Tag Archives: Book Review

Review – SAPD SWAT Series

13 Thursday Dec 2018

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Looking for something with a little humor to lighten up the rest of your 2018?  Mays’ stories of sexy guys and the heroines who bring them to their knees definitely have a few giggles in store for you.

*****

Surrender to You

SAPD SWAT Series Book 1

by Nikki Mays

Genre: Romantic Suspense, Comedy

Blurb:

Mellie

Mellie has been hypnotized by a pair of gorgeous green eyes, attached to a very yummy package for months now. Unfortunately for her, her brain goes on hiatus anytime Morris Jackson is around. Looking like a bobble head whenever he asks her anything isn’t the best way to go about getting a man like him interested. Not like ruggedly handsome men go for quirky, accident prone introverts like her. Plus, even if she did have a snowballs chance in hell with him, him being her brothers SWAT teammate doesn’t bode well for her. A girl can dream though!

Morris

Those blue eyes sucker punched him the minute he looked into them. It felt like the ground had literally gone out from under him. Mellie is everything that he could ever want and everything that he shouldn’t have. Even if he didn’t know that she’s too good for a guy like him, her brother would never be okay with it. He is over protective and proud of it. But at some point you have to say screw the consequences and go after what you know is meant to be yours.

Too bad someone wasn’t happy for them when the found their way to one another. Someone will make sure they don’t stay together by any means necessary. They’ll even kill to get what they want.

Goodreads | Amazon

~

Addicted to You

SAPD SWAT Series Book 2

by Nikki Mays

Genre: Romantic Suspense, Comedy

Blurb:

Michelle is my addiction. She’s sweetness and light wrapped up in a delicious package. Almost as delicious as the confections she makes. Until now, I’ve kept my distance to make sure my darkness doesn’t taint her. She’s better than a killer who sits behind a scope.

I watch her from afar. Getting dragged under her spell a little further with every sweet smile and mischievous grin. I know I’ll cave one day, give into the craving to be near her. Being in her presence is a feeling like no other, one I can’t seem to resist.

Unfortunately, I’m not the only one living under her influence. While I was watching her, someone else was watching too. But she belongs with me, no matter what anyone else wants.

Now I need to make sure she gives me my next fix of her, even if she’s too stubborn to admit she wants to. She’s my addiction, cure and redemption all rolled into one. Her soul calls out to my own. I’ll make sure she’s as addicted to me as I am to her. She’ll crave me – if it’s the last thing I do.

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/ZxGOuMBy8Pc

Goodreads | Amazon

*****

Review:

(I’ve seen a lot of reviews for both books claiming that a good editor would help a lot.  I don’t know if I had final versions or ARCs but there were a lot of mispellings and grammar issues.  As a regular reader of review copies though, this kind of thing doesn’t really affect me but I wanted to put this out there as a warning to others who may be a little more discerning 🙂 )

There are authors that write characters that could be straight out of Gilmore Girls (I’m looking at you Susan Mallery), always ready with a snappy comment.  Then there are those characters who are sophisticated, never saying a wrong thing and who always make me feel like I need to work better at this adulting thing.  Mays seems to have found a voice that is like that conversation you have with your bestie after a couple of glasses of wine.  It’s unfiltered and sometimes graceless, but it is real for the homespun characters she’s created.

In Surrender to You, Morris has had a thing for Mellie for a while but since she’s his friend’s sister he tried to stay away.  Unfortunately, his feelings are pretty apparent and after a while her brother is so tired of his awkwardness that he gives the OK.  Mellie is just as dorky when Morris is around so there is a lot of fun to be have while the two are dancing around each other.  And it doesn’t stop when they get together because these two definitely have a lot of personality.  (Mellie fighting with her brother is the best thing ever!)

Addicted to You is a fun follow-up that has a lot of the same vibe.  Damon is a pretty curt guy, but I love the way he and Michelle mesh.  She’s so full of sass that it helps bring him out of himself just a bit.  I got such a kick out of these two together, and their interactions with their friends are both sweet and hilarious.

The SAPD SWAT stories are delightfully fun romantic comedies with entertaining characters.  I enjoyed how the couples got together & watching them piece together a life with each other.  The friendships help make it a winner as well.  It is quite obvious that Michelle and Mellie have been friends for ages because those two are a hoot together.  The guys are your typical guy’s guys – giving each other a hard time, a little rough around the edges – but they have good hearts and are supportive of each other.  The lack of angst is a real winner for me and overall I felt the suspense parts, while not a huge part of the story (especially the second), are done well.

The SAPD SWAT series isn’t going be for everyone, but I think that it will be a huge hit with the right audience.

*****

Author Info:

Nikki Mays is a pen name that was created from her maiden name. She is a wife and mother, who lives in a small town in New Jersey. She has been with her husband for a decade and is surprised that he’s still alive. She began writing as a creative outlet after becoming a stay at home mom. She decided that she needed something exclusively for herself, not just being mommy. She has two crazy boxers that love to keep that “Evil” mailman out of the yard. Besides writing and spending time with her little hellions, she enjoys cooking & baking. She has recently taken up gardening and made her loving husband plant her a mini fruit tree orchard, as well as a garden taking up half an acre. Nikki loves to be stalked by her readers and encourages all interaction.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Bookbub | Amazon | Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

$5 Amazon

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a91080/

*****

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Book Review – My Forever Home

05 Wednesday Dec 2018

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

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By combining love, four legged friends, and a happy ending, Burns brings reader a great holiday read.

*****

My Forever Home

A Rescue Me Novel

by Debbie Burns

Blurb:

Love comes to the rescue.

Vet school drop-out Tess Grasso dreams of having her own pet therapy business, but she meets one disastrous obstacle after another. There’s no denying she has a way with animals, so in the meantime she puts her skills to use at a local no-kill shelter. Between helping her furry companions and a budding relationship with fellow dog lover Mason Redding, Tess begins to find fresh confidence…

What Tess doesn’t know is that Mason is recovering from an accident, hoping to get back to his pro-baseball career. He’s afraid the truth will ruin everything—and he’s right. But in the midst of hurt and betrayal, a free-spirited stray Husky enters their lives, and teaches them a few things about faith, love and forgiveness.

Amazon: amzn.to/2M2jncH

B&N: bit.ly/2LXvQOG

Apple: apple.co/2niQZ79

IndieBound: bit.ly/2LZDkB0

*****

Excerpt:

Tess lifted her mug of tea and carried it into the kitchen and away from the wall of windows and the remarkable St. Louis night skyline. If this were her place, she’d get nothing done in the evenings as she cuddled against that couch, sipping tea, and gazing at the beautiful lights.

“I had no idea a veggie meat loaf could smell so amazing. I’m so hungry, I could eat… Wait, I don’t think you can say you could eat a bear when you’re vegetarian, can you?”

Mason laughed and said she could say whatever she wanted. He was slicing through a cucumber with a gleaming chef knife.

“After we eat, I’ll be good to get back out there and search again.”

“Me, too. I’ve been standing here thinking what it could be like if we succeed. I want the dog. No question. And I know he’ll have a better life. A much better life. But I can’t help but wonder if he’ll want to be here.”

Tess joined Mason at the opposite counter. “He will. I’m sure he will.” Her hand closed reflexively over his forearm in reassurance, and she had to refrain from jerking it away. Seeing his strength was one thing. Feeling it was another.

What would he do if she slid between him and the countertop and allowed her lips to land where they wanted?

She forced a stepped back. “Do you have honey?”

“Yeah. In the pantry.”

His pantry was relatively uncluttered, and she spotted the honey right away. A family-sized box of Cocoa Puffs on the top shelf made her smile.

“What?” He pulled open a drawer and handed her a spoon. “Are you grinning at my juvenile selection of pantry foods?”

“That’s a big box of Cocoa Puffs.”

“Aren’t they a kitchen-pantry requirement?”

“I certainly wished that growing up, but not in my house. At least not unless it was a special occasion. My parents both worked full-time when I was growing up, and I went over to my grandparents’ house every day before school. My grandma’s idea of a quick breakfast is a bread roll with butter and jam or day-old biscotti to dip in her coffee.”

“Somehow that doesn’t make you sound deprived, if that’s what you were aiming for.”

Tess laughed as she squeezed a bit of honey into her mug. “How can I help?”

“I’m almost done, thanks. I have a red on the counter and a white in the fridge, if you’re up for wine.”

“I’d like to try this,” she said, picking a Barolo, “if you like red.”

“Sure.” He pulled a corkscrew from one of the top drawers. “How about you open it while I finish up?”

Mason had a beautiful salad prepared, and a small pot of gravy was warming on the stove. When he opened the oven, she spotted a ceramic bowl of mashed potatoes, another of green beans, and the veggie meat loaf.

As Tess opened the wine, she thought of her grandma. Nonna had taught her never to belittle someone’s effort in the kitchen by equating their work to trouble. “Wow,” she said instead. “Everything looks great. I can’t wait to try it.”

“Thanks. My, uh, slow season is in winter. Cooking is a hobby I’ve wanted to take up for a while. Like I said, before tonight I’d only ever made three different main dishes.”

“You said that, but you didn’t tell me what they are, aside from meat loaf, that is.”

“Want to guess?” Mason grinned as he carried over the salad bowl to a dining table long enough to bring to mind Beauty and the Beast. Mason had set two places, one at an end, the other in the seat adjacent to it. Tess’s heart beat at the intimacy of it.

“Absolutely. Let’s see. You grew up on a farm in rural Iowa, and your family is not Italian, so I’m guessing one of them is not lasagna.”

“You would be correct.”

“Hmm, what’s farmy to cook? I’m trying to picture the Cracker Barrel menu in my head. And before you ask, I only got to eat there when I went to Florida with my cousin’s family on vacation. Okay, let’s see. Chicken and dumplings?”

Mason chuckled. “Nope, though that’s one of my mom’s go-to winter meals.”

“Country-fried steak?”

“If we were playing hangman, you’d have a head and body.”

“Chicken pot pie?”

“And there’s a leg, or is it the arm next?”

Tess clicked her tongue and slid into the open seat next to him. “Pot roast?”

“Well done.”

“Really?” Tess waggled her eyebrows. “Pot roast and meat loaf. Two very hearty meals. Impressive.”

“I bet you hang before you guess the third.”

Tess pierced a bit of salad and silently counted off the meals she’d guessed. “Barbecue ribs?”

“Add the second leg. I can barbecue as well as the next guy, but I wasn’t counting it. Slathering a rack of ribs with some sauce and enjoying a beer while it sizzles over the coals isn’t the same as preparing a meal from scratch.”

“True, I guess.” She pointed her fork his way. “Don’t tell me. I’m going to get this.” She was halfway through a bite of salad when she smacked her palm against the table and hurriedly swallowed. “OMG, I’ve got it. I’ve totally got it. I know your third meal, Mason…” Tess paused. “I know your third meal, but I don’t know your last name. How weird is that?”

Mason sat back in his chair and took a sip of wine, appraising her, his mouth pulled up in the crooked smile that she adored. “With that reaction, this is the all-or-nothing round. Get it right, you win. Get it wrong, that’s the arms, feet, hands, everything, and you’re hanged.”

“I’m okay with that, only what’re we playing for?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t thought about that. Something bigger than who does the dishes, that’s for sure.”

Tess agreed with him. “How about winner calls it?”

His gaze dropped to her mouth for two solid seconds before returning to her eyes. “Yes, definitely.”

*****

Review:

My Forever Home is a wonderfully cozy and heartwarming read.  It is just made to tug at you, through both animal and people.  You totally understand why Mason keeps who he is from Tessa and the revelation works well with their relationship as it has developed.  And while there is the opportunity, I really appreciate that Burns avoids  melodrama and handles issues quickly and realistically.

While I feel that Mason had good development as a character, I do wish we’d gotten a little more of Tessa’s family.  Her issues with her family is what sent her on a tour of Europe, but while it is hit upon I think that it could have used a little more.  I do love her relationship with her grandmother – their closeness is so sweet and I loved the support there.

As much as I love Mason and Tessa’s relationship, it is the connection with John Ronald that is really the highlight of the book.  The look inside his mind brings happiness, sadness, and humor.  Some may not like the personification of a dog, but it works for me.

Like Sit, Stay, Love, My Forever Home is one of those easy to read, slow burn books that takes it time creating connection between the characters – exploring them as people and how they relate to each other.  Mason & Tessa manage to find each other at a time when both are ready for the next phase and it creates a delightfully satisfying HEA.  I’m so looking forward to what Burns has in store for us next.

*****

Author Info:

Debbie Burns’ writing commendations include a Starred Review from Publishers Weekly and a Top Pick from RT Book Reviews for A New Leash on Love, as well as first-place awards for short stories, flash fiction, and longer selections. Her hobbies include hiking, gardening, and daydreaming, which, of course, always leads to new story ideas. She lives in St. Louis with her family, two phenomenal rescue dogs, and a somewhat tetchy Maine coon cat who everyone loves anyway.

*****

Giveaway:

5 Copies of Sit, Stay, Love

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/54ca7af7708/

*****

Book Review – My Bad

04 Tuesday Dec 2018

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Something a little different for me, but I’m really happy I gave it a chance!

*****

My Bad

Bear Bottom MC series, Book 4

by Lani Lynn Vale

Blurb:

Hoax knows two things very well.

One, he’s not relationship material. Two, the nurse that treats him for erectile dysfunction is the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen, and practically has ‘the marrying type’ stamped on her forehead.

Does that stop him from wanting her? No.

Unfortunately, he learned a long time ago that Army Delta Force and long-lasting relationships don’t go hand in hand.

But beautiful hazel eyes, curly blonde hair, and the prettiest lips he’s ever seen play havoc with his resolve, making him forget his earlier convictions.

All it takes is one teeny, tiny kiss for every shred of control he has to disappear, along with the problem in his pants.

Soon he finds himself doing things that he knows that he shouldn’t. He doesn’t know that he’s found the woman that’s meant to be his. Nor does he realize that her father is the man he’s idolized from the moment he joined the army at the age of eighteen. Because, maybe if he had, he would’ve tried a little harder to ignore the pull he felt between them instead of making her his the night before he deployed for six months.

He also might’ve tried a little harder not to knock her up.

GOODREADS: https://bit.ly/2x2MEKB

AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2CGTfQm

AMAZON AU: https://amzn.to/2KEQmjd

AMAZON UK: https://amzn.to/2RkkB1D

AMAZON CA: https://amzn.to/2P5gO6g

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2P7afQs

B&N: https://bit.ly/2RpURkx

*****

Review:

There is some insta-lust/love so the relationship with these two moves pretty quickly, but Vale does it in a believable way.  They are funny and steamy and fun, and I enjoyed them as a couple. Pru is mouthy and sassy – the perfect foil for an overbearing, alpha man.  Thanks to her upbringing she can stand up for herself but she also has an appreciation for his “type”.  And Hoax is pretty much what you’d expect for a special forces military man who spends his free time as part of a MC.  Along with being dominant and overprotective, he’s also caring, sharp, and sexy.

I really liked the interactions they had with their friends and family, both independently and as a couple.  There is a feeling of belonging that isn’t impacted by blood and these people are there for each other no matter what.  Not having read any of the other books I didn’t have a point of reference for any of them, but it didn’t really seem to matter.  Everything worked really smoothly as a standalone and I felt like I got to know the characters well.

While it was a minor part of the story, I was a little disappointed in the ending.  There is this suspenseful moment that just didn’t make a lot of sense to me.  I’m not sure I understood why things happened they way they did (or at all for that matter) but since the characters and their relationship is the main part of the story, and is well done, I don’t think that it really mattered.  I’m hoping to get my hands on the next story to see if this is the style for this writer or just a thing here.  Or an issue with me 🙂

I’m not usually into the whole bad boy MC thing but the description for this one was intriguing enough that I gave it a chance.  Still not my favorite genre but I will say that Vale is really good at what she does and I’m definitely willing to give her stories another go.  (This is another book, though, where the blurb doesn’t quite match up to the story.  The whole thing with her dad was pretty much a non-issue, as was Hoax’s “treatment”.)  You do have to be OK with things being a little more down-to-earth and kinda … well, coarse.  The guys lead a rough & tumble life and the story is very much same.  It definitely works with the characters – these are not buttoned up and polished people.  And being real is definitely not a bad thing.

*****

Author Info:

Lani Lynn Vale is a USA Today Bestselling Author of over thirty titles. She is married with three children, two dogs, two cats, a donkey, and a couple (a couple also meaning over twenty) chickens.

When she’s not writing, you can find her curled up in her favorite chair reading.

Lani is married with three children and lives in the Great State of Texas.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | BookBub

*****

Book Review – The Rancher Takes a Family

29 Thursday Nov 2018

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The Rancher Takes a Family

The Montana McGregor Brothers series

by Paula Altenburg

Rugged rancher Jake McGregor wrangles cattle better than kids, but when he’s suddenly saddled with three grieving children, he’s determined to step up. His sister’s kids shouldn’t pay for her error in judgment in naming him guardian. Problem is, he doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing. And the woman who attempts to help with his every fumble is the one woman he wants to steer clear of…

Lacey Anderson loves a challenge, but Jake’s already broken her heart once. When his tall shadow darkens the doorway of her classroom, she’s ready to shut him out – until she meets her new students, and sees the desperation in Jake’s eyes. Emotional intelligence is so not his forte. But she’s done banging her head against that wall.

Jake, however, is finally ready to learn how to love and Lacey’s the teacher he wants. Is she willing to risk her own heart again to teach him?

Altenburg delivers a sweet second chance romance about an unprepared guy who steps up to take care of his orphaned niece and nephews.  And it is absolutely adorable how these big strong guys are responsible for the oh-so-cute kids.  They each have a connection with a different kid and it wonderfully sets up future stories.  Even better it’s done with just the lightest amount of drama – all three guys are opinionated, but they handle any disagreements pretty well.

There’s also only a little drama on the romance side of things.  Jake and Lacey had a high school relationship but thanks to some miscommunication and assumptions it ended with hurt feelings.  Now, years later, they are thrown back together again thru the kids.  And I am so happy that Altenburg made it so the relationship was about the couple and not some desperate need for a surrogate mom.  Instead Jake is just taking advantage of the situation to reconnect with Lacey and give a relationship as adults a chance.

The relationship portion flows pretty easily and the story is as much about the new family dynamic.  You’ll totally go “awww” over these kids and how the men work to make the adjustment to their new situation as easy as possible.  They do the best they can to help the kids, as they all are having to get used to their loss and the new normal of their lives.  I’m very much looking forward to the next brother’s story so I can spend time with this group again.

Book Review – Buried Lies

28 Wednesday Nov 2018

Posted by in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest

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Looking for a little more from your next love story?  Cross’s Crimson Point series definitely delivers!

*****

Buried Lies

A Crimson Point Novel

by Kaylea Cross

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Blurb:

She left her painful past behind.

Poppy Larsen is finally free. She moved to Crimson Point to make a new life for herself, full of bright possibilities. A whole new world awaits her, if she can find the courage to trust again—even her gorgeous neighbor, the town sheriff. But darkness lurks in the picturesque Oregon Coast town, concealing a deadly threat that’s closer than she ever imagined.

Now a killer is watching her from the shadows.

Sheriff Noah Buchanan can’t help but be intrigued by his new neighbor. She’s hard working, sexy as hell, and unlike most of the women in town, she hasn’t thrown herself at him. After it becomes clear that she plans to put down roots here, he finds himself falling more and more for Poppy and her big heart. When someone from her past tries to hurt her, it triggers all his protective instincts. But the real danger is hiding in plain sight. When the unthinkable happens, Noah is thrust into a race against time to save her before it’s too late.

Amazon US | Apple Books | Kobo | Nook

*****

Review:

This is my first by Cross (although it won’t be my last) and I found it to be a tad more romance than suspense, so keep that in mind when you pick it up.  Both parts, I felt, were handled well but if you go in thinking you’ll find an edge-of-your-seat nail-biter, you’ll be a bit disappointed.  Don’t get me wrong – I felt like the mystery worked really well, even if there are quite a few obvious false flags floating around, and I was definitely engrossed when things came to a head with the danger to Poppy.  It’s just that a good part of the beginning of the book is about her hesitation to get involved with Noah and how irresistible he is.

The dynamic among the friends is actually as appealing as the romance for me and I loved how easily they accepted Poppy into their group.  They are all just as honorable as Noah and, like him, care about the people and the town.  It makes it believable that Poppy starts to open up to them, especially Noah.  Cross does a good job of relating Poppy’s hesitancy in getting involved and, while she is a little reserved because of her past, she is also smart and hardworking.  Her appeal as a character makes it rewarding as she starts to trust the others.

While the suspense portion of the story isn’t that big, it is set up well and you get a good feel for the bad guy.  I wouldn’t say that I was sympathetic but I definitely understood where he came from and why he did the things he did.  You know that there is no way that Noah won’t save Poppy, but her experience so engrossing that it bothered me to even try to imagine what she went through.  I don’t think it will satisfy die-hard mystery or suspense readers but it does a great job of adding a little kick to the love story.

Not having read the first book, I’m not sure how well we are supposed to know Poppy and Noah coming into this story.  If it is anything like this book, which set up the next in the series quite nicely, I’m sure that returning readers had an opinion.  It didn’t take me long to get involved, though, so I’m sure you are just starting the series too.  (Being a new reader, I will admit that I felt really bad for Noah’s friend Carter and the troubles he’s experiencing because of the brain injury he suffered serving overseas.  I hate to think about how much I’d feel for him if I’d read both!  But that’s a thing for the next book 🙂 )

*****

Author Info:

NY Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylea Cross writes edge-of-your-seat military romantic suspense. Her work has won many awards, including the Daphne du Maurier Award of Excellence, and has been nominated multiple times for the National Readers’ Choice Awards. A Registered Massage Therapist by trade, Kaylea is also an avid gardener, artist, Civil War buff, Special Ops aficionado, belly dance enthusiast and former nationally-carded softball pitcher. She lives in Vancouver, BC with her husband and family.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

*****

Giveaway:

5 ecopies of BURIED LIES

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cf78adb735/

*****

Book Review – Mr. Winterbourne’s Christmas

26 Monday Nov 2018

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Heart, heat, Christmas festivities, and two men who finally find someone they can belong to, all combine for a fabulous holiday read!

*****

Mr. Winterbourne’s Christmas

Winterbourne Series Volume #2

by Joanna Chambers

Length: 30,000 words approx.

Cover Design: Natasha Snow

Blurb:

Lysander Winterbourne has been living happily at Edgeley Park for the last eighteen months. By day he is Adam Freeman’s estate manager, by night, his lover…but Adam never speaks of his feelings and Lysander has no idea whether their relationship is any more than a convenient arrangement for Adam.

When the two men are invited to Winterbourne Abbey for a family Christmas, matters quickly come to a head. Snowed in at the Abbey with a house full of guests, Lysander has to face up to shocking revelations, long-held secrets and a choice he never expected to have to make…

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | KOBO | Barnes & Noble

Volume #1 – Introducing Mr. Winterbourne – CURRENTLY FREE 
Amazon US | Amazon UK

*****

Review:

While Mr. Winterbourne’s Christmas can technically stand on its own I really thing you need to read Intoducing Mr. Winterbourne to really enjoy the relationship between Lysander and Adam.  It’s a novella but so it is a short read but makes up for it in content.

Lysander has his eyes opened to the elitist attitudes of his friends and family when he’s roped into taking Adam around town for a few days.  As he’s taking a closer look at the people he’s known for years, he’s also getting a chance to get to know Adam better.  Adam is also seeing below Lysander’s polished surface and finding someone he wants to get to know even better.  If they can only trust each other …

The relationship between the two may have developed quickly – the entire story is one day – but it is well-written and believable.  The connection between the two is portrayed very well, as is the fear of sharing their true selves.  But while IMW is well-written, it is a little open-ended and leaves the reader with a few questions that are answered in MWC.

Mr. Winterbourne’s Christmas picks up a year and a half after IMW and I kinda wish we’d gotten to see those months.  Chambers does a good job of conveying their connection, as well as their uncertainty of where the future is going and why they are hesitant to talk to each other about it.  While Christmas with Lysander’s family doesn’t really do much to further deepen their relationship, it creates that moment of truth that main two need in order to settle in completely to their relationship.  It also introduces other characters (& couples up a few of them) and lays the ground work for possible future stories.

While both MWC & IMW are sexy, they are just as much about the emotions between them.  These two complement each other well, with Adam being staid & reserved and Lysander more playful & charming.  But they also live in a world where they have to fear discovery and punishment, which I feel like Chambers kept in mind well as they struggled to find their way.  With a satisfactory resolution here, I’m intrigued to see what Chambers has in mind next!

*****

Author Info:

Joanna Chambers always wanted to write. She spent over 20 years staring at blank sheets of paper and despairing of ever writing a single word. In between staring at blank sheets of paper, she studied law, met her husband and had two children. Whilst nursing her first child, she rediscovered her love of romance and found her muse. Joanna lives in Scotland with her family and finds time to write by eschewing sleep and popular culture.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

*****

Giveaway:

Backlist Ebook from Joanna Chambers

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/3e0e9a43496/

*****

November 19 – Boulevard des Passions, My Fiction Nook, OMGReads

November 21 – Diverse Reader

November 23 – Mirrigold

November 26 – Romantic Reads & Such, Amy’s MM Romance Reviews

November 28 – Drops Of Ink, Bayou Book Junkie, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, We Three Queens

November 30 – Kimmers Erotic Book Banter, Lillian Francis, BooksLaidBareBoys

Book Review – Wicked Whiskey Love

19 Monday Nov 2018

Posted by in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest

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Yes, we have seen Bones recently but it definitely doesn’t hurt to revisit a Whiskey story (and I somehow signed up for two tours by accident because I love these stories SO very much 🙂 )

Plus you have a chance to win a copy of Tru Blue and if you haven’t read Truman’s story yet … well, I’m not sure why that would be … enter to win a copy today!

*****

A new, emotionally riveting, sexy standalone romance by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster.

Fall in love with Bones Whiskey in WICKED WHISKEY LOVE, an emotionally riveting, sexy new standalone romance by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. A magnificent love story for those who enjoy fiercely loyal and insanely sexy alpha heroes, smart, sassy heroines, families, bikers, babies, and more!

Wicked Whiskey Love

by Melissa Foster

Blurb

After escaping abusive parents and, later, an abusive relationship, Sarah Beckley has spent a lifetime watching snakes shed their skin. With two small children to care for and another on the way, she’s finally found a home in Peaceful Harbor with the brother she hasn’t seen in more than a decade. She’s still searching for her sister, but life is good. If only she could stop thinking about the sinfully sexy doctor/biker who has taken to her children like a loving uncle–and to her like a hungry man.

Trust doesn’t come easily for Sarah, but Bones Whiskey is patient and protective, amazing with her children, and he looks at her like she is the only woman he could ever want–and more. With two little ones underfoot, Sarah expects him to move on quickly, yet with every tender kiss and each trying moment with the children, Bones surprises her. But will the fiercely loyal biker stick around when Sarah’s worst secret is revealed, or will he shed his skin, too?

**CONTENT WARNING: Due to mature content, recommended for readers aged 18+**

Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk Barnes and Noble KOBO iBooks GPlay Paperback

*****

Review:

Like all the Whiskey stories, Wicked Whiskey Love is about family, not necessarily the one you are born with but the one you surround yourself with.

Sarah definitely didn’t have the best of the first but she’s doing everything she can to reconnect with her siblings and make a better life than she had for her kids.  Being adopted by the Whiskeys is definitely doing a lot to help her regain her trust in people and her faith in herself.

Bones may not have always had every physical want met but he had what was important.  He knew his place in life and he had people that loved & cared for him.  His parents and the Dark Knights made sure that he grew up knowing right from wrong and was willing to fight for others when needed.  It’s the Whiskey way and it’s turned out some dang fine men.

Sarah is skittish about trusting people, but Bones is patient and he’s going to convince her that he (and his family) want the best for her, will be there for her & her family when she needs them.  It truly touches the heart to see her slowly open up and accept that she’s worth their attention & affection.  (And Bones with her kids will have you swooning – so adorable!)

While Bones does a lot of the work in winning Sarah over, it is a group thing and seeing the collective Whiskeys step up to be there for each other is just so very awesome.  They may not do things the conventional way but the Whiskey way has a lot of heart & good intentions and that’s what is important.

*****

For more hot Whiskey love, check out Melissa’s other Whiskey novels.

TRU BLUE
TRULY MADLY WHISKEY
DRIVING WHISKEY WILD
MAD ABOUT MOON (Releasing April 2019)

And don’t miss RIVER OF LOVE, the first story in which the Whiskeys were introduced!

“Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!”New York Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely

“You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that’s fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won’t want to stop reading. Every book’s a winner!” NYT Bestselling Author Brenda Novak

“Melissa Foster writes worlds that draw you in, with strong heroes and brave heroines surrounded by a community that makes you want to crawl right on through the page and live there.” – New York Times bestselling author Julia Kent

Tru Blue

There’s nothing Truman Gritt won’t do to protect his family–Including spending years in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. When he’s finally released, the life he knew is turned upside down by his mother’s overdose, and Truman steps in to raise the children she’s left behind. Truman’s hard, he’s secretive, and he’s trying to save a brother who’s even more broken than he is. He’s never needed help in his life, and when beautiful Gemma Wright tries to step in, he’s less than accepting. But Gemma has a way of slithering into people’s lives and eventually she pierces through his ironclad heart. When Truman’s dark past collides with his future, his loyalties will be tested, and he’ll be faced with his toughest decision yet.

**CONTENT WARNING: Due to mature content, recommended for readers aged 18+**

Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk Barnes and Noble KOBO iBooks

Truly, Madly, Whiskey

Eight months is a long damn time to have the hots for a woman who keeps a guy at arm’s length. But Crystal Moon is no ordinary woman. She’s a sinfully sexy, sass-mouthed badass, and the subject of Bear Whiskey’s midnight fantasies. She’s also one of his closest friends.

Just when Crystal thinks she has her life under control, scorching-hot, possessive, aggressive, and fiercely loyal Bear pushes all her sexual buttons, relentless in his pursuit to make her his.

The more Bear pushes, the hotter their passion burns, unearthing memories for Crystal that are best kept buried. But there’s no stopping the collision of her past and present, catapulting the two lovers down an emotionally charged road that has them questioning all they thought they knew about themselves.

**CONTENT WARNING: Due to mature content, recommended for readers aged 18+**

Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk Barnes and Noble KOBO iBooks GPlay Paperback

Driving Whiskey Wild

Special Forces veteran and Dark Knights Motorcycle Club member Bullet Whiskey lives to protect his family, their bar, and the residents of his small hometown. He’s rough, unapologetic, and haunted by a secret, painful past. He’s also a master at keeping people away, and when his sister hires gorgeous and sweet Finlay Wilson to help expand their biker bar, he knows just how to get rid of her.

After losing her boyfriend and her father, Finlay moves back to her hometown to be closer to the little family she has left. She needs her temporary job at Whiskey Bro’s to get her catering business off the ground, and she’s determined not to let the gruff, arrogant mountain of a man Bullet Whiskey scare her off.

Finlay is everything Bullet has never wanted. She’s afraid of his dog, afraid of motorcycles, and sweet enough to give him cavities, but as she weaves her way into the hearts of everyone around him, he’s powerless to resist her charms. Passion ignites, but trust doesn’t come easily, and when their pasts collide, Bullet finds out the true meaning of protecting those he loves.

**CONTENT WARNING: Due to mature content, recommended for readers aged 18+**

Amazon.com Amazon.co.uk Barnes and Noble KOBO iBooks GPlay Paperback

*****

Author Info:

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance and women’s fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Readers adore Melissa’s fun, flirty, and sinfully sexy, award-winning big-family romance collection, LOVE IN BLOOM featuring the Snow Sisters, Bradens, Remingtons, Ryders, Seaside Summer, Harborside Nights, Wild Boys and Bad Boys After Dark, and the Montgomerys. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented– perfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about loyal, wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines with complex and relatable issues.

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

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

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

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

Website Facebook Twitter Google+ Goodreads Pinterest Amazon Author Page

****

Giveaway:

Tru Blue ebook – 2 winners – Open Worldwide

(Ends on Sunday, November 25th)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b25fc618422/

*****

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

*****

Are you a book reviewer or book blogger? Join our book tours reviewers team – Apply Here

Current book tours open for sign ups HERE

Book Review – On Magnolia Lane

14 Wednesday Nov 2018

Posted by in Blog Tour, Book Review

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Hunter’s latest is stuffed to the edges with beautiful, realistic, and emotional moments.

*****

On Magnolia Lane

Blue Ridge Romance series

by Denise Hunter

Paperback: 336 Pages

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 6, 2018)

Blurb:

From the bestselling author of The Convenient Groom (now a beloved Hallmark Original movie) comes the final book in Hunter’s Blue Ridge Romance series.

Pastor Jack McReady has secretly carried a torch for Daisy for two long years. She’s a member of his congregation, after all, and she’ll never see him as more than a trusted counselor. Jack’s best friend Noah has taken every opportunity to encourage his lovesick friend, but when Noah catches wind that Daisy has joined an online dating site, he takes matters into his own hands and orchestrates a meet-cute of the most unconventional kind.

Owner of the local flower shop, Daisy Pendleton is content with her small-town life, but she’d sure like someone to share it with. After several disastrous first dates, she’s about to give up—and then she finds a seemingly wonderful man online. Daisy gets to know TJ through a series of messages but finds herself spending more time with Pastor Jack outside of the church at the same time. What she doesn’t know is that her online prospect and Jack are one and the same.

Just as Daisy’s love life starts to look promising, a mysterious woman appears in town. Daisy is faced with a revelation about her family that turns her world upside down, and she looks to both TJ and Jack for help.

Jack must find a way to reveal himself as her online suitor without breaking her heart and losing her trust. As Daisy faces Jack’s betrayal, she’ll have to learn to extend grace to herself, her family, and the man she’s grown to love.

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

*****

Review:

From the very first page, I fell for Pastor Jack.  I love that Hunter made sure to emphasize that, while he is the spiritual leader of his church, he’s also a man.  He’s developed feelings for a friend but unfortunately she seems oblivious, which is very frustrating for him.  And in a moment of weakness he connects to her through a dating site … while hiding his identity.  You know it isn’t going to end well, yet you easily understand how he found himself caught up in the deception.  It lets you seen the more human side of him right along with Daisy.

Daisy is a sweet and caring person but she is a little stuck on how some things from her past affect how she feels about herself.  And she’s definitely a little clueless when it comes to Jack 🙂  She has a habit of putting people up on a pedestal and unfortunately that’s what she’s done to him.  But life tends to knock them down and things are quickly going to get complicated for her.  When the dust settles, she’s definitely done some growing up and has a few things to come to terms with, including her feelings for Jack.

Packed full of emotions, On Magnolia Lane wonderfully explores the idea of identity and perception, secrets and forgiveness.  All while delivering a tender love story that, more than once, made me give a little happy sigh.

(Part of a series but can easily stand alone.)

*****

Author Info:

Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 30 novels, including “The Convenient Groom” and “A December Bride” which have been made into Hallmark movies. She has appeared on the The 700 club and won awards such as The Holt Medallion Award, The Carol Award, The Reader’s Choice Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist.

Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories. Her readers enjoy the vicarious thrill of falling in love and the promise of a happily-ever-after sigh as they savor the final pages of her books.

In 1996, inspired by the death of her grandfather, Denise began her first book, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she’s been writing ever since. Her husband says he inspires all her romantic stories, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!

When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking good coffee, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband raised three boys and are currently enjoying an empty nest.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

*****

Visit TLC Book Tours to check out the rest of the tour

https://tlcbooktours.com/2018/07/denise-hunter-author-of-on-magnolia-lane-on-tour-november-2018/

Book Review – A Christmas Date

13 Tuesday Nov 2018

Posted by in Book Review

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Who’s in the mood for a light-hearted, yet emotional, holiday HEA?

*****

A Christmas Date

First Comes Love #3

by Camilla Isley

Genre: Chick Lit, Romantic Comedy, Holiday Romance, Adult (Clean, sweet romance)

Length: 55k Words/220 pages

Publication Date: October, 25 2018

Blurb:

No one wants to be single at the holidays.

Even Little Miss Grinch, Nikki, a successful and independent woman, must face her bachelorette status at the most horrible time of the year.

December is her personal version of holly-jolly hell: a merry torture made of couples kissing at every corner, forced vacation days, and an inescapable family reunion.
And when her baby sister announces she’s engaged—to Paul, the man Nikki is secretly in love with—and that he’s spending the holidays with them, Christmas starts looking bluer than ever.

Nikki can’t possibly survive an entire week trapped home as the family’s spinster. But she has no time to meet men or to try the newest dating app, she’s too busy working as a video producer for an advertising agency.

So what’s a girl to do?

Nikki has the perfect solution: to hire a fake boyfriend.

Luckily, her job gives her access to an endless catalog of gorgeous actors to choose from.

But Nikki will soon discover that keeping business and pleasure from mixing isn’t so easy, and that she might not be immune to a little mistletoe magic. Especially not when she picked out the perfect man as her Christmas date…

A fun, festive romantic comedy with lots of bad behavior and Christmas spirit. Like a creamy hot chocolate with marshmallows, you won’t want to put this deliciously hilarious novel down.

(Each novel in the series reads as a standalone.)

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35421840-a-christmas-date

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GBXB5PK

Apple Books: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-christmas-date/id1424973663

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-christmas-date-camilla-isley/1129274291?ean=2940155770961

Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=9788887269253

Google Play:  https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Camilla_Isley_A_Christmas_Date?id=p4ZoDwAAQBAJ

*****

Read an excerpt:
https://camillaisley.files.wordpress.com/2018/10/a-christmas-date-camilla-isley.pdf

*****

Review:

I love Diego and Nikki together.  Even though they start this adventure as strangers there is a great connection between them.  One where they are able to find a way to enjoy even the most absurd of moments – and Isley delivers quite a few giggle inducing bits 🙂

But it’s the relationship between Nikki and her sister that is the catalyst for a lot of the more emotional parts … as well as any trouble that comes their way.  There’s definitely sibling rivalry at play that has created a distance between them that, thanks to some honest communication (finally), they are able to address.

You have to be OK with a ninsta-love kind of situation because Nikki and Diego don’t know each other very long.  But there is an intensity to their situation that helps them get closer quicker that works as a king of long, drawn-out meet cute.  And a start to what will definitely be a happy ending for them all.

*****

Author Info:

Camilla’s an engineer turned writer after she quit her job to follow her husband in an adventure abroad.

She’s a cat lover, coffee addict, and shoe hoarder. Besides writing, she loves reading—duh!—cooking, watching bad TV, and going to the movies—popcorn, please. She’s a bit of a foodie, nothing too serious. A keen traveler, Camilla knows mosquitoes play a role in the ecosystem, and she doesn’t want to starve all those frog princes out there, but she could really live without them.

https://www.camillaisley.com

Twitter: @camillaisley

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

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

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

Book Review – Feels Like Falling

12 Monday Nov 2018

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

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While not an easy read, Feels Like Falling is definitely one worth trying – Keating will break your heart a time or two on her way to giving you a happy ending.

*****

Feels Like Falling

Dangerous Love #5

by Elle Keating

Release Date: November 13, 2018

Publisher: Self-published

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

From author Elle Keating comes FEELS LIKE FALLING, the next installment in her Dangerous Love series. Peyton Matthews doesn’t want anyone to find the chinks in her armor, and Luke McGinnis fights hard to keep his ugly past buried. While they are drawn to each other, chemistry is not what’s bringing them together. Fans of UGLY LOVE by Coleen Hoover, Sylvia Day, and EASY by Tammara Webber will devour this dark and emotional romance.

Luke McGinnis is the responsible, quiet older brother. The loving son who enjoys working side-by-side with his father at the winery they co-own. At twenty-nine years old, Luke is a success story, the rags-to-riches kind. That’s what people see. Not the ugly past he fights to keep buried… a past that keeps him from really living.

Peyton Matthews is a household name. As a model, her face has been on the covers of countless magazines and she now has more money than she will ever know what to do with. But that smile she flashes for the photographers and the media is just an illusion. That pretty package everyone envies has been her armor, her protection, and she doesn’t want anyone to find a chink in it… especially not the winery owner who looks at her like he knows the dark secrets she keeps.

Add to Goodreads → https://bit.ly/2N9H7fH

BUY NOW: Amazon | iBooks | B&N | Kobo

Listen to the FEELS LIKE FALLING playlist on Spotify now! https://spoti.fi/2ND6ypi

What more from Elle Keating? Grab the rest of the Dangerous Love books!

THRILL OF THE CHASE

Read Now: Amazon | B&N

CUT TO THE CHASE

Read Now: Amazon | B&N

WANTING MORE

Read Now: Amazon | B&N

BACK TO THE START

Read Now: Amazon | B&N

*****

Excerpt:

Peyton looked back at the bar, but Luke was nowhere to be found. Pissed, she continued her trek to the bathrooms anyway and was just about to enter the door marked MNA when someone grabbed her hand and pulled her down a hallway and into some back room which housed a pay phone and a rack full of coats. Like the rest of the tavern, the lighting wasn’t great, but she was able to focus on the man who still gripped her hand and stared at her like he was either going to yell at her or take her against the wall in the most primal of ways.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“Who is he?” Luke asked through gritted teeth.

It pissed her off that he completely ignored her question and asked her one instead, one that truly left her perplexed. “Who are you talking about?”

“The man who felt it was okay to touch you here.” He released her hand, but she instantly felt his fingertips at the small of her back.

The heat of his touch made her anger fade, at least for the time being and she said, “He’s a friend of Walt’s.”

“Are you leaving with him?” His eyes darkened and he drew closer. His hand fell away from the small of her back, which thankfully broke the trance her body seemed to be under and her fury was reignited.

Who the hell did he think he was? She didn’t owe him anything. Not even responses to questions that made her hot and furious at the same time.

“Did you follow me here?” she asked. Her voice shook a little, but it was better than submitting to his questions.

“Yes. Now, are you going home with him?”

“Do you have any idea how messed up that is? That you fucking followed me…again?”

His jaw clenched and he looked away. Peyton was prepared to continue, to lay into him and tell him that he was a stalker and could go to hell, but then he glanced back at her and she saw the shame in his eyes. “Yeah…it is fucked up. I’m…fucked up,” he said.

She wasn’t even going to try to pretend that his words didn’t shock her. He knew what he was doing wasn’t normal. That he wasn’t normal. Luke roughly raked a hand through his hair as he paced the small coatroom. He reminded her of a caged animal, one that was anxious and willing to chew through the bars to get free. Shame, worry, pain, fear, confusion. He seemed consumed by each emotion all at once and all she could do was watch him suffer. What happened to him? Why did he look so…broken?

Before she could ask, Luke shook his head, told her he was sorry and left.

*****

Review:

Keating’s latest story is about strength and coping.  Both Peyton and Luke survived horrible abuses as children but did their best to find a way to move forward.  It wasn’t necessarily the best but it worked at the time.  Now a chance meeting has them re-examining their lives and what they want out in their future.

As much as he loves his family and as good as his life got after he and his brothers were taken in by the McGinnis family, Luke didn’t feel like he could talk to anyone about what his past did to him.  He tried to live a normal life but found that he had trouble with relationships, so he did the best he could to get by, making only impersonal connections with people outside his family.  Then he sees Peyton’s haunting eyes on the cover of a magazine and later in real life … and everything changes.

I think Peyton may have dealt with her past a bit better but it still hampered her life.  She’d struggled with giving herself to a relationship, using her career and celebrity as the excuse to keeping things shallow.  But her attraction to Luke proves too big to ignore and there is a special connection between them.  When she finds out why and what it meant for him, though, will she be able to accept it?

You have to be OK with descriptions of some truly awful things done to children, but if you make it thru you’ll find a journey to a HEA that will make it all worth while.  Both have their struggles, especially Luke about whether he’s good enough for someone like Peyton, but it’s heartening the way they manage to work through their issues to finally find that special someone.

*****

Author Info:

Elle Keating is the author of romance novels with sexy heroes and fierce females. Her first book, Thrill of the Chase (Dangerous Love, #1), was published by Forever Romance’s digital imprint, Forever Yours, in 2015. Cut to the Chase (Dangerous Love, #2) soon followed. Most recently, Elle self-published Wanting More (Dangerous Love, #3), Back to the Start (Dangerous Love, #4) and the standalone novel, Keeping His Commandments.

When Elle isn’t torturing her heroes and heroines (don’t worry, there’s always a happily ever after), she is a public school administrator and enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 children in New Jersey. For more on Elle and her books, visit ellekeating.com.

Follow:  Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub | Instagram

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win one of three Dangerous Love Book Bundles!

(includes Thrill of the Chase, Cut to the Chase, Wanting More, & Back to the Start)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29588/

*****