Blog Blast, Review & Giveaway: Naturally Yours by Adele Downs

BOOK INFORMATION

Title – Naturally Yours
Author – Adele Downs
Genre – Contemporary Romance
Publication Date – October 7th, 2014
Length (Pages/# Words) – 26,000 Words
Publisher – Boroughs Publishing Group

BOOK BLURB

Who will save the man that saves the world?

Paramedic Mickey Kendall hasn’t slept a full night since his return from Iraq. He rescues victims by day and protects the innocent after dark. Mickey doesn’t do it for glory; he wants absolution, not admiration. He lives by the rule: No personal contact after a rescue. That code meets the ultimate test when Mickey saves a child’s life on a roadside and declines the parents’ invitation to dinner at their upscale restaurant.

Master chef Amanda Greer lives by the principle that delicious food and good company build bridges. When she learns Mickey has refused her partners’ hospitality, she persuades him to change his mind. On the night the handsome paramedic visits her restaurant, Amanda joins him at his table, and their unexpected chemistry leads to a passionate kiss.

In Amanda’s arms, Mickey finds relief from the stressors that haunt him, but resists falling in love. When Amanda challenges him to confront his demons and accept the love she offers, Mickey arrives at a crossroad. The war-weary paramedic must face a different kind of battle to claim the woman who reignites his passion for living and revives his wounded heart.

BUY & TBR LINKS

Amazon Kindle Link – Goodreads Link

EXCERPT

(Book is rated PG-13. Sensual, but not explicit.)
“They called you a hero in the press.” Her dark lashes lowered and lifted and she smiled at him with admiration shining in her eyes. “They were right, of course. What you did for Jack can never be repaid.”

Mickey winced at the hero reference. “I hate to disappoint you, but I only did what I’m trained to do.”

Amanda made sounds of disagreement low in her throat. “Elena told me at least a hundred and fifty cars passed her on the highway. Every one of them ignored her cries for help. Of all those people, don’t you think one might have been medically trained? Or at least cared enough to respond? No. You stopped. Only you.”

Oh. He hadn’t thought of that.

She pointed a finger at his chest. “There’s a difference between you and other people. There’s no other way to explain what happened on that roadway. Elena is convinced you’re special, and I never doubt her perceptions. That’s another reason why I wanted to meet you.”

Mickey stared into Amanda’s eyes and her pupils dilated. Her lips parted, ever so slightly, as if to welcome a kiss. Her tongue touched the inside of her bottom lip and disappeared. Mickey knew then, she felt it too. Synergy. Chemistry. An attraction so powerful it turned kinetic on contact.
Some called it love at first sight.

Amanda. Even her name was beautiful.

She took a sip of her drink and he watched her mouth and throat work the liquid. When she set down the tumbler, she wiped a droplet from the corner of her mouth with a trimmed, unpolished fingertip. Mickey wished he could have swiped the bead away with his tongue.

Amanda leaned closer and pressed a hand to his wrist. “Trained or not, you were the only stranger on that highway who had a heart.”

Mickey laid his hand over hers and she let him keep it there. Until now, he wasn’t sure he still had a heart. His had been chipped away, piece by piece, like a block of ice since the war. He’d considered it long gone, with his soul. In mere minutes, what was left had thawed in the center, leaving him raw and exposed.

Amanda continued to speak; clearly unaware she’d stripped away another layer. “I love Jack like he’s my own son. He’s a terrific kid. I’ve helped take care of him since the day the Martins and I started this restaurant. When you saved him, you saved us all.” Amanda leaned in and pressed a quick, sweet kiss against Mickey’s jaw.

Their gazes locked when she sat back in her chair. The gravity of her words and her straightforward kiss humbled him into speechlessness. He’d been thanked many times before, but this woman had gotten to him like no one else. He squeezed her hand and then downed the rest of his drink. Amanda took another sip of hers and set the glass on the table before retreating into silence. She turned the tumbler slowly in her hands.

Mickey looked back at her and tapped two fingers against the menu’s leather cover. “Nothing here is what I expected.”

Amanda returned a quiet smile, either assuming he meant food choices, or pretending he had. She tucked her arms beneath her breasts and leaned forward against the edge of the table, lifting perfect white swells above the neckline of her red blouse. “Organic means untouched by artificiality. Grown and consumed in its natural state. We eat only healthy foods unspoiled by chemicals, preservatives, hormones, steroids, antibiotics, and genetically modified seeds or cells. Pure.”

Pure. Mickey gazed at the stunning woman by his side and sensed that was true for her, too. The texture of her skin looked smooth as cream and welcoming to the touch. He longed to run his hands along her thighs, imagining sleek roads leading to heaven at their apex. “I like the sound of that.” The way she looked back at him while he studied her face made him wonder if she’d read his mind.

The one that had gone dirty.

Review

The cover and blurb are both amazing and suck you into wanting to read one of the best contemporary romances I have read in months.  Maybe up in the list of my top 20 romances this year so far.  Seriously, seriously good.  So let the beautiful cover and awesome blurb work on you to snatch up a copy.  No way will you regret it.

There isn’t much to say about Mickey and Amanda except wow.  The roller-coaster ride of emotions you go through with this amazing couple was brilliantly done and served to make the reader feel and empathize with the characters in a way few writers can accomplish.  In fact, the only thing I can say negatively about any of the characters is I am not a fan of the name Mickey.  Yeah, it’s a petty small issue, but seriously.  My nephew loved Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for the past 2 years and every time I watched him (which was every weekend), I got to watch over 8 hours of that show.  Over, and over, and over again.  So yeah, Mickey makes me cringe now.  Ahem, but the story was so good, by the end I wasn’t exactly cringing anymore!  I was at least used to it.

It’s a beautiful love that sprung up between Amanda and Mickey.  Not just filled with heat, but filled with emotion and depth.  It was honestly one of the more beautiful loves I’ve read in a long time.  Adele Downs is a master at evoking emotions from her characters.

The story was nicely done as well, although honestly, I was so absorbed in the book, I didn’t make as many notes for the review as normal.  So maybe that’s a sign.  It enveloped me and didn’t let go until the story was over.  I loved it!

5 stars!

Author’s This or That

Coffee or Tea?
Coffeeeeeeee!

Scarier: Spiders or Snakes?
Snakes (Can’t stomp those.)

Heroes or Lost? (TV Shows)
Lost

Damon or Stefan? (Vampire Diaries – TV or books)
Neither, sorry.

TV or Books?
Books

Home or Out on the Town?
Homebody

Sleep or No Time for Sleep?
Sleep

Chocolate or Carrot Sticks?
Chocolate, of course!

Paranormal or Mundane?
Mundane with a touch of magic.

Dresses or Jeans?
Jeans

Top 10 Authors

Lisa Unger
Lisa Gardner
Stephen King
Arthur Golden
Susan Wiggs
Diana Gabaldon
Laurell K. Hamilton
J.K. Rowling
Gillian Flynn
Tami Hoag

AUTHOR BIO

Adele Downs writes contemporary romance inside the office of her rural Pennsylvania home. She is a former journalist, published in newspapers and magazines inside the USA, UK, and Caribbean.

Adele is an active member of Romance Writers of America and her local RWA chapter where she serves as a past-president. She has written several articles for RWR magazine (Romance Writers Report), the trade journal of Romance Writers of America, and has presented workshops for writers.

When Adele isn’t working on her current project, she can be found riding in her convertible or reading a book on the nearest beach.

FOLLOW LINKS

Amazon Author Page – Website/Blog – Facebook
Twitter – Pinterest

GIVEAWAY PRIZES

USA Residents Only Please

Firefighters Kick Ash! — Hanging ornament and Swag (1)
Fire & Rescue Refrigerator Magnet and Swag (1)
Amazon Kindle Gift Copy of NATURALLY YOURS (1)

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Blast Hosted & Organized By:

Release Day Blitz & Review: High Strung by T. Gephart

 

BOOK:  High Strung 

SERIES: Book One of Power Station Series.

RELEASE DATE: October 10, 2014

HOSTED BY: Book Empire Promotions

Add to Goodreads

SYNOPSIS

Ashlyn Murphy was not living the dream. Twenty-seven years old, college educated, up to her eyeballs in debt and yet she’d been relegated to pouring beers at a local bar. She desperately needed an out and was willing to do anything to get back into the corporate world. Well, almost anything. Dan Evans, Rock Star was NOT one of those things. In fact she despised him. Apparently he didn’t get the memo.

Dan Evans, bass player of international rock band Power Station had it all. He was rich, travelled the world, played to millions of adoring fans and had no shortage of beautiful women willing to share his bed. He didn’t need a moody redheaded knockout with a superiority complex complicating his life. Or did he?

When two people who couldn’t be more opposite cross paths, it’s bound to be explosive; sometimes all you can do is sit back and enjoy the show.

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1pS2oDp

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1rXU0p8

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1ndoynQ

Amazon AUS: http://tinyurl.com/m6z6wrb

KOBO: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/high-strung-2

Barnes & Nobles:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/high-strung-t-gephart/1119556479?ean=2940045946599

Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/high-strung/id879263901?mt=11

 

Review

OMG!!  I really don’t need a review other than that, do I?  I mean… an ass-kicking rock star romance that is hilarious?  What more needs said?  Oh, you probably already saw the nifty cover and read the niftier blurb.  But let me tell you neither did this novel justice.

The two main characters, Ash and Dan, are so completely opposite and yet so incredible suited to each other, it is absolute fireworks, earthquakes, supernova explosions when they come together.  I can’t rave enough about them.  It might be that I absolutely adore the rock star type of man with tattoos and attitude, or it might be that I like independent women in my novels.  Whatever it is that T. Gephart figured out to write such ass-kicking chemistry, she needs to bottle it and sell it.  It’s so rare to see a romance that has such perfect chemistry.  I have to admit to being in love with Dan though.  I’d steal him.  Yummy.

As for the actual plot – although, who needs plot after the simple words ‘ass-kicking rock star romance’?  Seriously, do any of you care after I just drooled over the main man?  Who IS the one that is a rock star?  Oh, okay, there probably IS one person who cares.   Honestly, I do too.  Even if the rest of my review were politely worded negatives, the amazing characterization and chemistry between the couples would give this book a solid 3 stars.

However!!  This author can write!  This is my first novel from this author and I’m going to get the rest of her books put on my TBR list and try to get to it ASAP.  Admittedly, I can’t actually FINISH my TBR list in this lifetime it is sooooo big.  But I did snatch up Lexi – the first prequel novel of her Lexi series.  It IS free right now.  Link is somewhere in this post!

Okay, I kind of got the topic, didn’t I?  Ahem.  Storyline.  Check.  I mean, this is a rock star romance, so yeah, admittedly some plot points WERE a tad predictible.  It didn’t bother me, but it might bother someone.  Being as when I read MC romances, or sports romances, or rock star romances, there will always be that predictable element as that is why we read those books.  BUT the rest of the story had me laughing out loud and seriously made those around me think I was nuts.  I was also pleasantly surprised in places, and even had a sniffle or two for other spots in the novel.  The writing was good enough to evoke emotional responses in me, and THAT is something.  I’m pretty stoic, so seriously?  This woman can freaking write!

So to summarize, if you don’t read this book, I think you should have your rock star romance card revoked.

4.5 stars!  EXCELLENT!

OTHER BOOKS BY T.GEPHART

 

The Lexi Series – Add the Series to your
Goodreads

Book #0.5: Lexi (FREE) AMAZON  I ITUNES

Book #1: A Twist of Fate: AMAZON  I ITUNES

Book 1.5: Twisted Views:  AMAZON  I ITUNES

Book #2: A Leap of Faith: AMAZON  I ITUNES

Book #3: A Time for Hope: AMAZON  I ITUNES

 

ABOUT T.GEPHART

T Gephart is an indie author from Melbourne, Australia.

T’s approach to life has been somewhat unconventional. Rather than going to University, she jumped on a plane to Los Angeles, USA in search of adventure. While this first trip left her somewhat underwhelmed and largely depleted of funds it fueled her appetite for travel and life experience.

With a rather eclectic resume, which reads more like the fiction she writes than an actual employment history, T struggled to find her niche in the world.

While on a subsequent trip the United States in 1999, T met and married her husband. Their whirlwind courtship and interesting impromptu convenience store wedding set the tone for their life together, which is anything but ordinary. They have lived in Louisiana, Guam and Australia and have travelled extensively throughout the US. T has two beautiful young children and one four legged child, Woodley the wonder dog.

An avid reader, T became increasingly frustrated by the lack of strong female characters in the books she was reading. She wanted to read about a woman she could identify with, someone strong, independent and confident who didn’t lack femininity. Out of this need, she decided to pen her first book, A Twist of Fate. She enjoyed the process so much that when it was over she couldn’t let it go. T loves to travel, laugh and surround herself with colourful characters. This inevitably spills into her writing and makes for an interesting journey – she is well and truly enjoying the ride!

Based on her life experiences, T has plenty of material for her books and has a wealth of ideas to keep you all enthralled.

CONNECT WITH T. GEPHART

WEBSITE:  www.tgephart.com

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pages/T-Gephart/412456528830732

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/tinagephart

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7243737.T_Gephart

AMAZON: http://www.amazon.com/T-Gephart/e/B00I88R7MU

(SJ’s Comment:  For the record, sometimes with formatting you can NOT get a line to obey.  So I’m so sorry about the format up there.  I could not get that line to go back to where it is supposed to be.  *sigh*)

Blog Tour & Review: For Everly by Raine Thomas

Synopsis:

**This is a New Adult novel recommended for ages 16+.

Determined to overcome a dark and tragic past, college student Everly Wallace is only months away from earning her degree in physical therapy. She’s consumed with school, caring for her ailing grandfather, and figuring out how to pay the next bill. The last thing she wants is a relationship, but it just might be the one thing she needs.

Major League pitcher Cole Parker hasn’t fought for anything in his life. He went from a privileged upbringing to a multimillion dollar All-Star career. But when his pitching shoulder starts to give him trouble at only twenty-four years old, he faces the possibility of his injury becoming public knowledge and costing him everything.

In a desperate bid to save his career, Cole decides to hire someone to treat his injury, someone who will keep things off the record and out of the media. He finds the perfect solution in Everly. As mysterious as she is beautiful, she provides an enticing distraction from his pain. Soon, physical therapy is the last thing on his mind.

When an act of betrayal brings the truths they both fear to light, Cole will have to fight for the first time in his life, not just for his career, but for Everly’s love.

Buy Links:

Amazon * Amazon UK * B&N * iBooks * Kobo 

Excerpt:

“I know you’re not seeking any romantic connections right now, Everly,” Wyatt interrupted, giving Cole a quelling look. “We’re here in a strictly professional capacity.”

Now she looked more at ease. “I see. Are you seeking a consultation over Cole’s rotator cuff injury?”

Cole stiffened. He glared at Wyatt.

“I haven’t told her a thing,” Wyatt said with raised palms.

“You didn’t have to say anything,” she said with a shrug, leaning back against Rowan’s desk. Her keen gaze met Cole’s. “I noticed that you favored your left hand throughout your meal, using it to drink, eat, and bring your napkin to your mouth, but you’re a right-handed pitcher. And just now, when you moved to clear space on the couch, you stopped breathing and swallowed hard when you moved your right arm, telling me you’re hiding pain and have a reduced range of motion.”

His mouth opened over her observations. He looked again at Wyatt. His brother gave him a look that said, See?

“But how do you know it’s a rotator cuff injury?” Cole asked. Could other people see what she did? If so, he was so screwed.

“That, I’ll admit, was an educated guess based on your age and profession,” she answered. “I’ve only observed your symptoms and haven’t done any scans or tests to confirm. You’ll want to rule out bursitis, tendonitis, adhesive capsulitis, and other possible causes of your shoulder pain, of course.”

Despite what he’d seen this evening and his brother’s assurances, Cole was surprised by Everly’s quick assessment. She looked like she should be out club-hopping, not spouting medical jargon with such an intent expression on her face.

He also realized, since she knew his profession, that she had known who he was the moment she saw him. So why hadn’t she mentioned that before now? Maybe she wasn’t a fan.

“We’ve had scans done,” Wyatt said. “X-rays, an MRI, the whole load.”

He moved over to the desk. Everly stepped to the side as Wyatt reached over to retrieve the large manila envelope resting there. She hit Cole’s leg and nearly toppled onto his lap. Out of instinct, he reached out to help her maintain her balance. His hands ended up on her nicely shaped rear end.

She sprang away like a gazelle fleeing a lion. When she turned to look at him, he realized her cheeks were nearly as red as her hair. Her reaction went a long way toward putting him back on an even keel.

“I don’t bite,” he said with a grin. “Come and have a seat.”

He patted the cushion beside him. She looked at it warily, then moved her gaze to him. He patted the cushion again. Her lips moved on a whispered comment of some kind as she stepped around his legs and sat down. It was a small victory, but he felt better.

When he turned to look at her, he caught her scent, a unique fragrance that reminded him of whipped vanilla cream and frosted wildberries. She met his gaze. The combination of her nearness, her scent, and the cautious look in her lovely eyes had his whole body reacting.

Oh, this was such a bad idea.

Review

If you’re looking for a sweet New Adult Contemporary romance, this is definitely the novel for you!  I thoroughly enjoyed this read.  It was effortlessly entertaining, and even with the darker aspects, you still felt the overall sweetness of the story.  That is both a pro and a con, however.  Sometimes one needs those deeper aspects to fully connect with the main characters of a story and I felt that was the case here.

Cole, despite his drunken beginning, was a nice guy.  He was the perfectly nice baseball player with looks, attitude, and awesome athleticism.  Everly was smart, sweet, and almost perfectly naive.  She was definitely good at what she did, and you can’t help but like her, but I think I might have connected with her a tad more if she had had some sort of flaw there.  Outside of grief in her past, she’s practically perfect.  Cole was also almost too nice to be real.  You like him, but like with Everly, I’m not sure there is a real deep connection.

However, the story keeps you guessing, and entertained, as the small bits of information that gets doled out was done expertly and with just the right amount of mystery that you can’t help but love this story.  The overall plot and setting of the story was very well done.  The author obviously knew her baseball!  (At least it seemed like it to me, and I don’t know squat about baseball!)  So awesome storytelling.

The overall romance was heated but unfortunately not as heated as I felt it was hinted at.  I don’t mean it should have been full out erotica, but it seemed like it should have been steamier.  There wasn’t anything wrong with it being more ‘clean’ than I expected, exactly.  It just seemed to fit a more YA title than NA.  But there was definitely some great sparks between Cole and Everly.

Overall, I have the characters, whom I liked very much; the story which was very, very well-done, the chemistry between the characters, and the connection with the reader, which was also good.  However, I felt it could have been a tad bit better in connecting with us readers, or making us feel everything the characters did.  This story was a very sweet romance and well worth snatching up and reading, especially if you want a sweet romance with a very HEA to read.  I mean there IS a reason I keep using sweet in this review!

4 stars!

 

Author Bio:

Raine Thomas is the award-winning author of bestselling Young Adult and New Adult fiction. Known for character-driven stories that inspire the imagination, Raine recently signed with multiple award-winning producer Chase Chenowith of Back Fence Productions to bring her popular Daughters of Saraqael trilogy to the big screen. She’s a proud indie author who is living the dream. When she isn’t writing or glued to e-mail or social networking sites, Raine can usually be found vacationing with her husband and daughter on one of Florida’s beautiful beaches or crossing the border to visit with her Canadian friends and relatives.

 

Author Links:

Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Amazon Author Page  * Pinterest * Linkedin * Website * Blog 

Cover Reveal: Tempt by Rene Folsom

BOOK INFORMATION

Title – Tempt (A Twisted Wolf Tale)
Series – Red Hot Treats
Author – Rene Folsom
Genre – Paranormal Romance
Publication Date – October 15, 2014
Length (Pages/# Words) – Approximately 130 pages / 20,000 words
Cover Artist – Rene Folsom with Phycel Designs

ABOUT THE BOOK

Deep in the Shrouded Wood, on her way to her granny’s cottage, Rosetta is ambushed by an unseen force. Soon after, she finds herself plagued by strange dreams—visions of a large wolf and a seductive woman beckoning her.

Not knowing what to do with these dreams and the odd changes happening to her body in the waking world, Rosetta sets out to confront whatever lies in the Shrouded Wood, determined to discover the temptations within. But what she finds is beyond anything she could’ve ever imagined… or hoped for.

Get ready to dive into Rosetta’s world and enjoy a new twist on the classic tale of Little Red Riding Hood.

This Halloween, something sinfully wicked is coming your way. Give yourself a Red Hot Treat this fall with ten spine-tingling stories sure to warm up your night. Scary just got sexy with TEMPT, part of the Red Hot Treats multi-author series (stands alone for reading enjoyment).

Warning: This supernatural romance novella contains f/f adult situations and is meant for ages 18+.

Find out more on Rene’s website at http://renefolsom.com/tempt or Goodreads

ABOUT RENE

Rene Folsom, author of paranormal romance and erotica, lives in Florida with her husband and three kids. She has officially diagnosed herself with creative ADD and often has a million and one writing projects going at once. In addition to writing, she is also a graphic artist who enjoys creating custom book covers for indie authors. She is definitely an artist at heart and would love nothing more than to be elbow deep in clay during her waking hours.

Rene believes that all fiction is based on some form of reality—otherwise we would never have the inspiration or knowledge to dream up the realistic situations we portray with our words. She is proud to say that her personal experiences have been inspirational, though perhaps not always identical to that of her fictional characters. Where reality and fantasy diverge, however, must remain her little secret…

FOLLOW RENE HERE

Amazon Author Page – Website/Blog – Facebook 
Twitter – Google+ – Goodreads – Newsletter

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Release Day Blast & Giveaway: Secondhand Heart by Kristen Strassel

We’re celebrating the release of Secondhand Heart by Kristen Strassel! Check out the excerpt and giveaway below!

Title: Secondhand Heart

Author: Kristen Strassel

Age: NA

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: 10/7/14

Goodreads

Amazon

Blurb:

Daisy Mangold thought she had her life figured out until a roadside bomb in Afghanistan changed everything. Now a twenty-one-year-old military widow, Daisy moves back home to start over.

Cam Hunter won the reality show The Spotlight, and thought he was on his way to becoming the next big country star. But when whispers of how he won begin to surface, Nashville is less than welcoming. After he loses his record deal, Cam heads back home to open a country bar.

When Daisy meets Cam, she isn’t sure she’s ready to let go of the ghosts from her past. Cam’s ex-wife isn’t ready to move on either, and the tragedy she causes will expose Cam’s secrets and shatter Daisy’s family.

Will Daisy be able to follow her heart into a future with Cam, or will her grief keep her trapped in a past that no longer exists?

EXCERPT

Cam came out on stage to the hoots and hollers of the crowd, of course, the loudest from the table of old broads. He motioned with his hands for everyone to shut the fuck up. “Thanks for coming out tonight.” His eyes scanned the crowd, but then locked on mine. I sat up straighter, the memory of how he looked at me last night when there was no audience burning me everywhere his mark lingered on my body. “Tell your friends, let’s support local music and make this a thing.”

Another roar of the crowd before the lights darkened just enough for Cam to jog off the stage, and a scruffy duo with blazers and harmonicas took his place. He pulled out the chair next to mine and put his head down on the table. I could hear the gasp rise out of the audience, even over the acoustic guitars from the stage.

I raked my fingers through his hair, then pulled his head up playfully.

“I’m dying,” Cam said when he looked up at me.

“Yeah, me too.” The waitress delivered a fresh beer. By the time I got to the bottom of it, I was going to feel like I was having an out of body experience. “But I love every minute of it.”

Crooked smile. Dead. “Me too.” His hand landed on my thigh, caressing my skin and working his way upward. Wait until he realized I was wearing a skirt. “I had a great time last night, Daisy.”

My skin was on fire, and I just looked at him with a dopey smile on my face. If I even tried to say anything, I’d just giggle like an idiot. So I just fixed his hair from where I messed it up before.

“I was wondering,” he looked down, tracing the outline of his drink coaster, shy. It was adorable. “If you actually wanted to see the bedroom tonight.”

“Tonight?” So this was an actual thing? He didn’t think last night was some mistake? Oh my god. Talk about jumping off of a cliff into shark infested waters.

He looked up at me, eyes sparkling. “Why not?”

He posed an excellent question. Although I could think of a million reasons why not, right now it was all just blah, blah, blah in my brain. Fear and excitement numbed my body, I felt like I was floating in the middle of the bar room.

“Okay,” I said, and he visibly relaxed. Holy shit, was he nervous about asking me to stay? This was not the position I ever expected to be in. “But I can’t stay all night.”

His jaw dropped. “Why?”

“Because I ran smack into my dad this morning. Horrifying.”

He closed his eyes and groaned. “Yeah, that’s so bad. You’re going to have to move out.”

What was he saying? Don’t read too much into this, Daisy. He wasn’t saying anything. He was just pointing out what I already knew, what my mother was so delicately hinting at earlier today. Time to move on. “Tell me about it.”

Anyway, I was just the rebound chick. I knew that.

We didn’t even make it out of his truck this time. I don’t know what it said about his neighborhood that no one called the police. We thrashed around on that tiny backseat, holding nothing back, even as cars came in and out of the lot. Hands sliding down steamed up glass, Titantic style. Loud, aggressive, and just the thing I needed to remind me why I was alive.

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About Kristen Strassel

Kristen shares a birthday with Steven Tyler and Diana Ross. She spends each day striving to be half as fabulous as they are. She’s worn many hats, none as flattering as her cowboy hat: banker, retail manager, fledgling web designer, world’s worst cocktail waitress, panty slinger, now makeup artist and author. She loves sunshine, live music, the middle of nowhere, and finding new things to put in her house.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Release Blitz: Sinful Desires Vol. II

I wasn’t entirely sure why I’d accepted Brock’s invitation to be his date for his sister’s wedding. A wedding to a man who’d confessed that he didn’t love his wife-to-be. All I knew was that I didn’t belong in that world.

When Piper Black returned to Philadelphia to attend the wedding of the man who’d broken her heart, she never imagined that she’d end up falling for her date…who just happened to be Reed Stirling’s new brother-in-law.

Will Brock Michaels be able to heal Piper’s heart or will her connection to Reed tear apart more than one relationship?

The second volume in M.S. Parker’s sizzling Sinful Desires series isn’t to be missed

* AMAZON * 

* Start the series off with Sinful Desires Vol. I if you haven’t! *

* AMAZON *

M. S. Parker is a USA Today Bestselling author and the author of the Erotic Romance series, Club Privè and Chasing Perfection.

Living in Southern California, she enjoys sitting by the pool with her laptop writing on her next spicy romance.

Growing up all she wanted to be was a dancer, actor or author. So far only the latter has come true but M. S. Parker hasn’t retired her dancing shoes just yet. She is still waiting for the call for her to appear on Dancing With The Stars.

When M. S. isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading- oops, scratch that! She is always writing.

* FACEBOOK * TWITTER * WEBSITE *

Unabridged Blog Tour: Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway

Synopsis

Unabridged

Book Length: 144 pages

Date Published: Aug. 17, 2014

Published by: Melinda De Ross (INDIE)

Steam Rating: Steamy

Main Characters: Angelina & Blade

Ironically, it all starts with a popular book about BDSM. When Angelina Jameson steps into her boss’s office armed with an acid article about ‘Billionaires, BDSM and Blah-blah-blah’, she thinks her career will take off. But her career aspirations drop into second place when she finds herself face to face with her nemesis.

Blade Spencer is the new editor-in-chief of Unabridged—the literary magazine where his ex-lover Angelina works. For three years, since she fled small town Jamestown without a word of explanation, they haven’t heard from one another. Now, when they meet again, the past and all the feelings they once had between them come rushing back, making them realize their love has never died. But can they reconcile their new circumstances and the changes that have occurred during the three years they were apart? Neither is the person the other used to know.

Then there is the faceless shadow who hunts them from the dark, driven by obsession and greed…

*This book contains strong language and explicit descriptions of sex.

 

AMAZON   GOODREADS

Excerpt

“Choice?” His voice rose as the ambiguous surprise on his face faded, once he understood. “You’re talking to me about choices? What choice did you give me, Angelina? We could have worked it out, but you took it upon yourself to make my decisions for me without even telling me. You left me like a coward, letting me think you didn’t love me anymore, letting me drown in misery all these years without a word of explanation! I didn’t even know if you were still alive!”

His booming shout almost rattled the windows, and made me absurdly angry.

“Well, you seemed to have recovered quickly, and enough to take a wife!” I screamed back at him, pushing my face close to his. “And I’ll bet that Allie person wasn’t the only one you’ve slept with during all this time!”

“Oh, you’re always quick to judge! Have you lived like a nun since you left me?”

“Yes!”

The word vibrated in the abrupt, disbelieving silence.

Next thing I knew, his hand grasped the back of my head and his mouth came down hard on mine. His tongue darted deep inside my mouth, forcing my lips to open, as he yanked me to him in a desperate embrace. It didn’t even occur to me to protest. On the contrary. I responded to his kiss with the blind surrender I yearned for. I swept his mouth with my tongue, thrilling in the masculine taste and scent of him. My fingers plowed through his hair, holding his head in place for our stormy, passionate kiss. Our breaths were shallow and loud, mingling together like swirling steam. Even though our clothes were still wet, heat was radiating from our hot bodies.

His hands were everywhere, cupping my face, sliding all over my body, combing through my damp hair. I trailed my tongue over his jaw, then descended down the skin of his throat, grazing my teeth greedily over him, intoxicated by the avalanche of unleashed desire that had gathered up inside me for three years.

I fumbled with the buttons of his clinging wet shirt, then tore them off impatiently to bare his chest to my eyes and touch. He was superbly built, even more gorgeous than I recalled him to be, all subtle muscles delineated by shallow lines that defined his pectorals and abdomen. His chest was dusted with a perfect amount of dark hair.

I tasted the low sound that vibrated in his chest when my mouth closed over his nipple and sucked greedily. When I flicked my tongue over the other, his fist tightened in my hair and he dragged me back to him, kissing me with increasing urgency. His hands slipped under my wet T-shirt, cupping my breasts. They fit so right in his palms and I moaned, overwhelmed by the pleasure of his knowing touch. He slid the T-shirt over my head and took me in his arms. I pushed my body against his, rubbing my breasts against his bare chest, frantic to feel his naked body close to mine. His hardness pushed against my middle and he drew me closer, cupping my bottom with strong hands, as he continued kissing me hungrily.

He lifted his head and I saw his eyes were smoky with arousal, just as mine must have been. His voice sounded rough when he said, “Do you want to go to the bedroom?”

“No,” I whispered, biting his lower lip and dragging him to the floor.

The rug felt soft and cozy beneath my bare back, and I was thrilled by the feel of Blade’s weight on top of me. He kissed my mouth, my neck, then stopped on my breasts, sucking one nipple deep in his mouth, then moving his attention to the other one. I gasped and struggled with the zipper of his pants. When I folded my fingers around his steely length, we both stopped breathing for a moment.

“God, I want you so much, Blade! You can’t imagine how I’ve longed for you all this time,” I said raggedly.

“Yes, I do. I love you, Angelina,” he whispered raspily. “You are and always will be my woman. Sweet and innocent, yet who inspires sin.”

As he looked down at me, his eyes were filled with love and tenderness, and clouded by primal lust. He tugged at my shorts and panties, and I kicked them aside. Then he discarded the rest of his clothes, remaining gloriously naked. I only had one moment to admire his impressive erection, before he stretched above me. Our bodies fit like the halves of a two-pieces puzzle. I quivered in response to the nearness of this monument of raw sexuality.

He sent his tongue deep inside my mouth, just as he slipped inside me. The throbbing pressure made me tense. After three years of abstinence on my side, I think we both relived the loss of my virginity, but this time I was more than ready. The pain of his penetration was brief, but the pleasure was infinite. I arched my hips up to meet his, as he rocked against me, inside me. He was hesitant at first, mindful of hurting me, but as I relaxed under him, his strokes became more powerful, more possessive. He pushed up hard, until I wrapped my legs around his waist and sank my teeth into his shoulder, shaken by a brain-melting orgasm. I think I cried out his name, but the pounding of my heart was so loud in my ears that I couldn’t be sure. When he felt me tensing around him, Blade sank all of himself into me and came, uttering a low, guttural sound, with his face buried in my neck.

Review

This is a second chance romance with a crap ton of humor thrown in for shits and giggles.  Rat the cat was bloody hilarious.  Ahem, so I was writing out the review.  Blade and Angelina are the starring couple of this short, steamy novel.  I’m not going to recap the series here because it’s recapped way up there in the synopsis and I hate being redundant.  Now, about the book!

First off, and I know this has nothing to do with the actual story, but I had to say, I freaking adore the cover.  I mean seriously!  I have no idea who came up with the idea, or guidelines, or whatever, but the artist did an amazing job putting that together!

Secondly, Angelina is freaking hilarious.  She just is, Melinda De Ross can write some serious humor (…oxymoron there), as in, I fell off my bed laughing, knocking my laptop over.  I also laughed out loud while hanging out with my mother watching tv.  She thought I was nuts.  Blade, I thought, was well-rounded for the length of the novel, although he didn’t really stand out to me.  Except for the sex scenes, of course.  But I’ll discuss those later.  In any case, Angelina and the humor actually made the story for me.

Now then, the actual story.  I felt the novel could have been longer and a bit more drawn out.  This plot idea could have been brilliant but it fell a little short of that.  I also had a few issues with dialog being kind of weird.  Not like the characters were supposed to be weird.  Just the dialog didn’t feel natural to me in some places and that made it a tad jarring when reading.  This oddness also prevailed a bit in the actual writing, but the dialog part really stood out.  And the sex scenes were hot and steamy!  Definitely a plus!

Overall, the story kept me engaged and laughing, and of course, with the hot sex scenes, blushing!  (I’m kidding, sex scenes don’t make me blush, they make me very hot as does this book’s cover!)  With Angelina and Rat the cat, I’d give this story 3.5 stars!

Author Bio

Not long ago, to my surprised delight, somebody described me as being “charming, witty, supremely talented and dangerously fun”. I don’t know how accurate this description is, but I’m curious if the readers will find some of these features reflected in my writing. Speaking of my writing, I must mention that living in Romania – which is considered a projection of the enigmatic and much controversial Shambala, the supposed spiritual center of the Earth – is quite a source of inspiration. I have a native inclination to the occult and paranormal, to mystery and philosophy. The woman in me is a romantic and sensual creature. All these considered, I could describe my writing as being captivating, intriguing, sensual in places and, on the whole, a surreal experience. Enjoy!

 

Website     Facebook     Amazon     Smashwords

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

 

October 1st

 

Kris & Vik Book Therapy Cafe – Excerpt

 

Underneath the Covers – Excerpt

 

BookJunkyGirls – Review

 

A One-click Addict’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

 

Book-Lover – Review, Excerpt, Interview & Promo Post

 

We Like It Hot, Hot, Hot – Excerpt & Promo Post

 

Words Turn Me On – Promo Post

 

Snugglebooks – Review

 

Fictional Boyfriends – Promo Post

 

Who Picked This? – Promo Post

 

Deliciously Wicked Books – Review, Playlist & Dream Cast

 

Be My Book Boyfriend – Review

 

Romance of Daydreams – Review, Excerpt &Promo Post

 

Love, Lust & all the Pages in Between  – Excerpt, Playlist & Promo Post

 

All Things Books – Excerpt, Playlist & Promo Post

 

Joyfully Reviewed – Excerpt & Promo Post

 

SBM Book Obsession – Excerpt & Promo Post

 

Little Shop of Readers – Excerpt & Promo Post

 

Queen of the Night Reviews – Excerpt & Character Drop-in

 

Relentless Book Chics Ramblings & Reviews – Review, Excerpt, Dream Cast & Promo Post

 

October 2nd

 

Country Gals Sexy Reads – Review, Excerpt & Playlist

 

Confessions of a Book Whore – Review

 

Rock Out With Your Book Out – Excerpt

 

Page Turners Book Blog  – Review, Playlist, Dream Cast & Promo Post

 

Romance Obsessed Book Blog – Review & Interview

 

She Hearts Books – Review

 

Beautifully R.E.E. – Review

 

Sassy Ray Book Reviews – Promo Post

 

Southern Babes Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

 

Two Chicks and Their Lit – Excerpt

 

Avid Reader Amy’s Reviews – Excerpt, Dream Cast & Promo Post

 

That Just Sort Of…Happened – Review, Excerpt, Playlist, Dream Cast, Promo Post & Character Drop-in

 

Addicted to books and authors – Review & Character Drop-in

 

Thirty Second Book Reviews  – Excerpt, Promo Post & Character Drop-in

 

Four Chicks Flipping Pages – Excerpt & Promo Post

 

A Little Bit of R&R – Excerpt, Playlist, Dream Cast & Promo Post

 

October 3rd

 

Eskimo Princess Book Reviews – Excerpt & Playlist

 

2 Girls a Book and a Glass of Wine  – Excerpt, Playlist, Dream Cast & Teasers

 

Promoting Authors, Books & Reviews – Review, Excerpt, Interview, Playlist, Dream Cast, Character “drop-in” & Promo Post

 

Explicit Escapes – Review, Excerpt, Playlist & Promo Post

 

Mommy’s Naughty Playground – Review, Excerpt, Interview, Playlist, Dream Cast, Character Drop-in & Promo Post

 

Wicked Reads – Review & Excerpt

 

Books Eater – Review, Dream Cast & Character Drop-in

 

I Think I Need More Books – Character Drop-in & Promo Post

 

Sizzling Book Blog – Excerpt & Promo Post

 

Books, Tea and Sweets – Review, Excerpt, Playlist, Dream Cast, Promo Post & Character Drop-in

 

My Dirty Romance – Review, Excerpt, Dream Cast & Promo Post

 

For The Love Book Blog – Review, Excerpt, Dream Cast & Promo Post

 

T. Strange – Excerpt, Playlist & Promo Post

 

Sassy Lit Chic Reviews – Excerpt, Playlist & Promo Post

 

Bookwench I Am – Excerpt, Playlist & Promo Post

 

Books, Brownies and Barkers – Dream Cast

 

♥The Romance Vault♥ – Review, Excerpt & Playlist

 

October 4th

 

Rusty’s Reading – Excerpt & Playlist

 

This Girl Loves Books – Review, Excerpt & Playlist

 

Those Crazy Book Chicks – Review, Excerpt, Interview & Playlist

 

Gemma Reads too Much for it to be Normal Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

 

Midnight Willows Book Reviews – Review

 

BeanieBrain Reader – Review, Excerpt, Playlist & Dream Cast

 

A Girl Who Loves Books – Review, Excerpt & Dream Cast

 

Beautifully Broken Book Blog – Dream Cast

 

Book Boyfriend Junkies – Review, Excerpt, Dream Cast, Character Drop-in & Promo Post

 

A Coffee Addict’s Book Reviews – Review, Excerpt, Playlist & Dream Cast

 

White Hot Reads – Review, Excerpt, Playlist & Promo Post

 

Killion Slade – Review, Excerpt, Interview, Playlist, Dream Cast, Promo Post & Character Drop-in

 

Breezy Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

 

Naughty Girls of Romance – Promo Post

 

October 5th

 

Obsessed by Books – Review, Excerpt, Playlist & Character Drop-In

 

BookSkater – Excerpt & Playlist

 

Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog – Excerpt

 

Double M Rocking Book Buddies – Review, Excerpt, Character Drop-In & Promo Post

 

Stephanie’s Sexy Reads – Excerpt & Promo Post

 

Rosie’s Book Heaven – Review, Excerpt, Playlist & Promo Post

 

Shelly’s Books – Excerpt & Promo Post

 

Naughty and Devilish Book Blog – Excerpt, Interview & Character Drop-in

 

Reader’s Candy – Promo Post

 

Books are my friends, come see why – Excerpt, Playlist, Dream Cast & Promo Post

 

Undercover Book Reviews – Review & Promo Post

 

The Heart of a Reader – Excerpt & Promo Post

 

Archaeolibrarian – I dig good books! – Dream Cast & Promo Post

 

This Mommy Loves to Read – Review & Promo Post

 

2 read or not to read – Review, Excerpt, Dream Cast & Promo Post

 

Crystal’s Sweet Reads and Reviews – Excerpt, Playlist & Promo Post

 

The Cantu Sisters Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

 

October 6th

 

Book Boyfriends Rock – Review & Excerpt

 

Coast to Coast Book Divas – Review, Excerpt & Character Drop-in

 

My Reading Addictions – Review

 

2 Chicks & Their BookBoyFriends – Excerpt & Promo Post

 

Escape Reality with Books – Review

 

Discrete Divas – Review, Excerpt & Promo Post

 

Book Club Sisters – Excerpt, Interview, Playlist, Dream Cast, Character Drop-in & Promo Post

 

There’s This Book – Review, Excerpt & Playlist

 

It Started with a Book Blog – Review, Excerpt & Playlist

 

In The Pages of a Good Book – Playlist & Promo Post

 

Evocative Book Reviews – Review, Excerpt & Promo Post

 

Hooked On Books Forever – Review, Excerpt, Playlist, Dream Cast & Promo Post

 

Sexyways of Reading – Review & Promo Post

 

October 7th

 

Book Happiness – Review

 

Watz Books and Teasers – Review, Excerpt, Playlist & Dream Cast

 

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents – Promo Post

 

Babu’s Bookshelf – Review

 

Wicked Reads – Review & Excerpt

 

Mommy Needs to Read or She’ll Scream – Promo Post

 

Pretty Girls Read Books – Excerpt & Promo Post

 

Sinamen Reads Romance – Playlist & Promo Post

 

Book Friends Forever – Promo Post

 

Cover to Cover Book Blog – Excerpt, Playlist & Promo Post

 

Those Crazy Book Chicks – Excerpt, Promo Post & Character Drop-in

 

Books and Friendz – Excerpt & Promo Post

 

Once Upon An Alpha – Review & Promo Post

Review: The Edge Series by Ilona Andrews

From Ilona Andrews Website:

It’s a very odd story of a very odd place.  The Edge lies between worlds, on the border between the Broken, where people shop at Walmart and magic is a fairytale–and the Weird, where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny.  It’s a place where poverty is real, life is hard, and fairy tales sometimes do come true.

This series came into being accidentally.  I’d written a novella of the Edge, planning to put it on the website as a freebie.  Jeaniene Frost happened to read it, and proceeded to call me and threaten me with the bodily harm unless I turned it into a full length book.

The first draft of the first book, ON THE EDGE, was written approximately two months in between Kate books and I loved working on it. The first hint of trouble came when Gordon edited it and took to calling it “rustic fantasy” as opposed to urban fantasy.

When I showed to our agent, she loved it, but she wasn’t quite sure what it was. Then our editor at Ace, Anne Sowards, looked at it. She called back next day saying that she wasn’t quite sure what it was, but she wanted to buy it. The art department was excited about the idea (and made the fantastic cover, which I love to death and it’s my precious) but they also weren’t quite sure how to classify it.

A few days before the first book came out, a prominent reviewer emailed me to say that she enjoyed the book a great deal but wasn’t sure how to classify it either.

:drumroll:

I now present the unclassifiable ON THE EDGE. It’s like Twinkies. Everybody likes it, nobody is 100% sure what it is.

The series is now complete at four books.

(Personally, I’d classify these as more Rustic Romantic Fantasy)

On the Edge (The Edge 1.0)

Rose and Declan’s story. Rose is a young woman raising her two young brothers – a changeling and a necromancer – alone. Her mother died while she was younger and her father took off shortly after she turned 18. Since then, she’s taken responsibility for those two boys and worked below minimum wage jobs in the Broken – the world without magic – while they lived in the Edge – the boundary between the Broken and the Weird – the world full of magic.

The Edgers are a paranoid, hill-billy type bunch, with each family out for themselves. Into that mess walks Declan, a blueblood from the Weird, with mysterious reasons for traveling there and for courting Rose. Rose is one of the rare Edgers whose flash is white (an indication of power) and she is more than capable of looking out for herself. Until a hideous being takes up residence nearby and threatens to destroy the Edge and possibly the Weird itself. Since she must protect her brothers and as many Edgers as they can, they finally accept the blueblood’s aid, and a slow love blossoms.

Review:

What I really like about this story – besides Rose and the hotness of Declan of course – is the details, the craziness, the absolute hilarity that happens amidst the really stomach-turning horrors these authors have their villains envision. It’s awe-inspiring how depraved the ‘bad guy’ can be in an Ilona Andrews book. Luckily, you don’t get gory details too often, but they do not pull any punches on what the evil SOB will do to people, animals, the world… Ilona Andrews (one or both of them) have a twisted imagination and I love it!

Also, while the romance between Rose and Declan was slow to start, it was sweet to read. Though to be honest, this one isn’t my favorite Edge novel. It felt a little too drawn out with the whole Rose and Declan thing – although their interruptions were just freaking classic!  4 stars!

Get your copy on Amazon.

Bayou Moon (The Edge 2.0)

William and Cerise’s story. Cerise is from a place in the Edge called the Mire (think Louisiana swamp here, except with horrors instead of just alligators). Her parents get kidnapped by the Weird’s Louisiana’s secret police, the Hand. On her travels, she meets the changeling William who has been dispatched by the Mirror – another secret police whose country opposes the Hand – and sparks fly. After she changes out of her disguise, anyway.

Review:

Again, the horrors the villains come up with and how they’re even shaped are awe-inspiring in their absolute ability to create nightmares. The details the Andrews endow these villains with really do amaze me.

I loved William and Cerise’s love story a lot more than Rose and Declan’s, simply because it was more passionate. Especially from William’s point of view. I would probably give my left arm for a man to look at me like he looked at Cerise the first time she was clean. Seriously. Then I’d run.

Another thing I love about the story itself is that Ilona Andrews does not shy away from painful events in their stories. People will die. Some get broken. Things happen, just as they do in real life, and it changes them. Despite the fantasy-like setting, that was superbly realistic and adds depth to this already intricate world.

This has to be my favorite of the four novels I think. 5 stars!!

Get your copy at Amazon.

Fate’s Edge (The Edge 3.0)

Kaldar and Audrey’s story. Kaldar Mar, from the previous Edge book regarding the battle with Spider and the Hand, and Audrey, a woman from a family of con men who would only like to get out of that life. After a moment of heartbreaking stupidity, her life is turned upside down and the world is once again in peril and Kaldar – a trickster and a con in his own right – must work with the best lock-pick he’s ever met, who’s hot to boot. Sparks fly and you get the idea.

Review:

I don’t know who I would have pictured for Kaldar, but once I read how Audrey interacted with him, I realized they were absolutely perfect for each other. Neither one of them could fool the other, and that only made them hotter for each other.

As usual, the Hand horrors dogged their steps, causing death of people close to them, and together they must find and keep a sacred object from those monsters. Led by none-other than Spider’s niece.

Again, the horrors the Hand (or Hound in this case) are willing to do are horrendous, but because they are bad guys, it’s necessary. I actually like novels that add some realism to their villains, so rather than simply “I want to take over the world” it is instead “I’ll take over the world and slaughter and eat people who stand in my way.” Much more satisfying when they go down.

Kaldar is honestly more likable in this book than in the previous, though I would have throttled George and Jack for the crap they pulled, and thrown Gaston under a train as well. Then again, I’m an aunt who really dislikes when kids don’t listen to the important “NO” you give them. And Jack’s lack of trying did get on my nerves a lot, but that really was the point.

All in all, a great novel. This series gets better with each installment practically! 4.5 stars!

Get your copy from Amazon.

Steel’s Edge (The Edge 4.0)

Richard and Charlotte’s story.  Richard Mar was first introduced in the second Edge novel and he, like his brother Kaldar, has a vendetta he chose to pursue.  Except Richard felt anger towards Slavers for what they did to Lark years ago that had so damaged her.  And part his anger was for himself for failing to protect her or save her sooner.  Charlotte is a healer who fled to the Edge from the Weird because of her own demons and when slavers end up killing someone close to her, she also has a score to settle with them.  Thus Richard and Charlotte team up and of course, fall in love.

Review:

I’ll say wow again here. I’m going to start off with the characters first. In the second Edge novel, Richard wasn’t really on my radar as a guy to like or dislike, too controlled, I guess with too little presence. However, he decided to take on the entire slave trade and that made him interesting. Throw in a healer who is fighting her darker side, but who is unmistakably a lady of fine breeding, and they are a good match.

I loved how Ilona Andrews was able to make it so that one could be a healer but they had the ability to cause great, great harm as well. It happens in a lot of novels with healers of course, but not to this extent. It was nicely done and I loved that detail. Charlotte could be a walking catastrophe of epic proportions and Richard wants her in the worst way. It was glorious. The romance was nice.

Again, the world of the slave trade and the machinations of those behind it were well thought out and executed nicely within the plot. I was seriously impressed. For character development, plot, and of course romance, I’m giving this one 4.5 stars as well.

Get your copy from Amazon.

Ilona Andrews does what few authors can accomplish in one novel. I seriously recommend reading anything by them.

However, so far, my favorite from them is the Kate Daniels series. Kate and Curran are absolutely psychotic, but they really do love each other and it’s the best dysfunctional relationship on the planet. I’m off to finish rereading that series now!

That review will be next from my personal reading list (not to be confused with the blog tour reading list and the yet another list: the requested reviews reading list).

About the Authors

Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Texas with their two children, and many dogs and cats. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.

Author Stalker Links:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Gordan’s Twitter
Amazon
Goodreads

So fellow book lovers, what do you happen to think of this series?  Have you read it?

Lovies!

Cover Reveal: Abe by M.J. Fields

Abe by M.J. Fields 

(Ties of Steel #1)
Published by: Swoon Romance
Publication date: October 28th 2014
Genres: Adult, Erotica, Romance

Pre-Order Links

‪#‎TiesOfSteel‬ ‪#‎Abe‬

Amazon US: http://tinyurl.com/abemj-us

Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/abemj-uk

Synopsis:

Twenty-six-year-old Abraham O’Donnell is the CFO of Steel Inc. After working tirelessly for over a year, he takes a week off to enjoy the sand, surf, and bikini-clad women of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. After all, he’s earned it.

When a brief interlude with a flight attendant in her hotel room goes awry, Abe heads to a rental home with a private beach. While floating naked in the pool, he learns a guest house on the property is also occupied. So much for rest and relaxation. Ever the gentleman, Abe tries to make the most of his misfortune, and offers to make the beauties staying on the property some dinner.

It’s senior year and Nikolette (Nikki) Bassett is a few days late for her last college Spring Break with her four best girlfriends. When she arrives, all these ladies can talk about is the guy next door. And once Nikki gets a look at him, she knows what they mean. Fresh from an afternoon of surfing, Nikki can hardly believe her eyes when Abe approaches. The sexual tension and banter between the two of them leads to steamy hot sex on the Atlantic shore.

It’s only a Spring Break fling, and both Abe and Nikki know better than to make it out to be more than that. Or do they? Abe’s calm demeanor changes once he has a taste of Nikki. That night, no location is safe. He takes her on the beach and ravages her in his bed. But despite their mind-blowing sex, Abe’s taste for ultimate control in the bedroom makes Nikki uneasy. Nikki’s just getting over a heartbreak and she can’t afford to let Abe in. So, she pushes aside her budding feelings, and leaves Florida and Abe behind without a backwards glance.

Not used to being dumped and afraid to admit how much it hurts, Abe cuts his loses and heads back to Steel Inc., resume his role at the top of Steel Inc., pouring his heart and soul into his work. But Nikki Moore won’t be forgotten so easily. Her taste, scent, voice, the noises she made when he brought her to ecstasy, the way she tasted on his tongue, and felt under his touch haunts him. Always fighting for control, Abe tries to push Nikki far into the back of his mind, as he fucks the rented women he had grown accustom to.

But Karma is a bitch, and Abe blames her for Nikki leaving him the way she did. So when Nikki shows up unexpectedly, Abe welcomes Karma with open arms. Control has left the building and safety of one’s heart is no longer strong enough to stop what happens next.

ABE, is the first in the TIES OF STEEL series from bestselling erotica author MJ Fields. It is a spin-off of the bestselling MEN OF STEEL series featuring the Steel brothers: Jase, Cyrus, Zandor and Xavier.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23247100-abe?ac=1

CLICK HERE FOR BOOK TRAILER

AUTHOR BIO:

MJ Fields’s love of writing was in full swing by age eight. Together with her cousins, she wrote a newsletter and sold it to family members. Today, she has four self-published series comprised of seventeen titles, including MEN OF STEEL, which was acquired by Swoon Romance in June 2014. MJ is a bestselling erotica author and former small business owner, who recently closed the business so she could write full time.

MJ lives in central New York, surrounded by family and friends. Her house is full of pets, friends, and noise ninety percent of the time, and she would have it no other way.

Author Links:
http://mjfieldsbooks.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7023103.M_J_Fields
https://www.facebook.com/pages/MJ-Fields-books/514446948612589
https://twitter.com/mjfieldsbooks

Yummy cover, right?  That chest.  Nice!  What do you all think?

Cover Reveal: Fallen Down Under by S.M. Phillips

“Fallen Down Under” by: S.M. Phillips

Synopsis:

“Fuck.” I slam my fist into the desk before me and feel nothing but rage. I need to go after her. I need to explain. “But isn’t this what you wanted?” The voice inside my head whispers. “Isn’t this a nice easy way out?”

Everything Max has done has always been at a cost to others around him. He wasn’t about to make that mistake again. No longer will his selfish ways punish those close to him. Sometimes it’s better to have had and lost than to never have had at all.

Finally after what felt like forever, Jess was getting a glimpse of control over her life again and allowed her defences to come crashing down, only to have what it guarded to be crushed once again. Now, on the other side of the world away from her friends, she doesn’t know what to do.

Should she stay or should she go?

Is it too late or have they both fallen too far into something that is completely out of their depths?

Meet S.M. Phillips

Welcome to the crazy and hectic life that is me… A fun, loving mum of one special little boy, girlfriend (I’m sure it should be wife by now!!) and an overall crazy, happy go lucky girl from England.

I have always had a passion for reading and writing. Wherever I am, my book reader is never far behind along with a mug of coffee.

I found myself wanting to write from a young age, I have quite a few hidden stories on my computer somewhere, maybe I will have to dig them out and play around with them at some point.

I decided to make the very exciting but also very nerve wracking decision to release my debut ‘Escape Down Under’ at the end of 2013 when the ideas in my head got too strong and just wouldn’t leave me alone.

Escape Down Under is now live and Fallen Down Under is due for release on November 2nd