Monthly Archives: July 2017

Book Review – Sexy Beast

17 Monday Jul 2017

Posted by in Blog Tour, Book Review, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

Get ready to fall in love with an oh-so-sexy dad!

*****

Sexy Beast

Single Dads Club #3

by Piper Rayne

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Release: July 17, 2017

Model: Jacob Rodney

Photographer: Wander Aguiar

Cover Design: RBA Designs

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34375624-sexy-beast

Blurb:

It’s time.

Time to get a life.

Time to start over.

Time to move beyond the past.

The guys in the Single Dads Club would tell you it was time years ago, but until recently, the risk of hurting my little girl outweighed the benefit of getting a piece of ass.

Now that I have a tween daughter on my hands? It’s becoming more apparent with every poster hung on the wall, every fight over wearing make-up and every uncomfortable conversation about puberty, that at least one of us needs a female touch in our lives.

Jesus. I can’t even think the words ‘female touch’ without thinking of her.

Charlotte Rose. Charlie.

She’s everything I shouldn’t want, but someone needs to tell that to my damn libido because every time she’s around I have a constant case of blue balls.

There’s a list of reasons why I shouldn’t give into what I feel—she’s my best friend’s little sister, she’s seen me at my most vulnerable, and the biggest one—she’s the first person in twelve years who has the potential to break me.

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2ualRMr

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2ujCsxJ

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2tfIJFT

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2tNVCZr

Also in the series:

Real Deal (Single Dads Club #1)

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2q9Cbuo

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2pFWJH7

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2psChhm

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2r8jy7s

Dirty Talker (Single Dads Club #2)

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2qU0R7M

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2s185uE

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2sPSkDf

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2rxWFNQ

*****

5 Star Review – “Holy Mother of Men! Hands down the best book of the series and Garrett is definitely one sexy beast!” – Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog

5 STar Review – “OMG! So let me start off with this amazingly gorgeous cover! I have to say that this one is hands down, without a doubt my favorite of the series (although I love them all), but the only thing that would have made it even better is just a little more #GroinCleavage.” – Whoo Gives a Hoot

5 Star Review – “This book was so, so yummy. The sexual tension between Garrett and Charlie is insane and when they finally give in to their desire, the sexy times are melt-your-kindle HOT!” – ViolinVixen

*****

Sign up for Piper Rayne’s newsletter today

http://eepurl.com/cjhba5

*****

Excerpt:

We end up in the teen area and I’m amazed at the selection. No more just white, tan, and cream cotton bras with a pink bow in the middle. This stuff is actually fun and fashionable.

“I’m loving these bralettes.” I put one up to my chest. A chest that would most definitely be pouring out of one of these.

“They’re all so cute, I can’t decide,” Sydney says from inside the fitting room.

“I love the mint green lace one that criss-crosses,” I say, sitting down in the chair.

“Me too, but there’s a rainbow striped one that looks like a unicorn that’s awesome, too.”

Sydney’s usually been so quiet and reserved when I see her, but seeing this side of her is nice.

“Well, let’s get four to start you off. So, get those and pick two others.”

“Really? Oh great.”

“It’s on your dad, so no worries.”

We both laugh.

My phone chimes with a text and I look down at it in my hand.

Garrett: Buy something for yourself as a thank you for what you’re doing.

I smile, my thumbs typing out my response before I can think better of it.

Me: You can pick it out if you’d like.

I imagine his cheeks reddening and him running his hand along his beard. Was that pushing the envelope too far?

Garrett: Send me a picture and I’ll okay it.

Apparently not. I smile to myself.

Me: Would you prefer me to model it?

The three dots appear and then disappear and reappear again.

I second-guess sending the cheeky text and quickly brush off my unease. What’s a little flirting between friends? If you can even call us that…

“Syd, are you good?” I ask, still staring down at my phone as the three dots continue their disappearing act.

“Yeah, I have about six more to try on.”

“Okay, I’m just going to look around the store.”

“All right.”

I head into the store, finding a black push up bra and see-through panties on display. Snapping a picture, I send it off to Garrett.

Again, the three dots appear and then disappear.

Garrett: Whatever you like.

Me: I’m undecided on this set or…

Before I can even take a picture, he responds.

Garrett: No more pictures, just buy whatever.

I snap the picture of a red lacy half cup demi bra and thongs panties.

Garrett: Enough, Charlie.

Me: Maybe I should model them for you?

Garrett: Vance would kill me.

Me: Vance is in LA.

Garrett: Just buy both then.

Me: I don’t want to spend all your money. I’m happy to have you be the decision maker.

Garrett: I have enough money, buy both.

I laugh to myself and decide to head back to the dressing room to check on Sydney. On the way I see a pink bodysuit with a slit down the middle that reaches all the way down to the naval. It’s lacy and see through. I snap a picture.

Me: Maybe this would be more flattering on me?

Garrett: Jesus. How the hell am I going to hide this hard-on in the FOOD COURT?

Me: Is that a compliment?

Garrett: Take it however you want.

Me: I’ll take it as a compliment. As long as it’s me you’re imagining in the lingerie and not someone else.

Garrett: You know exactly what I’m envisioning. Vance would string me up by my balls if he knew.

Me: Vance is in LA and I’m a grown woman, remember?

Garrett: I don’t have to remember. I see your grown womanhood every damn day.

“There you are,” Syd says as she comes up alongside me.

“Oh.” The phone drops from my hands and falls to the floor. “How did you do?” I bend down to pick it up.

“You okay?” Sydney’s eyes widen. “Your face is flushed.”

“I’m fine.” I shove my phone in my back pocket and eye her items. Cute and preteenish. “Perfect, so you’re all set?”

“Um…yeah.” She’s still eyeing me skeptically but seems to let the topic go.

“Let’s go. Your dad is waiting for us.”

Sydney glances at the bodysuit her dad and I were just discussing.

“Eyes forward.” I snap my fingers in front of her face and her head turns in my direction.

“Um…okay,” she says with a strange look on her face, but follows me to the register anyway.

*****

Review:

I’m pretty sure that I missed out a little bit by not having read any of the other books in the series.  Piper Rayne does a great job of making sure that you have all of the pertinent details but I think that these characters and their connection were built up over time and not having that history meant that I didn’t have that going in.  On the other hand though I didn’t have that going in so I was able to make my own opinion of their romance  🙂

I love the idea that Charlie has had a thing for Garrett for a long time, that she’s been there to support him.  The sibling’s best friend plot is one of my favorite and it is handled well here.  But there’s more going on here though and I think all of it is done with a deft hand.

Garrett has spent years taking care of his daughter and mourning his wife.  He’s thrown himself into being a dad and avoided relationships to keep from getting hurt like that again.  It took him years to start doing anything more than survive, even with a baby to take care of, and he’s not looking for anything more.  But he should know that Charlie isn’t the type to give up easily.

Together these two are a lot of fun.  Charlie is spunky and willing to tweak Garrett when she needs to, while Garrett is all sorts of sexy when he lets himself be.  There’s a lot of struggle in the beginning before he finally decides to give in, so be prepared for a decent amount of back and forth between the two.  But when he does decide that he’s willing to get involved … whew!  He definitely doesn’t hold back  🙂

A friends to lovers story with a lot of heat and sizzle, Sexy Beast also shows itself to be an emotion driven read about learning to face your fears and being willing to open yourself to love again.

*****

Author Info:

Piper Rayne, or Piper and Rayne, whichever you prefer because we’re not one author, we’re two. Yep, you get two established authors for the price of one. You might be wondering if you know us? Maybe you’ll read our books and figure it out. Maybe you won’t. Does it really matter?

We aren’t trying to stamp ourselves with a top-secret label. We wanted to write without apology. We wanted to not be pigeon holed into a specific outline. We wanted to give readers a story without them assuming how the story will flow. Everyone has their favorite authors, right? And when you pick up their books, you expect something from them. Whether it’s an alpha male, heavy angst, a happily ever after, there’s something you are absolutely certain the book will contain. Heck, we’re readers, too, we get it.

What can we tell you about ourselves? We both have kindle’s full of one-clickable books. We’re both married to husbands who drive us to drink. We’re both chauffeurs to our kids. Most of all, we love hot heroes and quirky heroines that make us laugh, and we hope you do, too.

Website – www.piperrayne.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/PiperRayne/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/authorpiperrayne/

Twitter –  http://www.twitter.com/piperraynerocks

Newsletter – http://eepurl.com/cjhba5

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15810938.Piper_Rayne

Amazon –  https://www.amazon.com/Piper-Rayne/e/B01ND0R15R

*****

Book Review – Maybe This Summer

14 Friday Jul 2017

Posted by in Book Review

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , ,

Maybe This Summer

A Colorado Ice Novella

by Jennifer Snow

Always a wingman . . .

Owen McConnell is used to being ignored. After all, it’s only when he appears as the Colorado Avalanche’s team mascot that he gets all the attention. When the costume is off, women tend to gravitate toward his famous hockey player friends. But after he meets lovely, damaged Paige Adams, he knows he can be the star player for her. She’s raising funds for the hospital burn unit, and Owen’s determined to help her out—and sweep her off her feet.

The burn unit has been near and dear to Paige’s heart ever since the doctors helped her after a vicious attack. Yet the scars—both emotional and physical—haven’t faded as much as she’d hoped. She’s closed herself off from relationships, and the thought of opening up is terrifying. But Owen’s sexy charm might be just the push Paige needs to start loving again.

Not having read anything else in this series, I’m not sure why Owen never gets the girl.  He’s sexy, funny, and caring.  Sure, it would be easy to get overlooked by the puck bunnies who are only after the players but I would think that there would be some lucky woman out there who was looking for something a little different.

Lucky for Paige, he hasn’t been found yet.  Instead he turns all of that heart, charm and determination on her.  And he’s going to need it because she’s a tough nut to crack.  Having been the victim of a brutal attack she’s not quite gotten her confidence back.  Years later she is still covering up her scars and hiding from the world, afraid to put herself out there in any form.  But when Owen sets his mind on winning a date, she finds it harder and harder to resist.

It takes some doing but eventually he’s able to convince her to give him a chance.  (The way that he gets her to agree to go out for drinks is CLASSIC … and so is the crash and burn that came next  🙂 ).  And with some help from her mom, there may be hope that he can claim her heart.  And help her find her belief in herself again while he’s at it.

Because the story really focuses on Paige and her issues with getting involved it didn’t matter much that this was the first in the series that I read.    It’s going to be emotional for her but it’s definitely time that she let her past go and embrace her future.  Not an easy thing to do but with a bit of help she can find a way to embrace the strong, beautiful woman she is today.

Book Review – I Dared the Duke

13 Thursday Jul 2017

Posted by in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

I Dared the Duke

A Wayward Wallflowers Novel

by Anna Bennett

DARE TO FALL IN LOVE

Alexander Savage, the Duke of Blackshire, is known throughout the ton for three things: the burn scars on his neck, his ornery disposition, and the trail of broken hearts behind him. None of which would concern Miss Elizabeth Lacey in the least—if she weren’t living under his roof. As his grandmother’s companion, Beth is all too concerned with the moody and compelling duke. Incensed by his plans to banish the sweet dowager duchess to the country, Beth refuses to do his bidding. If Alex wants her help, he’s going to have to take her dare…and grant her three wishes.

Alex adores his grandmother, which is precisely why she must leave. A string of unfortunate incidents has him worried for the safety of everyone around him—including the dowager’s loyal and lovely companion, Beth. But the notorious wallflower isn’t as meek as she appears, and as their battle of wills heats up, so does Alex’s desire. He’s dangerously close to falling in love with her…and revealing secrets he’d rather keep hidden. How can he convince her that his darkest days are behind him—and that, for the first time in forever, his heart is true?

I Dared the Duke continues Anna Bennett’s Regency-era romance series, The Wayward Wallflowers.

This is the first of Bennett’s books that I’ve read and I really enjoyed it.  It’s been a while since I’ve read a historical romance and this one reminded me why I enjoy them so much.

As is typical, Alex displays Duke-ish behavior and keeps too many things to himself and if he’d only share it would take care of so much of his troubles.  Instead Beth makes a lot of assumptions, very few of them good, and gets herself into the occasional bit of trouble.

The whodunit part isn’t a huge part of the story, other than as a catalyst to these two getting together and living HEA.  But when the truth comes out it definitely is an interesting revelation and works well with the rest of the story.

Together, they make a great couple – trying so hard to avoid their attraction but with a lot of sass when they inevitably fail.  Cute and fun, with some laughs and a few moments of danger, I Dared the Duke is a light-hearted read for those who like their men in cravats and their women hiding backbones under their corsets.

(Can easily stand on its own)

Book Review – Light Up the Night

12 Wednesday Jul 2017

Posted by in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

Light Up the Night

Cottonbloom #3.75

by Laura Trentham

When a police chief who craves stability meets a free-thinking, colorful college professor, neither anticipate the fireworks that light up the night…

After a mugging in grad school left her with an irrational fear of the night not even her PhD in psychology has helped overcome, Sadie Wren is sure she’s found an idyllic, safe place in Cottonbloom. When a break-in at her house shatters her sense of safety, gruff, protective Thaddeus Preston storms into her life. On the surface, they have little in common, but a loneliness she’s only too familiar with hides behind his infrequent smiles. But based on her knowledge of the human psyche, Sadie is convinced her infatuation with Thad will burn out as quickly as it flared.

As the Chief of Police of Cottonbloom, Mississippi, Thaddeus Preston maintains a strict control on everything in the small town—himself included. With an older brother serving time for a crime Thad committed when he was just a kid, he lives a life of penance, not allowing anyone to get close. When a reported lurker turns into a real threat, Thad is determined to restore order as quickly as possible and get back to his virtual jail.

But Thad’s brother gets out on probation just as Sadie and the town turns to him for protection. His tidy, barren life spins into chaos, and the only thing that makes sense is the one woman who shouldn’t.

I really don’t think the blurb gives Sadie enough credit … or maybe it’s just me that sees “free-thinking, colorful” and automatically thinks hippie  🙂  And she totally isn’t.  Yes, she’s got dyed streaks in her hair and she’s a little (ok, a lot) more bubbly than the oh-so-serious police chief but she’s definitely not the wild child I thought she’d be.  She’s smart, funny and a good foil for the taciturn man in uniform who comes to help her after a break-in.

Thad has put himself in his own kind of prison after his brother went to jail.  They were both young and stupid and he hates that he’s free while his brother is in a cell.  He’s turned himself into an all-business cop who doesn’t have a life outside of his job and no real friends to speak of.  And women are definitely not in his orbit.  Until he meets Sadie and she has him thinking about things he hasn’t in years.

I adored these two together.  Thad is great at settling Sadie when her fears get too much.  His steady, strong presence helps her calm down enough that her professional mind can help her work through her issues.  On the other side, Sadie touches a part of Thad that he’s locked away and helps him find the man under the uniform.  She brings out laughter and fun that he’s been missing for way too long.

My only complaint, and this is common for Threntham’s stories, is that I definitely didn’t get enough!  Even her full-length books are over too soon so you know that her novellas, while complete and satisfying, will always need more pages.  Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing missing in the story – the characters are well-crafted and the plot is believable & thorough, I can’t help but want for more when something is this good!  I’ll definitely be first in line when the next book comes out this summer knowing that Trentham just owns it at delivering the quirky small-town romance 🙂

Book Review – A SEAL’s Courage

11 Tuesday Jul 2017

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

Trent is going to definitely heat up your summer!

*****

A SEAL’s Courage

Military Match, Book 1

by JM Stewart

Release Date: July 11, 2017

Forever Yours eBook, $3.99

Blurb:

A sizzling new series about three friends looking for love-and the sexy SEALs who are ready to fulfill their craziest fantasies.

He’s a man on a mission.

Navy SEAL Trent Lawson isn’t a man to back down from a challenge. Ever since he opened his eyes in that army hospital to learn the men from his unit were gone, Trent has been determined to live life in their honor. Even if that means facing his most terrifying mission yet…dating.

She’s done playing games.

Lauren Hayes has standards. In fact, she’s got an entire list of them. There’s only ever been one man to come close to making the cut-Trent Lawson. Except her best friend’s too-sexy-for-his-own-good brother is strictly off-limits.

When Trent and Lauren find themselves matched up by a dating service, the chemistry between them is nothing short of explosive. They both know getting involved is a huge mistake, but life is too short to walk away from something this good.

Add A SEAL’S COURAGE to your shelf on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2qzR6hf

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2qGsnq4

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2qG4Qp7

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2r1awx7

iBooks: http://apple.co/2q1So1P

Google: http://bit.ly/2rAFxE9

*****

Excerpt:

“Then be my first.” Lauren drew a deep breath and pressed herself into his arms, sliding her hands up his back. “It’s not like I’m asking you to do me right here and now. It can happen at whatever pace you need it to.”

He cupped her chin in his palm, brow furrowed, gaze intense. “You’re okay with that?”

She lifted onto her toes, trying to close the space between them. “I’m okay with that. If it makes you feel better to put a label on this, consider us friends with benefits. When it stops being mutually satisfying, it ends.”

