin the experience for you. So, bear with me…

One minute Bianca was sitting in a restaurant, sipping wine, and getting ready to have dinner with her best friend. Then, she was locked in a trunk with a handsome and mysterious stranger. The next minute she finds herself, along with the stranger, on a deserted island with only their questions to keep them company. Why were they there? Together? Who was this man? How would they eat or find shelter? But the biggest questions of all: could she trust this man and would they get out of this alive?

Only time will tell what lies ahead of them…

Whoa…talk about being kept in suspense! I had no idea what was going to happen next or why poor Bianca was in this situation. We learn some bits and pieces form her past along the way and learn her father may have discovered some important things and that the company he worked for may have been less than honest. But still, she has no idea if that could be the reason she was in this pretty awful predicament. Making things even more confusing for her is Jakob. The hot, flippant, and mysterious guy she was trapped with. He went from hot to cold with her at times and she kept vacillating between wanting to trust him and wanting to run for the hills. To be honest, so did I. I wasn’t sure what I felt towards him and I loved that aspect of the story. The unsure feelings of what was to come next kept me reading and wanting to know what was happening next.

Now, I will say that for as long as this book was, there was a cliffhanger ending. I know there is a love/hate relationship with the cliffhanger in the book world and while most of the time I don’t mind them, this one kind of irritated me. I would have liked to read a bit more before we were cut off. But, hey…it’ll give me something to look forward to!

Thank you, J.S., for a suspenseful and intriguing read!

Three-and-a-Half Loves

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About the author:

J. S. Cooper was born in London, England and moved to Florida her last year of high school. After completing law school at the University of Iowa (from the sunshine to cold) she moved to Los Angeles to work for a Literacy non profit as an Americorp Vista. She then moved to New York to study the History of Education at Columbia University and took a job at a workers rights non profit upon graduation.

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All I Want for Christmas is You by Jessica Scott…Review

Book links:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

An all new novella about a woman who came back from war changed and the man who loves her enough not to let her go.

All Major Patrick MacLean wanted was Christmas with the woman and child who were his family in everything but name. But Captain Samantha Egan has come back from the war a different woman than the one who left – and she doesn’t know if she can love him anymore.

But neither of them counted on the determination of a little girl they both call daughter and if Natalie has her wish, her parents may have no idea what’s coming for them. It’s going to take Christmas miracle to bring these two wounded warriors back from the edge of a broken heart.

My review:

All I Want for Christmas is You is the newest work from author Jessica Scott and admittedly the first of her work I have read. Well, Ms. Scott now has a new fan in this blogger. This story was fantastic. Full of emotion and hope, I loved every minute.

Captain Samantha Egan was home. She was safe, back in the states from her last deployment; she knew she should be happy and relieved to have made it back in one piece. But she wasn’t happy and to be honest, didn’t feel like she was in one piece. Her best friend had been killed on their last deployment and it haunted Sam every minute. She didn’t know how to let it go. How to live life again. How to love the man in her life, the one who had always been her rock. She just didn’t know how to feel anything but the pain and uncertainty and it was ruining everything good she had known. Taking her daughter and leaving Patrick seemed the only thing she could do at the moment. Maybe the distance would help. She didn’t want to let Patrick go but she knew he deserved a woman who was whole and not shattered by war. She should also know that Patrick would fight for her and the love they share…

This novella delves into the depths of PTSD and all of the emotion that comes along with it. Poor Sam lost her best friend and had no idea how to cope. She is numb and broken and hates that she just can’t shake it off and make things right again. I felt so terrible for her and wanted her to get the help she needed, whether she wanted to admit she needed it or not. Lucky for her she’s got Patrick. He is truly an amazing man and partner. He is patient and kind but knows he’s not going down without a fight. A fight to keep Sam and her daughter in his life. He knew that Sam would be ok, after getting help, and he knew he would be there for her every step of the way. There were more than a few tear jerking moments in his story and there was always a spark of hope. That hope was a thing of beauty. Even in the darkest of despair, there is always the change to make things better and not lose hope that you can be whole again.

Don’t ever give up. Never lose hope. Important messages that Jessica did a wonderful job of reminding us all of.

Thank you, Ms. Scott, for a touching and beautiful story. I look forward to reading more of your work!

Five Loves

About the author:

USA TODAY Bestselling author Jessica Scott is a career army officer, mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs, wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She is a terrible cook and even worse housekeeper, but she’s a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon and someone liked some of the stuff she wrote. Somehow, her children are pretty well adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house.

She’s written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View Regarding War, and IAVA. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of OIF/New Dawn and is currently a company commander stationed at Fort Hood.

Most recently, she’s been featured as one of Esquire Magazine’s Americans of the Year for 2012

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