Spotlight feature: Dakota Cassidy’s You Dropped a Blonde Me

TITLE: You Dropped a Blonde on Me
SERIES #: Ex-Trophy Wives Club #1
CHARACTERS: Maxine Cambridge & Campbell Barker
AUTHOR: Dakota Cassidy
PUBLICATION DATE: January 31, 2020
PREORDER LINKS: Amazon
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Dear readers, PLEASE NOTE, this book and the subsequent series was previously published in 2010 by Berkley Publishing. The series has new covers with some some minimal changes and revisions. Essentially, there have been no significant changes. Please take care before mistakenly purchasing twice.

From pampered to pauper…

Maxine Cambridge, former high school beauty queen turned trophy wife, has officially been traded in for a newer, younger model. From a mini-mansion to her mother’s eight hundred square foot retirement village, Maxine and her teenage son Connor are left with nothing and life is looking pretty bleak for this one-time rich girl.

Maxine hasn’t worked in twenty years at being anything more than her very rich, very-soon-to-be-ex-husband’s eye candy and a stay-at-home-mom. She doesn’t know the first thing about making a livable income, but she’s going to find out as she scoops poop and hosts bingo night at her mother’s village.

In the midst of fighting her mad insecurities, getting her footing while wearing her mother’s hand me downs, and desperately looking for a way to support herself and her son, in walks Campbell Barker–former high school classmate–a one-time geek turned total smoke show.

Campbell gives her glimpses of who she used to be before she became someone’s dress up doll. Before she lived in a world that revolved around someone else’s opinion of her and he refuses to believe she’s no longer the vivacious, smart girl he once had a major crush on.

But the harder she fights the notion that the old Max is gone, the more she finds herself again and now she’s ready to take back what was once hers and fight for her new life!

Watch for our features of Burning Down the Spouse (bk2) and Waltz this Way (bk3) in the Ex-Trophy Wives series.

About Dakota:

Dakota 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.

Learn more about Dakota and her books here: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

May 9, 2015May 9, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Upside Down by Lia Riley

If you never get lost, you’ll never be found…
Twenty-one-year-old Natalia Stolfi is saying good-bye to the past-and turning her life upside down with a trip to the land down under. For the next six months, she’ll act like a carefree exchange student, not a girl sinking under the weight of painful memories. Everything is going according to plan until she meets a brooding surfer with hypnotic green eyes and the troubling ability to see straight through her act.Bran Lockhart is having the worst year on record. After the girl of his dreams turned into a nightmare, he moved back home to Melbourne to piece his life together. Yet no amount of disappointment could blind him to the pretty California girl who gets past all his defenses. He’s never wanted anyone the way he wants Talia. But when Bran gets a stark reminder of why he stopped believing in love, he and Talia must decide if what they have is once in a lifetime . . . or if they were meant to live a world apart.

Amazon/B&N

*EXCERPT*

“A few meters more, you’re almost there.”
It’s like we’re at the end of some old-school adventure tale, one where the heroes are stoic even as the blizzard rages, avalanches fall, and death hovers like a benevolent ghost.
Well, Bran is the hero.
I’m like one of the minor sidekicks who goes down during some important turning point. My death might even inspire the hero on his journey or teach him a valuable lesson. But at this point in the flick, the minor sidekick should be well and truly dead. Not white-knuckling a column of dolerite rock, thighs gripping the stone like it’s the world’s best lover.
“That’s it, Talia,” Bran’s voice is encouraging. “You’re holding tight, that’s great. Now, I’m going to need you to release your left hand and reach up a few inches to grab the next hold.”
I grit my teeth. The way he talks, you’d think I’m scaling Everest. Or at least Kilimanjaro. Instead—
“’Scuse, us, we’ll be by in a tic. That’s the way, Andy, right around the lady.”
I’m the lady. Andy is a kid who doesn’t look a day over seven who scrambles past me in a flurry of Spider-Man shoes and gap-toothed smiles. His parents bring up the rear, smiling up at their wild monkey child with obvious pride.
And they aren’t the first group to pass me.
Five Swedish women, a couple, and a guy who looked to be in his mid-seventies have also shot past me during the course of the last quarter hour.
The top is so close I can taste it. Bran is being nothing but encouraging, but below me is a twenty-foot drop. Not enough to kill me, unless I fall with some sort of suicidal intent, but enough to make me feel incredibly uneasy about the boulder field.
Bran eases toward me. “Talia, take my hand.”
“Can’t let go.”
“Talia.”
“No.” This is it; this is the reason. Bran isn’t going to admit it here, while I’m bordering on a panic attack on a trail being conquered by elementary school children and senior citizens, but there’s no doubt this is A REASON to lose interest in me. I’m giving him a big capital-lettered reason, but I can’t stop. I physically can’t let go.
“Talia. Take a deep breath.”
“Breath taken.”
“Another.”
“Okay.”
“Give me your hand, no bullshit. I want your fingers in mine. You’ll be safe. I’m going to keep you safe. I need you to trust me.”
Somehow I do it. I give him my fingers. He assists me up. We’re doing this together. My head clears the boulder and I can see the steel marker that identifies the summit ahead. Holy shit, he’s right. I’m going to reach the top.
A few more steps, easy now, and we’re there. The kid in the Spider-Man shoes munches a Vegemite sandwich. I want to scoop him up in a smooshy squeeze. Except his parents would likely object, so I switch gears to give Bran a long and passionate kiss.
“I knew you’d get here,” he says.
“I didn’t.”
He turns me to see the view, his hands tight around my waist. “Your place is here, Captain, in the sun,” he whispers in my ear. “Don’t ever forget that.”

About the Author:

After studying at the University of Montana-Missoula, Lia Riley scoured the world armed only with a backpack, overconfidence and a terrible sense of direction. When not torturing heroes (because c’mon, who doesn’t love a good tortured hero?), Lia herds unruly chickens, camps, beach combs, daydreams about as-of-yet unwritten books, wades through a mile-high TBR pile and schemes yet another trip. She and her family live mostly in Northern California.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Upside Down

Review (4 Stars): This book touched me emotionally because when I was about Talia’s age I lost someone very close to me and I understood the pain and the desire to appear normal to everyone around me. Talia has OCD and these daily rituals help her cope with her changing world and meeting Bran pushed her to go outside her comfort zone to experience something absolutely amazing.

Bran was able to accept her at a time when she felt that no one could understand what she was experiencing and he fell in love with the real Talia. He was sweet, charming and dangerously sexy and he definitely could break your heart but in Talia’s case, he wanted to cherish it forever. She was the one for him and her flaws just made him love her all the more.

Upside Down is a touching romance about two lost souls who find love when they least expect it. Talia and Bran were perfect for each other because they were lost when they were on their own but together they finally found a place to call home.

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May 5, 2015May 4, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Carry Me Home by Lia Riley

Love doesn’t have to be perfect to be true…
Years ago, Tanner Green loved Sunny Letman. She was meant to be his first kiss, first love, first everything. Then their world spun upside-down and out of control. Free-spirited Sunny doesn’t do commitment. Sure, guys are great for a night or a week, but she always leaves first. That is, until professional skateboarder and town golden boy, Tanner Green, unexpectedly walks back into her life.

Despite their broken history, a fragile and undeniably electric connection still holds them together. Now Tanner has to convince Sunny that even though love isn’t always perfect, it’s worth sticking around for. .

Amazon/B&N

*EXCERPT*

Tanner is in the shower when I let myself inside. There’s a wooden rocking chair in the corner. I walk over, sit and close my eyes. He’s naked, soapy, skin flushed from the hot spray. I could join him. He wants me. The space between my legs throbs to the beat of my heart. What’s set in motion between us isn’t going to stop.

I rock, straighten my backbone and focus my attentions. Imagine each breath spiraling through the open door, to the sky, leaving the atmosphere. A quiet prayer. Please. Please don’t let me fuck this up. My hands grip the rocking chair sides hard, hands that ache to touch his wet skin.

The water turns off and he’s out, rubbing a towel over his body.

I’m going for it, can’t help myself.

I tried my best to be my own island.

Turns out my best isn’t nearly good enough.

The door opens and he stands, backlit in a tight white t-shirt and pair of low slung jeans. His mop of hair is wet, slicked back from his striking face.

“Good, you’re back,” he says. “I didn’t like you out there alone.”

“I was fine, nothing scary outside.”

He frowns, catching my double meaning. “I decided to sleep in the back of my car.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“I don’t mind.”

Of course he doesn’t. He’d sleep on bare concrete if he thought it would be easier for me.

“I get it.” He backs toward the door. “Tonight’s been extreme. You want space. I’ll go–”

“Stop.” I’m in the darkest corner, in this rocking chair throne, the Queen of the Shadows. There’s a great mystery at work. How can my heart be chained to this guy and still feel free?

A bead of water drops from his thick hair and falls to his shoulder. Then another. Tiny wet patches appear on his shirt each time one makes impact. The way he watches me, his gaze writes a secret poem on my skin. “Tell me you don’t want me,” he says.“Say you’re not interested and nothing will happen.”

I want to curl in a ball. Instead, I stand up.

“Sunny,” he whispers, and it’s hard to know if he intends my name as a question or an answer. Funny, the way it sounds like both.

My lids flutter closed of their own volition as he closes the distance. He’s tall enough that when he bends, his face buries into the top of my head. He inhales as if I’m a secret flower. I wish I only ever bloomed for him. A stupid notion. This moment would be perfect if it wasn’t us. If we were other people.

I hook my fingers into his belt loops and do an uncharacteristic fumble, aim too high and brush his stomach instead. His abdominal muscles flex and there’s my cue to explore. I can’t help but inch under the cotton, trace the thick muscles that make up his defined V-line. My nails gently cut to the top of his jeans. His groan vibrates into my skull.

He’s slipping, less careful with every ragged breath. His skin heats under my fingertips. There’s no choice. There’s never been with him.

I rock into him, hard, and his mouth explodes on mine like a wet, hot grenade. He bites my lower lip and even though I’m scared, I’m not scared of him anymore.

About the Author:

Website/Twitter/Facebook

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May 4, 2015May 3, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Tessa Ever After by Brighton Walsh

In this grippingly emotional New Adult novel from the author of Caged in Winter, what you want isn’t always what you need…
Jason’s been living (and loving) the rich playboy lifestyle for five years, but now his parents are pressuring him to get involved in the family business. The last thing he wants is another obligation, but when his best friend moves out of state and asks Jason to look after his sister, he can’t just say no.
Tessa had to grow up way too soon. After dealing with the aftermath of her parents’ deaths, then becoming a teenage mom, she knows the meaning of responsibility. Which is why, at twenty-two, she’s looking for so much more than a party boy. She’s looking for someone who can stand by her and her daughter…forever.
A relationship between them is doomed from the start, but who says they can’t have a little fun? But as Jason gets closer to Tessa—and her daughter—fun starts to turn into something else… Something Jason’s not sure he’s ready for.

Amazon/B&N

*EXCERPT*

tessa
I threw the game. Despite my daughter wanting me to win—for girls everywhere, she said—I couldn’t. I feigned exhaustion, letting my body slump to the ground. Because my blood was boiling, my body on fire as I pressed against Jason’s body during a stupid game of Twister, and I couldn’t take it anymore. If Haley hadn’t been in the room, I would’ve pulled Jason down on top of me and let him strip me down right there on that stupid plastic mat.
In reality, I had a four-year-old to attend to instead of doing everything I wanted to. In the thirty minutes since putting Haley to bed, my urgency has faded, leaving behind only a subtle hum under my skin, but it’s there. This vibration of need when Jason is around that I never bothered to notice before. Or that I willingly ignored, which is probably more the case.

Despite that, despite wanting him, I’m in the bathroom under the guise of freshening up, even though I showered just a couple hours ago. I’m stalling, and I don’t know why. Haley’s asleep, Jason’s in the living room, presumably waiting for me, and I’m hiding in the bathroom.

Several minutes go by before a soft knock sounds at the door, sending me jumping nearly a foot in the air.

“Yeah . . .” I try to say, except my voice comes out all scratchy and breathless, so I clear my throat and try again. “Yeah?”

“Do you want me to just go home, Tess?”

“What?” I whip the door open, eyes wide and frantic, because that is absolutely not what I want. Not even a little bit. Leaning his shoulder against the doorjamb, Jason’s eyes snap to mine as soon as the layer of wood isn’t separating us anymore, and in that split second when our eyes meet, the heat between us cracks and sizzles just like it did while we were playing the game.

Just like it’s been doing anytime we’re within twenty feet of each other. Shaking my head, I say, “No. I don’t want you to go home.”

His eyebrows lift up on his forehead, his expression one that clearly says he thinks I’m full of it. “You sure?Because you’ve been hiding in here for ten minutes.”

I open my mouth to argue with him about the hiding bit, but there’s no use. Instead, I simply nod and swallow, not sure I can find the words to tell him exactly what’s going on with me.

Mostly because I don’t even know myself.

It’s not like I’m a virgin, and even though it has been a while, I’ve never gotten like this with any of my previous partners.

Never had this overwhelming nervousness, and I don’t know where it’s coming from. No idea why there’s this swarm of bees buzzing around in my stomach. Why I’m all breathless with anticipation and anxiety.

But then Jason steps forward, right into my space, one hand coming up and cupping the back of my neck while the other goes to my hip, his thumb slipping under the material of my shirt to graze the skin above my waistband, and I know exactly why there’s a tornado in my belly.

“Last chance,” he murmurs, his breath washing over my lips, and I don’t think I could tell him to stop even if I wanted to.
But I don’t. I don’t want to, so I shake my head, and finally—finally—he closes the distance between us and puts his lips to mine.

The kiss is tentative at first, a question, and even though he gave me an out just a moment ago, I love that he’s not pushing it.

When I don’t pull away, don’t do anything but grip the front of his shirt in my fists and pull him closer to me, he takes that as an answer and swipes his tongue across my lips. On a moan, I open to him, desperate to taste him again in a way I didn’t allow myself to think about before now.

Jason’s grip on me tightens, his thumb rubbing in circles against the pulse point at my neck, and I know he can feel my heart flying. It’s nearly pounding right out of my rib cage. His other hand curls around my hip, pulling me closer to him, flush with him, and I can’t stop from gasping into his mouth. He’s against me, all of him, strong and solid and hard, and I didn’t realize how much I wanted this until this very moment.

He’s already good at reading my cues, because no more have I thought it than we’re walking, fumbling down the hallway and into my bedroom. The door isn’t even closed before I start tugging up his shirt, desperate to feel his skin against mine. With a grunt and a curse, he reaches back and yanks his shirt over his head before his lips are back on mine, his tongue sliding against my own, and I can hardly breathe I want this so badly.

In the dozen-plus years of his being in my life, I’ve seen him without a shirt on too many times to count, but I’ve never felt his bare skin. Not like this. He’s sinewy and muscular, the body of a runner, all tall and lanky, the muscles in his abdomen defined but not obscene, his biceps cut but not bulky. I run my hands over every part of him I can reach, sliding from his chest to his stomach, following the trail of hair down then hooking into the waistband of his jeans, and I want those off, too.

“Jesus, Tess,” he groans into my mouth, and the roughness of it washes over me like a warm rain, comforting me in a way I didn’t realize I needed. He wants this. Me. Desperately. It’s reassuring to know I’m not in this on my own.

His lips brush across my cheek, his teeth nipping at my chin, his tongue licking a line up the column of my neck, and I think I might die right here. I might actually die, because my heart feels like the pounding hooves of a thousand horses, and I can’t seem to get my clothes off fast enough.

About the Author:

Brighton Walsh spent nearly a decade as a professional photographer before deciding to take her storytelling in a different direction and reconnect with writing. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and two children.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Tessa Ever After

Review (4.0 Stars): Tessa and Jason were absolutely adorable together. She had always looked to Jason to help her when things went wrong in her life and he would always be there, no matter what it was. It is so hard to find a guy that you can depend in life and they were both so afraid of taking that next step from friendship to romance because they had known each other for so long. She needed someone like Jason because he was everything; the bad boy, the best friend and the person that she could depend on in life. For Jason, Tessa was the one, the one woman that he could see forever with and could help him build a life that he wanted, not what his family kept pushing him to do.

Ms. Walsh did a wonderful job creating these characters that you can instantly relate to and now I want to read more about Tessa’s brother, Cade. Tessa Ever After was a sweet, coming of age romance that shows that friendship can lead to the best love story imaginable.
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January 30, 2015January 29, 2015

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Once Loved by Cecy Robson

He’s the campus golden boy. She’s picking up the pieces of her broken past. But in Cecy Robson’s scorching novel of second chances—perfect for readers of Monica Murphy and J. Lynn—their differences only make their connection more explosive.

Every memory Lety Tres Santos has from her childhood comes with a scar—some emotional, some physical. Her father is an abusive drug addict, and her mother enables his destructive behavior. College offers Lety a fresh start . . . until her father finds a way to ruin that, too. Now, after losing her scholarship to kick off junior year, Lety must somehow stay in school, pay tuition, and turn a deaf ear to the whispers that follow her. And she intends to do it all without Brody Quaid’s help.

Brody is a lacrosse star, a 4.0 student—and as a freshman, he fell hard for the beautiful and spirited Lety. But their relationship crashed and burned because he couldn’t break through the walls she’s put up around her heart. With Lety hurting more than ever, Brody strives to win her back and make her believe in real love and true partnership. That will mean opening up secrets locked away in his own past—and trusting someone more than he’s ever dared.

Lety knows how painful it can be to depend on the wrong man. She also knows how much Brody wants to do this the right way. But it takes more than sizzling desire to move on and build a future together.

Amazon/B&N

“Do you think it was easy for me to let you go? You weren’t the only one crushed. I cried every day for a month when we broke up.”

“Then why did you do it? And why are you doing this now?”

My vision blurred as I thought about that horrible day when I severed our relationship. Carlos had busted my nose and given me a concussion after arriving coked up at a family party. Brody had watched the blood pouring out of me, unable to break free from the men holding him back.

I would have given anything to spare him from that part of my life. Instead he’d seen it all. “I’ll never be good enough for you, and you know it.”

“You’re wrong.” He drew me to him. His lips pushed against me until mine parted and allowed him in. I shouldn’t have. I knew I shouldn’t have, but my resolve crumbled and I gave in, linking my arms around his neck.

His strong arms wrapped around my waist and he deepened our kiss. His tongue flicked over mine, circling and taunting me to play. My spine arched as he pulled me tighter against his body. He hadn’t kissed me since the day I walked away, and now I didn’t want him to stop.

I moaned softly, returning his show of affection with equal force and enthusiasm. God, I’d missed that mouth. Our kiss intensified, turning into more. We took our time, as if nothing else mattered. When we finally parted, we were both panting.

“We shouldn’t have done that,” I told him.

He smirked. “Yeah, we should’ve. Truth is, I don’t know why we stopped.”

I edged away when he tried to kiss me again, wishing life were that easy.

Brody cupped my chin, tilting it gently so I’d meet his face. “Letz, come on. We’re better off together than apart.”

I lowered my lashes. “You can’t mean that.”

“Yeah, I do. I spent all last year trying like hell to get over you.”

My hands splayed across the bulky muscles of his broad chest. This time it was my turn to smirk. “Oh, yeah. I saw all the girls offering to help you out with your dilemma.”

He cocked his head to the side. “Just like I saw you and Justin Kalabrowski making out at the No-Pants dance.”

“I wasn’t making out with him.”

“Yeah, you were. You were in the hall near the bathroom and it took everything I had not to pound the shit out of him.”

I raised my eyebrows. “I would think Karen Enderson, your date for the evening, would have had a problem with that. Or was it Linda Marrington? Or Jessica Gustfenson? Or Cindy Vincent? Hmmm, maybe I’m confusing them with Lissette Miller.” I tapped my fingers against him. “Did I miss anyone?”

He grinned. “Wendy Jenner.”

My teeth clenched. “Oh, yes, good ol’ Wendy. The girl who yodels during sex. How could I forget?”

“I hear it’s not really a yodel, more like an excited vibrato.” He laughed when I did, but then his expression grew somber. “For the record, none of them meant anything. Just girls I went out with a few times.”

I smiled softly. “And for the record, I didn’t kiss Justin. He kissed me.”

He rolled his eyes. “Lety, I saw you. The guy was on you like a piece of duct tape.”

“If you saw that, did you see me knee him in the nuts when I told him to stop and he wouldn’t?”

Anger tightened his muscles and deepened his voice. “No. I didn’t.”

“Well, that’s what happened.”

“I always hated that kid. Remind me to beat his ass next time I see him.” My head fell against his chest when he pulled me closer. I listened to the steady beat of his strong heart, feeling a sense of peace I hadn’t felt in forever.

“It didn’t work, you know,” he said after a long moment.

“What didn’t work?”

“Dating all those girls. I never got over you.”

About the Author:

CECY ROBSON is the New Adult and Contemporary author of the Shattered Past series, and the award winning author of the Weird Girls Urban Fantasy Romance series. A self-proclaimed professional napper, Cecy counts among her talents a jaw-dropping knowledge of useless trivia, the ability to make her hair big, and a knack for breaking into song, despite her family’s vehement protests. A full-time writer, registered nurse, wife, and mother living in the South, Cecy enjoys spending time with her family and silencing the yappy characters in her head by telling their stories.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Once Loved

Review (4.5 Stars): I’ve adored Lety since first reading about her in Once Perfect and I was so excited to get her story in Once Loved. Lety Tres Santos is working her way through nursing school, struggling to do it all with two jobs and a heavy course load. Lety comes from an abusive family and is doing her best to leave that life behind, focusing on a career where she will never have to depend on anyone like her mother does. Brody Quaid has loved Lety since the first moment they met and now with all the stress that she is under, she is terrified that she will choose the wrong man. Brody isn’t willing to give up without a fight but each is hiding a devastating secret and the past may prevent them from finally sharing a future together.

Lety was a great character to me because she had been through so much in her young life and I was impressed by her inner strength and drive. My heart broke for her when I learned about what she lived through growing up and how she desperately fought the emotional demons that threatened to tear apart her dream. Lety is a character that will stick with you after the conclusion of Once Loved because even though she had been through so much, she was still capable of loving another human being and would be a wonderful nurse.

I think Brody was the perfect guy for Lety even though she was afraid of making the wrong decision in having a relationship with him. He went through his own personal pain and was fighting demons just like Lety was. Together they could provide each other with the love and support that they needed and to remind each other that their past made them stronger but can’t prevent them from having a bright future.

Once Loved was an amazing romance that will take readers through a journey of emotions and show that love can help to heal all wounds. The subject matter in Once Loved is a little dark at times but Ms. Robson has the wonderful ability to weave a well-written story to show that you can find love and light in any darkness. I’m so excited to see that each of the Tres Santos siblings are able to find their happy ending and I hope that the youngest, Sofia, will be able to find her chance at love soon with Once Pure.

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September 29, 2014September 28, 2014

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Once Perfect by Cecy Robson

Evelyn Preston’s future once looked perfect—until her wealthy father was caught in an embezzlement scandal and took his own life. Alone and struggling to pay her college tuition and bills, Evelyn finds a job as a waitress at the ultra-hip nightclub Excess, where she used to have more in common with the privileged private-school clientele than her fellow staff members. But something attracts her to the sexy six-foot-four bouncer and underground MMA fighter Mateo Tres Santos. Although they’ve led different lives, their troubled pasts bonds them in both survival and love.

Mateo is ex-army who wound up in prison for assaulting the man who harmed his sister. Now he’s feeling the same protective impulse for this petite blond waitress. When Evelyn experiences a panic attack at the club, Mateo comes to her rescue. And when Mateo is wounded shielding her from a brawl, Evelyn returns the favor and comes to his aid.

As their attraction intensifies, Mateo is determined to find out what nightmares are lurking in Evelyn’s past—even if that means tackling his own to save her.

Amazon/B&N

About the Author:

Cecy (pronounced SESSY) Robson is the New Adult Romance author of Once Perfect, Once Loved and Once Pure and the award-winning author of the Weird Girls Urban Fantasy Romance series. A self-proclaimed professional napper, her list of talents includes jaw-dropping knowledge of useless trivia, the ability to make her hair big, and a knack for breaking into song despite her family’s vehement protests. A full-time writer, registered nurse, wife, and mother living in the Great Northwest, Cecy enjoys spending time with her family and silencing the yappy characters in her head by telling their stories.

Website/Twitter/Facebook

Jennifer’s Review of Once Perfect

Review (4.25 Stars): Mateo is one of the sexiest heroes that I have seen in a while. Not only is he a MMA fighter (which to me is very hot) but such a strong caring guy to the women in his life. He is definitely an alpha male but has learned to be the support system that Evie needed through this difficult time. He was attracted to her from the very beginning, when she first started working at Excess and never even knew that Mateo had worked there as a bouncer. He did everything he could to protect her and introduced her to a world that she never even knew existed.

Evie was a very sweet character that was struggling her way through nursing school after the loss of her father to a family scandal. She worked as a waitress at Excess on the weekends and was always aware of the strong silent Mateo, whose eyes seemed to follow her wherever she went. Mateo was able to help Evie through a panic attack one night and as a result, they develop feelings for one another that can’t be denied. During the course of their relationship, Evie discovers that she has been suppressing the events of the night of her father’s death and when those secrets finally come to light, Mateo is there to support Evie when her once perfect world starts to fall apart.

Once Perfect is a great romance with a very difficult subject matter that Ms. Robson handles with the utmost compassion and grace. Evie needed Mateo in her life to help her face her past and help her heal from her emotional and physical trauma. Mateo was also dealing with a difficult situation himself in his own family and I was impressed that these characters were able to hold things together with everything they were facing. Love conquers all and I couldn’t imagine two people more perfect for each other to build a real loving relationship that they deserved to experience. I love everything that Ms. Robson writes and Once Perfect is a emotional story about two troubled hearts that are able to heal with love that I know will stick with me for quite a while.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a Once Perfect/Weird Girls Swag Pack. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by October 5th, answer me this question (w/email address) in the comments:

What is your favorite type of male hero? (Firefighter, Cop, Military, etc)

May 26, 2014May 26, 2014

Book Spotlight & Giveaway: Whisper To Me by Christina Lee

Hot and consuming, this is a New Adult romance about a wayward musician and the one girl who keeps him grounded…

At college, Rachel has a reputation for being a sarcastic flirt with a thing for ripped athletes. No one at college knows her heart was ripped to shreds by her high school boyfriend, who’d driven them both off the side of the road on a borrowed motorcycle. And then subsequently abandoned her. No one really knows Rachel Mattson at all, with one exception…

Ever since he helped nurse his sister’s feisty best friend back to health, pierced bass player Kai Nakos has been head over heels in love. But the supposed bad boy can’t risk letting Rachel know the truth—especially now that the two of them are back in their hometown for the summer, together for the first time since the months following that horrible night. Never mind that Rachel’s ex is also back, groveling for her forgiveness.

Shaken by her ex’s return, Rachel finds herself turning to the one guy she knows she can trust. Now that Kai has had a taste of Rachel, he’s willing to do anything just to have her touch him again, even hiding his true feelings. After all, she only wants a temporary fling. Until it becomes something more. But perhaps it had been more all along.

Amazon/B&N

About the Author:

Mother, wife, reader, dreamer. Christina lives in the Midwest with her husband and son–her two favorite guys. She’s addicted to lip gloss, salted caramel everything, and believes in true love and kissing, so writing romance novels has become a dream job.

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Jennifer’s Review of Whisper To Me

Review (4.25 Stars): Rachel was still trying to pick up the pieces of her life after a motorcycle accident that left her physically and emotionally scarred. Coming back home after college for the summer brought back a lot of heartbreaking memories including the appearance of her ex-boyfriend who left her after the accident. Kai was Rachel’s best friend and was there with her every step of the way for her recovery. Both of them had feelings for each other but they were afraid of telling the other how they felt and destroying whatever friendship that they had with one another.

I liked Rachel because she came back from an accident that almost killed her. She was strong yet vulnerable and was determined to do things on her own. Being back home with the memories and seeing her ex-boyfriend after the accident was a huge step for her and I thought that she was extremely courageous for making that journey. Kai was a great guy. He was strong, and would do anything to protect Rachel from harm. I loved that he was there everyday for Rachel while she was in the hospital encouraging her and helping her on the difficult road to recovery. He was such a great caretaker for the people in his life and you don’t see that trait much in guys, let alone male characters. It was very nice to see that side of him in this book.

Rachel and Kai were great together as a couple and they definitely had this hot sexy chemistry with one another. I think that Rachel needed someone like Kai in her life because he was always there for her, especially when she needed him the most. I understand that this is the third book in a series and I will definitely be catching up with the previous titles in this series. I loved how Ms. Lee created a romantic story of two troubled souls that found love when they least expected it and I can’t wait to read more from her.

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June 14, 2013June 7, 2013

Spotlight Feature & Tour Wide Giveaway with Marie Hall

MOMENT

Moment series, Book 1

Genre: New Adult Sexy Contemporary College Romance:

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Ryan Cosgrove and Liliana Delgado are on a collision course with destiny. They don’t know it yet, but before the night is over their lives will be forever changed.

Spending Valentine’s Day at a burlesque bar, hadn’t been Liliana’s ideal way of spending a Friday night. She’d much rather be back at campus, doing homework… until she meets Ryan. Tall, athletic, and gorgeous, Lili can’t keep her eyes off him, and despite his gruff manners and drunken disposition she’s intrigued.

Ryan’s got demons, and they’re deep, dark, and eating him alive. Regardless of his attraction to the petite brunette he’s tired of fighting, of pretending the last fifteen years haven’t been a daily struggle just to get out of bed every morning. That night he decides to end his pain, to leave it all behind and float away into the blessed darkness of oblivion. But fate has other plans for him, Lily finds and rescues Ryan, determined she’ll not only save his body, but his soul too.

This is their moment…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Marie Hall has always had a dangerous fascination for creatures that go bump in the night. And mermaids. And of course fairies. Trolls. Unicorns. Shapeshifters. Vampires. Scottish brogues. Kilts. Beefy arms. Ummm… Bad boys! Especially the sexy ones.

On top of that she’s a confirmed foodie, she nearly went to culinary school and then figured out she could save a ton of money if she just watched food shows religiously! She’s a self-proclaimed master chef, certified deep sea dolphin trainer, finder of leprechaun’s gold at the end of the rainbow, and rumor has it she keeps the Troll King locked away in her basement. All of which is untrue, however, she does have an incredibly active imagination and loves to share her crazy thoughts with the world!

Connect with Marie:

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