Category: 4-Stars

Posted on

Book Review: Bare (The Vault Series Raw #2) by C.A. Harms

Bare Raw 2 eBook

BARE

The Vault Series – Raw #2

by CA Harms

AMAZON US | AMAZON UK | AMAZON AU | AMAZON CA

BRYNN
He was my weakness.
The one desire I fought the hardest, but craved the most.
There was an unexplainable pull whenever I was near him.
I was addicted to him. I was crazed by his touch. I longed for his kiss.
Until he broke me…
He was cold and callus.
What we shared was nothing but meaningless acts.
A facade. I was a ploy in his game of control.
I had no choice but to move forward.
I had to forget the impact he had on me.
More importantly, I had to forget him.
Only that was easier said than done…
Each night when I closed my eyes,
I’d hear the kind words he’d whisper, I’d feel his gentle caress as he held me close.
But the dreams always ended the same.
I would see him walking away, without looking back.
ALEC
She tested my limits from the start. 
The more I fought the attraction, the more intense it became.
She defied every rule I set for myself and challenged my need for control.
She made me want the things I had denied myself for too long,
so I did the worst possible thing.
 
I broke her heart. 
What should have been my way out only left me feeling bare.
My desire to have her magnified.
It was time to pick up the shattered pieces of my life and face the harsh reality of my choices.
But my biggest fear of all was that with Brynn, it was now too late to go back…
 
ADD TO GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/2owsGTK

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

He’s a menace…. Just last weak he told Brianna that her hair looked like milk chocolate, and the Friday before that he told Draya that her eyes looked like emeralds and he wanted to get lost in their beauty… He’s an eleven-year-old boy that thinks he’s a man. All Casanova-like, spilling his cheesy lines to one girl after the next.

 

Yep, they also have the perfect heel, so the next time you see that creep you can stomp on his toes hard, and twist. Make him squeal like the dirty little pig he is.

 

I can’t get them out of my head… They’re always there in the front of my mind playing over and over… Like a repeating scene in a damn movie that you can’t pause and never ends.

 

Holy Christmas… Santa exploded with greatness in here.

  

My Review:

 

Although both installments featured active storylines and were super steamy and packed with angsty drama; with a longer and more romantic storyline spiked with cleverly amusing humor, more relaxed characters, and a sharp uptick of sweet and steamy wooing, I enjoyed Book #2 Bare considerably more than I had Book #1 Raw. I remain a bit conflicted with the main character of Alec, he was a total ass in the first book and although still an ass, he gradually improved throughout this book, until he really screwed the pooch, again… But I admired how he sincerely tried to win over the lovely Brynn by remembering things she liked (like kissing her forehead), and being so sweetly attentive and trying so hard to please her before he was apparently re-struck with the stupid stick.

Bare is the sequel to Raw! 
ADD TO GOODREADS: http://bit.ly/2Cm06NW
Bare Teaser 1

 .

EXCERPT

I redirect my gaze to my brother only this time I push back. “You wanna hit me, hit me.” I lean in closer to him, ensuring he reads the determination in my eyes. “If you want to yell and fucking scream then do it, but know one thing, you will be moving out of my way so that I can get to her. Because not you or anyone else for that matter is gonna to keep me from her.”

“Noone but Mandy that is,” he adds just before releasing his hold on me.

“I told you it wasn’t like that.”

“You were with her all day,” he adds. “Yet you never felt the need to tell anyone about the plans I’m sure you’ve had for days to meet her. If that’s not guilt for doing something you knew you shouldn’t then I don’t know what is.”

We stand there, head to head in the small space near the entry door to the room. Aric glaring at me as if at any moment he would attack, and at that point I wasn’t so sure I would stop him. I felt defeated because he was right, I fucked up.

“Alec,” the sound of Brynn’s voice causes both of us to move toward her, as I quickly survey the damage. No longer did her stomach show the evidence of our child and the reality of what had taken place while I was unreachable hit me.

Bare2
Bare3
Young couple having sex. Woman and man in bed.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
C.A. Harms is like any other addicted reader. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories. She hasn’t always been a lover of Romance and had once been addicted to a good Mystery. Just recently she has taken on a new liking and now is a full-blown Romance novel addict.
She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. You will always find her with her kindle or paperback in hand as it is her favorite pass time.
HOSTED BY
HEA PR LOGO BANNER
Posted on

Book Review: Fighting Irish (The Summerhaven Trio #1) by Katy Regnery

 

Fighting Irish

The Summerhaven Trio #1

by Katy Regnery

 

 

FIGHTING IRISH, The Summerhaven Trio #1

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Blueberry Lane series comes a new trio of romances featuring the Haven triplets!

Rory Haven and Brittany Manion knew one another as children…
…but it’s been a long time since their childhood summers at Summerhaven.

The Havens weren’t the children who attended exclusive Summerhaven Camp in Center Sandwich, New Hampshire. They were the children of the owners, expected to “pull their weight” and absolutely forbidden to fraternize with the paying guests. But that didn’t keep Rory from having a quiet, unrequited crush on gorgeous, popular, insanely-rich, Brittany Manion for three tortuous summers.

When all-grown-up, recently-engaged Brittany books the off-season summer camp for her upcoming spring wedding, she immediately recognizes Rory as the scorching-hot boy who wouldn’t give her the time of day. Meanwhile, Rory, who senses that Brittany’s nuptials are less about Mr. Right and more about Mr. Right Now, launches the fight of his life to win the heart of the girl he’s always wanted.

.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’m not a fighter by nature. Never was, never will be. That’s probably why I never fell in love. Love is the biggest battle there is.

 

Rory, you’re a dumbass if you think all fights require fists and fury. Some fights are quiet, but the battle’s still being waged.

 

 My Review:

 

Oh, what fun! Katy Regnery has started a new series of stand-alone books featuring triplets of Irish descent, and what a diverse set of triplets they are, although close and patiently supportive of each other. I enjoyed this light and sweet story of secret childhood crushes reconnecting ten years later as adults. The premise was interesting, the characters were appealing and likable, and the writing was easy to follow and observant and insightful with a minimum of angst and conflict, and sprinkled with playful banter and a bit of steam. It was a delightful way to spend a rainy afternoon.

 

 

~THE SUMMERHAVEN TRIO~

Book #1: Fighting Irish (Rory and Brittany)
Book #2: Smiling Irish (Tierney and Burr)
Book #3: Loving Irish (Ian and Hallie)

 

 

SERIES INFORMATION: 

Three siblings.
Three seasons.
Three stories.

Calling all devotees of the hit TV show, “This is Us” . . . New York Times bestselling author Katy Regnery has a trio of siblings she’s dying for you to meet!

Irish-American triplets, Tierney, Rory and Ian Haven (trí ciarde, in their mother’s native Gaelic) grow up as “children of the help” at Summerhaven, an ultra-exclusive camp for rich, city kids in New Hampshire.

Years later, distinct personalities, an unusual upbringing and complicated family dynamics will challenge their hopes for lasting true love.

FIGHTING IRISH
Coming Feb 2018
Add to you Goodreads TBR List

SMILING IRISH
Coming April 2018
Add to you Goodreads TBR List

LOVING IRISH
Coming June 2018
Add to you Goodreads TBR List

~Add the Haven triplets to YOUR Goodreads TBR list today: http://bit.ly/2CQLSWi

~Don’t miss a thing! Subscribe to Katy’s newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cIYnZn

*Hot contemporary romance intended for readers 18+.

About the Author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katy Regnery started her writing career by enrolling in a short story class in January 2012. One year later, she signed her first contract and Katy’s first novel was published in September 2013.

Twenty-five books later, Katy claims authorship of the multi-titled, New York Times and USA Today Blueberry Lane Series, which follows the English, Winslow, Rousseau, Story, and Ambler families of Philadelphia; the six-book, bestselling ~a modern fairytale~ series; and several other standalone novels and novellas.

Katy’s first modern fairytale romance, The Vixen and the Vet, was nominated for a RITA® in 2015 and won the 2015 Kindle Book Award for romance. Katy’s boxed set, The English Brothers Boxed Set, Books #1–4, hit the USA Today bestseller list in 2015, and her Christmas story, Marrying Mr. English, appeared on the list a week later. In May 2016, Katy’s Blueberry Lane collection, The Winslow Brothers Boxed Set, Books #1-4, became a New York Times E-book bestseller.

In 2016, Katy signed a print-only agreement with Spencerhill Press. As a result, her Blueberry Lane paperback books will now be distributed to brick and mortar bookstores all over the United States.

Katy lives in the relative wilds of northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, where her writing room looks out at the woods, and her husband, two young children, two dogs, and one Blue Tonkinese kitten create just enough cheerful chaos to remind her that the very best love stories begin at home.

Author Links:

Posted on

Book Review: Trusting The Vine (Romancing the Vine #3) by Gemma Brocato

 

Trusting The Vine

Romancing the Vine #3

by Gemma Brocato

Goodreads

Amazon

 

 

Brynn Dormir spends her day tidying up after guests at her wine country bed and breakfast inn, a job she prefers over cleaning up her mother and sister’s messy affairs. Unlike her family, business-minded Brynn never believed in love, a notion solidified after her ex tries to kill her. She understands the formula to make homemade scouring products much better than any recipe for romantic happiness.

Looking for a fresh start, psychologist Josh Hart has ended a disastrous partnership and relocates to Hopland to cover his mentor’s practice. Checking into the Carlysle, he can’t fight his attraction to the B and B’s lovely owner. Although she’s not a patient, he longs to get her on his couch for entirely different reasons.

But Josh’s crazy former partner wants him back at work and in her bed . . . and Brynn’s criminal ex wants to finish the job.

Josh and Brynn will have to learn to trust each other in order for love to conquer all.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

She’d never married, but had indulged in a string of disastrous affairs over the last ten years. As a psychic, she should have known things wouldn’t work out with the man she was with at the time.

My Review:

While it was an entertaining, quick and easy to follow read, I struggled some with this book as the broody rigid personality traits of Brynn are not among my favorites, needless to say, she wouldn’t be on my invite list of gal pals for Wino Wednesdays as she was a bit tiresome, although the poor thing had cause to be cautious. Luckily her flaky family and vivacious friends helped to restore some balance to her world. I adored Josh and marveled at his patience. The premise was interesting and the storyline held a bit of intrigue and peril from a pair of unstable exes, as well as the slow burn romance while the ever kind and indefatigable Josh endeavored to win Brynn’s trust before the steamy bits fogged up my tablet.

 

About Gemma Brocato 

 

Gemma’s favorite desk accessories for many years were a circular wooden token, better known as a ’round tuit,’ and a fortune from a fortune cookie proclaiming her a lover of words; someday she’d write a book. All it took was a transfer to the United Kingdom, the lovely English springtime, and a huge dose of homesickness to write her first novel. Once it was completed and sent off with a kiss even the rejections, addressed to ‘Dear Author’, were gratifying.


After returning to America, she spent a number of years as a copywriter, dedicating her skills to making insurance and the agents who sell them sound sexy. Eventually, her full-time job as a writer interfered with her desire to be a writer full-time and she left the world of financial products behind to pursue an avocation as a romance author.
Her gamble paid off when she was a 2012 Finalist in the prestigious Golden Pen contest for Romantic Suspense and she received contracts for her first and second book.

Weaving Adventure and Romance Together

 Facebook  | Web  |  Goodreads  |  Blog  | Twitter 

Posted on

Book Review, Giveaway: Mr. Blakely by K. Webster

 

 

 

 

Mr. Blakely

by K. Webster

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

 Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Kobo | Apple | Barnes & Noble

The Dirty Bits from Carina Press give you what you want when you want it. Designed to be read in an hour or two, these sex-filled microromances are guaranteed to pack a punch and deliver a happily-ever-after.

It started as a job.

It turned into so much more.

Mr. Blakely is strict with his sons, but he’s soft and gentle with me.

The powerful businessman is something else entirely when we’re together.

Boss, teacher, lover…husband.

My hopes and dreams for the future have changed. I want—no, I need—him by my side.

This book is approximately 33,000 words

Editor’s note: All characters in this story are over eighteen and all sexual interactions are fully consensual.

One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!

The Dirty Bits from Carina Press: what you want, when you want it. Over-the-top sexy microromances designed to be read in an hour or two.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

Love is an animal you must capture and keep. Name it and own it. Allow yourself these things…

 

My Review:

 

Sizzle and snap, I wasn’t paying attention and had no idea what I was in for when I started this saucy little story, oh, my! Mr. Blakely was a freshly betrayed and divorced father of teenaged twin boys and in dire need of domestic help. His sons were not adapting as well as he had hoped and were in need of tutoring as well as attention and supervision after school and in the evenings while he was working late at his business or wooing clients. He was given Ava’s name and number and told she was a smart and helpful tutor, and the lovely young woman named Ava was hired to do just that the same day. A lovely young woman that stirred something deep and impossible as she was sweet and kind and an innocent eighteen-year-old high school senior and he was… significantly older than that, like twenty-five years older than that.

Given the common porno premise, I was bracing myself for cheesy or creepy, thankfully, it wasn’t. Other than a few cringe-worthy scenes this was actually a sweet and thoughtful romance with lots of naughty bits and a little bit of high school drama. There was an interesting and engaging plot with supportive relationships established among all the characters after a bit of a rocky start. Ava took good care of his sons and succeeded where Mr. Blakely could not as they improved in school as well as in their family interactions.   She studied French and was working toward saving for a trip to France, he softly spoke French endearments to her, bought her gifts including a car to ferry his sons home from school, and other trinkets, as she was always on his mind, as he was on hers. Mr. Blakely took special care of Ava, much better than her own family had, and after hours he tutored her in all manner of adult culinary games like hiding the sausage, find the pearl, and tickle the pickle. And it worked out very well for them, very well indeed.

About K. Webster

K Webster is the author of dozens of romance books in many different genres including contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, and erotic romance. When not spending time with her husband of twelve years and two adorable children, she’s active on social media connecting with her readers.

Her other passions besides writing include reading and graphic design. K can always be found in front of her computer chasing her next idea and taking action. She looks forward to the day when she will see one of her titles on the big screen.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads |

 Newsletter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted on

Book Review, Giveaway: Solace (The Hunter Series #2) by S.E. Cooper

 
Title: Solace
Series: The Hunter Series #2
Author: S.E. Cooper 
Genre: Contemporary Romance Suspense
Release Date: February 16, 2018 

.
“I didn’t choose to love you,” I whispered. “But now that I do, no storm is strong enough to keep me away from you.”
.
Nyah Hunter has always believed in love at first sight. When she first sets eyes on James Parker, ‘Big’ to his friends, Nyah realizes he’s the man she’s been waiting for all her life. The only problem is, Big doesn’t want to know. He has his reasons for keeping the beautiful blonde at bay, but Nyah won’t give up without a fight. How can he make her see that the safest place for her is as far away from him as possible?
For Big, loving Nyah means risking more than just his heart. It means confronting a past too painful to process and recalling haunting memories too bittersweet to share.
Intent on protecting those he loves, Big sets out to defeat his demons, once and for all; a battle that’s likely to see him perish in the process. Only, he hasn’t counted on the unusual collection of individuals willing to work together for the greater good.
With fresh hope in his heart and an unlikely army by his side, Big dares to dream that this time, he might get to live free.
However, has he underestimated just how far his enemy will go to destroy him?

 


 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

My hair hurt; I had no idea your hair could hurt, but apparently after a night on tequila and Jäeger it really could.

 

I decided that I could live my life on an almost romance. After all, a fantasy couldn’t hurt your feelings, and an illusion wouldn’t break your heart. If I had to make that moment last for a lifetime, I would.

 

The closest I’d ever got to sneaking around in bushes was when Dad had me track Mrs. Hozier’s stalker, and that was not a situation I cared to remember.

 

“Eh, hello,” Demo called, “Bad guy about to perform something nasty. The least you could do was give me your attention.”

 

 My Review:

 

Reading this story was like working out at the gym, it required effort with some of the movements being rather difficult and less than enjoyable, but it was a worthwhile and beneficial endeavor and I’m usually smiling with a sense of accomplishment by the time I finish. I recall having similar difficulties with the first book in this series as this cagey author seems to enjoy tossing the reader into the middle of the story and then slowly filling in the gaps with her steamy intrigue. Despite my petty frustrations and vexations with her pacing, Ms. Cooper has churned out yet another action-packed, cringe-worthy, and intriguing tale with lots of sexy yet filthy talking alpha males who cannot speak without expletives, sizzling sensual scenes, heartbreaking and tragic backstories, gruesome sadistic sociopaths, and lots of peril with several plot twists thrown in to keep us on our toes.

. 

 

I was being cruel. I knew it. I was losing my mind being so close to her, and I couldn’t bring myself to stop.

 


 

Her response was to tilt her head and moan lightly against my ear. 

 

“Look, Nyah,” I whispered, drawing closer to her hardened peak. “I’m barely touching you and yet, you’re about to come.” 

 

Her response was to push me harshly against the brick wall. I waited for her to raise her hand and slap me, instead her body hit mine with such force she winded me. Kicking my legs apart, she moved between them.
Then she kissed me.
She. Kissed. Me.
Her hot mouth plundered mine, and she took until I was the one who was breathless. Moving her hands roughly over my chest, she pulled at my shirt until it came loose, and she could feel bare skin beneath her fingertips.
This was not the way I thought this would go. The woman was out of control. I was loving every damned second of it. I wrapped my arms around her back and hauled her too me. We kissed to the point it became painful, but neither of us came up for air. I decided that if I was going to die here and now, in this courtyard, it would be worth it just to have witnessed this beautiful woman become wild in my arms.
I smiled against her mouth when her hand moved lower, and she crudely groped at my dick through the denim. I ground my hips against her hand, loving the feel of her fingers on me, my body instantly responding to her frantic touch. When she mewled her approval into my mouth, I was done for. I grabbed hold of her waist with the intention of turning us, until I was the one leading this fervent encounter we found ourselves in. She chose that moment to break the kiss and step back out of my reach.
A few feet away, she stood breathless and turned on to all hell. Her hair was in disarray, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were burning into mine in a way I had yet to experience. I decided she had never looked more beautiful. She was like a fallen angel halfway to hell.
Me, I was confused as fuck, but in the best conceivable way.
She smirked at me and I narrowed my eyes.
“You know, Parker?” She smirked. “I’m barely touching you, and yet, you’re about to come.”
I swallowed hard, her intentions now clear.
“Well played, darlin’.” I grimaced, “Well played.”
She should leave now.
While we both wanted more.
I was left to contemplate the fact I’d just been owned by an angel, but she was no stronger than I was. Her body was humming in anticipation, the rise and fall of her chest making her breasts move in the most delightful of ways. Her eyes were pulling with desire, growing heavier by the second, as she fought for control of her senses.
I could barely hold my ground.
But I had to, for both our sakes.

 

. 
. 
. 

S E Cooper lives in Scotland with her husband, their two boys, two crazy cats and a bonkers bunny. She has always loved to read and write stories but it wasn’t until she discovered the wonderful world of self-publishing and became inspired by some of her favorite Indie Authors that she decided to take the plunge herself. Her hobbies include spending time with family and friends, photography, reading and daydreaming.

 

 

HOSTED BY:

Posted on

Book Review: Steal Away Home by Billy Coffey

 

Steal Away Home

by Billy Coffey




Paperback: 400 pages

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (January 2, 2018)

“This is a powerful story of grief, love, forgiveness, and holy mystery, and I loved it. Billy Coffey is a master storyteller.” —Lauren Denton, USA Today bestselling author of The Hideaway

Owen Cross grew up with two loves: one a game, the other a girl. One of his loves ruined him. Now he’s counting on the other to save him.

Owen Cross’s father is a hard man, proud in his brokenness, who wants nothing more than for Owen to succeed where he failed. With his innate talents and his father’s firm hand guiding him, Owen goes to college with dreams of the major leagues—and an emptiness full of a girl named Micky Dullahan.

Owen loved Micky from the first time they met on the hill between their two worlds: his middle-class home and her troubled Shantytown. Years later he leaves her for the dugouts and the autographs, but their days together follow him. When he finally returns home, he discovers that even peace comes at a cost. And that the hardest things to say are to the ones we love the most.

From bestselling author Billy Coffey comes a haunting story of small-town love, blinding ambition, and the risk of giving it all for one last chance.

“In one evening, a single baseball game, Coffey invites us into a lifetime. With lyrical prose and aching description we join Owen Cross on a journey of love, loss, faith, the unexpected—and America’s favorite pastime.” —Katherine Reay, author of Dear Mr. Knightley and The Austen Escape

 .

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

The house looked wrong somehow, on some deeper level. Like sadness had distorted it as despair can a person. It spoke of a life beyond mere want, worse than disease. Shantytown was like a bruise on an apple that reached all the way to the core.

 

She offered a smile that reminded me of a bright ribbon tied to a broken gift.

 

The value in spending most of your Sunday morning having to sit still and listen to the most boring person you have ever known go on about your own badness was always lost to me.

 

A siren called in the distance. Horns blaring. It sounded as though every law enforcement officer in four counties was on its way, even though it was but one old Crown Vic traveling a little over two blocks from the sheriff’s office. Clancy stopped the car at an angle to the sidewalk. He parted the crowd like Moses, calling each man and woman he passed by name.

 

So much of my childhood was spent in such dreaming. The past was unchangeable, better forgotten, the present often boring toil. Yet my tomorrows shone like lights on some far hill, offering me guidance and direction.

 

You never know what to do when a parent dies. Doesn’t matter how old you are, you feel four years old again and lost inside some huge department store where bright lights shine in your eyes and everywhere are strangers that look like they’re one bad choice away from grabbing you.

 

My Review:

 

This was a challenging read for me for many reasons, and I adored and begrudged it in equal measure. I remain conflicted even now while writing this review and am struggling in how to rate and classify this genre-straddling story as there were interesting and original elements of so many to chose from; Sports, Coming of Age, Small-Town, Southern, Christian, Fantasy, Paranormal, YA, Romance, and Contemporary and Literary Fiction.

The wisdom, dialogue, and inner musings were often comprised of the peculiar and compromised grammar of the Appalachians and required additional thought to fully absorb, however it was more than worth the effort. Having been reared also in the South but further west by overly rigid and strict Bible banging hypocrites who forced me through the church doors every time they opened, I generally eschew Christian religious themes as narrow-mindedness greatly annoys me, and this proved to be more than a bit of a problem for me as I read.   However, the unusual twists to this story kept me reading despite my bias as the petty and small-minded tendencies were well affirmed and part of the tale.

There was a highly skilled, well-crafted, and pervasive heaviness or emotive heft to Owen’s narrative that continually squeezed my heart as if his recounting of events was actually a heartfelt confessional of his regrets, anguish, and childhood discomfitures. Mr. Coffey’s unique and cunning writing style was new to me and while I found some of his story threads tediously repetitive, I also found myself frequently struck by hot licks of brilliance, thoughtful and deeply moving insights, and a poignancy that stung my eyes and constricted my throat.   There were five pages of favorite passages and saved quotes on my Kindle once I finished. All in all, it was oddly, unevenly, and annoyingly luminous. 

 

About Billy Coffey

Billy Coffey’s critically acclaimed books combine rural Southern charm with a vision far beyond the ordinary. He is a regular contributor to several publications, where he writes about faith and life. Billy lives with his wife and two children in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.

.

Connect with Billy

Posted on

Book Review, Giveaway: Follow Me Back by A.L. Jackson

Follow Me Back 

The next seductive, unforgettable stand-alone romance in the FIGHT FOR ME series from NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author A.L. Jackson . . .

 

“This is why I read romance.” –Lauren Rowe, USA Today and Internationally bestselling author
 .
 .
My loves – I am so beyond thrilled to finally get to share Kale and Hope’s story with you in FOLLOW ME BACK! Writing this book was a labor of love, and after everything, I think it might be my favorite book I’ve ever written. It’s super sexy and swoony, sad and sweet, and just filled my heart up so full there is no chance I will ever forget the way these characters made me feel. I hope you fall in love with them the same way I did! 
Enjoy!
xoxo – Amy 
 .

Blurb:

 .
The next seductive, unforgettable stand-alone romance in the FIGHT FOR ME series from NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author A.L. Jackson . . .
Kale Bryant. Arrogant. Gorgeous. Commanding.
This ER doctor is married to his job. His only vice is one-night stands and short-lived flings. He learned a long time ago loving someone isn’t worth the risk.
Harley Hope Masterson. Beautiful. Brave. Sweet.
The owner of a small coffee shop knows what it’s like to struggle. Embroiled in a bitter divorce, she’s threatened with losing everything.
When Kale accepts a new position down the street from Hope’s shop, he begins to question every wall he’s built around his heart.
He wants her in a way he hasn’t wanted anyone.
One touch is fire.
One kiss, and he’s spinning out of control.
But taking her won’t come without consequences.
Hope is in for the fight of her life. One neither of them saw coming.
Now Kale must decide if loving her is worth risking it all.
She will fight with everything she has.
But sometimes even hope needs a hero . . .
 .

  

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

So what if Pinterest had become my lover, keeping me company in the lonely nights.

 

The kid was a force field of joy.

 

Someone please tell me this is where we get to call the wanker names and talk about how horrible he is in bed and how his breath always stinks.

 

Of course, I’m responsible. I’m head matchmaker. I just walk through a crowd and all those love-connecting darts start flying out of me, striking whoever I walk by.

 

You set me on a path that I don’t want to stop walking. I will follow you anywhere.

 

My Review:

 

Sizzling sensuality, cute scene-stealing children, heart squeezing medical issues and an overriding tone of heavily emotive and angsty writing define this story. The premise and storylines were interesting and relevant and the characters were endearing and likable, but I struggled more than bit some while reading this book as there was far more repetitive angsty melodrama than I was comfortable with, but that is just my personal bias. I enjoyed Hope and Kale’s sweet and steamy romance until he apparently caught jaundice as he turned yellow with cowardice and abandoned her, not once but twice, especially during a harrowing period when she needed emotional support the most, which was deeply disappointing.

As always, Ms. Jackson’s writing was highly emotive, poignant, and pulls at the heartstrings while her more irreverent characters and the precocious children provided comic relief and amusing banter to help balance the tone. And I am happy to report that I learned a new pop culture reference that required the services of Mr. Google – “brown chicken brown cow.” It is always a good day when I can boast of acquisition of new knowledge. 

Kindle Fire HD 8 + Show Me the Way & Hunt Me Down Signed Copies + $25 Amazon GC Giveaway 

 .

About the Author

 

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.

Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, and BLEEDING STARS novels. Watch for A.L. Jackson’s upcoming novel, FOLLOW ME BACK, the second stand-alone novel in her brand-new FIGHT FOR ME SERIES.

If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.

Be sure not to miss new releases and sales from A.L. Jackson – Sign up to receive her newsletter http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJackson or text “aljackson” to 33222 to receive short but sweet updates on all the important news.

Connect with A.L.

Facebook: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonPage
Reader Group: http://smarturl.it/AmysAngelsRock
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonAmzn
Bookbub: http://smarturl.it/ALJacksonBookbub
Twitter: @aljacksonauthor
Instagram: @aljacksonauthor
Snapchat: @aljacksonauthor
Posted on

Book Review: The Wild Woman’s Guide to Traveling the World by Kristin Rockaway

The Wild Woman’s Guide to Traveling the World

by Kristin Rockaway

Purchase Links

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Center Street

 

Fans of Sophie Kinsella and The Devil Wears Prada will love this smart, sexy debut novel of wanderlust.

Objectively, Sophie is a success: she’s got a coveted job at a top consulting firm, a Manhattan apartment, and a passport full of stamps. It isn’t quite what she dreamed of when she was a teenager dog-earing pages in exotic travel guides, but it’s secure. Then her best friend bails just hours after they arrive in Hong Kong for a girls’ trip, and Sophie falls for Carson, a free-spirited, globetrotting American artist. He begs her to join him on his haphazard journey, but she chooses responsibility and her five-year plan.

Back in New York, that plan feels less and less appealing. As Sophie recalls the dreams she’s suppressed, the brief international jaunts she sneaks in between business trips no longer feel like enough. Carson isn’t ready to let her go either, but as they try to figure out their relationship, Sophie realizes she may have to pursue her passions with or without him.

Praise

“With its spirited yet credible plot and vividly intricate characters, this debut novel shines.” — Library Journal (starred review)

“…a fun, sexy debut perfect for readers who love exotic settings and a great love story. For those wishing to indulge their wanderlust, or who have dreams too big for tidy little boxes, this is an incredibly satisfying read.” — Karma Brown, bestselling author of Come Away With Me

“…brilliantly navigates one woman’s quest to let go of what is practical to pursue her passion and surrender to her inner dreamer.” — Kerry Lonsdale, bestselling author of Everything We Keep

“Can a novel be smart and loads of fun? Kristin Rockaway’s debut is proof that it’s possible. Warm, witty, and completely delightful, this book had my inner escapist itching to hop on the next flight out of town.” — Camille Pagán, bestselling author of Life and Other Near-Death Experiences

“Kristin Rockaway is a wise and fresh new voice in women’s fiction and this book was a delight from start to finish.”  — Anita Hughes, author of Christmas in Paris

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Elena rarely left the tri-state area; her idea of an exotic getaway involved tanning on the Jersey Shore.

 

But with my focus on the future, I rarely immersed myself in the right now. My life was reduced to a series of check marks, ticking off each goal I achieved without taking the time to revel in my accomplishments. As soon as I hit one target, I was already reaching for the next one and contemplating the one after that. I rushed full speed ahead, my sights pointed sharply forward, never stopping to take a look at what was around me.

 

I can sketch in Hong Kong, in Australia, in New York. I can find an adventure wherever I am. The only constant I need in my life is you. So wherever you go, I’ll follow.

 

My Review:

 

Sophie loved to travel and plan travel and dream up detailed imaginary itineraries, although she had unfortunately chosen the wrong travel partner in Elena who decided on their first night there that she just wasn’t feeling the Hong Kong vacation that Sophie had planned and paid for and after a tense dinner of informing Sophie of all her unlovable and miserable flaws, Elena flew back home the very next day.   Wow, this was the opening scene of the story and although I flinched a few times, I was hooked. Poor Sophie, I felt for her and was exasperated by her and also wanted to kick her more than a few times as I saw far too much of my twenty and thirty-something self in this character; it was rather eerie and more than a bit painful. I truly adored the character of Carson who proved that opposites not only attract, they can bewitch and fascinate. Carson was an artistic dreamer going through a nomad stage while Sophie was a highly structured and over anxious planner.

I was stunned to realize this insightful and well-written book was the author’s first; every single character was colorfully described with vivid environmental details and interesting facts also tucked into the narrative. The premise was unique and entertaining while the writing was cleverly observant, wryly amusing, and delightfully steamy. Ms. Rockaway has a bright future ahead of her.

 

About Kristin Rockaway

Kristin Rockaway is a native New Yorker with an insatiable case of wanderlust. After working in the IT industry for far too many years, she finally traded the city for the surf and chased her dreams out to Southern California, where she spends her days happily writing stories instead of software. Her debut novel, The Wild Woman’s Guide to Traveling the World, was released from Hachette Book Group in June 2017. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her husband and son, browsing the aisles of her neighborhood bookstores, and planning her next big vacation.

Find out more about Kristin at her website, and connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

Posted on

Book Review: One More Promise (Band on the Run #2) by Samantha Chase

One More Promise

by Samantha Chase

 

Goodreads

Amazon

B&N

 

Dylan Anders is making amends
…to his family
…to the public
…to the woman who just walked into his life

Paige Walters must learn to forgive
…her busy father
…her bossy sister
…and the wonderful man she horribly misjudged

Ambitious Paige Walters is ecstatic when she’s hired to recruit musicians for a literacy campaign—it’s her chance to prove she’s got the chops to make it in the family business. When Dylan steps in, she immediately dislikes him and vows not to let the fallen idol screw it up. But as the work brings Paige and Dylan closer together, their attraction grows…and so do their challenges…

Shaughnessy Brothers: Band on the Run series
One More Kiss (Book 1)
One More Promise (Book 2)
One More Moment (Book 3)

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Leave it to his parents to think all he needed to get started on this new life was a new suitcase.

 

Ariel didn’t smile. She rarely did. She thought it caused wrinkles.

 

She wasn’t even his usual type, but it turned out his usual type wasn’t particularly good for him.

 

A man knew when to pay attention, and Dylan learned early on that food was to Paige what flowers were to some women.

 

My Review:

 

This was a relatively light and easy to follow story with a slowly developing romance between Dylan, a newly rehabbed and tattooed bad boy rock-star with his reputation in tatters; and Paige, the mousy, uptight, and generally overlooked yet anxious to please PR executive who was assigned to be his handler. Paige worked in her father’s firm and her family was rather vile, yet they provided most of the comic relief.

If you have ever read a romance novel at any time in your life then, of course, you already know the outcome, yet the story was entertaining with a few delightfully naughty bits, and the characters were sweet and endearingly flawed.  Although, I was slow to fully warm up to Paige as she was initially rudely judgmental and inflexible.  I did not expect the former hard-partying man-ho rock-star to be the most level-headed, considerate, and thoughtful character in the book, but I adored the sweet and sexy Dylan.

Most girls/women have had a rock-star or famous actor fantasy or two – um thousand, yes, I will fess up… I’ll own it and wave my hands in the air like I do not care. While I don’t read rocker romances often, there are times I need something lighter in tone to break up the tedium or alleviate the residual heaviness from over-servings of angst or brain scrambling thrillers, and this sexy bad boy with a bad rep for fast living and hard partying came at a good time. And well, it’s from Samantha Chase, nuff said.

About the Author

Website

Twitter

Goodreads 

Amazon

New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan’s Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40’s to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.


When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

Posted on

Book Review: A Different Game (A Wrong Game Novel) by Charlie M. Matthews

Book: A Different Game (A Wrong Game Novel)
Author: Charlie M. Matthews
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 30th January

#ADifferentGameTour


Add to your reading list now: Goodreads
Buy The Book


Blurb

You know that saying: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

I found out that it was true. At least, that’s what I’d thought a year earlier when a few stolen moments with this one, unexpected girl, turned my heart to mush.

I thought she was different.

I thought she was special.

But it turned out I was wrong.

I was the kind of guy who learned from his mistakes quickly, so I moved away, threw myself into my budding football career, and I was determined to make something of myself and focus on my future.

And it worked, despite me missing her.

For a short while, I had everything figured out again.

Then, in one split second, it was all gone, ripped out from beneath my feet.

An injury forced me back home to Winslow to face the world I’d left behind.

But I wasn’t the same man when I returned.

I was different now. Too different for everything to go back the way it was before.

-Jake

 

I wasn’t the relationship type. I was the girl who mothers warned their sons about. I was the local piece of trash.

At least, that’s what they all thought.

None of them ever really knew me at all. None of them except him.

And then he left me… alone and confused. He forced me to hate him, to hate them all. I wanted to drift away. Leave Winslow far behind me and start afresh someplace else. Someplace new. Somewhere I could become anything and anyone I wanted to be.

But then he came back, dragging with him every moment, every explicit memory I had of us together and dumping them unceremoniously at my feet.

I wanted to keep hating him.

I wanted to resist.

But he was different now.

So cold, so angry, and sexy as all hell.

He’d changed, and all my plans for a happy ever after were shattered the moment he made the decision to return and show me exactly what I’d been missing while he’d been gone. I was screwed.

-Melanie

 .

My Rating:

 

My Review:

The story for A Different Game continued from the first in the series, The Wrong Game, but could easily stand-alone.  The premise was interesting and the storylines featured a mercurial and atomically sensual relationship between two unlikely former college lovers with an unfortunate history, as well as uniquely dysfunctional family dynamics in both households.  The family drama had understandably resulted in significant and long-term damage to all parties.  While it was well-written, I struggled with this book as I am just not a fan of constant conflict and this story was a full-on angst-fest.  I was further hampered by my difficulty in scraping up an appreciation for many of the characters as they were not easily likable and more than a bit obnoxious and prone to immature and selfish behavioral patterns.  Yet Ms. Matthew’s unique brand of storytelling and compelling narrative held my attention and I couldn’t seem to put my Kindle down, despite my desire to growl and sigh despondently at the characters’ toxic and melodramatic train wreck displays.  Craftily written from a dual POV, I found considerably more enjoyment and appeal in the characters’ inner musings than in their interpersonal interactions.  Melanie was my least favorite of the cast with her past behaviors, which were briefly recapped from the previous book, being highly promiscuous as well as maliciously vile and toxic; and although she believed herself to have “changed” after college graduation, those behaviors were not all behind her as she could still switch on the vicious and cruel harpy and spitefully lash out at will.  Yikes.  While this one may not have been tailored to my personal preference, if you feast on angst, emotional conflicts, and relationship dramas, then this is the book for you.

About the Author

Charlie M. Matthews is a hopeless romantic, lost in her own world of fairy tales and adventures. A lover of art and painting, she’d happily trade in her everyday clothes in exchange for a paint smudged shirt. In the confines of her attic room, she is able to create a world that is unlike no other. Mixing fantasy and fiction to generate a piece of work that she could so easily lose herself in. With her wild imagination and passion for reading, Charlie stumbled upon a new love.

Writing…

What started as a distraction from the crazy little thing that is ‘life’, it soon became all too real. She no longer dreamt about the day her words would be published for all to see because that day had finally come true. It 2015 she released her first novel and hasn’t looked back since.

Charlie is a mum of three beautiful children, living in a small village on the outskirts of Oxfordshire, England. Born and raised in the busy town of Reading, she switched the bright lights and traffic jams for a quiet life in the sticks a little over eight years ago.

Between school runs and generally just doing the whole ‘mum’ thing, you’ll most likely find her slobbing out on the sofa, shouting at the tv screen while her favourite football team (Arsenal) are tearing up the field. And yes, no doubt there will be beer involved, or if she’s feeling extra girlie, maybe even a glass of vino.

Connect with Charlie on social media
Twitter: @C_MMatthews
Buy The Book




Other books in the series

The Wrong Game

Buy The Wrong Game