Weekly Winners

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

Ann Drake
Flirting Under a Full Moon by Ashlyn Chase

Shukra
True Spies by Shana Galen

May
Cupcakes from Robin Bielman

Karen
$5 Amazon Gift Card from Becky Lower

Melanie
Reborn vampire novel t-shirt + eBook copy of Now and Always


**Replacement Winners**

Denise Loves Books
My Spy by Dana Marton

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

ARC Review: Unspoken by Jen Frederick

Unspoken is the second book in Jen Frederick's New Adult Contemporary Woodlands Series. This series centers around a group of guys who are roommates/friends. We first meet Bo in Undeclared, which is Noah and Grace's story. I have been excited to get Bo's story since I read Undeclared. I loved Noah and Grace, but there was just something about Bo, and I couldn't wait to get to know him better. Unspoken was a great follow up to the first book, and I enjoyed it even more than the first one.

AnneMarie is a sophomore at Central College who made the mistake of losing her virginity to the wrong person. After sleeping with a member of the lacrosse team, rumors begin to spread about her and she exiles herself to only being on campus when necessary. When her and Bo have a class together and become lab partners, he has no idea about what has been said about her. Bo and AnneMarie (AM to her friends) are attracted to each other from the start, but she has a rule about not dating Central students anymore and he has never been one for commitment. The pull between the two of them begins to be too much for both of them, and the feelings begin to grow. Bo and AM begin to pursue a relationship together, but they are both still struggling with their pasts. Will they be able to move forward and overcome everything, or will the obstacles in their way keep them from having the relationship that they both want and didn't know that they needed?

I really liked Bo. He was so perfect for AM. He was always looking out for her and protecting her. I loved that he gave her space when she needed it and he was very understanding. He was also very supportive. Bo was extremely sweet and it was impossible not to like him! AM starts off as a little battered and damaged, which was understandable considering everything she had been through. It was nice to see her really begin to stand up for not only herself but women in general. She really began to own all of her decisions and wasn't afraid to put herself out there in order to empower other girls and make sure that she did everything to prevent her own circumstances from happening to others. I think that she and Bo were exactly what the other needed and even though they grew as individuals, they were clearly better when they were together.

There are some things about this series and book that I really love, and then there are some others that I have some problems with. I love the characters in this series. All of the characters are well written and interesting. At times there are things about them that can annoy or grate, but despite those times, the author has done a great job of making sure that these are characters that the reader gets invested in and really starts to care for. I do have some issues however that things are brought up and dropped in this series. In this book, Bo and AM's mothers are mentioned on several occasions and their futures and relationships are brought into this story. But then as we get to the end of the book, nothing is ever mentioned again and we are left wondering if Bo and his mother have spoken and possibly started a reconciliation or whether or not AM's mother will leave Roger and/or stop relying on him for support. I just wish that some of these things would have been given some kind of resolution. Also, I was hoping to see a little more progression of the relationship between Noah and Grace. These two are hardly mentioned, and there are no clues as to what awaits them in the future. But it was nice to at least see that they are still together and happy. Although these books have a clear ending and there are no cliffhangers to be found, both Undeclared and Unspoken have very abrupt endings. I felt both times that these endings are very jarring, and I would have liked a little more resolution with those as well. I think both books could have used a few extra pages.

Overall, this series is one that I am enjoying reading. The characters are wonderful and I find them very interesting. Jen Frederick has done a great job of introducing each character and making you anxious for the next one's story! You can't help but want to know more about all of them. Despite the few problems that I have had with these books, I really do like these books and will continue reading the series in the future. These books are about young love and healing, and are a nice addition to the New Adult genre. If you enjoy sweet stories about college age love and romance, I think that you will find these stories to be enjoyable. These books are entertaining and the romance and characters are fun to read about and very likable. I am looking forward to more stories in this series, especially Finn's! I'm also hoping that Frederick will write a story for Gray! He was introduced toward the end of Unspoken, and I find myself really wanting to know more about him.

**ARC provided by AToMR Book Tours**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble |

Feature and Giveaway: Unspoken by Jen Frederick

Whore. Slut. Typhoid Mary.

