Book Review – Winner Takes All

08 Thursday Sep 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Champion Valley series, Erin Kern, Winner Takes All

Winner Takes All

Champion Valley #1

by Erin Kern

THE LOVE OF THE GAME

Money. Fame. Endorsements. Blake Carpenter had it all — before his professional football career spiraled out of control. Determined to rebuild his life, he takes on coaching the high school team in his Colorado hometown. Despite a few fumbles, Blake knows he can lead these boys to victory. As long as he can keep his eyes on the prize and off the team’s distractingly gorgeous physical therapist.

Annabelle Turner knows all about the scandal that cost Blake his NFL career, and she’ll be damned if she’s going to let his mistakes hurt her team. What she doesn’t count on is the intense attraction that turns every heated run-in they have into a wildly erotic competition. Point by point, play by play, kiss by kiss, they try to keep things professional for the good of the team. But when the score is this close-and the passion this fierce-it’s anybody’s game . . .

Kern delivers a small town romance that is the perfect kick-off to a new series. There’s the perfect balance between the romance between the main characters and the introduction of other people who are sure to find their way into their own story. Nowhere did I feel that she short changed either one, giving readers a sweet & fun love story while creating an anticipation for what comes next.

I loved the interactions between Blake & Annabelle. He’s gruff but loves the boys on his team. Tries to be a bit of a hard nose but doesn’t always succeed, especially when he comes into contact with Annabelle and her spunkiness! She’s not taking any of his attitude lying down and gives back just as much as he dishes out. They might try to fight their attraction but it’s a heck of a lot of fun watching them lose 🙂

There are a few loose ends that I’m hoping Kern will tie up in other installments. And there are also some great secondary characters who will hopefully continue to provide lively entertainment in the books to come. It’s one of the great things about new romance series – all the possibilities that could be, the people you hope to get to know even better and the opportunity to see favorites again & again. And Kern gives us that beautifully.

Book Review – The Rebel’s Return

06 Tuesday Sep 2016

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Red River series, The Rebel's Return, Victoria James

Gonna kick off the short work week (for us Americans 🙂 ) with sweet story about lovers who have a second chance … if they can resist letting their past control them.

*****

The Rebel’s Return

Red River #4

by Victoria James

Publication Date: August 22, 2016

Genres: Adult, Entangled: Bliss, Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Natalia Puccini has spent her entire life playing by her overbearing but well-intentioned Italian family’s rules…except the one time she took a chance on a bad boy and fell hard. She’s worked to get her life back on track so when Aiden McCann comes sauntering back into town with his heart-stopping smile, Natalia vows not to fall for him again. There’s no way she’ll let him mess with her perfectly planned life…and there’s no way she’ll let him near her heart again…

Now reformed and a self-made success, Aiden is tormented by regrets and secrets. He left Red River years ago filled with anger and resentment and a promise to never come back. But when his ill father needs help, Aiden knows it’s time to face the mess he left behind, and face the one woman he never got over. It doesn’t matter how beautiful or intriguing she is, though, because he’ll never be able to give her what she needs. As soon as his father is healthy, Aiden is leaving Red River…for good.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2b9kByF

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2b7eldH

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2bLDEk7

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2bx1j7z

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

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2bGD70N

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

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2bDvg2W

*****

Excerpt:

“I hate hating people. I just dislike you intensely, Aiden. Don’t mistake my being kind to your father as kindness toward you. As for being civil, I can do that, too.”

Ouch.

“Great. Well, now that we’ve cleared the air… I’m glad things won’t be awkward between us while I’m here.”

“No worries.”

God, this was going to be a long eight weeks. “Fine. So you hate me.”

She shook her head. “That’s such a negative emotion. Also, too strong of an emotion for a man I haven’t thought about in ten years.”

He crossed his arms. “You haven’t thought about me in ten years?”

“Nope. Not. At. All.”

He took a step closer to her, mostly because he couldn’t resist. “I think you’re lying.”

“And why would you think that?”

“You bring my father food every day.”

She took a step closer to him. “Because I feel bad for him, not because of you.”

“Well, you must think about me every time you walk into the house.”

She rolled her eyes. “More like a passing thought. Like if somebody puked after eating Chinese food, then every time they saw Chinese food, they made the association.” He was torn between laughing and being insulted. He glanced down at her mouth, and his stomach clenched. She still had the nicest mouth he’d ever seen. Soft, kissable lips, and he knew, remembered, exactly how she tasted. He was pleased to notice her gaze kept going from his eyes to his mouth. So maybe she thought about other things besides puking when he was around. Not that he’d let on. “When you think about me, you’re thinking about vomit?”

She nodded. “Pretty much. Welcome back to Red River, Aiden.”

And with those endearing words, the woman he’d thought he’d one day marry opened the door and walked out.

*****

Review:

This is the first in this series for me (surprise!) but luckily it seems that this is easily a stand alone. There are some hints at the next story (which looks really ah-sum), but Nat & Aiden’s story seems to be easily enjoyed regardless of whether this is your first or your fourth in this series.

