Monthly Archives: June 2013

Playing the Part

10 Monday Jun 2013

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9781622667833_p0_v3_s260x420Playing the Part is hot … and I mean HOT, so if you don’t like a LOT of sizzle in your romance then this isn’t the book for you.  But for those that do just sit back, grab a glass of wine and prepare to be charmed.

After the public end to her high profile Hollywood romance, Piper James will do almost anything to keep her publishing deal … even agree to help action star, and well-known playboy, Mick Blackwell act like he’s in love.  Being the lead in the film adaption of Piper’s romance novel is Mick’s chance to do a more serious movie, if only he can figure out how to be convincing.  He wants this role bad enough that he is willing to take advice from Piper, but one look at the gorgeous author has Mick thinking he can teach her a thing or two about love.  Caught in Mick’s seductive draw, Piper agrees to a no strings affair, but on her terms – no publicity, no sleeping over, and it ends when she goes home.  But Mick keeps changing their agreement … and Piper isn’t sure she has the willpower to stop him.

I loved these two.  Piper is very understandably gun-shy with publicity after the destructive end of her previous relationship.  She was hung out to dry in the press and it damaged not only her reputation, but also her self-confidence when her fiancé was caught, by her, sleeping with her former best friend.  Now, feeling sexy again thanks to Mick, she’s willing to have a little fun as long as it stays just between them.  Good luck with that!  Mick is a hot commodity in Hollywood – he’s gorgeous, sexy and just the right touch of bad boy to make everyone, including Piper, drool.  He plays by his own rules but he’s that delicious, seductive combination of confident rebel with just a touch of uncertain little boy.

Now, I’m sure you can imagine just what issues pop up for these two – the press, rumors, their feelings, uncertainty over a future – but Covington does a fantastic job of giving readers a well-developed, fast-moving, enthralling story regardless of the predictability.  With  bold and irresistible characters, a steamy and heartfelt storyline, and vivid writing, Playing the Part is a guaranteed pleasure to heat up a sultry summer night.

Act Like You Love Me Blog Tour

09 Sunday Jun 2013

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Another wonderful blog tour starts tomorrow, featuring Cindi Madsen’s newest Act Like You Love Me.  (And be sure to come back on the 19th for my review.)

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?

*****

As a bonus, Cindi is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card, a cute fish figurine, 2 e-copies of Falling for her Fiance, 2 e-copies of All the Broken Pieces and 1 e-copy of Act Like You Love Me.  The fish figurine and gift card giveaway is US only but e-book giveaways are international.  You can enter here

*****

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

June 10th, 2013 (Monday)

Bibliophilia, Please

http://bibliophiliaplease.blogspot.com/

June 10th, 2013 (Monday)

Mama’s Reading Break

http://mamasreadingbreak.blogspot.com/

June 10th, 2013 (Monday)

My Book Addiction

http://mybookaddictionreviews.com

June 11th, 2013 (Tuesday)

The Book Cellar

www.thebookcellarx.com

June 11th, 2013 (Tuesday)

Millie Romano

http://millieromano.blogspot.com.au/

June 12th, 2013 (Wednesday)

Kindle and Me

http://www.kindleandme.com

June 12th, 2013 (Wednesday)

Brynna Curry’s In Shadows

http://brynnacurryguests.blogspot.com

June 13th, 2013 (Thursday)

Cocktails and Books

http://www.cocktailsandbooks.com

June 13th, 2013 (Thursday)

The Autumn Review

http://www.autumnreview.com

June 14th, 2013 (Friday)

Coffee, Books and Me

http://www.coffeebooksandme.blogspot.com

June 17th, 2013 (Monday)

Fade Into Fantasy

http://fadeintofantasy.com

June 18th, 2013 (Tuesday)

Always YA at Heart

http://www.alwaysyaatheart.com

June 19th, 2013 (Wednesday)

Book Sniffers Anonymous

http://www.booksniffersanonymous.com/

June 19th, 2013 (Wednesday)

Romantic Reads and Such

https://romanticreadsandsuch.wordpress.com

June 20th, 2013 (Thursday)

Manga Maniac Cafe

http://www.mangamaniaccafe.com

June 21st, 2013 (Friday)

Book Loving Mom

http://www.booklovingme.com

*****

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 novelsAll 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.

