Tumbling in Books

Blog Tour: Playing with Trouble by Chanel Cleeton Review

2015-08-01T07:52:00.000-04:00

WordSmith Publicity blog tour

Playing with Trouble
By Chanel Cleeton
21st July, 2015
InterMix

The author of Flirting with Scandal presents her second book in a sexy contemporary romance series about three sisters in a powerful political family, the scandals that threaten to destroy them, and the passion that drives them…

The daughter of one of the Senate's most powerful figures, Blair Reynolds was ready to become the ultimate political wife—until she caught her fiancé cheating on her wedding day. Law school is a fresh start, her shot at putting the pieces of her life back together. That’s the plan, at least. Until trouble comes in the form of her Torts professor, the man whose arrogance infuriates her in class but haunts her private fantasies.

Graydon Canter had a fortune and a place on all the hottest "Thirty under Thirty” lists, until a series of personal missteps nearly destroyed his career. A year teaching at a D.C. law school is just the break he needs to get his life back in order, as long as nothing—and no one—trips him up.

When Blair and Gray are forced to work together, their explosive attraction becomes impossible to resist. But Gray’s demons have drawn him dangerously close to the edge, and Blair has spent her life playing by the rules. Will she break them for a shot at love?

- goodreads.com description

I knew once I finished Flirting with Scandal, I just HAD to get/read this book. And once again, Chanel Cleeton didn't fail me.

Trouble is written all over Graydon's face but once Blair and Gray got together, you definitely can't deny their chemistry. But besides their chemistry, Blair was such a character. She didn't really know what to do with her life and literally went into law school point blank, not knowing anything but she got through it with her head held high. And she made it all without relying on her status.

I was a little frustrated with the drama-rama in Gray and Blair's relationship with all the "NO, I don't deserve YOU" cliche but other than that, this book was good. But I loved how sweet Gray turned out to be! Despite his rough-around-the-edges appearance.

Steamy, with drama and scandal written all over this book, it's a book you'll devour in one seating.

The Avery Shaw Experiment by Kelly Oram Review

2015-06-24T03:18:00.002-04:00

The Avery Shaw Experiment

By Kelly Oram

Bluefields, 278 pages

4th May, 2013

When Avery Shaw’s heart is shattered by her life-long best friend, she chooses to deal with it the only way she knows how—scientifically.

The state science fair is coming up and Avery decides to use her broken heart as the topic of her experiment. She’s going to find the cure. By forcing herself to experience the seven stages of grief through a series of social tests, she believes she will be able to get over Aiden Kennedy and make herself ready to love again. But she can’t do this experiment alone, and her partner (ex partner!) is the one who broke her heart.

Avery finds the solution to her troubles in the form of Aiden’s older brother Grayson. The gorgeous womanizer is about to be kicked off the school basketball team for failing physics. He’s in need of a good tutor and some serious extra credit. But when Avery recruits the lovable Grayson to be her “objective outside observer,” she gets a whole lot more than she bargained for, because Grayson has a theory of his own: Avery doesn’t need to grieve. She needs to live. And if there’s one thing Grayson Kennedy is good at, it’s living life to the fullest.

- goodreads.com description

You can always rely on Kelly Oram with her cute cliches.

I noticed her books are quite unrealistic with the cheesy, straightforward and cliches conversations but her books are so cute that I don't even mind at all (most of the time anyway) :P I've always wanted a childhood friend like Avery's but even I have to admit Avery & Aiden's relationship was kinda messed up and unhealthy from the start. AND OMG GRAYSON I CANNOT EVEN.

I love how this book was written in two perspective and Grayson's POV was so entertaining to read. I'm adding him into my unending list of fictional boyfriends :P

Cutesy and fluffier than cloud itself, a book you can always depend on to make your day.

Discovering April by Sheena Hutchinson Review

2015-05-25T20:06:00.000-04:00

Discovering April

By Sheena Hutchinson

27th April, 2015

SL Hutchinson Publishing, 355 pages

April Landau thinks she has everything she’s ever wanted. Her high school sweetheart, a house she can’t afford, her bipolar tabby cat, and she’s all set to begin her Junior year of college. Just when she least expects it, her life gets thrown for a loop. When things between her and her long time boyfriend unravel, she becomes stuck in a downward spiral of emotion. Finally, opening her eyes to the fact that she may have given up more than she ever could have imagined in this relationship. She finds herself struggling to keep her head above water.

Enter April’s next door neighbor— Jared Hoffman. He’s her complete opposite. A high school drop out who was forced to take over his parent’s business after their untimely death. It’s no surprise this tragedy affected him greatly, causing him to recede almost completely from society.

But he has one secret. A secret he’s been carrying around for years.

What happens when their worlds collide? Can an old friendship be the one thing that brings these two back to life?

A new adult love story filled with drama, sex, death, and the complications of all of the above.

- goodreads.com description

I REALLY hate DNF-ing a book but... I have so many issues with this book.

April was just really annoying. All she does was cry and shout. It's like all her conversations have exclamation marks in it when it's not even needed. And the narrating vibe felt more YA instead of NA. Same goes with the writing. I just had really big trouble going through the narrating voice. Also, the psychological emotion approach was done all wrong.

I thought of giving it a chance but since all of the good reviews on GR but... I'm halfway through and the book is still no closer to solving an issue with Jared or even April.

I like the idea behind this book. The first half book was all about finding April but... the plot is slower than necessary. And all the whiplash. Everything was all over the place.

Good idea but messy.

Blog Tour + Giveaway: Flirting With Scandal by Chanel Cleeton Review

2015-05-19T08:30:00.000-04:00

Hosted by Wordsmith Publicity

Flirting With Scandal
By Chanel Cleeton
InterMix, 267 pages
19th May, 2015

The author of I See London sets her sights on Washington, D. C., with a sexy new series about three sisters, the secrets they keep, and a powerful blog with a knack for exposing scandals...

Jackie Gardner knows all about dirty little secrets. The illegitimate daughter of one of the most influential senators in Washington, D.C., she grew up surrounded by the scandals and shadows of politics. Now that she's landed an internship with a powerful political consulting firm, she's determined to launch her career and take this city by storm.

William Andrew Clayton was born for politics. He knows the drill: work hard, play discreetly, and at all costs, avoid scandal. At twenty-six, his campaign for the Virginia State Senate is the first step to cementing his future. It's time for him to settle down, to find the perfect political spouse. He needs a Jackie Kennedy, not a Marilyn...

When Jackie meets Will in the bar of the Hay-Adams Hotel, sparks fly. But the last thing Will needs is to be caught in a compromising position, and an affair with a political candidate could cost Jackie her career. When what began as one steamy night, becomes a passion neither one of them can walk way from, they must decide if what they have is really love, or just another dirty little secret...

- goodreads.com description

I don't even remember what was in the description when I read this book. I don't remember what made me read this book. It probably has to do with the word scandal on the title. But whatever made me read it, I never regret it.

This is one of my favorite romance books! It's soo good! This book is all about girl power and we need more books like this.

Somehow I was expecting cliches along the way because romance books are always full of cliche. But instead Flirting With Scandal surprises me with every plots and scenes. This is far from your cliche romance books. When things go down, it's filled with raw emotions and you feel it in the pit of your stomach.

All the sexual tension between the MC and all the angst, Chanel Cleeton got it all right. I never would've read a book revolving around politics and this book made me do it and LOVE IT. And I love how she keeps rotating the narrator between the two so you get to know both side's story.

I actually made a mistake of reading an excerpt of Playing with Trouble and now you have NO IDEA how much I wanna read the book. NEED. IT. NOW.

Chanel Cleeton just got in my exclusive list of favorite authors. Any lover of romance books would definitely devour Flirting With Scandal down.

GIVEAWAY:

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Originally a Florida girl, CHANEL CLEETON moved to London where she received a bachelor’s degree from Richmond, The American International University in London and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever, until fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise and a fighter pilot with smooth dance moves swept her off her feet. Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure.

Law school made Chanel realize she’d rather spend her days writing sexy stories than in a courtroom, and she hasn’t looked back since. An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she’s happiest curled up with a book. She has a weakness for handbags, her three pups, and her husband.

Chanel writes contemporary romances. She is published by Harlequin HQN, Penguin/InterMix, and Penguin/Berkley and is the author of the International School, Capital Confessions, and Wild Aces series.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website: www.chanelcleeton.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/autho rchanelcleeton

Twitter: www.twitter.com/chanelcleeton</ a>

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/chanelcle eton

Newsletter: www.chanelcleeton.com/mailing-‐list/

The Heartbreakers by Ali Novak Review

2015-05-18T22:22:00.000-04:00

The Heartbreakers

By Ali Novak

Sourcebooks Fire, 336 pages

Expected Publication: 4th August, 2015

Source: Netgalley

"When I met Oliver Perry, I had no clue he was the lead singer for The Heartbreakers. And he had no idea that I was the only girl in the world who hated his music."

Stella will do anything for her sick sister, Cara—even stand in line for an autographed Heartbreakers CD...for four hours. She's totally winning best birthday gift this year. At least she met a cute boy with soft brown hair and gorgeous blue eyes while getting her caffeine fix. Too bad she'll never see him again.

