Book Review – The Changeup

14 Saturday Jun 2014

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Now that we are in the summer months, I thought it might be fun to look at another baseball book.

*****

After nine years of striking out in the dating department, Maddie Hamlin is throwing in the towel. But just as this mom resolves to remain single, she meets sweet and sexy pitching phenom Chase Patton at a family dinner. He’s perfect for her–aside from the fact he’s only twenty-two.

Chase knows he should be focusing on his rookie year with the Detroit Rockets, but he can’t stop thinking about Maddie. He doesn’t care that the beautiful school counselor is twelve years older, and he’s already lost his heart to her adorable daughter. When an incredible date leads to an incredible night of passion, he knows he never wants to let her go.

But dating in the media spotlight is a whole new ball game. Maddie quickly discovers that not everyone accepts their unconventional relationship and that finding love may mean losing everything else.

A couple of years ago my husband gave me On The Island as a gift and it quickly became one of my favorite books ever. It was the first time I can remember reading a book about a woman with a significant age difference than her younger lover. Garvis handled it with style and with The Changeup Shaw does as well.

In OTI, TJ had aged because of the cancer he fought as well as being stranded for years on the deserted island. I’m not sure what causes Chase to be an old soul but he definitely is … which helps with removing any ick factor from the story. He’s hard-working, smart, caring and has an amazingly level head on his shoulders. It is difficult for Maddie to get over the difference, but Chase is very determined. Plus, he’s hot and kind and treats her and her daughter right, so he is very hard to resist.

When he finally gets her to agree to a trial date, it quickly heats up and she decides to just go for it. But someone has other plans and their relationship is quickly threatened, along with her job and her daughter. I’m not sure I understand exactly how this comes about, it seems a little convoluted and a little farfetched, but it definitely works with the story. I do think that the ending glossed over these issues but it still made me happy. I know this is the beginning of a series, and that the next story is the romance between Chase’s friend and Lynn’s friend, so maybe there will be more about it later. Even if there isn’t, though, it wasn’t enough of an issue for me – I still thought the story was excellent and I had trouble putting it down until I finished it.

Don’t let the fact that Maddie is twelve years older than Chase decide whether you are going to give this book a go. It’s well-written, with addictive characters and a sweet romance, and that perfect amount of baseball to make it a great pick for a summertime read.

Book Review – Burn for Me

13 Friday Jun 2014

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Book Review, Burn for Me, Lauren Blakely

Got a yummy, sizzling, hottie read for you today … I love Brazen’s sexy books!

*****

Burn for Me

by Lauren Blakely

She’s the one fire he can’t put out…

Jamie Lansing has had it bad for firefighter Smith Grayson for as long as they’ve been friends. Yes, he’s ridiculously charming and she mightstare a little too long at his abs, but his dirty-talking, rough-around-the-edges ways aren’t for her. Plus, she knows that as a serial dater, Smith isn’t the type to settle down. But then a terrible, fantastic, mind-blowing mistake leaves her body craving more than one night.

Smith Grayson has only ever had eyes for one woman in town—his best friend Jamie. But convincing her a relationship between them will work is next to impossible with her refusing to see beyond his past. But when she asks for a week of no-strings-attached sex to get him out of her system, Smith knows this is his one chance to prove he’s not just the man she needs in her bed, but the man she needs in her life.

I’ll start off with the only problem I had with this order – Jamie is concerned about Smith because he’s a “serial dater” but that definitely wasn’t shown in the book. He hasn’t had any long term relationships that she’s aware of, but she could only name a few people he dated in the years she’s known him. He’s been dedicated to his friendship with her so it isn’t like he doesn’t have it in him to stick. It just looks like he hasn’t found the right girl … or he has and she just doesn’t realize it is her.

OK, with that out of the way, the rest of the book was killer. The sex scenes between Jamie and Smith are scorching! So make sure you are ready for that before you pick up the book. He’s sexy and commanding and so very hot … did I mention sexy? He’s a giver in his personal and professional life. He cares about his community and friends, volunteering for different functions and dedicated to his job as a fire fighter. And he’s also a construction worker, running his own busienss – so we get two swoon-worthy, works-with-his-hands hotties in one sexy package.

Jamie’s hesitation about the differences between what she thinks she wants (someone polished) and who she does want (Smith) is understandable. Sometimes you get a picture in your head of your perfect guy and then someone comes along that just doesn’t fit that mold. I think that is a more believable reason (along with her fear of losing their friendship) for holding back, than Smith’s supposed past. It was totally fun watching her lose it over Smith in all his sexy glory, and when he sets his sights on seducing her into love it is a fan-yourself treat.

Burn For Me is novella length, but Blakely deftly gives readers complex and interesting characters with a well-defined plot. There were no loose ends and I didn’t feel like anything was rushed or slighted because of the length of the book.

I’m definitely looking forward to more books in this series. Blakely has an easy-to-read, engaging style and there are plenty of characters that could make for good reading.

Book Review – Catching Heat

12 Thursday Jun 2014

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Alison Packard, Book Review, Catching Heat, The Winning Season

Life has taught Angie DeMarco that all baseball players are womanizers, and her incredible one-night stand with sexy San Francisco Blaze back-up catcher J.T. Sawyer seemed to prove it. Determined not to give in to their sizzling chemistry a second time, she’s kept her distance ever since, focusing on her accounting job with the team. But now she’s laid off…and pregnant.

J.T. was hurt by Angie’s rejection, but with one more year with the Blaze, he has no time for love. He needs to spend the off season training hard so he can negotiate a better contract with a new team at the end of the year. But when Angie shows up on his doorstep, he’s overwhelmed by wanting to not just do right by her but pursue a relationship with her. Hoping for a second chance, he proposes.

Angie agrees to marry J.T. on one condition: the marriage will be purely a business arrangement. But as Angie spends time with him and his family, and J.T. neglects his training to spend time with her, what begins as a union in name only slowly grows into something more—something that looks a whole lot like love and friendship.

When I read The Winning Season I was super excited about the possibility of J T’s story and Packard doesn’t let me down. Unlike the Matt & Kelly’s story, this one isn’t quite as angst ridden but it still packs an emotional punch.

J T has felt a connection for Angie from the first time he met her but she refuses to give him the time of day … until one fateful night that changed their lives. J T was such a standup guy in TWS that I was hoping to see that continue and we do – he’s got a lot of heart and character, dependable, honest and hardworking. He loves his family and was brought up with respect and love that he carries on to the rest of his life, regardless of the crazy world of baseball. Angie on the other hand did not have such a solid upbringing and her parent’s history has led her to make assumptions about all ballplayers, including J T. Once he gets her in his home though and makes her a part of his family, Angie quickly realizes her mistake. The only problem is that because of their rocky start neither is sure of the other’s feelings.

I adore Packard’s writing style – it’s tight without a lot of unnecessary drama (which she could have easily done based on J T and Angie’s troubles) and it flows very smoothly. I was so engaged I didn’t even notice how quickly I worked my way through Catching Heat and I was very sad to see it end, although very happy for J T and Angie. He has three brothers though so I’m expecting to see more of the Sawyers and I’m super excited to see what Packard brings us. Based on how much I’ve loved the two I’ve read, I’m sure I won’t be disappointed.

Book Review – The Scandalous Love of a Duke

11 Wednesday Jun 2014

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Book Review, Jane Lark, The Scandalous Love of a Duke

Isolated by life and choice, John Harding, the Duke of Pembroke, sees an angel in a pale mauve dress across a room and is drawn closer as lust grips firm and hard in his stomach.

The wheat-blonde hair escaping her dull dove-grey bonnet and caressing her neck lures his eyes to a spot he’d like to kiss.

She speaks with animation her hands moving. Then as if she senses his gaze the stranger turns and looks at him.

A rush of pain and longing spilled from Katherine’s heart into her limbs. It was so long since she’d seen John but her reaction was the same as it had been more than half-a-dozen years before. She loved him, secretly, without hope, but a chasm of years and status stood between them.

John has A LOT of baggage left over from his childhood. And since this is the first of Lark’s books that I’ve read, I’m not sure how much detail was provided for those issues in a previous book. I know that his mother’s story was told in The Illicit Love of a Courtesan and that some of the events of her life play a part in both this story and John’s troubles. I’m guessing that some of it is in her book, I’m just not sure how much.

Given that, and the fact that I’ve only read this one, I think that a little more about John’s treatment by his grandfather would have helped. There’s a lot about the “monster” his grandfather created and how John isn’t sure that he actually has feelings, some talk about beatings and such, but I would have really liked to have had more specifics. That sounds bad, I don’t want to know about his abuse but if it is going to play such a big role in his development then I would have liked to have more to go on so that I can get a better understanding of why he is the way he is.

But even without that, I was drawn to John and Katherine. Their relationship is proof that love knows no bounds – she’s loved him forever and she’s the only one that can remind John that he has a heart. He makes a lot of mistakes but they go back to his baggage (and one of the reasons I would have loved to have more on his childhood) and she’s amazingly forgiving. But once he finally lets himself go it has the promise of a beautiful future.

Book Review – The Reunion

08 Sunday Jun 2014

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Book Review, Jennifer Haymore, Sugar Cay series, The Reunion

A woman who has it all…

Zoey Hanson has moved on since her breakup with Nathan Richards three years ago. She’s independent, she has a career she loves, and she’s in the market to buy her first house. Everything is perfect—absolutely perfect. Now she’s off to Sugar Cay, the most beautiful island in the world, to spend spring break with her best friends. If only her ex wasn’t going to be there too. Hopefully this time he won’t have a runway model draped on his arm.

A man who knows what he wants…

The worst mistake Nathan ever made was walking away from Zoey. Now, he’s determined to win her back, and there’s no better place for seduction than on the romantic island of Sugar Cay. There’s one minor problem, though—Zoey and Nathan live and work on different coasts. But Nathan is an optimist by nature: first he’ll reel her in, then he’ll convince her move to San Francisco. All goes according to plan until Zoey realizes she’s falling hard and fast for Nathan all over again. Then all hell breaks loose…and Nathan must reevaluate his strategy, or he just might lose Zoey forever.

I’m not usually a big reader of New Adult novels but I have to say I enjoyed this one. Novella length it was a quick read and I enjoyed getting to know this group of friends.

Zoey and Nathan were college sweethearts who went separate ways after graduation. Three years later and they haven’t really moved on, as much as they’ve tried. On Sugar Cay for the annual get-together with their friends, those feelings quickly come to a head.

I liked the lead up to these two falling back into bed together – the conflicting emotions and the trouble they’ve had getting over their previous relationship. Haymore has a great writing style and the pages just seemed to fly by. The characters are interesting and there is a great dynamic amongst the group, plus an opportunity for more great stories. I’m just not sure how I feel about the ending. Part of me thinks that it wrapped things up too quickly but part of me thinks that it works. So I’m going to leave it to you guys to decide … Give the book a chance and then come back and let everyone know how you liked it.

Book Review – Honor Reclaimed

06 Friday Jun 2014

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Honor Reclaimed, Hornet Series, Tonya Burrows

You guys don’t know how excited I was to get a copy of this book. We first met the HORNET guys in SEAL of Honor (where Seth was mentioned but didn’t really make an appearance) and then Seth himself (very quickly) in Wilde Nights in Paradise. But even with that little peek readers knew that his story was going to be … hard. Hard and worth every minute. Check out the book and my review below!

*****

Honor Reclaimed

by Tonya Burrows

Former Marine scout sniper Seth Harlan is new to HORNET and anxious to prove he can still do his job despite an ongoing battle with PTSD. He remembers all too well what it’s like to sit inside an enemy camp, praying for rescue and waiting for death. So when a black ops soldier contacts HORNET to rescue a buddy who was left behind, all sorts of nasty memories strain his newfound stability.

When an interview with a runaway Afghan child bride leads photojournalist Phoebe Leighton to an arms deal involving a suitcase bomb powerful enough to wipe out a mid-sized town, she realizes this is one battle she can’t win on her own. Forming an unlikely alliance with a ragtag team of military and government delinquents, she meets Seth, a sniper carrying as many emotional scars as physical, who impresses her with his steely will and ignites passions within her she thought long dead.

Suddenly this mission is about a lot more than an abandoned soldier. Racing against the clock, Seth, Phoebe, and the rest of HORNET struggle to stop that bomb before it reaches it’s final destination: The United States.

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Entangled Select:

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Steals and Deals

*****

Author Info:

Writing has always been my one true love. I wrote my first novel-length story in 8th grade and haven’t put down my pen since. I received a B.A. in creative writing from SUNY Oswego and I’m now working on a MFA in popular fiction at Seton Hill University.

When I’m not writing, I spend my time reading, painting (badly), exploring new places, and enjoying time with my family. Give me a good horror movie over a chick flick any day. (And, let’s be honest, I’ll take a bad horror movie too!) I’m a geek at heart and pledge my avid TV fandom to Supernatural and Doctor Who. I’m also a big fan of The Voice. What can I say? Guilty pleasure.

I share my life with two dogs and a ginormous cat. I’m from a small town in Western New York, but I suffer from a bad case of wanderlust and usually end up moving someplace new every few years. Luckily, my animals are all excellent travel buddies.

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*****

Review:

In Wilde Nights in Paradise, I said that Seth’s story was going to break my heart … I just didn’t realize that it was going to rip it right out of my chest. I sat glued to the pages, turning them as fast as I could, with my throat clogged up and loving every minute of it.

Seth is troubled, understandably so after months of torture while a POW in Afghanistan, and he is trying his best to find a place for himself in the world. He’s amazingly strong to have survived everything that happened to him and decide to keep going, but with a lot of issues that he’s letting overwhelm him, so he’s not really thriving. It’s a difficult thing, trying to fit in again, and his struggles just hurt me. It’s one of those things that is difficult to read but you feel so engaged in him and his story that you just can’t put it down.

Phoebe is about the only person who understands Seth and he takes comfort in her presences. But her secret is a pretty big one – one that has impacted both of their lives. She’s become a better person because of her past and she’s got a huge heart, which might be the only thing to help Seth on his way back to some form of normality.

Like the first HORNET book, SEAL of Honor, we’re giving insights into the other members of the team and some hints at future stories. Burrowes’ two series (HORNET and Wilde) overlap, so we get a look at some of the Wilde brothers as well. They are a complex and troubled group, one promising to provide a lot of material for both series.

As long as you are ok with an emotional rollercoaster, Honor Reclaimed is definitely worth the effort. The ending absolutely slayed me and I think it will be a while before I let that one go, but it was everything I hoped it would be and I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.

*****

Giveaway:

Blanket with her four covers on it + swag

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1cb554366/

*****

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Book Review – Dear Stranger

05 Thursday Jun 2014

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Book Review, Dear Stranger, Elise K. Ackers

A beautiful love letter to the most troublesome of holidays…

Soft-hearted Reese Ahearn is single for Valentine’s Day. Again. But that’s not going to stop her from spreading the holiday’s sentiment on the streets of Melbourne with short, sweet, anonymous love letters, left for strangers to find.

The last thing she expects, however, is a reply…

Y’all, Dear Stranger has to be one of the sweetest little stories I’ve read in ages. It’s not very long, Amazon has it listed at 27 pages, and the perfect lunchtime read. It’s supposed to be a Valentine’s Day read but I think now is the perfect time – the sun is shining and happiness should abound – plus you can pick it up at Amazon for only 99 cents.

Reese is kind and caring, cheerful and fun. She goes out of her way to brighten people’s day by leaving little notes for strangers to find. I would never have thought of it, but it is so sweet and when she explains it makes so much sense. Alone on Valentine’s Day she goes about leaving her notes, feeling sad about how alone she herself is, hoping to make someone else happy.

Ian sees Reese in a coffee shop and, when she leaves it on her table, is the recipient of one of her anonymous notes. Having been attracted to her immediately, those feelings deepen once he reads her letter. Intrigued, he spends the day trying to find a way to give back to the stranger a letter of her own and hopefully get to know her better.

I usually complain about novellas, especially ones this short, because I always feel like I’m cheated. And even though we don’t get the “and then…” of their story, I actually think that the ending was absolutely perfect. This is the story about two people who are alone and looking for someone else. It’s about their feelings and motivations. And it’s about what happens when fate delivers them into each other’s path. I don’t need to know what happens next because I know it is going to be wonderful. I finished Dear Stranger with a smile on my face and one in my heart, which makes it the perfect romance in my mind.

Book Review – Her Royal Protector

04 Wednesday Jun 2014

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Alexandra Sellers, Book Review, Her Royal Protector, Johari Crown series

Now I’ve got a review of Alexandra Sellers’s newest, Her Royal Protector. It’s sexy and fun, especially if you like Middle Eastern heroes.

*****

Her Royal Protector

by Alexandra Sellers

Aly Percy is her family’s ugly duckling, and she’s never been allowed to forget it. So she knows better than to imagine that Cup Companion Arif al Najimi’s blue gaze holds anything but contempt for her as a woman, or ever will. But if he’s offering to show her just how wild one night with him can be, wouldn’t she be a fool to turn down his charity? She may never get another offer like this one.

Arif al Najimi isn’t sure why he’s dreaming about the little scientist who’s so determined to take crazy risks for the sake of her research into the endangered turtles of his country. But as luck would have it, he’s going to get the chance to do a little research of his own…into the question of why Aly believes her own negative publicity about how desirable she is—and how hard it will be to convince her of the truth.

Buy Links: Amazon Barnes and Noble Kobo

Indulgence’s Links: Facebook Twitter: @IndulgenceBooks Steals and Deals

*****

Review:

Based on her book list on Amazon, it looks like Sellers books are full of Sheikh-y goodness and Her Royal Protector is no different. It’s a little about two people fighting their feelings and a bit about Aly’s self-esteem issues and a decent amount of intrigue over who might be harming the turtles. It’s a pretty quick read and I really liked Aly and Arif together. Both have their hang-ups and I liked the way that Sellers brings it all together in the end.

This is the beginning of a series but Her Royal Protector is a complete story and there isn’t really a lot of indication about what we could see next. Which is nice because you don’t feel like any of it leaves you hanging. But we’re given a look into an intriguing and different world, a paradise that makes me want to find my own little piece.

Middle Eastern heroes are definitely a different breed (so you have to be in that kind of mind frame) and Arif is a wonderful example, with a little modern twist. Readers who enjoy a good sheikh/sultan story, will like him and look forward to a HEA for him and Aly.

*****

Author Info:

Canadian born, Alexandra Sellers was raised in Toronto and on the prairies. She studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London (UK) and acted on stage for several years before her first novel was published by Dell and Robert Hale in 1980. Since then she has written over 40 books. The author of the popular Sons of the Desert series, she is the recipient of the Romantic Times’ Career Achievement Award for Series (2009) and Series Romantic Fantasy (2000). She divides her time between London, Crete and Vancouver.

http://www.alexandrasellers.com

http://facebook.com/AlexandraSellersAuthor

www.twitter.com/AlexndraSellers

www.pinterest.com/alexndrasellers

*****

Giveaway:

$25 Bath and Body Works GC

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*****

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Book Review – Before We Kiss

01 Sunday Jun 2014

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Before We Kiss, Book Review, Fool's Gold series, Susan Mallery

The newest Fool’s Gold book by Susan Mallery came out this week and I’m super excited to have the review!

*****

Former pro-football kicker Sam Ridge has notoriously bad luck with women—from cheaters to fame chasers. Still, the gorgeous brunette at the bar in Fool’s Gold looks harmless—until she takes him home and he discovers a room devoted to securing a man, for life.

Dellina Hopkins never guessed that storing gowns from a friend’s bridal boutique would chase away her first and only fling. After her parents died, she skipped her “wild youth” to raise her sisters. She doesn’t want forever from Sam, but one night—all night—would’ve been nice.

His clean getaway gets messy when his firm hires Dellina to plan an event. As long hours lead to late nights, the two succumb to temptation again. Has Sam’s luck finally changed? Or this time, will Dellina be the one to run?

Is anyone going to be surprised when I say that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Susan Mallery? I didn’t think so. Once again, she brings her readers a touching, sweet, romantic, funny, endearing and beautiful love story. We got a little peek at the two in When We Me, but now we get the rest of their story.

With Sam’s history, it is no wonder that he’s running scared from any kind of commitment. His marriage ended horribly and he’s not had much better luck with women since. But he’s got a big heart, he’s just afraid to give it away.

As if his relationship woes aren’t enough, Sam’s family is one of the funniest things ever … even for Fool’s Gold, where quirky is a way of life. I don’t know how he survived his childhood without being a total basket case, because his parents are an absolutely hoot and one of the best things in the story. Somehow managed to grow into a well-adjusted, caring man.

Dellina is giving and sweet and sassy. Fool’s Gold is her home and she epitomizes everything that makes the little town so great. She’ll be wonderful for Sam if he’ll just let her in.

As always, we’re given updates on previous couples and some hints at future stories. (I have to say that I’m dying to get to the bottom of what Kenny is hiding.) It’s one of my favorite parts of the Fool’s Gold stories but it is also one of the most frustrating … because I end up impatient for what comes next.

Full of laugh out loud moments and some steamy interactions between Sam and Dellina, Before We Kiss has Mallery’s unique blend of heart and humor. The dialogue is snappy, the characters are engaging, and the story is complex. I loved Sam from the moment he first showed up and I was so happy to see him find his match.

Book Review – The Texas Cowboy

31 Saturday May 2014

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Katheryn Lane, The Texas Cowboy

Everything’s bigger in Texas, including the problems.

When Vicky flies into Texas, she immediately falls for the charms of local cowboy, Jack Cassidy. However, her wealthy Dallas cousin, Laura, has other ideas and will do everything she can to steer Vicky away from Jack and into the arms of a rich oilman.

Jack is resigned to living the life of a lonely cowboy whose only female company is his horses—that is, until he meets Vicky. However, Vicky isn’t the only person with a claim on his heart. Jack wasn’t always alone and his ex is about to make a dramatic comeback.

Every cowboy has a past and this cowboy’s past is about to destroy his future.

I have to say that while The Texas Cowboy was an enjoyable and quick read, there were a few problems with it. While I really liked Jack and Vicky, Laura wasn’t the easiest person to like. She’s shallow and vain and materialistic. I wasn’t sure if we were supposed to actually feel for her or if she was just meant to be a shiny foil to Vicky’s more down to earth realism. She plays a pretty major part in the book, though, so she’s not easy to ignore but I did like her husband and Jack’s sister. They made excellent compliments to an interesting main couple.

One of the other things I had a little issue with was some of the flow. For the most part it was a small problem and easily overlooked with the quickly moving plot … but then we got to the end. Jack has a pretty big secret and one that kinda threw me for a loop. It’s very understandable for Vicky to be as upset as she is and the resolution seemed a little abrupt and incomplete. I did see a comment somewhere from the author that she is curious if readers would like to see more about Jack and Vicky, so maybe if there is a follow-up story then I’d get the closure I feel like I need.

Overall, I say give The Texas Cowboy a shot. Jack and Vicky are enjoyable and the plot is fun. Once I decided that it was fine that I didn’t care for Laura she became easier to take and there are other characters that are much more entertaining.