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Saturday, June 1, 2013

Weekly Winners

Below is a list of all of the winners from the past week.

Casey
The Devil's Heart by Cathy Maxwell

Lori
Rules of Entanglement by Gina Maxwell

Karen
Awakening by Elene Sallinger

Sharlene
Karen
Curveball by VK Sykes

Cassie
His Risk to Take by Tessa Bailey

All winners have been notified via email. Thank you to everyone that stopped by and entered. =)

ARC Review: Love Me by Diane Alberts


At first glance this book has so much promise. The cover is hot and the blurb sounds fabulous! I wanted to love this book, but the more I got into it, the more I realized that it was not going to happen. Thomas is in town to try and acquire a new account. Brianna happens to be the client he is meeting and although the attraction is instant, they get off to a rocky start. Both Thomas and Brianna come to this relationship with a lot of baggage. He has an ex-wife who cheated on him and treated him horribly, which seriously damaged his confidence and his ability to open up to people. Brianna is a widow with three young children at home and is afraid to let go of her husband and move on.

Although I liked both characters, I found that there was a lot of repetition in their behaviors. They didn't really seem to develop individually or as a couple. I also found the relationship between them to be unbelievable. The entire relationship progresses over a period of two weeks. In this time not only are they seeing each other, but Thomas is spending time with her children and instantly bonding with them. He also has to decide within the two week period if he will return to California where he is currently living or if he will accept a permanent position in Las Vegas where he will be closer to Brianna and her kids. It just felt too rushed and unrealistic to me. I think I would have felt differently if it would have been a few months rather than a few weeks.

Overall, the few sex scenes there were had a lot of chemistry and were really hot. I wish the author would have shown more of Thomas and Brianna interacting and really allowing a relationship to develop. I think a longer time period would have really helped, and made this a completely different book. If you are looking for a quick romance with a lot of fluff, then you would probably enjoy this. However if you are looking for a realistic developed romance I probably wouldn't recommend this book for you.


**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |



Interview with Author Rhyannon Byrd and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author Rhyannon Byrd to RFTC. Rhyannon is gearing up for her upcoming release of Take Me Under and has stopped by to answer a few questions. Please give Rhyannon a warm welcome.

Rhyannon Byrd is an avid, longtime fan of romance and the author of more than twenty paranormal and erotic titles. She has been nominated for three Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Awards, including best Shape-shifter Romance, and her books have been translated into nine languages. After having spent years enjoying the glorious sunshine of the American South and Southwest, Rhyannon now lives in the beautiful, but often chilly county of Warwickshire in England with her husband and family.

Places to find Rhyannon:
| Site | Facebook |

Guest Post with Author Beverley Oakley and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author Beverley Oakley to RFTC. Beverley is here to chat about her book Her Gilded Prison. Please give Beverley a warm welcome.

Beverley Oakley is the author of eight historical romances published by Pan Macmillan Momentum, Robert Hale, Ellora's Cave and Total-e-Bound. Recently she won UK Women's Fiction publisher Choc-Lit's Search for an Australian Star competition.

She's been shortlisted twice for a Romance Readers of Australia Award in the Favourite Historical category — in 2011 for A Little Deception (as Beverley Eikli), and in 2012 for her racy Regency Romp, Rake's Honour, written under her Beverley Oakley pseudonym.

Beverley wrote her first romance when she was seventeen. However, drowning the heroine on the last page was, she discovered, not in the spirit of the genre so her romance-writing career ground to a halt and she became a journalist.

After throwing in her job on South Australia's metropolitan daily The Advertiser to manage a luxury safari lodge in the Okavango Delta, in Botswana, Beverley discovered a new world of romance and adventure in a thatched cottage in the middle of a mopane forest with the handsome Norwegian bush pilot she met around a camp fire.

Eighteen years later, after exploring the world in the back of Cessna 404s and CASA 212s as an airborne geophysical survey operator during low-level sorties over the French Guyanese jungle and Greenland's ice cap, Beverley is back in Australia living a more conventional life with her husband and two daughters in a pretty country town an hour north of Melbourne.

Places to find Beverley:

Friday, May 31, 2013

ARC Review: What a Wicked Earl Wants by Vicky Dreiling


Vicky Dreiling is back with the first book in her new Sinful Scoundrels series. I have been a huge fan of Dreiling since her debut novel. Her books stand out for clever, funny dialogue and characters you love. There were more than enough delightful characters to go around in What a Wicked Earl Wants. The full cast of lovable characters gives the story richness and dimension.

