Krazy Book Lady

Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner - Review

2015-02-02T18:13:00.000-06:00

Secrets of a Charmed Life
by Susan Meissner
Expected publication: February 3, 2015 by Penguin/NAL

The author of A Fall of Marigolds journeys from the present day to World War II England, as two sisters are separated by the chaos of wartime ...

She stood at a crossroads, half-aware that her choice would send her down a path from which there could be no turning back. But instead of two choices, she saw only one—because it was all she really wanted to see…

Current day, Oxford, England. Young American scholar Kendra Van Zant, eager to pursue her vision of a perfect life, interviews Isabel McFarland just when the elderly woman is ready to give up secrets about the war that she has kept for decades...beginning with who she really is. What Kendra receives from Isabel is both a gift and a burden--one that will test her convictions and her heart.

1940s, England. As Hitler wages an unprecedented war against London’s civilian population, one million children are evacuated to foster homes in the rural countryside. But even as fifteen-year-old Emmy Downtree and her much younger sister Julia find refuge in a charming Cotswold cottage, Emmy’s burning ambition to return to the city and apprentice with a fashion designer pits her against Julia’s profound need for her sister’s presence. Acting at cross purposes just as the Luftwaffe rains down its terrible destruction, the sisters are cruelly separated, and their lives are transformed…

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

Isabel McFarland has never agreed to an interview about her experience living through the evacuation of children from London and the bombing that followed, but now she has agreed to an interview with Kendra. Isabel is ready to reveal she is not who everyone thinks she is and wants to tell the story of two sisters, Emmy and Julia, who became separated when the bombing began. Emmy blames herself and does everything she can to find her sister, but she lives for a long time not knowing what really happened to her.

I can't tell you much about Secrets of a Charmed Life for fear of giving too many spoilers, but I absolutely loved this book. Susan Meissner has a thoroughly engaging writing style, surprising details were revealed at just the right moments to keep you interested, and I was completely hooked from beginning to end. This is a story that really makes you think about life, family, and the concepts of guilt and blame. It is also a story about how people cope with life-changing situations beyond their control, and it makes you consider how small decisions on your part or by someone else can make such a difference in ways you don't realize.

I wish I could say more, but the impact of this book is much better if you don't have spoilers before you read. I don't think you will regret reading this. It is a powerful, emotional story of family, life and history. Susan Meissner is now one of my favorite authors, and I recommend Secrets of a Charmed Life wholeheartedly.

I won a copy of this book. I was not required to write a review.

About the author:

Susan Meissner was born in San Diego, California, the second of three. She spent her childhood in just two houses.

Her first writings are a laughable collection of oddly worded poems and predictable stories she wrote when she was eight.

She attended Point Loma College in San Diego, and married her husband, Bob, who is now an associate pastor and a chaplain in the Air Force Reserves, in 1980. When she is not working on a new novel, she is directing the small groups ministries at The Church at Rancho Bernardo. She also enjoy teaching workshops on writing and dream-following, spending time with my family, music, reading great books, and traveling.

Find out more at SusanMeissner.com.

Bringing Home the Bad Boy by Jessica Lemmon - Excerpt & Giveaway

2015-01-26T09:14:00.001-06:00

*Review Coming Soon*

Excerpt:

“Know why I moved here?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

She wrenched her eyes from his and focused on a spot over his shoulder.

“Because you didn’t want to live in Columbus anymore.” That’s what he’d told her. That he wanted a change. That he and Lyon had outgrown the house. And, she imagined it’d be hard to live in the house where Rae had passed.

“But why here?”

“Um…”

His fingers grazed her jaw and turned her head, his palm moving to her neck where he cupped her nape and forced her eyes to his.

Reluctantly, she met them.

“Rae’s more alive when you’re around, Ace.”

Her heart, oh her heart. Kicking against her chest in a confusing, hectic rhythm.

“You bring her to life for Lyon—more than anyone else. I need him to remember her because he can’t remember her alive.” His hold stayed, his palm warming her neck, his gaze unwavering.

She tried to separate the two feelings she was having—one that she was now talking about Rae with Evan and two, that he was touching her while talking about Rae.

Before she could, his lips closed over hers.

Her thoughts short-circuited.

This wasn’t anything like a soft peck hello. This was his lips moving over hers, slanting over hers, warm and firm and then his mouth opened and—

Oh my gosh!

His wet, warm tongue slid along the seam of her lips and she stopped being passive and started kissing him back. When she would have touched her tongue to his, he relocated it, running along her bottom lip instead and tugging with his teeth.

If she’d been standing, her knees would have given out and dropped her right on her butt.

And then there was the palm on her neck, now spearing up through her hair and clutching onto a handful of it. He held her captive, his hand fisting her hair as he angled his mouth again. In response to the soft whimper escaping her throat, he swept his tongue into her mouth. He tangled his tongue with hers once, twice, and released her.

When he pulled his mouth away,a long, satisfied sigh escaped her lips. Because that was a kiss.A kiss to rival all other kisses.

She opened her eyes to realize A) she’d closed her eyes and B) she’d at some point wrapped both hands around his forearms where she was holding tight and C) Evan looked as please as she felt.

“God damn, Ace. Your mouth.” His eyes flicked to her lips. Lips still tingling from the rough scrape from the stubble surrounding his.

She concurred with that sentiment. Not that she said anything. She’d gone dumb; completely mute.

He backed away, but held onto her chin and tweaked it lightly with the rough pad of one thumb. “That’s the way this is gonna go from now on.”

Her breathing went shallow, her thoughts went muzzy and her head blurred as her heart palpated to the point of panic attack.

“Sorry, Rae.”

She didn’t mean to say it, and it had only been a whisper, but by the look twisting Evan’s face—the angry look twisting his face—he’d heard. And he hadn’t liked what he’d heard.

“Sorry,” she said to him this time. “I should go.”

Unbelievably, he leaned closer. She pulled her chin back until she realized she likely had a double chin, then settled her head on her neck in a more reasonable position.

Gosh. He was making her crazy.

Bringing Home the Bad Boy
(Second Chance #1)
by Jessica Lemmon
Expected publication: January 27, 2015 by Forever (Hachette Book Group)

The Bad Boy Is Back

Evan Downey needs a new beginning. Since the death of his wife five years ago, the brilliant tattoo artist has shut himself away in a prison of grief that not even his work can break him out of-and what's worse, Evan knows his son Lyon is bearing the brunt of his seclusion. Moving back to the lake town of Evergreen Cove where he spent his childhood summers is his last chance for a fresh start.

Charlotte Harris knows she owes it to her best friend's memory to help Evan and his son find their way again, but she can't stop her traitorous heart from skipping a beat every time she looks into Evan's mesmerizing eyes. Charlotte is determined to stay strictly in the Friend Zone-until a mind-blowing night knocks that plan by the wayside. Now, if they're brave enough to let it, Charlotte and Evan might just find a love capable of healing their broken hearts . . .

Goodreads * Amazon

About the author:

Jessica Lemmon has always been a dreamer. At some point, she decided head-in-the-clouds thinking was childish, went out, and got herself a job . . . and then she got another one because that one was lousy. And when that one stopped being fulfilling, she went out and got another . . . and another. Soon it became apparent she'd only be truly happy doing what she loved. And since "eating potato chips" isn't a viable career, she opted to become a writer. With fire in her heart, she dusted off a book she'd started years prior, finished it, and submitted it. It may have been the worst book ever, but it didn't stop her from writing another one. Now she has several books finished, several more started, and even more marinating in her brain (which currently resides in the clouds, thankyouverymuch), and she couldn't be happier. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want. (While eating potato chips.)

Jessica is an ex-meat-eater, writer, artist, dreamer, wife, and den mother to two dogs.

Find out more at JessicaLemmon.com, @lemmony, or facebook.com/JessicaLemmon.

Giveaway:

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Yell Less, Love More by Sheila McCraith - Review

2015-01-22T20:25:00.000-06:00

Yell Less, Love More
by Sheila McCraith

How the Orange Rhino Mom Stopped Yelling at Her Kids - and How You Can Too!: A 30-Day Guide That Includes: - 100 Alternatives to Yelling - Simple, Daily Steps to Follow - Honest Stories to Inspire

The Rhino: A naturally calm animal that charges when provoked.

The Orange Rhino: A person that parents with warmth and determination and who doesn't charge with words when angry, impatient, or simply in a bad mood.

Do you often find yourself losing your cool and yelling at your kids? It happens to us all, but it doesn't have to. With Yell Less, Love More you'll learn practical, simple solutions to keep you focused on loving more and yelling less, no matter what the circumstance. It is possible to change and enjoy a calmer life because of it! Take the Orange Rhino 30-day challenge to yell less. In this guidebook to happier parenting, author Sheila McCraith shares daily thoughts, tips, and motivational personal stories to help you toss out the screams and welcome in the peace. Whether you have one child or twenty (or one you still yell at who is twenty), strengthen your relationships and maybe even laugh a little more--by taking the challenge today.

**Goodreads * Amazon**

My review:

I absolutely love this book. It is broken down into a 30 day guide. Each day includes a personal story from the author about her own journey and challenges to stop yelling, tips to help you stop yelling, actions to take to help you on your own journey, "Orange Rhino Revelations," plus inspirational quotes. This book is totally written as if the author, Sheila McCraith, is writing directly to the reader and is right there trying to help you. At the end of the book, there is "Beyond Day 30" and a summary of key points, including some of the most common triggers along with good suggestions for solutions. There is even an "Orange Rhino" sign on the back flap that you can cut out to put up in a high yelling area.

Can you stop yelling without reading this book? Of course. You can even do the Orange Rhino Challenge without this book. The author's blog, Facebook page, and Orange Rhino community are great resources. However, having this book would definitely be a plus, and I highly recommend purchasing it to help you on your way to yelling less and loving more.

I won an autographed copy from MomCaveTV. I was not required to write a review.

About the author:

Sheila McCraith, also known as The Orange Rhino®, is a mom to four boys, all under the age of 7. In January 2012, after her handyman caught her screaming at her boys, she made a promise that she would go 365 days straight without yelling at her kids. To chronicle her progress, keep herself accountable, and find support, Sheila launched her blog, The Orange Rhino Challenge®, shortly after her promise was made. She successfully met her goal in 2013 and continues to work everyday at yelling less and loving more.

Sheila has been featured in Parents magazine, where she was the 2013 winner of “Blog Most Likely to Help You Achieve a Goal” and her article “10 Things I Learned When I Stopped Yelling at My Kids” instantly became a viral hit on The Huffington Post. She has also been featured on Babycenter.com, Mothering.com, Everydayfamily.com, Allparenting.com, Families.com, and more.

Find out more at TheOrangeRhino.com.

Gluten-Free on a Budget by Chandice Probst & Tana Besendorfer - Review

2015-01-14T10:22:00.001-06:00

Blog Tour Schedule

Gluten-Free on a Budget
by Chandice Probst & Tana Besendorfer
Published: January 13, 2015
by Front Table Books (Cedar Fort)

Amazon

Eat Gluten-Free Without Going Broke!

Keep those pennies in your pockets - your gluten-free lifestyle doesn't have to cost a fortune. Now you can enjoy all your family's favorite foods while cutting the gluten and the cost!

Try all the delicious recipes, like...
- Crepes with Sweet Cream and Strawberries
- Chicken Pot Pies
- Mini Banana Breads
- Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake

From breakfast to dinner and dessert, this is a full-course cookbook on a one-course budget. And with food that's so delicious, and so good for you and your bank account,this is one cookbook you'll want to use for every meal!

My review:
This is a great gluten-free cookbook for those new to eating gluten-free or ones who have been at it for awhile who would like ideas to cut the costs or who want new recipes. The beginning section includes basics of eating gluten-free, ways to do so on a budget, and suggestions for stocking a gluten-free pantry. Then there are tons of recipes with mouth-watering pictures and little notes from the authors. With recipes like Sweet & Spicy Pork Roast, Easy Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Pot Pie (including a way to make with leftovers), Cheeseburger Soup, Bomb Breakfast Burritos, and Pao de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread), you are sure to find many you enjoy. Plus, there are many scrumptious desserts like Granny Smith Apple Crisp, Blueberry Turnovers, Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cake, and "Whatever Cake." Then there is a section of traditional holiday recipes made gluten-free, such as Green Bean Casserole with Homemade Fried Onions.

Of course, I cannot try every recipe before I review a cookbook, but we have enjoyed all the ones we had a chance to make, and I am excited about making many more of these. I know this book is going to get a lot of use at our house, and I would highly recommend it if you eat gluten-free or as a gift for someone you love who does.

A copy was provided for an honest review.

About the authors:
Chandice Probst is the Founder of popular website, www.glutenfreefrenzy.com, which is known as the #1 gluten free giveaway site and provides individuals with recipes, reviews, giveaways and much more. She is Co-Founder and CEO of Gluten Free Calendar, which hosts Celebrate Celiac™ events and Celiac Awareness Nights with professional athletic teams nationwide to promote celiac awareness, raise proceeds for non-profit research facilities and achieve the companies slogan of Unity in the Gluten Free Community™.

Chandice founded the Celiac Disease Foundation Arizona East Valley Chapter in 2009 and enjoyed serving as the President for four years. She has a Bachelors of Science in exercise and health wellness from Arizona State University and graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors. Recently she joined the Delight Gluten Free Magazine team as a regular contributing writer and is also an Expert Among Us writer for SheKnows.com. Chandice has been featured on ABC 15 Sonoran Living, Channel 12 Arizona Midday and in print publications, Women’s World, The Arcadian Journal and Total Kid Magazine. She was a regular contributor on Channel 3 Your Life A to Z in Arizona for over a year as their gluten-free guru before her family made the move to St. George, UT. In her spare time, she also teaches gluten-free cooking classes and seminars and enjoys being a guest speaker nationwide at different gluten-free expos and events. In addition to her above professions, Chandice considers her role as a wife, mother and everyday cook to her family to be of greatest value.

Tana Besendorfer has been a passionate cook since the age of 11. She got her first job at her hometown restaurant, Mom’s Café, making pies. Tana is known by all who associate with her as one of the greatest cooks. She is a foodie with focus on health and nutrition to heal the body. Tana is currently a buyer for Real Foods Market where she seeks out the best products to be featured in these one of a kind stores. Her greatest passion is still cooking with and for her family. She especially loves making the holidays more enjoyable for everyone with themed, nutritious food that would put a smile on anyone’s face. Friends of the family often congregate at her home just to enjoy her “famous” cooking.

Unforgettable by Shannon Richard - Excerpt

2015-01-12T07:26:00.002-06:00

Excerpt:

She looked up at him, her heart in her throat. She couldn’t give him what he wanted. Couldn’t tell him the truth. She wasn’t ready. Telling him the truth, all of the truth, would rip her wide open, and she couldn’t handle that pain yet.

She wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to handle that pain.

“Fine. I’ll go first.” He somehow moved closer to her. “Me kissing you is never a mistake. There are a lot of things in my life that I’d take back, but my lips on yours? That’s not one of them. I know that fact without a doubt.”

He reached up and pulled her glasses from her face, setting them on the counter behind her before he lowered his mouth to hers. He nipped at her bottom lip, pulling it gently before his tongue darted out. He didn’t even get it past her bottom lip before her mouth was covering his, her tongue sliding along his.

He let go of her hands, letting them drop to her sides before he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her entirely against his body.

He had her backed up against the kitchen counter again, their hot and hungry mouths eating at the others.

Every notion about fighting this thing with him flew out of her head, and she let herself go over to it. To all of it. All of him.

“Does this feel like a mistake, Hannah?” He pulled back, resting his forehead against hers as he looked down into her eyes. “Right now,in this moment.Does it?”

Her voice didn’t want to work, and it took her a second to form a response. “No.” She shook her head. “No, it doesn’t.”

“What about this? My hands on you?” he asked, his eyes not leaving hers as he moved his palms under her shirt, running them up and down her bareback before he moved them to her sides.

“No.” She couldn’t stop the shiver that ran through her body, and his mouth turned up in that predatory grin of his.

“Or this?” This time his eyes did leave hers as he dropped his head and put his mouth on her neck, his tongue flicking against her skin.

Her answer was a long, low moan that went all the way down to her toes.

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked right before he ran his tongue along her collarbone.

“No.” Her eyes closed of their own accord as her head fell back. “Please.”

“Please what?” Kisses across her shoulder.

“Please don’t stop.”

“Well, aren’t those lovely words?” His lips were working back up her neck, and then he found her mouth again. He was consuming her with his kisses, inhaling her. And his hands. Holy hell they were still running wildly over her hips and back. And then he brought one between them, his fingers tracing around her belly button before it moved low on her belly.

He flicked the button on her jeans open and then went on to her zipper, pulling it down slowly. Maybe he was giving her another chance to protest.

There wasn’t a chance in hell she was going to stop it this time.

Unforgettable

(Country Roads #4)

Shannon Richard

Expected publication: January 13, 2015
by Forever Yours (Hachette Book Group)

Goodreads * Amazon

One long, hot summer would never be enough . . .

Attorney Hannah Sterling lives a life she's worked hard for. So when she unexpectedly inherits an inn, Hannah decides to take that long overdue holiday and settle her eccentric grandmother's estate. She knew there would be challenges, but what's hardest about returning to Mirabelle, Florida, is facing the man who gave her the most passionate summer of her life-and then broke her heart.

Nathanial Shepherd never forgot the redheaded goddess who lit up his world and got away. Now that she's home, Shep vows to make up for their years apart-and if the fire in her kiss is any indication, they're well on their way. But when a devastating secret from their past threatens their future, Shep must fight to heal Hannah's heart. Because this time, their love will truly be unforgettable . . .

About the author:
Shannon Richard grew up in the Florida Panhandle as the baby sister of two overly protective but loving brothers. She was raised by a more than somewhat eccentric mother, a self-proclaimed vocabularist who showed her how to get lost in a book and a father who passed on his love for coffee and really loud music. She graduated from Florida State University with a BA in English Literature and still lives in Tallahassee where she battles everyday life with writing, reading, and a rant every once in a while. Okay, so the rants might happen on a regular basis. She's still waiting for her Southern, scruffy, Mr. Darcy, and in the meantime writes love stories to indulge her overactive imagination. Oh, and she's a pretty big fan of the whimsy.

Find out more at ShannonRichard.net.

The Forgotten Girls (Louise Rick / Camilla Lind #7) by Sara Blaedel - Review

2015-01-05T18:22:00.001-06:00

The Forgotten Girls
(Louise Rick/Camilla Lind #7)
by Sara Blaedel
Expected publication: February 3, 2015
by Grand Central Publishing

In a forest in Denmark, a ranger discovers the fresh corpse of an unidentified woman. A large scar on one side of her face should make the identification easy, but nobody has reported her missing. After four days, Louise Rick-the new commander of the Missing Persons Department-is still without answers. But when she releases a photo to the media, an older woman phones to say that she recognizes the woman as Lisemette, a child she once cared for in the state mental institution many years ago. Lisemette, like the other children in the institution, was abandoned by her family and branded a "forgotten girl." But Louise soon discovers something more disturbing: Lisemette had a twin, and both girls were issued death certificates over 30 years ago. As the investigation brings Louise closer to her childhood home, she uncovers more crimes that were committed-and hidden-in the forest, and finds a terrible link to her own past that has been carefully concealed.

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

When the body of an unidentified woman is found, the case is turned over to Louise Rick and her new partner, Eik. When they uncover the woman's identity, they are shocked to find out a death certificate had been issued for her 30 years ago. They also discover another death certificate for her twin, and there are reasons to believe that if one death certificate was a fake, the other is as well. So now Louise is looking for the dead woman's twin and why there was a fake death certificate issued. The area surrounding where the body was found was where Louise grew up, so memories from her past come flashing back to her as she investigates. Along the way, she is forced to face many things she would rather forget.

According to Goodreads, this was first published in 2011 in another language. As another reviewer mentioned, I too wonder if something got lost in translation. The main underlying mystery was an intriguing plot. I also appreciate Louise's past connections with the suspects; however, I felt that too much of Louise's current and past life was included for very little reason. As this is part of a series, it may make more sense if all of the books were read, but a lot of it seemed to be unnecessary when just reading this book alone. I also thought the intimate relationship between Louise and Eik seemed to be thrown in as an afterthought. I think it is fine that it is there, and it does add something interesting to the plot, but it needed to be a bit more developed. The mystery itself, though, was fascinating, and I needed to keep reading to unravel the story concerning the twins. So, while I do think the story is good, I think it didn't really flow very well and parts of it either needed to be more developed or incorporated more smoothly. If you enjoy mysteries, you may enjoy this book. However, if you like a faster-paced story, you may find yourself frustrated with this one.

About the author:

Sara Blaedel (aka Sarah Blædel) is one of Denmark's most successful crime writers, the author of the bestselling series of novels featuring police detective Louise Rick.

Sara has come full circle from her childhood days of hearing her mother read Agatha Christie aloud. "It brings me peace to know that it all began with crime fiction as a child, and that it is there, after a thousand detours, that I have landed again. As a child I found peace in crime novels, and it is with them that I find peace today. There has been some turbulence along the way, but I wouldn't have avoided any of it. I wouldn't have reached the place I have without all of it happening." And that place Sara has reached includes seven published novels with an eighth on the way. Her novels are published in seventeen countries and appear in fifteen languages, and the film rights have been optioned. Her hard work and determination have branded her the "Queen of Crime" in Denmark.

Today, Sara lives north of Copenhagen with her family. She has always loved animals; she still enjoys horse riding and shares her home with her cat and golden retriever. When she isn't busy committing brutal murders on the page, she is an ambassador with Save the Children and serves on the jury of a documentary film competition.

Find out more at SaraBlaedel.com.

I've Got My Duke to Keep Me Warm by Kelly Bowen - Review

2015-01-02T18:58:00.001-06:00

I've Got My Duke to Keep Me Warm
(The Lords of Worth #1)
by Kelly Bowen
Published: December 16, 2014
by Forever

Where Secrets Smolder...

Calm. Cool. Collected. Gisele Whitby has perfected the art of illusion—her survival, after all, has depended upon it. Years ago, to escape an abusive husband, Gisele "disappeared." Now she must risk revealing her new identity to save another innocent girl from the same fate. But she needs a daring man for her scheme, and the rogue in question shows a remarkable talent . . . for shattering Gisele's carefully constructed façade and igniting her deepest desires.

...Passion Ignites.

This isn't the first time Jamie Montcrief has awakened naked and confused from a night of drinking. It is, however, the first time a stunningly beautiful woman offers him payment afterward. Gisele has a business proposition for him, a mission involving cunning thievery and a brazen rescue. How can he say no to a plot this dangerous . . . and a woman this delectable?

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

This is no weeping-willow, damsel-in-distress historical romance. Gisele is an amazing take-charge kind of heroine. Gisele was being abused by her husband, so she took matters into her own hands and faked her step-daughter's and her own death to get them away from him. Gisele then took this further and started helping other abused women fake their deaths to get a new start at life. But now Gisele's husband, the Marquees of Valence, is remarrying for money, and Gisele can't just stand by and let another woman experience the pain she did. However, she needs someone who can slip into the social scene of the royalty of London to help her stop the marriage. In comes Jamie Montcrief. And he is even better than Gisele originally imagined, because he grew up in a royal family.

Kelly Bowen did a great job with her debut historical romance. Gisele is an amazing heroine; probably one of my favorites from an historical romance. In addition to Gisele and Jamie's love story, we get an awesome story of a kick-ass heroine who is trying to save someone else, and I was interested in following along to find out what would happen just as much as I enjoyed the romance. The main characters were well developed as were the secondary characters, especially Eleanor, the Duchess of Worth, and the writing style was engaging and easy to follow. I really enjoyed this novel, and I would gladly read another one by Kelly Bowen. I would recommend this author and this book to anyone who enjoys historical romance.

About the author:

Kelly Bowen grew up in Manitoba, Canada. She worked her way through her teenage years as a back country trail guide and ranch hand. She attended the University of Manitoba and earned a Master of Science degree in veterinary physiology and endocrinology.

But it was Kelly's infatuation with history and a weakness for a good love story that led her down the path of historical romance. When she is not writing, she seizes every opportunity to explore ruins and battlefields.

Currently, Kelly lives in Winnipeg with her husband and two boys, all of whom are wonderfully patient with the writing process. Except, that is, when they need a goalie for street hockey.

Find out more at KellyBowen.net.

Huge Giveaway from NYT & USA TODAY Bestselling Author, Melissa Foster

2014-12-16T10:25:00.000-06:00

Huge Giveaway from NYT & USA TODAY Bestselling Author, Melissa Foster

To help celebrate the release of her newest Romance, bestselling author, Melissa Foster, has created a fun Street Team for readers of her books and lovers of the Romance genre. As part of this launch, she will be giving away lots of prizes—and I mean lots. From chocolate gift baskets to autographed books to super swag, she will be giving away more than 20 prizes, and as many as 520!

If the Street Team reaches 500 members by Monday, December 22, every single member will score an Advance Review Copy of her upcoming novel, Seaside Secrets. That means that you can enjoy the newly released Seaside Sunsets and then immediately read the next installment in the series. Pretty cool, huh?

Not in the mood to join the team? Not a problem! You can still enter the Rafflecopter contest for your chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card and autographed book.

Now that I know you’re excited, read on to learn more about Melissa’s Street Team and her newest release, Seaside Sunsets.

About Melissa’s Street Team

Do you LOVE Melissa Foster’s hunky heroes and smart, sexy heroines? Want to tell others about her books and help spread the wordwhile gaining exclusive peeks at upcoming releases? Join Melissa’s Street Team, and become one of her most trusted fans!

Fab fan benefits: Personal interaction with Melissa, lively discussions with other super fans and romance junkies, sneak peeks into future publications, exciting challenges with great prizes/swag, and fancy badges for your website, blog, and social media profiles.

Join today: www.facebook.com/groups/melissafosterfans

About Melissa’s Newest Release

*SEASIDE SUNSETS WAS CHOSEN AS ONE OF AMAZON EDITORS’ BEST ROMANCE BOOKS OF DECEMBER 2014

For the first time since developing the second largest search engine in the world, billionaire Jamie Reed is taking the summer off. He plans to work from the Cape and spend time with his elderly grandmother--and falling in love is not in his plans.

From the moment Jamie and Jessica meet, the attraction is white-hot. Once-overly-focused Jamie can think of little else than sensual, smart, and alluring Jessica, and Jessica discovers a side of herself she never knew existed. But when Jamie's business encounters trouble and his attorney and best friend intervenes, he proves that the blond beauty is too distracting for Jamie. To make matters worse, it appears that Jessica might not be who she says she is, turning Jamie's life--and his heart--upside down. In a world where personal information is always one click away, Jamie must decide if he should trust his heart or watch the woman he loves walk away

Recommended for readers aged 18+

Get Seaside Sunsets on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Kobo, or Google Play!

Giveaway

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The Recipe Hacker by Diana Keuilian - Review

2014-12-09T20:38:00.000-06:00

The Recipe Hacker
(Comfort Foods Without Gluten, Dairy, Soy, Grain, or Cane Sugar)
by Diana Keuilian
Published: December 9, 2014
by Cedar Fort

Break the recipe code for your favorite foods! Free of grains, gluten, dairy, cane sugar, and soy, The Recipe Hacker is a mouthwatering collection of your favorite comfort foods with a healthy twist. Learn to use easy ingredient substitutions to transform traditional dishes into real, healthy comfort food masterpieces, without sacrificing any of the flavor! Enjoy healthier, whole-food versions of Key Lime Pie, Crispy Orange Chicken, and Banana Pancakes. Beautiful photos, dozens of recipes, and delicious flavors will keep you coming back for more. Enjoy all the comfort foods you crave and keep your body (and skinny jeans) happy at the same time!

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

I jumped at the chance to review this cookbook. We eat gluten-free in our house out of necessity because my son is celiac, so I am always looking for new, good recipes. This cookbook has recipes that are free of dairy, soy and cane sugar, in addition to being gluten-free. There are 100 recipes which include healthier versions of favorites such as cinnamon rolls, muffins, cakes, cookies, biscuits, and much more. There is a great full-color picture for every recipe, and the personal stories and comments make this cookbook seem like an old friend has put it together just for you.

I tried several of these recipes to review this cookbook, and I'm looking forward to trying out many more. I can see myself turning to this cookbook quite a bit for new recipes and to replace family favorites with great healthier versions. If you eat gluten-free or like healthier recipes, this would be a great cookbook to add to your collection. If you know someone who eats gluten-free or trying to cut out sugar, this would make a nice little gift.

A signed copy was provided for an honest review.

About the author:

Diana Keuilian is passionate about creating wholesome versions of your favorite foods. She removes the gluten, dairy, soy, grains and cane sugar from traditional comfort food recipes like cake, tacos, cookies, waffles, enchiladas and more. This hobby propelled her to start the popular blog, RealHealthyRecipes.com, where she shares hundreds of delicious recipes and mouthwatering photos. She lives in Southern California with her husband and two young children.

Find out more at RealHealthyRecipes.com.

High Tide Bikini by Lyla Dune - Review

2014-12-06T23:34:00.002-06:00

High Tide Bikini
(A Pleasure Island Romance #3)
by Lyla Dune
Published: August 18, 2014 by Composesum Publishing

Hot and Hilarious with Heart!

Primary love story:
Dirk Davis is no knight in shining armor, more like gigilo in board shorts. Why twenty-five year old virgin Kendal Duvall has chosen to have a fling with him leaves him baffled. She’s the epitome of the wholesome girl-next-door. He is definitely attracted to her, but fears she’s luring him into a boyfriend trap. He’s never had a serious girlfriend, because he’s made taking care of his ailing father a priority, one that sometimes hinders his social life and stunts his ambitions.

Kendal Duvall has struggled to break free from her controlling mother and move past some dark memories. Now that she’s finally moved out on her, she’s ready to explore uncharted territory, bedroom territory. Who better to be her guide than the local playboy who is known for being both discreet and good in bed?

Secondary love story:
At age sixteen, Spencer Harris was paralyzed from the waist down after a head-on collision with a drunk driver. Ten years later, Spencer tries to come to terms with her desire to have the happily ever after she’s always dreamed of and the reality of what that happily ever after may look like in her current condition. She has so much love to give but doesn’t want to put limitations or burdens on others.

Earl Washington is a ball of insecurities after spending some time in jail and being labeled a bad egg. He’s ready to take charge of his life and pursue his dreams, but he longs for the love of a good woman. Spencer is the woman he wants, but will she want him when she finds out his deepest secrets?

High Tide Bikini is the third book in the Pleasure Island series. It takes place on an island that is home to some zany characters, an ostrich farm, and a senior citizen nudist colony. If you like romance with plenty of sizzle and giggle, you’ll love this series.

Mature/Explicit content alert - Readers should be 18 years of age or older

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

Kendal is ready to lose her virginity. At 25, she feels it is past time, but she is too anxious to allow herself to be natural with anyone she dates. Kendal decides she needs a summer fling to help her overcome her nervousness with men. She chooses Dirk, a long-time friend who is considerate of other people's feelings and is known to get around but also known to not kiss and tell. Dirk has mostly only considered Kendal to be a nice, quiet, shy person, but suddenly she seems to be breaking out of her shell. And once Dirk gets a good look at her, he is definitely interested. He is all for the summer fling, but also a little leery because he doesn't want Kendal to get hurt. When the 25 year old virgin and the island playboy get together, both get more than they bargained for.

I think Kendal is probably my favorite leading lady out of this series. Kendal is very self-conscious and has issues with her body, even though they are unfounded. She is sweet, sensitive, caring, and deeply loyal to her friends and family. She has issues with her mom and is trying hard to get out from under her mother's controlling thumb. Dirk is a great match for her. He gave up on following his own dreams and stayed in Pleasure Island to help his parents. Yes, he has the whole sleeping around thing working against him, but on the other hand, he is loyal once he finds the right woman. Plus, Dirk goes out of this way to make things special for Kendal. I mean, the guy decorates a tree house for one of their dates! I thought some of the things that were said were overly sappy, but that's just me. Most people love that sappy stuff.

Spencer and Earl's love story wasn't a big focus of this book. Sometimes it would suddenly say all of this stuff had happened between them, and I would wonder if I missed something. It might have worked better for their story to have been a separate novella instead of included with Kendal and Dirk's story; however, their love story was definitely sweet and interesting, and Spencer and Earl are perfect for each other.

I love Pleasure Island as a setting with Myrtle and Louise (a part of the community's senior citizen nudist group), the ostriches, and the close-knit family feel. These light, easy reads have funny, quirky characters and lots of romance and heat. Lyla Dune did a great job with her first romance series.

I really enjoyed High Tide Bikini, and I would recommend this book, as well as the whole series, to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance. You can read this book without reading the other two, although you will find a few spoilers along the way if you haven't read the first two. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

A copy was provided for an honest review.

Also, see my reviews of the rest of the series:

Low Tide Bikini (A Pleasure Island Romance #1)

Rip Tide Bikini (A Pleasure Island Romance #2)

About the author:

Lyla Dune has taught and performed music for over twenty years. Like most band directors, she can play “Mary Had a Little Lamb” on a wide variety of instruments, including tuba. Her primary instruments are clarinet, saxophone, flute, and piano.

Songwriting has been in Lyla’s blood since she was a young girl. She still enjoys writing songs. Songwriting led her to poetry, and she has published over a hundred poems. She has also published many short stories and flash fiction pieces in a multitude of genres.

Writing can be creative and cathartic, which is why Lyla fell in love with it, but she learned that writing from that dark place inside her heart made for a lot of sad days. Even though publishers kept begging for more of that sticky dark stuff, she changed directions and decided to fill her days writing happily ever afters. Now, she smiles and sings and enjoys each moment spent with her characters and hopes her readers will find as much joy between the pages of her books as she’s experienced penning the words.

Find out more at LylaDune.com.

A Christmas to Remember by Jill Shalvis, Kristen Ashley, Hope Ramsay, Molly Cannon & Marilyn Pappano - Review

2014-12-04T23:12:00.000-06:00

A Christmas to Remember
by Jill Shalvis, Kristen Ashley, Hope Ramsay, Molly Cannon & Marilyn Pappano
Published: December 2013 by Forever (Grand Central Publishing)

Curl up with this heartwarming Christmas collection!

Jill Shalvis, Dream a Little Dream: Melissa has kept every man at a safe distance-especially firefighter Ian, a sexy friend with sexy benefits. But Ian secretly longs for more. Luckily, 'tis the season for giving love a chance . . .

Kristen Ashley, Every Year: Holidays don't come easy for Shy and his brother, Landon. But with the magic of Christmas, along with a little help from Tabby and her family, the Cage brothers are about to get the gift of a lifetime . . .

Hope Ramsay, Silent Night: Down on her luck and evicted from her apartment, single mother Maryanne hopes to start over in Last Chance. When the snow begins to fall, it looks like her baby might literally spend Christmas Eve in a manger. And Maryanne might celebrate the holiday with a handsome stranger.

Molly Cannon, Have Yourself a Messy Little Christmas: Lincoln is a bachelor who's set in his ways-until a professional organizer dressed up as Mrs. Claus changes his life, one tip at a time. . .

Marilyn Pappano, A Family for Christmas: War widow Ilena doesn't mind spending Christmas alone. But when a new doctor blows into town with the winter wind, will she get her secret Christmas wish?

Plus: Excerpts from upcoming novels!

(40,000 words)

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

Great collection of love stories to get you in the holiday spirit. These romances range from sweet to steamy, so there is something for everyone if you have a preference.

It's hard to say too much about these without giving huge spoilers, so I'm just going to give a little short and sweet "review" of each one.

Dream a Little Dream - I always love reading the Lucky Harbor novels by Jill Shalvis, and this first story takes you back to that great, quirky little town. Melissa thinks Ian is the perfect man, but she broke up with him because she was scared of getting too serious. After a stay at the hospital, Melissa realizes what she is missing.

Every Year - A great little story of acceptance, family and friends. What really impressed me about this one is Kristen Ashley's mastery of the "motorcycle babe's" lingo and ability to write the character. I seriously fell into this story as if it could have been told to me straight from the main character, Tabby.

Silent Night - Amazing and heartbreaking, all at the same time. This one really brought a few tears to my eyes. I've only read a few of the Last Chance novels, which I think came out before this one, but I'd be interested in reading more of them just to follow up with Maryanne.

Have Yourself a Messy Little Christmas - This great little story shows how you can find love in the most unexpected places when you aren't even looking for it. Lincoln didn't think he needed the professional organizer his mother hired. Dinah tried to keep things strictly professional. They both found something they needed along the way.

A Family for Christmas - I loved Ilena as a character, and I really enjoyed Ilena's and Jared's love story. Ilena is just the sweetest thing. This wonderful little story is a tale of how sometimes "home" and the place you belong has more to do with the people who are there than the location.

I really enjoyed this set of Christmas love stories. If you enjoy contemporary romance, I would definitely recommend picking this up to read here at the holidays.

A copy was provided for an honest review.

About the authors:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures. Find out more at JillShalvis.com.

Kristen Ashley grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana, and 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 multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake. Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up. And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better. Find out more at KristenAshley.net.

Hope Ramsay was born in New York and grew up on the North Shore of Long Island, but every summer Momma would pack her off under the care of Aunt Annie to go visiting with relatives in the midlands of South Carolina. Her extended family includes its share of colorful aunts and uncles, as well as cousins by the dozens, who provide the fodder for the characters you’ll find in Last Chance, South Carolina. Hope earned a BA in Political Science from the University of Buffalo, and has had various jobs working as a Congressional aide, a lobbyist, a public relations consultant, and a meeting planner. She’s a two-time finalist in the Golden Heart, and is married to a good ol’ Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her heroes. She has two grown children and a couple of demanding lap cats. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia where you can often find her on the back deck, picking on her thirty-five-year-old Martin guitar. Find out more at HopeRamsay.com.

Molly Cannon lives a charmed life in Texas with her husband, Mr. Wonderful and her extremely large cat Nelson. When she's not writing, she spends her days reading, taking dance classes with MW, and watching every kind of sporting event imaginable. Molly has three grown children, all married to terrific people and two wonderful grandchildren. Life is good! Find out more at MollyCannon.com.

Born in Oklahoma, Marilyn Pappano followed her career-Navy husband across the southern United States for fifteen years, living in California, the Carolinas, Alabama and Georgia -- all locations she's used regularly in her novels. Her first book, WITHIN REACH, was published by Silhouette Books in 1987, and she's gone on to sell about eighty books to Silhouette, Harlequin, Warner, Bantam, Dell and Forever Romance. She's made bestseller lists, won every major award in the romance genre, and seen a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie made from her novel, SEASON FOR MIRACLES. Marilyn writes both contemporary romance and romantic suspense and is best known for her richly-textured characterization. Her current publishers are Harlequin Romantic Suspense and Forever Romance, where she's using her experience as a military spouse and mother in her new Tallgrass books, a series about a group of best friends and military widows who help each other grieve, live and learn to love again. Find out more at MarilynPappano.blogspot.com.

Miles from Kara by Melissa West - Review, Excerpt & Gift Card Giveaway

2014-12-02T13:46:00.001-06:00

The Charleston Haven Series (stand - alone)

New Adult Contemporary

Release: December 2, 2014

Published by Penguin/InterMix

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ iBooks
Google Play ~ Kobo

Kara Marcus is desperate to forget the past and move on. But she can’t escape her choices—especially when she finds herself falling in love…

Since the first day she stepped into her childhood Southern Baptist church, two truths have been engrained in Kara Marcus’s head: sex before marriage is bad and murder is a sin. And that’s why Kara can never forgive herself for what she did at the age of sixteen.

Now, as second semester of freshman year comes to a close, Kara has stood by her high school boyfriend, Ethan. But as they seem to grow further and further apart every day, Kara realizes that she has feelings for someone else: Ethan’s roommate Colt.

Suddenly, Kara’s clear-cut world shifts out of focus, and she’s torn between what her head tells her is right and what her heart is desperately pushing her to do—even if it means committing another undeniable sin...

Add to your Goodreads list!

My review:
An up-front warning: this is a book that deals with abortion. Kara does not have an abortion in this story, but Miles from Kara is not only a romance between Kara and Colt but is just as much about Kara dealing with her emotions about her abortion when she was 16 years old.

Kara is majoring in psychology, and she starts volunteering in a counseling center. Kara is immediately confronted with her own past when one of the first people she is assigned to help is a young pregnant girl because Kara had been in this situation herself. Kara's mother had decided that she should get an abortion, and Kara basically went along with it. Some people will judge Kara for this and not like her as a character, but we also have to remember she was 16 when her mother scheduled the abortion for her and she basically felt she had no choice. The relationship that Kara develops with Maggie, the pregnant teen, is oh so unhealthy and unprofessional, but, at the same time, it seems to be what Kara needs to deal with the issues about her abortion, and Maggie certainly needs someone like Kara.

Kara's relationship with Colt just puts the icing on the cake. We already have a great story with Kara and Maggie, but the love interest with the sexy Australian accent makes it even better. Kara knows that things aren't right between her and her long-time boyfriend, Ethan, but she feels like they should stay together because it's what's familiar. However, she finally realizes that she needs to break it off. I didn't like how Kara wouldn't or couldn't break it off with Ethan until it seemed certain that Colt was going to return her feelings of attraction for him. However, the rest of the relationship with Colt made up for it. Colt is like a dream boyfriend. Besides being hot and having a sexy accent, he is very understanding and patient about Kara's issues in the bedroom. It certainly makes him a keeper.

A sweet and sexy love story with a lot of emotional issues all rolled into one makes this is a great read, and I would recommend it.

An ARC was provided for an honest review.

Excerpt:

Colt started to say something, then shook his beer. “I’m out. Want another?” 

Three? I’d nursed the second one, so I wasn’t feeling it just yet, and I’d already said and done morethan I would have if I were fully sober. I should stop. I should let my buzz wear off and go sleep in Ethan’s room. But instead, I kicked off my sandals and pulled my legs crisscross on the sofa. “All right, I’ll have another,” I said, mimicking his accent.

He grinned. “Very funny. You know you have an accent, too.”

“Yeah, but mine’s not nearly as sexy.” As soon as the words slipped from my mouth, my eyes went wide and I covered my mouth, my face burning. “I . . .” There was nothing I could say to take it back.

His grin switched to a smirk and he cocked his hip against the kitchen counter, crossing his arms so his biceps bulged against the tightness of his T-shirt. “You think I sound sexy, huh? What else do you think of me?” He started toward me, a slow strut that made my insides ignite. His dirty blond hair fell over his eyes as he studied me. His jaw was covered in fine stubble and I found myself wishing I could run my fingers across it. I flushed.

“Nothing.” 

“All right. How about I tell you what I think of you?” I started to argue, but he continued before Icould get a word out. “I think you’re smart, though you doubt yourself. I think you’re kind, though you’re hard on yourself. I think you’re funny and your laugh draws attention no matter where you are.” He was standing before me now, staring down, his presence a force I couldn’t ignore. “And I think you are the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen in my life. So beautiful, in fact, I have a hard time being around you . . . without staring.”
About the Author

Melissa West writes young adult and new adult novels for Entangled Teen and Embrace and Penguin/InterMix. She lives outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband and two daughters and spends most of her time writing, reading, or fueling her coffee addiction.

She holds a B.A. in Communication Studies and a M.S. in Graphic Communication, both from Clemson University. Yeah, her blood runs orange.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

GIVEAWAY

The author is giving away (1) Copy of PIECES OF OLIVIA and (1) $10 Amazon Gift Card - International

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Merry Christmas, Baby by Jill Shalvis - Giveaway & Excerpt - Launch Day Blitz

2014-12-02T00:44:00.000-06:00

Check out my review of Merry Christmas, Baby.

Excerpt

“It’s only a week,” he said, and Chloe jumped.

He was at her side again, all lethal stealth. He set her fast-acting asthma inhaler on the nightstand for easy reach and then her cell phone, which he’d no doubt charged for her since she’d forgotten. His bag hung from his shoulder, and he watched her from those fathomless eyes. If she looked closely she could see the gold flecks in them. Sometimes, when he laughed, those flecks danced.

But they were still now.

As still as the man watching her.

“I know,” she murmured. “Just a week. You’ll be back for the town Christmas party. You promised to take me.”

His jaw went a little tight. Parties weren’t exactly Mr. Social’s thing. “We talked about this,” he said.

“Yes, and you agreed to take me.”

He shook his head. “I said it wasn’t a great idea, you exerting the energy to dress up and go to a crowded event.”

“I’m not a piece of china,” she said.

“No one would ever mistake you for one,” he responded, and she was pretty sure it wasn’t a compliment.

“But,” he went on in that voice of steel, “you’re eight months pregnant and suffer debilitating asthma. Give yourself a damn break.”

“I’ve had one,” she said. “Maddie and Tara won’t even let me work at my own spa. I need to get out, Sawyer. I need to see people.” Before her life changed forever… “I’m going.”

“I’ll be back,” was all he said.

“And the party?”

“We’ll see.”

Not exactly a promise, but then again he was careful never to promise anything he couldn’t deliver. His word, when he gave it, was good as gold.

He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes for a long beat. “Dr. Tyler is only a call away,” he said. “Your sisters are close by. Jax and Ford are in your speed dials and are on standby for anything.”

Chloe’s obstetrician was wonderful, and so were her sisters Maddie and Tara and their husbands—Sawyer’s BFFs Jax and Ford. But if there was an emergency, it wasn’t any of them that Chloe wanted.

It was the tall testosterone and attitude-ridden man standing in front of her, already long gone given the look on his face.

“I want you to take care,” he said.

“You heard what Dr. Tyler said the last time we were in her office for false labor.” She patted her belly. “The Bean’s in for the long haul.”

“I meant you,” Sawyer said. “Take care of you.”

Coming from him, the words were tantamount to a shouted vow of love, and they moved her as only Sawyer could. “Always,” she promised, softening. “And what about you?”

“I haven’t had any labor pains, false or otherwise,” he deadpanned.

That got a laugh out of her.

He smiled but it faded quickly. “You know you can text or email me, and that I’ll call when I can,” he said. “And if anything happens—anything at all, Chloe—I can be back here in two hours.”

“Anything?” she asked playfully, trying to lighten the mood, using a voice that once upon a time would’ve made him kick off his shoes and strip and crawl back into bed with her, the hell with obligation and responsibility.

“I’ll be here.” He met her gaze, his own serious. “Always.”

An alarm on his watch beeped. He turned it off without taking his eyes from her.

She blew out a breath. “You’ve gotta go.”

He touched her face. “Chloe—”

She closed her eyes and turned her jaw into his touch. “I know,” she said. “And it’s okay. It’s all going to be okay.”

She just hoped that was true.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY by Jill Shalvis (December 2, 2014; Grand Central Publishing E-Novella; $1.99)

Wild child Chloe Thompson can't believe how much things have changed. She still can't get enough of her sexy husband Sawyer, but he seems to prefer working to impending fatherhood. So tonight, a very pregnant Chloe is escaping her troubles at the town Christmas party.

Sheriff Sawyer Thompson hopes surprising Chloe at the party will give him a chance to set things right. But as the snow begins to fall and the wind rages, he wonders whether he can make it back in time. While mother nature conspires to keep Sawyer and Chloe apart, an unexpected arrival will require them to kiss and make up . . . and ring in the happiest holiday Lucky Harbor has ever seen.

Buy Links:

B&N

Kobo

About the author:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Social Media Links:

Giveaway

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Merry Christmas, Baby by Jill Shalvis - Review

2014-12-01T01:36:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas, Baby
(Lucky Harbor #12.5)
by Jill Shalvis
Expected publication: December 2, 2014 by Grand Central Publishing

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis brings you a heartwarming tale that could only happen in Lucky Harbor . . .

SEASON'S KISSES

Wild child Chloe Thompson can't believe how much things have changed. She still can't get enough of her sexy husband Sawyer, but he seems to prefer working to thinking about impending fatherhood. So tonight, a very pregnant Chloe is escaping her troubles at the town Christmas party.

Sheriff Sawyer Thompson hopes surprising Chloe at the party will give him a chance to set things right. But as the snow begins to fall and the wind rages, he wonders whether he can make it back in time. While mother nature conspires to keep Sawyer and Chloe apart, an unexpected arrival will require them to kiss and make up . . . and ring in the happiest holiday Lucky Harbor has ever seen. (13,000 words)

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

I always love visiting Lucky Harbor, and this short story didn't disappoint. I was very sad that the Lucky Harbor series has come to an end, so I was delighted to see this little extra surprise. In Merry Christmas, Baby, we get to revisit Chloe and Sawyer, whose love story was in the third Lucky Harbor book, Head Over Heels.

Chloe and Sawyer have now been married several years and are expecting a baby. Chloe's childhood wasn't the best. Her mother was absent most of the time, and Chloe grew up living on the spur of the moment, marching to the beat of her own drummer. Sawyer didn't have a very good childhood either and had been very rebellious in his teen years as a result. Chloe is very worried about how the two of them are going to be good parents with their background. Chloe is also worried because she has become more irritable as she has become more worried about impending motherhood and dealt with the aches and pains of pregnancy, and it seems that Sawyer is becoming emotionally distant and taking jobs out of town to be physically distant.

Some of the key players in the other Lucky Harbor novels come back into play as Chloe's baby makes an unforgettable entrance into the world. I loved getting to "see" some of the familiar faces and really enjoyed getting to read a follow-up of two of my favorite characters, Chloe and Sawyer.

If you enjoy reading contemporary romance, I would recommend this sweet Christmas story and would definitely recommend the entire Lucky Harbor series.

An ARC was provided for an honest review.

Read my review of Head Over Heels by Jill Shalvis, the book where it all started with Chloe and Sawyer.

About the author:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras with her family and far too many assorted quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental.

Visit Jill's website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Find out more at JillShalvis.com.

Billionaire Undone ~ Travis by J.S. Scott - Review

2014-11-30T21:51:00.000-06:00

Billionaire Undone ~ Travis
(The Billionaire's Obsession #5)
by J.S. Scott
Published May 2014

After four years of working for “the billionaire boss from hell” Ally Caldwell thinks she finally has her life on the right track. Her fiancé is out of dental school, ready to go to work at a thriving practice, and it would finally be her turn to go back and finish her college degree. Unfortunately, her carefully planned future crumbles when she finds out that her fiancé, the man she’d nearly killed herself to help get through school, has been cheating on her. With her wedding looming in the near future, Ally’s blindsided, realizing she’d never even knew the man she’d been planning to marry. Suddenly, her carefully organized life is turned upside down, and not one single thing is turning out the way it was supposed to happen. Even her boss, Travis the Tyrant, is beginning to act differently, throwing Ally into an even more confused and chaotic state of mind. Travis, the one man who she’d always counted on to be a jerk, was now the guy who actually steps up to try and help her straighten her life out again. Unfortunately, she doesn’t much care for his highhanded arrogance or his methods of “helping.” Ally wants to hate Travis. It makes her life so much simpler to fight with him than to admit to the combustible chemistry growing between the two of them. But as she begins to see more and more of the real Travis beneath his dark façade, she can’t seem to resist the dangerous lure of their unlikely attraction.

Billionaire Travis Harrison does everything he possibly can to repair the Harrison name after a scandal nearly destroyed his family years ago. He makes sure he keeps himself and his actions in check, his emotions buried under a thick layer of ice. Only his secretary and assistant, Alison Caldwell, makes him come close to losing his carefully constructed image. The obstinate female keeps shoving him closer and closer to the edge of sanity every single day. But when he finds out about her fiancé’s betrayal, his protective instincts roar to life inside him, making him want to ensure she’s never hurt again. The only problem is…Ally doesn’t want his help, and the infuriating woman does everything she can to push him away, even as the two of them are swept into an undeniable passion that neither of them can possibly ignore. Before long, Travis finds himself in ruthless pursuit of something much more important and elusive than just a business deal.

Can these two very different, very stubborn people actually be meant to be together? Find out if Travis and Ally can let down their defenses and surrender to a love so powerful it will rock them to the depths of their souls in Billionaire Undone, Book Five of The Billionaire’s Obsession series.

18+ only

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

If you like "take-charge alpha male billionaire" love stories, this is a great one to read. Ally's dreams go up in smoke when she walks in on her fiance' with another woman, in the bed they just bought. Ally has been working hard at two jobs and putting off her dreams to go to school to support him, thinking that once he became a dentist then it would be her turn. Now she has a huge mortgage and the cheating ex charged up her credit cards on his way out. Ally's boss (at her main job) is the dark, brooding billionaire owner of the company, Travis. Travis has been physically attracted to Ally since she walked into the job interview four years ago, but he never acted on his desire for her because he thought she was happy in her relationship. When Travis finds out that Ally's relationship is over and that she is ran ragged from having to juggle a second job, Travis decides to take charge.

You can't help feeling sorry for Ally. Everything is turned upside down, and she is betrayed in the worst way, but she keeps plugging along without a second thought. She's never really thought of her boss, Travis, in a sexual way before, but when he starts making his attraction to her known, she can't help but be affected by his desire. She wants to feel wanted because right now she feels chunky and undesirable. Travis is perhaps a little overbearing in the way he steps in to help Ally, but it is obvious that he only has her best interests at heart. And once he realizes she is available, he is determined to make her his. I don't always like the very controlling hero in a romance, but I'll make an exception for Travis.

If you like hot billionaire erotic romance, you will definitely want to read this!

I won a signed copy. I was not required to write a review.

About the author:

J.S. Scott is a NY Times & USA Today bestselling author of erotic romance. She's an avid reader of all types of books and literature. Writing what she loves to read, J.S. Scott writes both contemporary erotic romance stories and paranormal romance erotics. They almost always feature an Alpha Male and have a happily ever after because she just can't seem to write them any other way! She lives with her husband in the picturesque Colorado Rockies.

Find out more at AuthorJSScott.com.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Sandy James - Review

2014-11-21T13:26:00.000-06:00

Signed, Sealed, Delivered
(The Ladies Who Lunch #2)
by Sandy James
Published by: Forever Yours

When life gets tough and love is hard to find, four friends take their troubles to lunch. High school teacher Juliana Kelley tells the Ladies Who Lunch that her life needs an overhaul . . . and gets a whole lot more than she wished for.

Juliana has spent thirteen years in the same teaching job. She’s ready to dive into a new career with both feet . . . when a run-in with the hottest man she’s ever seen knocks her head over heels. But with her failed marriage to a fellow teacher fresh on her mind, Jules can’t afford to lose herself in a relationship—no matter how perfect it may seem.

Connor Wilson has hit rock bottom when he loses his career as a top-notch Realtor because of a large gambling debt. Now, in a small town he finds a fresh start—and a gorgeous redhead who sparks new life into him. Together they start a successful real estate company, but when pleasure sneaks into the business, they’ll have to decide what they can let go . . . and what they can’t live without.

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

Juliana is ready for a change. She is tired of being a teacher and certainly tired of working at the same school as her ex-husband. When she goes to a real estate seminar with a fellow teacher, a chance encounter leads to what she thinks is a very hot one-night stand but ends up turning into a real estate partnership. Juliana is insistent that the partnership with Connor remain business only, but both find it hard to work so closely together while keeping their hands off each other.

I was intrigued by Juliana's supporting character in the first book, The Bottom Line, and I really liked reading this one to get to know her more. Juliana still guards her heart even though her divorce was years ago. She isn't still interested in having a relationship with her ex but working with him has kept her from being able to be fully open to love again. She is sensitive and vulnerable even though all that is covered by her feisty and sassy personality. Connor still feels like a failure after losing everything due to gambling. He doesn't feel he has anything to offer any woman and thinks he isn't ready for a relationship until he can't keep his mind off Juliana.

A great romance with two broken individuals trying to piece themselves back together enough to love again and, ultimately, needing each other to piece themselves back together. I would recommend this book and this series to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance.

A copy was provided for an honest review.

Also see my review of The Bottom Line (The Ladies Who Lunch #1) by Sandy James.

About the author:
Sandy lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis with her husband of thirty years and is a high school social studies teacher. She and her husband own a small stable of harness racehorses and enjoy spending time at the two Indiana racetracks.

She is published through Forever Yours, Carina Press, and BookStrand, as well as self-published. She has been an Amazon Bestseller many times and has won numerous awards, including two HOLT Medallions.

Find out more at SandyJames.com.

The Bottom Line by Sandy James - Review

2014-11-21T12:02:00.000-06:00

The Bottom Line
(The Ladies Who Lunch #1)
by Sandy James
Published by: Forever Yours

When life gets tough and love is hard to find, four friends take their troubles to lunch. Surviving a failed marriage and an illness that almost takes her life, high school teacher Mallory Hamilton needs the Ladies Who Lunch more than ever . . .

After a year of upheaval, Mallory has had her fill of change—with one exception. Her house is a disaster, and she wants it fixed. Hiring a contractor to finish the projects her ex-husband started will help her banish the past so she can return to the life she had before everything went awry. But her contractor is sexy, sweet, and single, which threatens the peaceful, solitary life Mallory has planned for herself.

Ben Carpenter has had a hard time raising his daughter without his ex-wife’s help. His new client’s projects will give him the extra income he needs, not to mention afternoons alone with a gorgeous woman. Though their attraction is undeniable, Ben sees the fear and pain hiding in Mallory’s beautiful eyes. But how can he help her if she won’t let him in? Ben can fix just about anything—but can he fix Mallory’s broken heart?

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

I think this is the first time that I have read a romance novel where the main character is a cancer survivor and is dealing with breast reconstruction. It was certainly a nice change from the normal almost-perfect heroines.

Mallory's past year has been a real struggle. Her husband left her as soon as she found out she had cancer. Her three best friends were the ones who were there for her during her terrible low times. Now that she is feeling better and recovering from the fog of illness, she is ready to move forward, and part of this process includes renovating the home where she lived with her husband to make it her own. But Ben, the sexy contractor who shows up to work on her house, may just help her in more ways than she imagined.

The characters in this book are amazing. Mallory is a strong, mostly independent cancer survivor. She certainly needs her three best friends, but she thinks she doesn't need anyone else and has kept her cancer a secret from others. However, on the inside, she is vulnerable and still reeling from her ex-husband's rejection at a time when she needed him the most. Ben is hard-working and caring. I think the most sexy thing about him, however, is his true determination to do whatever it takes to take care of his daughter, Amber. Ben makes a bad decision regarding Mallory, which almost made me stop liking him, but it all came down to him being concerned for Amber. Out of Mallory's three best friends, the one we see the most is Juliana. I think Juliana is actually my favorite character in this book. She is sassy and strong-willed on the outside but sensitive on the inside. Reading about Juliana made me want to read the next book in the series just to get to know her more.

The love story in this book was certainly a new one for me. The characters were falling in love while dealing with the issues and pain of breast reconstruction and the fear of relapse. I think it was a great idea to bring this struggle in as the central plot, and Ms. James handled it beautifully. I would recommend this book and this series to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance.

A copy was provided for an honest review.

About the author:

Sandy lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis with her husband of thirty years and is a high school social studies teacher. She and her husband own a small stable of harness racehorses and enjoy spending time at the two Indiana racetracks.

She is published through Forever Yours, Carina Press, and BookStrand, as well as self-published. She has been an Amazon Bestseller many times and has won numerous awards, including two HOLT Medallions.

Find out more at SandyJames.com.

Christmas at Tiffany's by Karen Swan - Review

2014-11-19T16:37:00.001-06:00

Christmas at Tiffany's
by Karen Swan
Published: October 28, 2014 by William Morrow (first published 2011)

What do you do when the man you pledged your life to breaks your heart and shatters your dreams? You pack your bags and travel the big, wide world to find your destiny--and your true love . . .

Ten years ago, a young and naive Cassie married her first serious boyfriend, believing he would be with her forever. Now her marriage is in tatters and Cassie has no career or home of her own. Though she feels betrayed and confused, Cassie isn't giving up. She's going to take control of her life. But first she has to find out where she belongs . . . and who she wants to be.

Over the course of one year, Cassie leaves her sheltered life in rural Scotland to stay with her best friends living in the most glamorous cities in the world: New York, Paris, and London. Exchanging comfort food and mousy hair for a low-carb diet and a gorgeous new look, Cassie tries each city on for size as she searches for the life she's meant to have . . . and the man she's meant to love.

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

Don't be fooled by the title; this is not a "Christmas" book. Cassie discovers that her husband of ten years has been cheating on her and immediately leaves him and her old life. The plan is to spend the next year with her three best friends, 4 months with each, in three very different cities, discovering herself and deciding where she wants to start over.

I had mixed feelings about this book. I love the plot, and I think it had a lot of potential. However, it ended up very unrealistic. Cassie really has no money of her own, which is the main reason the plan is to stay with her three best friends. Lucky for her that these three friends have very prestigious jobs with lots of powerful connections. She is rubbing elbows with the cream of the crop, is given a job at Dior in Paris just because of her friend's connections, and definitely lives a lifestyle that is way more extravagant than she should be able to afford simply because she is so lucky to have these friends in high places. I really would have liked this book so much better if she had lived an ordinary life and the author would have avoided the over-the-top lifestyle.

The relationships she had with this group of women were not all that great for me either. These four women had really grown up together; friends since birth, and the mothers were friends even before their birth. They went to boarding school together and were always there for each other. Unfortunately, this rock-solid friendship showed big cracks almost as soon as Cassie begins staying with them. Yes, real-life friendships have these problems too, but I just didn't feel as if these friendships came across as being as strong as they were supposed to be.

On the other hand, I did enjoy seeing the changes in Cassie throughout the book as she found herself. And for me, the best part was Henry and the lists of things to experience that he gave her for each city. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy slower-paced women's fiction. You may not like this if you prefer story lines that are more down-to-earth.

I won a copy on Goodreads. I was not required to write a review.

About the author:

Karen Swan worked as a fashion editor before moving into writing fiction. She is married with three children and lives in the Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, writing her books in a treehouse overlooking the South Downs. She is the author of the novels The Summer Without You, Christmas at Claridges, and The Perfect Present.

Find out more at KarenSwan.wix.com.

Christmas in Snow Valley (A Christmas Romance Anthology) - Review

2014-11-07T23:16:00.000-06:00

Christmas in Snow Valley
(A Christmas Romance Anthology)
by Cindy Roland Anderson, Jeanette Lewis, Cami Checketts, Taylor Hart, Kimberly Montpetit, Lucy McConnell
Published: November 3, 2014

Christmas in Snow Valley is packed with six wonderful Christmas novellas sure to bring romance into your holiday season.

Snow Valley, Montana, is a small community with the tradition of doing Christmas big. Festivities begin with tree lighting in the town square the day after Thanksgiving and continue until the culminating romantic Christmas Ball. From the Polar Express to a Winter Carnival, there’s something for every wonder-filled child—and every couple who’s in love—or about to be.

An Unexpected Kiss by Cindy Roland Anderson
Lucy Phillips doesn’t want to spend her Christmas vacation dodging her ex-boyfriend, so when he turns up at the airport to give her a ride home, Lucy panics and asks a complete stranger to kiss her. Although the kiss is incredible, Lucy never expects to see the guy again. Is it bad luck or destiny when Lucy comes down with a sore throat and the new doctor in Snow Valley is none other than the guy she kissed at the airport?

Feels Like Love by Jeanette Lewis
Christmas in Snow Valley is the perfect way for April Winston to introduce her city slicker fiancé, Scott Mecham, to life on a farm. If only Wade Hadley, hometown boy and high school sweetheart, will cooperate! But Wade has no intention of letting April go without a fight. This Christmas, Wade is determined to overcome their painful past and show April that she already has what she’s been seeking all along.

Full Court Devotion by Cami Checketts
Kazlyn is too busy with her schooling and future plans to enjoy life, let alone fall in love with a man who has heartbreak written all over him. Tyrese Hamilton, a college basketball star and major heartthrob, is intrigued when Kazlyn doesn’t pursue him or even seem interested. Ty’s career is in jeopardy, and he needs a miracle and Kazlyn to save him.

The Christmas Eve Kiss by Taylor Hart
When Molly O’Hare gets a prediction that she will kiss her true love on Christmas Eve, she thinks it’s utterly ridiculous. But when she gets teamed up with Kevin Snow, aka her ex-boyfriend, to decorate a Christmas tree, things start to change. Too bad getting over the past is hard and seeing him kiss another girl is even harder. Now Molly is left with a choice—run away from home and heartbreak or let Christmas work out a miracle all of its own.

Risking it all for Love by Kimberley Montpetit
Succumbing to family pressure, Jessica Mason reluctantly comes home for Christmas. Ever since her high school boyfriend’s death from a car accident three years earlier, Jessica and religion have not been compatible. So, when she visits Michael’s grave, she’s surprised to meet the handsome James Douglas, Pastor John’s nephew, who’s studying for the ministry. James can not only dish back Jessica’s finely-tuned sarcasm but understands grief all too well, turning Jessica’s world upside down. Is she ready to take another risk on love?

Blue Christmas by Lucy McConnell
As head of Snow Valley hospital’s fundraising effort, Paisley Hackett barely has time to organize the craft show, cookie decorating party, and the annual Christmas Ball. What she doesn’t have time for is falling in love with Clay Jett, the incredibly handsome bass player who sweeps into town. She’s been burned by a tourist romance before and, with everything going on, Paisley will have to work overtime to protect her heart from Clay and his swoon-worthy ballads.

Goodreads * Amazon

My short and sweet review:

Christmas in Snow Valley is a group of sweet, clean romance novellas all set in Snow Valley, Montana. Each author wrote the love story of a different set of characters. Some of these stories tied in with the rest of them better than others, but they all had some of the same elements. I would recommend reading these novellas in this box set, although they would be good separately too, because it definitely adds a richness to the reading experience when you consider how these stories are all set at the same time and in the same place.

This is a great set of clean Christmas romances to read to get you in the holiday spirit. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys clean romances.

A copy was provided for an honest review.

Presumption of Guilt by Marti Green - Review

2014-11-04T22:43:00.000-06:00

Presumption of Guilt
(Innocent Prisoners Project)
by Marti Green
Published: November 4, 2014
by Thomas & Mercer

Twelve years ago, teenager Molly Singer was tried and convicted for murdering her parents. She was sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison, torn away from her newborn daughter, and forsaken by those closest to her. But now, a series of anonymous letters proclaim her innocence-and point a finger at a deadly conspiracy.

Attorney Dani Trumball specializes in defending the wrongfully imprisoned at the Help Innocent Prisoners Project. But taking Molly's case means taking on a hard-hearted justice system that doesn't like do-overs-and a merciless killer who will do anything to keep a secret history of dirty deals buried. Only the truth will set Molly free and reunite her broken family. And only Dani has any chance of finding it in a showdown that will push her legal talents-and her survival skills-to the very edge.

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

Molly Singer came home late one night after a date with her boyfriend and was too hyped up to sleep without taking some Ambien. The next morning, she discovered her parents had been murdered while she slept. Molly was convicted of their murders even though there was no physical evidence, when she was just 17 years old. At the time of her conviction, Molly was pregnant. She had her baby in prison and had to give her up after her daughter's first year. Finn, her ex-boyfriend and the baby's father, feels that it is harmful for Sophie to visit her mom in prison, so Molly loses all contact with her daughter. Molly also loses the only other family she now has, her sister, because her sister initially believes that Molly was guilty. However, now Molly's sister believes she may be innocent, mostly based on some anonymous letters she has received, and she convinces the Help Innocent Prisoners Project to take the case.

Presumption of Guilt is an amazing look at our flawed criminal justice system. I think most people would be shocked to discover how many times innocent people are convicted. This story of Molly and Dani, the attorney working to free her, gives a nod to the cracks in the justice system. The characters, especially Molly and Dani, are amazing. Dani is compassionate and determined. She gives everything she can to help those wrongly convicted. I really wish there were more people in the world like Dani. As a reader, you can't help but feel your heart go out to Molly, especially when she sees her daughter for the first time in years but can't even hug her because she is behind the glass in the prison visiting area. The plot and the writing are magnificent, and this novel is easy to read and engaging. Even as parts of the mystery start to fall into place, the reader is still left trying to piece together the whole puzzle until the end.

I loved this story, and Marti Green has been added to my list of authors to watch. If you enjoy mystery/legal thrillers, I would recommend you read this.

A copy was provided for an honest review.

About the author:

After receiving her master of science degree and her professional certificate, both in school psychology, Marti Green realized her true passion was the law. She went on to receive her law degree from Hofstra University and worked as an in-house counsel for a major cable television operator for twenty-three years, specializing in contracts, intellectual property law, and regulatory issues. She is the author of the legal thrillers Presumption of Guilt and Unintended Consequences. A passionate traveler, mother to two adult sons, and grandmother to five grandchildren, she now lives in central Florida with her husband, Lenny, and cat, Howie.

Find out more at MartiGreen.net.

Betting Blind by Stephanie Guerra - Review

2014-11-02T14:18:00.002-06:00

Betting Blind
(Betting Blind #1)
by Stephanie Guerra
Expected publication: November 4, 2014 by Skyscape

Some risks are worth taking...

The cards are stacking up against Gabriel James: first there’s Phil, the guy paying the bills for Gabe’s mom (but not leaving his wife). Then there’s Gabe’s new school, filled with kids competing for the Ivies, Silicon Valley, and Wall Street—while Gabe’s just trying to swing enough Cs to graduate.

Gabe’s luck seems ready to change when he meets Irina Petrova: a hot violinist who is home-schooled by her strict Russian parents. When Gabe gets her number, he impresses the top guys at his school. When he becomes the drug connection for parties, his reputation is solidified. How else is he going to afford hanging with his new crew and impressing Irina? Anyway, it’s not really dealing if you’re just hooking up friends...right?

Gabe’s never been loyal to a girl before, but he finds himself falling for Irina hard. As the stakes are raised, Gabe will have to decide how high he’s willing to bet on school, on friends, on Irina—but most of all, on himself.

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

Gabe has always had a hard life, growing up poor in an area full of gamblers, drug dealers and drug addicts. It's not much better now, even though he is living with his mom in a nice place and is in a nice school. His mom is the mistress of a married man who is paying all of their bills, but if they need any money for anything extra, his mom has to ask permission. And Gabe knows he doesn't fit in at his new school. His life is like night and day compared to the kids there. When a hot Russian, homeschooled violinist performs at his school, Gabe gets her number to impress some popular guys. He succeeds and now they are interested in hanging out with him. He needs money for clothes and activities they do so he can fit in. But he also needs money to impress Irina, because he is certainly interested in her. So now he is conflicted with his need to have the money to impress the guys and Irina and his desire to be better and be the kind of person Irina expects him to be.

Stephanie Guerra has managed to flawlessly depict Gabe because the laid-back, street slang easily makes a reader feel they are in Gabe's head. It is easy to see Gabe's internal conflict about selling drugs and understand that the life he has had is the main reason he feels he really has no other solution. You don't have to like Gabe or agree with his decisions to like this story. This sort of thing goes on more than most people want to realize because that kind of life almost always leaves the person with no options, and I really enjoyed how Ms. Guerra highlighted that sad fact while the focus was on Gabe and his story.

Betting Blind doesn't so much have an ending as this part of Gabe's story is wrapped up with the next stage already set up. I don't always like this sort of ending, but Ms. Guerra handled it nicely. I am looking forward to the next book in the series to follow Gabe's story, and I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about the grittier side of real life.

A copy was provided for an honest review.

*You can also check out my review of Torn by Stephanie Guerra.

About the author:

Stephanie Guerra is the winner of the 2014 Virginia Hamilton Essay Award for her contribution to the professional literature concerning multicultural literary experiences for youth. Her debut young adult novel, Torn, received a starred audiobook review from School Library Journal. Kirkus called her “a strong new voice” and Booklist praised her “complex characters.” Her first middle grade novel, Billy the Kid is Not Crazy, is on shelves now. Kirkus noted the “energy, wit and sensitivity” and “strong characterizations” in Billy. Stephanie teaches children’s literature and writing at Seattle University. She also teaches creative writing at King County Juvenile Detention and researches and speaks about literacy instruction for at-risk teens. Her next two novels for teens, Betting Blind and Out of Aces, will be out in 2014 and 2015. Her Zach and Lucy series for early readers, co-written with Jennifer Bradbury, will be out in 2016. Stephanie thanks Seattle Office of Arts & Culture and 4Culture for their generous support of her work. She lives in Seattle with her husband and children.

Find out more at StephanieGuerra.com.

To Love and to Cherish by Leigh Greenwood - Review

2014-10-31T00:01:00.000-05:00

To Love and to Cherish
(Cactus Creek Cowboys #2)
by Leigh Greenwood
Expected publication: November 4, 2014
by Sourcebooks Casablanca

Torn Between a Desire to be Free...
When Laurie Spencer said "I do", she never realized she'd be trading one pair of shackles for another-until her husband's unexpected death leaves her with an opportunity to escape her controlling family for good. Determined to be independent, Laurie approaches sexy rancher Jared Smith with an offer she hopes he can't refuse...

And a Longing to be His...
Jared's determined to make it, but with the local banker turned against him, it looks like his dream may be slipping through his fingers. When unconsciously sensual Laurie offers a partnership, his luck may be changing...but when she throws herself in as part of the deal, Jared's not sure he'll be able to respect the terms of their agreement and keep his eyes-and his hands-to himself.

There's something about Laurie that awakens every protective instinct Jared has...and when all hell breaks loose, there's nothing and no one who'll be able to keep this cowboy from her side.

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

Laurie was forced to marry a controlling man she didn't love, but now that he has recently passed away, she believes that his money and property will now belong to her and she will have the means to be in charge of her own life. However, her deceased husband intended to control her even from the grave, and his brother is determined to see it through. Buying a partnership in Jared's ranch may be just what Laurie needs to be independent, but when she doesn't have enough money for the partnership, she agrees to become his housekeeper. But Laurie's former brother-in-law, the town's banker, doesn't like this idea and certainly doesn't like when he doesn't have control of something, and he is adamant that Laurie and Jared will do what he wants.

First, I am going to admit that I had a preconceived notion that men can't write romance novels as well as women (even though I know I'm going to get some backlash from that revelation), so when I found out that Leigh Greenwood is a man, I was skeptical that I was going to like this book. I'm glad I gave it a chance because To Love and to Cherish is an amazing historical romance novel with a great plot and full of interesting characters, vivid setting, and spicy romance.

Laurie is sweet and sassy, resigned to do what's expected of her but in her own way. She's determined that she will never marry again, even though she is only 21 when she becomes a widow. Jared is proud and arrogant but also honorable and caring, with a strong need to turn a profit on his new ranch and find his long-lost brothers. Norman (Laurie's former brother-in-law and the banker) is the perfect villain that you love to hate, and there are several well described secondary characters that add richness to this story. Just based on what I read of Naomi and Colby, I want to read the first book in this series to learn more about their story. And let me just say, a freak snowstorm in the desert never seemed quite so hot before.

I got so caught up in these characters and this story that at one point I wanted to slap Jared and remind him that he knew she was a virgin. (Because yes, she really was, even though she had been married for four years. You will have to read to find out why.) If you like romance, I am most definitely recommending this book. (In fact, I think my only complaint about this book is that the copy I won was not signed.)

I won a copy through Goodreads. I was not required to write a review.

About the author:

Leigh Greenwood is the author of the popular Seven Brides, Cowboy, and Night Riders series. The proud father of three grown children, Leigh resides in Charlotte, NC. He never intended to be a writer, but found it hard to ignore the people in his head, and the only way to get them out was to write.

Find out more at Leigh-Greenwood.com.

Cooking Up Love by Gemma Brocato - "Throwback Thursday" Review

2014-10-30T17:27:00.000-05:00

A "Throwback Thursday Review" is either a book I read way back when but didn't write a review for whatever reason (usually, probably forgot ... oops...) or it is a review on a book I got but then didn't get around to reading until now (again, usually, probably just forgot).

Up this week is Cooking Up Love by Gemma Brocato. Gemma graciously sent me a copy of this early this year with no expectation for it to be reviewed. I read it shortly after receiving and intended to write a review, but you know what they say about best laid plans...

Cooking Up Love
(Five Senses #1)
by Gemma Brocato

Mix a chef and her contractor, stir in a mystery, and cook up a romance. Jemima George leads a charmed life as a personal chef and assistant to reality television's latest darling. But that changes in a New York minute when her Aunt Caro dies under odd circumstances, bequeathing her a small restaurant. Jem plans to sell the cafe and continue her life in NYC, until a dramatic phone call from her cheating boyfriend convinces her to experiment with the ingredients for happiness and accept her Aunt's legacy. Throwing herself into remodeling the restaurant with the help of the town's delicious contractor, Jem revamps the menu and renews her faith in herself.

Jack Kerrigan considered Caro a surrogate mother and hates the idea that the cafe could be sold. He doesn't need the remodeling project, but if it means Caro's beautiful, fascinating niece will stay to run the restaurant, he's all in. He wouldn't mind being savory to Jem's sweet. Jack's brassy ex-wife is cooking up a scheme of her own, where Jack tosses Jem like a salad and comes back to her. Fold in a creepy attorney hiding secrets of environmental mayhem, add Jem's claustrophobia, half-pint niece and nephew twins, one mysterious lockbox, and bring to a boil-a recipe for romance.

Goodreads * Amazon

My review:

When Jem inherits a cafe after her aunt dies, she intends to sell the property in Granite Pointe because her life, her job, and the man she hopes is her soon-to-be-finance are in New York. Jem soon realizes she may be better off staying and running her aunt's cafe because not only does a late night phone reveal her boyfriend is a sleaze but she also has some hot chemistry with the sexy contractor, Jack. From the beginning, Jem feels there is something not quite right about the way her aunt passed away, but the mystery deepens as time goes on.

Cooking Up Love has a whole lot of steamy romance with a bunch of mystery mixed in. The twist was hinted at from the beginning of the book, but, call me slow or whatever, I was still surprised when everything was finally revealed. Jem is smart, sassy, and independent, while also being vulnerable. Jack is tough and determined, while also having a soft heart that's too big for his own good. The characters were great, the setting was good, and the writing style is easy to read. I got hooked early on with the chemistry in the pantry scene, and I kept reading because of the attraction between Jem and Jack and because of the suspense of finding out what really happened to the aunt. I enjoyed reading this and would recommend to anyone who likes contemporary romance or romantic suspense.

A copy was provided by the author, but I was not required to write a review.

About the author:

Gemma's favorite desk accessories for many years were a circular wooden token, better known as a 'round tuit,' and a fortune from a fortune cookie that said she was a lover of words; some day she'd write a book. She always knew that eventually she'd get around to writing the novel trapped in her mind. It took a transfer to the United Kingdom, the lovely English springtime, and a huge dose of homesickness to write her first novel. Once it was completed and sent off with a kiss even the rejections, addressed to 'Dear Author', were gratifying.

After returning to America, she spent a number of years as a copywriter, dedicating her skills to making insurance and the agents who sell them sound sexy. Eventually, her full-time job as a writer interfered with her desire to be a writer full-time and she left the world of financial products behind to pursue an avocation as a romance author.

Her gamble paid off when she was a 2012 Finalist in the prestigious Golden Pen contest for Romantic Suspense and she received contracts for her first and second book.

Find out more at GemmaBrocato.com.

All I Want For Christmas Is You by Jessica Scott - iPad Mini Giveaway

2014-10-26T15:48:00.000-05:00

Title: All I Want For Christmas Is You

Author: Jessica Scott

Release Date: October 24, 2014

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: Novella (108 pages)

Goodreads * Amazon

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.

Excerpt

It was not a gentle kiss. It was not tame or timid or questioning.

It burned her down to the root of Sam's soul. It touched something deep and dark and hidden.

Something she'd thought was long since dead and buried and gone.

Patrick’s tongue slid against hers, stroking to life the very sensations she thought she'd never feel again.

It was electric, the feel of his mouth against hers. The scrape of stubble against her chin, the taste of him. The smell of his skin.

He nipped her. Pinched her bottom lip between his teeth and sucked it. And she sighed at the pleasure, at the raw ache his taste and touch aroused in her, pushing aside the darkness that haunted her.

Sam felt him. Felt everything. The heat of his skin. The warmth that drew her closer. That made her want to crawl into his lap and unzip his pants and push up that damned flannel shirt until they were skin to skin and there was nothing between them but sweat and heat.

One hand slid down her side. Tugged at her fleece and...

"Dear lord how many layers of clothing do you have on under this thing," he muttered against her lips.

She smiled. "You weren't wondering why I wasn't cold?"

"Well you'd be a champ at strip poker right about now," he murmured.

Then his fingers found her skin and she was no longer thinking.

About the 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 has served as a company commander at Fort Hood, Texas.

She's pursuing a PhD in Sociology in her spare time and most recently, she's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012.

Find out more at JessicaScott.net.

The novella ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU is also included in November 11th release HOME FOR CHRISTMAS with Joann Ross.

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Forget You by Jennifer Snyder - Review

2014-10-25T17:12:00.000-05:00

Forget You
(A Coldcreek Novel #4)
by Jennifer Snyder
Published: September 2014

(Fourth novel in the Coldcreek Companion Series.Can be read as a standalone.)

Eva Bennett might be known for her candid approach and sharp tongue, but on the inside she’s still a vulnerable twenty-four year old who’s sick of kissing toads and being habitually single.

Full of comical one-liners and wielding a charming smile, Sawyer Keeton is more than meets the eye. After the news of his brother’s tragic death, however, Sawyer is pulled into a place filled with crippling emotions and pain—a place no one can seem to reach him…until the moment Eva steps into his life.

A twist of fate will bring them together and then tear them apart, forcing the two to learn there are people in life whom you cherish and pray will never forget you.

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My review:

Eva is seeing all of her friends find good relationships and is ready for one too, but she has had more than her share of cocky, arrogant men. After a chance encounter with Sawyer, she automatically pegs him as another cocky man, especially when she later runs into him at a party. However, there is something there that makes her keep thinking about him, so when he gets her number from her friend and texts her the next day, she agrees to go on a date with him. Sawyer takes her on what she considers a "juvenile" date, and she is surprised to find she has a great time. Eva finds there is more to Sawyer than meets the eye with his unexpected date choices combined with his comical one-liners and the grief he is still experiencing over the mysterious circumstances surrounding his brother's death. They both soon realize they are falling hard for each other, but then they are torn apart.

When the big twist happens, we know something immediately that Eva doesn't know. I think it would have made the whole story more dramatic and suspenseful if the author had left readers in the dark just a little longer. Other than that, this is a really sweet love story and a great read. My heart ached for Eva when she thought she wouldn't see Sawyer again, and then it ached some more for Sawyer when he found out what really happened the night his brother died. I adored Eva and Sawyer, and I absolutely loved the relationship that Eva had with all of her friends. Forget You can be read as a stand-alone, but I would enjoy reading the other novels just to get to know these other characters better because I liked them so much. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys sweet, emotional love stories. (*Note that "sweet love story" does not mean no sex in this case, but it isn't overly explicit either.)

I won a signed copy on Goodreads. I was not required to write a review.

About the author:

Jennifer Snyder lives in North Carolina were she spends most of her time writing New Adult and Young Adult Fiction, reading, and struggling to stay on top of housework. She is a tea lover with an obsession for Post-it notes and smooth writing pens. Jennifer lives with her husband and two children, who endure listening to songs that spur inspiration on repeat and tolerate her love for all paranormal, teenage-targeted TV shows.

Find out more at JenniferSnyderBooks.com.