Except, Stella's life has suddenly turned into a cheesy love song. Because Starbucks Boy is Oliver Perry – lead singer for the Heartbreakers. And even after she calls his music crap, Oliver still gives Stella his phone number. And whispers quotes from her favorite Disney movie in her ear. OMG, what is her life?

But how can Stella even think about being with Oliver — dating and laughing and pulling pranks with the band — when her sister could be dying of cancer?

Ali Novak wrote her debut novel My Life with the Walter Boys when she was just 15 years old, and has since penned her next book, The Heartbreakers. First a hit on the online community Wattpad, her second novel has over 38 million reads and is loved by readers around the world.

- goodreads.com description

Wattpad author love!

As soon as I read the description, I knew that this was wattpad already. And when I read the book, even the narrating feels quite different. There's a distinctive voice between a traditionally published writer and a wattpad writer. I haven't read any books from wattpad in ssoooo long that this book feels so good!

The relationship between the band members are so adorable. They are such guys! Like,this is how teenage guys are supposed to act. Playful, childish, teenagery. I love their conversations and their games and the pranks they play on each other. It is such a fun read. All the band members personalities are so different from each other and I like how the author make their personalities compliment each other. Like, teammates.

As swoon worthy as Oliver Perry is, I would LOVE to read a story about JJ. A book written about JJ would just scream FUN! and all his dirty talks thrown in would make the book interesting xD

If you're looking for a fluff read, THE HEARTBREAKERS would be the book for you.

Audiobook Review: Game for Marriage by Karen Erickson

2015-05-18T21:06:00.003-04:00

Game for Marriage
By Karen Erickson
11th January, 2013
Entangled Publishing (Brazen), 170 pages
Source: Received from Wordsmith Publicity in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

A sexy category romance from Entangled's Brazen imprint...

He’s going in deep to make her his…

Struggling artist Sheridan Harper never imagined she’d spend a sizzling night with Jared Quinn, the smoking-hot star quarterback of her local professional football team, the San Jose Hawks. And she’s even more shocked when Jared’s publicist offers her a proposition: a fake marriage to keep Jared out of the gossip mags. Being that close to Jared would be too tempting, so to protect her heart, she insists on secretly including a clause forbidding sex between them.

Jared just wants to keep his starting QB job and keep it in San Jose. His reputation as a ladies’ man has landed him in the headlines one too many times, but there’s something about his kind, passionate new wife that tempts him beyond reason. Any sort of intimacy between them is completely forbidden, but as their bodies fall in deep, will their hearts follow suit?

- goodreads.com description

I am such a sucker for books about marriage!

The format of fake marriage are all the same. Fake marry, love-hate relationship, then they spend time together, slowly falling in love, none of them would admit it, then BAM! They both fell in love when things suddenly go wrong. Every single book I read on fake marriage has the same format yet I never get tired of them.

The sexual tension between Jared and Sheridan just skyrocketed. The sexual tension between them was just there from the beginning. If there was one thing I don't like though was how cheesy and corny and cliche(like all romance books so I guess it didn't bother me much) it was in the beginning.

Just focus on the romance, guys. Because that's what romance books are all about. And the romance between Sheridan and Jared didn't fail me. Their conversations always brought a smile to my face. I love how they build up their relationship, that it's not all just lust.

I was having trouble with Deanna Hurst's narrating a little bit in the beginning. She didn't quite get Jared's tone right and it felt awkward at some parts. But as the story gets better, so did she.

A short and light romance read. A recommended one too!

*I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest and unbiased review*

Blog Tour + Giveaway: Swept Away by Michelle Dalton Review

2015-05-11T08:30:00.000-04:00

Swept Away
By Michelle Dalton
320 pages, Simon Pulse
5th May, 2015

Beachfront love blossoms in this refreshing summer romance, in the tradition of Sixteenth Summer and Seventeenth Summer.

Mandy Sullivan isn’t exactly looking forward to the summer months as tourists invade her seaside hometown on the coast of Maine. Her best friend, Cynthia, has abandoned her for camp and her older brother just announced he’ll be staying at college taking classes for the summer, leaving Mandy with nothing to do and no one to hang out with. Hoping to keep herself busy, Mandy takes a volunteer job at the Rocky Pointe Lighthouse. On her very first day, Oliver Farmingham asks for a private tour. A new—and incredibly cute—face in Rocky Pointe, Oliver seems more interested in Mandy than the lighthouse and its history.

Without her best friend at her side, Mandy is scrambling to act the right way and say the right things when Oliver is around. Cynthia—not Mandy—has always been the confident, flirtatious girl that everyone wanted to be around. As Mandy and Oliver spend more time together exploring the coast, biking through the woods, and attending the local summer festivals, their budding friendship becomes much more. But with Mandy’s insecurities creeping to the surface, can she open her heart to someone who will only be in town for three months?

- goodreads.com description

Yay! Summer reads! I'm always game for summer books.

This is such a festive summer books with lots to do! I wish my place is as festive as this. I love reading about the adventures Mandy and Oliver went on. Also, I love how they aren't a couple that's lovey dovey all the time. Not that they have issues. Like, couples fights too even when they like each other and I like how they work around each other through fights.

I like how relate-able the issues is. As easy as it may sound, it's not that easy to stand your ground and be opinionated. At least once in your life, you'd adjust yourself to someone because you're afraid of what they'd think of you. I know that happened to me. And it still happens from time to time.

Swept Away was such a cute and fun read. Looking for a light summer romance? Here it is!

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Blackout by Chris Myers

2015-04-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

New Adult Romance

Release: April 2015

Goodreads

Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jq6poh1SSI

Some memories should be buried…

The blackouts started happening when I was eight. There are long periods of my youth I don’t remember. I’ve woken up in strange places, feeling disoriented and unaware of how long I’ve been out.

After two years abroad attending a private school and sessions with a top-notch psychiatrist, I’ve been deemed cured. The blackouts have ceased, or so I thought, until I wake up in a ditch back home in North Carolina. Dare, the guy pulling my broken body from the wreckage, has a restraining order against him. He’s no longer the clean-cut boy I went frog gigging with but road-hardened. His lean, muscular arms, riddled with tats, drag me out of the SUV. I should fear him, but instead, his touch sparks memories that tell me I once worshipped him with all my heart.

About the Author

Chris Myers suffers from an overactive imagination. She spent her high school years writing torch songs for fantasy guys then moved onto writing thrillers, new adult, and young adult. She has a real job but would love to write full time. Her books have won and placed in the finals and semifinals for several awards including Paul Gillette, Rocky Mountain Gold, and Amazon Breakthrough Novel. Chris lives in Colorado with her daughter, her better half, and BeBe, a rambunctious Bichon.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Blog Tour: Aimee and the Heartthrob by Ophelia London Review

2015-04-18T08:30:00.000-04:00

Aimee and the Heartthrob
By Ophelia London
Entangled: Crush, 223 pages
14th April, 2015

He never noticed her before, but now she’s all he can see…

Miles Carlisle is every teen girl’s fantasy. His rugged good looks and exotic British accent have helped catapult his boy band, Seconds to Juliet, to super-stardom. But after two disastrous and very public breakups, Miles isn’t interested in dating just any girl; he wants The One. And the only girl he’s interested in is not only his best friend’s little sister―and off-limits―but won’t even give him the time of day…

As a kid, Aimee Bingham had a huge thing for Miles…until he made fun of her for always tagging along. Now that she’s outgrown both him and her pigtails. the prospect of spending two weeks on tour with the childhood crush who broke her heart isn’t exactly enticing. Except now Miles seems interested. Very interested. And no matter how hard Aimee tries to resist him, her crush is definitely making a comeback.

But everyone knows that falling for a heartthrob is a backstage pass to heartbreak...

- goodreads.com description

Aimee and the Heartthrob got me hooked from the beginning. I read the whole book in one sitting.

I love the sneaky rendezvous Aimee and Miles had. Sneaking in private bus tours, into kitchens and running down hotel corridors. And how comfortable they are when bantering with each other. And their way-back-then history with each other. However, what I don't like is the many times they kept going down memory lane. Once, or twice was enough. But after that just feels repetitive and slightly annoying. But that didn't happen throughout the whole book so no worries.

I love how the author kept switching from Miles then to Aimee's POV back and forth. But I wished she had put more scenes with the side characters in it. I didn't feel any connection there with the side characters like with Aimee's brother, Nick. The brotherly touch was nice but I just wished he was more there in the picture.

This was such an adorable and lighthearted read. A classic cute contemporary that will put a permanent smile on your face by the end of this book. Also, perfect for readers to take a break from heavy books or heavy real-life problems ;)

Also, sign me up in Miles High Fanclub! The boy is so swwooooonnwwooorrrttthhhyyyy!!

USA Today bestselling author Ophelia London was born and raised among the redwood trees in beautiful northern California. Once she was fully educated, she decided to settle in Florida, but her car broke down in Texas and she’s lived in Dallas ever since. A cupcake and treadmill aficionado (obviously those things are connected), she spends her time watching arthouse movies and impossibly trashy TV, while living vicariously through the characters in the books she writes.

Ophelia is the author of DEFINITELY, MAYBE IN LOVE; ABBY ROAD and CROSSING ABBY ROAD; the Perfect Kisses series including: FALLING FOR HER SOLDIER, PLAYING AT LOVE, SPEAKING OF LOVE, and MAKING WAVES; and the upcoming AIMEE AND THE HEARTTHROB for Entangled’s Teen Crush. Visit her at www.ophelialondon.com, but don’t call when The Vampire Diaries (or Dawson’s Creek) is on.

Twitter: @ophelia_london : Facebook : Website : Pinterest : Goodreads

Audiobook Review: Flat-Out Celeste by Jessica Park

2015-04-12T11:51:00.000-04:00

Flat-Out Celeste

By Jessica Park

22nd May, 2014

CreateSpace, 336 pages

Source: Received an audiobook version of this book in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

For high-school senior Celeste Watkins, every day is a brutal test of bravery. And Celeste is scared. Alienated because she’s too smart, her speech too affected, her social skills too far outside the norm, she seems to have no choice but to retreat into isolation.

But college could set her free, right? If she can make it through this grueling senior year, then maybe. If she can just find that one person to throw her a lifeline, then maybe, just maybe.

Justin Milano, a college sophomore with his own set of quirks, could be that person to pull her from a world of solitude. To rescue her—that is, if she’ll let him.

Together, they may work. Together, they may save each other. And together they may also save another couple—two people Celeste knows are absolutely, positively flat-out in love.

Whether you were charmed by Celeste in Flat-Out Love or are meeting her for the first time, this book is a joyous celebration of differences, about battling private wars that rage in our heads and in our hearts, and—very much so— this is a story about first love.

-goodreads.com description

This would be one of my fav contemporaries of all time. It has everything a contemporary book should have. And it is AMAZING!

This book is so funny and cute and adorable and emotional and thrilling and swoon-worthy. There are just so many scenes that I love so much. I just love every aspect from this book.

Both of the author & audiobook narrator captured Celeste's voice perfectly. She was very sheltered in the beginning of the book and I love the way she tried to break out of her shell little by little until she became a full-fledged duckling(is this even the right metaphor?). There are definitely character growth for all of the characters in this book. And all of the characters were so lovely and there is not one thing I hate about the characters.

In all of the funny, cute, emotional scenes, ect. There's a message that Jessica Park is trying to deliver. This book is about acceptance towards yourself. Accept who you are, love who you are, be yourself, don't change yourself for society and I think she nailed that.

A must-read to every contemporary lovers. And just everyone, literally. Like, really. Read it. I guarantee you, there'll be no regrets involved by the end of this book.

Books, Blogs & Reality by Ryan Ringbloom Review

2015-04-11T03:55:00.004-04:00

Books, Blog & Reality

By Ryan Ringbloom

24th October 2014

220 pages

Life can suck…

When reality becomes overwhelming, seeking comfort in fictional fantasies keeps hope alive. And while this escape may be a little delusional, it’s also therapeutic.

Sharing secrets is daunting, but virtual friends don’t often judge and they are always ready to share a glass of wine…or three…while typing out life’s latest endeavors.

Brooke believes obstacles only add to romance, not detract. Rachael longs for a more intense relationship, or so she thinks. Lizzie misses the excitement in her life, but sometimes new situations find you when you’re not even looking. And Jess believes a tiger can change his stripes. It can’t.

Bound by a shared passion for blogging about happily ever afters, these four young women use keyboard therapy to work through their expectations, anxieties, and inadequacies, all with the hopes of achieving the perfection found in romance novels.

Completely blinded by what they think life should be, they navigate their unique paths in search of what they envision is right. But when reality taunts them with persistent curve balls, will they be strong enough to choose wisely? Or will their happy endings escape them?

- goodreads.com description

There was 4 POVs in this book. I usually don't like books with many POVs because I get really confused and it gets hard to keep up with all the POVs. For this book, it was kinda hard in the beginning but once I get their stories, it was enjoyable.

I love how realistic this book is. There were some times and some scenes that turn me off though. Because I just couldn't get some of the characters expectations about guys but then I get that's the point of the book. You get engrossed in the fictional world and some people can't divide fiction with reality. And personally, I love Lizzie's story out of all four.

When I read it, I didn't realize it was kiiiinnndda rated. Well... not that there was any explicit scenes or anything. Just lots of dirty talks. LOOOTTSSS of 'em. So, if you're underage, just know that.

I love how at the end there is a lesson learnt from every character. Makes it clear that the message the author trying to deliver is delivered. A book I'd recommend to any book reader. Because we all can relate to the situation that happens in this book.

Book Blitz: For the Love of Ash by Taylor Lavati

2015-04-08T03:22:00.000-04:00

Title: For The Love of Ash Author: Taylor Lavati Release Date: March 9 Book Blitz: April 6-8 Hosted by: SBB Promotions

Maggie Larken is a reformed party girl. After her parent’s death, she’s left to raise Asher, her nine-year-old brother.

Luke Wilson has done everything his parents have ever asked of him. A new teacher, Luke constantly questions where his life is headed. When Luke and Maggie meet, neither is in the market for a relationship. But sometimes life has other plans. Both navigate new waters as they try to decide where their priorities should lie, while also seizing what they want. In this heartbreakingly real tale of love, Maggie and Luke discover what being a family truly means.

Want to Want Me—Jason Derulo Stolen Dance—Milky Chance Jealous—Nick Jonas Me and My Broken Heart—Rixon Skinny Love—Birdy Take Me Home Tonight—Jamestown Story Save Tonight—Eagle-Eye Cherry Human—Christina Perri Lovesick Fool—The Cab Stay—Florida Georgia Line I’m Not Okay—My Chemical Romance Change—Taylor Swift All That Matters—Justin Beiber Make You Feel My Love—Adele

Taylor Lavati is a twenty three year old student residing in a small town in Connecticut with her husband and flat-coated retriever. She enjoys writing books that are unique with dynamic characters. She writes both Young Adult and New Adult with ranging genres from fantasy to dark romance. When she's not writing, she's reading. When she's not reading, she's gaming.

Blog tour + Giveaway: Love, Lucy by April Lindner

2015-04-04T09:00:00.000-04:00

Love, Lucy
By April Lindner
27th January 2015
Poppy, 304 pages

While backpacking through Florence, Italy, during the summer before she heads off to college, Lucy Sommersworth finds herself falling in love with the culture, the architecture, the food...and Jesse Palladino, a handsome street musician. After a whirlwind romance, Lucy returns home, determined to move on from her "vacation flirtation." But just because summer is over doesn't mean Lucy and Jesse are over, too.

In this coming-of-age romance, April Lindner perfectly captures the highs and lows of a summer love that might just be meant to last beyond the season.

-goodreads.com description

I've always loved road trip and travel books. This book is one of them.

Reading Love, Lucy feels like I'm roaming the streets of Italy myself. The way April Lindner describes the people, the environment. There's beauty in not making plans and purposely losing your way in the beautiful streets of a foreign country with nothing but time to spare. Italy holds a dear place in my heart since I lived there as a child for two years. While I love the description she has on Italy, I wish there was more to the language.

I was sincerely afraid this book will be kind of similar to Just One Day because both of the main characters in this two books went to college with a course they both don't enjoy. But no worries people! Both books are complete contrast with each other.

I love how realistic the love story feels like. The past or the present? To hold on or to let go? Being hopeful and holding on. To forget but always remember. Like, you can understand the dilemma she's going through.

I love how this book isn't focused only on the love story, but how Lucy is trying to find herself. And I feel like I am Lucy because I'm going through the same things she's going through in the book. Being completely clueless about college on to follow self and do what she likes or to follow her dad's dreams? How to deal with disapproving parents and to satisfy ones needs and your folks simultaneously.

A book I'll suggest to any travel books lover(& really confused pre-college students). But beware wanderlust people, Love, Lucy will make you want to travel to Italy so badly.

BOOK LINKS:

Goodreads | Amazon paperback | Barnes & Noble (B&N) | Bookdepository | iTunes

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

April Lindner is the author of three novels: Catherine, a modernization of Wuthering Heights; Jane, an update of Jane Eyre; and Love, Lucy, due out in January, 2015. She also has published two poetry collections, Skin and This Bed Our Bodies Shaped. She plays acoustic guitar badly, sees more rock concerts than she’d care to admit, travels whenever she can, cooks Italian food, and lavishes attention on her pets—two Labrador retriever mixes and two excitable guinea pigs. A professor of English at Saint Joseph’s University, April lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons.

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr

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Robin in the Hood by Diane J. Reed Review

2015-03-28T12:25:00.003-04:00

Robin in the Hood (Robbin' Hearts Series #1)

By Diane J. Reed

Brandits Ranch Books, LLC

1st October 2012, 300 pages

“Is it any wonder I became a bank robber?”
But she never dreamed she’d fall in love…

Wealthy high school student Robin McArthur thinks she has it all figured out when it comes to bilking her wealthy dad for guilt money as a substitute for his genuine affection. Until one day he suffers a stroke, and she learns the brutal truth:
They’re broke.
Her stepmom has skipped the country.
And everyone from bankers to bookies has lined up in her dad's hospital room to collect on the millions he's racked up in debt.

