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Romantic Reads and Such

~ Book Blogger & Reviewer

Romantic Reads and Such

Monthly Archives: October 2013

Phantom Mischief

14 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

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Emeral Isle Fantasie series, Jennifer LaRose, Phantom Mischief

I’m pleased to share with everyone a guest blog from authonr Jennifer LaRose, as well as a a special sneak peek at her book, Phantom Mischief.

*****

Hi Everyone,

I’d like to introduce you to a multiple author, paranormal series I’m involved in. It’s titled, Emerald Isle Fantasies, and it’s set in enchanted Ireland at a haunted castle/hotel. There’s ghosts, witches, wolf shifters, griffin shifters, time travel, as well as vampires and much more. Each story was created to stand-alone, so there’s isn’t any  reading sequence. The following books are currently available through Ellora’s Cave, as well as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other numerous ebook sellers. They’re receiving some really great reviews.

#1 Phantom Mischief by Jennifer LaRose
#2 Lord Griffin’s Prize by Katalina Leon
#3 Ghostly Persuasion by Dena Garson
#4 Crimson Lust by Rebecca Royce
#5 Selkie’s Rapture by Lena Loneson  releasing 10/18/13
#6 Tell me your Secrets by Virginia Cavanaugh releasing 10/25/13

Phantom Mischief – Quick Blurb: Swept off to Ireland by her fiancé for a fairytale vacation, Shanna ends up stranded and alone. Heartbroken, she crumples into the arms of  Castle Tullamore’s handsome and overly-endowed gardener, Niall. When a  determined, dark apparition begins stalking her, Niall realizes it may  be the key to their destiny. ~

A few more books from the series will be releasing soon! We’re very, very excited about them!  To give you a little taste of our setting, this is the castle we used for Castle Tullamore’s inspiration:

221dbfee5961494b3d417416a6f7ecd7[1]

Emerald Isle Fantasies: Series Blurb:

     When guests check into the historic Castle Tullamore Hotel they expect  bucolic scenery and luxurious service. What they don’t anticipate, along with the 5 star accommodations, they get drawn into lots of  otherworldly Irish mischief and erotic enchantment.
     At  Tullamore there are ghostly lovers, griffin-shifters, vampires, selkies, witches and werewolves waiting to lure the lonely and the adventurous  into forbidden realms.The castle grounds are riddled with time portals where the unwitting can  experience vivid adventures in other timelines. For the most part the  hotel appears to be just a lovely Irish castle until things get wild and reality drops from underfoot like a swinging trapdoor. ~

It’s been a pleasure chatting with you! Come and ‘friend’ me on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.gallschmidlin

*****

phantommischief_msrPhantom Mischief/ Book #1 in the Emerald Isle Fantasies series

(Genre: Erotic Paranormal)

Blurb:

Shanna is thrilled when her fiancé sweeps her off to Ireland for a romantic interlude and asks her to marry him at Castle Tullamore. But their sexual adventure quickly turns into a nightmare when he reveals his dark side. With the engagement broken and her fiancé gone, she crumples into the arms of Tullamore’s handsome gardener, Niall. He proves how hot, sensual and mind-blowing sex can be. It’s unsettling, though, how he manages to distance himself after making love. In fact, he downright disappears!

Niall mourns the death of his beloved Abigail until he sees Shanna. He falls in love with the gorgeous American but fears his heart will surely be broken again. They can’t stay together, not in the manner Shanna needs. But when a determined, dark apparition begins stalking her, Niall realizes it may be the key to their destiny.

Inside scoop: In one red-hot scene, Niall introduces Shanna to the joys of spanking.

*****

Authors Bio:

Jennifer LaRose resides in Ohio, where she was born and raised. She’s surrounded by loving family and friends whose charm and wit never cease to amaze her. They serve as the backbone, encouragement and inspiration to her writing career. Jennifer works full-time in the healthcare field, plays the non-stop domestic role and writes during every available moment in between. She is multi-published, writes in other genres and loves to receive mail from her readers.

