Spotlight – The Dating Intervention

10 Monday Aug 2015

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I have to say this one looks like a hoot and a half and so far the reviews on Amazon say it is a great summer read.  A great way to wind up the season!

*****

The Dating InterventionThe Dating Intervention

The Intervention series #1

by Hilary Dartt

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age category: Adult

Release Date: August 1, 2015

Blurb:

When Delaney Collins’s fail-proof dating system fails completely, her best friends Summer and Josie take absolute control of her dating life through The Dating Intervention. Although Delaney’s intuition is always right on when it comes to men, she never listens to it. If she doesn’t start now—with her friends’ help—she’s in danger of ending up alone and lonely in a sea of men with stained neckties and cumbersome baggage.

You can find The Dating Intervention on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25718388-the-dating-intervention

You can buy The Dating Intervention here – Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Dating-Intervention-Book-ebook/dp/B01240L6RO/

*****

Excerpt:

Online dating? What’s wrong with meeting guys at bars? Aren’t guys with online profiles usually creepy?

But her friends forged ahead. They leaned over the tablet, lips pursed in concentration.

“Oh, definitely not him,” Summer said. “Too much hair gel, for sure.”

“What’s wrong with hair gel?” Delaney asked.

“See? This is exactly what we’re worried about, D. Too much hair gel on a guy over thirty means he’s a prima donna. It means he doesn’t like his mother. It means he drives a nice car but wears holey underwear. It means he doesn’t want children.”

“You get all this from hair gel?”

“Oh yeah.”

“Ooh, look at this guy,” Josie said. “Very good-looking.”

“Get the details,” Summer said.

Josie tapped the tablet’s screen.

“Damn. He’s a consultant. Code for unemployed.”

“Seriously, you guys? Code for unemployed? How do you even know?”

“Again. Another example of why we’re doing this for you, D,” Summer said. “You’ve demonstrated previously–and you’re demonstrating now–that you don’t have an instinct for this stuff. Next.”

*****

HilaryAuthor Info:

Hilary Dartt is an author and freelance writer who grew up among the redwoods and hippies of California and now lives among the cacti and cowboys of the wild west. She and her husband live in Arizona’s high desert with their children and an assortment of pets, including five chickens. To maintain sanity and quiet her inner critic, Hilary runs, drinks wine and eats chocolate. She’s the author of The Intervention Series: The Dating Intervention, The Marriage Intervention and The Motherhood Intervention. Learn more at http://www.hilarydartt.com/.

You can find and contact Hilary here:

– Website: http://www.hilarydartt.com/

– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hilarydarttauthor

– Twitter: https://twitter.com/hilarydartt

– Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bfVlEH

*****

Giveaway:

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of The Dating Intervention.  You could win a 10$ amazon gift card.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1000e4f1124/

*****

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

The Dating Intervention banner

This is my stop during the blog tour for The Dating Intervention by Hilary Dartt. This blog tour is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. The blog tour runs from 1 till 14, you can view the complete tour schedule on the website of Lola’s Blog Tours: http://lolasblogtours.net/blog-tour-the-dating-intervention-by-hilary-dartt/

This is the first book in the Intervention series.

Spotlight – Hell Bent

10 Monday Aug 2015

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I’m so happy to have Karen Crompton with us this morning to answer a few questions and to share her newest – Hell Bent: A Wild Young Adult Romance (South Shore Beach Book 1) – available on Amazon right now for only 99 cents!

*****

What do you like the most about writing romances?

I enjoy the cheeky/flirty side of love, so that’s always fun to write. Readers like to lose themselves in books and I enjoy taking them on that journey.

What is your favorite romantic story?

I absolutely love Jane Austen’s novel, Emma.

If you could be any romantic character, who would it be and why?

Abby Abernathy from Beautiful Disaster … because come on, who wouldn’t want Travis Maddox chasing after them.

Which of your characters was the most fun to write?

Corrie’s best friend, Alana, was really fun to write. She’s a bit quirky and loves old movies, quoting lines at the most inopportune times. Most of the time no one has any idea what she’s even talking about, especially her boyfriend, Rake. This of course, proves hilarious for the reader.

If you weren’t a writer and could be anything you want, what would it be?

A ballerina!! (not that I’ve been able to squeeze myself into a pair of tights since I was twelve years old!) But a girl can dream, right?

*****

816lq+mWgHLHell Bent

South Shore Beach series

by Karen Crompton

Blurb:

He’s charming. He’s rebellious. He’s as beautiful as he is damaged.

South Shore’s bad boy surfer Beau Huntington has a solid plan to get through life: one night stands, copious amounts of alcohol, and walls so high no one can ever get in — it’s all about numbing the pain. And his plan’s working fine — until he meets Corrie Johnson. That’s when things begin to unravel. Because falling in love was never part of the plan.

Angry, bitter and confused, Beau’s violent temper lands him in trouble more often than not — but he’s about to learn that the fight of his life doesn’t involve his fists.
Hell Bent is the journey of one troubled soul, two broken hearts, and the bonds that bind three brothers.

