Spotlight – Never Been Good

05 Thursday Apr 2018

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I’m a huge fan of Christi Barth and how can you not love a reformed bad boy … put them together and you’ll get something awesome!

*****

Never Been Good

a Bad Boys Gone Good novel

by Christi Barth

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

USA Today bestseller Christi Barth returns with another steamy Bad Boys Gone Good novel!

Flynn Maguire isn’t really a bad guy. Sure, he worked for the mob, but he ran a legitimate business—on paper anyway—and it paid enough to keep his brother out of the lifestyle. Until they turned on him. Now he’s stuck in Witness Protection, tending bar in Nowheresville Oregon… and pissed the life he knew is gone. The only bright spot? Fantasizing about his quiet, secretive, beautiful coworker.

Sierra Williams is a woman on the run. All she wants now is to settle into small town life… and ignore the brooding, sexy bartender who can’t seem to take his eyes off her. Flynn’s bad-boy vibe pushes all her buttons, but Sierra fell for the wrong man once already. She can’t afford to let her guard down again. Except Flynn’s tough exterior is slowly melting away to reveal the sweet man beneath and their attraction is too strong to resist.

Sierra and Flynn are falling fast, but they’re both keeping so many secrets. The truth could ruin everything… unless a girl who’s a little bad is perfect for a guy who’s never really been good.

Get Your Copy Today!

Amazon  | B&N  | iBooks  | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

Flynn pulled over the trash can, upended it, and rested her foot on it sideways, ice draped across. Then he noticed the sparkly glints of glass in her hair. “Do you have a brush?”

“No.” She looked up at that to give him an amused half smile. “I’m not one of those women who reapplies their lipstick every twenty minutes.”

He’d noticed. He’d noticed everything about her look. Natural. Like hippy-natural. Which he found weirdly sexy. Weird because the women he’d dated in Chicago were all big boobs, loud makeup, and bigger hair. Sierra was just . . . herself. Which turned Flynn on more than he’d been willing to admit. Okay, hell. He’d admitted it. He’d just refused to act on it.

Until tonight.

Until seeing her crumpled on the floor of the bar. It had sent a primal surge of protectiveness through him that unlocked everything he’d kept tamped down for weeks now. All the interest. Lust. Attraction. Need.

Carlos produced a brush from his desk drawer. “Here. It’s Madalena’s.” She was his sister who did the books for the Gorse. Flynn had only met her once, but appreciated her no-nonsense personality. “I’ll go watch the bar for you, Flynn.”

“Thanks.” He carefully pulled Sierra’s hair over her shoulders so it draped down her back. “This should be the quickest way to get the glass out.”

“Oh, but you don’t have to—”

That was the kicker. After spending years doing what people told him he had to, Flynn now did only the bare minimum. Sure, he could just hand her the brush. But this, helping Sierra, was a compulsion he couldn’t resist. “I know I don’t have to. I want to help. Let me.”

“Okay.” Her shoulders relaxed down at least an inch as she sighed. Then Sierra sighed again as the bristles made contact with her scalp. This one was different, though. It was pure feminine pleasure.

God, he couldn’t wait to make her do it again.

Flynn made long, slow passes. A little more pressure against her head, because she seemed to like it, and then a pull through the long strands to shake out the glass. It was quiet. Intimate. Something he’d never done before for any other woman. The backs of his fingers grazed her neck as he gathered her hair in his hand.

Sierra shivered.

His dick throbbed at the sight. At her whole-body shiver, and at the view of her exposed nape. Right on the spot where, if he put his lips, Flynn knew he could tease another shiver out of her.

Then he noticed how her hair looked in his fist. He flashed ahead past a million impossibilities to a scene that he could never let happen. Sierra on her knees. Naked. Looking over her shoulder at him with that shy smile while he fisted her hair and drove into her.

The ice slid off her ankle, tinkling as it tumbled out of the towel onto the floor. The moment was gone.

Although Flynn knew he’d never be able to get that image out of his mind.

*****

Author Info:

USA TODAY bestselling author Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance, including the Naked Men and Aisle Bound series.

Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.

 

Website | Blog | Pinterest | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page  | Facebook | Instagram

*****

Giveaway:

May Designs notebook & Alex and Ani bracelet

Ebook copies of The Opposite of Right & The Reverse of Perfection

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cf78adb649/

*****

Book Review – Broken Heartstrings

04 Wednesday Apr 2018

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Broken Heartstrings

by CC Dragon

 

True love hurts. Jeff and Ben had it and lost it over a decade ago…

When Jeff is outed and attacked, the country music super star has to face his family and his choices under huge public scrutiny.

Jeff and Ben, his former producer, had a plan to come out and deal with the haters back in the day. Then tragedy struck Jeff’s family and changed everything—except the feelings. Jeff stayed in the closet and Ben walked away.

In the wake of the outing and press, Ben walks back. But why?

Revenge? Gloating? To make peace?

Or maybe for a second chance…

Note: This is a sweet m/m romance

While there is a love story here, it wasn’t the main focus.  Instead Jeff has to deal with the fall-out of being pretty much forced to out himself.  He’s kept it quiet for a long time so there is a lot to deal with – from his family (who handle it like a dream), his fans (which I thought was done very well), and his old boyfriend (hence the love story portion).  It’s not an easy journey for Jeff but I felt that Dragon treats it with the respect and emotion that it deserves.

So while the romance portion of it doesn’t happen until late it definitely shouldn’t stop you from picking up this book.  There are a lot of feels here and every one of them deserve to be savored as you join Jeff on his ride to finding a more true-to-himself place in this world.

Book Review – Deserving It

03 Tuesday Apr 2018

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Deserving It

Stolen Moments #3

by Angela Quarles

Stranded by a hurricane. Check. Hotel secured. Check. Hot guy to share it with. Check. No, wait. Not him!

A tough girl with an awkward flirt-game, Claire has long ago given up on catching the eye of Irish hottie Conor and she refuses to change. If he doesn’t like her as is, then screw him. 

A loner workaholic too busy to notice, Conor isn’t looking to nail the next chick–even one as hot as Claire–just his next bonus-earning presentation. 

But when a hurricane strands them in Atlanta and they’re forced to shack up in the same hotel room for several days, things tend to get…exposed.

DESERVING IT is a steamy, standalone romantic comedy from RITA Winning and USA Today bestselling author Angela Quarles with a happy-ever-after and no cheating or cliffhangers.

I’m not usually a fan of romances where there are prickly interactions between the characters.  Usually I feel like one or the other (or both) of them is being an a** but I think that Quarles does a pretty good job here of making it work.  Once they start to get over themselves and connect, they are a good match together.  And being stuck in the same hotel room during a hurricane definitely forces them to get friendly 🙂

I really enjoyed getting to know Conor and he’s such a good guy.  He’s got some insecurities that totally works for him – helps his image and doesn’t take away from his sexiness.  Claire also has a past that has left her with some scars and while I kinda wish she’d been a little more open with Conor I can totally see where she’s coming from.  Thanks to her childhood she’s made herself pretty tough but there’s still soft spots that she’s trying hard to protect.

Deserving It does have a shortened time frame, but with the forced cohabitation and the fact that they have known each other for a while it works for me.  They still have their issues to work through and there is, of course, the minor freak out at the end but I really like the way they find their way to a HEA.

(While part of a series, this one can easily stand on its own.)

Spotlight – Montana Mountain Romances

02 Monday Apr 2018

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We’re starting April with an amazingly well rated romance set in the wild American West.  Who else is ready to travel back in time to when the men were rugged and the women had to be strong?

*****

Wild Passion

A Montana Mountain Romance #2

by Dawn Luedecke

Genre: Historical Romance

Blurb:

One of the last outposts of the American West, the Montana Territory is filled with promise and adventure for those with brave souls—and open hearts . . .

Leader of the Timberbeasts, logger Simon Sanders’ biggest problem a year ago was deciding which willing woman to seduce. But since being mauled by a cougar he’s become a pariah in Missoula’s social circuit—and to himself. All he wants is to hide his scarred face and disappear into the bottom of a whiskey bottle. His plan is going well—until his sister’s best friend, Carrie Kerr, kidnaps him and forces him to deal with his demons. If he didn’t know better, Simon would swear the bossy beauty is a demon herself . . .

Carrie doesn’t like to use the word kidnap. Unknowingly transport, perhaps. In any case, she can no longer watch Simon destroy himself in self-pity. Not since she lost her heart to him as she nursed him back to health. Now, whatever happens between them, she’s determined to bring him back to the one place he swore he’d never return to, the place she’s sure will reignite his spirit. But if things go awry,
will she lose all hope for him to win back his life—much less share it with her? . . .

“Well written, well researched. Like the river, this plot runs faster and faster. Readers won’t be able to put it down.”
—New York Times bestselling author Jodi Thomas on White Water Passion

Add to Goodreads

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White Water Passion

A Montana Mountain Romance #1

by Dawn Luedecke

Genre: Historical Romance

Blurb:

The Montana Territory is one of the last outposts of the American West—where adventure as grand as the wide-open plains is around every corner, and passion as wild as the land itself beats in every heart . . .

Elizabeth Sanders isn’t afraid of anything, except what will happen to her beloved town if the Big Mountain Lumber Mill is destroyed. When she overhears a plot to do just that, she vows to put a stop to it, even if it means dressing as a young lumberjack to expose the saboteur. There’s only one problem with her plan—her brother’s handsome friend and fellow logger Garrett Jones, who arouses a desire within her soul as fierce as the river rapids.

When Garrett discovers that the odd new lad on the crew is in fact Beth, he’s shocked. A logging camp is no place for a young woman—especially the spirited beauty he’s admired for so long. Keeping her safe is easier said than done, however, as the attraction between them flares into true passion. As the danger mounts, Beth and Garrett must work together to survive the last log run down the wild rapids and claim any chance of saving the mill—and their chance at a future . . .

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo

*****

Author Info:

A country girl born and bred, Dawn Luedecke has spent most of her life surrounded by horses, country folk, and the wild terrain of Nevada, Idaho and Montana. She enjoys writing historical and contemporary romance and spends as much time as she can working on her current manuscript.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

$20 Amazon Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a9657/

*****

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

Spotlight – The Redemption of Lillie Rourke

30 Friday Mar 2018

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I just adore a good second chance love story!!

*****

The Redemption of Lillie Rourke

By Way of the Lighthouse #3

by Loree Lough

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Harlequin Heartwarming

Publication Date: April 1, 2018

Blurb:

She’d worked for that second chance, but will he believe she has changed?

When she fled Baltimore after a near-fatal accident that left her dependent on painkillers, Lillie Rourke lost everything. Now, physically and emotionally healed, she’s ready to make amends and start over. But Jase Yeager has moved on, and who can blame him? Yet Lillie isn’t giving up—on her–or them. Earning back Jase’s trust won’t be easy, but Lillie’s no stranger to challenges…

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36760494-the-redemption-of-lillie-rourke

 

Amazon (Print): http://amzn.to/2D4ccal

Amazon (Kindle): http://amzn.to/2EbUI1t

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-redemption-of-lillie-rourke-loree-lough/1127026515?ean=9781488085031

Harlequin: https://www.harlequin.com/shop/books/9781335633606_the-redemption-of-lillie-rourke.html

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-redemption-of-lillie-rourke

Books a Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Redemption-Lillie-Rourke/Loree-Lough/9781335633606?id=7170713931844

Book Unleashed Link: https://bookunleashed.com/books/the-redemption-of-lillie-rourke

*****

Author Info:

Bestselling author LOREE LOUGH once sang for her supper, performing across the U.S. and Canada. Now and then, she blows the dust from her 6-string to croon a tune or two, but mostly, she writes novels that have earned hundreds of industry and “Readers’ Choice” awards, 4- and 5-star reviews, and 7 book-to-movie options. Her 115th book, 50 Hours, is her most personal to date, and released in June. More recently, The Man She Knew, book #1 in her “By Way of the Lighthouse” series (Harlequin Heartwarming) and Bringing Rosie Home. Next, #3 in the series, The Redemption of Lillie Rourke…and additional surprises for 2018, 2019, and beyond…

Website: http://www.loreelough.com

 

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/loreeloughautho

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loreelough13/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/loreelough/

*****

Giveaway:

Enter between now and April 4, 2018 to win one of five (5) eBook Copies of The Redemption of Lillie Rourke

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5ddfc19f165/

 

Spotlight – Don’t Call Me Cupcake

29 Thursday Mar 2018

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This one is definitely going on my TBR list – it looks like a whole lotta fun!

*****

A cupcake baker with magical abilities suddenly finds herself competing with the unfortunately handsome owner of the fancy new bakery across the street in Golden Heart® Winner Tara Sheets’s magical romantic comedy releasing April 24th, 2018.

Don’t Call Me Cupcake

The Holloway Girls series

by Tara Sheets

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: April 24, 2018

Publisher: Zebra Shout – Kensington Publishing

Format: Digital eBook / Print

Digital ISBN: 1420146264

Print ISBN: 9781420146264

Blurb:

There’s a very special kind of sweetness to life on Pine Cove Island …

Most families have a favorite recipe or two, handed down through generations. The Holloway women are a little different. Emma Holloway, like her grandmother before her, bakes charms into her delicious cupcakes, granting the recipient comfort, sweet dreams, or any number of good things. It’s a strange gift, but it brings only happiness. Until gorgeous, smooth-talking newcomer Hunter Kane strolls into her shop, Fairy Cakes—and Emma makes the mistake of selling him not one, but three Sweet Success cupcakes.

Hunter, it turns out, is opening a fancy new restaurant and bakery right on the waterfront—Emma’s competition. To make matters worse, the town committee has decided to split the upcoming summer festival contract between the two, forcing Emma to work with her nemesis. But she can’t afford to split her profits. The solution: create a recipe that will make Hunter leave town permanently.

The Holloway charms are powerful. But there are other kinds of magic in the world—like red-hot first kisses, secret glances, and the feeling that comes with falling truly, madly, inconveniently in love . . .

Add to your TBR list:  Goodreads

Amazon  |  Barnes and Noble  |  Kobo  |  iTunes  |  Books-A-Million

*****

Excerpt:

“You.” A woman’s voice called behind him, and he turned to see the cupcake girl marching toward him. She was still wearing that black-and-white frilly apron. With her blond ringlets flying around her delicate face and flinty sparks in her gray eyes, Hunter felt like he was about to be attacked by a sexy Goldilocks.

He searched behind him as she approached, to make sure she wasn’t talking to someone else. “Me?”

She stopped in front of him, a little out of breath from her march down the street. Her chest lifted and fell intriguingly over the white apron lace, but her rosebud mouth was pursed tightly and Hunter took a step back. He had seen that look on women before. Goldilocks was not happy.

“Yes, you,” she said through gritted teeth. “You lied to me. You’re not a tourist.”

“Uh,” Hunter glanced around for a moment. “I’m not?”

“No, you’re not.” She stepped in close, grabbing the pastry box out of his hand. She peered inside and glared up at him in accusation. “And of course. You had to go and eat all three of them, didn’t you?”

He blinked. “But, I paid for them, remember?”

“That’s not the point. You. Ate. Them.”

“Yes,” he said carefully. Maybe Goldilocks liked to spike her morning porridge. “They were delicious?”

“Ugh.” She stomped her foot and he tried not to smile. She was irritated, yes, but so damn adorable. Even if she was a little bit odd.

“You shouldn’t have eaten them because you weren’t being honest with me. You’re not just a tourist passing through. You’re the new owner of that.” She pointed to the empty waterfront building that would soon be his fancy new café and restaurant.

“Yes.” He held out his hand and gave her his best smile. “I’m Hunter Kane.”

She frowned back at him, ignoring his hand. “I know who you are. And you should have told me that before I gave you those Sweet Success cupcakes.”

“Why?”

“Because I own Fairy Cakes, and now your business is going to take away all my customers.” She looked so upset that Hunter felt a twinge of pity for her, even though she was being ridiculous. Competition was the name of the game in any industry, and restaurant ownership was no exception. “Look, I’m sorry you feel that way, but it’s just business. And why would my eating your chocolate cupcakes be a problem anyway? It’s not like I’m going to steal the recipe or something.”

“Ha,” she scoffed. “As if you ever could. My cupcakes are special, and everyone on this island knows it.”

“Oh . . . kay.” He still wasn’t quite sure what she was getting at.

“And now you’ve gone and eaten them.” She threw her hands up in the air.

Hunter frowned down at her. “Well, excuse me, ma’am. I thought that was the whole point of buying them.”

She jammed her hands onto her hips. “First of all, I’m twenty-five years old. Don’t call me ‘ma’am.’ Save it for old ladies with lapdogs.”

“Fine, Cupcake.” He shouldn’t have said it. He knew it. But something about her righteous indignation made him want to tease her. She gasped, her eyes narrowing on him like an angry feline. He was so dead.

Copyright© 2018 Don’t Call Me Cupcake
Tara Sheets

*****

Author Info:

TARA SHEETS is an award-winning author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction. Her work has earned first place recognition in literary contests nationwide and her debut novel, Don’t Call Me Cupcake, won the 2016 Golden Heart® award sponsored by Romance Writers of America®. Tara began her career as an author in the Pacific Northwest, inspired by the rain and the misty mountains and the rivers of Starbucks coffee.  She now lives in the warm, wonderful South where she can stand outside with no coat on, and she finds that pretty inspiring too.  When not writing, Tara enjoys life with her book-loving family and a book-eating dog named Merlin. She is represented by Sarah Phair at Trident Media Group.

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon  |  BookBub

*****

Giveaway:

Tara is offering one (1) lucky Grand Prize winner an Alex & Ani cupcake charm bracelet and a paperback ARC of Don’t Call Me Cupcake. Two (2) Runner-Up winners will receive a paperback ARC of Don’t Call Me Cupcake!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29500/

*****

Book Review – Until You’re Mine

28 Wednesday Mar 2018

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Until You’re Mine

Fighting For Her series

by Cindi Madsen

You might’ve heard of me, Shane Knox, the guy who rose quickly through the MMA fighter ranks, only to crash just as fast. No one cares about personal reasons when it comes to losing fights and money. I’m determined to get back to where I was. For you to hear my name again. I’ve finally convinced the owner of Team Domination to take a chance and get me back in fighting—and winning—shape. What I didn’t bargain for is the guy’s spitfire of a daughter. Factor in her two professional-fighter brothers who are acting as my coaches and the fact that my career hangs in the balance, and Brooklyn’s the last girl I should be fantasizing about.

The closer we get, the more I want Brooklyn. The stakes are high, and I know there’s a big chance of both of us getting hurt, but I won’t stop until she’s mine.

I picked this one because of Cindi Madsen’s name on the cover and she didn’t let me down.  Shane’s brash, cocky attitude is fun and not annoying, while Brooklyn definitely can give as good as she gets.  Together they throw sparks for all sorts of reasons and it’s a treat to be there to witness it.  There’s also a good amount of family drama on Brooklyn’s side, as well as some minor setup to the next story with one of her brothers.  It all flows well together and helps to flesh out the complications of a relationship with Shane.

And speaking of complications … I should warn people that Brooklyn is in a relationship for part of the book.  There is no physical cheating but the interactions between her and Shane have caused some reviewers to lower their rating.  To me it was a little (naturally) awkward, especially the inevitable break-up, but it seemed a realistic reaction to the situation they find themselves in.  Just a heads up, though, if this is something that might bother you.

With family issues to resolve and an attraction that she’s finding difficult to resist, Brooklyn’s summer may not be going as smooth as she’d hoped.  But it definitely turned into a darn entertaining read for me 🙂

Book Review – The Darkest Promise

27 Tuesday Mar 2018

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Those into paranormal romances will probably recognize this one.  If this is new to you, there’s enough reading material in the series to keep you busy for a while 🙂

*****

The Darkest Promise

Lords of the Underworld series

by Gena Showalter

Mass Market Paperback: 512 pages

Publisher: HQN (March 27, 2018)

Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with a sizzling Lords of the Underworld story about an iron-willed sovereign and the somber beauty who melts him with a glance…

Possessed by the demon of Misery, Cameo isn’t allowed to experience joy. If she dares, her memory is wiped clean. With no other recourse, she sneaks into a land more fantastical than any fairy tale, determined to find the one man with the key to her redemption.

Lazarus the Cruel and Unusual rules his kingdom with a single unwavering focus: to build his army and annihilate his enemies. Nothing distracts him—until Cameo. He is relentless in his quest to make her smile…and seduce her into his bed.

As dark forces conspire against them, threatening to destroy the fragile bond they’ve forged, the once-calm Lazarus grows crazed. Every heart-stopping kiss and wicked touch causes Cameo to teeter on the brink of happiness. But if she falls, she risks forgetting him forever…

“One of the premier authors of paranormal romance. Gena Showalter delivers an utterly spell-binding story!”-Kresley Cole, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Gena Showalter never fails to dazzle.”-Jeaniene Frost, New York Times bestselling author

“Showalter…rocks me every time!”-Sylvia Day, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Showalter writes fun, sexy characters you fall in love with!”-Lori Foster, New York Times bestselling author

“Showalter makes romance sizzle on every page!”-Jill Shalvis, New York Times bestselling author

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

*****

Excerpt:

Misery had quickly peeled away the layers of her humanity, hope and happiness. Again and again he’d wiped her mind of any joyous memories.

The bastard still wiped her mind of any joyous memories. Every day he breathed his poison into her thoughts, hurt others through her voice and ruined whatever relationships she managed to forge. He’d re­duced her life to one horror after another.

If only she could control him. But Misery was a sep­arate entity with his own motivations and goals. A dark presence she’d never been able to drown out. A prison she had never been able to escape.

Right now, he’s not my biggest problem. The but­terfly…

Disaster was imminent.

Cameo searched for a way out of the forest. At one side, a breathtaking river with rainbow-colored water trickled into a rocky crag. Some type of fish broke the surface. A water unicorn? A long, ivory horn stretched from between his eyes and—

She gasped. Another water unicorn had jumped up and thrust his horn into the belly of the first. Blood spurted, creating a crimson waterfall. Countless other fish converged on the injured one, sharp teeth ripping into scales and organs until not even bones remained.

Mental note: no baths in the wild, ever.

At her other side, a field of ambrosia flourished, unaffected by the over-hot sun. Thick emerald stalks dripped with countless violet flowers, the petals drawn together to avoid the worst of the heat.

The field might be her only viable—

A thorny limb snatched the jumbo-size butterfly from the air. Her ears twitched, the soft breeze carry­ing the faint sounds of screaming.

Viable path or not, it was time to go.

Cameo lumbered to shaky legs, wincing as twigs sliced her heel. Her brow wrinkled. Her feet were bare, her combat boots gone.

Someone had stolen her shoes?

A quick scan proved her tank top and battle leath­ers were torn and stained with dried blood, but still in place. However, the daggers she’d made over two hun­dred years ago were missing.

Someone had robbed her while she’d drifted out of consciousness.

Someone would pay!

*****

Review:

This is the first in the series that I’ve read and I kinda knew going in that it would probably have an impact.  I made myself push through the awkwardness, especially at the beginning, and while there were definitely things that I missed (and nuances that would have had more significance to me as a returning reader), after a bit I found myself having a really good time.  I can definitely see why Showalter has been so popular!

You have to feel for a woman who can never be truly happy, has no relationships that last, has large gaps in her memory, and can make people break down sobbing at the sound of her voice.  That’s a lot to take but Cameo does it with strength and determination.  She has a support system with her friends but her’s is not an easy path.

Lazarus’s life has not been easy either (rotten childhood, dead mother, and enslavement – whew!) but he’s managed to find a place of his own and he’s working on building up an army to seek revenge on those that have wronged him.  (Ya know, just your average To Do list, right after 1. Turn those who cross me into stone and put them into my garden as gruesome statues.  Yikes!)  But he’s struggling with an almost overpowering need for Cameo and having her back is putting a kink in all sorts of his plans.

I know that both Cameo and Lazarus have been in previous stories, so I’m missing out on a lot of backstory and development, but as a new reader I found them quite interesting.  Both are carrying burdens, from their pasts and where they see their futures going.  But like any good paranormal story there’s always more than you know!  I think that’s one of my favorite things about stories with sci-fi elements – you can do whatever you want as long as it makes sense in the realm you’ve made.  And I feel that Showalter did that pretty well here.

I wouldn’t normally jump into a series this far along (I saw somewhere that this was book 13!) but I’m glad I did.  The world that Showalter created – a lovely mix of mythology and paranormal romance – seems complex and intriguing.  The characters were fun, sassy, and kept me turning pages.  (I’m definitely curious about some of the side stories that were hinted at so I think I’ll be looking to add a few more books to my ever-growing TBR pile 🙂 )  Overall, a pretty dang good read but one that was probably enjoyed even more by those who have some history with these characters.

*****

Author Info:

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld series, two young adult series–Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles–and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader’s Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan and Seventeen magazine, she’s been mentioned in Orange is the New Black–if you ask her about it, she’ll talk for hours–and her books have been translated in multiple languages. She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

*****

Gena Showalter’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Sunday, March 18th: Book Binge – excerpt

Monday, March 19th: @novelgrounds

Wednesday, March 21st: Reading Reality

Monday, March 26th: @cityofdarkclockwork

Tuesday, March 27th: Tome Tender

Tuesday, March 27th: Romantic Reads and Such – excerpt

Wednesday, March 28th: Stuck in Books

Wednesday, March 28th: @booknerdnative

Thursday, March 29th: The Sassy Bookster – excerpt

Friday, March 30th: Stranded in Chaos

Monday, April 2nd: Read Love Blog

Tuesday, April 3rd: @vixenreads

Wednesday, April 4th: Saints and Sinners Books

Thursday, April 5th: @laceybooklovers

Friday, April 6th: Romancing the Book – excerpt

Monday, April 9th: The Book Disciple

Wednesday, April 11th: The Romance Dish

Wednesday, April 11th: Books Without Any Pictures 

Friday, April 13th: Moonlight Rendezvous

Spotlight – Sky High

23 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by in Blog Tour

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The first book in this series got awesome reviews and this one is already following in its footsteps!

*****

Sky High

Rock Bottom #2

by Josephine Traynor

Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

I’m not the boy she met all those years ago and I don’t think she wants to know the man I am today …

I’ve spent my life building my career, only to let it all slip through my hands. I have it all, but my vices are about to take it all away from me unless I change. I should be sky high, but I couldn’t have fallen any further.

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/SkyHighTBR

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2ueNsx2

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2G2ulYp

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2HTMCb9

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2FW0Hbr

START THE SERIES TODAY!

ROCK BOTTOM, Book #1

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/RockBottomTBR

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2CCWN0t

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

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

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

*****

Author Info:

Josephine Traynor is very good at keeping secrets – she’s been a closeted writer for years, but only got brave enough last year to show her writer friend a small chunk of what she’d written.

She’s a mother of two small boys and only told her husband about her book when it was completed. God knows what he thought she was doing on the computer for all those hours!

Josephine’s a lover of tea and has a thing for all things that smell like vanilla. She loves a good book that makes her laugh and has heaps of character growth. She aims to write books that inspire, cause sore stomach muscles and have memorable characters for all the right reasons.

Josephine Traynor is not her real name. The pen name is derived from Josephine being her favorite girl’s name, and Traynor is inspired by Will Traynor from Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. His message from that book was for everyone to be brave in this world and to make their mark. Josephine is now living her dream of bringing her imaginary friends to life and having readers fall in love with them. She’s doing this for her, her dream is to be a published author, what’s yours and go after it.

Website: www.josephinetraynor.com

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

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/authorjtraynor

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/authorjtraynor

*****

Spotlight – Bad Boys After Dark: Brett

21 Wednesday Mar 2018

Posted by in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Hot and steamy or sweet and clean, I’m ALWAYS excited to see one of Melissa Foster’s names on a new book  🙂

*****

BAD BOYS AFTER DARK: BRETT

by Melissa Foster

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Indulge your inner vixen with these sexy billionaires!

Meet the Bad Boys… Four fiercely loyal, sinfully sexy, uber alpha brothers, about to fall head over heels for their leading ladies.

Everything’s naughtier after dark…

Billionaire security expert Brett Bad has had his eye on his brother’s gorgeous legal assistant, Sophie Roberts, for years. He wants nothing more from her than a single night between the sheets to satisfy his desires. But Sophie is a white-picket-fence girl, and she’s turned him down more times than he cares to count.

Sophie is all about forever kisses and happily ever afters. But she can’t deny her attraction to Brett, as enticed by his bad-boy behavior as she is by his devastating looks and his painful past, which she’d like to help heal.

When Sophie’s friend urges her to throw caution to the wind, Sophie leaves the door to her heart ajar—and Brett charges in. But this Bad boy doesn’t know a thing about romance and has no interest in forever, forcing Sophie to make her toughest decision yet—follow her heart or protect it?

Order BAD BOYS AFTER DARK: BRETT Today!

KINDLE | KOBO | iBOOKS | NOOK  | GPLAY | PAPERBACK

Read the entire BAD BILLIONAIRES AFTER DARK series
Bad Boys After Dark: Mick
Bad Boys After Dark: Dylan
Bad Boys After Dark: Carson 
Bad Boys After Dark: Brett

Also Available: WILD BILLIONAIRES AFTER DARK
Wild Boys After Dark: Logan
Wild Boys After Dark: Heath
Wild Boys After Dark: Jackson
Wild Boys After Dark: Cooper

The BAD BILLIONAIRES AFTER DARK series is part of the LOVE IN BLOOM big family romance collection. Each book may be read as a stand-alone novel, or as part of the series.

*****

Excerpt:

Sophie bent at the waist to smell another fragrance, and Brett came up behind her, leaning in close enough to feel her softness against him, and said, “I’d know that fine ass anywhere.”

Without missing a beat, Sophie straightened her spine. Her electric-blue eyes slid down his frame, alighting every greedy ion inside him. A confident smile lifted her full lips as she met his gaze and said, “I thought I smelled cocky ex-cop.”

As an international security expert, Brett knew how to read people, and no matter how many times Sophie turned him down, the desire in her eyes gave away what she really wanted.

“What was that? You want to smell my cock?” He paused long enough to notice, and appreciate, the effect he had on her. Her nipples strained against her curve-hugging gray dress. Stepping closer, he took in the flecks of silver in her eyes and the slight hitch in her breathing. He’d propositioned her more times than he cared to admit, and he loved each reaction more than the last. “Smelling isn’t really my thing, but if you want to get up close and personal, I can be persuaded.”

“Hey,” her friend said with a scowl.

Sophie touched the brunette’s arm, never taking her eyes off Brett. “It’s okay, Grace. You know how some guys buy cars to make up for their”—she lowered her gaze to his groin, stoking the fire inside him, and arched a brow before meeting his stare again—“deficits? Brett is a master at it. Grace Montgomery, meet Brett Bad, Mick’s youngest brother.”

“And his biggest,” Brett added with a smirk.

Now it was Grace’s turn to size him up, and she did so with a jut of her hip, a crossing of her arms, and a long, slow leer from his head to his toes, which had zero effect on him, other than amusement.

“This is Brett? The one who wants to install monkey bars in the conference room for his after-hour fantasies?” Grace reached out and lifted his chin with her index finger, making a dramatic show of assessing his features.

He got a kick out of her brazenness, but an even bigger high knowing that Sophie had talked about him.

“He’s definitely hot, Soph,” Grace said. “You sure he’s packing a minibike in there and not a Harley?”

Brett chuckled. Holding Sophie’s gaze, he said, “How about we ditch this place, have a few drinks, and maybe you can find out?”

*****

Author Info:

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance and women’s fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Readers adore Melissa’s fun, flirty, and sinfully sexy, award-winning big family romance collection, LOVE IN BLOOM featuring the Snow Sisters, Bradens, Remingtons, Ryders, Seaside Summer, Harborside Nights, and the Wild Boys After Dark. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented.

Melissa also writes sweet and clean romance under the pen name Addison Cole.

Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Her interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.

Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on social media or her personal website.

Never miss a brand new release, special promotions or inside gossip again by simply signing up to receive your newsletter from Melissa.

Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | Fan Club | Pinterest | Google Plus | Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | Website

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Giveaway:

2 Bad Boys After Dark: Mick ebook

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cf78adb646/

*****