Kimberly reviews The Pleasures Of Summer by Evie Hunter

TITLE: The Pleasures of Summer
SERIES #: Pleasure #3
CHARACTERS: Summer & Flynn
AUTHOR: Evie Hunter
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/30/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Summer O’Sullivan is rich, beautiful and in mortal danger. Her father has made powerful enemies who are targeting his precious daughter. Until the threat passes, Summer needs a bodyguard – someone to protect her and, she expects, to treat her with the reverence she’s used to.

Into Summer’s gilded cage comes former ranger, Flynn Grant. As far as Flynn is concerned, this is the assignment from hell, minding the spoilt daughter of a multi-millionaire. Summer and Flynn are poised to hate each other on sight. Even his devastating looks do not make up for how Flynn’s rules cramp Summer’s style. Unsurprisingly, the sparks fly between them. But when Summer breaks the rules one time too often, Flynn teaches her a lesson that leaves them shattered – and bound
together in a way that astonishes them both.

In their remote hideout, the two start a battle over who is the tamer, and who is the tamed. It’s a duel that stretches their minds and bodies beyond every limit. And in time their hearts begin to surrender too. But when the dark forces that
have been stalking Summer finally track them down, the battle is no longer a game, but a matter of life and death …

REVIEW:
I have to say I really enjoy this series. While this is another in the erotica BDSM D/s series this story is so much more. It honestly is engrossing. The sex scenes are good do not get me wrong but there is just so much more that makes this story so interesting.

The characters of Summer and Flynn have an immediate connection. She seems to be the spoiled rich girl but Flynn sees more in her. And while I can say there was a very good chance that the character of Summer could have been written to be obnoxious she really wasn’t. And Flynn is an interesting in his own right. He knows what he is doing by seducing his client is wrong but there is just something that he can not turn away from.

If you are a fan of the genre then this series is certainly for you. I would say to read the first in the series first but it does not matter as this book can most definitely stand alone. However I will say to read the first one because you do not want to miss it as a fan of the genre.

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

July 30, 2013July 7, 2013

Kelly & Kimberly review Three Litte Words by Susan Mallery

TITLE: Three Little Words
SERIES: Fools Gold #13
CHARACTERS: Ford Hendrix & Isabel Carlisle
AUTHOR: Susan Mallery
PUBLICATION DATE: July 30, 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Can first love turn into the real deal in a sizzling new Fool’s Gold story from New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery? Isabel Carlisle thinks she’s cursed in the romance department. Her teenage crush, Ford Hendrix, ignored all her letters. Her husband left her for another…man. So Isabel has come home to dust off her passion for fashion and run the family bridal shop until her parents are ready to sell it. Then she’ll pursue her real dreams. At least, that’s the plan, until sexy, charming Ford returns and leaves her feeling fourteen all over again….

Seeing Isabel all grown up hits bodyguard trainer Ford like a sucker punch. Back when heartbreak made him join the military, her sweet letters kept him sane. Now he can’t take his eyes-or his lips-off her. The man who gave up on love has a reason to stay in Fool’s Gold forever-if three little words can convince Isabel to do the same.

KELLY’S REVIEW:
4.5 Stars Loved this story, even if at times I wanted to shake the tar out of Ford. That boy is so beyond stubborn. He can’t see that the best thing he will ever have in his life has been staring him in the face for years.

Isabel has loved Ford for years. She loved him even when he was engaged to her sister. Even when Ford left town and joined the military, that didn’t stop her love for him. No, Isabel wrote to Ford almost the whole time he was gone. Telling him all about the trials and tribulations going on in her life. But not once in all of those years did Ford ever write back. But Isabel could never have guessed the impact that those letter made on Ford.

Now both are back in Fool’s Gold. While Isabel is not planning to stick around for long, she is willing to spend time with Ford. Even if that means she is willing to risk another broken heart. But that is a risk she is willing to take.
Another wonderful Fool’s Gold story. I can’t wait to see what Susan has in store next for the inhabitants of Fool’s Gold. I did love the sub-storyline in the book too with Ford’s brother. I hope that we get to see more of his love story soon.

KIMBERLY’S REVIEW:
5 Stars I have waited a long time for Ford… ok for Ford’s story at least. And I was not disappointed.

Visiting Fool’s Gold is like coming home. We know so much about the town and its people that it is hard not to become a huge fan of the town. Ford was introduced so long ago that I wondered if we would ever get his story so when this year the bodyguards came to town I was thrilled. But then I had to wait until the last of the three story arc but it was worth the wait. And as a extra bonus we get Kent’s story too!!!

Navy SEALs are everywhere in the book world now a days but what was different was Mallery did not write Ford with injuries either physical or mental. Yes he has been through a lot but he is not suffering as so many SEALs are written today. And I appreciated that. I loved Ford’s sense of humor and how jovial he could be especially around Isabel. I could go on and on about what I loved about Ford but why spoil this story for others? Isabel is so sweet. I enjoyed her story. I loved that these two have a past that doesn’t involve an old affair or something like that. Isabel was a young girl with a crush and while she has been through a lot over the last decade she never really lost the feelings for Ford.

I was happy to see Kent’s story in this book too. It was enjoyable to watch the two brothers falling at the same time and how different the process is for both of them and yet it is enjoyable to see how similar they can be.

I am never disappointed when I visit Fool’s Gold but this might be my favorite book of the series (and that is saying something) in a while. Maybe I was just like Isabel and had a crush on Ford even before he came back to town but having spent time with him I fell in love! Bring on the football players!

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

July 29, 2013July 29, 2013

Lily Everett Interview and Giveaway

I’m so excited to have one of my favorite authors, Lily Everett aka Louisa Edwards, with us on Books-n-Kisses today. I have been waiting for her new series since I finished The Rising Star Chef series and I’m proud to introduce her new book, Sanctuary Island, as well as interview this fabulous author.

1. Tell me about your new release Sanctuary Island.

Sanctuary Island introduces readers to this beautiful, windswept small town off the coast of Virginia, where the close-knit community grew up in and around a wild horse sanctuary. In the first book, Ella Preston escorts her flighty, pregnant younger sister to Sanctuary Island to reconnect with the mother they haven’t seen in more than a decade–even though Ella’s not sure that’s a good idea. But when she gets to the island, she begins to see that the only way to move forward in her life is to let go of the past, and if she can do that…she’ll have a chance at true love and lasting happiness with Grady Wilkes, a local handyman with scars of his own.

2. Where did you come up with the idea?

I’ve loved horses since I was a little girl, and I grew up not far from Assateague Island, one of several real-life East Coast islands that are home to bands of wild horses. Assateague is a nature preserve, kept completely for the horses, but I thought…what if there were a cute, quirky town there, full of sexy men and smart women who all need to find love?

3. Do you plan to make this into a series?

Sanctuary Island is the first full-length novel of the series, but we’ve already released a trilogy of digital-only novellas set on the island, to welcome readers to the series! The novellas are not prequels to the book, they’re a self-contained trio of short romances with only a few cameos here and there. The next full-length book in the series will be Shoreline Drive, and it will be the story of Ella’s younger sister, new mom Merry Preston and the local veterinarian (and resident grump) Ben Fairfax. Shoreline Drive will be out on January 28, 2014, and it’ll be followed by Heartbreak Cove next summer!

4. Were there any challenges in writing a small-town romance compared to writing your Recipe for Love series? What kind of research did you have to do for Sanctuary Island?

I actually grew up in a small town in Virginia, so in some ways, there was even less research for me to get that setting, the pace and feel of it, to be authentic! And for the horse details, I have my sister and mother-in-law to thank. Both are dedicated, talented horsewomen, and were a great source of information and fun facts. My mother-in-law is an active volunteer with the Jackson Hole Therapeutic Riding Center, and I was very inspired by taking tours, watching classes, and interviewing the other volunteers, clients, and employees there.

5. Did you have any particular actors in mind when writing your characters?

I always have actors in mind! If anyone made a movie of Sanctuary Island, I’d love for Emily Blunt to play Ella. And for Grady Wilkes, my rough and tumble handyman with the troubled past, I pictured a scruffy Chris Hemsworth every single day as I wrote. I know, poor little me, right?

6. What is the one thing that you have to when you are writing (food, drink, work space)?

I’ve actually tried to cultivate an ability to work anywhere, anytime, even if I only have a twenty minutes or so–but what that requires is focus. When all else fails, I use Write or Die, an amazing program that keeps track of time and how fast you produce words, and if you pause for too long, the screen flashes red and jerks you back into line! It sounds scary, but it’s been amazing to me how productive I can be if I just focus.

7. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

My biggest advice is to write through to The End without a ton of self-editing along the way, at least until you get a couple of completed manuscripts under your belt. What I wish I’d known when I first started is that every single book (at least for me) hits a snag somewhere in the middle where I hate it, am convinced it’s terrible, and want to throw it aside and start something else. But whatever new thing you start will have its own problems! So push through the hard part and get to The End. The first time you finish a manuscript is a huge accomplishment and a major step forward. I don’t want to lie and say every manuscript after that first one will be easier (that hasn’t been true for me!) but you’ll have more tools and skills at your disposal.

8. What are you working on next?

The follow-up to Sanctuary Island, Shoreline Drive, is already revised, so now I’m writing Heartbreak Cove! It’s early days so I don’t want to say too much about it yet, but I know the hero is Sam Brennan, a man who empathizes with, rescues, and rehabilitates abused and neglected horses. I’m already crushing on him pretty hard!

Thank you so much for being here on Books-n-Kisses today and I just want to say how much I love your books!!!

Thank you for having me! I loved doing this interview.

About the Author:

Lily Everett grew up in a small town in central Virginia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Although she’s lived many other places since, from college in Philadelphia to her first publishing job in New York City and her current home in Austin, Texas, she never forgot the beauty and warmth of her little hometown. She is thrilled to be writing the Sanctuary Island series full time because it allows her to combine her longstanding love of romance with the memories of her childhood home.

Lily’s alter ego is Louisa Edwards. Under that name, she is the author of the Recipe for Love series, sexy contemporary romances with hot chef heroes set in the high-stakes, fast-paced world of professional restaurants.

Giveaway

I’m excited to give away a signed copy of Sanctuary Island. This giveaway is for US Residents only. To be entered in the drawing by August 1st, answer me this question in the comments:

If you could visit any island in the world, where would you travel to?

Jennifer’s Review of Sanctuary Island

TITLE: Sanctuary Island

CHARACTERS: Ella Preston and Grady Wilkes

AUTHOR: Lily Everett

PUBLICATION DATE: 07/30/13

ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: When Ella’s sister decides to reunite with their estranged mother, Ella goes along for the ride–it’s always been the two Preston girls against the world. But Sanctuary Island, a tiny refuge for wild horses tucked off the Atlantic coast, is more inviting than she ever imagined. And it holds more than one last opportunity to repair her broken family–if Ella can open her carefully guarded heart, there is also the chance for new beginnings.

Grady Wilkes is a handyman who can fix anything…except the scars of his own past. When he accepts the task of showing Ella the simple beauties of the island that healed him, he discovers a deep sense of comfort he thought he’d lost. But now he must convince the woman who never intended to stay that on Sanctuary Island, anything is possible–forgiving past mistakes, rediscovering the simple joys of life, and maybe even falling in love.

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer NUMBER OF STARS: Four Stars

REVIEW: I thought Sanctuary Island was a tender-hearted love story between two people that were plagued with emotional baggage and heartbreak, that worked together to slowly repair the emotional damage in their lives. Ella was such a strong character in this book, who came to Sanctuary Island with her sister, Merry, for emotional support to visit their estranged mother. She hid behind an personal wall to protect herself from feeling anything in regards to her mother after she abandoned them due to alcoholism when they were young. This emotional wall also protected her from romantic relationships and as a result, she became a workaholic on the verge of a nervous breakdown before arriving to Sanctuary Island.

Grady Wilkes was a handyman on Sanctuary Island who did odd jobs around the island and met Ella on her mother’s ranch. Grady had seen how much Jo Ellen had changed after battling alcoholism years ago and was afraid that Ella was only here to get Jo’s money. Grady was once a hot shot member of a search and rescue team that was hiding out after a mission left him physically and emotionally scarred. Meeting Ella was the first light of hope that had entered his dark world in a long time and he approached his relationship with her carefully, afraid that she would be frightened away from his physical scars. Ella wasn’t afraid of anything and being with Grady made her finally realize that she needed to try to make amends with her mother and start to build a relationship based on the present and not the mistakes of the past.

I loved Lily’s style of writing and I couldn’t help but fall in love with Sanctuary Island and want to move there myself. This was a enchanting romance that swept me away with its story and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series, Shoreline Drive.

July 26, 2013July 7, 2013

Kimberly reviews Complete Me by J. Kenner

TITLE: Complete Me
SERIES #: Stark Trilogy #3
CHARACTERS: Nikki & Damien
AUTHOR: J. Kenner
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/30/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
This sexy, emotionally charged romance continues the story of Damien Stark, the powerful multimillionaire who’s never had to take “no” for an answer, and Nikki Fairchild, the Southern belle who only says “yes” on her own terms.

Our desire runs deep. But our secrets cut close. Beautiful, strong, and commanding, Damien Stark fills a void in me that no other man can touch. His fierce cravings push me beyond the brink of bliss—and unleash a wild passion that utterly consumes us both.

Yet beneath his need for dominance, he carries the wounds of a painful past. Haunted by a legacy of dark secrets and broken trust, he seeks release in our shared ecstasy, the heat between us burning stronger each day.

Our attraction is undeniable, our obsession inevitable. Yet not even Damien can run from his ghosts, or shield us from the dangers yet to come.

Complete Me is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.

REVIEW:
The third and final (I assume) installment in the Stark Trilogy. And I am on the fence about this book and the series. The story is interesting but missing something. Damien doesn’t feel like an alpha/Dom he is needy and sexually motivated. Yes we learned in the last book that he loves Nikki but it is sex with her that fuels him. And her for that matter. The sex is a character all its own in the story. It has its own heartbeat and need. And it gets too be too much. Not the kind of sex but the fact that the characters need it with every breath they take.

I wanted to know how it ended. I wanted to find the final connection between them and I guess I did but it didn’t have the love connection I wanted. Sex was still involved in the three-some of their lives. The story is just not enough to compete with the sex that is in the story. I actually wonder if separated it would not have been a better story (or two).

If you enjoy the erotica genre with a BDSM flare than sure you will probably enjoy it but the rest of the story might just fall flat. But most certainly start with the first in the series because part 2 and 3 can NOT stand alone.

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

July 25, 2013July 24, 2013

Spotlight feature of Mismatch by Nana Malone

Mismatch

by Nana Malone

AMAZON US, AMAZON UK, AMAZON CA, NOOK, ITUNES, KOBO,SMASHWORDS, ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS

Spunky artist manager, Jessica Stanton, isn’t looking for love. She’s looking for a savior. When a business rival steals yet another of her rising stars, she’s in danger of losing everything she’s worked so hard for…and the only person who can save her fledgling business is the one man she shouldn’t want.

Art authenticator, Eli Marks, doesn’t have time for love. He’s too busy saving his brother from the demons of his drug addicted past. For the past ten years he’s cultivated a façade to keep his distance from everyone else. But when a string of high-profile art forgeries threatens the security of the only family he has left, he must turn for help to a woman who breaks through his carefully constructed façade every time she’s near.

Will Jessica and Eli save each other? Or will secrets and lies stop them from finding true love?

EXCERPT

Jessica shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny of the strange man’s jade green gaze. Tsk Tsk Jessica, you’re just horny from watching sex d’art. Poindexter isn’t even my type. At least that’s what she told herself. But she was powerless to tear her gaze away from his. With dark hair to contrast the jade green eyes, and an angled jaw to make male models jealous, he was handsome enough to draw any woman’s attention.

But he wasn’t her style at all. From the looks of him, he was way too buttoned up. His suit, though exquisitely tailored, was extremely conservative. Same for his shoes—expensive but bland. He screamed, I’m repressed. Except for his hair. Touching his collar and curling at the ends, it was the only non-conservative part about him. She preferred tattooed, too-skinny guitarist types. She was willing to bet Poindexter didn’t have a tat anywhere.

All her misgivings aside, she couldn’t tear her gaze from his as she pushed her way toward the bar. He looked like an accountant. No, strike that, too polished. Like a Wall Street type, except he didn’t have the air of smarm. Maybe it was his too-direct gaze. There was nothing hidden in his eyes. Just interest and lust. And it made the hairs on her arms stand up. God, what was he doing staring at her? The uptight type generally preferred too-thin models with no hips. Oh, and normal. They veered away from alternative types.

As Jessica pushed through the crowd, his gaze followed as if he were silently drawing her to him, willing her to come to him. The way he insolently leaned against the bar made him even more appealing. When he said something to the bartender, she glanced at his companion. Also handsome, darker, more olive-toned skin, bulkier, too.

The green-eyed devil had the build of someone who worked out for the pure purpose of staying in shape, not to bulk up.

Jessica dragged in a breath to calm her racing heartbeat. She wasn’t here for this. She was here for Samson Marks. Unfortunately, so was every other woman in the room. Some men, too. With everyone who wanted to talk to him, she’d already been waiting forty-five minutes, and she wasn’t interested in waiting any longer. She’d just leave her card with Gabe and try and track him down if he didn’t call by Monday. She wasn’t letting this guy get away from her. If he could whip her into a sexual frenzy, he had something special.

When she momentarily lost sight of Poindexter, Jessica felt more like herself and less like a throbbing, heaving-bosomed mess. What the hell was wrong with her?

She finally made it to the end of the bar and made eye contact with the bartender. Over by the other end, she caught sight of her mystery man. She might be here to work, but what would it hurt to play a little? It had been a while. Okay, longer than a while considering the last two guys she’d dated she hadn’t even bothered sleeping with.

“What can I get you?”

“Are you Gabe?”

He grinned. “You want to bid on the piece sight unseen?”

She grinned back. “Nope.”

He frowned. “You here to tell me I got a kid out there or something? ‘Cause I’m not particularly interested in hearing that.”

“That happen to you a lot?”

“You’d be surprised.”

She laughed. “Tonight’s your lucky night. I’m not here for that either. I need to get a message to Samson Marks.”

Gabe raised his eyebrows and nodded as if this wasn’t the first request of this type he’d had tonight. “Yeah, what’s the message?”

She handed over her card with a note scrawled on the back. “I’m a manager. Tell him to call me.” She shrugged and glanced at Poindexter again. “You can tell him he’s safe from me. I have something else entirely planned for tonight.”

Moving away from the end of the bar, Jessica spotted the guy in the suit again and made her approach. “So are you going to stare all night, or were you ever going to come and talk to me?”

His lips twitched as he met her gaze. “Excuse me?”

Jessica raised a brow. “’Cause I gotta tell you, if you weren’t so good looking, it would be borderline creepy.”

Poindexter barked a laugh. “Only borderline creepy?”

She shrugged as her eyes met his. “This is L.A. after all. There’s a whole different definition of creepy.”

A small smile tugged at his lips. “Do you always say what’s on your mind?”

“I know it’s a little odd for L.A., right? But I find it cuts through the bullshit.”She looked around. “Is that your friend?” She nodded in Mr. Italian Stallion wannabe’s direction. His bulky build and darker skin, combined with the gel he wore in his hair gave him a Jersey Shore effect.

The beefy guy grinned and his face transformed, making him look like a schoolboy with his first crush.

“I’m his only friend.”

“Well hello, friend.”

Friend smiled at her and said, “Hello, gorgeous. You going to cheer my friend up here? He’s in a bit of a mood.”

This was fun. Go figure. Since Ryan’s call, she’d been in freak out mode. This felt easy and natural. “Now why are you in a mood? There are a dozen women that are throwing you hungry eyes right now.”

He blinked as if her candor surprised him. “Too bad for them. I’m otherwise engaged.”

“Lucky bitch.”She grinned. “I’m appointing myself as your cheer up committee for the rest of the evening.”

There it was again. The corners of his lips twitched. If just a partial smile was enough to tantalize her, then what would it look like when this guy really grinned? Jessica pictured panties dropping in neighboring cities.

“What, you mean to tell me you don’t have any friends here ready to rescue you from the creepy, staring guy?” His tone was teasing.

“I prefer to rescue myself.”

This time he did grin. And holy fuck, what a smile. Straight, even teeth. Eyes crinkling at the corners. Her own panties, if she’d been wearing any, would have started migrating south.

“You really will say anything, won’t you?”

So this was what flirting felt like; it had been so long since she’d bothered. Man, she missed it. Nothing like flirting to heighten the anticipation. “You never did answer my question.”

“What question was that?”

“Whether or not you were going to work up the courage to talk to me.”

He chuckled. “I was working my way up to it, but I figured you might be trouble.”

“You were right about that. Lucky for you, I believe in taking matters into my own hands. Now, do I have to lead too, or can you dance?”she asked as she tugged him to his feet. Music thrummed and vibrated through Jessica’s entire body. His big, warm hand wrapped around hers, and she shivered in anticipation.

This was something she could hold onto. Something she could use to drum out the annoyance at her mother, the insecurities of her job. The loneliness over losing Izzy. All of it. She could use the anonymity on the dance floor to combat the feelings she wasn’t ready to confront.

Bodies of other dancers jostled her until she found a spot with enough space. Her partner looked unsure. She leaned in to make sure he heard her. “Relax, forget about them. All you need to do is concentrate on me.”

His intense green eyes focused on hers, and in a second of irrationality, she wanted to shrink from the feeling of intimacy. She didn’t even know his name, but felt like he could see deep inside her.

“Am I going to get a name out of you?” As he leaned in, his breath warmed her, and his stubble chin rubbed against her temple.

She shivered. “Giving you my name would only ruin the spell.” And while he didn’t look the type, he was still club crawling in L.A… He wasn’t likely to give his real name anyway, so why pretend?

His lips twitched in that sexy way that made her stomach flip.

God, being that handsome should be a sin. Jessica studied him, confused about her reaction to him. Buttoned-up was so not her thing. She preferred tats and piercings and some good old-fashioned hair dye. But this guy set all her receptors to come and get some. Worse, something about him made her want to spill her darkest secrets.

“And if I want to call you tomorrow?”

She shrugged, even as his large hand landed on her waist, drawing her hips into his. “That’s the thing about cheer up committees. You don’t want to overuse them. It affects their potency.”

His eyes traveled her body and heat flushed her whole body. “Somehow I doubt that.”

Jessica met his eyes again. Once more, electricity crackled between them, and again she shut down the connection by turning in his arms to dance. The DJ changed tracks to the latest bass-pumping song by a female rapper, and Jessica let her partner meld their bodies together, enjoying the feel of him around her. For a moment, she let herself relax and enjoy the music.

When he gently turned her to face him, she tried to resist, but then he smiled.

They were jostled again, and he took her hand to lead her through the throngs into the back lounge area. The bouncer at the door greeted him like an old friend and said something she couldn’t decipher. When they were let into the closed lounge area, the door shut, silencing the din from the club.

“What did you say to the bouncer to get us back here?”

“A magician never reveals his secrets.” He smiled again, and Jessica forgot her own name. “Besides, I wanted to be able to hear you. It was a little crazy out there. If you’re going to be my personal cheer up committee, I’d rather it be quiet.”

Jessica chewed on her top lip and averted her gaze. He might look like Poindexter, but his thought process was right up her alley. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

“I prefer it when I can see your eyes.”

She tried to avoid his gaze and swallowed around the lump in her throat. Intimacy was not on the menu tonight, at least not the emotional kind. If he kept insisting on seeing her and talking to her, he’d ruin her about-to-have-anonymous-sex buzz. And he was replacing it with something else that felt like nerves.

She searched through her cache of awesome one-liners for a flippant quip but couldn’t think of one. The slow caress of his fingers at her lower back robbed her of the ability to think properly. Her instincts told her to bolt. Get out before he saw too much. Before he got a gander at her soul. Before he had the chance to run first.

She cleared her throat and made an effort to disengage. But he held her still. “You can run if you want to, but I have a feeling you want to find out if what you’re feeling is as combustible as you think it’ll be.”

“I—” She froze when his head dipped down to hers. Even though her brain gave the command to bolt, her body rooted itself in his arms. His body heat wrapped around her like flames. His scent mingled with hers, and the combination of citrusy musk, spice, and flowers made a potent combination. She swayed into him, and she sensed his smile of triumph. Before his lips met hers, one of his big hands scooted to the top of her ass and tucked her body flush against his. She gasped as she felt the full length of his arousal throbbing and pulsing against her belly.

On the parting of her lips, his mouth covered hers.

Other titles by Nana Malone:

Reluctant Protector, Available now on Kindle Nook Kobo All Romance eBooks iTunes & Audible
Forsaken Protector, Available now on Kindle Nook Kobo All Romance eBooks

Game, Set, Match, Available now from Kindle Nook Kobo All Romance eBooks & iTunes
Sexy in Stilettos Available now on Kindle Nook Kobo All Romance eBooks & iTunes

About the Author: USA Today Best Seller and iTunes Breakout Books author, Nana Malone’s love of all things romance and adventure started with a tattered romantic suspense she borrowed from her cousin.

It was a sultry summer afternoon in Ghana, and Nana was a precocious thirteen. She’s been in love with kick butt heroines ever since. With her overactive imagination, and channeling her inner Buffy, it was only a matter a time before she started creating her own characters.

While she waits for her chance at a job as a ninja assassin, in the meantime Nana works out her drama, passion and sass with fictional characters every bit as sassy and kick butt as she thinks she is.

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July 25, 2013July 7, 2013

Kelly reviews Home to Whiskey Creek by Brenda Novak

TITLE: Home to Whiskey Creek
SERIES #: Whiskey Creek #4
CHARACTERS: Noah Rackham & Adelaide Davies
AUTHOR: Brenda Novak
PUBLICATION DATE: July 30, 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Sometimes home is the refuge you need-and sometimes it isn’t Adelaide Davies, who’s been living in Sacramento, returns to Whiskey Creek, the place she once called home. She’s there to take care of her aging grandmother and to help with Gran’s restaurant, Just Like Mom’s. But Adelaide isn’t happy to be back. There are too many people here she’d rather avoid, people who were involved in that terrible June night fifteen years ago.

Ever since the graduation party that changed her life, she’s wanted to go to the police and make sure the boys responsible-men now-are punished. But she can’t, not without revealing an even darker secret. So it’s better to pretend….

Noah Rackham, popular, attractive, successful, is shocked when Adelaide won’t have anything to do with him. He has no idea that his very presence reminds her of something she’d rather forget. He only knows that he’s finally met a woman he could love.

REVIEW:
This was an okay story for me. I didn’t love or hate it. I just have issues with some types of storylines. While I think that Brenda did a good job with it, I still don’t like to read about it. I do plan on visiting Whiskey Creek again.

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

July 24, 2013July 7, 2013

Kimberly reviews Perfect Fling by Carly Phillips

TITLE: Perfect Fling
SERIES #: Serendipity #5/Finest #2
CHARACTERS: Erin & Cole
AUTHOR: Carly Phillips
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/30/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Erin … The Good Girl
Assistant District Attorney, Erin Marsden, is Serendipity’s quintessential good girl. The only daughter of the ex-police chief, she has never made a misstep, content with her quiet, predictable life … or so she thinks. Until Cole Sanders returns to town with heated interest in his eyes and shadows in his past.

Cole … The Bad Boy
After seven years of deep undercover work in New York City, Cole returns to Serendipity to help his aging father and to find his moral compass once more. Not to get involved with wholesome Erin Marsden. Even as a rebellious teen, he knew a girl like Erin was off limits and that hasn’t changed. But neither one of them can resist their off-the-charts chemistry and a one night stand brings complications neither Erin nor Cole expected.

The Attraction … Off the Charts!
Then Erin’s current case plunges her into a killer’s crosshairs. With more at stake than anyone knows, Erin succumbs to Cole’s take-charge attitude. As a bodyguard, he’s the best. As a lover, he’s even better. But there’s more than the matter of Erin’s safety at stake. And Cole must forgive the sins of his past and prove to himself – and to Erin – that he’s capable of the love and the forever she – and their baby – desperately need.

REVIEW:
What a great way to spend my 4th of July. Just reading this book from cover to cover (can you say that still with a ebook?). I received this early through NetGalley and couldn’t wait to read it.

I love the connection of Erin and Cole. Cole is the bad boy with a good heart. Erin is the good girl who went bad (for one night) and while so totally different they seem to fit perfectly together. I was looking forward to reading Erin’s story after spending time with her big brother Mike in the last book (and I can not wait for Sam’s story) and I was not disappointed.

There is a lot I can say about this book but in all honesty it gives some of the plot away that the synopsis doesn’t so I will keep it to myself but I really enjoyed the twist and turns of this story. This is the perfect fast read romance. Now bring on Sam!

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

July 23, 2013July 22, 2013

Release Day Book Blitz

Heart-pounding action meets smoldering desire in USA TODAY bestselling author Cynthia Eden’s Shadow Agents miniseries! Two years ago Gunner Ortez saved Sydney Sloan’s life on a mission gone wrong. And ever since then, he’s been watching her back. Now a hostage-rescue mission is about to blow the Elite Ops agents’ lives apart once again.

Working side by side back in the jungles of Peru, the heat between Sydney and Gunner is hotter than ever-and so are the threats to their lives. With the danger escalating, Sydney knows Gunner is her only hope at successfully completing their assignment. But the ex-SEAL who arouses passion she’d only dreamed about also poses the greatest risk to the secret she carries in her heart…and in her belly.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17382820-sharpshooter

USA Today Best-selling author Cynthia Eden has written over twenty-five novels and novellas. She was named as a 2013 RITA^® finalist for her paranormal romance, ANGEL IN CHAINS, and, in 2011, Cynthia Eden was a RITA finalist for her romantic suspense, DEADLY FEAR.

Cynthia is a southern girl who loves horror movies, chocolate, and happy endings. She has always wanted to write (don’t most authors say that?), and particularly enjoys creating stories about monsters–vampires, werewolves, and even the real-life monsters that populate her romantic suspense stories.

Cynthia’s foreign sales for her books include translations to Japan, Germany, Thailand, Greece, and Brazil.

(Back in the day…) Cynthia graduated summa cum laude from the University of South Alabama where she studied Sociology (because people interest her) and Communication (because she likes to write about said people). Cynthia has worked as a college admissions counselor, a teacher, and as an editor. But now, Cynthia is thrilled to be spending her days making up stories.

Author Links:

Website/Blog: http://www.cynthiaeden.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cynthiaeden

FB Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/cynthiaedenfanpage?fref=ts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/153738.Cynthia_Eden

July 22, 2013July 7, 2013

Jennifer reviews Obsession by Jennifer L. Armentrout

TITLE: Obsession
CHARACTERS: Serena and Hunter
AUTHOR: Jennifer L. Armentrout
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/31/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS: He’s arrogant, domineering and…To.Die.For.

Hunter is a ruthless killer. And the Department of Defense has him firmly in their grasp, which usually doesn’t chafe too badly because he gets to kill bad guys. Most of the time he enjoys his job. That is, until he’s saddled with something he’s never had to do before: protect a human from his mortal enemy.

Serena Cross didn’t believe her best friend when she claimed to have seen the son of a powerful senator turn into something…unnatural. Who would? But then she witnesses her friend’s murder at the hands of what can only be an alien, thrusting her into a world that will kill to protect their secret.

Hunter stirs Serena’s temper and her lust despite their differences. Soon he’s doing the unthinkable–breaking the rules he’s lived by, going against the government to keep Serena safe. But are the aliens and the government the biggest threats to Serena’s life…or is it Hunter?

REVIEW: I have been a huge fan of Jennifer’s Lux series and I was excited to read more about the Luxen and Arum war. Hunter is a very different character than the Arum we’ve seen in the Lux series and I’m glad to finally learn that there are good and evil people on both sides. Hunter is a handsome, brooding and dangerous type of guy that is sent by the DOD to protect Serena after she had learned that the Senator’s sons are Luxen and they have placed a hit on her life. Her best friend died because of these secrets and now, Serena is on the run with Hunter with the Luxen close behind them trying to eliminate Serena before she talks to anyone else.

Serena is a strong character because she has lost everything and she seems to keep fighting back. Her relationship with Hunter is caustic because they seem to get on each other’s nerves but the sexual chemistry between them is electrifying. Very hot and steamy sex scenes in this book and it had me hoping that everything would work out for Serena and Hunter in the end.

Jennifer L. Armentrout is a very talented author and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Luxen-Arum war from the other side. This is a great companion book to the Lux series and I would love to learn more about these characters in the future. Obsession was a fun read that was action-packed and very entertaining and each of us need a little more of Hunter in their lives.

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

July 19, 2013July 7, 2013

Kelly reviews Conceal by Juliana Stone

TITLE: Conceal
SERIES #: The Baker Triplets #3
CHARACTERS: Beau Simon & Betty Jo Baker
AUTHOR: Juliana Stone
PUBLICATION DATE: June 15 , 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
No one said going home would be easy…

Black sheep and all around troublemaker, Betty Jo Barker is back home and hoping for a do-over. Things are finally looking up until Beau Simon comes to town. The man pushes every button she owns and manages to awaken long dead emotions she’d rather leave buried. Beneath the surface she knows she’s a wreck–her scars run deep–and she can’t help but wonder, is Beau Simon the one who can fix her?

Beau Simon, the brightest star in Hollywood has come to New Waterford for one reason only. He’s determined to have Betty Jo Barker star in his next film. He knows she’s perfect for the part, but a past encounter might prove more than a little difficult to overcome. As Beau turns on the charm, hoping to win over this complicated woman, he realizes it won’t be easy.

Only time will tell if what lies beneath can ever be overcome. Or if love can heal all

REVIEW:
Loved this book. I have always been Betty Jo’s fan. I have always rooted for her. I knew from day one that there was more to her than just the partying pain in the but girl that she acts like. And I was very right. Betty Jo has endured more than even her sisters know about. But Betty is a very strong, brave and ultimately sweet person it has just taken her longer than her sister to realize that.

Beau Simon, the yummy Hollywood superstar that hurt Betty a few years ago is back in town for one reason and one reason only. Betty. But he doesn’t know how much that reason will change until it is almost too late.

Like I said before I loved this book. Loved Betty & Beau together. Totally loved that Beau is an Oregon State Beavers fan (GO BEAVS!!!). Just plain loved this trilogy!!! I so can’t wait to see what Juliana has in store next for us.

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

July 16, 2013July 12, 2013

Kelly reviews Dreams Of Ivory by Carrie Ann Ryan

TITLE: Dreams of Ivory
SERIES #: Holiday Montana #5
CHARACTERS: Jackson Cooper & Honor Bridges
AUTHOR: Carrie Ann Ryan
PUBLICATION DATE: July 16, 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Jackson Cooper hates magic. Even though his brothers are falling prey to the seductive draw of the paranormal world, Jackson wants nothing to do with it. He also wants nothing to do with marriage, babies, and all that comes with it. He’s content with being the stoic, but quiet Uncle Jacks. But when a woman from his past, one he’s been dodging for years, comes back to town, Jackson might have to reevaluate his plans.

Honor Bridges is the tooth fairy. Well, not the tooth fairy, but at least one of them. For the past eight years she’s been on her own, hiding from what she truly wants. Now she’s back in Holiday and ready to take over her duties…as well as deal with Jackson once and for all. But there’s another player in town who isn’t happy with the decisions she made all those years ago and Jackson might be the one who takes the brunt of that anger.

Warning: Contains a wickedly spicy tooth fairy–complete with sparkly wings, the most tortured of all the Cooper brothers in all his broodiness, and dreams that are sure to make you never want to wake up in this final Cooper Brother’s installment of the Holiday, Montana series.

REVIEW:
As the oldest of the Cooper boys, Jackson has tried his best to take care of all of them. He was the one who stepped up to care for the younger ones when their parents died. He is the one who had watch as each of his brothers came into their supernatural powers. Then watched each of them fall in love. But Jackson has no magical gifts nor will he find his true love and that is exactly how he wants it. Or is it?

Honor Bridges never wanted to be back in Holiday Montana, but duty and honor to her grandmother has forced her back. But coming back to Holiday means facing the only man who she has ever loved. Biting the bullet Honor walks into Jackson Cooper’s dental practice and announce she is back in town. Now she will have to face the repercussions of her actions.

Jackson & Honor are so cute together. It was great fun reading about the tough, stuffy, stiff and plain pain in the grumpy pants oldest Cooper brother go just a tad bit soft. I have enjoyed the journey through the Holiday series and am sad to see it go.
But never fear there will be a return trip to Holiday Montana soon.

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

July 9, 2013June 30, 2013

Kimberly reviews Being Me by Lisa Renee Jones

TITLE: Being Me
SERIES #: Inside Out Trilogy #2
CHARACTERS: Sara & Chris
AUTHOR: Lisa Renee Jones
PUBLICATION DATE: 06/11/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The sexy second installment in the Inside Out erotic romance trilogy, following If I Were You—in the seductive tradition of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Fascinated by the dark fantasies in the journals she’s discovered, and the two men who have now found a place in her life, Sara McMillan finds herself torn between her new life and her past. Now, more than ever, Sara identifies with the lost journal writer, Rebecca, and is certain that something sinister has happened.

In the arms of the sexy, tormented artist Chris Merit, Sara seeks answers about Rebecca and ends up discovering things about herself she never knew existed. Chris forces Sara to reconsider who she is and what she truly wants from life, but not before his dark desires threaten to tear them apart. Her boss, Mark Compton, offers her the shelter to understand just what those needs mean to her, and what they might have meant to Rebecca, but can she trust him to lead her to a final conclusion to Rebecca’s story?

REVIEW:
This is the second in a trilogy and the first thing you need to know is it does not stand alone. You must read the first to understand the second (and the third am sure). And the second thing you need to know is while it might be in the genre of erotica this book is not. And neither was the first for that matter. Sure it has a feel to it of erotica but honestly nothing happens in it that so many other books don’t have too.

Now I really enjoyed the first book but so it seems with so many trilogies the middle one just doesn’t stand up to the first (and usually the last) of the three books and I feel that way about this one. Something is off in it a bit. First it is too long. I say that because there is just a lot of “I must tell him my secret but he will never forgive me so I won’t tell him my secret”… it gets old kind of quick. And honestly the secret doesn’t end up having the big wow factor I think it is supposed to.
And there is something amount desperate and needy about this story that the first one I didn’t feel had.

But all of that being said it is a good story. It is one that makes me want to read the last in the trilogy (Revealing Us) to see how the story ends. Once again I am not one that compares books but seeing as the publisher/author itself seems to want to jump on the bandwagon saying “if you loved 50 Shades you will love this” I will say that if you loved 50 Shades you probably will enjoy this even though it is very different there is that underlying connection the books seems to have.

But again do not read this one as a stand alone. It needs the first to understand any of this story.

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