ACT LIKE YOU LOVE ME  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

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

Additional links to Cindi’s pages:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CindiMadsen

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

Website: http://cindimadsen.com/

Loveswept Presents: Flirting with the Author – Chat Live with Ruthie Knox

08 Saturday Jun 2013

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Ruthie Invitation Banner

***
 
Wednesday, June 12  |  7PM EST, 4PM PST
Video & IM based chat |  Powered by Shindig
Come celebrate the release of the steamy new Camelot romance FLIRTING WITH DISASTER  live with USA Today bestselling author Ruthie Knox! Join our Shindig chatroom at 6:45 PM to mix and mingle, chat with other fans and members of the Loveswept team, and listen to Ruthie’s special playlist inspired by FLIRTING WITH DISASTER.
At 7PM Ruthie will take the stage and discuss her books, read a sneak peek, and answer your questions.
Find out what’s coming next from Ruthie!
All attendees are eligible to win exclusive swag! 
See you there! RSVP for the chat at this link: http://bit.ly/14eGx0Z or at Loveswept’s spanking new Facebook page: http://facebook.com/readloveswept

Head Over Heels

07 Friday Jun 2013

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cover29028-mediumIn this update to a previously published story, Magee and Justin find out that “one tiny lie can cause a whole lot of trouble”.  Magee has made some serious screw-ups at her family’s advertising firm that are threatening the business.  She’s so desperate to bring in new business that she tells the CEO of a bike store that she’s a serious mountain biker … when her bike’s barely been out of the garage.  In order to expand his chain of bike stores, Justin needs to secure a lucrative distribution deal with a manufacturer.  He’s frantic when his girlfriend breaks up with him the day before his old-school client is coming to enjoy a weekend of mountain biking.  He needs a stand-in fast and sexy cyclist Magee fits the bill perfectly …

The train wreck that happens when all of the lies and deceptions comes to light can be seen a mile away but the journey is still fun.  Magee’s natural enthusiasm tends to get her into a few scrapes add in trying to pretend to be someone else, and she is a mess.  But her fun-loving, caring side still comes out and it is quite entertaining.  Justin’s father put business above everything else and he does not want to follow in his footsteps.  He’s got a life plan and quirky, pretty Magee doesn’t fit into it, except he’s finding her joy very hard to resist.  The two battle their attraction for a while but before long it proves too strong and things just get even more complicated.

I don’t usually like stories where the relationship is based on lies but the characters in Head Over Heels made it very appealing.  It’s a fast read, funny and amusing – a great choice to throw in your beach bag this summer.

Cowboy Come Home

06 Thursday Jun 2013

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cover26976-mediumSixteen years ago, Jake Rollins left Happy, Texas for a life in rodeo … and broke Anna Connor’s heart when he called to tell her he married another woman.  Barely out of high school, pregnant and devastated, Anna accepted the help of Jake’s best friend, Carl, and they raised Jake’s daughter as their own.  Even though he never planned to come back home, one glimpse of Anna’s teenage daughter at a rodeo – a daughter that looks just enough like him to make him ask questions – has Jake back in Happy looking for answers from the widowed Anna.  As it becomes obvious that the pull is still there, can Jake convince Anna that he is worth a second chance?  And will their daughter accept the truth about her parents?

Even though I enjoyed Cowboy Come Home, I do think that a couple of conversations with a trained professional might have solved a lot of their problems.  I know they are from a small ranching town in Texas and cowboy pride probably runs deep but the issue of telling Leigh the truth (and of Anna forgiving Jake) probably should have had the help of a therapist.  She’s fifteen, of course she’s going to flip out and cause trouble.

But for me, this wasn’t the main drive of the book.  It’s about Leigh learning to let go of her past with Jake and moving past it, accepting him for who he is now and understanding that they were young and stupid before.  Even though Jake is older and a little wiser, he still has some growing up to do of his own and needs to accept some hard truths about himself and his family.  With the attraction between Anna & Jake is still strong after all their years apart, it’s that reconnection  that will draw readers in.

Although the plot isn’t anything new, fans of cowboy romances will appreciate how Gaddy brings to life enjoyable characters with a country flair.

Summer in Napa

05 Wednesday Jun 2013

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cover23689-mediumLexi Moreau has come home to start over.  After a decade in New York, she has almost nothing left – no husband, no restaurant, nothing except her dream to work with her grandmother turning her bakery into a bistro … as long as she can avoid her grandmother’s over-the-top matchmaking efforts and the overwhelming (and unwanted) attraction to her ex’s best friend.

Lexi is that perfect mix of girl next door and Lucille Ball – she’s smart, sexy and a magnet for embarrassing situations.  She’s still a little shook up by her ex’s treatment so her confidence level is in the dumps but she still manages to be funny and appealing.  She’s also slowly working on getting her mojo back, with Marc’s help.  He may be her ex’s oldest friend and the town playboy, avoiding any romantic commitment, but he’s also gorgeous, fun and supportive.  He’s got his own issues getting his hotel up and running, and showing his brothers that he isn’t a screw-up, so he needs Lexi’s support as much as she needs his.

I adore these two together.  They have been fighting an attraction for years and, with all of that history, they manage to create a very supportive (and very entertaining) partnership.  They’ve known each other long enough that the blinders have come off, but that also means they know each other well enough to love what is underneath.  They know the bad, the good and the indifferent.  When they let all of that go and trust in themselves and each other, they have something spectacular.

Summer in Napa is the first “St Helena Vineyard” novels I’ve read and I must say I was absolutely delighted.  It kept me laughing, while touching my heart – a sweet and sassy charmer perfect for a long summer day.  I fell instantly in love with everyone in St Helena – from the busy-body grannies to the overly macho DeLucas, and their mouthy sister – and I can’t wait to see how the rest of them find their HEA.

Johanna’s Bridegroom

04 Tuesday Jun 2013

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cover24396-mediumYears ago a foolish mistake destroyed Roland Byler and Johanna Yoder’s relationship, both going on to marry other people and have children.  Now, both widowed, Johanna stuns Roland with a proposal.  She sees it as the perfect answer – she’d be a mother to his son and he’d be the father her two kids need.  But Roland has never forgotten the love he felt for Johanna those years ago and he wants more than an emotionless marriage.  Now he’s got to remind her what it was like when they were courting and that they can have those feelings again.

Johanna’s Bridegroom is a book in the “Hannah’s Daughters” series – sometimes it isn’t that important to have read the previous books but this is definitely one of those times that it would make a difference.  The core story of Johanna and Roland is wonderful and easy to follow – he’s determined to have a marriage full of love but, between his youthful indiscretion (which you don’t find out details of until the end) and problems with her last marriage, she’s not sure she can give her heart again.  I loved the interaction between Roland and Johanna.  He’s so steady and sure, hard-working and caring.  She’s assertive and brash, especially for the Amish, but she also has a deep love for her family and her community.  I enjoyed watching them come to terms with their past and their future.

But there is so much more to this series and the intricacies of the Yoder family are difficult to follow without having a familiarity with the previous books.  There was so much that I didn’t fully understand and I think that I would have enjoyed the book so much more if I’d had those details.  Don’t get me wrong, the book was interesting and I am glad I read it, but it was somewhat frustrating.  If you haven’t read anything else in this series, I highly recommend trying to find some of the others first or be prepared to have a few unanswered questions as you go thru it.  If this isn’t your first book, then I’m sure you are aware of the heart-warming story that you will find between the covers.

(I’m giving this one 3 stars because of the fact that it is so hard to read by itself but without that I would have given the core story 4 stars.)

It Had to Be You

03 Monday Jun 2013

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cover28067-mediumOnce again Jill Shalvis delights with her newest Lucky Harbor novel, It Had To Be You, bringing readers another of her to-die-for, rough & ready heroes in police office Luke Hanover, who meets his match in plucky, sweet Ali Winters.  After a high profile case ends badly, Luke comes back to Lucky Harbor to get away for a few weeks and recharge.  But instead of finding quiet isolation in his beachfront cottage, he gets bowled over by the oh-so-sexy Ali … who brings with her a ton of problems.  Ali has just broken up with her cheating boyfriend and needs a place to stay.  And apparently she also needs the help of a good detective because she’s being accused of stealing money she never touched.  As they work together to prove Ali’s innocence, their attraction gets the better of them, but Luke has no intention of staying once his vacation is over.  Can they enjoy a short-term fling without either of their hearts getting involved?

I’m always thrilled when a new Lucky Harbor book comes out – and the best part is you don’t have to have read any of the previous ones to enjoy this one.  It’s the first in a new trilogy in the quaint little town, introducing three friends who will each find their mate sometime in the next year.  Long-time readers will enjoy the chance at getting glimpses of previous characters, but this is definitely a prime place for new readers to start.

Luke is the quintessential Shalvis hero – he’s big, bad, manly and conflicted.  (And his friends are sure to be just as delicious!)  He’s carrying around a boat-load of guilt and angst, not just from the case he was working on but from a couple of incidences in his childhood.  He doesn’t think that he’s a good bet in a relationship … and definitely not for someone like Ali, who loves Lucky Harbor and is looking to put down roots.  Watching him fight his feelings is quite a lot of fun.

Ali also carries a lot of trademark Shalvis characteristics – she has her own issues to deal with but she’s fun, quirky and full of sass.  She’s an original and a delight, entertaining and funny.  She’s a great choice for Luke as she does a fantastic job of balancing out his more broody nature.  The mystery of who did steal the money adds just that touch of suspense to give this book a little additional punch.  It is well-developed and I loved how everything gets resolved.

I highly recommend running out and picking up a copy of It Had To Be You regardless of whether you’ve ever been to Lucky Harbor before.  It’s the perfect kick-off to the summer – a little bit funny, a little bit suspenseful, and a whole lot heartwarming – and you’ll find yourself ready to visit again and again.