Book Review – New Year’s Resolution: Romance!

05 Thursday Feb 2015

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Ncover55236-mediumew Year’s Resolution:  Romance!

Say Yes\No More Bad Girls\Just a Fling

Christie Ridgway, Leslie Kelly, Tanya Michaels

Midnight, January 1: time for a big change. Time to make a New Year’s resolution to find romance or else!

Say Yes by Christie Ridgway

Cautious florist Ashley Walker is excited to embark on her “Year of Yes” no matter what happens. But accepting a surprise job offer leads to an awkward discovery: she’s hot for her millionaire boss, Chase Bradley!

No More Bad Girls by Leslie Kelly

Scorched by a string of nightmare ex-girlfriends, Lex Rollins resolves to date only nice women then is lured by siren Lia before midnight! But Lia is really Amelia, a good girl playing naughty for a night. Can a blind date as their real selves uncover their true desires?

Just a Fling by Tanya Michaels

Shy, insecure Erin Cross makes two bold resolutions: (A) get on a plane, and (B) have a fling. In pursuit of Option A, she’s mistaken for a key witness in a mob trial and whisked away by a sexy FBI agent! Which just leaves Option B…

All three of these talented ladies are staples in the Harlequin world – with extensive booklists and expressive writing styles, they are some of the best at what they do.  And this New Year’s Resolution anthology just highlights why they are so loved. Each has her niche but they will all capture your attention and take you on an adventure.

Ridgway is a delight at penning contemporary romances with both humor and heart.  Her characters are detailed and complicated, with realistic troubles and foibles.  Ashley has been hiding from life but she’s decided it is time to start living again.  Unfortunately she isn’t prepared for the affect that Chase has on her.  Chase is a good man, kind and caring.  It’s easy to see why he attracts Ashley but is she willing to take a chance on him?  Even novella in length, Say Yes is a complete and emotional story.

Like Ridgway, Kelly writes delightfully addictive stories, with complex characters and fun storylines.  Both Lex and Amelia are fun and their cute-meet is absolutely adorable – I love the back-and-forth of the mistaken identity plot.  Kelly writes an amusing and likeable couple that you root for from page 1. 

Michaels writes some of the most fun action adventure romances that I’ve read, complete with danger and characters with great chemistry.  Even though she doesn’t have a lot of pages, with Just a Fling she still manages to deliver great suspense and a believable love story.  Erin and Foster are just too much fun together. 

Book Review – The Cowboy

04 Wednesday Feb 2015

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cover59037-mediumCarina Chapman wants a vacation. Somewhere hot. Somewhere decadent. Somewhere far, far away from her complicated life in New York. Somewhere in Australia appears to be the answer, until Carina discovers her PA has booked her into the wrong resort.

Cowboy Jake Richardson can cook a mean camp-oven roast, track wild horses, breed cattle and knows Australia’s rugged High Country like no other, but he needs to diversify if he wants to keep his land. Tourism seems like the answer, but his housekeeper just quit, the rooms aren’t ready and he doesn’t know a short black from a cappuccino.

Then his first guest arrives.

City slick Carina is smart, classy and disgruntled that her dreamy five-star retreat has been replaced by a rustic homestead beside the Barcoo Creek. Jake has seven days to convince Carina he can deliver all the items on her vacation checklist – including the five-step method to an everlasting relationship…

With him.

The Cowboy was novella length but still managed to fit in a lot of fun and emotion into a smaller book.  It wasn’t an overly deep story but it was entertaining and sweet, just what I wanted in a short contemporary romance.  Some might complain about the Aussie stereotypes or clichéd language, but I found it cute. 

Osborn did such a fantastic job describing Barcoo Creek and the Australian wilderness, I felt like I was along for the adventure with Carina – I’m ready to vacation at the resort and experience all of the beauty for myself.  Jake and Carina were fun together, throwing off sparks and laughter at the city slicker’s expense.  I did like that Carina decided to go with the flow, although her decision at the end was a little abrupt – but with a novella like this you want your happy ending and you only have so many pages to get there 🙂

For an amusing read, where you feel like you’re on vacation down under and maybe even falling in love a little with a rugged Aussie, give The Cowboy a shot.  With its shorter length and beautiful descriptions, highlighted by comedic fish-out-of-water moments and an endearing opposites-attract storyline, it is sure to please.

