ARC REVIEW Beautiful Criminal by Shady Grace

Beautiful Criminal is book one in Shady Grace's new series McCoy's Boys. I generally don't like books that glamorize drug smuggling and criminal behavior of the sort, which is why I normally stay away from them but this one in a way doesn't glamorize it. Gabriel Miller is a drug runner, he kinda fell into it trusted the wrong person and now there is no way out. Mima Etu is a young and naive woman who lives alone in the middle of nowhere Canada with just her dog sled dogs to keep her company. It has an excellent concept but due to personal preference I didn't care for the execution. I didn't feel connected to the characters, at all.

Gabriel is flying a shipment of time sensitive stuff when his plan goes down in a snow storm. He is found by Mima and her best friend Mary when they are out racing their dog sleds. Mima brings him home and plays nurse until he wakes up but because of another snow storm they are trapped in her house for now. Mima is instantly taken with the attractive stranger, and he with her. But trouble comes when Gabriel's boss sends men out to look for him and the missing drugs.

Overall I really didn't enjoy it, I don't regret reading it, it sounded interesting enough in the blurb but once again personal preference on the story and what happens in the books and the lack of character connection kept me from really liking this one.

RELEASE BLITZ After Midnight & Cries in the Night by Kathy Clark

RELEASE BLITZ

 After Midnight & Cries in the Night

Series: Denver Heroes Series #1 & 2

Author: Kathy Clark

Publisher: Loveswept

Release Date: TODAY!! June 9, 2015

#1 AFTER MIDNIGHT

BLURB

Perfect for fans of Nora Roberts and Karen Robards, Kathy Clark’s suspenseful, seductive Denver Heroes series kicks off as a dedicated cop and a beautiful actress get wrapped up in a world of danger and desire.

Aside from the reporter riding along in the passenger seat of his cruiser, it’s a typical Saturday night on the job for Sam Morgan of the Denver Police Department. Then shots ring out, and a routine stop involving a pimp and a hooker spirals into senseless violence. Now Sam is lying in a hospital bed, haunted by fleeting memories of the stunning blonde who saved his life—and then just disappeared.

Kate McKinney was hired to play a prostitute on a reality-TV show, not stand around as actual bullets start flying. Unable to shake the feeling that trouble is stalking her, Kate turns to the only man she can trust: the wounded cop whose blue eyes send chills through her body. He doesn’t believe she was just playing a role, but the predator hiding in the shadows is all too real—and, as Sam and Kate edge closer to the truth, so is the heat that ignites between them.

Goodreads Link:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17163429-after-midnight

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon US:  http://amzn.to/1KRFVSg

Amazon UK:  http://amzn.to/1drCaI9

B&N:  http://bit.ly/1GmT4Dh

iBooks:  http://apple.co/1IqVhgi

Kobo:  http://bit.ly/1B2ajsX

#2 CRIES IN THE NIGHT

BLURB

Fans of Nora Roberts and Karen Robards will love this pulse-pounding novel of romantic suspense, as a red-hot firefighter reaches out to save a courageous beauty from the terrors of the night.

As a victim’s advocate for the Denver Police Department, Julie Lawrence is always on call for survivors of abuse, fighting for the justice she never got for herself. It’s a high-risk job that makes a lot of enemies—one of whom seems to be now targeting Julie. But teaming up with firefighter and local hero Rusty Wilson sparks a different kind of danger. As Julie surrenders to intoxicating passion, she finds herself breaking her own rules, caring about Rusty in a way she thought she’d sworn off forever.

When a domestic incident escalates into a deadly hostage crisis, Rusty is willing to risk everything to protect those who really need his help—like Julie, the breath of fresh air who fills his days with purpose and his nights with pleasure. He just hopes he’s not too late to stop a chillingly orchestrated act of payback that puts the woman he loves at the mercy of a madman’s rage.

Goodreads Link:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19047351-cries-in-the-night

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon US:  http://amzn.to/1FMrWZw

Amazon UK:  http://amzn.to/1drCdne

B&N:  http://bit.ly/1QGEwzy

iBooks:  http://apple.co/1T84iRp

Kobo:  http://bit.ly/1QjG1ci

COMING NEXT IN THE SERIES!!

#3 DEEP NIGHT

Pre-order for August 18

Amazon US:  http://amzn.to/1KY48JO

Amazon UK:  http://amzn.to/1B2bhFG

B&N:  http://bit.ly/1FMqA12

iBooks:  http://apple.co/1BV8olg

Kobo:  http://bit.ly/1MD8gx4

Reviews to Come!

AUTHOR BIO

Kathy Clark is a New York Times bestselling author whose novels have sold more than three million copies in eleven languages. Her plot lines have always championed women’s empowerment, placing strong female characters in real-life situations. Her stories will make you laugh and cry, and her characters will live in your heart forever. She lives with her husband and co-author, Bob Wernly.

AUTHOR LINKS

Website:   http://www.nightwriter93.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/93NightWriter

Amazon:   http://amzn.to/1B1QMJ2

Goodreads:   https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/150098.Kathy_Clark

LOVESWEPT’S SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/readloveswept

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

Loveswept are hosting a month long Giveaway for June including: 

Flirt and Loveswept mugs + eBook copies of: ROCK IT by Jennifer Chance, AFTER MIDNIGHT by Kathy Clark, ALEX by Sawyer Bennett, WILD ON YOU by Tina Wainscott, PLAIN JAYNE by Laura Drewry, and ACCIDENTAL COWGIRL by Maggie McGinnis

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ARC REVIEW Night of the Highland Dragon by Isabel Cooper

Night of the Highland Dragon is book three in Isabel Cooper's Highland Dragon series. Don't let that deter you it is quite a pleasant stand alone story. A paranormal shifter story with a bit of horror in it to make it exciting, because scary little monstrous demons tend to make things a bit horrific. I really liked the story I enjoyed the writing, the story and the characters, I just wish there could have been a bit more romance development between the two main characters; and it was predictable I guessed the real culprit from the start.



In the Scottish Highlands is an isolated little village that is the ancestral home of the MacAlasdair family. Lady Judith has stayed there content until a stranger comes to visit. William Arundell works for a secret government agency that handles all the things that normal police don't understand. He and the other operatives handle the paranormal things that do more than just bump in the night. His latest case has brought him to a sleepy little Highland village and the rumors of a strange Lady who does not age.



Suspicious of each other at first but soon they come to a tenuous truce when it becomes obvious that neither of them have anything to do with the mutilations going on around the village. Judith is very forward, after all she is no shy country miss, and she is not afraid to show her attraction to the handsome William. She knows without a doubt she can trust him especially after he inadvertently discovers her true self and he reveals who he works for. They work together to try and discover who is behind the summoning of the demon creatures. Things never go as planned and the realization of whom and the why comes a bit late and William and Judith are almost lost to each other.





Overall it was a really good read; entertaining and a definite page turner.    

ARC REVIEW Sharp Shootin' Cowboy by Victoria Vane

Part of Victoria Vane's Hot Cowboy Nights series, but you would never know, it works good as a stand alone. This is one of those like/hate books. The first half was utterly a pain, it read like a poor New Adult novel. The blurb lead me wrong, it makes you think to strangers meet and fall in love despite opposite points of view. Well no, it's not that cut and dry.

It starts off in San Diego, Haley Cooper is a college student working on her degree and wants nothing to get in the way with it. She is annoyingly hard headed, opinionated, and naive. I did not like her, at all. Reid Everett is a Marine, cowboy and comes from a long line of hunters. He is strong, sexy, smart and when he finds something he wants he doesn't give up easily. I loved him, he was the only reason I finished the book.

Haley and Reid meet in a bar and start butting heads after she finds out he is a marine. She thinks all marines are man whores. Reid is immediately taken with Haley for some reason he doesn't understand but despite their obvious differences he wants Haley. Brushing Reid off wasn't as easy as she hopped he kept texting her and emailing her her over the next two years. When he comes back he finds her gone to Alaska to save the wolves, but he has an enlightening conversation with her Grandparents. He comes back at Christmas and makes sure they cross paths. After one hot night of sex, and one embarrassing day Haley calls it quits stating that it would never work and their is no hope for a relationship. Reid knows she is wrong but still lets her walk away.

Five years later, second half of the book gets better, Reid has finally left the marines and is back home working as a guide for his family's hunting outpost. Haley has had enough of politics raising money that was going to lawyers rather than the wolves they were suppose to be saving so she took a job that would but her back in the field. Little did she know it would put her right in the path of Reid again. With the fight going on over the wolf population in Wyoming Haley and Reid are on opposite sides. But Reid is more open to her side and listens to her than she is his side until she almost gets killed by a bear and Reid has to save her. Things come into perspective for Haley after that. They find common ground but not before Haley evil ex tries to ruin Reid's career.

Overall I dislike Haley, I love Reid, and the second half of the book was the best part.  

ARC REVIEW Outlaw Hearts by Rosanne Bittner

Outlaw Hearts is a re-release of Rosanne Bittner originally published in the early 90's. I love historical westerns and every once in a while I love an epic read like this. It is an ongoing story that starts when the two lovers meet and it continues throughout their lives. It is mesmerizing, once I picked it up I could not put it down I stayed all night to finish the book, I finished the book looked at the clock and it was fifteen minutes until my alarm was to go off. I got so tied up in the story with years passing in a matter of hours it felt like I was living it with them. Their was so much to the story following them for so long something would happen and I'd think wow it's only at 20% into the book, and then something else would happen and it's just at 40%. It wasn't slow paced there is just so much in it I don't think I could summarize it appropriately. I thoroughly enjoyed the emotional rollercoaster this book put me through.

Miranda and Jake are some of the best written characters I have read in a while. You feel for them you cry when they want to cry, you're angry when they are and ecstatic when they are happy. They are an unlikely couple Jake is tall, dark and hard, mean looking while Miranda is petite, light and soft but their love and passion is unquestionable, unwavering and unstoppable.

     Miranda is all alone she has lost everything she has ever cared about, just having buried her father she decides to find her brother who left for Nevada years ago. Before she could go she crossed paths with an outlaw and shot him with her gun, he escaped only to show up at her cabin. For reasons she can't quite explain she helps him. Jake is an outlaw, a wanted man a mean brissey man with a harsh past, and somehow Miranda sees past it. Miranda sees through Jake and what she finds is a man who needs to be loved and learn how to love. Running from his past they believe they can start but something always happens, and it shakes Jake's confidence but Miranda is always there no matter what he says she is never going to leave him even when they have to separate she will not give up on him and knows without a doubt God put them together and he will allow nothing to pull them apart.

This is an epic book and everything they go through they stand together and never give up. It's a fantastic story.

ARC REVIEW Risk It by Jennifer Chance

Risk It by Jennifer Chance is book four in her Rule Breakers series; I have read one other book in this series I really liked Fake It unfortunately this one fell flat. It was hot, steamy hot erotica but I could not connect to the characters and the storyline was blah. It had a Pretty Woman type story rich man buys beautiful woman for a month of  "friendship" where she has to do whatever he say no hesitation, with only one use of the word no.

Dani outwitted Rand out of ten thousand dollars for a painting by her friend a relatively unknown artist. Rand is suddenly obsessed with her and they start a game of sorts where they are trying to outwit each other until Rand propositions Dani money for her time, sex not required. Dani's foster brother is in trouble and only accepts Rands proposal to help her brother out. There is an instant attraction between them and they are not shy about starting a sexual relationship, but Rand starts to push her boundaries which any good Dom does but when she finally says no he is bound and determined to find out why this and break through that boundary, no matter what. Dani is scared by how this is progressing and when Rand asks for a real relationship she calls it quits especially since Rand had succeeded in breaking through her emotional block.

BLOG TOUR Against The Tide by Kat Martin

Secrets—and safety—melt under a midnight sun…

Liv Chandler is running for her life, and the cops haven’t been able to do a thing to help. But there’s one man who makes her feel safe, no matter what…rugged charter boat captain Rafe Brodie.

To Rafe, Liv is a beautiful mystery, one he can’t ignore. He means to unearth her secrets, and in the process, if luck is on his side, maybe the spark between them will ignite.

But Liv’s past is more dangerous than Rafe could guess, and when his first mate turns up dead, she fears that she’s next. That there’s something else coming she can’t see. That even Rafe and the remote village of Valdez, Alaska can’t protect her forever…

Link to Follow Tour:  http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/03/against-tide-brodies-of-alaska-3-by-kat.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22812429-against-the-tide?from_search=true&search_version=service

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/126176-the-brodies-of-alaska

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

                Okay I love the Brodies and now in this third book the eldest Brodie, Rafe, meets his match with a mysterious woman, Liv, and an attraction neither of them can deny. Liv and Rafe are an engaging couple she keeps trying to distance herself from him but the more she pushes the more he tighten his grip on her. In typical Brodie fashion it is never easy when they fall in love and with each book the external conflict just gets more and more intense. What first appeared as a murder of a young man ends in an elaborate plan and in the process Rafe and Liv fall in love as Liv's secrets are revealed.

                Kat Martin is a fabulous writer and this one is an intense mystery and an emotional love story. Rafe is an alpha male who has finally fell in love and now that he has found her he is not letting her go no matter her past. Liv is a strong heroine but scared and so in love with Rafe she doesn't want to ruin his life with her problems. I think this one is my favorite so far, since their is another one coming out that will probably be my new favorite when I read it.
                         

Rafe leaned back in the booth as Olivia walked away. Beneath her light blue apron, she wore black leggings under a black skirt, and a black turtleneck sweater. She wore black a lot, he’d noticed, and with her heavy, dark hair, pale complexion, and striking features, it suited her.
The café was beginning to fill with customers, both locals and the first of the tourist crowd. Besides deep-sea fishing, the area offered helicopter sightseeing, wildlife cruises, glacier cruises, kayaking, hiking, camping, and a jillion other things visitors thought up to entertain themselves in a place so rich in natural beauty.
By the first of May, as winter slid into spring, the local hotel and restaurant businesses jump-started into high gear. So did Rafe’s company, Great Alaska Charters.
His fleet was composed of a thirty-two-foot Armstrong; a Glacier Craft thirty-five; and his thirty-eight-foot Mac, all of which worked from April through October, depending on the weather. Scotty had made a place for himself in the company, had become an important part of the business, and it was going to be damned hard to replace him.
Scott Ferris had become Rafe’s right-hand man, and more than that, a very good friend. There was no easy way to lessen the personal loss Rafe felt at Scott’s death. He needed to go see Cassie, find out if there was anything he could do to help her get through her grief.
Rafe knew from experience it was going to take a helluva long time for her to heal.
He looked over at the tall, slender woman moving around the café. She was the real reason he had come to the Pelican this morning. Just watching her eased some of the tightness in his chest. Trim and lithe, she moved like a dancer, in more of a glide than a pattern of steps, so light on her feet she was there one moment, then she wasn’t.
With her high cheekbones, wide forehead, and unusual gray eyes, Olivia was a beautiful woman. Her chestnut hair, twisted into a knot at the nape of her neck, glinted with vibrant highlights. By midmorning, a few strands escaped around her face, softening the severe appearance she seemed determined to maintain.
And there was that mouth. Lipstick was the only real makeup she wore, a glossy dark red on lips so plump and perfectly curved they could have been in a magazine ad. That mouth made him think of dirty sex and taking her to bed, or anywhere else he could have her.
Maybe she could read his mind; maybe she knew what he was thinking and that was the reason she never waited on him. And though she was always polite, she spoke tohim only if she had to and rarely by name.
For the first couple of months after she’d taken over the business, he’d figured she was just too busy to notice him. Besides, he was still dating Sally, and he wasn’t the kind of guy who cheated on a woman he was involved with.
Four months ago, Sally had moved on, and Rafe had discovered he was glad. He cared for Sally Henderson, but he wasn’t in love, never had been. He’d told her from the start he wasn’t interested in marriage. At the time, she’d convinced him she wasn’t either. But relationships changed, and Sally was ready to settle down.
Sally was ready. Rafe wasn’t.
It wasn’t until after they’d parted that he started to take an interest in Olivia Chandler. Besides her striking looks and porn-star mouth, there was just something about her, something that began to intrigue him. She was always friendly to the other customers, though according to Nell, she had no close friends outside the people she worked with, and no family in the area that anyone knew of.
At first he’d told himself he just wasn’t the lady’s type, but the more she ignored him, the more intrigued he became. She rarely went to the local pub, he discovered, just kept mostly to herself in the apartment she lived in above the café. She was a runner, he knew, having seen her jogging early in the mornings with the big, black-and-brown German shepherd she called Khan.
Every time he went into the Pelican, which was often since he was a bachelor and a lousy cook, he watched her, and eventually a funny thing happened. Over the days and weeks that passed, Rafe became more and more certain Olivia Chandler wasn’t avoiding him because she wasn’t attracted to him.
She was avoiding him because she was.
Liv Chandler was a beautiful mystery, one Rafe no longer intended to ignore. He meant to unearth her secrets, and in the process, if luck was on his side, maybe he’d discover the fierce attraction he felt for her was returned in equal measure.
Rafe damned well hoped so.
Rising from the booth, he tossed a dollar bill on the table for the waitresses’ tip jar and started for the door. Olivia Chandler was a mystery he meant to solve.
But another mystery needed solving first.
His jaw hardened. Rafe wasn’t about to let the man who murdered one of his best friends go unpunished.


Whatever it took, he was going to see justice done.

Author Info

Kat Martin is the New York Times bestselling author of more than sixty books across multiple genres. Sixteen million copies are in print and she has been published in twenty-one foreign countries, including Japan, France, Argentina, Greece, China, and Spain. Her books have been nominated for the prestigious RITA award and won both the Lifetime Achievement and Reviewer’s Choice Awards from RT Book Reviews.

A resident of Missoula, Montana, Kat is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara, where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. She and her author husband, L.J. Martin, spend their winters in Ventura, California. She is currently writing her next Romantic Suspense. Visit Kat at www.katmartin.com

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 Website:  http://www.katmartin.com/

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KatBooks

GoodReads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/49381.Kat_Martin

Rafflecopter Giveaway (Three Paperback Copies of AGAINST THE TIDE)

a Rafflecopter giveaway