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Saturday, May 25, 2013

Weekly Winners

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

Cathy
Casey
Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy? by Abigail Sharpe

Shadow
Ours to Love by Shayla Black

Casey
Swag Pack (Sinful Sirens Hop)

Meghan
Give In To Me (Sinful Sirens Hop)

Lori
Faerily Imperfect (Sinful Sirens Hop)

Leslie
Principal's Office (Sinful Sirens Hop)

Kerry
Games People Play (Sinful Sirens Hop)

Kelsey
Tart (Sinful Sirens Hop)

Cynthia
True by Erin McCarthy

Amanda
Because You Are Mine by Beth Kery

Barrie Mac
Immortal Guardians Book + Swag from Dianne Duvall


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

ARC Review: Gone With The Wolf by Kristin Miller


A great beginning to Kristin Miller’s new Seattle Wolf Pack series! I enjoyed this book so much I wasn’t able to put it down until I’d finished it. Then after a short self pity session for having finished it I hopped on to her Goodreads page and added several of her previously written titles to my TBR list.

Emelia Hudson is determined to confront the man she holds responsible for underhandedly ripping ownership of her bar, the Knight Owl, seemingly out of her hands. She held the deed to the building after gathering the money to buy the place by working her butt off, feasting on ramen noodles, and having no known social life. Then a giant corporation gets word to her that they have purchased the building and will be expecting her to pay her lease. She tries to contact them to explain their mistake, and prove to them that she is in fact the true owner of the building, but the ‘big business’ won’t listen to her, or even respond to her inquiries. Full of anger, she gets to scheming and makes a plan to get this ‘Wilder’ alone and knock some sense in to him.

Drake Wilder is not only the CEO of Wilder Financial, but also an Alpha werewolf who’s spent centuries thriving with his keen business-mind while ruling over the pack-members in his districts. Giving up on his search for his mate, which would lead to him becoming the sole ruler of his extended pack, more than a few decades ago his world was rocked once discovering an employee unlawfully helping herself to his wine collection on the night of his company’s annual Halloween party. The more than slightly tipsy temp seducing him into a kiss that not only set his blood on fire but reigniting his hope that he wasn’t fated to walk the remaining years of his life in solitude.

Beginning that night Miller takes us on a journey of discovery, passion, and danger as Drake and Emelia navigate the labyrinth of their joined fates. A new and fragile relationship not only threatened by the two coming from drastically different backgrounds, but also from a power hungry rival who wants to rule the wolves and will do whatever he deems necessary to see his dream granted.

We get to experience these two overcoming dire obstacles to be together. Drake fighting to keep his Luminary safe from harm, even as he battles his own need to control her like one of his business ventures. Emelia works harder than she had to keep the Knight Owl afloat trying to find her place in Drake’s world, while fighting to remain her own person and not give up on the goals she’s set for her life.

There was a lot of growth in both of the main characters and it was truly endearing watching the two sort through the many feelings and panic they inspired in each other. Drake remaining a strong male lead and the Alpha male so many of us are attracted to. Emelia was strong-willed and driven which are my favorite kind of female leads. Also, she was quick witted and had no trouble expressing her thoughts to anyone. The dialogue between the two was at times hilarious and had me grinning like an idiot. To call the romance between these two characters steamy is an understatement. Their chemistry boiling from that first encounter in the wine cellar only grows in intensity throughout the story, and written into these scenes you get to feel the soul deep connection calling to them.

There were also a few possible introductions to characters that will be focused on later in the series in this story, and I will definitely be waiting for the next installment to be released.

Gone with the Wolf was a great addition to my paranormal romance collection and will be a series I continue to follow as new installments are released. I am also pleased to have found a new author to keep my eye out for. I really enjoyed this book and if you are a fan of werewolves, a danger-laced plot, and a hot and heavy romance I truly recommend you pick up this book.

**ARC provided by NetGalley**


Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |



Guest Post with Author Kate Meader and Giveaway


Today I would like to welcome debut author Kate Meader to RFTC. Kate is celebrating the recent release of Feel the Heat and has stopped by to chat. Please give Kate a warm welcome.

Kate Meader writes contemporary romance that serves up delicious food, to-die-for heroes, and heroines with a dash of sass. Originally from Ireland, she cut her romance reader teeth on Catherine Cookson and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Mills & Boons thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron, and she’s there. She has a bachelor’s in law (useless), a master’s in history (not as useless), and another master’s in library and information science (yay, using). When not writing about men who cook and the women who drool over them, she works in an academic library. Her stories are set in her adopted home town of Chicago, a city made for food, romance, and laughter – and where she met her own sexy hero. For news, excerpts, and recipes, check out her website at http://www.katemeader.com.

Places to find Kate:
| Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Friday, May 24, 2013

ARC Review: It Had to Be You by Jill Shalvis

Somehow I forgot just how enchanting and engrossing Jill Shalvis's Lucky Harbor series really is. I did not want to put the book down. I found myself laughing out loud quite frequently and man, she just knows how to write a sexy hero. This was another great installment into the Lucky Harbor series and it just makes me itch for more.

Lately I've just be over over bearing alpha heroes, and Luke was nothing but a bit of freshness for me. He's alpha but not overbearing. I didn't feel the need to roll my eyes or fling the book at the wall. He's so sexy and flawed and I was rooting for him and Ali from the beginning. I'm so glad she was able to bring his walls down.

I thought that Luke and Ali were great together. Both are helping the other heal and I liked that they were there for one another. They were hot together and I just liked seeing their relationship progress. Neither was looking for anything, least of all a relationship. The more they would fight their sparks and what was quickly growing between them the harder it would be for them to resist. Luke has a job and a life in San Francisco. Ali wants to make a new life for herself in Lucky Harbor. Both know that they shouldn't get involved since Luke isn't staying but they just can't resist each other. I loved watching these two figure things out.

I have to say that I really loved this book. I've kind of been in a slump lately and this It Had to Be You completely turned it around. I can't wait to read more from Jill and I definitely can't wait to see what's in store for Leah and Jack in the next book.

**ARC provided by NetGalley**

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





Guest Post with Tessa Bailey and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome back to RFTC author Tessa Bailey. Tessa is celebrating the release of her newest novella, His Risk to Take. Please give Tessa a warm welcome.

Tessa lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and young daughter. When she isn't writing or reading romance, Tessa enjoys a good argument and thirty-minute recipes.

Places to find Tessa:

Feature and Giveaway: Full Throttle by TC Archer


Rex intends to own and drive his own car, but that will cost him millions up front. Last season was a disaster, thanks to a nasty break up, but it taught him a lesson and helped sharpen his focus on what he needed to do: Win every race. And stay away from pretty girls. The last thing he needed was to learn that his new head mechanic, Jimmy James, was the gorgeous redhead pin-up walking around his pit like it was some kind of dance floor.

Gail "Jimmy" James is the first female NASCAR mechanic. As if competing in a man's world isn't tough enough, her bombshell figure bellies her genius IQ, and the pit is no place for either. Nothing Jimmy knew about Rex Henderson the driver prepared her for Rex Henderson the man. But Jimmy has no time to dwell on her feelings as strange mechanical problems curse Rex's car. Whether sabotage or her own mistakes, Jimmy must stay one step ahead of trouble if she's going to keep her job, and keep her driver alive...

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | All Romance |

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Review: Fever by Maya Banks


Fever is the second book in the Breathless Trilogy by Maya Banks, and I have to tell you I was so excited to read this one! I really liked Rush (#1 in the trilogy) and was really looking forward to reading Jace's story. However, I really had a hard time getting into this one.

Jace is used to sharing his women with his best friend Ash. They like them quick, unattached, and submissive. Both men are used to total control. But when Jace spots Bethany from across a room, he knows that he doesn't want Ash anywhere near this one. Thinking that the only way he can have her is to share her, Jace and Ash spend the night with her. Only to wake up the next morning and discover that she is gone. Jace goes on a mission to find her and learns that she is homeless and has nothing. He makes it his mission to take care of her and make her his. Having had such a tough life and trust issues, Jace decides that it would be best to ease Bethany into the kind of life that he wants for them. Although he wants to ease her into the control that he expects to have, every other part of their story moves pretty rapidly. One minute she is on the street and the next minute he is moving her into his sister's old apartment. The fact that she just blindly goes along with this after spending one night in bed with him and his friend was really where this book lost me I think.

I really loved the way that Jace related to his sister Mia and was expecting to really enjoy watching him fall in love. Although I honestly don't think that you ever really got to see him fall in love in this book. It just seemed as though the author skipped the falling part and went straight to the already in love part. I also felt like there were several inconsistencies with his character, the biggest of which was the part about control. It was that old cliché of he talked the talk but didn't walk the walk. He claimed to be super controlling (in every aspect of her life) and yet he was always letting her take the lead even after she said that she wanted him to have control.

As for Bethany, having come from such a hard life I was expecting that she would be a stronger more mature and independent woman. But she seemed to be somewhat childish and afraid to really be her own person. She did have some moments where it seemed as though she was going to change, but then she would just revert right back.

Overall, I was disappointed with this book. I didn't feel as though I could connect with the characters, and I really wasn't feeling their connection to each other either. The plot was completely inconsistent and it just seemed to be a jumbled together rough draft. The highlights of this book were without a doubt the sex scenes. They were extremely hot and well done. It was also nice to see glimpses of Gabe and Mia from Rush. Next up is Burn (Ash's story) and i'm really hoping that it will be more like Rush than Fever.

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





Guest Post with Author VK Sykes and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author VK Sykes to RFTC. VK Sykes is celebrating the recent release of Curveball and has stopped by to chat. Please give VK Sykes a warm welcome.

V.K. Sykes is really two people - Vanessa Kelly and Randy Sykes, a husband and wife team who write USA Today Bestselling contemporary romance. The second book in their Philadelphia Patriots Series of sports romances won the Kindle Book Review Best Indie Books of 2012 Contest, in the romance category. Vanessa also writes award-winning, Regency-set historical romance for Kensington Zebra under her own name.

Places to find VK: 
| Site | Facebook | Twitter

Feature and Giveaway: Horn Gate by Damon Suede


Open at your own risk.

Librarian Isaac Stein spends his lumpy, lonely days restoring forgotten books, until the night he steals an invitation to a scandalous club steeped in sin. Descending into its bowels, he accidentally discovers Scratch, a wounded demon who feeds on lust.

Consorting with a mortal is a bad idea, but Scratch can't resist the man who knows how to open the portal that will free him and his kind. After centuries of possessing mortals, he finds himself longing to surrender.

To be together, Isaac and Scratch must flirt with damnation and escape an inhuman trafficking ring—and they have to open their hearts or they will never unlock the Horn Gate.

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | All Romance |

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Feature and Giveaway: Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare


Today Pauline is just a serving girl in Spindle Cove but tomorrow... she'll be a Duchess?! It's a Spindle Cove Pygmalion story as only New York Times Bestselling author Tessa Dare can tell it.

What's a duke to do, when the girl who's perfectly wrong becomes the woman he can't live without?

Griffin York, the Duke of Halford, has no desire to wed this season-or any season-but his diabolical mother abducts him to "Spinster Cove" and insists he select a bride from the ladies in residence. Griff decides to teach her a lesson that will end the marriage debate forever. He chooses the serving girl.

Overworked and struggling, Pauline Simms doesn't dream about dukes. All she wants is to hang up her barmaid apron and open a bookshop. That dream becomes a possibility when an arrogant, sinfully attractive duke offers her a small fortune for a week's employment. Her duties are simple: submit to his mother's "duchess training"… and fail miserably.

But in London, Pauline isn't a miserable failure. She's a brave, quick-witted, beguiling failure-a woman who ignites Griff's desire and soothes the darkness in his soul. Keeping Pauline by his side won't be easy. Even if Society could accept a serving girl duchess-can a roguish duke convince a serving girl to trust him with her heart?

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

Guest Post with Author Elene Sallinger and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author Elene Sallinger to RFTC. Elene is celebrating the paperback release of her book Awakening and has stopped by to chat. Please give Elene a warm welcome.

Hailing from Washington, DC, Elene Sallinger first caught the writing bug in 2004 after writing and illustrating several stories for her then four-year-old daughter. Her writing career has encompassed two award-winning childrens stories, a stint as a consumer-education advocate, as well as writing her debut novel, Awakening - a novel of erotic fiction that won the New Writing Competition at the Festival of Romance 2011.

Places to find Elene: 
| Site | Facebook | Twitter

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Review: If Were You by Lisa Renee Jones


Let me start by saying this book had me from page one. It was everything I had hoped for and more, the perfect start to the Inside Out Trilogy! Sara is a school teacher who has a degree in art, which is where her heart truly lies. Her friend leaves her with a set of sexy journals that she has found in a storage unit that she bought before her and her boyfriend head to Paris to elope. Sara begins to read the journals and the content starts to concern her about what has happened to the writer Rebecca and why she has suddenly disappeared. After getting no answers by calling the art gallery where Rebecca worked, Sara decides to take matters into her own hands in order to get the information she is looking for. Not long after, she is working at the art gallery in the position that Rebecca once had and being thrust into a world of secrets and mysterious controlling men who could be Rebecca's master from her journals. As Sara begins her job at the art gallery, we are introduced to Mark her boss (Sara is convinced he is the master that Rebecca wrote of) and an artist Chris that she immediately feels a strong connection to.

Chris is dark and tortured as many artists are. He has a past filled with secrets that he is determined to keep. He is sexy and unafraid to be himself, while remaining extremely humble despite the successful career he has made for himself. The chemistry between him and Sara is off the charts, and I loved the interactions between the two of them! He is controlling one minute, but sweet the next. He finds himself losing control and revealing more than he would like to Sara as he just cannot stop himself.

Sara is a strong and independent woman. Giving up a life of wealth, she has forged her own path in order to avoid a life of being controlled by her father and his protege (her onetime fiance). Having given up her wealth in order to get away, she decides she cannot pursue a career in art and must be a teacher to support herself. When the opportunity arises to take Rebecca's place she jumps at the chance. As Sara and Chris become closer and give in to the attraction they feel for one another, she realizes that she wouldn't mind giving up some of her hesitance about being controlled, as long as its with Chris.

Overall this book was a fabulous read! I found myself not wanting to put it down for anything, even going so far as to make my husband cook me dinner because I just couldn't stop reading! My only complaint about this book is that it ends on a huge cliff hanger! I must know what happens, and it about kills me to have to wait until June to find out when the next book in the trilogy (Being Me) is released. If you haven't read this book and you are looking for a hot book filled with chemistry and mystery this is a book you wont want to miss!

**Copy provided by Author**

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



Guest Post with Kathi S. Barton and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome to RFTC, author Kathi S. Barton. Kathi has stopped by to chat. Please give her a warm welcome.

Kathi Barton, author of the bestselling series Force of Nature, lives in Nashport, Ohio with her husband Paul. In addition to writing full time Kathi likes to spend time with her eight grandkids, three children and three children-in-laws. She writes to relax and have fun.

Her muse, a cross between Jimmy Stewart and Hugh Jackman brings them to life for her readers in a way that has them coming back time and again for more. Her favorite genre is paranormal romance with a great deal of spice. You can visit Kathi on line and drop her an email if you’d like. She loves hearing from her fans.

Places to find Kathi: 
| Site | Facebook | Twitter

Monday, May 20, 2013

ARC Review: His Risk to Take by Tessa Bailey


HIS RISK TO TAKE, book 2 of Tessa Bailey’s über-hot ‘Line of Duty’ series, manages to pack a surprising amount of punch for such a short story. It reads very much like PROTECTING WHAT’S HIS, book 1 in the series (though the two are only very loosely connected)—which is a good thing because we get more of what made the first book such an enjoyable read. Sexy brooding cop with a protective streak a mile wide? Smart-mouthed heroine with a penchant for trouble? Scorching chemistry that leaps off the page and sexy dirty talk? Check, check, and check, all delivered with that trademark wit and snappy dialogue that will have you laughing even as you fan your e-reader.

Detective Troy Bennett has relocated to New York after a raid gone bad results in the death of his partner in Chicago, for which he blames himself (cue delicious tortured-hero angst and extreme protectiveness of those he loves). Ruby Elliott is a professional pool hustler with some dodgy connections trying to walk the straight and narrow path. From the moment the two meet by chance at a bar (and Troy watches Ruby repeatedly bend over the pool table whilst hustling some guy), the chemistry between them leaps off the page and the sexual tension is palpable. That scorching chemistry continues throughout the novella—sexy times occur quickly and frequently, and they are HOT. I’m never going to look at a pool cue the same way again! I really enjoyed how Troy is alpha and overprotective and likes to be in control—particularly in the bedroom—but has a sweet side and isn’t as autocratic as Derek was in PROTECTING WHAT’S HIS (my biggest problem with that book). Ruby is tough, and sassy, and independent, and watching her submit to Troy in the bedroom and cave like a cheap suitcase whenever he gets his hands on her is great fun. The two of them are a great couple, with her dodgy past and abandonment issues and his job and overwhelming protectiveness stemming from his partner’s death providing great tension and drama.

As a novella, HIS RISK TO TAKE suffers from some of the issues typical of the short length. The story’s time frame means the hero and heroine fall in love ridiculously fast and their issues are resolved too easily. We get only a superficial glimpse of the motivations driving them, but even with this limitation, Tessa Bailey creates two thoroughly enjoyable and relatable characters—even when I was tempted to slap him upside the head for his push-you-away-to-protect-you idiocy and her for her too-stupid-to-live moment near the end.

If you enjoyed PROTECTING WHAT’S HIS and/or like your cops with a penchant for talking dirty, HIS RISK TO TAKE is the perfect quick, fun, and sizzling read. Tessa Bailey is definitely an author to keep an eye on if you like your contemporaries hot without veering into erotica, and I can’t wait to see what’s next!

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |



Guest Post with Author Gina Maxwell and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome back to the blog author Gina Maxwell. Gina is celebrating the recent release of Rules of Entanglement and has stopped by to chat. Please give Gina a warm welcome.

