Author: Kimberly

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Kelly and Kimberly review The Day He Kissed Her by Juliana Stone

Day he kissed herTITLE: The Day He Kissed Her
SERIES #: Bad Boys of Crystal Lake #3
CHARACTERS: Mackenzie Draper & Lily St. Clare
AUTHOR: Juliana Stone
PUBLICATION DATE: April 1, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
He can’t wait to leave…

Mac Draper finally has everything he’s always wanted: An amazing career. A New York City apartment. He’s this close to being free of his past forever. But a mind-blowing encounter with the sexy yet tough-as-nails Lily St. Clare has him delaying his plans to put Crystal Lake in his rearview mirror for good.

She’s finally found a place to stay…

For Lily St. Clare the charming small town of Crystal Lake is her haven – a place she can hide from her famous, back-stabbing family. It’s as close to happy as she’s ever been. Until an unforgettable night with tall, dark and tortured Mac Draper gives her a glimpse of what true happiness feels like.

Lily can’t help but melt a little under the sizzling heat of Mac’s touch. But Mac’s scars run deep, and Lily’s afraid she may be falling for the one man who can never return her feelings..

KELLY’S REVIEW:
4.25 HEARTS You know what they say about the bigger they are the harder they fall? Well things technically fall at the same rate of speed, but the bigger you are the bigger mess you are going to make when you hit. Poor poor Mackenzie is big and has build up so many walls that it is going to be a long scary way down for him. And boy does he make a mess of everything.

Lily never thought she was the forever type. But the moment she sees Mac again that thought goes right out the window. Oh, she fights it. But fate is a fickle bit…. well let’s just say that what Fate wants Fate gets.

I loved this book. I loved Mac & Lily. I loved that they both are so darn stubborn and almost ruin everything. I will say that I did cheer for Mac a little when he let his dad have it, although I think that his dad deserved more! If you have read any of the other Bad Boys of Crystal Lake you will know that Mac is the last of the three boys to get his story and it was well worth the wait.

I can’t wait to see what might be next 🙂

KIMBERLY’S REVIEW:
4 HEARTS The funny this is that I requested all the books from this series and each time I held off starting it even though I don’t know why. I read all the books around it until I give up and start the book and with the other two books once I started I couldn’t stop reading it and this book was the same. Why I don’t start it right away I have no idea.

This book was a bit rough in some parts. Mac is so haunted by the horrible childhood he had that his anger is quick and strong but when he is sweet he is just so sweet that you can’t help but fall for him. He is so cute when he is with Lily. Lily is strong and while dealing with her own stuff she is the type of woman you want to be friends with.

I do wish we had learned a little more about her past since we were told a number of times how she had a hard (albeit different from Mac) childhood but we didn’t get to hear too much about it. I hope this is not the last we see if Crystal Lake even though the Bad Boys are all settled down.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & SourceBooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

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Kelly reviews Rising Assets by Rebecca Zanetti

Rising AssetsTITLE: Rising Assets
SERIES #: Maverick Montana #3
CHARACTERS: Colton Freeze & Melanie Jacobs
AUTHOR: Rebecca Zanetti
PUBLICATION DATE: March 31, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Friends with benefits was never the plan…

Melanie Jacobs is in trouble. With three jobs—including running her ranch—and dwindling funds, she’s exhausted. Not to mention desperately trying to hide a secret. Unfortunately, her best friend Colton Freeze knows all too well that’s something is going on, and he won’t give up until he knows exactly what he needs to fix.

Then Colton learns the truth—that Melanie’s future happiness rests in the fickle hands of fate, and her chances for having a family are shrinking with every passing day. Her only comfort is Colton, but when a heated argument between them turns into an even hotter kiss, the boundaries of their friendship are erased, leaving only a scorching-hot hunger for more.

Every kiss—every touch—is a stolen pleasure. But will their new friends-with-sexy-benefits arrangement bring them closer together, or destroy everything they once shared?

REVIEW:
It was so much fun to read about Colton and Melanie. Childhood best friends who decided to give their growing attraction a chance. But as with any good love story there is a bump or two in the road. Well for these two they are the bumps and the sure don’t make it easy on each other. But would we want it any other way?
These two are great but the side story of Hawk had me crying, laughing and wishing I was there for the great escape. This was another great read by Rebecca Zanetti. And I am so very much looking forward to learn all of Hawk’s deep dark secrets 🙂

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Entangled Publishing & Rebecca Zanetti in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

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Kelly review Cole’s Redemption by J.D. Tyler

Coles RedemtionTITLE: Cole’s Redemption
SERIES #: Alpha Pack #5
CHARACTERS: Zander Cole & Selene Westfall
AUTHOR: J.D. Tyler
NARRATOR: Kristen Potter
PUBLICATION DATE: March 4, 2014
AUDIO RELEASE DATE: March 4, 2014
RUN TIME: 7 hours & 32 minutes
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N | Audible | Tantor

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Once, they were Navy SEALS. Now they are the Alpha Pack: a top secret team of wolf shifters with Psy powers who take on the darkest dangers on Earth. But sometimes the greatest danger lies within their own hearts….

Healer and black wolf shifter Zander Cole has survived horrors that would have broken a weaker man. But when a battle leaves him deaf and his powers dimmed, Zan is devastated. Believing himself to be a burden to his team, he sees only one option: leave the Pack forever.

White wolf shifter Selene Westfall knows pain—she is certain her father was responsible for her mother’s death. And she lives to exact revenge. So when she is challenged by a savage black wolf, she puts up a vicious fight—only to become the black wolf’s Bondmate as a result of his bite.

Two damaged souls—one filled with hatred and one who’s lost his reason for living—are forced together as they come to terms with their unlikely, turbulent bond. A love neither expected may be all that stands between them and a killer trying desperately to keep the past dead and buried.

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Warning: You will need a tissue or 20 for this book. I have not cried this hard in a book for such a long time. Now that I have warned you on to the review.

In Cole’s redemption we pick up where we left off in Hunter’s Heart. Zander is still recovering from his injuries and is debating his worth to the pack. On his first mission since he was injured and almost getting one of his brothers killed has sealed the deal for Zan. When he finally makes up mind to leave, Zan finds himself fighting for his leaders life. But in the process to protecting Nick, Zan find himself a mate.

This was a good story full of a lot of emotion, demon’s from the past and future that we could have never seen coming. There were a few surprises in this book that I was not ready for (hence the crying). The team gets a new member. And Nick poor, poor Nick.

I think my only issue with this book was the whole the half shift thing. Kinda creeps me out a little bit.

I had the honor listened this book. While I have loved Kristin Potter’s work in the past there was just something off on the reading of this book. Not by much but a little. But something that made it take a little longer for me to get into the book.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley, Tantor & PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts



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Kimberly reviews Love Charms: A Paranormal Boxed Set by Various Authors

love charmsTITLE: Love Charms: A Paranormal Boxed Set
CHARACTERS: Various
AUTHOR: Various
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/04/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Blinded by Magic: A Witch Romance by Ava Catori: Raven’s weakness is mortal men. She’s fallen hard for Derek. There’s just one problem, he doesn’t know she’s a witch. Can he accept her truth or will their relationship crumble?
Blind Date by Selena Kitt: Selena Kitt’s Blind Date ventures into the strange and surreal realm of magical realism in a hot Valentine’s Day romance that takes on the classic Greek myth of Eros and Psyche.
Breathless by Cerys du Lys: Sadie and Evan live in different worlds. Brought together by fate, and held there by hope, can they bridge the gap dividing humanity, or will long held fears and prejudice force them apart forever?
The Passion Cure by Deanna Roy: Jet is a Nix, an outcast enchantress with zero power. To conjure a love spell to save her family, she seduces a handsome enchanter who is willing to break the rules, and possibly, her heart.
Marked by Charisma M. Cole: Jade Murray is a witch that can communicate with the dead. After a summoning goes awry, two murders rock the human and supernatural world. One thing connects the gruesome acts: Jade.
The Warlord’s Concubine by J.E. & M. Keep: As a servant to the princess for much of her life, Mirella sees the conquest of the land as an opportunity to elevate herself.
A Demon and His Witch by Eve Langlais: Remy’s seen a lot during his tenure in Lucifer’s guard, but nothing can prepare him for the witch with the acerbic tongue–and voluptuous figure. Can he convince her to love him and not kill him?
Psychic Appeal by Michelle McCleod: Psychic Sofia Parker has fallen in love, a problem because her new relationship drives the lovesick ghost of her ex-boyfriend to come back from the dead…anyway he can.
Memoir of a Reluctant Shaman by Ty Nolan: When his love spell goes wrong, our hero is exiled to be fully initiated as a Shaman in this spicy tale of New Orleans Voodoo and Native American magic.
Vampire Lords of Blacknall: Trinity by Shirl Anders: Only a creature of the night can save her. Lady Beth Winslow never stays home at night. She fears her stepbrother. Then a monster stalks her in the dark woods and she cannot tell beast from savior.

REVIEW:
Why I request these box sets I really do not know. When you have so many stories the average person will love some and hate others and that is what happened with this box set, of course. Just about the time I liked a story the next one was just ok for me. And of course there were the ones I didn’t like at all. It would be a nice set to have for when you need a quick story to read but reading them back to back just didn’t do it for me.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

3hearts-68-77

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Kimberly reviews Playing To Win by Shelley Munro

Playing to WinTITLE: Playing To Win
CHARACTERS: Kate & Lane
AUTHOR: Shelley Munro
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/28/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Professional rugby player Lane Gerrard is used to women throwing themselves at him, but a scurrilous tabloid article naming him as father of a child sends his temper soaring. The woman he confronts doesn’t fit the blackmailer profile. Kate Alexander is attractive with an enchanting innocence, enticing. A total stranger. Her feistiness draws his unwilling admiration, but the child…he is the image of Lane.Kate can’t deny her son’s similarity to the sexy man at her door but no way will she hand him over without a fight. Kate doesn’t possess money but she can shower her son with love. With public speculation rife, Kate reluctantly works with Lane to discover the truth. They grow closer as distrust slowly turns to mutual fascination, but the tabloid articles bring out a stalker. Mild pranks escalate into danger, and suddenly Lane realizes Kate is a woman he could love. With Kate and her son, he could have a family. Now, with his heart on the line, this is one game he’s playing to win.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts I liked this story. It lets you know that sometimes things happen for a reason. As I got ready to write the review I see that it is a reprint which now makes sense. Some things in the story seemed dated but I wasn’t sure why. Now I know.

This is a typical sweet romance. It has a man who isn’t looking for love, a woman who thinks her life is complete, a boy who has been through enough already and a little bit of suspense. It is a relatively quick read. It is well written even though slightly dated but still enjoyable.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

3hearts-68-77


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Kimberly reviews Love In The Shadows by Barbara Wallace

Love in the ShadowsTITLE: Love In The Shadows
CHARACTERS: Jenny & Nick
AUTHOR: Barbara Wallace
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/28/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Can a feisty four-legged matchmaker help four best friends find the romance of their dreams?

Jenny is a woman on a mission – she’ll even resort to dognapping to make her point! But can she teach a reclusive, emotionally-wounded tycoon that love heals all things?

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is the fourth is the “series” of short stories, each story is only about 60 pages long. I am not sure if it is really a series since each book is from a different author but it does involve the same people and the same dog. This is the best of the series. I enjoyed the couple very much. Their feelings are palpable from the pages. The hurt and insecurity. The story is sweet and completes the series very well.

Each book from this series is great to have on the e-reader for a quick read between books.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

3hearts-68-77

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Kimberly reviews Dark Moon by Leisl Leighton

dark moonTITLE: Dark Moon
SERIES #: Witch-Were #1
CHARACTERS: Skye & Jason
AUTHOR: Leisl Leighton
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/17/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N {link not up yet}

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Lately, Skye Collins has been unable to shake the feeling that she’s being watched. After a lifetime spent hiding her true nature, she knows that any unusual attention is something to be wary of. And the only attention she’s been receiving lately is from the intense and attractive Jason McVale.
Jason claims to know things about Skye that can’t be true, and it’s obvious he’s hiding secrets of his own. Yet despite herself, Skye can’t resist the attraction between them, and her surrender will set in motion a chain of events that will have consequences for everyone she holds dear.
Gradually, Jason convinces Skye that she has to trust him if she is to solve the riddle of her past and learn the truth about her power. But believing Jason means that her entire life has been based on a lie.
As her enemies gather strength and the danger increases, Skye is forced to accept who she really is. Will she risk everything and fight for those she loves? Or save herself and let them be destroyed by the forces of darkness?

REVIEW:
I have to say I really enjoyed this story. I was not sure what it was really about when I picked it up from NetGalley but I am so glad I did. There are witches, wiccan, wolf shifters, ghosts, and so much more in this story. I didn’t want to miss one word of it even though some parts did get a little wordy I still could not wait to read the story.

The main characters are very entertaining and interesting. They have a connection from the moment they are together. I enjoyed the background characters as well. Maybe the next in the series is Adam and Shelley? One can only hope.

If you are a fan of paranormal then you should really pick up this book. It has everything a fan of the genre would like and a bunch of suspense as well. Terrific story and one I can’t wait to read the next one of.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts


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Kimberly reviews Waking The Dead by Heather Graham

waking the deadTITLE: Waking The Dead
SERIES #: Cafferty & Quinn #2
CHARACTERS: Danni & Michael
AUTHOR: Heather Graham
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/25/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
They say a painting can have a life of its own…

In the case of Ghosts in the Mind by Henry Sebastian Hubert, that’s more than just an expression. This painting is reputed to come to life—and to bring death. The artist was a friend of Lord Byron and Mary Shelley, joining them in Switzerland during 1816, “the year without a summer.” That was when they all explored themes of horror and depravity in their art….

Now, almost two hundred years later, the painting appears in New Orleans. Wherever it goes, death seems to follow.

Danielle Cafferty and Michael Quinn, occasional partners in solving crime, are quickly drawn into the case. They begin to make connections between that summer in Switzerland and this spring in Louisiana. Danni, the owner of an eccentric antiques shop, and Quinn, a private detective, have discovered that they have separate but complementary talents when it comes to investigating unusual situations.

Trying to blend their personal relationship with the professional lives they’ve stumbled into, they learn how much they need each other. Especially as they confront this work of art—and evil. The people in the portrait might be dead, but something seems to wake them and free them to commit bloody crimes. Cafferty and Quinn must discover what that is. And they have to destroy it—before it destroys them.

REVIEW:
I read the first in this series and was not to thrilled by it but because I love Graham’s Krewe Of Hunters/Harrison Investigation series I thought I would give this series another try. I just really do not enjoy these characters. They have no true connection. While the story is interesting and the historical background that Graham weaves into her stories is interesting something is just off.

I am also not a fan of continuing stories. I enjoy past series characters coming by as background characters but I do not want the main characters to remain the same (ok maybe a series here or there but not usually) and especially with these two because they have no spark. It is as if they are forced and even they are not sure they should be together.

I need to remember to not pick up this series but there would be no stopping me from the next in the Krewe series.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

3hearts-68-77

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Kimberly review Master of the Opera: Crescendo by Jeffe Kennedy

master 6TITLE: Master Of The Opera #6: Crescendo
SERIES #: Master Of The Opera #6
CHARACTERS: Christine & Master
AUTHOR: Jeffe Kennedy
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/20/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In the sixth and final installment of Jeffe Kennedy’s sizzling Master of the Opera, a man and a woman risk everything they’ve ever loved—for the most dangerous passion they’ve ever known. . .
Caught in a web of secrets and lies, Christy Davis has come under the suspicion of the local police. Since becoming an intern at the Sante Fe Opera House, she has witnessed strange occurrences in the underground tunnels. She has heard inexplicable whispers in the shadows after midnight. And she has found the lover of her dreams in the masked man who lives down below. But after the discovery of a dead body and other sinister events, Christy realizes that her life is in danger. Two men hold her fate in their hands: Roman, the opera house’s wealthy benefactor who uses his money and power to control her. And the masked maestro known as the Master who demands her surrender and commands her pleasure with each stroke. Both want her; only one can have her. . .
In a rising crescendo of madness, obsession, and lust, Christy must take a chance and follow her heart—to a breathtaking climax as powerful as love itself.

REVIEW:
This is the sixth and last installment. I am not really impressed with this series. I think it has a lot of potential if it had been a full story but with the short spurts it was lost between installments. I would also not consider this erotica. Very few moments of sexual encounters were written in.

I was disappointed in the story in general and while I was interested enough to find out how it ends I didn’t enjoy it very much.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

2hearts


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Kimberly reviews Smokin Hot by Lynn LaFleur

smokin hotTITLE: Smokin’ Hot
CHARACTERS: Varies
AUTHOR: Lynn LaFleur
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/25/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Singe
After breaking up with her longtime boyfriend, Julia Woods is ready to start fresh in a new town, a new state. She doesn’t want to get involved with another man, and especially not with an adrenalin junkie. The instant attraction she feels when she meets Stephen McGettis frightens her. She’s never experienced something so strong, yet she worries about starting a relationship with him. With his motorcycle racing, whitewater rafting, and skydiving, he’s as much of an adrenalin junkie as her former lover. Stephen loves Julia and doesn’t want to lose her because of her concern over what she considers his dangerous pastimes. He has to prove to her he’s not a daredevil, and that love is the greatest adventure of all.

Smolder
In town to visit her grandmother in the hospital, Rayna Holt never expected to run into her ex-husband, Marcus. Seeing him reminds her of all the pain and loss she’d experienced five years ago that led to their divorce. Marcus is still angry and hurt over Rayna destroying their marriage. They’re forced to spend time together while the construction company he works for repairs her grandmother’s house due to a fire. Old desires smolder beneath the surface, but Marcus is leery of giving in to them. Rayna broke his heart when she left him. He can’t live through that kind of pain again. Both Rayna and Marcus have to let go of the past before they can forgive each other and fall in love again.

Spark
Talia King has loved Dylan Westfield ever since the day she met him two years ago, but he treats her as nothing but a friend. Every attempt she’s made to date him or spend more time with him has been shot down by Dylan. Dylan loves Talia as much as she loves him, but his painful past won’t let him surrender to that love. Fear of physically hurting her keeps him alone and aching for a life with her…a life he knows he cannot have. A night of passion convinces Talia that she and Dylan are perfect together. Dylan admits his love to Talia, but tells her it doesn’t matter since they can never be together. Talia hatches a plan to convince Dylan that she knows he would never hurt her. It might backfire, but she believes it’s worth the risk to be with the man she loves.

REVIEW:
I can honestly say that I think Lynn LaFleur is the Queen of Short Erotica. Her stories are not very long but complete and enjoyable. While they claim to be “erotica” I really do not see it that way. This is intense sexual romance and written really well. This is not about BDSM, etc. This is about sex and romance and the couples that enjoy it.

I was going to review each separately but they are equally as good and I am enjoying these sexy firefighters.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts