Jake

17 Friday May 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

Tags

Jake is the latest novel in R. C. Ryan’s “Wyoming Sky” series and is the story of the youngest Conway brother. Veterinarian Jake Conway, one of the most sought after bachelors in his area, sees no reason to settle down …. Until he meets the sexy woman next door. Meg Stanford has returned to Wyoming after the death of her estranged father. She expected to have to deal with the details concerning the disposal of his ranch. What she did not expect to find was a ten year old half-brother. When a couple of late night break-ins send her to stay with her neighbors, Meg and Jake find their attraction hard to fight. But as the danger heightens, will they be able to keep everyone safe?

I haven’t read any of the previous stories in the series, but I really enjoyed this one. It has enough suspense to keep things interesting and the mystery is very sound. For those who like a light intrigue with their romance, this is a perfect choice. Based on the clues about the previous stories, this seems to be par for the course with this series.

I do feel that some of the dialogue is a little awkward but it only happens a couple of times and is easily overlooked. The characters are full of rich, country charm and heart. They make up a wonderful, strong family that looks out for each other and those around them. They are exactly what you would expect from a ranching group that has to rely on themselves and others in times of hardship. They are a lovely family and one that I’d be happy to be a part of.

My only other issue was with the ending. I kinda saw how it was being set up but I don’t know that I felt that it was fleshed out completely. It seemed like the choice Meg made to see if DC was the right choice was logical so the resulting fall-out was a little unexpected. I think her thought process was right on and she made the best decisions with the options given to her. I’m not sure why it caused such a fight with Jake, especially given some of their earlier conversations, but maybe it was his cowboy pride coming to play. But the rest of the story was well-handled, the pacing was just right, and the development of their relationship very smooth.

Those who enjoy Linda Lael Miller’s country romances, with a little mystery thrown in, will enjoy Jake and might even want to check out Quinn and Josh – my guess is they are more of the same and I liked the characters as they were portrayed in this story.

Hold Me Down Hard

14 Tuesday May 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Cathryn Fox, Hold Me Down Hard

Hold Me Down Hard is a sexy, short read guaranteed to heat up your day. Eden Carver wants her sexy neighbor, and best friend, Jay Bennett, but he’s got her firmly placed in the friend category. As a NYC cop, Jay sees a lot of bad things on the job and wants nothing more than to protect Eden. Which definitely means that he can’t seduce the sweet Iowa farm girl, no matter how badly he wants to. But when Eden’s friends talk her into seducing the sexy cop, all bets are off.

I really enjoyed this short story. It’s only about 50 pages, but it packs a lot of spice into those pages. Being so short we don’t get a lot of background, but Fox does a great job of packing as much as she can into the pages she has. We learn that Eden isn’t as innocent as everyone thinks she is but the one time she let her kinky side out it ended badly. Afraid that it will ruin everything if she lets Jay know how she really feels, she’s held back. Jay also has rougher needs that he’s afraid will scare Eden. Plus he is very dedicated to his job with the Gang Unit and thinks the danger may be more than Eden can handle. But once they start communicating everything comes together.

The book doesn’t really explore their more kinky wants, they are mentioned but not actually acted upon. At its heart, the story is more about getting past assumptions than it is about their darker side, which made the book that much more enjoyable to me. Those assumptions could be about anything and makes the two so much more relatable.

If you are looking for a steamy read that you can fit into a hectic schedule, this bite-size treat is for you. The characters are interesting and their issues are real, all of it contained in a tiny package.

Hold Me Down Hard Blog Tour

13 Monday May 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Cathryn Fox, Hold Me Down Hard

The blog tour for Cathryn Fox’s Hold Me Down Hard starts today. Be sure to come back tomorrow (5/14) for my review and visit all the sites below for other goodies.

Blog Tour Schedule

May 13th, 2013
Literary, Etc
http://www.literaryetc.com

May 13th, 2013
Ex Libris
www.stella-exlibris.com

May 13th, 2013
Delighted Reader
http://delightedreader.com

May 14th, 2013
Brynna Curry’s In Shadows
http://brynnacurryguests.blogspot.com

May 14th, 2013
The Smutty Kitty
www.thesmuttykitty.com

May 14th, 2013
Romantic Reads and Such
http://www.romanticreadsandsuch.wordpress.com

May 15th, 2013
Butterfly-o-Meter Books
http://butterflyometerbooks.blogspot.com/

May 16th, 2013
The Other Side of the Page
http://theothersideofthepage.wordpress.com/

May 17th, 2013
Coffee & A Book Anytime
http://coffeeandabookanytime.wordpress.com/

May 17th, 2013
Mama’s Reading Break
http://mamasreadingbreak.blogspot.com/

May 20th, 2013
As the Pages Turn
http://www.asthepagesturn.com

May 20th, 2013
Momma Romance
http://www.mommaromance.blogspot.com

May 21st, 2013
A Book Lovers Review
www.abook-loversreview.com

May 22nd, 2013
Michelle & Leslie’s Book Picks
http://booksandmakeup.blogspot.com

May 23rd, 2013
Storm Goddess Book Reviews & Morehttp://
www.stormgoddessbookreviews.blogstpot.com

May 24th, 2013
Melinda Dozier
http://melindadozier.blogspot.com

May 24th, 2013
Cocktails and Books
http://www.cocktailsandbooks.com

Synopsis: When Eden Carver, Iowa farm girl turned NY actress, decides to seduce the sexy cop next door, she begins to wonder if she’s bitten off more than she can chew.

The last thing Officer Jay Bennett wants is to cross a line with the sweet and innocent country girl—no matter how much he’d like to help himself to a nibble. Not only are they in the friendship zone, a naïve girl like Eden doesn’t belong in his dangerous world.

But when she asks him to help her rehearse lines, and things go from simmer to boil, he finds himself doing the one thing he swore he’d never do.He knows he needs to walk away from temptation, but when sweet little Eden bites back, it tilts his world on its axis.

Because biting back changes everything.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hold-Me-Down-Hard-ebook/dp/B00CGFEJ1I/

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hold-me-down-hard-cathryn-fox/1115161572?ean=9781622661398

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17834360-hold-me-down-hard?ac=1

About Cathryn Fox: Cathryn is a wife, mom, sister, daughter, and friend. She loves dogs, sunny weather, anything chocolate (she never says no to a brownie) pizza and red wine. She has two teenagers who keep her busy with their never ending activities, and a husband who is convinced he can turn her into a mixed martial arts fan. Cathryn can never find balance in her life, is always trying to find time to go to the gym, can never keep up with emails, Facebook or Twitter and tries to write page-turning books that her readers will love. Cathryn also writes Young Adult novels under Cat Kalen and co-writes paranormal romance as Taylor Keating.

Website: www.cathrynfox.com

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Cathryn-Fox/173023889466179?ref=hl

Act Like You Love Me Cover Reveal

10 Friday May 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Act Like You Love Me, Cindi Madsen

Check out this new book coming soon!

All’s fair in acting and amore…

Brynn McAdams isn’t the awkward drama geek she was in high school—she’s grown up and confident, or at least she likes to think so. But when her old crush, the impossibly handsome and impossibly unattainable Sawyer Raines, comes back to town to direct her community play, Brynn finds herself determined to be someone other than the girl he doesn’t even recognize. Good thing she’s an excellent actress.

After his bad breakup in NYC, the last thing Sawyer wants is to get involved with another actress. But the glamorous and beautiful Brynn draws him in, even though as her director, he knows she’s off-limits. There’s just something about the woman that feels…familiar. Like home.

As Brynn’s lies start to snowball, she struggles to stop acting and come clean. But what if Sawyer is already falling for the fake Brynn, not the Brynn she truly is?

ACT LIKE YOU LOVE ME excerpt:

“Cut, cut cut!” Sawyer stood. “Was that supposed to be more passionate? Because it sucked.”

“This is supposed to be the eighteen hundreds,” Brynn said. “It can’t be too passionate or it would seem inappropriate for the time.”

The next instant Sawyer was charging up the steps to the stage. “I’m not saying it’s got to be a kiss with tongue, I’m saying you’ve got to look at each other like you’re in love so the audience will want it to work out. Our modern audience.” Sawyer shook his head. “Take it again, from before the proposal.”

It was impossible to concentrate with Sawyer standing right there, so close she could hear every shift of his body and feel his gaze on her like a weight. All her lines were swimming together.

Leo knelt, told her she was an angel. She said her line, trying to peer into his soul like she wanted to be with him, and then Leo kissed her. And it was sloppier than usual.

She did her best to not jerk back, though it was her first instinct.

“Okay, that was just…” Sawyer moved in front of her. He looked at the playbook, then lowered it by his side and stared into her eyes. The air thickened around them and she could feel every thump of her heart. “What a perfect angel you are, Cecily.” He said it so tenderly, his smile close-lipped but full of joy.

“You dear romantic boy,” she said, all out of instinct because thoughts were getting fuzzy.

He leaned in and kissed her, a soft kiss with his lips barely parted. The pressure of his lips increased for a delicious moment, and then they were gone. A quick, simple kiss, but when his mouth left hers, she felt its absence so strongly that she couldn’t think about anything else for a couple seconds. Her breath was stuck somewhere in her lungs and her lips still tingled, living the sensation over and over again. Heat wound through her body, her hands itched to reach out and touch him. And then she remembered she was supposed to. She ran her fingers through his hair and felt the whisper of his breath on her wrist as he exhaled.

“Wow, that was good,” Wendy said from the front, breaking Brynn from her trance.

Brynn stepped back and swallowed, but her throat wasn’t working right. Sawyer’s eyes never left hers, and one corner of his mouth curved up in a smug, self-satisfied way.

“It was all right, I suppose,” Brynn said, working to keep her voice steady. She crossed her arms and shrugged. “For a first-timer, anyway.”

That only made Sawyer’s smile grow wider.

Brynn couldn’t help but watch Sawyer as he jumped off the stage. Funny how she’d dreamed of kissing him all the time in high school, but her fantasy wasn’t even close to the real thing. Her heart felt like it’d just been wrung out and shoved back in her

And her scene with Leo was better. She was sure it had nothing to do with the fact that she closed her eyes and pretended it was Sawyer kissing her again.

Nope. Nothing at all.

ACT LIKE YOU LOVE ME pre-buy links:

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17884619-act-like-you-love-me

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Act-Like-Love-Accidentally-ebook/dp/B00CNTSV7K/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1115250847

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cindi Madsen sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children. She is the author of YA novels All the Broken Pieces and Demons of the Sun, bestselling short romance Falling for Her Fiancé and the women’s fiction novel Cinderella Screwed Me Over.

FALLING FOR HER FIANCE Links:

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17209607-falling-for-her- fiance

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Falling-For-Her-Fiance/book-
dUf017DfWkmD_D7bJA3_8g/page1.html

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/falling-for-her-fiance/id603611409

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Falling-For-Her-Fiance-ebook/dp/
B00BFQ7C0E/

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/falling-for-her-fiance-cindi-madsen/1114137785

(My review of Falling For Her Fiance an be found here)

Additional links to Cindi’s pages:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CindiMadsen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cindi.madsen

Website: http://cindimadsen.com/

Carry Your Heart

09 Thursday May 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Audrey Bell, Book Review, Carry Your Heart

Warning: There is a good chance this book will make you cry at some point. It starts with an avalanche that kills two young men and leaves a young woman broken in body & heart. It’s now been a year and Pippa has moved home with her dad to recover and grieve … and avoid her once promising skiing career. But her old coach won’t let her quit and pushes her to come back. Once on her skis again, she finds a part of herself that had been missing, plus friends that she’d lost touch with and a snowboarder who reminds her that she still has a heart to lose. But Hunter has some issues of his own – issues that might destroy their relationship before it really begins.

I read Carry Your Heart in one day because I just could not put it down. The beginning just broke my heart. I couldn’t shake the fear and desperation that they must have felt during the avalanche and my chest hurt thinking of what that would have been like. You know it’s going to be a good story when it sucks you in and makes you feel like the people are that real.

Pippa’s issues are there for everyone to see. The competitive skiing world is close knit and they all know what happened, they knew all three of them, and it hurt them too. It’s hard for Pippa to have to face them again – the pity, the judgment, the questions – but she quickly realizes that there is nowhere else she can be. She still has to figure out how to move on and get over the loss of her friends but skiing is a part of her too.

Hunter is more private and very few people know enough about him to truly get him. I’m not sure why he chooses Pippa to be the person he opens up to but he needed that very badly. Although not as obviously traumatic, his troubles are just as difficult to manage and move beyond. Hunter hasn’t learn to deal with a lot of his baggage and finds it easier to run away. It’s not the healthiest of reactions and definitely causes him problems.

Some may feel that their relationship is not a good one – he’s got commitment issues and she’s coming out of a depression – but it worked for me. They are there for each other, supporting one another, and helping to move forward. Yes, they have their moments of stupidity, stubbornness and pride, but that just makes them more real. People are idiots and you either forgive or move on – I’m very happy that they choose to forgive. There are unanswered questions that suggest the opportunity for a follow up book … which I’m ok with only as long as these two stay together. I really want them to find something good together.

Carry Your Heart falls into that New Adult category of romances – those books about people in their early 20s, with all the joy and heartache that comes with moving into adulthood. It made me cry and laugh and sigh. It made me fall in love with Hunter and miss knowing those boys from the avalanche. It was real and difficult and frustrating and happy. I will say that I got an advance copy directly from Audrey Bell and I’m not sure if it was the final edition. There were some editing issues in my copy that I know would annoy some people but if you look through that you will find a story about loving and living that will touch your heart.

Tempting Cameron

07 Tuesday May 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Karen Erickson, Lone Pine Lake novel, Tempting Cameron

In Tempting Cameron, Cameron McKenzie is back in Lone Pine Lake for his sister’s wedding but it’s only the reception and he is already feeling claustrophobic. He can’t wait to get out of town again …. that is until he sees his sister’s best friend, Chloe Dawson, again. But relationships never work for Cam and he definitely doesn’t want to hurt someone like Chloe. Chloe has had a crush on Cam since her preteen years and she’s well aware of his love ‘em and leave ‘em lifestyle. But when an accident throws them together, Chloe takes advantage of the situation to spend more time with Cam. Will he break her heart or will she show him that he can stick for the right woman?

Readers of Erickson’s books will have already met both Cam and Chloe in Jane’s Gift and will love the chance to learn more about the broody McKenzie brother. Sometimes you want a perfect hero – one who is hot, charming, sweet, understanding, smart, did I mention hot? – you know, George Clooney as he is in your dreams. But sometimes you want a moody, emotional, sexy, difficult, realistic hero. One that makes mistakes but when he gives his heart it is for good. Cameron is definitely this second type. He has issues (and I’m not sure that I completely understood them or where they came from) but it makes him deliciously flawed. He’s not perfect and I love that. Chloe is exactly what you would expect a small town second grade teacher to be – she’s sweet, innocent, caring, and girl next door pretty. Being different from other women he’s known, she quickly gets Cam’s attention and before long his heart. Chloe has idealized him since the beginning of her crush, but he’s flawed and she learns to deal with, and love, the man he really is. Thanks to imperfect Cam, their’s is not an easy road but it is one that they are willing to travel. It’s a very realistic path and one that is as human as the characters it portrays. Readers are also treated to a little glimpse of Jane & Chris’s new life (from Jane’s Gift) and some groundwork for future stories involving the rest of the McKenzie siblings (which I’m SO looking forward to – I think Mac is going to be fantastically fun when he finally falls in love).

Tempting Cameron is the perfect read for those looking for a moody, difficult, flawed but loving hero and the wonderful woman who understands him.

Over the Edge Blog Tour

05 Sunday May 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Over the Edge, Suzanne Carroll

The Over the Edge Blog Tour started yesterday – check out TWCS for details concerning the tour here and you can also preorder a copy, due out next week, here. A summary of the book can be found below but be sure to come back on May 20th for my review and a guest post from author Suzanne Carroll on her favorite romances and the influence they had on her writing.

In six weeks Zoe Harper will marry Dan Costi in an over-the-top Sydney society wedding, complete with fire-eaters and belly dancers. But when she receives an unexpected gift from her future mother-in-law, Zoe realizes she’s making a huge mistake. In a blazing sidewalk argument, she breaks up with her fiancé, and his mother—who has joined the fight via conference call.

Following the advice of friends and co-workers, along with some inspiration from late-night-television self-help guru Dr. Pam, Zoe sets out to find the life she thinks she should be living. Always a planner, she makes a list of goals: travel, career, tattoos, and no romantic entanglements. It’s all carefully laid out, until she meets Angus Creed.

Angus is supposed to lead the opening waltz at a charity ball in New York City. Only problem is the handsome billionaire construction magnate with the tabloid past can’t dance. Not one step.

Tainted by gossip and with a well-publicized failed engagement behind him, Angus has become a master at keeping an emotional distance. Until he meets Zoe.

What starts as dancing lessons, slowly becomes something more. Angus begins to let down his guard and open his heart, even when his past makes an unexpected and unwelcome return. As Zoe discovers the real man behind the headlines, she questions where her new choices are taking her. Her goals look good on paper, but are they what she really wants? And by the time she realizes where her heart lies, will it be too late?

Author Bio: Suzanne lives in Sydney with her husband and children. By day she works in an office where she sneakily scribbles plot ideas on yellow sticky notes and hopes they don’t accidentally end up on the departmental monthly report. One such sticky note has turned into her first novel, Over the Edge.

Sand Castle Bay

05 Sunday May 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Ocean Breeze Novel, Sand Castle Bay, Sherryl Woods

I love how Sherryl Woods’s books are about family as much as they are about romance. They are always filled with lively characters, heartfelt issues, and just that right amount of humor. In Sand Castle Bay, she introduces readers to the Castle family –Emily, Gabriella and Samantha, plus their grandmother Cora Jane. Each of the sisters will get her own story and this first one belongs to Emily. She left town ten years ago to make a name for herself, leaving behind the man who held her heart, which he promptly breaks by marrying someone else. But now he’s a widower and a single father. When the two realize that their feelings are just as strong as ever, can they find a way to make a relationship work?

Full of a sweet Southern charm that just draws readers in, Woods’s books are populated with interesting people, and realistic issues, in a compelling style that keeps you coming back for more. The conflict between Emily and Boone is complicated in so many ways – first they have to get past their hurt and pride, then once they agree to try again they have to figure out how to balance their separate lives while having to deal with the fallout from his mother-in-law’s grief.

I also enjoyed getting to know the supporting cast – Emily’s sisters who will have books of their own soon and the men that will impact their lives, as well as the assorted friends who make an appearance. Woods does a fantastic job of giving everyone just enough page time to get your invested in them, leaving you with a hint of what future books will hold. It’s a well-rounded group and one that I look forward to knowing better.

My only problem was that I’m not sure that all of Emily and Boone’s issues are completely resolved. I think that there was maybe one more conversation that needed to be held to get everything wrapped up. But hopefully that will be addressed in the coming books.

Sand Castle Bay is the perfect kick-off to what looks to be a wonderful new series. If you are looking for books full of the sincerity, warmth, and allure of the Carolinas, start right here.

Cowboy Take Me Away

02 Thursday May 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

A Rainbow Valley Novel, Book Review, Cowboy Take Me Away, Jane Graves

Years ago, Luke Dawson left Rainbow Valley, Texas with a broken heart and a chip on his shoulder the size of his home state. The son of the town drunk and self-made bad boy, not many people missed him when he left . . . except Shannon. Now, back for his dad’s funeral, Luke is forced to stay for a few weeks due to an accident. A professional bull rider on his way to the World Championships, he needs a place to stay and a way to make a little cash. Shannon is now the director of the animal shelter where they both worked as kids, and the only person willing to give Luke a job. But can they get beyond that night all those years ago and what happened to cause him to leave town so suddenly?

I adore Jane Graves’s books, she has that perfect blend of humor and angst. Luke is so delightfully messed-up. He’s carried a burden for a very long time and it is wonderful to see him be able to share it, finally letting go of all the pain and hurt. After years of being chased by his demons, he’s finally forced to confront them and it proves to be the most difficult thing he has ever faced. Shannon comes from a prominent family but was never really understood by anyone, except Luke. Both outsiders for different reasons, they formed a special bond as kids. It takes a little forgiveness and a lot of communication but they eventually get that back and it is so sweet to see.

Cowboy Take Me Away is the first of Graves’s “Rainbow Valley” series and I am anxiously waiting for the next one. There are some supporting characters I am looking forward to getting to know better, including Shannon’s former boyfriend Russell. He’s got a good heart but he’s a little misguided so I’m ready for a woman to set him straight. If you are looking for a book full of Texas charm and addictive people, this is a can’t miss treat.