Spotlight – Eye Candy

04 Friday Aug 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Eye Candy, Jessica Lemmon, Real Love series

Is it wrong of me to say that this is just a fabulously titled book? 🙂

*****

Eye Candy

Real Love #1

by Jessica Lemmon

Blurb:

Don’t trust lust at first sight. One woman chooses reality over fantasy in this friends-to-lovers romance.

Jacqueline: As an adult woman—and the vice president of a marketing firm—I shouldn’t be waiting by my office window to ogle the mystery man who jogs by every morning at 11:45. Sure, he’s a gorgeous, perfect specimen of the human race, but I can’t bring myself to hit on a total stranger. However, my best friend–slash–colleague Vince Carson thinks I should do more than talk to the guy. In fact, he’s borderline obsessive about “getting me laid.” (His words.) But the more time we spend together, the more it’s clear: The one I’m falling for is Vince.

Vince: Jackie Butler’s got it bad for some pompous, over-pumped A-hole who struts his stuff past her window. That doesn’t bother me. I know she deserves nice things. What does bother me is that she friend-zoned me big-time last year, so I can’t ask her out myself. But what if I set her up with Mr. Steroids? Then, when he breaks her heart, I can swoop in and save her like the nice guy I am. Everything’s going according to plan . . . until we share a ridiculously epic kiss. And suddenly anything is possible.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34308352-eye-candy

Goodreads Series Link https://www.goodreads.com/series/204268-real-love

Buy Links: AMAZON | B & N | GOOGLE | ITUNES | KOBO

*****

Excerpt:

VINCE

Admittedly, giving Jackie advice on how to get a guy to sleep with her is not my best plan.

“Okay, Butler,” I say, fully focused on Jackie now. “Let’s hear it.”

She stops scribbling on the napkin in front of her, and I bite back a smile. Since I’ve given her a few tips, she has been frantically taking notes. She’s a planner. I’ve always been more go-with-the-flow.

She reads over her notes, squinting in concentration, her lips moving as she reads. Then those golden brown eyes hit mine and she gives me a resolute nod. “I’m ready.”

Her tongue swipes pink lips, making them glisten and making me regret again the route I’ve chosen to take with her. Part of me concedes I could call it off and tell her what I really want, but I know her. She’s barely convinced she can ask a dude out, so her best guy friend throwing a date on the table would be an automatic no.

“Let’s see it,” I say, kind of excited to see what she’s come up with.

She takes the empty seat next to me and leans heavily on an elbow, fist under her chin. “Hi. I’m Jackie.”

I blink several times in quick succession at the transformation from my scatterbrained best friend to a gorgeous woman giving me bedroom eyes. She’s pretending. I’d do well to remember that.

“Vince,” I introduce.

She straightens in her chair and frowns. “Shouldn’t you pretend to be J.T.?”

“I’m not that good of an actor, Butler.” And I’m not pretending to be that jerk.

“Fine.” She rolls her eyes, then slides into seduction mode so swiftly I find myself impressed. She’s better at this than she’s let on. “Do you have a last name, Vince?”

“You know my last name, Butler.”

“Call me Jackie.” She gives me a slow bat of her lashes.

My smile is real, and when I lean closer, I don’t even do it on purpose. “Well, Jackie. Last names are irrelevant, don’t you think?”

Her chest lifts as she takes a breath, and I’m not shy about checking out her cleavage, exposed down the V of her shirt. Normally I wouldn’t look so obviously, but this is a game. Our game.

“That’s very assuming of you, Mr. No Last Name.” She quirks her lips in that way she has, and my smile broadens. “But let’s say”—she moves her half-full wineglass onto the cocktail napkin she wrote on—“for argument’s sake, you’re right, that last names are irrelevant.” She runs the tip of her finger along the rim of her glass like she’s doing it absentmindedly.

She’s doing it on purpose. I can tell.

Damn. She’s good.

“We should have a real date before making plans, don’t you think?” she asks, her eyes on mine.

“Yes.” Hell, yes. “Dinner, at the very least.”

“And then if dinner works out . . .” She lets that statement hang and my heart beats triple time as I wait for what comes next. “We can talk about dessert.”

“We can talk about dessert now.” I’m transfixed on her and the idea of exploring our new dynamic.

“Ohmygod.” Her eyes go wide. “Would he say that?”

I give myself a mental shake when I realize I was caught up in the conversation. It was one I wanted to be real, and she was thinking about Running Man.

“Probably,” I say, the spell broken. “Guys are assholes. Like I said.”

I lean back in my chair, find a TV, and stare blankly.

“But if that’s the case, I’ll have to have sex with him sooner than I planned.”

“No, you don’t, Jackie.” I hear the anger in my own voice. Because . . . “You don’t have to have sex with anyone. You could go to drinks, dinner, and dessert with this guy—you could end the night with tonsil hockey on your front porch or his, and you can still say no.”

She purses her lips. I hate the idea of her kissing that jackass. No matter what kind of person he is—even if he’s a volunteer firefighter who raises orphaned squirrels so they can perform at the local senior center—I hate him.

“Tell me you know that,” I say.

“I know I don’t have to. That’s not what I meant. I don’t want to chicken out. I want to get the first one over with. Like you did.”

I tip my head back and groan aloud. I can’t help it. I’m the example for her return to the dating world? Much as I don’t want to admit it, fair is fair. I salved my wounds with girls like Polly, so why can’t Jackie do it with J.T.? Jackie’s my friend and I care about her. I can’t make a double standard now.

“Besides, he’s really hot,” she says, her face going glowy.

“Spare me.”

*****

Author Info:

A former job-hopper, Jessica Lemmon resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dog. She holds a degree in graphic design currently gathering dust in an impressive frame. When she’s not writing super-sexy heroes, she can be found cooking, drawing, drinking coffee (okay, wine), and eating potato chips. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want.

Jessica is a social media junkie who loves to hear from readers. You can learn more at her website.

Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

*****

Giveaway:

a Mrs. Fields Mini Ribbon box ($19.99-$22.99 value) (U.S. only)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81346/

*****

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

Book Review – The Bastard Billionaire

10 Friday Mar 2017

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

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Tags

Billionaire Bad Boys series, Book Review, Jessica Lemmon, The Bastard Billionaire

The Cranes are all sorts of HAWT and readers have been impatiently waiting to finally get their hands on this soldier brother’s story!

*****

TOP 5 FAVORITE LINES FROM TBB

#5~ Isabella Sawyer’s smart-aleck remark when Eli fires her for the umpteenth time:

“Apologies, Eli, but I’m not changing my shoes.” She came into his office, her hips swaying with each sure step she took toward him.

“Fine. Then you’re fired.”

“Oh, no, not again.”

#4~ Merina, the heroine from The Bastard Billionaire shows up as yet another feisty woman who refuses to bow to Eli’s gruffness.

“I can go out into public, you know,” he grumbled, setting the beer bottle next to his plate—on the table, no coaster, thank you very much. “You guys don’t have to come in here and serve me.”

He was skilled at his new role of miserable bastard, and since everyone expected it now, he was determined to excel.

“Oh but we do, Lord Crane.” Merina smiled demurely as she leaned over and handed him a glass.

#3~ I loved this line after Eli and Isa had sex—his honesty cracked me up!

“I like this.” She touched the corner of his mouth. “I’ve been trying to get you to smile since I started working here.”

“Well now you know how to do it.”

#2~ Bold Isabella knows how to ask for what she wants!

“Is kissing you in my marching orders for tomorrow night?” he asked, his eyes picking up a trace of heat.

She wasn’t going to pass up this opportunity. No way. No how.

“Yes,” she answered. “Need to practice?”

#1~ Eli’s worry that he didn’t have what it took is my favorite line in the book.

He’d done what he needed to be a good soldier.

Now that he wasn’t a soldier, he wasn’t sure what it took to be a good man.

*****

The Bastard Billionaire

Billionaire Bad Boys, #3

by Jessica Lemmon

On Sale: February 28, 2017

Publisher: Forever

Mass Market: $7.99 USD

eBook: $6.99 USD

Blurb:

Beauty and the Beastly Billionaire . . .

Eli Crane is one tough bastard. After an explosion left him injured and honorably discharged from the Marines, all he wants is to be left alone. Yet his brothers insist he take a greater role in the family business. They’ve hired him ten personal assistants—and Eli sent each one packing as fast as possible. But when beautiful number eleven walks through the door, Eli will do anything to make her stay.

Isabella Sawyer’s employment agency can’t afford to lose Eli Crane’s business. Her plan: to personally take on the role of his PA, and secure her reputation with the wealthy elite in Chicago. But this beauty and her hot billionaire bad boy soon find themselves mixing business with pleasure in the most delicious ways. And passionate, stubborn Isabella won’t rest until she tames this wicked beast . . .

*****

Excerpt:

Standing, she smoothed her hands down her pants and flipped her hair. She had planned to quietly finish her work and leave without seeing him again. No such luck. And no hiding that she was heading his way when her heels clicked along the concrete floor.

Well.

The kiss had happened. The button incident had happened. There was no taking it back. Regardless of how either of them felt about it, she was going to continue working here. So. She would deal with the here and now.

Since the sun was shining, Eli’s lair was welcome instead of foreboding. No fire cracked in the hearth today. Also unlike his usual, he wasn’t at his desk. He was at the printer.

“This yours?” He offered a sheet of paper.

“Yes.” She couldn’t keep from explaining. “Pressed the Print button by accident.”

“Mi printer es su printer.”

Isa accepted the document and Eli sank his hands into his jeans pockets, his forearms flexing with the movement.

“I wasn’t—”

“I shouldn’t—” they said at the same time.

He pursed his lips and she looked at her shoes. “Go ahead.” She was going to say, I wasn’t offended when you kissed me, but now that she’d had a millisecond to think it through, maybe she should pretend the kiss hadn’t happened. Which was . . . impossible. Standing this close to him, it’s all she could think about.

“I shouldn’t have ruined your shirt,” he said.

“I dared you to.”

“Why?” His eyebrows compressed along with his lips.

“Because you have accepted the role of beast, but I don’t believe that’s who you are.” She let her gaze linger on his face before tracking down his body. “And because I like a challenge.”

“Do you?” He took a wide step toward her.

She matched his move and took one step closer to him. “Yes. I don’t wilt easily.”

He threaded her hair between his fingers, a look of longing and hurt mingling in his eyes. “I was about to lie and say I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

Shivers climbed her spine as she remembered how firm his lips felt against hers. “Maybe . . . you shouldn’t have stopped.”

*****

Review:

(I will be sharing a BIT of a spoiler about the ending later but I will be giving you fair warning so you can read some of the review if you want and then stop at the *s)

I’m thinking that Isabella needs to hire some people with a little more backbone. What we see of Eli isn’t all that pleasant but he’s carrying a lot. He’s struggling to find his way again and unfortunately his family keeps pushing him to be what they want him to be. Granted he’s a TERRIBLE communicator and is keeping a lot to himself so they don’t know what is going on with him. I get why he’s not sharing but it might make his life a little easier if he’d just be a little more forthcoming with those that love him 🙂

Buuuut, that would mean that he’d never have met Isabella. And she’s exactly what he needs. She’s not going to take his crap. Instead she’s working hard to make things work with the Crane company and, as she gets to know him better, for Eli himself. He’s sexy and troubled and all sorts of growly but what he really needs is someone to push him, stand up to him, and support him. It’s a fine line she has to dance on but she’s got the guts and smarts to do it.

**I’m kinda giving away a little bit of a spoiler next so if you don’t want to know any more STOP HERE**

Kinda like with The Billionaire Next Door I was a little confused toward the end. I think that if we’d be given a better look at Isabella’s relationship with her ex and why she would feel like she HAD to have a commitment right then (when I’m pretty sure they were only a few weeks into knowing each other) it might have been different. But really I just wanted to give Eli a hug and tell him that I’d give him the time that he needed. But once she gets her head out of a place it isn’t supposed to be then she definitely makes up for it well.

**End Spoiler**

As an ending to Lemmon’s series about the Crane brothers The Bastard Billionaire is a winner. Eli is deliciously gruff but redeemable and Isabella is a strong match for him. She helps him figure his new life out and learn to embrace the future. Bringing the fun, heat and tons of emotions, Lemmon proves once again that she’s a fabulously talented author!

*****

THE BILLIONAIRE BAD BOYS SERIES

The Billionaire Bachelor, #1

The Billionaire Next Door, #2

The Bastard Billionaire, #3

Series Page on Goodreads

*****

Author Info:

A former job-hopper, Jessica Lemmon resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dog. She holds a degree in graphic design currently gathering dust in an impressive frame. When she’s not writing super-sexy heroes, she can be found cooking, drawing, drinking coffee (okay, wine), and eating potato chips. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want.

FOLLOW FOREVER ONLINE

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

*****

Giveaway:

Five (5) sets of The Billionaire Bad Boys series

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2422/

*****

Book Review – The Billionaire Next Door

02 Wednesday Nov 2016

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

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Billionaire Bad, Book Review, Jessica Lemmon, The Billionaire Next Door

The Billionaire Bachelor was one of the best books I read this Summer and I’m super excited to be able to bring you the next book in the series! And even more that Jessica Lemmon is here to give us a little more about her hero.

*****

Top 5 Ways To Frustrate An Alpha Billionaire Bad Boy

In my new release The Billionaire Bachelor, our hero Tag Crane is having one heck of a time getting heroine Rachel Foster to comply. His tried-and-true tricks simply don’t *quite* break down this particular woman’s defenses. Which means Tag shrugs and wanders off to find a new woman to tempt, right…?

WRONG!

You know when an alpha guy finds The One, even if he doesn’t know she’s it for him yet, he digs in and tries, tries, and tries again. Which brings me to the Top 5 ways to frustrate an alpha!

Many of these Rachel does without even trying…

.5. Don’t let him pay your way. Alphas, especially rich ones, love to lavish gifts upon the object of their affection. If you want to frustrate him right down to his expensive shoes, insist on buying your own dinner. In Tag’s case, he won this battle, but it didn’t stop Rachel from arguing. Points: 1

.4. Insist on working. Tag invites Rachel to Hawaii under the guise of consulting on his latest bar upgrade for a Crane hotel on Oahu. But when he gets her there he decides he’d rather play than work… Rachel makes sure she puts in her hours whether he likes it or not. Points: 2… but -1 because she definitely makes time for play!

.3. Resist his advances. Playboy Tag Crane knows his way around a woman—and how to woo one. But whenever his cocky charm makes itself known, Rachel is sure to laugh it off. At one point, she lies and blurts, “I’m not the least bit attracted to… what you have going on.” Points: 3. Well played!

.2. Don’t react the way he expects. When Rachel opens her front door one evening to find Tag standing outside of it, he lays a long, delicious kiss on her lips. When she doesn’t respond by climbing him like a cat on a curtain, Tag is completely confused. He even thinks to himself “SURELY, she liked it?” Throwing him off-kilter comes naturally to our wily heroine. Points: 5

.1. Don’t spell things out for him. Alphas think simply. In The Billionaire Next Door, Rachel uses the phrase “Me-Tarzan, You-Jane” to describe his techniques. The best way to frustrate an alpha? Keep him guessing… You won’t only frustrate him, you’ll fascinate him. And once he’s fallen head over money clip, he’ll come running and fight to win you. Points: 10.

*****

The Billionaire Next Door

Billionaire Bad Boys #2

by Jessica Lemmon

Releasing October 25, 2016

Forever

Blurb:

Can’t Buy Me Love

It’s Tag Crane’s job to be the life of the party. Traveling from one exotic locale to another is just part of running the luxurious Crane Hotel empire. But even paradise isn’t perfect. Devising a new business strategy is keeping Tag up at night-and so is the Great Dane barking at all hours in the apartment below his. To muzzle the problem, Tag charges downstairs . . . right into the most beautiful, blond distraction he’s ever seen.

Dog-sitting by day, bartending by night. It’s not exactly the life Rachel Foster dreamed of. But when Tag Crane rushes in, all mountain-man shoulders and obscenely sexy smile, needing her help for the Crane Hotels, it’s a fantasy come true. What’s the harm in a fun no-strings fling? Only a fool would give her heart to a billionaire player like Tag-until suddenly the one man who can’t be caught is the one flirting with forever . .

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28119766-the-billionaire-next-door

Goodreads Series Link https://www.goodreads.com/series/179156-billionaire-bad-boys

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

*****

Excerpt:

When she reached the door, she pulled her fingers through her blond hair, and decided her visitor had earned the penalty of seeing her sloppy hair, leftover makeup, and pale blue flannel pajamas with a polar bear and snowflake design.

She turned the knob and blinked, stunned.

Holy crap, there is a mountain man at my door.

She was faced with wide, round shoulders. A waterfall of caramel-brown, slightly wavy hair cascaded down his arms. He wore a closely trimmed beard, his mouth flat beneath it. One eyebrow was arched over the bluest eyes she’d ever seen.

“Hello,” she managed, before jerking her gaze from his assaulting blues to take in the fitted cream-colored sweater, a pair of gray cargo pants, and laced leather boots.

He was like a sexy city lumberjack.

“Hi.”

Oh. That voice. Deep, rich, and low enough that it registered in her belly.

When his eyes dashed away from her face and he smiled, her brain turned to mush. She couldn’t think of a thing to say. Not a single thing.

“There he is. Hey, buddy.” The giant knelt as Adonis meandered through the living room, pausing to do a downward-dog stretch in front of the man’s feet. The dog received a scrub on the head, and she was rewarded with more of her guest’s low voice. “You’re better today, yeah? Sleep okay?”

Meanwhile, Rachel gawked at the two of them. Her appearance was probably less put-together than the dog’s. She ran her fingers through her hair again, making it worse at this point, and straightened her pajama top futilely. There was no escaping that she looked as if she’d crawled out of bed after a late, late night.

The man stood. “Typically, Adonis has had his walk by now, but I didn’t see you at the elevator, so…”

She squinted one eye and finally her brain chugged into gear.

Oh. Oh.

Oliver had mentioned a dog walker, but Rachel had sworn he said he’d postponed the walks while she was staying here. But since he was here, he may as well take Adonis. She wasn’t anywhere near ready to go for a stroll in the snow.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” She went to where the leash was hanging—on a hook inside the pantry—retrieved it, and chased Adonis for a few irritating seconds while he turned in circles in excitement. “I took him out at three in the morning, so I’m not sure if he’ll have to…you know.” Dog clipped, she handed the leash to the ridiculously good-looking man at her door. “Do you bring your own poop bags? Or do you…” The man was looking at her like she’d sprouted a third eye, so she swept the topic away with one hand. “You know what? I’ll just grab one.”

She shot him a tight smile, went back to the pantry, and returned with a bag made for Adonis’s business. She offered it to the guy, who was holding tight to Adonis’s leash while the pooch lunged for the elevator. The man didn’t budge, despite the dog’s strength.

“Where’s Oliver?” he asked.

She frowned as she crinkled the plastic bag against her body. “You mean he didn’t tell you? He’s on a business trip. I’m housesitting.”

“You his niece?” he asked after running a long gaze down then up to her face again.

She laughed. “No, not at all. He’s one of my regulars. Odd, right? But we hit it off and he likes me, so…”

The man’s frown deepened, those gorgeous eyes darkening to stormy blue. “I’m not the dog walker.” He offered the leash but Adonis stayed in the hallway rather than coming back inside. “I’m an upstairs neighbor.”

“Oh. Oh my God! I’m so sorry!” Rachel took the leash and wrestled with Adonis, who was much, much stronger than she. He knew it. The dog spread his feet wide and stood his ground on the carpeted floor.

“I suggest you find a way to keep him quiet at night while you’re out. I work from home and I can’t listen to him bark for hours.”

Hours?

“If I were anyone else, a noise complaint would be in your future. Oliver follows the rules. He wouldn’t like knowing you’re breaking a big one.” That low voice had dropped lower, the reprimand having the dual result of both pissing her off and making her feel a little tingly.

God. I need more sleep.

“No need to be rude,” she snapped. He blinked, surprised. Probably not used to being put in his place.

Look at him. He’s a wall. Who would stand up to him?

Then she remembered his kind smile, the way his hands rubbed Adonis’s flank with rugged gentleness. A shiver climbed her spine at the same time Adonis jerked hard on the leash.

She expelled a dainty “oh!” and lunged forward at the same time the man in the doorway caught the leash in one hand and her against him. Rachel found every part of her from thighs to breasts plastered to the giant’s body. Her palms flattened over two hard pectoral muscles hidden beneath the sweater, her legs bumping his legs, which felt as solid as two marble columns. She tilted her head, met those aqua blue eyes and…and…remembered she hadn’t brushed her teeth yet.

She shoved off his rock-hard stomach, slapping a palm over her mouth. Then she gave a hard tug to Adonis’s leash, who turned with a sigh and paced back inside. Once he was clear of the door, she sent the hard-bodied hunk at the threshold a glare and slammed the door in his face.

Adonis yipped his disappointment at losing the chance to go outside.

“You’ll have to take him out now!” came a shout through the door. “Don’t blue-ball the poor guy after taking him halfway.”

Adonis wagged his tail so hard, he nearly took out a lamp. The hulk at the door was right. There was no way she could turn down the Dane’s pale eyes and smiling pink mouth, perked pointy ears, and lolling tongue.

“Fine,” she growled and stomped for the bedroom. She snatched up her boots and hastily picked out her clothes, feeling both tired and cranky. Yet as she tugged on her coat, she found her mouth curving into a half-smile.

Blue balls.

Who was that guy?

*****

Review:

I love LOVE love Tag and Rachel, individually and as a couple. Tag is a fun-loving and easy-going but with brains and depth to go with his hot body and gorgeous face. He may not be the most serious of the Cranes but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t care or put in the effort. He just has his own way of doing it.

Meeting Rachel, who doesn’t know who he is and couldn’t care less once she finds out, throws him for a loop. None of his normal tricks work on her … and he soon finds he can’t get her out of his mind. It’s fun seeing him fall in love and struggle with it. Lots of things come easy, especially women, so it’s nice to see him thrown for once 🙂

Rachel may be resisting getting involved again after a bad relationship, but Tag proves to be very hard to resist. It’s great seeing them get to know each other, banter and play, and then help the other with some of their issues. And watching her get her confidence back, thanks to Tag, is wonderful.

My only issue is that I’m not sure why they let their situation get away from them. I kinda understand where they are coming from but it seems to have gotten bigger than it needed to. Maybe it’s just me (and it’s the climactic trouble so I’m not going to give more away) but they had done so well for most of the book and then I’m a little lost at the end.

Overall, though, it didn’t keep me from enjoying seeing Tag and Rachel get their happy ending … and now I’m anxious to see what happens with the next Crane. I have a feeling this one could get my heart in a twist.

*****

Author Info:

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

*****

Giveaway:

$25 Amazon gift card and a complete set of Love in the Balance e-books

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81154/

*****

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

Book Review – The Billionaire Bachelor

01 Friday Jul 2016

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Billionaire Bad Boys series, Book Review, Jessica Lemmon, The Billionaire Bachelor

We’ve had Jessica Lemmon’s books on here before and I was super excited to find out she was starting a new series.

*****

The Billionaire Bachelor

Billionaire Bad Boys series

by Jessica Lemmon

On Sale: June 28, 2016

Publisher: Forever

Formats: Mass Market & eBook

Price: $5.99 USD

Add to Goodreads

Blurb:

Manwhore. That’s what the board of directors—and the tabloids—thinks of billionaire bachelor Reese Crane. Ordinarily he couldn’t care less, but his playboy past is preventing the board from naming him CEO of Crane Hotels. Nothing—and no one—will keep him from his life’s legacy. They want a settled man to lead the company? Then that’s exactly what he’ll give them.

Merina Van Heusen will do anything to get her parents’ funky boutique hotel back—even marry cold-as-ice-but-sexy-as-hell Reese Crane. It’s a simple business contract—six months of marriage, absolute secrecy, and the Van Heusen is all hers again. But when sparks fly between them, their passion quickly moves from the boardroom to the bedroom. And soon Merina is living her worst nightmare: falling in love with her husband…

THE FULL BILLIONAIRE BAD BOYS SERIES

The Billionaire Bachelor, #1

The Billionaire Next Door, #2

The Bastard Billionaire, #3

Series Page on Goodreads

*****

Excerpt:

The Van Heusen Hotel was the love of Merina Van Heusen’s life. The historical building dominated the corner of Rush and East Chicago Avenue, regal and beautiful, a living work of art.

Her parents’ hotel had once been the Bell Terrace, home away from home to celebrities such as Audrey Hepburn, Sammy Davis Jr., and more recently, Lady Gaga and the late Robin Williams. The original structure perished in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, only to be resurrected bigger, better, and more beautiful.

There was a life lesson in there.

Latte in hand, Merina breathed in the air in the lobby, a mix of vanilla and cinnamon. Faint but reminiscent of the famed dessert invented in the hotel’s kitchen: the snicker- doodle. On her way past Arnold, who stood checking a guest into the hotel, she snagged one of the fresh-baked cookies off a plate and winked at him

The dark-skinned older man slid her a smile and winked back. Having practically grown up here, the VH was a second home to her. Arnold had started out as a bellman and had worked here for as long she could remember. He was as good as family.

She dumped her purse in her office and finished her cookie, holding on to the latte while she meandered down the hallways, checking to make sure there were no trays outside the doors that needed collecting. At the end of the corridor on the first floor, she saw a man outside one of the rooms, drill whirring away.

“Excuse me,” she called. Then had to call again to be heard over the sound. When she came into view, he paused the drilling and looked up at her.

He wore a tool belt and navy uniform, and the antique doorknob was sitting on the floor at his feet along with a small pile of sawdust.

“What are you doing?” she asked, bending to pick up the heavy brass. Her parents had done away with “real keys” the moment they took over, installing the popular keycard entry hotels now used, but the antique doorknobs remained.

“Installing the fingerprint entry.” From his pocket, the uniformed man pulled out a small silver pad with a black opening, then went back to drilling.

“No, no, no.” She placed the doorknob back on the ground and dusted her hand on her skirt. “We’re not doing any fingerprint entry.” She offered a patient smile. “You need to double-check your work order.”

He gave her a confused look. “Ma’am?” He was looking at Merina, but his voice was raised.

Merina’s mother, Jolie, appeared from behind the hotel room door, her eyebrows raising into hair that used to be the same honeyed shade of blond as Merina’s but now was more blond to hide the gray.

“Oh, Merina!” Her mother smiled, but her expression looked a little pained.

“Can you give me a minute with my daughter, Gary?” Like she was Gary’s mother, Jolie fished a five-dollar bill from her pocket and pressed it into his palm. “Go to the restaurant and have Sharon make you a caramel macchiato. You won’t be sorry.”

Gary frowned but took the cash. Merina shook her head as he walked away.

“Sweetheart.” Jolie offered another smile. A tight- lipped one meaning there was bad news. Like when Merina’s cat, Sherwood, had been hit by a car and Jolie had to break it to her. “Come in. Sit.” She popped open the door and Merina entered the guest room.

White duvets and molded woodwork, modern flat-screen televisions and artwork. Red, gold, and deep orange accents added to the richness of the palette and were meant to show that a fire may have taken down the original building but couldn’t keep it down.

Jolie gestured to the chair by the desk. Merina refused to sit.

“Mom. What’s going on?”

On the end of a sigh that didn’t make Merina feel any better, her mother spoke.

“Several changes have been ordered for the Van Heusen in order to modernize it. Fingerprint entry is just one of them. Also, the elevators will be replaced.”

“Why?” Merina pictured the gold decorative doors with a Phoenix, the mythical bird that arose from the ashes of its predecessor, emblazoned on them. If there was a beating heart in the Van Heusen, it was that symbol. Her stomach turned.

Instead of answering, Jolie continued. “Then there’s the carpeting. The tapestry design won’t fit in with the new scheme. And probably the molding and ceiling medallions will all be replaced.” She sighed again. “It’s a new era.”

“When did you take to day-drinking?” Merina asked, only half kidding.

Her mother laughed, but it was brief and faded almost instantly. She touched Merina’s arm gently. “Sweetheart. We were going to tell you, but we wanted to make sure there really was no going back. I didn’t expect the lock- smith to arrive today.” Her eyes strayed to the door.

Merina’s patience fizzled. “Tell me what?”

“Your father and I sold the Van Heusen to Alexander Crane six months ago. At the time, he had no plans on making any changes at all, but now that he’s retiring, the hotel has fallen to his oldest son. Evidently, Reese had different ideas.”

At that pronouncement, Jolie’s normally sunny attitude clouded over. Merina knew the Cranes. The Crane Hotel was the biggest corporate hotel outfit in the city, the second biggest in the nation. Alexander (better known as “Big Crane”) and his sons ran it, local celebrities of sorts. She’d also read about Big Crane’s retirement and Reese’s likely ascension to CEO.

But none of that mattered. There was only one newly learned fact bouncing around in her brain. “You sold the Van Heusen?”

She needed that chair after all. She sank into it, mind blanking of everything except for one name: Reese Crane.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Merina stood up again. She couldn’t sit. She could not remain still while this was happening. Correction: This had happened. “Why didn’t you talk to me first?”

“You know we’d never include you in our financial difficulties, Merina.” Jolie clucked her tongue.

Financial difficulties?

“Bankruptcy was not an option,” her mom said. “Plus, selling gave us the best of both worlds. No financial responsibility and we keep our jobs.”

“With Reese Crane as your boss!” Her mind spun after she said it aloud. My God. They would be answering to that arrogant, idiotic . . . “No.” Merina shook her head as she strode past her mother. “This is a mistake.”

And there had to be a way to undo it.

*****

Review:

So we all pretty much know where this one is going – a marriage of convenience that ends up being not so convenient after all. Doesn’t mean that it has to be blah 🙂

Reese is your typical modern rake. He had some things happen that has him deciding that commitment and relationships aren’t for him. But there is something he wants and marriage to Merina is the only way that he can think to get it. Blackmail, power struggle, blah blah blah, together for show only.

But he’s no match for her vibrancy. I enjoyed watching him slowly fall under her spell and show himself to not be as cold as he comes across. While we know that he’s going to screw it all up out of fear, he definitely knows how to give a woman his heart once he’s ready.

Merina has a lot of spunk and she’s not willing to let Reese get away with too much. She’s sweet and caring and fun and mouthy and the perfect person to have Reese letting down his walls just a little. Unfortunately it isn’t enough and I have to give her credit for pushing for more. She’s strong and not willing to settle for second best.

Lemmon takes a pretty well established trope and with skill & flair makes it enticing. While we’ve seen heroes like Reese many times he’s got just that little extra oomph to him to make him not feel recycled. And Merina’s spunkiness has me pulling for her every step of the way. I’ve loved Lemmon’s Bad Boys before and I’m starting to think her Billionaires will give them a run for their money.

*****

Author Info:

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*****

Giveaway:

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*****

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Book Review – Fighting for Devlin

28 Saturday Nov 2015

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Fighting for Devlin, Jessica Lemmon, Lost Boys series

Fighting for Devlin

A Lost Boys Novel

by Jessica Lemmon

Perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Katy Evans, Jessica Lemmon’s irresistible Lost Boys series kicks off with the story of a good girl who plays by the rules—and the bad boy who brings out her wild side.

Devlin Calvary makes his own luck. Orphaned as a young child, he was taken in by a crew of bookies and gamblers—and they became his family. They’re the reason Dev’s running a trendy bistro, living in a high rise, and enjoying the good life with a string of women who never ask for too much. Until, one night, he finds out how much it hurts to trust the wrong people. . . .

Rena Lewis sticks to the straight and narrow, determined not to slip up again . . . like the terrible night of partying four years ago that ended in tragedy. A waitress at Oak & Sage, she knows that sleeping with her boss is not a smart move. But when Dev shows up on her doorstep, beat up and clearly shaken, Rena’s not about to turn him down . . . or kick him out of bed.

Dev reawakens something primal within her—a need to go wild. And Rena soon finds out that the heart she’d sealed away years ago still has the power to fight for love.

I don’t usually read New Adult stories (and I didn’t realize this was one until after I started reading it), but I would have made an exception anyway since it is one of Jessica Lemmon’s books 🙂 I’ve only read her Second Chance series but I’ve enjoyed those so much that I’m going to have to go back and read the Love in the Balance books too. And I’ll be waiting for the next Lost Boys book because if Cade’s story is anything like Devlin’s it will be worth it – we’re given a preview of Falling for Caden here and I’m super curious about it. I think that his story could be complex.

OK, back to this one. You have to be OK with the whole bad boy thing. It’s a popular sub-genre with the whole MC club and such, and while it isn’t my favorite it works here. Devlin had an unusual upbringing and it has transitioned into his adulthood. He’s quite comfortable with it, until he meets Rena … and gets hit (literally) with some of the seedier side of his life.

The whole arrogant, street thing is not my bag but Dev is appealing enough I can see where it works for some. (While things he says and doesn’t do it for me, I can understand why it would for others.) And I really appreciated his journey to trying to straighten out his life. He’s not a bad guy, really, just one that dances on that other side of the line.

Rena, for all the bad things that has happened to her, seems a little young in comparison to the maturity that life has given to Dev. But she has grit and determination, as well as a good understanding of people, which makes her a good foil for him. I really like how she’s not willing to just walk away when things get a little rough. He’s awfully hard on her quite a few times and she sticks it out because she sees that there is something more going on with him. Again, his treatment of her isn’t my thing, but it isn’t horrible and fits in that bad boy thing.

Fighting for Devlin isn’t going to appeal to everyone but Lemmon is a fantastic writer, creating interesting characters as well as a complex storyline. There’s a lot going on here but it is so engrossing that you will find it hard to put the book down until you turn that last page. I’m rating high because, for those that like this kind of thing, this is a story that can’t be missed.

Buy on Amazon

Spotlight – Holiday Hookup

28 Monday Sep 2015

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

A Bad Boy For Christmas, Debbie Mason, Jessica Lemmon, Katie Lane, Snowbound at Christmas, Unwrapped

I know it is a LITTLE early … but who doesn’t love a good Christmas romance? Today we get three!

*****

SNOWBOUND AT CHRISTMAS

by Debbie Mason

Ex-cop Cat O’Connor is bored working for her sister, Chloe, as a personal assistant on the set of her soap opera. Until Chloe gets an opportunity to audition for the role of a lifetime and asks her identical twin to substitute for her on the soap with no one the wiser. It’s a perfect switch-until Cat attracts the attention of the mysterious Mr. Tall, Dark, and Way-too-handsome leading man.

Grayson Alexander never thought being snowbound in the charming town of Christmas, Colorado, for the holiday would get so hot. But between working with sexy, tough Cat on set and keeping his real reason for being there under wraps, he’s definitely feeling the heat. And if there’s one thing they’ll learn as they bring out the mistletoe, it’s that in this town, true love is always in season.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ika5pa

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GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/1UIRHY8

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*****

Excerpt:

“We don’t have time to talk about it,” the older woman said as she helped Cat out of the fur coat. “We have just been presented with the perfect opportunity to put our plan into action.”

Great, Estelle and Chloe had a plan. Cat tugged the sweater’s neckline higher. Her sister may like to show off her girls, but Cat’s were going undercover. And since she didn’t want Estelle to blow her cover, she hoped the older woman enlightened her about their plan.

They were a few feet from the table where Harry stood looking deliciously edible when Nell waved a gingerbread man in the air. “Get a kiss with your cookies, ladies. Two dollars for a kiss and a cookie.”

A horde of women stampeded in their direction.

“Make it count, my dear,” Estelle murmured, shoving Cat at the table.

The push caused Cat to wobble on her heels. If not for Harry reaching across the table, encircling her biceps with his strong hands, she would have fallen on her face. Something her sister would never do. So it was imperative that Cat put on a believable performance. She fluffed her hair, did a flirty head tilt, and batted her fake eyelashes.

“I’ll take two, Harry.” She puckered her lips.

His mouth flattened, a muscle ticking in his clenched jaw. Then he leaned toward her. It’s possible he said bloody hell under his breath as he lowered his head, but she couldn’t be sure because everything went a little fuzzy the moment his warm, firm lips touched hers. She tasted mint, smelled his expensive cologne, and drew closer, placing her hands on his shoulders to avoid toppling over. Okay, so it was an excuse, but she was sure her sister would have taken advantage of the situation in exactly the same way.

Her mouth softened, her fingers tightening on his broad shoulders as her lips parted. She was just getting into the kiss, and it was some kiss, when his mouth left hers. He took what appeared to be a startled step back. She understood the reaction—the kiss had rocked her world, too.

“Hang on, I need a picture for the Chronicle,” Nell said, putting down the cookie to pick up her cell phone. “Okay, go for it.”

In the background, she heard George saying something to Phil about breaking his promise. Harry looked over her head, then back at her. An emotion she couldn’t read darkened his blue eyes, then he brought his hands to the sides of her face and did as Nell suggested. He went for it.

Gently tilting her head so his lips slanted over hers at a precise angle, he gave her a deep, passionate kiss. It was long and lush, and breath-stealingly perfect. Her eyes were still closed, her head tipped up, when she realized she was kissing air. Blinking her eyes open, she stared at him. Acting as though he was completely unaffected, as if he hadn’t felt the same emotional rush of desire, he handed her two cookies.

If that was a kiss from an uninterested man, she’d eat . . .

“That will be four dollars, Chloe.” His words were cool and clipped, his back ramrod straight.

And her heart, that seconds ago had been dancing to a happy beat, froze. It wasn’t her he was kissing. It was her sister.

*****

Author Info:

Debbie Mason is the bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado series. Her books have been praised for their “likable characters, clever dialogue and juicy plots” (RT Book Reviews). She also writes historical paranormals as Debbie Mazzuca. Her MacLeod series has received several nominations for best paranormal as well as a Holt Medallion Award of Merit. When she isn’t writing or reading, Debbie enjoys spending time with her very own real-life hero, their four wonderful children, an adorable grandbaby, and a yappy Yorkie named Bella.

http://www.authordebbiemason.com/

https://twitter.com/AuthorDebMason

https://www.facebook.com/Debbie-Mason-492150187499546/timeline/

*****

A BAD BOY FOR CHRISTMAS

by Jessica Lemmon

Connor McClain knows what he wants. And after four harrowing years in Afghanistan, that’s a quiet life in the lakeside town of Evergreen Cove. But coming home has land mines of its own-the most dangerous of them being long-legged bombshell Faith Garrett. Now getting her into his arms this holiday is going to require more than mistletoe . . .

With a cheating ex behind her, all Faith wants is a relaxing holiday free from man drama. And even though every moment with gorgeous Connor is a sweet temptation, Faith is determined not to give in. But Jack Frost has other plans, and soon Faith and Connor are snowbound in a winter wonderland with only the sparks flying between them to keep them warm. As one hot kiss leads to another, they’ll have to decide if they’re ready to give each other the best gift of all-love.

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

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GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/1QtdsWe

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*****

Excerpt:

She came to a halt at the threshold of the kitchen, her breath clogging in her throat.

Part of it was shock over the fact that Connor was leaning over the countertop inhaling one of her cupcakes. The other part, and the part she was having trouble reconciling, was the fact that there was a tear beneath one of the pockets of his jeans, and the slash of skin she was currently staring at was his bare ass.

He stood, chewing and smiling with his lips closed. She knew because she hastily redirected her gaze to his face. The way he licked the frosting off the corner of his mouth and lifted his brow suggested he may have caught her eyeballing something she shouldn’t.

“Tore them on a nail on the fence this morning.” He turned to look over his shoulder, splitting the tear with his fingers to show her a faint red scratch on one chiseled butt cheek. “Hurt like a bitch.” His eyes found hers and he gave her a sly smile. “Don’t suppose you’d be willing to patch me up.”

She choked on her laughter, shaking her head for effect. “I don’t think so,” she said, trying to sound disgusted and not turned on.

His smile erased as his brow went down like she’d hurt his feelings. “You would deny me medical care in my moment of need?”

Flustered, she stepped past him and snatched the small white box off the counter, determined to change the subject. “I hope you know you owe me a cupcake.”

“Cupcake, I took that in payment for the kiss you never gave me.”

So he didn’t forget.

“You’d rather have a carrot cupcake than a kiss?” Her pulse pounded against her neck. She knew which one she would prefer, and hoped she was doing a good job hiding it.

“Hmm…” He made a show of craning his neck to look at the remaining cupcake in the bottom of the box. “It was a pretty good cupcake.”

Her mouth opened in argument, but the argument never came. And the reason it never came was because Connor covered her lips with his, launching his tongue into her mouth. She tasted sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg from the frosting, and his mouth, which tasted wonderful because it tasted like him. The smell of lavender filled her senses, that earthy, spicy smell mingling in her nostrils and making her lean into him. Cupping the back of his neck, she tilted her chin, continuing their sparring session with fervor.

Noses bumped, his unshaven chin scraped her jaw, and his hands—his big, manly, rough hands—grasped her at the waist and pulled her flush against him.

This went on until finally, she had to pull back to inhale or suffocate. Not a bad way to go, she’d admit. Now she was panting and trying to recalibrate her brain cells, which had apparently oozed right out of her ears since Connor put his mouth on hers.

He looked as dazed as she did for a second before his smile snapped into place. “Nope. That was much better than the cupcake.”

*****

Author Info:

Jessica Lemmon has always been a dreamer. At some point, she decided head-in-the-clouds thinking was childish, went out, and got herself a job . . . and then she got another one because that one was lousy. And when that one stopped being fulfilling, she went out and got another . . . and another. Soon it became apparent she’d only be truly happy doing what she loved. And since “eating potato chips” isn’t a viable career, she opted to become a writer. With fire in her heart, she dusted off a book she’d started years prior, finished it, and submitted it. It may have been the worst book ever, but it didn’t stop her from writing another one. Now she has several books finished, several more started, and even more marinating in her brain (which currently resides in the clouds, thankyouverymuch), and she couldn’t be happier. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want. (While eating potato chips.)

http://www.jessicalemmon.com/

https://twitter.com/lemmony

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJessicaLemmon?fref=ts

*****

UNWRAPPED

by Katie Lane

Jacqueline Maguire has a problem tying the knot. After fleeing the altar (again), the runaway bride drives off with no particular destination in mind. Which is how Jac finds herself stranded in a snowstorm with a hot, hard-bodied stranger who treats her to the naughtiest night of her life . . . but come morning, he’s long gone.

Contractor Patrick McPherson is deeply committed to his bachelor lifestyle. No strings, no rings. As the Christmas season approaches, however, Patrick still can’t quite forget his curvalicious one-night stand. Then Jac shows up unexpectedly, and all holiday hell breaks loose. Because this year, Patrick is getting the biggest Christmas surprise of his life.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1KvF2Oc

B&N: http://bit.ly/1JlEnx7

iTunes: http://apple.co/1KvF88q

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1KvF7Bp

*****

Excerpt:

“Am I a vampire?”

He chuckled at the joke and smoothed the damp hair off her forehead. “No. I don’t change my victims . . . I just snack on them.” She didn’t crack a smile, but her shoulders relaxed, bringing his attention back to the welt. “How badly are you hurt?”

Her hand went to the marks on her neck. “Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would.”

Patrick felt his face heat with embarrassment. “I’m sorry. I forgot about the fangs.”

Her gaze flickered to his mouth, and damned if he didn’t get hard again. “Well, I guess since you didn’t . . . umm . . . overindulge, it’s not a big deal.”

Overindulge? Oh, he wanted to overindulge. Especially with those phenomenal breasts just a reach away. But he wasn’t that big of a jerk. “So can you tell me what happened? Are there any other victims?”

“No. No one else was in the car with me when Big Foot—I mean, a deer jumped out in front of the car. I would’ve been okay if my brakes had worked properly. It was almost like someone had tampered with—” She paused, and her eyes widened. “Mr. Darby.” She glanced at the door. “And he’s probably the one who flattened your tire.”

Patrick started to wonder if she wasn’t suffering from a concussion. She seemed to be talking in circles. Of course, most women talked in circles. “I thought you said no one was in the car with you. Who is Mr. Darby?”

“No one was in the car with me. Mr. Darby is the guy who’s trying to k—” She stopped and cleared her throat. “Never mind. It’s not important. So you were saying?”

His brow knotted. Why couldn’t women be as easy to read as a blueprint? He released his breath in a sigh. “I was wondering how badly you were injured.”

“I’m fine now. I was just a little lightheaded before.” She sat up to prove it, bringing her full pouting lips inches from his. He might not be able to read her, but he sure as hell desired her. He had never wanted to kiss a woman so badly in his life. It was like her lips were magnetized and he was solid metal. But before he could kiss her, she got to her feet and started picking up the items that had spilled out of her purse. Since there was a lot of crap, he knelt down to help her.

“So what are you doing up here?” he asked as he lifted her wallet and handed it to her. “I’m assuming by the costume that you were coming back from a party.”

There was a slight hesitation before she nodded. “And I got lost.” She leaned over to reach the tube of lipstick that had slid under the coffee table, and her breasts swelled forth in twin mounds of bodacious beauty. “So if you can’t take me back to Denver, do you think you could get me to a working phone?”

It took her grabbing the lipstick and straightening before he could talk. “I could if I didn’t have a flat tire.” Now that his temper had cooled, he realized that she wouldn’t have had time to flatten his tire. He probably ran over a nail at one of the jobsites, and it had been slowly leaking air all day.

“Don’t you know how to fix it?” she asked.

“Yes, but I’m not going to do it in a blizzard.” He picked up her phone and tried it. There was still no reception so he tapped the screen closed. A screensaver picture of two people popped up. Patrick didn’t know why he was more interested in the skinny guy than the pretty, dark-haired woman. Or maybe he knew why, but just wasn’t willing to admit it.

“Are you married?” he asked.

“Not yet. I’m still working on it.” Before he could figure out what that meant, she got up and took the phone and her purse from him. “So if you’re not going to fix the tire, just what am I supposed to do?”

In heels, or at least in one heel, she was only a few inches shorter than he was and sturdily built. He realized that he liked that about her. He was tired of petite women he had to worry about breaking. This woman looked like she could handle a man who liked things a little rough. And since she wasn’t married, was in no way connected to his aunt’s schemes, and was here . . .

Patrick smiled. “You’re going to spend the night with me.”

“What?” she squeaked. “I can’t spend the entire night with a . . .”

“Patrick.” He held out his hand. “And you are?”

She swallowed hard before answering. “In big trouble.”

*****

Author Info:

Katie Lane is the USA Today bestselling author of the Deep in the Heart of Texas and Hunk for the Holidays series. Katie lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and when she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, traveling, and cuddling with her high school sweetheart and cairn terrier Roo.

http://www.katielanebooks.com/

https://twitter.com/ktlane3

https://www.facebook.com/katielaneauthor

*****

Giveaway:

5 Holiday Hookup Gift Sets!

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2250/

*****

Book Review – Rescuing the Bad Boy

30 Saturday May 2015

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

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Jessica Lemmon, Rescuing the Bad Boy, Second Chance series

After reading Bringing Home the Bad Boy (the first book in this series), I could NOT wait for the next to come out … and Lemmon definitely did not disappoint. If you haven’t read either of these then run, don’t walk, to your nearest bookseller.

*****

Rescuing the Bad Boy

Second Chance series

by Jessica Lemmon

Blurb:

Not All Scars Heal

For Donovan Pate, the lake town of Evergreen Cove is a minefield of tough memories-including the day he had to let go of Sofie Martin. Years later he still can’t forget the taste of her lips and the feel of her killer curves. He knows he’s too damaged, that he should stay away for her own good. But what the head says and the heart wants are two very different things . . .

Seven years ago, Donovan broke Sofie’s heart. Now her career depends on playing nice in order to pull off the charity fund-raiser of the decade. She vows to keep things professional . . . yet working by his side every day doesn’t make it easy to fight temptation, and it isn’t long before she finds herself falling for this bad boy all over again. But loving Donovan means helping him face his past-so they can fight for a future together.

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

B&N: http://bit.ly/1zNqz0L

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

GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/1EQYODa

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

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Indiebound: http://bit.ly/1GvHtyT

*****

Excerpt:

Her soft touch landed on Donovan’s arm, and the anger shuddering inside him shifted into an ache. She stepped closer, the warmth between them radiating enough heat to set him on fire. But like the fireplaces he built, he could handle it. He could handle the heat from her, not because he was impervious, but because he was strong enough to soak her in and not burn to ash.

She turned his arm where paint was drying. She swiped at it with her sleeve. “I made a mess.”

He’d forgotten about the paint. “Don’t… I can… There is a shower in the…” He lost his train of thought when she turned those emerald green eyes up to him. He watched her delicate throat work as she swallowed. His eyes traveled up her neck and landed on her mouth. Needing her mouth, he lowered his face, watched her eyes grow dark and wide, watched her lift her chin to meet him.

Heat. He wanted more. If only to test his own strength.

He moved his lips gently against hers, but resisted holding her to him. She held onto him though, grasping his forearms with both hands, her fingers wrapped around his elbows. Pressing her body against his, pressing her tits against his ribs.

Hell, sounded like an invitation to him. Deepening their connection, he thrust his tongue into her mouth, reached around, and grabbed her ass with both palms. When he squeezed, she sucked in a breath.

“Told you,” he rumbled.

“Told me?”

“Not a complaint, Scampi.” He squeezed again. “Perfect.”

A choked laugh left her throat. “Big.”

Still moving his hands over her backside, he said, “First thing I noticed about you at the Wharf.” He’d been plating up a chicken scaloppini when the manager walked in to show around a few new servers. Two he couldn’t remember, and Sofie. Bent over the plate, he’d peeked between the metal shelves framing that perfect ass . He’d stood to get a better look, and she’d pegged him with those moss-greens.

“Second thing I noticed was your eyes.”

Her lips parted slightly. “And the third thing?”

He kissed her. She tasted incredible. “The first time you talked to me.”

She rolled her eyes. “And what did I say?”

She didn’t think he remembered. She was wrong. “‘Can I get a side of cock?’”

Laughing, she shook her head.

He smiled back at her, unable to help himself. “Then you cleared your throat and said, ‘cocktail sauce’.”

Shaking her head, she said, “Worst abbreviation ever.”

“Kitchen guys are immature.”

She blinked up at him, studying him, like she was trying to piece him together. He didn’t want her to. Once she pieced him together and had the whole picture, she wouldn’t like what she saw.

He kissed her again, keeping his hands on her body.

“Are you testing my boundaries?” she asked, her tone teasing. He recognized that comment from the night he rescued her from Torsett.

“Mine,” he corrected.

Sofie bit her lip. “I don’t date much.”

“Me either.” At all, actually.

She shook her head, more in thought than in argument. “I don’t think I have any boundaries with you.”

He was beginning to think he had none with her, either.

*****

Review:

When I reviewed Bringing Home the Bad Boy, I said that Evan was likely to have some competition as a book boyfriend with Donovan and I wasn’t wrong. With Rescuing the Bad Boy Lemmon delivers an addictive hero who carries just as many scars on the inside as the outside. It’s an emotional rollercoaster from the beginning and I loved every minute of it.

Donovan is a charming rascal but his past has caused him to shut himself off from people, feeling like he has nothing to offer others. He’s got a couple of close friends but they definitely have to do most of the work in the relationship. Then there is Sofia. A few weeks dancing around an attraction to each other leads to a night that changes things for both of them. Years later, Donovan is back but he isn’t happy about it … and the attraction between the two is as hot as ever.

I love Sofia. She’s got an amazingly level-head about Donovan and I think she handled every step of the way with a lot of style. The ending has to be one of my favorites of all time. As these two navigate the minefield of their past (both individually and shared), the present and how they are going to handle the future, I found myself drawn more and more to them. Lemmon delivers it so smoothly and naturally – I can’t wait to read more from these guys.

*****

Author Info:

http://facebook.com/JessicaLemmon

https://www.goodreads.com/jlemmony

www.jessicalemmon.com

@lemmony

*****

Giveaway:

Y’all have to sign up for this one!

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2210/

*****

Book Review – Bringing Home the Bad Boy

27 Friday Mar 2015

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, Bringing Home the Bad Boy, Jessica Lemmon, Second Chance series

The Bad Boy Is Back

Evan Downey needs a new beginning. Since the death of his wife five years ago, the brilliant tattoo artist has shut himself away in a prison of grief that not even his work can break him out of-and what’s worse, Evan knows his son Lyon is bearing the brunt of his seclusion. Moving back to the lake town of Evergreen Cove where he spent his childhood summers is his last chance for a fresh start.

Charlotte Harris knows she owes it to her best friend’s memory to help Evan and his son find their way again, but she can’t stop her traitorous heart from skipping a beat every time she looks into Evan’s mesmerizing eyes. Charlotte is determined to stay strictly in the Friend Zone-until a mind-blowing night knocks that plan by the wayside. Now, if they’re brave enough to let it, Charlotte and Evan might just find a love capable of healing their broken hearts . .

Bringing Home the Bad Boy is a very emotional start to Lemmon’s newest series. I love the idea of these three “bad boys” all grown up. Who doesn’t like a reformed rake, right? (Evan is related to characters from her Love in the Balance series, but as far as I can tell, since I didn’t read those books, this one can stand on its own. I’m sure his history makes an appearance but Lemmon does a great job of keeping readers current with the new series.)

I was very impressed with how Lemmon handled this story. There were so many ways that this could go but I really enjoyed the fact that in the end it was just Charlotte who needed to get past the fact that Evan was married to her best friend. It’s been years and he’s done his grieving, accepting the things that cannot change and that life moves on. It’s not been easy and he knows that to fully heal he has to make a new life for himself.

Charlotte’s difficulty is complicated by the fact that long ago, before Evan and Rae got together, she had a thing for him. She got past those feelings when it was obvious that Evan and Rae belonged together but it just gives added depth to her current guilt. Evan is willing to help her come to terms with the change in their relationship but it’s a step she’s going to have to be willing to take.

With a sexy single father, who is doing a fantastic job raising an absolutely adorable kid, and a fun-loving but hesitant “Aunt Charlie”, Lemmon delivers a can’t-miss emotional read. With a devilish twinkle in his eye and a smirk to his smile, Evan will become your new fictional boyfriend. Although he may have some competition from the other bad boys, Asher and Donovan – I can’t wait to see what comes next in the Second Chance series.