Kelly reviews For 100 Days by Lara Adrian

TITLE: For 100 Days
SERIES #: 100 Days #1
CHARACTERS: Dominic “Nick” Baine & Avery
AUTHOR: Lara Adrian
PUBLICATION DATE:
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Pleasure has a price . . .

Just when everything in my life is falling apart, I find a chance to turn it around–to step into someone else’s glittering world, if only for a little while. I become someone new, no longer the woman defined by an ugly past, but a woman freer and bolder than myself. A woman who isn’t afraid to explore every passion, even at its darkest, with a mysterious and seductive man who believes my mask is real.

Handsome and commanding, enigmatic and irresistible, billionaire Dominic Baine is an obsession I cannot afford and should not risk. He ushers me into consuming new pleasures and addicting new desires, until the line between my real life and the fantasy one I’ve stolen with him begins to blur.

I know I cannot keep my truth from him. I know my past will not stay buried forever. But before I can make it right, everything comes crashing down. I have deceived this powerful, dangerous man . . . and now there is a price to be paid.

* * * * * * * *
FOR 100 DAYS is the first novel in a passionate new contemporary romance trilogy from New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Lara Adrian. Coming soon: FOR 100 NIGHTS and FOR 100 REASONS.

REVIEW:
WOWZA!!! That was my first thought when I found out the Ms. Adrian was writing a new series. So of course when the opportunity came up to review For 100 Days there was no way I could say no. I had to see what Ms. Adrian could do with an Erotica Romance. Ms. Adrian didn’t disappoint!!!!
For 100 Days is written in first person which I don’t read a lot of but was done great!! While we don’t get an in depth view Nick we learn a lot about Avery. We also learn that there is a lot in Avery’s past that we don’t know about. We get to experience Nick though Avery’s eyes and of course that makes us all love him even more. I really enjoyed the storyline of these two. The pull between them is wonderful, yet both are holding something back. Something that each is afraid will push the other away.
It will be interesting to see where Nick & Avery go over the course of the next two books but one thing is for sure it is going to be a wild ride!!

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

May 20, 2016April 28, 2016

Spotlight Feature & Excerpt of Nicole Helm’s Outlaw Cowboy + a giveaway

Series: Big Sky Cowboys, #2

Pubdate: May 3^rd, 2016

ISBN: 9781492621270

BIG SKY TROUBLE

Ever since his father’s accident, Caleb Shaw vowed he’d mend his wild ways, and he means to keep his word. He’s a changed man. A better man. And he knows he should want absolutely nothing to do with his crazy old life…or the maddening temptation that is Delia Rogers.

Because Delia? Is nothing but trouble.

Delia’s been stealing her sisters away from their violent father ever since she was old enough to fight back. But now with the police on her trail and all her bridges burned, there’s nowhere left to run but back into the arms of the one cowboy she knows she shouldn’t need. Caleb has always been too good for her, no matter how bad he claimed to be. Yet when close quarters turn into something more, Delia and Caleb are forced to decide what really matters: mending their reputations or healing their wary hearts…

An Excerpt:

“I know. I’m not comparing, Delia. I can’t.” He shook his head as his gaze returned to hers.

If she looked closely enough, she could probably see her own reflection, but getting any closer than this already too-close cab of his truck held zero appeal.

“But if you had something that was yours, that made you who you are, that gave you a reason to get up in the morning, wouldn’t you do everything to keep it? Wouldn’t you fight to keep the thing that made you feel like you weren’t a complete waste of space?”

She should look away. She should get out of the truck or demand he drive her to her family home. She should do anything but keep his gaze and let his words wrap around her heart and squeeze.

She didn’t have a thing that made her who she was, or a reason to get up in the morning—at least not once Steph was out. Yet she’d always kept plowing ahead, because no matter how bleak things were, she knew who she was. Strong. Resilient. And she knew, deep in her heart most of the time, that once she did her duty to her sisters, there would be something waiting for her on the other side.

She hadn’t planned on it being jail, but even in her darkest moments she knew even that would be a temporary thing, as long as she could get Steph safe first.

All the crap Caleb was complaining about was easier, but somehow sadder, because he didn’t know how to go on without this beautiful, amazing piece of land that made her feel an aching kind of hope.

Hope. Somehow, it kept her going. It kept people like them going. And all of Caleb’s was tied up in something that could be taken from him.

“I’m not expecting sympathy,” he said, his voice hushed and his eyes on hers.

She felt herself lean forward, as if there was some force pushing her there. Him or the sun disappearing in his eyes.

“I just want you to understand why I did what I did. Helping you isn’t an easy choice for me. It threatens my only chance at this. But I want to do it anyway.”

She couldn’t swallow the lump in her throat, and her eyes burned. It shouldn’t make it better and it shouldn’t make it understandable. It certainly shouldn’t make her forgive him for trying to kick her off Shaw.

But she saw his battle, and that thing inside of him so lost he couldn’t find a center without the beauty that surrounded them, and that seemed more depressing than getting up every morning ready to fight. Thinking the only thing that made you worthwhile could be so easily taken away seemed worse than working to save people you loved. At least, at the end of the day, she knew she’d have her determination.

He cleared his throat. “Christ, Delia. Why are you crying?”

“I’m not crying.”

He reached out and touched his thumb to an unruly tear trailing down her cheek. She had a handle on the rest, but that one escaped and now he was touching it. Her.

Why were they so close? Why was she letting him be this close? Letting him touch her? She should push him away. Knock that stupid hat off his head while she was at it. She should do everything but lean into that gentle touch. It was a lie, a distraction, anything but something she could believe in or allow.

But somehow their mouths were close, and her heart was beating frantically against her chest, pushing her even closer to him. With his mouth a whisper from hers, her body completely warm for the first time since she’d woken up in the Shaw house this morning, he didn’t press his mouth to hers. He shook his head.

“I can’t do this with you.” But he didn’t back away, and when his eyes searched her face, they didn’t seem to mean that at all.

“But here you are,” she managed to croak out, sounding not at all like the cool, unaffected, kick-ass woman she’d like to be. Here she was, letting him swoop in, letting him touch her and affect her. “I don’t trust you,” she whispered, because she had to put that between them. She had to remind herself.

“Good. I don’t trust myself.”

Why? Why did she feel sorry for him? He had everything, including all the power. But sympathy softened her heart against her will, because the jackass didn’t know himself at all, and that was damn sad.

She’d rather be stupid than sad. She’d rather feel than run away from it. So she did the stupid, feeling thing to do.

She leaned in and pressed her mouth to his.

Would you rather go without a car or electricity for a month?

Car! I could not leave my house for weeks and, as long as I had someone bringing me groceries, be quite content.

Nicole Helm writes down-to-earth contemporary romance specializing in people who don’t live close enough to neighbors for them to be a problem. When she’s not writing, she spends her time dreaming about someday owning a barn. She lives with her husband and two young sons in O’Fallon, Missouri.

Visit Nicole’s website for more down-to-earth contemporary romance!

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May 19, 2016May 15, 2016

#TBT Kimberly’s review of Beside A Dreamswept Sea by Vicki Hinze – Catch Up From The Beginning

Beside A Dreamswept Sea
AUTHOR: Vicki Hinze
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/23/11
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Welcome to the third book of The Seascape Trilogy, three mystical romance-mystery novels by bestselling author Vicki Hinze.
New love isn’t on the agenda for widower Bryce Richards, who comes to the peaceful Seascape Inn with his three children, hoping the ethereal setting will help them recover from the death of their mother. Likewise, fellow inn guest Callie isn’t looking for romance either; she’s recovering from an emotionally abusive marriage. It will take all the matchmaking skills of innkeeper Hattie Stillman and her ghostly assistant to bring Bryce and Cally together.

REVIEW:
Once again visiting the Seascape Inn was just as delightful and moving as with the rest of the trilogy. The Seascape Inn is a magical and healing inn that makes you long to visit. This should be in the category of a timeless romance. Everyone should read this trilogy at some point in their lives.

This story as with the others of the trilogy read like a movie. You feel taken into another world and it consumes you when you read it. I wish these books would be made into a movie for The Lifetime Channel or something. As with the other books I sit here trying to describe the book but it is more than a read it is a feeling and it is hard to describe the feeling I get from this book. I think everyone who loves romances should read this book/trilogy. This trilogy will be the one that stays with you forever and will become the first book you recommend when someone asks for a new author. So many of the stories now are about sex but these stories are about love and romance… true romance. The romance of people and a place. These books are perfectly written and I wish they would have gone on forever. It is sad to know this is the last of the Seascape Inn and I hope the author changes her mind and writes more now that these have been reissued.

May 17, 2016April 28, 2016

Guest blogger: Terry Spear talks about her trip to a Wolf reserve + a giveaway

A Note from Terry Spear:

When I was writing Alpha Wolf Need Not Apply, I went with some of my friends, who are also big-time fans of my wolf series, to stay on a wolf reserve in a cabin complete with solar lighting. Which meant we had a tiny bit of light at night, and then we were using flashlights or camp lights. Water was restricted, so we used an outhouse until it grew dark, and two of us slept on mattresses on the attic floor, the others in rooms on the first floor. We had a blast.

Every morning and night and sometimes in between, we heard the wolves howling in the reserve a short distance away. The cabin is also owned by the wolf reserve and all the land around it. But what made the trip extra special was when Rory, one of the wolf handlers, brought two of the wolves, ambassador wolves, to meet with us up at the cabin.

If you’ve been around dogs, that’s what they’re like—sniffing to learn more about you. Checking you out to see if you’re female or male. You have to wait to let them accept you before you can make contact. Zoerro was the gray timber wolf, male, alpha. He’s been in promotional advertising for Game of Thrones. How cool is that to pet the wolf who was in the ads? He allowed me to pet him and stood by me for some time while I asked Rory about their behavior. He raised him from a pup, but said how wrong it was to raise wild animals like that, and he now educates people on not doing so.

The other wolf was an Arctic wolf, Sabine, and sadly she has passed away. She and Zoerro were fast friends, and the staff has no clue why she had suddenly become sick and died. But she was so sweet. She tried to give me a kiss. I wasn’t quite ready for that! Rory told me she loved to be petted from behind on her legs underneath her. I sure hoped he knew what he was talking about as I reached between her legs and petted her!

Like dogs, they have their own likes and dislikes, and that was hers.

As an alpha wolf, Zoerro had to scent mark. He claimed the tire on my Escort, and after we went driving all over a Native American reservation seeing ruins that dated back to 1100 AD, we returned and Zoerro came back to see us. He smelled the tire, satisfied it was still his, and re-scent marked it.

But that wasn’t all he scent marked. We had filled a water dish for him on the patio. After he drank from it, he lifted his leg and peed in it, not missing a drop. We all laughed and said if only husbands could be that accurate!

The morning before we packed up and left, we all went down to the compound in the car, parked before the sun began to rise and readied ourselves to record the howling. With a picture of the sunrise, I recorded the wolves, wolf dogs, dogs, and New Guinea singing dogs all adding to the chorus. It was a thrill of a lifetime. And perfect for writing about those sexy alpha wolves.

What would you do if you had a chance to pet a wolf?

*****

Series: Silver Town Wolf, #6

Pubdate: May 3^rd, 2016

ISBN: 9781492621867

An alpha werewolf meets his match in this sizzling paranormal romance from USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear

THERE’S A NEW WOLF PACK IN SILVER TERRITORY

Wolf shifter and park ranger Eric Silver is committed to his job policing spectacular San Isabel National Forest, and he’s hot on the scent of some mysterious wolves who are up to no good. When Eric’s investigation leads him to cross paths with forester Pepper Grayling, he’s fascinated to learn this she-wolf is her pack’s leader—strong, independent, and definitely not looking for a mate.

AND THIS TIME THE LEADER’S A SHE…

With unknown dangers on the prowl, Pepper is tempted to give in to her attraction to Eric and align her pack with his. But Pepper’s been pursued by many an alpha male out to take over her pack and gain her hard-won territory—and Eric is a born leader. How does Eric earn the trust of a she-wolf who’s been betrayed so often in the past?

Excerpt:

Pepper Grayling couldn’t believe it when she heard two wolves fighting in the woods. She’d caught a glimpse of both male wolves, the snarling, big tan and gray that bit at Waldron Mason, and Waldron himself, a beige wolf with a white front and a smattering of gray hairs. The mystery wolf had snapped at Waldron before he raced off. The way he didn’t tuck tail meant he wasn’t cowed by the aggressor. And that had intrigued her.

She was furious that Waldron was pulling her away from her own pack to deal with him when she wanted to ensure Susan was properly cared for. As quickly as she was able, she stripped off her clothes, shifted, and ran like the devil to chase Waldron down. Whoever the other wolf had been, he had posed no threat to them. When she ran after the two wolves, she smelled their scents. The mystery wolf was indeed Eric Silver. No way would she want Waldron to hurt Eric after he’d helped Susan!

She was so angry, she could have killed Waldron for his unwarranted actions.

When she spied Waldron still chasing after Eric, she tore into him, growling and snapping to let him know just how angry he’d made her. He whipped around as if to attack, then recognized her and realized that by attacking, he’d lose any chance of courting and mating her—not that he had any—so he backed off. From his narrow-eyed, harsh gaze, she could tell he was irritated to the max with her. If he could have, he would have continued to hunt the other wolf down and finished him off. She worried about Eric—she smelled his blood on Waldron. How badly had Waldron hurt him?

But she knew Eric had been injured even before this because she’d smelled both an antiseptic and blood on him when she first met him.

She listened but didn’t hear any sign of Eric. Growling at Waldron again, she turned and ran off. She continued to pay attention to the sounds around her, making sure he wasn’t following her back to their campsite. She didn’t want to have to say a word to him about any of this when she reached camp. All she wanted to do was see that her cousin Susan was taken care of.

When she didn’t hear Waldron following her, she wondered if he had gone back after Eric.

As for Eric, she already had trouble with one alpha male wanting to court her. She sure didn’t need a second one bugging her, if Eric had any such notion. Still, she felt bad that Waldron had attacked him, and she really hoped he wasn’t hurt too seriously.

USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear has written over fifty paranormal and medieval Highland historical romances. In 2008 Heart of the Wolf was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry also creates award-winning teddy bears that have found homes all over the world and is raising two Havanese puppies. She lives in Crawford, Texas.

Visit Terry’s website for more sizzling werewolf romance!

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May 16, 2016May 15, 2016

Kelly reviews Dark Alpha’s Demand by Donna Grant

TITLE: Dark Alpha’s Demand
SERIES #: Reapers #3
CHARACTERS: Talin & Neve
AUTHOR: Donna Grant
PUBLICATION DATE: May 17, 2016
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
There is no escaping a Reaper. I am an elite assassin, part of a brotherhood that only answers to Death. And when Death says your time is up, I am coming for you…
My secret is an ancient one. I exist to exact vengeance on the Fae for their wrongs per Death’s orders. When I’m sent as a spy to one of the most treacherous, deceitful places in any realm – the court of the Light Queen – things go awry. Neve captured my soul with just a look from her seductive gaze. She is who I want, who I crave…who I hunger for. But someone has set out to kill her – and expose me. I’ll destroy any man – human or Fae – who brings harm to her, for she is the light my soul can’t risk losing.

REVIEW:
And the plot thickens!!! I really enjoyed this story. With each Reaper book we are drawn more and more into the world of Reapers, Fae and the Dragon Kings. I truly love how closely related these two series are. I am wondering with 4 more Reaper books to come and at least 4 more Dragon King’s books how are these to fractions going to work together to stop the Dark. Crap….. I might have said too much.

Talin and Neve’s story was great. I think so far this is my favorite book in the Reaper’s series. It was awesome to see Bran finally rattled. But the events at the end of Dark Alpha’s Demand broke my heart.

I can’t wait to see what and who is next in this series. I can’t wait to see how the Reapers and the Kings finally realize that they need each other. And Rhi, of course I can’t wait to see what is next for our favorite Light Fae.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press
in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

May 11, 2016May 8, 2016

Kimberly reviews Cin Wikkid by Mary Hughes

TITLE: Cin Wikkid
CHARACTERS: Cin & Rafe
AUTHOR: Mary Hughes
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/18/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
THE WRONGED DAUGHTER
Cinderella hungers to escape from under Widow Wikkid’s grinding thumb. But to snare a plum job at Prince Industries, Cin desperately needs her degree, and she can’t wrap her mind around tax accounting.
Then scarred but sexy Rafe Montoya ignites her imagination with his brilliant tutoring—and, as they work together in his cozy apartment, he sets her body on fire. So why is he pushing her to attend Gideon Prince’s marriage-mart ball?

THE HANDSOME PRINCE
Rafe is really Gideon Prince, head of Prince Industries. He must name his bride by his April first birthday or suffer the loss of his family fortune. Rumors say he’s still single because women love his money and looks, not him. Is he lonely or just another duplicitous tycoon?

THE GLASS SLIPPER TEST
Hopefuls flock to Prince’s birthday ball, but only one will emerge triumphant. Only the woman who’s kind, wise, and generous will win his heart. Is it Cin, or will her stepmother, as she always does, snatch the prize for her own daughters?
And on the night of the ball, when Cin discovers Rafe’s true identity, can she even accept his final test?

REVIEW:
This is a modern spin on an old fairy tale. Oh come on you knew that. But this is not your childs fairy tale. This is for adults and it is a fun read for any fan of romance novels.

Cin Wikkid is a quick read but enjoyable. I thought Cin was sweet and yet a strong woman who knows the way she was raised and is not afraid to be that woman. Pick it up. You won’t regret it.

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

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May 10, 2016April 28, 2016

Guest blogger: Lynnette Austin is talking about Happily Ever Afters + a giveaway

Hints for Reaching that Happy-Ever-After: Advice from an Author to Her Characters

By Lynnette Austin

When we love someone, don’t we want—so badly—to save them from hurt and heartbreak? It doesn’t matter if it’s our children, our spouse, our parents, siblings, or friends. To watch them stumble and occasionally fall is difficult, but we stay close, don’t we, so that we’re there to pick them up and brush them off? We’re there to offer a warm hug and a willing ear.

As an author, I fall in love with my characters. And, hey, I write romance! I want that happy-ever-after. But a satisfying read needs conflict and lots of it. That soul-deep love the hero and heroine might or might not want at the beginning of the book has to come at a cost. It’s my job to put these two wonderful people through the wringer before they earn that lifelong love.

In my newest release, Every Bride Has Her Day, the second book in my Magnolia Brides series, I do just that to Cricket O’Malley and Sam DeLuca. Cricket, eternal optimist, has moved back to Misty Bottoms, Georgia, to open The Enchanted Florist and help Jenni Beth Beaumont with her Magnolia Brides wedding business. She’s there for the long-haul, to plant roots. New York City Detective Sam DeLuca has run away to the small Southern town for solitude and healing. Unlike Cricket, his life has been consumed by the dark side of human nature. He’s in town short-term and wants only to be left alone.

My optimist and my pessimist, my country gal and big city guy, the Yankee and the Dixie-to-her-toes across-the-street neighbor. Oh, boy! With all this in mind, I sat down at my keyboard and gleefully went to work to bring these two together, anticipating the sparring matches to come!

But had this been real life, I know the nurturer in me—okay, okay, the meddler in me—would have a hard time watching this play out without stepping in with some advice. So what would I tell these two? What bits of advice could I give Cricket and Sam to make their road a little smoother (without any story spoilers)?

Since this wasn’t real life, and I wasn’t there to advise, the two of them had to slog their way to their own happy ending. I did, though, give Sam help in the form of an adorable stray dog that I lost my own heart to, a teenage boy who needs support, and an eccentric old man who fills an emotional void Sam doesn’t even realize he has. Cricket has her cousin Beck, along with Jenni Beth Beaumont and her fiancé. And, let’s be honest here, this is small town Misty Bottoms, so everybody in town feels free to put in his two cents.

If I’d had a chance to sip sweet tea with Cricket and Sam’s at Dee-Ann’s Diner, I’d have told them that sometimes opposites are simply two parts of a whole. At first blush, the very traits that seem to clash are actually complementary.

Both Sam and Cricket are in situations that are foreign to them. She’s starting a new business in a town she’s not lived in since she was five. Sam’s a city Yankee in a small Southern town. Neither is looking for love. I’d encourage them to stay open to the new, to embrace things out of their comfort zone. Some of the very best things in life come out of accidental happenings when we stray outside the lines of the box we’ve put ourselves in.

The most important piece of advice I’d give my hero and my heroine, though, is that it’s okay to need help, to ask for it. Both Sam and Cricket are strong, self-dependent individuals, and neither finds it easy to admit to any perceived weakness. Yet don’t we all need a supporting hand at times to get us through the difficult? Two individuals cannot meld into a couple until they’re able to both lean on each other and hold up the other.

Cricket and Sam have lessons to learn in Every Bride Has Her Day, and they have some tough times to get through—together. But isn’t that happy-ever-after worth it?

*****

Every Bride Has Her Day by Lynnette Austin

Magnolia Brides, Book 2

ISBN: 9781492618003

Release Date: May 3, 2016

Genre: Small Town Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

CAN LOVE REVIVE A WILTING HEART?

Cricket O’Malley can’t wait to plant roots back home in Georgia, where she’s returned to restore an abandoned flower shop to its former glory. The only blemish? Her neighbor’s house is even more neglected than her old flower shop, and its occupant seems as surly as he is darkly handsome.

Devastated body and soul after a tough case went south, New York City detective Sam DeLuca thought he’d have no trouble finding solitude in the quiet Georgia town of Misty Bottoms, but his bubbly neighbor seems determined to shine happiness into Sam’s life. Sam is equally determined to close himself off, but his heart says otherwise…

About the Author

The luxury of staying home when the weather turns nasty, of working in PJs and bare feet, and the fact that daydreaming is not only permissible but encouraged, are a few of the reasons middle school teacher Lynnette Austin gave up the classroom to write full-time. Lynnette grew up in Pennsylvania’s Alleghany Mountains, moved to Upstate New York, then to the Rockies in Wyoming. Presently she and her husband divide their time between Southwest Florida’s beaches and Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. A finalist in RWA’s Golden Heart Contest, PASIC’s Book of Your Heart Contest, and Georgia Romance Writers’ Maggie Contest, she’s published five books as Lynnette Hallberg. She’s currently writing as Lynnette Austin. Having grown up in a small town, that’s where her heart takes her—to those quirky small towns where everybody knows everybody…and all their business, for better or worse. Visit Lynnette at www.authorlynnetteaustin.com.

Connect with Lynnette: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

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May 10, 2016May 8, 2016

Kelly reviews Tangled by Kate Douglas

TITLE: Tangled
SERIES #: An Intimate Relations Short Story
CHARACTERS: Nate & Cassie
AUTHOR: Kate Douglas
PUBLICATION DATE: May 3, 2016
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Nate shows up to work at Tangled Vineyards ready to do what he loves best—craft award-winning wines. But when something better comes in the form of Cassie, the winemaker and former owner, Nate is completely love-drunk. Getting involved with Tangled’s mixologist is a bad way to start off a new job, but with Cassie as a temptation, Nate doesn’t stand a chance.

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts Tangled is the prequel to Ms. Douglas Intimate Relations trilogy and was previously published in the anthology Hot Alphas.

I enjoyed this novella. It was a very quick read and the storyline was very quick. But it was a good little story and a great introduction to the Intimate Relations series. Nate and Cassie are great. I would have loved for the story to be a little longer. But that is my feeling after all novellas.

I did read Tangled after reading the first two books. I didn’t feel lost or that I was reading out of order. Tangled can easily stand on it own.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

May 9, 2016May 8, 2016

Kimberly reviews Best Of My Love by Susan Mallery

TITLE: Best Of My Love
SERIES #: Fool’s Gold #20
CHARACTERS: Shelby & Aidan
AUTHOR: Susan Mallery
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/26/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
An irresistible new love story from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fool’s Gold series, set in a town Library Journal calls “so appealing, readers will want to start scoping out real estate.”

To overcome her painful past, baker Shelby Gilmore goes on the hunt for a friend—a male friend—to convince her stubborn psyche that men can be trusted. But where in a town as small as Fool’s Gold will the petite blonde find a guy willing to not date her?

Dark, charming Aidan Mitchell puts the “adventure” in Mitchell Adventure Tours…and into the beds of his many willing female tourists. Until he realizes he’s inadvertently become that guy—the one-night Casanova—and worse, everyone in town knows it. Maybe Shelby’s boy/girl experiment will help him see women as more than just conquests so he can change his ways and win back his self-respect.

As Aidan and Shelby explore the secret lives of men and women, the heat between them fires up the Fool’s Gold rumor mill. If no one will believe they’re just friends, maybe they should give the gossips something to really talk about!

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Another wonderful visit to my favorite fictional town in the world, Fool’s Gold. I have visited Fool’s Gold 20 times now and never tire of the people, the history, or the romance. Thank you Susan Mallery for making this town my special place even if it is just in my mind… and heart.

This visit was all about watching Shelby and Aidan fall in love… but more than that we watched them grow. Shelby has seen and felt what no child ever should and her trust issues are nil but being the strong woman she is she decides its time to learn to trust men. And that is where Aidan comes in. He is a player. But he only plays with women who will leave town but when one comes back for a second round and he can’t remember her. Well he realizes just exactly what he has become. And in walks Shelby with a proposition he can’t say no to.

Most of the time I seem to fall in love with the men in Fool’s Gold but this time I think I might have a girl crush. Shelby is just perfect in her imperfection. She is so strong and yet as sweet as the desserts she makes. To find the courage to even walk to Aidan made me love her but to watch her grow so much and have so many light bulb moments during her experiment was amazing. Yes Aidan grew too. He learned about himself and, as they say, got in touch with his feminine side but Shelby is the one who made me fall in love with this story.

As a fan of Fool’s Gold I have watched the women of the town come to the house of each broken hearted woman and wish I could join them for margaritas but this story had a bit of a different ending that had me “awwwing” out loud and smiling ear to ear.

Susan Mallery, my message to you is never stop writing about Fool’s Gold. We would be heartbroken.

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

May 5, 2016May 2, 2016

Kimberly reviews Worth It All by Claudia Connor

TITLE: Worth It All
SERIES #: The McKinney Brothers #3
CHARACTERS: Paige & JT
AUTHOR: Claudia Connor
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/19/16
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
“Read Claudia Connor for a consistently raw and emotional love story,” recommends Carly Phillips. Now the swoon-worthy McKinney Brothers series from this bestselling author continues as JT, the youngest of the trio, discovers that only love can make him whole.

She’s fighting for control. . . . Paige Roberts learned to fend for herself growing up. Now she’s doing everything possible to give her daughter, Casey, the stability she never had. But when the vivacious five-year-old decides she’s done wearing her prosthesis, Paige faces her toughest challenge yet: trusting a handsome, brooding stranger who simply wants to help.

He’s struggling to connect. . . . JT McKinney lost more than his leg in a car accident that stole his dreams of pro football. Eight years later, he’s made a new life for himself far away from his old one. His business is developing cutting-edge prosthetics and he’s more than happy to turn his attention to machines instead of people. Still, he can’t shake the feeling that something’s missing.

Will they take a chance on love? . . . When JT gets the chance to help Paige’s daughter, he takes it. He never planned on the two of them tearing down his walls or teaching him to believe in himself again. Paige might not believe in happily ever afters, but JT wants more than anything to be her prince. They’ll both have to let go of the past if they want a future.

REVIEW:
So two or so years ago I fell in love with Matt (Worth The Fall). And now I have fallen in love with his baby brother, JT.

There is something about these McKinney boys that just steals your heart. Maybe it is the size of theirs and maybe it is the way they are with children but any reader would have a hard time not falling for one (or more) of these brothers. There is another brother, Stephen (Worth The Risk), but I have to say that Matt and JT are the two brothers that stole my heart.

JT lost his leg years ago and as the saying goes turned lemons into lemonade by designing better prosthetics for amputees but he has never forgotten or forgiven himself for how he lost his. Paige is a single mom who does everything she has to to make sure her daughter doesn’t have the life that she grew up in. When JT sees Paige something draws him in and then he meets her daughter, Casey, who is also an amputee and he can’t help but want to help mother and daughter. But he never imagines that he will lose his heart not only to Paige but to Casey as well. And that it will change his life so drastically.

JT is just beyond sweet. He has a heart of gold but forgot how to make it shine. Paige brings that back to him and I found myself enjoying her as much as I enjoyed him. And then of course Casey can steal any moms heart. She is such a typical five year old.

Claudia Connor quickly became one of my favorite authors after reading Matt’s story and I can’t tell you enough how she has remained high on my list as we have met the McKinney brothers. I worry that we are out of brothers (unless I counted wrong) but I know no matter what happens to the McKinney family Claudia Connor will deliver another story that will steal my heart…. But until then I will just have to split my heart between Matt and JT.

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

May 2, 2016April 28, 2016

Darcy Burke’s League of Rogues Series Book Blitz Tour

Meet Darcy:

Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of hot, action-packed historical and sexy, emotional contemporary romance. A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids who seem to have inherited the writing gene, and three Bengal cats. Visit Darcy online at www.darcyburke.com and sign up for her newsletter, follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/darcyburke, or like her Facebook page, www.facebook.com/DarcyBurkeFans.

Connect with Darcy: Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

About the series:

Book 1

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

Miss Margery Derrington and her dear aunts are in dire straits. Their discovery of a rare manuscript will hopefully stave off their creditors—if it’s worth what they hope. Margery reluctantly allies with a reclusive scholar to use the book to pursue a treasure that could solve their woes. Only, the irresistible desire she feels toward her partner is neither expected nor wanted.

Rhys Bowen can’t believe he has his hands on the elusive de Valery text. Solving its hidden code and unearthing its legendary treasure would establish him as one of Britain’s leading antiquaries, finally casting him out of his brilliant late father’s shadow. But when a centuries-old organization convinces Rhys of the perils of disturbing the past, he must choose between his conscience…and the captivating woman he’s sworn to help.

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt:

“Good night then.”

“Good night.”

Neither of them moved.

Suddenly he stepped forward and cupped the side of her face. He kissed her, trapping her hands with her books between them. Unlike the day before, this kiss was soft, gentle, and so sweet she thought she might sigh with the loveliness of it.

His fingers stroked along the underside of her jaw as his mouth worked over hers. She tipped her head to the side and kissed him back, though she lacked the experience he clearly demonstrated.

He glided his hand back along her neck and she did sigh then, which opened her lips to his tongue. Then he did that thing again, where he slipped it into her mouth, and now she wanted to groan instead of sigh. It was hot and wet and delicious and she couldn’t get enough. And her bloody hands were engaged. Just as she was about to drop her books, probably on his feet, and grasp the front of his banyan, he lifted his head.

“My apologies. I said there’d be no more kissing.” His voice was dark and heavy. “I’m afraid I simply couldn’t resist, but I shan’t do it again. Good night, and this time I mean it.” He tucked his book beneath his arm, went into his room, and closed the door.

*****

Book 2

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

Major Elijah Hollister never wanted to be an earl, particularly not when it meant losing his brother. When a bold adventuress shows up at his door seeking a treasure map, Elijah suspects his brother’s death may not have been accidental and that the lady knows more than she’s willing to share. Whether she’s a friend or foe, Elijah plans to keep her close—and hope the temptation of her kisses doesn’t ruin them both.

Miss Catriona Bowen can almost taste the fruits of her years-long quest to find one of Britain’s greatest treasures. The discovery will deliver the recognition and respect she deserves as an antiquary, despite the fact that she’s a woman. However, to find the map that will lead her to success, she must ally herself with a stoic, yet provocative earl with a different goal. And when a villain threatens their lives, she realizes too late that love is the greatest treasure of all.

Add to Goodreads

Excerpt:

“Bollocks.”

His eyes widened. “Pardon?”

She cast him a disbelieving look. “Oh, you heard me.” Catching an unsettling amount of his unfortunately delicious scent of sandalwood and pine, she took a small step back.

“Maybe I just wanted to hear you say it again.”

“That I believe.” She lifted her chin and gave him an unflinching stare. “You didn’t respond to my offer of five hundred pounds.”

“You don’t have five hundred pounds.”

“You don’t know that,” she said crossly.

He glanced up at the ceiling as if he were trying to find some patience from on high, but he’d given her the impression he was somewhat of a heathen, so she really had no idea what he was doing. When he looked at her again, his eyes were fierce and frigid. “I’d stake the tapestry on it.”

“The tapestry you don’t have,” she said testily.

“The tapestry you’ll likely never have.”

She sucked in a breath. “Now you’re just being cruel.”

“Still being pragmatic, actually.”

*****

Giveaway:

Darcy will be giving away TWO prizes to two lucky winners. US shipping ONLY.

1 Kindle Fire filled with eBooks

1 Box of Books

a Rafflecopter giveaway

April 29, 2016April 23, 2016

#TBF Kimberly reviews Take My Breath Away by Christie Ridgway – Catch Up From The Beginning

TITLE: Take My Breath Away
SERIES #: Cabin Fever #1
CHARACTERS: Poppy & Ryan
AUTHOR: Christie Ridgway
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/27/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
From USA TODAY bestselling author Christie Ridgway comes a sparkling new series set in the California mountains, where Hollywood glamour meets rustic charm, and the sparks fly among the unlikeliest of couples…

Poppy Walker has a plan to restore the family resort, and she’s sticking to it. So when a good-looking guy with plenty of cash rents one of her half-repaired vacation cabins, she figures he’s just what the handyman ordered. But when a late-winter storm blows through, it takes down some trees, her roof and then…her self-control. Even though she’s been burned before by a wealthy passer-through, she can’t stay away from the brooding but gorgeous stranger in the bungalow next door.

Former teen idol turned Hollywood exec Ryan Hamilton wants a private place in which to endure his very personal heartbreak. Finally, at this rustic mountain cabin, he has all the seclusion one man could want—until sparks begin to fly with his sexy, formerly chilly landlady. By the time the weather dies down, they’re both hot, bothered and certain they’re still wrong for each other. But there’s no telling how they’ll face the new storm brewing on the horizon…

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts What a delightful story. I truly enjoyed every word of it. Ryan is just heartbreaking in his sadness and yet he can be so charming. Poppy is such an optimist that she claws are your heart. And Mason is adorable.

I really believe any single mom should read this story. It clearly shows how a single mom feels. How the child takes over her whole heart and makes her believe that no one can add to that space. And yet this story shows that a mom can be a sexual being not just a mom.

I really look forward to getting back to the resort and seeing how that works out in Shay’s story which is next. Each of the background characters of this story are great and make you want to hear their stories too. Ridgway has begun this series with a winner.

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