Kimberly reviews Rising Assets by Rebecca Zanetti

Rising AssetsTITLE: Rising Assets
SERIES #: Maverick, Montana #3
CHARACTERS: Melanie & Colton
AUTHOR: Rebecca Zanetti
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/01/14
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:
4.25 Hearts Every time Rebecca Zanetti writes about a cowboy I think I will never love her last guy as much as I loved the one before but here I am wrong again. Colton is the perfect alpha man with a giving heart. He is a fixer and a planner. He needs thing to go by that plan or he really doesn’t get why it fell apart and suddenly Melanie is something he never planned but she has a problem he needs to fix and dang it he will do it.

Melanie has her own issues and while she usually includes Colton (and Hawk) in any problems this is something she thinks she needs to handle on her own. I love the way that Melanie is snide and quick witted. She doesn’t take any crap.

This is another great book by Rebecca Zanetti. And I can’t wait to read Hawk’s story. He might just turn into the cowboy I fall in love with the most. Oh, and I gave this book an extra .25 stars because any book that mentions Grease (my favorite movie) deserves a little extra.

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

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Blog Tour Interview & Review: An American Werewolf in Hoboken by Dakota Cassidy

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I have the amazingly talented Dakota Cassidy here today to talk about her new book, An American Werewolf in Hoboken.  I loved Max and “Fluffy” and I can’t get enough of Ms. Cassidy’s humor in her books.

1. Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m an old, ex-small-time beauty queen who writes books about crazy situations with a little romance and smexy. 🙂

2. Can you tell us a little bit about your book, An American Werewolf in Hoboken?

Max Adams is a werewolf cursed to die if he doesn’t find his life mate, convince her he’s the one for her in a little under a month, and has to lead a double life while he does it.  Because he ends up caught in full shift by Animal Control, and his life mate, JC Jensen mistakenly adopts him. 🙂

3. How did you come up with the idea for this book?

I always sort of thought wolves don’t look that much different than domestic dogs, so what would happen if one got caught by the pound, one who doesn’t necessarily look exactly like a wolf, but maybe a hybrid. I asked myself the same question I always do, “What if” and I took off from there. 🙂

4. What is the strangest thing that you had to research for a book?

You know, researching phone sex was really interesting.  I actually called a phone-sex operator.  She was really nice.  Her name was Cinderella 🙂

5. What are you working on now?

The Accidental Dragon and more werewolves for the new series!

6. Are there any authors that have influenced you to become a writer?

You know, this just sort of happened to me, but as I began to take this more seriously, I’d definitely have to say Nina Bangs, Sandra Hill and Judith McNaught were huge influences.

7. What advice would you give aspiring writers?

Shut up. LOL! Seriously. Go write. DON’T talk about it. Don’t think about it too much. Just do it.

8. I’m a huge Walking Dead fan *cough* Daryl *cough* and I know that you are too, so do you have any other favorite TV shows at the moment?

Back off the Daryl, Jen! I love House of Cards, Blacklist, Resurrection, The Following — OMG, I could go on and on!

9. Favorite vacation spot?

I don’t take those very often, but I loved Key West.

10. Is there one food or drink that you have to have while writing?

Mostly I drink water — sometimes coffee, sometimes Peach Snapple.

Thank you so much for being here, Dakota.

I hope everyone will come check out Max and his whacky clan of werewolves. Please I need shoes. LOL! Thanks for having me, love!

About the Author:

dakotaDakota Cassidy lives for a good laugh in life and in her writing. In fact, she almost loves a good giggle as much as she loves hair products and that’s saying something.

Her goals in life are simple, (like really simple): banish the color yellow forever, create world peace via hot rollers and Aqua Net; and finally, nab every tiara in the land by competing in the Miss USA, Miss Universe, and Miss World pageants, then sweeping them in a stunning trifecta of much duct tape and Vaseline usage, all in just under one week. Oh, and write really fun books!

Dakota lives in Oregon with her dogs  and has a husband who puts the heroes in her books to shame.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

americanwerewolf

Wooing a life mate can be hard enough for a wolf, wooing one while under the threat of a curse even more so.

Wooing a mate while pretending to be her dog? Nearly impossible.