She’d just have to be sure to keep her head in the right place, so that her heart didn’t get broken in the end. This was a fling with a sexy guy, no more, no less.

He let out an agonized groan and brushed his mouth over hers, so lightly she shivered. “God, I can’t resist you anymore. I have a few requests.”

Her heart hammered in giddy anticipation. She hadn’t expected him to accept. That he had sent myriad thoughts flying through her mind, all of which settled low in her belly. “Okay.”

He pulled back. For a moment his gaze dropped as his fingers idly stroked her shoulder, like he couldn’t help but touch her. “You can’t tell Mandy.”

Lauren rolled her eyes. “Trent, she’s my best friend.”

“Yeah, but she’s my sister. The last thing I need is her privy to the intimate details of my prowess in the bedroom.” He brushed his nose against hers, amusement glinting in his eyes. “I recall overhearing a conversation about size once.”

Heat rushed into her face, but Lauren couldn’t contain her grin. She recalled that exact conversation. They hadn’t discussed him, exactly, but she remembered distinctly wondering.

“All right. On this I’ll concede, because you have a point.” She rubbed a circle over his chest. “What else?”

“I want to put a time limit on this. A month. When it’s over, we go back to being just friends.” His hands looped around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Heat flared in his eyes. “I also think we should ease into this. So my last request is no sex.”

Lauren dropped her forehead to his shoulder with an exasperated sigh. “I’m never going to lose my virginity that way.”

He chuckled and hooked two fingers beneath her chin, tilting her gaze back to his. His eyes blazed at her. “At least not right away. I’m proposing we do everything else first. Because I was thinking…you want the full experience, right?”

She shrugged. He had her there. “I guess.”

“And that includes things like kissing. Touching.” He leaned down, his voice lowering to a husky rumble against her mouth. “Tasting.”

A hot little shudder moved through her as her mind filled with the possibilities: his rough hands closing around her breasts, fingers sliding into her panties, stroking her sex.

His warm mouth buried between her thighs.

“I like that idea. Doing it all. How ’bout, since you stayed last night, instead of lunch today, we start with dinner tomorrow night?” She pinned him with a direct stare and arched a brow, attempting to look fierce, but one corner of her mouth twitched, betraying her. “You still owe me a date.”

*****

Review:

How these two thought this would work out boggles the mind.  Don’t get me wrong, I feel for them but it wasn’t the smartest decision ever made  🙂

Trent came back from war with scars inside and out.  He suffers from survivor’s guilt, a little PTSD, and a bum leg.  It’s his heart that gives him the most trouble.  His wife left him while he was away and added to the guilt he feels for letting his team down causing him to pretty much turn inwards.  He’s making the motions but he’s not really living life.  The bright spot for him is his sister’s friend Lauren.  She’s the one that seems to understand what he needs during his recovery and he definitely doesn’t want to lose that.  He may be attracted to her but he doesn’t believe he’s in any shape to give away his heart again and she definitely doesn’t deserve anything less.

Lauren has always had a crush on Trent but he doesn’t see her the same.  She’s been hiding her feelings for a long time but when they get set up by a dating agency it seems like maybe it’s a sign.  Only he’s not willing to risk their friendship (and the support she provides him).  But when their attraction starts getting the best of them they make an agreement for a month of sex … yeah, see what I mean?  They are both old enough to know that that can’t possibly go well.

There’s a bit of back and forth at the beginning leading up to their agreement, which gives you a good feeling for where they are coming from.  And then they definitely bring all sorts of the sexy for their month together.  It’s the feels that happen afterward, though, that will definitely capture your heart and keep you coming back to see their HEA.  And have you looking forward to the next book.

*****

Author Info:

J.M. Stewart is a coffee and chocolate addict who lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two sons and two very spoiled dogs. She’s a hopeless romantic who believes everybody should have their happily ever after and has been devouring romance novels for as long as she can remember. Writing them has become her obsession.

www.AuthorJMStewart.com

www.twitter.com/JMStewartWriter

www.facebook.com/AuthorJMStewart

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win 1 of 15 free ebook downloads of A SEAL’S COURAGE!

http://bit.ly/2tlQOfv

*****

Book Review – Mister Hockey

10 Monday Jul 2017

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

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , ,

I dare you to come meet Breezy and not want to be friends – she is such a doll  🙂

*****

Mister Hockey

Hellions Angels #1

by Lia Riley

Releasing July 11, 2017

Avon Impulse

Blurb:

Her biggest fantasy is about to become a reality…

Jed West is Mr. Hockey. The captain of the NHL’s latest winning team, the Denver Hellions—and the hottest player on the ice—at least according to every magazine. .and Breezy Angel. Breezy has been drooling over Jed at games for years, and he plays a starring role in her most toe-curling fantasies. But dirty dreams don’t come true, right?

Then Jed saunters through the doors of her library, a last minute special guest for a summer reading event, and not only is he drop dead gorgeous up close, his personality is straight up swoon-worthy. He even comes to the rescue when she has an R-rated “Super Book Worm” costume malfunction. But when he mistakenly assumes she’s more into books than pucks, she’s too flustered to correct his mistake. And then comes a big kiss, followed by a teensy-tiny problem. Jed’s dating policy is simple: Never date a fan.

So what’s a fangirl going to have to do to convince her ultimate crush that he’s become less of a perfect fantasy, and more like the perfect man. . .for her?

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32711194-mr-hockey

Goodreads Series Link https://www.goodreads.com/series/204471-hellions-angels

Buy Links:      AMAZON | B & N | GOOGLE | ITUNES | KOBO

*****

Excerpt:

Jed West’s stomach curdled faster than overheated hollandaise sauce as he squinted at the menu for Zachary’s, Denver’s most popular all-day breakfast hangout. Ghost-like shadows haunted the specials list, blurring the descriptions for peanut butter French toast, country fried steak benedict and sweet potato pancakes.  Ah, shit. Not fucking now. There went the prices too–the dollar signs and numbers blurring until barely legible.

No point blinking. He knew the drill. Jaw tight, he reached for his orange juice, took a swig and waited. Short bouts of double vision had dogged him ever since Game Seven, the pattern the same. After a minute or two, his focus would snap back to normal as if nothing had happened. Until then, he needed to follow one of coach’s favorite axioms: “Suck it up, Buttercup.”

Who cared about the damn menu anyway? He pushed it to one side, having already ordered the “Manwich”, chorizo and eggs smashed between a jalapeno cheddar biscuit–the kind of breakfast that wanted to kill you in the best kind of ways–and crunched ice. Too bad the cubes didn’t pass on their chill, because this. . .situation for lack of a better word, was getting under his skin and it shouldn’t.

No–Scratch that. It couldn’t.

Unexplained double vision wasn’t a walk in the park, but facts were facts. And the ugly truth was that if he didn’t quit batting his lashes like Scarlett O’Hara with a fly in her skirt, The Post’s toughest sports columnist would glance up from across the table, mistake his tic for a cheesedick wink, and go Lord of the Flies on his nut sack.

At least for the moment, Neve Angel was occupied. She hunched over her digital voice recorder, dark bangs obscuring her sharp gaze as she fiddled with the control settings. Her lips moved to the upbeat Buddy Holly song piping over the sound system while she plucked a mic from her messenger bag. His vision came back online in time for him to read the orange button pinned to the front.

Had a Ball at The Rock Creek Testicle Festival.

Christ, looked to be an authentic souvenir too.

Slamming his knees together, he forced a grin, the one that had potential endorsements lined up around the block, eager for him to shill everything from vitamin infused coconut water to shaving cream. He unwrapped the paper napkin from around the fork and knife, and began tearing the corner into neat strips.

No doubt the eye thing was fatigue-related, an inevitable toll from the grueling NHL season and subsequent hard-fought playoffs. Everything would be all right in the end. If it wasn’t all right, it wasn’t the end.

“You plan on telling me what’s up with Mount Napkin Shreds?” Neve leaned her elbows on the recycled wood tabletop, a signal they were shifting into interview mode. Her brows arched beneath her thick-cut bangs. “Nervous about being in the hot seat, princess?”

“Yeah, terrified,” he answered laconically, not missing a beat. Hiding his true feelings behind a mask of confidence was a reflex; it came with the territory of having the “C” stitched on the front of his jersey. A good captain never showed fear to an opponent. “A jackal’s bark is worse then it’s bite.”

“Jackal? Don’t tell me you’re using Gunnarisms now.” She rolled her eyes. “And I’d so wanted to enjoy my bagel without gagging.”

The Hellions Head Coach, Tor Gunnar, had a reputation for dismissing the press as “jackals.” He fostered a tense relationship with journalists, in particular, the tiny woman sitting opposite. Neve had run a piece on his divorce a few years ago. He retaliated by refusing to call on her during press conferences. Neve hit back with increasingly critical op-eds. Their mutual enmity had devolved to the stuff of local legend.

*****

Review:

Poor Breezy!  She meets her biggest crush in quite an embarrassing manner, but Jed (like us) can only be charmed by her.  She’s fun loving, funny and so very real.  Every time something awkward happens I just want to give her a hug.

Jed knows there is a version of himself that most people see and it is so appealing to be seen as just a guy.  A hot, sexy guy but just a guy.  He’s got a lot on his plate between family pressure and some issues with his career, so having found Breezy gives him that bright spot that he needs at a difficult time.

You can totally relate to both Jed and Breezy – why he wants to be seen as him and how she ends up hiding her fan status from him.  You know that it isn’t going to go well, that something is going to happen to blow things out of the water.  The best you can do is hope that Jed gets his act together and figures out what a great catch he has in Breezy.  I have to say that he does do pretty well for himself  🙂  (Can’t wait to see what comes next … Riley has set us up for quite the doozy of a stand off between Breezy’s sister and Jed’s coach!)

*****

Author Info:

After studying at the University of Montana-Missoula, Lia Riley scoured the world armed only with a backpack, overconfidence and a terrible sense of direction. She counts shooting vodka with a Ukranian mechanic in Antarctica, sipping yerba mate with gauchos in Chile and swilling fourex with stationhands in Outback Australia among her accomplishments.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

*****

Giveaway:

Three print copies of MISTER HOCKEY (U.S. Only)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81338/

*****

Click the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

Book Review – No Excuses

07 Friday Jul 2017

Posted by in Blog Tour, Book Review, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

Y’all, I love the imagination that Nikky Kaye has when she’s creating her books!

*****

No Excuses

by Nikky Kaye

Blurb:

Maddie’s rules for attending a work retreat:

1 Pack the right clothes. Especially extra underwear.
2 Don’t try to school your insanely hot boss on acceptable trust exercises.
3 Be prepared for the extracurricular ropes course.
4 Make sure there is a safety net when you fall, because you will fall hard

Gage doesn’t appreciate how hard it is to be his right hand woman—especially when I’m spending so much time with my own right hand, fantasizing about him. My demanding, control freak boss is testing all my limits, and I don’t know how long I can stay professional.

No Excuses is a hot, full-length contemporary romance, featuring blindfolds, rope play, food fights, and sexy architectural features like wainscoting. As in all Nikky Kaye books, cheating is not allowed, but some funny stuff and a HEA are non-negotiable.

Find it on Goodreads

Buy it on Amazon

*****

Excerpt:

He moved close to me, our bodies nearly touching. I kept my eyes on his chest as he gently draped one of the ties around me, cool and soft on the nape of my neck. The tiny hairs under my ears stood up at the feel of the silk sliding across my skin. Every sense I had was on high alert.

