ARC REVIEW The Daring Exploits of a Runaway Heiress by Victoria Alexander

Book five of Victoria Alexander's Millworth Manor series continues and can absolutely be read as a stand alone. First off the name is deceiving it's does not reflect the story but the story with in the story. If this is considered fluff than I love fluff, it's not erotica it's not angsty it's all in good fun. I love the characters, they are already well established the growth Lucy goes through are only really noticeable if you've read the previous book. Cameron Effington is the youngest of the family and is determined to make a name of himself as the next Mark Twain until then he is writing for a gossip rag. The only growing Cameron does is realizing that love does matter and it makes a difference.

Lucy was the dutiful daughter until her and Jackson finally decided to cancel their engagement. Finally feeling free for the first time without being under the watchful eyes of her parents and brothers she feels this is the right time to do what she wants and what she wants is to fulfill the dreams in her great aunt's journal. It's a silly list of things Great-Aunt Lucinda had wanted to do but getting married at the age of eighteen and rules of propriety kept her from doing turning them into a list of regrets. A list Lucy is going to try her best to fulfill before they become her list of regrets and she wants nothing to regret when her time comes.      

Cameron loves what he does, he just wants more. His father on the other hand dislikes that one of his son's is actually working, and working for a rag like the Messenger so he makes a bet with him that unless he can write a book in two months time he will have to quit and work for the family. If he can then he may continue doing what he is doing. Cameron accepts the challenge now all he needs is a muse. Cameron goes to his best friend the PI for help and he finds out about an American heiress who needed a watch dog to keep tabs on her as she fulfilled a list of regrets. Immediately is sparks the idea for The Daring Exploits of a Runaway Heiress, and inserts himself into her life never expecting to find her so attractive or charming especially never expected to fall in love with her. Lucy thinks Cameron is her watch dog and assumes it is just safer to keep him close by for her protection. Cameron starts writing his fiction stories inspired by Lucy thinking he has differed them enough no one will find the link between the two, unfortunately he is to close and they end up being closer than he intended. Lucy knows Cameron is hiding something but she trust him enough to fall in love with him only when she finds out the truth it hurts more than she thought it would. This is where the very grand romantic (even though terribly embarrassing) gesture comes in.


Overall this was a fun and entertaining read.

ARC REVIEW The Scoundrel and the Debutante by Julia London

Book Three of Julia London's Cabot Sister's series. It really can be read as a stand alone the first two books play an important part but nothing that isn't explained simply, and it you have read the previous books it's not redundant. Prudence has to be my favorite sister she was the level headed one and is suffering because her older sister's actions. Roan is an American lost in England trying to track down his wayward sister and take her back to America so she can make an advantageous marriage for the family business. I love these two, I always enjoy it when you throw an American in the fray.

Honor and Grace have had their scandal and both ended up happy and married with kids running around, Prudence however is on the shelf with all her friends married she has convinced herself she will always be the spinster sister all because of her sisters. Prudence is not happy about it all she wanted was to get married but because of her sisters she was deemed unsuitable as time passes she just gets more and more depressed and her sisters are just getting annoying. As a reprieve from her sisters even she though she doesn't really want to goes to visit her best friend who just had a baby. On the way she meets an American man, a very handsome man, and throwing caution to the wind she decides she wants a bit of adventure and she joins him on his search for his sister, but it might be more than she wanted. Julia London is very good when it comes to misadventures they are always amusing and follows Murphy's Law, anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Prudence assuming the identity of Roen's cousin helps track down his sister but when they come across someone who knows the Cabot family the fun is over. Prudence and Roen race back to London and her sisters to try and fix the mess she got herself into.

Roen feels an instant attraction to Prudence but he has an obligation back home, like his sister it is a marriage that will strengthen business connections between the families. On return to London and the discovery of Roen's sister he asks Prudence to marry him, but Prudence is being blackmailed into marriage with the "gentleman" who discovered her secret; he is threatening to ruin Mercy the youngest Cabot sister entry into the prestigious art school she just got accepted into. The story is fun and an easy read; emotional but not in the angsty way. I think out of the three books so far in this series this one is my favorite.            

BLOG TOUR Sinful by Joan Johnston

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

GOODREADS

*For readers of Linda Lael Miller and Susan Mallery comes NewYork Times bestselling author Joan Johnston’s sizzling contemporary Western romance, where power, money, and rivalries rule—and love is the best revenge.

WHILE HE SEEKS A HAVEN,

SHE SEARCHES FOR A PLACE TO CALL HOME

After a tragic accident leaves Delta sergeant Connor Flynn a widower, he faces the toughest fight of his life: battling his in-laws for custody of his two young children. To win he’ll need a make-believe bride to take care of the kids while he runs his Wyoming ranch. Who better than a woman he already knows and likes—his late wife’s best friend?

Ruthlessly forced from her home by her powerful father, King Grayhawk, Eve needs somewhere to go . . . and so does the herd of wild mustangs she’s rescued. Connor’s offer sounds like the answer to a prayer. But Eve has a guilty secret she’s guarded for years: She’s always been in love with Connor.

Now forced to live under the same roof as her heart’s desire, Eve must hide the love that has never died, while Connor vows to resist his growing need for a woman who was forbidden fruit during his marriage. Can two lonely people set adrift by fate and haunted by guilt find redemption in the healing embrace of love?*

CHAPTER 1 – SINFUL BY JOAN JOHNSTON
Her name was Eve. Not Evelyn or Eveline or Evette. Just Eve. The day she was born, her father, King Grayhawk, took one look at her large blue eyes, soft blond curls, and bowed upper lip and whispered, “Eve.” Apparently, she reminded him of some woman he’d fallen in love with as a younger man. That Eve, he’d declared, was the only woman he had ever loved.
Those words, spoken as her mother lay recovering from labor, must have been the final insult, because Eve was still a babe in arms when her mom ran off with one of King’s cowhands. Eve had grown up with the knowledge that her birth had caused a terrible rift between her parents. That marital fracture had left her and her fraternal twin sisters, Taylor and Victoria, and their older stepsister, Leah, as motherless children.
Eve felt burdened by her name. It didn’t help that she shared it with the woman who’d tempted Adam to sin in the Garden of Eden. In high school she was teased and taunted as she began to acquire seductive curves. She was sure one of those pain-in-the-butt Flynn brothers had started it, but the other boys had quickly followed his lead.
“Show me an apple, and I’ll eat it,” a boy would say, “so long as you come along with it, Eve.” Or, “Too bad you ate that apple, Eve, or we’d all still be running around naked,” followed by a lurid grin.


She’d gotten pretty good at sending back zingers like, “If God had seen you naked, Buck, He might have decided He made a real mistake only taking out a rib.” But the constant innuendo made Eve’s teenage life miserable.
That was the least of the trouble those four awful Flynn brothers—Aiden, Brian, Connor, and Devon—had caused her and her sisters over the years.
From her father’s rants at supper, Eve had known he was feuding with Angus Flynn. It wasn’t until she was eight years old that she understood why. Angus’s older sister, Jane, had been King’s first wife, and Angus blamed King for his unhappy sister’s death from an overdose of barbiturates. Eve had no idea whether her father was innocent or not, but he was sorely tried by Angus’s efforts to blight his life.
The animosity should have remained between their fathers, but it had bled onto their children. Angus Flynn’s four sons were infamous around Jackson Hole for wreaking havoc and causing mischief. After their aunt Jane died, as though a switch had been flipped, the Flynn brothers began aiming all that tomfoolery toward Eve and her sisters. It didn’t take long before King’s Brats, who’d done their own share of troublemaking around Jackson Hole, were giving as good as they got from those wild Flynn boys.
Eve could remember vividly the year fourteen-year-old Leah’s blueberry pie had been mysteriously doused with salt at the Four-H competition. Her stepsister had retaliated by shaving the flank of fourteen-year-old Aiden’s Four-H calf so it looked like it had the mange.
Some of the mischief she and her sisters perpetrated was merely a nuisance. Like putting an ad in the paper for a cattle auction at the Flynn ranch, the Lucky 7, beginning at 6:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning, offering their prize bull for sale, when no such auction existed.
Eve had helped Taylor and Victoria punch a tiny hole in the gas tank of Brian’s truck, so that when he and Devon headed off to hunt deer in the mountains, where there was no cell phone reception, they’d ended up making a long, bitterly cold walk back to civilization.
The Flynns had retaliated by placing slices of bologna in a vulgar design on the hood of Taylor and Victoria’s cherry-red Jeep Laredo. The next morning, when her sisters pulled the deli meat off the hood, the preservatives in the bologna caused the top layer of paint to come off as well, leaving the distinct imprint of male genitalia.
It wouldn’t have been so bad if the pranks had remained physically harmless. They hadn’t. When Eve was a freshman in high school, the cinch of her saddle had been cut before a barrel race at a local rodeo, and she’d broken her arm when the saddle broke free. Eve could remember how enraged Leah was in the moments before the ambulance carted her away. The Flynn boys were competing at the same rodeo in calf roping. They should have known to check their cinches, but Eve supposed they hadn’t expected Leah to retaliate so quickly. When Aiden roped a calf his cinch broke—along with his leg.
The mischief escalated into attacks involving other people. Taylor’s and Victoria’s prom dates were kidnapped by a couple of boys wearing hoods, who tied them to a tree so they never showed up. The twins were devastated. The fallout afterward was even worse. The kidnapped boys made it clear that it wasn’t worth the trouble to date a Grayhawk when it meant putting up with all the horseshit being shoveled by those crazy Flynn boys.
Since Eve had lived in the same small town her whole life, the “harmless” high school prank involving her name had been a continuing source of irritation. Most of the kids who’d gone to high school with her still lived in Jackson, and there was always some jerk who couldn’t resist prodding her, hoping to get under her skin.
Like now.
Eve wasn’t looking to hook up or make waves. All she wanted to do was sit at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar on the square in Jackson, along with the tourists who’d come to enjoy the last of the black-diamond ski season on the Grand Tetons, review the digital photographs she’d taken that day of the herd of wild mustangs she’d rescued, and enjoy her martini.
“Is that an apple martini, Eve?” a man called from behind her.


Eve turned to find Buck Madison, the former Jackson Broncs quarterback, grinning like an idiot at one of the pool tables in the center of the bar. Two of his former teammates stood shoulder to shoulder with him, giggling like teenage girls. All three were obviously drunk. She purposefully turned her attention back to the digital shot of the only colt in her herd. With any luck, Buck would give up and shut up.

Eve smiled as she studied the image of Midnight frolicking with his mother, his black mane and tail flying, his back arched, and all four hooves off the ground.
“You look good enough to tempt a man to sin, Eve.”


Buck’s voice was loud in a bar that had suddenly become quiet. Eve shut off her camera and laid it on the bar as she dismounted the Western saddle on a stand—complete with stirrups—that served as a bar stool. She glanced at Buck in the mirror over the bar as she gathered her North Face fleece from where it hung off the saddle horn. She wasn’t going to get into a war of words with a drunk. It was a lose-lose proposition. She had one arm through her fleece when Buck stripped it back off, dangling it from his forefinger.

“Uh, uh, uh,” he said, wagging the finger holding the fleece. “I’m not done looking yet.”
She turned to confront Buck, her chin upthrust, her blue eyes shooting daggers of disdain. “I’m done being ogled. Give me my coat.”
She held out her hand and waited.
She felt a wave of resentment toward the Flynns, who’d started that whole Garden of Eden business in the first place. She couldn’t help the fact that she’d developed a lush female figure in high school. At twenty-six, she’d made peace with her body. There was no easy way to conceal her curves, so she didn’t try. But she did nothing to emphasize them, either.
She was dressed in a plaid western shirt that was belted into a pair of worn western jeans. She had on scuffed cowboy boots, but instead of a Stetson, she usually wore a faded navy-blue-and-orange Denver Broncos ball cap. She’d left the cap in her pickup, but her chin-length, straw-blond hair was tucked behind her ears to keep it out of her way.
“My coat?” she said.
As she reached for it, Buck pulled it away. “How about a kiss first?”
Eve had opened her mouth to retort when a brusque male voice said, “Give the lady her coat.”
Eve hadn’t heard anyone coming up behind her, which surprised her. She photographed wild animals in their natural habitat and prided herself on her awareness of her surroundings. In the wilderness, missing the slightest sound could result in being bitten by a rattler or attacked by a bear or mountain lion. She glanced over her shoulder and felt her heart skip a beat when she recognized her unlikely savior.
Connor Flynn.


Connor was third in line of the Flynn brothers, but he’d been at the top of the teenage troublemaking list. He was thirty now but, if anything, his reputation was worse. He’d done three tours as a Delta sergeant in Afghanistan before leaving the military with several medals to prove his heroism in battle.

He’d paid a high price for his long absences from home serving his country. A year ago his wife, Molly, who’d been Eve’s best friend, had died in a car accident while Connor was overseas. After the funeral, he’d agreed to let Molly’s parents take his kids into their home while he served the nine months left on his final tour of duty.
Now they were threatening to keep them.
Connor had ended up in a court battle to get his two-year-old son and four-year-old daughter back. So far he hadn’t been able to wrench them away from his late wife’s parents. They’d argued to a judge that Connor was a battle-weary soldier, a victim of post-traumatic stress, and therefore a threat to his children. According to all the psychological tests he’d been forced to endure to prove them wrong, he was fine. But seeing him now, Eve wondered for the very first time if Molly’s parents might not be completely off the mark.
Connor looked dangerous, his sapphire-blue eyes hooded, his cheeks and chin covered with at least a two-day-old beard, and a hank of his rough-cut, crow-wing-black hair resting on his scarred forehead. His lips had thinned to an ominous line.
If she’d been Buck, she would have handed over the coat in a heartbeat. But Buck wasn’t known for his smarts.


“Butt out!” Buck said. “This is between me and Eve.”
Without warning, Connor’s hand shot out and gripped Buck’s throat. Buck dropped the coat to protect his neck, but Connor didn’t let go. His inexorable grasp was slowly choking the big man to death. Even using both hands, Buck couldn’t get free.
Eve looked around the bar, expecting someone, anyone, to intervene. No one did. She wouldn’t have interfered except she knew that Connor might be turning the lock and throwing away the key where custody of his kids was concerned. She didn’t step in for Connor’s sake. Ordinarily she wouldn’t have thrown a glass of water to douse a Flynn on fire. But she cared very much about the future well-being of her dead friend’s children, who needed their father alive and well and out of jail.

As part of the Bitter Creek series this arc centers on King Greyhawks spoiled daughters nicknamed King's Brats and Angus Flynn's boys nicknamed those Wild Flynn Boys and their family feud that started years ago. It is another great book by Joan Johnston, like the three first books in the Bitter Creek series the families are feuding, unlike the original feud it hasn't gone on as long as the Blackthorne and Creed feud did but the hate runs deep between King and Angus. It really did not seem like it was 300 some odd page book it went so quickly, Connor and Eve's love was inevitable. Since high school they had feelings for each other, not that they knew how the other felt they wouldn't act on it because their families. Eve's best friend, Molly, was also in love with Connor and married him and gave him two beautiful children, unfortunately she died in an car accident leaving Connor alone with two young children to raise. Unable to deal Connor intrust his kids to Molly's parents only have to fight for them when he got back. 

King just survived a bout of cancer and now he wasn't to right things he has screwed up in the past the main one being bringing back his eldest son the only way to do that is by giving him everything. Eve a nature photographer, rescued a herd of wild mustangs and not with the prodigal son's return and taking over the ranch she needs to find another place for her herd. Connor is in need of someone close to his kids for the extra added comfort in the new environment around there Dad, Eve was just suppose to stay temporary just until the kids acclimated, but then Connor announces to the social worker that they are engaged and it just rolls from their. As time passes the truth comes out about their feelings and nothing not even their families will stop them.

In Joan Johnston's typical fashion she hints into the past and future stories of the other characters and has me hooked for the upcoming books. I love her voice and I know each book is just going to get more emotional and more involved with each book.

   

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*Goodreads Blurb

RELEASE DAY BLAST 1001 Dark Nights by Julie Kenner

CARESS OF PLEASURE by Julie Kenner is available today! Dante is waiting...

 

                       

About CARESS OF PLEASURE

I'd thought that he was mine, the dark, arresting man who commanded not only my body but my heart. Dante had swept into my life, and I'd succumbed to the burn of passion in his arms.

I'd believed we had a love that would last forever, but he'd shattered my dreams and broken me into pieces when he'd walked away, taking a piece of my soul with him. Now he has come back seeking my help, and though I try to keep my distance and protect my heart, I cannot deny that the fire between us burns hotter than ever. And I cannot help but fear that this time our passion will reduce us both to ashes.

Amazon | Amazon UK

                

I fell in love with him once—and I'm honestly not sure that I ever fell out of love.

But I do know one thing for sure—Dante Storm is dangerous to my heart. And whatever we started just now is something that we can't finish.

I meet his eyes and am about to say just that when he shakes his head. “No. Don't say it. You don't need to say it.”

“What?”

“That we can't do it again.”

“We can't.”

“I know.”

I stand in silence. I know why I can't; it's because he will break my heart.

But I don't know why he doesn't want me. I only know that he doesn't. I only know that he walked away once, and that he has already told me he will walk away again.

That should be enough, but then I have to go and open my mouth. I have to ask— “Why? Why did you leave?”

For a minute, I don't think that he's going to answer. But he surprises me by saying, “Because I was looking at forever.”

“And you don't think I was, too?” I'm baffled. With Dante, forever was my mantra.

He looks at me, his eyes so sad I want to cry. “No,” he says, “I know you weren't.”

I start to protest, but he just shakes his head, like a dog shaking off water. “Let's go transfer your money.”

“No,” I say, standing firm.

He cocks his head, then winces. “We shouldn't have done this. It won't happen again. But please don't back out. I really need your help. I can't tell you how urgent this is.”

“I'll help,” I say. “But I don't want your money. And I don't want sex.” That's not entirely true. I want it; I don't think I can handle it.

“Then why?”

“I don't know,” I say. “Maybe because I loved you once upon a time.”

Maybe because I still do.

About Julie Kenner

Julie Kenner (aka J. Kenner and J.K. Beck) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres. Praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations,” J.K. writes a range of stories including super sexy romances, paranormal romance, chick lit suspense and paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner, is in development as a feature film with 1492 Pictures. Her most recent trilogy of erotic romances, The Stark Trilogy (as J. Kenner), reached as high as #2 on the New York Times list and is published in over twenty countries. J.K. lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and several cats.

  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

ARC REVIEW House of Echoes by Brendan Duffy

House of Echoes is a gothic horror thrill ride. At times it feels like a ghost story or a monster story but one this for sure is it is a creepy story. Brendan Duffy's debut novel, House of Echoes tells a tale of a family needing a new start, writing in such a way you feel a pull a sympathy for them which makes everything that happens make more of an impact. I had been craving a good scare and this satisfied it. I did not want to put this down and I am glad I read it during the day time hours. History plays a big part in the story along with the main storyline with the Tierney Family is an ominous and unsettling journal entries from a young girl in the frontier times when the town of Swannhaven was founded.

Ben and Caroline Tierney needed a new start, for several reasons. Caroline suffers from bipolar disorder and just recently lost her job; Charlie their eight year old son is very cerebral and in his last school the bullies singled him out in moments, it got so bad he ended missing for a whole day only to be found locked in the basement furnace room of the school. I think the only stable one out the whole family is Bub, the baby. Ben is an author, his grandmother just passed and left him and his brother a house in a small village out in upstate New York. When out there scoping out the property he found an old house perfect for the family. The plan was that Caroline and Ben would renovate the house and start up an Inn. Charlie starts acting more withdrawn than normal spending more time outside. Caroline deals with practically doing the work herself, but with her bipolar disorder she always sees things worse than they are. Ben finding out the history of the town and the house he bought feels inspired to write. But odd things almost immediately start happening after they move in and the weird villagers just compound everything. The more Ben discovers about the village and the house the more strange things get.

Overall it is a creepy read, it's a good read; keep the lights on and you'll never look at the woods the same way again.  

BLOG TOUR Too Hot to Trot by Becky McGraw

                                     

**BLOG TOUR**

April 21st- May 1st

Too Hot To Trot (Cowboy Way 3)

New York Times, USA Today & Amazon Bestselling Author

Becky McGraw

Buy Links:

US http://tinyurl.com/n6coepe 

UK http://tinyurl.com/nmwuu67 

CA http://tinyurl.com/nped47w 

AU http://tinyurl.com/kjgfqsq

KOBO: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/too-hot-to-trot-3-cowboy-way

B & N: http://tinyurl.com/km9tzso

ibooks link: http://tinyurl.com/od8shaa

Paperback: https://www.createspace.com/5423232

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24846296-too-hot-to-trot

BLURB:

Heather Morrison wants to become a country music star, and she is not going to let any man get in her way. She'll gladly take their money as a dancer at the Crazy Cowgirl, but has no use for them otherwise. The night she sees her dreams finally coming true, the best night of her life quickly becomes the worst, when a stagehand catches her unaware outside the arena. The last man on earth she wants to save her, moody and judgmental Zack Taylor, her best friend’s brother, a man who once called her too hot to trot, is the one who comes to her rescue.

Zack Taylor has life by the balls. He's at the top of the game as a bull rider, owns a rough stock herd which is his retirement plan, and has a life plan which includes riding two more years, then settling down with a good woman on his own ranch. Those plans go straight to hell when he puts on his white hat for a woman who has caused him nothing but problems as long as he's known her. Not minding his own business costs him a lot, maybe even his career.

When Heather insists on being the one to help him get back on the bull, Zack is leery, but soon sees he has no choice but to accept her help. Being close to her, he realizes there is a lot more than meets the eye where sexy Heather Morrison is concerned, and there could be reasons she appears to be the fastest girl in town. Zack soon wants to know all of her secrets, but could knowing them change his opinion about her? And with that change could helping her become more important to him than his plan, because he wants to keep her in his life for good?

All Books in the Cowboy Way Series are standalones


                                          

18+ Excerpt from Too Hot To Trot, (c) Becky McGraw 2015:

“We’re having a threesome,” Zack announced with a grin.
Heather was comfortable with her battery-operated-boyfriend, and maybe that would help them transition to the big show. And he was also curious what he had to measure up to. He’d never actually used one before himself, he liked doing things the old-fashioned way, so this would be new for him too.
Heather shot up to sit and glare at him. “I don’t think so, cowboy,” she said, scooting toward the foot of the bed. Zack grabbed her arm, and she tried to pull away.

“With Bob,” he clarified, laughter bubbling in his throat. “Where do you keep him?”

“Oh!” she said, then her eyes narrowed. “Really?”

“Really,” Zack confirmed.

Heather huffed a breath as she collapsed on her back on the bed. “You had me scared there for a second.” The tremble in her voice made him sorry he’d teased her.

With a growl, he laid beside her and put his arm over her waist. She looked at him, and he held her gaze. “I will never do anything to scare or hurt you, Heather. You’re still in control, angel. Always in control. Do you understand?” She nodded, and he kissed her forehead. “Now where does Bob sleep?” he asked, with a laugh, trying to get her comfortable again.

“In the nightstand drawer,” she replied with a giggle. “He has a nice, comfy velvet sleeping bag in there.”

“Only the best for Bob,” Zack said. He rolled to the edge of the bed, sat up and pulled open the drawer. Fishing around blindly, his pinkie brushed velvet, and his hand closed over a very small pouch, which confused him. “Bob’s awfully small,” he commented pulling out the pouch to loosen the strings. He emptied the small silver bullet and rubber ring out into his hand and was even more confused.

“Bob is a vibrator, not a dildo. That’s in the closet, because I kind of bought one that was a little too big.” She rolled up behind him, then sat up to take the vibrator from his hand. Shoving it into the rubber sheath, Heather slid it onto her forefinger, and wiggled it. “Voila—instant orgasm. No man needed,” she said smugly.

“Yeah, but how will it be with a real man behind the controls?” Zack asked, sliding the rubber band from her finger to put it on own. He wiggled it under her nose. “Put on your seatbelt, baby—Bob is on the bus, but Zack is driving it to O-town.”

           Heather is nothing what you expect. I was prepared to hate her for her attitude in the first book. But Heather has as many facets as a diamond and I ended up loving her. Zack is sexy and lust worthy but hard headed and always think he knows whats the best for everyone. I love the way Becky McGraw brought together Heather and Zack, two people one over protective brother and one friend trying to help a girl out.

           Zack has never had nice thoughts about Heather other than she is too good looking for her own good. Heather is where she is out of shit luck, but the night that should have been her best ended up her worst. Now out of guilt she has Zack stuck living with her until he gets better but it's like living with two people one minute he's understanding listening to her and then the next he is calling her names. Heather is afraid of letting herself fall in love with someone who doesn't understand her, she tells him everything all of her secrets. Only to have him throw them back in her face and hurt her where it hurts the most. Zack facing his own problems of having to retire as a bull rider and set up his ranch leaves thinking it's for the best they never see each other again, never knowing Heather's past just caught up to her.

          I think this is my favorite one yet out of this series, so far. Can't wait for more!

About the author

A jack of many trades, NYT and USA Today Bestselling Author Becky McGraw has been an optician, a beautician, a legal secretary, a real estate broker, web designer, graphic artist, and romance writer. She knows just enough to make her dangerous, and her books varied and interesting. Becky resides in Florida with her husband of thirty-three years and her dog Abby. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America Published Authors Network.

You can contact Becky McGraw here:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/beckymcgrawbooks

Website: www.beckymcgraw.com

Twitter: @beckymcgrawbook

Email: beckymcgrawbooks@gmail.com

SPRING READING ARC REVIEWS

Spring reading I am going to be replacing that horrible "C" word cleaning, with books starting with the letter "C". I'll present to you three book from different genres, different authors, they have nothing in common except they all have titles starting with the letter "C". 

Covered in Coal by Silla Webb. Crushed by Lauren Layne. Carnival Tricks by Jade Kerrion. 

Crushed by Lauren Layne

First up Lauren Layne's Crushed is book two in the series Redemption. In the previous book we meet Michael St. Claire since then his life has been turned upside down. Michael left Manhattan leaving everything behind, except his car, he learned the truth that the man he thought was his father is not and that his biological father is in Texas. So Michael leaves the lights of New York for teaching tennis at an upscale country club. The idea was to see his father first then wrangle an introduction. His plan to do that involved one of his students a gorgeous young lady Kristen Bellamy. Kristen is dating his half brother, Devon. Kristen is a conceited cock tease and Michael was going to use her to get close to Devon until Kristen's twin shows up. Chloe is the exact opposite of her sister plump instead of model thin; smart and witty instead of clothes and makeup, the only thing they share is their love for Devon. Michael convinces Chloe into letting him be her personal trainer, not to lose weight but to get healthy, and it works the longer she stay at the better food choices she makes and drops a few pounds. The more time Chloe spends with Michael the more she likes him, and Michael her. Michael even confides in her the real reason he's here and where he comes from. But as always something happens that tears them apart just after they both realize they love each other and must both face some hard truths before gaining their HEA.

I loved this book, I didn't think I would like Michael after reading the last book but WOW, Chloe brings out the good in him. Chloe is fabulous and I wish I could be her, outrageous head of curly hair and everything.The relationship between Michael and Chloe was great, the sparks fly and even when they don't see it themselves it's there and it's palpable. A great book a must read!

Covered in Coal by Silla Webb

Covered in Coal by Silla Webb came out last year and is the first book of the Buried Secrets series was also her debut novel. Carly Jo Simonwas up shit creek without a paddle, she just found out she was pregnant and her boyfriend a boy she thought the sun rose and set on broke up with her the day before and when she went to her father for help but he just got made and said he wasn't raising a bastards child. Devastated and without the support she needs she ran away. Seven years later her Father is dying and she comes back to make amends. Her plan was to go back to her life but her father left her the whole company, and the CEO position in charge. Colton knows he screwed up and has never stopped loving Carly Jo and will do anything to prove it to her. After telling her the truth about why the breakup happened she accepts and forgives, but Colton is pushing her too hard and too fast for her to feel comfortable about making any decision. Throw in to the mix an old friend, a kindred spirit Luke has Carly Jo even more confused. Top it all off with finding out secrets buried by her father and a nemesis out to ruin everything having to do with the Simon name. 

 I loved the story I loved the premises, what I didn't like was Colton, I did not like him at all with shared first person POV with Carly Jo didn't help, it just made him seem more on the verge of unhealthy obsession and the most upsetting of all... I didn't know it was a cliffhanger!!! I think my exact words were.. " H..How the Fuck could it end there!" but none the less I will be getting book two and three...

Carnival Tricks by Jade Kerrion

Carnival Tricks is a special book it can be read as a stand alone or as an introduction to the Double Helix World. This science fiction universe that Jade Kerrion created seemed to me like a mix between Gattaca (loved that movie) and The X-Men. Like in Gattaca creating the "Perfect child" through genetic manipulation has become the thing to do, what no one expected was that these in vitro children would gain psychic powers. The Genetic Revolution has sprouted purest calling them Human Derivatives, and mutants like in X-Men they are categorized and rated the really powerful ones are rated Alpha and are some of the most hated and feared. Kyle Norwood is 100% human and proud of it everything he has and done has been by his own merit and hard work. Now working for The Three Fates he is charged with protecting two scientist as they make a transaction. Everything goes SNAFU and ends up in a firefight between a ruthless South American cartel and the IGEC (International Genetics and Ethics Council). Sofia Rios is just barely human, the telekinetic powers don't even register on any scale. Working and going to school Sofia gets caught in the middle of firefight at her job when she tries to save one of the men who got shot she was injected with a microchip. Sofia uncertain about what is on the chip isn't just about to hand it over to a drug cartel, IGEC, or even Proficere Labs. Kyle might not like her decision but he will stand by her and protect her with his life, but when he discovers the truth that Sofia is one of those "mutants" that he hates so much can he look past it and maybe see things instead of how he thinks he sees them.

You can't see me but I'm doing the grabby hands gesture. I want all the other and the ones to come. I love Sci-Fi and this world is so in depth and intricate it ties you up in knots, it digs in and spreads it roots into your brain not letting you go. I read Jade's contemporary first and love 'em and when I saw sci-fi was also a genre she wrote in I knew I had to read them and oh boy I love it.   

These books were given as ARC by either the author or publisher in return for an honest review. It was my choice to put them in my spring reading post. 

BLOG TOUR 1001 Dark Nights: Master of Freedom by Cherise Sinclair

Detective Atticus Ware gave up his beloved Idaho to start again in the mountains of California, close to his imprisoned brother. He has a rewarding job and friends, but the experienced Dominant wants more than the Do-Me submissives who flock around him. He needs a woman who will give her heart as well as her body. 

Virginia, “Gin,” is damn good at her challenging career as a prison psychologist. However, one problem inmate is mired in misery and unable to overcome his guilt at causing a friend’s death. 
To clear her mind, she joins a friend’s kinky backpacking excursion, planning to hide in her tent during the evening BDSM pursuits. But Atticus lures her into the activities. She’s read about BDSM, but submission under the hands of a powerful Dom is beyond anything she’d imagined. She doesn’t trust men, doesn’t want a relationship, and yet…wants more from him. 

Finally, Atticus has found the woman he wants in his life. In his bed. In his cuffs. But she’s not only his brother’s therapist, but also works in a prison. How can he tolerate his woman walking into danger every single blasted day? 

Gin knows she has no future with Atticus Ware, but still, hope is rising in her heart.

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His eyes narrowed as he assessed her face, her shoulders, her hands. “It does take a high degree of trust to let someone bind you and suspend you. Maybe that’s why I enjoy doing it so much.”
The mere thought brought on the shivers. She felt her head shaking a no even as she tried for a light tone. “I suppose the sex part is a side bennie?”
He didn’t answer but a smile lightened his face.
This Dom could get females anywhere he went. The knowledge made her feel even more unsure of herself. She shoved aside the dismal attitude. She was pretty and smart and nice, with a good figure. Educated. Held a job. She wouldn’t let herself feel unworthy because her “date” for the night was past scorching on the hotness scale.
Relationships got corrupted when one party didn’t feel worthy. He—or she—would denigrate the other to feel better, to assure himself that no one else would want his significant other. She’d seen it often enough. One poor person—usually the wife—ended up feeling like dog meat because her beloved cut her down all the time.
Or, in Gin’s case, she’d work her ass off to prove she was worthy.
“Interesting thoughts going through your head.” Atticus drew her attention back with a touch on her cheek.
“Uh, no. Not really.” Under his level gaze, she blurted out, “I was reassuring myself I wasn’t dog meat.”
His stare of surprise made her laugh.
She might as well say it. “You’re very hot, Detective Ware. I feel outclassed.”
“Thank you.” His grin could stop traffic—especially if the drivers were female. “But, you’re off base. There isn’t an unattached person in this place who doesn’t envy me.” He stroked her hair for a second. “You’re beautiful, magnolia, but a Dom wants more than merely physical attractions. You have kindness, intelligence, and an unexpected sense of humor.” He bent and his lips against her ear whispered, “And your willing surrender has a beauty I can’t explain.”
His words left her breathless. “But…”
“Or did you want to know that any Dom here would enjoy bending you over a hay bale.”
“Don’t be crude.” She considered thumping him and decided against it.

Book five in Cherise Sinclair’s Mountain Master & Dark Haven series. I have read Cherise Sinclair before and I enjoyed it this one just wasn’t doing it for me. Well let me rephrase that, the BDSM aspect did really impress me; probably because service submission isn't my favorite. Certain parts of the book I really enjoyed and other parts were just ehh. What I liked about the book was rope play, I love rope play and enjoyed watching Virginia come to the slow realization and learning the difference between submission and her own personal neurosis. Atticus is not my favorite kind of alpha male but he is what he is and he knows his stuff and he knows he loves Virginia even if they both are not quite ready for that. I loved the climactic ending, end big finish, prison riot, prison break and Virginia is taken hostage; all very exciting. 

                                                          

About Cherise Sinclair:

Having to wear glasses in elementary school can scar a person for life. Dubbed a nerd at an early age, Cherise Sinclair has been trying to live up to the stereotype ever since. And what better way than being an author? 

Known for writing deeply emotional stories, the USA Today Bestselling Author has penned sixteen erotic romance novels, most with a BDSM theme. (Please do not mention the phrase mommy porn in her presence.) Her awards range from a National Leather Award to a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice nomination to a GoodReads BDSM group award for best author of the year. Called an “ascendant erotica queen” by Rolling Stone Magazine, Cherise spends her days writing, supervised by a sadistic calico cat.

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ARC REVIEW Homefront and It's Always Been You by Jessica Scott

These are late in posting they were suppose to post early but as John Lennon says "life is what happens when you're busy making plans". So here are Jessica Scott's releases, brand new Homefront the first book in a new series and It's Always Been You now out in paperback.

As always I get excited about Jessica Scott books, and I always try and find the right time to read them bracing myself for the emotional turmoil she puts me through. I love a good romance about second chances and this is a good one. Another brilliant and hopeful novel from Jessica Scott.

Two people meant to be with each other they just got the timing wrong. High school sweethearts Gale and Melanie get married when Mel ends up pregnant and Gale makes the decision the best way to support his new family is to join the Army. Mel struggles with Gale gone all the time and dealing with a baby all on her own so she leaves him. Now years later Gale asked for an assignment at Ft. Hood to be closer to his teenage daughter, Jaime, and Mel; but everything is confusing for them. Gale has never stopped loving Mel and being close to her again stirs up all the old feelings. Mel is struggling with trying to be a good mom but Jaime is a troubled teen, already with one accidental suicide, yes accidental she was a cutter and she accidentally cut too deep. Now Mel is scared of it happening again and is a little overprotective of her which naturally leads to conflict between them.

The start of the book opens up with Gale finding out Jaime is in the hospital and because Mel didn't explicitly write that she needed him there he was not allowed to leave Gale then blacks out when he wakes up he finds that he had beaten his CO so badly he put the man in the hospital. Trying to make amends for time lost Gale but at the same time he was scared of inserting himself in their lives and one more deployment he is hesitant; but Jaime needs him. When he finds the son of an old friend in his daughters room he personally escorts the boy to his father. Trouble begins the next time he sees the boy with a black eye and the lame excuse of walking into a car door isn't cutting it, Gale reports the man that pulled his butt off of his CO to keep from killing him. 

War changes people and in another great book by a woman who know her stuff it shows how sometimes that change is for the better or for the worst.

     

NOW OUT IN PAPERBACK!

It's Always Been You is yet another fantastically heart wrenching novel by the fabulous Jessica Scott. A wonderful piece about the side of the military you forget about, what the ravages of war can do to a person and how it affects their family. I love all the characters, as always. Captain Ben Teague is a strong and loyal soldier with a wicked sense of humor. Ben is so loyal he dreads his new promotion to command his own team for fear he would become a cold hearted and distant like so many CO's before him; including his own mother a colonel who became distant after the death of Ben's father. Major Olivia Hale a lawyer with a painful past who doesn't let anything get by. She is best friends with Emily the psychologist from the last book, All For You, she is also strikingly beautiful and feels apart from the crowd she doesn't want to wear her combat badge because she didn't actually see combat and she feels not worthy of wearing the Stetson like the rest of the men.

When Ben's old mentor and the person who saved his live, Escoberra is charged with child abuse Ben is adamant that his old friend couldn't possible have abused his adopted daughter. Olivia wants to believe Ben when he tells her their has to be another explanation, but past experiences tell her to protect the daughter no matter what. Ben is in charge of cleaning up his company from the users and that puts him right up front dealing with Olivia for most of it. One in particular he bends the rules for and sits on his packet so when he is discharged he can be eligible for the G.I. Bill. He bends the rules and works with his men so he can keep their loyalty and not lose his loyalty to the men. His men appreciate everything he does. Ben is a great leader even if he doesn't see it. 

Escoberra and his family aren't talking to anybody, and Child Services have no choice but to drop the charges. Ben is happy but Olivia feels like she has failed. It isn't until after when she gets more information that she takes the initiative and sends Escoberra's medical records to specialist. Ben almost quits when it get tough and the budding romance between Ben and Olivia gets put to the test with lack of communication and lack of trust but Ben knows Olivia is the best thing to happen to him in forever. This is a great story with plenty of sexual tension and smart ass jokes to keep me satisfied, I really enjoyed this book and I really love this series

BLOG TOUR Say Something by T.A. Roth

Chemistry

What most girls search a lifetime for…

I felt it the minute he set those whiskey colored eyes on me.

Magnetism

We had it in spades…

My body was drawn to hers the moment she set foot into the room.

What happens when you both have pasts that threaten the future?

Do you do nothing?

Or

Do you Say Something?

Synopsis

Synopsis

Twenty–two-year-old Ari Munoz prefers to keep men at an arms’ length.  So when her best friend Vonne guilts her into going to a frat party, she couldn't think of a worse way to spend her night.  That's until she sparks the interest of love’em and leave’em Ben Rodriguez. She knows she shouldn’t trust him, but the electricity she feels when they lock eyes is something she's never felt before.

Twenty-two-year-old Ben Rodriguez has it all, and his senior year marks the beginning of even bigger things to come.  He's a football star, fraternity president, and his endless pick of beauties makes him the envy of all of his frat brothers.  So why is a pair of long legs and hazel eyes making him want to throw out his rules?

Ari has her secrets.

Ben has his rules.

What happens when both your pasts threaten your future?

Say Something...

*This novel contains adult themes and language.  18+ please.  This is book one in a series and contains a cliffhanger.

Watch the amazing Trailer by clicking Here

To say I'm picky about the New Adult genre is an understatement and half the time when I pick one to read I hate them but the other half are shining stars. Say Something is one of those shining stars.
I didn't know what to think starting this book mainly because I knew it was going to end in a cliffhanger and I generally don't like cliffhangers with a few exception; this is going to be one of those exception.

The characters are complex, delightfully complex and well written (I'm going to be a smart ass here and say I would hope so because it is the whole of the story) An instant attraction changes everything for two people. Ari has a secret she has never told anyone the kind of secret that gives her nightmares   so bad she wakes up screaming. Ben avoid commitment like the plague and being on the college football team and the president of his fraternity it's not hard to find a new bed mate every night. But the moment they saw each other they knew it was something special.

It is a highly excitable book a few times I had to stop and take a deep breath the things that boy does to her, wooo. Now, the conflict again is not one of my favorites, vindictive ex ( who's not technically an ex but it's just easier to refer to her as such) out to sabotage, but was done well it's not a constant thing it's sporadic throughout the book and they easily overcome her childish meddling. The introduction of Ari own ex-boyfriend is short but hints to more to come in the next books. Ari finally confides in Ben her dark secret and Ben struggles with his grandmother's deteriorating health. All leading to a big fat cliffhanger...

The only problem I had with the book, besides the cliffhanger, was the flip flopping of POVs. First person POV between Ari and Ben and even occasionally the evil ex. It wasn't confusing it was all clearly marked but it happened so often in some chapters it made me think why not just write it in third person.

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Meet the author

BIO

T.A. Roth is a wife and mother of two funny and crazy kids.  Born and raised in Los Angeles, she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.  When she’s not beautifying clients as a stylist/make-up artist at her day job you can find her reading, fangirling her favorite authors, or singing along to the radio.  After getting the opportunity to read the debut novel of a then client now friend something clicked.  Her “what the hell” attitude kicked in and a year later, here we are.  

Say Something… A new adult romance is her debut novel.