Feature and Giveaway: Entangled Publishing's August Imprint Book Launch

After her carefully ordered world imploded, Paige Taylor cracks up. On her tenth self-help book, it seemed like a good idea at the time to reinvent herself––move from Manhattan to the tiny beachside town of St. Clair––and take over the local bookstore.

But instead of discovering her spiritual Nirvana, she’s neck-deep in a floundering business, the locals treat her like a plague victim, and her mom’s suddenly decided to visit––with no end in sight––and keeps coming home with one surprise after the next.

Added to that pot of crazy, the one guy who sets her pulse racing has sworn off women forever. He’s got a Samsonite filled with baggage, but damn he looks good hauling it down the street. And giving her those sexy half-smiles. And tempting her to take him for a test ride.

Soon Paige discovers that reinventing herself takes more than just a change of address and a pithy quote on Instagram. She needs to face the truth about her life, and that’s something she can’t do alone.

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ARC Review: Playing the Perfect Boyfriend by Julie Patricka

I have one problem with this book- Jade, the heroine. I just could not connect to Jade or agree with her motivation. Jade is a Hollywood photographer who does not believe in commitments that extend longer than one night. Jade plays the role that you usually see men in when reading these books. Jade even has a crash pad where she takes men she does not plan on keeping- her words, not mine. I consider myself to be fairly enlightened and liberated but I just couldn’t get into a female character playing this role. So, I have to say if you don’t think you will have an issue with that kind of role reversal, you might enjoy this book much more than I did.

Another issue that I have with Jade is her motivation for beginning a relationship with Dean. Dean is a young up and coming Hollywood star who Jade meets during a photo shoot. Jade is immediately attracted to Dean and vice versa. Right from jump, Jade decides that Dean is not the “keeping” type though he is definitely the screwing type. Jade decides to have a quick one night stand with Dean. For Dean’s part, he’s attracted to Jade’s sexy grown woman vibe. Dean, because of his background, also doesn’t really believe in forever so he is game for Jade’s ‘no strings’ set up.

Then a weird thing happens. Jade’s ex comes back into town and catches her on the tail end of her hook up with Dean. In order to prove that she is relationship material, to her EX, Jade pretends that her hookup with Dean is actually a relationship. Jade and Dean embark on this rouse to convince Jade’s ex that she is now qualified relationship material, by faking a relationship. Jade does this because she’s convinced that her ex is the person she needs to settle down with. Unlike Dean with whom she has explosive sparks flying left and right. And that right there was just too much for me people. I just don’t think you convince a man to be in a serious relationship with you by pretending to be in a relationship with someone else. I know, I know, it’s fiction but I have my limits and this was just too much for me.

I like the writing of this book. I found it incredibly easy to read and the plot certainly moved. I liked Dean as a character and appreciated his commitment to proving to Jade she was wrong about herself. I like Jade’s confidence and her unapologetic attitude about her life choices (for the most part). What went wrong for me and effected my rating was just Jade’s relentless commitment to kind of being a jerk. Usually when you have a character like her, there is something that makes you empathize with the person and understand where they are coming from. I didn’t feel that way about Jade mostly because the thing she kept saying she didn’t want was the same exact thing she was after. I just didn’t like Jade and so it made the book hard to love. For me.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |

Interview with Author Julie Particka and Giveaway

Meet Julie Particka author of Blackmailed by the Hero.

Julie Particka was told to get serious about her future in Junior High. Several years after getting a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, she realized being serious was over-rated and went back to her first love–writing. Now rather than spending her days in the drudgery of the lab or teaching science to high school students, she disappears into worlds of her own creation where monsters sometimes roam, but true love still conquers all.

She can most often be located in the Detroit area with her favorite minions (the ones who know her as Mom) where she is currently hatching a plot for world domination. It involves cookies for everyone, so she’s pretty sure there’s no way it can fail…except the minions keep eating the cookies.

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

Surf, Sand & Books Event with Julie Particka

Julie Particka (aka Seleste deLaney, who writes the weirder stuff) was told to get serious about her future in Junior High. Several years after getting a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, she realized being serious was over-rated and went back to her first love–writing. Now rather than spending her days in the drudgery of the lab or teaching science to high school students, she disappears into worlds of her own creation where monsters sometimes roam, but true love still conquers all.

She can most often be located in the Detroit area with her favorite minions (the ones who know her as Mom) where she is currently hatching a plot for world domination. It involves cookies for everyone, so she’s pretty sure there’s no way it can fail…except the minions keep eating the cookies.

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

ARC Review: Tempting Her Fake Fiance by Julie Particka

Tempting Her Fake Fiance is the first book that I have ever read by Julie Particka, and I really enjoyed it! It was a sweet and sexy story about two people helping each other out by having a pretend relationship. For some reason though it has been done a lot and in many different ways, I find myself drawn to these stories. There is just something about a fake relationship turning into something real. I thought that Julie did a really great job with this story, and I am really looking forward to reading more from her in the future.

When Journalist Stasia Grant shows up for a week long press junket for an upcoming movie, the last thing she is looking forward to is running into her ex-husband. Though they have been officially divorced for three months, it still hurts that he left her for someone else so publicly. While interviewing the star of the movie, Evan Stone, she gets emotional and he can't help but want to help her out. They soon realize that with his image needing help as well, that they can pretend to be together and it will be beneficial to them both. While spending the week together pretending to be together, Evan's playboy image will get a makeover and in the process Stasia's ex will want her back. But soon the real and fake start to blend together and both are wondering if their fake relationship could possibly lead to a real future together?

I really liked Evan. He was sweet and sexy, and he was so down to earth. He was loyal to his family and always looking out for others. He had been used to women always looking for something from him, so he really fell for Stasia as she was so different from all he had known. I liked that he was developing real feelings for her and wasn't afraid to acknowledge them. He might not have said anything to her and he thought that his first duty was to his family rather than himself, but he didn't have a problem admitting to himself that he was falling for her. Stasia was fun and I loved seeing her rediscover herself. She had become a completely different person after years of being with her ex, so it was nice to see her get back to herself with Evan. These two just clicked together on every level and I loved seeing their sweet and fun moments as much as their steamy ones. They had a ton of chemistry and I couldn't get enough of them. 

Overall, I thought that this was a really cute and quick read. I enjoyed it a lot and really loved Stasia and Evan as a couple. I liked seeing them get to know one another and experience all that Vegas had to offer together. They had so many fun moments, and I felt like they were just a really great couple from the start. They didn't feel rushed despite the fact that they were only really together for about a week. I did think that this story was predictable and that it was similar to other stories about pretend relationships out there, but that didn't keep me from liking this book or the couple. I was able to lose myself in the story and felt like this one was a quick and light read that was perfect for when I just wated to get lost in a book. I definitely recommend this one if you are looking for something short and sweet with some steam to it. I look forward to more from Julie Particka in the future.

**ARC Provided by Entangled Publishing**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depository |

A Naughty New Year...Brazen Style with Julie Patricka and Giveaway

Julie Particka was told to get serious about her future in Junior High. Several years after getting a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, she realized being serious was over-rated and went back to her first love–writing. Now rather than spending her days in the drudgery of the lab or teaching science to high school students, she disappears into worlds of her own creation where monsters sometimes roam, but true love still conquers all.

She can most often be located in the Detroit area with her favorite minions (the ones who know her as Mom) where she is currently hatching a plot for world domination. It involves cookies for everyone, so she’s pretty sure there’s no way it can fail…except the minions keep eating the cookies.

Find Julie at:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |