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Romantic Reads and Such

Monthly Archives: July 2014

Book Review – Tempting Alibi

20 Sunday Jul 2014

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, Savannah Stuart, Tempting Alibi

cover49190-mediumScott got into a fair amount of trouble as a teenager, but now he’s grown and runs a respectable auto body shop. Unfortunately, the sheriff of his town has it out for him, no matter how much he’s cleaned up his act. When he’s accused of a crime he didn’t commit, no one is more surprised than he is when straitlaced Michaela Miller provides him with an alibi. An alibi that’s a complete lie. Determined to find out why his sexy next-door neighbor helped him out, he puts himself in danger of losing something he’d never considered. His heart.

Wonderfully fast, but full of sensuous charm, Tempting Alibi is a fiery read perfect for a steamy summer night. There is so much to love – normally confident Scott all twisted in knots just talking to Michaela, their out of this world chemistry (and hot sex), and the way they work together so well.

Scott has some scars from his childhood and a little misunderstanding creates a bump in the road to their HEA, but Stuart doesn’t make a big deal out of it.  The resolution doesn’t get dragged out unnecessarily and they quickly figure everything out.  It’s touching and sweet and then it gets oh-so-spicy.

I’ve been having some good luck with novella length stories lately and Tempting Alibi is no different.  The characters are engaging and their story is captivating.  And when I hit the end, I didn’t have any regrets … except that it was over.

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Book Review – Overexposed

19 Saturday Jul 2014

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Book Review, Noelle Adams, Overexposed

cover48354-mediumFor five years, Leah has been known as the fame whore who screwed Kevin Grayson, son of Hollywood royalty, as a step up the ladder to stardom and then maliciously exposed footage of their most intimate moments to the world. Only Leah knows Kevin is the guilty one, using the public sympathy to advance his career and breaking her heart in the process.

Leah isn’t naïve anymore. She’s given up on romance, and she’ll do whatever necessary to prove she hasn’t been defeated. So when she needs another shot of notoriety to ensure the success of her new restaurant, at the same time Kevin needs some PR help of his own, she agrees to a crazy plan.

She can fake a two-week romantic vacation with Kevin, pretending to rekindle their relationship for the eyes of the world. And she can resist Kevin’s breathtaking sexiness, even in such close quarters. And she absolutely won’t fall for any of his lies.

I felt so bad for these two … which shows that Adams does a fantastic job of giving her readers characters to care about.  Although the blurb makes it sound like it is about Leah, it is really about both of them.  And they are both so devastated by the events that happened in the past.  It’s going to take a lot to get these two to a HEA ending.

Usually a book that bounces between the past and the present doesn’t work for me.  The disjointed time frame usually just brings me out of the story, but this one worked very well.  We start in the now when Leah is dealing with the aftermath of the sex tapes, but then we start bouncing between now and how they met, fell in love, and then lost everything.  Adams wonderfully manages to weave the two together and brings us the pertinent points at the right time.

Leah has lost a lot of her sparkle because of what happened and I don’t know that I would have held my head up as well as she does, facing everything the public throws at her.  I’m not sure if staying in LA is brave or stupid but she definitely does it with style.  It has left her tough, cynical and isolated, so very hesitant to trust again.  Especially trusting Kevin.

Kevin has also lost some of his mojo and we’re given his side of the events as well.  He had a horrible upbringing and I think my only complaint is that we didn’t get to see more of that.  We get some indication thru interactions with his dad, and it definitely explains things, but I think I would have liked to have seen a little more of that.  Because Kevin is definitely shaped by his relationship with his father and it affects everything that happens with Leah.  Considering she was one of the few people who he opened up to, having their relationship blow up (and so publicly) has given him a few more scars.

It’s a joy to watch them learn to let go and trust again.  Together Leah and Kevin are smart and witty and their interactions are so realistically cute.  I think the ending was the perfect complement to the rest of their relationship and it left me with a smile.  A sizzling heartbreaker, Overexposed highlights troubled lovers and their rocky path back together again.

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Spotlight – Hot Shot

18 Friday Jul 2014

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Hostile Operations Team series, HOT series, Hot Shot, Lynn Raye Harris

Some of you might remember that we’ve already seen a few of the HOT series books – Hot Pursuit, Hot Mess, and Hot Package.  And I’ve loved everyone … so I’m excited to bring you the newest, Hot Shot.

(Keep in mind that Dangerously Hot is between Hot Package and Hot Shot just in case you are in the mood to run out and pick up anything, or everything, from this fantastic series.)

*****

HotShotHot Shot

by Lynn Raye Harris

Blurb:

Cool under pressure… Until now.

Hostile Operations Team sniper Jack “Hawk” Hunter is cool, methodical, and utterly lethal. Nothing rattles Jack’s calm. But that was before he learned he fathered a child three years ago–a child who has just been kidnapped.

Gina Domenico is a superstar, a pop sensation with a string of hit records. But deep inside, she’s still the lonely girl she’s always been. When Jack saved her from an arms dealer, they spent three unforgettable days together waiting for rescue–and Gina fell hard for the sexy soldier before he walked away forever.

But now she needs his help and she’ll do anything to get it. Though Jack can never forgive Gina for keeping his child from him, he’ll do everything in his power–and HOT’s–to bring their son home safely.

Nothing is what it seems, however, and their fates hang in the balance as someone else pulls the strings…and brings them ever closer to an explosive confrontation that could either save their son–or cost them everything.

Buy Links:

Amazon http://amzn.to/VGktMD

Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/1jmEKS2

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1mdfi0A

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1stCF6H

*****

LynnRayeHarrisAuthor Info:

USA Today bestselling author Lynn Raye Harris burst onto the scene when she won a writing contest held by Harlequin. A former finalist for the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award and the National Readers Choice Award, Lynn lives in Alabama with her handsome former military husband and two crazy cats. Lynn writes about hot military heroes, sizzling international billionaires, and the women who dare to tame them. Her books have been called “exceptional and emotional,” “intense,” and “sizzling.” To date, Lynn’s books have sold over 2 million copies worldwide.

Social Networking Links:

Website: http://lynnrayeharris.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2973925.Lynn_Raye_Harris

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorLynnRayeHarris

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LynnRayeHarris

*****

Excerpt:

A few minutes later Jack came into the bedroom. She thought she should tell him to knock first or something, but she didn’t have the energy. The barriers that would normally be there between her and a man just weren’t there with Jack.

“You didn’t eat enough on the plane. I ordered room service.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Gina.” He walked into the room and stopped in front of her. His blue eyes roamed her face while her heart kicked up. When he met her eyes again, her breath hitched. “You have to rest and you have to eat. We don’t know what’s going to happen, and you need to be strong. That’s one of the rules on a mission. Take care of yourself or you’re no good to your team.”

“I’m not part of your team. I’m just me.”

“You aren’t alone on this. We’re here, and that makes you part of the team. I’m ordering you to eat, same as I’d order my spotter or anyone else under my authority, and then I’m ordering you to rest.”

“I’m not under your authority.” Maybe she should be angry at the way he was talking to her, but she was oddly touched. God, just blame it on stress and a situation outside her control. She needed to push this man away, but she couldn’t seem to do it.

“Think of this like the island. I’m the one with the experience. I know what I’m doing. I got you out of there, didn’t I?”

She nodded.

“Trust me to get you out of here too, okay?”

“All right.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “You gonna eat when the food gets here?”

“Depends on what you ordered. I hate squash, for instance.”

“Then I’ll call and cancel the squash sandwich.”

She couldn’t help but laugh even though it had an edge that could turn into panic at any moment. “You didn’t order anything of the sort.”

“No.” He backed away and reached for the door handle. “Put on your pajamas. Get comfortable.”

“I don’t wear pajamas. I don’t wear anything.”

He stopped in mid-swing and she wanted to laugh again. She did wear pajamas, but she’d wanted to rattle him. Just because.

“Well, honey, you can come out here in nothing if you want, but it’ll probably be embarrassing for you and the delivery person both. Still, you can tip him good and I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

He shot her a grin before shutting the door behind him. Gina stood there with her heart pounding and her pulse skipping and wondered just what it was about him that made her want to get beneath his skin.

*****

Giveaway:

COACH Park Leather Tote filled with signed copies of the HOT series

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c23614/

*****

LynnRayeHarrisTeaser

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Spotlight – Between the Trees

18 Friday Jul 2014

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Between the Trees, Chastity Point series, M.E. Yildirim

We’re going to start Friday with a look at M.E. Yildirim’s second book in the Chastity Point series, Between the Trees.  Perfect choice for those who love their romances with a paranormal twist.

*****

CoverBetween The Trees

Chastity Point Series Book II

by M.E. Yildirim

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Date of Publication: June 30, 2014

Cover Artist: Gözdem Perrichet

Book Description:

Ciarán Blane had always been a soldier. It was the only way of life he knew. But he hadn’t been an average warrior, since he was not even an ordinary man to begin with. He was something more than human, carrying a wild beast within, akin to a werewolf-like creature straight from legends and myths…

Except he was very real.

Ciarán was a highly trained sniper who was sent into the thick of the fray, when basic human senses were failing. He was also an executioner for his own kind, when they lost all semblance of a civilized being and had gone rogue. After years of dealing in death, he was on the cusp of losing his own humanity in favor to his ferocious nature. And once that happened, nothing but death awaited him…

Danielle Kendrick had planned her whole life up to the smallest detail, only to helplessly watch all her dreams and hopes unravel and crumple at her feet. All of it being merely the outcome of one catastrophic moment, when the truth had been revealed in all its ugly glory. Not the truth about her, but her older brother, who turned out to be a far cry from the person everybody thought he was.

After his death, all his sins fell on Dani’s shoulders, in the blink of an eye costing her the loss of family, friends, a house and a dream career. But fate was not yet done with her and kept testing her by placing more challenges in her way. Was Ciarán going to be one of too many and her final downfall at once?

Being the mate to a savage alpha male would be hard enough but he was the very person, who was the catalyst behind her life falling apart. Was Danielle going to be able see past that and trust the intimidating man, who seemed to be nothing more than a hardened killer, possessing the same traits she despised in her own brother?

Will she turn her back on Ciarán and by doing that, damn them both?

Was a dominant male, used to having his way in every aspect of life, be able to rein in his primal instinct for a love he doesn’t believe in? Or does the hunter turn into the very thing he hated and become the prey instead?

Book Trailer http://youtu.be/qaKesrO1TVc

*****

Excerpt:

from Chapter 7

She switched the light on at the same moment a low, masculine voice broke the stillness of the evening.

“I can see you’ve had a great time.” Ciarán stated, and she gasped, swiveling on her heel to look at him.

He was seated near the window, in a masculine sprawl, in which he seemed to own the chair. His legs were crossed at the ankles, and his hands laced behind his head, giving him an utterly relaxed look.

Top of his black shirt was unbuttoned, and it seemed he felt perfectly unfettered in her room, making it his personal space.

“Ciarán.” She said, pressing the palm of hand to her wildly galloping heart. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Ah, who did you expect then?” He asked in an indifferent tone of voice that made her suspicious on the spot.

She took a closer look at him and regretted it right away. His eyes were cold, inhuman, and they gave her chills. His nostrils were flaring in an unmistakable way, she already knew the meaning of now, and a feeling of mortification speared through her like a bullet.

“Stop this.” She whispered, humiliated.

It seemed too… intimate that he could scent her, felt like a violation of her privacy, and she didn’t know how to protect herself against it.

Against him.

But whatever tale his sensitive nose was spinning for him, it only seemed to make him angrier. Dani had no idea where her knowledge was coming from, but she was convinced Ciarán was teetering on the very fine edge of his control.

And it scared her as nothing else ever had.

“I don’t appreciate you smelling me. I don’t like it at all.” She snapped, when her inner voice was screaming at her not to provoke him more.

To turn around and get out of Dodge before it will be too late.

Too late for what? she asked herself, but no answer was forthcoming.

“And I don’t like the particular scent attached to you now.” He growled lowering his arms and sitting up, making her take an involuntary step back.

He smirked noticing it, but the anger rolling off his massive body didn’t ease up a bit. It was nearly palpable, suffocating her with its strength.

“Then leave, it’s my room.” She swallowed audibly.

Dani had no idea what was up with him tonight, but she was not going to back down. All of a sudden it became imperative to her that she no longer permitted people to walk all over her.

“You are in a strange kind of mood Ciarán.” She noticed.

“You think so?” He rasped quietly, staring at her without blinking.

“You are toying with me, when I don’t even know the rules of this game.” Dani said with dignity.

If he were going to behave enigmatically, without really saying a thing, she was the one who was going to leave the room, or even the house if need be, she decided.

“We will get to playing, but first tell me, who was that?” He demanded in a rational voice that started to grate on her nerves.

He was interrogating her, just like her brother used to, and she felt a bile of nausea rising in her throat at the memory.

“You have no right to ask me any questions. You’ve brought me back to Chastity Point, but as I was saying before, you don’t need to feel responsible for me. I am a big girl Ciarán, I can take care of myself.” Dani answered, straightening her spine and forcing herself to look into his dead eyes.

The lack of any sign of life in them was terrifying, but she just couldn’t glance away. If eyes were windows to the soul, did it mean his was barren as well? she wondered.

“Oh, but I have every right, so let me ask you one more time. Who. Was. That?” He emphasized every word as if she were too stupid to understand it at the first time.

He linked the fingers of both hands like a pianist preparing himself for a solo concert. There was some sharpened alertness to him that seemed honed to perfection, like the most lethal of blades.

“I am done with this conversation.” She muttered and turned around to leave the room.

She didn’t hear any movement behind her, but when she touched the doorknob his palm suddenly slapped the surface of the door, making it impossible for her to open it up.

“Please, let me go.” Her throat has instantly dried up and she couldn’t swallow easily.

“Let you go?” He barked out a short laugh devoid of any trace of humor. “I’m afraid this option is unacceptable.”

“What do you want from me?” She asked, coming to a standstill, when he pressed his body more heavily into hers, surrounding her with his heat.

Her mind kept telling her it shouldn’t be under these circumstances, but she was starting to get frantic, and couldn’t focus on anything except getting away from him.

“So many options… I will show you why you should have never come to me with the scent of another male on your body.” He growled into her ear, before grazing her neck with his teeth.

Her body bucked, and she tried to make him release her, but he just turned her around instead. She gasped at the swiftness of his motion.

Her back was pinned against the door now, with his weight keeping her in place. Ciarán’s hand manacled her arms above her head. She tried to dislodge him, but it was a futile attempt.

Her head snapped up and she looked into his eyes, hoping to find something there which could explain any of this.

Her breath left her, because his eyes were red.

*****

M.E. YildirimAuthor Info:

M.E. Yildirim is a Public Relations specialist from Poland who is confident Satan himself created math and that the world needs more bookworms to balance the evil out. Her mother is the one who had inculcated in her respect and love for written stories and taught her not to judge a book by its cover.

She lives with head full of voices which won’t be silenced until she lets them out to live and spin their tales on paper. That’s right-their tales, since they seem to have a mind and will of their own. Walking through life to the beat of her own drum, she has worked in a PR Agency, small companies, a big consortium and even in the Military. But none of it could ever compare to the adventures of creating and building up her characters and stories.

M.E. believes that books are for smoothing out everyone’s feathers and reminding people all the things they’ve already forgotten. She is happily married, oftentimes engaging her husband in her writing, with or without his consent. Tenacious as much as the characters she creates, she loves challenges, letting her own creations to take advantage of that fact.

http://www.meyildirim.com/

https://www.facebook.com/meyildirimauthor

https://twitter.com/_M_E_Yildirim

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MEYILDIRIM13/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7390929.M_E_Yildirim

*****

Giveaway:

5 ebook copies Between the Trees

Click on the banner below to enter and see the rest of the tour schedule

Between the Trees Banner 450 x 169

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Book Review – Against the Cage

16 Wednesday Jul 2014

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Against the Cage, Book Review, Sidney Halston, Worth the Fight Series

cover42998-mediumFor Chrissy Martin, returning to her Florida hometown always seems to bring bad luck. The day starts with a breakup text, followed by a jailhouse phone call from her troublemaker brother. Now a routine traffic stop has ended with her accidentally punching an officer . . . in a delicate place. Then Chrissy realizes that the hot cop on the receiving end of her right hook is none other than the man from her teenage fantasies.

 Jack Daniels knows how to take a hit. After all, when he’s not chasing reckless drivers, he’s kicking ass in a mixed martial arts ring. So what takes his breath away isn’t the low blow, but the woman who dealt it: a gorgeous knockout with legs Jack wouldn’t mind being pinned under—who just so happens to be his best friend’s nerdy little sister, all grown up. Soon their instant chemistry leads to a sizzling affair, but Jack and Chrissy are fighting an uphill battle if they want to make love last beyond the final bell. 

For her debut Loveswept book, I found Halston’s Against the Cage to be strong.  One of my favorite storylines is friends to lovers, and it’s even better when it is a sibling’s friend, and this one is perfect for that.  Add in a little ugly duckling theme with Chrissy and I couldn’t wait to read this one.

Now, you do have to be prepared for some steamy bedroom scenes (and against the wall and in the kitchen and outside …) so keep that in mind.  It’s very hot and Jack is a little dominant (understandably given the type of guy he is, which just makes it hotter), but Chrissy definitely gives it right back to him.

I love these two together.  You can tell they’ve had a contrary relationship for years but that tension is now warping into one of the sexual variety.  They are funny and sassy and smart.  It’s fun to watch them push each other’s buttons, getting each other all hot and bothered.  It takes a little maneuvering to figure out a new dynamic with each other but they get there and it makes for a very happy ending.

(It looks like there is another book coming out this fall, Full Contact, and I really hope that is Slade’s story.  But there are a lot of interesting fighters introduced (and the potential for even more in the future) so I’m good with whoever the book is about.)

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Entangled Publishing – Steals and Deals

16 Wednesday Jul 2014

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Misc

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Entangled Publishing, Steals & Deals

It’s going to be a somewhat light tour week so I’m going to sneak in a few extra reviews, but first I want to share something special from Entangled Publishing.  If you’ve read very many of my posts, you’ve probably noticed that I do a lot of Entangled tours and review a lot of their books.  I think they are fantastic – they have something for everyone:  Contemporary, Sweet, Steamy, Historical, Suspense, Paranormal … you name it and Entangled has something to suit your taste.  And they have this thing called Steals & Deals, where you can find out about their new releases and a great price on some of their books, sometimes even free.  Who doesn’t love free, right?!?  So click on the link below to sign up to be on their Steals & Deals mailing list.  All it is an email and a chance to find a fantastic new read.  (And no, I don’t get anything out of it except to share with all of you the wonderful books that Entangled puts out.)

Here’s hoping you all find something great!

Entangled_Emailheader_2_22_13_fallinglove_1_

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Spotlight – Sarah Ashley Jones

15 Tuesday Jul 2014

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour

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Promise Me Forever, Promise Me series, Promise Me This, Sarah Ashley Jones

This morning I get to welcome the delightful Sarah Ashley Jones!

*****

SarahAshley~*~ABOUT THE AUTHOR~*~

I’m Sarah! I’m a total goofball. This is pretty much the most important thing to know about me. Just kidding! I may be an adult but I have the heart of a child. I know when to be serious but I’m a hard worker with serious control issues, and maybe a splash of wit and a side of sassy. I’m addicted to Coca-Cola, obsessed with cupcakes, and also a Chapstick hoarder.

When I’m not writing, I’m probably rounding up my crazy clan of four dogs or adventuring around town with my husband who encourages me to embrace me inner outdoors woman by fishing, camping, canoeing, and hiking.

I’m a huge nerd, so please feel free to send me a friends request, email, or leave a comment. I will jump for joy any time of of those things happen. I am blessed beyond belief with all the love and support I have received this past year and I thank all of you for that!

~*~SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS~*~

https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/6971371.Sarah_Ashley_Jones

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahAshleyJones

http://www.sarahashleyjones.com/

https://twitter.com/sarahashjones

~*~BOOK LIST~*~

9780615834900_p0_v1_s260x420Promise Me This (Promise Me series Book 1)

Blurb:

Welcome to the South – where the tea is sweet and the accents are sweeter. This Southern way of life is all Charlie has ever known. It’s not until she loses the only person who pushed her to break free of the Southern Belle mold that she starts living the life she needs and not the life her parents forced on her.

Jhett has lived on the edge for as long as he could remember – constantly teetering back and forth between being a rock star and living a normal life. His rebellious and sometimes arrogant attitude is known to get him into trouble, especially with the girls who hang on his every move.

Charlie never thought that a trip to pack up her brother’s apartment would leave her feeling even more unsettled about the grainy details of her brother’s death. Her quest for information leads her straight to his old hangout and into arms of Jhett, who suspiciously knows more about her situation than he ever should.

Only a few questions remain – Can you trust someone based on their word alone? And if you make a promise, how far will you go to keep it?

9781496188618_p0_v1_s260x420Promise Me Forever (Promise Me series Book 2)

Blurb:

Charlie Jennings and Jhett Hudson knew that a single moment could change everything.

It took them one song to find each other, one question to give them a chance, one kiss to fall in love, and one night to almost lose it all. But they had one thing other couples lack – pure, unconditional love – and that takes more than a moment to walk away from.

Falling in love is only the beginning. Forever is what happens next.

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Spotlight – A Beautiful Thought

14 Monday Jul 2014

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

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A Beautiful Thought, Alicia Rae, Beautiful series

We’re going to kick off our week by taking a look at the newest book in Alicia Rae’s best-selling “The Beautiful” series, A Beautiful Thought.  If you’ve never read the series, check out the below and then head over to Amazon where you can get Book 1 – Beautiful Chances – for just 99 cents … and if you are a Prime member you can read it for free!

*****

ABT Amazon GR SW

A Beautiful Thought

by Alicia Rae

Blurb:

As a physical sports therapist, Gail Bennett is accustomed to working with gorgeous athletes every day, but after falling for a few of these attractive men, she has been left heartbroken one too many times. When Gail’s hours at work are unexpectedly cut, she must find a way to continue helping her parents pay for her sister’s education. Reluctantly following her best friend’s advice, Gail takes on a roommate—with the one man she has been avoiding since the first time she laid eyes on him.

Damon Johnson loves a challenge, and he is not the type of man to back down when he wants something. From the first moment he meets Gail for dinner, he feels an inexplicable pull between the two of them. In his determination to have her, he finds himself helping her in any way he can.

Can Damon break through all the barriers Gail has so carefully placed around her heart and prove that he’s different? Or will Gail’s reservations keep her from falling in love?

One thought could change everything.

*****

5889106Author Info:

Alicia Rae is a Contemporary Romance Author who lives in Dekalb, Illinois, with her husband and three beautifulboys. Alicia has a passion for reading all types of romance, writing to bring a story to life, and photography.

Thank you to my dear sister, Kels, who showed me a few years ago how much I truly missed reading. And to my loving husband, for not throwing away my Nook, and planting the seed of writing in my mind. I am forever grateful. Xo

Readers, words cannot thank you enough for supporting me along this incredible journey. I hope you enjoy my novels as much as I do writing them. I thank each and every one of you.

Believe in yourself and follow your dreams…

Links:

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Author Goodreads

Beautiful Thought Goodreads

*****

Tour Giveaway:

 http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cf78a88/

*****

Other sites participating in this tour:

Cocktails and Books

V’s Reads

Random Redheaded Ramblings

Random Redheaded Ramblings

She Hearts Books

daydream books

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Romance Bytes

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Book Review – Backwoods

13 Sunday Jul 2014

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Aftershock series, Backwoods, Book Review, Jill Sorenson

cover44460-mediumThe more you trust, the more you risk…

When plans for a wilderness retreat with her teenage daughter Brooke go awry, Abby Hammond reluctantly pairs up with Brooke’s stepbrother and his dad, Nathan Strom, for the weeklong trek. The only thing Abby has in common with the bad-boy former pro athlete is that their exes cheated with each other. That…and a visceral attraction that’s growing more complicated with every step through the picturesque woods.

Nathan’s wild-card reputation lost him his career and his family. After years of regret, he’s ready to fight for what truly matters—and that includes Abby’s hard-won trust. When Brooke goes missing, Nathan knows he’s her best and only hope of rescue. But the deeper into the rugged mountains they go, the more dangerous the territory will prove—for their safety and for their hearts.

I really enjoyed Backwoods.  It was a fun (and intense) mix of family drama, romance and suspense.  Abby’s ex-husband is now married to Nathan’s ex-wife, but neither of the exes is on the trip.  Instead it is a time for Nathan to reconnect with Leo and Abby is there because there was a good chance that Brooke’s dad will flake on her … which is a good indication of what their relationship is like.

The first half is all about the dynamics of this mixed family – Nathan’s relationship with Leo, Abby’s relationship with Brooke, and all of them in relation to the exes.  A little attraction between Nathan and Abby is thrown in to keep it spicy.  The second half though is when things crank up.

I’m not going to say anything more than what the blurb does – which is that Brooke goes missing – but it really isn’t a well-kept secret during the early part of the book.  There are red flags every step of the way but it isn’t a mystery as much as it is suspenseful.  And just because things are blatantly telegraphed doesn’t make them any less interesting.

I’m sure there will be some people who find a few issues with the potential repercussions from their little adventure (I always think of the movie Speed and Keanu’s comment that a relationship based on intense experiences can’t last) but the ride is fun and I was happy at the end … so who cares.

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Book Review – Perfect 10

12 Saturday Jul 2014

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, Erin McCarthy, Perfect 10

cover45728-mediumKatrina’s Lesson in Social Media Disasters

or How Technology Can Bite You in the A**

Katrina Phillips is an expert social media manager. But that doesn’t mean she can’t make mistakes. Horrible, hide-in-your-closet-forever mistakes…like accidentally syncing her BootyBook app with her online profiles.

Blammo. Now everyone in the world can see who Katrina has dated and how they rated in appearance, sexual performance and (OMG) detailed descriptions of their manly parts! Now her phone is blowing up with angry exes—and an out-of-the-blue text from the only guy who came close to a perfect score….

Katrina has had a thing for Drew Jordan since forever ago, even if a booze-fuelled one-nighter did destroy their friendship. So why is he suddenly texting her now—and is it because she rated his Sexy Staff of Manliness as “magnificent?” Now the only way to satisfy her curiosity is to reunite with Drew…and rate him all over again!

Perfect 10 is a great example of what horrible things can happen in today’s world of technology.  It’s totally embarrassing and easy to imagine actually happening to anyone.  Well, except most of us probably don’t have an app like BootyBook, but the idea is the same.

At its heart, it’s the story of second chances and it’s very sweet.  Drew got overwhelmed after a night of drunken sex with his friend and was less than gentlemanly.  Who hasn’t reacted poorly and then couldn’t figure a way out of it?  Lucky for Drew, Trina offers him a way in on a silver platter.

Trina is devastated by her mistake (again a totally realistic situations) but also hopeful when she hears from Drew.  Who hasn’t embarrassed themselves in front of a lot of people and had to figure out how to go on with your head held high?  McCarthy handles it with style and grace … and some hot sex.

Perfect 10 is a cautionary tale for today’s plugged in world, but it’s also a sweet romance, with just that perfect touch of spice.

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