Hell Bent’s sequel – Heaven Sent is due out later in 2015.

Amazon – http://amzn.com/B00PLA5ZJK

Apple – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id941977198

*****

Excerpt:

I grin and lean closer. “Dilated pupils normally indicate arousal of some sort, did ya know that?”

“What?” she says, blinking.

I burst out laughing. “You heard me, so maybe your knickers are in more of a twist than you realize.”

She makes a sort of gagging noise. “You’re a walking cliche.”

“I don’t do anything by the book,” I protest.

“Oh really, is your motorbike parked out the front, bad boy? The one you ride shirtless, showing off your impressive abs, your nipple rings and your surfing tattoos. Let me guess … a Yin and Yang no doubt. Or did you scab a ride with one of your stoner friends?”

I instantly see red. She thinks she has me worked out. Stuff that. I’ve done a lot of shit lately, but I don’t do drugs. Never have. And my tattoo is something else all together.

*****

71sYpVpnU8L._UX250_Author Info:

Karen Crompton was born and bred on the Central Coast of NSW, Australia. Hell Bent is her highly accomplished debut novel that explores both the joys of young love and the pain of loss. Having always had a great interest in Young Adult / New Adult films and literature, Karen says that having a book published — one that means so much to her personally — is a dream come true.

www.facebook.com/AuthorKarenCrompton

*****

Bonus Excerpt:

My eyes drop to the floor and my hands press against Corrie’s warm back, pulling her in so close that she can barely move. I frown, confused almost at just how deep I’ve got myself in this.

“What is it?” she asks.

“I know I’m totally wasted and probably talking shit, but meeting you has changed everything. You make me feel, I don’t know, worthy of you or something. Nothing means more to me than you, Corrie. I love you so much.”

A small breath escapes her lips. She’s watching me closely, searching my eyes for something she’s missed, something lost. Doubt washes through me and the thought of the next sentence ever becoming a reality burns a huge gaping hole in my chest.

“Don’t leave me,” I say, my mouth against her ear.

I hold her close again and she rests her head on my shoulder. My eyes get lost in the haze of smoke and mirrors and I know for sure that the time’s finally come. I can’t keep the truth from her any longer. I owe her that much.

Spotlight – Stepdog

09 Sunday Aug 2015

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I’m ending the weekend with an AWWWW cover … and when isn’t the cute quotient of a book severely upped by a dog?!?  You guys have to check out the newest from Nicole Garland – I mean, how can you resist that face?

*****

Stepdog pb cStepdog

by Nicole Galland

From the author of The Fool’s Tale and I, Iago comes a disarmingly charming and warm-hearted “romcom” about a woman, her dog, and the man who has to prove he’s good enough for both of them.

In NICOLE GALLAND’S STEPDOG Sara Renault fires Rory O’Connor from his part-time job at a Boston art museum, and in response, Rory—an Irish actor secretly nursing a crush on his beautiful boss—throws caution to the wind, leans over, and kisses her. Now Sara and Rory are madly in love.

When Rory’s visa runs out on the cusp of his big Hollywood break, Sara insists that he marry her to get a green card. In a matter of weeks they’ve gone from being friendly work colleagues to a live-in couple, and it’s all grand . . . except for Sara’s dog, Cody, who had been a gift from Sara’s sociopath ex-boyfriend. Sara’s over-attachment to her dog is the only thing she and Rory fight about.

When Rory scores both his green card and the lead role in an upcoming TV pilot, he and Sara (and Cody) prepare to move to Los Angeles. But just before their departure, Cody is kidnapped by Sara’s ex—and it is entirely Rory’s fault. Sara is furious and broken-hearted. Desperate to get back into Sara’s good graces, Rory takes off and tracks Cody and the dog-napper to North Carolina. Can Rory rescue Cody and convince Sara that they belong together—with Cody—as a family? First they’ll need to survive a madcap adventure that takes them all across the heartland of America.

STEPDOG is a refreshing and hilarious romantic comedy that asks: How far would you go for the one you love?

On Sale August 4, 2015

ISBN: 9780062369475

$14.99

Praise for I, Iago:

“This is an astonishing work of imaginative empathy, buttressed by deep research and enriched by lively storytelling … Galland takes one of Shakespeare’s most enigmatic characters and creates a full life for him, sweeping the reader into the vibrant world of Venetian intrigue and the carrying us, also, to the deep places of the human heart.” — Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize-winning author

*****

Nicole Galland ap1Author Info:

NICOLE GALLAND is the author of five previous novels: The Fool’s Tale, Revenge of the Rose, Crossed, I, Iago and Godiva. A native of Martha’s Vineyard, she graduated from Harvard University and studied Dramatic Literature at UC Berkeley, then divided her time between California and New York City for many years, before returning to the Vineyard to stay (except for when she’s somewhere else, like Boston). She is the co-founder of Shakespeare for the Masses at the Vineyard Playhouse, and writes a cheeky etiquette column for the Martha’s Vineyard Times. She is married to actor Billy Meleady and owns Leuco, a dog of splendid qualities.

 

Book Review – Pete Sebastian, Coach

08 Saturday Aug 2015

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

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I love football … even fictional football 🙂

*****

PETE SEBASTIAN ANSWERS A FEW QUESTIONS:

  • Chocolate or vanilla?  Chocolate, or course.
  • Mounds or Almond Joy?  What? You don’t expect me to answer that in public, do you?
  • Steak or lobster?  Steak – cooked on the grill.
  • Oatmeal or scrambled eggs?  Chocolate chip pancakes.
  • Sausage or Bacon?  Bacon. Goes better with chocolate.
  • Airplane or train?  Airplane. I hate to waste time.
  • Walking or driving?  Running. Was that an option?
  • Country or Rock?  Country.
  • Women – brunette, blonde or redhead?  Blonde, about five three, nice rack.
  • Pretty or Witty?  Both – smart. Gotta be smart and love football. Sexy wouldn’t hurt. Wait. Maybe that should go first? Nah. Smart first.

*****

Pete Sebastian - CoverPete Sebastian, Coach

First & Ten Series

by Jean Joachim

GENRE – Sports Romance

PUBLICATION DATE – June, 2015

LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 66,000 words – 220 pages

PUBLISHER – Secret Cravings Publishing

COVER ARTIST – Dawne Dominique

Blurb:

Pete Sebastian, Coach Bass to his team, thought he had his life under control until smart, alluring Jo Parker sashayed into a front office job with the Connecticut Kings. He locks horns with the beautiful female when she implements new ideas to clean-up the team’s rep. Was she there just to push him around or was she the one woman he’s been seeking?

Struggling toward success in the man’s-man world of the NFL, Jo Parker has relied on her brains and determination to get ahead. But her new job at the Kings has one hurdle she hadn’t counted on – a sexy coach standing in her way. How can she kept her mind on her job when all she wants is to get closer, much closer, to the coach?

Can Coach Bass handle a woman in the boardroom and bedroom? Can he keep his heart safe or will the revelation of a secret destroy his dreams, leaving him alone once more?

Caution: Locker room language.

AMAZON KINDLE US – http://www.amazon.com/Pete-Sebastian-Coach-First-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZAXXGUS/

AMAZON KINDLE CA – http://www.amazon.ca/Pete-Sebastian-Coach-First-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZAXXGUS/

AMAZON KINDLE UK – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pete-Sebastian-Coach-First-Book-ebook/dp/B00ZAXXGUS/

AMAZON PAPERBACK – http://www.amazon.com/Pete-Sebastian-Coach-First-Ten/dp/1631056417/

BARNES & NOBLES NOOK – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pete-sebastian-coach-jean-joachim/1122088468?ean=2940151448949

ITUNES – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/pete-sebastian-coach/id1009752750?mt=11

GOODREADS – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25694459-pete-sebastian-coach?ac=1

*****

Character Bios:

PETE SEBASTIAN – Winning the Super Bowl is just the beginning for Coach Bass, as his team calls him. He walks on water, until his world gets turned upside down by a feisty female. When the new V.P. of Publicity turns out to be a gorgeous blonde, Pete is stopped in his tracks.

Raising twin daughters alone after his wife took a powder, Pete has been too busy to be lonely. But now that his girls are off to college, loneliness has become his constant companion. Bed partners are easy to find, but the right woman, one who loves football almost as much as she loves him isn’t easy. So far, he has come up empty.

With a beautiful woman in the office next door, Pete can hardly concentrate on preparing for training camp. All he wants to do is kiss Jo Parker, but she’s tucked away behind a professional demeanor and not going to play his game.

Never one to throw in the towel, Pete has a strategy to win this woman who keeps one step ahead of him. Can the charming, sexy coach win the affections of the elusive Ms. Parker? Or his he destined to continue on playing a solo game?

JO PARKER – Jo Parker is a woman who knows what she wants, right? She thinks she does. A successful woman in the man’s world of NFL front office, Jo has worked hard and taken lots of guff to rise to the level of vice president of publicity.

Her new job at The Connecticut Kings presents a challenge. Not only does she have to clean up the reputation of a team that fired two players for domestic violence, but she has to resist the practically irresistible charms of the coach, Pete Sebastian.

With her pug, Daisy, tucked under her arm, Jo takes Monroe and the Kings by storm. She rolls in, determined to send the players to anger management, to avoid further bad behavior. But they roadblock her at every step. And leading the resistance is the devastatingly handsome, Coach Bass.

Chemistry and mutual attraction short-circuit Ms. Parker’s plans. She finds herself in unfamiliar waters, falling in love. But love is not in her plans. She doesn’t believe in Prince Charming and she’s not about to give up her independence for a roll in the hay.

But loneliness and a hunger for love, born from a sterile childhood, draw her to the warmth and charm of Pete Sebastian. Will she be able to control her emotions, fight through their mutual attraction to focus on the job and only the job?

*****

Excerpt:

Pete stripped down to boxers and donned his running shorts. Not bothering with a shirt, he headed for the beach. There was no way he could get to sleep after his steamy encounter with Jo Parker. Running would clear his mind and calm his body.

He pulled an elastic with his house key on it over his wrist and left. As he walked down the path to the sand, he thought about Jo. Christ, I can’t stop thinking about her! Chilled by the night air, he started to run. He’d known she was sexy, but the way she had surrendered in his arms, well, surprised wasn’t the word. He never thought she’d fall without a major seduction. Flowers, candy, dinners out—now he could forget that. Next date would end in his bed.

Pete could hardly wait. Searching his memory, he couldn’t remember when he had been so turned on so quickly. She’d had him when she’d walked in wearing that sweater. Shit, I could barely keep my eyes or hands off her breasts. Lust had boiled up in his veins when she’d insisted on seeing his bedroom. Standing there with the sea on one side and alluring Jo Parker on the other, a foot from his bed, he could hardly control himself or ignore the protests from his dick.

*****

Review:

I’m so ready for football season to start and I’m loving the influx of football related romances 🙂  With Pete Sebastian, Coach we get it from the coach’s & front office’s POV – a fun change from just players (which I’m not knocking’ btw!).

This is the first of the First & Ten books for me so I don’t know if this is a good representation of Joachim’s work, but from what I’ve seen on different sites she’s got a pretty vocal (and happy) following, which is a good sign.  The writing isn’t the tightest that I’ve read but the story is very satisfying and the characters have struggles that readers can get behind.  Both Pete and Jo have their moments of stupidity – and Jo’s penchant to run when trouble strikes doesn’t do anyone any good – but they also have very real and touching moments.

Pete’s put his love life on hold while he raised twin daughters on his own, but now they are off to college and he’s ready to fill that empty spot.  What he didn’t count on was finding someone in the team’s office that hits him quite like Jo does.  Jo has spent years fighting for her place in a man’s world and she’s a success but at the expense of her dating life.  Meeting Coach Bass starts something that quickly takes off.

I really liked these two together – yes, I wanted to smack them when they were being dumb but I also wanted to give them a hug, which means I was involved and that’s always a good thing 🙂  Again, there were moments when the phrasing wasn’t the smoothest, but for me it was easily overshadowed by the characters and the plot.  I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on Joachim – I expect lots of good things to come!

*****

Author Info:

Jean Joachim is a best-selling romance fiction author, with books hitting the Amazon Top 100 list since 2012. The Renovated Heart won Best Novel of the Year from Love Romances Café. Lovers & Liars was a RomCon finalist in 2013. And The Marriage List tied for third place as Best Contemporary Romance from the Gulf Coast RWA. She was chosen Author of the Year in 2012 by the New York City chapter of Romance Writers of America.

Married and the mother of two sons, Jean lives in New York City. Early in the morning, you’ll find her at her computer, writing, with a cup of tea, her rescued put, Homer, by her side and a secret stash of black licorice.

AUTHOR FOLLOW LINKS

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – http://www.amazon.com/Jean-C.-Joachim/e/B001ITRQKY/

WEBSITE – http://www.jeanjoachimbooks.com

BLOG – http://jeanjoachim.blogspot.com

FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jean-Joachim-Author/221092234568929

TWITTER – http://www.twitter.com/jeanjoachim

GOOGLE+ – https://plus.google.com/u/0/111423777977819826895/

PINTEREST – http://www.pinterest.com/jeanjoachim/

NETWORKED BLOGS – http://jeanjoachim.blogspot.com

GOODREADS – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/334810.Jean_C_Joachim

*****

Giveaway:

$10.00 Amazon Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9944253c168/

*****

Pete Sebastian - Banner

Spotlight – Made For Us

07 Friday Aug 2015

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Meet the Shaughnessy Brothers

This month, bestselling author Samantha Chase launches her new contemporary romance series the Shaughnessy Brothers. In the series starter, MADE FOR US, readers are introduced to the five amazing Shaughnessy brothers–each more successful than the last. From a building contractor, to a scientist, to a former racecar driver, and even a rock star, these brothers are as different as can be, but also extremely close. Losing their mother early in their lives solidified the brotherly bond and helping raise their baby sister also brought them together. But with their sister raised and careers in order it is time for the next phase in their lives. And while these brothers might not be looking for happily-ever-afters, romance is looking for them! Below get to know each of these sexy Shaughnessys, starting with Aidan from MADE FOR US.

~~~

Name: Aidan Shaughnessy

Occupation:  Building Contractor                             

Height: 6’2

Hair Color:  Dark Brown               

Eye Color: Blue

Age: 34

What makes you the perfect date? 

No one – including myself – has ever said that!  But if I had to say something, it would be that I like to take care of all the details so that my date doesn’t have to worry about a thing.

What do you look for in a woman?

Typically someone strong and independent but also enjoys being taken care of.

Describe yourself in 100 words or less: 

I’m a bit of a control freak – or so I’ve been told!  I’m hard working and know exactly what I want out of life.  I can be quiet and observant – a bit of a people watcher.  I don’t enjoy crowds very much.  I prefer if I’m out, to be out in a small group or with one person.

~~~

Name: Hugh Shaughnessy

Occupation:  Luxury Resort Owner/Designer                     

Height: 6’3

Hair Color: Dark Brown

Eye Color: Blue

Age: 32

What makes you the perfect date?

I am extremely attentive.  I believe in taking a woman out for a romantic dinner with dancing and candlelight and making her feel like she is the most important thing in the world.

What do you look for in a woman?

She’s intelligent and easy to talk to but who isn’t looking for forever.  I travel a lot and she would need to be understanding of that.

Describe yourself in 100 words or less: 

I’m a really regimented man.  I mean really.  I like things done a certain way and I’m a stickler for routines and schedules.  Some say I’m overly cautious – in every aspect of my life – but that doesn’t mean that I’m boring.  I have an appreciation for the finer things and I’m outgoing and enjoy being around people and making new friends.

~~~

Name: Quinn Shaughnessy

Occupation:  Former Race Car Driver turned Automotive Restorer                          

Height: 6’

Hair Color:  Dirty Blonde

Eye Color: Blue

Age: 30

What makes you the perfect date?:  

I’m the fun one in the family.  I like to go out with a woman to a bar or someplace with loud music or find something athletic to do.  I want to be where the party is.

What do you look for in a woman?

I’ll admit to being a little shallow here – I am all about looks.  Tall, blonde, curvy…and that’s about it.

Describe yourself in 100 words or less:

Like I said, I’m the fun one.  I am all about living life to the fullest.  I enjoy sports – all sports – and I hate to be idle.  Cars are my current passion and to me it’s go-big-or-go-home.  If I can’t succeed and excel at something, then it’s time to move on.  So far it’s worked for me.

~~~

Name: Owen Shaughnessy

Occupation:  Astrophysicist       

Height: 6’

Hair Color:  Dark Brown

Eye Color: Blue

Age: 28

What makes you the perfect date?

I don’t really think I am.  I don’t believe perfect is something anyone can attain.  Dating really hasn’t been on my radar but when I do take a woman out, we usually talk about science.  And she’s normally a scientist so I guess you can say I make sure we talk about mutual interests.

What do you look for in a woman?

I spend a lot of my time trying to not be noticed.  But if I notice a woman, it’s usually because we’re both working together or studying together.  I look for someone who understands me.

Describe yourself in 100 words or less:

