Spotlight – Immortal Unchained

28 Tuesday Mar 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest

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Argeneau series, Immortal Unchained, Lynsay Sands

From sexy cop to a hottie with fangs … and this is exactly why I love romances!

*****

Immortal Unchained

An Argeneau Novel

by Lynsay Sands

On sale: 3/28/2017

ISBN: 9780062468840

Blurb:

In a spellbinding new Argeneau novel from New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands, a dangerous rescue is just the beginning of red-hot adventure…

Ever since Domitian Argenis recognized Sarita as his life mate, he’s been waiting for the perfect moment to claim her. Those fantasies did not include him being chained to a table in a secret lab, or both of them being held hostage by a mad scientist. Somehow, they have to escape…

Sarita has seen some crazy things as a cop, but nothing to rival Domitian. A vampire? Seriously? But his healing ability, incredible powers, and their mind-blowing physical connection-none of it should be possible, yet her body knows differently. Now, not only do they have to save each other, but other innocent lives are at stake. Failure is not an option, for Sarita intends for Domitian to show her exactly what an eternity of pleasure feels like…

*****

Author Info:

Lynsay Sands is the nationally bestselling author of the Argeneau/Rogue Hunter vampire series, as well as numerous historicals and anthologies. She’s been writing stories since grade school and considers herself incredibly lucky to be able to make a career out of it. Her hope is that readers can get away from their everyday stress through her stories, and if there’s occasional uncontrollable fits of laughter, that’s just a big bonus.

Please visit her on the web at www.lynsaysands.net

https://twitter.com/lynsaysands

https://www.facebook.com/Lynsay-Sands-125138040836322/

https://www.pinterest.com/lynsaysands/

*****

Giveaway:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112ffc1578/

Enter for your chance to win All previous Argeneau Books

A Quick Bite
Love Bites
Single White Vampire
Tall Dark & Hungry
A Bite To Remember
Bite Me If You Can
The Accidental Vampire
Vampires Are Forever
Vampire, Interrupted
The Rogue Hunter
The Immortal Hunter
The Renegade Hunter
Born To Bite
Hungry For You
The Reluctant Vampire
Under A Vampire Moon
Lady Is A Vamp
Immortal Ever After
One Lucky Vampire
Vampire Most Wanted
The Immortal Who Loved Me
About A Vampire
Runaway Vampire
Immortal Nights

*****

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Spotlight – Grounds for Seduction

27 Monday Mar 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Grounds for Seduction, Seattle Steam series, Shelli Stevens

How about we start off the week with a hot cop 🙂

*****

Grounds for Seduction

A Seattle Steam Novel

by Shelli Stevens

Publication Date: March 27, 2017

Genres: Adult, Entangled: Select, Contemporary, Romance

Blurb:

Madison Phillips is focused on making her new coffee shop a success. She also wouldn’t mind if the sexiest cop in Seattle, Gabriel Martinez, would start seeing her as more than just his best friend’s little sister. When her shop gets robbed and she’s the only one who can identify the increasingly violent Espresso Bandit, Gabe’s there to keep her safe. Having Gabe act as her personal bodyguard is certainly no hardship, and Maddy’s ready to try anything to tempt him into providing some hands-on protection.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2nU8tsC

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2nkPIM2

B&N: http://bit.ly/2nXiRAh

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

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2npWcv7

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2mEz2lP

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

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

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2nUcayz

*****

Excerpt:

“I was just about to head back inside. Nice to see you again, Maddie.” Gabe stepped toward the door.

Tell him to stop, she ordered herself. Ask him out to dinner.

“Nobody calls me Maddie anymore.” She winced. Okay, totally blew that one.

“Gotcha.” He gave a slight smile and opened the sliding glass door to the house. He sounded almost disappointed when he murmured, “You sure have grown up, haven’t you?”

Madison darted forward in her Valentino heels, trying not to trip as she intercepted him at the door.

“I don’t know if Eric told you,” she began, “but I’m opening up my own espresso shop. The grand opening is Monday morning.”

His eyes held the faintest flicker of surprise, “Really? Hmm. Maddie Phillips, the newest coffee entrepreneur.”

“Madison. I know, isn’t it great?” She laughed, and her attention caught on his hard chest outlined through his Seahawks T-shirt. Swallowing hard as her pulse skipped, she tore her gaze away and fumbled in her purse for a business card and pen.

She scrawled a hurried note on it and handed it to him. “Here’s my card. I wrote you a coupon for a free drink. I’ll be getting things set up all weekend, so if you drop by, I can make you a practice mocha.”

“Ooo La Latté. Nice name.” He glanced up from the card and started to hand it back to her. “But I’m not big on coffee—”

“We also have tea,” she interrupted, a little more forcefully than necessary. “And hot chocolate. In any case, it’s a free beverage. You can’t pass that up.”

He remained quiet for a moment, then nodded. “You’re right, I can’t. I’ll see if I can drop by.”

He tucked the card into the back pocket of his jeans.

“I’m going to need a big, faithful customer base, so I hope you come by often.” She touched his arm and felt the bulge of his biceps.

This time, she didn’t miss the flicker of sexual awareness in his eyes, and her pulse sped up. This was pretty forward, even for her.

“After all,” she continued, her voice husky. “You really should support your best friend’s little sister.”

His eyes narrowed, and she knew she’d made a massive mistake. Great, Madison. She ground her teeth together. Remind him that you’re Eric’s little sister.

“You know what? I’m going to grab some of that crab quiche. So yummy. See you this weekend, Gabe.” She slid past him, smothering a gasp when her hip brushed his thigh as she opened the door and went back into the house.

*****

Author Info:

Shelli is a New York Times Bestselling Author who read her first romance novel when she snatched it off her mother’s bookshelf at the age of eleven. One taste and she was forever hooked. It wasn’t until many years later that she decided to pursue writing stories of her own. By then she acknowledged the voices in her head didn’t make her crazy, they made her a writer.

Shelli currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her daughter. She’s a compulsive volunteer, and has been known to spontaneously burst into song.

*****

Giveaway:

$20 Amazon Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5440a3541107/

*****

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Spotlight – The Heartbeat Hypothesis

22 Wednesday Mar 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Lindsey Frydman, The Heartbeat Hypothesis

This one just calls out to me but I can see how it might just tie you up in knots.

