Frosted by Wendy Sparrow

So, yesterday I didn't feel like jumping into a novel just quite yet. The last book kind of left me with that unsatisfied feeling, so I decided to read a novella. I'm so glad a I got a chance to read Frosted by Wendy Sparrow.

Well, this debut author brings to us a story about Jack Frost and his queen. Now when you think of Jack Frost you don't think of him as a man looking for love, but you would be surprise.

Seven years early Kate Finley meets Jack when she fell through the ice. However, she got cold feet and couldn't fully commit to living forever in an ice kingdom. So, Jack let her find her closure with her family and friends. That was super nice of him.

To keep Jack at bay, Kate decided to move to Florida. After all winter has a hard time making its way down there. However Jack comes up with a plan to try to win his queen back.

Oh my goodness, this story was heart-warming in a frosty way. I loved this story. Jack shows so much love for Kate, which makes it incredible. I mean he truly sacrificed himself to make her happy. Granted being a guy, he didn't say the magic words to the girls heart, but he showed it. I think it would have been easier for Kate if he had said the words. Then again I don't think she would have appreciate all that he gave her if he had said those words.

Heart-melting story even on a cold winters day. So, if you are looking for something quick to read and wonder what kind of love Jack Frost would be interested, you might want to checkout Frosted. I hope you all are keeping warm. I'm trying and I hope to see you soon.

Copy provided by publisher

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eARC: Baby Out of the Blue by Rebecca Winters

Ok, last night I finished Baby Out of the Blue by Rebecca Winters. Let me start off by saying I really do love Harlequin's Romance line for its sappiness and warm-fuzzy feelings. With that said, I was a little disappointed with this story. I mean it had all the makings for a sappy book.

Here's what I mean:

Fran Meyers finds a baby after a tornado watch. The baby barely is alive and they rush the child to the hospital. She stays with the child till the family gets there.

Nikolos Angelis hears some devastating news and goes to the area where his sister and her family were hoping to find them. Well, he finds them (and not in a good way), but there is a person missing, Demi. Oh no! The baby is missing.

So, you see all the fixin's for a sappy story and happy endings. However, I had a hard time loving the book. Partially because Fran's best friend, Kellie, was having marital problems and wasn't willing to work it out with her husband. In a way using Fran to get away from him. So, you are dealing with that through half of the book. Her friend just seem like a Debbie Downer to me. Really sucking the happiness out of me.

Finally, we get to the point in the story where Kellie is no longer in the story. Which makes me happy, and we are able to see the budding relationship to grow. Fran has fears that affect her moving forward with Nik, and I can understand with her past divorce. However, she was also letting Kellie's feelings influence her decision too. Not cool.

What really saved the story for me, was when Fran started to hang out with Nik and not being around her friend. I don't know if her friend intentionally was trying to ruin things, but I just didn't like her. I wonder if there will be a story about the friend and husband or if that's going to hang. Anyways, the book was all right of story, once she got to know Nik. I really wanted more warm-fuzzy feelings from the story. I hope you are enjoying your day. I will talk to you soon.

Copy provided by Harlequin through NetGalley

Rating:

1/2

A Rogue By Any Other Name by Sarah Maclean

All right, so I just finished the first book in The Rules of Scoundrels series A Rogue by Any Other Name by Sarah Maclean.

The last time we saw Lady Penelope Marbury, she had just ended her engagement to the Duke of Leighton in Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart. Now we jump ahead about eight years later, still unmarried and a disappointment to her family. So, her father had decided to increase her dowry. Oh yeah, nothing like increasing the dowry to make Penelope more appealing.

Michael Henry Stephen, the Marquess of Bourne, lost pretty much everything by the time Penelope got engage and disappear from society. Deciding to rebuild what he had lost and seek out his revenge on Viscount Langford. Then he hears of Penelope's dowry and what it included. He decided to reclaim what was once his and the girl. Nothing like kidnapping the young lady and forcing a marriage on her.

So, when you read this story you need to remember a couple of rules that apply to scoundrels and gambling:

1. Truth is irrelevant. What is relevant is whether or not they believe it.
2. If your opponent makes it impossible for you to lose you should wager.
3. Do not bet what you are not willing to lose.
4. Never ask. Take what you want, when you want it.
5. Last but not least, when in doubt, bluff.

So, this is a re-read for me. Honestly, I had a hard time with the book the first time reading. It is pretty different from the Love by Numbers series, I would say that it is a little darker than the previous series. I guess, because of the setting of the story. How many gaming hells do you know are bright and cheery? None. Anyways, as I started reading this again, I found that I actually liked it more this go around.

Here's why: First off, Penelope. I love how she develops a back bone. Seriously. When we first meet Penelope, she's willing to go with the flow and she really doesn't discover who she could be. When she is forced to marry Michael, she learns that she better take matters into her own hand or end up getting walked all over. Then you have Michael who is carrying this grudge against Langford. Which has been eating at him for years. I love how Penelope basically saves him from himself.

Overall, I did enjoyed this story. I'm glad that I re-read the story. Now I'm ready for the next book. I can't wait to see how Penelope's sister takes down Cross. I enjoy reading Sarah Maclean's book and I hope that you get a chance to check them out. I will talk to you all later.

Rating:
1/2

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eARC: How to Misbehave by Ruthie Knox

Let's take a journey to Camelot, Ohio where we are about to embark on a new series from Ruthie Knox that features the Clark siblings. The first in the series is a novella called How to Misbehave. We meet the eldest Clark, Amber. Who just happens to be a sweet innocent young women and somehow gets stuck in the basement with Tony Mazzara, "the Italian Stallion," during a tornado.

Seriously, I loved this novella. Oh my gosh, Ruthie Knox has some awesome lines in her story. I mean who doesn't want to be trapped in a basement with a man who has "a dazzling smile. Like a toothpaste commercial dipped in a porn movie." Such witty remarks throughout the story makes this a pleasure worth taking.

I really love the fact Amber Clark is described as very innocent, pretty much Bambi-like. Then you have Tony Mazzara with a nickname like "the Italian Stallion," I don't think there isn't too many more words you can use to describe him. Seriously, I think that can explain everything.

Really, loved the story. I was impress with how well the story flowed and was complete. Seriously worth reading. So, if you are looking for a quick read, I would really encourage y'all to read How to Misbehave. After reading it you might have a hankering to find your own "Italian Stallion."

Copy provide by author

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The Prince's Gamble by Caridad Piñeiro

For the past week I have been reading The Prince's Gamble by Caridad Piñeiro. I think I should share what the story is about and what I thought of the story.

Kathleen Martinez is an FBI agent who is called in to help find a missing hostess, Vanessa, from the Russian Nights. Prince Alexander Ivanov has no choice but to call in the FBI, because he has a fear that there might be more to the story and he needs the help.

Though this was a good read and the book description interested me. I personally had a hard with the book. However, I mean the writing was great, but just didn't grab me. I think I was looking for my suspense and nail-biting and I just didn't get it. I did enjoy the arrogance of  the Prince and I did like Kathleen and her no-nosense attitude.

I don't think this book is for me. Or it might be I'm not really into suspense romance. However, I'm not going to cross off Caridad Piñeiro off my reading list, I think I might try something else. However, The Prince's Gamble might work you. So, if you are looking for something to read, you might want to try this out. Maybe I missed something. So, I leave you today and I hope you all have a great day.

Copy provided by publisher

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Her Best Worst Mistake by Sarah Mayberry

All right this morning I finished Her Best Worst Mistake by Sarah Mayberry. Granted I could have finished this book last night, but I don't think my body would have handle another all-nighter. That wouldn't be true, because I didn't have that much left. Her Best Worst Mistake is actually isn't that long and could be read in a day if you are quick reader and a day and half if not.

Violet Sutcliffe couldn't understand why her best friend, Elizabeth,  was with Martin St. Clair. However, Elizabeth comes to her senses and weeks before her wedding to Martin. I know that's mean to say, but something happens to rethink marriage to Martin would be a bad idea. So, she flees to Australia.

Martin is left behind to pickup the pieces of his broken heart. To Violet's surprise she feels sorry for him and tries to make him feel better. Granted they have never been able to be civil to one another. However, Violet makes the effort and basically gets shot down. So much for being nice. Yet, it makes Martin wonder about Violet and so begins their affair.

I really like this story. However, there are some things you just don't do and they seem to happen in this book. For one thing you don't go after a friends ex-whatever. It's just a rule in the friend book. If you do then you need to get the friends permission and see if its ok. As you can guess that didn't happen and if not sorry to spoil that for you.

However, I do like the relationship between Violet and Martin. It's like they kind of complete each other. I know so cliché. Each of them brings out the best of each other and they both realize they misjudge one another. Overall a pretty good quick read. So, if you are looking for something to read you might want to checkout Sarah Mayberry's Her Best Worst Mistake.

Rating:
 

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ARC: When She Was Wicked by Anne Barton

Good morning everyone. Well, it was a late night. Sometimes I love when I can't put down the book, and sometimes I hate it. However, I'm excited to bring to you a new author who has a fantastic debut to read.

Anne Barton brings an exciting adventure of a seamstress who happens to extort some members in Society to help her family out in When She Was Wicked. It's not like Anabelle Honeycote has been doing it long. Being a seamstress, she tends to hear all the juice gossip and why not profit from these juice tidbits. After all her family is in need, and they have more money than she does.

It's not like Anabelle goes into this willy-nilly, she actually has a list of rules that she follow.
List of Nevers
1. Never request payment from someone who cannot afford it.
2. Never request an exorbitant amount---only what is necessary.
3. Never request payment from the same person on more than one occasion.
4. Never reveal the secrets of a paying customer.
5. Never enter into any form of social interaction with a former customer.

However, it is amazing when these rules seem to fly out the window when she tries to blackmail Owen Sherbourne, the Duke of Huntford. Never goes well when you try to blackmail a Duke. As Anabelle hangs out with Owen, she realizes she needs more rules to keep herself safe from him.

I must say I really enjoyed this book, after all I stayed up all night reading it. Once Anabelle becomes the official seamstress for Owen's sisters, Olivia and Rose, the story started to really pick up the pace. It was neat to see the different types of relationship Anabelle had with Owen's family. You have Anabelle and Owen fighting there attraction to one another. After all Duke's do not marry servants, appearances are everything. Especially, when the family has a blacken history like Huntford.

Then you have Anabelle and her relationship to Olivia and Rose. This relationship is a little more complicated, when she gets to know the girls. Olivia and Rose are little unsure of themselves, and knowing their past it's easy to understand the reasoning behind it. Rose is even more special, because she has what we would call selective mutism. I can understand how her selective mutism was trigger. I would go mute if I saw what she saw. ICK!

You always need a snotty girl, who obviously thinks she's better than everyone. Seriously, Miss Starling is a manipulative little witch, who can't handle a little competition.

Honestly, I thought the story was creative and different from what I have read lately. I'm seriously looking forward to more books from Anne Barton. Seriously, an impressive read you might want to checkout when it comes out next week.

Copy provide by NetGalley and author

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Luck of the Draw Blog Tour: Interview with Kelley

Hey Everybody I would like to y’all say hello and welcome 

Kelley Vitollo.

Hi Kelley and how are you today?

I’m great. Thanks so much for having me! 

First off, I was wondering what inspired you to write this series in a small town setting?

I love writing small town romance. There’s a closeness involved that’s sometimes harder to achieve in big city books. There are small town quirks that are fun to write about too. I grew up in a small town. 

I thought the book was amazing and stayed up the whole night reading it. Do you have your own crazy Vegas adventure? If so would be willing to share or would you like to keep that hidden in Vegas? 

LOL. Nope. No adventure. I’ve only been to Vegas twice—both recently. I spent a couple hours there with my friend for her birthday and went for my husband’s cousin’s wedding. And thank you. I’m so glad you enjoyed, LUCK OF THE DRAW. 

In the story we have Ace the cat and I was wondering are you a dog or cat person? 

In a way both. We only have a dog, but I always had cats growing up. 

I think Breck and Rowan are fantastic together and adore their story. Do you have any favorite part of the book that you absolutely love or do just love the whole thing?

I have to admit that I had a lot of fun writing this book. Breck would crack me up as I wrote and I loved writing his and Rowan’s banter together. I love the scene when he shows up at the B&B. I also like a scene with Rowan, Betsy and Sidney in a parking lot. It’s a girl power, best friends kind of moment. 

Finally, I’m dying to know is there any hope for Betsy getting Jace or is there another waiting in the wind? 

Betsy and Jace are next! I’ve finished the first draft of their story and it’s off to my editor soon.

I’m sure that you have a busy schedule up ahead and I want to thank you for stopping by and I hope that you have a wonderful blog tour. Is there anything else you would like to say or add before you leave us today? 

I’d like to thank you for having me and thank the readers for reading! 

Thank you Kelley! 

If you would like more information about Kelley Vitollo you can find her at:
Kelley's Website
Facebook Fan Page
Twitter

Since I love this book so much, that I'm giving away a copy of Luck of the Draw to one lucky person. Just fill out the rafflecopter and answer this question:  

Would you ever do something crazy in Vegas?

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