Thursday, October 29, 2015

RELEASE/REVIEW: Resentment by Nicole London

Genre: Contemporary Romance
 Release Date: October 29, 2015
~Blurb~

Re•sent•ment (noun)

The act of hating – no, fucking loathing Dean Collins. (Yes, I’m well aware that’s not the actual definition, but it might as well be...)

It’s been ten years since we've seen each other and the feelings are still as strong.

I’m not going to bore you with all the details of how our love was once intoxicating, consuming, and perfect.

Because it was . . . until it wasn't.

I've been fine without him. I haven’t missed his cruelty, his coldness and his spite.

And after the ugliest breakup in the history of breakups, I forced myself to move on.


Year by year, the feelings I had for him slowly drifted away, but one encounter with him recently changed everything. One encounter made me realize how the heart doesn't forget shit, and how my mind is going to have to work overtime to make sure I never forget my definition of resentment.


~Book Review~
DNF @ 35%

Unfortunately, I could not continue with this one. Dean started out as such an outstanding guy/total book boyfriend, then he turned into a complete lying, cheating creep.  Knowing it was a second chance romance and they were young, I realized going in that something was going to split them apart, but there’s just no way to redeem an H who acts like he did.  I saw no point in continuing because the romance was just shot. Very disappointing as it’s otherwise written well and the characters were engaging. 

AMAZON US / UK

~Excerpt~
“Are you coming to the pep rally tonight?” he asks.
“Probably not.”
“Why?”
“School spirit isn’t really my thing. No offense, but…football isn’t either.”
He laughs, and I suddenly realize that the two of us have never talked about football during our sessions together. In fact, whenever I’ve brought it up, he’s changed the subject to something else.
“Well,” he says, letting my hand go. “You should come for me instead.”
“What? What do you mean?”
“I mean, since you’re not into school spirit or football, but you’re clearly into me, you can make an exception and come tonight.”
“You’re getting quite presumptuous lately.” I put on my best poker face. “Do I need to help you with that definition?”
“Not when I know the true word you’re looking for is cognizant.” He grins, stepping back. “I hope to see you tonight.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“I’m sure you always do.” He gives me a look so sexy that I almost melt into the floor.
Goddamn, Dean Collins…



Nicole London is an aspiring author who is currently trapped in a terrible 9 to 5 and wishes Starbucks actually made decent drinks. She recently discovered her passion for writing after reading a ton of amazing indie books, and she plans to publish her first book, Resentment, October 29th.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

REVIEW/RELEASE: The Art of Stealing Forever by Stella London

Series: The Art of Stealing Hearts #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance

~Blurb~
Charles St Clair’s secret is out. My billionaire art collector boss has been hiding a double life - and now he wants me in on the deal. 

I’ve never been one to break the rules, but there’s something about him I can’t resist.

It’s thrilling. Intoxicating.

Sexy as hell.

But how far can we go before someone gets caught?


I’m going to find out.
~Book Review~
4 Stars

The third and final installment picks up directly where part two left off with Grace coming face to face with the truth about St. Claire.  She has important, life-changing decisions to make and her life will never be the same.

There’s plenty of intrigue and on the edge of your seat moments in this one as the art heist plot reaches its climax. And speaking of climaxes…sexy times and some above the law romance flow seamlessly in this installment.
“‘Tell me, my sweet Grace…how do you want it?’”
“‘I just want you,’…He spanks me again, sharp and sweet.”
All in all I think the story would be most enjoyable as a whole novel rather than a three part serial, but now that all segments are available, enjoy them in one sitting if you haven’t already gotten started reading. 

~Also Available~
AMAZON US / UK

AMAZON US / UK


Stella London is a romance lover turned newbie author. After a childhood spent traveling in Europe, she now calls New York City her home - but still keeps a flame burning for those sexy foreign accents. She loves strong coffee, new shoes, and handsome men in a well-cut suit.


~Giveaway~

RELEASE BLITZ: Renovation by Kim Loraine

Series: Golden Beach #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Women's Fiction

~Blurb~

Valerie Peters is done with bad boys. She’s ready to start living for herself. When sexy firefighter Donovan Miller rescues her from near-drowning, she quickly realizes he’s everything she shouldn't want.

Donovan’s reputation has kept his nights interesting and his ring finger empty. One night stands have served as a way to distract himself from the terrifying flashbacks of the fire that killed his partner.
 

When one night isn’t enough for either of them, Valerie has to choose between keeping her heart safe and loving the bad boy.

~Excerpt~

The drive was all of ten minutes.
Ten . . . excruciatingly slow . . . minutes.
Valerie needed Donovan. She needed to be surrounded by him; his taste, his scent, the feel of his skin on hers. At every stoplight, she let out a slight annoyed breath.
His hand never left her leg.
His thumb traced small circles on the outside of her knee.
His fingers played up and down her thigh, driving her wild.
"Once we do this, sweetheart, it's just you and me. No one else." His voice was rough as he parked in front of his building.
"No one else."
They walked hand in hand.
Ten steps to the elevator.
Not speaking.
Both staring straight ahead.
As the doors closed, flashes of the last time they were in this enclosure together ran through her mind. Heat crept up her body, causing her to squirm ever so slightly.
"I'm trying like hell to control myself, sweetheart. You keep squirming like that and I'll have you up against this elevator in less than a second."
Her heart jumped into her throat and she swallowed. He released her hand and stepped away from her, leaning casually against the elevator wall. As she turned her eyes to him, the sexual energy crackled between them and she prayed the doors would open soon. She watched as his tongue darted out to wet his lips and couldn't help but squirm against the wave of lust that hit her.
"I warned you," he said as he crossed the distance to her.
His hands captured her face and he crushed his lips to hers as the doors to the stupid elevator finally opened.
"Oh," came a soft cry from the elderly woman who stood in the hall.
Donovan and Valerie split apart. A wave of humiliation coursed through her for her obvious wantonness.
"Mrs. Mackintosh." Donovan tipped his head at his neighbor, his ears tinged pink.
"Donovan."
As he pulled Valerie down the hall, she swore she heard Mrs. Mackintosh giggling.
At the click of the apartment door closing, he had his shirt off and she was up against the wall. His fevered kisses trailed along her neck and the exposed skin of her chest while he worked at the buttons of her silky shirt. The roughness of his fingers sent tingles through her as he freed her from the constraints of her office attire.
He looked down her body in appreciation. "Bare legs?"
"I don't like pantyhose." She shrugged. Standing there in front of him in just a bra and matching lace underwear, she should have felt exposed. Instead, she felt empowered. His eyes burned with hunger. Never had a man made her feel this important. This desired.
He kissed his way down her body until he was kneeling in front of her.
"I don't think you understand how desperately I want you."
Her heart flipped. "Maybe you should show me."
He nipped at her hip with his teeth, lightly but with enough pressure for her to know he was serious. "Bed. Now."



~Also Available~

AMAZON US / UK


Kim Loraine is the author of the “Golden Beach” series, including “Restoration” (2015) and “Renovation” (2015). She started writing at a young age, scribbling down song lyrics, short stories, and poems she was too afraid to share with anyone. Busy working as a music teacher in her Pacific Northwest hometown, it wasn’t until her family of four picked up everything and moved to beautiful Japan that she decided to finally take the plunge and send her characters out into the world.

The central theme in Kim’s books is self-discovery, whether that is found through taking risks, breaking down walls, or admitting mistakes. Kim likes to write characters that seem like someone you actually know, who find that life is a journey not without its challenges.
 

When not writing Kim spends her time with her husband, chasing around their crazy kids, exploring Japan, and binge-watching Doctor Who on Netflix.


~Giveaway~

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

BOOK REVIEW: Prince Albert by Sabrina Paige

3.75/4 Stars

Isabella “Belle” Kensington is about to become a princess. But two weeks ago she was a jilted fiancé, nursing tequila in Vegas, and making up for her marriage loss by wedding a stranger. It was supposed to be a joke, but it’s no joke that her new husband is also about to become her new stepbrother and he’s the crown prince of Protrovia.  
“Royal Dick Exposed! Get the Uncensored Photos The Royal Family Doesn’t Want You To See!”
Prince Albert, Albie as Belle calls him, is the headline making, hot, dirty talking royalty with jewels in his family jewels and a playboy reputation of meaningless one night stands.  Belle is his exception though, having spent the night talking rather than consummating their marriage. But that’s all about to change. Or at least the prince hopes so.
“‘I’m definitely not a gentleman….Although I always let a lady come first.’”
The premise of the story was cute, the royalty aspect original as far as erotic contemporary romances on the market right now.  The author warns in the opening notes that this story is implausible and over the top so you can prepare to be in for a crazy ride. I didn’t have a problem with that. It’s all light-hearted and silly, sexy fun, but I did grow tired of Belle’s surface dislike of Albie—made it hard to believe she was falling in anything more than lust, and the references to becoming siblings (like so many step romances) grew old fast.  With so many stories on the subject, it hardly feels taboo anymore. I would have much rather they capitalized more on the fact that they were already married, which was a more unique spin.

For the most part I found Albie and Belle likeable, but they also felt a little flat, sometimes one dimensional, and some of the supporting characters stereotypical.  Told via their dual first person point of view, there are plenty of sexy times by the prince and his technically already princess.  And some of those encounters are fairly original. They have no problem keeping their sex life interesting.  If you are looking for romantic comedy erotica, this would definitely be one to pick up.  For me it would have been a more solid 4 stars had they not handled their Vegas marriage how they did in the end. It certainly disappointed me and seemed to go against Albie’s characterization of breaking the rules and not caring about appearances. Plus it seemed like a mute point at that stage anyways.  All in all, the sexy times are detailed and well done but more build up of chemistry (perhaps their Vegas night as the prologue rather than in flashback might have helped) and a few swoon-worthy scenes would have made this a real prince of a tale.  

Amazon US    Amazon UK    Amazon DE    Amazon FR    Amazon CA    Amazon AU    Goodreads

~Now Available~
Her Bodyguard 

RELEASE BLITZ: A Friendly Arrangement by Christine Warner

Series: Friends First #2
Publisher: Entangled
Genre: Contemporary Romance
 Release Date: October 26, 2015

~Blurb~

What happens when your plus one becomes “the one”?

Holly Haggerty and Roth Esterly are two besties with everything in common—they’re neighbors, career-driven, and commitment-phobes. Tired of always being set up on dates by well-meaning friends and family, they take matters into their own hands: they will be the other’s plus one—a little friendly arrangement between friends.

Easy…until a steamy night where they cross the line. But that’s okay, they’ll add an addendum—one that includes a little action between the sheets…on top of the sheets…and without the sheets. But there are rules. Dating and sex are exclusive until one of them decides to terminate the agreement. No slumber parties. And if either party becomes emotionally involved they will break things off with no hard feelings.

When unexpected news changes their plans and turns their fun arrangement into something more serious, Holly and Roth must come to terms with what’s more important—what they thought they wanted, or what they really need.

AMAZON US / UK
B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS

~Also Available~
AMAZON US / UK



Christine Warner is living her dream in Michigan along with her family, three laptops (she might have a slight addiction, or maybe it’s a fear of one imploding from overuse) and a much loved assortment of furry friends. 

Besides laughing and a good round of humor, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading, writing but no arithmetic. A confessed people watcher, she finds inspiration for her stories in everyday activities. She loves to read and write about strong heroes and determined, sometimes sassy heroines.

A girl gone wild, at least where social media is concerned, she enjoys meeting other avid readers and writers on Facebook, twitter, Instagram, Goodreads, and her website at christine-warner.com.

COVER REVEAL: S.O.B., A Stepbrother Romance by J.C. Valentine

SOB Reveal Banner
Publication Date: November 10, 2015
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

~Synopsis~
Levi Black is an s.o.b.
Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he’s a pretentious, obnoxious, womanizing jacka** who thinks the world revolves around him.

He wouldn’t be wrong.

A famous soccer player, his skills on and off the field have won him medals, trophies, women, and the cover of every heartthrob magazine in the country. He’s broken nearly every bone in his body and a few hearts along the way, including mine—his stepsister—and lived to tell about it.

One night changed everything, and I’ve avoided him like the plague ever since. Just long enough to finish college, to bury the hurt, and to outrun the memories. But now that’s all changed. I’m back, and there’s no more running.

My hands are supposed to be my livelihood, but now they’re my curse. Levi’s reckless ways have landed him in a sticky situation, and his father has given me an offer I can’t refuse. One month, and all I have to do is put my hands on his body. Easier said than done. The problem is, even though I know it’s bound to bite me in the a**, I can’t bring myself to say no to the s.o.b.

SOB Cover
~Excerpt~

Holy shit. I don’t know if I can do this. Vista is a problem. My problem. Having her here, in my home, is going to change everything.

Who am I kidding? It already has. But it doesn’t have to, a voice in my head whispers.

One month.

That’s all I have to get through, and then my life can return to normal. I can go back to pretending she doesn’t exist, doesn’t matter.

One month. I repeat the words in my head until they’re keeping time with the beat of my heart. They’re my new mantra.

One month.

One month.

Piece of cake.

Now all I have to do is believe the lie.

“Unless you’ve developed an unhealthy attraction to stairs I don’t know about, quit staring into space and get over here, jackass,” Vincent calls out. “I’m not a one man circus. Help me keep these bitches entertained.”

The women gasp as if offended by Vincent’s crassness, but they’re not. They are bitches, and they know it. Hell, they’ve made it an art. It’s what makes them attractive to men—being unattainable.

Except to me.

Being who I am, women like them are a dime a dozen, which grew boring ten minutes ago.

I stare up at the empty staircase for a moment longer before kicking a crutch out behind me and twisting around to join the party with the realization that choking down the lie is going to be damn near impossible.

I can’t ignore the hollow ache in my stomach that’s formed from just seeing her any more than I can ignore the throbbing pulse that’s demanding attention in my jeans.

Vista Marquis thinks a few stairs can keep me from getting to her? Then she doesn’t really know me.

I can obtain anything I want.

I’m Levi-fucking-Black, and just like my father, I make shit happen.

PREORDER: AmazonAmazon PaperbackAmazon UKSOB Full Jacket Cover

JC Valentine

J.C. Valentine is the USA Today and International bestselling author of the Night Calls and Wayward Fighters Series and the Forbidden Trilogy. Her vivid imagination and love of words and romance had her penning her own romance stories from an early age, which, despite being poorly edited and written longhand, she forced friends and family members to read. No, she isn't sorry.

J.C. earned her own happily ever after when she married her high school sweetheart. Living in the Northwest, they have three amazing children and far too many pets and spend much of their free time together enjoying movies or the outdoors. Among the many hats she wears, J.C. is an entrepreneur. Having graduated with honors, she holds a Bachelor's in English and when she isn't writing, you can find her editing for fellow authors.

Sign up for J.C.'s newsletter and never miss a thing!

~GIVEAWAY~

Saturday, October 24, 2015

COVER REVEAL: Sketch by Laramie Briscoe

Release Date: January 21, 2016

~Synopsis~
My name is Devin, but everybody calls me Sketch. I opened my own tattoo shop two years ago, and I’ve finally gotten to the point where I’m going to be able to give my wife everything she’s ever wanted. I’m going to be able to take time off and spend a day a week with her. In fact, tonight I stopped and grabbed some wine, got her flowers, and those chocolates she likes.

What I wasn’t prepared for was to be met at the front door by her carrying her shit out.

She loves me, but she’s not in love with me anymore. What kind of bullshit excuse is that? I’ve left her alone too often, I’ve been completely focused on one goal and apparently she’s sick of waiting.

So here I stand. Half the man I was, pissed as fuck, because while I was busy making a better life for her, she was under the impression that I was leaving her lonely. I know one day she’ll see what I’ve been doing has been for us, and when that day comes, she can damn well come crawling back to me.

PRE-ORDER:

#igotsketched

Thursday, October 22, 2015

RELEASE BLITZ: Claiming Her by Alexis Noelle

Genre: Contemporary Romance

~Blurb~

Jake is so egotistical and arrogant. I can’t stand him. My life has been going great and the last thing I need is someone coming in and complicating it. He can try all he wants but I’ll never give into him. I'm toxic, I destroy everything I touch. If he gets too close to me he’ll regret it. I don’t need anyone in my life especially not him.

I haven’t stopped thinking about Angelina since the first time I met her. Something about her is pulling me in and I’m determined to get to know her better. My luck with girls has been horrible for months, but I think it is about to change. She keeps pushing me away, and fighting me at every turn but it isn’t deterring me. I won’t stop pursuing her until I have her.

Can two people with nothing in common make it work?

Can love conquer all the demons hiding in the dark?



Alexis Noelle lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her husband, and three kids. On top a writing career, she is a full-time student and a full-time mom. She loves spending time with her kids, although she has to hide the computer from them when she is writing! She love being active and being outdoors, especially if it involves any kind of shopping.

She has always been passionate about writing. She loves to read romance books and feels like being able to lose yourself in a book is one of the more exciting aspects. The books she loves to read and write will be ones that make you feel for the characters. Ashley believes that you should have an opinion on every character in a book whether you love them, hate them, or think they are up to something.


She also believes that the most important critic is your reader, so she loves to hear from the readers. She want her fans to be open & talk to her about what they want for the characters in the story, and what they would like to see happen.



REVIEW/RELEASE: Crave by BJ Harvey

Genre: Erotic Suspense
Release Date: October 20, 2015

~Blurb~

I have a craving.

A dark urge I’ve failed to resist despite years of trying to do that very thing.

I’ve forced myself to hide behind a mask, a perfect orchestration to hide my true self.

After I met her, my wants and needs, my inner most desires changed.

She encouraged me to embrace who I truly am, and she was willing to do anything and everything I wanted, giving herself to satisfy my most carnal appetite.

Then everything in my carefully managed world came crashing down around me. A moment in time, a loss of control, and the very thing I cherish was nearly taken from me.

My fate now lies in her hands.

The very life I’ve built for myself…everything I’ve ever done now waits in purgatory, all caused by a lack of focus at a time when my most concentrated attention was needed.

The very thing I crave may now be the end of me.


~Book Review~
2.5 Stars

In chapter one , we meet 34 year old Callum Alexander via his first person POV as he informs the reader that he’s a successful architect who harbors some deep, dark predilection. It’s what he craves, hence the title. He then meets Lucia “Luce” Harding , 28, a waitress at the event he’s attending.  They share some kind of moment (I didn’t really feel it but he says so)…. 
“And then I f*cked another woman wishing it were her. Can it get any lower?”
That’s exactly what I wondered about this story as I entered chapter two with him banging away with some one night stand he uses on repeat.  How am I supposed to get into the romance of him with Luc, the woman he claims he can’t stop thinking about, if in my head I have the image of him thrusting away with Jodi!???

And maybe that’s why I never quite felt anything spectacular here. I didn’t feel the chemistry between Callum and Luce, and I certainly didn’t feel the love. What unfolds is mostly the desire and dark fantasy of a man suffering from some misguided repression who over-thinks his “inner demons” and under-thinks the important red flags right in front of his face.

Gawd did this man annoy me! He doesn’t work as a “dark hero” because he comes off a whining, overly lamenting wuss.  I really found no “book boyfriend” qualities about him. On top of that, his life is a train wreck.

I have a real pet peeve about stories that drag out “the secret” or in this case the “dark urge” or “the mask” with the main character anguishing over it for pages and pages. These reveals rarely ever live up to the expectations, and this story is no exception.

As far as Luce goes, I failed to find why she was so special. Yes, she’s different from the women that Cal typically bedded, but that didn’t say a whole lot since he supposedly had a history of shallow, social-climbing women who did not give the female gender a good reputation. Perhaps part of my failure to connect with Luce came from her lack of voice in the story told solely by Cal. The reader never knows what she’s thinking or why she’s so enamored of Cal.

I also failed to see how Cal was such a public celebrity. I couldn’t name one famous living architect today yet alone find one making the national gossip pages.  Hollywood typically keeps those pages filled so why the media would be so obsessed with a budding architect seemed a little contrived.  At the same time, I struggled with sympathy for Cal’s many plights as he either contributed to them or was so clueless to see them coming.

All in all, the majority of the story paces pretty slow; it’s a little angsty, and is about sex rather than romance. The suspense plot is fairly transparent. I might have been able to overlook that a bit if the characters had been more gripping and likeable, but as it was it just didn’t work for me. As far as erotic suspense goes, nothing here felt cutting edge and all of the themes and sexual content I’ve read before in other stories which crafted it on a higher and deeper developed level with much more suave and enigmatic heroes.  Basically for all the build-up, it just felt kinda blah.
AMAZON US / UK / AU

~Excerpt~

“What was that thought?” she asks curiously.

I lift my eyes from her hand resting on the black leather seat between us to her face to see a sly smile has appeared on her lips. “What thought?”

“The one that just had dirty written all over it.” Her smile grows wide, her eyes glittering with heat and a touch of amusement at the position she’s cornered me into.

“It’s a thought that would be more suited to the end of the date, if we are following your predetermined description of a how a first date should be, that is.”

Heat overtakes amusement as the air inside the car crackles with the right type of tension, the exact type of mood I have been hoping for and dreading. Our eyes remained locked, like neither one of us is able or willing to look away from the other.

Knowing I’d need to acquiesce, I look back down to where her hand rests beside her leg and bite the bullet, reaching over and lacing my fingers with hers.

“See?” she says as I catch her smile out of the corner of my eye. “Wasn’t that hard, was it?”

“It’s like that, is it?” I say, my voice filled with humor. She leans over, turning her body toward mine and rests her mouth against my jaw, just below my ear.

“If you want something from me, Callum, you just need to ask for it or take it. I highly doubt any of the thoughts running through that very handsome, highly intelligent head of yours could put me off.” Her breath warms my skin, sending the nerve endings into overdrive. “You’re welcome to try though . . .”

Before I can attempt to put my public mask in place, I tilt my head until we are cheek to cheek. Presented with an opportunity, I follow my instincts and graze my teeth slowly against her ear lobe. “I was thinking how your hand would feel touching me again . . .”

Her breath stutters momentarily, before quickening. She pulls back, leaning her shoulder into the seat but not returning to her side. “I’m sure we can arrange to hold hands again, Callum. It’s all part of getting to know each other.”

I mimic her pose, our bodies still close but not touching, as I let out an uncharacteristic chuckle. “You’re trouble with a capital T.”

“And I’m thinking, Mr. Alexander, there’s something about my brand of trouble that you’re drawn to.”


BJ Harvey is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Bliss Series. She writes contemporary romance, romantic comedy, and romantic suspense.

An avid music fan, you will always find her with headphones on while writing, and the speakers blaring the rest of the time. She’s a wife, a mom to two beautiful girls, and when she’s not writing – she’s reading.

BJ resides with her family in what she considers the best country in the world—New Zealand.
 

She describes her writing as a little swoon, a lot of heat, a bit of drama and a whole lot of love.


~Giveaway~