I’ve been called all these at Central College. One drunken night, one act of irresponsible behavior, and my reputation was ruined. Guys labeled me as easy and girls shied away. To cope, I stayed away from Central social life and away from Central men, so why is it that my new biology lab partner is so irresistible to me?

He’s everything I shouldn’t want. A former Marine involved in illegal fighting with a quick trigger temper and an easy smile for all the women. His fists aren’t the danger to me, though, it’s his charm. He’s sliding his way into my heart and I’m afraid that he’s going to be the one to break me.

Impulsive. Unthinking. Hot tempered.

I allow instinct to rule my behavior. If it feels good, do it, has been my motto because if I spend too much time thinking, I’ll begin to remember exactly where I came from. At Central College, I’ve got fighting and I’ve got women and I thought I was satisfied until I met her.

She’s everything I didn’t realize I wanted and the more time I spend with her, the more I want her. But she’s been hurt too much in the past and I don’t want to be the one to break her. I know I should walk away, but I just can’t.

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble |

Guest Post with Author Erin Kellison and Giveaway

Meet Erin Kellison, author of Soul Kissed.

Erin Kellison is the award-winning author of the Shadow series, the Shadow Touch novella series, and the Shadow Kissed series, all of which share the same world, where dark fantasy meets modern fairy tale. RT calls her latest, Soul Kissed, “a dark fairy tale with a twist, perfect for readers who love passion with their fantasy.”

Places to find Erin:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

Feature and Giveaway: Beautiful Chances by Alicia Rae

After losing her parents and sister in a tragic car accident, Lily distances herself from those still around her. As she solely focuses on her work, she refuses to form any emotional attachments in fear of struggling through another unbearable loss.

…until Kyle enters her life with his possessive and overbearing personality. Instead of running, Lily finds herself drawn to him. Helping her on a path to healing, Kyle stands by her side and lends her his strength.

A bond is formed, but it is tested when the unthinkable happens.

Can taking a chance on love conquer all?

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |

ARC Review: Hot Pursuit by Lynn Raye Harris

It should surprise no one that I’m a complete military romantic suspense ’ho and am always looking for new authors to add to my list. All it really took for me to become interested in unknown-to-me Lynn Raye Harris’s indie HOT PURSUIT—which kicks off her Hostile Operations Team (HOT; clever, that) series—was one look at that cover and the words ‘special operations’. I’m a sucker for the reunion romance trope, so former high school sweethearts + hot spec ops bloke + bad guys chasing ‘his woman’ = winning setup. I found HOT PURSUIT a well-written, solid military romantic suspense title with an interesting, well-paced plot and deliciously steamy love scenes. But while the elements were well executed, there wasn’t enough to really set it apart from the myriad other titles in the genre for me.

Hero Matt Girard is a spec ops captain in the Army, tasked with leading a small team of operatives as part of an elite counterterrorism unit, HOT. When a top secret mission to capture a terrorist in Iraq goes awry due to bad intel and two HOT team members are killed, Matt is relieved of his duties pending a hearing. With his military career hanging in the balance and the guilt and grief over his teammates’ deaths weighing heavily on him, Matt returns to the bayou hometown of Rochambeau, Louisiana he escaped from at seventeen to await his fate and attend his sister’s wedding. There he comes face to face with his biggest regret: former childhood best friend and one-time lover Evangeline (Evie) Baker, whom he made the mistake of deflowering… and then telling everyone at school about it before skipping town. Definitely not the way to a woman’s heart, and while he’s truly sorry for being an absolute wanker back then and seeks Evie out to apologise (after 10 years, mind you), he also really just wants back in her pants. Spec ops hotness and all, it took me quite a while to warm up to Matt, and it really only happened after witnessing the pockets of vulnerability (especially about his mum and his relationship with his father) under the military badass façade and his commitment to helping Evie out of a potentially deadly jam even at the risk of his military career. I liked how he was honest with Evie about what he could and couldn’t offer her until he knew where he stood professionally and how in the end he was willing to do anything to be with her, but I was (repeatedly) tempted to slap him upside the head for not letting Evie decide for herself whether she could deal with the uncertainty and danger of his spec ops career.

Evie has the right combination of vulnerability and strength to make her both thoroughly relatable and likeable. She’s had a fairly rough go of it her whole life: raised by a single mother on the poor side of town, having to deal with the cruelty of high schoolers deeming her easy or a slut in the aftermath of Matt’s asshattery, and having her business partner and sometimes-lover with organised crime connections steal her restaurant from under her. Like Matt, she’s at a crossroads and finds herself back in the hometown she never wanted to return to—and to top it off, she has to face the man who loved her, blabbed, and left her to deal with the consequences and small-town gossip again whilst her life is at its lowest. While I thought she hung on a bit too much to that hurt, humiliation, and resentment from a decade ago, I really liked how she always got back into it after a hard knock. Even when the bad guys show up looking something and kidnap her sullen younger sister and she’s thrust into a world of murder, mayhem, and gunfire that is completely foreign to her. The way Ms. Harris balanced Evie’s determination to follow Matt and rescue her sister with her completely losing it made Evie’s character three-dimensional and realistic. Her chemistry with Matt is off the charts and she’s never really fallen out of love with him, but I wish she’d made him grovel a bit more before falling right back into his arms in a relationship they both feel has no way of working.

The story is a bit slow to get going, with the first quarter of the book laying out the history between Matt and Evie and painting a rich picture of life in the small bayou town of Rochambeau. But once it takes off, it’s a nonstop thrill ride with several twists you definitely will not see coming. Whilst not particularly original overall, the suspense is well written and executed, and Ms. Harris clearly has a great voice for the genre. I loved the rest of the HOT guys that help Matt and Evie and definitely look forward to their stories. But the romance was the weakest part of the story for me: sexual tension abounded and the love scenes were plenty hot, but the emotional connection with the hero and heroine wasn’t fully there for me.

Overall, HOT PURSUIT was an action-packed, enjoyable read with great (if not particularly novel) suspense and plenty of steam. And, wow, that cover! The HOT series has plenty of potential, and I look forward to seeing how Ms. Harris’s military romantic suspense voice develops as the series proceeds.

**ARC provided by NetGalley**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | Kobo |

Guest Post with Author Rebecca York and Giveaway

Meet Rebecca York, author of Bad Nights.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rebecca York’s writing has been compared to Dick Francis, Sherrilyn Kenyon and Maggie Shayne. Her books have been translated into twenty-two languages and optioned for film. She lives in Maryland, near Washington, D.C., which is often the setting of her romantic suspense novels. Rebecca’s next romantic suspense novel from Sourcebooks Casablanca, Betrayed, will be in stores in July 2014.

Places to find Rebecca:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | 

Guest Post with Author Natalie J. Damschroder and Giveaway

Meet Natalie J. Damschroder, author of Heavy Metal.

Natalie J. Damschroder is an award-winning author of contemporary and paranormal romance—Love with a Shot of Adrenaline. She sold her first book in 1999, and 2013 will see the publication of her 14th novel. She grew up in Massachusetts and loves the New England Patriots more than anything. (Except her family. And writing and reading. And popcorn.)

When she's not writing, revising, proofreading, or promoting her work, she does freelance editing and works part time as a chiropractic assistant. She and her husband have two daughters she's dubbed "the anti-teenagers," one of whom is also a novelist. (The other one prefers math. Smart kid. Practical.)

Places to find Natalie:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | 

ARC Review: Crash and Burn by Allison Brennan and Laura Griffin

When I heard that two of my favourite romantic suspense authors were teaming up to co-write a new suspense/mystery series, I jumped at the chance to read CRASH AND BURN, the novel that kicks off the Moreno & Hart series. I love Allison’s dark and twisted romantic thrillers and think that Laura’s Tracers series is some of the best straight-up romantic suspense around, so I was intrigued to see how these two fantastic authors would combine their two very different writing and storytelling styles into a cogent whole. The result is two great (but short) stories featuring two kickass characters that reads like the pilot for a new high-octane television series and sets the stage for what is sure to be a very successful collaboration.

CRASH AND BURN is an unusual collaboration in that it’s actually two separate-but-connected stories written by each of the two authors and each told from the point of view of one of the two protagonists, Scarlet Moreno and Krista Hart. Scarlet and Krista are former LAPD officers who were set up and nearly killed during a sting operation three years ago and now run Moreno & Hart Investigations in Orange County. Each story follows one of the investigators on a case and is heavy on the action and suspense but lighter on the romance as we are introduced to Scarlet and Krista and their romantic interests.

CRASH is very much an Allison Brennan novel, darker and with a heftier dose of murder and violence to match the older, broodier Scarlet, who’s truly still a cop at heart but enjoys the freedom being a PI gives her to investigate who betrayed Krista and her three years ago. Scarlet is working a cheating spouse case when she finds herself inadvertently in the middle of a hilarious-but-sad crazy stalker ex-girlfriend case and butting heads with new, sexy Newport Beach detective Alex Bishop in a double homicide where her favourite bartender becomes a suspect. [Note: sexual assault plays an important role in the story]. It boasts Allison’s trademark pitch-perfect pacing and approachable writing style, and the great dialogue makes both Scarlet and uptight Detective Bishop thoroughly likeable characters—even in a short(ish) story. I wish there had been more time for the romance to feature more prominently, but that will hopefully come in subsequent books! Scarlet absolutely kicks ass, and I want to be her when I grow up. Krista too.

BURN is a great example of why Laura Griffin won the 2013 romantic suspense RITA—though, again, lighter on the romance than usual. It’s beautifully written, with a great balance of humour and gripping suspense that perfectly showcases Krista’s sunnier personality and dogged determination to elevate Moreno & Hart to the top. After chasing down deadbeat dads and philandering husbands for most of the three years Moreno & Hart has been operating, Krista is hired by the biggest criminal defence attorney in Orange County to track down and deliver a missing witness. But things are not what they seem, the client is an absolute wanker, and Krista is forced to cross paths (and reluctantly work with) sexy-but-irritating-as-hell rival investigator R.J. Flynn. Though the length of the story and the focus on the suspense means there isn’t much in the way of romance, the attraction (reluctant on Krista’s part and blatant on R.J.’s) between the two of them is evident and their banter has me really looking forward to them finally getting together!

If you like your suspense primarily plot-driven (but with some really great characters) and/or are a fan of Allison Brennan or Laura Griffin, CRASH AND BURN will not disappoint. If you have never read anything by Allison or Laura, it’s a great way to get acquainted with their voices before delving into their very extensive backlists. I’m already looking forward to the next Moreno & Hart book and intrigued to see if they will keep to the current format of two connected short(ish) stories with Allison writing Scarlet and Laura writing Krista.

ARC provided by Author**

Purchase: | Amazon |

Feature and Giveaway: Deep Rising by N.R. Rhodes

In his nine-year stint with the CIA, Jared Caldwell thought he’d seen it all. But when his latest mission instructs him to apprehend a beautiful scientist who’s allegedly linked to a devastating new form of warfare, he isn’t prepared for the prospect of battling man-made tsunamis—or the misplaced feelings he harbors for his number one suspect.

The irony of being accused of crimes her research was intended to prevent isn’t lost on Svetlana Orskya. She also didn’t expect her wish for a strong, sexy man to sweep in and change her life to come true—especially not when he appears, gun in hand, pointed at her.

But time is running out and Jared and Lana must work together to protect the mainland. As the heat between them—and the threat of mass destruction—rises there is more at stake than just their hearts.

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

Guest Post with Author Ann Gimpel

Meet Ann Gimpel, author of Wolf Born.

Ann Gimpel is a clinical psychologist, with a Jungian bent. Avocations include mountaineering, skiing, wilderness photography and, of course, writing. A lifelong aficionado of the unusual, she began writing speculative fiction a few years ago. Since then her short fiction has appeared in a number of webzines and anthologies. Several paranormal romance novellas are available in e-format. Three novels, Psyche’s Prophecy, Psyche’s Search, and Psyche's Promise are small press publications available in e-format and paperback. Look for three more urban fantasy novels coming this summer and fall: To Tame a Highland Dragon, Earth’s Requiem and Earth’s Blood.

A husband, grown children, grandchildren and three wolf hybrids round out her family.

Places to find Ann:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | 

Review: Mine to Take by Cynthia Eden

I’m generally not a fan of novellas, but as an avid fan of Cynthia Eden’s dark romantic suspense titles—and with her focusing on her Harlequin and paranormal releases in the last while—I decided to give MINE TO TAKE a try. Reunited lovers? Obsessed stalker? Hot sexy billionaire with a dark past? So many suspects that you can’t make up your mind who the villain actually is? A crapload of crazy? I’m sold. MINE TO TAKE has the makings of a fantastic romantic suspense title with two intriguing characters but suffers from the limitations of its short length, with the well-crafted suspense taking top billing and making the characters and the romance feel underdeveloped. Thankfully, Cynthia has listened to her fans clamouring for more of Skye and Trace and their story will have a full-length follow-up in mid-September.

MINE TO TAKE starts off with a bang, with heroine Skye Sullivan trapped in the wreckage of her car after an accident that she suspects was not an accident at all. It continues with Skye going to former lover and current billionaire owner of Weston Securities, Trace Weston, for help with a stalker that’s dogging her every step. From there, it’s a pulse-pounding, fast-paced thrill-ride that will have you frantically turning the pages and changing your guess about who the stalker is until the very end. Cynthia’s romantic suspense writing has this indescribable intensity that draws you in from the get-go and makes her one of the best in the genre, and this is evident even in a novella. She’s also very adept at crafting strong, sexy heroes and steamy love scenes. Trace Weston is alpha to the max, a billionaire who came from nothing. He let Skye go once so she could live her dream of becoming a prima ballerina and now has the means to protect her from harm. His protectiveness readily veers into possessiveness since he believes that Skye has always been his and is unwilling to let her go again now that she’s back in his life. He’s undoubtedly sexy, but he’s a bit too controlling (inside and outside the bedroom) for my taste, and almost as taken with Skye as her stalker. I have some mixed feelings about Skye. She’s a survivor of a tough childhood in foster care, she’s being victimized by a stalker, and she’s faced with asking the man who taught her everything about her sexuality and then told her to get out of his life for help when no one else believes her… but she’s also given to a bit too much drama and veers into TSTL territory sometimes. Running out unaccompanied in the middle of the night when a deranged stalker is after you? Not exactly the smartest move. And because of the novella length, I felt like the characters were not as developed and three-dimensional as Cynthia Eden is capable of making them. The sexual tension is palpable and the sex is hot, but the two of them resolve many of their issues too quickly. There are definitely many more secrets in both their backgrounds that could’ve been more thoroughly explored for a more satisfying experience, but these will (thankfully!) be the subject of the follow-up, MINE TO KEEP.

Overall, MINE TO TAKE is a great way for new readers to discover Cynthia Eden’s compelling dark romantic suspense voice. It’s a short, intense read with a great suspense plot that will keep you guessing until the end, though it does suffer from the limitations common to novellas. The fact that there will be a follow-up to complete the story arc bumps my rating up to 4 stars. And if you enjoy this novella, be sure to check out her fantastic Deadly series—DEADLY FEAR (book #1) ranks as my favourite romantic suspense title of all time!

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo |

Guest Post with Author Claire Baxter and Giveaway

Meet Claire Baxter, author of Flirting with Disaster.

Claire Baxter writes contemporary romantic fiction of all lengths. Her short stories have been published in commercial women's magazines around the world, while her novels have been translated into 20 languages and have been nominated in the Romance Writers of Australia's Romantic Book of the Year Award, the RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Awards, and the Cataromance Reviewers' Choice Awards (Winner, Best Harlequin Romance).

Before following her passion to write full-time, Claire was an award-winning corporate communications manager. Earlier, she worked as a translator and a PA.

Claire grew up in Warwickshire, England, but for more than 20 years has called Australia home. She considers herself lucky to live near one of Adelaide's beautiful metropolitan beaches where she loves to walk and think up stories.

Places to find Claire:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter | 

Guest Post with T.A.Grey and Giveaway

Meet T.A. Grey, author of Jace(Bodyguards For Hire).

