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Monday, March 31, 2014

Undone by Shannon Richard

A few days ago I finished Undone by Shannon Richard. I have to say that I adored the story. I'm coming realize that I do enjoy small town stories. Yes, you might find the typical clichés about small town mentalities, but I think that's what makes a small town story so small townish.

Anyway Paige Morrison's life starts to fall apart and she finds herself needing to move back with her parents down in Mirabelle, Florida. Mirabelle is your typical small town where everybody knows your name and business. Of course, they're not to fond of outsiders, and yes is an outsider who doesn't want to conform to Mirabelle's ideals. However, not everyone in Mirabelle sees Paige as an infestation. Actually, some of the town folk actually warmup to Paige. Paige slowly wins over people of Mirabelle, not all but most. This all happens because Paige gains the help the "hot mechanic" Brendan King.

I absolutely enjoyed Undone. I thought it was a fun read set in a small town. Yes, you have those people that are cranky and willing to make life miserable for others. Then have the people that genuinely care. I love how Brendan helped Paige when she was so done on her luck. You get to see their friendship blossom into something more. I laughed and I did cried. The crying happen more towards the end.

Anyway, this was Ms. Richard's first book and I honestly thought she did a marvelous job at making a fun story to read. I actually want to see what happens to the other characters in Mirabella, Florida. So, if you are looking for that small town, you might consider giving Undone a try.

Copy provided by Forever Romance

Rating:



Entangled Brazen New Release Giveaway


If you like your heroes hot, the sex hotter, and a swoon-worthy romance to swoop in and save your happily ever after, Brazen has the story for you. Sinfully sexy soldiers. Alpha cops who demand control. Sweet guys with a naughty side in the bedroom. At Brazen, they've got the hero destined to melt your... heart. Visit the Entangled website, the Brazen Blog, follow them on Twitter, Like their Facebook page, and follow them on Pinterest.


Introducing Brazen's March 31st releases:


RA_300
Friends with benefits was never the plan...

Melanie Jacobs’s chances for having a family are shrinking with every passing day. Her only comfort is her best friend, sexy cowboy Colton Freeze, but when a heated argument between them turns into an even hotter kiss, the boundaries of their friendship are blurred. But will their new friends-with-sexy-benefits arrangement destroy everything they once shared?

Find out more! 

Special $0.99 Introductory Price!

 






Also, don't miss these three great novellas from our prior Halloween Anthology, now available individually for the first time!

PWT_300 SMR_1600
Possession is nine-tenths of the law. And she belongs to him. 


He's not who she thinks, and he has seduction plans of his own...


When a battle of wills becomes a game of lust, one wrong move could be fatal. 


Find out more! Find out more! Find out more!

Blog Tour + Giveaway + Excerpt + Review: Need You Tonight by Roni Loren



Book Blurb:


She’s making a wish list, and he wants to be on top.
 
From foster kid to trophy wife, Tessa McAllen is about to reinvent herself all over again—and defy every insult her cheating ex-husband ever used against her: Selfish? She’s championing a charity. Stupid? She’s getting her degree.
 
Boring in bed?
 
Kade Vandergriff can help her with that one. When they encounter each other at a singles event held at one of his restaurants, Tessa blurts out that kink is for girls who try too hard, and Kade instantly wants to show this sassy stranger how thrilling a night under his command can be…...but when he learns her name, the game changes for both of them.

In high school, Tessa was the popular girl who stuttering, awkward Kade fell for. But she chose another. Now, as she eagerly learns lesson after lesson, he’s going to make sure she never forgets him again.

My Thoughts:

I thought Need You Tonight was fantastic. Need You Tonight grabbed from the first page to the last. I was amazed on how much I loved the story. When Tessa walked in on her husband and best friend in the kitchen and she threw an orange, I was hooked. Tessa was cool and collective and I was impress with her not flying off the handle. I mean she could have grabbed a knife and attack him, but she didn't she threw an orange basically told him she was leaving. I love how her soon-to-be ex-husband try to tell her she's nothing without her and she still kept going. Honestly, I had a feeling it wasn't the last we heard of him. During the prologue he gave that impress of "women are objects" vibe.

Anyway, Tessa decides to go back to Texas to pick up her life when she meets Kade Vandergriff. Now Kade remembers her from high school. He's always had a crush on her and figures this might be a perfect way to get Tessa to see him in a new light. After all he's was an unpopular kid, who didn't stand a chance against a jock.

There is more to Need You Tonight than the sex. Yes, the sex is hot steamy and hella naughty. However, I love Kade helps Tessa build her self-esteem up. After all, she was married to a bastard who tried to keep her in her place. I love the flashback to the past, because it gave you a sense of there was more to Kade and Tessa in high school, but fear held them back.

I personally loved the story and I couldn't put it down. I love that there's more than just sex to the story. Overall, Need You Tonight is unforgettable with two people overcoming the past and learning other things. So, if you like hot naughty books, you might want to grab a copy of Need You Tonight.

Copy provided Berkley via NetGalley

Rating:

Purchase Links:



Author Bio:

Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. Though she’ll forever be a New Orleans girl at heart, she now lives in Dallas with her husband and son. 

If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to rockstars, er, rock concerts. Yeah, that's it. She is the National Bestselling Author of The Loving on the Edge series from Berkley Heat.

Places to find Roni Loren:

Giveaway: 
1 eBook copy of the Riding Desire Box set 




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Excerpt from Need You Tonight: 
(Rated R)

*Note: Kade is going by the name Van in this scene (his nickname)

Her heart was thumping and blood was roaring through her veins, heating all the best spots. She couldn’t do this, right? She didn’t even know this guy. Considering a quickie with him had been risky enough. But sending her ride home and spending the whole night with him was a whole different story. “I can’t go home with you.”

He leaned down and brushed his lips along her jaw, his blond hair falling forward and tickling her cheek. “We don’t have to go anywhere but here.”

Even the simple touch had her ready to groan aloud, her body starved for this kind of night. This kind of man. How long had it been since she’d felt so desired, so utterly seduced? Maybe never. Somehow, he made it all feel so easy, so natural. Like saying no would be a preposterous notion. Even though it was the most logical answer.

But that logic angel sitting on her shoulder didn’t seem to have much fight to her tonight. No, instead there was another altogether deviant voice whispering in her ear. Stop denying yourself. You need this. You’ve earned an indulgence. A woman should not live by vibrator alone.

She took a long, shuddering breath, letting the temptation take her under. “I’ll text her.”

“Good girl,” he said, the words she’d normally find patronizing like a hot caress against her. “I’ll make sure it’s worth the trouble.”

After Tessa had sent the text and gotten one back from Sam, complete with about twelve exclamation points following her OMG, Van left for a few minutes to bring her keys down. And he must have brought them in person because Sam sent another text shortly afterward.

HOLY shit, girl. U’ve hit the hook-up lottery. Enjoy the condoms!

Tessa was still laughing when Van came through the doorway. He smiled. “What’s so funny?”

“My friend approves of you.”

He gave her a roguish grin. “I’m charming that way.”

“And she thinks you’re hot,” she said matter-of-factly. “That goes a long with Sam.”

He laughed, not bothering to deflect the assessment of his hotness, and crossed his arms. “And what do you think?”


She lifted her chin, jaunty. “I think I don’t like cocky guys.”

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Lusting for Covers (13): Not Quite a Wife by MaryJo Putney


Lusting for Covers is a weekly meme, held on Sunday, that allows bloggers to share their current cover obsession with fellow book lovers.

This meme is hosted by TBQ @ TBQ's Book Palace.


This Weeks Selection:
Not Quite a Wife by MaryJo Putney
Publisher: Zebra, (Aug 2014)
Series: Lost Lords, 6
Genre: Historical Romance

Book Blurb:

"Putney's endearing characters and warm-hearted stories never fail to inspire and delight." --Sabrina Jeffries

"No one writes historical romance better." --Cathy Maxwell

Marry in haste, repent at leisure.

James, Lord Kirkland, owns a shipping fleet, half a London gaming house, and is a ruthlessly effective spymaster. He is seldom self-indulgent. . .except when it comes to the gentle, indomitable beauty who was once his wife. Laurel Herbert gave James her heart as an innocent young girl--until she saw him perform an act of shocking violence before her very eyes. That night she left her husband, and he let her go without a word of protest. Now, ten years later, a chance encounter turns passionate, with consequences that cannot be ignored. But as they try to rebuild what was broken, they must face common enemies and a very uncommon love. . ..

"Of all Putney's heroes, the Lost Lords are the most irresistible--bad boys who are so very good." --RT Book Reviews

Don't miss the first of Mary Jo Putney's unforgettable Lost Lords!

Pre-Order Links:


Why?
When I saw this on Facebook this past week I just fell in love with the cover. I mean it's a beautiful color of purplish-pink. Plus, I love the title. So, what are you lusting for? Could it be as simple as a lovely dress or a title? 


InkSlinger PR Cover Reveal: Entice by Rachel Van Dyken







Release Day : May 13, 2014


From #1 New York Times Bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken comes the third book in the bestselling Eagle Elite Series...

“As burns this saint, so burns my soul. I enter alive, and I will have to get out dead.”

Chase Winter let the love of his life slip through his fingers and into the hands of his best friend and mafia boss of the Abandanato family. Now that he's been given a second chance to right a wrong--he refuses to let his own selfishness stand in the way. The only problem? He's not fully in possession of his heart, so when Mil De Lange, the girl who's innocence he stole, and heir to the worst of the worst mafia families in the US, asks him for a favor. He actually says yes, not realizing that that one yes has the power to destroy them all.

Mil's been in love with Chase as long as she can remember, but as the years went by, the love turned to hate, and now that he's agreed to help her, she's wondering if she made a fatal error. Because Chase isn't a teenager anymore. He's a hot blooded male, bent on owning every part of her body and soul, and willing to kill anyone in his path who dares stand in the way.
It's time for secrets to finally be revealed...but make no mistake, it's going to take a lot of bloodshed for those truths to be discovered.

You've never read a New Adult Mafia story like this before...loyalties will be tested, lovers reunited, and friendships obliterated. Welcome to the Family. Blood in--No out.


ADD TO GOODREADS







Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at www.rachelvandykenauthor.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rachel-...















Nixon
I checked the time on my cell and leaned against the wall. The desert heat was not in any way helping my already-tense mood and irritated disposition. A guy walked by, flicking his cigarette into the dirt. Note to self: you know you're tense as hell when you’re halfway tempted to grab said cigarette and suck the nicotine dry from the remains.
And I didn’t even smoke.
Shhhit.
My head hurt, my muscles were sore, and Trace was pissed. I closed my eyes and leaned back against the building.
“Hey there.” A flirty voice interrupted my self-inflicted torture session. I opened one eye, then two. A blond-haired girl in six-inch heels and something I can only assume at one point use to be a shirt, hanging over her shoulder, walked into my personal space. Her shirt-dress thing barely met her thighs.
“Yes?” I kept my sunglasses on. If I took them off and glared, she’d probably run screaming down the street, and I wasn’t into scaring females… at least not in that way. I knew I looked downright pissed as hell.
“Just thought you looked lonely.” She lifted her shoulder and offered a teasing smile. Did that really work on other guys?
“You thought wrong,” I said simply. “I’m holding the wall up like Samson.”
“Samson?” She looked around as if waiting for another man to appear.
“From the Bible,” I clarified.
“The what?”
“Gotta love Vegas,” I muttered under my breath. “Look, I don’t want any.”
“Any what?” She ran a manicured nail down my chest, biting down on her lip at the same time. I could only imagine her point was to get me to stare at her lips, but all I felt was irritation. Damn Chase and Mil. I just wanted to go to bed, but I needed to talk with him before tomorrow.
“Sex.” My voice clipped. “I. Don’t. Want. Any.”
“But” She twirled a piece of blond- hair in her fingers.
“I’m gay.”
“Right.” She snorted.
“I’m into men.”
“Oh really?” She closed the distance between us. Just as I was ready to seriously put my hands on her and push, I felt an arm wrap around my shoulder.
“Hey there, hot stuff.” Tex said in a low voice as his hand grabbed my ass, cupping it with a little too much enthusiasm. “You ready?”
I ground my teeth together and forced a smile. “Yup.”
“Oh…” The girl stepped back. “Um, sorry, you guys, uh, enjoy your night.” She pushed past Tex so fast I was afraid she was going to teeter off her heels and get hit by a taxi.
“Tex.” I seethed.
“Hmm?” He took off his sunglasses and tilted his head as the girl hurried away.
“You can take your hand off my ass now.”
“Why? Afraid you like it too much?”
I pushed against him.
“Just embrace your feelings!” He shouted, earning the attention of a family walking by with their two little kids.
I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and threw him few feet away from me, trying my damnedest not to smile.
“Admit it. You keep me around for comic relief.” Tex nodded with a smirk.
“I admit nothing.” I lost the war against smiling and started laughing. “But I do keep your ass away from Campisi, so remember that next time you start yelling about me being your lover.”
“True.” Tex grinned. “Oh, and P.S., don’t knock it till you try it.”
“P.S.,” I repeated in the same voice. “Still pissed at you for screwing over my sister.”
“Yeah well.” Tex sobered. “It’s for the best.”
“Breaking her heart and bringing in whores is what’s best for her?”
Tex lifted his hands into the air. “Look, I didn’t say my methods were sound or that they were intelligent, just let us deal with it, okay? We’re big kids.”
“Kids.” I snorted. “That about sums it up.”
A town car pulled up next to the curb. Chase got out and then held out his hand to Mil. My eyes narrowed; she looked different. Happier.
Her mom had just died, and she'd survived a bombing.
And she was smiling like the Taliban had just declared world peace.
Chase gripped her so tight that I saw the white of his knuckles.
I tilted my head, still watching them when Tex said. “Dude, you get laid?”
“Tex,” I snapped. “Go get something for their luggage.”
“But
“Go.”
Tex flipped me off, but ended up jogging over to the main entrance while I inspected both Mil and Chase. “I’m not saying this to be an ass
“Here we go.” Mil crossed her arms.
Chase waited.
I licked my lips and tried to appear indifferent. “But if you guys start screwing each other now, I may have to shoot one or both of you. It’s not the time to play house, got it?”
“Play house,” Chase repeated in a deadpan voice as he dipped his free hand into his back pocket, most likely clenching a pair of brass knuckles.
“I know it’s your honeymoon,” I continued. “But this [P1] little scenario you’ve got going on with the whole hot and cold is going to have to wait until everyone’s safe. So Chase, keep it in your pants for once in your life, and Mil, stop trying to seduce the poor kid, alright? It’s like dangling a damn fry in front of a seagull.”
“Who’s a fry?” Tex asked, pulling the luggage cart with him.
“Mil.”
“Are we eating dinner or something? Because I have to admit,” Tex leaned against the cart, “I’m freaking starving.” He eyed Chase and Mil. “Then again, I’m sure you both are too. All those extracurricular really take it out of ya.”
Chase took off his sunglasses, his face twisting in irritation and annoyance, no smile. Nothing. He was pissed.
“Chase,” I said slowly. “You know I’m right. You’re the best I have. I need your focus to be on The Family. Your family. Then you can screw all you want, okay?”
Mil looked like she wanted to punch me in the face. Chase took a step forward, but she stopped him.
“Good talk.” I exhaled. “Chase, I’ll see you down in the bar in a half-hour, okay? We have business to discuss. Mil, you can go find the girls. They’re having dinner out by the pool.”
Nobody moved.
After a few seconds of tense silence where I was pretty sure Chase was trying to convince himself not to strangle me to death, Tex cleared his throat and pointed to the luggage. “You guys need help, then?”
“Yeah,” Chase croaked. “Thanks.”
We loaded them up and sent them on their way.
“Tell me,” Tex asked once we were walking back toward the bar. “Is your only goal to see how far you can push Chase before he kills you in your sleep?”


So, have you read the Eagle Elite books? I personally have and actually love them. I'm excited for Chase's story and curious on how this is all going to work? What do you all think?