Book Review – Home at Last

14 Tuesday Mar 2017

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

Tags

Book Review, Home at Last, Lily Everett, Sanctuary Island series

If you read Close to Home, you’ve been waiting for this story … If you haven’t, head on out to pick up a few Sanctuary Island books, we’ll wait for you 🙂

*****

Home at Last

A Sanctuary Island Novel

by Lily Everett

Price: $7.99

Publication Date: 3/7/2017

ISBN: 978-1-250-07406-5

Blurb:

Home is where the heart is…

Marcus Beckett left Sanctuary Island after his mother’s funeral, and he hasn’t been back since. Until now. Needing a change from the high-risk, high-stakes life of a bodyguard, Marcus makes a solitary life for himself running the neighborhood bar in his hometown. His only mistake? Seducing and then dumping the town’s sweetheart, Quinn Harper. Marcus knows he did the right thing—a good girl like Quinn has no business with a broken man like him. But now no one will come to his bar, and he’s watching his last chance at a peaceful life go up in smoke. So when Quinn proposes a fake four-week courtship, he can’t refuse…even though he knows it’s a bad idea.

It’s a romantic charade that will buy Quinn time to distract her mother and father from their own marital problems—and will help Marcus welcome back some paying customers. But what begins as an engagement of convenience slowly transforms into a deeper connection, one that heals both of their hearts. . .and ignites the simmering passion between them. Could it be that pretending to be together is just what Quinn and Marcus needed to give their real love a second chance?

Amazon | B&N | Indiebound | iBooks | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

Quinn had taken the floor for exactly the reasons she’d said, in addition to the knowledge that however little she liked to think it mattered, Marcus was ten years older than she was. And he was a secret stress case who carried all his tension in his back and shoul- ders. She should know, since she’d nearly sprained her thumbs trying to dig the knots out during a massage that had started out sexy and turned into a to-the-death battle between Quinn and the long muscles lining Marcus’s spine.

Marcus didn’t need to screw up his back by lying on the floor for eight hours, was her point. Not that she would ever say that to him. She didn’t have a death wish.

But as it turned out, the floor was more uncomfort- able than Quinn had anticipated. And as the hours wore down, so did her resistance to the temptation of the warm, soft bed mere inches from her stiff, aching body.

She stared at Marcus’s sleeping form and wondered if she dared.

Then she wondered what the hell was the matter with her. It was a bed. They were adults. Sleeping next to each other didn’t mean they were automatically going to cross some invisible, arbitrary line. She wasn’t going to roll over in her sleep and accidentally impale herself on his penis. They’d be fine.

This is fine, she told herself, getting up off her shaky knees and creeping around to the other side of the bed. The way her knees popped when she stood up was a deciding factor. Quinn carefully peeled back the cov- ers and slid into the bed beside Marcus.

Quinn held her breath, but he didn’t move. His broad chest rose and fell with his deep, even breaths. He threw off heat like a roaring bonfire; Quinn went from chilled to toasty in seconds.

Letting her body relax into the softness of the mat- tress, she drifted peacefully into sleep.

Quinn’s dreams were chaotic, flashes of memories mixed with totally random people from her past and present. She was aware they were dreams, in that vague way that happens sometimes, even when the dreamer is deeply asleep.

In the dream, she and Marcus were walking through the woods behind her parents’ house, holding hands. Even Dream Quinn couldn’t suspend disbelief quite enough for that. Marcus wasn’t a hand-holding kind of guy. So she knew it was a dream, even as he led her deeper into the pine copse, their footfalls muffled by layers and layers of dried pine needles that released their evergreen scent as they were crushed.

Come here, said Dream Marcus, giving Quinn the smile she’d only glimpsed once or twice—the small, private, completely unguarded smile that made

Marcus look like the carefree boy Quinn had first fallen for.

She could never resist that particular smile. Not that she wanted to resist. This was only a dream. She could have whatever she wanted, with no consequences.

Emboldened by her freedom, Quinn followed Marcus down to lie on a bed of springy green moss. He lay back, arms crossed behind his head and more re- laxed than she’d ever seen him in real life. Sunlight dappled his handsome face, patterns of light and shadow that shivered over his cheekbones when wind fluttered through the branches overhead.

Her heart swelled with all the feelings she’d been stuffing down and denying since the day Marcus un- ceremoniously ended their relationship. It wasn’t smart to care about him. She knew that, and Quinn wanted to be smart, she really did.

The trouble was that she’d never learned how to stop caring about someone. Her poor, bruised heart was as optimistic and stubborn as her hungry body was when it came to Marcus Beckett.

Despair teased at Quinn’s mind, but she pushed it away. This is a dream, she said aloud to remind them both. Only a dream.

Beneath her, Marcus smiled again, the smile that promised things like love and forever and the kind of pleasure she could live on. Thighs tensing with need where she was suddenly straddling his hips, Quinn felt the low-down clench of her body around the emptiness only Marcus could fill.

A shudder racked her, sweeping up her frame in a rush that tightened the peaks of her breasts and forced her mouth open on a gasp.

Yes, like that, Marcus murmured, his eyes going hot and feral the way she remembered from their first nights of passion. The grip of his hands at her hips ex- cited Quinn. She squirmed a little, wanting to feel it, hoping it bruised so she could look in the mirror later and see the evidence of Marcus’s desire for her.

With a smooth twist of his massive torso, he flipped them so that Quinn’s back was arching off the cool moss and Marcus was covering her with his body. Her legs fell open, wanton and wanting, and she relished the stretch of her thighs as he fit himself into the cra- dle of her hips.

His hardness slotted against her softness with a series of rhythmic nudges that stoked the fire inside Quinn higher and higher. In the dream, her panties melted away like fog, and he was naked too, and they were pressed together so intimately and perfectly and yet, somehow, there was still something in the way, a barrier to Quinn getting what she really wanted. Frus- tration mounting, she reached down between their hot, straining bodies and felt . . . cotton?

Quinn blinked and suddenly, instead of staring up at the waving pine needles of the Lantern Point woods, she was looking at the familiar starburst pattern of the plaster ceiling in her girlhood bedroom.

Her immediate thought was a dismayed No, let me go back to the dream! But in the next instant, she realized Marcus was still on top of her, his hard chest and strong arms caging her in. Their legs were tangled hopelessly in the sheets and they were both still wear- ing what they’d gone to bed in, but other than that?

The dream was real.

Eyes still closed, Marcus twisted his hips, grinding wickedly against Quinn’s most sensitive spot and scat- tering her thoughts like dried pine needles before she could figure out what to do. She reacted mindlessly, her body taking over and bowing up hard, her arms going around Marcus’s neck.

Through her haze of heated lust, Quinn saw the exact moment Marcus woke up.

*****

Review:

I was so ready for this story after reading Close to Home because I really wanted to find out Marcus’s secrets 🙂 And while we do find out a lot, he’s definitely a complicated guy. He’s carrying around a lot of weight from his time in the military and as a secret service agent … and even more so from his youth. Lucky for him, Quinn isn’t going to keep to herself. Instead she pokes and prods and makes sure that he looks into some of those areas that he doesn’t want to face. And pushes him to go home again, make things right to give himself a little peace.

Quinn may be young and come across as flighty but she’s got a good heart and good instincts. Both of which she’ll need not only with Marcus but with her parents. It’s a silly idea – pretending to be a couple – that only shows up in romances but that doesn’t stop it from working here. Time spent together forces them to look at themselves and each other a little more closely. And gives Quinn that chance to influence Marcus a little more.

We also get Quinn’s parents rocky marriage here. It’s a nice juxtaposition of an long-standing couple who have hit a rough patch and a potential new love story that’s dealing with a rocky start. Both are full of heart and troubles but with a good amount of hard work and communication they have a good chance of figuring things out.

With her Sanctuary Island series Everett has brought readers well-crafted and wonderfully emotional love stories. Full of small town charm, quirky characters and all the heart you could want, they are the perfect stories for kicking back and just letting it all unfold.

*****

Author Info:

LILY EVERETT is the author of the Sanctuary Island series for St. Martin’s Press. She grew up in a small town in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains and now resides in Austin, Texas, where she writes full-time.

SMP ROMANCE SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Twitter: @SMPRomance

Facebook: @SMPRomance

http://smpromance.com/

Spotlight – Sweet As Sugar

13 Monday Mar 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Sneak Peek

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Stacy Eaton, Sweet As Sugar, The Celebration Series

Come celebrate with Stacy Eaton!!!

*****

Sweet As Sugar

The Celebration Series, Book 5

by Stacy Eaton

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Missy Moresco might be Celebration Police Department’s police dispatcher, but she’s also got her thumb on the pulse of the township. When FBI Agent Casper Princeton shows up in town on a case, Missy and Casper go undercover to protect the real reason he’s there by pretending they are a couple.

With Missy’s snarky comments and Casper’s quick comebacks, these two find it hard to keep a professional distance. When Casper needs to rush home to a family emergency, Missy is torn on whether it’s a good thing or a bad one. Just when she decides it doesn’t matter, Casper shows up on her doorstep with his five-year-old daughter.

Can Missy and Casper keep the fake relationship going while they wait for his case to come to a head, or will his daughter and his job come between them before Easter arrives?

Welcome to the fifth book in the Celebration Township Series, Sweet as Sugar. This series consists of thirteen novel and novellas that take place over the course of a year, beginning with Christmas. During that year, twelve more stories will unfold in the Township of Celebration, Pennsylvania, and each release will coincide with an upcoming holiday.

Add the book to Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34401655-sweet-as-sugar

Buy Links:

Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/sweet-as-sugar

iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sweet-as-sugar/id1210063354?mt=11

B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sweet-as-sugar-stacy-eaton/1125853273?ean=2940153530567

*****

Excerpt:

It had been like this for the last two hours. I still had four hours left of my shift, and I was dead tired. I hated working in snowstorms, especially when they surprised us. We had expected four to six inches, and the storm stalled over us and dumped a foot of snow in several hours.

If it were light and fluffy, it wouldn’t have been as bad, but this stuff was heavy and causing havoc everywhere: Power lines were down, trees were falling, cars were stuck on every roadway in the area.

The worst bit was that I was also dispatching for Dexter Township tonight. A massive tree fell down on their dispatch tower, and we were their backup while they repaired it. It made everything twice as bad.

“Celebration Police, what’s your emergency?”

“Hey, Missy, I know you’re busy. It’s Todd Cummings over in Dexter.” Todd was a police officer in the neighboring township. He was a young guy, only on the force a couple of years, but a good officer and not too bad to look at either.

“Yeah, I’m slammed. What’s up, Todd?”

“I’ve got a guy here trying to get through to you. He says he has official police business to attend to in Celebration, but we have two big trees down on the road. Do you by chance have any road crew that could head over this way?”

You have got to be kidding me, I thought. If he has official business, then he is probably in law enforcement of some kind—which means he should understand how serious our situation was right now.

“No, my crews are up the creek without paddles right now. We have trees down everywhere, and my plows are leading my police cars and ambulances around trying to get them to where they need to be.”

“But he says it’s important. He’s with the—”

I cut him off. “I don’t care if he’s the president of the United States. We’re in emergency mode up here, Todd. You know that. I don’t have anyone who can come down there and remove a stupid tree right now. Close the damn road and turn his ass around. There are no police officers available to help with whatever official business he might have anyway, so tell the city slicker to turn the hell around and go home. He can call our chief or Thad after the storm is over and speak with one of them then.”

“But, Missy—” he started to say.