Quiet.  Shy.  Socially awkward.  At least that’s how most people tell me I am.  I don’t think about it much.  I’m devoted to my field of study and helping others learn about astrophysics and it pretty much consumes all of my time and energy.

~~~

Name: Riley Shaughnessy

Occupation:  Musician/Rock Star                             

Height: 6’

Hair Color:  Dark Brown

Eye Color: Blue

Age: 28

What makes you the perfect date?

When I’m out on a date with a woman, there is no one else in the world.  I put all of my attention on her and do my best to make sure that our date includes everything she wants.

What do you look for in a woman?

I used to be all about the looks – mainly because women were always chasing after me.  I had superficial relationships, now I look for a woman who sees more than a rock star, a celebrity.  I want to find someone who just sees me.

Describe yourself in 100 words or less:

Confident.  Talented.  And currently, mildly insecure.  I have always loved music, loved to sing and if I couldn’t do that, I don’t know what I’d do with myself.  Music is just a part of me.  I put my partying ways behind me – not that I had much of one.  I’m just as comfortable on stage in front of thousands of people, as I am at home watching TV.

*****

MadeForUsMade For Us

by Samantha Chase

Release Date: August 4, 2015

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: The Shaughnessy Brothers, Book 1

Blurb:

Can’t make time for love?

The Shaughnessy brothers have spent the years since their mother’s untimely death taking care of each other and trying to make their father proud. Oldest son Aidan is hard-working, handsome, successful-and still single. Sure, he’d like to have his own family someday, but who has the time?

She’ll show him how to find it

Zoe Dalton, a stunning designer Aidan meets on one of his construction jobs, has the beauty and heart to make Aidan realize how much he could be missing. But it’s not easy to break down walls you’ve spent years building up. Now there’s a major storm bearing down on the North Carolina coast, and it could be catalyst enough to force Aidan and Zoe into some major decisions of the heart.

Buy Links

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1CUdwvA

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1Kje4hf

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

IndieBound: http://bit.ly/1DtcvFI

*****

SamanthaChaseAuthor Info:

New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan’s Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40’s to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.

When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

Social Networking Links

Website: http://www.chasing-romance.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamanthaChase3

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1250276.Samantha_Chase

*****

Giveaway:

Samantha Chase Book Bundle and Shaughnessy Brothers Tee Shirt

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/54ca7af7161/

*****

MadeForUsGraphic

Book Review – Not So New In Town

06 Thursday Aug 2015

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cover59709-mediumNot So New In Town

by Michele Summers

Harmony Homecomings

You can’t go back, and you can’t stand still…

Lucy Doolan is a marketing genius. She can sell rain to a frog and snow to a polar bear. Newly single and unemployed, she’s lured back to her hometown of Harmony, North Carolina to help out her pregnant evil stepsister…only to find former crush heartthrob Brogan Reese has returned too, to open a new business in town. To add insult to injury, he’s still hot.

If the thunder don’t get you, then the lightning will…

Brogan never noticed Lucy much when they were young, but seventeen people have recommended her to help him. She’s got his attention now. With her sweet personality, brilliant imagination, and penchant for doing the completely unpredictable, Brogan is finding a whole lot of excuses to spend his days-and nights-with Lucy.

My only complaint about this book is that I’m not sure that Lucy’s issues with her stepsister were ever addressed. I mean they never actually fight, there are little digs and comments, but then suddenly they are supposed to be on good terms? I would have liked to have seen some kind of heart to heart, even if it was a snarky one. Something that would have shown some progression in their relationship and maybe an understanding of where they are coming from. Unfortunately I didn’t feel like we got that.

But I read these for the love story and that part hit it on the head. Small town romances can be so much fun – especially with the humorous cast of characters that you can get in the South. I mean who doesn’t love a sassy best friend who has a pet pig … and not a miniature one 🙂 Actually that is my other complaint. I think that Lucy’s friend Wanda needed her own story, because there is a lot going on there as well. Before I get too far with my complaints I should say that I haven’t read the first book, so I’m not sure if any of this would have been addressed with Find My Way Home. It doesn’t seem like it, because Lucy comes to town after the happenings of book 1, but you never know so I feel like I should throw that out there.

The relationship between Lucy and Brogan, though, is absolutely darling. I loved these two together and their journey is a ton of fun (& funny). With their history and the paths that life has led them down, it makes for an interesting and sometimes difficult attraction. I loved the way that Summers brings them together and the resolution she gives them at the end. It wraps things up beautifully and I smiled when they finally get it all figured out.

Spotlight – Baby’s Got Bite

05 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by in Blog Tour, Contest

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When I reviewed Take It Like a Vamp I said I couldn’t wait for Linc to get his HEA … and it looks like he’s going to have a heck of a ride getting there 🙂

*****

BGBBaby’s Got Bite

by Candace Havens

Release Date: July 28, 2015

Genre: paranormal romance

Publisher: Entangled

Blurb:

Bennett Langdon has a firm no-relationships policy. Still, it doesn’t stop her from hooking up with a super-sexy bad boy at her best friend’s wedding. After all, it’s only one night—what harm could it do? Ten weeks later, a pregnant Bennett has her answer…

Linc Monahan can’t believe it. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He’s a werewolf, and shouldn’t be able to father a child with a human. Now Linc has to find some way to tell Bennett that not only do werewolves exist, but she’s about to have a baby with one.

But when word of their surprise conception gets out, the fur hits the fan. There are people who don’t want this baby to be born—even if it means killing. Now Bennett and Linc aren’t just fighting each other…they’re fighting for their lives.

Goodreads      Amazon      BN       Entangled Page

*****

authorAuthor Info:

Bestselling author Candace Havens has written multiple novels for Berkley, Entangled and Harlequin. Her books have received nominations for the RITA’s, Holt Medallion and Write Touch Reader Awards. She is the author of the biography Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy and a contributor to several anthologies.

She is also one of the nation’s leading entertainment journalists and has interviewed countless celebrities including Tom Hanks, Nicolas Cage, Tom Cruise, George Clooney and many more. Her entertainment columns can be read in more than 600 newspapers across the country. Candace also runs a free online writing workshop for more than 2200 writers, and teaches comprehensive writing class. She does film reviews with the Hawkeye & Dorsey on 96.3, and is a former President of the Television Critics Association.

Website: www.candacehavens.com

Blog: candacehavensbooks.wordpress.com

Twitter: @candacehavens

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Candace-Havens

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomcandacehavens

Newsletter: http://www.candacehavens.com/index.php/blog/

*****

Giveaway:

Amazon Fire stick (A gift card will be substituted in place of the stick if the winner is international)

$50 gift certificate to Amazon or BN

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112ffc1112/

*****

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Spotlight – Heroes Are My Weakness

04 Tuesday Aug 2015

Posted by in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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SEP has been one of my favorite authors for a long time – Lady Be Good is my all time favorite (Kenny and Emma are absolutely delightful together), but the Chicago Stars series (starting with It Had To Be You) comes a close second … although I can’t forget Match Me If You Can which is fantastic … and I get a giggle thinking about … ya know, I’ll just say I love them all 🙂

And even though I haven’t read this one (YET), it is getting some great press so I’m sure it is going to be a winner!

*****

HAMW_CoverHeroes Are My Weakness

by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Releasing Sept 28th, 2015

Mass Market Paperback

Avon Romance

Blurb:

The dead of winter. An isolated island off the coast of Maine. A man. A woman. A sinister house looming over the sea … He’s a reclusive writer whose macabre imagination creates chilling horror novels. She’s a down-on-her-luck actress reduced to staging kids’ puppet shows. He knows a dozen ways to kill with his bare hands. She knows a dozen ways to kill with laughs. But she’s not laughing now. When she was a teenager, he terrified her. Now they’re trapped together on a snowy island off the coast of Maine. Is he the villain she remembers or has he changed? Her head says no. Her heart says yes. It’s going to be a long, hot winter.

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/07/heroes-are-my-weakness-by-susan.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23215475-heroes-are-my-weakness-intl

Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | BAM

*****

Excerpt:

Annie didn’t usually talk to her suitcase, but she wasn’t exactly herself these days. The high beams of her headlights could barely penetrate the dark, swirling chaos of the winter blizzard, and the windshield wipers on her ancient Kia were no match for the wrath of the storm that had hit the island. “It’s only a little snow,” she told the oversize red suitcase wedged into the passenger seat. “Just because it feels like the end of the world doesn’t mean it is.”

You know I hate the cold, her suitcase replied, in the annoying whine of a child who preferred making a point by stamping her foot. How could you bring me to this awful place?

Because Annie had run out of options.

An icy blast rocked the car, and the branches of the old fir trees hovering over the unpaved road whipped like witches’ hair. Annie decided that anybody who believed in hell as a fiery furnace had it all wrong. Hell was this bleak, hostile winter island.

You’ve never heard of Miami Beach? Crumpet, the spoiled princess in the suitcase retorted. Instead you had to haul us off to a deserted island in the middle of the North Atlantic where we’ll probably get eaten by polar bears!

The gears ground as the Kia struggled up the narrow, slippery island road. Annie’s head ached, her ribs hurt from coughing, and the simple act of craning her neck to peer through a clear spot on the windshield made her dizzy. She was alone in the world with only the imaginary voices of her ventriloquist dummies anchoring her to reality. As sick as she was, she didn’t miss the irony.

She conjured up the more calming voice of Crumpet’s counterpart, the practical Dilly, who was tucked away in the matching red suitcase in the backseat. We’re not the middle of the Atlantic, sensible Dilly said. We’re on an island ten miles off the New England coast, and the last I heard, Maine doesn’t have polar bears. Besides, Peregrine Island isn’t deserted.

It might as well be. If Crumpet had been on Annie’s arm, she would have shot her small nose up in the air. People barely survive here in the middle of the summer let alone winter. I bet they eat their dead for food.

The car fishtailed ever so slightly. Annie corrected the skid, gripping the wheel more tightly through her gloves. The heater barely worked, but she’d begun to perspire under her jacket.

You mustn’t keep complaining, Crumpet, Dilly admonished her peevish counterpart. Peregrine Island is a popular summer resort.

It’s not summer! Crumpet countered. It’s the first week of February, we just drove off a car ferry that made me seasick, and there can’t be more than fifty people left here. Fifty stupid people!

You know Annie had no choice but to come here, Dilly said.

Because she’s a big failure, an unpleasant male voice sneered.

Leo had a bad habit of uttering Annie’s deepest fears, and it was inevitable that he’d intrude into her thoughts. He was her least favorite puppet, but every story needed a villain.

Very unkind, Leo, Dilly said. Even if it is true.

*****

SusanAuthor Info:

Susan Elizabeth Phillips soars onto the New York Times bestseller list with every new publication. She’s the only four-time recipient of the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Favorite Book of the Year Award. Susan delights fans by touching hearts as well as funny bones with her wonderfully whimsical and modern fairy tales. A resident of the Chicago suburbs, she is also a wife, and mother of two grown sons.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

Surprise SEP Romance Prize Pack

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c8748/

*****

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Book Review – Kiss Me

03 Monday Aug 2015

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cover64404-mediumKiss Me

Fool’s Gold series

by Susan Mallery