Author Links:

http://www.jenniferschmidlin.com/

https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.gallschmidlin

www.jennyschmidlin.blogspot.com

*****

Excerpt

 I’m out of here. Today. Shanna grabbed her purse, threw a lightweight sweater over her shoulders, yanked Derek’s suitcase off the floor then left the room. She’d barely slept a wink all night. And spending the evening crouched in a corner, starving, scared half to death because she didn’t understand what was happening and wrapped in a blanket with her head covered wasn’t her idea of comfort. Sure, she enjoyed every moment of the sexual encounters, but realistically, that type of thing only happened on TV. Why had it happened to her?

     She’d tried calling Adrienne at 2:00 a.m. to talk through the incidents but she couldn’t obtain any reception from inside the room. No cell phone, no ability to connect to the complimentary Wi-Fi, not even the landline worked, which had kicked the idea of room service to the curb. Talk about feeling entrapped and stranded.

When younger, she and Adrienne believed their house was haunted. Well, it was haunted. Shanna saw a ghost of an old woman to prove it. She’d even taken her claim to a psychic who said Shanna had the talent to communicate with spirits. Why in the world would she want to do that?

A talent? Really? It sounded more like an affliction.

Every noise she and Adrienne heard in the closets and every footstep thumping along the hardwood floor between their rooms, they’d attested to the predictable ghost. They’d even gone as far as setting tape recorders in their bedrooms to capture voices. They’d never caught any but the thrill was in trying. Then one morning before Shanna crawled out of bed to dress for school, the edge of her blanket lifted and a gnarled hand, like a demon claw, shot beneath the covers and grabbed her thigh. Terrified, she ran from the room screaming. Even though she’d showed her mom the scratches left on her leg, Mom tried convincing Shanna she’d done it to herself. That was the last time she’d mentioned ghosts and demons to her mother and she never again set a tape recorder inside her room.

Grandma, on the other hand, believed Shanna’s episode. Shortly after, she’d presented Shanna with the bracelet. Grandma said it would keep her safe because it’d been blessed with the greatest strengths of each zodiac sign. Although Shanna didn’t believe metal trinkets could play such an important role in her life because she felt no different whether it was on or off her wrist, she found comfort in Grandma’s gesture.

What would Adrienne say now if Shanna explained last night’s encounter with the supernatural? If Shanna had any self-respect left by the time she fled this place, she wouldn’t even mention it.

She slid her sunglasses from the top of her head to her nose to conceal the dark circles under her bloodshot eyeballs. Ugh. As if those weren’t bad enough, her entire genital area was swollen and tender.

Swearing on her life, she’d had sex with a huge cock. No, she hadn’t seen it, but she didn’t have to. She knew how a sound screwing felt. And just because she couldn’t see it didn’t mean it hadn’t happened. The fact was, she’d been wide awake. It wasn’t a dream or delirium from lack of nutrition. Nor had she fist-fucked herself. Seriously. To even suggest she’d do something so atrocious. And she knew she’d also been fucked on the bed moments prior to that incident. And she’d tried convincing herself she’d had a wet dream?

*****

And check out Sizzling PR’s site here for other sites highlighting Phantom Mischief and more great blog tours can be found here.

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Her Accidental Boyfriend Release Day

14 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Contest, Sneak Peek

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Her Accidental Boyfriend, Robin Bielman, Secret Wishes series

***10/15 Update:  Review is now up here!***

*****

So I’m about halfway thru this book and I’m enjoying every moment of it.  I’ll have my review up later this week, but until then check out the below and make sure you enter to win the gorgeous bracelet Bielman is giving away!  You can also check out my review of her first “Secret Wishes” novel, Kissing the Maid of Honor, here.

*****

Her Accidental Boyfriend by Robin Bielman

9781622661657_500About the book: 

Faking it with this flirt never felt so real…

Kagan Owens has a secret. One she thought she’d escaped by leaving New York, but when her past follows her to her temporary new life, Kagan lets a teeny lie slip. And now the town’s biggest playboy and flirt, Shane Sullivan, has become her pretend boyfriend–just until she’s ready to return to NYC. But the handsome, fun-loving Shane makes it tough to determine where their friendly agreement begins and ends…

Shane has no intention of settling down–in fact, his job depends on it, and nothing’s more important than his work. Still, he can’t help but agree to Kagan’s scheme, if only to find out more about the mysterious beauty. But when every touch from her sets his heart and body on fire, he realizes playing an accidental boyfriend may be more than he bargained for–and more than he can give.

*****

About the author:

Robin Bielman lives in Southern California with her high school sweetheart husband, two sons, and crazy-cute mini Labradoodle, Harry (named after Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files books). When not attached to her laptop, she can almost always be found with her nose in a book. She also likes to run, hike, and dip her toes in the ocean. Filled with wanderlust, she longs to visit many different places and fulfill her curiosity. She wouldn’t mind indulging her sweet tooth in every location either. She’s a lover of Post-it notes, cable television shows and café mochas. Writing is a dream come true, and she still pinches herself to be sure it’s real.

Her other novels include Kissing the Maid of Honor, Worth the Risk, Risky Surrender and Yours At Midnight. She loves to connect with readers. Learn more and sign up for her newsletter on her website at http://robinbielman.com. She can also be found online here:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/RobinBielmanWriter

Twitter: http://twitter.com/RobinBielman

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/robinbielman

*****

Find Robin’s latest release, Her Accidental Boyfriend, online at:

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

 *****

Giveaway Info:

In Her Accidental Boyfriend Kagan designs jewelry similar to this beautiful pink pearl double wrap bracelet that is up for grabs.  Enter to win here!

 *****

Praise for Robin Bielman

Robin Bielman is a must read! ~ NYT Bestselling Author Vicki Lewis Thompson 

“Sweet, sassy, and toe-curlingly sexy, my *secret wish* is to live inside the pages of this story!” ~ Rachel Harris, author of Seven Day Fiancé

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Crash Into Me

14 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Sneak Peek

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Book Review, Crash Into Me, Tracy Wolff

Brazen and Entangled Publishing has a seriously hot treat for readers … Crash Into Me by Tracy Wolff – I’ve got an excerpt AND a review.  Check it out below.

***

CiM_300Crash Into Me by Tracy Wolff

She’s totally off limits, but this rocker wants a taste…

Jamison Matthews has lusted after Ryder Montgomery since she was a preteen. But now that Ryder and her brother’s band, Shaken Dirty, has made it huge, she’s just one of many pining for the brooding lead singer. Too bad Ryder still sees her as a little sister. Not that it matters. Her brother would never allow it, and the last thing Jamison wants is to be another notch on a rock star’s bed post. Even if it’s Ryder’s.

Ryder doesn’t deserve happiness. After his fame destroyed his last girlfriend, he swore he’d never fall in love again. So when Jamison, the girl he’s been in danger of loving for years, joins the band on the road, he’ll do anything to deny the sparks between them—even after one hot night together. But Jamison is determined to show Ryder that he’s worthy of love—her love—and that she’s all grown up…and ready to play.

*****

Connect with Tracy

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Blog

Buy Links for Crash Into Me

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

****

Read the excerpt below, check out my review and then go get your own copy!

*****

Excerpt CRASH INTO ME

            Onstage, the band launched into “Awake,” one of the power ballads that had made them famous. The crowd screamed their approval and so did she. Totally not her typical modus operandi, but she couldn’t help it. Something about listening to Ryder croon the darkly haunting lyrics had her knees trembling and her heart beating much too quickly. If she closed her eyes, she could do what all the other women in the audience were doing and pretend that he was singing straight to her.

So much better than remembering he’d written these heartfelt words for another woman. For Carrie, who had killed herself and broken his heart so many years before. Her own heart ached at the thought. For him. Always for him. At twenty-nine, Ryder had already been through more darkness and despair than any one person should have to handle.

“Awake” finally came to a close, the last note hanging in the air for long, tension-fueled seconds. Then the band fell silent and the audience did the same, as if they were all holding their breaths. Ryder lowered his guitar, shuffled, and stamped his feet once, twice. It was a familiar gesture, one years of experience had taught her was his way of shaking off excess emotion. Again her heart twisted. It devastated her that more than ten years after the fact he was still eaten up by what had happened. Still determined to bury it under a bunch of layers that not only insulated him from his pain but also hid the real Ryder so deep inside the public Ryder that she wondered sometimes if he even existed anymore. Or if the boy who had held her while she cried, who had let her whisper her pre-adolescent fears without ever making fun of her, had disappeared forever.

She searched for him in that one endless moment.

Looked for him in the obsidian eyes that arrowed to the heart of the crowd even as they barricaded his own emotions.

Combed through her own memories and expectations in an effort to see Ryder as he really was instead of how he portrayed himself.

And when his eyes—his crazy, beautiful eyes—met hers, she found him. Seconds passed, long, intense seconds where she lost the ability to hear or breathe or even think. All she could do was look into Ryder’s eyes, at the feral heat boiling up and out of them, and want.

She smiled at him, waved. He snarled back. But it wasn’t a leave-me-alone snarl. No, definitely not. It was his I-want-to-fuck-you-up-against-a-wall snarl—she knew it well, had seen it directed at a lot of women through the years—and her knees gave way when she realized that this time, finally, it was directed at her. It didn’t matter that there was no sign of recognition in his eyes, no knowledge that the woman he was looking at like that was actually her. Jamison. For one moment, he wanted her the way she’d always wanted him.

It was more than enough.

*****

Review:

I think that Jamison is a good mix of several romance heroine types – she’s wants to act on a childhood crush, plus she’s crushing on someone famous that all women seem to want and he’s a bad boy on top o that.  It makes for a fun ride as she spends time with the band and the attraction between her and Ryder becomes more than they can ignore.  And oh boy, is Ryder ever sexy – he’s troubled and gorgeous and in need of someone to love him.  Sure, he’s made a family of sorts with the guys in the band but he’s living with a big load of guilt and esteem issues.  I know that realistically that these things don’t really work this way, but in my romance stories I think it’s sweet.

Although I do think that a few serious conversations should have been had about his past.  He spends most of the book completely avoiding discussing it, then suddenly he’s ready for a real relationship and all is OK.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching the two grow closer and the sex was definitely off the charts hot, but he held himself back for so long that the turning point felt a little anticlimactic.  I think a little more time should have been spent on his issues but overall I was seriously hooked on Wolff’s new series.  And the epilogue blatantly teases into the other band members’s stories – very intriguing teases that have me impatiently waiting to find out all the details.

Crash Into Me is a sexy and fun and full of rock & roll hotness.  If you like your heroes full of angst and muscles and tattoos and guilt and sex appeal, who find themselves falling for the sweet and sexy girl next door, then this is sure to be a winner.

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Early October Blog Tours

11 Friday Oct 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour

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Angela Smith, Burn on the Western Slope, Justus Roux, Voodoo

There are a couple of great blog tours on the schedule for the next week or so.  Check out the details below and then come back on the highlighted dates to see what I’ve got special for you.

And make sure you stop by on Monday for a couple more treats …

*****

Voodoo - Justus Roux - Banner

10/7 – 11/30

10/7:  Spotlight – Indie Authors Books and More

10/17:  Spotlight – Mary Collins (author)

10/21:  Spotlight – Dominique Eastwick (author)

10/23: Spotlight – Perusing Princesses

10/25:  Interview – Romance with Flavor

11/4:  Guest blog – Lunar Haven

11/5:  Spotlight – Literal Hotties Naughty Book Reviews

11/6:  Interview – Harlie’s Books

11/11:  Spotlight – Snifferwalk

11/12:  Guest post – Erzabet’s Enchantments

11/15:  Interview and Review – The Book Cellar

11/18:  Review/Guest Blog – Book Bliss

11/20:  Interview – Books to Get Lost In

11/21:  Guest Blog – Romantic Reads and Such

11/22:  Spotlight – Must Read Faster

11/27:  Spotlight – Deal Sharing Aunt

11/28:  In Shadows

11/29:  You Gotta Read Reviews

*****

BOTWS - Angela Smith - Banner

October 14 – 25

14:  Interview – A Passion for Romance

15: Spotlight –  Literal Hotties Naughty Book Reviews

16:  Spotlight –  Indie Authors Books and More

17:  Spotlight – Romantic Reads and Such

18:  Interview – Books-n-Kisses

18:  2nd stop – Spotlight/Review – Storm Goddess Book Reviews

23:  Interview – Laurie’s Thoughts

24:  Interview – Becky on Books

24: 2nd stop – Spotlight/Interview – Lusty Penguin Reviews

25:  Spotlight –  Ever After Romance

*****

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Hearts in Motion

10 Thursday Oct 2013

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Book Review, Edie Ramer, Hearts in Motion

OK, I’ve got an unusual one for you …

cover33169-medium

Take two cats, a dog, and a determined woman…

Animal lover Abby Pimm isn’t looking for love. With two rescue cats, one rescue dog, a struggling business, and her fourteen-year-old sister to raise, she’s got her hands full. What she needs is an angel – though she’ll settle for the devil if he’ll invest in her fledgling company and keep it afloat.

Add a six-year-old girl…

Wealthy businessman Holden Ramsay is no devil. He’s doing all the right things, and when he’s forced to care for his ex’s six-year-old daughter, he ends up hiring Abby as a temporary sitter – a woman who lights up his damaged heart, and perks up other organs as well. A woman who might be his redemption…or his downfall.

Who’s rescuing who?

The animals that Abby rescued think maybe it’s time they do a little rescue work of their own—because sometimes humans in love can be so dense…

*****

The premise was interesting and I enjoyed the romance as it developed between Holden and Abby.  I liked the characters and I found their growing relationship entertaining … but overall I thought it was a good book, not great.  I’m not sure I understand Abby’s reactions to her morning after with Holden, maybe it was because some of the story is given from the animal’s perspective and it has a different filter than if it was just regular narrative.
It’s a kitschy and cute idea but after a bit it kinda wore on me.  I would think it’s probably hard to write from a cat or dog point of view without it getting awkward.  And having some of the story given to readers by the animals didn’t seem to lend to a lot of character/relationship development between the leads.  I also think there were some issues that needed to be addressed that might have been overlooked in playing to the fun factor of the animals involvement.
Overall though I think it’s worth giving a chance, especially if you are looking for something a little different.

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Against the Ropes

09 Wednesday Oct 2013

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Against the Ropes, Book Review, Sarah Castille

New review is now up.

*****

cover29299-medium

He scared me. He thrilled me. And after one touch, all I could think about was getting more…

Makayla never thought she’d set foot in an elite mixed-martial arts club. But if anyone needs a medic on hand, it’s these guys. Then again, at her first sight of the club’s owner she’s the one feeling breathless. 

The man they call Torment is all sleek muscle and restrained power. Whether it’s in the ring or in the bedroom, he knows exactly when a soft touch is required and when to launch a full-on assault. He always knows just how far he can push. And he’s about to tempt Makayla in ways she never imagined…

There are going to be a lot of people who won’t like this story.  Torment is very much an Alpha male – dominant, over-protective, aggressive, and violent (although never toward Makayla).  He’s one of those who thinks that he’s always right and that his “woman” needs to do whatever he says.  Part of it comes from his background as the son of a boxer, some of it from the tragedy that befell his family, and part of it from being a billionaire businessman.  But all of it is going to rub some people the wrong way so this is definitely not the book for them.

But if you are ok with that, then Against the Ropes is likely to keep you glued to the pages.  I fall into this category and I felt that Makayla does a great job of forging a relationship with him that works for them both.  Sure there is some manipulation involved but they are both aware of it and accept it and make it work.  But the road to that point is definitely not smooth.  Makayla has issues with violence and control due to her alcoholic father, so she has to learn whether she can trust Torment not to hurt her.  His need to protect her and his domination in the bedroom, even though she enjoys it, brings back unhappy memories and she has to decide if she can work with it because the man isn’t going to change.  Personally I think that Torment has issues that should have been addressed – guilt from not being able to protect his mother – and, while Makayla’s are adequately resolved, I think that some time needed to be spent on his.

Overall, I found Against the Ropes to be a sizzling page turner that kept me up late into the night.  And I’m very much looking forward to more stories from Castille, hopefully with more gorgeous fighters.

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DEAD SEXY

08 Tuesday Oct 2013

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Book Review, DEAD SEXY, Paige Tyler

If you think a romance with a zombie as the hero is a little weird, you’re not alone … but you’ll be surprised at how sexy he is.

*****

cover36633-medium

Romance author Simone Kent thinks she might just have found the most perfect guy in all of New York City – in bed and out.

But Drake Parrish is about as far from perfect as any man can get. Eight years ago, he was cursed by an evil Voodoo priestess to live part of his life as a zombie. Since then, he has lived like a recluse on New York’s Upper East Side, afraid to go out for fear he’ll suddenly turn into one of the walking dead.

The sex is the hottest either of them has ever experienced and Simone discovers just how naughty she can be with Drake, while he finds himself feeling things for Simone he hasn’t felt in a very long time. When the Voodoo priestess learns of their relationship, however, she comes after him again. She’s determined he won’t have a future with Simone, even if that means killing both him and the woman he loves.

Tyler might have made Drake into a caricature of a despicable rake, self-centered and callous, but it just makes his punishment that much more enjoyable.  And while I think he got fair retribution for his awful treatment of others, his growth is sweet.  We jump forward eight years from the point that he’s cursed but you know those years were very lonely and lead to quite a bit of introspection – plenty of time to realize what an awful person he was.  And although he may be a completely different person now, he still has a life-time sentence of loneliness and seclusion.  He lives his life alone, with the occasional late night trip outside and all of his food delivered to his door.  He has only one friend that knows his secret, a PI that is trying to help him find the voodoo priestress who cursed him, then he meets Simone.

Simone has had a bad luck picking partners but she has no idea what she’s gotten herself into this time.  They always tell you if it is too good to be true then it probably is, and Drake definitely has a down-side.  But Simone is witty, smart and sexy, and after years alone she’s more than Drake can resist.  Even though they click right away, you know they have to deal with his curse and the first hurdle is whether Simone can handle his affliction …. and it only gets more dangerous when the voodoo priestess makes an appearance again to continue her punishment of Drake.

On the run from real zombies out to kill them, as well as a voodoo priestess with a grudge, Drake and Simone have a hard road ahead of them to find their happy ending.  Dead Sexy may seem an odd idea for a romance, but somehow it works and we’re given a story full of suspense, super-hot sex and a sweet love story.

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Accidental Cowgirl book trailer

07 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Sneak Peek

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Accidental Cowgirl, Maggie McGinnis

Who doesn’t love book trailers featuring hot cowboys?!? Check out this trailer for ACCIDENTAL COWGIRL by Maggie McGinnis on-sale today – http://fcrps.me/2Gy

9780345548757_p0_v1_s260x420

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The Winning Season

06 Sunday Oct 2013

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Alison Packard, Book Review, The Winning Season

New review is now up.

*****

cover32496-medium

Kelly Maxwell has finally landed her dream job as publicist for the San Francisco Blaze.  But the team’s newest member, handsome bad boy catcher Matt Scanlon, is refusing every interview.  She’s got to get him to open up before the season ends, or she may not be back next year.  And after everything she overcame to achieve her dream, Kelly’s not about to let that happen.

Matt Scanlon just wants to be left alone to rebuild his life and his career.  After a year of masking the pain of a recent loss with hard partying and fast women, he finally hit rock bottom and was traded to a team he’s loathed his entire life—a team with little to no chance at the post-season.

Butting heads is getting Kelly and Matt nowhere but annoyed, and with the team’s schedule on the road, they can’t avoid close quarters—or their surprising attraction to one another.  As the season winds down, Matt finds his growing feelings for Kelly have brought his numbed emotions back to life.  But when betrayal shatters their fragile trust, winning it all seems more impossible than ever.

The Winning Season is the follow-up to Love in the Afternoon, which stars Kelly’s twin sister Kayla.  I’m guessing, based on this book, that Kelly and Matt actually meet in Kayla’s book but if, like me, you haven’t read it that’s ok too.  Packard does a fantastic job of giving her readers a smooth transition – the necessary back story doesn’t seem too detailed for those who are familiar with their history but it has all the information (delivered in a realistic fashion) for those who are new.  I would think that would be the hardest part of writing a series – balancing the needs of new readers with those of returning ones – and I think Packard handles it perfectly.

Both Matt and Kelly have their demons.  Matt’s life has hit rock bottom and the Blaze is his last chance, but he has his reason for self-destructing and it is a doozy.  It is easy to understand his downward spiral and he works very hard to turn things around.  Kelly has self-esteem issues that go back decades – a very tall and athletic woman (with a cute, pixie sister), she doesn’t fit society’s mold for beauty, and working in a man’s world doesn’t help.  She may have made peace with who she is but she still struggles.  Watching these two start out fighting like cats and dogs only to end up fighting their attraction for each other was quite entertaining.  I think that Matt may be one of my favorite heroes of all time and having him meet his match in sassy Kelly was perfect.

There are a few loose ends but I’m hoping to see them come up in future books.  I’m guessing that J T’s story is next – there were plenty of hints about it here and I’m definitely intrigued – but there are a lot of possibilities and I’m looking forward to all of them.  Packard has a fun, tight writing style that brings to life characters who will touch your heart and your funny bone.

If you love stories about big, strong, hot, and troubled athletes, then The Winning Season is the book for you.  I had a hard time putting it down and was looking for more when it was over.

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Bite-Size Novellas

04 Friday Oct 2013

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, Juliet Madison, Starstruck in Seattle, Style Me Sexy, Tara Chevrestt

Here are a couple of bite-size novellas sure to tempt you…

cover35659-medium

Bridget knows she isn’t beautiful; her ex made that point abundantly clear. So when her online-only romance suddenly leads to a real-life blind date, she beelines to the salon for a makeover. She’s dismayed and embarrassed when her usual stylist isn’t available and the sexy Javier steps in.

Javier has long been aware of the timid but kind woman, and vows to take this opportunity to make her see that she’s beautiful on the outside, as well as in. Will he succeed in keeping his own feelings at bay and style her sexy?

Billed as “a charming short story about beauty, the beholder, and believing in yourself” Chevrestt’s Style Me Sexy delivers on all accounts.  It’s only about 25 pages long, but I was hooked almost right away.  And because it caught my heart so easily, my biggest complaint is that it wasn’t longer – I think it would have been perfect if another handful of pages had been added so that we could have seen some of Bridget’s interactions with her online beau.  We get a good idea of what her ex did to her – she’s been beaten down a little but thanks to her friends and the possibility of a new relationship, she’s starting to come around again – but I think I would have liked to see why she thinks that this new guy could be “the one”.  And I think Javier’s character was just about perfect.  His interactions with Bridget, and his inner monologues, give us a great look into what makes him tick and why he may be falling for her.

If you need a quick distraction, something to give you that happy feeling, Style Me Sexy is guaranteed to be a fast pick me up that will put a smile on your face.

*****

cover35657-medium

Aspiring actress Anna Hilford might only have a small role in a leading television drama, but she longs to be dreamboat Karl Drake’s leading lady. Sick of being loveless and overlooked, Anna seeks the help of intuitive love coach, Lulu, from LuluTheLoveAngel.com to give her the courage and determination to follow her destiny.

But fate has different ideas, Lulu has undisclosed power, and Anna is about to realise that life happens while you’re busy making plans…

I thought maybe this was the first step in a new series by Juliet Madison and looking on her blog I find it is, but not quite how I thought it would be.  She says that if people like this story she’ll write others featuring Lulu, but I was imagining more about Anna and her family/friends.  It’s a cute, lighthearted story about a woman looking for love but missing what is right in front of her.  I really liked these characters, but being a bit over 50 pages there wasn’t a lot of space to get to know them all … I’m not sure if I’m supposed to like Karl or not – I did and I definitely would like to see more about him.  There were also tidbits about Anna’s sister and bad feelings between the two and I’d really like to see more on that.  I was hoping that maybe her sister would be the next story so we’d get more about Anna and her love as well as resolution to their sisterly drama.  Maybe there are plans in the works and Madison just didn’t share the details.

So, if you are looking for a cute, humorous, feel-good, quick read, then Star Struck in Seattle should be on your short list.  The story is sweet, the characters are fun, and I finished it with a smile too …. although I definitely had a need for more but without the guarantee that I’ll get it.

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