ARC Review: Weston by Debra Kayn

Detective Rocki Bangli is working undercover in an attempt to bring down crime lord Darrell. Darrell instructs her to go to a local bar and play pool. He gives her very specific directions about what she needs to do. While she is at the bar playing pool she runs into Tony Weston. Tony, along with some close friends, is a mechanic/private investigator. After Rocki’s cover is blown, her life is in danger and Tony swears to protect her.

I went back and forth with a two or three star rating for this book. There were some parts that I thought were fantastic and other parts that I think suffered. Fantastic: Tony Weston. He is your typical alpha-butt-kicking-no-one lays a hand on my women –kind of man. He was intense and seductive, sweet and vulnerable all wrapped up into one man. I understood and liked Tony, but the one part that really got to me was his intense and immediate desire to protect and involve himself with Rocki. Apparently they had met in the previous book, Archer (Hard Body #1) when she had an interaction with Kage Archer and his girlfriend, Janie Beaumont. He also recognized her from when he was in the policy academy. Since these meetings he has spent a year thinking about her and fantasying about her.

I had a harder time with Rocki… Whereas she is a tough detective trying to bring down crime lord Darrell (who also happens to be Kage’s uncle) she also falls apart quite frequently throughout the story. She basically hides out in Tony’s home once her cover is blown. I thought Detective Gino Marcelli brought a very interesting mix to the story. I don’t want to give anything away but he definitely added more to the intrigue behind Darrell.

I didn’t understand that the hostility that Jane and her friend Sabrina had towards Rocki. Yes, at first they think she is working for Darrell but then they discover that she is an undercover detective and they continue to give her a hard time until Rocki tells them about her relationship with Tony. Then all of the sudden they decide that they are going to have a girl’s night out… This was a tough one… Rocki’s life is basically in danger and she heads out for a girl’s night out…Ironically they end up at the Crystal Palace… which is where Darrell and his men are??!! What? I didn’t get that at all? Tony puts a security system at his home to keep her protected, he calls in his fellow private investigators to provide security, his parents take her mom to Hawaii to keep her safe and Rocki thinks it would be great to head out for some drinks???!!

Ok, what I liked… I though Tony’s parents were hilarious! At the beginning of the story when Tony is filling them in about the danger that Rocki has surrounding her and those around her, the father goes to make a phone call and Tony flips out. His father says,” son, its just pizza”. I thought this was a great comedic relief. They provided light moments throughout the story. Another part I loved was Kage! He is a very interesting character and I loved the bond that he had with Tony. The rest of Tony’s friends reflected the strong bond that the guys had. They own the Beaumont Body shop where they work on cars and they are also private investigators (another confusing part). I thought this was a stretch. Despite some confusing moments, I have to honestly say that I enjoyed the tension that Detective Gino brought into the story more than anything else. Kage does find out some family history but the conflict of the story really surrounds Detective Gino. Overall, I would still recommend this story because it is an enjoyable read and I added Archer to my read list! I think that it will give me some insight to what I read about in Weston.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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

Interview with Author Vanessa Kelly and Giveaway

Meet Vanessa Kelly, author of Secrets for Seducing a Royal Bodyguard.

Vanessa Kelly is an award-winning author who was named by Booklist, the review journal of the American Library Association, as one of the "New Stars of Historical Romance." Her sensual, Regency-set historical romances have been nominated for awards in a number of contests, and her second book, Sex and The Single Earl, won the prestigious Maggie Medallion for Best Historical Romance. Vanessa's next series, The Renegade Royals, is due to hit the shelves on Nov. 26 with Lost in a Royal Kiss. Book one in the series, Secrets for Seducing a Royal Bodyguard, will release in January, 2014.

Find Vanessa at:

| Site | Blog | Rock*It Reads | Facebook | Twitter |

Interview with Authors Debra Kayn and Rebecca Zanetti and Giveaway

Meet Debra Kayn,author of Weston.

Romance Author, Debra Kayn, lives with her family in the beautiful coastal mountains of Oregon on a hobby farm. She enjoys riding motorcycles, gardening, playing tennis, and fishing. A huge animal lover, she always has a dog under her desk when she writes and chickens standing at the front door looking for a treat. She's famous in her family for teaching a 270 lb hog named Harley to jog with her every morning.

Her love of family ties and laughter makes her a natural to write heartwarming contemporary stories to the delight of her readers. Oh, let's cut to the chase. She loves to write about REAL MEN and the WOMEN who love them.

When Debra was nineteen years old, a man kissed her without introducing himself. When they finally came up for air, the first words out of his mouth were…will you have my babies? Considering Debra's weakness for a sexy, badass man, who is strong enough to survive her attitude, she said yes. A quick wedding at the House of Amour and four babies later, she's living her own romance book.

Places to find Debra:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

A Naughty New Year Event Winners

There are many winners to announce but before I do so, I just wanted to take the time and say a SUPER BIG THANK YOU to all of the authors that participated in the Naughty New Year event. Thank you so very much. =)

Now, on to the winners!

ARC Review: Reforming the Playboy by Inara Scott

Reforming the Playboy is the first book I have ever read by Inara Scott. I knew that this was the first book of hers I wanted to read after seeing that it was a second chance love story. I am glad I took the chance on a new to me author with this book, as I really liked this story. It was a quick and interesting read, and I didn't want to put it down until I had read every last word. If this story is anything to go by, I will be reading much more from Scott in the future.

When Kira's aunt passes away, she finds out that her aunt left a strange stipulation in her will that will bring back the man she never thought she would see again. Kira thought that she had thrown away a set of drawings that Max had done of her, but her aunt found them in the trash and kept them. In order to keep them from being donated and displayed publicly, Kira and Max must meet in person and sign paperwork to claim ownership of them. But getting Max to agree takes a bit of convincing on Kira's part. Since Kira left him broken hearted five years before, he has become a world renowned artist and is living in Tuscany. After suffering an accident, he has been having a creative block and decides to go and see her one last time to finally move on. Once Max and Kira are face to face though, old feelings resurface and soon they experiencing the same passion they felt before. Kira and Max begin spending time together and soon he is back to creating again. But with secrets still between them as well as years apart, can they find their way back to each other?

I really liked Kira and Max. Max was complex and passionate. He was motivated to be successful from growing up poor and he was determined to make something of himself. But along the way he lost who he was and was missing part of what made him the passionate artist that he was when he first started. I loved watching him find his way back, and I think that he really needed Kira in his life to help him be the best man that he could. Kira was sweet and vulnerable. She made some really poor choices, but you could tell that her reasons were not her out trying to be mean or hurtful. She was doing what she thought she had to in order to let him fulfill his dreams and also what she needed to do for herself as well. I loved seeing her stand up for Max and how she was protective of him. I thought that they were great together and even though there was a lot of history and hurt feelings between them, they really brought out the best in each other. They had an undeniable connection and a ton of chemistry.

Overall, I thought that this was a great story. Max and Kira were perfect for each other, and I enjoyed reading about their journey. These two characters had a lot of depth and they grew a lot both individually as well as together. I really liked how they both realized in the end that they were not ready for a future together when they were first together. I loved seeing them finally open up fully to each other and really get to know who the other person is. I think that their relationship was so much stronger because of everything that they had been through and I was really glad that they got the ending that they deserved. This book was a great read about an enduring love that was meant to be despite a lot of things that were standing in their way. I would definitely recommend this story for any romance reader, especially those that love a second chance at love. I can't wait to read more from Inara Scott in the future.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |

Guest Post with Author Samantha Grace and Giveaway

Meet Samantha Grace, author of One Rogue Too Many.

Historical romance author Samantha Grace discovered the appeal of a great love story when she was just a young girl, thanks to Disney’s “Robin Hood”. She didn’t care that Robin Hood and Maid Marian were cartoon animals. It was her first happily-ever-after experience and she didn’t want the warm fuzzies to end. Now that Samantha is grown, she enjoys creating her own happy-endings for characters that spring from her imagination. Publisher’s Weekly describes her stories as “fresh and romantic” with subtle humor and charm. Samantha describes romance writing as the best job ever.

Part-time hospice social worker, moonlighting author, and Pilates nut, she enjoys a happy and hectic life with her real life hero and two kids in the Midwest.

Find Samantha at:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

Guest Post with Author Jackie Ashenden and Giveaway

Meet Jackie Ashenden, author of Talking Dirty with the Boss.

Jackie has been writing fiction since she was eleven years old. Mild mannered fantasy/SF/pseudo-literary writer by day, obsessive romance writer by night, she used to balance her writing with the more serious job of librarianship until a chance meeting with another romance writer prompted her to throw off the shackles of her day job and devote herself to the true love of her heart – writing romance. She particularly likes to write emotional stories with alpha heroes who've just got the world to their liking only to have it blown wide apart by their kick-ass heroines.

She lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband, the inimitable Dr Jax, two kids, two cats and some guppies (possibly dead guppies by the time you read this). When she's not torturing alpha males and their stroppy heroines, she can be found drinking chocolate martinis, reading anything she can lay her hands on, posting random crap on her blog, or being forced to go mountain biking with her husband.

Places to find Jackie:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter | 

Feature and Giveaway: Wicked Arrangement by Maya Rodale

The first installment of a sexy, whirlwind romance about a modern day heroine writing historical romance novels based on her romantic misadventures with the bad boy billionaire.

Jane Sparks has accidentally announced her engagement on Facebook—to the infamous Bad Boy Billionaire, Duke Austen. As soon as it’s discovered that Jane and Duke barely know each other (One hot kiss at a party does not a relationship make), she’ll be humiliated. And then Duke does something Jane never expected. He plays along with her charade.

With his hard partying, playboy reputation jeopardizing a 150 million dollar investment deal, Duke realizes an engagement with the hot but oh-so-proper librarian could be just the thing to repair his reputation. This good girl tempts him to be very wicked…but just with her. It’s unprecedented. Inconceivable. Totally alluring.