After being drugged and captured by Animal Control, Max Adams is on Hoboken’s doggie death row when his life mate adopts him, takes him home, and promptly names him Fluffy. While JC, in all her new-pet-owner-ness, feeds “Fluffy” vile kibble, dresses him in mortifying dog couture, and schedules to have his manhood removed, Max’s human side gets to know JC. Especially in the biblical sense. Hopefully well enough to make her fall madly in love, mate with him under the full moon, and move with him to Cedar Glen to live happily every after forever and ever amen. And fast.

Because the curse comes with a deadline…and the clock is ticking.

Amazon/B&N

Jennifer’s Review of An American Werewolf in Hoboken

Review (4.5 Stars): Max Adams is looking for his mate in Hoboken and has to find her before the first full moon to break a family curse.  He never expected to be drugged and captured in his wolf form by Animal Control and placed for adoption in an animal shelter.  JC Jensen is tired of having worthless boyfriends in her life and decides that adopting an animal will help her from falling for the wrong guy again.  She is instantly drawn to Max at the shelter and decides that he is the pet for her and takes “Fluffy” home.  Max knows that JC is the one that is destined to be his mate and has a month to convince her that they belong together.  So he “moves” in as her next door neighbor and also plays the part of “Fluffy” to get to know JC and as time goes on, falls in love with her.  He just has to convince her that she is his mate and not scare her by announcing that he and her precious dog “Fluffy” are one in the same and that he comes from a family of werewolves.

I love Dakota’s writing style because each of her books are filled with love and humor that always makes me laugh out loud.  I felt sorry for poor Max in the beginning because he got himself captured by Animal Control and had to deal with humiliation of being a pet dog named Fluffy.  He knew that JC was his mate at first sight and was surprised to learn that she was human and not a werewolf like him.  JC had the single life that a lot of us women had, meeting jerk after jerk and wondering if we would find anyone worthy in our lives.  She decided that adopting a pet was the answer and it was by bringing Max into her life.  They were great together as a couple and he made her feel as though she was treasured which is exactly what she needed.  I loved Max’s family because of everything they did for the residents of Cedar Glen and how accepting they were of JC without a second thought.  An American Werewolf in Hoboken is a sexy, hot romance that will having you laughing at all the trouble that Max gets into while trying to find his mate. I can’t wait to see which one of Max’s family has to take their journey to find their mate next.

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Small Town Spin by LynDee Walker

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smalltown

When a superstar athlete’s son turns up dead in a tiny town on the Virginia coast, crime reporter Nichelle Clarke gets the inside scoop. But she quickly spies a gaping hole her inner Lois Lane cannot ignore.

Determined to unravel the mystery, Nichelle fights off paparazzi cameras and an unexpected rival. She uncovers an illegal moonshine operation, a string of copycat suicides, and a slew of closets stacked with more skeletons than slingbacks. Chasing a killer who’s a breath from getting away with murder, Nichelle realizes too late the culprit has her number—and it might be up.

Amazon/Goodreads

About the Author:

LynDee headshotLynDee Walker’s award-winning journalistic work has appeared in newspapers and magazines across the nation. After nearly a decade covering crime, courts, and local politics, she left full-time reporting for motherhood with a side of freelancing and fiction writing. Small Town Spin is the third in her bestselling Headlines in High Heels Mystery series. The fourth arrives January 2015.

LynDee adores her family, her readers, and enchiladas. She often works out tricky plot points while walking off the enchiladas. She lives in Richmond, Virginia, where she is either playing with her children or working on her next novel (but probably not cleaning her house).

Website/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Small Town Spin

Review (4 Stars): I was first introduced to the character, Nichelle Clarke, in the anthology, Heartache Motel, that I had the pleasure of reading a few months back.  Dateline Memphis was one of my favorite stories from that book and I’m so glad to read her newest adventure, Small Town Spin.  Nichelle receives a phone call to do an exclusive interview with the famous family of a teenager who recently committed suicide.  What she finds is a mystery that doesn’t quite add up when the clues don’t lead to a troubled young man but one that had so much to live for.  As she investigates further, more teenagers are committing suicide in this small town and she is willing to put herself in danger to find answers.

I liked Nichelle because she is such a great character.  During most of this book, she was fighting a sinus infection and working long hours to find answers to this mystery which I respected.  She was smart, sassy and I loved her determination.  The mystery was well-written and engaging until the very last page.  I love Ms. Walker’s books and I’m looking forward to reading more in this series.

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Blog Tour & Giveaway: Burnout by Teresa Trent

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Today I have Teresa Trent here to talk about her new mystery, Burnout.  These books are fun and entertaining mysteries that have great small-town characters.

The Romance of Mystery

by Teresa Trent

I love a mystery, but the best mysteries are also romances.  I can remember as a young woman reading all of the Phyllis Whitney books with the wispy maiden drawn on the cover turning her back as she ran away from the dark and brooding mansion house behind her.  There was something about that cover that drew me into the story.  Maybe I was imagining myself as the young slender woman with beautiful straight hair and the well – fitting evening gown.  Yes, there was a mystery, and yes, she was in danger, but she was young and beautiful so that meant there was probably also a young and handsome man somewhere in the story.  I was sold.  I have never been one to enjoy high body counts and page after page of terrible things one character has done to another.  That is probably why I write cozy mysteries instead of thrillers.  In a cozy mystery much of the violence is offstage.  If there is a report from the coroner it’s usually something the characters read and not something a character finds out from lifting a sheet on a dead body.

There is nothing that kills that romantic feeling faster than an in-depth discussion of the decomposition of a body.  No, mysteries need to be interwoven with romance.  The main character is stepping out taking chances both in tracking down a killer and allowing their own vulnerability with another character.  Will the love interest turn out to be bad or good? Read on and find out.

Even Miss Marple had an element of romance in every story.  Miss Marple rarely takes part in a romantic entanglement, but Agatha Christie always made sure that there were younger characters and some elements of romance.  In my Pecan Bayou Mystery Series, I have one romantic relationship that is interwoven throughout all five books.  I try to capture the relationship from the first kiss between my two characters Betsy and Leo all the way to the love that they share in the fifth book as a married couple.  Of course they are not alone.  They are surrounded by all of the quirky characters of small-town Texas and quite a few murderers.  Leo asks Betsy in one book if there was some sort of bizarre crop dusting with mood-enhancing chemicals that produced so many killer psychos in one tiny town.  Still though, no matter how many bodies Betsy finds, Leo keeps coming back to her, sometimes to rescue her and sometimes to get rescued by her.

Isn’t that what love is all about, anyway?

About the Author:

ttrentTeresa Trent writes her Pecan Bayou Mystery Series from Houston, Texas. With a father in the army, her family moved often finally settling in Colorado. Living in Texas for the last 18 years she loves the people and even the weather. Teresa includes Danny, a character with Down Syndrome in her Pecan Bayou family and in real life is the mother of an adult son with Down Syndrome/PDD. Creating the character of Danny and all of the other inhabitants of Pecan Bayou has been a joy for her. Even though she lives in the big city, her writing is influenced by all of the interesting people she finds in small towns and the sense of family that seems to be woven through them all.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

BURNOUTCOVER_TERESATRENT

It’s November in Pecan Bayou, Texas and while the town is getting ready for the Thanksgiving holiday a deadly fire breaks out at the newspaper office. When Rocky, the editor is nowhere to be found, Betsy refuses to believe he has perished in the fire. The entire town is coming down with the stomach flu and Betsy must deal with her husband’s new found celebrity as an on-air weatherman filling in for and under-the-weather Hurricane Hal . Leo loves all the attention he’s getting, especially from the sexy administrative assistant who works at the station. Is their new marriage in trouble already? Find out in the fifth book of the Pecan Bayou Mystery Series. All the characters you’ve come to know and love are back and you’ll find plenty of the Happy Hinter’s recipes and tips included at the end of the book.

Amazon

(This book is currently FREE during the dates of the tour!)

Jennifer’s Review of Burnout

Review (4 Stars):  This was a quick and very entertaining mystery that kept me up most of the night.  Everyone is pretty much sick with the flu in Pecan Bayou and Betsy is trying desperately to stay well before the holidays.  In the middle of all this, there is a terrible fire at the newspaper and Rocky is missing and they aren’t sure if he perished in the fire.  Betsy hopes for the best but as the evidence mounts, she may have to face the fact that her longtime editor may have been killed and someone purposely set the fire.  Was it an accident or was someone trying to silence Rocky before he exposed the truth on a story that someone didn’t want to come to light?

I like the Pecan Bayou series because these mysteries are always fun and will keep you guessing to the very end.  Betsy has overcome so much over the course of this series and I enjoyed the fact that everything was going so well for her in the beginning of this story.  She does have quite a few challenges in this story due to some new family dynamics but considering everything she has been through, I know everything will work out for her.  Ms. Trent is always able to write intriguing mysteries with great small-town characters and I can’t wait to see what is in store next for Pecan Bayou.

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Kimberly reviews Ace In The Hole by Marissa Dobson

Ace in the holeTITLE: Ace In The Hole
SERIES #: SEALed For You #1
CHARACTERS: Gwen & Ace
AUTHOR: Marissa Dobson
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/01/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Ace Diamond left behind the woman he loved when he joined the Navy SEALs. For years he focused on his career, working his way up, risking life and limb on missions for his country. Now home on leave, he must face his past and ask himself if leaving her was a mistake.
At seventeen, Gwyneth London gave her heart away only to have it broken. More than a dozen years later, she decides to embrace her single life and have a child on her own. Ready to start over in her hometown, she doesn’t expect to see the man who still has her heart, but when he walks into her life she’s unable to push him away.
Can Gwyneth and Ace claim the life they were supposed to have, or will they let love pass them by?

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Such a charming story. I couldn’t stop reading. This is about a second chance at love and making the future right after messing up the past. The connection is immediate between Gwen and Ace, probably because they never stopped loving each other. And while you can understand that he had good intentions you wonder how he could have walked away so many years ago. This couple is just so sweet together. I would have loved more pages and wish there had been more to this story. I could have kept on reading for another 100 pages. While complete as it is I wanted more time with them. I hope we are given the chance to see more of them as the rest of the series unfolds.

This is a great story to have ready between novels. To take an hour to yourself and sink into their lives. Great job by Marissa. Bring on the next in the series. I can’t wait.

Disclaimer:
The following review is my opinion and not a paid review. I received this book free from the author..

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Book Spotlight & Review: Sweet Talk Me by Kieran Kramer

SweetTalkMe_KieranKramer_300

HE’S SURE GOT A WAY WITH WORDS…
The last person True Maybank expected to run into while picking up her wedding gown was country music superstar Harrison Gamble. Years ago, when they were small-town teens in Biscuit Creek, South Carolina, they shared a forbidden night of passion. Now that she’s about to settle down, True’s love affair with the handsome crooner is a thing of the past. Or is it? From the moment he says hello, she has to fight swooning like an adoring fan.

CAN SHE RESIST HIS CHARMS?
Today he’s rich, famous, and on every woman’s hot list. But back in the day, Harrison wasn’t good enough for debutante True. Since then she’s had her fair share of marital prospects, including the perfect Southern gentleman she’s about to settle down with. Is Harrison the only one to realize the mistake True’s about to make? Can the society girl and the sexy singer make music together – this time around?

Amazon/B&N

About the Author:

201203-KieranKramer-225x300USA Today bestselling author Kieran Kramer currently writes fun contemporary romance for St. Martin’s Press. A former CIA employee, journalist, and English teacher, Kieran’s also a game show veteran, karaoke enthusiast, and general adventurer. She lives where she grew up–in the Lowcountry of South Carolina–with her family. Find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and at www.kierankramerbooks.com.

 

 

Jennifer’s Review of Sweet Talk Me

Review (4.25 Stars): I loved Ms. Kramer’s House of Brady series and I was super excited to read her new contemporary release, Sweet Talk Me.  The story starts out with True Maybank putting the finishing touches on her wedding plans to longtime beau, Dubose and trying not to freak out as these plans start to fall apart.  Harrison Gamble, famous country singer and True’s first love, comes back into her life at the most inopportune time while she is picking up her wedding dress.  Harrison decides that needs to stay in town for a few weeks to help his family and to try to rekindle his friendship with True.  He thinks her marrying Dubose is a huge mistake and he hopes that with time, he can remind her of the relationship that they had and the possible future they can have together.

True is such a contemporary Southern belle, who holds her head high and puts up a brave front when her world seems to be crashing around her.  I loved her strength because she held on to her home and raised her younger sister by herself when her parents died in a tragic accident.  She never asked for help from anyone and spending time with Harrison reminded her of a time where she could still achieve her dreams of going to college. He brought out the best in her and was willing to help her without any strings attached.  Harrison was every bit the sexy country superstar and no matter what happened in his life, he never forgot where he came from.  Both True and Harrison looked out for their family and they seemed perfect for each other, but their pride and the past seemed to get in the way.

Sweet Talk Me is an enjoyable sexy southern romance and I loved every bit of True and Harrison’s story.  The pacing was a little slow at times in this book but I liked how these scenes showed how deep the emotions were between them, even after all these years.  I always enjoy Ms. Kramer’s books and I’m looking forward to reading more from this great author.

Kimberly reviews Naughty Bits: The Lingerie Shop by Joey W Hill

Naughty Bits #1TITLE: Naughty Bits: The Lingerie Shop
SERIES #: Naughty Bits #1
CHARACTERS: Madison & Logan
AUTHOR: Joey W Hill
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/15/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Madison is a control freak with one wish—to lose control. Her hidden submissive cravings have led to a string of disastrous relationships. So when she inherits her sister’s North Carolina lingerie shop, Naughty Bits, she jumps at the opportunity to dump her boring finance career and bad history and try her luck down South.

But before Madison can settle in, she catches the attention of the owner of the neighboring hardware store. Sexually dominant Logan Scott can see the hunger for command in Madison’s eyes and is anxious to help unleash her submissive desires. He presents her with three very tempting gifts—handcuffs, erotic cards, and an open invitation to join him at a submissive’s training session.

Faced with the realization that she can’t sell fantasies to her lingerie customers without embracing her own, Madison accepts Logan’s offer. Now, she’s about to discover just how far her desire can take her…

REVIEW:
This is the first in the series and the meeting of Madison and Logan. First off if you are not into erotica then pass up this story. Second this story is very short. It only has about 80 pages and their story continues into the next novella “Naughty Bits #2 The Training Session”.

This story is about Madison realizing what she wants and her deceased sister giving her the chance for that to come true. We didn’t get too involved with Logan yet but so far he is an interesting character. He has the presence of a Dom. It almost seems like he started wanting Madison based solely on what he learned from Madison’s sister.

I enjoyed the story but wish it hadn’t ended so soon. At least the next story will be out in a month so there is not a lot of time between installments.

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

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Kimberly reviews Unravel Me by Tori St. Claire

unravel meTITLE: Unravel Me
CHARACTERS: Cassie & Brad
AUTHOR: Tori St. Claire
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/24/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Letting go might be the key that unlocks her pleasure…

Attorney Cassie Blaire has spent most of her life living by rules. Rules that keep her life sensible, and on the right path. But five years after losing her husband, Cassie is saying sayonara to “sensible.” And it starts now—with indulging a need she’s long denied.

When he arrives in Colorado, all Brad Steele wants is a scotch before he has to play nice in the first face-to-face meeting with his co-counsel in an ugly divorce case. But instead, he finds her—a lush, inviting stranger whose dark eyes invite him to sin…and thirst turns into a raw, undeniable hunger.

Now Cassie is initiated into a world that has nothing to do with being sensible, and everything to do with sensuality. Under Brad’s guiding touch, she’s receiving an education in desire—one that breaks all of the old rules, and explores tantalizing new ones. And once she learns that her naughty one-nighter is her arrogant co-counsel, all of her objections will be sustained…

REVIEW:
I really enjoyed this story. I am not sure it would fall under the erotica genre but it is a bit sexual. Brad has hidden his dominant side and Cassie has a submissive side she has never explored. There is no BDSM. He is more controlling than dominant really. The story is very well written and keeps your attention. The connection between the two is instantaneous.

I liked how Brad is not looking for a submissive outside of the bedroom. He wants someone who can handle herself and is strong in her career. Cassie is that person. Yes some of it is pretty obvious and there is no real surprise with how it ends but it is a romance. Did we want it to end any other way? Wonderful weekend read.

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

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Blog Tour & Giveaway: See Jane Fall by Katy Regnery

See Jane Fall Blog Tour Banner

See Jane Fall - Front Cover

When his company is contracted by a magazine to help with a fashion photo shoot, easy-going Yellowstone tour guide Lars Lindstrom rolls his eyes. This means he’ll have to “babysit” supermodel Samara Amaya’s assistant. Little does he know that Jane Mays, Samara’s down-to-earth, smart-mouthed assistant and cousin, with her smoky voice and surprisingly soft heart, is someone of whom he can’t get enough—or that spoiled Samara has her sights set on a weekend fling with him and will do just about anything to get her way.

When a plain Jane faces off with a supermodel to win a cowboy’s heart, just about anyone can end up taking a fall. This time it’ll be for good.

Amazon/Goodreads

Teaser 3About the Author:

katy-regnery-2KATY REGNERY, contemporary romance author of the Heart of Montana and Enchanted Places series, has always loved telling a good story. She credits her mother with making funny, heartwarming tales come alive throughout her childhood. A lifelong devotee of all romance writing, from Edwardian to present-day, it was just a matter of time before Katy tried her hand at writing a love story of her own.

Living in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, where her writing room looks out at the woods, her family creates just enough cheerful chaos to remind her that the very best love stories of all are the messy and unexpected ones.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of See Jane Fall

Review (4.5 Stars): Katy Regnery is quickly becoming one of my favorite romance authors with her well-written story lines and characters that you can instantly connect with.  Jane Mays is no exception and I think that See Jane Fall is in my top five books so far this year.  I loved Jane because she was a survivor, she dealt with the loss of her family and dealt with the daily verbal abuse from her prima donna cousin, Samara.  Jane was fun, down-to-earth, and needed to step out of Samara’s shadow to grab her chance at love before her cousin ruined everything.  It was fun watching Jane and Lars together because they had so much in common and were perfect for each other if they just gave it a chance.

The only thing I didn’t like about this book was Samara, Jane’s cousin, because she was a selfish, backstabbing, cruel woman who used her beauty as an excuse to verbally abuse everyone around her.  I wanted to smack her for Jane because this woman needed to be brought down a few pegs and it made me root for Jane all the more. I loved reading Jane and Lars’ story in See Jane Fall and I’m dying to read Maggie’s story next from Ms. Regnery.

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Kelly reviews Fashionably Dead Down Under by Robyn Peterman

Fashionably deadTITLE: Fashionably Dead Down Under
SERIES #: Hot Damned #2
CHARACTERS: Astrid, Ethan and a whole herd of crazy @$$ characters
AUTHOR: Robyn Peterman
PUBLICATION DATE: March 31, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Welcome to Hell.
Literally.
The Hell where the Prince of Darkness is hotter than Hades, Hell Hounds smell like brownies and the Seven Deadly Sins are addicted to Facebook… Not to mention the soundtrack in the Underworld is Journey. For real.

I should have known no good could come from offing my parents in the space of twenty minutes no matter how psychotic and evil they were…

Now I find out my family tree includes almost every deity and mythological being alive while Ethan, the one and only love of my undead life has a limited time down under before he turns to dust. In the land of Sin, you’d think I’d get some nookie time with my man, but no. Baby Demons, cousins and grandparents put the kibosh on that. Blue balls are the new normal. What the hell does a half-Vampyre Half-Demon have to do to catch a break?

Apparently find a freakin’ sword, calm Mother Nature’s unmedicated mood swings and make sure Mister Rogers keeps his sticky fingers to himself during weekly poker with the Devil.

And I have three days to do it.

By all that’s unholy, I thought Ethan’s Vampyre family was crazy…Trust me, they have nothing on the Demons.

REVIEW:
Holy Hell!!! The cast of characters that Robyn comes up with makes me a little afraid to make her mad. At the same time I want to do something totally out there just so she can make me one of her crazy characters… This was such a fun book. I would have liked a little more Ethan & Astrid time *wiggle eyebrows* But they were a bit busy you know saving the world. Well the underworld or is it the above world.
Anywhoooo, Astrid has to use her amazing brains, quirky personality, the use of her boobs and a surprising new talent to save everyone from not only from a few crazy’s but from them self too.
I am am very much looking forward to the next book in the Hot Damned Series.

Disclaimer:
This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

4 Hearts
4 Hearts

Book Spotlight & Review: The Other Half by Sarah Rayner

Other Half

The mistress. The Wife. Each has her own story.

Chloë, bright hip and single, is a features editor with ambitions to launch a magazine of her own. When she meets her potential new boss, she knows she shouldn’t mix business with pleasure, but finds it impossible to resist…

Maggie appears to have it all. She’s beautiful, a talented writer, and has a gorgeous husband. But something’s not quite right: his job as a magazine publisher is keeping him in the city until late most evenings, and some nights he doesn’t come home at all…

Told in alternating voices of the mistress and the wife, this story of an affair is a sharp, seductive take on modern love. Who, if anyone, comes out unscathed?

Amazon/B&N

*EXCERPT*

Chloë, the mistress, (so to speak) works with her lover, James, and has gone away with him secretly, to New York.

Chloë still had half an hour before she was due to meet James in Bloomingdales, but found a thickly powdered beautician to give her a makeover.  She stripped Chloë’s face of its usual make-up and clipped her hair back in order to transform her attractive yet far from supermodel features.
And that is exactly where Chloë was – one eye half made-up, the other bare – when there was a screech from across the counter, a screech that made her blood run cold.
‘Chloë! It can’t be! Chloë! Is that you?’ Out of one eye, Chloë verified that the voice belonged to the person she feared it did.
Jean. Her boss, James’s colleague, and James’s wife’s best friend.
Oh. My. God.
Now Jean was at her shoulder.
‘Hi,’ said Chloë weakly, the powdered beautician still determinedly dabbing at her eyelid.
‘Have you come to the conference?’ asked Jean.
‘Er, no . . .’ Chloë thought supersonic speed. ‘I’m on holiday.’
‘Gosh. What a coincidence!’
‘Got a last-minute booking.’ When lying stick close to the truth, then deflect: ‘How about you?’
‘I’m here for the conference. You should know that!’
If she thought about it, Chloë did.
‘So,’ continued Jean, ‘where are you staying?’
‘With friends in the Village.’ Chloë  spoke as best she could with her jaw wide open as the beautician liplined her mouth. ‘How about you?’ Oh please, please, not the Paramount.
‘The Algonquin. I know it’s not trendy but I love it. I can kid myself I’m literary.’
Phew, thought Chloë. Maybe this wasn’t so bad. But – oh, heavens, James! James was meeting her here! If she squinted she could just see her watch: 2.55. She had five minutes to get rid of Jean, at most.
Yet Jean seemed to have no desire to go. ‘So, if you’re here anyway, you should come to the conference, Chloë. I’ll arrange for you to attend. We can go together.’
Aargh! Worse and worse! ‘That would be great.’ Chloë opened her eyes extra wide in horror. The powdered beauty misread the signal, and leapt to attack her with another layer of mascara.
‘Afterwards, if you like, we could go out for supper.’
No, no, no! thought Chloë. ‘I’m afraid I’ve arranged to meet my friends.’ Then, fearing Jean might invite herself, added, ‘They’ve booked Nobu for a birthday bash.’
‘Really?’ Jean was evidently impressed. ‘I gather you have to reserve a table weeks in advance.’
Exactly, thought Chloë.
‘What a hip crowd you must know here.’
‘Oh, I do,’ said Chloë. In for a penny. ‘My friend Matt is a playwright. Lives in the East Village.’
‘Is that where you’re staying?’
‘Um, yes, on Spring Street.’
‘Gosh, how trendy,’ said Jean. ‘Though I’d call that SoHo.’
‘SoHo, East Village, NoHo . . . it’s all the same,’ laughed Chloë, desperately. ‘Eh?’
‘If you say so.’
At that moment, just as she thought she was winning, Chloë saw James weaving his way through Lancôme, Chanel, Bobbi Brown . . .
Drastic action was called for.
Perched on the counter was a huge bottle of eye make-up remover. Hideously oily, but . . . ‘Oh, my God, Jean!’ Chloë shrieked theatrically, and sent it flying. The liquid spilt all over Jean’s designer suit. Then, to make doubly sure, ‘Jean! I am so sorry!’
James was almost upon them. Jean was bent over frantically sponging her jacket with some tissues. The powdered beauty was mopping the counter – it needed one more shriek.
‘Oh, JEAN, how can I make it up to you?’
And – thank God – all at once James seemed to realize what the commotion was about. Chloë saw him dart behind a pillar, just before Jean stood upright, and flee as fast as he could through Christian Dior and Trish McEvoy, past women’s belts and gloves, and out of the nearest door onto Lexington Avenue.

About the Author:

Sarah Rayner author photo 2011 DH 007Sarah Rayner is best known as the author of the international bestseller, One Moment, One Morning and its follow-up, The Two Week Wait. But the British author had a life before that; she spent her childhood in the suburbs of the London, then became a punk rocker, spiked her hair and went to university in Yorkshire to study English and get chilblains.

She returned to London in the late ’80s, flattened her hair and worked in fashion PR for a bit, before her boss told her she was better at writing than schmoozing clients, and suggested she become an advertising copywriter. She took the hint, and after ten years in various London agencies, turned freelance, got some short stories published by women’s magazines, and for many years combined life as an author and copywriter. Sarah now writes fiction full time, and lives in Brighton with her husband and stepson.

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Jennifer’s Review of The Other Half

Review (4 Stars): One of the things that I liked about The Other Half was that it told the story of an affair from both the perspectives of the wife, Maggie and the mistress, Chloë.  Maggie loves James and after having a child and being married several years together, they have lost the spark in their relationship.  She would love to have another child but James doesn’t seem to feel the same way and she has been trying everything to bring them closer together.  Chloë is a young woman who meets James at work and quickly becomes involved in a sexual relationship with him which slowly becomes something more.  

I liked Maggie from the very beginning and I thought that she was a strong character that was trying to strengthen her relationship with her husband.  I liked reading her story throughout this book and how she dealt with James’ infidelity.  Chloë was a different character for me and I had a hard time sympathizing with her.  She knew James was married from the beginning and was even a child of a broken home due to adultery, yet she still got involved with him.  The Other Half was a very interesting look at the effects of infidelity and how each character changes over the course of the book because of it.  I thought that this book was well-written and I will definitely be reading more from Ms. Rayner.

 

Kimberly reviews Aflame by Krissy Daniels

AflameTITLE: Aflame
SERIES #: Apotheosis, #1
CHARACTERS: Grayce & Zander
AUTHOR: Krissy Daniels
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/07/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
To save her soul, he’ll let her burn.

Grayce has been on the run for years. Having escaped an abusive relationship with a violent psychopath, she is trying to rebuild her life one small step at a time. Things are going well until Zander crosses her path, badass and sexy as hell. His presence awakens heated desires she long ago buried. Last thing Grayce wants is a man, and the way her body reacts to Zander scares her more than the threat of being found.

Tyr will do anything to get his little dove back. She is a Beacon, and her raw, burning energy gives him power and strength. More than the evil that already compels him. But a blond giant of a man hovers protectively around her. No matter. He’ll play with him too.

When Zander rescues Grayce from Tyr’s first attempt to reclaim her, he reveals his superhuman abilities. Power that Grayce also has, but has yet to understand. As predestined soul mates, Zander must help Grace control her rage before her fire threatens to destroy everyone and everything in her path. But his true challenge is more than that—to show her it’s possible to trust and love again.

CONTENT WARNING: Hot sex with a foul-mouthed firecracker.

REVIEW:
What a weird and yet intriguing story. So different than anything I have read before. The characters were interesting and had so much background that I felt like I knew them. The life Grayce has led was so sad and scary that I felt so bad for her. I loved Zander (but then I am a fan of the big alpha possessive kinda guy) and found myself happy and sad for him.

There were a few things that I would have changed. I mean even having the warning of a foul mouthed woman was not enough to describe the language in this book. And I missed the fact that we didn’t get an answer to Grayce’s legal issues… I mean come on she is wanted for murder. Even so I really enjoyed this story.

Looking for something a bit different to read? Love a bit of magic (for lack of a better word) in a story? Like a guy who loves with his whole heart and a woman who is willing to overcome her past? Then this is the book for you.

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

4 Hearts
4 Hearts