He smelled like fresh laundry, and a trace of something else lingered on his skin. It was almost like the scent of paper, or an overworked photocopier. I felt the heat from his hands close to my throat, and the hairs on his forearms tickled my collarbone for an infinitesimal moment.

My attention remained focused on the buttons of his shirt. I was very worried that if I met his gaze, my hyper awareness of him would shine out of my eyes like a flashlight.
“We’ll just leave this here for now,” he murmured, flicking one end of the tie against the underside of my chin. “Are you ready?”

Not even remotely.

I nodded mutely, but I let out a little gasp when his fingers touched my chin and tilted my face up. It was so tempting to screw my eyes shut, like a little girl trying to pretend that something didn’t exist if she couldn’t see it. I’d had plenty of practice with that before.

But he wouldn’t let me retreat. He looked at me directly and without guile, as usual. What was a little different this time, however, was the way his eyes darkened into stormy seas.

“Trust me.” His simple words wormed into my heart as his warm breath landed on my lips.

My voice cracked as I said, “Mister Gage.” It wasn’t an answer or a question, a protest or a plea. I honestly didn’t know what I wanted to say, and whatever was building in me halted as he lifted the other piece of fabric to my eyes.

He smoothed his thumbs across the strip of silk over my eyes, spreading out from the bridge of my nose to my temples. The tie was held firm between his fingers—those nimble fingers that paused in my hair briefly before they met again at the back of my head.

“Is that too tight?” he asked as he pulled the half-knot.

The sound of the silk rubbing against itself whispered in my ear. I shook my head. His hands clutched my hair and held me still.

“I’m not done.” His fingers tangled in my hair as he finished tying, pulling a few strands just enough to make me suck in a breath.

He froze. “Did I hurt you?”

“No.” My nipples hardened into tight buds as his breath washed over my forehead. “I, uh, no,” I repeated.

Gage had never touched me this much in the whole time I’d been working with him. Just the memory of his hands in my hair was enough to make me wobbly in the knees.
He dragged his thumbs across my covered eyes again, like a parent wiping away their child’s tears. Tracing his index fingers lightly over my eyebrows, he made an indistinct but satisfied noise.

“I can’t see anything,” I complained.

I was so blind that I flinched when his mouth dipped to my ear. “Good,” he chuckled.
Reflexively I swayed toward him, like a flower toward the sun. He pressed his thumbs gently into my cheekbones, then his fingertips left a trail of fire down my jaw and neck. On the journey he slipped the other tie from where it dangled around my neck, and pressed it into my trembling hands.

“Tie me up,” he ordered in a low voice.

Yeah, those were words I definitely never expected to hear from my boss’s mouth.

*****

Review:

What starts out as a boss/secretary fantasy novel quickly turns into something more.  Maddie’s adoption has left her with some issues regarding her self-worth as well as her ability to apply herself.  Gage has some pretty serious social interaction issues (enough that I’m kinda curious how he’s been so successful in business so far).  Both of them are good at making the other one better.  Maddie helps smooth out Gage’s rough edges, helping deal with people with more humanity.  And Gage believes that Maddie can, and will, do great which means she starts to believe it too.

There’s humor and heat in Nikky Kaye’s work.  She’s fantastic at taking a traditional storyline and giving it a little twist  🙂

*****

Author Info:

Nikky Kaye is almost my real name. I’m a former Film professor who likes more than her movies to be black and white. Sadly, the world doesn’t work that way. I have worked with movie stars, Ivy League brainiacs, and the United Nations—all of which means that I’m familiar with ass-kissing, power struggles, greed and faking it. In my spare time I parent 5 year-old twin boys, serve on the board of an independent cinema, and run a medical consulting company.

Twitter | Facebook | Web | Goodreads | Amazon

*****

Spotlight – Home Field

06 Thursday Jul 2017

Posted by in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, ,

This one is in my TBR pile … and I think I might need a couple of tissues too  🙂

*****

Home Field

Warriors of the Heart #1

By Laurie Winter

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age category: Adult

Release Date: 30 June, 2017

Blurb:

One year after her husband is killed in action, Julie Ellis is back in her hometown and focused on raising her young son. Then Reagan Harrison bursts into her life—a cocky, charming linebacker who leaves her off balance.

As a successful, professional athlete, Reagan believes he has it all. But after meeting Julie, he finds every excuse in the book to spend time with her. Despite his best efforts not to fall too hard, Reagan envisions a future with Julie, along with the little boy he’s come to love as his own.

While Reagan’s protective love begins to mend Julie’s spirit, she can’t suppress her continued deep devotion to her late husband’s memory. And when a letter arrives from beyond the grave, Reagan resolves to provide her with the answers she desperately needs to heal. Now Julie must choose either to keep her heart closed off or remove the lock and fight for a future with Reagan. Can a second chance at true love be just as sweet?

You can find Home Field on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29243691-home-field

You can buy Home Field here:

– Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Field-Warriors-Heart-Laurie-Winter-ebook/dp/B0719DXJL6/

– Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/home-field-laurie-winter/1126462402?ean=2940157543419

– Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/home-field-1

– Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Laurie_Winter_Home_Field?id=TNcoDwAAQBAJ

– Wild Rose Press: https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/5085-home-field.html

*****

Excerpt:

“Thanks for understanding me.” Julie softly kissed his cheek. The rough stubble tickled her lips. “Even when I don’t understand myself.” She went to sit in her chair to finish her cup of coffee.

At that moment, she noticed the kitchen. What an unbelievable mess! Who’d actually cooked breakfast…a class of rowdy five-year-olds? She gave Reagan a sideways glance, to see him moving a last piece of waffle around his plate, collecting any remaining egg and syrup. “Did you use every bowl I own?”

He was the messiest cook she’d ever seen. A huge pile of dirty dishes sat on the counter, covered in dried waffle batter and egg. Bits of syrup-laden crumbs dotted the kitchen floor, like a sticky breadcrumb trail.

His smile held no hint of guilt, and he shrugged. “Nobody’s perfect.”

No, not perfect—but he was pretty darn close.

*****

Author Info:

Laurie Winter is a true warrior of the heart. Inspired by her dreams, she creates authentic characters who overcome the odds and find true love. She keeps her life balanced with regular yoga practice and running. When not pounding the pavement or the keyboard, she’s enjoying time with her family, who are scattered between Wisconsin and Michigan. Laurie has three kids and one fantastic husband, all who inspire her to chase her dreams.

You can find and contact Laurie Winter here:

– Website: https://lauriewinter.com/

– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurieWinterAuthor/

– Twitter: https://twitter.com/lauriew_author

– Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3467635.Laurie_Winter

– Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/LWinterauthor/

– Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauriewinter_author/

*****

Giveaway:

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Home Field. One winner will win a reader’s gift basket (US Only). It Includes:

* An Alice in Wonderland inspired teacup and saucer set

* Paperback of ON THE CORNER OF KING STREET by Mary Ellen Taylor

* Paperback of UNDER AN ADIRONDACK SKY by Karen Rock

* a $10 Amazon gift card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1000e4f1235/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

Spotlight – Jane of Manchester

05 Wednesday Jul 2017

Posted by in Blog Tour

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

,

This one is getting some fabulous reviews on Goodreads and Amazon!

“A cross between Coronation Street and Bridget Jones…many laugh out loud moments.” Top 500 Amazon UK Reviewer

“An impressively fine first novel.” Top 100 Amazon US Hall of Fame Reviewer

Sit a spell and fall in love with Jane.

*****

Jane of Manchester

by J.G. Dow

Blurb:

Jane is a thirty year old woman living in the city and enjoying her social life but she really would like to get settled down at some point and have a bit more stability. Fun and easy reading chick lit novel with a few laughs along the way!

Jane’s life on the face of it isn’t really too bad…she has great friends like party girl Natasha who’s always up for a laugh and her close pal Polly, always there for her and of course her loving parents, but things could still be better…

Most people she knows are either married or have kids and she has been single a while now and wonders if a good man is ever to be encountered again. The single life is far from a quiet one for Jane however, as she is constantly getting dragged to night clubs and bars by Natasha and the crew as well as enduring a particularly boozy weekend away at the seaside!

Jane loves a lot about her life, disregarding rude plumbers in her flat and dealing with annoying superiors and a smug sister, but as a certain someone takes her eye, is everything about to change and get a whole lot more serious or is the single life determined to keep her captive a while longer yet…

Buy it on Amazon

*****

Author Info:

I was born in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire and went to University in Manchester which gave me a good knowledge of the city for me to write about it. I like doing a bit of walking in my spare time and play guitar as well as reading and listening to a wide variety of music.

Amazon Link- Mybook.to/JaneofM

Facebook Page- J.G.Dow@homeofjane

Book Review – Finding Home

04 Tuesday Jul 2017

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

Y’all, I just love Jaden and how real he is … especially in all his awkward glory!

*****

Finding Home

by Meg Harding

Length: 68,000 words

Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design

Blurb:

Jaden Matthews has never known his father or his father’s family, but he’s about to get a crash course on having siblings. With the recent passing of his grandmother, he’s discovered he has three half-brothers and part ownership of a gym. In Serenity, Florida. His life in New York has hit a rocky road, so maybe this is the vacation he needs to get things back on track.

Chase Michaels lost his future in a car crash almost ten years ago, and he’s made a new one for himself in Serenity. One that doesn’t include getting emotionally involved with people who are just passing through. But Jaden makes his common sense flee and his gut react. He’s got one month with the man who made him believe in taking a chance.

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

*****

Excerpt:

“Is everything all right?” asked a warm, very male voice from behind him. It sent a shiver racing down Jaden’s spine. Huh. That was weird.

He turned.

Standing on the shoulder of the road was a Calvin Klein model. He was taller than Jaden, probably some insanely genetically gifted six foot something, and his legs…. Jaden’s mouth might have watered a little. They were really long and very shapely. His jeans were molded to his thighs. His big, muscular thighs. Jaden swallowed heavily. His plain white shirt clung to an equally wonderful chest, outlining defined pecs and hinting at the type of abdomen Jaden watched porn to see normally. He was tan, with a chiseled jaw and high cheekbones, big, luscious pink lips. His eyes were hidden by his sunglasses, Ray Bans, and his hair was a silky ear length fall of chestnut.

Jaden had to wonder if he’d passed out in his car from the heat and this was all a fantastic hallucination. If the guy took his shirt off, that’d answer the question.

Maybe he should cut back on the porn….

“You okay?”

He blinked. The guy’s shirt was still on. So this god was actually here to be his knight in shining armor. Wow. Too bad he was about to make himself look like a giant dumbass. “My car is out of gas,” he said. “And I don’t know where I am.”

The man smiled. He had dimples. Two of them. One in each cheek.

Jaden’s knees felt weak. Man, the heat was really getting to him. He leaned against his car for stability. Sweat was trickling down his neck, under his collar, and over his spine. When he licked his lips, Jaden tasted salt. So he was lost and grossly sweaty on the side of the road. Definitely the picture one wanted to present to the hottest man he’d ever seen in person.

“You’re on State Road 22, about ten miles outside of Serenity.”

Jaden’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding me, right? Ten miles? All this car needed to make it was ten more miles?” If he had a junk car like Mr. Hottie, he’d kick it in frustration, but he drove an Audi so he settled for stomping his foot. Unreal. He was so close to his destination.

“I’m gonna go out on a limb and say you’re headed to Serenity, then?” asked the man, and he may have been beyond sexy, but the smirk on his face was starting to irritate Jaden. Jaden’s frustration wasn’t amusing, damnit.

“I am,” he said.

This got him a thorough head to toe evaluation from his potential rescuer. He straightened, trying to make his shoulders look broader. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to fix the sweat dampened mess. He felt like he had to be coming up wanting in this man’s judgment. In his ear, the operator asked, “Can I let you go now, or would you like me to keep wasting my time?”

He hung up on her. If he ended up dead, his ghost could haunt her.

“I can give you and your small horse there a lift to the gas station and back,” he offered, holding out his hand to Magneto, who cautiously walked toward him, black and white ears slicked to his skull and nose twitching. He’d never been a fan of strangers. It’d taken him weeks to get used to Drew, simply because Jaden had been the one to pick him up as a puppy from the shelter. Originally, Magneto was an intended birthday gift for Drew. Jaden’s plan backfired, but he couldn’t say he was sorry about it. As Jaden watched, Magneto tentatively sniffed the proffered hand and then his large tongue flicked out and left slobber in its wake. The man smiled and laughed, crouching to put himself face to face with Magneto. The next kiss landed on his cheek.

Jaden guessed that answered the question of if he could trust this guy. Obviously his dog did, and that probably meant something. “I’d appreciate it. Thank you,” he said. He shifted awkwardly. Should he offer to pay him for the assistance? Maye once they were at the station. Caution urged him to wait to reveal his wallet.

Just on the off chance Magneto was displaying poor judgment.

“You’re welcome.” He directed his blinding smile at Jaden, scratching behind Magneto’s big, floppy ears all the while. “I’m Chase Michaels. What’s this guy’s name?”

“Magneto.” Chase Michaels…. Why did the name sound vaguely familiar? Jaden couldn’t place it. He shook his head. It was probably nothing. “Like the X-Man.” He tacked the line on automatically now, to beat the other person to the inevitable question. Magneto trotted over at his name, abandoning Chase’s attention for Jaden. He rewarded him with an under the chin scratch. “And I’m Jaden. Matthews.”

Chase wiped his slobber coated hands down his jeans as he stood. Jaden winced. “Nice to meet you. Want to get going or do you need to get anything from the car first?”

“Let me grab his leash.” While he picked the leash up, he slipped his wallet into his pocket. He remembered at the last second to take his keys. Locking himself out would be the cherry on top of his day. He didn’t like cherries.

The first thing Magneto did when he jumped in the backseat of Chase’s car was drool all over the far window. Jaden stared at the smears in dismay. “I’m sorry,” he said, trying to head off any unpleasant attitude. “I’ll pay for you to get your car cleaned.” Drew had refused to allow Magneto in his car, and he’d always thrown hissy fits when Magneto smudged all the house windows trying to watch the squirrels outside play.

Jaden was a master window cleaner now. Maybe if he couldn’t get another accounting job, he’d switch to that. He could run his own company and do the the books for it.

But Chase laughed, not looking at all disgusted by the mess it had taken Magneto all of two seconds to create. “It’s fine,” he said. “I’ll roll them down for him.”

His car smelled like apples, and a discreet glance around found the culprit to be a smoothie sitting in the middle cup holder. It was a not so appetizing oatmeal color. He expected country music to come over the speakers, so he was pleasantly surprised to hear something else. Indie rock maybe? He’d never heard this song before, but the beat was good and the singer had a clear voice.

Should he make small talk and ask who this was?

“What brings you to Serenity?”

*****

Review:

Finding Home is not a fast paced book, and that’s OK.  It’s a slow build between Chase and Jaden as they have a chance to get to know one another and, from that, take a look at themselves as well.

Jaden is definitely a fish out of water – not just in Florida but with his brothers.  His city up-bringing with an overly-analytical scientist for a mom definitely didn’t prepare him for the laid back lifestyle he finds in Serenity.  I loved the quirkiness of Jaden trying to fit in and his awkwardness, especially with his feelings towards Chase.  He quickly touched me and I was rooting for him to figure his stuff out.

Chase has things a little more in hand.  Everything but his personal life.  It’s not that he’s afraid of commitment or his sexuality, but living in a small community definitely has its disadvantages  🙂  A life that he loves doesn’t necessarily mean that there isn’t something missing and meeting Jaden brings that point home.  I love how Chase is supportive and understanding.  He can see past Jaden’s neuroses and find him just as charming as I did, which made me love him even more.

I only had a couple of issues with the book.  The main one was with the story because I really wish we’d spent some more time on Jaden getting to know his brothers.  It’s there but that was a big part of why he went to Serenity and I felt it got glossed over for the romance with Chase.  Not that the romance isn’t a big deal because it really helped Jaden come into himself and was very important for him.  I just wish that we’d gotten just a bit more with the brothers too.

The other was a few word choices (and probably just a personal problem).  Giggle is just one of those words that doesn’t work for me – don’t care if you are a man or a woman, it makes the person seem vapid or silly.  I know it is a valid word choice but it ranks up there with simpering for me.  Dainty was also used somewhere and just struck me as a strange.  But it’s all minor and may not even be a thing for someone else – like I said, personal problem.

A discovery piece for Jaden as he works to figure out who he wants to be and what kind of life he wants for himself, Finding Home is a lovely read with characters you want to know and a small-town you want to visit.  It’s sweet, and a little bit sexy too ;), but with almost no drama.  (Those three brothers definitely need a HEA of their own so I’m hoping to see more from Ms. Harding!)

*****

Author Info:

Meg Harding is a graduate of UCF, and recently completed a masters program for Publishing in the UK. For as long as she can remember, writing has always been her passion, but she had an inability to ever actually finish anything. She’s immensely happy that her inability has fled and looks forward to where her mind will take her next. She’s a sucker for happy endings, the beach, and superheroes. In her dream life she owns a wildlife conservation and is surrounded by puppies. She’s a film buff, voracious reader, and a massive geek.

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Google + | Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

Ebook of Accepting the Fall

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3e0e9a43197/

*****