Book Review – Last Chance Hero

01 Wednesday Jul 2015

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

Tags

Book Review, Hope Ramsay, Last Chance Hero, Last Chance series

We’re doing a double header today and starting with a look (and review) at a sweet, small-town romance with a sexy firefighter hero.

*****

Last Chance Hero

Last Chance series

by Hope Ramsay

Blurb:

Ross Gardiner has had his fill of difficult relationships. Returning to Last Chance after a rough divorce, the town’s handsome new fire chief just wants safety and stability-a tall order given his dangerous job and the way he has the attention of all the single women in town. All except Sabina Grey, the girl who stole his heart when they were teenagers. Sabina knows a lot about playing it safe. Always the good girl, she’s now responsible for her antiques store and caring for her sister. But having Ross in town brings back the memory of one carefree summer night when she threw caution to the wind-and almost destroyed her family. Now that they are both older and wiser, will the spark still be there, even though they’ve both been burned?

Amazon – http://amzn.to/1CF3zww

Barnes & Noble – http://bit.ly/1LEeC1u

IndieBound – http://bit.ly/1RMF9IH

GooglePlay – http://bit.ly/1SYyBca

iTunes – http://apple.co/1Lytcqj

Kobo – http://bit.ly/1KpxTmU

*****

Excerpt:

She wore a pair of faded blue jeans that clung to her hips and butt like they were part of her. Her green tank top looked like something she might have found at a tag sale. The slippery, clingy fabric was covered in Oriental flowers, and it was almost see-through.

Not to mention that it exposed her shoulders, which had freckles on them. As usual, Sabina had pulled her hair back into a ponytail. And as usual, wisps of hair had escaped around her face. He wanted to cross the room, pull that damn rubber band out of her hair, and bury his hands and his nose in all those amazing curls.

Oh yeah, and his hands itched to touch her breasts through that silky fabric. Which is why he balled them into fists and jammed them into his pockets. Then he pretended that his feet were set into concrete.

A man could get hurt by lust like this.

And that didn’t even count the damage his feelings for Sabina might do to Lucy or Henrietta or even the folks in Last Chance who were all invested in him marrying Lucy.

He didn’t want to feel this way.

About anyone.

Lust like this was just crazy. It made a man do stupid things, and he had been there and done that. He much preferred the cool, calm feeling he had for Lucy and her lists.

Sabina stood there staring at him for a moment, her lips soft and parted. The afternoon sun coming through the dusty window, lit up her hair. Her voice sounded squeaky when she started talking, and she stammered, which was not like her at all.

“Uh . . . I . . . Uh. I got a call from Bubba Lockheart. I gather y’all moved the trunk down from the attic?”

“Oh, yeah, you came for the trunk.” He had the twin sensations of being relieved and disappointed all at the same time.

She nodded.

“It’s in the living room. Let me get the hand truck.” He hurried out onto the back porch and snagged the dolly and wheeled it into the living room.

Sabina was waiting for him.

“So, did you search through it? What else is inside?” She tilted her head, and for an instant, she resembled a little kid on Christmas morning, so excited to be unwrapping a present.

“Uh, no. We were kind of busy today.” He kept his words sharp and short. He shoved the dolly under the trunk and tilted it back. Then he wheeled it all the way out to the porch and down a make-shift ramp that had been set up over the front steps. Sabina followed him and opened the tailgate of her van.

“Can you lift it yourself or do you need help?” she asked.

“I can do it.” He wanted her to leave. Fast. But the trunk was awkward and he almost tilted it sideways when he tried to lift it. Before he could stop her, Sabina bent down and grabbed one of the handles and helped.

Together they got it up into the van. But in the process they ended up side by side and their shoulders touched.

He’d never been burned by a fire. He was practically religious about keeping his gear in topnotch form. But that touch scalded him. It would have been normal to jump back from all that heat. After all, he’d been trained to know the danger of uncontrolled fires.

But his training went right out the window, along with his common sense. Instead of running like hell, he turned toward her. She looked up at him, the fire dancing in her eyes. Oh, man, this was so wrong.

And so right.

“Ross,” she whispered, her voice so damn sultry.

His mind told him to stop. But his heart had a completely different idea. His heart had been waiting decades to kiss Sabina Grey. And there she was, right in reach, and her mouth looked so ready to be kissed that he couldn’t help himself.

He leaned down and pressed his mouth to her lips, and even though this wasn’t exactly the hands-on, bodies-pressed-together, hot and heavy kiss he’d once fantasized about, the heat of the moment still swept through him.

He wanted to pull her close. He wanted to explore her mouth a little deeper. He wanted to do a lot more than dance with her.

But Sabina pushed back.

“We can’t do this.” Her look was stunningly sober.

“Right,” he said on a deep exhalation. “Right.” He repeated the word because his mind had sort of checked out for a moment. “I’m sorry.”

She didn’t accept his apology. She just gave him one of those female looks that were so hard to decipher. This one was pretty bad ass.

And then she backed away, ran to the driver’s side of the van, and took off, sending the gravel on the driveway flying.

*****

Review:

I have to start with two things – #1 this blurb doesn’t really do this book justice at all and #2 I have no idea why I haven’t been reading this series because this book was fantastic! I’ll skip over the second part because I think it kinda speaks for itself, what with my track record of starting series in the middle, so instead I’ll talk about the first.

It sounds like a newly divorced man, who got a little shook by his first marriage, is back in his hometown and fending off all the women except the one that he wants, who wants him too but is a little scared to take the chance. Which could be a sweet story, right? Yeah, that’s not this story. Now don’t get me wrong it is sweet, oh-so-wonderfully sweet, but so not what it is described to be.

Sabina is having a little trouble living her own life because she’s too busy mothering her little sister (out of guilt for a past event) … a sister who is actually dating Ross. It kinda reminds me of Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin, except I don’t know that Sabina pushes the two together because she doesn’t think Ross would truly be interested in her. There’s actually a whole lot more going on, all stemming out of that guilt I mentioned earlier. That and the fact that she seems to be a bit of a people pleaser and has a terrible time being even a little selfish and saying no to others. Ross has actually been interested in Sabina for years and when he first comes back to town he asks her out a few times but after being told she’s busy – and then being introduced to her sister – he takes the hint that she doesn’t like him the same way. And dates the sister instead.

Things get dicey for them all when the little town’s matchmaking soothsayer visits Sabina and tells her that she needs to get her sister wedded before her own soulmate will make an appearance. Well, since said sister is dating Ross, things take off from there as everyone in town tries to get Ross and Lucy down the aisle as quickly as possible so that Sabina’s love will appear. (Yes, they have a little old lady who gives words of wisdom concerning matters of the heart and the townspeople listen. It totally makes sense when you read the book 🙂 ) Too bad Lucy & Ross aren’t all that sure they want to get married and Ross & Sabina might have more feelings for each other than they will admit to.

I think that this little triangle could totally be something unappealing but Ramsay handles it with style and grace. You can easily see how they all get to where they are and how things just become more and more tangled. You like all of them and thankfully know that it will work out right in the end (it’s a romance, so of course it does) but you just hope that it doesn’t cause too much heartache before they get there. Which I’m pleased to say Ramsay isn’t too heavy-handed there. Instead she uses a fantastic suspense element around a suspicious fire to keep things hopping. It’s a fun touch to add the little bit of danger and intrigue to what could have been an overly dramatic love story. Instead we get a fantastically heart-warming read, highlighting a myriad of complex emotions and interpersonal dynamics.

*****

Author Info:

Hope Ramsay grew up on the North Shore of Long Island, but every summer Momma would pack her off under the care of Aunt Annie to go visiting with relatives in the midlands of South Carolina. Her extended family includes its share of colorful aunts and uncles, as well as cousins by the dozens, who provide the fodder for the characters you’ll find in Last Chance, South Carolina. She’s a two-time finalist in the Golden Heart and is married to a good ol’ Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her heroes. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia, where you can often find her on the back deck, picking on her thirty-five-year-old Martin guitar.

@HopeRamsay

http://hoperamsay.com/

https://www.pinterest.com/hoperamsay/

https://www.facebook.com/HopeRamsayAuthor?fref=ts

https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomHopeRamsay

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win some Last Chance books of your own!

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2225/

*****

Book Review – Falling Fast

30 Tuesday Jun 2015

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

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Book Review, Falling Fast, Falling Fast series, Tina Wainscott

Y’all, you have got to check this one out – I absolutely loved it!

*****

Falling Fast

Falling Fast # 1

by Tina Wainscott

Releasing June 16, 2015

Loveswept

Blurb:

Fans of Jasinda Wilder and Colleen Hoover will adore this emotional new small-town romance—a smoldering tale of first love and long-awaited redemption from USA Today bestselling author Tina Wainscott.

Raleigh West works in an auto shop day and night, trying to put his broken past out of mind. It’s been seven years since the fiery crash that landed his teenage sweetheart in the hospital . . . and him in jail. In an instant, he lost everything: his passion for racing, his hope of escaping his father’s shameful legacy, and the only girl he ever loved. Raleigh hasn’t seen her since that awful night. Never got a chance to apologize. And never forgave himself, either.

When brave, beautiful Mia Wentworth returns to the Florida coast for the first time in what seems like forever, it’s not to see Raleigh. Even so, the moment she arrives she can feel his presence like a gust of wind that gives her goose bumps. Opening her heart to him again seems impossible. But staying away? That might be harder still. Lucky for them both, Mia’s never been the kind of woman to take the easy way out.

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/03/falling-fast-falling-fast-1-by-tina.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23510311-falling-fast?ac=1

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/147390-falling-fast

Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

The director gestured for everyone to take a seat, and Mia settled onto the chair at the outside edge. She scanned each and every person.

No Raleigh.

He’s not coming. Get over it already.

The director, who knew Nancy from their volunteer work, welcomed everyone and said how touched she would be by the turnout. He introduced Mia and her parents, then spoke at length about the wonderful and sweet and feisty Nancy.

As Mia teared up over his sentimental words, she saw him. She blinked, just to make sure, but her heart knew immediately. The director’s voice faded into the roar of blood in her ears.

Raleigh.

He stood behind the last row of chairs next to the thick trunk of an oak tree, in khakis and a maroon button-down dress shirt. His hair was trimmed, and he was clean-shaven. Not an ounce of fat on him judging by the way his shirt lay flat against his stomach. She gripped the edges of the chair as the ground tilted. Or was she tilting? God, don’t let me fall off the chair! No, you’re dizzy because you, uh, forgot to breathe!

Carefully, she pulled in a long, deep breath. Then another. The world was still blurry, and she wiped at her eyes to clear them—and found Raleigh in her sights. Which was even more startling, because she was pretty sure he was looking right at her.

She forced herself to breathe again, to shift her gaze to where it should be. The director invited people to come up and share a story or their thoughts. There was no hesitation as the first person stepped up to the microphone stand positioned in front of the chairs.

Several people spoke from their hearts over the next twenty minutes, and everyone dabbed at their eyes, including Mia. She wrestled with whether to go up, but to put herself on display was more than she could bear. Her father went up and sounded like a politician as he thanked everyone for coming. The director made one last call, and Mia’s eyes went to Raleigh again. He leaned forward, his hand clenched on the tree. He clearly wanted to go up, but he looked at her father. Then at her. Then he rocked back on his heels again, his face tight with the war inside him.

Come up. I want to hear what you have to say. About Grandma. About your friendship with her.

I just want to hear your voice.

He remained in the shade of the tree. Mia certainly couldn’t think him a coward, not when she, too, was afraid to go up and speak. Facing cancer and burns wasn’t as hard as facing people, she mused. Wasn’t that crazy?

But then she stood. Walked to the microphone and fumbled as she adjusted it to her height. Cleared her throat and tried hard not to look at Raleigh. Instead, her gaze skipped across the rows and the ribbons dancing in the breeze.

“Thank you all for being part of her life. I . . .” Her eyes betrayed her, zeroing right in on Raleigh. Her thoughts froze. Time was suspended, everyone—every single person—focused on her. She cleared her throat, heat rising up her neck. “I’m jealous that you all got to spend time with her. To know her as a friend.” Her gaze went to Raleigh again. “Thank you,” she said again, thrashing herself for the impulse as she took her seat.

She would have no regret, though. If all those weeks and months and years of hospital stays had taught her anything, it was to let no opportunity slip by. Especially the ones where you left words unsaid. Important, life-changing words.

She searched through the people all getting to their feet. Raleigh leaned against the trunk now, his head tilted back. As though it were all too much to bear. The impulse now was to go to him.

But the director asked everyone to form a line to pay their respects before the casket was lowered into the ground. Mia had to follow her parents to form a reception line, where everyone offered their condolences before stepping up to the casket. Mia’s heart squeezed so tight that she could hardly breathe. Would Raleigh shake her hand? Hug her? Say in a low, intimate voice how very sorry he was for their loss? Their loss, because it was as much his as hers. Maybe more so.

As she accepted handshakes and hugs, she realized that she was so wrapped up in where he was that she wasn’t worried about anyone seeing her up close. The line was dwindling, and she couldn’t see him anywhere.

“Mia.”

*****

Review:

As I was reading this I kept thinking that these two just can’t catch a break. But the interesting thing was the difference in attitude that all the hardships they’ve encountered have given them. Now, granted Raleigh’s past has a darker tone, but they both have dealt with their own struggles. And while both of them have grown into great people – kind, caring, giving, loving … the difference is that Raleigh doesn’t expect life to do anything but to continue to push him down. But that definitely has something to do with the types of things he’s dealt with. The fact that he’s survived to be such a good and well-loved person, shows a definitely depth of character. Mia’s also had her share of struggles but she’s learned to embrace life a little more easily. She could easily have given up at any moment or at least turned bitter, but she’s definitely taken the higher road.

I loved these two together and the entire book gave me a warm and squishy, even while I was upset at the newest curveball life had thrown at them. Just plain heart-warming (and a little heart-breaking), Falling Fast is one of those delightful feel good reads that leave you smiling at the end … and I can’t wait to see what’s Waincott’s bringing next!

*****

Author Info:

USA Today bestselling author Tina Wainscott has always loved the combination of romance and suspense, because nothing complements falling in love better than being hunted down. The author of more than thirty novels and novellas, Wainscott creates characters with baggage, past hurts, and vulnerabilities. They go through hell, find love, and, at the end, find peace in who they are and everything they’ve gone through. And isn’t that what everyone wants?

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

Loveswept Mug, Flirt Mug and Select Ebook Bundle

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/235babe7228/

*****

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

Book Review – The Duke and the Domina

25 Thursday Jun 2015

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, Jenn LeBlanc, The Duke and the Domina, The Lords of Time series, Warrick: The Ruination of Grayson Danforth

The Duke and the Domina

Warrick: The Ruination of Grayson Danforth

The Lords of Time series

by Jenn LeBlanc

Grayson Locke Danforth, in his wildest of dreams, never expected two things.

The first was to be recalled from India by Queen Victoria where he worked for the quiet purposes of the crown. He must now become the Duke of Warrick after the tragic deaths of his father and brothers. However, tragedy is entirely in the eyes of the beholder, and Grayson doesn’t want the title, or to return to what remains of his family. Grayson wants to remain invisible, an outcast, a man in exile for the way his body and mind behave and the secrets he needs to keep.

The second thing he never expected was to be forced into marriage to a woman from the twenty-first century.

Lulu is no mere woman, however. She’s a switch who works as a professional Dominatrix—at least, she did. When she wakes up in a strange house, a strange world, a strange body, she isn’t quite sure what to think and is certain she’s dreaming. She has less than a day to gain her bearings and make a decision that will dictate the rest of her life in this world—whether or not to marry this beautiful stranger.

As Lulu and Grayson attempt to begin a life together, she discovers the true reason why this man is a stranger to his family. She can only hope she can persuade Grayson to accept who she is, and who he was born to be, before he forces her out of his life in order to maintain his well-kept secrets.

Trust doesn’t come easily to either of them, but it’s the only thing they have. Grayson will have to give in to his need to submit in order to get his wife to open up and allow him to possess her fully in return.

It’s a cautious dance between two people who have never known how to trust, or love.

Again, another series I joined in the middle but luckily it didn’t seem to matter this time. I’m branching out a little in my reading – to me erotica, when done well, is just REALLY steamy romances. The material is a little more graphic but it is still about relationships. I’ve read a few, here and there, with BDSM elements, but it isn’t a sub-genre (or lifestyle) that I’m all that familiar with. I’m slowly getting the feel for the give and take in the D/s relationship, which is very intriguing. And The Duke and the Domina is even more so because up to this point everything I’d read had had a male Dom. This time, though, the roles are reversed … which makes it all the more interesting.

Throw in the fact that it is a historical romance and it becomes even more complicated. There are certain appearances that are expected in society and roles that are to be strictly adhered to. Grayson has certain tendencies, which are out of this norm, making him ashamed and solitary. He has very few people close to him and keeps many, many secrets. But when a mysterious woman falls into his lap, his world is turned upside down.

I’ve always loved the fish out of water idea of a woman traveling back in time. As an avid reader of love stories populated by lords and ladies, I can’t imagine what it would be like to throw a modern woman into that world. What she has to give up and what expectations she would have to meet. Having her be a Domina definitely makes it even more complicated – for those same reasons that Grayson’s preference are so very dangerous.

But when the two are thrown together it could be the answer … if only they can learn to open up their hearts and trust the other with the truth. To that end, I totally get Grayson’s reluctance – especially because of the damage it could do to him, those he calls his and even to his very life. But I’m not totally sure I understand her issues. She isn’t comfortable revealing herself to Grayson but I never got all that good an understanding why. Maybe I missed something but it wasn’t clear to me.

That didn’t stop me from enjoying the book though. I eagerly flipped pages as the two danced around each other … and finally gave love a chance.

Book Review – Provoked

23 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, Make Me series, Provoked, Riley Murphy

Provoked

Make Me series

by Riley Murphy

When a museum executive secretary, who barely tolerates men, has a run in with an infamous BDSM Master, Neil Cannon, a man who lives to discipline women, there’s little she can do about it. Why?

The Master thinks Charlotte, a.k.a Charlie, is her kink-loving, totally outrageous, and continually stirring-up-trouble twin sister. And after what Charlie just did, he has to keep thinking that. At least until she can find a way to climb out of the huge mess her well-meaning intentions have landed her in. She’ll take the punishments the Master intends for her twin. She’ll even put up with him and his misogynistic antics if it means she’ll be able to unlock the secrets that will save her family. All she has to do is behave like her sister. How hard could it be to emulate a fearless, over-confident, rebellious woman, with highly questionable sexual standards?

Neil’s been waiting months for the chance to deal with this audacious sub who’s been jacking up the testosterone levels of his vanilla crew whenever her sports car needed maintenance. That’s why he made the service call himself. He’s confident she won’t be yanking his chain, because if she tries he’s prepared to yank it right back.

Or so he thought until she turns out to be different than what he expected her to be. She starts pushing buttons he didn’t know he had. She’s flipping internal switches, lighting things up, creating a whole new level of dominant need he’s determined to explore, enjoy, and satisfy.

Unfortunately, before either of them can get a handle on the D/s chemistry exploding between them, she takes off. It’s then he discovers that she’s invited a part of his past, that he’s promised to steer clear of, right to his front door.

Now, in order to keep her safe, he must find her, and when he does he has to keep her close. Too close for either one of them to escape the inevitable truth.

“Sometimes the best pleasures in life are found at the end of a person’s comfort zone,” whispered the Master to the one woman he’s dead set on collaring…

I usually don’t like books that are intentionally vague and confusing to build tension, but I only found it moderately annoying here 🙂 Murphy’s characters and the complexity of the story kept me going past that and by the end I was glad I didn’t give up. The mystery portion may be a little convoluted for some, but since this is the first in a new series, there are some plot points that didn’t get resolved. However the main story line wraps up nicely and I can see how the next book or two could get quite interesting.

I’m not sure I totally understand the D/s lifestyle and I really am not sure I got Charlie going from an ultra-feminist to a sub in just a couple of days, but there are definitely sparks between her and Neil that work. The snarky dialogue and steamy interactions between the two made for fun reading. And while I don’t necessarily get the D/s relationship (mostly from ignorance), Murphy delivers it in an addictive way and I’ll definitely be on the look out for the next book in this series. I have a feeling Charlie’s sister is in for quite a few surprises.

Spotlight – Until It Doesn’t

20 Saturday Jun 2015

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review, Sneak Peek

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Until It Doesn't, Zoe Marshall

Hopefully your are enjoying the start of your weekend. Today we’ve got a romantic comedy with a friends to lovers thing going on.

*****

Until It Doesn’t

by Zoë Marshall

GENRE: Romantic Comedy

PUBLICATION DATE: June 19, 2015

Blurb:

Bailey Swanson is relentlessly addicted to ice cream, hates jeans – yet thinks leggings are basically just colored sausage casings – and would be completely lost without her best friend Mark. He’s the only one that gets her, and sees through her difficult-to-love exterior.

Mark has known Bailey since they were both children. As her manager, he handles her failing acting career and is always there for her. As her friend, he’s held her hand through her most recent break up, all the while wondering if she’ll ever be whole again.

But Bailey is a disaster when it comes to romance — and while she’s trying to move on from her cheating ex, she can’t drown her sorrows forever in Ben & Jerry’s. She knows she has to get past this eventually… right? Unless a happily ever after just isn’t in the cards for her, in which case her plan to swear off all relationships forever is a good one.

Or maybe the answer is right in front of her face. Things aren’t always as they seem when it comes to the heart. That fickle little thing tends to get the best of all of us at one point or another…

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WRHN0YC

*****

Excerpt:

“I feel better,” he says as he gets up from the swing and stands facing me. He’s standing so close, it feels like something has shifted, as if the balance has been tipped slightly in an unexpected direction. Wait a second. What am I even thinking? This is Mark, for Christ’s sake.

I take a step back and let out a deep breath. The smell of the flowers surrounding us washes over me and I feel a weight lifted. “So, where does that leave you guys? Are you going to try to be friends?”

He looks up at the sky. “We’ll never be friends. I don’t think any exes ever are. There’s always something there, lying in wait. It can be disguised, but never destroyed. You can pile as much shit on top of it as you want, but in the end, it’s always there.”

I smile at Mark. “I’m proud of you, kid.”

He rolls his eyes and replies. “Who do you think you’re calling ‘kid’? I’m four months older than you are. You’re the kid.”

“Ok then. I’m proud of you, old man.”

He laughs and walks over to me, then gives me a playful punch on the arm. “Well, I’m proud of you too, jerk.”

We spend the next few minutes standing next to each other in silence, staring at the few visible stars. That’s something I love about Mark. We can be silent together. No matter how crazy fast the world is spinning, we can always just stand still. Together.

*****

Author Info:

Zoë was born in Santa Rosa, California, but spent the majority of her “growing up” years in San Francisco. After high school, she attended University of California, Santa Cruz, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management Economics and Accounting. She tried the corporate thing, working at two of the Big Four accounting firms, but cubicles just weren’t her thing.

She’s currently living the ultimate cliché – an aspiring writer working two jobs, one as a server and one as a bartender. She’s living in San Ramon, California, spending her limited free time reading and writing. Her biggest vices are pizza and ice cream, which is why she lives in yoga pants and leggings. And she thoroughly believes jeans were invented by the devil.

facebook – https://www.facebook.com/alyssa.z.marshall

twitter – https://twitter.com/zoewritesbooks

Instagram – http://www.instagram.com/zoemarshallfiction

*****

Book Review – I’ll Stand By You

19 Friday Jun 2015

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

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Book Review, I'll Stand By You, Sharon Sala

I love Sharon Salas’s books – and not just because she’s an Okie gal too 🙂

I am so thrilled to get to share I’ll Stand By You with you because I think this is going to be one of my all time favorite stories. It is just so amazingly sweet …

*****

I’ll Stand By You

by Sharon Sala

Release Date: June 2, 2015

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

No one is alone

Dori Grant is no stranger to hardship. As a young single mother in the gossip-fueled town of Blessings, Georgia, she’s weathered the storm of small-town disapproval most of her life. But when Dori loses everything within the span of an evening, she realizes she has no choice but to turn to her neighbors.

As long as there is love to give

Everyone says the Pine boys are no good, but Johnny Pine has been proving the gossips wrong ever since his mother died and he took over raising his brothers. His heart goes out to the young mother and child abandoned by the good people of Blessings. Maybe he can be the one to change all that…

Goodreads Link

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23510410-i-ll-stand-by-you

Buy Links

Amazon: http://bit.ly/AmazonSala

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/BNSala

iBookstore: http://bit.ly/AppleSala

IndieBound: http://bit.ly/IndieSala

*****

Excerpt:

“Nothing means a damn thing if I don’t have my baby.”

“And now we get to my suggestion. Do you like Johnny Pine?”

“Yes, of course. He’s been wonderful to us.”

“No, I mean, could you like him as relationship material?”

“That possibility exists,” she said.

“Good. Now let me talk to Johnny.”

She handed the phone back to Johnny.

“Now he wants to talk to you.”

She took the baby and Johnny took the phone.

“Yeah?”

“I have a suggestion that could bring an end to your troubles.”

“Like what?”

“Do you like Dori?”

“Well, sure. She’s great.”

“Do you like her enough to consider a personal relationship with her?”

Johnny looked at Dori, then cupped her face and ran his thumb down the side of her jaw.

“Yes, I like her enough to consider a personal relationship.”

Dori shivered beneath his touch as she realized Butterman was asking Johnny the same question he’d asked her.

“Put the phone on speaker,” Butterman said.

“Just a minute,” Johnny said and then pressed a button. “Okay, you’re on speaker now.”

“Here’s the deal,” Butterman said. “You two are very young to have such adult responsibilities. You’re both trying to take care of your families on your own, and now DFCS has their nose in your business and is threatening you with removing the children from your custody, right?”

“Right,” they said.

“So this would end tomorrow if you were married.”

Johnny took a quick breath, started to speak, and then found himself staring at Dori instead, waiting for her reaction.

Dori already knew Johnny cared for her because he’d told her. What he didn’t know was that she was very attracted to him.

“Well? Did both of you faint or what?” Butterman asked.

“I’m game if she is,” Johnny said.

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes to keep our boys,” Dori said.

Butterman chuckled. “Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. If it were me, I wouldn’t waste any time. Go get the license and find a preacher, and your trouble with Miss Carter is a thing of the past. I assume I am invited to the wedding.”

*****

Review:

It’s the characters that are so important in this series and Sala once again brings us wonderful ones. Not only Dori and Johnny, but Johnny’s little brothers and those people in the town who are so willing to lend a hand when needed.

Life hasn’t always been kind to Dori or Johnny, but they have never given up. They work hard at making a good life for those they care about and when life brings them into the same sphere, that dedication expands to encompass both families. But while life keeps throwing them punches, now they have each other and it is so very sweet watching them fall in love. I’m impressed at how, being so young but having to take on so much responsibility, they still manage to keep a good attitude. They aren’t naïve but they aren’t letting it turn them bitter either. They are such a fantastic match and I was so very happy that they found each other.

As with the other books, Sala continues to bring a great cast of secondary characters … unfortunately not all of them have a good heart. It isn’t always pretty, but Sala manages to do a fantastic job of capturing that small town feel. There are caring people, who help and support those around them, but there are also those that only look out for themselves. It’s both kinds of people that bring Dori and Johnny to their eventual HEA. And while it isn’t always roses and sunshine, thee good definitely outweighs the bad in their lives, which I think is what most of us hope for.

If you haven’t read Count Your Blessings (previously titled Color Me Bad) or Curl Up & Dye, it’s OK because all of these books can stand on their own. But it does help to give you an idea of the small Southern town charm and politics that Sala captures so well. And as much as I loved the first two stories, I think this one is my favorite (so far, because I can’t wait to see what Sala has in store for us next).

*****

Author Info:

Sharon Sala, who has also written under the name Dinah McCall, has 85-plus books in print, published in four different genres-Romance, Young Adult, Western, and Women’s Fiction, and her Young Adult books have been optioned for film. She has been named a RITA finalist seven times by Romance Writers of America, and in 2011 they named her the recipient of the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award. Her books are New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly bestsellers and published in many different languages. She lives in Oklahoma, the state where she was born.

Social Networking Links

Website: http://sharonsala.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharonkaysala

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SharonSala1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/40570.Sharon_Sala

*****

Giveaway:

Win your own copy of the book and a diamond hummingbird necklace

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/07c2363f74/

*****

Book Review – Back in Play

18 Thursday Jun 2015

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Back in Play, Book Review, Linda Aicher, Power Play series

Back in Play

Power Play #2

by Linda Aicher

For Minnesota Glaciers captain Scott Walters, skating on a bum knee—and self-medicating to keep skating on it—is all part of the game. That the painkillers he’s eating prevent him from having meaningful relationships is just one more sacrifice in a lifetime of them. He’s worked too hard to let his image be ruined by injury or dependency, so he hides the pain and fakes the rest—a girlfriend would only complicate matters.

High school teacher Rachel Fielding never needed a man in her life, but she also never intended to grow old alone. When she meets Scott while visiting her brother, she’s intrigued to find herself wanting him in her bed. For hours at a time, as often as possible. Scott is a giver, and just the memory of his attentions is enough to drive her crazy. Anything long-term is out of the question, though—the pills she finds in Scott’s house indicate he’s struggling with a lot more than growing older in a young man’s game.

When what starts out as a what-the-hell weeklong fling turns into Scott and Rachel exploring each other outside the bedroom, Rachel hesitates. But Scott asks for her support to break his addiction, and hearing him admit his secrets has her ignoring her own rules—until he breaks her heart. With the Glaciers refusing to renew his contract and his future with Rachel uncertain, Scott has some big decisions to make and a lot to prove—especially to himself.

Once again I’ve joined a series in the middle – although technically this time I actually joined two series in the middle because there are characters from Aicher’s Power Play series and her Wicked Play series 🙂 Not having any familiarity with either series I can’t be sure but I don’t think that it impacted anything at all. There were some references to things that happened with earlier stories but enough details were given that I figured things out (but not too much to bore returning readers). I love an author who understands how to make that work for everyone.

You might think that this is just another sports romance but you would be so very wrong. Back in Play is definitely a rollercoaster of emotions. We get the high of that initial attraction and lust, but Scott is hiding some pretty big secrets. My heart aches for everything he’s trying to juggle and keep hidden. It is easy to see how it spiraled so far beyond his control. Aicher details very well the complexity and depth of his addiction, how it has infiltrated so much of his life, the impact it has had on him and how so very close he is to losing it all.

Rachel does an amazing job of keeping things together when Scott starts to let it all out. She’s very strong but she does have a few hang-ups of her own that start to impact things. Throw in all of Scott’s and it’s a rough ride to a HEA. But it is a ride that is worth taking.

I realized what an amazing author Aicher is by how quickly I flew through the book, understanding where both of the main characters were coming from when things go sideways on them, and having the ending be so very satisfying. If the rest of her books are anything like this, I’m going to have a lot more reading to do soon.

Book Review – The Closer You Get

16 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, Carter Ashby, The Closer You Get

The Closer You Get

by Carter Ashby

If there’s one thing Rye Holcomb hates, it’s small, tight-knit towns with high virtues and zero tolerance for outsiders. Fidelity is just such a town. And Rye is just such an outsider. So when he and his brother, Cash, take jobs in Fidelity, Rye decides not to get too comfortable. Which is why he is avoiding some rather confusing feelings for his new boss, Cora McKay.

Cora was born, raised, and baptized in Fidelity. She owns a thriving construction business, has a close circle of friends, and is the breadwinner for her mother and four sisters. The one thing she lacks is a sex life, something she’s never longed for until now. One conversation with Rye sparks her sexual awakening, and, in spite of his reputation as a man-whore, Cora can’t resist giving in to his advances.

As Rye enjoys initiating his virgin employer, and Cash experiences a relationship with a man for the first time in his life, they begin to think of Fidelity as home. But small towns have brought them trouble in the past, and it appears Fidelity holds trouble for their future. Can their newfound relationships be enough to overcome a past that relentlessly follows them? Can two men who have been burned by love learn to trust again?

Y’all Rye is a complete dog at the beginning of this story. He’s got some baggage that he’s carrying around with him and it affects his relationships with others – he’s in a vicious cycle of shallow interactions and bad attitude. Fortunately for him, interacting with Cora shakes him up and has him re-evaluating things. Once he starts acting like a human being, he proves to be intelligent, fun-loving, resourceful and caring. We know early on that he is very dedicated to his brother, but he shows that that part of him extends to all those that he calls his.

Cora is an interesting duck – she’s repressed, afraid of sexual interactions and not confident in herself as a woman. She’s spent years thinking she was unattractive and unable to get a guy’s attention, but after a couple of meetings with Rye she starts to look at things differently. Some might find that her timidity gets old but it works for the person she is and the more time spent with Rye the better she gets.

I love the way that these two interact once Rye finally starts trying to be a better man. His attempt to help her experience all of the things that she missed out on is so endearing and fun. He shows that he cares with his actions and the thought he puts into making her happy. He may be coarse and nothing like she’s used to, but he proves to be just what Cora needs 

There’s a secondary story around a relationship between Rye’s brother Cash and Cora’s friend Adam. Cash’s lifestyle is one of the things that has given Rye his attitude about small towns but the love and dedication between the two brothers is strong. Unfortunately Adam isn’t able to get over the things that Rye has done since he hit town and how it has created waves with those around him, while Cash’s history makes it very difficult for him to share his feelings and thoughts. As they start to develop a relationship (there is some M/M scenes so be prepared if that isn’t your thing – but keep in mind that it is the heart that is the most important part of this story), their issues may make things impossible for everyone.

The Closer You Get is full of emotional ups and downs. With friends, family and significant others learning how to maneuver around each other, things get messy fast. All they can do is try to figure out if what they have is worth fighting for. I think so and I’m sure you will too.

Book Review – Crazy for the Competition

15 Monday Jun 2015

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

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Tags

Book Review, Cindi Madsen, Crazy for the Competition, Hope Springs series

The lovely Cindi Madsen has just released the next book in her Hope Springs series and you are going to want to check it out.

*****

Crazy for the Competition

Hope Springs # 2

by Cindi Madsen

Releasing June 9, 2015

Entangled Bliss

Blurb:

The road to trouble is paved with sweet temptation…

Always the rebel in her ultra-conservative family, Quinn Sakata dreams of quitting her dad’s real-estate business and restoring the old Mountain Ridge Bed and Breakfast in her hometown of Hope Springs. Except that Quinn’s not the only person bidding on it. Worse still, her competitor is her high school crush, Heath Brantley, who is all kinds of ripped, tattooed hotness…

So much for her “nice, conservative boys” rule.

Heath has his own reasons for bidding on Mountain Ridge, and he won’t give in without a fight—even to the red-lipped hottie with a sailor’s mouth. But when their rivalry shifts into an unexpected zing of chemistry, Heath realizes he’s in deep trouble. Because it’s inevitable that emotions will get involved, and he needs to keep his eyes on the prize before they both get hurt.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23113981-crazy-for-the-competition

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/135463-hope-springs

Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | iBooks

*****

Excerpt:

Quinn sat across from him, and they worked on shaping the wire. She passed him tools and held things in place when he needed an extra hand. Here and there she made a few half-mumbled noises that he took to mean she wasn’t sure he was on the right path. She kept her word and let him make the decisions, though.

After a few minutes straining to see the tiny wire, he reached back and pulled his glasses out of the workbench— he really only needed them for intricate parts.

“Bloody hell, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Quinn said.

He looked at her, her features now extra crisp thanks to the glasses. She had these cute freckles across the bridge of her nose, and her bottom lip was between her teeth. “What?” he asked.

She shook her head and swallowed. “Nothing.”

Really? The glasses turned her on? Hell, he’d wear them all the time, then. “What’s with the bloody? You turning British on me?”

“I’m an equal-opportunity swearer.”

“Well, Miss Potty Mouth, hand me the needle-nose pliers next to your feet, please.”

She picked them up and extended them to him. He let his fingers brush across hers, testing how far he could milk this. “Can you hold these two pieces together while I twist?”

Quinn knelt next to him. She gripped the two wires, and he took the pliers and twisted. Every time he turned the pliers, his forearm brushed her chest, even when he tried to do the honorable thing and go from another angle. The beating pulse at her neck called to him again, begging to be kissed. She smelled amazing, too, a light vanilla scent that invaded his senses.

“I’ll be damned,” she said once he lowered the pliers. “It actually looks like a butterfly. Look at you using your manly skills to spread your wings and fly.”

His lips trembled as he tried to keep a straight face—she kept him on his toes, that was for sure. “One, never say that to me again, and two, I told you I’d find a way—never doubt me, woman.”

“It was a compliment. No need to get your wings in a bunch.” She innocently batted her eyes, the amusement in them clear.

Oh, she wanted to play? He could play. All day he’d held back, not taking opportunities he would under usual circumstances, because she wasn’t just any girl. She was in a different class and her family already disliked him, she was Sadie’s best friend, and most problematic of all, she wanted to take Mountain Ridge from him. But between the flirting and the constant challenges she threw out, he was done overthinking and worrying about making things complicated.

Letting his instincts take over, he reached up and brushed the strands that’d fallen free of her ponytail off her face. The amusement died, other emotions taking over her features. Surprise and temptation—he could work with both of those.

*****

Review:

While I won’t say this is my favorite Madsen book, it’s pretty much because she’s written some really good stories. And you can’t love them all the same, ya know? 🙂 But I did enjoy it and that excerpt was one of my favorites scenes – gives you a pretty good idea of what the rest of the book is like. It’s funny and sweet, but with its share of angst and issues.

I didn’t necessarily like Quinn all the time thru the book, but I did understand her and she does some growing by the end. She has some serious issues with her family and their expectations, especially her dad. She’s different than the rest of her family, and unfortunately for her, there isn’t anyone who really understands her – love her yes, understand her no. She’s not had much more luck in her personal life … until she meets Heath. But it is hard to let go of those bad experiences.

Now, Heath I absolutely loved. He’s sexy and sincere, hard working and caring. He didn’t have the best start in life, but he’s working on bettering it for his brothers. Unfortunately of course that’s where the conflict with Quinn comes in. As much as they are attracted to each other, there is a big issue between them with the property.

To which, I saw a solution from about Chapter 3 but then where would all of the fun come from? I think Madsen does a fantastic job of having them get there on their own (again, it’s kinda obvious) but her’s works a lot better since they had a chance to fall in love. And we get to enjoy being there with them as they do.

*****

Author Info:

Cindi Madsen is a USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance and young adult novels. She sits at her computer every chance she gets, plotting revising, and falling in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person. Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing, and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and three children.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

*****

Giveaway:

Win a $20 Amazon Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1cb55495564/

*****

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

Book Review – Clean Lines

12 Friday Jun 2015

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

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Tags

Book Review, Cedar Tree series, Clean Lines, Freya Barker

Y’all, Joe Morris is this week’s book boyfriend – he’s caring & sexy, strong & brave, with moments of male stupidity to keep him humble 🙂

*****

Clean Lines

Cedar Tree #4

by Freya Barker

Genre: Erotic suspense

Cover Designer: RE&D, Margreet Asselbergs

Hosted By: Francessca’s Romance Reviews

Blurb:

When her surly teenage son moves back to live with ER physician Naomi Waters unexpectedly, her motherly instincts go on high alert. Nothing could’ve prepared her for the wave of trouble that follows him back into her life.

Sheriff Joe Morris blew his chance with Naomi a few years back when he’d moved faster than his own past allowed. At the first opportunity to get his foot back in the door, he takes it and risks everything to keep her and her son safe.

But working for a future isn’t easy when you’re fighting to survive your past.

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25295373-clean-lines?from_search=true&search_version=service_impr

Available at

http://amzn.to/1FRGNGs – Amazon UK

http://amzn.to/1SGuzWK – Amazon USA

*****

Excerpt:

On the short drive home, with Joe riding my bumper, I still have way too much time to think. And what I’m thinking is that I’ve gone and lost my mind. Who says shit like that? I behaved like some two-bit sex operator and sounded no better. If I didn’t need both hands on the steering wheel, I’d have my face covered right now; I’m that embarrassed. Emotional. Too fucking emotional. It’s either flat or deep with me and it’s exhausting. Why I have to be this emotionally unbalanced every time around Joe, I have no idea, but I’m sure the man’s had enough of crazy women for a lifetime.

When I park the car, I turn off the engine and drop my head on the wheel. Maybe this is not such a good idea. I probably should’ve stayed with Katie and the baby and not just gone running off with Joe at the first opportunity. Well, not exactly the first opportunity but still. It seems inappropriate. Doesn’t it?

The door beside me opening startles me, but even more so does the feel of Joe’s firm hands pulling me down from my seat.

“Don’t. Don’t sit there and talk yourself out of something we both know is going to happen,” he says talking to the top of my head because I am studying the tips of my toes.

“Naomi?” He leans in and I can feel the heat of his words penetrate my skin as he speaks. “I need you. I need to feel your fingers tangle in my hair, your tongue in my mouth, your skin under my hands and your pussy squeezing my cock. I need it all, honey.”

Slowly raising my eyes, I find his burning with lust and something more. Need? I trace my fingers over his lips and along his jaw before whispering, “Let’s go.”

*****

Review:

How many of you are going to be surprised when I say that this is the first book in this series that I’ve read? No one? Yeah, not a surprise. I was a little surprised at how much I liked this story. Barker somehow made a whole lot of things come together easily and without making her story clunky. Clean Lines easily stood on its own too, which only added to the enjoyment. There were characters who had their own stories before and at least a couple who are going to have one coming up, but none of it left me confused … just excited to get my hands on those stories.

I will say that I’m stunned that it took three years for Joe to find a way to fix things with Naomi. She’s got some history and it lead her to be prickly but surely in that amount of time, and with sharing friends, there would have been some way to get an explanation to her. He doesn’t seem like a guy who would be willing to let it go for that long. But that is my only complaint and Barker does try to explain it away.

Overall, though, it is a fantastic suspense romance. There’s a great amount of heat and angst between the two, plus they come with baggage that is fun to explore. But there is also a lot of danger and mystery surrounding her ex-husband and son. It made for a nail-biter in a couple of places … as well as a few spots to get your heart racing for other reasons 🙂

If sexy thrillers are your thing, I highly recommend you add Barker’s books to the top of your TBR pile. A fun read with interesting characters and a captivating plot, Clean Lines is a great place to start.

*****

Author Info:

Freya Barker craved reading about ‘real’ people, those who are perhaps less than perfect, but just as deserving of romance, hot monkey sex and some thrills and chills in their lives – So she decided to write about them. Always creative, from an early age on she danced and sang, doodled, created, cooked, baked, quilted and crafted. Her latest creative outlets were influenced by an ever-present love for reading. First through blogging, then cover art and design, and finally writing. Born and raised in the Netherlands, she packed her two toddlers, and eight suitcases filled with toys to move to Canada. No stranger to new beginnings, she thrives on them. With the kids grown and out in the world, Freya is at the ‘prime’ of her life. The body might be a bit ramshackle, but the spirit is high and as adventurous as ever. Something you may see reflected here and there in some of her heroines…. none of who will likely be wilting flowers.

Stalker Links

http://www.facebook.com/FreyaBarkerWriter – Facebook

https://twitter.com/freya_barker – Twitter

https://www.tsu.co/FreyaB – TSU

http://plus.google.com/FreyaBarkerWriter – Google+

http://www.freyabarker.com – TSU

http://www.amazon.com/Freya-Barker/e/B00N36NDYI/ – Amazon Author Page

http://www.goodreads.com/FreyaBarker – Goodreads

http://bit.ly/1DmiBub – Newsletter

*****