Book Review – Draw Me Close

14 Thursday Apr 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Draw Me Close, Hearts and Crafts series, Nicole Michaels

Draw Me Close

Hearts and Crafts series

by Nicole Michaels

YOU NEED A GOOD FOUNDATION

Lindsey Morales is a decorating genius with a natural flair for design and an eye for a bargain. As a contributor to a popular lifestyle blog, she can take anything from trash to treasure-except for her own life. Burned once, and badly, she’s more than twice shy, especially when it comes to the breathtaking builder who broke her heart…

BEFORE YOU CAN BUILD HAPPILY EVER AFTER

Architect Derek Walsh has made a name for himself designing sleekly modern buildings, but when renovating a hundred-year-old farmhouse gives him the chance to see Lindsey again, he jumps at it. Still dreaming about her after eight long years apart, he’ll do anything to prove that he’s serious about spending the future with her. Can he convince sassy, stubborn Lindsey that they can DIY their own happy ending?

(Although characters appear in stories throughout the series, this book can stand on its own.)

If you read Win Me Over you know that Derek and Lindsey had a history and now you get to find out exactly how bad it was. I think my favorite part is that there aren’t any bad guys in this story – these people find themselves in an unfortunate situation and do the best they can. The worst that could be said is that Derek underestimates how truly harmful his actions were and the long term impacts they had. He expects some heartfelt words, maybe an explanation, will fix things but Lindsey’s scars run pretty deep.

I thought I would get tired of her attitude but it makes sense in the story – she realistically works through her old hurts and the feelings being with Derek again brings up. I do get a little frustrated at how Derek didn’t seem to understand how she would hold on to the hurt but I think that is typically male of him 🙂

Overall I am very pleased at how they handle their history, being together again and developing a new relationship. It is so sweet and super believable – I just love the idea of a second chance romance between the two.

Book Review – Heart Like Mine

13 Wednesday Apr 2016

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

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Book Review, Echo Lake series, Heart Like Mine, Maggie McGinnis

I’ve read the first book in this series and enjoyed it a lot (don’t ask my why I didn’t post a review, but I’ll take care of that soon!). I was so happy to see that Dr Josh got his own book next 🙂

*****

Heart Like Mine

Echo Lake #2

by Maggie McGinnis

Releasing April 5, 2016

St. Martin’s Press

Blurb:

Delaney Blair loves her job at Echo Lake’s Mercy Hospital, where she’s developed a reputation for being smart, fair, and driven. When she’s assigned to cut funding, she has to temporarily relocate her office, put on borrowed scrubs, and go toe-to-toe with Dr. Joshua Mackenzie, the interim head of the pediatrics department. His killer smile and rock-star body are distractions Delaney could do without, but she’s determined to stay focused while she brings his budget into line.

It’s not working.

Beloved by his colleagues and patients alike, Josh is too busy caring for sick kids to talk numbers with the sexy, stiletto-clad Delaney. Every time they talk business, tensions run high…but so does a powerful attraction neither of them can ignore. When an emergency brings Mercy to its knees, Delaney and Josh must work together to save lives. But can they also find a way into each other’s hearts?

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25663632-heart-like-mine

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/145428-echo-lake

Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

“You’re just going to have to go down there, Delaney.” Megan propped a hip on Delaney’s desk two days later. Delaney envied her assistant’s long skirt, gypsy earrings, and long, loose cotton blouse. In college, she’d have topped it off with a head scarf and combat boots, but for the workplace, she’d gone with her standard-issue leather sandals.

Delaney looked down at her own outfit and wondered when she’d turned into a toned-down version of her country club mother. Her neatly ironed blouse was set off by a perfectly matched skirt and jacket, and as she fingered the pearls at her throat, she sighed. Then she let her eyes coast down her calves, down to the Jimmy Choos she’d bought just last month. It was her splurge, her bow to girliness and inappropriate spending, and damn, she loved these shoes.

She really did need to ditch the pearls, though.

“I can’t just go down there, Megan.” Delaney felt a tingle at the base of her neck, just thinking of walking onto the pediatric floor. No, she definitely couldn’t go down there.

“Well, he’s obviously not coming to you.”

“How can he just ignore my messages like this? It’s downright rude.”

“Or he’s downright busy. Have you seen the bed count on pediatrics this week?”

“No.” Delaney cringed. It wasn’t the kind of thing she kept track of on a daily basis.

“There is always the possibility that he’s not intentionally ignoring you. Just saying.”

“I’ll check.” Delaney clicked into the system that listed current inpatient numbers. When she got to the pediatric floor, her eyes widened. “Holy—”

“Exactly.” Megan raised her eyebrows.

“We don’t even have that many pediatric beds.”

“I know. They had to move a couple of the teenagers up to adult floors to make space.”

Delaney clicked back through the past month, and the patient counts went up and down a little bit, but not much.

“I’m just saying—this could be why Dr. Mackenzie hasn’t called back.” Megan leaned close to Delaney and plucked open her top button. “Which means you, third floor, this afternoon. He’s clearly isn’t coming to you.”

Delaney felt the chills creep down her spine. She had never actually been on Mercy’s pediatric floor—had never been on any pediatric floor—not since Parker had died.

“Delaney? You okay?” Megan’s brow creased as she studied Delaney’s face. “You are six shades of white, girl. Does talking to non-executive-suite people make you this scared?”

“No.” Delaney’s voice came out in a whisper.

“Oh.” Megan’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, God. I’m sorry.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

Delaney nodded slowly. “It’s okay. It’s been—a long time since he died. Not like you would think of it.”

“But I should have. I’m really sorry.” Megan tried to look into her eyes, but Delaney’s felt all shifty. “Do you want me to go with you?”

“No, Meg. I don’t want to go at all.”

“But—”

“I know. He’s not coming to me.” She took a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. Maybe it wouldn’t be horrible. Maybe she wouldn’t melt into a panic-puddle at the elevator doors. Maybe she wouldn’t see Parker everywhere she looked.

Maybe pigs flew.

*****

Review:

I love how McGinnis managed to cover a current topic realistically without being preacher. Budget cuts in so many public areas (hospitals, schools, govt offices, etc) are common today and Delaney has to work on the pediatric department at her hospital … yeah, that’s an easy thing to do. But I love that she digs in and tries so hard to do things right. And that includes her interactions with the oh-so-sexy Dr. Mackenzie.

Josh takes his involvement with his patients very seriously and having a number cruncher try to cut even more from his bare bones department isn’t going to go over well. Especially when he finds her quite attractive. But she’s also got brains and heart and, while that makes her even harder to resist, it is something he can tap into to help out the kids.

A battle over budget could so easily be boring but McGinnis makes it, and Josh & Delaney’s struggles, easy to read and east to get caught up in. I was involved not only in their developing relationship – which is fun and entertaining – but also their efforts to find a way to make things work with the board. Besides the possible conflict of interest regarding money, there’s also the issue with Josh’s very full schedule and Delaney’s personal experience with doctors and sick kids. I knew things had to work out on all fronts but I was anxious to see on how it could be done.

So far McGinnis is 2 for 2 in my book and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what she brings next. There’s this certain little Italian spitfire just begging to meet her true love 🙂

*****

Author Info:

USA Today bestselling author Maggie McGinnis is a Golden Heart Finalist who lives in New England, vastly outnumbered by both children and cats. She writes sweet romances set in Montana and Vermont, and feels extremely fortunate that through her books, she gets to fall in love every single day. She’s a sucker for romantic comedies, popcorn, and the perfect green pen, and if she wasn’t an author, she’d totally be rocking a Nashville club in her pink cowgirl boots. It’s probably good that she embraced the author thing, because her singing skills are better suited to the shower, and really? Pink cowgirl boots?

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

Grand Prize winner of $25 gift card to a retailer of the winner’s choice, and two additional winners to receive eBook copy of FOREVER THIS TIME

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c8982/

*****

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

Book Review – The Heat Is On

11 Monday Apr 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Katie Rose, The Boys of Summer series, The Heat Is On

The Heat Is On

The Boys of Summer series

by Katie Rose

Perfect for readers of Joanna Blake and Sawyer Bennett, hailed as “charming, sexy, and smart” by Lauren Layne, the Bad Boys of Baseball series from award-winning author Katie Rose heats up as a homegrown baseball star returns to snag the one that got away.

When veteran catcher Connor Jackson gets traded to the New Jersey Sonics, he welcomes the opportunity to possibly cap his career with a World Series ring in his home state. But there’s another reason Connor is glad things have come full circle. In pursuit of hardball glory, he left behind his college sweetheart, the one girl he could never forget. Seeing her again stirs up long-lost desires . . . and this time, he’s determined not to strike out.

A divorced mother of four, Tracy Coleman no longer aspires to gossip-mag glam—but she’ll make an exception for a date with Connor. Their chemistry is hotter than ever, and being alone with him is more seductive than she anticipated. Who could blame her for leaving out a little detail like the kids? Now all she has to do is come clean and convince the man of her dreams that they—Connor, Tracy, and her children—have a future together.

For some reason I didn’t really like the first book in this series, which meant that I skipped the next one but the couple I’ve read since have been fantastic. There isn’t a lot of drama involved in The Heat Is On – just a straight forward story about two old lovers who have to decide if they are willing to get involved. With the fact that Tracy has four kids there are a lot of extra hearts to break if things go bad so they have to take that into consideration. It is such a realistic issue for divorced people starting to date again and I think that Rose handles it very well.

Connor is sexy, strong and truly a good man. He’s settled, both professionally and as a man, and he’s entering a time in his life when baseball isn’t going to be his sole focus. Being back home again means that he has the opportunity to look up his first love – the one woman he hasn’t been able to forget – which is super sweet. While Tracy may be a little overwhelmed as a newly single mom with four little ones, she’s definitely smart enough to give someone like Connor (who is the super-sexy total package) a chance. But it definitely doesn’t mean that things are going to be smooth for them 🙂

We’re also treated to some fun in the locker room with the Sonics. I loved getting little glances at past couples but I think that Rose also does a great job of capturing the brotherhood amongst the players – their roles within the organization, not just on the field – which brings extra heart to all of her stories. But if this is your first read in this series, don’t worry because it can definitely stand on its own.

Sexy ball players and sweet romance are the things I’m starting to associate with Rose’s stories and I really hope that she continues to knock it out of the park 🙂

Book Review – A Better Man

08 Friday Apr 2016

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

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

A Better Man, Book Review, Candis Terry, Sunshine Creek Vinyard series

I’m so excited about starting a new series by Candis Terry!

*****

A Better Man

Sunshine Creek Vineyard #1

by Candis Terry

Releasing March 29, 2016

Avon

Blurb:

In Candis Terry’s first novel in her Sunshine Creek Vineyard series, the handsome Kincade brothers convene to rescue their legacy-but the last thing they expect to find is love….

Sooner or later…

Hockey star Jordan Kincade wasted no time ditching Sunshine Creek for the NHL, but his sports career has overshadowed everything else-a truth Jordan confronts when his parents’ deaths bring him home. Now his little sister Nicki is flunking out of school, and only one teacher can help Jordan save her-the shy but incredibly sexy Lucy Diamond, the same girl whose heart he broke years ago. But he’s determined not to make the same mistake twice. If only Lucy would give him the time of day.

Love has a way of catching up with you.

Lucy has no intention of drowning in Jordan’s deep blue gaze again, even if he seems to have turned over a new leaf. Still, his devotion to his sister is impossible to ignore. As they team up to salvage Nicki’s future, Lucy soon discovers that Jordan’s sweet caresses and lingering kisses might just be everything she needs.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25858362-a-better-man

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/157808-sunshine-creek-vineyard

Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

Today, she was a different person. Stronger because of the things she’d lived through. Smarter because she’d found a way to survive and come out the other side in a happy place. She knew exactly where she belonged, and that was teaching and helping students like Nicki. Which was why, right now, she was going to pull on her big girl panties and face the boy who had disappointed her head on.

Lucy managed to pull herself together as Jordan removed his sunglasses and slid them to the top of his head. His smile lifted a masculine pair of lips that somehow managed to look cruel and sexy at the same time.

The boy had turned into a man times ten.

Tall and broad shouldered, his chest looked a mile wide. Judging by the smooth ripples beneath his snug shirt he was packing muscle, not pounds. Jeans, worn and frayed at the stress points, accented his long muscular legs and trim waist. His longish nearly black hair gleamed beneath the overhead lights. And his sharp blue eyes focused intently on her.

It was all she could do to keep her heart at a normal pace and her legs solidly beneath her. If ever a man could be described as delicious, Jordan Kincade would be a menu’s specialty of the day.

Too bad he was such a jerk.

“Ms. Diamond?” He came forward and stretched out his very large hand. “Jordan Kincade.”

And clearly he didn’t remember her.

Lucy smiled as a funny little tickle moved through her chest. Maybe this was going to be fun after all. Rarely was she ever given the upper hand or the opportunity to have even the slightest edge.

When he moved closer his warm palm engulfed hers and her triumph died with a sizzle.

Close up she got a better look. She inhaled his sexy scent of worn leather and warm man. Every square inch of her female DNA perked up like it was party time. She hated to disappoint the little darlings but today was all about helping someone else.

“Please.” She kept the handshake brief and formal before she disengaged and motioned toward the chair in front of her desk. “Have a seat.”

He glanced at the standard school chair with a you’ve got to be kidding me lift of his brows. When he sat down, the orange plastic chair creaked and seemed ridiculously small beneath the scope of his height and muscles.

Lucy took her own seat and noticed that the difference in chairs made her tower over him and seemingly give her another advantage. But when he leaned back and crossed an ankle over a knee, he appeared completely comfortable.

So much for one-upmanship.

“I apologize if I seemed taken aback just now.” She opened the folder and pulled out Nicole’s progress report as well as several exams and the few assignments Nicole had actually turned in. Late, of course, but complete nonetheless. “I expected your brother Ryan.”

“He had business at the vineyard and sends his regrets.”

She couldn’t help notice how very deep and smooth his voice had become. Like hot buttered rum on a cold winter night. He had the kind of voice a woman could imagine whispering sweet nothings in her ear while he caressed her in places that tingled beneath his touch.

“I understand.” Snapping out of the fantasy, she imagined the enormous scope of duties Ryan Kincade must need to tend to after the death of their parents. Her heart sank a little further for the family. Especially for Nicole, who was so young and really needed the love and guidance of her mom and dad. “I hope you’ll accept my condolences. And I sincerely apologize for having you come down at this sorrowful time to deal with what might seem insignificant but—”

“Anything regarding my sister is important, Ms. Diamond. Now more than ever.” His brows dipped in a no nonsense fashion. “So don’t judge me when you don’t even know me.”

Oh, she knew him.

Knew he was the type who’d make a promise then shatter it without ever looking back.

But that was then, and this was now.

“My apologies, Mr. Kincade. That was certainly not my intent.”

His piercing eyes perused her face for a long, uncomfortable moment and she had to admit that the look did something funny to the beat of her heart.

Especially when with a slight tilt of his head he asked, “Why do you look so familiar?”

“Do I?” That erratic heartbeat kicked up another notch as she let go a chuckle to cover up what was really going on inside. “People say that all the time. I guess I just have one of those faces.”

She pushed Nicole’s schoolwork in his direction. “If you’ll take a look at these projects, you’ll see that even though she didn’t complete the assignment exactly as it was defined, Nicole has an enormous gift.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s a lie.”

“Excuse me?” Irritated, Lucy’s gaze shot up to the slight smile curling his lips. “How can you say that without even reading anything? I guarantee your sister has a multitude of talent.”

“I’m not talking about my sister’s work. I’m talking about you just having one of those faces.” He uncrossed his long, muscular legs and leaned forward without even looking at the papers she’d put in front of him. “So now I’m wondering why you sidestepped my question.”

Good God the man was intense. There was something in the combination of that nearly black hair that fell over his ears and his nape in perfect waves and those deep blue eyes that seemed almost otherworldly. She could imagine how he’d intimidate an opponent on the ice.

And it had nothing to do with his size.

But as far as admitting who she really was? Not going to happen. No need to dredge up a bad memory when all she really wanted was to help his sister.

“I apologize.” Her heart beat erratically as she avoided the intensity of his gaze. “But I would like to stick to the subject of your sister’s grades—or lack thereof—that may prevent her from graduating with the rest of her class. I genuinely care about her which is why I noticed a problem way before the loss of your parents.”

“And now you won’t even look at me,” he said. “Why is that?”

As he leaned in, his intoxicating scent came with him. Normally such things didn’t affect her. Well, at least not with her colleagues who tended to wear either too much aftershave or worse, too much body odor. Jordan wore his masculine scent like a sexual promise and Lucy swore he should come with a warning label.

*****

Review:

Lucy hasn’t had the best experiences when it came to love … starting when Jordan stood her up in school. Running into him again now as the guardian of one of her students affects her more than she thought it would. Sure of himself and charming, once Jordan sets himself on turning her head, Lucy has very little hope of resisting regardless of the things that she’s survived.

I really felt for Jordan as tragedy has him reevaluating his choices. His career has separated him from his family and he’s now seeing exactly how much he missed out on. Facing the consequences, with both Lucy and his siblings, he does a lot of growing, evaluating what he needs to do to make things better.

Terry does a fantastic job of bringing together a lot of elements into an enjoyable romantic read – second chance romance between Jordan & Lucy, reforming a rake, and family drama among the Kincaids, plus a little mystery. I will warn you that not all of the secondary loose ends are tied up for some of these elements, but it is the start of a new series and these will bleed over to future stories to be resolved later. Also, as the first book, there is some extra explanation that has to happen, so there is a little more going on than might have been needed if it was a single story.

But the main plot is resolved beautifully and I really liked being there while Lucy & Jordan fell in love. Terry is a skilled at what she does and I can’t wait to see what happens with the rest of the Kincaids. She’s got a lot of drama just waiting to play out 🙂

*****

Author Info:

Candis Terry was born and raised near the sunny beaches of Southern California and now makes her home on an Idaho farm. She’s experienced life in such diverse ways as working in a Hollywood recording studio to chasing down wayward steers. Only one thing has remained the same: her passion for writing stories about relationships, the push and pull in the search for love, and the security one finds in their own happily ever after.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

*****

Giveaway:

a Print Set of the Sweet, Texas Series (ANYTHING BUT SWEET, SWEETEST MISTAKE. SOMETHING SWEETER, SWEET SURPRISE, and TRULY SWEET (US Only)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c8978/

*****

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

Book Review – Crosscurrents

05 Tuesday Apr 2016

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

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Book Review, Crosscurrents, D.B. Sieders, Southern Elemental Guardians series

We’ve seen Sieders before with Lorelei’s Lyric and I’m so excited to get a chance to see book 2!

*****

The Adventure Continues in Southern Elemental Guardians Series Book 2

After her sister Lorelei finds a happily ever after, mermaid princess Ilsa is next in line to rule the Rhine kingdom. But she’s having way too much fun playing with mortals in the New World to let a crown cramp her style. Responsibility isn’t her thing, so she’ll need to find the will and courage to embrace her duties as an elemental guardian before she can transform into a worthy ruler. Enter Paul Pulaski, mortal scientist, adventurer, and hot geek. Paul’s all about responsibility, but he’s got a chip on his shoulder and a lot to prove in his pursuit of professional prestige—he doesn’t have time for fun. Until he meets Ilsa. Worlds collide and sparks fly when these two unlikely allies team up. Their mission: battle a dark and mysterious river force that threatens both mortal and elemental alike while evading monster hunters, rival scientists, and jealous elementals.

Start with the classic cheerleader meets nerd trope, add a dash of magic and a sultry Southern setting, then presto—an unconventional fantasy romance that will hopefully bring a readers a lovely escape from the ordinary.

*****

Crosscurrents

Southern Elemental Guardians Book 2

by D.B. Sieders

Fantasy Romance – Griffyn Ink

Cover Art Image – Tobie Cote, Framebox

Cover Design – Julie Schroeder Designs

Blurb:

No one believes Ilsa is worthy of ruling the Rhine River Kingdom, including Ilsa.

Sure, she wields plenty of mermaid magic and has a winning personality, but responsibility? Not her thing.

So instead of embracing her role as river royalty, Ilsa opts to extend her holiday in the New World. Frolicking with mortals is her M.O.—until she answers a distress call from an endangered species in the waters near Chattanooga. After her close encounter with a motorboat threatens to expose the world of elemental guardians, Ilsa partners with biologist and unlikely ally, Paul Pulaski, to cover her tail.

Worlds collide and sparks ignite between Princess Ilsa and her diamond-in-the-rough mortal, Paul. But can they survive monster hunters, a rival scientist with a grudge, and a dark force that could destroy mortal and elemental alike?

Buy link: Available from Amazon in eBook and paperback formats, as well as iBooks.

*****

Excerpt:

Returning her focus to the screen, Ilsa caught the blurry image of a boat coming toward the camera in spite of the desperate cries of warning she’d heard from its operator. She sat down in the desk chair and scooted close to get a better view. Horrified but unable to look away, she heard a sickening crack that must have come from her skull hitting the hull of the boat, followed by more shouts. At least two men were yelling. One denied culpability while the other seemed focused on…rescuing someone.

Her.

One of the two men rescued her?

Well, perhaps it had started as a rescue mission, but once the men spotted her fins it had no doubt turned into an entirely different scenario. After all, mortals were greedy, selfish beings who couldn’t be trusted. Oh the males had their uses, ones she’d particularly enjoyed during the course of her long life, but it didn’t change their nature. Ilsa’s human father had betrayed her mother because of her nixie nature, so what else could be expected of mortal men?

And yet, the jumbled audio feed suggested her rescuer’s outrage at the boat driver, especially as he fled the scene. The remaining man had apparently pulled her from the water and transported her here, wherever “here” might be. Confused and still a bit achy, she struggled to reconcile the evidence in front of her with history and experience.

“Are you okay?”

She yelped when the deep, familiar male voice came from behind her.

Ilsa jumped up from the computer chair, nearly knocking it over. She whirled around and held her arms out in front of her. Channeling her remaining power, she prepared to hit him with a blast of nixie energy that would make an electric eel jolt seem like a tickle. And if that didn’t work, she’d put him into a stupor with her Siren call.

Instead of attacking or running away, however, he simply stood and stared at her.

She’d been right in calling him a giant. The man stood at least six-three. With disheveled auburn hair and an even more outrageous goatee flanked by shorter stubble, he reminded Ilsa of the homeless vagabonds she’d encountered throughout her tour of the Americas. His worn T-shirt and ragged jeans solidified the look, though his sharp gaze and firm stance made Ilsa think twice about dismissing him as a fool.

The man slowly raised his hands, palms facing her. Though he regarded her with apparent caution, his actions didn’t seem threatening. Instead, he looked concerned.

“I don’t know if you can understand me, but I want you to know that I won’t hurt you. You were injured and I brought you here to help you…”

He stopped speaking when he looked down the length of her body. Her naked body. Well, what with one thing and another she hadn’t had time to conjure clothing to cover her—

Oh dear. Now there was another complication she didn’t need.

“My God,” he whispered, eyes wide with shock and apparent disbelief. “What happened to your fins?”

*****

Review:

For some reason I can’t pinpoint I wasn’t all that intrigued by the blurb but I got a copy because I enjoyed Lorelei’s Lyric so much and I was curious where Sieders would go from there. I’m glad I did because I really liked this story!

Ilsa has been the typical party girl spare to the heir but now she has to decide if she’s ready to take over for her sister. She’s got quite a few insecurities to deal with and she’s concerned that others see her as inadequate as she fears she is. She’s kinda at a loss until she runs into Paul.

I love the idea of a sexy, nerdy scientist 🙂 The way that Paul wants to know about everything and doesn’t get freaked out by the weirdness that he sees makes him a refreshing and interesting hero. Unfortunately his country upbringing, mixed with his cerebral tendencies, means that he’s got some hang-ups of his own.

Paul’s unique outlook on life and dedication to keeping the earth’s waters healthy make him a good mate for Ilsa. He’s so intrigued by everything she shows him … and her obvious appreciation & attraction towards him. While his belief that she can be the leader that her people needs has her believing it as well. It’s super sweet to see both of them grow in confidence thanks to the other.

Sieders had a lot of fun with the hot cheerleader and the nerd storyline, while the paranormal portion of the story makes it different. I liked how it felt familiar but was funky at the same time. There’s a little bit of danger and some fun secondary characters to help round out the story – it keeps things exciting and gives hints to possible future stories. Add it all together & it means I’m super excited to see what comes next!

*****

Author Info:

D.B. Sieders was born and raised in East Tennessee and spent her childhood hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains, wading barefoot in creeks, and chasing salamanders, fish, and frogs. She and her family loved to tell stories while sitting around the campfire.

Those days of frog chasing sparked an interest in biology. She is a working scientist by day, but never lost her love of telling stories. Now, she’s a purveyor of unconventional fantasy romance featuring strong heroines and the heroes who strive to match them. Her heroes and heroines face a healthy dose of angst as they strive for redemption and a happily ever after, which everyone deserves.

D.B. Sieders lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband, two children, three cats, and her very active imagination.

You can find D.B. Sieders on her Website, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

Want a chance to win some beautiful custom jewelry?

Click here between now and April 7, 2016 to enter my Crosscurrents Release Celebration Giveaway!

Grand prize is a Sterling Silver and Crystal mermaid pendant and necklace set. Plenty of other prizes, too!

Happy Reading!

Book Review – Dangerous Therapy

02 Saturday Apr 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Dangerous Therapy, O'Connor Brothers series, Rhonda Brewer

Got a debut novel today … come get to know the O’Connor brothers – you won’t be disappointed in this sexy group of guys!

*****

25 Fun facts from Rhonda Brewer!

I’m an only child but always wished I had lots of brothers and sisters. It’s why I enjoy writing stories about siblings.
The character of Nanny Betty is loosely based on my own late grandmother. She was a fire cracker but she was from a different part of the province.
My great grandfather worked with Guglielmo Marconi when he sent the first transatlantic message from Signal Hill in St. John’s, Newfoundland on December 12,1901. He was hired because he was so tall and was better to hold the kites.
I’ve had most of the books in this series written for about 5 years but never had the courage to try to publish them until now.
I spent almost 30 years of my life on and off with cadets both as a cadet and then as an officer teaching kids from 9 to 13.
I learned to play the piano when I was in elementary school and took lessons up until high school but hated them because I was taught by a catholic nun who liked to rap fingers with a ruler.
Hopedale is actually a fictional town but it is like many small towns in Newfoundland. Everyone knows everyone else and the communities are close knit.
My husband and I are caretakers for his 48-year-old sister who has William Syndrome. It’s a developmental disability much like downs syndrome in that all the people have the same features.
I have been with my husband since I was 17. I literally married the boy next door.
Newfoundland has no crickets, porcupines, skunks, snakes or deer. We do, however, have a whole lot of moose…over 100,000. They were introduced over 100 years ago
John’s is the oldest city in North America.
I have a computer programming degree.
Newfoundland has it’s own time zone. We are 30 minutes ahead of Atlantic Standard Time.
Newfoundland towns have some of the most amusing names in the world including Come by Chance, Joe Batt’s Arm, and yes Dildo.
September 11, 2001, 39 aircrafts were diverted to the tiny airport in Gander. More than 6,600 people (over 60% of the local population) were taken into homes for up to 3 days until the airspace reopened. Today, people who were stranded still visit their hosts who offered the ultimate acts of hospitality and kindness.
The accents between Waterford, Ireland and St. John’s, Newfoundland are nearly identical.
John’s, Newfoundland is the oldest city in North America.
The reason I based my books in Newfoundland is because it’s one of the most beautiful and romantic places I know.
One of my favorite television shows is Criminal Minds.
I can play wipe out on the glockenspiel.
My grandfather and mother encouraged my love of reading and books.
I love the smell of the ocean which is a good thing since Newfoundland is an island surrounded by water.
The first time I logged into a chat room was when I twisted my knee and couldn’t walk. My cousin suggested to go online but in 1998 it was all new and she told me not to use my real name so I used a name that I called my daughter from time to time. Sweet Kitty. I got a very rude awakening when I logged in with that name. However, I did meet some great friends online that I’m still friends with today.
I’m not a fan of tattoos and I don’t have any myself.
My kids call me a witch because no matter what I always find out when they are hiding something. They still don’t know my secret and they never will.

*****

Dangerous Therapy

O’Connor Brothers series

by Rhonda Brewer

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Blurb:

Officer John O’Connor is giving up on life after a terrible accident. His family are at their wits end when he refuses any kind of therapy. The only thing keeping him sane is his dreams of a beautiful woman he pulled in for a traffic violation months before.

Physical Therapist Stephanie Kelly is healing from a broken heart. When she is hired by Nightingale’s personal care and physical therapy, she’s ecstatic but she’s shocked when her boss asks her to take on a new patient. Shocked because the patient is her boss’s nephew and he’s not exactly keen on therapy. He’s also the cop who’s been heating up her dreams.

As Stephanie helps John get back on his feet, they grow closer, but someone is out to hurt Stephanie, or worse. After multiple attempts on her life, John’s family tries to figure out who’s after the woman he loves and stop them before it’s too late.

Amazon

Amazon CA

Amazon UK

*****

Review:

I’ll start with the fact that I received an Advanced Copy so I’m going to let some of the punctuation and grammar issues slide as they may be caught in a final edit. However there were a few things about the writing that might bother some people – like short, choppy sentences and repetitive words & explanations. I’m not usually a sticker for those kinds of things, as long as the book holds my attention (which this one definitely did), but I know that it can be a deal breaker for some.

The good news is that the story was so interesting and the characters were fun enough that the rest was easily overlooked (even when I thought Stephanie was acting like a teenager with a first crush 🙂 ) I really liked the big, boisterous family full of great personalities, all of whom could supply lots of material for more books.

I also enjoyed seeing Stephanie and John get to know each other and move forward on their initial attraction, building to something more. Other than the threat to her safety, they had a relatively normal romance, with minimal drama or issues. Speaking of the threat – the danger may have been a little too conveniently wrapped up (which they admit to) and the set up for a culprit might have been a little heavy handed (either the people acted shifty or they made threats), but it seemed to work in the story and was concluded very satisfactorily. Overall, I was good with the way the mystery part played out.

With a plot and characters that kept my attention until the very end, I’ll be looking forward to seeing what Brewer brings us next.

*****

Author Info:

I was born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland. I’ve been with my husband for over thirty years and we have two children.

I’m also a writer. Someone who loves to tell stories of love, suspense, heartache and of course happily ever after. For most of my life, I’ve written those stories for myself. A type of therapy, I suppose. I love the characters I create. They become part of who I am because there’s part of me in them.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhondabrewerauthor/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rhondabrewer67

Author web page: http://rhondabrewerauthor.wix.com/home

*****

Tour Info:

3/7-Ebooks Galore

3/8-Outrageous Heroes

3/9-Literature Litehouse-review

3/10-A Bit Bookish-review

3/11-LBM Book Blog

3/12-Jen’s Reading Obsession-fun facts

3/13-Dreamer Talks Books

3/14-Midnight Angel Book Heaven

3/15-Bound by Books Book Reviews-review

3/16-Author Sandra Love

3/17-Sapphyria’s Steamy Books

3/18-Danielle’s Domain

3/19-We Read with a Glass of Wine

3/20-Indy Book Fairy

3/21-One Book Boyfriend At A Time

3/22-Sweet N Sassy Book A Holics

3/23-Fallen Over Book Reviews

3/24-Stormy Nights Reviewing

3/25-The Color of Ink

3/26-Where the Story Comes from-fun facts

3/27-PRATR

3/28-Ebook Addicts

3/29-2 Bibliophiles Guide

3/30-Free to Be Me

3/31-My Reading Reality-review

4/1-Cutting Muse Book Blog-review

4/2-Romantic Reads and Such-review

4/3-Alpha Book Club-review

4/4-Books are my friends, come see why-review

4/5-OMGReads-fun facts

Book Review – Spare Me the Drama

01 Friday Apr 2016

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

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Book Review, City Lights series, Karen Tomsovic, Spare Me the Drama

We’re leaving the April Fool’s jokes where they belong and instead we’re looking at something a little more real.

*****

Spare Me the Drama

A City Lights romance

by Karen Tomsovic

Blurb:

Love a good soap opera?

Then tune in to Spare Me the Drama

Humor and heart come together in this contemporary love story about second chances and family life..

When widowed father of eight Martin Leon remembers that he forgot to invite an important guest to a birthday party for one of the kids, who can blame him? Since his wife’s death, he’s struggled to juggle the demands of a large family with the equally demanding job as head writer of the daytime soap opera he and Jeanie once co-wrote together but which he must now pen alone in the face of a dwindling audience, an executive producer only too happy to alter the course of his stories at her slightest whim, and a nagging case of writer’s block.

Roxanne Hunter parlayed her sexy role on After the Loving into a lucrative, luxury-bedding business years ago and didn’t look back. Just when she was on the brink of having it all, the universe pulled the rug out from under her, leaving her to nurse a devastating double loss of her own.

Accepting Martin’s last-minute invitation, Roxanne decides it’s the perfect getaway to take her mind off her lonely life. All she wants is to fulfill a promise she once made to Martin’s sister and find out how he and his brood are coping with grief. Though Martin may wake up one of these days ready for a woman again, Roxanne has no intention of reliving the days of her youthful, secret crush on him.

But the females in Martin’s family have other plans. Startled by the revelation that she is as much a stray as anyone else Martin has taken into his household, Roxanne nevertheless allows herself to be enfolded into the embrace of family life and a romance with him.

Can she fulfill her promise to get through fate together, or will the universe – and the past – pull the rug out from under her one more time, just as she’s about to get the happy ending she always wanted but never dared dream she’d have?

Readers of funny, feel-good women’s fiction will want to grab this witty but tender, literate romance of a widowed single father and the sexy femme fatale who brings him back to life.

Fans of young adult characters also will enjoy the viewpoint of the hero’s teenage daughters on his new-found love…

Buy the Book:

AmazonUS

AmazonUK.

*****

Excerpt:

Sailing back toward them for another push, Lana opened her mouth and screamed. “Higher!”

Roxanne heaved a bit harder. Obviously she was trying hard to please. In doing so, she loosened the scent of her perfume and sent a couple hundred flowers Martin’s way. He inhaled with a little too much pleasure.

“Now we’ve got Nilda in that room,” he said. “She talked me into getting that new phone everyone’s lining up for.”

“Guess Nilda doesn’t think cell phones cause cancer,” Roxanne said. A wicked smile crossed her lips. “Can you handle one of those?”

She remembered his technophobia. Martin smiled wider. “What do you think?”

“I think you can’t tell your hashtag from your—”

Lana screamed out again. “Higher!”

Roxanne eyed the listening five-year-old and left her remark unfinished. She and Martin traded glances and shared a mutual laugh.

“You know my aunt,” Martin said. “You can’t tell her anything. According to her—based on the always-to-be-trusted Internet—you’ve had two nose jobs, an eyebrow lift, breast augmentation, cheek implants…”

“Why, I used to be a man.”

“… and an earlobe tuck.”

“She was right about the nose job. But there was only the one.”

Lana sailed back again. “Higher!”

This time Roxanne replied with a tentative “Uh…okay?” because both she and Martin could see the swing beginning to veer toward the brink of control.

Martin stepped in and brought the swing to a stop. “No higher.”

Her fists in a helpless clench, Roxanne shrank back, teetering on one awkward heel of a cool shootie. “Sorry.”

Martin patted Lana on the head. “We don’t need any trips to the emergency room today.”

“Daddy, please.”

“No.”

Roxanne made some obligatory listen-to-your-father type comment and then wound Lana down—figuratively—with a suggestion to see the new kitten.

Martin moved to lift his daughter out of the swing and as he did, his shoulder creaked, causing Roxanne to glance around for the source.

“Was that you?” she said. “Or the swing?”

With Lana safely on the ground, Martin rubbed his shoulder. “It’s just a little rheumatism. It comes and goes.”

“Ah, you’ve got arthritis.”

“I don’t have arthritis,” he insisted. “I have rheumatism.”

“It’s okay, Martin, we all get older. It happens. Even I have to wear reading glasses from time to time.”

“Even you?” Martin tsked. He couldn’t wait to hear Stephanie’s pronouncement about those.

Roxanne had always been a beauty, and as he watched her toddle across the lawn with his daughter, realized she still was. From the moment she’d stepped out of her splashy convertible, she and her dark hair and her air of red roses had captivated him. His family, also dazzled, could not stop talking about her or to her. His seven-year-old niece, who would rather die than be the center of attention, seemed relieved that someone else had taken over the spotlight at her own party and gratefully basked in the reflected light of the mysterious stranger drawing everyone around her like a magnet.

Whee.

He liked Roxanne, though, and not because of her great looks and charm. When his sister had become a widow, Roxanne had been there. And when Tess was diagnosed and struggling for life, Roxanne had been there. Roxanne was so much more than a party girl. She’d proved herself to be a true friend. And for that, she had earned a place in their extended family.

She was so easy to talk to. They went so far back in each other’s lives that he could converse without having to explain the back story, so to speak. He could just jump right in and unload.

Roxanne Hunter, in so many ways, was a sight for sore eyes.

*****

Review:

This is one of those stories that kinda fits in a few different places – more women’s fiction than romance, I think, with bits of family drama, overcoming grief, finding love, and recognizing (and overcoming) personal issues. And while it wasn’t quite what I expected, that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it 🙂

Ten (yes, 10!) distinctly individual people living in one house means there is a lot going on with all of them. Plus, with the mom’s somewhat recent death they have had a lot of adjusting to do. Even more so when glamorous & successful businesswoman Roxanne comes back into their lives.

Roxanne has given up on ever having a family of her own and considers herself damaged goods, but a last minute party invitation that has her back with the Leon family may prove her wrong. Of course, her insecurities aren’t going to make things very easy … and with so many people involved there is a lot that could go wrong.

Spare Me the Drama is quirky and fun but it’s also full of heart. I really enjoyed seeing the interactions between Martin’s family. They are all so unique but they have somehow managed to find a way to make things work for them in their new single parent world. It was also interesting to see how all of them, even Martin, handle Roxanne & her totally different lifestyle and how the possibility of a new romance affected them all. It’s complicated on all sides but it made getting to the last page all the more impressive.

*****

Author Info:

Karen Tomsovic lives and writes in the Pacific Northwest, where she stares out her kitchen window thinking up new ways to describe clouds. Her two pet parrots (aka “permanent toddlers”), Teddy and Daisy, interrupt her as often as possible. Like her owner, Daisy loves to devour a good book, but she does so in a more literal sense. Teddy makes a great muse. He says Mommy should have a bird in every book. Mommy says she’ll try.

Find her here:

Twitter

GoodReads

Facebook

http://karentomsovic.com/

*****

Giveaway:

win 1 of 3 eBook copies!! opened internationally.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*****

Karen has a NEW book coming out soon!
She’s looking for early readers/reviewers to read in the next month.
If you’re interested please fill out the following form and we’ll get the book to you asap!
Sign-Up by clicking the book cover below:

^^click me to sign up as an early reviewer^^

*****

Tour Review:

March 28th

Bookish Things & More – http://www.bookishthingsandmore.com – Book Review
Literary Chanteuse – www.literarychanteuse.blogspot.ca – Promo Post
Ever Growing Book Obsession – https://www.facebook.com/evergrowingbookobsession/?ref=hl – Promo Post
Red’s Midnight Readers – http://redsmidnightreaders.blogspot.com/ – Book Excerpt 1

March 29th

Around the World in Books – http://www.aroundtheworldinbooks.ca/ – Book Excerpt 2/Promo Post
Hello…Chick Lit – http://hellochicklit.com/ – Book Review

March 30th

Ali – The Dragon Slayer – http://cancersuckscouk.ipage.com/ – Promo Post
Romance Writer and Lover of Books – http://vvaught512.blogspot.com – Book Reivew/Excerpt 1
Chick Lit Central – http://chicklitcentral.com – Book Review

March 31st

vvb32 reads – http://vvb32reads.blogspot.com/ – Book Review/Excerpt 2

April 1st

The Bookworm’s Book Reviews – www.thebookworm88.blogspot.com – Book Review
Romantic Reads and Such – https://romanticreadsandsuch.wordpress.com – Book Review/Excerpt 1
Pretty Little Book Reviews – http://www.prettylittlebookreviews.com/ – Book Review
ItaPixie’s Book Corner – http://itapixie.blogspot.it/ – Book Review

Tour arranged by HCL Book Tours & Author Services:
an extension of Hello…Chick Lit
NOW Booking Tours for June/July/August

Book Review – Hawke

25 Friday Mar 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Cold Fury Hockey series, Hawke, Sawyer Bennett

So far we’ve met Alex, Garrett, Zack and Ryker … now get to know Hawke, the latest Cold Fury star!

*****

Hawke

Cold Fury, Book #5

by Sawyer Bennett

Release Date: March 15, 2016

Blurb:

The New York Times bestselling hockey series featuring the Carolina Cold Fury continues as the team’s most notorious party animal gets blindsided by the one that got away.

Off the ice, elite defenseman Hawke Therrien enjoys his fair share of booze and good times. And why shouldn’t he? He’s worked his way up from the minor leagues and made himself a star. The only thing Hawke misses from that life is the pierced, tattooed free spirit who broke his heart without so much as an explanation. She’s almost unrecognizable when she walks back into his life seven years later—except for the look in her eyes that feels like a punch to the gut.

Vale Campbell isn’t the same girl she was at twenty. As crazy as she was about Hawke, her reckless behavior and out-of-control drinking were starting to scare her. She had to clean up her act, and that would never happen with Hawke around. Cutting him loose was the hardest thing Vale ever had to do—until now. Because she’s still crazy about Hawke. And if he could ever learn to forgive her, they just might have a future together.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25775928-hawke

Purchase Hawke:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1p4Wkh5

B&N: http://bit.ly/1UYMtI1

iBooks: http://apple.co/1W5qCvu

Google Play: http://bit.ly/1KsZdQe

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

*****

Review:

I hate to say it after the previous stories in this series but I only mostly liked this one. It’s really a couple of personal dislikes that did it – there is too much dancing around at what caused Vale to break it off with Hawke (even though we can figure it out within about 3 seconds, it isn’t stated until well into the story) and once again if they’d had some real conversations then most of the trouble could have been avoided. (I’m a little worried about their future because if this is how they handle their problems I’m not sure how they are going to deal with anything new that comes up 🙂 )

Bennett’s writing is good, as always, so it is easy to find yourself turning pages, and the characters are very interesting (outside of their communication issues), plus we get a little hint at a future story which always makes me happy. Soooo …. overall I’m going to go with good but not great, especially given what I’ve seen in this series so far. Since most likely it is just personal bias you should pick it up and give it a shot yourself – it’s getting lovely reviews on Goodreads and Amazon, so it may just be me 🙂 And I’ll definitely be reading whatever comes next because I know that Bennett has some skills with a pen!

(Oh, and it can stand on its own so don’t worry if this is where you want to start.)

*****

Author Info:

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, Sawyer Bennett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and two big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, the Legal Affairs Series and the Last Call Series.

Connect with Sawyer:

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BennettBooks

Tsu: http://www.tsu.co/bennettbooks

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sawyerbennett123/

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

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BennettBooks

Instagram: https://instagram.com/sawyerbennett123/

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

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Bennett/e/B00B42TO0U

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sawyer-bennett

Sign up for Sawyer’s newsletter:

Signup

*****

Book Review – After the Rain

24 Thursday Mar 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

After the Rain, Book Review, Mary J. Williams, One Pass Away series

After the Rain

One Pass Away Series

by Mary J. Williams

Welcome to the NFL.

The Seattle Knights have the hottest players in the game. On and off the field.

SECOND CHANCES

Logan Price is getting a second chance.

Claire Thornton is going to make sure it counts.

Logan Price was living his dream. After years of hard work he finally made it. Starting running back for the Knights.

After only a few games, he was a fan favorite. There were whispers of a rookie of the year award.

It all ended with a devastating injury to his leg that sent him back to Oklahoma. A failed attempt at a comeback sent him into a deep depression.

His life became about two things. Working at his father’s bar, and running. One filled his days. The other made getting through the endless nights a little easier.

When an old friend offers Logan a lifeline, he’s reluctant to grab hold. He could live without football–barely. But he didn’t think he could survive getting his hopes up only to lose it all again.

Claire Thornton’s dreams are just as big as Logan’s. She left the small town where she was born, to make something of herself. It hasn’t been easy. A woman with no money and no connections. Everything she has, she’s earned. Helping Logan Price get back to the NFL will prove to her detractors that she can be a trainer. She is determined to make it in a male-dominated world.

The attraction is instantaneous.

The reasons not to get involved too numerous to list.

It only takes one kiss–one touch–for them to realize if they want their dreams to come true they need more than luck. They need each other.

I was surprised at how drama free this one actually was. We spent the majority of the book getting to know the characters and their friends & family, plus a little of their history – the highlights of what made them the people they are today. And it was an extremely fast read for me, I think because of that. We were there with Claire and Logan as they met, worked to get him back in the NFL & prove her worth as a trainer, and watched them as they develop a relationship. We didn’t really get them falling in love, more the realization that they had. They had this instant attraction to each other & danced around that a little at the beginning, but once they gave in to it we jumped forward a few months, towards the end of their time in Oklahoma before Logan headed back for training camp.

Williams did a great job of giving us interesting secondary characters as well and I can’t wait for the next book because I’m hoping we get Gaige’s story. And more of the Knights because I will warn you that if you are looking for a sports romance you won’t really get it here. Most of the story could have been about any couple because other than Logan’s stress over getting back into the NFL very little time is spent around football. Not that I’m complaining because it’s a good story but some may be looking for that in particular.

Over all, I was surprised at how quickly I made my way through it. It shows on Amazon as almost 200 pages but it sure seemed shorter … and not in a bad way. I really enjoyed the characters – they are fun and interesting and entertaining, both the main and the secondary. The plot wasn’t full of drama, just some small town trouble here & there, and they both had a good head on their shoulders about their relationship so that wasn’t too angsty. I’m going to blame good writing for why it went by so fast while still managing to keep me interested and ending then with a very satisfied feeling 🙂

Book Review – Nobody But You

23 Wednesday Mar 2016

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Cedar Ridge series, Jill Shalvis, Nobody But You

I am so beyond thrilled to have Jill Shalvis stop by today to answer a couple of real quick questions (she is a busy lady 🙂 ) and share the newest in the Cedar Ridge series, Nobody But You.

We’ve seen the others in this series before (Second Chance Summer & My Kind of Wonderful) and once again Shalvis delivers a total knockout!

*****

In the book Jacob’s mom, Carrie, is sick. What was it like writing a character that had dementia?

Having family experience with this, I just wanted to show that not every minute of it is torturous.

Describe what readers can expect from a Jill Shalvis romance in 140 characters.

Hot guys, fun, sexy, humor, hot guys, love, girl power and as it can’t be said enough, more hot guys. 🙂

Finish this sentence: My heroine will never…

Go quietly into the night… 🙂

*****

Nobody But You

Cedar Ridge series

by Jill Shalvis

Blurb:

When Jacob was injured in the war, it changed him for life. Now all he wants to do is come home to Cedar Ridge, settle in at his lakeside cabin and get some much-needed peace and quiet. But there’s no peace to be had when he finds a spitfire of a woman camping out on his property. Half the time he’s not sure whether he wants to spank her or kiss–or maybe both. He’s in a dark place and a dark mood, and here’s this wildly hot woman who is also funny and light and may be the balm be needs to soothe his aching soul.

Sophie Marren is pretty much penniless after leaving her abusive husband. She doesn’t have the money to pay rent or the slip fees for docking the boat where she’s been sleeping. She was getting along just perfectly until the good-looking, brooding, I’m-too-sexy-for-myself guy moves into the lake cabin that the slip belongs to. Sure he’s hot as the noon sun with those dark lens and even darker ‘tude, but god forbid she tie herself to another man who’s always telling her what to do. But the more she gets to know Jacob, the more she sees how willing he is to battle for her wounded heart…a battle she might just let him win.

Amazon: amzn.to/1nJOatw

B&N: bit.ly/250OcyR

IndieBound: bit.ly/22gObop

iTunes: apple.co/1TJDOYH

GooglePlay: bit.ly/1RKiLPz

Kobo: bit.ly/1QTy644

*****

Excerpt:

She eyed the bench a long beat but did eventually sit, perching primly as far from him as she could get and yet still be close enough to grab the bottle.

Smart woman.

She took the Scotch and drank. Her eyes watered and she coughed as she handed it to him. With a sigh, she leaned back to study the night sky. Her bared throat was slim and creamy smooth. An unexpected temptation. Remembering the flash of pain and vulnerability she’d unwittingly revealed, and that for whatever reason he’d somehow added to it, he spoke. “I’m sorry.”

She glanced at him as if she’d never heard a man apologize before in her life. “For…breathing?” she asked. “Having a penis? What?”

“You were upset because you didn’t know I was a Kincaid.”

She sighed. “That was just me looking for a reason to be mad at you so I wouldn’t…”

She bit her lower lip, clearly not wanting to go on.

But now he had to know. “So you wouldn’t what?”

“Nothing,” she said. “It’s just that I’m trying to make better choices.”

“Of which I wouldn’t be one.”

“It’s not necessarily your fault,” she said. “It’s that you’re a man.”

“Guilty as charged.”

“And I’m off men right now.”

“And on…women?” he asked with admittedly more than a little fascination.

She rolled her eyes. “I’m on no one, but thank you for proving my point on men.”

“I get that,” he said. “But being off men doesn’t seem to be making you very happy, or sound like a whole lot of fun.”

“Maybe I don’t need fun.”

He understood that. He’d felt the same way since Brett died. “What do you need?” he asked, honestly wanting to know more about her.

Instead of answering, she reached for the bottle. He waited until she met his gaze before letting go.

“Nothing,” she said a little too quickly. “Everything’s…perfect.”

“And your glass is half full,” he said. “So you’ve said.”

But he didn’t believe her. “How about a game?”

“I don’t play games.”

Now, that wasn’t exactly true. Whether she knew it or not, she’d been playing with his head since he’d first laid eyes on her. “Three truths and a lie,” he said.

She stared at him. “As in you tell me three truths and a lie, and I pick out the lie?”

“Yes.”

She considered this. “What do I get if I win?”

“What do you want?”

For the briefest of beats, her gaze dropped to his mouth.

Oh, hell yeah, he thought. Want me…

“My first boyfriend taught me that game,” she said.

“What did the winner get?”

“A kiss.”

Definitely still playing with his head… “Is that what you want, Sophie? A kiss?”

Again she stared at his mouth before dropping eye contact and wrapping that eye-stopping pink robe tighter around her body. “Do you?” she asked.

“Hell yes.”

Her gaze flew to his.

“Problem is,” he said conversationally, “if I kissed you, I don’t think I’d be able to stop.”

Her mouth literally fell open. The pulse at the base of her throat jumped. And she seemed to lose her words.

He went on. “But you should know, I don’t lose. That means you’ll have to tell me three truths and a lie.” And he’d hopefully get to know more about her.

She closed her mouth to bite her lower lip in what could’ve been indecision or excitement. Obviously he was hoping for the latter. “But hey, if you’re not sure you can handle losing, we can just forget about it,” he said.

The challenge lifted her chin and put sparks in her eyes. That’s it, babe. Show me what you’ve got.

“Bring it,” she said.

*****

Review:

I love Sophie but I still get a little tired of his flip-flopping emotions – luckily Jacob has a lot more patience with her than I do 🙂 Other than that though she’s great. I understand where she’s coming from, with her ex and her family, and it makes her issues believable. I love how saucy she is and how she’s willing to give Jacob heck but still be there for him when he needs it.

I’ve been anxious to get to Jacob’s story, mainly because he’s the unknown Kincaid (although Kenna gives him a run for his money there 🙂 ). Shalvis does a good job of showing his conflicting emotions over his choices and how the past decade without his family, plus everything that he’s seen and done, has impacted him. I love watching him work his way back to a happy place with the rest of the siblings. And I adore his & Hud’s relationship with their mom. It’s both sweet and fun and I love them all together.

Once again Shalvis delivers a winner and I can’t wait to see where she goes next!

*****

Author Info:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Website: JillShalvis.com

FB: Facebook.com/jillshalvis

GR: https://www.goodreads.com/JillShalvis

T: @jillshalvis

IG: @jillshalvis

P: https://www.pinterest.com/jillshalvis/

*****

Giveaway:

Enter for your chance to win a copy of Nobody But You or, if you’re very lucky, the whole Cedar Ridge series!!!

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2312/

*****