Feature and Giveaway: Passion on Park Avenue by Lauren Layne

For as long as she can remember, Bronx-born Naomi Powell has had one goal: to prove her worth among the Upper East Side elite—the same people for which her mom worked as a housekeeper. Now, as the strongminded, sassy CEO of one of the biggest jewelry empires in the country, Naomi finally has exactly what she wants—but it’s going to take more than just the right address to make Manhattan’s upper class stop treating her like an outsider.

The worst offender is her new neighbor, Oliver Cunningham—the grown son of the very family Naomi’s mother used to work for. Oliver used to torment Naomi when they were children, and as a ridiculously attractive adult, he’s tormenting her in entirely different ways. Now they find themselves engaged in a battle-of-wills that will either consume or destroy them…

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Feature: The Wedding from Hell Part 3 by J.R. Ward

From the creator of the #1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood series, get ready for a new band of brothers. And a firestorm.

Anne Ashburn is a woman consumed...

By her bitter family legacy, by her scorched career as a firefighter, by her obsession with department bad-boy Danny McGuire, and by a new case that pits her against a fiery killer.

Strong-willed Anne was fearless and loved the thrill of fighting fires, pushing herself to be the best. But when one risky decision at a warehouse blaze changes her life forever, Anne must reinvent not only her job, but her whole self.

Shattered and demoralized, Anne finds her new career as an arson investigator a pale substitute for the adrenaline-fueled life she left behind. She doesn't believe she will ever feel that same all-consuming passion for her job again—until she encounters a string of suspicious fires setting her beloved city ablaze.

Danny McGuire is a premiere fireman, best in the commonwealth, but in the midst of a personal meltdown. Danny is taking risks like never before and seems to have a death wish until he teams up with Anne to find the fire starter. But Danny may be more than a distraction, and as Anne narrows in on her target, the arsonist begins to target her.

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Feature: Saving Beck by Courtney Cole

There comes a time when offering your life for your child’s doesn’t work, when you realize that it’ll never be enough.

The cold needle in his warm vein was a welcome comfort to my son at first. But then it became the monster that kept us apart.

Heroin lied, and my son believed. It took him to a world where the last year didn’t happen, to a place where his father was still alive. What Beck didn’t understand was that it couldn’t bring his father back from the dead. It couldn’t take away his pain, not permanently.

You think it can’t happen to you, that your kids, your family, will never be in this situation.
I thought that too. But you’re wrong.

Step into our world, and see for yourself.
Watch my golden boy become a slave to this raging epidemic. Watch me try and save him.

Drug addiction comes with a price.
Trust me, you’re not equipped to pay it.

Don’t miss this heartwrenching, evocative, yet hopeful novel—it will leave you forever changed.

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ARC Review: Seducing the Defendant by Chantal Fernando

I was immediately drawn to “Seducing the Defendant” by Chantal Fernando because of the storyline. I love the idea of a stuff and top-of-his-game attorney taking on a defendant charged with killing her husband. The evidence was pretty strong against the heroine, Scarlett Reyes. I personally love courtroom romances so I immediately jumped into the story when it became available and I was interested to read Chantal Fernando, whom I have never read before.

When the story begins, our hero, Jaxon Bentley is a grieving man. He lost his sister and he is very much into his grief. Even though he is on leave he is pulled back into his job when he hears of Scarlett Reyes, a very wealthy woman who is accused of killing her husband. Jaxon has earned a reputation as a hardworking defense attorney and one of the best. He runs a small firm with one of his good friends. Scarlett was a battered woman. She was charmed by her now dead husband and really thought he was a good guy. By all accounts he was not only a crooked cop but also involved with a motorcycle gang and heavily involved in selling and using drugs. He was also emotionally abusive to Scarlett and ended up controlling all aspects of her life until Scarlett was free of him. Scarlett trying to free herself from her husband’s abusive control fled to France to take care of her sick aunt.

When Jaxon meets Scarlett she is defensive, scared and closed off. Because he recently lost his sister Scarlett’s hurt and pain is endearing to him. Because Jaxon quickly realizes that Scarlett has suffered at the hands of her husband and is caught up in the media storm, he is kind, compassionate, caring and sweet. Everything that Scarlett needs and has craved for so long. Because of their client and attorney relationship they fight their attraction for each other and try to maintain everything strictly professional, even though, both really need a friend.

So as I mentioned before I really wanted to like this story because of the plot. A few things fell flat for me. First, I did not think that there was much chemistry between Jaxon and Scarlett. Most of their conversation felt forced and even their slowly forming friendship felt very stiff. Yes, they were attracted to each other but I knew this because the author told me not because of the chemistry between them. Also, some parts of the story were so over the top I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes a few time. This is one of those stories where if it were a novella I would have enjoyed more. Finishing the story was sheer determination and effort because most of the story felt long and drawn out. I’ve seen some great reviews online, so some readers really enjoyed the story. For me, I expected more.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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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: Crossroads by Chantal Fernando

I've read most of the books in the Wind Dragons series.  In fact, I think I've only missed one. I enjoyed the early entries in the series a great deal but as time has gone on the Wind Dragons Motorcycle Club has changed pretty drastically. The change in the MC has changed the way the romances are framed and I think at this point, the series has just run its course. There is nothing terribly wrong with this book but there is nothing special that really set this series apart when it started. It's just kind of an easy and forgettable read. 

This book is Ranger's story. You might remember Ranger if you read previous entries in the series because Ranger showed up in one of the earlier books. Ranger is a patch over from the Wild Men MC. Both he and Talon (another character from past books) became a part of the Wind Dragons when things with the Wild Men fell to crap. The thing is, Ranger joined Wild Men early on and it was connected to his identity. Joining a new club after years in another one has left him feeling adrift and isolated. Faye, the previous First Lady of the Wind Dragons and club lawyer ask Ranger to help her find a missing girl. For me, this is where everything started drifting left.

From the time Faye ask Ranger to help find the missing girl, shit just stops being believable. The girl who is missing is the cousin of a local cop, Jo. From the time Ranger meets Jo, sparks start flying left and right. When he finds out he is going to be working with Jo to find her cousin that just seems like an added bonus. It turns out Ranger knows Jo's cousin from years back and eventually things get complicated in ways I won't tell you because I don't want to spoil anything. What I will tell you is that, the whole cousin subplot did nothing for me. The way Ranger and Jo handled it was dumb as hell and I gave myself a headache rolling my eyes at the shenanigans.  

Jo is a cop so there are issues with her dating an outlaw biker. Jo and Ranger fall way deep in love though and both of them are willing to give up anything to be together. I don't know, it was just whatever. I liked Ranger and Jo together but there was nothing that made me feel particularly connected to them or their relationship. I also did not like the way things eventually worked out with Ranger and the club. I just don't read MC novels for things to go in that direction. If you haven't read any other wind dragons books, I definitely don't think you should make this your first one. There are better books in the series but its probably time to wrap the series up now.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: The Turn by Kim Harrison

When I found out that Kim Harrison was going to give us fans new insight into the world of the Hollows pre-Turn, excitement ran through my veins at lightning speed. Harrison has been a favorite author of mine for quite some time and I just love everything she writes, but the Hollows holds a special place in my heart. I could re-read each book on repeat, and have on occasion whilst in one of those readers’ slumps we all sometimes find ourselves in. Of course, they ALWAYS work. Now, The Turn doesn’t have Rachel, Jenks, or Ivy BUT it does take place in the same world AND we get glimpses of characters from the Hollows that we had soft spots for or despised (laughs) prior to this storyline. Even better, we get new characters to love and in the joy of reading through the story we find ourselves learning more about a particular couple that brought Trent Kalamack (one of my favorite male leads to this day) to life.

Trisk Cambri is a top-notch Geneticist who is determined to prove her worth, especially in the eyes of the Enclave against her rival Trenton Kalamack (Kal). Unfortunately, Kal not only has the spotlight thanks to his familial notoriety but financial backing as well. When the two clash, our story begins with Trisk believing her chances to find success may have all but dried up. However, the plot thickens as a member of the Enclave places her at a human-run lab. Not only can she work on her own theories, but now she can utilize her skills in security. By doing so she is ensuring that the humans aren’t able to move too far ahead in their scientific discoveries lest they potentially harm the Inderlander species, particularly the Elves.

As she wades through the less sophisticated human-run labs, she is able to successfully create her genetically modified tomato. This species is drought-resistant to the point that it flourishes to great extremes. In fact, her tomato is on the verge of famous thanks to the third-world countries it is now helping to relieve of starvation. She has even become published. More importantly perhaps, she has been able to tweak her co-worker Dr. Daniel Plank’s virus thereby providing reasoning indicative of her concepts regarding viruses being useful in fixing her own species genetic failures.

The virus in question is still thoroughly capable of being used for tactical purposes in military warfare, but no longer lethal to humans and practically harmless toward the Inderland community. Thanks to her genius, success and fame may finally be in her grasp, but with the backing of a certain individuals, Kal seeks to meddle where he can. He is simply incapable of ignoring the satisfaction and glory he could find while saving his career and taking down his arch nemesis simultaneously.

Kal attempts to get close to Trisk and fool her, but she is no ordinary opposition; time has made her stronger as a young woman, and she refuses to lose. As the two embark on a game of cat and mouse from both sides, one will underestimate the other. With greed and hunger for power, Kal unknowingly dooms the world. As a race to outwit one another begins, Trisk realizes that she holds the fate of humankind in her hands. As disease spreads, thanks to tampering on Kal’s behalf, one is unsure just how far he will go to be number one.

Can her and several unlikely allies save them before it is too late? What of her species? Has she fallen from grace in her quest to learn who she is, and find succes to the point where she will continue to be viewed as nothing but a mere female dark elf? Or, will she overcome all obstacles and break the chains that her own society seems all too comfortable with binding to her? Will she gain her freedom, and her chance to thrive?

To find out, you must read! You will find as you progress from chapter to chapter that some characters will disturb you (Kal). I loved to loathe Kal and admittedly, still cannot fathom how on earth his son has even a remotely positive image of him in his memories. I am still angry at him, still impressed by his zeal, and still further distraught that he could be so damned evil. Yet, I cannot help but hope that he somehow becomes a better man. I have never wanted to love a male lead so much before that a part of me hated (laughs).

As for Trisk? Well, she is simply one of the best female heroines I’ve had the pleasure of knowing in a long time. I love how strong and capable she is. Not matter how many times she gets knocked down, she finds a way to persevere. She is everything that one could possibly root for and a new favorite. Trisk has faults and is not perfect, but she strives to be better in a world where her environment ensures that doing what is right becomes the harder path to walk. I just loved her.

I NEED TO KNOW how this story continues. I NEED TO KNOW how Trisk can possibly live with him by her side. I NEED TO KNOW how these two somehow appear to later fall in love if Trent’s memories are indicative of such a thing (he seemed to think they loved each other). I NEED TO KNOW the bits and pieces that happen from heartache and desperation, to longing and happiness from the beginning to end of their time together. Trisk and Kal? I NEED MORE of them.

As for the extras in this book….well, it is hard to even describe how much I LOVED the secondary characters and how deeply satisfied I am by the appearances of others from the Hollows. So many surprises from the plotline, but also so many delightful surprises regarding how the characters develop and change; how they switch sides due to their moral compasses and become formidable allies. Doctor Daniel Plank and his constant support along with his unwavering nobility is a strong and lovable character. Orchid, the saucy and vibrant pixy…..I can’t even tell you how enthralled I was with her attitude and unique outlook. I loved how the Weres and Humans came together to help Trisk along the way, constantly surprising me.

Then there is Quen and his unshakeable loyalty….goodness, I’ve always loved him, and was so happy to see him in his younger days. Al and his tricks, his evil ways despite not being quite as evil as he’d like to be. I was beyond thrilled to smile over his witty and dry banter. Add in Takata and a few others I’ll leave you to discover, and damn! I cannot say enough about how great this book was. With that said, I need more. Please?

**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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Audiobook Review: Overruled by Emma Chase, Narrated by Jason Carpenter and Charlotte Penfield

I usually start with the review of the book/story first but Jason Carpenter and Charlotte Penfield were so fantastic that their narrations were really fun and made the story that much more enjoyable. 

Carpenter really understood Stanton Shaw’s character. From the beginning of the story where he is finding himself as a new father/law-school student/ boyfriend away from the mother of his baby. Carpenter’s southern drawl was perfect and his quips added to the funny dialogue. 

Charlotte also really understood Sofia Santos. Penfield brought out Sofia’s funny, smart and sexy side. 

Usually a story like this would get on my nerves because Stanton really takes a very long time to figure out that although he always assumed Jenny the mother of his daughter-Presley would be his end game. When she received an invitation for her wedding his world starts to spin. Desperate to convince Jenny that they belong together, he asks his friend with benefits/ co-worker, Sofia for help. 

Sofia is very like Stanton. They are both tough and talented attorneys. They are completely compatible. They have a very mutual understanding. They enjoy their physical relationship and both are content with it. Sofia has found that her feelings for Stanton have changed but she remains committed to showing Stanton the she is his friend, even if it means helping Stanton win back Jenny. Stanton’s obsession with winning back Jenny got very old but the other aspects of the story helped keep me engaged in the story. 

My complaints: Stanton and Sofia, to me, seemed to lack chemistry even though they are very intimate all the time. I wanted Sofia to ruffle more feathers. The great benefits of this story: The secondary characters were fantastic. They really enriched the story and added to the development of the main characters. The southernisms were endearing and sweet. Another aspect of this story that I really enjoyed is that Chase didn’t include any unnecessary drama with Jenny and her fiancée nor Sofia and Jenny. They were very mature and authentic characters. This was such an enjoyable listen and the narrators were fantastic!

**Audiobook Provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: Color Me Mindful, In Bloom! and Atelie Fashion Coloring Books

Make your mark—inside or outside the lines—with these beautiful black and white illustrations of calming seasonal images just waiting for your gentle touch to bring them to life.

COLOR ME MINDFUL

(BUTTERFLIES, ENCHANTED CREATURES, SEASONS)

By Anastasia Catris

IN BLOOM!

By Sigita Alekne

ATELIE FASHION:

GORGEOUS PATTERNS TO COLOR

By Rafaella Machado

Intricate and beautifully detailed line drawings are ready for you to bring to life in COLOR ME MINDFUL, IN BLOOM, and ATELIE FASHION.  Not just for kids anymore− relieve stress, practice your mindfulness, and discover your creative side as you unplug and slow down by filling these exquisite pages with color (Gallery Books; on-sale January 3, 2017; Trade Paperback $12.99).

ARC Review: First Step Forward by Liora Blake

First Step Forward is my first book by Liora Blake, but it definitely won't be my last. This book was delightful and completely unexpected! I really had no idea what I was getting myself into since this was a new to me author, but this book was great from start to finish. I had such a great time reading this story and I cannot wait for more! First Step Forward is the first book in the new Grand Valley series, and I am already anxious for the next one. 

Pro-football player Cooper Lowry's age is starting to show, so when an injury sends him to the pharmacy he isn't in the best of moods. The last thing he is prepared for is to meet Whitney Reed, a farmer on the verge of losing her orchard. When their chance meeting quickly evolves into more though, Cooper finds himself reevaluating his entire life. Could Cooper's sudden need to get away be what saves her orchard and can Cooper and Whitney find a connection and future they never expected?

I absolutely loved these two! They had chemistry right away, and I absolutely loved their interactions. Both Cooper and Whitney were so well written and their characters had so much depth. They were funny and sweet, sexy and hot. I loved their banter and couldn't get enough of their light and flirty exchanges. There was also so much emotion though, and there wasn't anything about them that I didn't like. 

Overall, this was such a great story. I was captivated right from the start and I didn't want it to end. This book was refreshing and different, and exactly what I had been looking for. This story was such a cute and sweet read, yet it brought plenty of emotion and steam to keep me flipping the pages. If you are looking for a quirky contemporary story that you can enjoy the whole way through, this is definitely one I recommend checking out. Liora Blake was a new to me author, but after reading First Step Forward, I will absolutely be checking out more of her books in the future.

**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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