Monday, January 19, 2015

REVIEW Some Like it Sizzling by Robbie Treman

Book three in A Perfect Recipe series is a delightful romance about second chances and proving people can change. Even as the third book in the series it can definitely be read as a stand-alone, the previous leads are prominent but their individual storylines aren't relevant. I enjoyed this light hearted but emotional romance with funny situations that make you giggle out loud. I love second chance stories and this one was very in depth and emotional without getting too heavy and a really good read.

Jenna Rawley left home without saying goodbye, she left to pursue a modeling career in Europe. Not turning out like she hoped she stayed staying away from her family and friends until her best friend called her up with a business opportunity. Returned to the states to help a friend and to start over and she has swimmingly until her fiance jilted her. To make matters worse he stole all of her money and has been under investigation by the FBI for laundering money for the mob. Forced to give up the life she has gotten use to sell her clothes and move back in with her father.

Luke Kearney had his heart broken when Jenna left, the day after he proposed. He always blamed her belief that to have money means to be happy and secure and always imagined the worse of her. He never got over it and it inadvertently ruined his marriage to a good woman. Olivia left Luke because she knew he could never love her as much as he denies to love Jenna. They maintain an amiable relationship for the sake of their son, Eli. When Jenna pops back into Luke's life the sizzle is still there; Jenna is scared of it and Luke fains indifference. But when Jenna's world comes crashing down Luke can't help but play the white knight. They are avoiding their past and refuse admit anything let alone their own feelings for each other. There are some humorous scenes of almost sex, you know where they start but get interrupted, those are always fun. As much as Luke loves Jenna he still doesn't quite trust her, so when she does a favor for a friend and a hefty paycheck Luke shuts her out. A near death experience changes it both for them both.

Saturday, January 17, 2015

REVIEW Golden Son by Pierce Brown

Ohhh, where do I begin aside from the fact that this book is outstanding!! The first installment, incase you missed it, is Red Rising. It's about a Mars miner, a young man by the name of Darrow, who knew nothing of the world outside the mine and the color segregated world. That all changed when his wife, Eo, was used as an example and publicly executed by the Gold. Eo was Darrow's whole world and he broke the rules and got executed himself only to be revived by the terrorist group known as Sons of Ares and Darrow's whole world changed. After going through numerous surgeries and genetic alterations the scrawny red turned into a statuesque Gold, the plan to infiltrate the Golds ranks from the inside and tear it down. Darrow trained hard to work for the goal he knew Eo would want him to do. In a Hunger Games/Game of Thrones type experience the first book is just the taste when compared to this new installment.

 Golden Son starts two years after the events of the first book. He is already a legend in the making. Now a student at the Academy Darrow is battling his blood feud and on the verge of victory. It does not go as planned and instead of winning a permanent place in the family of his enemy he loses it all. It is unbelievable how much happens in this book I couldn't even properly summarize it without going on and on. There are lows and highs, heartbreak and betrayals; secrets revealed that make you drop the book and say "What the F*cking Hell" and an ending that left me with the longest book hangover I have ever had. Darrow feels lost at points and does what his heart and Eo would want him to do and that is basically starting a civil war between the Golds. When it is revealed he is on the right path and not alone he feels assured, confident and relieved he is no longer alone with his secret. He recruits more help and creates a plan of attack and and when he feels like he has failed he rises again.

Let me explain why is so impressive why I like this series, I typically stay away from political back stabbing, because yes this book has that; the double dealings and lies and stuff just kinda piss me off. I stay away from overly dramatic hard core emotional, because yes this book will put you through the wringer; because I really get into books and I tend to absorb the emotion and if it's really depressing I will get depressed. I think the reason these books are different is the fact that it is in first person you see things from the eyes of Darrow and you see the hope and reluctance in him about his friends. I loved Darrows narration I even sometimes forgot it was in first person and the fact that you can't see what's coming makes it all more heart breaking in the end.

Darrow, Mustang and Servo survived hell together in the first book and their friendship is tested to the max in this one. Darrow gets beaten down only to get back up again and again. Mustang has her idealistic goals but when faced with the truth her love for Darrow is put in question. Servo is the steadfast friend and always loyal and crazy as f*ck. Make sure you read the first book!  I know everyone says, oh this so in so book should be a movie. In the case of The Red Rising Trilogy it needs to be a series it is so complex and has so much in it a movie would cut too much out but a series would be able to work it all in.        

Thursday, January 15, 2015

REVIEW All For You by Jessica Scott

Now in Paperback

Book four in the Coming Home Series is a shattering look at the men and women in the Armed Forces. The emotional rollercoaster of Reza and Emily's relationship isn't just about coming together and righting wrongs and defeating the bad guy isn't as clear cut as a man in black wearing a menacingly cape. No, Reza has been battling his alcoholism and Emily is trying to spread awareness of mental health importance to all the soldiers. Jessica Scott has written a wonderful story about fighting your own demons. 

Reza Iaconelli has always used drinking as his escape. Escaping from the memories of his abusive father, and escaping the memory of all his friends and fellow soldiers who have lost their lives. His alcoholism never got in the way of his command he has always had it under control until he caused an incident in Colorado during a training mission and his best friend, Claire, and his Sergeant Major intercede and make him go into rehab. Months later he hasn't had a drink and it is a daily battle not to drink. But something is going on under his command one soldier keeps using mental distress to avoid going on duty and another soldier self medicates and is getting jerked around with the medical board about his discharge. Reza has always tried to help the weak and protect those who need it, but will his self destructing drinking blind him to the needs of his men?  

Emily Lindberg has lead a charmed life, she has never wanted for anything following in her father's footsteps and became a psychiatrist. She has never disappointed her family until one visit to the VA hospital and realized the men and women who served our country needed help that they were not getting. It wasn't anything she expected Commanding Officers demanding and bullying her do what they want despite what the soldier in question needs. After meeting the tall, dark, and brooding First Sergeant Reza Iaconelli she realizes he was right when he said she has no idea what happens when out on deploy and she won't understand until she experiences herself.  Reza can't help but be attracted to Captain Lindberg. He views her as sweet and innocent and doesn't want to corrupt her to the violence and death of war, but when she asks to join him in a training exercise so she can understand what goes on he is compelled to comply with her request. Their first kiss is full of promise and underlying passion it was only a matter of time before they slept together. Their relationship gets sidetracked when one of Reza's men commits suicide in front of Emily and himself. Reza starts to drink again and even more him CO is implemented in a hazing incident against another one of his soldiers. So upset that he didn't see it happening buries himself deeper into a bottle.  Emily loves Reza but his self destructing actions are destroying the relationship even before they have a chance. But only Reza can stop face the truth and work to make it better and Emily is just the motivation he needs to realize this. 

I really enjoyed reading this book it gives you an insight to the darker side of the military. Most military romances don't go into much of the emotional hardships the guys go through and this was a good reality check. Also props to Ms. Scott for the use of Steel Reserve as the beer of choice for Reza. (Steel Reserve is a beer with a higher alcohol content than most others).

REVIEW Dark Prayer by Natasha Mostert



Another hauntingly beautiful written story by Natasha Mostert. She has a unique style that can creep you out all the while sounding like an artist painting a masterpiece. The details she goes into for her stories you can appreciate how much time you know she put into making the story as indepth as possible and her beautiful turn of phrase keeps it from being boring. I love Natasha Mostert I would put her in the same category as Neil Gaiman. This time she delves into the world of memory; with memory altercation the prolonging of and eradicating even the concept of selling memories. Years ago five scientist created a secret society to discover and unlock the secrets of the memory, but the greed of two people quickly perverted the research.

Jack Simonetti is a rich playboy, and his father has had enough of him living off of his money and his exploits so he sends him to London to help out on old friend. His old friend Daniel Barone has a ward who went missing but showed up again suffering from a memory fugue. Jenilee Gray  has been living with Daniel Barone since her mother's murder when she was five, two years ago she disappeared but recently a private investigator found her the only problem is that she doesn't remember anything. Fugue state is similar to amnesia but differs in the fact that it is caused by a emotional trauma rather than a physical one. It causes the sufferer to create a new identity. Jenilee Gray is now Eloise Blake. Barone has asked Jack to befriend her and convince her he is her best hope to getting back to Jenilee and to keep her safe since accidents she has just barely scraped by. Jack has no choice but to agree, what he didn't count on was unraveling deep secrets long ago buried and that someone is willing to do anything to keep those secrets hidden.

Eloise Blake likes her life as a parkour. Free running has enabled her to literally run from her problems. Ever since she woke up not knowing who she was she has had visions in the corner of her eyes, voices speaking and seemingly random numbers invading her brain. With the help of Jack they discover the truth behind it all.


Tuesday, January 13, 2015

BLOG TOUR Rescue Me by Kathy Coopmans

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Rescue Me (Book two of The Shelter Me Series) by Kathy Coopmans BLOG TOUR
Jan.12th-22nd

Synopsis:

Erin McIntyre is a survivor. Four years ago she bundled up her six year old daughter and set sail into uncharted waters with nothing more than the will to survive. When offered a place to stay and a new job by her best friend's cousin Adam, she simply cannot refuse...but Adam quickly becomes more than a friend. Scared to love again, and convinced that giving her heart to a man will only lead to pain, Erin remains steadfast, certain the only person she can trust is herself. But when her past comes knocking, threatening to tear her carefully constructed world apart, and the support of a person who believes in her more than she does herself will be the one thing that can keep her head above water. Will old habits prove too hard to break and leave Erin drowning in a sea of self-doubt, or can she let go of her fears and learn to love once more?


Adam Payne never thought he would find Love. He really wasn’t even looking for it. He fell hard and he fell fast for Erin McIntyre. Determined to show her that she is worthy of not only his love but worthy of herself. He will stop at nothing to make this woman his and when their love for one another surfaces into a love that Erin never thought would come her way her past comes back to haunt them all. Will Adam be able to Rescue Erin from her worst fear or will she pack up and run for the simple reason that the only thing she has ever known is her will to try and survive.


Goodreads:



Playlist:

Trailer:


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“Ready?” I ask as I approach him and continue on into the kitchen to get my purse.

“Yup, and I am starving. Let’s go.” He advances towards me. “Damn, woman! You’re not wearing those jeans, are you? No fucking way.”

Bewildered and totally caught off guard by his statement, I stand there with my hands on my hips.

“What the hell are you talking about? There isn’t anything wrong with these jeans.”

“No there’s not, and that’s the problem. Your sweet, fine ass looks too good in those jeans. I don’t want to have to kick someone’s ass for checking you out, especially when I have the girls with me. Can you go put on a baggy pair of sweatpants or something?”

“What are you playing at, Adam?” I remove my hands from my hips and place one of them on his forehead. “Are you coming down with something?”

He gently pulls me into his rock hard body.

“Oh, sweet cheeks. I came down with something three months ago when I checked out that ass of yours when I was in Texas,” he says with humor and as low-key as he can be. “And I am not playing.”

“You’re unbelievable,” I say, rolling my eyes.

Adam lifts me up onto the counter and whispers in my ear words that leave a tingle of pure pleasure down my spine.

“Although I love every tantalizing, sexy curve of your body, I am most definitely an ass man, sweetheart. And this ass,” he says as he places his hands underneath me and gives my bottom a light squeeze, “Has been in my dreams for the past three months. I can’t wait until I can feel it uncovered because Erin, I am going to make you feel like you have never felt before.”

“Oh my God, Adam.” I can barely get out a word as I feel my throat tighten up and, holy hotness, this man is mentally seducing me and I love it.

