Friday, July 24, 2015

Review: Out of Time (Nine Minutes #2) by Beth Flynn

~Synopsis~
They thought with his execution it would all be over.  They were wrong.

The leader of one of South Florida’s most notorious and brutal motorcycle gangs has been put to death by lethal injection. Days later, his family and friends should have been picking up the pieces, moving on. Instead, they’ve been catapulted into a world so twisted and dangerous even the most ruthless among them would be stunned to discover the tangled web of deception, not only on the dangerous streets of South Florida but all the way to the top.

In this gripping follow-up novel to Nine Minutes, Out of Time takes readers from the sun-drenched flatlands of 1950s Central Florida to the vivid tropical heat of Fort Lauderdale to the halls of Florida’s Death Row as we finally learn the gritty backstory of Jason “Grizz” Talbot, the terrifying leader of Satan’s Army motorcycle gang, and the secret he spent his life trying to conceal.

Not even Grizz’s inner circle knows his full story—the tragedy that enveloped his early life, the surprise discovery that made him the government’s most wanted and most feared, and the depths of his love for Ginny, the tenderhearted innocent he’d once abducted and later made his wife.

Once Grizz’s obsession and now the mother of his child, Ginny has spent years grieving the man she’d first resisted and then came to love. Now remarried to Tommy, a former member of the gang, the pair have spent more than a decade trying desperately to live a normal existence far from the violent, crime-ridden world they’d once carved out on the edge of the Florida Everglades. For Tommy, especially, the stakes are high. Desperately in love with Ginny for years, he’s finally living his dream: married to the woman he never thought he could have. But even with the façade of normalcy—thriving careers, two beautiful children, and a genuinely happy and loving marriage—they can’t seem to put the past behind them. Every time they turn around, another secret is revealed, unraveling the very bonds that hold them together.

And with Grizz finally put to death, now Ginny has learned secrets so dark, so evil she’s not even sure she can go on.

Will these secrets tear their love to pieces? And how far will Grizz go to protect what he still considers his, even from beyond the grave?
~My Review~
««««

I originally read Nine Minutes back in November of 2014.  I was totally not expecting what I read, and I mean that in a good way.  So when it ended on a cliffhanger, I knew I was going to have to read book 2 when it came out.  I bought Out of Time the day after it released (I somehow missed the release day, but happen to get an email from another blogger that it had been released).  I started reading it as soon as it got delivered to my kindle, and I read until the very end.  I may have stayed up well past my bedtime just so I could keep reading.

I really liked this book, but at the same time, was so frustrated.  This story is on par with the first book, yet so different.  It's so unlike any other books I've read in the past, and that's a good thing...It's nice to switch things up once in a while.  While there was a lot of story that needed to be told (the book was 450 pages), it was done in a very interesting manner.  There was story told from Ginny and Tommy's point of view in present time (2000).  There was story told from Grizz's point of view as a child in the 1950's.  There was story told from Tommy's point of view as a child - before he came to the motel, while he was living there, and after he left.  And there was story told from Grizz's point of view as an adult, watching Ginny while she was still living at home before he took her to the Motel.  In essence, there was a ton going on and with the switch of storylines and point of views, we were able to get a lot of answers and a lot of new information.  

I liked that we were able to learn more about Grizz, his childhood, and see some the decisions that he made throughout his life.  I also loved reading about Grunt and his childhood.  I knew from Nine Minutes that he was in love with Ginny, but Out of Time really made me understand how he came to be in love with her.  And it was these stories that I think I liked the most about the book.

There was so much information in this book.  While Ginny was left out of a lot of information, as she learned different aspects of the past, we learned them too, and I really liked that.

Nine Minutes gave us a really good story that introduced us to all of the characters, and presented story with great conflict.  This book continued on what was built in the first story, it presented new conflict and resolution, and then it also presented a couple new story lines that we didn't know about in the first book, that have yet to be resolved.

I think one of the reasons that I was up in the air about this book was that while I really appreciated getting a lot of answers, I was frustrated by the addition of new story that was left on a cliffhanger.  While lots of my questions from Nine Minutes were answered in Out of Time, we were left with another cliffhanger and I may have just as many questions, if not more than before.  There were major plot twists written into this story, and I totally wasn't expecting them.  These plot twists created new information which essentially created the cliffhanger.  When I did finally get to the end, I was almost confused as to why these plot twists took place and things didn't just stay buried.  But I didn't realize there was going to be a third book to this series, so I'm sure there must be a good reason for these plot twists and I'm interested to see how everything moves forward.

At the end of the day, my frustrations aside, this was still an amazingly well written book with deep characters and an awesome story line.  I still enjoyed what I read and I can't wait for what is hopefully the final chapter.

Link to Goodreads 
Link to Kindle

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Review: Dream Man Series by Kristen Ashely

~Synopsis~

Mystery Man: Dream Man #1
Gwendolyn Kidd has met the man of her dreams. He's hot, he's sexy, and what started as a no-names-exchanged night of passion has blossomed into a year and a half-long pleasure fest. Sure, it's a little strange that he only appears in her bed at night, but Gwen is so sure he's the one, she just can't turn him away...