Book Review – Without You Here

03 Tuesday Feb 2015

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cover51663-mediumAfter fighting with her boyfriend, Ettie’s only goal is to drown her sorrows in some Jack Daniels. But when she walks into a country tavern, her attention is immediately redirected to the sexy, older man at the bar. He looks lonely, and sad, and absolutely mouth-watering. Ettie can’t wait to put a smile on his face.

For the first time in two years, Wyatt finds himself jolted out of his grief—and by a spunky, vivacious young woman who somehow sees right into his soul. What follows is a passionate weekend full of more life, laughter, and pure joy than he experienced in twenty years of marriage.

Wyatt thought one weekend was all he had to give, yet in the days that follow, he can’t help dreaming up a future with Ettie. And then a chance meeting shatters his hopes, leaving him more lost than ever. Now Ettie must decide whether to walk away, or to fight for the love she knows they both deserve.

Without You Here is the sexy, heartwarming story of overcoming grief, embracing love, and learning to live in the moment.

I’ll be honest, there were quite a few times when I wasn’t sure what I thought about this book.  There is a lot of emotional trauma for both Ettie and Wyatt, plus a pretty big age difference between the two.  And then Ashby throws them a pretty huge curveball and things get even more complicated.  The Jackson family is fantastic though and I think I want to be adopted by them.  They are supportive, kind and loving people.  Good strong farming stock, who care about the important things in life. 

Wyatt has been having an extremely tough go since his wife died and they have no idea what to do.  Thanks to some time spent with Ettie, Wyatt is starting to look more like his old self.  But, something that I truly appreciate, she isn’t going to save him.  He needs to do that himself but, along with his family, she helps give him that wakeup call that he has to have in order to get the help he needs. 

It’s an emotional rollercoaster for all of them and one that I’m not sure everyone will like.  But I will say when I put it down I was extremely glad I’d picked it up. 

Book Review – Wolf’s Song

02 Monday Feb 2015

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Today I’ve got something fun for those of you who like your heroes a little … wild.

*****

Wolf'sSong_300x450Wolf’s Song

Black Hills Wolves

by Taryn Kincaid

Genre: Paranormal romance

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Date of Publication: January 30, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-61333-676-2

ASIN: B00QKLHNQM

Number of pages: 59

Word Count: 19,000

Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde

Blurb:

Ten years ago, visions of death and the babble of lupine voices in his head, drove lone wolf Brick Northridge to challenge his cruel and greedy pack alpha. Beaten by the alpha’s thugs and banished from the pack, Brick lives a life of seclusion in a mountain cabin in the Black Hills.

Born into a rival clan of feline shifters, skinwalker Summer McCoy, in her guise as a raven, watches Brick from afar, giving him back a reason to live through her sweet songs and special gifts.

But when her clan attempts to tear them apart and threatens the pack that banished Brick so many years before, will their love be strong enough to withstand the forces bent on their destruction?

Available at Amazon

Wolf'sSongBanner

*****

Review:

Wolf’s Song is a nice transition piece for the Black Hills Wolves story.  It can stand alone but it felt more like a connector between the first couple of stories and what comes next.  It looks like all of the stories in the series are short (and by different authors) so I’m not sure if that is just how this book reads or if it is common to the series. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I really liked it. Brick is deliciously sullen & troubled and Summer is sweet and fun, the bright spot in his life (he just doesn’t know it).  Once they meet for real, their connection is undeniable – full of warmth and sizzle and heart. 

There is also some danger thrown in to keep things hopping.  Summer’s uncle has plans that don’t include Brick (or any of the rest of the wolves in the area).  I did see someone complain that the resolution seemed a bit fast but I’m not sure if any of this had been set up in any of the previous stories.  I’d assume so but since I (again) joined a series midway thru I’m not sure.  What they decide to do works, you just don’t see a lot of the decision making process and how they get there. 

But it is the relationship between Summer and Brick that really shines.  Being a werewolf romance there is a little fun with situations and language (some phrases that in a normal romance would be humorous, not sexy) but for me those kinds of things work when you talk about supernatural beings.  The world works differently for them but that is what makes them especially enjoyable – peculiar is not bad 🙂

If you like your heroes furry and you want a fast & fantastical read, Wolf’s Song is the book for you. 

*****

Excerpt:

Summer McCoy perched in the uppermost branches of her special Ponderosa pine, in raven guise, engaging in her favorite pastime, spying on the lone wolf chopping wood below. Two days’ worth of whiskers shadowed his rigid jaw. She loved when he forgot—or didn’t bother—to shave. Scruffy stubble suited him.

The sun beat down on the back of his bronzed neck and shone on his hair, the color of roasted coffee, a shade lighter than the dark shadow that charcoaled his face.

She fluffed her feathers in anticipation. Take your shirt off, Brick.

She’d heard the giant werebear, Gee, call him that name a decade ago. He’d made some joke about a wall and the hardness of the male’s head. But Brick hadn’t laughed back then. Not ever.

He’d fascinated her from the moment he’d arrived in the glade, bruised and battered. Once she’d learned his name, she’d treasured it, taking pleasure from repeating it often. Secretly, of course.

Unwrapping the syllable frequently to admire its radiance in the privacy of her tree house, the way a woman wearing pearls against her warm skin enhanced their luminosity and iridescence.

Now, as if he’d heard her silent urging, he complied with her plea, shrugging out of the plaid flannel and flinging it onto a tree stump. Her beak opened as she sucked in breath. Sweat glistened on his torso, glazing rippling pecs and abs, shoulders broad enough to span the Badlands. A huge, incredible specimen of masculinity. Thick biceps flexed as he wielded the ax. Her heart beat faster than a hummingbird’s wings. Heat licked her.

*****

Author (1)Author Info:

Taryn Kincaid is a former award-winning reporter and columnist, covering everything from fires and homicides, to corrupt politicians and hero dogs. Nowadays, she haunts courthouses (in least paranormal way).

She is the author of the Sleepy Hollow series–LIGHTNING,THUNDER,FROST,HEAT WAVE and IN FROM THE COLD — sexy paranormal romances for Decadent Publishing’s popular 1Night Stand series; BLIZZARD, a short erotic romance for Decadent’s The Edge line; HEALING HEARTS, a Regency romance from Carina Press, and SLEEPY HOLLOW DREAMS, an erotic paranormal romance from The Wild Rose Press. Books 1-4 of her Sleepy Hollow series, plus Blizzard, have been compiled in the SLEEPY HOLLOW edition, available in paperback and digital formats.

Coming January 30, 2015, WOLF’S SONG, a sexy paranormal romance for Decadent Publishing’s new Black Hills Wolves shifter line. And coming February 24, 2015 from Fated Desires Publishing, IF YOU CAN’T STAND THE HEAT, a contemporary foodie romanceCheck out the fun videos for Thunder, Lightning and Frost.

Visit Taryn at her website http://tarynkincaid.com or her blog http://dreamvoyagers.blogspot.com as well as Twitter, Facebook , Amazon and Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

1 Autographed copy of print edition of SLEEPY HOLLOW (U.S. only)

1 ebook edition of SLEEPY HOLLOW  International

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112ffc930/

*****

Tour Info:

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

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Book Review – On the Fly

30 Friday Jan 2015

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Yesterday we met a sexy soldier and today I’m really excited to bring you a yummy hockey player.  Introducing Carter Phlynn, captain of the Sinners!

*****

17338006Jacey Vaughn has a newly minted MBA when her father dies unexpectedly and leaves her his NHL team. Well-versed in business but not so much in hockey, Jacey navigates this new world with a few stumbles. She definitely doesn’t plan on falling for the team captain. At the first hint of scandal, a local Las Vegas reporter latches on, and Jacey finds herself in the newspaper with headlines that hurt instead of help. Jacey’s determined to keep her father’s legacy alive and make the team successful, but while she has no problem denying her feelings to the media, she can’t lie to herself.

Carter Phlynn has known nothing but hockey his entire life. Drafted into the NHL at age eighteen, winning the Stanley Cup is all he’s ever wanted. Nothing has ever disrupted his focus. Not until he meets his new boss. Jacey gets under his skin like no one else, and while dating the team owner would be a disaster for his career and reputation, he can’t get her out of his head. Carter has never had a relationship last more than a month, but the more he’s around Jacey, the more he can’t picture his future without her.

I love a good sports romance – there is just something about a big, strong man falling in love that just gets me every time.  And Kenyhercz delivers a fantastic hero with Carter.  There is just something sexy about a man who is comfortable enough to know how he feels and own up to it.  Carter quickly realizes what he feels and is willing to take that chance on it turning into something special. 

In a bit of a change, it’s actually Jacey who has a problem with the relationship.  She feels it too but she’s been burned recently.  Add in the stress of her new job and she’s not quite as brave as he his.  It’s not totally new for the heroine to have issues with commitment but it doesn’t happen as often as the other way around.  With their working relationship and Jacey’s trust issues, the romance isn’t going to be smooth. 

Jacey and Carter kept me glued to the pages as they faced their attraction and a ton of complications – every time I had to put the book down I couldn’t wait until I could pick it up again.  With masterful storytelling and engaging characters, Kenyhercz delivers an amazing start to her series.  

I think one of my favorite parts about sports romances based on a team sport is that there are unlimited possibilities for new stories with the supporting characters.  And with the Sinners it is no different.  Between Jacey’s brother and Carter’s teammates I’m sure we’re going to have fun for lots more books to come.  And if they are anything like On The Fly they are going to be winners. 

Book Review – HOT Ice

29 Thursday Jan 2015

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Once again Lynn Rayed Harris brings us a seductive military romance, with a to-die-for hero, in the latest installment to her HOT series!

*****

2940149922710_p0_v1_s260x420When fire and ice collide, you get steam…

Grace Campbell leads a privileged life. The daughter of a United States senator, she moves within the social circles of the rich and famous. But Grace is also a scientist, and when someone learns she possesses the knowledge necessary to create a new super virus capable of destroying entire nations, she becomes a target for terror groups and foreign governments alike.

Garrett “Iceman” Spencer didn’t join the Army’s elite Hostile Operations Team to babysit a spoiled rich girl, but when his superiors insist on assigning him to a senator’s daughter as her security detail, he has no choice but to comply.

It’s a shock to find that beneath the glasses and serious scowl, Grace Campbell burns hot. And Garrett, who’s been burned before, suddenly wants to immerse himself in the flames.

Keeping Grace alive—and keeping his hands off her—is a full-time job for this HOT soldier. Failure is not an option…

I’m sure I’ve said it before, but I’m going to again – Harris’s books pack quite a punch.  They are full of danger and intrigue, complicated Alphas and the women they fall for, oh-so-steamy sex scenes and emotions galore.  I can’t decide if I like her stories more for the romance or for the action.  But it doesn’t matter because she’s an artist at delivering both. 

The men of HOT are strong, dedicated, and brave, but as you would expect they have a ton of issues.  If you read Hot Rebel then you knew that Garrett was going to fall next … and fall hard.  The man has himself tied up in so many knots that it is going to take a very special woman to reach him.  And I’m SO glad that Grace is that woman. 

I think Grace has to be one of my characters in this series (and that is saying a lot).  She’s strong but unsure of herself, a fish out of water in most situations, but she’s got a level head and a lot of grit.  Faced with someone out to kidnap her, she rolls with it … granted she got a big, bad bodyguard at her side, and a yummy one at that, so that definitely helps 🙂

Garrett isn’t one for sharing, internalizing his troubles and pain, but time spent with Grace quickly changes that.  On the run and in very close quarters, he finds it hard to resist her.  The interactions between these two are the perfect mixture of humor, caring and heat.  It’s a fantastic ride from how they rubbed each other the wrong way at their first meeting to falling into bed together.  I loved them as a couple and although he fights it, Garrett sees it too … but getting him to act on it takes a lot.  Luckily Grace has the spirit to be the match he needs. 

And as much as I enjoy seeing these guys fall in love, I’m also kept on the edge of my seat by the danger they find themselves in.  There is a general theme that has been running thru the books as a lot of the plots are tied together, even just a little, so it does help to have read the whole series.  But trust me, with guys like this and Harris’s addictive writing style, you won’t mind a bit!

Spotlight – Rough Rider

28 Wednesday Jan 2015

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And now for another oh-so-sexy cowboy … check out Dirk everyone.  Yum!  And ready to go home with you next week.

*****

image001 (1)Rough Rider

by Victoria Vane

Sourcebooks Casablanca

Contemporary Western Romance

February 3, 2015

ISBN: 9781492601159

Two wary hearts …

Janice Combes has two loves, bucking bulls and Dirk Knowlton. But Dirk only has eyes for a dazzling rodeo queen. How can Janice ever compete while mired ankle-deep in manure? Exchanging playful banter with Dirk is all Janice can expect—until the stormy night he knocks on her door dripping wet and needing a place to crash.

Different Dreams…

Dirk Knowlton is living the cowboy dream. Life should be good—roping, branding, backing broncs, riding bulls, but there’s a void he can’t seem to fill. After getting hung up by a bull, he wonders if this is really the life he wants. Restless and rebellious, he bolts…but there’s a certain cowgirl he can’t forget.

When a battle-scarred Dirk returns to his Montana ranch he’s determined to hang on at any cost. Janice has come back home to lick her own wounds. When old dreams turn to dust, can two wary hearts take another chance on love?

Buy ROUGH RIDER by Victoria Vane here:

Amazon | Apple | B&N | BAM | !ndigo | IndieBound | Kobo

Book Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOmh60NT1zs

Praise for Slow Hand by Victoria Vane:

“A “red-hot cowboy tale…their sexual chemistry crackles. Well-paced, scorching scenes and witty banter move the story along while setting the stage for Wade’s war-hero brother to find his own true love in the next installment.” – Publishers Weekly

“SLOW HAND by Victoria Vane is delightful, funny, page turning steamy sexy… I’m beginning to think Victoria could write a phone book and make it sexy.” – Unwrapping Romance

“PULL THE FIRE ALARM & STOCK UP ON FIRE EXTINGUISHERS FOR THIS STEAMY ROMANCE!” – Avon Romance

*****

Excerpt:

He looked abashed. “We didn’t just have to leave the party, we got kicked out of the hotel too.”

“Evicted from your room?”

“Yup. And there aren’t any others available in all of Casper.”

“I know,” she said. “It’s why I’m camped out here.” She paused to digest what he’d left unsaid. “So you and Rachel?”

He shook his head with a scowl “We’re done now. Quits.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope. History. Case closed.”

“It’ll blow over.”

“Don’t think so. It was her idea to boot us. Said she didn’t give a shit if I had a room tonight or not. Then I couldn’t even try finding anything outside of town because my asshole brother took my keys so I wouldn’t drive. My next move was to pilfer a blanket and pillow and camp out under the stars in my truck bed, but then it started pouring on me.”

“So you came here. How’d you do that with no wheels?”

“Walked.”

“Three miles in the pouring rain? No wonder you look like something the cat dragged in.”

“Can I crash for a coupla hours? Maybe just camp out in the back seat of your dually? All I need is to get warm and dry again.”

Janice’s mouth went dry as sawdust. Dirk Knowlton. Cold. Wet. Here. Now. Wanting a bed? She’d give her right arm to warm him up. Heck yeah.

Misreading her silence he mumbled a curse. “Sorry, Janice. It’s my damned head. I’m not thinkin’ right. It’s still throbbing like hell. Haven’t been myself all night. M’pologies for being such a dumb-ass and imposing on you—” He turned to the door.

“No! Wait. It’s not that.” She grabbed his sleeve. “I was just thinking of your injuries. You don’t need to make matters worse by sleeping all cramped up in the truck.” She gnawed her lower lip and then blurted. “Y-you wanna just stay here instead?”

“Here? That’s mighty generous but there isn’t a whole lot of room for both of us.” He glanced up at the gooseneck with a frown. “If you’ll just gimme a blanket, I’ll take the floor.”

“You don’t need to do that,” she said. “The bench here flips down over the table and converts into a single. It’s really narrow and not very comfortable, but still better than the truck. Warmer anyway. Besides you need to get dry.”

“You sure about this?” he asked.

“Yeah.” She smiled. “What are friends for? I’m sure I’ve got a shirt for you too.”

“Thanks, Red. That would be great.”

Red? The single syllable rippled warm and tingly, all the way to her toes. He followed up with a lopsided grin that stopped her in her tracks. She turned to the small cabinet that served a dual function as dresser and closet and shut her eyes on a sigh—but the same air stuck in her throat the minute she turned back around.

He’d shed the denim jacket. And the black tee. His bare torso with well-developed pecs and a mouthwatering six pack greeted her. He was drying his face with his discarded shirt. Janice tore her gaze away and cleared her throat. “Here.” She thrust an extra-large Dixie Chicks T-shirt into his hands, a souvenir from their Top of the World Tour. “I—I can get you a towel too.”

He eyed the shirt skeptically. “No thanks.”

“What? You don’t like female musicians?”

“Don’t like their politics. Natalie should just shut up and sing.”

“Ah.” She nodded slowly. The shirt was from the tour that caused the “incident.” A lot of her friends had since thrown out their Dixie Chicks CDs, but Janice still loved their music. “I Can Love You Better” was her favorite. The lyrics, she’s got you wrapped up in her satin and lace. Tied around her little finger…but I can love you better, perfectly summed up all the heartbreak and frustrations of unrequited love; all her secret feelings for Dirk. She only wished she could show him now that he was here. In the flesh. A big strong, blue-lipped and teeth-chattering fantasy come true.

*****

Author Info:

Victoria Vane is a multiple award-winning romance novelist and history junkie whose collective works of fiction range from wildly comedic romps to emotionally compelling erotic romance. Victoria also writes historical fiction as Emery Lee and is the founder of Goodreads Romantic Historical Fiction Lovers and the Romantic Historical Lovers book review blog.

Connect with Victoria Vane:

Website | Facebook | @AuthorVictoriaV | Pinterest | Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

3 copies of SLOW HAND by Victoria Vane

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/54ca7af758/

Spotlight – For Keeps

27 Tuesday Jan 2015

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Y’all, this one looks like so much fun!

*****

Lacey_For Keeps_MMFor Keeps

by Rachel Lacey

Blurb:

A SUMMER FLING . . . OR SOMETHING MORE?

Merry Atwater would do just about anything to save her dog rescue – even if it means working with the most stubborn man on the planet. It’s hard to avoid the sparks that fly with TJ Jameson, the ruggedly sexy cowboy in charge of the children’s camp where she’s just taken an animal therapy job. But commitment is not Merry’s style, and TJ clearly wants more than just a roll in the hay.

TJ Jameson isn’t looking for anything complicated-just a peaceful life on his family’s ranch with a wife and kids. “No-strings” Merry Atwater doesn’t fit that bill, no matter how irresistible she is. But when he sees how Merry gets through to his autistic nephew and the other kids at Camp Blue Sky, TJ’s a goner. If he doesn’t give in to the now, he might just lose his shot at forever . . .

Buy Links:

Amazon – http://amzn.to/1xkN5pc

BAM – http://bit.ly/17E21Kv

B&N – http://bit.ly/1AWAKPw

IndieBound – http://bit.ly/1AWAH6a

GooglePlay – http://bit.ly/1u3e1JX

iTunes – http://bit.ly/1u27ViN

Kobo – http://bit.ly/1CeOF0t

*****

Excerpt:

His expression heated until his eyes practically burned her.

She nibbled her bottom lip. “I should, uh, I should go.”

“It’s late,” he said, his voice like gravel. It tickled all her sweet spots.

She stared at his hands, those big calloused fingers. Damn, but she wanted to feel them on her skin. Like, now.

“Really late.” She took a step, but her feet accidentally carried her toward T.J., not the door.

He sucked in an audible breath, his eyes scorching hers. “I thought you were going.”

“So did I.” But fuck it. If she was going to be in his house in the middle of the night in her underwear, she might as well give him a kiss goodnight.

She’d never been known for her self-control, after all.

He watched her, not moving a muscle, as if he’d become rooted to the floor.

She put her palms on his biceps and pressed her lips to his. Just a quick kiss to test the waters, because they did have to work together for the next month.

His scent wrapped around her, filled her lungs, and stole her sanity. She lingered for a moment, her lips on his, so soft, so warm. Just enough to make her want more. So much more.

Her body pulsed with it.

She was about to pull back and tell him goodnight when his arms slid around her waist, securing her against the firm column of his body, and oh God, she was a goner.

“What was that?” he whispered against her lips.

She slid her hands up to encircle his neck. “A goodnight kiss.”

“And why would you do something like that?” His voice vibrated through her.

“Because I wanted to.” Their bodies were pressed together, and though he hadn’t kissed her back, he wanted to. She felt the evidence pressed against her belly.

“Bad idea,” he growled, his lips still touching hers, teasing, tempting.

“Oh, yeah?” She could hardly breathe. Every nerve tingled with awareness, desperate for his touch, his kiss. More. More of everything.

Her heart throbbed in her chest.

T.J.’s eyes smoldered into hers, his pupils blown with lust. His body vibrated with tension, his arms like steel bands around her. “Yeah.”

“Then send me home.” She wiggled in his arms, pressing into his erection, tempting him, willing him to kiss her back. Just for tonight.

She needed to be kissed. She needed to feel.

And he could make her…

His lips crushed hers, taking her so suddenly, so thoroughly, that she didn’t have time to draw a breath. She heard herself groan, felt the desire inside her explode into something so completely out of control it almost frightened her.

Her back slammed into the wall, and her legs wrapped around his waist. His tongue plunged into her mouth, gliding against hers in a rhythm so perfect she shuddered in his arms. He lifted her hips, grinding himself against her until her eyes rolled back in her head, and…

Holy shit, holy shit.

She must have lost her mind. Her body burned, quaked, shook for him, and he felt so fucking good. He tasted like sin, sweet and sexy, like leather and cowboy boots, and…

Holy shit.

She needed more. She needed everything. She needed him buried deep inside her, groaning her name as he drove her over the edge, as he came inside her, and…

Holy shit.

This was completely out of control.

“Holy shit.” The words came from T.J.’s lips, not her own, as he tore his mouth from hers and speared her with his gaze. He panted for breath, his body coiled against hers, so hard, so ready. She felt every inch of him still pressed between her legs, right where her body burned hottest for him. “What the hell was that?”

She laughed. “If you don’t know, then you’re more out of practice than I am.”

*****

Rachel LaceyAuthor Info:

Rachel Lacey lives in North Carolina, with her husband, son, and their own rescued pup. She volunteers her spare time with Carolina Boxer Rescue and truly has a passion for helping our furry friends. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America as well as her local Heart of Carolina RWA chapter.

Contact Rachel:

@rachelslacey

www.rachellacey.com

http://facebook.com/RachelLaceyAuthor 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8150779.Rachel_Lacey?from_search=true

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Giveaway:

Five lucky winners will win a collection of books by Rachel Lacey!

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2154/

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Tour Info:

For-Keeps-Blog-Tour

1/26 Art, Books, & Coffee

1/26 This Wacky Momma Reads 

1/26 Long and Short Reviews

1/26 Into the Hall of Books

1/26 A Bluestocking’s Place

1/27 Romantic Reads and Such

1/27 The Boyfriend Bookmark

1/27 Kimmy Loves to Read

1/28 Give Me Books

1/28 Bibliojunkies

1/28 Book Suburbia

1/28 Reading Shy With Aly

1/28 Vox Libris

1/28 Fresh Fiction

1/28 Romance Junkies

1/28 The avid Reader

1/29 Manga Maniac Cafe

1/29 Mary Gramlich

1/29 Book Reviews & More by Kathy

1/29 Made For You Book Reviews

1/30 Ramblings From This Chick

1/30 SOS AlohaKate

1/30 George – Author

Book Review – Officer in Pursuit

26 Monday Jan 2015

Posted by in Book Review

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9781505283389_p0_v1_s260x420Officer in Pursuit (Lock and Key Book 3)

Ranae Rose

Secrets are what Kerry has lived and breathed for the past three years, and those secrets may kill her, if she’s not careful. Her new life in a coastal North Carolina paradise is haunted by her past and ruled by her number one goal: to not be noticed. Even if that means denying her attraction to Officer Grey Morgan, who’s set his sights on her beyond any doubts and despite all odds.

Grey has spent his summer in pursuit of Kerry, but what he doesn’t know is that nothing with her is as it seems and loving her comes with a price.

What she doesn’t know is that there’s no risk he won’t take, and no way he’ll let her fight her demons alone.

If you have read either of my other reviews in this series (Officer Next Door and Officer Out of Uniform) you know that I love Rose’s books.  They have that perfect amount of danger and heat, but she doesn’t skimp on the heart. 

We’ve seen both Kerry and Grey in the previous stories and we’ve watched as they’ve danced around their attraction to each.  But with Officer in Pursuit we finally get a chance to find out why Kerry has been resisting the oh-so-sexy officer.  I love how Grey is willing to put himself out there again and again, knowing that Kerry is worth it and waiting for her to give him a chance.  He’s confident, caring and funny – absolutely perfect for falling in love with. But Kerry has her secrets and they are doozies.  When they finally come to light, they bring with them a threat that she can only face if she’s willing to let Grey and her friends in.  I can see why she thinks that she has to hold so much inside but the support she receives once everything is revealed is just what she needs.

Full of humor and adventure and sexiness galore, Rose once again delivers a winner.  And I can’t wait until we get the next book to see what she brings our favorite police officer, Jeremy.   

Book Review – Running Interference

23 Friday Jan 2015

Posted by in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest

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We’re going to finish the work week with a sexy new sports romance – one that switches things up with a gridiron heroine!

*****

RI Cover (2)Running Interference

Cleveland Clash Book 1

By Elley Arden

Blurb:

In an exciting new series from Elley Arden, it’s sports romance with a twist, when an independent, tough-talking female football player joins forces with her high-profile, hotter-than-hell friend to save her father’s boxing gym.

Even when she’s playing offense, defense is the name of the game for Cleveland Clash offensive linewoman Tanya Martin. After watching her family and friends struggle with relationships and the strings they leave behind, she has one unflappable goal: “Protect this house. Protect this heart.” The motto takes on new meaning when her father’s beloved gym is threatened with foreclosure and help appears in the form of her high school friend Cam Simmons, who rolls into town after a Super Bowl win and a five-year absence, looking like the one man who could test her resolve.

More comfortable in the spotlight than in the gritty surroundings of his hometown, Cam Simmons dreads the off-season visit that comes

with the ulterior motive of convincing his mother to move. But things change when he reconnects with Tanya. The more time he spends with the sexy, sarcastic woman, who is as determined as ever to stay single, the more he can’t resist the challenge. Until, becoming friends with benefits has her running away, and a bachelor auction to save the gym has him in the sites of a woman who could ruin everything.

Goodreads  Amazon  Barnes & Noble iBooks

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E Arden auth picAuthor Info:

Elley Arden is a born and bred Pennsylvanian who has lived as far west as Utah and as far north as Wisconsin. She drinks wine like it’s water (a slight exaggeration), prefers a night at the ballpark to a night on the town, and believes almond English toffee is the key to happiness. Charming characters. Emotional stories. Sexy romance.

Connect with Elley

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Tsu | Newsletter

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Review:

I loved the interaction between Tanya and Cam.  Even though their lives have taken very different paths, the shared history and close friendship comes through as they get to know each other again.  And the importance given to family is very appealing as well – both of them will do anything to take care of those they love and it is apparent to anyone who knows them. But they have problems as well.

Cam wants to get his mom out of town and never come back but the attraction between him and Tanya is very powerful.  Is it enough to survive him leaving again?

Tanya’s very afraid of giving her heart.  She doesn’t have a lot of good role models, her parents are divorced and her brother is separated from his wife, so she’s decided that nothing positive can come from love.  Enter Cam, who she feels abandoned her when he didn’t need her any more, and he just highlights her beliefs.  Is she willing to give him a chance?

With chemistry galore but a ton of emotional baggage to go with it, Arden’s characters are delightful.  Tanya’s discovery of her feelings for Cam is quite well done and the ending is a lot of fun. And since this is part of a series, we’ve got some great secondary characters who are just waiting for their own story.

Running Interference is the perfect mixture of sports and romance, with angst and heat galore.

*****

Giveaway:

Daily #giveaways and 1 Grand Prize up for grabs during the blitz for RUNNING INTERFERENCE, a Cleveland Clash novel by Elley Arden!

Female professional football player Tanya Martin enlists the help of childhood friend and Super Bowl MVP Cam Simmons to help save her father’s financially strapped boxing gym and in the process loses her carefully guarded heart.

To celebrate the release of her new series, Cleveland Clash, with the first novel, RUNNING INTERFERENCE, Elley is doing daily #giveaways on each day of the review blitz! On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, winners will receive a digital copy of one of Elley’s backlist titles. On Tuesday and Thursday, winners will #win a $10 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble (winner’s choice). Daily drawings will be held at 4:00pm EST and winners will be announced on Elley’s Facebook page and on Twitter.

And wait, there’s MORE! The grand prize winner, chosen at the end of the blitz, will #win a football prize pack, including a Cleveland Clash water bottle, a signed copy of Heal My Heart—the book that started it all—and more! Winner will be announced on Elley’s Facebook and Twitter at the end of the blitz.

Winners will need to contact Elley with their preferred store for gift card, email address and shipping address, at elley AT elleyarden DOT com.

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef2954/

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