“You feel it too, don’t you, Erin?” he speaks in a ragged, raspy voice as he trails soft kisses up my neck.

“I do,” I whimper.


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Shelter Me (Book one of The Shelter Me Series)
Sale .99



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Author Bio:
Kathy is a Michigan native where she lives with her husband Tony. They have two son's Aaron and Shane.
She is a sports nut. Her favorite sports include NASCAR, Baseball and Football.
By day she is a hairstylist and loves her job.
She has always been an avid reader and at the young age of 50 decided she wanted to write. She claims she can do several things at once and still stay on task. Her favorite quote is "I got this."

Author Links:
coopmans@chartermi.net

Monday, January 12, 2015

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**PROMO and REVIEW TOUR**
Shoot For The Moon, Book 2 ~ Black River Series by Rochelle Paige

Blurb:

Eliza Reve knows that her ability to dream of future events sets her apart from others. Her gift became a curse when she wasn't able to save her mother or the alpha's son and she found herself exiled - a lone wolf. When she joins the Black River Pack, Eliza vows never to reveal her talent to anyone. Not even the man who has walked in her dreams for years.

Spencer Tate is her mate, but her visions have told her that he will renounce her. When he doesn't recognize her as his mate, she agrees to the no-strings-attached affair he offers because she thinks it's the most she can hope for. Although her heart breaks as she falls deeper in love with him, she wants to spend as many days with Spencer as possible before he kicks her out of his life.

When Spencer finally comes to his senses, he has his work cut out for him to convince Eliza that he wants her forever. When another she-wolf insists she's his mate instead, things get even more complicated. But Spencer isn't the alpha's second and enforcer because he isn't willing to fight for what's his, and he refuses to settle for anything less than Eliza as his marked and claimed mate.

This is book two in the Black River Pack series. Each novella will feature a different couple.




 #1:
“I don’t know,” I whispered.
“Say yes,” he urged. “Let me have you, Eliza. Stop drinking yourself to sleep. Let me fuck you into exhaustion instead.”
I knew what lay ahead for me—my destruction at his hands—but I couldn’t resist the temptation he represented. Even though I knew this thing between us wouldn’t last and I wanted him in my life forever as my mate, I still said yes. So my affair with Spencer began with my heart broken before we’d even slept together that first time.

 #2: 
“You’re in my fucking bed, Eliza. You don’t need to wait until you have solid intel. You come to me the instant something’s wrong,” I argued.
“And say what?” she asked. “‘I think Grace is in trouble because I had a dream about her’? Bullshit! The second I laid that on you, you would have been out of my bed quick as a flash. You’ve had one foot out of it since the second you decided you wanted in. You made that damn clear to me when we started this.”
“If you’d ever actually shared what was going on in that head of yours before tonight, then I would have had you mated, marked, and claimed so fast your head would have fucking spun,” I bit out. “Instead of being an ass because I was so fucking pissed off you made me feel things I was only supposed to feel for my mate.”

Goodreads:

Buy Links:




OMG! ok so if I thought the first book was good this one is just as good. Rochelle Paige is a masterful storyteller, once again I'm transported to the Black River Pack. Her narration is like I'm sitting with two people telling me a story. It's a great mild intermediate story between the excitement of Crying Wolf and foreshadowed events of Thrown to the Wolves. 

The main conflict is Eliza opening her heart and learning to trust Spencer when he says he loves her and would never turn from her. Eliza has a hard past and was scared to come forward about her ability to see events to happen in her dreams. In her past it cost her her family and her pack and when she gets invited to the Black River Pack she scared to come forward about her ability. She knows Spencer is her mate but is scared, her gift has shown her the worst possible outcome. 

Spencer was told by his grandmother, who could see the future, that his mate would be a woman who could walk through dreams and he has kept Eliza at a distance. When he finally realizes what his wolf and his heart has trying to have been telling him it's not just lust he has a lot to make up for. Spencer is extraordinarily patient, and loving and Eliza is one lucky wolf.

   

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Crying Wolf (Black River Pack, #1)

Goodreads:

Buy Links:




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Thrown to the Wolves (Black River Pack, #3)Goodreads:

Pre-order Buy Link:




Author Bio:
I absolutely adore reading - always have and always will. My friends growing up used to tease me when I would trail after them, trying to read and walk at the same time. If I have downtime, odds are you will find me reading or writing.

I am the mother of two wonderful sons who have inspired me to chase my dream of being an author. I want them to learn from me that you can live your dream as long as you are willing to work for it.

When I told my mom that my new year's resolution was to self-publish a book in 2013, she pretty much told me "About time!"


Author Links:

Saturday, January 10, 2015

SPOTLIGHT One Mad Night by Julia London

One Mad Night Anthology
By Julia London
January 6, 2015
Sourcebooks Casablanca
$5.99/£4.99

Two Romantic Adventures...One Mad Night
Two delightful contemporary romance novellas in one book from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Julia London.

One winter’s night a blizzard sweeps across the country, demonstrating that fate can change the course of lives in an instant…and fate has got a sense of humor.

One Mad Night
Chelsea Crawford and Ian Rafferty are high profile ad execs in cutthroat competition for a client. When a major winter storm puts New York City on lockdown, the two rivals have to make it through the night together—oh, the many ways in which opposites attract...

The Bridesmaid - Bonus Novella
RITA Award Nominee for Best Romance Novella of 2013
Kate Preston has just moved to New York. Joe Firretti is contemplating a move to Seattle. When the weather wreaks havoc with transportation systems, Kate and Joe meet as they are both trying to rent the last car available… As Kate races to make her best friend’s wedding, and Joe races to a life-altering job interview, it looks like together is the only way they’ll make it at all.

Praise for Julia London:
"London knows how to keep pages turning...winningly fresh and funny." —Publishers Weekly, on RITA Award nominee The Bridesmaid



Amazon | B&N | BAM | !ndigo | IndieBound





I am a big fan of Julia London when I got the opportunity to read an ARC of her newest contemporary novella I jumped at the chance and I got to tell ya…it was so worth it. I loved this book. It kind of reminded me of one of my favorite movies Lover Come Back to Me an old Doris Day/Rock Hudson movie about advertising firms fighting over an account. Here we have Chelsea Crawford and Ian Rafferty working for the same Advertising agency; after all a little in-house competition is healthy.

The newest and high profile account that comes with a partnership is up for grabs and Chelsea and Ian are in a silent war for the account and the job. While one of the bosses has told Chelsea flat out the account is hers one of the partners has told Ian it’s his and it’s only just a formality of letting Chelsea pitch her idea. Ian feels like shit over it he knows how had she has worked on that and it isn’t fair. Chelsea hates that she is attracted to her “arch-nemesis” but Ian is just too hot to ignore. Ian wouldn’t mind being friends with the competitive and beautiful Chelsea but she pushes him away at every turn. That is until a freak snow storm blows in and traps them in the office over night and they finally confront each other about this account and other ones in the past and about each other feelings. Together for one crazy night that changes everything. 








It took a moment for Chelsea to notice him, which gave Ian a moment to admire her. He was going to crush her tomorrow, but that didn’t stop him from appreciating a figure that guys like him dreamed about. Chelsea was wearing a skirt today. It hit about mid-thigh and was tight enough to show off all her curves. She looked a bit taller today too. He glanced at her feet and noticed the shoes. Chelsea was walking on stilts, and her legs, good God, her legs. She was smoking hot in that dress and those shoes.“Hey!” she said sharply, her voice full of accusation.Ian’s head snapped up. “Hey,” he said con-genially. “Practicing your pitch?” He settled one hip onto the conference table.“Do you mind?” She gestured to the door in a be-­off-­with-­you way.“If you want, I could listen and give you some feedback.”Chelsea’s mouth dropped open. And then her green eyes narrowed into little slits. “You have got to be the most arrogant man I’ve ever met.”Ian smiled and shrugged.“You can go, Ian,” she said, marching around the conference table to usher him out. “I think I’ve got it.”“Suit yourself.”“I will.”“So hostile,” he said with a wink as he stood up. “I’m just trying to help. It never hurts for someone to hear the pitch, right? You’ve had someone listen to you go through it, right?”“Yes, I’ve had—­Hey, hey,” she said, poking him in the chest. “Are you trying to play me?” she demanded. “Because it won’t work. I’m not some junior account person, you know. You can’t intimidate me.”“Well, obviously,” Ian said and poked her back. “You wouldn’t be pitching at all if you were a junior account person. I know I can’t intimidate you. It wasn’t a declaration of war, you know; it was an offer to help.”“It wasn’t a let-­me-­help, best-­friends-­forever offer, either. I’m not playing games with you. This account means a lot to me—­”“Me too.”“Oh yeah?” she said, shifting closer. “Well, don’t get too attached to the idea. I’ve got seniority, you know.”“So why are you so afraid to show me what you’ve got?”“Because it’s none of your business.”“On the eve of the championship, it’s okay to go out and shoot some hoops with your competitor. It’s not going to affect tomorrow’s big game. It’s not like I can go out and change weeks of work overnight if I see you’ve got something better.”She laughed. “Good try, Rafferty, but I think maybe the reason you want to see my pitch is because you’re worried about the strength of your pitch. Is it a little rough? Maybe I should listen to you.” She winked, and her green eyes shone with pleasure at her comeback.“I’m definitely not worried about my pitch.”“No? Seems to me if you’re presenting three,” she said, holding up three fingers and wiggling them at him, “then you must be uncertain which one is the winner.” Her smile broadened into sheer triumph, as if she thought she’d really zinged him.She hadn’t zinged him, but Ian did wonder how she knew what he had…Zach. Of course. That rat bastard. “Have you been talking to Zimmerman?” he asked accusingly.She shrugged and studied her manicure. “Maybe. Does it matter? I thought we were doing the let’s-­help-­each-­other thing. But if we’re not, would you mind toddling off? I have a lot of work I need to do before tomorrow. I plan to hit the ground running with this account on Monday.”She was amazingly and annoyingly confident. Ian was generally a confident guy, but she was making him a teensy bit nervous. “You really think you’re going to get this, don’t you?”“I don’t think, I know,” she said, looking up.He tilted his head to one side to study her. “Isn’t it obvious to you why they brought me in?”“I don’t know—­I haven’t given it the slightest bit of thought.” She lifted her chin, and Ian realized she lied about as well as she engaged in verbal volleyball. “I’ve been promised that this account is as good as mine. Didn’t they tell you that when they brought you in?”A bit more of Ian’s confidence leaked out of him. He’d been in New York advertising long enough to know that the industry was full of snakes. He wouldn’t put it past anyone to feed him a bunch of half-­baked promises to get him to commit. “Who told you?”She grinned. “None of your beeswax.”“Come on, tell me—­” His phone rang, distracting him momentarily. He fished it out of his pocket and noticed the number was the Grabber-­Paulson main number. That was weird. “Listen, I’ll just say this,” he said, clicking off the phone. “Don’t be so sure of things. People say things they don’t mean, especially in this industry.” He started for the door.“Uh-­huh, I know. And I would offer you the same advice, Mr. Rafferty,” she said in a singsong voice, and she flashed a dazzling smile, full of straight white teeth.“Cocky too. I like that about you,” he said. “I’ll keep it in mind when I make partner.” He winked at her, smiled as if he was completely unbothered, and went out of the conference room.





About the Author


Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including the Homecoming Ranch contemporary series, the Secrets of Hadley Green historical romance series, and numerous other works. She is a four-time finalist for the prestigious RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction, and RT Bookclub award recipient for Best Historical Romance.  She lives in Austin, Texas.

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