Panicked and desperate, Robin figures she has two choices. Either surrender to the pestering caseworker and live in a skanky foster home, or take a chance and sneak her dad out of the hospital to make a run for it. Little does she know that stealing a car and hitting the road means that before the day is through, she will rob her first bank.

Now an outlaw, Robin finds a backwoods trailer park to hide her dad from authorities. There, she encounters Creek, a local bad boy who also commits crimes to provide for their motley neighbors. Realizing she could use Creek’s help, Robin proposes an ingenious plan—they should team up to rob banks together. But when their partnership leads to a romance that turns Robin’s world upside down, she soon begins to discover that people are more precious than pocketbooks, and real love means opening your heart to the kinds of treasures money can’t buy…

- goodreads.com description

I love love LOVE this book! I was honestly surprised. This book was sent to my by the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Firstly, I am so in love with the writing style. It felt very teenager-y and very Robin-like. By the introduction, I thought she's going to be snobbish but she's not at all. She has that rich people vibe on and her love for money and luxury is undeniable but she isn't afraid to get down and dirty to save her dad's life and hers.

I am seriously in love with this book. I love the southern elements and all of the characters. The description of the trailer park is just beautiful and enchanting! The characters are all fun. I wish there were more of the twins though. I would LOVE to read more of their mischievousness.

There was a little unrealistic elements to the book though. Like, the robbing part. Because of this, I felt like there's a hole in the plot but I'm not really sure what. It just felt like something is missing. And my other complaint would be Creek's attitude in the beginning. It didn't feel right. Like, the bad boy image fit Creek awkwardly but after a while it was toned down and Creek felt like Creek.

A book I enjoyed immensely. Fans of Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig or Heist Society by Ally Carter will definitely enjoy this book.

One Last Song by S.K Falls ARC Review

2015-02-20T08:30:00.000-05:00

One Last Song

By S.K Falls

Forever Yours, 336 pages

13th January, 2015

Received from: NetGalley

I was seven when I swallowed my first needle.

My mom freaked out and rushed me to the emergency room.

She stayed by my side all night.

I never wanted it to end.

When you spend your whole life feeling invisible-when your parents care more about deals and deadlines than they do about you-you find ways of making people take notice. Little things at first. Then bigger. It's scary how fast it grows. Then one day something happens that makes you want to stop. To get better. To be better. And for the first time, you understand what it's like to feel whole, happy . . . loved. For the first time, you love someone back.

For me, that someone was Drew.

-goodreads.com description

When I started the first 10% of this book, I thought "This is the worst mistake of my life", but I stayed strong and continued on with the gross scenes and MY RESOLUTION WAS PAID. This was the BEST DECISION EVER! Because this, this masterpiece, need to be read by everyone.

I was so fascinated with the characters. Especially Saylor. It felt weird being in her head. Because for someone who would give anything not to feel pain, this girl I'm reading right now, would give anything to feel sick and pain. I wrapped my head around her logic. It was just so fascinating seeing her compare her pain with others. Like, her character is so messed-up and fucked-up but I COULD understand her.

All of the characters felt so original. And the way the plot progresses... like, I couldn't predict what happens next. Which is kind of rare for a contemporary book. I don't know where will Saylor take me next. This book was about cancer but it wasn't sad. In fact, the book is so bright you forgot that you're actually reading a book about cancer. The characters weren't cynical about their disease. They didn't embrace their disease either but they didn't let their disease weigh them down.

I swear, if it wasn't for the writing style, I wouldn't have continued on with this story. The writing itself is beautiful. I felt the pain and all of the emotions she felt.

By the end of the book, I was left with a whirlwind of emotions. Like, this book left me so emotional and the whole book was so freaking good.

Even The Moon Has Scars by Steph Campbell--Heart Awareness Month

2015-02-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

Steph's youngest daughter was born with a rare heart defect called TAPVR. Britta is a happy, healthy three year old now, and also the inspiration for EVEN THE MOON HAS SCARS. In honor of Heart Awareness Month, Steph will be running a sale on EVEN THE MOON HAS SCARS from Feb 16-23. We would love for you to join us in spreading the word! #1in100

Title: Even the Moon Has Scars

Author: Steph Campbell

Age: YA

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Designed by The Cover Lure

Released: October 28, 2014
Goodreads
Amazon | Kobo | iTunes | BN

Blurb:

Two strangers.

Two broken hearts.

One night to set each other free.

Almost dying from an undiagnosed heart condition means every second of your life is a precious gift to be guarded.

Lena Pettitt was born a miracle.

And her parents never let her forget it.

Even if that daily reminder kept her from experiencing the one thing they were trying to protect most--her life.

Gabriel Martinez’s heart has been ripped out.

His pride has been stomped on.

Oh, and he now has an arrest record that’s caused an even bigger rift between him and his DA mother. All for a love that wasn’t really true.

Now he’s exiled to his grandmother’s, working on his late grandpa’s old Corvair when a shivering girl knocks on the garage door. Lena, left alone for the first time ever, has locked herself out of her house--in the snow. Gabe knows he could help this girl get back inside her house--but that may mean missing the next train to Boston to pick up the part he’s spent eight weeks tracking down. She can wait for him at his grandmother’s or…

A few hours, an aluminum valve cover, and some strong coffee later, neither Gabe or Lena can feign disappointment when they race to the station and arrive just as the last train home from Boston is pulling out.

As jaded as he is, Gabe can’t deny the fact that he’s excited to spend the night exploring a city he knows nearly every corner of, with a girl who sees magic in the simplest things.

Lena has been waiting for her tiny world to crack open her entire life. Now that it’s finally happened, she finds the only thing she can focus on is the unexpected tour guide who opens her eyes to possibilities she never imagined.

All they have is this one night, together, under the bright moon in a city full of hidden beauty.

It’s one night that will change how they see the world and the paths their hearts will take forever.

About the Author:

Steph Campbell grew up in Southern California, but now lives in the hot, humid south. She has one husband, four children and a serious nail polish obsession. When she's not writing or taking care of her brood, she's reading or scouring travel sites, always ready for life's next adventure.

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorstephcampbell
blog: stephcampbell.blogspot.com
twitter: @stephcampbell_
instagram: _steph_campbell

Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta Review

2015-02-11T10:49:00.002-05:00

Jellicoe Road

By Melina Marchetta

HarperTeen, 419 pages

9th march, 2010

In this lyrical, absorbing, award-winning novel, nothing is as it seems, and every clue leads to more questions.

At age eleven, Taylor Markham was abandoned by her mother. At fourteen, she ran away from boarding school, only to be tracked down and brought back by a mysterious stranger. Now seventeen, Taylor's the reluctant leader of her school's underground community, whose annual territory war with the Townies and visiting Cadets has just begun. This year, though, the Cadets are led by Jonah Griggs, and Taylor can't avoid his intense gaze for long. To make matters worse, Hannah, the one adult Taylor trusts, has disappeared. But if Taylor can piece together the clues Hannah left behind, the truth she uncovers might not just settle her past, but also change her future.

-goodreads.com description.

I will start by stating all the cons first before I shower this book with a 1000 compliments.

It was a very confusing beginning for me. For some reasons, my ebook decided to fuck itself and I had sort out all the messed up paragraphs myself. And because of that, I didn't realize there was two stories. One in the past and one in the present. But don't get confuse. They're not the same story. They're two different stories; Hannah's and Taylor's.

But see, that's what happened to me. because of my fucked up ebook, I was confused because there was two separate stories. Not only that, I was attacked from all directions with all these characters. Watch out! New character incoming! Woot! MAKE WAY FOR ANOTHER CHARACTER. Whoo! It's raining characters! As if that's not enough, the fact that there're two stories doubled the amount of characters. So it was very hard for me to keep up with all these characters at first.

Not only that, the narrating was very MG and because of the territory wars, I thought all of the characters was 12 years old because it was very immature. Because let's face it, I don't have wars (ESPECIALLY territory wars) after I turned 15.

I spent the first 50-100 pages of the book in a tug-of-war of boringness and this-scene-makes-me-want-to-read-the-book-more. EVERY TIME I felt like giving up on the book, Marchetta bait me with this scene that made me intrigued to find out what happens next. And it works! EVERY TIME.

BUT THEN. Jonah Griggs appeared and Hannah disappeared and every thing was taken to a whole new notch.

All of the characters are so amazing. Each one of them has a distinct voice and personality and you can tell who is who. And it is so hard to choose even just one favorite character because I love them all. Both from the past and the present. I can't stop fangirling over Jude and Webb. And Jonah and Taylor.

And the love line! I won't tell you which love line I love, because I adore both past and present. And it's not just that. Both path and present's relationship is so special. I swear, their friendship is so BEAUTIFUL. It is SO B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L

And I love reading about the past's characters. How they were just kids hanging out in trees and dreaming about the world and what they turned into when they entered adulthood. This kind of stories always interest me. There is something magical about these changes.

As the pages progresses, you can start seeing this fractured pieces of stories starting to stitch up together and this confusing story suddenly turned beautiful and heartwarming.

There was a lot of development and character growth in this book. Especially to Taylor. And it was amazing reading this book and slowly seeing these characters turning into something more of what they are.

I don't call a lot of books beautiful and jellicoe Road is beautiful.

In summary,

To everyone: please read it. I'm making this my life mission to make everyone I know or don't know read this book because it is the most wonderful book I have ever read and it deserves to be read more.

Sincerely, Farah.

So this concludes my longest review ever for a book.

SPREAD THE LOVE PEOPLE.

Blog Tour Giveaway + Review: Acting Brave by Helena Newbury

2015-01-30T08:45:00.000-05:00

Acting Brave (Fenbrook Academy #3)
By Helena Newbury
13th January, 2015
Foster & Black New Adult, 580 pages

The final book in the Fenbrook Academy trilogy. Book 1, Dance For Me, is currently FREE

She's spent her whole life acting. But can she make him believe she doesn't love him?

Three years ago, a terrified girl named Emma fled a world of crime and abuse in Chicago and bought a one-way ticket to New York. She reinvented herself as an actress, enrolled at the prestigious Fenbrook Academy and buried her pain beneath a vivacious new persona. Her new name was Jasmine.

Now she has to pull off the performance of her career.
Landing her dream part in a police show, she finds herself falling for her co-star, Ryan, a real-life cop. If she lets him get too close, he'll awaken memories she doesn't want to face and uncover secrets that could endanger them both. But how can she keep a guy at arm's length when she has to kiss him on camera?

The last place Ryan imagined himself was on a TV show.
Blaming himself for the death of his partner, he's on a downward spiral of rage and guilt. The show is his last chance...but how can he keep it professional when his co-star is a woman he's crazy about?

As their on-screen and off-screen relationships merge, things go from hot to blistering. But when Jasmine's old life catches up with her, will a cop be the one person she can't be around...or the only person who can save her?

Recommended for 17+ due to mature scenes.

- goodreads.com description

This is my FAVORITE BOOK out of the trilogy! Helena Newbury definitely nailed it with this last one. And it was such a perfect ending too.

One of the reasons I love her books is because not only she remind her readers on what happened in her previous books but also she build out more out of her previous characters rather than just end their stories there. Speaking of characters, Jasmine is definitely my favorite! It was interesting reading her battles between her two identities. It wasn't even confusing and it might have been even a little... relate-able.

The book was done perfectly. The scenes wasn't done overly. Newbury dived in her characters and exploited their personalities. While I love the identities of Emma and Jasmine, it gets a little repetitive on some parts when Jasmine is figuring out who she's playing at the moment.

The part where all the characters come together was just so heartfelt too. It felt like it was kind of deliberately done that way because it's the ending of the trilogy but it didn't felt cheesy or anything. It was just... perfectly done. And I can definitely say the scene in the courtroom is my favorite out of the book.

Acting Brave was full of feels without being angsty. It has the perfect touch of keeping me at the edge of my seat too. Any NA lover should try this book out. It'll be worth your time. Trust me ;)

Purchase:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Acting-Brave-Fenbrook-Academy-Romance-ebook/dp/B00S8I38GY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1421683290&sr=8-3&keywords=Fenbrook+Academy+helena

AUTHOR BIO:

I’m a New Adult Romance author who loves writing about what happens when love and dreams collide with the real world. I wrote my first novel, Dance for Me, in daily chunks in a very busy, very noisy coffee shop, which meant I had to order a black Americano every hour, on the hour, to keep my seat and wound up wired on caffeine most days. I hit the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists in summer 2013. Unlike my characters, I can’t dance.

Author links:

http://helenanewbury.com/

https://twitter.com/HelenaAuthor

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7074112.Helena_Newbury

https://www.facebook.com/HelenaNewburyAuthor

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: New Year in Manhattan by Louise Bay Review

2015-01-26T10:01:00.000-05:00

New Year in Manhattan (The Empire State Trilogy #3)

By Louise Bay

13th January 2015

Self-published

The Empire State Series concludes in New Year in Manhattan.

Anna and Ethan are separated by the Atlantic Ocean. Their previous rules no longer apply.

In order to make things work, Anna needs to let go of her past and take a risk with Ethan. Ethan needs to learn how to deal with the ambiguity of a relationship.

Long-distance relationships are never easy and their relationship is fragile. For how long can it survive under the pressure of separation? Are either of them prepared to give up what they have for the other?

But distance isn’t the only obstacle Anna and Ethan face. Ultimately they have to decide whether they want to share a future together.

Part One - A Week in New York and Part Two - Autumn in London Are out now.

-goodreads.com description

Remember how I said the first book was a meh and the second was good? Well, the third book? It topped the trilogy off!

Anna and Ethan’s relationship is progressing. They’ve been living in the here and now and now that they’re looking into the future, they don’t know what to do. And it’s fun and interesting to read on how they’re going through this obstacle in their life. Seriously, I love New Year in Manhattan! The conversations and banter between Anna and Ethan became cuter and funnier.

I guess, the only thing I’m disappointed about in New Year in Manhattan is that there’s no appearance from Jessica and Izzy. I was looking forward to more of their scenes but I guess in NYiM is solely focused on building Anna and Ethan’s relationship.

NYiM was the perfect ending to Anna and Ethan’s story. One that I could look back and fangirl over them.

About the Author

I write sexy, romantic, contemporary novels - the kind I like to read!

Ruined by romantic mini-series of the seventies and eighties, I love all things romantic. There's not enough of it in real life so I'll settle for books and films.

I love the rain, the West Wing, London, days when you don't have to wear make-up, being alone, being with friends, elephants and champagne.

Tour Schedule

Blog Tour Excerpt + Giveaway: Perfect Escape by Gillian Felix

2015-01-23T08:30:00.000-05:00

Perfect Escape (Family Portrait #4)
By Gillian Felix
Plain Talk Book Marketing, 166 pages
12th December 2014

In this coming-of-age story, teen singing sensation Leighann DaCosta tries to find out who she is without her music career. A career that has been part of her life since before the age of ten. When Leighann’s estranged father enters her life, she is caught up in a tug-of-war between both parents. Does she trust the man who abandoned her as a baby, or a mother who is losing her mind?

When heartthrob Zax Banovic is assigned to tutor Leighann, he provides her with the perfect escape from the madness in her life. Enter Kristin Newman, Zax’s super-hot, sickeningly perfect, tennis-pro girlfriend, who dampens any chance Leighann has with him.

After the unthinkable happens, Leighann’s world is shattered, causing her to shut everyone out. Unable to cope, Leighann accepts help from her frenemy, but will the help she accept come with a hefty price?

- goodreads.com description

EXCERPT

Seventeen-year-old Zax Banovic was tall, gorgeous and smelled like citrus with a hint of musk. His sandy blond hair, mesmerizing blue eyes, and kissable lips complemented his athletic body perfectly. Leighann DaCosta, like many other girls at Westwood Academy, got an eyeful when he ran out of the boys’ locker room in his underwear chasing some girl down the halls of Westwood Academy. Leighann blushed when she saw his ripped abs, tight ass and generous package filling out his heather gray CK briefs. Since then, he frequented her dreams a million times, but instead of chasing after another girl, he ran to her, pinned her up against the lockers and ravaged her.

In reality, Zax represented the other half of Westwood Academy's super couple…

Kristin (The Bod) Newman was the lust object of every boy at Westwood Academy. She was the school's tennis champ and well on her way to going pro. Girls hated her, not because of her killer legs or the way she rocked her tennis outfits, but because she was dating Zax Banovic. They were the Brad Pit and Jennifer Aniston (pre-Angelina) of Westwood Academy. Together they were known as ZaxTin. Together, Zax and Kristin were sickeningly perfect. They walked the halls of Westwood Academy cooing at each other, totally wrapped up in their own universe.

Zax was the first boy who had taken Leighann out on a date. She was so giddy with excitement that she didn't realize that he'd only ask her out to make Kristin jealous. Their second date (pre-Kristin) was cleverly orchestrated by Zax's bratty sister, Adriana, who used Leighann's crush on him as a bargaining chip.

Leighann opened her locker and glanced at the locker next to hers. The locker, which now stood vacant, once belonged to Adriana Banovic. Despite her prickly personality, Leighann missed her, and the school wasn't the same since she'd gotten expelled, or ‘transferred’ as they were calling it. Adriana was interesting to watch, she had a way of twisting things to make it work in her favor no matter how wrong it was. Leighann admired her confidence and fearlessness as much as she admired her style risks. Adriana wore what she wanted, when she wanted, and however she wanted. Her style was copied by several imitators that had popped up since her expulsion ‘transfer’. The students of Westwood Academy seemed to have a weird love-hate obsession with her. Even though they missed her, no one ever dared come out and admit it.

When the bell to Math class rang, Leighann's stomach churned. She hated math and failed every test that she’d been given. She desperately needed help, but was too ashamed to ask. When Mr. Wells, the Math teacher, returned her test results, once again he asked to see her after class. Leighann was used to their talks, and while Mr. Wells did his best to help her with extra lessons, it took too much of his time. This time he presented her with a possible solution; the Give Back Program. He explained that the graduating seniors of Westwood Academy who excelled in a particular subject would volunteer to tutor juniors who were struggling in their area of expertise. The program had a 100 percent success rate, and he believed that the success was because students learned better from their peers.

"The list of juniors waiting to get in the program is very long, and we have more juniors waiting to get in than seniors willing to tutor."

"What are my chances of getting in?" Leighann asked hopefully.

"You're in," Mr. Wells replied happily. He had already enrolled her, knowing that she wouldn’t object. He suspected that she wanted to do well.

Leighann was thrilled. She thanked him profusely and received instructions to meet her tutor at the east campus library after school.

Leighann waited outside of the library, where the other juniors were gathered. One by one they paired off with their respective tutors and disappeared. She prayed that her tutor would be patient and wouldn't make fun of her because she was a slow learner. Leighann often wondered if she had a learning disability. All her life she’d had to fit her academic schedule around her music career, and this was her first foray into institutionalized education.

At the age of ten, Leighann won her first Grammy, and since then, she’d had a career that most fifteen-year-old girls would kill for. But she wasn’t happy and longed for a life outside of stardom. With the support of her sister/confidante, she resigned from the music business at the height of her career and faced scathing backlash from the press, the record label, disappointed fans and especially her mother/manager.

Leighann’s quest for a normal life began when she moved to California to live with her sister, L’Wren. She enrolled in Westwood Academy of Higher Learning, the Rolls Royce of high schools in California and possibly the country. Her father was an alumni, and recently she’d found out that her mother was as well—even though her mother never graduated. Leighann was determined to graduate and possibly go on to college like L’Wren. The thought of that excited her, but she doubted herself. What if she couldn’t cut it? What if all she could do was sing and play instruments? Could she go back to the industry that she’d shut the door on? The thought of that sent shivers down her spine.

Almost twenty minutes had passed, and all the tutors and tutees were paired up. Leighann began to wonder if she had been stood up by her tutor. What if her tutor had found out that they were assigned to her and opted for someone else? Leighann's heart sank. She wanted to prove to her mother that she was good at something other than singing and performing. Her mother had beaten it into her brain that she would never amount to anything other than a singer, and Leighann began to wonder if she was right. Maybe she should drop out of school and beg the record label for another chance. Her songs were still on the charts, and maybe it wasn't too late. Leighann left the library disappointed.

"LD!" she heard a familiar voice call out, and footsteps running behind her. She froze; only one person on the planet called her LD.

Oh God, please don't let it be … she prayed, then turned around.

"Sorry I'm late. Basketball practice went a little long," Zax apologized.

His eyes … those eyes … mesmerizing, seducing, enticing … pulled her in.

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Bio

Gillian Felix was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad. She grew up watching night time soap operas by Aaron Spelling with her mother. That’s where her obsession with rich, powerful and devious characters were born. After repeatedly seeing Mr. Spelling’s name on the screen night after night, Gillian knew she wanted to be an Aaron Spelling, before she knew that Aaron Spelling was actually a person.

Gillian pursued drama in high school although it was not taught as a “serious subject”. When asked what career she wanted to pursue after graduation, she told her guidance counselor that she wanted to be an actress, and was told that acting is not a “real job”.

When Gillian moved to the US in 1998, she landed an internship with Spotlight On Theater in New York City, where she learned stage managing, casting and the technical aspect of running a production. Later she branched out into film, and fell in love with the behind the scenes action of film and theatre production. She traded acting and her “real job” for a career in film and theater production. Gillian continued writing novels and scripts but kept them to herself.

When not writing, Gillian can be found volunteering at the New Mexico Children’s Grief Center or hiking the many mountains that surround New Mexico. Gillian can easily get lost in a parking lot and considers herself directionally challenged. She is always grateful for the people she hikes with, because without them she’d be left roaming the mountains like a lost mountain goat.

Author Links

Media page: http://familyportrait.plaintalkbm.com/

Author Website: http://www.plaintalkbm.com

Newsletter: https://tinyletter.com/GillianFx

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gillianfx

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7210783.Gillian Felix

What people are saying about the series

“I see a huge following for this new series! I know I'm going to watch for more!” Di Bylo – Amazon Top Reviewer

“Gillian Felix is truly wonderful in the way she writes and captivates her readers. She has a true gift and I guess anyone who reads her books will be waiting for the next book as eagerly as I am." Namrata Ganti - Red Pillows

“There are love, lies, secrets, and desires that rival any soap opera out there.” Karen-Anne Stewart, Author

“This series is like the Sopranos meets Nashville. It was gritty and realistic whilst entertaining and dark.” Rachel P

Promo Blitz + Giveaway: Love & Other Lies by Madeline Ash

2015-01-22T08:30:00.000-05:00

Love & Other Lies

By Madeline Ash

Published by DestinyRomance

Published on : 20th January, 2015

Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Small town vet Abby Benson has fled to the country to put her shameful past behind her. She’s just beginning to find her feet again when handsome stranger, Rue Thorn, arrives in town and begins to stir things up. Rue is gorgeous, kind and thoughtful and the two share an instant attraction. But convinced he’ll despise her if he learns about her history, Abby reluctantly keeps him at arms length.

Determined to win Abby over, Rue tries to reshape himself as the sort of guy he thinks she might be interested in. And for a while it seems his act is working. But when he finds out that Abby has been lying to him, it isn’t long before everything start to unravel …

A moving story of trust, forgiveness and the power of love from the author of Uncovered by Love and The Playboy’s Dark Secret.

- goodreads.com description

Q&A with Madeline Ash

1. How would you describe your latest novel?

Essentially, Love & Other Lies is a redemption story. The heroine Abby has lied pretty badly in the past and feels unworthy of love or companionship. She has pulled herself into a better place, keeping herself in line, and has coping strategies to stop herself from lying again. The hero Rue is a gorgeous ‘nice guy’ type. Initially he seems like her worst match – Abby believes he deserves to love a flawless soul, not a mess like hers. But he is determined to show her that she’s worthy of good love.

2. Share something small about your characters.

Abby loves the colour green. She wears it a lot, from dresses down to underwear. This isn’t supposed to be a subconscious reflection of jealousy or anything like that. It’s just her favourite colour!

As for the hero, Rue, he grew up on a vineyard in the Yarra Valley, Australia. He still owns and runs it, although he meets Abby while on a road trip around the country.

3. Secondary characters – yes or no?

Yes, absolutely. All my novels have strong secondary characters. Not strong in the sense that they’re on page a lot and dominate the story, but I know their personalities as clearly as that of the main characters. I believe secondary characters bring out traits of the hero and heroine that readers wouldn’t otherwise get to see. We all react differently to different people – I find it important to have the leads interact with a range of characters so that we can see their personalities in all lights.

4. Can you provide an excerpt from Love & Other Lies?

Of course! This takes place the day of their first date. Abby has been resisting him, not fully explaining why – she doesn’t want such a good man to know that she’s acted so poorly – but determined not to pull him into her mess. Rue, of course, has other ideas…

Excerpt

Abby ducked out of the examination room mid-afternoon on Friday to stock up on liver treats before her next patient arrived. She pulled the plastic tub from the storage cupboard and dropped it, sending treats all over the tiles.

‘Damn it,’ she muttered, kneeling and starting to scoop up the mess.

She’d been edgy all day, wondering what Rue had planned for that night. He’d kissed her thoroughly in the middle of town, sexy and sure. The onlookers hadn’t thrown him, so Abby was helpless to imagine how confident he would be when they were alone together after dark.

She’d hardly slept. Probably had something to do with wearing his shirt to bed, but she’d been empty with aching and his scent had relieved one of the senses that arousal demanded. But if one sense was all she got, sexual frustration made damn sure she regretted her choice.

It wanted touch, without limitation.

Rue would probably seduce her. At the thought of his palms under her clothes, dragging her against him, she accidentally scattered the liver treats again.

Jasmine spoke from behind her. ‘So, Rue’s here.’ Her subtle Indian accent rolled over his name.

Abby spun around, still kneeling. ‘What?’

The young assistant grinned. ‘You’re doing my job, you know. I’m sure that jar was half full an hour ago.’

‘I need to keep busy. What do you mean Rue’s here?’

‘Out the front. He brought you something.’

‘What?’

‘Coffee.’

She stood, wiping her hands together. ‘He brought me coffee?’

Jasmine nodded. ‘And he looks hot.’

Nerves twisting, Abby followed her out to reception. Rue leaned against the counter, large take-away coffee cup in hand, reading the poster on the wall about dog dental care. Her gut clenched at the sight of him. Workman’s boots, knee-length denim shorts and a loose checked shirt. Calves streaked with dirt, a smear across his sun-tanned forehead. A pencil was tucked behind his ear and a spirit level stuck out of his back pocket. If Adonis laboured for a living, he’d look a hell of a lot like this.

‘Hi,’ she said, finding her voice.

‘Abby.’ He faced her and held out the cup. ‘This is for you.’

‘I, um.’ She took it. Their fingers didn’t touch and still she burned. ‘Thanks.’

‘That’s so nice of you,’ Jasmine said, sitting down at the desk.

‘The opposite,’ he answered, and locked eyes with Abby. ‘I have the selfish expectation that she’ll be staying up late tonight.’

Abby’s breath fled.

Jasmine gave a faint, ‘Oh,’ as Rue turned and left.

Both women gaped after him as he strode across the car park, all self-assurance and wild hair. The coffee cup was hot against Abby’s palm.

‘For pity’s sake, woman,’ Jasmine breathed after a good half-minute. ‘Drink the damned thing.’

AUTHOR BIO

Madeline lives and writes in Melbourne. She is an author with Destiny Romance and Tule Publishing.

Online, she calls madelineash.net home, although she does have capricious blogging tendencies so might not always have fresh tea ready for visitors. That's not to say she doesn't welcome company.

She writes contemporary romance.

Author links:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6856663.Madeline_Ash

https://www.facebook.com/MadelineAshAuthor

https://twitter.com/Madeline_Ash

http://madelineash.net/

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#StealingRose #TeaserTuesday by Monica Murphy

2015-01-21T09:53:00.000-05:00

Stealing Rose

By Monica Murphy

Bantam, 336 pages

Expected publication: 3rd March, 2015

Perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Emma Chase—the second novel in New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy’s sizzling series about three powerhouse sisters and the men who would have their hearts.

People say the youngest child has it easy, but nothing can be further from the truth. Unlike my two sisters, Violet and Lily, I’m never in the limelight. I just work my butt off for Fleur Cosmetics and get little to no thanks for it. I’ve been pushed too far one too many times, and I’m finally brave enough to do something about it.

Maybe my newfound courage has something to do with the amazing pink and white diamond necklace I wear to the party in Cannes. The instant those dazzling heirloom jewels touch my skin, they excite some deep, aching need inside. And when that guy—that totally gorgeous guy—locks eyes with me, I know this nice girl is going to be naughty.

For once it’s my turn. My turn to say no to my father, to outshine my sisters, to walk away from it all—straight into the arms of a mysterious stranger. But what if Caden is much more than I bargained for? Sure, he makes me feel sexy and free in a way I never have before, but there’s something else I can’t quite place—something dangerous. Maybe our “chance” meeting wasn’t so random. Maybe he was looking for me for a reason. Whatever his motive, there’s no going back now.

And maybe I don’t want to.

- goodreads.com description

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

New York Times, USA Today and international bestselling author Monica Murphy is a native Californian who lives in the foothills below Yosemite with her husband and three children. She's a workaholic who loves her job. When she's not busy writing, she also loves to read and travel with her family. She writes new adult and contemporary romance and is published with Bantam and Avon. She also writes romance as USA Today bestselling author Karen Erickson.
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Guest Post: Music for The Loyal Heart by Merry Farmer

2015-01-20T09:32:00.000-05:00

The Loyal Heart is the first book in Merry Farmer's fun, sexy, and very knightly Noble Hearts series. "...This is a really entertaining book with love, lust, action, intrigue, humour, stress, happiness and sadness and is well worth taking the time out of your day to read." - Lindsay and Jane’s Views and Reviews

The Loyal Heart is available exclusively on on Amazon.

Add The Loyal Heart to your Goodreads to-read shelf!

About The Loyal Heart

Lady Aubrey has a problem. Several problems. Her childhood love, Ethan, has returned home from the Crusades, but he’s more interested in winning his land back than wooing her. She has to rescue a pair of nuns who are being held prisoner in Derby Castle’s tower by the sadistic Sheriff Buxton. And to top it all off, she’s developing scandalous feelings for Buxton’s lackey, the dark and devilish Crispin. Faced with all that what’s a girl to do but don her disguise as the Derbywood Bandit and take matters into her own hands? Sir Crispin is at his wit’s end. Not only does he have his hands full keeping Buxton from killing half the shire, now his arch nemesis, the Derbywood Bandit, has joined forces with his old rival, Ethan. And that’s nothing compared to the burning torch he carries for his ex-fiancé, Lady Aubrey. He would do anything to win Aubrey’s love … … until he suspects that there could be a closer connection between Aubrey and the Derbywood Bandit than anyone has guessed. Genre classification: Medieval Historical Romance

The Loyal Heart is available exclusively on on Amazon.

Add The Loyal Heart to your Goodreads to-read shelf!

Music for The Loyal Heart

I’m one of those writers who listens to music while I write. Usually it’s just instrumental music, because if I listen to songs with words, I start to get distracted. But sometimes, a book just has to have a soundtrack. Sometimes the characters just need songs to go along with them, to be their theme song. The Loyal Heart was like that.

Maybe it’s because my inspiration for The Loyal Heart was the movie A Knight’s Tale. Seen it? It’s a medieval story told as if it were in the modern world. That’s what I was going for with The Loyal Heart. And in A Knight’s Tale, music plays a key role, from the opening credits to the very end. So for my writing process, I knew I needed songs that were just as powerful to carry it through.

Of course, that meant I needed a kickass heroine song for my kickass heroine, Lady Aubrey. She’s tough and bold. She’s had to take on a lot of responsibility that women in her social position usually wouldn’t have had to take on with her brother off fighting the Crusades, then coming home injured, and her parents dead. She’s the kind of heroine who takes matters into her own hands, so of course the song that always comes to mind when I think of her is Just A Girl, by No Doubt. I think that Gwen and Aubrey would have a whole lot to sit down and talk about.

So Lady Aubrey’s take-no-prisoners, get-it-done attitude might not be how a lady in the 1190s should be conducting herself, but it sure does grab the attention of the men in her life. Aubrey may be madly in love with her brother’s childhood friend, Ethan, but it’s Sir Crispin who carries a not-so-secret torch for her.

Sir Crispin is your classic dark hero. In fact, he’s so dark that he comes off as the villain sometimes. But underneath his hard, black exterior, he’s actually a passionate man with emotions that run deep. Part of that is because of Crispin’s backstory, which, I’ll tell you now, is very much alive in my mind, but that I don’t ever fully reveal in any of the books in The Noble Hearts series. He’s had a hard life, one that has made him feel things deeply. That’s why the song I associate with him is Josh Groban’s February Song. The lyrics might not match exactly, but the intensity of the emotion and the colors of the song, if you will, are exactly what I picture when I picture Crispin.

But perhaps the most apropos and telling song that I associate with a character in The Loyal Heart and in the series as a whole is the song that reminds me of Jack. Jack Tanner is one of the secondary characters in The Loyal Heart, but (hint, hint) he is the hero of the second book in the series, The Faithful Heart. Jack comes from humble beginnings. He’s perfectly comfortable no

matter where he is, though. And, of course, when he meets Madeline, he falls head over heels at first sight. That’s why his song is absolutely Whistle for the Choir, by The Fratellis. Now, this song isn’t as well known as the others maybe are, but it fits Jack to a T.

I’m a firm believer in music providing the soundtrack for books as well as movies. I’d love to hear what kind of songs other people think of when they read.

About the author

Merry Farmer is an award-winning author of Historical Romance and what she likes to call “Sci-Fi for Women.” She lives in suburban Philadelphia with her two cats and enough story ideas to keep her writing until she’s 132. Her second novel, The Faithful Heart, was a 2102 RONE Award finalist and her unpublished futuristic novel A Man’s World won first place in the Novel: Character category at the 2013 Philadelphia Writer’s Conference. She is out to prove that you can make a living as a self-published author and to help others to do the same. Find Merry Farmer on her website, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon Author Page.

Gooseberry Island by Steven Manchester Exceprt

2015-01-14T09:30:00.000-05:00

Gooseberry Island

By Steven Manchester

6th January, 2015

300 pages, The Story Plant

They met at the worst possible moment...or maybe it was just in time. David McClain was about to go to war and Lindsey Wood was there at his going-away party, capturing his heart when falling for a woman was the last thing on his mind. While David was serving his country, he stayed in close contact with Lindsey. But war changes a person, and when he came home very little had the same meaning that it had before – including the romance that had sustained him. Was love truly unconquerable, or would it prove to be just another battlefield casualty?

Gooseberry Island is the most nuanced, dramatic, and romantic novel yet from a writer whose ability to plumb the depths of human emotion knows few peers.

- goodreads.com description

Gooseberry Island excerpt

David had been home for six weeks when he pulled into the market, preparing to locate everything on his mother’s grocery list. As he approached the store, he spotted a young teenage boy walking out; he was holding a brown bag. An older man approached the boy and reached out his hand. David gasped and his dizzy mind immediately raced back to Afghanistan and the horrific beating of the young Afghani boy:

There was movement three hundred yards out on the street below. Unusual, David thought. It was a teenage boy, maybe fourteen, carrying a burlap bag and hurrying home before dark. Never seen him before, David thought.

In a flash, a man—a Taliban fighter—jumped out of the shadows and grabbed the boy’s arm, pulling him to the street and spilling the contents of his sack. As the teenager yelled for help, another Taliban soldier emerged from the darkness. The boy screamed louder, but not a single soul came to his aid…

It only took a few seconds, but the whole scene played out in sequence in his mind—both men yelling and slapping the boy as he screamed for help; the slaps turning to a vicious beating until finally the boy was dead. He could almost hear Command say “Negative” again after he asked if he could intervene. He felt the anguish in his soul threatening to overwhelm him, but it was quickly replaced by a burning rage.

His eyes filled with tears, David returned to the present and started for the man in a mad rush. He was three steps from the shocked stranger when reality clicked in. It’s the boy’s father, he realized. He’s…he’s okay.

David’s body convulsed. He’d forgotten he was home, and the reality of it slapped him hard in the face.

The man pulled the teenage boy close to him; both of them were frightened by David’s sudden charge toward them.

“Sorry,” David said, though it sounded more like “Sigh.” Trying unsuccessfully to smile at them, he turned on his heels and hurried back to the Mustang.

For the next hour, David sat alone in his car, trying to calm the physical effects of his anxiety. Once he’d reined that in, he spent another two hours beating back the depression that always followed in anxiety’s wake.

His wasn’t sure whether the abyss existed within his heart or mind, but he knew that he was now filled with a great void—nothingness. There was no light there, only darkness. There was no hope, only despair. In time, he’d learned to embrace the silence, as the screams and whimpers of faceless victims became echoes that returned again and again, pushing the line of madness. Yet, the solitude was relentless, enveloping, merciless. It would have been better had I never existed, he thought, fearing another moment more than cashing in and leaving it all behind. No love, he thought, no peace. His memories were slanted in such thick negativity that his entire past would have been better off erased. And no one knows I’m dying inside, he thought, inviting another wave of panic attacks to crash onto the shore of his weary mind.

He closed his eyes tightly and tried to calm the short labored gasps. Just ride the wave, he told himself. Just ride the wave.

But in another room in his mind, he knew that even if he rode that wave—and didn’t crack his skull on all the rocks beneath him—he’d have to take the ride again and again. It didn’t take long before the jagged rocks seemed like the more merciful option.

~~~

Enough time had passed for Lindsey to realize David was not coming after her. He’s obviously in a lot of pain, she thought, and doesn’t want to burden anyone with it. She shook her head. But I care way too much about him to let him go through this alone.

With Craig’s permission, she slammed David’s front door behind her and marched through the living room into the kitchen. “Don’t you dare play the coward with me, David McClain,” she shouted before even reaching the room.

As she expected, David had been staring out the kitchen window into nothingness. With tear-filled eyes, his head snapped up. “Don’t you ever call me that word…ever!”

She stared at him for a few long moments before her heart softened. “Then go ahead, tell me that you don’t want to see me anymore and I’ll leave you alone forever.”

He looked at her with tormented eyes but didn’t say a word.

“But you can’t, can you?” she said, her entire insides starting to tremble.

“It’s not you,” he vowed. “It’s me. I’m just not…”

“Don’t you dare feed me that tired line! I spent a year praying for you…writing letters and wishing for us to…” She stopped, trying in vain to contain her emotions.

His face looked panicked, as his mind obviously spiraled out of control to gather the right words. “I don’t have the words,” he said in less than a whisper.

“After the first time I came here, I thought for sure you’d chase after me,” she said. “I’m not stupid, David. I realize something happened over there that has you all twisted up. But I also thought that once you saw my face, you’d…” She stopped again and began to cry.

David placed his hand on hers. She started to pull away, but he stopped her, intertwining their fingers. “Lindsey, please…please don’t say anything until I finish. Just hear me out. Okay?”

“Okay,” she said, her tears threatening to flood her face.

He took a few deep breaths. “I've given this a lot of thought, and I want you to know that I've never lied to you…and I don't plan to now.” He shook his head. “I’m so messed up right now, Lindsey, I can’t even explain it.” He could barely hold eye contact with her. “I really hope we can be together someday…more than you can ever imagine. But I’m just not ready yet. I…I need to heal,” he stuttered.

She took a deep breath and held it.

“Torn isn't even the word for what I’m feeling over this,” he babbled on. “The last thing I want to do is hurt either of us.”

“I don’t think we have to say goodbye, though,” she said, feeling the panic of desperation creep into her soul. “Don’t you remember the night we shared on that bench?”

His eyes grew even more distant. “I really wish things were different,” he said, “that life didn’t have to be so difficult.” He shrugged. “Time will tell, I guess.”

“You guess?” She returned his shrug to him, perturbed.

“Lindsey, I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that I don't want to destroy any chance we might have at it …just because I might not be ready for it yet.” He grimaced. “I need time to find myself, okay?”

Lindsey, the child of a PTSD victim, shook her head. “You don’t have to find yourself, David. You just have to remember who you are…who you’ve always been.”

He nodded, tears streaming down his face.

Lindsey took a deep breath and surrendered. “David, I’ve told you the way that I feel for you and what I want for us. That’s all I can do. The rest is in your hands.” She peered into his dull eyes. “I can only hope that you’ll think of me every day, as I will you. I hope a lot of things, David.” She paused to collect herself. “Most of all, I hope the day will come when Afghanistan is behind you and we can fall in love all over again and catch up on all the things we’ve missed.” Mimicking him, she shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. I guess time will tell.” She pulled her hand away from his and felt her heart rip clean out of her chest. “Until then, you’ll be in my thoughts,” she whispered.

“I’m so sorry, Lindsey,” he sobbed, his shoulders rocking.

“I love you, David,” she said and, with one final attempt, grabbed his chin and forced eye contact between them. “Now tell me you don’t want to see me and I’ll leave you alone,” she whispered.

As he looked at her, Lindsey could clearly see the anguish in his eyes.

“You can’t, can you?” she said, hopefully.

His tears continued to leak down his cheeks. “I don’t want to see you…for now,” he said, and turned his eyes away from hers.

It felt as though someone had just slugged her in the gut. “Okay,” she gasped and ran out of the house crying harder than she’d ever cried before.

Long after Lindsey had run out of the kitchen, David remained catatonic—until he grabbed a drinking glass off the counter and threw it onto the floor where it broke into a hundred pieces. Enraged, he began smashing everything he could get his hands on in the kitchen. At the end of the violent outburst, he collapsed to the floor and began to weep. With his head in both hands, he screamed, “I love you, too, Lindsey.”

Day turned into dusk and, like most nights, just beyond the sobs and sniffles the world turned quiet and black.

~~~

After four or five weeks of self-imposed solitary confinement—a punishment filled with death-defying panic attacks and long, treacherous tunnels of depression—David decided to reach out to the men he had served with. They’re the only ones who can relate, he thought. And I wonder how they’re doing…really doing?

Legacy by Ellery A. Kane Review

2014-12-24T07:19:00.000-05:00

Legacy

By Ellery A. Kane

5th September, 2014

254 pages, Balboa Press

Source: Received by author in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

How do you want to feel today?

In 2041, the choice is yours.

San Francisco is deserted, the Bay Bridge bombed, and the BART subway trains grounded. The Guardians, members of an elite and mysterious government-appointed military police force, are maintaining order at all costs—thanks to emotion-altering drugs like Emovere that suppress fear and anxiety. Lex Knightley, daughter of a prominent forensic psychiatrist, risks entering the devastated city to partner with the Resistance, a group of rebels intent upon exposing the dangers of Emovere. Lex discovers an ally in Quin McAllister, a magnetic Guardian Force recruit with a haunting past that binds them together. As she uncovers the secrets of the Guardian Force and confronts the truth about her family, Lex begins to realize that even those closest to her are not quite who they seem.

- Goodreads.com description

Legacy is a good read but not a great read. It definitely isn't a boring read either. I love the concept of Emovere. If Emovere really do exist, I would've wanted it too just to feel less or even feel more. The story line however... it didn't feel original.

Okay, first, I'll give points for the writing. It didn't felt like a newbie author or even indie. It definitely felt like a traditionally published author. But it is not enough. I felt like there are still a lot of editing to do. Kane needs to play more with the emotions in it. I felt like the emotions written are too fast or too slow and it felt brusque. Like, first the character was crying and then suddenly she was angry. There needs to be a smooth transition between the written feelings.

And speaking of editing... the characters need a little bit more polishing too. Kane needs to determine what kind of character she wants Quinn to be. I don't mind the hot and cold thing but it just isn't working here. She needs to decide whether she wants Quinn to be boyish or cold-as-stone character. Even is she wants Quinn to be both, it can happen. But there needs to be a smooth transition between his characteristics or else Quinn just looks like someone who is bipolar.

Also, another thing I felt that was unnecessary was the chapters. There was only a few pages between chapters and some of them aren't even necessary.

So, overall? An okay read. It was good that I didn't even consider DNF-ing it. But the book still needs a lot of polishing to do.