Book Review – Dark Promise

23 Sunday Mar 2014

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cover43876-mediumLove can unlock the secret to saving two worlds.

As the Golden Aspen Tree withers, darkness consumes the Dragon Demons of the Underworld, turning them feral. Prince Eric Wyvern must keep his darkness at bay and woo the silver-haired human tainted with angel blood whose touch is prophesied to save the Golden Tree and restore light to the Underworld.

Cassandra Wright, a gifted psychic, has dreamed of Eric her whole life. When her dream lover joins her on a ski vacation, he plunges her into a nightmare. Imprisoned in a dying world filled with abuse and torture, she must become the Demon Prince’s mate or remain trapped forever. If she fails to fulfill the prophecy, the darkness will spread to her world. But how can she give herself to this dark and frightening version of the man of her dreams?

Eric will give Cassandra the world, if only he can make her see past the darkness to the man he really is, and help him save it first.

Even though this isn’t one of my favorite books, I’ll definitely be giving this series a chance. There are good bones here, I just wasn’t all that into the execution. The idea is fantastic – I love the parallel fantasy world that Guida has developed – but the beginning of the story spends a little too long on details that don’t seem to matter to the overall story and not enough is given to the important things.

I want to get to know their world better – their history, their culture, how things relate – but we get a lot of posturing by Eric in our world. He’s trying to woo Cassandra but it doesn’t really work and a lot of time is spent on her ex. It makes sense to have Eric get close to her so I’m on board with that but there is way too much time describing the scenery or details about people (some who don’t turn out to be all that important to this story). Maybe it is to set up the scene, I don’t know, but for me it doesn’t go anywhere.  There are a lot of pages that could have been spent developing a connection between Eric and Cassandra but don’t.

The action really started when we get to Eric’s world and it was absolutely fascinating. I love the idea of what darkness could do to normally good people. But, because we don’t get a good basis for Eric and Cassandra’s relationship, when they have to become mates it just doesn’t feel warm and fuzzy. I will say from that point on, even though it will be disturbing for some, it is very engaging. The evil things that are done and the way that it is taking over their world is disgusting but it makes the ending that much better.

I really like the fact that there are far reaching effects from this time. Eric has a nephew who isn’t consumed by the dark and is fully aware of all of the things that are done to him and to others. He is just a boy and this will definitely leave some scars. Guida isn’t shy about letting you know that either.

Overall, I think this could be a good start to a new series. I’ll give the next one a shot to see if some of the kinks in the flow have been worked out because I’d love to see more of this world.

Book Review – Empty Net

23 Sunday Mar 2014

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cover29874-mediumIn Toni Aleo’s third novel in her hot Assassins series, the chiseled men of this Nashville hockey team can make anything happen when they go all out for the women they want—even turn a one-night stand into a happily ever after.

Audrey Parker is up against the boards. She’s stuck in a job she hates and pining for a total jerk. Meanwhile, her sister Fallon is moving out and getting married to hockey star Lucas Brooks. Where is Audrey’s Prince Charming? Nothing she does has ever seemed to be good enough for any of the men in her life. Audrey’s about to hit rock bottom . . . until she wakes up next to Tate Odder.

The thrill of moving up from the minors to the Nashville Assassins was a welcome distraction. But not even becoming the first rookie goalie to tally three shutouts in the Stanley Cup finals alleviates the pain. With the loss of his parents and sister weighing as heavily on his soul as ever, Tate Odder can’t keep pretending he’s okay. That’s when he meets smart, sexy Audrey. Her gentle warmth and quirky sense of humor make him feel whole for the first time in too long. But to stay that way forever, Tate must find a way to accept his past and learn to live for love.

I should accept by now that these Assassins books are just going to be an emotional rollercoaster. I’ve read Taking Shots and Trying to Score and both of them broke my heart at least a couple of times. Empty Net proves to be no different.

Audrey has some serious self-esteem issues that she has to work through and a pretty big secret that has caused her to seek out only bad relationships. We got a glimpse of how bad her latest one with Levi is in Trying to Score but we get a little bit more of it here. Unfortunately those issues cause her to fight her feelings for Tate for most of the book. There is a lot of back and forth on her part and that man has the patience of a saint to put up with it. But the nice thing is that once she gets everything straight in her head it goes much better for them.

The blurb makes it seem like Tate has some issues of his own to work through, but I didn’t really see it. For being only 21 years old, he is amazingly mature and he handles the curveballs thrown by Audrey with a lot of grace and understanding. He’s centered and caring and giving, the Prince Charming that Audrey needs. He just has to wait for her to realize it.

I love that we get some updates on the previous characters and a hint at what is to come. Blue Lines looks to be just as much of a heartbreaker as the stories that have come before it, but I’m looking forward to every heart wrenching moment.

If you are brave enough to take it on, and I totally suggest you do, Empty Net may leave you wrung out but it will also leave you satisfied.

Book Review – Beefcake and Cupcakes

22 Saturday Mar 2014

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15831456Sugar is sweet, but so is revenge …

All Lara Cavallo wants to do is make her bakery business, Cavallo’s Cups & Cakes, a success, and be able to stop accepting alimony from her rotten, cheating ex-husband. But first she needs to find her clothes and escape the strange hotel room she wakes up in before she embarrasses herself any further in front the owner of that gorgeous naked keister she spots through the bathroom door. She needs to keep her mind on her cupcakes. She doesn’t have time for beefcake, no matter how enticing.

Cupcakes are sweet, and so is Lara…

All Gage Tomlinson wants is to find a way to help his single-mom sister pay the hospital bills for his six-year-old nephew, badly injured in a hit and run accident. Working construction during the day and as the owner of the exotic male dance troupe BeefCake, Inc. by night doesn’t leave much time for indulgence. Too bad the sweetest thing he’s seen in ages passes out on him and then takes off before he even gets a nibble. He’s got a sweet tooth, and only Lara’s “cupcakes” will satisfy him.

But when cupcake finally meets beefcake, it’s hot enough to melt the buttercream right off the cake.

Ingredients:

Lara Cavallo, a baker who’s just starting out after a divorce,

Gage Tomlinson, a stripper who’s been around the block and needs money for his nephew’s surgery,

Cara and Bryan, two best friends who mean well,

And Jeff, the ex husband who doesn’t.

Mix them all together at the social event of the season and you get one sexy batch of dancing “cupcakes”!

I stumbled across this one totally by accident and couldn’t resist giving it a try. I mean, come on it stars a male stripper! But of course there is so much more to Gage than the fact that he takes his clothes off for a living … although that isn’t anything to sniff at. But he’s also hard-working, smart, funny, and giving. He’s got a load of responsibilities on his wide, strong shoulders and he’s doing his best to keep moving forward. Then he meets Lara, only to have her run out on him, a new experience for the gorgeous Gage. Of course he can’t resist seeing more of her.

Lara is coming out of a bad relationship and has always been the good girl. Waking up in bed with a man she can’t remember is very much out of character. But when she finally meets the man with the tempting behind she doesn’t resist for long. He ex-husband tore her down and left her feeling like she’s no match for the oh-so-tempting Gage but he’s go the patience and is willing to make her believe.

It’s fun watching these two try to figure out if they want to get involved and how they can rearrange their lives to make room for a relationship. There isn’t a ton of drama – most of it centers on their complicated lives and Lara’s lack of confidence than about any real trouble. Of course there is a little bit around the way they met plus what Gage does for a living, not the easiest thing for a good girl to accept, but it is handled with that perfect mixture of warmth and sizzle. I’m definitely going to pick up the next in the series, Beefcake and Mistakes, and I hope to see more from Fennell in the future.

 

Book Review – Where the Heart Is

22 Saturday Mar 2014

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cover39502-mediumHome is more than a place . . .

Breaking free from her structured life, Chloe English quits her high-powered job and moves across the country to work as an art teacher. The simple life is all she hoped it would be until her house burns down, leaving her homeless. When a handsome firefighter swoops in to save the day, she can’t believe her luck. He’s laid-back and unassuming, everything she’s looking for in a man—or so he seems. It turns out he’s as ambitious as her ex, comes with a family who could be more stifling than hers, and harbors dark secrets he may never be able to share.

Orphaned as a teenager, Derek Sumner has found a place in his best friend’s family. However, the love and support of his surrogate parents and siblings can’t erase the grief and loss he struggles every Christmas to banish. But this year he meets the fun and sexy Chloe, whose optimism and sense of joy are incredibly contagious. Can she help him face his bleak past so they can forge a happy future?

I found Where the Heart Is to be a touching and sweet contemporary romance. Granted the characters seemed to fall in love awfully quick, but they realize that too so it makes it more realistic. Both Chloe and Derek are engaging and their relationship has warmth and charm. Their problems aren’t necessarily as dark as the blurb makes it seem – they really have to figure out whether they are moving too fast and if they can get past their own hang-ups to make a relationship work. I can easily relate to them and their problems, and the story totally work for me.

We also get introduced to the Archers, Derek’s adopted family. They are going to play a role in upcoming stories and I’m looking forward to everyone one of them. There is a good mix of personalities and difficulties in the siblings and it promises to supply a lot of material for other books.

At a little over 100 pages, Where the Heart Is is a fast-read but it is also satisfyingly real-life. I’ve read one of Darcy Burke’s books before, Never Love a Scoundrel, and loved it so I shouldn’t be surprised that her contemporary stories are just as good. With believable and fun characters, an interesting and heartwarming story, and the promise of some great books coming soon, Where the Heart Is is a must read.

Book Review – Size Matters

21 Friday Mar 2014

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cover36901-mediumA few hard truths…Don’t bet on Hasselhoff, Bigfoot might actually exist, and searching for the impossible may lead you to your heart’s desire…

It’s a big fat hairy deal when I lose yet another bet to my best friend, Rena. Not only do I end up attending Bigfoot meetings with her kooky Aunt Phyllis, I find myself traveling with a band of reality TV, Sasquatch-hunting nut-jobs! Not to mention a suspiciously shady film crew. As if those little nuggets weren’t enough to send me on the express-train to Crazytown…I stupidly swore off men!

Clearly all this would mess up any gal’s social life, but the worst part of the story? The minute I send my libido on vacation, I meet Mitch. Yep, Mitch, the sexiest cop ev-ah. The hottest, best kissing, finest tushied, SINGLE guy I’ve ever laid eyes on. I’d rather be hot on his trail than anything that involves the word Big or Foot. But sometimes what you’re hunting for has been right in front of you all along …

I giggled and giggled reading this one. You have to be OK with zany, over-the-top humor, creatively foul language and steamy (sometimes weird) adult content but, if you are, then prepare yourself for a romping good time. Size Matters is quirky, so far out of the box that it can’t even see it anymore, hilarious, cheesy, sweet, and touching.

The characters are as out-there as you can get but they are still very appealing in their wackiness. Colorful and crude, they still have big hearts – they care about each other and are supportive. After spending some time with them, Kristy realizes that there is so much more to them than the wackiness they show the world. Add in a romance with a hot cop (with a mighty fine butt), plus something weird going on in the woods of Minnesota, and Peterman manages to deliver an enjoyable and interesting plot mixed in with some of the craziest (but loveable) people in the North.

If you are ready to laugh out loud, to the point of snorting, Size Matters is the book for you. You have to be in the mood for screwball comedy (think old I Love Lucy shows times ten) but underneath all of the ridiculousness and silliness, there is also a love story and a heartfelt tale about there being more than meets the eye – the perfect combination to make you laugh and sigh.

(Size Matters is part of Peterman’s ”Handcuffs and Happily Ever Afters” series, but only in that some of the characters are recurring – this is my first and I didn’t notice any problems keeping up with it and I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything. Well, except all the fun that had to have happened if it was anything like this one.)

Blog Tour – Cover to Covers

21 Friday Mar 2014

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Today we’re going to take a look at Cover to Covers by Alexandrea Weis, complete with a sneak peek and my thoughts on the book.  If you decide to read it, and I suggest you do, come back here and tell us all what you think.

*****

covertocoversamazonCover to Covers

by Alexandrea Weis

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: World Castle Publishing

Word Count: 79,000

Cover Artist: Laura Hildalgo

Available at:

Amazon

Blurb:

A man driven by his desires

Tyler Moore is considered cold, ruthless, and determined to get everything he wants. CEO of a flourishing oil company, he thrives on order and never gives up control to anyone.

The woman from his past 

Monique Delome has left her unhappy past behind to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Love is something she believes is better suited to the pages of her novels and not meant for real life.

Whether in the boardroom or the bedroom, Tyler Moore is always in charge. But when Monique Delome walks back into his life, everything changes. A successful romance author, all the sexy leading men Monique writes about strangely remind everyone of Tyler. Intrigued, Tyler sets out to seduce the one woman he could never forget. Soon Tyler gets more than he bargained for, and his grip on his well-ordered life is turned upside down.

Tyler Moore is about to find out what happens when a romantic tale jumps from the pages and comes to life between the sheets.

*****

Author Info:

Weis_1

Alexandrea Weis is an advanced practice registered nurse who was born and raised in New Orleans. Her first novel, To My Senses, introduced readers to the world of Nicci Beauvoir and garnered numerous awards and rave reviews.

Her popular second Nicci Beauvoir novel, Recovery, won the Gold Medal for best romantic suspense from The Reader’s Favorite Book Awards 2011, and was named best Romantic Suspense novel by the Spring 2011 NABE Pinnacle Book Awards.

Her fourth novel, Broken Wings, won best Contemporary Romance by the NABE Pinnacle Book Awards in 2012, was a Silver Medal winner in the ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards for Romance, as well as a finalist in the USA Book Awards for Romance in 2012, and a finalist in the Reader’s Favorite Book Awards for Contemporary Romance for 2012.

Diary of a One-Night Stand, was released in August 2012 and was named a Paranormal Romance Guild’s Best Reviewed of 2012. Her last novel, Acadian Waltz was a Readers’ Favorite Book Awards honorable mention winner for Best Contemporary Romance, and finalist in Best Southern Fiction.

A permitted wildlife rehabber with the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries, Weis rescues orphaned and injured wildlife. She lives with her husband and pets in New Orleans.

Website: http://www.alexandreaweis.com/index.html

Blog: http://alexandreaweiscom.blogspot.com/

FB https://www.facebook.com/pages/To-My-Senses/113609858681394

Twitter: https://twitter.com/alexandreaweis

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1211671.Alexandrea_Weis

Author Amazon  BN

*****

Excerpt:

“If I can be of any further assistance, Mr. Moore,” a peppy blonde with too much black eyeliner said to the man in the impeccably tailored, dark blue Hugo Boss suit. “Please, let me know. I have your suite key.” She pushed the white key-card over the surface of the front desk. “Your usual order of Veuve Clicquot and strawberries will be waiting in your room,” she added with a welcoming smile.

The self-assured gentleman removed his dark Porsche sunglasses and let his deep-set dark brown eyes linger over the young woman’s attractive face. “Afraid I won’t be needing that this time, Missy,” he murmured, getting a glimpse at her nametag.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Mr. Moore. I was informed you are always to have a bottle of Veuve Clicquot waiting in your room whenever you stay with us.”

Wandering over Missy’s stout figure, his eyes fixated on the way her blue blazer clung to her ample bosom. “I usually do when I’m staying here for a relaxing weekend. This time, however, is all business.” He placed his sunglasses in his jacket pocket.

Missy leaned forward, revealing her cleavage as her blue eyes meandered up and down his body. “I am very sorry to hear that, Mr. Moore.”

The flirtatious pout that puckered her red lips made Tyler Moore wipe his hand across his chin, attempting to hide his cocky grin. At six-foot-one, with black, wavy hair outlining his chiseled cheekbones and determined, square jaw, he was used to getting such suggestive looks from the opposite sex. But he knew that looks could only get you so far with a woman.

“How sorry are you?”

Missy’s eyes popped with interest. “I…I’m not sure what you mean, Mr. Moore.”

“How sorry are you that I won’t be having any fun this weekend, Missy?”

She fingered the lapel on her blue blazer adjacent to her right breast. “I would hate to think your stay here would only be about business, Mr. Moore. If there was anything I could do to change that….”

He felt a kick of satisfaction as he gazed into her hopeful eyes. “Perhaps you might come up with a few suggestions of other ways I could spend my weekend in your wonderful hotel? We could go over them later…at the bar, after you get off work.”

The pale blush blossoming on her cheeks was so becoming that Tyler almost began to believe their playful repartee had been worth the effort.

“I’ll think about it, Mr. Moore.”

“You do that, Missy. When you have an answer, you know where to find me.” He motioned to his overnight bag and black suitcase by the desk. “Be a sweetheart, and have the porter take my bags to my room. I have to meet a client in the bar before I go up to my suite.”

The flush on Missy’s cheeks was positively radiant. “Yes, Mr. Moore. Right away.”

Tyler turned from the polished reception desk, unable to hide his smug grin. No matter where he went, the lust in a woman’s eyes never got old. The entire episode with the desk clerk had only reinforced his belief that it was his confidence, and not his looks, that always got a woman to give him what he wanted. He had learned long ago that his handsome face could only take him so far in life, and had made a concerted effort to take control of any situation. It was a philosophy he had incorporated into every arena of his life.

“I’ll have to check back in with sweet little Missy. See how she looks without the blazer.” He strutted across the lobby toward the arched entrance of the Rattlesnake Bar.

A warm glow of honey, onyx, and a contemporary Western-theme greeted him as he stepped into the cool bar. Perched on the brown leather barstools, an array of women sipped on a myriad of colorful alcoholic concoctions while trying to chase away the sweltering afternoon heat. Tyler noted how more than one set of eyes turned his way as he strolled up to the bar. He checked his confidence at the door and pushed all thoughts of possible late night hookups from his mind.

His flourishing oil and gas business was always more important than women. Besides, women were nothing more than a distraction at this point in his life. Having just passed the milestone of his fiftieth birthday, Tyler pondered that perhaps it was time for him to stop pursuing such meaningless liaisons and settle down with a tolerable woman who could cater to all of his needs.

“Two divorces is plenty,” he reasoned as he arrived at the onyx marble and teak-topped bar. Lightly stroking the smooth surface of the marble, he remembered many of the encounters he had experienced in that very bar. Snapshots of blurred faces and forgettable names skipped across his mind. Some of the women had been exciting, a few horrific, but none had been…memorable.

You know who was memorable, don’t you, Ty? his inner voice taunted. She was the one you let slip through your fingers.

Tyler snickered at his self-remonstrations. He hated to admit his inner demon was right, but it was. She had happened so long ago, but he found it funny how advancing age only seemed to make the memories of youth more poignant. It was as if growing older brought into focus the emotions that the impetuosity of youth seemed to blur.

*****

Review:

I found Cover to Covers to be refreshingly different – there’s still that quest for a happy ending (and plenty of steaminess), but it’s told from Tyler’s point of view and covers his growth as a person as much as his romantic interests.  Plus, this is a second chance romance where instead of being in their 20s or 30s, the heroine and hero are in their early 40s and 50s.  It’s nice to get a story with characters who are a little more …. experienced with life, even if they aren’t any smarter about it.

It kinda reminded me of a Danielle Steel novel I read years ago.  I think it was called Rogue and featured a couple who are divorced but when life decides to throw them some curves it causes them to reevaluate their choices.  Tyler is like that only it is Moe who throws him those curves, when after decades apart, and failed relationships for both of them, a chance meeting in a hotel lobby brings them back together again.

But Tyler has a ton of baggage he needs to work through and until he does he’ll never open himself up for a true relationship.  It’s an interesting journey as he looks at what makes him happy and realizes that only he can make the decision to embrace those things.  That even if it is hard or uncomfortable there is so much more out there than what he’s let himself have and that he needs to look to himself first to truly fix anything.

*****

Tour Schedule:

March 3 Interview and review

Book Chick

http://bookchick2013.blogspot.ca/

 ~

March 3 spotlight

Author Karen Swart

http://authorkarenswart.blogspot.com

~

March 4 Spotlight

Stories of Romance

http://storiesofromance.com

 ~

March 4 Spotlight

Book Liaison

http://www.bookliaison.net

 ~

March 4 Spotlight

The Book Review

http://www.cluereview.blogspot.com

 ~

March 5 Guest blog

Cloey’s Book Reviews and Other Stuff

cloeyk.blogspot.com

~

March 5 Spotlight

The Snarkology

www.melissasnark.blogspot.com

 ~

March 6 Spotlight

Eclipse Reviews

http://totaleclipsereviews.blogspot.com

 ~

March 7 Guest blog

For the Passion of Romance

http://forthepassionofromance.blogspot.com

~

March 10 Spotlight

Tattooed Book Review

www.tattooedbookreview.com

 ~

March 11 Spotlight and review

Inner Goddess

http://www.InnerGoddessForum.com

~

March 12 Spotlight

Booklover Sue

http://bookloversue.blogspot.com/

 ~

March 13 Spotlight

Share My Destiny

http://sharemydestiny.blogspot.com

 ~

March 14 spotlight

Melissa Stevens

http://melissastevens.us

 ~

March 14 Spotlight

A Night’s Dream of Books

http://anightsdreamofbooks.blogspot.com/

 ~

March 17 Spotlight

Midnight Musings with Bertena

www.bertena.com

 ~

March 18 Music Playlist or Excerpt

My Favorite Things

http://heffroberts.blogspot.com

 ~

March 19 review

Scrollin’ Them Papers

http://scrollinpapers.wordpress.com

 ~

March 21 Spotlight and review

Romantic Reads and Such

https://romanticreadsandsuch.wordpress.com

 ~

March 24 Spotlight

Jody’s Book Reviews, Giveaways & Tours

http://www.jodysbookreviews.com

 ~

March 24 Spotlight and review

Luv Books Galore

www.luvbooksgalore.blogspot.com

 ~

March 25 Spotlight and review

Beverly @ The Wormhole

http://wormyhole.blogspot.com

 ~

March 27 Guest blog

Adrienne Woods books and reviews

http://woodsadrienne.wordpress.com

~

March 28 Spotlight and review

Ramblings of a Book Lunatic

http://booklunaticramblings.blogspot.com

 ~

March 28 Review

Provocative Pages

http://readingonthewildside.blogspot.com

 ~

March 31 Guest blog

Musings In Fiction Alley

http://musingsinficitonalley.blogspot.com/

 ~

March 31 Spotlight and review

StarAngels’ Reviews

http://starangelsreviews.blogspot.com

*****

Cover to Covers Banner 450 x 169

Guest Post – Crash Into Love

20 Thursday Mar 2014

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This morning we have a guest post from the lovely Sofia Grey as she shares a little inspiration from her newest, Crash Into Love … oh-so-tempting.  I can’t wait to meet Jonah.

*****

Promise – Sofia Grey

Can anything be more flattering to a woman’s ego than a young and handsome man flirting with her? Especially if she is lacking in confidence.

The lyrics of Promise (Slash ft Chris Cornell) sum up this feeling beautifully:

The first time I ever saw you

You had that far away look in your eyes

And heaven’s eyes shined down upon you

And the whole room filled up with light

http://youtu.be/NPaAlAL8Z50

In Crash Into Love, my heroine, Cass, is feeling a little bruised. Divorce looms, as does the deadline for her novel and she hides from the world to lick her wounds in private.

Romance is the last thing on her mind, even with the much younger Jonah, staying in the beachside cottage next door.

~

His breath whispered across my face. It sounded ragged. I wanted Jonah’s lips on mine more than anything, and I’d have sold my soul if that would have been the price; eternal damnation would have Jonah’s name on it. Kiss me. I tilted my head the merest fraction and leaned into him at the same time as he drew closer. I don’t know who made the first move, but our lips brushed each other’s, and Jonah groaned. One hand sank into my hair while the other pressed the small of my back, guiding me into the perfect position for him to take my mouth. It was a move so practiced, so possessive, I would normally take offense, but with this man, it felt right.

Cougar! My battered self-confidence screamed at me, but I ignored it. Just one kiss. I felt his tongue flick at my lips and follow the seam, and without hesitation, I opened to let him in. I still had my wineglass in one hand, and I held that awkward and loose around his shoulders while I moved to caress his cheek. I wanted to feel his delicious stubble. His lips were soft, but the kiss was hard and hungry. Dear God, I felt so much, so turned on, I imagined myself dissolving into a sticky puddle there on the deck.

He tasted of mint and wood smoke, and he smelled of the surf. He was summer in human form. Young and strong, his body radiated heat beneath his T-shirt, and I had to touch him. I shifted to slide my hand down his stomach, across impossibly firm muscles, round the side, and down his spine to the top of his jeans, where I burrowed under his shirt. I might never get the chance to do this again, and I shamelessly caressed his skin, feeling the muscles ripple beneath my touch.

*****

Crash Into LoveBlurb:

Cass thought spending a month at a beachside hideaway relaxing and collecting shells would be the perfect escape to finish her novel. When she meets the dark and brooding and much younger Jonah, who’s staying next door, her book becomes the last thing on her mind.

Jonah would rather stay home alone than go on vacation with his brother and their friends, but does his best to tolerate the situation after being convinced to go. But when he sees the beauty next door, he can’t avoid his attraction.

Together, they break all the rules, but will Cass be able to bring Jonah out of his shell forever, or will he leave her with only the crash of the surf to keep her company?

~

Trailer link:

http://youtu.be/PGsW53sFGro

Book links:

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

Goodreads

All Romance eBooks

Entangled

 *****

Author bio:

Romance author Sofia Grey spends her days managing projects in the corporate world and her nights hanging out with wolf shifters and alpha males. She devours pretty much anything in the fiction line, but she prefers her romances to be hot, and her heroes to have hidden depths. When writing, she enjoys peeling back the layers to expose her characters’ flaws and always makes them work hard for their happy endings.

Music is interwoven so tightly into my writing that I can’t untangle the two. Either I’m listening to a playlist on my iPod, have music seeping from my laptop speakers, or there’s a song playing in my head – sometimes on auto-repeat.

Check out my playlist on Pinterest and listen for free via Pandora.com (Sofia Grey –Crash Into Love station)

Author links:

www.SofiaGrey.com

Catch me blogging with Allyson Lindt at www.GeminiGirls.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6906923.Sofia_Grey

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sofia.Grey.Romance.Author

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sofiagrey1/

Twitter: @SofiaGreyAuthor   https://twitter.com/SofiaGreyAuthor

Amazon author profile page: https://www.amazon.com/author/sofiagrey

 

Blog Tour – Passionate Persuasion

19 Wednesday Mar 2014

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This morning we’re going to take a quick look at Rosemary clement-Moore’s newest, Passionate Persuasion.  It runs at about 50 pages so that’s great for a quick read, is only 99 cents, and is getting great reviews.  Check it out below, pick it up at your favorite bookseller and then come back and let us know what you think.

*****

PP_1600 (1)Passionate Persuasion

A Date By Mistake Novella

by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Blurb:

A hot playboy who has left a string of hearts in his wake can’t forget the cellist who haunted his fantasies. Now it is his turn to use his power of persuasion to prove he’s the only man to keep her satisfied.

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/MmPKim

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

Kobo Books: http://bit.ly/1fLWKx5

iBookstore: http://bit.ly/1k1y07P

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Author Info:

I’ve been writing stories all my life, even when I should have been doing other things, like studying Algebra. My first paying job was as Chuck E. Cheese. I worked in theatre for years, and now I’m writing full time, which is my dream job, because I get to work in my pajamas and take a break every afternoon to play Guitar Hero.

TWITTER *FACEBOOK* WEBSITE

Interview – The Duke’s Quandry

18 Tuesday Mar 2014

Posted by in Blog Tour, Contest

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Today I get to talk to the fabulous Callie Hutton as she answers a few questions about the joys of romances.  Then we’ll take a look at her newest, The Duke’s Quandry.

And make sure you check out her gorgeous giveaway too!

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What do you like best about writing (or reading) romances?

I love a happy ending. No matter how tough things get in a romance novel, you know at the very end the hero and heroine will come together. I also love writing about how the love grows between them. The initial attraction is always there, and in most stories they don’t want to act on it for one reason or another. It’s watching those walls break down that make for a satisfying story.

Do you prefer historical or contemporary romances?  

I prefer historicals.  In times past there were so many rules to break, and it’s fun to write a story where the hero and heroine break those rules. In today’s world it seems as if anything goes, so to me, it’s not as thrilling as an historical. Plus I was a history major in college, so reading and writing historicals is a natural for me.

What is your favorite romantic story (movie/book. fact/fiction)?

There are so many, I really couldn’t pick just one. I have loved tons of movies and books. I guess the most romantic story I’ve ever heard was when King-Emperor Edward VIII of England abdicated his throne to marry the woman he loved.

If you could be any romantic heroine, who would you be?

Christine in Phantom of the Opera.

Which of your characters/books was the most fun to write?

My most fun book to write was A Wife By Christmas. There was a lot of humor and funny scenes in that book.

What is your favorite part of The Duke’s Quandry?

Well, the ending, but I won’t give it away. So next to that I would have to say just about every time Drake and Penelope got together. She was always getting herself (and him) into trouble.

What is the one thing you wished your readers knew about your life as a writer?

That I love it, and would never want to do anything else. There are scores of stories rolling around in my head yet to be written.

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DukesQuandary_1600THE DUKE’S QUANDARY

by Callie Hutton

EBook: 285 pages

Release Date: March 10, 2014

ISBN: 978-1622664641

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Blurb:

London 1814…

Drake, Duke of Manchester is searching the Marriage Mart for a perfect bride. He wants a woman who is poised, sophisticated, and worthy of the title Duchess. But most of all, he wants a woman who does not want the useless emotion of love.

Socially awkward Miss Penelope Clayton isn’t meant for marriage. A serious botanist, she has no desire to wed, so being forced by her guardian to participate in the Season to find a husband is torture. She’ll never fit in with the ton, especially if they discover she’s been pretending to be a man within the scientific community.

As Drake’s family makes over Penelope, turning her from naive bluestocking to enchanting debutante, he is put upon to introduce her to society and eligible bachelors. Despite dance lessons and new gowns, Penelope is the opposite of poised and sophisticated as she stumbles from one mishap to the next. Why then, does he find it so hard to resist her?

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CallieAuthor Info:

Callie Hutton always knew those stories she made up in her head would be written down one day. There was nowhere else for them to go. After years of writing articles and interviews for magazines and company newsletters, she decided to tackle writing a book. That was back in 2010. Now with twelve books under her belt, and seven more contracted, the relief at having somewhere to tell those stories is wonderful. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband, adult children and three dogs.

 Website /Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

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Giveaway:

1 necklace and a pair of earrings US Only

TDQ drawing-Giveaway

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/ZTIzODliYTI4ZTEzMGVjODBhNzA2MmFmMTU3YWM3OjE2Mw==/

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Tour Schedule

Week One

3/10/2014- Books, Movies, Reviews. Oh my!– Review

3/10/2014- book’s blog– Guest Post

3/11/2014- Bitten by Romance– Review

3/11/2014- Dawn’s Reading Nook– Interview

3/12/2014- Margay Leah Justice– Review

3/12/2014- Ex Libris– Guest Post

3/13/2014- Dear Brighton– Review

3/13/2014- Rookie Romance– Interview

3/14/2014- Talking Books Blog– Review

3/14/2014- Living Between Books– Review

 

Week Two

3/17/2014- Fade Into Fantasy– Interview

3/18/2014- Romantic Reads and Such– Interview

3/18/2014- Suzi Love– Review

3/19/2014- Toot’s Book Reviews– Guest Post

3/19/2014- Cocktails and Books– Interview

3/20/2014- The La La Land of Books– Review

3/20/2014- Becky on Books– Review

3/20/2014- Ramblings From This Chick– Guest Post

3/21/2014- First Page to the Last– Review

3/21/2014- Manga Maniac Café– Interview

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Blog Tour – The Rancher’s Second Chance

17 Monday Mar 2014

Posted by in Blog Tour

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Today we’re going to take a look at Victoria James’s yummy book, The Rancher’s Second Chance.

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9781622665129 (1)The Rancher’s Second Chance

by Victoria James

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Entangled Indulgence

Language: English

Pages: 250

Format: Ebook

Widowed rancher Cole Forrester is all about running his family’s ranch and guarding his heart. The last thing he’s looking for is love, but when his little sister can’t make it home to handle some of her wedding details, he’s forced to entertain the event planner, Melanie Simms. Melanie is everything he’s not even remotely interested in: she’s high-society, complicated, and high maintenance. But when he’s stranded with her at his remote cabin in the Colorado mountains, he realizes he’s seriously underestimated her. She’s hiding something about her past from him, but despite everything, he finds himself falling for the last woman he ever expected, and the first woman to make him want to give his heart and risk everything…

AMAZON* BARNES & NOBLE

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Author Info:

I always knew I wanted to be a writer and in grade five, I penned my first story, bound it (with staples) and a cardboard cover and did all the illustrations myself (if you’ve ever seen my drawings you’ll know how horrible they must have been. I still draw stick figures). Luckily, this book will never see the light of day again.

In high school I fell in love with historical romance and then contemporary romance. After graduating University with an English Literature degree, I married my own hero, pursued a degree in Interior Design and then opened my own business.

After the birth of our first child, I knew it was time to fulfill the dream of writing romantic fiction. I’m a hopeless romantic who is living my dream, penning happily-ever-after’s for my characters in between managing kids and the family business. Writing on a laptop in the middle of the country in a rambling old Victorian house would be ideal, but I’m quite content living in suburbia with my husband, our two young children, and very bad cat.

TWITTER *FACEBOOK* WEBSITE

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More tour details can be found here.