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery creates the small-town destination for romance in charming Fool’s Gold, California—where a loner cowboy finds the one woman who can capture his heart

After Phoebe Kitzke’s kind heart gets her suspended from her job in LA, she swears off doing favors—until her best friend begs for help on the family ranch in Fool’s Gold. Unfortunately, sexy cowboy Zane Nicholson isn’t exactly thrilled by the city girl’s arrival.

Thanks to his brother’s latest scheme, Zane has been roped into taking tourists on a cattle drive. What Phoebe knows about ranching wouldn’t fill his hat, but her laughter is so captivating that even his animals fall for her. One slip of his legendary control leads to a passionate kiss that convinces him she’s exactly the kind of woman a single-minded loner needs to avoid.

In his arms, Phoebe discovers she’s a country girl at heart. Yet no matter how much the small town feels like home, she can’t stay unless Zane loves her, too…but is this cowboy interested in forever?

It’s time to visit Fool’s Gold again – yea!! Usually when I review one of these, I talk about how great it is to visit the little town and have a reunion with friends from previous stories but we really didn’t get that here … and I didn’t mind at all! We pretty much stay on the Nicholson ranch and get to know new people, but that doesn’t stop it from being quirky and fun and sweet and oh-so addictive just like all of the others in the series. The characters, even though they are new, are just as real and detailed as any that we’ve gotten to know over the years.

Phoebe grew up in foster care and never really had a family. It’s caused her to have a few issues, including never feeling quite good enough. So she’s spent her adult life being a pleaser … which is how she ends up on the ranch. Her best friend asks her to spend a week helping out the family and true to form she can’t say no. I love Phoebe – she’s funny and silly and caring and honest. She’s an LA girl thru-and-thru but once on the cattle drive she embraces it with everything she has. And that includes a little flirtation (or more) with Zane.

Zane has seen all the bad things that can happen when you give your heart to a woman … and he doesn’t plan on ever going there. He also knows what it is like to live with regrets so he’s trying everything he can to make sure that his little brother doesn’t have to experience it too. But it isn’t exactly causing warm, fuzzies at home. When quirky and appealing Phoebe drops into his life it not only has him looking at his relationship with his brother in a new light, but she’s also proving impossible to resist.

Like usual, there are wonderful secondary characters and a hint at the next book. There’s also a side piece involving a couple who can’t have kids but somehow have found themselves chaperoning a couple of foster kids during the drive. It’s an absolutely fantastic story of learning to let go of what you thought you wanted in order to embrace the wonders right in front of you. By delivering something so touching and well-developed as a small accessory tale with limited pages, Mallery continues to show her skill at giving readers characters and stories that mean something.

From start to finish, I couldn’t put down Kiss Me. But I didn’t expect anything less, because Mallery has always excelled at writing laugh-out-loud, give-a-little-sigh, cheer-for-the-HEA romances.

(Since these are new characters this is absolutely the perfect place for new readers to start, so don’t be shy if this is your first Fool’s Gold story. You are going to feel right at home.)

Book Review – A New Hope

02 Sunday Aug 2015

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cover64401-mediumA New Hope

Thunder Point series

by Robyn Carr

Starting over is never easy, but in Thunder Point, where newcomers are welcome and friends become family, it’s possible to find yourself again. #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr takes us on a moving and rewarding journey as a young woman finds new hope.

After losing her child, Ginger Dysart was lost in grief. But since moving to Thunder Point, a small town on the Oregon coast, Ginger is finally moving forward. Her job at the flower shop is peaceful and fulfilling, and she’s excited to be assisting with the Lacoumette wedding.

In spite of her lasting heartache, Ginger is swept up in the pleasure of the occasion. But the beauty of the Lacoumette farm and the joy of the gregarious family are ruined by an unfortunate encounter with the bride’s brother, Matt. Struggling with painful memories of his own, Matt makes a drunken spectacle of himself when he tries to make a pass at Ginger, forcing her to flee the scene in embarrassment.

But when Matt shows up at the flower shop determined to make amends, what started out as a humiliating first meeting blossoms into something much deeper than either of them expected. Everyone around them worries that Ginger will end up with a broken heart yet again. But if Ginger has the courage to embrace the future, and if Matt can finally learn to let go of the past, there may still be hope for a happy ending.

Two things that I think are important to note here – 1) if you haven’t read any of the Thunder Point books it is probably a good idea to at least start with One Wish, which is the book before this one, because it has some of the characters from A New Hope but 2) it shouldn’t be an issue because these books are just so darn good that you should be reading them all anyway 🙂

I always feel like a broken record with this series – emotional plots involving realistic characters with real troubles. But when you have something as perfect as this why mess it up, right? And Carr is so talented at bringing a variety of people and their issues to the page, I never feel like I’m getting just a repeat.

We got to know Ginger some in One Wish and I’m thrilled that we get to see her continue to heal, make friends and build a new life for herself. She’s understandably a little unsteady on her feet but she’s making great strides. She shows an amazing sense of self and maturity coming out of the amazing hardships she’s had to face and that is exactly what Matt needs. He’s having to address a few things of his own and meeting Ginger definitely shakes things up for him – living a life he’s not proud of since his divorce, seeing what Ginger has overcome has him re-examining things.

I recommended reading One Wish not just because of Ginger, but we also get a continuation of Grace & Troy’s story, which I loved. It added even more sweetness to an already touching story. Plus they help us get a little sneak peek at the next story. I’ve said this before too, the sense of continuation and community, of old friends and new acquaintances, is one of my favorite parts of this series.

With A New Hope, Carr once again brings us characters that we grow to care about. And I love that even though they help each other, they face their demons themselves. It helps lead to a healthy HEA that left me all giddy and happy and oh-so-ready for the next story.