As the unlikely match of librarian and tech entrepreneur set out to convince the world—and the internet—that their love is real, something unexpected happens: they start falling for each other. But Jane is secretly writing a historical romance novel that could expose their carefully constructed romance… unless two perfect strangers are content to be perfectly scandalous together.

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |

ARC Review: Exquisite Betrayal by A.M. Hargrove

This book immediately drew me in with the blurb. It is definitely one of the most unique books that I have read, and I love that it was so different from what else is out there. As much as I loved the idea of this book though, I did have some problems with it. I really wanted to love it, and unfortunately I just wasn't able to. I will admit that I did enjoy parts of it though, and that is what kept me reading until the end.

Fallon is a book blogger and reviewer. She is headed to Vegas for a book convention and to finally meet up with her blogger friends. While leaving the airport, she runs into a really hot guy. They have an instant attraction, but they go their separate ways. Later on though they run into each other a few more times. Fallon thinks that the hot mystery guy Ryland is a freelance writer. However, he is really her favorite romance author R.T. Sinclair. Ryland Thomas knows that he needs to protect his identity from being found out. If his female fans found out that a man was behind the books, he believes that they wouldn't support him. So his sister Tilly helps him by making the public appearances for him. But the more times that Ryland and Fallon run into each other and the closer she gets to his sister Tilly, the more he knows he needs to open up to her. Fallon and Ryland are both no stranger to loss, and have suffered in the past. They both have issues keeping them from having successful relationships, but their connection makes them both realize that what they have is more than either of them have ever felt before. But in order to have a future together, they will have to move on from their pasts. Just as it appears that things are finally coming together, a major miscommunication occurs and wrecks all the progress that they have made. Can they lay everything on the table and learn to trust each other, or will they continue to let their insecurities ruin any chance of a life together?

I liked Ryland Thomas. I really wanted to love him, but he just kept acting completely stupid. There were so many times that he would seem to figure everything out, and then he would go and screw up even worse than before! I just don't understand why his character never seemed to really get with the program. I understand that he had been hurt really badly, but for the strength of the feelings he claimed to have for Fallon it just didn't make sense the things he did. I really wanted him to grow up and take a risk, but at the first sign of trouble he just shut down and ran. The fact that he never gave her a chance to explain anything was really what I didn't care for the most. He was thoughtful when it came to her though, and I liked how he was always looking out for her and trying to take care of her. I just wish that he would have also put more trust into her and the connection that they were forming. I liked Fallon for the most part. I did think that she was a bit of a doormat though. She let her mom treat her completely awful and continued to just take it. She also let Ryland get away with way more that most women would. I understand mistakes and allowing someone to have more chances. But it really seemed like she would make a big deal of how hurt she was and how she couldn't go through everything again only to almost instantly forgive him. I just didn't understand how she could allow everything to just immediately be smoothed over with almost no consequences and very little apology. Fallon and Ryland did have a lot of chemistry together. I think that they were hot together and definitely were able to generate a lot of steam.

My main problem with this book though was the pacing. I felt like this story moved extremely slowly and tended to drag quite a bit. I found myself getting bored easily at parts, and wanting to skip ahead. I kept thinking that I had to be getting close to the end, only to look down and realize that I still had half the book to go. Things just got too tedious and repetitive, and I kept waiting for Ryland to finally stop screwing up only for it to happen again. I also thought that there were a lot of things that happened that were either completely cheesy or flat out ridiculous. I will be the first to admit that sometimes a bit of cheese is a good thing...I am a girl after all. Sometimes you just want to soak up the romance and love and completely immerse yourself in a relationship like that. But this one was a bit too over the top and took it to a whole different level. I thought that this book had a really promising premise and I think that it could have been one of my favorites. The execution though just didn't live up to what I had thought it was going to, and unfortunately I thought that this one just fell flat on delivering. I think that there are plenty of romance readers out there that will find this one to be a really enjoyable read, and there is an HEA. If you like your romance to be a bit cheesy and over the top, I recommend that you give this one a try. For me personally, this one just wasn't what I had been hoping for and as much as I really wanted to love this book I wasn't able to.

**ARC provided Inkslinger PR**

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

Guest Post with Author Mia Marlowe and Giveaway

Meet Mia Marlowe, author of Between a Rake and a Hard Place.

Mia Marlowe is the award winning historical romance author of the Touch of Seduction Series with more than 20 novels to her credit. Her latest release, Plaid Tidings is nominated for RTBookReviews Best Scottish Historical 2013. She lives in Boston, but will be moving to the Midwest this spring. Connie Mason is a New York Times bestselling author of more than 50 novels. She received a Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews in 1994 and currently lives in Florida. Mia and Connie have collaborated on Sins of the Highlander, Lord of Fire and Ice, Lord of Devil Isle and the other books in the Royal Rakes Series: Waking Up with a Rake and One Night with a Rake. For more information, please visit http://www.miamarlowe.com.

Places to find Mia:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

Guest Post with Author Mary Ann Rivers and Giveaway

Meet Mary Ann Rivers, author of Live.

Mary Ann Rivers was an English and music major and went on to earn her MFA in creative writing, publishing poetry in journals and leading creative-writing workshops for at-risk youth. While training for her day job as a nurse practitioner, she rediscovered romance on the bedside tables of her favorite patients. Now she writes smart and emotional contemporary romance, imagining stories featuring the heroes and heroines just ahead of her in the coffee line. Mary Ann Rivers lives in the Midwest with her handsome professor husband and their imaginative school-aged son.

Find Mary Ann at:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

ARC Review: Shaken Not Stirred by Alyssa Rose Ivy

I have never read a book by Alyssa Rose Ivy before, but with what I have heard about her and reading the blurb for this one I knew that I wanted to change that. This book immediately drew me in with the cover and I was really looking forward to reading this one. For the most part, this story was entertaining and enjoyable. There were a lot of things that I liked, especially Maddy's roommates and Colin's sister Carly. However, the blurb for this story in my opinion is completely misleading. I went into this one expecting a love triangle and there wasn't one. As much as there were parts that I enjoyed, I think that going in with the wrong idea about what this story was about really caused me to not like it as much as I could have. I kept waiting for something to happen, and it just didn't.

Maddy is bar-tending while living with her childhood best friend Macon and their friend Brody. After being graduating college only to be rejected from Med School, she is trying to figure out what to do next. She has a crush on Lyle, a singer of a local band who performs every Thursday night at the bar. She is determined to get him to say more than three words to her and to figure out his drink of choice. But then there is Colin the guy she has been turning down repeatedly. After finally seeing that things with Lyle aren't going anywhere, she agrees to go on a date with Colin. From the first date with Colin, he and Maddy have a connection. They begin seeing each other and things are going well, aside from the fact that Colin is a complete workaholic. Between running late and standing Maddy up a few times, Maddy begins to rethink the relationship she and Colin have been forming. Colin is determined to convince Maddy that relationships are worth fighting for and that theirs could be it. But Maddy is not so sure that she can have a future with someone who isn't willing to make her his top priority. Can Maddy and Colin figure out a way to have it all, or will there be too many things standing in their way?

I am confused by Colin's character. There are times that I really loved him, and times that I almost hated him. For as hard as he would try with Maddy by setting up these really romantic dates and as much as he pursued her, you would think he would be willing to make her a priority. But then he would either show up really late or not at all, or flat out leave her while they were in the middle of something. The worst part is that he expected her to understand and get over it as if it wasn't important that he had just blown her off. It just didn't make sense at all what his character was doing and how he was acting. He seemed pretty shady the whole book, and I kept waiting for a big reveal of why he was doing everything and it just fell pretty flat for me. There never really was much that I could see that explained it other than that he was a workaholic committed to being successful with his company. I liked Maddy's character. I thought that it was great that she was willing to take a look at her life when her original plan fell through, and rather than just follow what someone else wanted to do she was willing to figure out what was right for her. There were several times that people made it seem as though being a bartender was lowly and not a good path, but I loved that she didn't apologize for it and was determined to keep doing it if that's what made her happy. I realize that she liked Colin and felt a connection to him, but I do not understand why she continued to put up with his crap. That was what really kept me from loving her character. I just have a hard time connecting with a heroine who becomes/is a doormat for others, especially if it is the hero. I just didn't understand her reasoning for sticking by him and continuously forgiving him. Maddy and Colin had a lot of chemistry together and they worked really well when he was around. But their relationship just didn't seem entirely believable to me after all of the stuff that he pulled.

Overall, this story had a lot of enjoyable moments and I liked it enough to keep reading. I think the highlights for me were Maddy's roommates Macon and Brody as well as Colin's sister Carly. At first I thought that Macon and Maddy should end up together, but as the story went on I think that he is going to be perfect for Carly, and I can't wait to see where that one goes. Carly and Maddy's instant friendship was a lot of fun to read about, and I loved that they hit it off so well. My other problem with this story is that there were several things that I felt were brought up only to be dropped with no further explanation. Maddy's struggles with her parents was a huge deal, and yet she only really interacts with them once. Maddy mistaking Carly for a girl that Colin was dating was never revealed as why she almost didn't give Colin another chance. It was as though several of these things happened just to stir up some drama and angst, but were never really worked out. For me, things should be worked through once they are brought to light like that only with this one that just never happened and it really affected the way that I felt about this story. All in all I would recommend this story if you are a fan of the New Adult genre and go into it realizing that it is not at all what the blurb leads you to believe. If you go into it without expecting a love triangle, I think that you might find this one enjoyable. I did like the story, but I am honestly more excited to see what happens with Macon and Carly as well as Brody than I was about Maddy and Colin. I can't wait to see more of them and where the author takes their characters.

**ARC provided by Inkslinger PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble |

Guest Post with Author Bronwen Evans and Giveaway

Meet Bronwen Evans, author of A Kiss of Lies.

Bronwen Evans grew up loving books. She has always indulged her love of storytelling and is constantly gobbling up movies, books, and theater. Is it any wonder she’s a proud romance writer? Evans is a two-time winner of the RomCon Readers’ Crown and has been nominated for an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award. She lives in Wellington, New Zealand.

Find Bronwen at:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

Guest Post with Author Alyssa Rose Ivy and Giveaway

Meet Alyssa Rose Ivy, author of Shaken Not Stirred.

Alyssa Rose Ivy lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write.

Places to find Alyssa:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

Feature and Giveaway: The Wedding Favor by Cara Connelly

In her deliciously sexy debut, Cara Connelly gives a whole new meaning to crashing a wedding.

BEFORE THE WEDDING Tyrell Brown wanted to get the hell out of Houston and back to his ranch. Instead, he’s stuck on a flight to France for his best friend’s wedding. To top it off, he discovers he’s sharing a seat with Victoria Westin, the blue-eyed, stiletto-heeled lawyer who’s been a thorn in his side for months.

AT THE WEDDING Victoria can’t believe it! How can she be at the same wedding as this long, lead cowboy with a killer smile? So what if they shared a few in-flight cocktails, some serious flirting, and a near-miss at the mile-high club? She still can’t stand the man!

AFTER THE WEDDING The wedding disaster’s in the rearview, but the sizzle between these two is still red-hot. They tried to be on their best behavior in France, but back in the States all bets are off…

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

ARC Review: Stealing Justice by Misty Evans and Adrienne Giordano

I'm always on the lookout for new romantic suspense reads, and having enjoyed Adrienne Giordano's Private Protectors series, picking up her new RS collaboration with Misty Evans (whose solo books I haven't yet read, but will surely check out now) was a no-brainer. Renegade ex-FBI agent(s) hell-bent on justice and righting wrongs, a mission to infiltrate a high-priced escort ring, and political intrigue? Sold! I thoroughly enjoy RS that's lighter on the romance if the suspense storyline is strong and the characters compelling, and STEALING JUSTICE-- the book that kicks off the new The Justice Team series-- thoroughly delivers on its promise.

STEALING JUSTICE is very much a suspense book--lighter on the heart-pounding action than a thriller and less a whodunit than a mystery-- but still manages to throw in a few curveballs. Hero Justice "Grey" Greystone, former Army Ranger and FBI agent whose law enforcement career is in the toilet for insubordination, is hot on the trail of a serial killer known as The Lion and determined to prove it's a powerful Lebanese diplomat who hunts in a private DC club frequented by the political glitterati and high-priced call girls. The investigation and its potential political fallout cost Grey and his partner Monroe (the hero of the next book in the series) their FBI careers, but Grey is obsessed with catching The Lion and returning to the FBI. Heroine Sydney Banfield runs a shelter for victims of domestic violence and (undoubtedly illegally) helps some of the women 'disappear' to escape their abusive husbands. The Lion's last three victims were women that passed through her shelter and supposedly moved on to government jobs but were instead recruited into the escort ring. In Syd, Grey sees the perfect bait to trap The Lion: a smart, sexy woman who can infiltrate the call girl ring to catch The Lion's attention but hold her own against him. And in Grey's off-the-books mission, Syd sees a way to keep a vicious predator from hurting any more women. In true suspense fashion, most of the book is spent setting and springing the trap, building the tension and wondering if The Lion will take the bait and be caught-- and the quality writing and pacing keep the tension taut throughout. There is also enough action and an unexpected twist to keep the reader thoroughly engrossed in the story and eager to keep turning pages.

I'm one of those people who can't fully enjoy a book--no matter how good the plot-- unless I m emotionally invested in the characters. I really, really liked both Grey and Syd, and who they were together. They're both beautifully and realistically flawed characters whose pasts have defined who they are, and bringing those flaws together brings out the best in each other. Grey is a natural protector, alpha without being autocratic (though he likes to be in control because that lets him protect those he loves better-- that Rules of Engagement scene is both incredibly touching and hilarious), and incredibly loyal-- characteristics I love in a hero! He carries a boatload of guilt for having been unable to protect his younger sister from being killed by her stoned-off-his-ass boyfriend, and that crushing guilt and sense of failure drive him and fuel his singleminded determination to stop The Lion by any means necessary. That mile-wide protective streak and unwavering loyalty put him at odds with himself over throwing Syd into the lion's den, and he spends the bulk of the book torn between selfishly using Syd to get what he wants and keeping her tucked safely away. I'm a sucker for a man that bears the weight of the world on his shoulders and learns to unload some of the burden aided by the love of a good woman, and Grey has that in spades. And he's just so sweet and steady--exactly what Syd needs-- that I just want to take him home... oh, those cupcakes!

Syd is equally flawed and shaped by her past: her mother's sexual assault by the powerful diplomat she worked for that left her confined to a psychiatric hospital is the reason Syd is incredibly mistrustful of men and does the heartbreaking work she does. It's also led her to develop this tough-chick, in-your-face-sexy façade that Grey immediately sees through--and it's equal parts heartwarming and hilarious to watch him try to resist and redirect when Syd goes into full seduction mode. Given her experiences, Syd is also incredibly strong, independent, and smart--my favourite type of heroine!-- and, like Grey, is willing to do whatever it takes to bring a monster down. She and Grey continually butt heads over how to go about catching The Lion, and watching their interactions, their budding emotional intimacy, and how each learns to open up to the other is really satisfying. This was a couple I was rooting for from the beginning, and the ending was incredibly sweet.

I thoroughly enjoyed STEALING JUSTICE, from the writing to the plot to the wit & humour to the characters, and look forward to reading Monroe's story and seeing what else these two talented authors have planned for the Justice Team series.

**ARC provided by Author**

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo |

Feature and Giveaway: Stealing Justice by Misty Evans and Adrienne Giordano

If you love Scandal, you’ll love Stealing Justice.

Justice “Grey” Greystone was fired from the FBI for insubordination. Now the FBI wants him to use his renegade skills to take down a serial killer who’s above the law. To trap the Lion, Grey will need to send the perfect woman undercover.

Sydney Banfield runs a women’s shelter and bends the law daily to help victims of abuse escape their painful lives. Three of the women she’s recruited for government jobs have become victims of the Lion. If Syd has her way, the vicious killer will never touch another woman again.

Grey and Sydney set a trap—with Sydney as the sexy bait—but the Lion adds a complex twist to his homicidal agenda. With Sydney’s life on the line, Grey must race against the clock to catch a killer who’s as unstoppable as he is evil.

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo |

Guest Post with Author Shannyn Schroeder and Giveaway

Meet Shannyn Schroeder, author of Something to Prove.

Shannyn is a former English teacher, who now works as a part-time editor while raising her three kids.

Even though she wrote from high school through college (mostly poetry), she’d never considered a career as an author. Writing fell by the wayside as she focused her energy on creating lesson plans and new and fabulous ways to torment her teen students. One group in particular dubbed her “The Torture Master,” a title she carried into motherhood.

After the birth of baby number two, Shannyn resigned from teaching and fell in love with reading romance novels. She read so many books so quickly that her husband teased, “If you’re going to read so many damn books, why don’t you just write one?”

So she did.

That first book is safely buried on her hard drive, but the process set Shannyn on the path to where she is today—agented with a debut ebook coming out with Kensington in late 2012.

She is recovering from her Diet Coke addiction, fears putting her foot in her mouth on social media, and has a renewed appreciation for the bad girls of the world.

Places to find Shannyn:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | 

Feature: Drew + Fable Forever by Monica Murphy

Monica Murphy returns with her most beloved characters, Drew and Fable, in this eBook original short story that brings her bestselling New Adult series full circle.

Fantasy. How I ended up with NFL player Drew Callahan, the guy every woman wants, is beyond my wildest dreams. All I know is that once he chose me as his one and only, I sure wasn’t looking back. I had past wounds and he showed patience and concern—even accepting responsibility for my messed-up kid brother. Now, yet again, he's found a way to blow my mind: an exotic wedding and honeymoon miles and miles away from home. What else could a girl ever ask for?

Reality. Except now the honeymoon’s over. Drew's football schedule takes him on the road constantly, while I need to stay put and look after my brother until he finishes high school—because God knows our sorry excuse for a mother won’t. I know Drew loves me with all his heart, and I’ll always be over the moon about him. This just isn’t how I imagined life as newlyweds . . . dealing with the distance, missing him constantly. But we’ve gone through hard times before. We can get through this, too, right? We’re Drew and Fable, together forever. At least I hope so. . . .

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ARC Review: Good Sensations by S.L. Scott

I have loved this series since I first read Good Vibrations. I have both been anxiously awaiting the release of Good Sensations as well as dreading it. I had to know what happened for Evan and Mallory, and yet I wasn't ready to be done with them. I have to say though that I am so glad that Good Sensations is finally here and even though I'm sad for their story to come to an end it was absolutely perfect! If you haven't read this series yet, you are seriously missing out! This series does need to be read in order, so make sure you start with Good Vibrations. S.L. Scott has a way of writing interesting characters that you are instantly invested in and can't help but fall in love with. Evan and Mallory will always be one of my favorite book couples ever, and I know that I will continue to read and reread their stories whenever I need a fix.

What started out as a summer fling has since grown and Evan and Mallory are more committed to each other than ever. While Evan is in New York working for his family's company, Mallory is finishing school in Colorado. Though their lives may be going in two different directions, their love for each other has them both determined to get through the separation. There are still many obstacles standing in their way, and being apart is not easy. With so many things standing in the way of their future, can they make it through and be stronger than ever? Or will their future together be torn apart before it really begins?

I didn't think that it was possible to love Evan more than before, but he went an proved me wrong. He was so committed to Mallory and their future together. I loved seeing a different side of Evan in this book. The evolution of his character from Good Vibrations to his character in Good Sensations shows just how much he has changed. He is still the fun-loving and charming surfer we fell in love with, but he is also more mature and responsible. He really grew up and it was nice to see that he was willing to work to make a future for him and Mallory. I love that he was determined to be happy and live the type of life he wanted, rather than what his parents thought was best. I love Mallory. She is so sweet that you just can't help but root for her. I love that she has such a kindness about her and looks for the best in everyone, even when they sometimes don't deserve it. She is the perfect balance for Evan, and their connection is undeniable. I loved watching these two not only fall for each other, but work to make sure that they didn't let anything tear them apart. Evan and Mallory are so perfect for each other and have been from the very start. Their love and connection are so strong that you can't help but get caught up in it. They also have so much steam and chemistry that I am surprised my Kindle didn't burst into flames while reading this one!

Overall, Good Sensations was the perfect ending to this fabulous series. I loved how everything turned out and I thought that this book was so true to Evan and Mallory that I cannot imagine anything happening differently. Evan and Mallory's story is so real and believable because they so clearly belong together. S.L. Scott could not have written a better conclusion to this series, and I am so glad that Evan and Mallory got the ending that they deserve. Besides Evan and Mallory though, it was great to see the rest of the characters that we have come to know and love. Without giving too much away, I thought that the secondary characters really added a lot to the story and it was great to see the changes that many of them have made from the beginning of this series. If you are a fan of romance, this series is an absolute must read! These books are so much fun to read, and I really enjoyed getting lost in paradise with these two. Even though I am sad that their story has come to an end, I am so happy with the way it ended. I will continue to enjoy reading about these two in the future, as well as reading whatever else S.L. Scott writes. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

**ARC provided by Just Booked Blog Tours**

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Guest Post with Author Robin Covington and Giveaway

Meet Robin Covington, author of Sweet Southern Betrayal.

Robin Covington, who NYT Best Selling authors, Robyn Carr and Carly Phillips, said was their new “auto-buy author”, writes sizzling hot contemporary and paranormal romance.

A Night of Southern Comfort, her best-selling debut novel was nominated for the Rt Book Reviewers Choice Awards for Small Press and was touted by RT Book Reviews as bringing a “fresh, modern feel to the genre while still sticking to the things that get our adrenaline pumping — sex and danger”. When she’s not exploring the theme of fooling around and falling in love, she’s collecting tasty man candy, indulging in a little comic book geek love, and stalking Joe Manganiello.

Robin is a member of the Romance Writers of America, the Washington and Maryland Romance Writers, a faculty member at Romance University, a member of The Naked Hero, and a contributor to the Happy Ever After blog at USA Today.

Robin lives in Maryland with her hilarious husband, brilliant children, and ginormous puppy.

Places to find Robin:

| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter |

Feature and Giveaway: In Bed with Mr. Wrong by Katee Robert and Fighting Irish by Gina L. Maxwell

The dynamic duo took the NYT and USA TODAY lists by storm the last time they released together, so we can't wait to see what shenanigans they have in store for 2014!

New York Times bestselling author Katee Robert kicks off her new Out of Uniform series with IN BED WITH MR. WRONG, a hilarious enemies-to-lovers story you don’t want to miss.

Air Force Pararescuer Ryan Flannery avoids his hometown at all costs, so he’s not thrilled when he’s set up on a blind date—until he meets mousy librarian Brianne Nave. Her sweet curves and kissable lips are a siren’s call, but her smart mouth? Not so much. How can two people have so little chemistry outside the bedroom when they fit together so perfectly in it? When Ryan and Bri are stranded in a cabin by their friends, they’ll be forced to find out…if they don’t kill each other first.

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Feature and Giveaway: Good Sensations by S.L. Scott

Evan Ashford is sex personified. He makes me feel things I never have and crave things I’m not sure I should. Time doesn’t exist when we’re together—all of our worries becoming obsolete. Our tongues touch, and as if by memory, they move in harmony, feeling at peace, feeling at home.

Despite his mother’s best efforts to drive us apart and the miles that separate us, I’m ready—ready to claim what’s mine.

In an instant, his lips are pressed firmly against mine, consuming my words as if hearing them isn’t enough. Desire turns to need as he tastes and savors every syllable ever spoken from my heart to his.

Mallory Wray caught my attention and stole my heart. The emerald of her eyes draws me in, and it’s so easy to see why I fell in love with her. I run my hand over her cheek and into her hair, admiring everything I’ve missed so much. That familiar intensity that formed our bond back in Hawaii exists again. It’s comforting, engulfing, making my chest ache in the most painfully acute way. My heart feels grounded in her. This is right, this is us, I can finally breathe again.

Her hand settles on my cheek and a soft smile appears. “My sweet surfer. What a change a month makes.”

“It’s not the month that changed me. It’s the girl.” I turn and kiss her palm. “You make me want more than I feel I deserve.”

“You deserve everything your heart desires.”

“My heart only desires you.”

“Then I’m yours. All yours. Always.”

Life has taken these two young lovers in different directions. Can their love bring them back together? Will they be able to find their paradise once again?

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Guest Post with Author Shona Husk and Giveaway

Meet Shona Husk, author of Lord of the Hunt.

Three time ARRA finalist Shona Husk lives in Western Australia at the edge of the Indian Ocean. Blessed with a lively imagination she spent most of her childhood making up stories. As an adult she discovered romance novels and hasn’t looked back. Drawing on history and myth, she writes about heroes who are armed and dangerous but have a heart of gold—sometimes literally. She is the author of the Shadowlands Series and the Annwyn Series. You can find out more information about Shona and her edgy romances at http://www.shonahusk.com/ or follow her on Twitter, @ShonaHusk.

Find Shona at:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

ARC Review: Unrestrained by Joey W. Hill

Unrestrained is the first book I have ever read by Joey W. Hill, but I had heard great things and felt like this book was one I really needed to read. Even though I knew this book was about BDSM before I read it, I feel like this book was completely different than what I was expecting. There were a few things that I had problems with, and those kept me from really being able to get behind this story. While this story wasn't for me, there are a lot of people that I think will really enjoy this book. I thought that Joey W. Hill did a really great job of writing though, and it was clear throughout the entire book that she really knows a ton about the BDSM world. Her scenes were all extremely detailed and I was impressed with how well done they were.

Athena is a successful business woman, and she is used to being in charge. She was her husband's Mistress until he passed away, and was used to being the one who ran things. After two years of mourning and going to the club that they were members of, one night she comes across a Master with a sub. She is immediately drawn to him even though he has his face covered. She watches the scene and then leaves the club. After she exits, she goes to fill her car with gas across the street from the club and is attacked. The mysterious Master rescues her, and they both quickly realize that there is a connection between them. As Athena gets to know Dale better, he gets her to realize that she was really a submissive all along. Dale helps Athena get over the loss of her husband while introducing her to what its like to accept her submissive nature and enter into a Master/sub relationship. Can Athena leave behind her pain and loss to move forward with Dale? What happens when everyone that supported her after her husband died learns about her new status as a sub?

I liked Dale. I thought that he was determined and stubborn, and extremely alpha. But I feel like despite reading this entire book that I really didn't get to know him. I know that he was a SEAL and that he had a lot of pride and honor. But beyond that and a few other details that were shared as well as his sexual preferences, his character felt sort of flat to me. I liked how protective he was of Athena and I was really glad to see how he never gave up on her. Athena was strong and successful, and yet there were several times that she was extremely vulnerable and seemed almost insecure. I couldn't quite reconcile the fact that she was so successful and was used to taking care of everyone to the woman who would be so afraid to be who she was and would run so easily. She was just too unsure of herself and felt weak for most of this story. I never was able to connect with her character. I think part of my problem is that both Dale and Athena were in their mid to late forties, and for me the age just didn't work. I think that Dale and Athena had a lot of chemistry though, and they definitely had a ton of really steamy scenes.

One of my problems with this story was the pacing. Because Athena's husband had died and this was her first relationship after, there was a lot for her to get over and it really slowed down the whole story. I found myself becoming bored and wanting to put the book down and walk away. I have never been in the same situation as Athena, but I thought that the story focused too much on her husband and not enough on her growing relationship with Dale. It also bugged me that Dale constantly called her girl. I know it was meant to be a term of endearment, but with their age and circumstances it just didn't work for me. Another thing that bothered me with this story was how accepting she was of everything that Dale did. Having read some BDSM books before, I am familiar with that world enough to know that there are many situations where there are safeguards to protect the sub. Dale knowingly took those away at times in this book, and yet Athena just went along with it and never said anything. I just didn't understand how a new submissive wouldn't possibly question numerous things that he did. I found it to be pretty disrespectful that Dale would not give Athena a safe word or safe gesture by restricting her movements completely by tying her up and gagging her. I realize that he is an experienced Master and is used to dealing with subs, but he really didn't know Athena for long before this point and yet he supposedly knew her well enough to know what would be too far for her. That just didn't work for me. I also thought that there were a few things that were flat out ridiculous in this story. There was a part of the story where she has to wear skirts with liners and keeps tissues handy because she has a constant flow of arousal...umm what?

Overall, I felt like there was more pain and punishments in this book than true love and trust. It would have been nice to see more of their growth as a couple beyond just him trying to teach her how to be the proper sub according to his standards. I think that this just wasn't the book for me. I was never able to become invested in Athena and Dale's relationship, and I never really felt their connection beyond the physical. I think that the emotions just weren't really there beyond those experienced as a result of the punishments. The reason I gave this one three stars was because I really did think that it was well written. Even though the content of the story wasn't to my liking, the story was very detailed and I thought that Joey W. Hill did a great job of bringing the BDSM portions to life. I think that there are a lot of people who read Erotica that will find this story to be not only extremely well written, but also very enjoyable. I think that if you don't mind the darker aspects of BDSM and can handle the punishment side of things that you should give this one a shot. However if you are looking for the lighter side of BDSM with a lot of romance and an emotional love connection, this one might not be for you.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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

Guest Post with Nina Lane and Giveaway

Meet Nina Lane, author of Awaken.

USA Today bestselling author Nina Lane writes hot, sexy romances and spicy erotica. Originally from California, she loves traveling and thinks St. Petersburg, Russia is a city everyone should visit at least once. Nina also spent many years in graduate school studying art history and library sciences.

Although she would go back for another degree if she could because she's that much of a bookworm, she now lives the happy life of a full-time writer. Nina's novel The Erotic Dark hit #1 on Amazon's Erotica Bestseller list, and Allure is a USA Today Bestseller.

Find Nina at:

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