*****

The Heartbeat Hypothesis

by Lindsey Frydman

Blurb:

Audra Madison simply wanted to walk in the shoes of Emily Cavanaugh, a free-spirited teenager who died too young. After all, Audra wasn’t supposed to be here.

Thanks to Emily, Audra has a second chance at life. She’s doing all the things that seemed impossible just two years ago: Go to college. Date. Stargaze in the Rocky Mountains. Maybe get a tattoo. You know, live.

Jake Cavanaugh, a photographer with mysterious, brooding gray eyes, agrees to help chronicle her newfound experiences. She makes him laugh, one of the only people who can these days. As they delve into each other’s pasts – and secrets – the closer they become.

But she’s guarded and feels like she can’t trust anyone, including herself.

And he’s struggling with the fact that his beloved sister’s heart beats inside her.

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

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2mV1MWX

B&N: http://bit.ly/2n4zGaB

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

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2n2eylC

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2n4zW9W

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2np0W4I

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

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2lSL8pX

Music Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/embed?uri=spotify%3Auser%3A1221285876%3Aplaylist%3A1jiu5TsEABQkekl7rN3g7T

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsJi1xV2gOk&feature=youtu.be

*****

Excerpt:

I pulled out my phone and set it on the table. Sixty daunting seconds later, I’d found Emily’s page and twisted the display so he could see.

Jake tapped on the phone, scrolling for only a moment before removing his finger and looking at me. “Why would you think these are mine?”

“Most of them share the same hashtag: my favorite photographer Jake. That’s you. Right?”

He returned his attention to the phone, this time picking it up, interest lighting his face. “Oh. Yeah, I took these. There’s so many damn hashtags, I didn’t even see my name.”

“Well, her whole page, it’s a done-it list.”

His gaze lifted, along with the corners of his lips. “A what?”

“According to her, she never understood why people made lists of the things they were going to do, so she made a page dedicated to all the things she did do.”

“Sounds like Emily.”

Now that is a smile. “Well, it’s inspired me to start my own done-it list, but I want to start by re-creating her list.”

Jake set the phone down and slid it across the table. “Re-create it?”

“Yes. Like this one…” I scrolled until I found the photograph. “She threw glow sticks in a pool and went swimming.” I assumed he remembered, since he’d been behind the camera. “I’m going to do that, then put it on my own done-it Tumblr list. Emily only had sixteen done-its, so I plan on redoing all of them.”

After taking a slow sip of coffee, he leaned forward like he was going to share a secret. “Can I make a suggestion?”

I winced, instilled with a burning desire to flee from the coffee shop. There I was, alive and well—with a perfectly functioning heart—and Emily lay six feet under, dead and gone. Jake probably thought—

“You should name it something else,” he said. “Done-its sounds like Cheez-Its, and that’s a little weird, don’t you think? Don’t get me wrong, kudos to my sister for the idea, but uh, she could’ve been more original with the name.” His smile grew, crooked and adorable.

Relief washed over me, and I smiled, too. “I agree done-it is unoriginal, but I can’t think of anything better that isn’t also weirder. Can you?”

With a considering expression, Jake leaned back in the booth, and while he thought, I took a sip of my coffee and cream mixture.

“See. Not as easy as it sounds.” I laughed, warming my fingers around the mug.

Jake chuckled, shaking his head. “Guess I’ll have to get back to you on that one. But where do I come into this?”

I let go of the ceramic and splayed my hands across the tabletop. “I want you to photograph my…poorly named list.”

*****

Author Info:

Lindsey has been writing since she was nine years old, when she discovered the awesomeness that is Harriet the Spy. Her books always include a romance, though sometimes there’s an added sci-fi or magical realism twist. She lives in Columbus, Ohio (where the weather is never quite right). Her BFA in Photography and Graphic Design has granted her a wide assortment of creative knowledge that serves as inspiration (and not much else). When she’s not crafting YA and NA stories, you’ll likely find her spending waaay too much time on Pinterest, playing a video game, singing show-tunes, or performing in a burlesque show—because she enjoys giving her introversion a worthy adversary. (Plus, it’s the closest to Broadway she’ll ever get.) Lindsey was a proud 2016 Pitch Wars Mentee and thoroughly adores being a part of the wonderful writing community. THE HEARTBEAT HYPOTHESIS is her debut novel.

*****

Giveaway:

$20 Amazon Gift Card

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5440a3541102/

*****

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

Book Review – The Trouble With Bachelors

21 Tuesday Mar 2017

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

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Book Review, Caitlyn Blue, The Trouble with Bachelors, Windy City Bachelors series

I want to share with everyone the first in a new series that comes out today. It’s by a new author for me but she’s sure to have lots of great things to come!

*****

The Trouble With Bachelors

Windy City Bachelors #1

by Caitlyn Blue

Releasing March 21, 2017

Sassy Muse, LLC

Blurb:

Falling for her sister’s first love, how could that possibly go wrong…

Zach Thorne is supposed to be off limits. He’s her sister’s high school boyfriend and his love life is a revolving door of women. He’s also handsome, sexy and the one guy Emma Callahan has never been able to forget.

Now they’ve been thrown together as best man and maid of honor for her sister’s wedding and some serious sparks are flying. Zach is perfect wedding fling material until he starts to take their romance seriously. Now, Emma is left wondering: is he for real or is she about to get her heart broken?

The trouble with bachelors is you never know.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33813952-the-trouble-with-bachelors

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

*****

Excerpt:

“This was fun,” I murmur as his fingers coast over my cheek.

He tucks a lock of hair behind my ears and traces my jaw. It’s been a year since a man has touched me. And no one has ever caressed me like this. It’s like he’s trying to memorize my features. I’m enthralled. It’s hard to know what to do next, so I clutch my hands in my lap and stare at him. His eyes lock on my lips and I realize I’ve seized the lower one between my teeth.

His breath hisses out on a soft sigh. “Do you have any idea how sexy you are?”

“No.” It’s not the default word anyone uses when describing me.

“You are.”

How many women has he used this line on? Hundreds surely. He’s a player. A guy you sleep with not someone you date.

At the moment I’m standing at the line that separates the woman I am and the woman guys like Zach sleep with a few times and never call again. I can listen to my body and have several amazing orgasms to relive over and over, or I can listen to my heart, stay true to who I am and keep looking for a guy who can make me happy long term.

His fingers curve around the back of my neck. As he draws me forward, I ask, “Are you going to kiss me again?”

“I’d very much like to.”

This time his kiss is more direct. Firm and determined, he claims my lips and as his tongue darts forward, I open for him. He tastes like the striped peppermint candy we snagged on our way out of the restaurant.

The kiss quickly goes nova. Heat explodes in my midsection and lances downward as Zach’s hand curves over my knee. I clutch his shoulder, trembling with longing. Phrases spill through my mind. Naughty things I’d want to say to him. Images of taking him into my mouth again and making him cry out my name as he comes. I’ve forgotten that I’m not the type who has sex in cars. Right now, all I’m thinking is: yes, please, let’s do this.

Our tongues are dueling, my legs are parting and Zach’s hand is riding up my inner thigh when the phone in my lap buzzes with an incoming text. It’s close enough to my happy place that the vibration only adds to my arousal. I moan. Zach drags his lips from mine.

“That’s it, baby. Let me hear it.”

As his other hand dips inside my coat, fingers gliding over my breast, it’s easy to moan again. Damn, he’s good at this. Trembling with need, I bite my lip as the urge to whimper builds. I shift my hips as my clit perks up and starts crying for attention. If he doesn’t touch me there I’ll go out of my mind.

A second text follows the first or maybe it’s just that reminder that I haven’t looked at the first one. Either way, it feels great. So does Zach’s mouth on my neck. And is that his teeth? I open my thighs, silently begging him to go higher. He’s so close. I’m so close.

Buzz.

I’m panting. He’s sucking on my earlobe. Shit. That’s amazing. His thumb grazes my nipple.

Buzz.

The hand beneath my skirt reaches the elastic on my panties and I shift my hips, pushing into his fingers. Can he feel how wet I am? A little higher, please.

Buzz.

The vibration is so constant it’s like a sex toy and I’m so close to getting off. Just a little bit more. His finger brushes over the soaked crotch my panties. The lightest of touch and my body is electrified.

“Fuck,” he mutters, tracing over my hot, aching core a second time. “These are soaked.”

A garbled noise emerges from my throat.

Buzz.

And then Zach’s fingers are retreating and I groan in protest. “Um, do you need to get that?”

Get what?

Buzz.

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” I exclaim as Zach removes his lovely, clever hands from beneath my clothes.

He flops back against his seat with a hearty curse. Eyes closed, breathing hard, he shields his face as his shoulders move. Damn the man. He’s laughing.

Snarling, I pick up the phone and see at least a dozen texts from my cousins. Looking over at the house, I spy all three of them lined up at the living room windows. Well, what did I expect? I’m making out with Zach in front of our house. I might as well have set up a neon sign on the front lawn that says orgasms happening here. Almost happening…so close. A growl vibrates my chest.

“Your cousins?”

“Yes.”

*****

Review:

There is so much I enjoyed about Emma and Zach getting together – friends (of a sort) to lovers, high school crush, taboo relationship, reformed rake … there’s just a lot here to make me happy!

Zach is misunderstood in quite a few places throughout the story. He’s known to be a bit of a player but he really is a nice guy. He’s got a good heart, does a lot for his friends, and when he comes across a girl he wants to settle down with he’s willing to do a lot for her. Unfortunately she’s got some baggage that makes it hard to believe he’s sincere.

Most of the time I really liked Emma but she really doesn’t give Zach a break. She’s struggling with her attraction to him and is putting a lot of that on him when he really doesn’t deserve it. He may have a history (and really a big part of it was in high school, people!) but he never does anything to her to suggest that he isn’t being true. I think a little openness and a whole lot of good old fashion talking would have helped these too a lot 🙂

While the story appealed to me and I enjoyed the feelings developing between these two, there were a couple of writing style choices that I found a little strange. One was the way that the people and their lives were revealed to us – it almost felt like this was a middle of a series story but it is the first and all the other characters have books coming up. Blue does a great job of giving you the information that you need but it is presented in a way that it felt like you should know it already and she’s getting new readers up to speed. It doesn’t keep the characters from being interesting (which they are and I’m looking forward to getting their stories, especially Emma’s sister because there is some complicated stuff going on with her) or the story from flowing smoothly, it just seemed an odd choice for a first book in the series.

The other thing was that there were a couple of times when I got a little confused about the timing of things. A chapter would end but when the next one started I wasn’t confident about how much time had elapsed and what happened to the characters during that time. The explanation would come but not before I felt just a little bit lost first. And even then I’m not 100% sure I got all of the details about what happened. It doesn’t keep the story from moving well or for me to feel like I got a complete and enjoyable story, but it felt an odd choice to me.

Overall, though, the fun that is Zach falling in love and winning over Emma far outweighs any trouble spots that come up. With 5 more romances for this group coming soon, I think a lot of this will work itself out and we’ll be left with just the joy of a great love story. And I’m ready to find out all their secrets (Emma’s sister especially – that girl is just a big ball of conflict).

*****

Author Info:

Caitlyn Blue is a voracious reader with an overactive imagination and a chocolate addict. She loves fancy cocktails and tasty edibles, is a sucker for adventure movies and any music with a beat. When not writing, Caitlyn loves to connect with her readers for whom she’s extremely grateful. Join her VIP list to stay up to date on giveaways and exclusive offers.

Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

*****

Giveaway:

a $25.00 Amazon or Barnes Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81255/

*****

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

Spotlight – Hard Justice

20 Monday Mar 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Body Armor series, Hard Justice, Lori Foster

I’m so glad we are kicking off the week with one of my favorite authors. We’ve seen the first book in the series already and now it is time to see what these guys are up to next!

*****

NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Lori Foster returns with the second installment in her explosive new series featuring sexy bodyguards who’ll do anything to protect the ones they love.

Hard Justice

A Body Armor Novel

by Lori Foster

Blurb:

Playing it safe has never felt so dangerous…

Justice Wallington knows how to harness his strength and intimidating size—skills he put to good use first in the MMA cage, and now as a bodyguard at the Body Armor agency. But no opponent has ever left him feeling as off balance as his new client, heiress Fallon Wade. Far from a spoiled princess, she’s sweet and intriguingly innocent. It’s a risk-free assignment, until he’s required to fake a relationship with her in order to blend in.

Sheltered from the world after a family tragedy, Fallon longs to experience life—going to bars, dancing, talking to strangers. Not easy with a huge, lethal-looking bodyguard shadowing her every move. Justice seems like her polar opposite, but pretending to be a couple stirs undeniable heat. And when danger strikes again, it’s not just her safety in jeopardy, but a passion that’s real, raw and absolutely against the rules…

Grab your copy of HARD JUSTICE here!

Amazon * Kindle * Barnes& Noble * Nook * Book Depository * GooglePlay *iBooks * BAM * Kobo * IndieBound

And don’t miss the first book in the Body Armor Series!

Amazon * Kindle * Barnes * Nook * Book Depository * GooglePlay * iBooks * BAM * Kobo * IndieBound

*****

Excerpt:

“If anything happens to her, we will hold you and the agency personally responsible.”

“Nothing will.”

Her father scowled. “Ms. Silver swears you’re capable.”

“That I am.” Though Justice spoke to her father, he didn’t look away from Fallon, and she shivered at the deepness of the voice that stroked over her skin like a warm caress.

“She also said you were a professional fighter,” her father continued.

“Was once,” Justice agreed. “I fought with the SBC, but I don’t compete anymore.”

“SBC?” her father asked.

“Supreme Battle Challenge. Best known fight organization there is.”

Ah, a fighter. Fallon gave him another quick glance. She supposed that explained the damaged ear, crook in his nose and the outrageous hairstyle. “Not a boxer,” she guessed.

“Mixed martial arts, so kicking, grappling, submissions, but yeah, I’m a pretty good boxer, too.” He jokingly threw a few shadow punches, then, with a glance at her dad, quickly sobered. “Not to brag or anything.”

With a critical eye, her father said, “Admittedly, you’re not what I expected.”

“You were looking for Rocky Balboa? The one in the later movies, not the first? He did get slick in the last few, huh? That’s not me, though. Never will be.”

Such an outpouring left her father stymied for a moment. “Well, my wife and Ms. Silver did suggest that you’d be able to blend in.”

Fallon remained on the last step—and still Justice towered over her. She smiled up at him. “That was my stipulation. That you be able to blend, I mean. I didn’t want a bodyguard to be super conspicuous. But seeing you now, I can’t imagine you blending in too easily.”

He crooked a brow. “Why not?”

“You’re rather large to blend.”

“Depends on where we go, right?” He took her elbow and very unnecessarily helped her down the last step. “Bar, club, steakhouse—no one will pay much attention to me. In this house?” He looked around as if a little put off by the grandeur. “Or a fancy party?” He rasped a big hand over his beard stubble. “I can shave, spiff up a little and force myself into a suit, but that still might not do the trick.”

*****

Author Info:

LORI FOSTER is a New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than 55 titles, beloved for her contemporary romance novels revolving around alpha males and the women they fall for. Lori has been a recipient of the prestigious RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Series Romantic Fantasy, and for Contemporary Romance. For more about Lori, visit her website at LoriFoster.com, or check out these online locations where she interacts with readers: Facebook.com/LoriFoster, Twitter.com/LoriLFoster, Goodreads and Pinterest.com/lorilfoster.

You can also sign up for her monthly newsletter at LoriFoster.com/Newsletter.

Links:

WEBSITE: http://lorifoster.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/lorifoster

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/lorilfoster

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17597.Lori_Foster

PINTEREST: https://www.pinterest.com/lorilfoster/

YOU TUBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/lorifosterauthor/

*****

Giveaway:

$50 Amazon Gift Card for 1 winner

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9172c1a0364/

*****

Tour Schedule

March 13^th

A geordielass’ honest blog on reviews – Review

Booknerd1107 – Review & Excerpt

Crystal’s BookWorld – Review & Excerpt

East Coast Book Chicks – Review & Excerpt

My Girlfriends Couch – Review & Excerpt

Nice Ladies, Naughty Books – Review

March 14^th

ALL THINGS DARK & DIRTY – Excerpt

Books, Coffee & Passion – Excerpt

Cara’s Book Boudoir – Review & Excerpt

I’m A Sweet And Sassy Book Whore – Review

Love Between The Sheets – Review

Melena`s Reviews – Review & Excerpt

March 15^th

Barbara’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Books,Dreams,Life – Excerpt

Ebook Indulgence – Review

Knotty Girl Reviews – Review

Literary Gossip – Excerpt

The Book Maven – Review & Excerpt

March 16^th

A girl and her books – Review

Book Munchies – Review & Excerpt

Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Literary Misfit – Review & Excerpt

Marieke’s Books – Review & Excerpt

Read-Love-Blog – Excerpt

March 17^th

Obsessive Reading Disorder – Review

Reviews from the Heart – Review & Excerpt

SBB Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Those Crazy Book Chicks – Review & Excerpt

Under the Covers – Review & Excerpt

What Is That Book About – Excerpt

March 18^th

Dog-Eared Daydreams – Review & Excerpt

For the Love of Books & Alcohol – Review

Jen’s Reading Obsession – Review & Excerpt

Nicole’s Book Musings – Excerpt

Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt

Socially Awkward Book Nerd – Review & Excerpt

March 19^th

Ashleyz Wonderland – Excerpt

Books & Boys Book Club – Excerpt

Cocktails and Books – Review & Excerpt

Nerdy Dirty & Flirty – Excerpt

Romanticamente Fantasy Sito – Review

Vera is Reading – Excerpt

March 20^th

Bookish Wanderlove – Review & Excerpt

Deluged with Books Cafe – Review & Excerpt

Fic Central – Review

Reading Reality – Review

Romantic Reads and Such – Excerpt

The Heathers’ Blog – Review & Excerpt

March 21^st

OMGReads – Review & Excerpt

Reading away the days – Review

Reads All the Books – Review & Excerpt

Reese’s Reviews – review & Excerpt

Romance Reviews and More – Review & Excerpt

The Smut-Brarians – Review & Excerpt

March 22^nd

BookWorm221 – Review

Debbie’s World of Books – Review & Excerpt

EBookObsessed – Excerpt

I’m A Book Shark – Review

Jennifers Taking A Break – Review & Excerpt

Oh My Growing TBR – Review & Excerpt

March 23^rd

Curvy and Nerdy – Review & Excerpt

Embrace the Romance – Review & Excerpt

EskieMama& Dragon Lady Reads – Review & Excerpt

Renee Entress’s Blog – Review & Excerpt

The Reading Cafe – Review & Excerpt

March 24^th

Kitty’s Book Spot! – Review & Excerpt

NC 2 DC – Review & Excerpt

Ramblings From This Chick – Excerpt

Shannon’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

Sheilas Book Corner – Review

Travels N Reads – Review & Excerpt

March 25^th

Abibliophobia anonymous book reviews – Excerpt

Book reviews by lexi – Review

G & T’s Indie Café – Excerpt

Lynn’s Romance Enthusiasm – Excerpt

Two Girls with Books – Review

Winchester Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Book Review – The Bastard Billionaire

10 Friday Mar 2017

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

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Billionaire Bad Boys series, Book Review, Jessica Lemmon, The Bastard Billionaire

The Cranes are all sorts of HAWT and readers have been impatiently waiting to finally get their hands on this soldier brother’s story!