Overall I really, really liked this book. The second chance romance aspect of it is well done and I felt like James handled the conflict there fantastically. We feel Nat’s confusion on having Aiden back, how she’s struggling with her old feelings (& reignited attraction) with the heartache that his leaving caused. She never got over him or his betrayal and we hurt with her over it.

James also does a great job with Aiden’s hardship at being back. How he’s torn over his feelings for Nat and his need to leave a town that reminds him of his difficult childhood. Of spending time with his sick dad, a weak man who neglected his sons and retreated into himself after the death of his wife, leaving them to fend for themselves. Your heart goes out to the hurt little boy inside the man.

The only thing I had trouble understanding is why Aiden took almost the entire book to come clean on exactly what happened when he broke up with Nat all those years ago. He can see how much it hurt her and how it is still influencing her life. He knows that she needs to hear the truth but he dances around it when he should just tell her as soon as it becomes obvious that he needs to. I can see where James tries to have him rationalize it to himself but it just didn’t work for me. Sure, it would have led to a much shorter book 🙂 but it just didn’t sit right.

But, while I would shake my head at him, I was hooked and anxious to have them figure things out. I’ll definitely be checking out what James has in store next … and checking out her back list as well!

*****

Author Info:

Victoria James is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance.

Victoria always knew she wanted to be a writer and in grade five, she penned her first story, bound it (with staples and a cardboard cover) and did all the illustrations herself. Luckily, this book will never see the light of day again.

In high school she fell in love with historical romance and then contemporary romance. After graduating University with an English Literature degree, Victoria pursued a degree in Interior Design and then opened her own business. After her first child, Victoria knew it was time to fulfill her dream of writing romantic fiction.

Victoria is a hopeless romantic who is living her dream, penning happily-ever-after’s for her 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 she’s quite content living in suburbia with her husband, their two young children, and very bad cat.

Sign up for Victoria’s Newsletter to stay up to date on upcoming releases and exclusive giveaways, follow her blog for daily antics and insight into her daily life, and get to know her on twitter and Facebook. She loves hearing from readers! www.victoriajames.ca

*****

DON’T MISS THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE RED RIVER SERIES!

A Risk Worth Taking

Red River, #1

Blurb:

Interior designer Holly Carrington worked hard for her success. Then tragedy struck, leaving Holly the sole guardian of her infant niece. Now she’s swapped her designer purse for a diaper bag, and is going ahead with plans to renovate—and sell—her childhood home in Red River. But facing her past also means coming face-to-face with Quinn Manning all over again…

Quinn was the object of her girlhood crush—and heartbreak— and is more gorgeous than ever. He’s also the only person qualified to oversee the renovation. Now they’re butting heads every step of the way… and their attraction is more electrifying than ever! But once the house is sold, Holly needs to return to her real life. And falling for Quinn all over again is one risk she can’t take…

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2bmNIz5

Audible: http://adbl.co/2bsig1q

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2b7eUnE

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

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

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

iBooks: http://apple.co/2bG5JGG

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

The Best Man’s Baby

Red River, #2

Blurb:

Florist Claire Holbrook has always played by the rules her entire life, but breaks them to spend one night with sexy lone wolf Jake Manning, a man she’s adored since she was a teenager. Six weeks later things get complicated when she discovers they created a bond that will last a lifetime…

Jake has never played by the rules. Getting Minister Holbrook’s daughter pregnant wasn’t part of any life plan, but he won’t run from his responsibilities. He’ll step up and be the best man he can, even if he doesn’t have a clue where to begin. The more time he spends with Claire, though, the more he wants her, and the harder it is to get close because that would mean sharing the one thing he hasn’t with anyone—the truth and his heart.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2b951jj

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

Audible: http://adbl.co/2brL7kr

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2b9oGQK

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2bx0SKv

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

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

iBooks: http://apple.co/2bDwk6M

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

The Doctor’s Fake Fiancée

Red River, #3

Blurb:

Their marriage bargain is just what the doctor ordered…

Former surgeon and self-professed life-long bachelor Evan Manning has one thing on his mind—to reclaim the career that a car accident stole from him. But when he’s forced to return to his hometown of Red River, Evan comes face-to-face with the gorgeous woman who’s haunted his dreams for the last year—the woman he rescued from the burning car that injured his hand. Now Evan needs her help. In a month, he’ll have the job opportunity of a lifetime…he just needs a wife to get it.

Artist Grace Matheson is down on her luck again…until she walks into Evan Manning’s office. When her sexy former hero hears that she needs work, he offers her a job and a home—if she’ll pretend she’s his fiancée. Grace knows she shouldn’t fall for him. Once the month is up, Evan will be back to his old life. But the more time they spend together, the more real their feelings become—and the more likely heartbreak is.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2bcX8LX

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2brLfk2

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2b9lbMW

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2b7gaHr

B&N: http://bit.ly/1yRsw9s

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

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

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2b85ZRE

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win a $15 Amazon Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1cb55495914

*****

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

Book Review – Family Tree

31 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Family Tree, Susan Wiggs

Family Tree

by Susan wiggs

Often, the most poignant journey is coming home, and no one else can evoke all the uncertainty and joys of those life passages quite like Susan Wiggs. FAMILY TREE starts with a little over the top drama: Annie Rush is the creator and producer of one of America’s most successful TV cooking shows. Her life seems perfect: her husband is her leading man, their ratings are through the roof…and she’s just found out she’s pregnant. As she runs from an interview with one of the nation’s biggest weekly magazines to the set to tell her husband the happy news, everything changes in an instant. She walks in on him in a compromising position with the female star of the show. As she backs away, stunned, a set fixture topples on her, sending Annie into a coma…which lasts for a year.

When Annie wakes up, it’s to find herself in her hometown of Switchback, Vermont: Martin airlifted her there with proxy divorce papers after the accident. She retreats to her family home on Switchback’s maple farm, helping tend the generations-old maple farm and running into her former high school flame. Enveloped in the sugar-spun warmth of her mother, free-spirited brother, nieces and nephews, Annie starts to cook up a new life for herself, with the help of a discovery of a maple cookbook written by her grandmother many years past. FAMILY TREE is the story of Annie’s triumph over betrayal, coming to terms with the past to mix up a clear-eyed future. And, just as the author is in her own kitchen, the book is clear-eyed, big-hearted, funny and wise.

I have to be honest on a couple of things. First, I’m not a huge fan of authors having flashbacks in their story – I don’t normally like that back and forth between what’s happening now and what happened before without having an idea of where things are going. A lot of time I feel like it is just a way to try to create suspense when a more linear track can’t and in a poor writer’s hands I feel like the blanks are there to add length to the book. Good thing for me Wiggs is not a poor writer. Even though we jump back and forth she keeps the stories intertwined well and we got an idea of where things were going, we were just waiting to get there. Still not my favorite thing but more palatable when done well like it is here.

The other thing I had a problem with was how Annie and Fletcher keep making the same mistakes over and over again, both in the present and the past. I would have thought that at some point they would have figured things out but apparently not and I really wanted to smack them by the time we reached the end of the book. Luckily they figure things out (because this is a HEA kind of story) so I was able to control my more violent urges 🙂

Overall, I was kinda surprised at how this book went – I think that the blurb isn’t really a good indication of the story you get. Because of that I didn’t have a good idea of what to expect but Annie is recovering in the hospital for a good portion of it (I’m a little fuzzy on the exact time frame through the whole book) and for the rest she is spent trying to figure out how to get her feet under her again. And of course those flashbacks to her history in Switchback and with Fletcher, which you know going in doesn’t end happily.

While it’s not easy for Annie to figure out where she goes from here, as you can imagine (which is par for the course with Wiggs), her struggle is heartfelt and touching. There is sadness that you know is coming, but there are also high points to off set them – not a carefree read but rewarding.

Book Review – Meant to be Mine

30 Tuesday Aug 2016

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Guilty Pleasures series, Lisa Marie Perry, Meant to be Mine

The second book on this busy Tuesday, with a review 🙂 Not an easy read but definitely worth it!

(Make sure you come back and check out our last book later today.)

*****

Meant to be Mine

Guilty Pleasures series #1

by Lisa Marie Perry

On Sale: August 30, 2016

Publisher: Forever

Formats: Mass Market & eBook

Price: $6.99 USD (MM) / $6.99 USD (eBook)

Add to Goodreads

Series Page on Goodreads

Blurb:

Loving him was hard. Wanting him was so damn easy . . .

Sofia Mercer may have been sick as a teen, but she’s no delicate flower. And she’s proven it by making it on her own and starting a new life away from the town that turned against her, away from the boy who broke her already fragile heart. But when her aunt Luz dies unexpectedly, leaving Sofia with a mountain of regrets and the keys to a quirky boutique, Sofia has no choice but to return to Cape Cod. Only, this new life in her old town comes with complications.

Burke Wolf was Sofia’s first love—a relationship that burned bright and went up in flames. Seeing him again, Sofia can’t help but get caught up in that all-too-familiar tornado of passion and pain. He’s battled his own demons—that much is clear. But Sofia can’t afford to be careless with her heart . . . and loving Burke again might just break it completely.

*****

Excerpt:

She hid her scar behind her clothes, hid her sexual hunger behind mannequins in a window, but eventually, he would bring Sofia Mercer out of hiding.

Their lips parted and he traced a finger between her breasts, up the jagged trail of thick, knotted scar tissue. He wanted to see it, assure her it wasn’t ugly, but he’d given his word that he wouldn’t look, and he would kick his own ass before he violated that trust.

“It doesn’t feel ugly,” he said plainly. “I’ve got scars, too.”

“From fighting. This is different.”

What had she been imagining, all these years? Schoolyard brawls? A teenage fight club? Did she define him as someone so out of control that he’d gone searching for split lips, black eyes, and fractured ribs?

Yeah, it was different. Her scar was a result of a lifesaving medical procedure . . . not violence.

Laying his hand flat, he felt her heart pound quick and strong. Caught up in the moment, caught up in her, he whispered, “Losing you would’ve killed me.”

He felt her slip away from him before she moved a single muscle. When she did retreat, sliding off his lap, fixing her clothes, and raking an arm across her mouth, she said, “I told Abram we weren’t together. Was that a lie? Can we be together, Burke?”

“Casually, yeah. As friends, of course. But don’t rope me into more. It wouldn’t be good for you.”

“That’s not your call.”

“It is, though. Tell me something and be truthful about it. How many panic attacks have you had since coming back to town?”

“A few.”

“Uh-huh. And how many came on when I wasn’t near you?”

“Uh . . .”

“Sofia.”

“None.”

“That’s my point. Think it’s a coincidence that your health teeters when I’m around? I’m harmful to you. I’ve known for a long time that I’m no good.” She didn’t know all the hell he carried. He’d do anything to spare her heart the burden of his skeletons.

“Stop it,” she whispered, getting to her feet. “You’d never hurt me.”

“Not intentionally, but the fact is I trigger something in you that you can’t physically handle. I meant what I said earlier—it would kill me to lose you. As much as I want you, and damn it, you know I do, I can’t keep putting you at risk.”

“Are you sure my health isn’t your excuse to justify walking away?” she challenged. “Hold me off, resist what’s good and real and permanent, then take off on your boat. That’s your plan, right?”

“It’s worked out nicely for years. You wouldn’t be the first woman to step back because she can’t handle my career. It’s dangerous, the hours can be shitty, and sometimes I can be on the water for weeks. I’d never ask you or anyone else to shut up and like it. If you want to bail now, I won’t hold it against you.”

“That does terrify me, but I’m not bailing. A career is one thing. Escape is something else altogether. I don’t think I can love you halfway—either I’m all in or I fold.”

*****

Review:

There is so much going on with this story I don’t even know where to start and I’m afraid that in all my ramblings I may give away a few things I shouldn’t. If I do I apologize and I’ll give fair warning now that there may be some slight spoilers that I didn’t mean to include.

Sofia left Eaves and didn’t look back. She didn’t have the best history there, but she did have her aunt and Burke – both of whom she turned from when she left. Unfortunately her aunt is now gone and while back for her funeral Sofia runs into Burke again. There’s a lot of mixed up feelings, not just of having abandoned both of them, but also where she’s going now and how she can face the town that has so many negative feelings for her. Her health is also a concern and how it impacts her long term relationships. It’s a lot of things going on but she’s a fighter and gonna figure it out.

I can understand why Burke hid his abuse and turned to drugs. But I’m absolutely stunned that he somehow kept it quiet so well for so long. And that finding out about it doesn’t impact Sofia more. There are so many assumptions made about him that turn out to be untrue and so many people that could have helped him but didn’t. I feel so horribly for him but he’s managed to get and stay clean. It doesn’t wipe away those feelings of being unworthy though and that includes being with Sofia.

This is not an easy read by any means, so make sure that you are up for a layered read that will pull on your heartstrings and require time to fully digest. There’s a lot of difficult history for these two and they are still dealing with a lot of complications in their lives. They made a good pair at one point in time – at least as much as they were willing to let the other in. But all grown up now, they have to decide if they are willing to risk opening themselves up and letting the other in completely. There is no halfway here. It is definitely all or nothing and that can be an amazingly scary thing.

*****

Author Info:

Lisa Marie Perry encounters difficult fictional men and women on a daily basis. She writes sizzling, deep fiction featuring flawed heroes brought to their knees by the love of complicated women. She has received high praise from USA Today and has been nominated for an RT Book Reviews literary award. She lives in America’s heartland, drives a truck, enjoys indie rock, collects Medieval literature, watches too many comedies, has a not-so-secret love for lace and adores rugged men with a little bit of nerd.

For laughs, randomness and occasional inappropriateness, visit LMP at www.perrytalebooks.com.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

FOLLOW FOREVER ONLINE

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

*****

Giveaway:

Ten (10) mass market copies of MEANT TO BE MINE by Lisa Marie Perry

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2353/

*****

Book Review – Worked Up

25 Thursday Aug 2016

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Made in Jersey series, Tessa Bailey, Worked Up

I can hardly wait for you guys to meet Duke … he’s sitting at the top of my book boyfriend list and it is going to take a lot to bump him off 🙂

*****

Worked Up

Made in Jersey #3

by Tessa Bailey

Publication Date: August 1, 2016

Genres: Adult, Entangled: Brazen, Contemporary Romance

Blurb:

Factory mechanic Duke Crawford just wants to watch SportsCenter in peace. Unfortunately, living with four divorcee sisters doesn’t provide much silence, nor does it change his stance on relationships. But when a fellow commitment-phobe stumbles into his life, getting him good and worked up, he can’t deny his protective instincts.

Samantha Waverly’s brother just put her in an impossible situation. The only way out? Marry huge, gruff, gladiator look-alike Duke—for show, of course. She doesn’t make promises—she knows too well how easily they can be broken—and this is no exception.

As the blistering attraction between them grows, the lines around the no-strings relationship blur. But Duke and Samantha’s marriage is only for show…or is it?

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QPWO3QcVFA

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2bb2Ygm

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2bb2E12

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

B&N: http://bit.ly/29R8UJ1

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2av4JmX

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

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1XQo44B

*****

ARE YOU WORKED UP? DON’T MISS THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE MADE IN JERSEY SERIES….

CRASHED OUT (Made in Jersey, #1)

Blurb:

His inspiration. His torment. And his temptation…

Jasmine Taveras is the reason Sarge Purcell grabbed his six-string and bailed the hell out of New Jersey four years ago. She’s the fuel for every song he’s ever written-each one laced with bitter, hard-edged, hungry lust. Now, with his hugely successful band is on temporary hiatus, Sarge is determined to prove to Jasmine that this “kid” turned into every inch the man she’s always needed…

Men are slim pickings for a single factory girl in Hook, New Jersey…until tall, broad-shouldered hotness walks-or ratherstorms-into Jasmine’s life. Sarge’s return shouldn’t affect her this way. He’s her best friend’s much younger kid brother, and the kind of rough, gritty, sexiness Jasmine has no right to taste for herself. Even if he lets her.

But lust is a blinding, insatiable force. And when it crashes, it will take both Sarge and Jasmine down with it…

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

Paperback: http://amzn.to/2aqjEU3

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2av4PuV

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

B&N: http://bit.ly/1i2V8YI

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2b47OwB

iBooks: http://apple.co/2b47qOP

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2b2hLhs

THROWN DOWN (Made in Jersey, #2)

Blurb:

He has one last chance to deserve the girl of his dreams…

Overachiever River Purcell was never supposed to be a struggling single mom, working double shifts just to make ends meet. Nor was she supposed to be abandoned by her high school sweetheart, breaking her heart into a thousand jagged pieces. Now Vaughn De Matteo is back in town, his sights set onher…and River is in danger of drowning a second time.

No one believed Hook’s resident bad boy was good enough for River. Not even Vaughn himself. But he’ll fight like hell to win back the woman he never stopped loving, to keep the daughter he never expected, and convince himself he’s worth their love in the process–even if he has to rely on their fierce and undeniable sexual chemistry.

But even as River’s body arches under his hungered touch, the demons of the past lurk in the shadows. Waiting for Vaughn to repeat his mistakes one last time…

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2aD8Zne

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2aPpk6H

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2aC6b6D

B&N: http://bit.ly/1N8vo8n

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1NfGUwf

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

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2aHh8rj

*****

Excerpt:

Unbelievable. First, Duke couldn’t get a damn moment of peace in his house, now his only refuge, The Third Shift, had been invaded. Was it so much to ask in life for a sporting event to go uninterrupted by a woman? Granted, the doe-eyed brunette hadn’t asked for his assistance—and she was a far cry from the four sisters terrorizing his household indefinitely—but an interruption was an interruption, no matter how you sliced it.

He couldn’t help but notice this particular disruption was…pretty. Too pretty for him. Not that her appearance mattered one way or another to Duke. Facts were facts, though. She had a way of moving. Long, graceful moves that ran smack into uncertainty. As if she kept forming courses of action only to change her mind halfway through the execution stage. Ask him why he’d taken the time to form such a detailed observation and his answer probably wouldn’t make much sense. Unfortunately, noticing her way of operating had led to…other observations. Impolite ones that would’ve surrounded the freckles on her cheeks with pink instead of flawless ivory.

Good thing he wasn’t looking for a woman. Not for one night. Not for nothing.

With resolve firm in his mind, Duke focused on the problem at hand. Namely, the issue distracting him from America’s game. The two men harassing Doe Eyes were machinery mechanics who worked under him at the factory, and after his brief directive to fuck off, they wasted no time shuffling away, beer bottles held up like little white flags.

“Sorry, Duke.”

“No problem, Duke.”

He grunted, watching them enviously as they rejoined their friends in front of the giant flat-screen. At least someone would get to watch baseball now, huh? As for him, he appeared to be stuck. For as long as Doe Eyes graced The Third Shift with her not-from-around-here presence, that is. Because if it wasn’t the knuckleheads looking to purchase her drinks, it would be someone else. And after he’d watched her flounder over a simple drink order and whack her noggin on the bar, he figured she deserved some peace and quiet.

Which she would get, so long as she let him watch the motherloving game.

Duke grabbed the closest stool, flipping it around and repositioning it behind Doe Eyes. Trying not to wince over the loud creaking as he climbed on, Duke crossed his arms and went back to watching the game, bottle of Bud in hand.

He should have known the silence wouldn’t last. It never did.

“Did you just…set yourself up as a roadblock?”

*****

Review:

Bet none of you see this coming … but I’ve not read anything else in this series *gasp*! Lucky for me, it worked out again because I don’t think anything from the previous stories really will impact you enjoying this one. It looks like Duke may have made an appearance or two but I didn’t notice anything missing.

Let’s start with how unbelievably HAWT Duke is for being a not so typical hero. He’s a terse, mountain of a man who isn’t built or handsome in the traditional hero way (he’s even hairy with a bit of a paunch), but there’s just something about him. For all his gruffness, he’s protective, hard working and dedicated to his friends and family. And he’s got a mouth on him … oh, man, does he know how to speak the dirty talk! Knows how to back it up too – whew, baby!

I think that some may find his high-handedness a little off-putting but it works for him and Samantha, which is all that matters. The insta-attraction might also be a no-no but I think that Bailey makes it work. While the timeline is very short, there’s something really believable about their interactions, developing feelings and motivations.

The other thing that definitely works is how absolutely adorable Samantha is. She’s quirky, funny and, while she’s distrustful of relationships, she had a huge heart that yearns for family. Meeting big softy Duke, who would do just about anything for his sisters and who takes her under his wing, has her conflicted on getting involved.

While they get together under unusual circumstances, Duke and Samantha quickly find themselves in a situation that is not what they expected … and maybe more they can handle. Funny, touching, sexy and sweet, Worked Up is a fantastically fun read that had me by the heart from the very first and never let go.

*****

Author Info:

Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days.

Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention.

She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of eight years and four-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.

*****

Giveaway:

$50 Amazon Gift Card

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/5440a354845/

*****

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

Book Review – Hanky Spanky

18 Thursday Aug 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Erotically Bound series, Francesca Hawley, Hanky Spanky

Hanky Spanky

Erotically Bound Book 2

by Francesca Hawley

Curious Sub seeking the perfect Dom…

Karen Eckberg has spent months in front of a webcam, writhing and moaning, dutifully performing to Master Lars’ voiced commands. She’s sexually alive for the first time in her life but when her perfect Dom turns out to be none-other than her high school crush “Aw Shucks” Andy Larson, life takes an even more sensual turn than she’d ever expected.

Karen is everything Andy Larson has ever wanted in a sub, achingly responsive and eager to please her Master in every way. Unfortunately, their red-hot affair both in and out of the dungeon draws unwanted attention from his possessive ex-wife fueling Andy’s protective streak.

And now there’s no safe word that can protect Karen from a woman scorned.

While I know this book isn’t going to be for everyone, I think that those that do give it a chance are going to enjoy themselves. We get a bit of the kink out of the way early on, with a trip to a BDSM club, but after that it is mostly just really hot sex (with the occasional Sir or Master thrown in). The main story though is about finding the match for you and weathering some rough times. It’s nice to see Andy find someone that fits so well with him, especially after how unfulfilling his first marriage was. And he does a great job supporting Karen and showing her what a fantastic person he thinks she is. I liked watching them develop their relationship into something that works for them. And as awful as she is, I also liked seeing them handle his ex together.

You should know what you are getting into from the title, so there should be no surprises there. And while it isn’t my main genre of romance, I’m not the type to turn away from a little of the heavy stuff J I’m sure there are those who are more in tune with this scene who may have issues with the way the BDSM is handled (again, not my major thing so I just go with what works for me) or those that just don’t like it all (aaand you should know that going in) but as a novice who just enjoys an entertaining story I was more than pleased.

Book Review – Till I Kissed You

17 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Cottonbloom series, Laura Trentham, Till I Kissed You

Till I Kissed You

Cottonbloom #3

by Laura Trentham

It’s summertime in Cottonbloom, where two lovers find themselves at a crossroads just as things start to heat up. . .

Regan Lovell grew up on the wealthy Mississippi side of Cottonbloom—and now, as mayor, she’s determined to save it from the fate of so many small towns. Part of her plan to help the local economy is the Labor Day tomato festival. If only she wasn’t being undermined by Sawyer Fournette, who’s planning a crayfish-themed celebration on the Louisiana side of the river on the very same weekend. The pranks and sabotage are getting out of hand, and she’s had it with him—no matter how much she enjoyed those stolen hours in his truck bed, so many years ago…

Sawyer knows that Regan’s never forgiven him for breaking her heart—but despite his reputation as a low-class swamp rat, he’d never hurt the woman who still secretly drives him crazy with desire. Someone in Cottonbloom has it out for her, though, and Sawyer intends to watch her back…and the rest of her too, if she can ever let go of her distrust. But will a common enemy be enough to unite them—and finally fulfill the promises they made one passionate night under the stars?

I hate to say it but it took me a little bit to get into this book. I absolutely loved the first two in this series (Kiss Me That Way & Then He Kissed Me) and was so excited at the idea of finally getting this couple’s story … and it was because of that that I kept at it until I got hooked. I can’t put my finger on exactly why, maybe it was because I was so anxious to get their HEA that the build-up just got to me, but whatever it was I was very happy that I didn’t give up. Once it did get going I had a hard time putting it down.

I love Sawyer. He’s got a good heart, cares about his family and his community. His only big weaknesses are his feelings for Regan and how his insecurities from his childhood still cause him moments of doubt. Especially with the wealthier ‘Sips (most importantly Regan’s mom).

Regan isn’t my favorite of the heroines but she grew on me as we find out her secrets and fears. She’s a complicated person but she’s spent her whole life hiding every little thing and putting on a “face” for everyone. I think that it causes her to be misunderstood by not only those around her but the readers as well. As we get to see beneath the surface we start to understand her more.

The threat to Regan wasn’t as big of a deal as I expected it to be after having it be a part of all three stories – if you’ve read the others, it pretty much continued on in the same vein, but of course we finally get to find out who is behind it, which worked very well with what we’ve seen so far. I was also thrilled to get the resolution on what happened to Regan & Sawyer all those years ago, causing such bad feelings between the two of them. Unfortunately those emotions are still present and give them all sorts of trouble in the present. But it was fun seeing them try to fight it out!

As is to be expected from Trentham, complex personal interactions and layered personalities are present in the last of the Fournette stories. These stories are so much more than just a romance – it’s the chance to get to know people and love them like family. I’m happy that there are more coming (most especially a HEA for my favorite Alabama transplant) and I definitely am looking forward to the new & sure-to-be interesting characters we will have the pleasure of meeting 🙂

(This is part of a series but can stand on its own with minor overlap to other stories, which are explained well so you can easily keep up if this is your first book.)

Book Review – Knocked Out By Love

16 Tuesday Aug 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Abby Niles, Book Review, Knocked Out By Love, Love to the Extreme series

Knocked Out By Love

A Love to the Extreme Novel

by Abby Niles

Brody Minton has loved Scarlett Harris for years. But she’s his best friend’s wife, so he’s worked hard to keep his distance. Hearing the marriage is over shouldn’t change anything. Only an ass would make a move on a friend’s ex… Except Scarlett wants help getting back in the dating game, and Brody’s torn. If he helps her out, he can keep an eye on her and guard her vulnerable heart. But having the woman he’s longed for for years in arms’ reach is hell on a man’s restraint, no matter how iron strong his will.

But loving Scarlett is only half the fight.

All Scarlett Harris wants is to get away for a while and rethink her life after filing for divorce from her lying, cheating bastard of a husband. The gorgeous Bahamas sounds like the perfect escape, except she’s booked in very resort Brody “The Iron” Minton is staying at for his sister’s wedding. Now her ex’s best friend is dogging her every move, and is a witness to her first pathetic attempts at flirting in years. If Brody isn’t going to leave her alone, then she’ll just recruit him to help get her reacquainted with her single self.

There are stories that you enjoy but are difficult to get into and then there are stories that suck you in. This is definitely the latter – I was absolutely stunned to look up and realize I was over halfway thru the book and had no intention of putting it down any time soon!

I totally see where Brody is coming from with his attraction to Scarlett. He’s spent months avoiding her because she was his best friend’s wife but just because she’s divorcing him it doesn’t make it any easier to turn off those feelings of guilt. I like him as a man even more for it. He’s got things he feels strongly about – family, friends, loyalty. It is hard for him to ignore them … until he finds out exactly what happened. I love the way he’s there to support Scarlett, both before and after the Bahamas vacation. She needs someone to be there for her and he does it so well. And so sexily 🙂

Scarlett finds herself single, beaten down and unsure of herself. Trying to get her single girl mojo back isn’t working and even more so once Brody is in the picture again. Until she finds herself attracted to her old friend … and figures out that it could be mutual. I totally get where she’s coming from too – her insecurities and fears. I’m going to give a minor spoiler in saying that I loved how she was able to resolve things with her ex at a time when they both needed it most. There is something freeing in that interaction that could color so much for her and Brody, while it also helps her figure things out on what she needs to do to have a happy future.

There are some serious issues at play here but Niles handles them very well. I also appreciate how she gives the two of them a supportive relationship – both of them are there for each other in ways that matters, understanding what is needed and providing the support that the other needs. The last few chapters are just fantastic and I think the ending is just too darn adorable.

I read the first couple of stories in this series, but then I skipped a couple. This one can definitely stand on its own, although it looks like there’s some set up here for future stories. And I’m definitely gonna keep my eye out for what she brings next.

Book Review – Kickin’ Up Dust

15 Monday Aug 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Em Patrova, Kickin' Up Dust, Operation Cowboy series

Y’all, we’ve got a cowboy as hot as Texas in July … and he’s not afraid to show you 🙂

*****

Kickin’ Up Dust

Operation Cowboy Book 1

by Em Patrova

July 19, 2016

Blurb:

This Marine follows the rules. This cowgirl is all about breaking them.

After losing his best friend and CO, Matt, in combat, Brodie Bell didn’t think his spirits could sink any lower. He was wrong. One look at his and Matt’s storm-flattened hometown nearly levels him.

Los Vista needs a leader, and as Brodie takes the weight of the world on his shoulders, he comes up with a plan. Merge the two ranches left standing, pray for a good calving season…and keep his hands too busy to get busy with Matt’s sexy little sister.

Danica was in pigtails when Brodie and Matt went off chasing glory. Now she’s a woman with a broken heart, but if Matt knew of the depraved cravings Brodie ignites in her body, he’d haunt her from the grave.

As they work to mend miles of broken fences, Brodie fights to ignore Danica’s tiny cutoff shorts and mile-long legs—and to ignore the “weapon” that’s locked and loaded in his Levis. Because the last thing he wants is to dishonor his friend’s memory by ravishing the sweetest little cowgirl he’s ever laid eyes on.

Warning: Involves a sweet and sassy ranch girl who knows her way around a rope, and a Marine turned cowboy who’d like to tie her down and spank her until she begs for more.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28514351-kickin-up-dust

Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/29qUFfO

B&N Nook: http://bit.ly/29qUYaA

Kobo: http://bit.ly/29pp42j

iBooks: http://apple.co/29l8UAI

Google Play: http://bit.ly/29tHJYc

*****

Review:

So, I just have to say I have absolutely NO idea why no one thought it was a good idea to tell these 4 guys that their entire town (including some of their homes) was leveled by a tornado. It isn’t like it happened in the last couple of days … I get that they were away at war and really couldn’t do anything about it, plus they’d just lost their close friend, but wow! I would be so beyond ticked off if I came home to something like that completely unawares.

But I did appreciate the way that Patrova picked it up from there – the way that the guys pitched in, the actions of the townsfolk, and the feeling of community as they all tried to work something out. In a place like that where you have to support each other, that doesn’t go away just because you lose your house It is highlighted in times of hardship.

My other trouble spot was why Brodie would think that he wasn’t good enough for Danica. I get that they held Matt in such high regard that after his death they would put his little sister on his pedestal but he’s a good man and has a lot to offer her. If he’d given any indication that he was just trying to play her I might feel a little different about it, but he genuinely cares. And he’s a pretty good catch 🙂 The military taught him a thing or two about being in control, which he brings to all areas of his life … ALL areas. Mix in his sexy cowboy-ness and *whew* scorcher!

Danica is strong in her own right but has always had a soft spot for Brodie. Having him come back in her life looking as hot as can be and taking charge makes him almost irresistible. Unfortunately he seems determined to stay friends but she’s cowgirl enough to take him on!

The grief from Matt’s death does weigh on the both and I feel that Patrova handles it pretty well. Fortunately they have a lot to deal with that keeps them from dwelling and allows them to take their time to work through it all. It’s a lot to hit them with all at once but they are strong Texas folk and easily up to handling it.

We get glimpses of the rest of the men, enough to know that they all have their strengths as well. I’m curious to see what they have in store for them as they work to setting their town back to rights … and finding that special someone to help & support them.

*****

Author Info:

Em Petrova lives in Backwoods, Pennsylvania, where she raises 4 kids and a Labradoodle named Daisy Hasselhoff. Her dream is to find an old pickup and travel small-town USA, meeting new people. Her heroes are hardworking–in bed and out–and she is known for panty-scorching erotic romance.

She also writes lesbian romance as Hallie Knight.

Website: http://www.empetrova.com/

Newsletter: http://www.empetrova.com/subscribe.html

Twitter: http://twitter.com/empetrova

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

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/empet16/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4342760.Em_Petrova

Amazon: http://amzn.to/29xEkYLIY

*****

Click the link below to check out the rest of the stops on the tour

http://rockstarlit.com/content/kickin-up-dust-operation-cowboy-book-1/

Book Review – This Loving Feeling

12 Friday Aug 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Miranda Liasson, Mirror Lake series, This Loving Feeling

This Loving Feeling

A Mirror Lake Novel

by Miranda Liasson

Samantha Rushford’s future looks bright: the high school art teacher is getting ready to leave Mirror Lake and move to Boston with her ambitious boyfriend, and she hopes a diamond ring is just around the corner. But her past still has a hold on her—especially the bittersweet memory of her rebellious ex, who kissed her passionately before he left town without a word.

Since then, Lukas Spikonos has parlayed his rebel ways into life as an up-and-coming recording artist. When he shows up for a surprise gig at the high school prom, Sam is more dumbstruck than starstruck—he used the words of a poem she wrote about their breakup to create a number one hit. But Lukas hasn’t returned just to impress students; he’s facing some real-life responsibilities and needs Sam’s help. But she has her own unresolved issues about the life she wants to lead. Will the music—and the pull of true love and family—put their hearts back in harmony?

I remember Lukas & Sam from This Love of Mine and that I couldn’t wait to find out how they come back together again. And Liasson delivers a winner.

It’s quite a few years later and Sam’s ready to start a life with someone else … then Lukas comes back into town. Even though she’s tried very hard to move on, having Lukas nearby is throwing everything into turmoil.

Lukas has worked very hard to be successful. A foster kid who never really knew love or family, he doesn’t believe that he’s got what it takes to be in a relationship. He’s convinced that leaving was the best thing he could do for Sam. Until he sees her again.

I adored these two together. Sam tries so hard to be the good girl but she’s hiding her spirit and trying to fit into what she thinks she should want, not necessarily what she does want. Having her sexy and oh-so-tempting ex around, showing her what a great man he’s grown up to be, definitely isn’t helping things.

And while Lukas may not think he has what it takes to be a family man, especially with the crazy life of an up-and-coming rock star, his actions definitely speak loudly. He may not have had the best childhood but he’s turned into a kind and caring man. He just has to learn to believe in himself.

It is so great seeing these two come together again. While they have a few bumps getting there, they manage to figure out what works for them and throw everything they have into making it work. Knowing that things will work out makes it easier to sit back and see them work through their issues. Those growing moments just grabbed my heart and didn’t let go.