Guest Post with Author Harper St. George & Tara Wyatt and Giveaway

Harper St. George was raised in rural Alabama and along the tranquil coast of northwest Florida. It was a setting filled with stories of the old days and it instilled in her a love of history, romance, and adventure. By high school, she had discovered the romance novel, which combined all of those elements into one perfect package. She has been hooked ever since. She currently lives on Florida’s Emerald Coast with her family and loves to connect with readers. She would love to hear from you. Please visit her website at HarperStGeorge.com or connect with her on Facebook at Facebook.com/HarperStGeorge.

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Tara Wyatt is a contemporary romance and romantic suspense author who has won several awards, including the Unpublished Winter Rose, the Linda Howard Award of Excellence, and the Heart of the West. A librarian by day and romance writer by night, Tara lives in Hamilton, Ontario with the world’s cutest dog and a husband who makes all of her heroes look like chumps. Find her at Tara-Wyatt.com.

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ARC Review: Irresistible You by Kate Meader

Irresistible You is the first book of Kate Meader’s new sports romance series Chicago Rebels. I like sports romance so much more than actual sports, and I always end up comparing them to Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ Chicago Stars series because those are some of my absolute favorites. In a way this one reminded me of It Had to be You, that’s not a bad thing there were some of similarities but more than enough to make this a great book on its own. I really enjoy Kate Meader’s books and besides the beginning of the book, which was I little difficult for me to get into it was a really nice romance. I’m probably an oddity here but I don’t like the Cajun accent, for the exception of Gambit from X-Men. Remy, once you get past him acting like a child who isn’t getting his way, is a good ‘ole boy whose momma raised him right. He goes from acting like a petulant child to such a sweetie especially with how he treats Harper, I mean come one homemade muffalleta.

Harper Chase has spent most of her life trying to make her Dad proud; Clifford Chase was not an easy man to please. Upon his death he left his hockey team, the Chicago Rebels, to his three daughters with the stipulation that they have to co-own the team for a year and win the Stanley Cup or lose it. Harper and her sisters haven’t had the best relationship, but they agree to set aside their differences and run the team and try to be sisters as well as owners. Harper has worked from the bottom up trying to show her dad that she has what it takes to run the team, his lack of faith in her is devastating but she has a plan and even though it doesn’t seem like it now she knows what she’s doing. 

Remy DuPre is nicknamed Jinx because every team he has played for almost wins the Stanley Cup he gets traded and then they win. Remy is determined to win this year if only he hadn’t been traded to one of the worst team. As much as he hates it and the fact that he had to blackmailed Harper into trading him again before the cut off and he’ll play along with what she wants him to do, Remy can’t resist Harper. There is something about her that just calls to him he wants to see her with her hair down and relaxed. There is so much more going on that he doesn’t know about that Harper isn’t telling him, but Remy want to understand her. Harper has had experience getting involved with one of the players before and it didn’t end well Harper is afraid to let herself go down that road again even though everything feels right she’s scared of it at the same time.

Overall, once I got into the book and Remy stopped acting like a brat I really enjoyed this one. The sisters are different from each other and it really seems like this is going to be a great series.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: A Lady's Code of Misconduct by Meredith Duran

I really enjoy Meredith Duran and this series. I’ve read all the books in the series except one. One of the reasons that I really love Duran is that not only are her hero’s usually anti-heroes but many times so are her heroines.

The hero in this story Crispin Burke is the perfect anti-hero. He is ruthless. The second son and the least favorite, Crispin is a very skilled manipulator and he is very ambitious. He is looking to become Prime Minister and won’t let anyone or anything stand in his way. Crispin knows how to pull strings and has many of the members of Parliament eating out of his hand.

As Jane Mason’s luck would have it her guardian and also Uncle is “friends” with Crispin. Jane can’t figure out who is the worst of the two since in her eyes, they are one and the same. Jane’s father earned much of his money in a very fortunate business venture. Her uncle felt that her father cheated him out of money that he was due. When Jane is left under his guardianship when she is orphaned Jane is basically a hostage. Her uncle has plans for both Jane and her wealth. He plans to have Jane marry his son and thus have control over all her wealth. Through a series of events Crispin is attacked and almost left to die. Jane finds herself desperate and does something she never would have dreamed… she obtains a marriage certificate for her and Crispin. Jane’s luck turns when Crispin ends up living and now she has a very much alive husband.

First, I love the plot. Duran always pulls the heroine into a dilemma. Many of her heroines are always smart and crafty. Jane is definitely smart but she is burdened with guilt when Crispin loses his memory. She is ready to flee but she can’t until her funds are finally released to her. Jane keeps expecting the old power lusting Crispin to appear and regain his memory. When both their feelings turn into just a marriage Crispin is faced with his old self and his new self. Jane is also faced with the reality that her marriage although her salvation might also be the exact opposite. I loved the complexity of both these characters. The more layers that peeled off Crispin the more I empathized with him. I loved the romance between them. My one little complaint is that at times the new Crispin seemed such an opposite to the old one and also that the big moment when he regained his memory was not as dramatic as I had expected. Also, I thought that at times the chemistry between them was very neutral and they had more chemistry before he lost his memory. Nonetheless, this is another great Duran read. It was interesting and intense, although at times very weighed by historical facts and less of plot, I wanted to see how Crispin and Jane finally found themselves. I’m not sure if we get another book in this series but I’m hoping we get to see more of Charlotte.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: First Step Forward by Liora Blake

Pro-football player Cooper Lowry is off the field and into some trouble—in the form of a very alluring, very free-spirited apple orchard owner named Whitney Reed—in the first installment in Liora Blake’s all new Grand Valley series.

After eight seasons playing pro-football, Cooper Lowry knows all the right answers.

Is he stubborn, short-tempered, and impatient? Yes. Are jersey chasers more trouble than they’re worth? Absolutely. Has he ever imagined a life beyond the game? Nope.

Cooper has built an enviable career—the result of staying focused, working hard, and keeping his head on straight—even as his body takes the brunt. So when a hard hit during a Sunday home game leaves him in a dazed heap on the field, it’s nothing more than another day at the office. The only thing that’s different about this Sunday is a chance encounter with a certain fascinating, beautiful free-spirited woman. And some sternly-worded instructions from his coach to take a little time off and give his body the TLC it craves—before he does lasting damage.

Whitney Reed is a few months away from losing the organic fruit orchard she bought three years ago in the tiny town of Hotchkiss, Colorado. At the time, she was just looking for a place to get lost. Instead, she found a home, somewhere she could finally put down roots. Now foreclosure is knocking on her door—along with a grumpy, gorgeous football player who might be just what she never knew she needed.

A charming love story for romance and sports fans alike, First Step Forward is a sexy, heartwarming romp perfect for readers of Jennifer Probst, Kristan Higgins, and Julie James.

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ARC Review: Last Ride by Chantal Fernando

I've read every installment in the Wind Dragons MC series. I started with Faye and Sin in book 1 and I loved them. They were my introduction to the series and the reason I grabbed up every subsequent book right away. By way of history, if you read the first book in the series Faye is in a very different position in life. In that book she is not the MC prez's wife, she's not a lawyer for the club yet and she spends most of the book being knocked up. I give you all of that background on Faye because this book centers around Faye. Most of the book is told from her perspective. I decided to read this book because I made the mistake of forgetting that book 1 Faye is not the Faye in this book.

When this book begins Faye is Sin's wife. She is the first lady of the Wind Dragon's and she runs the world of the women. Also Faye is the club's lawyer so she gets insight into club business that women don't usually have in this story. Also Faye has a smart mouth and everything she says is witty. Also Faye is the mother to a club princess and prince. Also Faye is a badass and can fight and is fearless and is beautiful and and and....and it was too damn much! I can't believe I'm saying this but Faye got on my nerves. She was just everywhere doing everything all the damn time.

Ok, you're probably all like 'yeah LJ but what was the book about?' Well, the book was kind of what you expect. Faye is fearless so she gets herself into some serious drama plotting to save the day. Sin loves Faye fiercely. Ok, let's take a moment to talk about Sin. Everything you loved about Sin from the other books in this series is back. Sin is still the same. He's alpha, bossy and loves his woman, family and club. Sin sorta wishes Faye would listen to him but also loves that she is independent and can be relied on to do whatever she wants to do. I like that about him. Sometimes I wished he would put the kabosh on some of Faye's....unorthodox plans but I still liked that he liked a strong woman.

Faye and Sin's relationship is still solid and just grows stronger through everything that happens in this book. I've known all the characters in this series over the course of several books so it was nice to see a lot of them again as the book goes forward. Despite some of the issues with Faye, this book is really fun and really entertaining. I recommend this book for any fans of MC romance or this series.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: To Love and Cherish by Lauren Layne

Sex and the City meets The Wedding Planner in The Wedding Belles, a contemporary and witty romance series about three high-powered New York City women who can plan any wedding—but their own.

Alexis Morgan has spent the past six years devoted to turning her tiny start-up into Manhattan’s premiere wedding planning company, The Wedding Belles. Now that her business is thriving, it’s time to turn towards her much neglected personal life, and Alexis approaches her relationships like she does everything else: with a plan. Not a part of that plan is Logan Harris, the silent partner in the Belles, and the one person who’s been there for her since the very beginning. But Alexis needs someone fun, and Logan’s all business, all the time—except when a late night at the office ends with an unexpected kiss that leaves the usually cool and together Alexis reeling.

Logan has lusted after Alexis since the day he walked into the tiny Harlem apartment that used to double as her office. But the ambitious wedding planner has always been untouchable...until now. Alexis has made it clear that she’s on the dating market—and equally clear that he’s not in the running. But when Alexis finds herself in need of a date for her sister’s last minute wedding in Florida, Logan knows it’s the perfect time to show Alexis that there’s more to him than numbers and spreadsheets—and beneath the pinstripes and glasses lies a hot-blooded heartthrob. As Florida’s sultry days turn into even hotter nights, Logan’s out to convince Alexis that the fling of a lifetime could just maybe turn into forever...

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ARC Review: To Love and To Cherish by Lauren Layne

This was bitter sweet for me, I absolutely adore this series and I was sad to see it end but it ended well. You finally get to see another side of Alexis rather than her usual calm and collective self, you see frazzled Alexis, sad Alexis, drunk Alexis (that one’s fun), and jealous Alexis. This one can be read as a standalone it reveals more about Alexis and Logan than in any of the other stories. Layne’s style is as usual spot on, she’s witty and the characters are so loveable even if at times you want to strangle them, and the angst of the story isn’t so bad that it’s depressing; the humor and the angst balance each other out perfectly.

Poor Logan he has spent the last eight years waiting for Alexis to finally see him and realize what’s going on. Alexis is oblivious, she has closed herself off from feeling any type of emotion for Logan other than friend because she is scared that she’ll lose him. She feels that no man would want her because how career orientated she is, she assumes that all men want the opposite of what she is. Ten years ago Alexis fell in love only to have that person fall in love with her younger sister. Now she’s faced with the fact that her sister and once boyfriend are getting married and having a baby. Alexis despite what people think wants to have a family, she wants kids and faced with the hurt she once endured a decade ago she decided to join the dating pool. 

Logan is dealing with his own problems, he’s been putting of going back to London and taking over his father’s business because of Alexis. But his parents just announced that they are retiring and they need him back home to take over. He asks for one month before he decides that gives him just enough to get Alexis to fall madly in love with him. The problem is that Alexis doesn’t want to acknowledge him as anything other than friend. He kisses her and she pushes him away. She gets drunk and throws herself at him and he pushes her away. Logan follows her to Florida to “pretend” to be Alexis’ boyfriend and show her just how much he does want her. Alexis is confused and while she wants Logan she’s scared he would fall out of love with her. Alexis needs to decide what she wants from Logan before he leaves for good.

Overall, aside from the times where I really wanted to hit Alexis, I really enjoyed this one. This whole series in general was so good. I just have one question, what about Jessie??    

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: For Better or Worse by Lauren Layne

I love Lauren Layne. Really. I have not read a bad book by her. Heather and Josh were like Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake in Friends with Benefits. They all say I don't want to fall in love, it's just sex. yadda yadda...Famous last words. Lauren Layne just keeps raising the bar when it comes to her books I swear they just keep getting better and better.

The Wedding Belles is doing better than ever and now they have the chance to nail a big celebrity client and she wants Heather. Alexis says that Heather finally gets her chance to get promoted to full Wedding Planner, no longer an assistant but first she has to plan the wedding for a social media princess who just gave her the kiss of death, she gave her carte blanche to plan the wedding. Getting free range isn’t as wonderful as it sounds, the bride will either hate it or love it and Heather is risking her career and the reputation of the Wedding Belles on this one gig. Heather knows something is up but she’s not willing to risk her chance at a promotion to call the bride on her BS. Luckily Heather has an inside track her new neighbor use to date her client.

Josh is living like he's dying, he survived cancer and now he gave up his high profile Wall Street job and is living life to the fullest. Well so he thought, but it's getting old. He plays in his band, writes music, works out and sleeps with a different woman every night is he wants to. His newest entertainment trying to seduce his new neighbor. From the first time she came over getting on to him about playing his music to loud he was hooked, she was just the challenge he was looking for. He likes hanging out with her and sex has never been so good but when it comes to his life he shuts her outs.

It was just supposed to be sex but the more they got to know each other the more their feelings came into play. Spending Thanksgiving with Josh's family and then New Years together. Heather finding reasons to spend time with Josh never even realizing the feelings she was feelings were love. Josh trying to keep Heather at a distance because the possibility that he might get sick again and not wanting her to be hurt.

Overall, this was a fun and sweet story, it also hints more at Alexis and Logan, fills you in on what’s happening with Brooke and Seth. Josh and Heather are such a fun couple with their teasing.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: For Better or Worse by Lauren Layne

Will a budding wedding planner and her bad boy neighbor stop banging heads and start hearing wedding bells in the sexy second novel in USA TODAY bestselling author Lauren Layne’s irresistible new series that marries Sex and the City with The Wedding Planner?

When small-town girl Heather Fowler finally gets promoted from assistant to actual wedding planner, she’s determined to make it as one of Manhattan’s elite Wedding Belles. Unfortunately, her first client demands an opulent black-tie affair at the Plaza…in five months’ time. Heather’s days quickly become a flurry of cake tastings, dress-fittings, RSVP cards, and bridal tantrums. But what she’s really losing sleep over is the live music blaring from her playboy neighbor’s apartment all night.

Five years ago, Josh Tanner was an up-and-comer on Wall Street, complete with the penthouse and the migraines. But a grim cancer diagnosis made him realize there is more to life than the corner office. If only he could convince his pretty, workaholic neighbor to let loose, too. As Heather lets down her guard, Josh is surprised when he starts falling for the sweet, vulnerable woman hiding beneath those power suits. Soon, it’s Heather’s turn to convince Josh to take the biggest risk of all: love.

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ARC Review: Whitefern by V.C. Andrews

I have to start off by saying I have very mixed feelings about this book.  I was one of those devoted V.C Andrew books in my teen years.  I have most of her earlier books written before her ghost writer took over. Andrew Neiderman has been writing for V.C. Andrews since her death.  I was fascinated to learnt that many of the books that I loved by V.C Andrews such as Garden of Lies was completely written by Neiderman.  Sweet Audrina was one of the books that was completely written by V.C. Andrews. It’s been over ten years since I read that book but I remember how much I enjoyed it and how captivated I was by it.   Taking that into consideration, I have not re-read Sweet Audrina so my own views on Whitefern maybe off. I also have to confess that once I learned that a ghostwriter was writing under V.C. Andrews, I lost interest in the books. Even though they were so of my absolutely favorite as a teenager. 

When the story begins Audrina is still at Whitefern and married to Arden.  Sylvia is Audrina’s younger sister who is mentally challenged.  The story kicks off with the death of her father. 

Ok, so somethings I liked. I think that Neiderman was able to continue the gothic feel to the story.  The story felt dark and the tone was one of unease. I understand that Audrina is a housewife who has lived much of her life sheltered and I didn’t see a big character change in her even now as an adult. Arden I completely disliked. He was a complete jerk and it was difficult for me to make the leap from the young man in “My Sweet Audrina” to the controlling husband that he has turned into in “Whitefern.”  Sylvia was also a hard character for me to understand and I felt that at times Neiderman deviated from her characterization.  The author has a few secrets up his sleeve and eventually they come to light. So my humble opinion about this book.  It’s interesting but not fantastic.  I personally think My Sweet Audrina should have stayed as just a single book without a follow up to the story. 

One of the great things after having read this is that I dug up some info on V.C. Andrews and she was an interesting woman. She died a millionaire off the success of her books. I can understand why her estate decide to keep her books going. She also suffered an accident that had her pretty immobile and even though her big ambition was art, writing was what eventually made her famous.  

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Wild Ride by Chantal Fernando

Don't be fooled by the name, there was nothing "wild" about this ride. Something is missing from this book. I'm not sure exactly what it is but I think it's a plot that has some rising action, conflict and resoluton. This entire story line was completely flat. I have read all the Wind Dragon MC books so I was expecting much more from this story. Maybe because it was a short story that seems to be the beginning of another story, the author just held off on giving us everything. I don't know but this book felt really disappointing.

If you have read other books in the Wind Dragon series than you already know who Tia and Talon are. Based on the history of Tia and Talon, I was expecting some major fire works in this book but then there was just nothing. Tia and Talon hook up. Talon offers a bit of resistance for like 10 pages because he doesn't want to cause trouble with the WDs but then he throws caution to the wind. From that point on, Tia and Talon are a couple. And really, nothing happens. They have a couple of tepid sex scenes and go on a couple of dates. Talon eventually meets Tia's son Rhett but no sparks there. Talon is having problems with his MC but we just hear about it, Talon isn't really a part of the action and spends most of the book trying to figure out what is going on in his own club. So, weird. The WD's offer a little token resistance to Tia and Talon being together but they sort that pretty quick and we hear nothing else about it. I mean seriously, nothing happens in this book.

This is a short story so it goes by pretty quick. But just because a book is a novella doesn't mean it shouldn't have a plot. I was just expecting a lot more from this series and from this author. This book really adds nothing to the series and I found it very unsatisfying. It's not bad, it's just nothing...

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: To Have and to Hold by Lauren Layne

Sex and the City meets The Wedding Planner in The Wedding Belles, her sizzling brand new contemporary romance series about three ambitious wedding planners who can make any bride’s dream come true…but their own.

Discovering her fiancé is an international conman just moments before they exchange vows devastates celebrity wedding planner Brooke Burke’s business—and breaks her heart. Now a pariah in Los Angeles, she seeks a fresh start in New York City and thinks she’s found it with her first bridal client, a sweet, if slightly spoiled, hotel heiress. Then she meets the uptight businessman who’s holding the purse springs.

Seth Tyler wishes he could write a blank check and be done with his sister’s fancy-pants wedding. Unfortunately, micromanaging the event is his only chance at proving Maya’s fiancé is a liar. Standing directly in his way is the stunning blonde wedding planner whose practiced smiles and sassy comebacks both irritate and arouse him. He needs Brooke’s help. But can he persuade a wedding planner on a comeback mission to unplan a wedding? And more importantly, how will he convince her that the wedding she should be planning…is theirs?

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ARC Review: To Have and To Hold by Lauren Layne

To Have and to Hold is technically the first book of the Wedding Belles series. It’s a great romance; it is very much a typical Lauren Layne story. I loved the characters, each with varying personalities that it keeps it interesting and funny but with the common ground of wedding planning, they all mix well together.

Brooke Baldwin ran from California, she was building up her own wedding planning business she planned on having hers the best example of what she could do, but it all blew up in her face when the FBI arrested her fiancé at the altar. Seth Tyler has a plan for everything but when his father died those planned got moved up by two years and now his sister dropped the bomb that she is getting married to a man she has known for only three months, he knows something is not right. Seth’s only way of proving Maya’s fiancé is a gold digging waste of space is to micromanage the wedding and that puts in in direct contact with the stunning Brooke. No woman has ever affected him this way before. Brooke was heartbroken and mortified by her last relationship so when the brother of the bride starts making her lady parts tingle she doesn’t know what to do. Her boss gives her the advice that just because he’s writing the check does not make him the client, if you have an itch scratch it just done make it complicated. Making it complicated was inevitable.

I loved the side story with Maya, her fiancé, and Grant. You could see it coming and it played out nicely in conjunction with the rest of the story. Brooke and Seth are perfect for each other she bring just a little bit of chaos to his otherwise orderly life. But when Seth does something, which I completely agree with, I would have done it too, and Brooke flips out completely overreacted to it and compared him to her ex she breaks it off only to realize she loves him and she just may have lost him forever.

Overall, it’s hard for me to hate this book it was just great! Everything of Lauren Layne’s that I have read I love and I can’t wait for the remaining character’s HEAs.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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