Andrew Carrington, Earl of Bellingham has resolved never to marry. Ever since his family died he has been overcome with guilt and has made an art of avoiding relationships, living a debauched life but enjoying it less and less. Lady Laura Davenport is a widow struggling to raise an adolescent stepson. Never mind that Justin is only eleven years younger than her – Laura is a very determined mother. Bell finds himself drawn into Laura’s struggle with Justin and takes the role of male figure in the boy’s life. With the help Bell’s two friends and Laura’s older lady advisor Bell, Laura and Justin become a family.

I loved every minute of this book. The story just rather bounced along on its way to the Happily Ever After. You have to love Bell’s friends, Colin and Harry. Their upcoming stories are sure to be worth the wait. This was the first Regency I recall that dealt with teenage male rebellion. It was refreshing and unusual. I had a few minor complaints with What a Wicked Earl Wants. The story slowed a bit in the middle. Conflicts were resolved a little too quickly. Ending was a little abrupt. But the most significant fact is that I did not want it to end. What a wonderful thing to say about any book. I will be the first in line for the other Sinful Scoundrels.

**ARC provided by NetGalley**


Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository |




Guest Post with Jessica E. Subject and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome back to RFTC author Jessica Subject  Jessica is celebrating the release of her newest book Alien Adoration and has stopped by to share Part Six in her Just Another Wedding serial. Please give Jessica a warm welcome.

Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.
When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers.
Jessica is a member of RWA and the Toronto Romance Writers chapter, EPIC, and Savvy Authors. She blogs weekly at Backward Momentum, and monthly at Paranormal Romantics.

Places to find Jessica:
| Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

Guest Post with Author Diane Alberts and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome back to RFTC author Diane Alberts  Diane is celebrating the newest release in her Take a Chance series, Love Me and has stopped by to chat. Please give Diane a warm welcome.

Diane Alberts is a multi-published, bestselling author with Entangled Publishing, Swoon Romance, and Decadent Publishing. She has, as of this date, four books with Entangled Publishing, one book with Swoon Romance, and five older books with Decadent Publishing. Her February release with Entangled Publishing, ON ONE CONDITION, hit #18 on the Barnes and Noble bestseller list, and TRY ME hit #76 on Amazon. Her Swoon Romance novella, CAPTIVATED BY YOU, hit #31 on the Barnes and Noble bestseller list. Diane is represented by Louise Fury from the L. Perkins Agency.

Places to find Diane:
| Site | BlogFacebook | Twitter |

Thursday, May 30, 2013

ARC Review: The Demon's Song by Kendra Leigh Castle


The Demon’s Song is the first novel I’ve read from Kendra Leigh Castle. It is the beginning to her new Hearts of the Fallen series that appears to be centered around a group of fallen angels who’ve literally escaped Hell to start a new life. I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting into when I started reading this, but I will say I didn’t stop until I’d finished it!

This story is told from the points of view of Phenex, a fallen angel who’d once been the Angel of Song, and Sofia, a human nurse who stumbles into a scene out of a horror movie and quickly gets tossed into a world containing all sorts of creatures that go ‘bump’ in the night.

I liked Phenex from the start. Mulish and brooding, easily portraying the assumed nature of a fallen angel viewing humans as being little more than talking monkeys who spend too much time on those pesky things called feelings, and the ridiculous notion of mortal love. Until he haphazardly ran into a young woman who oddly caught his attention...and kept it.

Sofia, on a mission to rescue her friend from herself, snuck into one of the hottest clubs in town and walked in on her friend being drained dry by a nasty vampire. She managed to defend herself from his initial attack, but the tall and gorgeous musician she’d ran into earlier in the evening managed to jump in and land the final blow finishing him off. This first glimpse we get of Sofia’s character showed that she was strong and solid in the face of danger and chaos. Something that would appear to make her good at her occupation, being an emergency room nurse. The veil of her normal life was immediately ripped away from her as from that point on she discovered that so many of those creatures she’d believed to be myth were living all around her. Fallen angels, vampires, werewolves, demons...all real. And for those threatening the safety of Terra Noctem, an underground Vampire city called home by many of the aforementioned creatures, she had become bait.

Phenex didn’t want to pay Sofia any more mind, but upon realizing that the Vampire King and head of Terra Noctem where he had made his home, was planning to use the human woman to lure out his enemies he couldn’t help but offer up his services as body guard. And while he watched and protected her something he hadn’t felt for centuries began to stir inside him.

Phenex and Sofia’s story was a quick read full of action, well fleshed characters, and a beautifully described underground city that was a treat to envision as an escape from reality. The sexual tension between the pair was heavy and well played out in terms of their character and personalities. And once they gave into their attraction for each other? A very steamy romance that had me looking for my own set of black wings soaring through the night. The supporting characters were interesting and I found myself searching online to find the titles containing a few of their back stories. The fallen angel Raum having been the main character in KLC’s Renegade Angel, and the Vampire King Justin’s from the short story Vivi and the Vampire found in the Vacation with a Vampire romance anthology.

I truly enjoyed reading this story and would highly recommend this title to anyone who enjoys a strong male lead (oh, and I did mention he’s a musician right?) as well as a strong willed female lead. This was a great addition to my paranormal romance collection and I will be anxiously awaiting the next installment in this series, as well as adding several more previously written books from this author to my TBR list.

**ARC provided by NetGalley**

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |



Feature and Giveaway: The Plus One Chronicles by Jennifer Lyon

A wicked proposition…

A sensual possession…

A dark obsession...

The Plus One Chronicles: Searing passion and fiery vengeance collide in three explosive books.


Rich, sexy and volatile, Sloane Michaels has a dark agenda that keeps his heart on ice. His extreme wealth gives him the control he craves and his skills as an ex UFC fighter the tools he’ll need to extract his ultimate revenge. But when the woman he never believed he’d see again crosses his path, Sloane is caught between the vengeance he needs and a sexual conquest he craves.

Kat Thayne has been in survival mode for six years, hiding behind the sweet creations for her bakery. But when a random carjacking brings her face-to-face with her darkest fears and hottest fantasy, Kat is forced out of hiding and offered a dangerously passionate proposition. One she knows she isn’t strong enough to refuse.

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords | iTunes |

Interview with Author Ally Blake and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome Ally Blake to RFTC. Ally is currently on tour celebrating the release of When Honey Got Married Anthology and has stopped by to answer a few questions. Please give Ally a warm welcome.

Australian writer Ally Blake is a redhead, a footy fan, a devotee of the language of Aaron Sorkin; she is addicted to stationery and M&Ms, weak in the face of Italians and firefighters, married to a spectacular and ever-patient man, mum to three beings of pure delight, and a firm believer in love, luck, and fairies. She is also a best-selling author with more than twenty-five fun, flirty romance novels under her belt with over three million copies of her books sold worldwide. For Ally's take on life, writing, and other fancy stuff, head to www.allyblake.com.

Places to find Ally:
| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Feature and Giveaway: Captive by KM Fawcett


AN IMPOSSIBLE JOURNEY

The last thing Addy Dawson remembers is a blazing inferno and freezing river water overtaking her lungs. When she awakens, Addy finds herself on a strange, alien planet, trapped in a cell with no doors, no windows-- and to her horror-- a naked warrior who claims to be her mate.

AN UNDENIABLE PASSION

An alpha gladiator, Max is forced to breed and produce the finest specimens for the Survival Race, a deadly blood sport created by the alien rulers of Hyborea. To rebel means torture - or worse - yet Max refuses to become the animal his captors want him to be. But their jailors will not be denied, and soon Addy and Max find themselves unwilling players in this cruel game. Pushed to the limit, they will risk everything for the chance at a life free from captivity. And though fate brought them together as adversaries, Max and Addy will discover that when they're together, there's nothing in the universe that can stop them .

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository |

Interview with Author Brooke Moss and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author Brooke Moss to RFTC. Brooke has stopped by to answer a few questions and to chat about her book, The "What If" Guy. Please give Brooke a warm welcome.

Brooke writes complex, character-driven stories about kismet, reunited lovers, first love, and the kind of romance that we should all have the chance at finding. She prefers her stories laced with some humor just for fun, and enough drama to keep her readers flipping the pages, and begging for more!

When Brooke isn't spinning tales, she spends her time drawing/cartooning, reading two books a week (ask her who her faves are), watching movies then comparing them to books, and, of course, wrangling four kids, one hubby she lovingly refers to as her "nerd", and attempting to conquer the Mount Everest of laundry that is the bane of her existence.

Places to find Brooke: 
| Site | Facebook | Twitter

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

ARC Review: Captive by KM Fawcett


An epic beginning to a wonderful new paranormal romance series. From the very first page this story grabbed my attention as our lead female character raced to save innocent people from a raging forest fire. Right in the midst of chaos she was ripped away from everything she’d ever known and forced into a world determined to break her spirit, and own her soul.

Addy Dawson awakes after nearly drowning while trying to escape a forest fire to find herself in a world she doesn’t recognize. And, with a handsome and very naked man lying next to her. Scared, confused, and also naked Addy confronts him only to hear that they are both being held against their will on an alien planet. Though at first she thinks him crazy, it doesn’t take long for the evidence to manifest itself and for her to realize that what Max had been telling her was the truth.

Fawcett’s world building was fantastic in this story. From the illusions surrounding the ‘yard’ to the harsh landscapes of a frozen world beyond, I could close my eyes and easily envision it all. The story is mostly written from Addy and Max’s point of view. Another character has the lime-light a bit here and there towards the end, seemingly to help fill some parts of the story you’d otherwise miss if reading only from the views of the main characters. I truly enjoyed getting inside both characters heads. Getting to experience Max’s mixed feelings towards Addy and how he had to fight so hard to overcome his personal insecurities and beastly nature was incredibly endearing. I found myself rooting for him from the very beginning. Addy was so strong throughout her journey. The odds were stacked against her from the start as she was forced to deal with obstacle after horrible obstacle, fighting for her survival. Her internal struggles pulled at my heart and I found myself connecting very easily with her. By the time I finished this book I found that I truly cared for these two characters and didn’t want their story to end.

The romance between these two began as a heavy case of lust at first sight. Throughout the story they unknowingly fell deeper and deeper into each other until they were left with a relationship built on a strong foundation of trust, mutual respect, and unshakeable love. The combination of originality in plot-line, fantastic world building, and well paced action meshed beautifully with a simmering romance to create an epic and enjoyable read. I will be anxiously awaiting the next installment in this series.


**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository |



Guest Post with Author Diana Quincy and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome Diana Quincy to RFTC. Diana is currently on tour for her book Seducing Charlotte and has stopped by to chat. Please give Diana a warm welcome.

Diana Quincy is an award-winning former television journalist who decided she’d rather make up stories where a happy ending is always guaranteed.

Growing up as a foreign service brat, Diana visited many countries and is now settled in Virginia with her husband and two sons. When not bent over her laptop or trying to keep up with laundry, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family and dreams of traveling much more than her current schedule (and budget) allows.

Places to find Diana:
| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Feature: Avenging Angel by Cynthia Eden


EARTHLY DELIGHTS

With a messed up family background and a tendency to grow claws and fangs, Tanner Chance isn’t exactly the boy next door. But he’s a decent cop, and he keeps himself on the side of the good guys. Convenient, because when he rescues a survivor of a horrific shifter attack he finds himself instantly smitten—with an honest-to-goodness angel, as innocent as she is irresistible.

Marna may be angelic, but she’s not stupid or weak. She can take care of herself. Tanner is more temptation than protection anyway. Or so she thinks, until someone wearing her face starts taking out some of New Orleans’ more unsavory paranormals. With police and predators both gunning for her blood, Marna has no choice but to trust Tanner…even though what’s sparking between them is hotter than anything holy.

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository |

Monday, May 27, 2013

ARC Review: Ten Reasons to Stay by Sabrina Jeffries


Romance novellas are tricky things. The author has to put together an entire relationship in a very short time. Sabrina Jeffries did an admirable job with Ten Reasons to Stay (School for Heiresses #2.5, previously published in The School for Heiresses). It was terribly cute, extremely sweet and very short. I would describe it as a dessert book - read it when you just need a little something sweet. It was a lovely story and I enjoyed it very much.

Colin Hunt, Earl of Montieth, discovers Eliza Crenshawe dressed as a boy and “borrowing” a horse. She explains her need to run away from a forced marriage. She need to get to her friends at the School for Ladies so they will help her. Colin finds her tale a little unbelievable. He has issues of his own since he is half East Indian and harbors guilt about the death of his Indian wife. Colin is gradually drawn into Eliza's story and comes to believe her. Together they confront their baggage and learn to “deserve” each other.

I am not a great fan of novellas. I read books for the character development and there is just not enough space in a novella for the characters to show much development. That being said, Sabrina Jeffries did a wonderful job of creating a complete story in a very small space. Colin and Eliza actually did develop, both personally and together. Ten Reasons to Stay should be used as a model for novellas. It does just what it should, but nothing more. Perfect.

**ARC provided by NetGalley**

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |



Feature and Giveaway: Illicit Intent by Tina Donahure


What's your wildest erotic wish?

For Piper, that's easy. Two Alpha males who ravish her like marauding pirates and find her curves beyond luscious. She knows her type isn't for every man…certainly not Guy and Joel, right? Guy's tall, dark and sinfully virile. Joel's blond and bronzed. They're freaking gods, escorts her friend hired so Piper's thirtieth birthday is unforgettable with the bondage and submission she's fantasized about. Carnal games that awaken Piper's sensuality, while her voluptuous figure and sweet vulnerability fuels both me
n's animal hunger.

One evening of decadent pleasure isn't enough. Piper aches to perform ménage acts with them for agency clients who like curvy women. A wicked idea, except for her family's ties with law enforcement, the threat of exposure. Is it worth the risk?

Hell yeah. By day, she'll be good. During their wanton acts, the three of them will explore their growing bond as they're very, very bad…

Purchase: | Ellora's Cafe |

Guest Post with Author Paula Altenburg and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author Paula Altenburg to RFTC. Paula is celebrating the recent release of Desire By Design and has stopped by to chat. Please give Paula a warm welcome.

Paula Altenburg lives in rural Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband and two sons. Once a manager in the aerospace industry, she now enjoys the freedom of working from home and writing full time. She currently writes demon westerns for Entangled Publishing.

Paula also co-authors paranormal romance under the pseudonym Taylor Keating.

Places to find Paula: 
| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Sunday, May 26, 2013

ARC Review: Werewolves Be Damned by Stacey Kennedy

I have to say that I liked this book, but I didn't love it. For me it is on the higher side of 3 stars. Nexi is thrust into a world filled with things that she never knew existed when her adopted parents are suddenly murdered. She finds out that she is the daughter of a guardian and a witch and she is half of each, as well as the fact that there are werewolves and vampires. As she begins to learn and train to be a Guardian, she is on a single minded quest to find the werewolves that killed her parents and have her revenge.

Kyden the son of the most powerful guardian, agrees to oversee her training and from the beginning it is clear that he is interested in more than just training Nexi. He is strong and confident, and has an intense urge to protect Nexi. Nexi on the other hand was more impulsive and immature. She was always running off thinking that she would be fine on her own, even without training to use her new found abilities. I felt like the two of them could have had more interactions and built a stronger connection. To me, it was almost as if the book tried to rush through everything and could have been longer. I would have liked to see more of Kyden and Nexi really getting to know each other and go through the beginning stages of their relationship. Their bond and relationship seemed to almost be just a side story in her quest for vengeance.

I did however really enjoy the world that Stacey Kennedy has created! She did a wonderful job introducing the reader to the Otherworld and setting up the series for future books. I am really intrigued by the different groups and hope that she expands on those as the series progresses. I'm especially interested in the werewolves and the witches. I think that she has really opened up a ton of possibilities for those two groups!

Overall, this book was action packed and those scenes were great! The author really seemed to excel in that aspect. If you are looking for supernatural and action, this is a must read! But if you are looking for a well developed romance and an all consuming relationship, I probably wouldn't recommend it. Most of the relationship really seemed to take place in the last few chapters of the book, instead of over the entirety. I would say this is a promising start to a new fantasy series with a little romance thrown in.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |



Guest Post with Virna DePaul and Giveaway


Today I would like to welcome one of my most favorite people, author Virna DePaul. Virna is celebrating the upcoming re-release of Arrested by Love and has stopped by to chat. Please give Virna a warm welcome.

Virna DePaul is a former criminal prosecutor and national bestselling author of paranormal romance, contemporary romance, and romantic suspense. She writes for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, HQN, and Random House, and is also a bestselling indie author.

Places to find Virna:
Site | Blog Facebook Twitter Goodreads | 

Feature and Giveaway: It Had To Be You by Jill Shalvis


Ali Winters is not having a good day. Her boyfriend left her, everyone in town thinks she’s a thief, and now she’s about to be kicked out of her home. Her only shot at keeping a roof over her head and clearing her name is to beg for help from a police detective who’s as sexy as he is stern…

After a high-profile case goes wrong, Luke Hanover returns to his hometown for some peace and quiet. Instead he finds a bombshell brunette in a heap of trouble. As he helps Ali put her world back together, the pieces of Luke’s own life finally seem to fall into place. Is this the start of a sizzling fling? Or are Luke and Ali on the brink of something big in a little town called Lucky Harbor?

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository |