Category: Romance

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Kimberly reviews Claim Me by J. Kenner

TITLE: Claim Me
SERIES #: Stark Trilogy #2
CHARACTERS: Nikki & Damien
AUTHOR: J. Kenner
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/23/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon |B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
For Damien, our obsession is a game. For me, it is fiercely, blindingly, real.
Damien Stark’s need is palpable—his need for pleasure, his need for control, his need for me. Beautiful and brilliant yet tortured at his core, he is in every way my match.

I have agreed to be his alone, and now I want him to be fully mine. I want us to possess each other beyond the sweetest edge of our ecstasy, into the deepest desires of our souls. To let the fire that burns between us consume us both.

But there are dark places within Damien that not even our wildest passion can touch. I yearn to know his secrets, yearn for him to surrender to me as I have surrendered to him. But our troubled pasts will either bind us close . . . or shatter us completely.

Claim Me is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.

REVIEW:

3.5 Stars Claim Me is the second in the Stark Trilogy. I would suggest you read Release Me first. This is a continuing story and I do not believe that the books can stand alone.

As with the first in the series this book is compared to Fifty Shades of Grey and again i will say while they are very different there is a similarity to them that makes me understand the comparison in the synopsis. While this book does fall into the erotica genre as Shades does I find them to be very different. Shades was a book of romance with erotica thrown in to explain the character. This is more of a story of erotica with the characters information thrown in. Now that does not mean it is not good because it is.

I gave the first in the series 4 stars but I couldn’t give this book that many. IN an odd turn of events there was too much sex but not enough erotica. Meaning that they had a number of sex scenes (heck it seemed every other page had a quickie) but there was not much of the romance or erotica that the first story had.

So yes I did enjoy this story but not as much as the first and you certainly have to read the first before you read this. But if you enjoy the genre you will enjoy this book.

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

 

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Kelly reviews Love Irresistibly by Julie James

TITLE: Love Irresistibly
SERIES: FBI/ US Attorney #4
CHARACTERS: Cade Madison & Brooke Parker
AUTHOR: Julie James
PUBLICATION DATE: April 2, 2013
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
HE’S USED TO GETTING WHAT HE WANTS…
A former football star and one of Chicago’s top prosecutors, Assistant U.S. Attorney Cade Morgan will do anything to nail a corrupt state senator, which means he needs Brooke Parker’s help. As general counsel for a restaurant company, she can get a bug to the senator’s table at one of her five-star restaurants so the FBI can eavesdrop on him. All Cade has to do is convince Brooke to cooperate—and he’s not afraid to use a little charm, or the power of his office, to do just that.

AND WHAT HE WANTS IS HER.
A savvy businesswoman, Brooke knows she needs to play ball with the U.S. Attorney’s office—even if it means working with Cade. No doubt there’s a sizzling attraction beneath all their sarcastic quips, but Brooke is determined to keep things casual. Cade agrees—until a surprising turn of events throws his life into turmoil, and he realizes that he wants more than just a good time from the one woman with whom he could fall terrifyingly, irresistibly in love .

REVIEW:
This was my first book in Julie James FBI/US Attorney series. Yes, I started with book 4. But Love Irresistibly easily stands on it’s own. There was mention of other characters that I assume where from books 1, 2 or 3. But I never felt lost.

Cade & Brooke are a great couple. Both seem set on not really ever needing anyone in their life. Their jobs have always come first. But Cade & Brooke learn quickly that all work and no play is no way to live your life.

I really liked Cade & Brooke. I really like the story, although at times I was a little bored. But even with that I did enjoy this story.

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.

4 Hearts

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Interview & Giveaway with Grace Burrowes

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome back Grace Burrowes to that blog today to chat about her newest release DARIUS.

Grace, can you please share with us a little about yourself

GB: In addition to writing romance novels, I’m also an attorney for foster children. My clients are the best part about what I do at the day job, but I think in any job where conflict resolution is a big part of what you do, you need mental recreation if you’re not to become emotionally exhausted. Reading and writing romance serves that function for me.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

GB: Before I could write cursive, I was keeping a journal in print. My first non-musician job was working on the campus newspaper at college, and after college, I wrote music reviews for The Washington Post. When I look back, I can see the dots that connected to form a lifelong love of writing, which I think is the same thing as wanting to be an author.

Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?

GB: Twenty-five-years ago… I was in bed, on my left side, waiting out the back end of a high risk pregnancy. In the hour a day I was permitted out of bed, I stole off to the bookstore. I found a copy of Judith Ivory’s Angel in a Red Dress, (Starlit Surrender, back then), and read it start to finish, three times in a row. The writing is superb, the characters daring and deft, the settings meticulously researched. I gobbled up everything I could get my hands on by her. I recall thinking, “If I ever write romance, I want it to be this good, this special.” Not sure I’ve hit that high water mark, but I’m having plenty of fun trying.

How did you get into writing in this specific genre?  Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre?

GB: Sitting outside the lunch room in seventh grade, a friend offered to lend me a book, The Wolf and the Dove. I was gone and haven’t come back. A well-written romance will have the character arc of a tragedy, the happy ending of a comedy, the beautiful writing of literary fiction, the pacing of an excellent thriller, and will do it all times two. Maybe if I ever felt I’d mastered those challenges, I might take on another genre, but for now, romance is what I have inside me to write.

What are some of your writing rituals?

GB: I don’t know if this qualifies as a ritual, but I try to be reading a keeper (or potential keeper), a craft book, and a historical reference at all times. The craft book often inhabits the smallest room of the house, because some wisdom is best consumed in small portions. The historical reference goes in my shoulder bag, because again, I can pick it up and put down, regardless of where I am or when the phone rings. The keeper is on my nightstand, so I can always end my day in a good place.

Can you please tell us about your latest book(s)?

GB:  Darius is a bit of a departure for me, in that my hero, Darius Lindsey, starts out all but trading his intimate favors for coin. That’s not your typical Regency hero, says I to myself, but Darius has good reason for the compromises he’s made, and as I wrote his story, I found that his redemption was all the more moving for being so badly needed. His sense of honor was never lacking, but his self-respect was much in need of repair, and by the end of the book, he’s reclaimed it. Still, the premise—of gigolo with a heart of gold?—was a reach for me.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

GB: We’re told in writing workshops to torture our protagonists. When I met Darius in earlier books, (The Virtuoso, and later while I was writing Nicholas) I wondered what he was doing, looking so peaked and wan, out till all hours, and clearly not having much fun. So I asked myself, “What is the worst, most painful wound I can afflict him with, the hardest to recover from?” Any wound to a man’s honor is brutal. I tormented Darius further by making it an intimate wound.

And then—with Lady Vivian’s help—made it all better.

Can you share with us your current work(s) in progress?

GB: I’ve just completed a book about an English baron, trapped as a youth in France during the Peace of Amiens. As he comes of age, his only means of avoiding interment is to join the French Army, where he ends up—authors do these things to their characters—responsible for interrogating English officers captured out of uniform. We meet him when he’s back in England after the war, pardoned by the Regent, but now sporting the moniker, the “Traitor Baron.” Our hero is trying to rebuild his life when clearly, somebody would much rather he wouldn’t draw breath at all. Enter, his aunt’s pretty, practical companion….

Open your book to a random page and tell us what’s happening.

GB: Lady Vivien has contrived to meet Darius at a ball, because she feels he’s entitled to know he’s going to be a father, and because she’s worried about him. The women threatening to reveal to polite society some of Darius’ more shameful exploits are circling in the garden, though Darius doesn’t yet know they’re lurking nearby….

What would you be if you were not an author?

GB: In addition to writing and representing children in foster care court, I’m also a mediator. It’s amazing—and very rewarding—to see how much benefit you can be to people just by paying attention to them, and letting them know you’re there to help them develop solutions to their problems.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

GB: Meredith Duran’s That Scandalous Summer, is on my nightstand. Carolyn Jewel just posted that she’s started the sequel to Lord Ruin, and I’m dying to read that.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

GB: Thanks so much for having me here!

 

*****

DARIUS

by GRACE BURROWES 

IN STORES APRIL 2013

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Indigo/Chapters | Discover a New Love | Sourcebooks

 

A story that breaks all the rules…

Darius is a remarkable tale of desperation, devotion, and redemption from award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes. Her gorgeous writing and lush Regency world will stay with you long after you turn the final page…

With his beloved sister tainted by scandal, his widowed brother shattered by grief, and his funds cut off, Darius Lindsey sees no option but to sell himself—body and soul. Until the day he encounters lovely, beguiling Lady Vivian Longstreet, whose tenderness and understanding wrap his soul in a grace he knows he’ll never deserve…

 

Praise for Darius:

“Burrowes brings to life a deeply moving romance that’s sure to be remembered and treasured.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 ½ Stars, Top Pick

“This rising author handles powerful romance and complicated family life with skill in romances with great appeal.” —Booklist

“Burrowes creates her usual intelligent characters, exciting chemistry, and flowing dialogue…” —Publishers Weekly

“Very compelling… Likable characters with enough angst to keep the story moving along.” —Night Owl Reviews, 4.5 stars, Reviewer Top Pick

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes’ bestsellers include The Heir, The Soldier, Lady Maggie’s Secret Scandal, Lady Sophie’s Christmas Wish and Lady Eve’s Indiscretion. The Heir was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2010, The Soldier was a PW Best Spring Romance of 2011, Lady Sophie’s Christmas Wish won Best Historical Romance of the Year in 2011 from RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, Lady Louisa’s Christmas Knight was a Library Journal Best Book of 2012, and The Bridegroom Wore Plaid was a PW Best Book of 2012. Her Regency romances have received extensive praise, including starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Grace is branching out into novellas and Scotland-set Victorian romance with Sourcebooks. She is a practicing family law attorney and lives in rural Maryland. For more information, please visit www.graceburrowes.com.

 

 

 

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Spotlight Feature of Her Cowboy’s Heart by Marissa Dobson

Sunshine Press ~ Kindle ~ Nook ~ Smashwords ~ All Romance Ebooks

Blurb:

A life threatening attack woke Jackie Wilder up. Tired of waiting, her lioness is determined to convince her mate to claim her.

Haunted by his past, Kevin Roberts doesn’t dare allow anyone close, not even the woman he knows is his mate. Years spent as a lab experiment left their scars on his body. But when a lioness hunts, his desire may be their undoing.

Can Jackie help him shed the shackles of his past? Or will his scars rend them apart?

 

Excerpt:

Jackie Wilder struggled to sit up and her head swam. Every fiber of her body screamed out in pain when she moved, but she was tired of being stuck in bed. Tired of staring at nothing, but the pale blue walls of her room at Half Moon Harbor Resort. Her twin sister, Jacey, pushed open the bedroom door and relief washed through Jackie. It wasn’t Kevin Roberts.

Jacey, Jay, and she had always been the closest of the Wilder siblings. While the rest of their sisters were off exploring the world, they had stayed in Wilderville to assert themselves as leaders of their family pride.

“Jacey, what happened with Kevin? He sits here by my side hour after hour, yet he won’t speak to me. When I ask him a question, I get nothing but a few words. Things were always so easy between us. The friendship we shared is gone, and I don’t understand why.” The words poured out the moment Jacey shut the door giving them at least the idea of privacy. In a house full of lion shifters privacy was rare.

“Jackie, you were brutally attacked. He’s coming to terms with the fact we almost lost you.” Jacey sat on the edge of the bed, ignoring the damp spot created by her wet pink bikini. “You should have seen him when we got the news. It hit him hard, he’s realizing he could have lost you before he had the opportunity to claim you as his mate. Give him time.”

Jacey still struggled with finding her mate at such an inopportune time. She wasn’t prepared to accept Blake until her abusive ex Gray was completely out of her life and the only way that would happen was with his death.

“Give him time? Time to what? Deny what’s between us? I can’t sit around waiting for him forever. We’re supposed to be—destined to be together and he needs to accept that.” The pain of his denial ran through her like ice water. Quickly she closed the dam, refusing to give him satisfaction of tears, yet her heart broke knowing her mate was in the other room denying her. What’s so wrong with me that he would deny me?

“What do you want him to do, claim you while you’re still recovering?” Jacey tried to laugh it off but when Jackie remained mute, her twin raised an eyebrow in question.

“Yes.” Ignoring the nausea swamping her when she moved, Jackie scooted up further in the bed. “After the attack, I didn’t know if I’d make it. I was so cold. He was all I could think about. I wanted him there with me, to feel his touch one last time. To feel his lips on mine. Nicholas kept telling me Kevin would be there soon.” Tears coated her throat. “But damn it, I’ve known for over a year he was my mate, and he had to have known longer. I shouldn’t have had to wait all this time and I sure the hell won’t have to wait any longer.”

 

Author Bio:

Born and raised in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area, Marissa Dobson now resides about an hour from Washington, D.C. She is a lady who likes to keep busy, and is always busy doing something. With two different college degrees, she believes you are never done learning.

Being the first daughter to an avid reader, this gave her the advantage of learning to read at a young age. Since learning to read she has always had her nose in a book. It wasn’t until she was a teenager that she started writing down the stories she came up with.

Marissa is blessed with a wonderful supportive husband, Thomas. He is her other half and allows her to stay home and pursue her writing. He puts up with all her quirks and listens to her brainstorm in the middle of the night.

Her writing buddies Max (a cocker spaniel) and Dawne (a beagle mix) are always around to listen to me bounce ideas off them. They might not be able to answer, but they are helpful in their own ways.

She love to hear from readers so send her an email at marissa@marissadobson.com or visit her online at http://www.marissadobson.com.

Facebook – Street Team

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Kimberly reviews Lush by Lauren Dane

TITLE: Lush
SERIES #: Delicious #3
CHARACTERS: Mary & Damien
AUTHOR: Lauren Dane
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/02/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Mary Whaley has her hands full running a successful catering company and overseeing her supper club. She has everything she ever wanted—or so she thought. When she meets ridiculously hot and very dirty rock star Damien Hurley at her friend’s engagement party, the attraction she feels is overpowering—and she isn’t about to deny herself.

Damien is used to a hard and fast life. He and two of his brothers started a band when they were fresh out of high school—then they hit the big time and stayed there. He’s also a legendary madman on the stage and in the bedroom. But when he meets Mary, something clicks, and the bad boy starts thinking he may have finally found something good.

What begins as a series of fleeting trysts soon gets much more complicated. Damien can’t figure out why Mary doesn’t want more from him. And before long, it’s Damien who wants more from Mary. But it turns out Mary is no stranger to celebrity news, and he’s got a very big job ahead of him: proving that he’s worth more than a one-night stand…

REVIEW:
First I have to say that I have not read the first two in the series so that made it hard in the beginning to follow who all the characters are. There are a bunch of people thrown in the beginning and it got very confusing. I hate to say it but I really don’t think this book can stand alone and needs to be read in the series.

I don’t know… I just couldn’t get into this book. I am not sure why. I don’t think the characters had much of a chemistry together. The friends had more chemistry than Damien and Mary. They are both too focused on what they do than what they want. There wasn’t enough time with them together as well. The sex scenes are good but not as “dirty” as I expected from the information I received on the book. I also had a hard time with the dialogue. It seemed so off from how a normal conversation would sound.

I can understand why someone who has read the rest of the series (and I think some other books before that too) would enjoy this book I just couldn’t get into it.

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

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Interview & Giveaway with Laura Moore

Books-n-Kisses is super excited to have first time guest Laura Moore on the blog today to chat about life and her new book Once Tempted.

Laura, can you please share with us a little about yourself

LM: I’m a contemporary romance author, an animal lover, an avid gardener, and I love to cook. I’ll take any opportunity I can find to steal away and curl up with a book. I cry at movies embarrassingly easily, much to the amusement of my husband and two children. My dog is very understanding. Our cat stares at me as if I’m an alien. I like to work out and I have an astonishing ability to consume vast quantities of chocolate and coffee.

Have you always wanted to be an author?

LM: No. I bet I surprised you with that answer! But it’s true. I didn’t fill notebooks in third grade with juvenilia. I wanted to be a professional rider and trainer. Then I wanted to be a racecar driver. My next ambition was to be Jacques Cousteau–this was before I knew about Sylvia Earle. Then I dreamed of being a photographer and after that, an art restorer. I could go on for quite a while. You see, I have a fair number of writers in my family, so I knew what an unglamorous life it could be. Of course now I’m pretty happy that I one day did sit down and start filling up a notebook with an idea I had for a story. Now I have a job where I can daydream for hours and call it work.

Can you share with us your typical writing day.  Is there anything you have to have while writing?

LM: I get up at 6:30 am, have breakfast, and walk Hardy, our dog. Upon my return I throw a load of laundry into the wash and run around straightening up the house. I’m kind of weird. There’s no way I can sit down to write if things aren’t basically organized around me. By 9:00 I’m at my computer. I try to work for three or four hours without wasting too much time checking and replying to emails, surfing the net in the name of ‘research’, or surfing the net simply because it’s there.

After lunch I’ll try to get a few more paragraphs onto the screen. If I’m lucky, another page or two. But my prime writing time is really that morning block of hours.

The one thing I can’t do without while writing is caffeine. It’s my drug of choice.

Most challenging or rewarding part of writing?

LM: Writing for me is always a challenge. The delete button is my favorite key. But without hesitation I can say the most rewarding aspect of writing is having a reader tell me that one of my books is on her keeper shelf, its spine broken, its pages dog-eared.

Can you please tell us about your latest book?

It’s called Once Tempted and it’s about a woman named Tess Casari. To escape the painful memories of a failed marriage, Tess leaves her life in New York City and the world she knows and sets out for California. A city girl, Tess would prefer to make a new life for herself in a place like L.A. or San Francisco, but Fate decrees otherwise, and Tess finds herself working at a guest ranch. Silver Creek Ranch is a sprawling operation that covers three thousand acres is home to more four-legged animals than she’s ever seen. But it’s a certain two-legged creature–a proud cowboy named Ward Knowles–that is the most worrisome thing about her new life…worrisome in the most delicious and distracting way.

How did you come with the idea for this story?

I really wanted to write about a woman who has to leave her life behind and make a fresh start in a foreign place where she knows not a soul. That’s how Tess Casari came into my life. Then I had to find her a white knight–or my version of it–to come to her rescue and heal her wounds. Ward Knowles, though he bears his own heartbreak, seemed ready and willing. I really like how Tess and Ward come together in this book and have to deal with their fears as they find love again.

Can you share with us your current work in progress?

LM: Once Tempted is the first book in my Silver Creek series. Now I’m working on the second story. It’s called Once Tasted and will be about Reid Knowles, Ward’s younger brother. Everybody loves Reid. He’s a handsome, blue-eyed cowboy who can charm just about any woman. Any woman but Mia Bodell, whose family owns the vineyard next to Silver Creek Ranch. Her youthful infatuation for Reid was killed years ago. For his part, Reid would as steer clear of Mia. Unfortunately, he’s made a promise to Mia’s uncle to watch out for her…I think it’s safe to say the sparks will fly between Mia and Reid.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

LM: The list is far too long. Why don’t I list my early favorites, the writers who made me fall in love with the romance genre? Those would be writers like Georgette Heyer, Nora Roberts, Lavryle Spencer, Jude Deveraux, Judith McNaught, Catherine Coulter, Julie Garwood, Linda Howard, Anne Stuart, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. And that was just my early years. I’ve kept my love of those writers and added on.

Do you feel that any of your favorite authors have inspired your writing style? 

LM: Absolutely. I only wish I wrote as well they do!

Open your book to a random page and please reads us a few lines.

LM: Oh, I like this idea! It’s kind of how I had my heroine, Tess Casari, choose her destination in California. Okay, so here goes:

“Can I have it back?” She held out her hand imperiously. The effect, however, was spoiled by the fine trembling that seized it.

“Certainly.” His free hand slipped beneath the chair and snagged a delicate ankle. He tugged a resisting limb up and toward him. It was no contest. He’d had a lifetime experience wrestling cattle and sheep. One feisty, squirming Italian beauty wasn’t going to deter him.

What is in your To Read Pile that you are dying to start or upcoming release you can’t wait for?

LM: Robyn Carr’s The Wanderer; Julie James’s Love Irresistibly; Nora Roberts’s Whiskey Beach. Jesse Hayworth’s Summer at Mustang Ridge

Is there anything else you would like to add?

LM: Nothing but a huge thank you for inviting me to come and talk about my books and my writing. This has been such fun.

Oh, and one more thing! I’d like to offer a copy of Once Tempted to three readers who leave comments (U.S. and Canada only, please). Can you tell me what’s on your To-Be-Read Pile?

Happy Reading!

~Laura

Laura loves to hear from readers. You can contact her at: www.lauramoorebooks.com or follow her on Facebook

You can also find her on Goodreads

 

Once Tempted

Amazon  | B&N

Sweeping passions, family drama, and searing scandal play out at the magnificent Silver Creek Ranch as the heirs to a powerful dynasty seize their legacy of love.
 
Oldest son Ward Knowles feels the sprawling California ranch in his blood. And now that the family business has expanded to include a popular resort, he’s working harder than ever. Silver Creek is his legacy and his life, which is fine for the ruggedly sexy ladies’ man and committed bachelor. Love and trust don’t come easily for Ward since he lost his heart to a gold digger—until he meets a shy, unpretentious beauty whose sweet grace is about to turn his jaded heart into a hungry one.

Tess Casari has found sanctuary at Silver Creek, working as an assistant to Ward’s mother, Adele. Grateful for her busy new life running the ranch’s spa and resort, Tess can escape the heartbreak, humiliation, and secret shame of her failed marriage. The last thing she needs is temptation—especially from a man who reminds her so much of the husband who shattered her faith in love. But passion and destiny are about to change the rules for two people who have stopped believing in the healing power of love.

Praise for Once Tempted
 
“[Laura] Moore’s first in her new Silver Creek series is packed with plenty of great, realistic dialogue and features two main characters whose actions and choices are easy to sympathize with. The glimpses of the hero’s two siblings will leave readers eager for their stories.”—RT Book Reviews
 
“When I read [Moore’s] books, I’m transported to the peaceful countryside with ranch homes and barns dotting the landscape. Once Tempted has all that and more.”—USA Today
 
“Ward is the perfect cowboy hero for a twenty-first century romance.”—Heroes and Heartbreakers

“Moore is a fantastic storyteller ensnaring your interest from the first page.”—Fresh Fiction

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Kimberly reviews For All Of Her Life by Heather Graham

TITLE: For All Of Her Life
CHARACTERS: Kathy & Jordan
AUTHOR: Heather Graham
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/20/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Sometimes our exes are exactly how we remember them. Sometimes they’re better . . .

Kathy and Jordan Treveryan used to have everything. They fronted the enormously successful rock band Blue Heron, they had two beautiful daughters, and they had a passionate marriage. But life as they knew it came to an abrupt end when their bandmate, Keith, was killed in an apparently accidental fire. Soon after, the band and their marriage fell apart.

In this tale of unstoppable love, Jordan pursues Kathy as he tries to reunite the band and lay to rest the mysterious circumstances of Keith’s death. And while Kathy finds herself torn between her current boyfriend and her lingering feelings for her ex-husband, romance reignites—and the exes may even unravel the truth behind what made them separate so long ago.

REVIEW:
This is a re-release from 1995. I enjoy Heather Graham very much but apparently not her old stuff. The characters never seemed to connect. The ex-husband was just rude. I can’t imagine that any female reader would fall for this guy and want him to win the girl. Kathy on the other hand is pathetic. She has a chance at a life but for some reason only wants to be with her ex and why she would want that is beyond me.

Seeing as this was written 2 decades ago maybe that made the difference but I think I will stick with the current reads from Graham from now on.

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

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Kimberly reviews Rules Of Entanglement by Gina L. Maxwell

TITLE: Rules Of Entanglement
SERIES #: Fighting For Love #2
CHARACTERS: Vanessa & Jax
AUTHOR: Gina L. Maxwell
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/31/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Seven days. And seven rules to break…

District Attorney Vanessa McGregor firmly believes that structure and order are the stuff that dreams are made of. Happiness can be planned – and it starts with seven rules she’s laid out for her future. But as she’s organizing her best friend’s wedding in Hawaii, all of Vanessa’s best-laid plans are about to meet their match in a wickedly hot MMA fighter…

Jackson “Jax” Maris is focused on surfing, training and fighting. That is, until he opens up his big mouth, and finds himself having to pretend he’s engaged to his little sister’s best friend, Vanessa. When they’re forced to share a romantic bungalow, however, their little charade suddenly takes a turn for the seriously sexy. And while Jax is definitely not part of Vanessa’s long-term plan, he has seven days – and seven naughty nights – to turn her seven-rule plan upside down

REVIEW:
I didn’t want to miss a word of this story. I thought with it being such a long story there might be a lot of repeating itself but there really wasn’t. I enjoyed the connected between Jax and Vanessa. V is such an interesting character and I loved her snideness. She is written very well. Jax is just a great guy. Man I wish there were more guys like him in the world. He has a romantic sweet side but will also fight for his woman and will even not fight for her (you will understand that when you read the book).

I think anyone who enjoys a true love romance then this is the book for you. It has a bit of everything but the best part is Jax. There is something about that man… Yum. The book is a bit long but as I said before I really didn’t want to miss a word of it. A true fan of romance will enjoy this story.

I did not read the first in the series but will go back and read it now because Lucie and Reid sound like they had a great story too. But you do not need to read that one to read this book.

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

4 Hearts

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Kimberly reviews No Foolin’ by Lisa Scott

TITLE: No Foolin’
SERIES #: Willowdale Romance #1
CHARACTERS: Kate & Teague
AUTHOR: Lisa Scott
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/04/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Welcome to Willowdale, North Carolina, a small town where the folks are friendly, the romances are as sweet as the tea, and the biddies at the diner gobble up gossip like it’s peach cobbler. This may be their biggest scoop ever.

When sexy Hollywood bad-boy Teague “T-Rex” Reynolds comes to this quiet Southern town, he needs a fake girlfriend to hide the secret that brought him there. School nurse Kate Riley takes the job, but she won’t fall for a movie star, no ma’am. That’s fine with Teague. He hung a closed sign on his heart years ago.

Convincing the press they’re in love is one thing. Fooling each other they’re not is getting harder each day. Despite scandal, heartache, and misunderstandings galore, they might just find the sweet thrill of true love. Book one of The Willowdale Romances.

REVIEW:
3.5 Stars ~ This is a cute story. I enjoyed Teague and Kate a lot. The relationship they have it very sweet. I am not sure that I think this book is “upbeat” though for most of it. Kate (and her sister) have a very low self-esteem which you can understand given their history but it is a bit of a downer after a while. I actually started to feel sad for them both. I wanted Kate to have a least some confidence in herself but other than the fact that she knows she can “always make things work out one way to another” she has very little confidence in herself.

However, she also almost has a childlike quality when she learns new things. She is really a interesting character in some ways good and some ways bad but still interesting. Teague is sweet and loving but he also has a youthfulness about him that should not be there for his age. He knows he is not what the papers say he is but he is not sure he can be what he wants to be. I am not sure how he supposedly got all the money he has since he is not a big time actor yet but, hey, I don’t know how Hollywood works. But, anyway, I liked him.

I really didn’t care about the background story of Kate’s pregnant sister. She was so needy and scared of life that, again, it was a bit of a downer but I understand it needed to be there to enhance Kate’s story.

Do not get me wrong. I liked the book. I truly enjoyed the day reading it and think anyone who enjoys the romance genre will enjoy it too.

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

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Kimberly reviews The Love Shack by Christie Ridgway

TITLE: The Love Shack
SERIES #: Beach House No.9 #3
CHARACTERS: Skye & Gage
AUTHOR: Christie Ridgway
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/26/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Globe-trotting photojournalist Gage Lowell spent carefree childhood summers in Crescent Cove. Now that he desperately needs some R & R, he books a vacation at Beach House No. 9—ready to soak up some sun and surprise old friend and property manager Skye Alexander. Their long-distance letters got him through a dangerous time he can’t otherwise talk about. But when

he arrives, the tightly wound beauty isn’t exactly happy to see him.

Skye knows any red-blooded woman would be thrilled to spend time with gorgeous, sexy Gage. But she harbors secrets of her own, including that she might just be a little bit in love with him. And she’s convinced the restless wanderer won’t stay long enough for her to dare share her past—or dream of a future together. Luckily for them both, summer at Crescent Cove has a way of making the impossible happen…

REVIEW:
This is the last in the Beach House No. 9 trilogy and I think it might have been the best of the three. Beach House No. 9 is magical or so the summer visitors say and with this last book in the series they might be right.

Gage returns back for a harrowing experience overseas to the woman he believes to be a friend and pen-pal but there is something more. Something that each of them is dealing with internally and while they tell each other almost everything in their letters both don’t want to share the experiences even though doing so would help them both heal and that is where the beach and the house come in.

I have always enjoyed Ridgway’s book and this was no exception. There is something about Gage and Skye that pulls you in. Maybe it is because we have been a part of their correspondence every since book one in the series or maybe it is just that Ridgway writes a couple that are meant to be together.

While you can read this on its own I would suggest starting with book one. There is a number of things in this book that wrap up the stories from the first and second in the series and I think you will miss the feeling of completion without reading all of them. And trust me it is no burden to read Ridgway’s books.

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

4 Hearts

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Jennifer reviews Timber Creek by Veronica Wolff

TITLE: Timber Creek
AUTHOR: Veronica Wolff
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/31/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
For Laura Bailey it wasn’t easy weathering her teen years at her quaint family lodge in a boondock town at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Fleeing for San Francisco the minute she graduated high school seemed like a good idea-until she lost her job and her fiance. The blow to her pride sent her back to Sierra Falls to figure out her life. But her hometown is undergoing a bit of renovation.

A new Sierra Falls resort is posing a threat to the Bailey family business. Even worse, the construction company developing the property is run by Eddie Jessup, Laura’s cocky high school nemesis who delighted in locking horns with the little spitfire. Some things never change. But their battle isn’t the only thing heating up between Laura and Eddie, and before long they realize that getting to know each other all over again has its rewards. But fate isn’t through with them. Nor are the games men and women play in the name of love.

REVIEW:
This is the second book in the Sierra Falls series and I loved this book so much better than the first one, Sierra Falls. Laura was a young woman who had lost her prestigious job and boyfriend forcing her to come back home to the place she desperately wanted to get away from as a teenager. She didn’t seem very nice in the beginning of this story because she was constantly yelling at everyone and was impatient with most of the staff at her family’s lodge. But I connected with this character because I could see that she put up this barrier to try to prove to people that she had it all together when inside she felt like a failure. She never really felt as though she was good enough growing up and when Eddie started working for her family’s competition, she did everything in her power to stop the construction. The family business was the only thing that she had left to focus her energy on and she couldn’t let that be destroyed.

I loved Eddie because he was sweet, funny and just a great guy that any girl would want for a boyfriend. He had been trying so hard to get Laura to see him in a romantic light and even though he was working on the construction for the new spa, he was never upset with Laura even though she brought up several issues about his work permit at every turn. They were the perfect match for each other even though it took longer for Laura to realize that she had everything she needed to be happy in Sierra Falls right in front of her.

I love small town romances and Veronica Wolff does a wonderful job creating characters that you can fall in love with. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the Sierra Falls series and I have a feeling that I know who the lucky characters are that will find their true happiness next.

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

4 Hearts
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Kimberly reviews Sweet As Sugar, Hot As Spice by Kimberly Raye

TITLE: Sweet As Sugar, Hot As Spice
SERIES #: Farrel Sisters #3
CHARACTERS: Eve & Linc
AUTHOR: Kimberly Raye
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/14/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
SWEET AS SUGAR

As owner and operator of Sugar & Spice Sinema, Eve Farrel creates red-hot how-to videos that help couples go from mild to wild. But Eve herself is single-and her famous feminist mother is determined to keep her that way. The only way Eve can get her mom off her back is to do the unthinkable-like get married.

HOT AS SPICE

Linc Adams is a bad-boy NASCAR driver whose love life is even faster than his car. The last thing he wants is to follow in his father’s footsteps and run for mayor of his North Carolina town. Hoping to blow his electoral chances, he agrees to marry Eve. Surely, her knockout looks and steamy career will shock conservative voters! But Linc’s in for a shock himself on his wedding night. This fast-track ladies’ man is about to learn a trick or two about lovemaking…while Eve is about to learn something new about love.

REVIEW:
The thing I liked best about this story? Everything. Well, ok, the NASCAR information was no longer accurate since the book was originally published in 2005 but that is ok. I really liked that there were problems. Not problems that we normally see but real life problems. They get married first and have sex later and she fakes an orgasm and he knows it. Now how do they get through that? Her mom is a pain and his parents are set in their ways. She expects him to be ignorant and he expects her to be wild. And so now they are married and they have to deal with everything else.

I could have also used a bit of a different ending. Where was the dramatic scene with the parents? I missed that! But other than that it really is a great story. I read the first one in the series and somehow missed the second but I will be backtracking to read it.

If you enjoy a non-perfect romance then this is the story for you.

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

4 Hearts