Interview with Jerri Alexander

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Jerri Alexander back to the blog

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

Other than being a writer? I paint, bake, and I’m an avid reader. I love a good romantic suspense, J. R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, and my guilty pleasure is historical romance. I’m married, have one daughter, who lives with her family about eight miles away. My husband and I live in the country with our rescue dog, Buddy. Our careers have taken us too many different states but coming back to Texas was always the plan. Lucky for us, we moved back a few months before our granddaughter was born!

Have you always wanted to be an author?

I’ve always written in some fashion. In the beginning, I thought I wanted to be a journalist. But I learned early on that spicing up and embellishing the story was against the rules. 🙂 I studied creative writing many years ago, but my career took off and I put it aside for a few years. It was my husband’s encouragement that led to me resigning and writing full time.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

Now, that brought a chuckle. I have a few. I write in complete silence. Do not plot. I write and rewrite the first sentence until it’s right…then I’m ready to write. And my weirdest if not interesting is that when I finish a book, I’m convinced I’ll never have another original idea.

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

I have three! They all rolled out very close to each other. The Last Execution, Someone To Watch Over Me, and Hell or High Water!

How did you come up with the idea for this story?

I write romantic suspense, so I want the story to be fresh, gritty, and current. It takes a lot of research for me to hit on a new thought! I’ll read every crime story in the paper, pour over FBI profiler books until an idea hits me. Then I start the ‘what if’ scenario. The Last Execution after a story about a sniper. I wonder why he was killing people. Then I thought…what if he thought his killings were righteous?

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

My current WIP is book two in the Lost and Found, Inc series, Cold Day in Hell. Ty Castillo from Hell or High Water gets his own story!

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?

Linda Howard. Her Death Angel is the best romantic suspense I’ve ever read. She can take a killer and make you fall in love with him. Now, that’s a real talent! I’d love to know how she builds and layers in such powerful emotion.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Never give up. Oh sure you’ll get rejected. Every writer I know has been turned down. That’s one person’s opinion. If you want to be in this business, you have to understand it’s hard work, but it can be done.

Can you share with us something off your bucket list.

I want to snorkel The Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It would be a long flight and then boat ride but so worth it.

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

I’m waiting for the next Christy Reece or Karen Rose book. Either one..just bring it on!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you for hosting me today! You support is invaluable!

Giveaway

Win one of two copies of The Green-Eyed Doll by Jerrie Alexander

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A little more about author: A student of creative writing in her youth, Jerrie set aside her passion when life presented her with a John Wayne husband, and two wonderful children. A career in logistics offered her the opportunity to travel to many beautiful locations in America, and she revisits them in her romantic suspense novels.

But the characters went with her, talked to her, and insisted she share their dark, sexy stories with others. She writes alpha males and kick-ass women who weave their way through death and fear to emerge stronger because of, and on occasion in spite of, their love for each other. She likes to torture people, make them suffer, and if they’re strong enough, they live happily ever after.

The author of THE GREEN-EYED DOLL, and THE LAST EXECUTION, Jerrie and her husband live in Texas. She loves sunshine, children’s laughter, sugar (human and granulated), and researching for her heroes and heroines.

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August 1, 2013July 7, 2013

Kimberly reviews The Pleasures Of Summer by Evie Hunter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July 31, 2013

BnK Wants To Know… Here are our followers first romances….

July 31, 2013July 24, 2013

Spotlight Series of DB Reynolds Vampires in America

RAPHAEL

Vampires In America, Book 1

Amazon | B&N | ImaJinn Books

Malibu, California—home to rock-and-roll gods and movie stars, the beautiful, the rich . . . and vampires. Powerful and charismatic, Raphael is a Vampire Lord, one of the few who hold the power of life and death over every vampire in existence. Thousands call him Master and have pledged absolute loyalty on their very lives. But when, in a brazen and deadly daylight attack, a gang of human killers kidnaps the one female vampire he’d give his life for, Raphael turns to a human investigator to find his enemies before it’s too late. Cynthia Leighton is smart, tough and sexy, a private investigator and former cop who’s tired of spying on cheating spouses and digging out old bank accounts. When Raphael asks for her help in tracking down the kidnappers, Cyn’s happy to accept. But she soon realizes her greatest danger comes not from the humans, but from Raphael himself. Battling Russian mobsters and treacherous vampires, and betrayed by those they trusted, Cyn and Raphael find themselves fighting for their lives while caught up in a passion of blood and violence that is destined to destroy them both.

*****

JABRIL

Vampires In America, Book 2

Amazon | B&N | ImaJinn Books

Houston, Texas—Cowboy boots, baseball and journeys to the stars . . . right? Wrong. Because Houston is also home to Jabril Karim, one of the eight powerful Vampire Lords who control all of North America. And as Private Investigator Cynthia Leighton will soon discover, not all Vampire Lords are created equal. For Jabril is the face of evil in the new world, a vampire who values no life but his own, who enslaves those he desires, steals whatever he covets and destroys anyone who stands in his way. Running from L.A. and its seductive Vampire Lord, Raphael, Cyn sees the Houston job as a welcome refuge, a place to get away and heal her broken heart. But Texas will be no vacation. For in Jabril Karim, Cyn will confront a true enemy, one who will go to any lengths to satisfy his lusts, enrich his coffers and expand his power. Fighting for the lives of two young sisters, Cyn’s journey will take her through the streets of Houston and back to L.A., where the human police are determined to bring Raphael down for the murder of one of their own. But the danger doesn’t end there. For Jabril has set his sights on Cyn, and he will stop at nothing to have her.

*****

RAJMUND

Vampires In America, Book 3

Amazon | B&N | ImaJinn Books

Buffalo, New York—Thundering waterfalls, great sports teams . . . and a treacherous Vampire Lord who is slowly losing his mind. New York City vampire Rajmund Gregor is the undisputed master of The Big Apple. He bows to no one but his Sire, the Vampire Lord Krystof, who has ruled the Northeast for hundreds of years. But when Krystof summons Rajmund to his headquarters in Buffalo, Raj finds his master slowly descending into madness and his territory crumbling around him. Raj is the only one of Krystof’s children strong enough to seize power, but he’ll have to save his master before he can destroy him. Several women have gone missing and the local police are convinced a vampire is behind it. Is Krystof so lost to reality that he’s capturing and murdering human women? Is a rogue vampire moving into Krystof’s territory for the kill? Or is it something far more insidious, something that could threaten the existence of vampires everywhere? Sarah Stratton is living a lie. Her past holds a secret she shares with no one—not even her good friend Cynthia Leighton, the West Coast vampire lord’s mate. It’s a secret that could destroy her carefully constructed life as a professor at a Buffalo university. It’s also a secret that could save the lives of the missing women. To save them, however, she must enter Buffalo’s vampire community and put herself into the care of Rajmund Gregor. But can she trust Raj, the dangerously seductive vampire who wants to lay claim to far more than her secrets?

*****

SOPHIA

Vampires In America, Book 4

Amazon | B&N | IamJinn Books

The Pacific Northwest . . . home to lush forests and constant rain, to lumberjacks and computer geeks, especially those of the vampire kind. Sophia, beautiful and deadly, has spent the last hundred years dancing her way through the balmy nights and hot-blooded men of South America. But when her Sire sends an urgent summons, Sophia rushes home to Vancouver only to find he has disappeared, leaving nothing behind but three dead vampires and a letter with Sophia’s name on it. Colin Murphy, a former Navy SEAL, came to the Northwest seeking a quiet place to heal the scars earned in more than a decade at war. But when someone starts killing local vampires and torturing their mates, Colin takes on the mantle of a warrior once again as he sets out to find the killers and do whatever it takes to stop them, even if that means hunting with vampires. Following her Sire’s trail of death to a small town in northern Washington, Sophia unexpectedly discovers the heat of a South American night in Colin’s arms. But too soon Sophia and Colin find themselves in a race to uncover the killers before the next dead vampire becomes Sophia herself.

*****

DUNCAN

Vampires In America, Book 5

Amazon | B&N | IamJinn Books

Washington, D.C. … capital of an empire. Powerful. Exhilarating. Corrupt. And in the shadows … vampires far older than the nation itself. A power unto himself, Duncan has served at Raphael’s side for a hundred and fifty years. But long laid plans have finally borne fruit, and the time has come for Duncan to leave Raphael and tackle the greatest challenge of his life. He will face treacherous vampires and murderous humans. He will rock the halls of human power if necessary. But Washington, D.C. will be his. Emma Duquet cares nothing for vampire politics. She just wants to find her missing roommate and best friend, Lacey. But Lacey’s been playing with vampires of a particularly dangerous kind, and Emma will have to deal with the new vampire in town if she’s going to find her friend. Battling powerful enemies who will stop at nothing to keep their secrets, Duncan and Emma will dig beneath the corruption and depravity that is Washington, D.C. and uncover the most heinous conspiracy of all.

THE VIGNETTES, VOLUME 1

Vampires In America, Book 5.1

Amazon

Nine stories of seduction and intrigue set in the Vampires in America universe. For the first time in print … The Vampire Vignettes, originally appearing on D. B. Reynolds’ blog, some of the Vignettes are mere glimpses of life between the books, sensual interludes from New Year’s Eve on the beaches of Malibu, to love in a penthouse over Manhattan. Others continue the stories told in the books, including a challenge fought on a snowy night in Montreal. And all of them take the reader behind the scenes with the author’s ultimate alpha Vampire Lords and their beautiful and independent mates. And Never Before Published – Two brand new, full-length short stories. You Belong To Me follows Duncan and his mate Emma as they consolidate power in his new territory, while generating plenty of heat in private. And then it’s time for The Wedding, as readers join Rajmund and Sarah for their big weekend … and Cyn’s girls-night-out bachelorette party. Unfortunately, some local kidnappers have other plans, and Cyn and Sarah will have to outwit their abductors before Raphael and Raj start hunting, and the entire wedding is ruined!

*****

BETRAYED

A Cyn & Raphael e-Novella

Vampires In America, Book 5.5

Amazon | IamJinn Books

Love, the ache in your heart when you meet the one. It can take you to soaring heights; and it can leave you bleeding in the wreckage. Loyalty, the thing which binds a Vampire Lord to his children for eternity . . . unless it rots from within, birthing hatred. Betrayal, it comes in many forms and from many sources…love…loyalty…betrayal. War has come to the North American vampires, and Vampire Lords are reaching across territorial lines to strengthen allies and weaken enemies. The most powerful Lord of them all, Raphael, could change the course of the war and determine who raises the final banner of victory. But at what price? And will his mate, Cyn, be the one to pay it?

*****

LUCAS

Vampires In America, Book 6

Amazon | B&N | IamJinn Books

THE BADLANDS of SOUTH DAKOTA . . . haunting landscapes, legendary outlaws, and . . . vampires? LUCAS DONLON, Vampire Lord, is one of the most powerful vampires in North America and beyond. Charming and irreverent to his friends and lovers, he enjoys everything about his life as a vampire. But when a neighboring lord makes the mistake of declaring war, he quickly discovers that Lucas is every bit as lethal as he is charming. KATHRYN HUNTER doesn’t care about powerful vampires or their wars. Her baby brother is missing and she will do anything to find him, even if it means going against both her FBI bosses and the local vampire lord. But Lucas Donlon has other plans for the lovely FBI agent who’s landed on his doorstep. Waging war against their enemies and each other, Lucas and Kathryn will risk everything to keep the most deadly vampire war in hundreds of years from engulfing every vampire, and human, in North America.

*****

HUNTED

A Cyn & Raphael e-Novella

Vampires In America, Book 6.5

Amazon | B&N| ImaJinn Books

POWER, it comes down to this . . . those who have it, those who want it. REVENGE, the need for it is a fire in the soul, a goad for the unwise. HUNTED, the fate of the foolish when they think to become the hunter. Power . . . Revenge . . . Hunted. The Lord of the Midwest is dead, and the powerful vampires of North America are gathering to choose his successor. The Vampire Council will be there to oversee the competition and to keep the violence to a bloody minimum, including Raphael, who will do whatever it takes to ensure the victor is a vampire he can trust. But someone is determined to stop Raphael and his mate, Cyn, from ever reaching Chicago, a hunter who may soon become . . . the hunted.

*****

ADEN

Vampires In America, Book 7

Coming November 2013

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

D.B. Reynolds is the award-winning author of the popular Vampires in America series, as well as other paranormal fiction. She lives with her husband of many years in a flammable canyon near Los Angeles, and when she’s not writing her own books, she can usually be found reading someone else’s.

Connect with D.B.:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

D.B. Reynolds HUNTED Blog Tour – July 15 – July 31

7/15- Book Chick

http://bookchickwithkick.com/

7/16- Miscellaneous Thoughts of A Bookaholic

http://miscellaneousthoughtsofabookaholic.blogspot.com/

7/17- Literal Hotties Naughty Book Reviews

http://literalhottiesnaughtybookreviews.blogspot.com/

7/18- Book Monster Reviews

http://www.bookmonsterreviews.com/

7/19- Penny For Them

http://pennyforthem1.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/home

7/20- Mad Hatter Reads

http://madhatterreads.blogspot.com/

7/21- United by Books

http://unitedbybooks.blogspot.com/

7/22- Paranormal Haven

http://www.paranormalhaven.com/

7/22- Book Pages & Dripping Ink

http://bookpagesanddrippingink.blogspot.com/

7/23- Kelly P’s Blog

http://kellyatx.blogspot.com/

7/23- Toot’s Book Reviews

http://tootsbookreviews.blogspot.com/

7/24- Literal Addiction

http://www.literaladdiction.com/

7/25- Dalene’s Book Reviews

http://www.dalenesbookreviews.blogspot.com/

7/25- Vampires, Werewolves & Fairies Oh My!

http://vampireswerewolvesfairiesohmy.blogspot.com/

7/26- Bookin’ It Reviews

http://www.bookinitreviews.com/

7/27- GotFiction?

http://gotfiction.com/

7/28- Urban Girl Reader

http://www.urbangirlreader.com/

7/29- Wicked Readings by Tawania

http://www.wickedreadingsbytawania.blogspot.com/

7/30- My Secret Romance

http://www.mysecretromancebookreviews.com/

7/31- Romance Junkies

http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog/

7/31- Books-N-Kisses

https://books-n-kisses.com/

TOUR GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

D.B. is giving away the following prizes at the end of her tour:

GRAND PRIZE: signed set of the Vampires In America series, including both novellas

RUNNERS-UP: Five (5) runners up will receive an eBook of their choice from the VIA series

Giveaway is open internationally!

RAFFLECOPTER CODE (PLEASE EMBED INTO YOUR TOUR POST):

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July 31, 2013July 31, 2013

Kimberly reviews The Night Is Alive by Heather Graham

TITLE: The Night Is Alive
SERIES #: Krewe Of Hunters #10
CHARACTERS: Abby & Malachi
AUTHOR: Heather Graham
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/30/13
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-night-is-alive-heather-graham/1114146209?ean=9780778315070

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
It’s a city of beauty, history…hauntings. And one of the most haunted places in Savannah is a tavern called The Dragonslayer, built in the 1750s. The current owner, Gus Anderson, is a descendant of the original innkeeper and his pirate brother, Blue.

Gus summons his granddaughter, Abigail, home from Virginia, where she’s studying at the FBI Academy. When she arrives, she’s devastated to find him dead. Murdered. But Abby soon learns that Gus isn’t the only one to meet a brutal and untimely end; there’ve been at least two other victims. Then Captain Blue Anderson starts making ghostly appearances, and the FBI’s paranormal investigation unit, the Krewe of Hunters, sends in Agent Malachi Gordon.

Abby and Malachi have a similar ability to connect with the dead…and a similar stubbornness. Sparks immediately begin to fly-sparks of attraction and discord. But as the death toll rises, they have to trust each other or they, too, might find themselves among the dead haunting old Savannah!

REVIEW:
I am always amazed at the history that Graham has to research to write her books. And this is more of the same. This history is about pirates and was very entertaining. I usually do not know who the killer is so I was surprised that I figured it out in this book but one out of 10 isn’t much of a record.

The characters are interesting but I didn’t care for the way that Abby was written. While having just gotten out of the FBI academy she was written as naive and inexperienced and yet Malachi was written very street smart and knowledgeable. They did have a good connection though. And it was nice to catch up with some of the background characters from previous stories.

If you enjoy a romantic suspense ghost story than Graham is the author to read.

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

July 30, 2013July 24, 2013

Guest Blogger: Laura Florand

A Peek into the World of THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH

Four books into the Amour et Chocolat series (THE CHOCOLATE THIEF, THE CHOCOLATE KISS, THE CHOCOLATE ROSE, and now THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH), you would think I would get tired of chocolate, but I guess I’m one of those people who is always ready to take another bite. For one thing, every time I go behind the scenes to make sure I’ve got the details right for one book, I encounter such fascinating stories and people and settings that they end up inspiring another book.

In the case of THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH, I was researching with one of the top chocolatiers in the world, Jacques Genin, in a final effort to make sure I had the details of THE CHOCOLATE THIEF right before it went to press. (To be honest, I will go behind-the-scenes with a dozen chocolatiers to make sure one book is right if I have to! Or even hundreds! I am selfless in my pursuit of good chocola—ahem, that is, in pursuit of accuracy in my work. People have no idea of the things I’ve had to eat and the lengths I’ve had to go to, to write these books.)

As soon as I got a proper look at Jacques Genin’s kitchens and salon de chocolat, I knew I had found the setting for Sylvain Marquis’s obstreperous rival Dominique Richard, and that he was going to have to have his own story.

Now, of course, THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH is fiction and in no way meant to exactly represent any one setting. But as with Paris itself or the Maison des Sorcières in THE CHOCOLATE KISS, often I encounter real settings that are so beautiful or inspiring that they just work their way into characters in my mind, helping to form who those characters are, until both characters and their setting have to have a story.

I love it when readers write to me that they have gone on a pilgrimage through Paris to find places mentioned in the books.

THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH has a particular focus on the area around République and the Canal Saint-Martin, an area of Paris that is a sentimental favorite of mine, and if readers go to visit it, I highly recommend a stop at Jacques Genin’s (133, rue de Turenne 75003 Paris). You won’t find Dominique Richard there unless you take THE CHOCOLATE TOUCH with you. But I can promise you won’t be disappointed in the chocolates! And you can have fun paging through the book and seeing how many elements of the setting have worked their way into its pages.

Here are a few photos to help you get started. Have you been to Paris yourself? What places there have inspired you? What places would you like to see if or next time you go?

Check out Laura’s series HERE

July 30, 2013July 26, 2013

Release Day Madness 7.30.13

Happy Release Day!!!!

What are you getting this week?

Did I miss your favorite?

Send me an email at kelly(at)books-n-kisses.com and let me know of any upcoming releases you want featured on Tuesday’s Release Day Madness.

July 30, 2013July 7, 2013

Kelly & Kimberly review Three Litte Words by Susan Mallery

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July 29, 2013July 29, 2013

Lily Everett Interview and Giveaway

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

1. Tell me about your new release Sanctuary Island.

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

2. Where did you come up with the idea?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

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

8. What are you working on next?

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

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

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

About the Author:

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

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

Giveaway

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

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

Jennifer’s Review of Sanctuary Island

TITLE: Sanctuary Island

CHARACTERS: Ella Preston and Grady Wilkes

AUTHOR: Lily Everett

PUBLICATION DATE: 07/30/13

ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

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

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

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Jennifer NUMBER OF STARS: Four Stars

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

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

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

July 29, 2013July 15, 2013

Book Blast: Sweet revenge: Dueling with the Devil bk 2

Sweet revenge

Dueling with the Devil, book 2

AMAZON

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. What if that woman is a demon, in fact Lilith’s very own daughter? Isabella LaCoste vowed to get her revenge on her ex and his new human fiance. She didn’t commit fifty years of her life to be thrown out like last season’s runway fad. But taking vengeance on an upper level Shifter Demon and the newly crowned Voodoo Princess might not be a one demon job. She volunteers her services to Lucifer to deliver Angel and Jacque in exchange for his help. She never expected her new partner in crime would fill the void in her broken heart.

Not even death brought him peace. Xavier Toussant wanted out of his contract and the killing business. His last assignment was his own brother and he failed to deliver. Lucifer didn’t appreciate his valor in dealing with his brother, Jacque. In fact, it only created more problems. Xavier’s back on assignment to capture his brother and the Voodoo chick. Only this time, he’s shackled to the craziest female in the Underworld. Xavier finds Isabella LaCoste might be the one thing to put his soul at ease.

Sweet Revenge: Dueling with the Devil Book 2 was a Finalist in the Music City Melody of Love Contest.

About the Author:

Although Vivi Dumas grew up an Army brat, she calls Louisiana home, but have endured the hot summers and cold winters of Maryland for the last 16 years. She is a graduate of Mount St. Mary’s University with an MBA in Finance and Marketing. Her analytical side has honed a career in the financial industry for almost twenty years. To balance her logical, numerical day job, she unleashes her creativity in her writing.

Vivi pens multicultural paranormal romance, mixing the two genres she loves. Her steamy paranormal romances indulge in worlds inhabited by demons, werewolves, vampires, and other supernatural beings. She has published works with Decadent Publishing, Ravenous Romance, and Breathless Press.

Her latest book is the paranormal romance, Sweet Revenge: Dueling with the Devil Book 2.

Visit her website at www.ViviDumas.com.

Connect & Socialize with Vivi!

TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Giveaway Time

$25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway:

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July 29, 2013July 28, 2013

Cover Reveal & Giveaway of Searching for Beautiful by Nyrae Dawn

Today Nyrae Dawn and Entangled Teen are revealing the cover for SEARCHING FOR BEAUTIFUL, which releases on March 4, 2014.

Before, Brynn had a group of best friends, a loving boyfriend, a growing talent for pottery. She had a life. And after…she had none.

When Brynn lost the boyfriend who never loved her, the friends who feel she betrayed their trust, and the new life just beginning to grow inside her, she believes her future is as empty as her body. But then Christian, the boy next door, starts coming around. Playing his guitar and pushing her to create art once more. She meets some new friends at the local community center, plus even gets her dad to look her in the eye again…sort of.

But can Brynn open up her heart to truly find her life’s own beauty, when living for the after means letting go of the before?

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble

**Excerpt**

Christian looks at me. I wait for a smart-aleck reply or a smile but get neither. Just his blue eyes sucking me in like a whirlpool. “That’s what I thought you would say. So you just have to keep fighting for it. Keep fighting to get it back.”

My eyes won’t leave his and his won’t leave mine. And he’s cute. God, he’s so cute, I just want to focus on his cuteness. I want that to be all that matters. When his hand comes up and cups my cheek, I gasp. He brushes his thumb under my eye and licks his lips and I’m frozen and on fire and close to having a heart attack and anxious all at the same time.

Slowly, he leans forward and I know he’s giving me time. And my heart is leaping and I want to feel his lips. This is Christian. The boy who asked me to dance. The boy I ran to my mom about and told her that I loved. And now he’s my friend. The first person who has made me feel normal since everything happened.

But I’m so scared. Scared of messing it up. Scared he’ll decide he doesn’t want me. Scared of losing him. Of getting hurt.

He gets closer and I smell his sweet, sugary scent. See his mouth and wet lips and that hair I want to touch.

See the one person besides Emery who I have. The one person I can’t lose. “Wait,” I say and Christian stops moving. He’s still close. So very, very close that his lips are only an inch away from mine. “I’m scared,” I admit.

“I won’t hurt you.”

And I swear a part of me believes him. Maybe all of me. But how do I know if that’s the right decision or not?

He runs his hand down my face and touches my hair. Love that he’s not nervous to do it the way I am with him and I watch his fingers, brown against my red hair.

“Go out with me, Bryntastic. Let’s go do something this weekend. Don’t keep running. I won’t even try to kiss you again unless you tell me to. Or I’ll wait for you to do it. Just let go. Live.”

His words are what I want. I want them so badly and they sound so perfect that it’s hard not to just scream, “Yes!” right now. “Why?” I ask him. “Why are you so nice to me?”

I love his strength. Love that he doesn’t even hesitates before saying, “Because you were my first crush. Because I used to watch you conqueror anything and used to listen to you laugh with your friends. You were happy and I loved your smile. Because I had to work up the courage to ask you to dance and I did, and then I left and the one thing I missed was that smile. I watched my sister lose hers and watched my family fall apart and when I came back here? I wanted to see your smile again. Because you’re beautiful when you smile and you’ve lost it now. I want you to conquer this because what the hell is the purpose in it all if the first girl I ever danced with loses her smile?”

I don’t realize I’m crying until Christian wipes my tears. “You think I’m beautiful?”

About the Author:

Writing has always been Nyrae Dawn’s passion. There have been times in her life where she wasn’t able to chase that dream the way she desired, but she always found her way back to telling stories. One of her loves has always been writing about teens. There’s something so fresh and fun about the age that she loves exploring. Her husband says it’s because she doesn’t want to grow up. She doesn’t think that’s such a bad thing and luckily for her, he doesn’t either. Nyrae gravitates toward character-driven stories. She loves going on emotional journeys with characters whether it be reading or writing. And yes, she’s a total romantic at heart and proud.

Nyrae resides in sunny Southern California with her husband (who still makes her swoon) and her two awesome kids. When she’s not with her family, you can be pretty sure you’ll find her with a book in her hand or her laptop and an open document in front of her.

She writes for Entangled Publishing, Grand Central Publishing and is self-published. Nyrae is represented by Jane Dystel of Dystel and Goderich Literary Management.

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads

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July 29, 2013July 26, 2013

Kelly reviews Claiming Her Warriors by Savannah Stuart

TITLE: Claiming Her Warriors
SERIES #: Novella 2
CHARACTERS: Aeron, Hauk & Brianna
AUTHOR: Savannah Stuart
PUBLICATION DATE: July 29, 2013
ORDER LINKS:

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Two brothers want to possess her…
After her planet was destroyed, Brianna was rescued by two fierce and desperately gorgeous warrior brothers. Aeron and Hauk. They want to keep her, protect her, mate her. But what the brothers wanted from her was too much to handle. Settling into a new culture was hard enough without dealing with the custom that dictates she mate with two males. So she pushed them away.
They’ll do anything to protect her…
An attack sends Brianna back into the arms of the sexy brothers. Now they’ll do whatever it takes to win her over. But can Brianna go against the conventions of her human nature and accept both warriors as her mates? It might not matter because someone is out for blood and it’s up to Aeron and Hauk to defend her against a deadly enemy

REVIEW:
3.5 Stars Brianna was saved from the death of her planet and is now trying to rebuild her life. But on her new plant it is customary for a female to mate with two men. While the idea excites her reality scares her. But in order to get the man she wants she is going to have to learn to share.
Aeron & Hauk have been mated before. There was no problems in the 1st mating. But this thing with Brianna has Aeron acting aggressive towards his brother. But after Brianna is attacked Aeron begins to see that Brianna is going to need both of them to keep her safe. And that means he has to share.
This was a quickie read. It is a novella after all. But it was a good read. I am interested to see what Savannah has in store for us next.

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.