Hawk Delgado knows more about Gwen than she could ever imagine. She's gorgeous, headstrong, and skittish about relationships. But Hawk is facing his own demons, demons that keep him from connecting with anyone. Yet when Gwen is drawn into Denver's lethal underground scene, Hawk's protective nature comes out full force. The problem is, when Gwen gets a dose of Hawk's Alpha attitude in the daylight, she's not so sure he's the one anymore....

Wild Man: Dream Man #2
While filling the display case in her bakery, the bell over the door sounds and Tessa O'Hara looks up to see the man of her dreams. Within thirty seconds he asks her out for a beer. But after four months of dating, she discovers he's an undercover DEA agent-and he's investigating her possible role in her ex-husband's drug business. For Tess, this means their relationship is over.

Brock disagrees. He's committed to his anti-drug mission, but he's fallen in love with the beautiful woman who's as sweet as her cupcakes-and he'll do anything to win her back. Standing between Tess and Brock are their own exes, one of them a drug lord who's determined to get what he wants. Now as danger threatens, can Brock break the rules he's lived by and let loose his wild side to protect the woman he loves?

Law Man: Dream Man #3
Sweet, shy Mara Hanover is in love with her neighbor. For four years, she has secretly watched her dream man from afar. Handsome police detective Mitch Lawson is way out of her league. She's a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, and there's no way a guy like Mitch would want anything to do with her. But when Mara has a leaky faucet that she can't fix, it's Mitch who comes to her rescue.

Mitch has been eyeing his beautiful neighbor for a long time. He jumps at the chance to help her, and soon their formerly platonic relationship gets very hot and heavy. But when Mara gets a disturbing phone call from her cousin's kids, she gets pulled back into the life she's tried so hard to leave behind. Can the hot law man convince Mara to let go of her past-and build a future with him?

Motorcycle Man: Dream Man #4
Tyra Masters has had enough drama to last a lifetime. Now, she's back on track and looking forward to her new, quiet life. Until she meets the man of her dreams. The tattooed, muscled biker plies her with tequila-and the best sex of her life. She knows it isn't the tequila and hot sex talking. He's the kind of man she's always wanted. Unfortunately, he's also her new boss . . .

Kane "Tack" Allen has a rule. He doesn't employ someone he's slept with. So when he learns he spent last night in bed with his new office manager, he quickly fires Tyra. Yet when Tyra stands up to him and fights for her job, Tack is intrigued. He tells her she can keep her job on one condition: no more sex. Ever. But as things heat up between them, Tack finds that he'll be the one breaking all the rules...
~My Review~
«««««

I don't think I've hidden the fact that I love all books by Kristen Ashley.  After reading her Colorado Mountain Series, I decided that I should keep reading her other books.  I read Rock Chick, and while I liked it, I knew there were quite a few (like a ton) of other books in that series, and so I wanted to read a shorter series because I knew that I would have to devote quite a bit of time to the series.  Therefore, I went with the Dream Man Series, given that there were only four books in the series.  I'll be honest with you - I had seen Mystery Man pop up more times that I can count in my Goodreads Recommendations, but I always skipped right over it.  Honestly, I the reason I always skipped over it was because of the cover - a while back, the cover was a martini glass instead of a hot guy....And for some reason, it turned me off.  Well, shame on me!  

Consistent with her other books, these books are long.  They are all 500+ pages long, but I feel they still keep you interested and don't have any major lulls.  I never felt at any time that I wasn't to put the book down and read something different instead.  I loved all of the characters but I especially liked how they carry over from story to story, but not in a way that you absolutely need to have read one before the other.  But it is helpful.  I loved a lot of the auxiliary characters, and I loved how they often carried over, as well.  The ladies martini nights were always a hoot, and I loved the relationship between the girls.

I loved the relationship between the two main characters in each book.  I loved Gwen and Hawk.  Tess and Brock.  Mara and Mitch.  Tyra and Tack.  They all have very unique relationships, and I love how we're introduced to Brock, Mitch, and Tack in the first book - it's a great teaser of what's to come in each of the books.

While I loved the entire series, I did have a favorite among the bunch.  and if I rated the books individually, I would rate them as follows:

Mystery Man - ««««
Wild Man - «««««
Law Man - «««««
Motorcycle Man - ««««

I think I liked both Wild Man and Law Man better than Mystery and Motorcycle mainly because I liked Tess and Mara better than I liked Gwen and Tyra.  While I liked all the girls, I felt that I related more toward Tess and Mara.  Tess because of the bakery - while I don't have a bakery of my own, I do love to bake.  I bake at home for no reason, and I'm always showing up to a party or a family gathering with some kind of dessert.  I felt like that alone gave me a connection with Tess.  As for Mara, I think I related to her incredible shyness.  I would totally be the type of person who would crush on a guy from afar for months before plucking up the courage to talk to him.  And while my self-esteem issues are in no way rooted as deep as Mara's, I'm sure there would be similarities in our rating systems for who was worthy of dating me and who wasn't.  As for Gwen and Tyra - I liked them both, but at the same time I found them both a bit confrontational, and while that defined who they are, I just didn't relate as well with them.  But it doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy their stories.

As always, the characters are amazingly developed, and the stories and intricate and meaningful.  There was an aspect of suspense in all of the books, but I loved the way they were laid out and how the stories ended up playing out.  I loved how all the men were super Alpha Males who took charge of situations - Alpha Males who also happen to be in some kind of law enforcement is just so sexy. And I loved seeing these Alpha Males dote on the girls they were falling in love with, and how it shaped the story.  I also loved how in both Wild Man and Law Man, there were children involved.  I absolutely love reading books where there is a single father, or single mother and the man she's dating takes to her children.  It just makes the story that much more lovable.

The only thing that I really wasn't too enthused with was how there was mention to the 'Rock Chick' people as famous people who had books written about them.  Maybe because I haven't read that whole series yet it didn't make much sense to me, but I did think it was odd how those characters was sometimes referenced - it was almost like name dropping.  Weird, but it still didn't take away from any of the stories.

So, as this was the second complete series of Kristen Ashley books that I've completed, I think it's time to start reading the Rock Chick series.  She's definitely a favorite of mine and I'm excited to read more!

Dream Man Series - Goodreads

Mystery Man on Goodreads
Mystery Man via Kindle
Mystery Man via Nook

Wild Man on Goodreads
Wild Man via Kindle
Wild Man via Nook

Law Man on Goodreads
Law Man via Kindle
Law Man via Nook

Motorcycle Man on Goodreads
Motorcycle Man via Kindle
Motorcycle Man via Nook

Friday, June 19, 2015

Grey (Fifty Shades #4) by EL James

~Synopsis~
Christian Grey exercises control in all things; his world is neat, disciplined, and utterly empty—until the day that Anastasia Steele falls into his office, in a tangle of shapely limbs and tumbling brown hair. He tries to forget her, but instead is swept up in a storm of emotion he cannot comprehend and cannot resist. Unlike any woman he has known before, shy, unworldly Ana seems to see right through him—past the business prodigy and the penthouse lifestyle to Christian’s cold, wounded heart.

Will being with Ana dispel the horrors of his childhood that haunt Christian every night? Or will his dark sexual desires, his compulsion to control, and the self-loathing that fills his soul drive this girl away and destroy the fragile hope she offers him?
~My Review~
««

The deliciously anticipated book by E.L. James.  Grey.  Fifty Shades of Grey from Christian's point of view.  I'll admit that when she posted that this was coming out, I might have rolled my eyes. I wasn't sure what to think.  So many people were excited about the book, and while I did enjoy the trilogy, I still couldn't decide if I would read this book.  At the end of Fifty Shades Freed, we got a little glimpse into Christian's world when the first chapter of FSOG was translated into his POV.  And it was delicious.  So I decided that since I really liked that, I would take the plunge and read Grey.

I was disappointed.  I'm not going to lie.  That first chapter glimpse held so much promise - I loved seeing what Christian thought of the interview, the ways he would go about getting information (the background check), and what was going on.  However, what I really wasn't expecting was an exact replica of the first FSOG book just from another POV.  Every single scene was the same.  Every conversation, every email, every text between Ana and Christian seemed to have been copied from FSOG and pasted into Grey.  There was nothing original.  No new material.

I've read a lot of reviews.  I've seen that a lot of people loved the book and they didn't expect a whole new story.  But I can't agree with them.  I didn't expect a whole new story, but I really thought there would be better insight to Christian and what makes him tick.  It really wasn't until Ana broke up with him and left him (about 90% of the way through the book) that we finally get some insight.  We finally get some new story.  I felt that this small part of the book was the best part.  We finally get some understanding of what happened to Christian to make him the way he is.

Aside from the fact that there was no original material (everything was 'recycled,' as another reviewer said), what I really didn't like was how every single one of Christian's thoughts was spelled out whether we wanted to know or not.  It made him into a dreary, annoying fool who was just a bit annoying.  His internal monologue was almost as annoying as Ana's inner goddess.  The little thoughts that came after each scene, each conversation, was just annoying...It made it so that Christian was turned into a very simple human being instead of the amazingly smart and successful person that he's supposed to be.  It gave him Tarzan like qualities that doesn't do anything to build up his character.

It was even more surprising because in FSOG, while I thought the story was fun, I found Ana to be immature and somewhat annoying at times - but I chalked that up to the fact that she was a 21-year old recent college graduate.  However, Grey turned Christian into someone who I don't like, someone who is just as immature but in a different way.  It wasn't becoming, and while he has a boatload of issues that took him 90% of a 600 page book to get through, it just wasn't fun to read.

I hate giving negative reviews.  I hate taking a widely anticipated book and saying that I didn't enjoy it.  But the fact of the matter is that Grey is almost an exact replica of the original Fifty Shades of Grey.  With extremely little original material, I most often found myself bored and hoping something new would come along.  The last 10% of the book mildly redeemed the book, which is why I gave it two stars.  Unfortunately, this book just wasn't for me.

I'd like to quote another review that I found on Amazon.  I normally don't do this, but I really felt that what this reviewer wrote really hits home with Grey:  "What matters is is [sic] whether a re-used plot is fun to read or not.  And since this particular re-used plot wasn't fun to read, I'm obviously not going to give it a good review."

UPDATE:  There are 2 more things I would like to point out that I forgot about.  #1)  The blatant use of Google Maps.  Honestly:  I really couldn't give two hoots about which streets Christian is running and driving on.  Is it really necessary to be that specific??  We all know that you (James) live in England - how could you possibly be this familiar with the outlines of Seattle and Portland??  In the grand scheme of things, you promised a book that would give us more insight into Christian, and for the most part we just got a regurgitated story with very little new material.  We don't need the new material to be street names and running paths!  And #2)  Going along with the point that James is from England:  I had issues with the original FSOG Trilogy because of the clear uses of English English instead of American English and I found that it was even more pronounced in this book.  "I've not had sex before...." - NO!!  I haven't had sex before!  It's a difference of where to land the contraction, but it's also the difference of how Americans usually speak.  If you're going to write in first person in America, you need to write the way Americans would talk!  ::end rant::

Link to Goodreads 
Link to Kindle
Link to Nook

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Review: Kane (Slater Brothers #3) by LA Casey

~Synopsis~
Aideen Collins is a free spirit. She is outspoken and tough as nails, but she has to be after growing up in a house full of men. Family means everything to Aideen. Her family consists of her four brothers, her father, and her group of wild friends. Aideen is protective of her family, there is not a lot she wouldn’t do to keep them safe.

Kane Slater is a tortured soul. Literally. He is misunderstood by people, even feared by them thanks to the scars that mar his face and body. He relishes in their fear because people who fear you, won’t want to know you. He likes his circle limited to his brothers and their girlfriends, but a thorn from an Irish rose is dug deep into Kane’s side, and her name is Aideen Collins.

Aideen and Kane don’t get along… at all. Aideen is the only woman who stands up to Kane and throws his bullshit back at him without fear of hurting him. Kane is the only man who can see right through Aideen's tough exterior. He knows her deepest, and darkest secrets. They can’t stand each other, but they want each other. Badly. They hide their need behind arguments, and banter, but when Kane drops his guard for all to see, and succumbs to an illness within his body, it’s Aideen who steps up to the plate to take care of him.

An illness is the least of their worries when a devil from Kane’s past comes back to play with him. Everybody in Kane’s life is threatened, and with his body fighting against him, he doesn’t know if the luck of the Irish is enough to keep his family safe and his demons at bay.

Kane needs Aideen, and what Kane needs, Kane takes.
~My Review~
««««

I'm pretty sure that I found the first Slater Brother's Book, Dominic, as a recommendation on Goodreads....Maybe over a year ago.  I remember really enjoying the book, despite the fact that the characters were still in high school (I was a little skeptical at first that they may be too young, but I was quickly proven wrong).  As time went on, I kept reading the new books that LA Casey was releasing.  The companion novella to Dominic, Bronagh, then Alec and Keela.  When I had the opportunity as a blogger to post a release day post promoting Kane, I decided to go for it!  I mean, why not?? 

As many of you know, I took a bit of a hiatus from reading and writing over the last couple months.  I don't know what it was but I think I had been impulsively reading so much that I just needed a little break.  A lot of what I was reading was just quick little finds that were really mediocre, and I didn't want to write about them because they really weren't great.  However, Kane was released today and I just had to go for it.  Kane is the first new book (new release, new for me) that I've read in a long time, and I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed it.

We learned a little bit about Kane in the previous books, but we generally knew very little about him.  I only ever knew that he was a tough guy  in the whole scene with Marco and he was thus covered in scars.  He may have been the bad boy, but he still seemed like a gentle and kind soul, even from the little information that we got from the previous books.  I really loved getting to know him in this book.  It picked up right where Keela left off, continuing with the girl's adventure with the pregnancy tests and Kane's collapse in the grocery store. We learned about his collapse and why it happened, and we got to see his and Aideen's relationship grow right from the beginning.  I knew a little bit about Aideen because she has been present, at least a little bit, in all of the books so far.  She is a sassy thing, and I really loved her.  Even though the entire book was written from Aideen's point of view, I felt like a good job was done in also presenting information about Kane.

I really liked the dynamic between Kane and Aideen.  I loved how they bickered and argued, and then how they finally were able to admit their attraction to each other.

There was a lot of conflict and resolution in this book.  There's the obvious trouble of Kane collapsing and them finally discovering what his illness is and the challenges to overcome it.  Then there are troubles from Kane's past that come to haunt him.  I like how everything came together with these troubles - I never felt like they came out of nowhere or were just there for the same of having conflict.  It ends on a mini cliffhanger - in that some things are resolved, but other things are not.  This obviously gives us some talking points for Aideen's novella.  I wish I could talk through the things that weren't involved, but by mentioned them I would totally give away so much about the book that I don't want to spoil.

As usual, all of the brothers and their girls have presence in this book.  I love them all, and it's interesting to see how their relationships are going.  I felt that quite a bit was built up between Ryder and Branna, so I'm excited for Ryder's book to see how that plays out.  I have my suspicious, but who knows.  I also liked the introduction to Aideen's family (all of her brothers), and while they had small roles in this book, they still brought a lot of entertainment.

I actually sent LA Casey an email today because a friend of mine and I were trying to figure out the timeline between the books.  I remember she had posted something at some point about the years between each book, but I can't remember when or where I read that.  So hopefully she points me in the right direction.  In this book, Dominic and Bronagh are about 23, so it is about 5 years after the first book, but I'm interested to see how much time will elapse between this book and Ryder & Branna's.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book.  I felt like it moved quickly, but there was never a time where I felt like things were moving too slow or too fast.  There was never a time where I felt like conflict was thrown in for no reason.  

I've really come to love the Slater Brothers series, and I honestly can't wait for Aideen's novella, as well as the rest of the books in the series!!

Link to Goodreads
Link to Kindle
Link to Nook

Release Day: Kane (Slater Brothers #3) by LA Casey

Title: Kane Series: Slater Brothers (#3) Author: L.A. Casey Genre: Contemporary, Romance, New Adult, Romantic Comedy

Kane-

eBook

Synopsis
Aideen Collins is a free spirit. She is outspoken and tough as nails, but she has to be after growing up in a house full of men. Family means everything to Aideen. Her family consists of her four brothers, her father, and her group of wild friends. Aideen is protective of her family, there is not a lot she wouldn’t do to keep them safe. Kane Slater is a tortured soul. Literally. He is misunderstood by people, even feared by them thanks to the scars that mar his face and body. He relishes in their fear because people who fear you, won’t want to know you. He likes his circle limited to his brothers and their girlfriends, but a thorn from an Irish rose is dug deep into Kane’s side, and her name is Aideen Collins. Aideen and Kane don’t get along… at all. Aideen is the only woman who stands up to Kane and throws his bullshit back at him without fear of hurting him. Kane is the only man who can see right through Aideen's tough exterior. He knows her deepest, and darkest secrets. They can’t stand each other, but they want each other. Badly. They hide their need behind arguments, and banter, but when Kane drops Kane by L.A. Casey ~ Release Day Blitz HTML his guard for all to see, and succumbs to an illness within his body, it’s Aideen who steps up to the plate to take care of him. An illness is the least of their worries when a devil from Kane’s past comes back to play with him. Everybody in Kane’s life is threatened, and with his body fighting against him, he doesn’t know if the luck of the Irish is enough to keep his family safe and his demons at bay. Kane needs Aideen, and what Kane needs, Kane takes.

“Hey,” Kane murmured, “what’s that face for?”“I don’t like how she looked at you,” I replied lowly to him. “What way did she look at me?” he asked. I set my jaw. “Like she was frightened.” Kane sighed, “I get that a lot, darling. I don’t blame her though—I do look scary.” Hearing him say that made me really mad. “No. You. Don’t,” I hissed. “You look perfectly fuckin’ fine, and fuck anyone who thinks differently.” Kane grabbed hold of my arm and brought us to a stop. He rounded on me and looked down at my face. “Babydoll.” I shook my head. “I’m fine. I... I just don’t like people thinkin’ you’re somethin’ to fear. You aren’t. They don’t know you like I do.” Kane smiled at me. “Have I ever told you how amazing you are?” I flushed. “No, but it’d be nice to hear it often.”

Slater Brothers Series

Slater Bros Series

Dominic

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

Bronagh

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

Alec

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Keela

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

Kane 

Teaser 3    

Author 

Bio

LA Casey 
 L.A. Casey was born, raised and currently resides in Dublin, Ireland. She is a twenty-three year old stay at home mother to a two year old German Shepherd named Storm and of course, her five year old – going on thirty – beautiful little hellion/angel depending on the hour of the day. She is the author of the Amazon Bestselling book series, Slater Brothers.

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Thursday, May 28, 2015

Cover Reveal: Fusion (Explosive #5) by Tessa Teevan


Fusion (Explosive #5)
Release Day: July 6, 2015
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Models: Don Allen and Faith Danielle
Photographer: Kelsey Keeton at K. Keeton Designs
Cover Designer: Robin Harper at Wicked By Design



Where do babies come from? 

The question every parent dreads hearing has finally fallen from the lips of six year old Ava Banks, the curious, precocious little girl that you fell in love with in Ignite. Jeremy and Sierra, normally blunt as can be, struggle to find the right words to answer her. So instead, they rewind sixteen years to that one fateful day where a game of Seven Minutes in Heaven inevitably led to life-long romance filled with laughter, love, and many, many mishaps along the way.

Falling in love with your best friend? It's the most incredible thing in the world. But when a love comes so easily, will it truly be able to last? When the world comes crashing down around you, can even the strongest relationship withstand great tragedy?

Stay tuned for lots of laughs, teenage awkwardness, a few tears, and most of all, mullets. Because what good love story doesn't do business in the front, and party in the back?


**While Fusion is a standalone romance, it’s best read after Ignite. 

Ignite (Explosive #1) 




Excerpt

“It’s fine, Jeremy. I promise. I have no problem being the Tod to your Copper. Or the Joey to your Dawson. That’s who I am.” She hesitated for a brief moment. “That’s who I’ll always be. You’re my best friend, Jeremy. It’s okay that you don’t see my boobs. Hell, it’s probably better that way.”

My stomach plummeted and if I was man enough to admit it, my eyes burned with an unexpected rush of tears. I stepped back, out of the streetlight so she couldn’t see me. It was a move she misinterpreted, but before I could find a single ounce of courage, she was waving goodbye and running into her house, leaving me there to watch her go.

Something I never wanted to do again. 

It wasn’t until after Sierra left for Ohio and I had a chance to reflect on her words that I realized what she’d said. Dawson and Joey, as of right then, weren’t even speaking. Copper and Tod went their separate ways, and even though their friendship remained, they were still apart for the rest of their lives. 

I didn’t want to be Copper anymore. I sure as hell didn’t want to be Dawson. 

But it was too late. I’d lost my chance. I’d missed my window. Sierra was gone and there was nothing I could do about it. 

Jenna was right. 

I was an idiot. 

Author Bio

I'm a twenty something book junkie who is also obsessed with sports. Bengals, Buckeyes, Reds are my teams! I work for the government during the day, hang out with Air National Guard on the weekends, and have been married to my own book boyfriend for over seven years. We currently live right outside of Dayton, OH with our two cats. 

If I’m not writing or looking through tons of photos of hot men, all in the name of research, then you can probably find me curled up with my Kindle, ignoring the rest of the world. I love my sports almost as much as I love my books. My other obsessions include red wine, country music, and all things Grace Potter. 

Connect with the Author

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Thursday, May 7, 2015

Cover Reveal: Sinful Intent (ALFA Private Investigations Series #1) by Chelle Bliss

Sinful Intent Ebook Cover
TITLE: Sinful Intent SERIES: ALFA Private Investigations Book 1
AUTHOR: Chelle Bliss COVER DESIGNER: Chelle Bliss COVER IMAGE: Darren Birks Photography RELEASE DATE: Summer 2015
SYNOPSIS
It was supposed to be simple. Find the bad guy and save the girl.
I hadn’t expected Race True—a golden-haired beauty with a silver tongue that made me want toss the rules aside.
I tried to fight my attraction to her, but she made it impossible.
Our chemistry became too much to ignore.
Temptation is dangerous.
In a moment of weakness, everything changed. We gave in to our carnal desires, letting ourselves drown in the passion we could no longer deny.
The problem was that I still had a job to do before her world collapsed.
If I failed at finding the person behind the threat, I’d lose Race forever.

goodreads   Prologue   SinfulIntentfinal

MEET THE AUTHOR

Bliss
Chelle Bliss is a USA Today Bestselling author of the Men of Inked Series. After working as a History teacher for ten years, she now writes full-time. She loves talking with readers and making new friends. Chelle currently resides in Florida with her two kitties, Nola and Peanut, her hamster Chip, and the love of her life.
CONNECT WITH CHELLE
 

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Review: Instigation (Clandestine #1) by Tessa Teevan

~Synopsis~
Three years after her life changed forever, Gabriella Latham finally has it all. Killer job [if working for her boyfriend counts]. Killer closet [even if she doesn't technically own any of it]. Killer boyfriend [who refuses to let her leave him, even when she tries]. Unfortunately for her, the last part isn't hyperbole. She just doesn't know it yet.

Adrian Morningstar was a dream come true. No one had ever loved her more, and for the first time, in longer than she could remember, she was no longer alone. He was the Prince Charming to her Cinderella, until suddenly he became the Beast with whom she could not escape.

Until him.

When Rafe Matthews is hired to oversee the guest home construction of one of the most powerful businessmen in the country, he finally has his in. Nothing will get in the way of what he sets out to do.

Until her.

Watching from the shadows, he's drawn to the beautiful, isolated woman of the house. His curiosity is piqued and he has to have her. She may be taken by the boss, but that's not enough to stop him. Or her.

Nothing is quite as it seems, and this is only the beginning.

Passions ignite. Tempers flare. Secrets kill.

Book 1 in the brand new Clandestine Affairs Series. Book 2, Escalation, will release late summer 2015.
~My Review~
«««««

I found this book because I love Tessa Teevan.  I have read her entire Explosive series, as well as the Wellington series.  So when she posted that she was putting out a new book (new series!!), I put it on my Goodreads TBR list and I read it just about the minute it got released.

This series is completely different from anything I had previously read by Tessa Teevan.  And that's not a bad thing.  Sometimes mixing it up does a body good.  While her other books were mainly contemporary romance with some military men thrown in (nothing wrong with that!!), this is more of a suspense thriller romance.  And I really enjoyed it!

Gabriella Latham, Adrian Morningstar, and Rafe Matthews are all mysteries.  We get bits and pieces of all of their stories throughout the book, but by the end, we really only know Gabriella.  Gabriella is alone in the world.  She one day meets Adrian at her favorite coffee shop, and they have an insta-love relationship.  After a short amount of time, Adrian has convinced her to move in with him and quit her job to work with him.  Her parents are both dead, and it takes a while for us to find out what happened to them.  She seems a bit wary of Adrian at first - he seems to somehow know quite a bit about her - but she eventually puts all of her trust into him.  As time goes by and their relationship evolves, she finds herself in a position of innate unhappiness and suspects Adrian of cheating.  Something has definitely changed.  Enter Rafe.  He's the owner of the company that is doing a large construction project at Adrian's home (which, in and of itself, is a mystery).  He is immediately attracted to Gabriella, and just like Adrian, he seems to know some information about her right up front, which leads to me believe that Rafe may not be all he seems, either.

The story is very interesting.  And very different.  Throughout each chapter, I was constantly hoping that we would get more answers.  I know that both Adrian and Rafe were more than they appeared to be.  And while different clues popped up here and there, we were ultimately left with a major cliffhanger.  I know that it will all come together so we can understand what's going on, but I'm really not looking forward to two more books.  That's a lie - I just am not looking forward to waiting for two more books!

There were so many aspects of this book that I enjoyed.  I loved both relationships that were happening throughout the book - completely different than anything I've read in the past.  I loved the suspense, the hopefulness that we would figure things out before the book ended.  I loved the addition of all of the art - my mother is an art teacher, and while she teaches at an elementary school level, she always took the opportunity to talk to me about different artists, and I could relate her love of impressionism to Gabriella.

Overall, I thought this was a great read.  The story was great, mainly carried by the characters, who were well developed but obviously held a lot of suspense, and I can't wait for the next book, which is Rafe's story.  I'm hoping that by learning more about him, we'll be able to put some answers to Gabriella's story.

I definitely recommend this read!!!

Link to Goodreads
Link to Kindle
Link to Nook

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Review: Until July (Until Her #1) by Aurora Rose Reynolds

~Synopsis~
Wes Silver wasn’t looking for love, but when July Mayson literally knocks him on his ass during their first encounter, his world is turned upside down by the quirky blonde, and every moment with her makes him more determined to protect her.

July Mayson doesn’t understand the pull she feels toward the bad boy biker Wes Silver, but she knows being with him is like nothing she’s ever felt before. Now all she has to do is tell her overprotective father, Asher Mayson, that she’s found her boom.
~My Review~
«««


I found this book because I am a huge fan (maybe even a massive fan) of the Until Series. I loved loved loved Asher, Trevor, Cash, and Nico. Now while I loved those boys, I took their books with somewhat of a grain of salt. What do I mean by that? Well, they all had similar flow, and the writing really wasn't optimal. However, they were entertaining and while everything else does help with reading the story, the entertainment factor is huge for me. That being said, when ARR posted that she would be starting the spinoff series, Until Her and Until Him (for the girls and the boys of the original 4 books), I was cautiously delighted. 

I was nervous to read about July and her grown up life when Asher and November were now (essentially) in their fifties. But I was happy to see that while they had roles in this book, they were strictly side characters and I was able to separate them from the story and see them just as parents. 

I liked both Wes and July. I felt like they were both interesting characters. Wes is your Alpha Male biker who is a retired Navy Seal (yum). July is the daughter of a crazy alpha male, who now owns her own veterinary clinic (I loved that she named it after Beast). I felt that both characters were developed well, and their first meeting was just classic. I loved everything about it. While their relationship did have an insta-love, I wasn't surprised since that's how many of ARR's books happen. And at the end of the day, it's fiction....so - not surprising. 

I loved that we got more information on the sisters and their names. I knew that the girls were July, June, May, December, and April, but I couldn't understand where December came from (it seemed so out of place). But finally understanding the meaning of their names made so much sense. And makes Asher even more lovable. I also loved the relationship between the sisters and cousins. I loved how the boys are extremely protective of the girls (even the older girls), and loved how they interacted together. I also liked the relationship that was built between Asher and Wes. Knowing that Asher was so protective of his girls made me really question how he would be when they finally brought a boy home. So once July finally plucked up the courage to introduce Wes and Asher, I loved seeing their relationship build. 

The story.  I thought that the story flowed well. I liked how July's business was a focal point, as well as a number of different animals. At the same time, there was a lot revolving around Wes's MC. I liked how the two things wove into each other. However, while the story flowed well, I felt like there were instances of conflict without resolution. Obviously certain characters were brought in so that they can be built upon in future books, and I'm guessing that some of the conflict will come up again. So in a way, it's totally possible that the lack of resolution is more of a cliff hanger to be resolved in a future book. 

I honestly would have rated this book at a 4, but I had to give it 3 starts because the editing was just so horrible. It was surprising and I almost wonder if this was an unedited draft. There were run on sentences, spelling errors and grammar errors. In one scene with all of the girls together (sisters and cousins), Nalia and Naila are used interchangeably. It was very surprising. Also, I noticed that there were a few inconsistencies with Until November, and it made the writing seem a bit sloppy.

Overall, I felt that Until July was an enjoyable read. I was disappointed in some of the conflict / resolution and certainly with the editing, but I'm excited for more books in the series because I do love those Maysons. 

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Review: Paradise (The Bianca Grey Series #2) by Pamela Srey

~Synopsis~
After leaving behind all the good and the bad things of Philadelphia, Bianca Grey has found herself starting a new school and a new job in a brand new tropical place. She went from a lifetime without many friends, to quickly meeting new people and building relationships. With so much to learn and explore, Bianca has her heart set on finding her birth mother, but will she ever find her with so many road blocks that are keeping her from doing so? With all the new relationships being formed, will any of them help her forget the one thing from her past that she desperately misses?

Join Bianca in her journey through love, friendship, and a mysterious past in the second installment of The Bianca Grey Series.
~My Review~
«««

I was contacted by Pamela Srey via Twitter to read and review her first book in this series, Melodies. After I read and reviewed that book, she also gave me opportunity to read and review the second book in her series, Paradise.  Once again, I overall liked the book.  It picks up where Bianca left off at the beginning of her new journey in Hawaii.  

I once again loved the qualities that Bianca has been given.  Building upon what we were given in the first book, Bianca continues to show her maturity in not only getting ready for college, but she also gets a job and jumps into a number of new relationships.  While her main intention is to search for information on her mother, she knows she has to get her life in order before she starts.  With everything she had been through in the past, I loved that she has the wherewithal to know exactly what needs to be done.

I felt that the message of love that I loved so much in Melodies is once again carried over into this book.  You can see, with how Bianca builds relationships with her new friends who live in the dorms, with her co-workers at the bookstore, that she loves and is loved.  There is also a strong message of inclusion in this book, and I felt that it was such an important topic, and handled so well.  It's amazing to see how some people only want to see the value in one way of thinking, and I felt that the way this book handled those topics were really well done.  We not only saw these topics come up between roommates and friends, but also between people who are meant to be leaders.  It's such a great message for a young audience.

While I was disappointed that at the end of Book 1, Bianca would be in Hawaii and Pete would be all the way in New York, I was very happy that Pete still does come into play in this book.  His part is smaller in this book, but it was still wonderful to see him and Bianca together, still managing to grow their relationship while they're so far apart.  They're still a part of each others' lives, and I really liked the way Pete was brought into a number of scenes.  I'm always going to be rooting for these two to be together.

I was actually kind of surprised with the number of Point of Views in this book.  Since the first book was so focused on Bianca and Pete, I assumed that the second book would follow suit.  When the first POV change came and we were given a chapter from Shawn's POV - Bianca's new boss at the bookstore/cafe where she works - I thought at first that maybe he would become a new love interest.  But then, we also got chapters throughout the book from not only Shawn and Bianca, but also from Riley (one of her classmates), Gaby (another classmate), and Pete.  So not only did we have Bianca's continuing journey of life in a new state, college, and the path to finding her birth mother, but we also got stories from Shawn, Riley, Gaby, and Pete.  Pete's stories fit into Bianca's so I felt like those flowed pretty well with Bianca's story.  And while a lot of Riley and Gaby's experiences revolved around their roommates, and fit in well with some of what Bianca was also experiencing with her roommates, I actually felt that a lot was taken away from the main part of the story.  While I liked reading about what their experiences were, I felt that not enough attention was given to Bianca's journey in finding her mother.  I was happy that we got through some rough patches in her journey to actually get some answers, but at the same time, I felt that if not so much time had been focused on things that Shawn, Riley, and Gaby were doing that weren't related to Bianca, then we could have gotten further.  I do however, hope that in subsequent books the storylines that have been started for Shawn, Riley, and Gaby are continued and resolved.  I would hate it if they were brought into this story and then we don't find out what ends up happening in their journeys.

A couple of layers from the first book were also brought into this book. Bianca's not-so-nice friend, Lilley, was mentioned so we could learn about her whereabouts, as well as Sammy, another one of the high school mean-girls.  Also, one of the apparitions from the first book also made an appearance here.  While I appreciated some of the closure we got from their appearances, I still had a few questions come the end of the book.

Overall, I found this book enjoyable.  I'm hoping that the next book can tie up some of the loose ends of not only Bianca's story with finding her birth mother, but also her relationship with Pete and his family, and her friendships that she's made along the way.  I really felt that the message brought forth in this book were strong messages, and I'm looking forward to the next adventure!

Special thanks to Pamela Srey for providing this book to me for review.

Link to Goodreads
Link to Kindle
Link to  Nook

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Release Day!!! Rattle Me (A Ravage MC Novella #3.5) by Ryan Michele

Title: Rattle Me (Ravage MC #3.75)
Series: Ravage MC
Author: Ryan Michele
Genre: MC Romance
Release Date: April 7, 2015

After a devastating loss, hope breathes again.
Test after test, the lives of G.T. and Casey are about to take a huge turn. 
Emotions and pain cut deep, and fear burns inside daily. 
Can Casey relax enough to avoid undo stress? 
Can GT handle having zero control?

“This is definitely going to be one hell of a wild ride.”
~G.T.








Ryan Michele has a huge obsession with reading, which only came to life after her best friend said she had to read Twilight. After reading that series, her entire world changed in the blink of an eye. Not only was she sucked into new worlds and all of the wonderful words authors put down on paper, she felt the urge to begin to write down the characters that played inside of her head. In doing so, Safe was born. 

When she’s not reading or writing, she spends time taking care of her two children and her husband, enjoying the outdoors and laying in the sun.  Newsletter Signup: http://eepurl.com/P8bOL






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