I snapped. “Todd, I have been on one call after another for the last two hours. I have two calls holding right now, a house on fire, and a guy who just cut his hand off in a snowblower. My head is killing me, I haven’t peed since I got here four hours ago, plus I’m starving. I don’t have time to listen to his whiney ass even if he did get through. Tell him to take a hike. There are people that need my attention right now, and he is not one of them. Did you get that?”

“Um, yeah, we got that,” he answered, his voice subdued.

“Good.” I hung up to answer one of the two lines that were flashing as I heard the fire chief calling out for another fire truck to respond. The house on Cedar Street was fully engulfed. Damn, that was a shame, but I didn’t have time to feel for them. Later, I would, but now, I had more work to do.

“Celebration Police, what’s your emergency?”

*****

Additional Books in the series:

TANGLED IN TINSEL

Welcome to Celebration Township.

Casey Lowe is new in town and hiding from her past. Her next-door neighbor, Thad Wagner, is a sexy police officer, who is good with his hands, and his lips, but Casey refuses to get involved with a married man, and Thad can’t seem to understand why she keeps pushing him away. No matter how they try to stay apart, something keeps drawing them together. When an unexpected visitor shows up at Casey’s house the week before Christmas, her future is on the line. Will Thad figure it out in time to save her, or will Casey become a conspirator to a murderer?

Tangled in Tinsel is the first book in the thirteen-story novella series that takes place in quaint Celebration Township, Pennsylvania. The rest of the series will begin to release in the fall of 2016.

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes | Goodreads

TEARS TO CHEERS

Linda Maxim is a woman who learned early on how to work hard and succeed. Her only regret is that the man she loved disappeared just days after she got pregnant at the tender age of sixteen.

Fourteen years later, Ian Dugan needs a break from life and ends up crashing his vehicle and waking up in the hospital to find Linda watching over him.

Can Linda forgive Ian for leaving her alone as a pregnant teen? Will Ian be able to forgive Linda and himself when he learns of the daughter he never knew about? Find out on New Year’s Eve if Ian can erase the tears and find something to cheer about.

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes | Goodreads

HEATHENS TO HEARTS

Jason Hayes loves working as a nurse and living in Celebration Township—or he did until Riayn Simmers showed up in town, and a secret from his past is threatened to be exposed.

Riayn Simmers is shocked to find her college love-and the man she had called a heathen-residing in the same town as her aunt. Now Riayn needs to decide if she can handle sticking around to run her aunt’s bakery, My Baked Buns.

Somehow Riayn and Jason must find a way to coexist in the small town, but what happens when Jason’s secret is exposed and he’s up to be auctioned off at the Valentine’s Day Party? Will the town believe, as Riayn once did, that Jason truly is a heathen, or will he finally win over her heart for good?

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes | Goodreads

RAINBOWS BRING RICHES

Dabby Finnegan got roped into being auctioned off for the annual Valentine’s Party, and nothing could have prepared him to face the vibrant and determined Paige Brogan. From the moment she jumps into his arms to collect her prize, his life will change.

Paige Brogan has had a crush on Dabby for a long time, and this auction is exactly what she’s been waiting for to finally catch his eye. When Paige wins a date with Dabby, the only thing she wants to do is spend the day with him working at his tavern.

As Paige and Dabby get to know one another, Dabby has a hard time understanding why this incredible woman would be interested in him. It’s when the rainbows are overhead, and green beer is flowing that Dabby finally realizes what he has and vows to never lose it.

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes | Goodreads

And Coming Soon!

MAKING MOM MAD

Corrine Wagner is determined to make a good life for herself and her son while hunting for the perfect man to complete her family. Unfortunately, with her crazy schedule of school and work, her patience begins to run thin with her constantly-in-trouble, five-year-old son, Tommy.

Nolan Tigues has lived across the street from Corrine his whole life—and carried a torch for her almost as long. When Nolan tries to help Corrine with Tommy, she takes it all the wrong way. She can’t believe Nolan thinks she’s a bad mom.

Can Nolan find a way to prove to Corrine that he cares about her—and about Tommy—as more than just a friend, or will Corrine push away the man who could give her everything she’s dreamed of her whole life?

preorder – http://amzn.to/2mraX0m

*****

Author Info:

Stacy Eaton is a USA Today Best Selling author and began her writing career in October of 2010. Stacy took an early retirement from law enforcement after over fifteen years of service in 2016, with her last three years in investigations and crime scene investigation to write full time.

Stacy resides in southeastern Pennsylvania with her husband, who works in law enforcement, and her teen daughter who is working toward her second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and on the choral and cheerleading squads at school. She also has a son who is currently serving in the United States Navy.

Stacy is very involved in Domestic Violence Awareness and served on the Board of Directors for her local Domestic Violence Center for three years.

*****

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/

*****

Book Review – Hero in Disguise

09 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, Hero in Disguise, Sharla Lovelace

Hero in Disguise

by Sharla Lovelace

“Sharla Lovelace’s prose is smart, witty, funny, with a hot sexy edge.” —Kathryn Magendie, author of Tender Graces

Billionaire Jake Jericho has it all, except for the one thing he wants—something real. Twice in his life he’s found that. Once as a delinquent teenager when he was sent to work on a ranch, then later in the arms of Harper Haley, the only girl he ever loved. One helped shape him. The other he had to leave behind.

Harper learned the hard way that trusting Jake only leads to heartbreak, and twelve years later she’s structured her life with a singular focus—to keep running the coffee shop started by her late mother. But now a giant development firm run by Jake’s father wants to level the waterfront neighborhood she calls home, and her shop is on the chopping block.

Forced to turn to Jake for help after all these years, Harper will have to risk everything to save the one dream she has left, and Jake will have to prove he can be the man he never was to save the only woman he’s ever loved.

This novella first appeared as part of the Heartbreakers and Heroes boxed set.

This was such a sweet little story about finding your strength and second chances. Jake is one of those entitled rich kids who thinks he can get away with anything. Until he’s sent to work a ranch after getting caught breaking the law. The man who ran it managed to teach him how to be worthy, but old habits are hard to break and it doesn’t take long for him to slip back into his old life again. It’s been over a decade but he’s about to have a reason to find his way again.

At 18 Harper fell in love with Jake (without knowing who he was) but then he left her just when she gave him her heart. It’s been years and he’s just stepped back into her life. Even worse, he won’t go away. After everything, she still finds him hard to resist.

Even though Jake lost himself in his shallow lifestyle again, when his eyes get opened he does a great job of stepping up. I enjoyed his journey as he discovered how to be a good man again, stand tall and be strong for something important even if it means going against his own father. But he’s hiding who he is from Harper and although he thinks he has his reasons you know it isn’t going to end well.

Lovelace does a great job of showing Jake’s progress and making the business thing with his company (which could easily have been boring) work with the love story. The story is short but she packs in a great deal of heart, growth, and forgiveness.

Spotlight – Sinful Scottish Laird

08 Wednesday Mar 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

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/

*****

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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/

*****

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Spotlight – Chasing Casey

04 Saturday Mar 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour

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Chasing Casey, Jane Anthony

This one is getting some fabulous reviews! And it is showing right now for $0.99 on Amazon so what do you have to lose? You might just find your new favorite author 🙂

*****

Chasing Casey

by Jane Anthony

Release Date: January 16, 2017

Blurb:

~AJ~

Casey Grainger is not only the epitome of the girl next door, she’s the girl of my dreams. The blonde bombshell of a bartender who watches me with sky blue eyes, smiles with the sweetest dimples, and whose laughter is as melodic as chimes.

She stole my heart the way sunlight sneaks up on the day. Then a death in her family took her away from me. Now my heart lives in Texas while my body rots in New Jersey. As if that’s not bad enough, the ranch hand on her family’s farm is her damned ex-fiancé.

Austin still loves her, and he’s made it known. So Casey has a choice to make. It’s either him or me, but I’m far too stubborn to give up the fight.

That’s the one upside to having nothing left — I have nothing left to lose.

~Casey~

I don’t date musicians — I don’t date period — yet I find myself drawn to the dark and broody sound tech, whose wailing drum beats thump in time with the cadence of my heart. Beneath the arrogant grin and cocky one-liners, AJ Morello is a lonely man, burdened by the choices he’s made. But, he’s not the only one with regrets.

Mine goes by the name of Austin Krehley.

After seven years away, there’s still a connection. A tiny spark that slowly builds to a burning flame the longer I stay.

Two completely different men both hold two completely different pieces of my heart, but I can’t have them both.

A sexy country boy and a sultry rocker — how’s a girl to choose?

Amazon US: http://a.co/8otuQs9

Amazon CA: http://a.co/3cvVGHz

Amazon UK: http://amzn.eu/8c8RJ3R

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2iyt0Mw

*****

Author Info:

Jane Anthony is a romance author, fist pumping Jersey-girl, and hard rock enthusiast. She resides in the ‘burbs of New Jersey with her husband and children. A lover of Halloween, vintage cars, & coffee, she’s also a cornucopia of useless 80’s knowledge and trivia. When not writing, she’s an avid reader, concert goer, and party planner extraordinaire.

Fan Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/JanesRomanceAddiction/

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JAnthonyAuthor

Amazon: amazon.com/author/janeanthony

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

Newsletter: http://tinyletter.com/janeanthonyauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1452751.Jane_Anthony

*****

Book Review – Too Wilde to Tame

03 Friday Mar 2017

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

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Book Review, Tonya Burrows, Too Wilde to Tame, Wilde Security series

We’ve seen Tonya Burrows quite a few times before and I’m super excited to bring everyone the final installment in her Wilde Security series. We’re gonna celebrate Friday with a sexy, but haunted soldier … and he’s gonna finally meet his match!

*****

Too Wilde to Tame

Wilde Security, #5

by Tonya Burrows

Publication Date: February 27, 2017

Genres: Adult, Entangled: Ignite, Contemporary, Romance

Blurb:

For three years, ballet teacher Natalie Taggart has lived across the hall from grumpy, reclusive, sexy Greer Wilde. Save for a handful of hellos and the occasional heated glance, they never spoke to each other.

Until the morning Greer lands on her doorstep, bleeding, beaten, and bullet-riddled.

Greer doesn’t need or want her help. He has only one goal: revenge. And nobody—not his brothers, and certainly not his too-hot-for-his-sanity next-door neighbor—is going to get in his way.

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

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2mgsiK2

B&N: http://bit.ly/2lOk9eW

iBooks: http://apple.co/2l94ZgB

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

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2lOJeq3

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

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

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2lEJ7vd

*****

Excerpt:

“Who said anything about a relationship?” She grinned as Greer’s scowl darkened. “Besides, if he’s divorced, that means he’s unattached. Sounds like a perfect partner for some horizontal dancing.”

He grumbled and tossed back the pills, then snatched the glass of water out of her hand. “Find a different partner.”

A little thrill danced through her heart, and she drew a deep breath to calm it. Even though he was trying to brush it off, he didn’t like the thought of her with Jesse. Was he jealous? She should take pity on him and tell him he had no reason to be—yes, Jesse was hot, but he wasn’t the neighbor she’d been crushing on for the last couple of years.

Except…

She kind of liked that he was jealous. Nice to know she wasn’t the only one to notice the tug of attraction between them.

Feeling bold, she asked, “A different partner? Like you?”

Well, he didn’t spit out his water. That was a good sign.

He swallowed the gulp he’d taken, then slowly lowered the glass to the coffee table. For a handful of seconds, he watched her, considering. Lust burned in his gaze as he swept it down her body. He was clearly playing out that horizontal dance in his mind’s eye.

But then he shook his head. “You’re too complicated.”

She planted her hands on her hips and glowered down at him. “Oh?” She laced the word with as much sarcasm as she could fit into one syllable. “I’m complicated?” She wasn’t the one with Syrian money in her wallet, a bullet hole in her side, and a connection with a top-secret military base.

“How’s that?”

If he was at all fazed by her snark, he didn’t show it. “You’re too close.”

“To what?” she demanded.

“To me.”

*****

Review:

I’ve only read a couple of Burrows’s books (the first couple of the HORNET series and the first in the Wilde series) but I remember loving what I read. I went through a period where I wasn’t all that interested in military/suspense romances so I missed quite a few in both series … and now I am SO regretting that decision! I loved these men and the spunky women who brought them to heel. I’m definitely adding her backlist to my TBR pile 🙂

Only having read one of the Wilde books I’m not sure how much the death of their parents played a part in their books, other than the obvious emotional issues. It definitely takes front and center here where Greer is on a mission to revenge their deaths by taking out the man that killed them. But you know it isn’t going to be as easy as that, right? Injured, he lands on his neighbor’s doorstep and things only get more complicated from there.

Tally has an awesome mix of strength and heart. She understands what Greer needs at any given moment, even if he resists her more often than not 🙂 She’s definitely what he needs whether he will admit it – single-mindedly focused on his mission, he might not want a pretty voice of reason to get in his way but that doesn’t stop her from getting involved. I loved the back and forth between them. They make a great couple and meeting her starts him on the path to being the man that he can be.

Without any other story to guide me, the who-dun-it around the Wilde family is intricate and feels nicely complete. It kept me interested from start to finish and I was really satisfied with how it all tied together. The story is just as much about Greer’s redemption and the relationship that he develops with Tally (and redevelops with his brothers) but Burrows doesn’t scrimp on the suspense element.

For someone who isn’t all that familiar with the Wilde’s I didn’t ever feel left out. You can definitely start here but I have a feeling you’ll be adding some books to your TBR pile too! And I think that returning readers will love to see some of the favorites again, but also feel a little sad that it is coming to an end. But it won’t last long because Burrows is bound to give them something else great soon.

*****

And here’s your chance to catch up on the rest of the series!

Buy Link for Running Wilde (Wilde Security, #4):

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

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2mmk1RA

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

iBooks: http://apple.co/2mmfyP6

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2kVga17

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

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

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2l8Vtdi

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2lDxh6g

Buy Link for Wilde at Heart (Wilde Security, #3):

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lDyDh7

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2mm6x8u

B&N: http://bit.ly/1KNjZpZ

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

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

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2l8UzgI

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2lT3mb9

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2lj7huf

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2mu7yLh

Buy Link for Wilde for Her (Wilde Security, #2):

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

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2kVl4Lk

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

iBooks: http://apple.co/1IQRUfI

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

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2lT25Rn

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2lEL5LY

Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2l8Wl1y

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2mur8H3

Buy Link for Wilde Nights in Paradise (Wilde Security, #1):

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lEGqd2

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2lOz4FT

B&N: http://bit.ly/1mPJe2p

iBooks: http://apple.co/1M2uETJ

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2mgr3Le

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2lT85JJ

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

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

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2lSSnP1

*****

Author Info:

Tonya Burrows wrote her first romance in 8th grade and hasn’t put down her pen since. Originally from a small town in Western New York, she suffers from a bad case of wanderlust and usually ends up moving someplace new every few years. Luckily, her two dogs and ginormous cat are excellent travel buddies.

When she’s not writing about hunky military heroes, Tonya can usually be found at a bookstore or the dog park. She also enjoys painting, watching movies, and her daily barre workouts. A geek at heart, she pledges her TV fandom to Supernatural and Dr. Who.

Goodreads | Newsletter | Amazon Author Profile