Gina L. Maxwell is a shameless romance addict with no intentions of ever kicking the habit.

Growing up she dreamed of helping people escape reality with her acting abilities…until college when she realized she had none to speak of. Another ten years passed before she discovered a different means to accomplishing the same dream: writing stories of love and passion for addicts just like her.

Her debut novel, Seducing Cinderella, landed on the USA Today and NY Times Bestseller lists in less than a month. Now she splits her time between writing more books and acting as Boss of the world’s first organized romance mafia, the Maxwell Mob.

Thanks to the support she receives from her amazing family, Gina is finally able to live her dream of bringing a little romantic fantasy to the world, one steamy novel at a time.

Places to find Gina:

ARC Review: Her Husband's Lover by Madelynne Ellis


I am happy to see the growing number of erotic romances that actually have a complete plot and well developed characters. Her Husband's Lover (Georgian Rakehells, #5) fits that decription. It is a well written erotic historical romance (menage, m/m/f). This is a fully fleshed out (no pun intended) romantic novel about a homosexual man, a bisexual man and a frigid woman. Emma Langley cannot bear to be touched because of a childhood trauma so she has married a gay man. The arrangement is tolerable for them both until his former lover, Darleston, enters the scene. For the first time Emma finds herself attracted to a man. The book explores their progress toward a three-way relationship.

The writing is definitely above average for an erotic romance and the characters have depth. There is an interesting triangle at work here. Emma's husband, Lyle, is completely in love with Darleston, but genuinely likes Emma. Darleston loves Lyle, but feels an intense attraction for Emma as well. Emma gradually allows her feelings for Darleston to overcome her fears of being touched. Darleston becomes the glue that holds the triangle together. Unusual, but intriguing dynamics.

The sexual scenes are quite explicit, including male/male, male/female, and male/male/female depictions, but there is no BDSM. Readers that enjoy erotica, but want a full novel with a developed story will enjoy this book. It is not necessary to read the other stories in the series first.

**ARC provided by NetGalley**

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |



Sunday, May 19, 2013

Guest Post with Author Cathy Maxwell and Giveaway

Today I am super excited to welcome author Cathy Maxwell back to RFTC. Cathy is celebrating the release of her newest book The Devil's Heart and has stopped by to chat. Please everyone give Cathy a warm welcome.

Born in Olathe, Kansas, Cathy Maxwell’s family roots go back to the Mayflower and the Revolutionary War. She has long called Virginia home, noting she is “a Virginian by choice, but a Kansan by nature.” She worked in television news as a broadcaster before spending six years in the Navy. She attended Air Force intelligence school, worked in the Pentagon and did a tour with Naval Intelligence.

Cathy began her writing career in 1991 while her children were still small. “It wasn’t easy,” she says. “I worked full time, my husband travelled, we had three kids, I volunteered and I was writing from four until seven every morning.” Now, twenty years later, she is the author of seventeen national bestsellers and her novels appear regularly on The New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. A rarity in the book world, Cathy has published every one of her novels with the same publisher, Harper Collins/Avon Books.

Places to find Cathy:

Guest Post with Author Jill Shalvis

This May, Ramblings From This Chick is pleased to support Penguin Group (USA)'s Read Humane® 2013 campaign to fight animal cruelty. I would like to welcome spokesperson and bestselling author Jill Shalvis to the blog today, where she is sharing with us her family's animal rescue story discusses her Animal Magnetism series with a piece entitled “Why Dogs Make Great Sidekicks!”

Read Humane® is an initiative created by Penguin Group (USA) in 2012 to support our furry friends in honor of National Pet Month (May). As part of the Read Humane® 2013 campaign, six special edition, animal-themed mass market paperbacks have been reissued featuring the official Read Humane® seal. Penguin supports the fight against animal cruelty with a $25,000 donation, regardless of sales, to The Humane Society of the United States' Animal Rescue Team.

For more information, and complete lists of the six participating authors and book retailers, please visit Penguin Group (USA) or view the official Read Humane® Prezi here.

And remember to join the conversation on Twitter with @BerkleyRomance and @HSUS throughout May by using the hashtag #readHumane. Followers are encouraged to Tweet about Penguin's animal friendly books, share their own rescue stories, and join in other pet themed conversations.

Jill Shalvis is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over four dozen romance novels, including her fun contemporary Animal Magnetism series, which promotes animal rescue dogs. Jill is a 3-time National Readers Choice winner, and lover of animals! More information about Jill and her collection of fabulous romance titles can be found at www.JillShalvis.com.

Places to find Jill:
Site | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |