Taking over the world, one book at a time
TITLE: Longing
SERIES #: Club Inferno #2
CHARACTERS: Anya & Clint
AUTHOR: Jamie K. Schmidt
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/02/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Reeling from a disastrous love affair, model and budding fashion designer Anya Litton needs a temporary refuge, a place to lick her wounds and plan her next career move. At Club Inferno, where seductively chic men and women indulge their most intimate fantasies, she can mix business with unimaginable pleasure. Anya quickly connects with club Dom Clint Reyes, who unleashes Anya’s deepest longings over nights of burning passion.
Clint is a master at taking submissives to the heights of pleasure in Club Inferno’s opulent private dungeons. But it’s Anya who has Clint begging for more when the woman of his dreams becomes his eager partner in exploring the limits of desire. As their relationship ignites into an erotic contest of wills—and a jealous rival plots against them both—Clint prepares to fight for a future with Anya. In this complicated dance, the wrong move could end it all . . . and taking control means total surrender.
REVIEW:
4.75 Hearts I really enjoyed this story. It is the second in the series but you do not need to have read the first at all. In fact Max and Mallory are only mentioned in passing a few times. So feel free to pick this up without having read the first… but then the first was really good so you might want to pick that one up too.
Now about this book. First about Clint. What a sweet guy. He has dreams and while he enjoys the kinky life it is not his whole world. In fact he wants to own his own place and fall in love. He wants to be more than a stripper and Dom and he finds that with Anya. I really adored Clint. However I really can’t imagine that he is a Dom in the full sense of the word. I really can’t recall anything he did that was Dom worthy. Yes he liked to be a little controlling but he didn’t Dom Anya. He understands her limits (which are plenty) and never pushes her to go beyond them.
Now to the best part of this story. ANYA! Let me say a hardy HELL YES to the author. She really pulled Anya off perfectly. I actually went and looked up a picture of Schmidt to see if she was a big girl because she really nailed the feeling us big girls have. The feeling of being too heavy to sit on a guys lap, will he laugh at her when she gets unclothed because her jeans hold in a lot, why would a guy that looks like Clint fall for a woman who looks like her, etc. Her feels are all ones that any big girl has had. Anya is a plus size model and while confident in her beauty to walk the runway as a plus size model when it comes to being an everyday woman she loses some of that confidence. And then she hears people call her fat and she crumbles. But somehow she picks herself back up. I LOVED ANYA and hope to grow up to be her someday (ok I am in my 40s so it is probably a lost cause but still).
Wonderful romance with a touch of erotica but not really any BDSM. And a wonderful couple who deserves to be cheered from an author who deserves praise.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
TITLE: Beyond Love
CHARACTERS: Michael McCall & Richard Hampton
AUTHOR: Barbara J. Duell
PUBLICATION DATE: Spring 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
He’d only planned to run away from home, but after eight-year-old David Hampton is almost run over by a car in downtown Sausalito and rescued by a beautiful lady with a man’s name, his plans change. All he’s ever wanted was a Mom and decides Michael McCall is the Mom he wants. All he has to do is convince his dad, and maybe Ms. McCall.
It should be easy, but unlike stories with happy endings, this is not a fairytale; this is real. When Professor Michael McCall and Dr. Richard Hampton meet, the sparks from their first encounter ignite into an instant desire so powerful it rivals the intensity of the fire that nearly destroyed the city across the bay. Their path to happy-ever-after will demand that they travel beyond their lust and the heat of their passion — a journey steeped with pain, a constant reminder of love given and lost — a journey where the past must be put away, freeing them to find the courage to reach BEYOND LOVE.
REVIEW:
This book was a little difficult for me to get into at first. I like the idea behind the story; it’s a very sweet love story. However, I found it difficult to connect with either of the main characters – especially Michael. She is definitely an aggressive, confrontational, strong personality. I was hoping I’d get to see her reign in her temper a little more throughout the book and learn to adapt to others around her. I also wish we’d gotten a little more depth of her character. She has such an amazing story to tell and I really wanted to dig deeper into her and create that connection. Richard was a good character. He had so many flaws, but all you can do is laugh sometimes at how oblivious he is to the people and things surrounding him. He was just as flawed as Michael so they were definitely perfect for each other in that regard. He was also vey sweet. I’m happy that this book allowed us to read from each character’s perspective – I really enjoy knowing what is going on inside each character’s head rather than first person accounts. Unfortunately sometimes the transitions between character perspectives was not always clear and I found myself confused at times trying to decipher which character I was reading at the moment. Overall, the book was enjoyable and I’m happy I read it. I’m very excited to see what other stories we can look forward to from Barbara!
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Shadow Wind Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
Thank you, Book-n-Kisses, for letting me participate in this fantastic series! And thank you, writers and readers, for joining us. I’m Dianne Duvall, author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series. One of my favorite things to hear from readers is that they enjoy the banter in which my characters engage. Dialogue is a crucial part of creating likable characters and of making characters who aren’t real—such as glowing-eyed, fang-sporting, centuries-old immortal warriors—seem real. So I thought I would offer the following five tips for crafting realistic dialogue:
1
Word choices should be tailored to each character’s age and background.
This is actually a pretty easy one to remember. If you’ve ever been to a gathering that included men and women of all age groups, then you probably noticed the differences in their vocabulary. Men and women in their eighties or nineties, for instance, who don’t spend time online or watch a lot of popular TV shows, don’t use the slang of the younger generations. They instead tend to use slang that was popular in their youth. Baby Boomers may use slang that is common today because they’re more plugged in to today’s technology, but also continue to use slang from the 60s and 70s. Generation Xers likewise sometimes use words and phrases that were popular in the 80s. And keeping this in mind will help you create more realistic dialogue when you write.
How about an example? In my latest release, NIGHT UNBOUND, Zach (the hero) has been declared a traitor or enemy by Seth, the Immortal Guardians’ leader. When Zach unexpectedly appears at the home of Lisette (the heroine) after escaping months of torture, she enlists the aid of a couple of immortal friends to help her patch him up. Ethan arrives first:
“I am so glad you called,” he said, flashing her a boyish grin. “I really need to get laid tonight.”
Rolling her eyes, Lisette stepped back and waited for him to enter. “When I said I needed you, I meant I needed your help.” Closing the door, she locked it, but didn’t bother to reset the alarm.
His face fell. “Ah, hell. You mean this wasn’t a butt call?”
“Booty call, Ethan. I believe the term is booty call. Honestly, I’m a hundred and thirty years older than you and from France. How can I be more familiar with American slang than you are? You were born here.”
He shrugged. “I don’t watch a lot of television and my Second is going on sixty. Neither one of us keeps up with whatever the hip kids are saying these days.”
“First, I don’t think anyone says hip anymore. And second, Ed is going on sixty?”
“Yeah.”
“Damn. He looks like he’s in his late thirties.” He was actually pretty hot.
“I know, right? He dates more than I do.”
I could’ve just had Ethan stroll inside and ask Lisette what she needed him to do. Instead I opted for the dialogue above, which gives readers more insights into the characters, their ages, and their personalities.
2
People interrupt each other and talk over each other all the time.
This is especially true in the case of friends and family. (If you’d like some good examples of this, pick up just about any Woody Allen movie.) And it doesn’t only happen during arguments. It isn’t intentionally done to be rude. It just happens. One person will see where the other is going and will either finish the sentence for her or cut her off to save time or correct her. Here’s another example from the same scene mentioned above:
It appeared she was back to square one. “What should I do?”
He took in the patient once more and pursed his lips. “I think you’re going to have to call in the big guns.”
“I told you, Seth doesn’t like him. If he—”
“Not Seth. Seth isn’t the big guns. Seth is the f***ing hydrogen bomb.”
“Ethan.”
“Bastien. I meant Bastien.”
Again, I could’ve just had Ethan suggest Lisette call Bastien when she asked what she should do. But this accomplished two goals: It made the dialogue seem more realistic. Two people involved in a conversation aren’t always on the same page. And one will often interrupt the other off to clarify his or her point. This also allowed me to slip in a little background information on both Seth and Bastien for readers who may not have read the earlier books in the series.
3
Conversations often are not linear.
Conversations may start with one destination in mind, but frequently veer away and explore other tangents before reaching it. Case in point, how many times have you been talking with a friend or family member and said, “Oh, that reminds me . . .”? I could have continued the aforementioned scene by having Bastien arrive, ask what task Lisette wished him to perform, then either follow her instructions or deny her request. Instead, I chose to have Lisette lead Bastien to the battered and broken hero (Zach) and mistakenly assume Bastien would draw the conclusion that she was in need of his first aid skills. He didn’t. He drew the same conclusion Ethan drew upon first seeing Zach:
Bastien nodded to Ethan, then stared down at Zach. After a few moments, he looked around. “Where’s the shovel?”
Ethan coughed to cover a laugh.
“I didn’t kill him!” Lisette nearly shouted.
Bastien shifted his gaze to Ethan.
Ethan held up his hands. “Don’t look at me. I didn’t kill him.”
“He isn’t dead,” Lisette snapped. “And I’m not into rough sex!”
Bastien stared at her. “Ooookay.”
She frowned. “Isn’t that what you thought had happened? That I had killed him during sex?”
“No. I just assumed he had pissed you off.”
“Oh.” Her face heated with a blush.
Bastien’s lips twitched.
And Ethan was enjoying this way too much, damn him.
She counted to ten. “Why would the two of you think I would call you over here to bury him? It’s not like I don’t have the strength to lift him and do it myself.”
Ethan shrugged. “You’re a girl.”
Lisette glared at them both. “And, what, you think I don’t want to get my pretty little hands dirty?”
No response.
“You do know I kill vampires for a living, right?”
Bastien pointed at Ethan. “He said it, not me.”
“But you were thinking it.”
He scowled. “Are you reading my thoughts again, telepath?”
“I didn’t have to. It was all over your face. Besides, I stopped peeking into your head a long time ago because all you ever think about is Melanie naked and your vampire friends.”
Ethan’s eyebrows shot up. “He thinks about Melanie naked with his vampire friends?”
Bastien popped him on the back of the head.
“Ow! Sh**!”
Lisette pinched the bridge of her nose. “Let us return to the subject at hand, shall we?
Much more entertaining than Lisette simply saying, “Can you patch up Zach’s wounds?” and having Bastien say yay or nay. This shows the rapport these characters share and gives more insight into their personalities. The dialogue meanders as conversations often do and, thus, comes across as more realistic.
4
Speech isn’t perfect. Sometimes people just can’t find the right words.
If your character is furious or rattled or tired or just plain doesn’t know the right thing to say in a particular situation, don’t be afraid to add a stutter or a pause. Both are great ways to show a character is upset, flustered, etc, rather than telling readers he or she is upset. Here’s a quick example.
Lisette gaped at him. “After you just . . . And all that bitching and moaning . . . You can’t . . . ” She clenched her teeth. “Tell me again why you’re here?”
I could’ve said, She was so angry that words escaped her, or She was so angry she couldn’t think straight. But that would have told readers, which is considered passive writing. This showed them instead.
5
Read your dialogue aloud to ensure it flows smoothly.
I have slaughtered many a foreign accent doing just that with my Immortal Guardians series, but have always liked the changes it generated.
I know a well-constructed plot is essential for writing a good book. But creating likable, relatable characters whom readers can enjoy is just as important. Crafting realistic dialogue will go a long way toward helping you accomplish that.
Thank you again for joining me here at Books-n-Kisses! I hope your writing will flow smoothly and that these tips will help.
*****
Let’s take a closer look at Dianne’s upcoming release (tomorrow) Night Unbound
| B&NFor centuries, Lisette d’Alençon has been a warrior against the dark. She fights alongside her brothers and comrades. But when the dreams start coming, she can’t bear to confess them to the Immortal Guardians’ command. Dreams of a dark-haired man with soft eyes and brutal wounds, a man her heart aches for–and a man she knows has been declared a traitor.
Zach is an exile, a loner. He won’t defend himself against false accusations or grovel to those who should have faith in him. But he’ll damn sure defend the woman who kept him sane against a plague of super-vamps that seems to have appeared from nowhere. The Guardians will blame him, and that will make Lisette suspect, too. With life, death and eternity on the line, who can they really trust?
A little about Dianne:
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Dianne Duvall earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of St. Thomas, where she studied fiction writing, playwriting, and poetry writing. Darkness Dawns, the first book in her Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series, was nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance by RT Book Reviews and for Best Paranormal Romance – Vampire by The Romance Reviews. It was also deemed a Top Pick by The Romance Reviews and a Best Book by Long and Short Reviews. Night Reigns, the second book in the series, was nominated for Best Best Book of 2011 – Paranormal Romance by The Romance Reviews and declared an “utterly addictive” Top Pick by RT Book Reviews. Phantom Shadows, the third book in the series, has been declared a Top Pick by both The Romance Reviews and Night Owl Reviews. Her Immortal Guardians novella In Still Darkness was released in the Predatory anthology on May 7, 2013, and has received many fabulous reviews. Darkness Rises, the fourth book in the series, hit the USA Today Bestseller list, has been nominated for the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance by RT Book Reviews and was deemed a Night Owl Reviews Top Pick.
Dianne has also completed two not-yet-published paranormal romance novels that are prequels to Darkness Dawns. A Sorceress of His Own is a medieval romance with paranormal elements that won awards in the Lone Star, Where the Magic Begins, Southern Heat, Picture This, Book of Your Heart and Suzannah national writing competitions. Rendezvous With Yesterday is a time travel romance and won second place in the Picture This writing contest.
In addition to writing romance, Dianne has completed a one-act play (comedy) and teamed up with an award-wining screenwriter to write a spec script for a new situation comedy. Several of her poems have also been published in anthologies.
When she isn’t writing, Dianne is very active in the independent film industry and once even appeared on screen as a machete-weilding maniac not unlike the vampires she so loves to create in her novels.
*****
Make sure to check out all of the other stops on this month long tour HERE and enter the grand prize giveaway.
All winner’s will be picked at the end of the month and announce the 1st week of October.
I’m a huge fan of spreadsheets, color coding, and calendars. I mean, come on, the word spreadsheets is actually in my author bio. I started out in the math and science area of life and though I don’t use the deep part of those daily, some of that bled into my writing.
While writing a book seems like it should just be that—writing the book—sometimes you need a bit more. I love book bibles. You can have someone make them for you—Lillie is amazing for my friends—or you can do it yourself. There are programs like Scrivener and WriteWayPro to help you for Mac or Windows. I tend to use OneNote since I can color code a bit better there.
1. Character Tables
These can include names, ages, scents (PNR romance!), jobs, tattoo placement, hair color, height, etc.
I like having a spreadsheet of my characters, characteristics, and other things I might forget six books down the line. Or let’s face it, I might forget it 6 chapters down the line. Not everything is used, but the fact that I know it is what matters. This helps me (hopefully) not have a hero with blue eyes, then green eyes, then brown eyes in the series or even the same book.
You don’t need to use a table, but you do need to write it down somewhere. I have another sheet with all my side characters. It’s always good to remember what you named a random character that one time in a store so you can maybe use them again next time.
2. Notes and organization
I like to keep notes of what I’m doing in one book and what might be a seeder for the next book. Not all of these notes are used but I at least have it in the back of my mind. I use OneNote so I can have a tab that has a timeline, character table, seeder notes, research notes, maps, character images, etc.
I also put each book in its own tab within a notebook that is the series. See? Color coding!
3. Calendars
I keep calendars that are color coded (sense a theme?) that tell me when things are due, release dates, edit dates etc. I’m lucky in that most of the time, I can set my own timeframes, but deadlines keep my sane. That is NOT how some people work so if looking at a calendar frightens you, it’s okay. I promise.
4. Outlines
I write by outline. I actually start with color coded sticky notes. Each POV gets its own color and I pull off how many sticky notes I need to get the word count I want. I know about how many words I write per chapter, so it works for me. Then I plot out the conflicts, inner and outer, and arrange the main points so I can create an outline from that. I then fill in the outline a bit more until I’m ready to write. I’m a heavy plotter that allows for some inner depth when I’m writing. Again, this works for me, not everyone.
5. Saving. Saving. Saving.
One of the main things I’ve learned from writing is I need to keep organized when it comes to my folders. Each series has it’s own folder, then book, then within that I have drafts and other files that are nicely labeled. Don’t just put your draft on your desktop and call it a day. Save it in your cloud, your Dropbox, your external hard drive etc. Keep it organized and don’t label everything the same thing so you never know where you left off.
I hope this helps you somewhat. I try my best to keep organized and keep daily goal lists of admin and writing things I need to do for the day. Those lists feed into the large monthly and yearly goal lists. It’s how I can write 8-10 books a year, own a small press, and live a life I love. Good luck and you can always ask me questions if you need to.
A little about Carrie Ann Ryan :
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan never thought she’d be a writer. Not really. No, she loved math and science and even went on to graduate school in chemistry. Yes, she read as a kid and devoured teen fiction and Harry Potter, but it wasn’t until someone handed her a romance book in her late teens that she realized that there was something out there just for her. When another author suggested she use the voices in her head for good and not evil, The Redwood Pack and all her other stories were born.
Carrie Ann is a bestselling author of over twenty novels and novellas and has so much more on her mind (and on her spreadsheets *grins*) that she isn’t planning on giving up her dream anytime soon.
Get in touch with Carrie Ann Ryan!
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Make sure to check out all of the other stops on this month long tour HERE and enter the grand prize giveaway.
All winner’s will be picked at the end of the month and announce the 1st week of October.
Ingredients Make it or Break It
by Kathy Aarons
One thing I’ve learned from researching chocolate-making for my book, Death is Like a Box of Chocolates, (and I’ve done a lot of research J) is that the quality of ingredients is the most important, well, ingredient in the outcome.
Of course, the base chocolate you use is critical. Chocolatier Isabella Knack uses Felchlin for much of her products. I’d been experimenting with her recipes that she provided for my book –more are available in her chocolate-making classes – using whatever I could find at my local grocery store, even springing for the Ghirardelli brand. And then I tried the Felchlin.
Wow! The difference was amazing!
Don’t get me wrong – pretty much all chocolate has something to offer. (Except for maybe Butterfingers, but that’s a personal prejudice. J) But the more I sampled from different chocolatiers, and the more I made myself, a few subtle and not-so-subtle qualities came through.
Of course, the flavor was critical – the depth of the cocoa itself and the notes of vanilla, berry, coffee, and other spices that depend on where the cocoa was grown. But the next factor of importance to me was the “mouth feel” — how creamy the chocolate felt while melting on my tongue without being pasty or sticky. And third, the aftertaste. Did it continue to taste just like chocolate as it melted or did it turn bitter? I didn’t mind good bitter (like a great cup of coffee) but bad bitter (like medicine) was not for me.
Chocolate connoisseurs also evaluate the sheen and color of the chocolate, the way a bar cracks when you break it, the feel of the chocolate when you touch it, and more. But to me, flavor –which is subjective and totally personal — is paramount.
Following is one of Isabella’s recipes that makes awesome Lavender Truffles. I experimented with a variety of chocolate brands and my favorite was Felchlin.
Enjoy!
Lavender Truffles
Recipe by Isabella Knack
Ingredients:
12 fresh lavender flower heads (can also use dried)
1/3 cup heavy cream
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions:
1. Place the flower heads and cream in a small pot. Heat on high until cream starts to simmer and melt the butter in the mixture. Take off heat and set aside to steep for 15 minutes.
2. Divide the chocolate into two equal 5 ounce portions, and set one portion aside.
3. Heat up the cream mixture again and, using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the cream into the chocolate in a small mixing bowl; discard the flower heads and bits of lavender.
4. Stir the cream and chocolate together until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator until somewhat firm, but not hard, for about 1 hour.
5. Melt the other half of the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments until liquid.
6. Line a baking sheet with a piece of waxed paper. Roll the lavender mixture into 1 tablespoon-sized balls, and dip into the melted chocolate mixture using a skewer or toothpick. Place onto the prepared baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to harden.
About the Author:
Kathy Aarons is the author of Death is Like a Box of Chocolates, the first in the CHOCOLATE COVERED MYSTERY series by Berkley Prime Crime. It will be available at your local bookstore, Amazon and Barnes and Noble on September 2nd.
Research for the series was such a hardship: sampling chocolate, making chocolate, sampling more chocolate, and hanging out in bookstores.
After growing up in rural Pennsylvania and attending Carnegie Mellon University, Kathy built a career in public relations in New York City. She now lives in San Diego with her husband and two daughters where she wakes up far too early, and is currently obsessed with the Broadway Idiot documentary, finding the perfect cup of coffee, and Dallmann’s Sea Salt Caramels.
You can follow Kathy on Facebook or Twitter or visit her at: www.kathyaarons.com.
Whether it’s to satisfy a craving for chocolate or pick up the hottest new bestseller, the locals in charming West Riverdale, Maryland, are heading to Chocolates and Chapters, where everything sold is to die for…
Best friends Michelle Serrano and Erica Russell are celebrating the sweet rewards of their combined bookstore and chocolate shop by hosting the Great Fudge Cook-off during the town’s Memorial Day weekend Arts Festival. But success turns bittersweet when Main Street’s portrait photographer is found dead in their store, poisoned by Michelle’s signature truffles.
As suspicion mounts against Michelle, her sales begin to crumble and her career seems whipped. With Erica by her side, Michelle must pick through an assortment of suspects before the future of their dream store melts away…
Jennifer’s Review of Death Is Like A Box of Chocolates
Review (4 Stars): Michelle and Erica have created the perfect business in West Riverdale; a bookstore with a chocolate shop that have all the locals raving. Michelle has been looking forward to participating in the Great Fudge Cook-off when a friend is found dead in their shop, poisoned by Michelle’s own truffles. To clear her name and the reputation of her business, Michelle must team together with Erica and her brother to find the true killer before the negative publicity causes their business to go up in smoke.
I love culinary mysteries especially ones that deal with my favorite food, chocolate. This mystery was a winner for me because it had chocolate, books and a good-looking love interest. I liked Michelle and Erica together as a team because they were best friends and business partners and they just had this easy relationship with one another that I was a little envious of. The mystery was well-written and I’m excited to see what happens to these characters in the rest of the series. Death Is Like A Box of Chocolates is a mystery that you can definitely sink your teeth into and will have readers clamoring for more.
TITLE: In His Sights
SERIES #: Sugarland Blues #3
CHARACTERS: Chris Ford & Robyn Lassiter
AUTHOR: Jo Davis
PUBLICATION DATE: September 2, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
When a dangerous criminal targets those whom Sugarland detective Chris Ford holds dear, nothing will stop him from hunting down his man.…
Chris is one the best and brightest at the Sugarland PD, but lately a mysterious illness has him struggling to get through the day. When his symptoms land him in the care of brilliant and sexy Dr. Robyn Lassiter, Chris realizes that he is the latest victim in a rash of mysterious poisonings in the area—most of them fatal. Figuring out who’s causing the fatal outbreak has become a very personal—and deadly—race against time.
Despite battling her own personal demons and painful past, Dr. Robyn Lassiter can’t fight her attraction to her new patient. But as she struggles to help Chris track down the sick mind behind the deaths, she’s not only at risk of losing her heart but of falling headlong into a lethal plot that could take her life
REVIEW:
In “In His Sights” we get to learn more about Chris Ford. Chris is finally recovered from injuries he sustained while helping a fellow officer. Now he is ready to take back his life. Only problem is that he is plagued with some kind of illness. An illness that just seems to only getting worse.
With a string of deaths in seemingly healthy people Dr. Lassiter thinks something strange is happening. But first she needs to prove that the deaths are in fact not natural. But when Chris is admitted to the hospital with the same symptoms Robyn is convinced that this is no normal illness. But the question is will they figure it out before anymore victims turn up?
In His Sights is book 3 in Sugarland Blues series and another great story from Ms. Davis. Chris & Robyn are both great characters. Chris is a great cop that doesn’t know the meaning of stop both at his job or in his personal life. Robyn on the other hand has no desire to do anything more than take care of herself and her daughter. But thankfully Chris blows that notion right out of the water.
If you have enjoyed the prior Sugarland Blues books you will enjoy Chris & Robyn’s book. If you are new to the Sugarland Blues Series no fear you can read In His Sights and not be lost, although I would suggest reading the series from book one (mostly because I don’t like reading books out of order 😀 )
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.
From New York Times bestselling author Lorraine Heath, comes the second book in a brand new series, The Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James, featuring three eligible bachelors…and the scoundrels that reside within each.
Born to the street but raised within the aristocracy, Drake Darling can’t escape his sordid beginnings. Not when Lady Ophelia Lyttleton snubs him at every turn, a constant reminder he’s not truly one of them. But after rescuing her from a mysterious drowning, he realizes she doesn’t remember who she is. With plans to bring her to heel, he insists she’s his housekeeper—never expecting to fall for the charming beauty.
While Ophelia might not recall her life before Drake, she has little doubt she belongs with him. The desire she feels for her dark, brooding employer can’t be denied, regardless of consequences. So when Ophelia’s memory returns, she is devastated by the depth of his betrayal. Now Drake must risk everything to prove she can trust this rogue with her heart once more.
About the Author:
LORRAINE HEATH always dreamed of being a writer. After graduating from the University of Texas, she wrote training manuals and computer code, but something was always missing. After reading a romance novel, she not only became hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She’s been writing about them ever since. Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards, including RWA’s RITA® and a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. Her novels have appeared on the USA Today and New York Times best-seller lists.
Jennifer’s Review of Once More, My Darling Rogue
Review (5 Stars): Drake Darling has never been able to forget the events of his childhood and even with all the success that he has achieved, those memories are never far from his thoughts. Lady Ophelia Lyttleton has known Drake for years and has always treated him as though he was beneath her. The two verbally spar with one another every chance they get and it has become a game to see who will win first. One night, Drake finds a young woman on the side of the river, dirty, bruised and has no idea who she is or how she got there. What surprises Drake the most is that the young woman is none other than Lady Ophelia and she has no memories of Drake whatsoever. As a punishment for the way that she has treated him all these years, Drake tells Lady Ophelia that she is his servant and makes her spend her time doing servant duties. As the days pass, Drake finds himself falling for the new Lady Ophelia and dreads the day when her memories return, knowing that she will hate him even more for what he has done. But Lady Ophelia is falling for Drake as well and maybe this chance at love will finally help melt her deeply protected heart of ice.
I absolutely fell in love with Drake Darling in Once More, My Darling Rogue. He was a charming man who couldn’t understand why Lady Ophelia hated him so much when he never did anything to hurt her. In a way, he felt that he deserved the verbal abuse because of his torrid beginnings but Lady Ophelia was downright cruel, mean and vindictive whenever Drake was around. I loved when she became Phee, the woman with no memories, who was sweet, kind and a crusader against any injustice in the world. I didn’t agree with Drake for making Phee believe that she was a servant as retaliation for all the things that she had done to him, but if he hadn’t, he would have never seen the amazing woman she could become.
Drake and Lady Ophelia were two very interesting characters because they both believed that they were unworthy of love because of events that happened in their childhoods. They were haunted by their past and were finally able to heal their broken spirits by finding love in each others arms. This love story brought me to tears when I discovered both of their secrets and to what lengths Drake went to make amends for what he had done to Lady Ophelia when she had lost her memories. Such a beautiful story of love and forgiveness between two emotionally scarred people who deserved to find love and found it in the most unlikely of places. This is one of my favorite books this year and I am looking forward to reading more from this talented writer.
TITLE: Beauty’s Beast
CHARACTERS: Kristine & Erik
AUTHOR: Amanda Ashley
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/02/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Beauty
Fair of face and figure, Kristine is young, innocent, pure. Yet she has been condemned to the gallows for killing a man. The only one who can save her is a lord so infamous that some say he is the son of the Devil himself…
And the Beast
Erik Trevayne is called the Demon Lord of Hawksbridge Castle, but few know of the curse he lives under. Or the terrifying changes slowly gnawing away at his humanity. When he weds her, all he wants of Kristine is a son. But when he beds her, a wild hope is born—that love that can tame even the most monstrous of beasts…
REVIEW:
This was a DNF for me which doesn’t happen very often. Usually if I can’t get into a book I might skim over certain sections but still manage to finish the book but not this one. I was about 20% into the book and just couldn’t go on.
First I can’t stand Kristine. She is just so dull and has no gumption to her. She just takes the way Erik uses her and leaves her room and still manages to think that she needs to learn to love him. Why? And Erik while understandable is just a jerk. Nothing about either of them makes me want to care about them.
This is not the Beauty and The Beast we grew up on. I didn’t really expect it to be but it is so slow moving with nothing going on that I just didn’t care about learning more of the differences. I would say more but not much more I can say when I couldn’t read anymore at 20%. I think this is a love it or hate it kind of book. Nothing in between.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
8.25.14
Kimberly reviews Sandpiper Island by Donna Kauffman
Kelly, Jennifer & Kimberly review It’s In His Kiss by Jill Shalvis
Release Day Book Blast: Cash’s Fight by Jamie Begley
8.26.14
Spotlight feature & Exclusive Excerpt from Jill Shalvis’ It’s In His Kiss
Natasha reviews Lord Of Vengeance by Lara Adrian
Natasha reviews Memory Zero by Keri Arthur
What releases the week of August 25th? Check here!
8.27.14
Kimberly reviews The Best Kind Of Trouble by Lauren Dane
Kimberly reviews Stone Cold Lover by Christine Warren
8.28.14
Kelly reviews Miami, Mistletoe and Murder by Karie Reus
Kimberly reviews Irresistible Force by D.D. Ayers
8.29.14
Kimberly reviews No Limits by Lori Foster
Kimberly reviews The Homecoming by Robyn Carr
8.30.14
SINsational Saturday Series
Vampyres don’t exist. They absolutely do not exist.
At least I didn’t think they did ‘til I tried to quit smoking and ended up Undead. Who in the hell did I screw over in a former life that my getting healthy equates with dead?
Now I’m a Vampyre. Yes, we exist whether we want to or not. However, I have to admit, the perks aren’t bad. My girls no longer jiggle, my ass is higher than a kite and the latest Prada keeps finding its way to my wardrobe. On the downside, I’m stuck with an obscenely profane Guardian Angel who looks like Oprah and a Fairy Fighting Coach who’s teaching me to annihilate like the Terminator.
To complicate matters, my libido has increased to Vampyric proportions and my attraction to a hotter than Satan’s underpants killer rogue Vampyre is not only dangerous . . . it’s possibly deadly. For real dead. Permanent death isn’t on my agenda. Avoiding him is my only option. Of course, since he thinks I’m his, it’s easier said than done. Like THAT’S not enough to deal with, all the other Vampyres think I’m some sort of Chosen One.
Holy Hell, if I’m in charge of saving an entire race of blood suckers, the Undead are in for one hell of a ride.
Welcome to Hell.
Literally.
The Hell where the Prince of Darkness is hotter than Hades, Hell Hounds smell like brownies and the Seven Deadly Sins are addicted to Facebook… Not to mention the soundtrack in the Underworld is Journey. For real.
I should have known no good could come from offing my parents in the space of twenty minutes no matter how psychotic and evil they were…
Now I find out my family tree includes almost every deity and mythological being alive while Ethan, the one and only love of my undead life has a limited time down under before he turns to dust. In the land of Sin, you’d think I’d get some nookie time with my man, but no. Baby Demons, cousins and grandparents put the kibosh on that. Blue balls are the new normal. What the hell does a half-Vampyre Half-Demon have to do to catch a break?
Apparently find a freakin’ sword, calm Mother Nature’s unmedicated mood swings and make sure Mister Rogers keeps his sticky fingers to himself during weekly poker with the Devil.
And I have three days to do it.
By all that’s unholy, I thought Ethan’s Vampyre family was crazy…Trust me, they have nothing on the Demons.
Where does a Demon go when she gets deported from Hell?
Kentucky. Eden, Kentucky to be more specific—where nothing is exactly as it seems.
My name is Dixie. I’m a Demon—a lousy Demon. I’m a twenty-one year old virgin and I have a battery operated boyfriend. My magic is iffy at best and downright dangerous at worst. Leaving Hell to represent my race is not high on my list of things to do.
Hell was exact. Hell was simple. All I want to do is get to home base with the hotter than Hades Demon of my dreams and work on my dark side so Satan, my dad, will get off my ass.
Instead I end up in Kentucky looking for the Balance of Chaos, avoiding pole dancing classes with Mother Nature and finding out my invisible friend is a silver skinned destructive weather pattern.
And if that isn’t craptastic enough, the damn Sword of Death is missing again and who ever has it wants the King of the Underworld dead. Seriously.
With new powers emerging daily, keeping my Demon side, horniness and general disgust under wraps doesn’t make it any easier to fit in with the humans. Thankfully my priorities are in line; get laid…save world…try not to blow up kitchen appliances…and get laid again. I was ready to rumble.
All I want to do is go back to Hell, but with the balance of good and evil in my hands, I’m stuck in the garden of Eden. Oh well, what the Hell. Someone has to save the world before there’s no world left to save. Might as well be me.
TITLE: The Homecoming
SERIES #: Thunder Point #6
CHARACTERS: Iris & Seth
AUTHOR: Robyn Carr
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/26/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon
BOOK SYNOPSIS:
At the age of nineteen, Seth Sileski had everything. A superb athlete and scholar, handsome and popular, he was the pride of Thunder Point. Destined for greatness, he lost it all in a terrible accident that put an end to his professional football career when it had barely begun. The people in his hometown have never forgotten what might have been.
Seth has come to terms with the turns his life has taken. But now he’s been presented with an opportunity to return home and show his father—and the people of Thunder Point—he’s become a better, humbler version of his former self.
Winning over his father isn’t the only challenge. Seth must also find a way to convince his childhood neighbor and best friend, Iris McKinley, to forgive him for breaking her heart. With his homecoming, will Seth be able to convince the town, his family and especially Iris that he’s finally ready to be the man who will make them all proud?
REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts I’m not sure why but this had a different feel to me than the others in the series. While I enjoyed it and the story was good something was just different. There is a lot happening in this story not just with the couple but with the background players as well. Seth and Iris have an interesting dynamic. Having been friends before the connection is supposed to be there and mostly it is but it seemed to me to not be a “hot love match” but more like friends who fall in love after being together for so long. But I have to say that is a nice change to the alpha male running to the rescue of the damsel all the time.
Iris is an interesting character. She seems love sick and some points but then other times is strong and independent. Seth has been through a bunch of stuff including almost dieing but still has a sweet sense about him. Funny the character I liked the best was Robbie who has the sweetest of hearts and maybe we might get a story of him finally getting a happy ending (but I doubt it).
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