I love to write the kind of stories that will keep you up late at night and make your heart pound. It's my goal to make each new book better, more exciting, and more action-packed to keep thrilling you. I'm always trying to push the boundaries with my imagination, and yours, to create something new and different.

Open up one of my novels and you will find hot, erotic stories that will make you laugh out loud, cry, and fly through the pages. I write addictive love stories and I hope you like them.

Places to find TA:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | 

Guest Post with Author Tori St. Claire and Giveaway

Meet Tori St. Claire, author of Explosive.

National Bestselling author Tori St. Claire grew up writing. Hobby quickly turned into passion, and when she discovered the world of romance as a teen, poems and short stories gave way to full length novels with sexy heroes and heroines waiting to be swept off their feet. She wrote her first romance novel at seventeen.

While that manuscript gathered dust-bunnies beneath the bed, she went on to establish herself as a contemporary, historical, and paranormal author under the pen name, Claire Ashgrove. Her writing, however, skirted a fine line between hot and steamy, and motivated by authors she admired, she pushed her boundaries and made the leap into erotica, using the darker side of human nature and on-the-edge suspense to drive grittier, sexier, stories.

Her erotic romantic suspense novels are searingly sensual experiences that unite passion with true emotion, and the all-consuming tie that binds -- love.

Places to find Tori:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Claire Ashgrove Site |

ARC Review: Always on My Mind by Jill Shalvis

Another great installment in the Lucky Harbor series. Honestly I'm amazed that with as many books in this series that it still feels fresh and new to me. I loved this book and Jack and Leah were a great couple. Jack is super sexy and I just couldn't wait to dive into this story and find out what was up with him and Leah.

Not only is Jack sexy but he's also very caring. I loved the way he takes care of his mom and even when he and Leah are on the outs he is still there for her no matter what. There is a tender side to him that I really dug.

As for Leah I have a love/dislike thing going for her. On one hand I liked her and I liked that she is so caring to those she cares about but then on the other I couldn't stand her flakiness. She has a tendency to run when things get hard without explanation and I'm not the biggest fan of that. I just wanted her to be open and honest about things especially her feelings for Jack.

My only complaint (and it's a minor one) is that I wish the author would have delved a little deeper into Jack and Leah's past feelings for one another. I'm still a little unsure just how much they both cared about each other than. Was it love for both or just a strong like?

I will say that the chemistry between Jack and Leah is off the charts and oh my goodness are these two hot together. Their scenes together just sizzle and pop off the page. I really enjoyed watching them both come to terms and accept the truth that they both were in love with one another. Both are so afraid to let their feelings show and let the other one in (at least in the romantic capacity) that it was great to see them finally let their walls down.

This is another winner for me and fans of the Lucky Harbor series will highly enjoy this one. If anything it's worth the read just for sexy fireman Jack!

**ARC provided by NetGalley**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble |

Guest Post with Author Tawny Weber and Giveaway

Meet Tawny Weber, author of Fearless.

USA TODAY Bestselling author of over twenty hot books, Tawny Weber has been writing sassy, sexy romances since her first Harlequin Blaze hit the shelves in 2007. A fan of Johnny Depp, cupcakes and color coordination, she spends a lot of her time shopping for cute shoes, scrapbooking and hanging out on Facebook.

Readers can check out Tawny’s books at her website, www.tawnyweber.com, or join her Red Hot Readers Club for goodies like free reads, complete first chapter excerpts, recipes, insider story info and much more.

Places to find Tawny:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest |

Interview with Author Jessica Topper

Meet Jessica Topper, author of Louder Than Love.

She can trace her love for the written word back to age three, when she memorized Maurice Sendak’s Chicken Soup with Rice in its entirety.After her daughter was born in 2001, Jessica left the Manhattan library world and began working for her husband’s music management company. He offered her a part-time bookkeeping job so she could “stay home for the baby’s first year” and pursue her dream of writing.The baby is now eleven years old, and Jessica has been working her “full-time, sold-her-soul-for-rock-n-roll job” as Office Manager for veteran jam band moe. in their Buffalo, NY headquarters. She may have traded in books for bookkeeping, but the printed word is never far from her mind, or her heart.LOUDER THAN LOVE, her debut women’s fiction effort, is set to release September 17, 2013 through Berkley/Intermix (Penguin.

Places to find Jessica:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

ARC Review: A Rake’s Midnight Kiss by Anna Campbell

What a great book from Anna Campbell! A Rake’s Midnight Kiss is the second novel in her Sons of Sin series. It is an excellent, well-rounded book with humor, intrigue, passion and sentiment. I was undecided between 4 and 5 stars until near the end. After I sobbed through the last two chapters the book was quickly elevated to 5 stars. I have read and loved all of Anna Campbell’s books, especially the dark and angsty ones. This one has a lighter tone, but there are still issues to be dealt with.

Sir Richard Harmsworth was a bastard. The stigma had followed him and haunted him his entire life. He has managed by living the life of a nonchalant rake. He concocts a plan to get his hands on the Harmsworth jewel, a family heirloom, and use it to establish his credibility. It turns out that the jewel was given to Genevieve Barrett, a bookish spinster and secret scholar. When Genevieve refuses to sell the jewel to Richard’s agents, he dyes his hair and takes on a new identity has a student wishing to study with Genevieve’s scholar father. Richard’s growing attraction to Genevieve causes conflict with the lies he has told. Genevieve never wanted to marry, but finds herself attracted to Richard (who she knows as Christopher Evans). Danger lurks as others become interested in the jewel as well. Can Richard and Genevieve find their way out of this complicated web to reach what their hearts most desire?

A Rake’s Midnight Kiss was pure enjoyment from beginning to end. The story itself was nothing unique or special, but the characters were given enough depth to make them multi-dimensional. Richard probably evolved the most, moving from a misguided, selfish dandy to becoming the decent, loving man that he was meant to be. Genevieve moved from a rather defensive old maid to a warm and loving woman without sacrificing her toughness and humor. Yes, there were some clichés we have seen a bit too often – swimming naked in the pond, a greedy evil villain, a really smart dog (I liked him) – but these plot devices were merely icing for a deep-down good story. It was clever, funny, touching and sensual all rolled into one. A book not to be missed.

**ARC provided by NetGalley**

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

Guest Post with Author Vicki Wilkerson and Giveaway

Meet Vicki Wilkerson, author of Bikers and Pearls.

Vicki is a native of the Charleston, South Carolina, Lowcountry and loves to share her enchantment with the area with readers through her writing. Even in childhood, she enjoyed penning stories and poems—no doubt fueled by her grandfather's enthusiasm for telling tales himself. Where else—but in the South—could one find the interesting blend of salt water, eerie swamps, unwritten traditions and unique characters? In her spare time, she loves traveling, spending weekends at her family's lake house, playing golf and cooking (with lots of wine). Visit Vicki at http://www.vickiwilkerson.com.

Places to find Vicki:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

Interview with Author Mimi Jean Pamfiloff and Giveaway

Meet Mimi Jean Pamfiloff, author of Vampires Need Not Apply.

Before taking up a permanent residence in the San Francisco Bay Area, Mimi spent time living near NYC (became a shopaholic), in Mexico City (developed a taste for very spicy food), and Arizona (now hates jumping chollas, but pines for sherbet sunsets). Her love of pre-Hispanic culture, big cities, and romance inspires her to write when she’s not busy with kids, hubby, work, and life…or getting sucked into a juicy novel. OR...HOSTING the MAN CANDY SHOW on Radioslot.com! She hopes that someday leather pants for men will make a big comeback and that her writing might make you laugh when you need it most. - See more at: http://www.mimijean.net/mimi_jean_pamfiloff.html#sthash.lQvQbwpb.dpuf

Places to find Mimi:

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ARC Review: 3:AM Kisses by Addison Moore

3:AM Kisses is one of those books for me that I both liked and didn't like. There were times that I really loved it, and times that I was rolling my eyes. I think that this book had a lot of promise and in some ways it just didn't live up to it, and yet in others it did. The premise for this book is one of my absolute favorite tropes, and I just can't help myself when it comes to reading stories about a guy falling in love with his best friend's little sister. For the most part, I think this book was enjoyable and it was a quick read. I just felt that there were times that things didn't work for me and that kept me from enjoying this story as much as I think that I could have. This book was a hard one for me to rate, as it was kind of in between a three and a four for me. I think this book would probably be closer to a 3.5 rating for me.

Baya is moving from Texas to North Carolina to begin her freshman year of college at the school her father attended and her brother Cole is currently attending. Struggling with her bag, Bryson comes to her rescue and the two instantly hit it off. Neither of them realize at first that Bryson is Cole's roommate. Baya is tired of being the good little virgin and is looking to begin living life for the first time. With her brother Cole always treating her like a child and being over protective of her, Bryson quickly realizes that acting on the attraction he feels to Baya is the last thing he should do. But Baya has very few friends at her new school, and Bryson takes it upon himself to help her out by hanging out with her and giving her a part time job at his family's bar. The chemistry between Baya and Bryson grows by the day, and with all the time they are spending together feelings beyond attraction begin to develop. Can Baya and Bryson possibly have a real relationship together when her brother has forbidden it?

I liked Bryson for the most part. He was sexy and funny and sweet towards Baya. I thought that he was a really great guy to kind of take her under his wing at first when she didn't know many people. I didn't like that even though he knew he liked Baya and Baya liked him that he kept having other girls around. He would kiss Baya and then the next day have a different girl all over him. That part bothered me, and the fact that Baya just put up with it and would take anything Bryson would give her without ever confronting him about it was a problem for me. But despite that, he seemed to be able to give up his sleeping around ways as soon as him and Baya decided that they were really together. Baya was a fun and feisty heroine. I loved that she was sarcastic and witty and unafraid to say what was on her mind. Her character was a little naive and timid at the beginning and it was nice to watch her really come into her own as she grew. Baya and Bryson had undeniable chemistry from the very start, and I think they were great together.

I had a problem with Cole and his relationship with Baya. For some reason, their relationship was just strange to me. She thinks that they are super close and that they have the best relationship, and yet when she shows up all Cole seems to be able to do is continue sleeping his way through every female student at their school. It just seemed weird that they would be so close and yet he couldn't keep it in his pants long enough to really care that she was as the school. There were also some little details that I thought were missing from this story. Even though this book is set at a college campus where they are all students, it seems as if Baya is the only one even attending. How is it possible that Cole and Bryson are seniors when the never seem to leave the bedroom? Overall, I really liked Baya and Bryson together. They really seemed realistic to me and their feelings for each other were very easy to believe. I just wish that there would have been a little more to the story besides anyone and everyone constantly having sex. Don't get me wrong, I like some good sex scenes (the steamier the better!) but when everyone is constantly having sex and that is all that is propelling the storyline forward it feels as though there is something missing. I liked the ending and there was a twist that I can honestly say surprised me, but unfortunately it was a little rushed to me and I would have liked that to have played out a little differently. This was a fast and sexy read and I enjoyed reading about Baya and Bryson. I believe fans of New Adult books with sexy scenes and dirty talk will enjoy this story and should give this one a shot. Addison Moore is an author that I was not familiar with before reading this story, but I will be keeping an eye out for more from her in the future.

**ARC provided by Inkslinger PR**

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Feature and Giveaway: 3:AM Kisses by Addison Moore

Baya Brighton is looking forward to her first year at Whitney Briggs University, new friends, dorm life, and finally being close to her brother again. Love is the last thing on the list, but when Baya meets her brother’s roommate she begins to have thoughts and feelings that make even her blush.

Bryson Edwards has a secret he prefers buried in the past and long forgotten. He prefers loose girls, fast cars, and long nights working at the string of bars his family owns. When his roommate’s sister shows up on the scene, she’s far too innocent and sweet for him but he can’t shake Baya out of his mind and worse, it looks like she’s seeping into his heart as well.

Baya seems determined to show her brother she’s not a little kid and equally determined to use Bryson’s body to prove her point. It’s been made pretty clear that Baya is off limits to Bryson but their undeniable sparks explode into a whole lot more than just a few 3:AM KISSES.

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