Book Reviews - Bookin' It Reviews

Guest Author & Giveaway Featuring Heating Up Hawaii by Carmen Falcone

2013-06-13T00:41:00.001-05:00

Please help me welcome author Carmen Falcone to BIR! She's here talking characters that stay with us even after moving on to other stories. Chime in and leave a comment, we'd love to hear from you!

Welcome, Carmon!

Striking Features, Striking Characters

I always love it when I read a book and there’s something about a character I still remember after a while. Being an avid reader, it’s easy for me to recall the books I’ve enjoyed and the ones I’ve disliked, even if the details get a bit blurry after some time. It’s a great sign, though, when I really like a book and can picture the characters (really picture them, not just find lookalike celebrities and peg them as fictional characters); there’s usually a striking feature involved.

My debut romance, A Vengeful Affair, featured Javier, a man with rugged looks and a scarred chin. There was a story about the scar on his chin, and it made him who he was. My recent release, Heating Up Hawaii, features a man with mismatched eyes. Yep—one is blue and the other one hazel. If that’s not swoon-worthy, I don’t know what is. I’ve always been entranced by people with two differently colored eyes because they are unique. I read in an article that a lot of times such people wear contact lenses so as not to grab attention, and I was like, really? Why would you try and hide from the world the one thing that makes you unique?

Just a striking characteristic, of course, doesn’t mean anything. In the case of Heating Up Hawaii’s hero, Luc Leoni, duality has stalked him his whole life. He’s half Italian, half French. He’s dealt with taking care of a sick brother from an early age and still is fighting the urge to enjoy complete, selfish freedom. His eyes represent that no two events in his life are ever the same. Even when he faces the woman he fell for eight years ago, again, they’re such different people now that it’s almost a brand-new relationship. But can he move on from the past or does he have to wrestle with it?

How about you? Do you remember a specific book you read whose character’s features you just can’t get over? Please leave a comment to enter the $15 Amazon gift card giveaway. Good luck!

Heating Up Hawaii

by Carmen Falcone

Publisher: Breathless Press

ISBN: 978-1-77101-962-0

By Carmen Falcone

Heat Rating: 3

Word Count: 38240

Release Date: May 3, 2013

Back of the Book:

After a long separation, will Penny and Luc's sizzling attraction be enough to surpass their startling secrets?

There is just one person standing between Penny Ashbrook's dream of opening her own PR business or being stuck at her job: the formidable Luc Leoni - her first lover, and the man who lets nothing and no-one get in his way. Seeing him after so long brings all the hidden emotions after a life altering break-up to surface. Pain, denial...and lust.

Luc has made many sacrifices for his career, including Penny Ashbrook, the woman who set his aspirations back a year. But now she has returned and is more alluring than ever. After all these years, he thought a self-made billionaire like himself could master everything, but to resist the strong pull toward the one woman he can't have is an impossible task.

When this unlikely pair is reunited they will have to face the many challenges set in their way, especially an attraction that has only heightened with time and a deadline quickly approaching. Can their new bond surpass old—and new—fears?

Carmen Falcone learned at an early age that fantasizing about fictional characters and places beat doing Math homework any day. She traveled the world, achieved a B.A. in Tourism in her hometown in Brazil and was soon invited to work in the USA, where she met her Swiss husband. She'd always dreamed of becoming a published writer, and after her daughter was born, she revisited that dream of writing - this time, unwilling to give it up. She lives in Austin and enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with her family and three high energy pugs.

Author Website ∙ Goodreads ∙ Twitter ∙ Facebook ∙ Blog

Thank you for being here today with us, Carmen! It was a pleasure to have you and find out more about Heating Up Hawaii!

Book Spotlight & Excerpt Featuring Mergera a & Acquisitions by Sorcha Mowbray

2013-06-11T09:07:00.000-05:00

Mergers & Acquistions
Sorcha Mowbray

Shannon Pearce is an acquisitions specialist who helps businesses buy other businesses. Her latest project has left her fantasizing about her provocative client with nothing but BOB to ease her ache. After closing the deal successfully she is faced with another proposition of a very personal nature.

Dalton Granger can’t get his very sexy acquisition specialist out of his head. For weeks he has been tormented by the idea of not only having her in his bed, but at his mercy. What dom doesn’t fantasize about a sensual, submissive woman? But, can she let go long enough to relax and give him the control he craves? If she does, will she dance along the edge of passion with him and push her own boundaries?

ISBN: 978-1-61333-502-4

Genre: Erotica – BDSM
Heat level: 5
Pages: 15
Word count: 5,735
Cover art by Fiona Jayde
Formats: PDF, ePUB, LIT, PRC, HTML
Price: TBD
Amazon | B&N |

Alone with the person who occupied too much of her thoughts Shannon prepared herself for the final onslaught of Dalton Granger’s potent sexuality. The man exuded confidence and lust, filling the air around him with an aphrodisiac of the finest quality.
“Congratulations, Mr. Granger. You made an excellent buy.” She focused on collecting the documents to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission to document the purchase of DiGiCode, a publicly traded company. Stock prices would go through the roof once the market opened on Monday morning.
“I did indeed. I know a good thing when I see it.” The deep resonance of his voice worked its way past her protective layers of clothing to twist and pull at her nipples, as though his fingers danced across her skin. How the hell did he do that?
Clutching her paperwork to her chest as a shield, she looked at him. Really looked at him. His dark brown hair and black walnut eyes made for an intimidating pairing, heightened by his physical mass. At six-foot-one or maybe two, Dalton existed as a superior specimen of the male form. Under the finely tailored suits he favored, he hid a body in excellent shape. The one time she’d gotten a hint of his masculine perfection had come the day before when her stiletto snagged in a grate on the street as they walked to lunch. She tottered, sure to collide with the unforgiving pavement. Instead the iron bands of his arms snaked out to catch her, pulling her hard against his muscled chest. She’d gasped in shock, from both the near miss and the current of desire winging through her from the close contact.
Before, she’d relied on her imagination in her fantasies of the compelling man. Now, she had a wealth of sensory data to put to erotic use. Last night her dreams had included powerful biceps, a well-muscled chest, and the man’s scent. Whatever cologne he wore should be traded as liquid gold on the market. The fresh, clean smell devastated a girl’s senses and played hell on her concentration.
Hence the long, drawn out silence as he ate her up with his eyes. Without a doubt, he made her feel like a good thing. “It would seem that way. Well, I’m sure you are eager to go celebrate your purchase.”
She edged around the formidable threat to her good intentions. Two steps from escape, he reached out and grabbed her upper arm. Her body ignited. The crotch of her thong soaked through, verging on saturation. Her nipples poked through the delicate blouse as though they could escape their confinement. Her toes curled in her high heels. All that, and he hadn’t even kissed her.

Sorcha Mowbray is a mild mannered office worker by day…okay, so she is actually a mouthy, opinionated, take charge kind of gal who bosses everyone around; but she definitely works in an office. At night she writes romance so hot she sets the sheets on fire! Just ask her slightly singed husband.

She is a longtime lover of historical romance, having grown up reading Johanna Lindsey and Judith McNaught. Then she discovered Thea Devine and Susan Johnson. Holy cow! Heroes and heroines could do THAT? From there, things devolved into trying her hand at writing a little smexy. Needless to say, she liked it and she hopes you do too!

sorchamowbray.com | Tweet @sorchamowbray | Sorcha’s Fan Page | Sorcha’s Goodreads | Silken Sheets & Seduction

How to get it done! Or... Guest Author & Giveaway Featuring Untouched by Em Petrova

2013-06-05T22:10:00.000-05:00

Please help me welcome back author Em Petrova to the blog! She’s here this time with a different angle on how to get books written. *couch* Keep reading then step into the comment section to leave your own tips on how you get things done and be entered to win Em's giveaway.

Oops I lost my train of thought—ooh shiny!

By Em Petrova

A big hello to my friends, old and new. And thanks to Talina for hosting me at Bookin’ It. Recently Talina and I got into a discussion of time management and taking back your writing time. I thought a post about this very idea would be fun.

Like most people I have kids, other jobs, a household to run, and days where I’d prefer to nap in the sun. But I’ve managed to pop out 39 books and am working on a 40th as we speak. So I must be doing something right.

It’s not easy writing smut with 4 kids parading through your office. And they all can read—damn you, teachers! That means I write one sentence, someone enters, I hurriedly click to blank screen so they don’t read any dirty words. This also means I lose my train of thought—wait, what were we having for dinner? Oh!

Here are a few of my tips for getting those precious words down on the screen:

* Dictate to yourself. Can do this while driving or grocery shopping, as long as you don’t mind people thinking you need institutionalized or that you’re coming on to them

* Get a box of cookies, break into pieces. Leave crumbs in a trail leading outside and hope children and dog follow and get lost for oh, 2 hours

* Crank your music loud enough to drown any pleas for help or the sound of sirens

* Buy offspring a trampoline and a 6-pack of Monster Energy

* Get yourself a big guard dog that hates children and position strategically by office door

* Booby trap office with fireworks and hide the detonator on the threshold. Watch as they pee their pants

* Outfit your space with a water cooler and fill with wine. You won’t remember the kids asking for anything, but you will recall the fuzzy poodles that tried to make you dance the Macarena. Oh wait, you did dance the Macarena.

* Buy mass amounts of gummy candy and wait while their teeth get stuck together for a short-lasting period of quiet

* Fill water balloons and lob them at the children as they enter your space. Works best if you’re talented at one-handed typing

* Learn interpretive dance as an outlet and forget about being a writer.

And now for the real tips. Much less creative but they’ve worked for me through several summers of kids being out of school, as well as school years filled with activities and running.

* Write first, always. Forget about emails, laundry, and other work. Allot a time to write and stick with it. As moms we often seek to finish a task that gives instant gratification. We can finish a load of dishes in ten minutes, but we can’t write a scene in that time period. However, we have to retrain our brains.

* Do writing/kids/ cleaning sprints—half an hour of writing, half hour playing a board game or cleaning the floors. I do this often, especially when I am overwhelmed and unfocused.

* Write longhand in a notebook and translate it later. While waiting at ball practice or at the Laundromat, use every minute wisely.

* Fit the task with the amount of time you have. Do you have 20 minutes? Write a blog. Half an hour? Strive to get 300 -500 words down.

* If none of the above works, commit a crime. Lots of amazing novels have been penned from prison.

I hope you’ve had a giggle or a good tip for finding time to write. Check out my latest release UNTOUCHED, now available from Ellora’s Cave

Untouched

Rough Boys, Book 2

Back of the Book:

Mason is having a hell of a time making it through the workday with temptress Eva working mere feet from him. But if he’s going to keep his late father’s dream alive and his logging business afloat, he can’t be distracted. Eventually, temptation wins out and wherever he takes her—to bed, over a fallen tree, or against a wall—his passion for domination rages free. Soon she’s wiggled closer to his heart than he ever dreamed possible.

As a widow and mother of a young son, Eva struggles to make ends meet. Her job at Dorsey Forestry would be adequate, if only she didn’t secretly dump half her pay back into the company account in order to make up for her late husband’s embezzlement. Her life might be spiraling out of control, but in Mason’s bed, she can let go and feel safe. But she can’t tell him her secret, let alone the state of her heart.

I’m giving away a $10 GC to Amazon or Barnes and Noble to one lucky commenter! I’d love to hear from you! And please visit my website and sign my guest book for a chance to win a deck of Ellora’s Cave Romance Trading Cards featuring the 5 of Hearts—ONE FIERY NIGHT by yours truly!

Em Petrova~

Guest Author & Giveaway Featuring Knight of Darkness Chronicles by D.N. Simmons

2013-06-04T22:28:00.000-05:00

Today we're hanging with urban fantasy and paranormal romance author D.N. Simmons! She's here with a great post and series spotlight for Knight of Darkness Chronicles so get comfy and let's get started!

Welcome to BIR, D.N.! It's great to have you here!

Hello,

I’m very honored to be here and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this opportunity to meet new readers. My name is D.N. Simmons and I’m an urban-fantasy/paranormal romance author. My series Knights of the Darkness Chronicles is phenomenal, sexy, highly entertaining and completely addictive… well, that’s what I’ve been told. Who am I to disagree *giggle*. When I say that my series is unlike any other, I really mean it. You will NOT find another series quite like it in the genre. That was my sinister plan from the very beginning. I wanted to create a series with a platform that would take readers into a completely unique and bold direction with characters they could relate to. The story lines are original from book to book and they keep you engaged from the beginning to the end. I know that the shelves are filled with paranormal books, especially those involving vampires and shape-shifters. And if you’re a fan of the genre, like I am, you may think that you won’t find anything too original because the market is already flooded. That’s only because you haven’t read the KOTDC yet.

See, I’m the kind of person that gets extremely enthusiastic about awesome storytelling. When I finish reading a great book or watching an amazing movie, I’m still buzzing about it. One of the reasons why I get so excited is because of exceptional writing and imagination. I appreciate that so much, therefore, I knew I had to give my readers the very best I could give them.

The Knights of the Darkness Chronicles isn’t just a series you read. It’s a series you experience. You’ll know exactly what I’m talking about when you grab the first book. :D Trust me.

SERIES SPOTLIGHT:

Desires Unleashed (Knights of the Darkness Chronicles #1)

Desires Unleashed is the first novel in the riveting, highly-addictive and sexually-charged Knights of the Darkness Chronicles. Experience the heart-pounding thrill of the chase in this electrifying page-turner as you uncover the mystery behind the series of gruesome killings that have been terrorizing the citizens of Chicago.

When a grisly decapitated corpse pops up on a Chicago Street, drained of blood, the highly-trained, government-funded special police force assigned two of their best detectives to the case. S.U.I.T. Detectives Warren Davis and Matthew Eric delve deep into their investigation to discover just who or what is leaving mutilated bodies in public places. They soon realize that the killer or killers is one step ahead of them and if they are going to stop the menace before another innocent human is viciously attack, they are going to need help.

Natasha Hemingway liked her life just the way it was… normal and supernatural-free. The vampires and shape-shifters were just where she wanted them to be—far away from her. All was going well until an unfortunate accident landed her in the hospital. It was then that she discovered she had an ability that could help her save countless lives. All of a sudden, she finds herself thrust into the dangerous and alluring world of the supernatural and into the arms of two very sexy and deadly vampires.

Original, gritty and sprinkled with just the right amount of humor and wit, the Knights of the Darkness Chronicles will suck you in and take you for a ride you won't forget. You don’t want to miss out on this amazing series!

This book has been previously published and has been substantially revised from its original release.

Purchase now for $0.99: Kindle| Nook

The Guilty Innocent (Knights of the Darkness Chronicles #2)

The Guilty Innocent is the second novel in the edgy, action-packed, sexually-charged, Knights of the Darkness Chronicles.

In this installment, Darian, the gorgeous, charismatic and charming master vampire of Chicago is framed for a crime he didn't commit, but why? His lover, Xavier, Natasha and a few others must travel halfway across the world to find out who and why before time runs out and all hell breaks loose!