*****

TOP 5 FAVORITE LINES FROM TBB

#5~ Isabella Sawyer’s smart-aleck remark when Eli fires her for the umpteenth time:

“Apologies, Eli, but I’m not changing my shoes.” She came into his office, her hips swaying with each sure step she took toward him.

“Fine. Then you’re fired.”

“Oh, no, not again.”

#4~ Merina, the heroine from The Bastard Billionaire shows up as yet another feisty woman who refuses to bow to Eli’s gruffness.

“I can go out into public, you know,” he grumbled, setting the beer bottle next to his plate—on the table, no coaster, thank you very much. “You guys don’t have to come in here and serve me.”

He was skilled at his new role of miserable bastard, and since everyone expected it now, he was determined to excel.

“Oh but we do, Lord Crane.” Merina smiled demurely as she leaned over and handed him a glass.

#3~ I loved this line after Eli and Isa had sex—his honesty cracked me up!

“I like this.” She touched the corner of his mouth. “I’ve been trying to get you to smile since I started working here.”

“Well now you know how to do it.”

#2~ Bold Isabella knows how to ask for what she wants!

“Is kissing you in my marching orders for tomorrow night?” he asked, his eyes picking up a trace of heat.

She wasn’t going to pass up this opportunity. No way. No how.

“Yes,” she answered. “Need to practice?”

#1~ Eli’s worry that he didn’t have what it took is my favorite line in the book.

He’d done what he needed to be a good soldier.

Now that he wasn’t a soldier, he wasn’t sure what it took to be a good man.

*****

The Bastard Billionaire

Billionaire Bad Boys, #3

by Jessica Lemmon

On Sale: February 28, 2017

Publisher: Forever

Mass Market: $7.99 USD

eBook: $6.99 USD

Blurb:

Beauty and the Beastly Billionaire . . .

Eli Crane is one tough bastard. After an explosion left him injured and honorably discharged from the Marines, all he wants is to be left alone. Yet his brothers insist he take a greater role in the family business. They’ve hired him ten personal assistants—and Eli sent each one packing as fast as possible. But when beautiful number eleven walks through the door, Eli will do anything to make her stay.

Isabella Sawyer’s employment agency can’t afford to lose Eli Crane’s business. Her plan: to personally take on the role of his PA, and secure her reputation with the wealthy elite in Chicago. But this beauty and her hot billionaire bad boy soon find themselves mixing business with pleasure in the most delicious ways. And passionate, stubborn Isabella won’t rest until she tames this wicked beast . . .

*****

Excerpt:

Standing, she smoothed her hands down her pants and flipped her hair. She had planned to quietly finish her work and leave without seeing him again. No such luck. And no hiding that she was heading his way when her heels clicked along the concrete floor.

Well.

The kiss had happened. The button incident had happened. There was no taking it back. Regardless of how either of them felt about it, she was going to continue working here. So. She would deal with the here and now.

Since the sun was shining, Eli’s lair was welcome instead of foreboding. No fire cracked in the hearth today. Also unlike his usual, he wasn’t at his desk. He was at the printer.

“This yours?” He offered a sheet of paper.

“Yes.” She couldn’t keep from explaining. “Pressed the Print button by accident.”

“Mi printer es su printer.”

Isa accepted the document and Eli sank his hands into his jeans pockets, his forearms flexing with the movement.

“I wasn’t—”

“I shouldn’t—” they said at the same time.

He pursed his lips and she looked at her shoes. “Go ahead.” She was going to say, I wasn’t offended when you kissed me, but now that she’d had a millisecond to think it through, maybe she should pretend the kiss hadn’t happened. Which was . . . impossible. Standing this close to him, it’s all she could think about.

“I shouldn’t have ruined your shirt,” he said.

“I dared you to.”

“Why?” His eyebrows compressed along with his lips.

“Because you have accepted the role of beast, but I don’t believe that’s who you are.” She let her gaze linger on his face before tracking down his body. “And because I like a challenge.”

“Do you?” He took a wide step toward her.

She matched his move and took one step closer to him. “Yes. I don’t wilt easily.”

He threaded her hair between his fingers, a look of longing and hurt mingling in his eyes. “I was about to lie and say I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

Shivers climbed her spine as she remembered how firm his lips felt against hers. “Maybe . . . you shouldn’t have stopped.”

*****

Review:

(I will be sharing a BIT of a spoiler about the ending later but I will be giving you fair warning so you can read some of the review if you want and then stop at the *s)

I’m thinking that Isabella needs to hire some people with a little more backbone. What we see of Eli isn’t all that pleasant but he’s carrying a lot. He’s struggling to find his way again and unfortunately his family keeps pushing him to be what they want him to be. Granted he’s a TERRIBLE communicator and is keeping a lot to himself so they don’t know what is going on with him. I get why he’s not sharing but it might make his life a little easier if he’d just be a little more forthcoming with those that love him 🙂

Buuuut, that would mean that he’d never have met Isabella. And she’s exactly what he needs. She’s not going to take his crap. Instead she’s working hard to make things work with the Crane company and, as she gets to know him better, for Eli himself. He’s sexy and troubled and all sorts of growly but what he really needs is someone to push him, stand up to him, and support him. It’s a fine line she has to dance on but she’s got the guts and smarts to do it.

**I’m kinda giving away a little bit of a spoiler next so if you don’t want to know any more STOP HERE**

Kinda like with The Billionaire Next Door I was a little confused toward the end. I think that if we’d be given a better look at Isabella’s relationship with her ex and why she would feel like she HAD to have a commitment right then (when I’m pretty sure they were only a few weeks into knowing each other) it might have been different. But really I just wanted to give Eli a hug and tell him that I’d give him the time that he needed. But once she gets her head out of a place it isn’t supposed to be then she definitely makes up for it well.

**End Spoiler**

As an ending to Lemmon’s series about the Crane brothers The Bastard Billionaire is a winner. Eli is deliciously gruff but redeemable and Isabella is a strong match for him. She helps him figure his new life out and learn to embrace the future. Bringing the fun, heat and tons of emotions, Lemmon proves once again that she’s a fabulously talented author!

*****

THE BILLIONAIRE BAD BOYS SERIES

The Billionaire Bachelor, #1

The Billionaire Next Door, #2

The Bastard Billionaire, #3

Series Page on Goodreads

*****

Author Info:

A former job-hopper, Jessica Lemmon resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dog. She holds a degree in graphic design currently gathering dust in an impressive frame. When she’s not writing super-sexy heroes, she can be found cooking, drawing, drinking coffee (okay, wine), and eating potato chips. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want.

FOLLOW FOREVER ONLINE

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

*****

Giveaway:

Five (5) sets of The Billionaire Bad Boys series

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2422/

*****

Spotlight – Sinful Scottish Laird

08 Wednesday Mar 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest

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Julia London, Sinful Scottish Laird

We started the day with a modern, sexy brit … let’s finish it up with someone a little more old school!

Julia London was one of the author’s who got me started reading romances so I’m super excited to be on the tour for her newest book.

*****

Sinful Scottish Laird

by Julia London

Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages

Publisher: HQN Books (February 28, 2017)

Blurb:

A young widow puts her sexy suitors to the test in New York Times bestselling author Julia London’s scintillating return to the idyllic Scottish Highlands.

Widowed and forced to remarry in three years’ time or forfeit her son’s inheritance, Daisy Bristol, Lady Chatwick, has plenty of suitors vying for her hand…and her fortune. But a letter from a long-lost love sends Daisy and her young son to her Scottish Highland estate to buy time for his return. Along the way she encounters the powerful Cailean Mackenzie, laird of Arrandale and a notorious smuggler, and she is utterly—though unwillingly—bewitched.

Cailean has no use for any Sassenach in his glen. But Daisy’s brazen, flirtatious nature and alluring beauty intrigue him. When her first love appears unexpectedly at her estate, Cailean knows that a passionate woman like Daisy cannot marry this man. And to prevent the union, Cailean must put his own life at risk to win her heart.

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

*****

Author Info:

Julia London is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including the popular Secrets of Hadley Green historical romance series, the Cabot Sisters historical romance series, and the Homecoming Ranch contemporary romance series. She is a six time finalist for the presitigous RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction, and RT Bookclub award recipient for Best Historical Romance for Dangerous Gentleman. She lives in Austin, Texas.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

*****

Giveaway:

$25 Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/82ae250c53/

*****

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

Spotlight – Crave Me

08 Wednesday Mar 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Cecy Robson, Crave Me, O'Brien Family series

I love the idea of an opposites attract love story. And Wren seems like a straight-talking, take-no-prisoners kina gal … just right for shaking things up!

*****

Crave Me

O’Brien Family #3

by Cecy Robson

Releasing February 28, 2017

Self-Published

Blurb:

RT Book Reviews proclaims that the O’Brien Family series from award-winning author Cecy Robson “has the hottest brothers ever!” And in Crave Me, it’s time for the sole sister in the family to discover love.

Wren O’Brien isn’t your typical female. As the only girl from a loud Irish family with seven siblings, she prefers fast cars to lip gloss and bad boys to good men. It’s the reason she’s nursing a wounded soul and keeping her distance from a dangerous ex.

Evan Jonah is running an empire and just moved from the lavish thoroughfares of London to the gritty streets of Philadelphia. When he walks into the nearest dealership, he’s expecting to find a reliable vehicle to handle the brutal winters, not a sexy female car rep with killer legs.

Wren doesn’t know why “Hotness in a Suit” asked her out. She doesn’t expect a great time or a night of passion that knocks her on her ass. But that’s exactly what Evan shows her.

She also never counted on how hard and fast she’d fall. But men like Evan—good men with even better hearts—don’t desire tough-talking Philly girls for long.

Evan has never met a woman like Wren. But he’s up for the challenge and ready to prove her wrong.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33392351-crave-me

Goodreads Series Link https://www.goodreads.com/series/153646-o-brien-family

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

*****

Excerpt:

“Get the hell out of here.”

Evan lowers his plastic menu, laughing softly at my remark. When he first walked into the dealership, I couldn’t quite figure him out. The sides of his cashmere coat parted when he moved, exposing what has to be a very pricey suit. But while he’s clean shaven, he’s not exactly clean-cut.

His dark wavy hair curls around his ears, long enough that I can tell he’s overdue for a trip to the barber, but not so long he appears unkempt. I take another long look at his straight nose, broad shoulders, and perfect posture. No, he’s not unkempt. He’s cute. Damn cute if you like pretty boys with deep green eyes with specks of gold and a jawline angels must have chiseled from granite.

“I’m serious,” he tells me, the way he looks at me taking him from damn cute to sexy. “I’ve never eaten a cheesesteak.”

I reach for the iPad tucked in the bag at my feet to give me an excuse to break away from those pretty eyes and thick lashes that curl at the tips. “So when I asked you if you wanted to go out for steaks, you weren’t picturing enough flat screens to fill a cruise ship and Yeung-Ling on tap?”

“Is Yeung-Ling a beer?” he asks.

I cringe, setting my iPad in front of me. “Oh, Evan, you have a lot to learn if you plan on staying in Philly for the long haul.”

*****

Author Info:

Cecy Robson is an award-winning author of magical realms and to-die-for Alpha heroes. A double RITA® 2016 finalist for Once Pure and Once Kissed, and published author of more than sixteen titles, you can typically find her on her laptop or stumbling blindly in search of caffeine.

Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

*****

Giveaway:

a Crave Me Prize Pack including a Coach Purse stuffed with a Tote, Coasters and a Print Copy of LET ME

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81239/

*****

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

Spotlight – Her Secret Ranger

07 Tuesday Mar 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Donna Michaels, Her Secret Ranger, The Men of At Ease Ranch series

Moving on from this week’s sexy musician to our hottie soldier!

*****

Her Secret Ranger

The Men of At Ease Ranch, book 2

by Donna Michaels

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy

Blurb:

Kissing the sexy soldier was a dare she couldn’t resist…

By-the-book event planner Beth Brannigan’s best friend dared her to kiss a cowboy. She should have said no. Instead, she said please…again and again. If her brother finds out she’s dating—okay, kissing—okay, sleeping with—one of his military buddies, he’ll kill her. Assuming he doesn’t kill his friend first.

Former Army Ranger Brick Mitchum isn’t a relationship kind of guy. But then he meets Beth and starts to wonder if maybe it’s time he settled down. She’s mysterious. Unpredictable. Curvy in every way he needs… And hiding something. He’s just got to figure out what.

*****

Excerpt:

The best damn fantasy Brick Mitchum ever had hit him in the middle of the Braxton fair, of all places…and he was in no hurry for it to end. The gorgeous, green-eyed woman from two weekends ago miraculously appeared out of nowhere and laid a lip-lock on him that sent all the blood storming straight to his crotch.

She had to be a figment of his imagination. How else could he explain how they were both back in Braxton today and happened to bump into each other at the fair in a town of over forty-thousand people? The odds of them being there at the same exact time was not only impossible, it was improbable. It sure as hell wasn’t a coincidence. He didn’t believe in them.

And yet, here she was.

The sweet little thing nibbled and tasted and let out a breathy sigh of pleasure that had him harder than the sledgehammer used in the strongman game down the fairway. Part innocence and part hot-as-hell in a lacey peach sundress, Beth was already halfway to ringing his bell. Doing his best to keep cool and let her run the show, he tried to concentrate on the fact Cord was waiting for him at the auction, but then she went and brushed his bottom lip with her tongue.

During the eleven years he was in the Army—the last eight as a Ranger—Brick had planned and carried out enough missions to know that if you wanted something to happen, you made it happen. And, hell yeah, he was making this happen.

With a low growl, he shoved his hands in her soft caramel-colored waves and held her head while he took over the kiss. Deep, long passes with his tongue brought her essence to him and a soft whimper to her throat. He loved how she clung to his shoulders, practically climbing his body in a show of need that rivaled his own. Brick knew from their hot weekend they had a killer chemistry, but the way this simple kiss morphed out of control in the space of a heartbeat shocked the hell out of him.

All too soon she drew back, staring up at him with heat smoldering in those incredible eyes he hadn’t been able to get out of his head the past two weeks. He’d tried. Oh, he tried. After all, they’d had a fun, no-strings-attached fling. Nothing more. Hell, they hadn’t even exchanged last names. No need. They’d kept it light. Fun. Hot. He might have broken his one-date rule with her, but he wasn’t sticking around Texas. Once the ranch was in the clear and the veterans’ barracks were completed, he was Vegas bound to work in his former commander’s security firm.

Didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy the moment at hand, though.

“Well, hello to you, too.” He grinned as his hands made themselves at home at her waist. They certainly knew every inch of her delectable body. And itched for a reunion. “I’m not complaining, mind you, but what was that for?”

Color increased in her cheeks. “It was a dare.”

A dare?

He raised a brow. The woman was full of surprises. “Someone dared you to kiss me?”

“Sort of. I was supposed to kiss the next cowboy to walk through the gate. I’m just grateful it was you.”

Well, hell. “You were willing to kiss a stranger?”

“No.” She released him completely and stepped back, a flicker of unease clouding her gaze. “I refused until you strode in and I saw an opportunity to make this work to my advantage.”

*****

Also make sure you check out …

In A Ranger’s Arms

The Men of At Ease Ranch, book 1

by Donna Michaels

Publisher: Entangled Publishing

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy

Blurb:

Former Army Ranger Stone Mitchum doesn’t have time for sex. Since starting a company with his brother and two buddies, he’s had more important things on his mind. Like transitioning veterans back into society. But when his curvy new tenant falls into his arms—literally—his libido snaps to attention.

Jovy Larson has four weeks to prove she’s worthy of taking over the family business. Her challenge? Sell gluten-free, vegan food—in the middle of cattle country, Texas. It’s a tough task, but not half as tough as fighting her attraction to her sexy, surly landlord.

Before she knows it, Jovy’s tangling sheets with the hot cowboy, stalked by a jealous cow, and strategizing ways to help Stone’s ranch. But by the time her lease runs out and the test is over, she’s faced with a new challenge…competing against Stone’s sense of duty to win his heart.

*****

Author Info:

Donna Michaels is an award winning, New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of Romaginative fiction. Her hot, humorous, and heartwarming stories include cowboys, men in uniform, and some sexy, primal alphas. With a husband in the military fulltime, and a household of nine, she never runs out of material to write, and has rightfully earned the nickname Lucy…and sometimes Ethel. From short to epic, her books entertain readers across a variety of sub-genres, and one has even being hand drawn into a Japanese translation. Now, if only she could read it.

Facebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

*****

Giveaway:

Win a $100 eGift Card to Bootbarn.com, and a Print Prize Pack!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1cb554951053/

*****

Book Review – One and Only

06 Monday Mar 2017

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

≈ 1 Comment

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Amy Knupp, Book Review, Hale Street series, One and Only

We’re kicking off our week with another sexy and troubled musician. This is a series I picked up in the middle but Amy Knupp was nice enough to give us a little primer about the Hale Street community!

*****

Welcome to Hale Street by Amy Knupp

ONE AND ONLY is set on fictional Hale Street in Nashville, TN. I say fictional because most people would claim it isn’t real, but in the minds of me and my two series co-writers, Natasha Lake and Emily Leigh, it’s one hundred percent an actual place. It’s become a spot we’d all love to shop, live, and hang out in. For readers who are new to Hale Street, here are the top five things you should know:

Hale Street is one block long, located near downtown Nashville. Originally developed in the 1940s, the street is being redeveloped, with the goal of turning it into a shopping destination. Nick Morello, the lead contractor (who, by the way, is a treat in a tool belt) makes every effort to maintain historic details while making the buildings modern and functional. Brick sidewalks are lined with quaint, old-fashioned streetlamps, one-of-a-kind shops, and delectable food joints. Most of the buildings have apartments on the upper floors.
One of the cornerstone businesses on Hale Street is Clayborne’s on the Corner. With a Cheers-like familiarity for residents and a warm, welcoming atmosphere for visitors, it’s the perfect place to catch a ballgame on TV, an up-and-coming band on stage, or a tasty meal of a hot ham and Swiss sandwich, fried mushrooms, and an adult beverage. Hunter Clayborne, the current owner, is a feast for the eyes as well.
At the opposite end of the street is the majestic historical Wentworth Hotel, owned by Burke Wentworth, a man who does daily justice to a three-piece suit. The elegant ballroom hosts countless formal affairs, from wedding receptions to New Year’s Eve balls. The top floor houses long-term luxury suites in addition to the hotel’s impeccable regular rooms. The general manager of the hotel is Daisy Calloway, who, incidentally, used to be engaged to Burke.
No one can wander down Hale Street without stopping into Sugar Babies Sweet Shop. With a beautiful handcrafted front counter and a gorgeous bay window, it’s the ideal spot to savor a sinful sweet—peppermint-cocoa cupcakes, bourbon pecan pie bites, or anything with Ivy Gibson’s fluffy brown sugar icing on it, for example. An arched doorway connects the bakery to Angry Cat Books, where you can grab coffee and an absorbing book to go with your sweet treat.
As you meander along Hale Street, you might want to keep an eye out for the neighborhood kook, Lurlene Williams, and her leash-trained pet albino ferret. Lurlene is harmless enough, but making eye contact can subject a person to a lengthy anti-technology rant or an in-depth diatribe on pigeons. If she gets in front of you in line at Sugar Babies, prepare for her to ask the bakery girls about every single menu option before finally settling on her usual chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting.

For more Hale Street details, I hope you’ll try ONE AND ONLY or any of the other six books set there (with more on the way). For more information on the books in the series, please visit my website (www.amyknupp.com).

*****

One and Only

Hale Street #7

by Amy Knupp

Releasing March 7, 2017

Self-Published

Blurb:

Drummer Micah Sullivan lost his music and his dreams when his wife died unexpectedly. In the emotional aftermath, he quit his successful country band and pushed away his family and friends. Three years later, he’s opened a music shop on Hale Street in Nashville and tells himself he’s content trying to make it a hit. What he failed to consider is that success requires connections—including the very ones he turned his back on.

Sloan McGuire is up for a new challenge…never realizing it might lead to heartbreak. When she takes a job as entertainment manager at a bar not known for its music, she doesn’t bargain for running into Micah, whose late wife was her best friend. She can tell within minutes that he’s still grieving. Out of love for her friend, she attempts to reconnect with the reclusive drummer. Falling for him isn’t in the plans, though—not only because he was married to her friend but because she’s been second-best before, and she never wants to play that role again.

As Micah starts finding his rhythm, life throws him a different beat. But with a little improvisation and a lot of courage, he just might tap into the one and only connection he needs.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33845684-one-and-only

Goodreads Series Link https://www.goodreads.com/series/188174-hale-street

Buy Links: AMAZON | ITUNES | KOBO

*****

Excerpt:

“It’s not every night a girl gets an offer to spend time with the world-famous Micah Sullivan and his family.”

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that.” His heart hammered in his chest and lust pounded through his veins as he breathed in her scent, a light, floral something that made him feel more alive than he’d felt in forever.

“Oh, sorry,” she said, her lids lowering halfway and her voice going quieter, more private as he slid his hands to each side of her tiny waist. “I forgot you prefer Just Micah.”

He couldn’t answer, wasn’t even sure what she’d said, because his gaze had homed in on her plump bottom lip, where there was still the hint of a sheen from her lip gloss, and he suddenly wanted more than anything to taste her.

He dipped his head down and touched his lips to hers, only intending a quick taste, but when he felt her arms go around his neck and sampled the sweetness — chocolate and a faint hint of strawberries — he couldn’t have backed off if someone held him at gunpoint. He swept his tongue over her lower lip, teased the seam, and when she pressed the tip of her tongue to his and they swirled together, he couldn’t hold back the rumble that came up from his throat.

“You’re too tall,” Sloan said, pulling away only enough to get that out before she pressed her lips to his again.

“You’re too short,” he managed, not recognizing his own voice. He braced his hands on the backs of her upper thighs and lifted her so that their mouths lined up perfectly, then took a couple steps so her back was to the wall as he sealed his mouth to hers again, angling his head for better access. Sloan’s legs wrapped around him, and he was suddenly so hot it felt like the house was on fire.

*****

Review:

This is a wonderfully emotional journey for Micah. He’s been in a holding pattern since his wife died and whether he realizes it or not it could be time to move on. It’s not easy and he fights it every step of the way, which causes some tense moments for readers and for Sloan. But it’s worthwhile and makes for a pretty great HEA ending.

Sloan is a fantastic friend. She pushes when she thinks Micah needs it (and a lot of times when he doesn’t like it) but she’s got great understanding for him as a person, musician, and a widower. Things may get complicated when their hearts start to get involved, but nothing worthy comes too easily.

Knupp keeps things real and has them working through those bumps, both little and big, until they can find a balance that works for both of them. They both have their hang-ups but by talking through things, and sometimes having a little more trouble listening, they are able to work through them all.

(This is my first Hale Street book but I don’t think it really made any kind of difference. There are characters that I’m sure returning readers will be thrilled to see again and it might have helped me understand who everyone was (because it seemed like a lot of names were thrown around that didn’t seem needed). But the story really revolved around Micah and Sloan and Knupp gave you everything you needed to be able to enjoy their romance.)

*****

Author Info:

Amy Knupp is the author of contemporary romance, a freelance copy editor for Blue Otter Editing, and a freelance technical writer. While the collection of professional hats she wears sounds a bit scattered and broad, the common thread among all of them (perhaps the little ball on top of each hat) is the written word. She loves words and grammar and meaty, engrossing stories with complex characters.

Amy lives in Wisconsin with her husband, two teenage sons, four cats, and two box turtles. She graduated from the University of Kansas with degrees in French and journalism. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, breaking up cat fights, watching college hoops, and annoying her family by correcting their grammar.

Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

*****

Giveaway:

a $10 Gift Card to eBookseller of choice, Digital copies of SOFT SPOT, and SWEET SPOT (Two Winners)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81244/

*****

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