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Saturday, June 29, 2013

Weekly Winners

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

Sue G
Love's Promise + Love's Price by Cheryl Holt

Olga
Gaming For Keeps by Seleste Delaney

Maria
The Stillness of You by Julie Bale


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

ARC Review: Unforgiven by Anne Calhoun


UNFORGIVEN is erotic romance author Anne Calhoun’s first foray into mainstream contemporary romance, but don’t be fooled—it’s still scorching hot, with a heavy dose of angst and the wrenching emotions Ms. Calhoun is known for. It is very much a character-driven story, centered on two fragile, broken characters wrestling with past mistakes and broken dreams and trying to overcome the trappings of the past to forge a future together. The characterizations are spot on and realistic, but the book is slow: the focus is completely on the hero and heroine and their emotional development, with no additional subplots. It is aptly titled as well, since it is ultimately about seeking forgiveness from oneself and those one has hurt in order to live a life that’s truly one’s own.

Adam Collins is the former high-school bad boy and speed demon of rural Walkers Ford, North Dakota, whose ultimate dream was to escape Walkers Ford and race motorcycles. Graduation brings with it two alcohol-fueled decisions that alter his life forever: the destruction of girlfriend Marissa Brooks’s foreclosed historic home and a motorcycle race with a fellow student that ends in his death and Adam’s enlistment in the Marines as penance. Twelve years later, Adam returns to his hometown as a civilian to serve as best man in his best friend’s wedding to his ex-fiancĂ©e, with whom he was involved for 10 years whilst deployed and broke up with seemingly inexplicably. If that’s not a setup rife with drama, I don’t know what is! Immediately upon returning home, Adam comes face-to-face with Marissa, the woman whose heart he broke all those years ago when he left, and decides he wants everything he denied himself as a teenager. Only in order to have a chance at something beyond meaningless (but very hot!) sex, he needs to throw off the yoke of the past. His stubbornness in clinging to the past and believing he doesn't deserve dreams or a future can be exasperating at times, but watching him learn to let go, forgive and ask for forgiveness in turn, and find who he is outside of his identity as a former troublemaker and responsible Marine is also incredibly rewarding. And for someone who doesn't believe he deserves a HEA, he does some incredibly sweet things for Marissa!

Marissa Brooks is the last of a once-prominent family in Walkers Ford, known for being dreamers rather than doers. Having lost the historic family home, Brookhaven, in her teens, she was raised on stories of its grandeur and her father’s dreams of restoring it to its former glory, and has lived her entire life shackled to that duty. She is determined to renovate Brookhaven to prove to everyone in town that the Brookses can do more than just dream. A family legacy is a heavy burden to bear, and having spent her entire life living to fulfill her father’s dream for Brookhaven, Marissa is desperately afraid to chase her own dream—sailing around the world in a sailboat—now that the end of her father’s dream is near. Finding the courage (with Adam’s help) to take that final step to complete the house and earn her personal freedom is a huge part of the story and Marissa’s development as a character, and something that makes her incredibly relatable and realistic.

The two of them together have combustible chemistry and a relationship dynamic typical of reunion stories: Adam is determined to set things right and have everything he’d wanted when they’d been in high school; Marissa is equally determined to not fall for him again because she doesn’t believe he’s back for good. They complement each other perfectly as a couple and help each other work through 12 years of issues and broken dreams—even if the ending does feel a bit too tidy and pat, considering the amount of emotional baggage each carries.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed UNFORGIVEN. I tend to favour lighthearted contemporary romances to counteract some of the darker stuff I read, but this had the right combination of steam and emotional intensity without delving into tortured-hero/heroine territory, and it’s incredibly well written. Definitely recommended if you’ve enjoyed Ms. Calhoun’s other books (though this is definitely lighter in all respects), or if you like some angst in a romance centered almost exclusively on its protagonists. I’m looking forward to JADED, the follow-up starring two of the secondary characters in UNFORGIVEN.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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



ARC Review: Fling: A BDSM Erotica Anthology by Sara Fawkes, Cathryn Fox and Lauren Hawkeye


Fling is an anthology comprised of three different novellas.

Take Me - Sara Fawkes

After being dumped by text message days before her wedding, Kate decides to go ahead and take the vacation that should have been her honeymoon. She shows up at the hotel that her fiance had booked only to discover that her room has been given to someone else and that the hotel is currently hosting a fetish week! The sexy manager of the hotel Alexander is immediately attracted to Kate and goes out of his way to make sure that she stays. Alexander thinks Kate will be the perfect sub to get him back in the action after losing the sub he thought that he would spend his life with. As Kate and Alexander go through the different scenes and activities at the hotel they begin to feel a strong connection to each other that goes beyond just sex.

I really liked both Kate and Alexander. They had great chemistry and their scenes together were hot. The author did a great job of showing the attraction they felt to each other. I was hoping to get a little more to their story though. It would have been nice to see them not just during the quick falling for each other phase, but also see some of their relationship as it was really starting to grow. Their falling in love felt pretty rushed to me considering only a week had passed during the story and they had been complete strangers before meeting at the hotel. But overall I enjoyed Kate and Alexander's story. I really enjoy the heat that Sara Fawkes always brings to her stories, and this one was no exception.

Teach Me - Cathryn Fox

After her entire office gets food poisoning, Josie is the only person left to try and convince Luca Mancusi that he should carry her boss's lingerie in his resort. She arrives at his yacht and the attraction between the two is instant. Luca knows that he wants to take this business meeting with Josie and make it more personal. He whisks her off to his resort, which is currently hosting fetish week. Luca knows that Josie would make a great sub to his Dom, but convincing her of that will take a little time and he knows he needs to ease her into it. As the two of them begin to negotiate the terms of a business contract, things get steamy! Luca and his business partner/best friend show Josie just how pleasurable they can make this experience. But soon Luca no longer wants to share Josie and decides that he needs to make Antonio and Josie see that what started out as a quick fling is actually the relationship and family he didn't know he was looking for.

Because this is a novella and it is so short, everything about this story felt a bit rushed to me. Especially since it started as a fling and was a threesome with Luca's friend Antonio. Josie and Luca were enjoyable to read about and they had amazing chemistry. But I just thought that their connection would have been more believable had it just been about the two of them. I really didn't feel their connection so much as the attraction between them. The scenes between Luca and Josie are really hot, and I found myself wanting more of them!

Tame Me - Lauren Hawkeye

Ever since they shared a moment at a party, Marco cannot get Ariel out of his mind. He knows that she would be the perfect front woman for his new line of malls as well as a perfect sub to his Dom. After trying to meet with her several different times, and her no-showing for them all he decides its time to track her down. Ariel has just hopped a flight to Rome and ends up at the Mancusi resort rather than the hotel she had originally planned to stay at. After Marco shows up and tells her that they will be having their meeting, she agrees to stay and discuss his proposal about the malls and nothing else. As the meeting goes on things quickly turn from business to personal. Ariel is not used to people telling her what to do, but with Marco she discovers that she enjoys giving up control when it comes to her personal life.

I thought that Marco and Ariel were both great! Marco was confident and sexy. I loved that he wanted to take care of Ariel to the point that he would deny himself to show her that he was about more than just being with her because of her high profile career in the music industry. Ariel was feisty and fun, often times being sassy before submitting. Even though their relationship progressed quickly due to this being a novella, I really felt the connection between the two of them. Not only was the emotion there, but the physical action was scorching hot! These two really burned up the pages, and I loved the chemistry between them!

Overall

Overall, this anthology was a quick and hot read for me. I loved that even though these were all separate stories they went together. It was nice to catch little glimpses of the characters throughout all three stories. All of these stories center around fetish week and submitting, but I felt like these were about more than just the typical BDSM stories you usually find and the characters were really enjoyable. I would recommend this book if you enjoy dominating males and steamy scenes!

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |



Friday, June 28, 2013

ARC Review: Connected by Kim Karr


Wow. That's seriously the first and only word that is coming to mind after reading this book. I finished this book hours ago and it is still on my mind. Connected is the first book that I remember ever having this reaction to. Usually I can tell you right off how much I loved or didn't love a book, but that just isn't the case here. This book was a roller coaster of emotions, drama, sex and romance, and I have to tell you I just wasn't ready to get off the ride.

Connected is Kim Karr's first Novel in the Connections series and is the story of Dahlia and River. After suffering the tragedy of losing her fiance Ben, Dahlia's world is shattered. After living in a state of devastation for over a year, her best friend Aerie decides that it is time Dahlia start getting back out into the world. She sends Dahlia to interview River Wilde the singer for the rock band the Wilde Ones. Aerie knows that Dahlia has always had a sort of crush on River. But she has no idea that one night many years ago Dahlia and River had an intense moment together in a bar. Dahlia and River reconnect and begin to see if the connection they once felt to each other is still there and as strong as they remember. As they grow closer, Dahlia begins to heal from losing Ben and for the first time in years sees a future for herself that is worth living.

I really loved River. He was sexy and sweet and truly patient with Dahlia. He never tried to be a replacement for Ben, but rather a separate love for Dahlia. I loved that although he was a rock star he was actually very modest, pursuing the career for his love of music rather than fame. He was content to play small local bars and preferred to be close to home rather than on the road. I liked Dahlia's character even though she would make me shake my head at times. I thought that her and River had a genuine connection and I really believed that they could fall in love in the short amount of time that it took. Their scenes together were extremely hot and steamy! I really enjoyed the secondary characters also, and I'm excited to read their stories in the rest of the connections series.

However I did have a few problems with this book. I felt as though sometimes things were described in way too much detail. The pacing seemed to be slow at points and I found myself at times wanting to skip ahead a few paragraphs to get through some of the more detailed spots. I love detail, but there is no need to rehash the same things paragraph after paragraph. Also, without going into specifics and to avoid spoilers, I will say there were a few scenes that just came off as cheesy to me. I'm all for romance and some sap when the story needs it, but a few of these really had me rolling my eyes. My biggest problem with this book is the way it ends. I really hate cliffhangers. If the book is in a series, have no doubt I will be reading the next one. No need to make me wait months or years to discover what happened next! The abruptness always throws me off and makes me get a little angry. I'll admit it, I'm impatient! I don't want to have to wait to see where you are taking the characters and the story. This cliffhanger is a real doozy too! Although I saw it coming from the beginning I was still shocked as I was reading it. I couldn't believe that the author was really going there. Just as the story was picking up the pace again we are cut off and left to wonder what just happened, as the story completely flips!

Overall, this book was one I just couldn't put down. It was a very emotional read, running me through the entire gamut of emotions. It kept me interested throughout, and I found myself wanting to call up my friends and talk about it. Its definitely not your typical rock star romance although music plays a huge part in this book. I loved seeing the different ways that the author incorporated it into the story. I'm excited and nervous to see where Karr will take the story in Torn. The cliffhanger really does open up so many possibilities for book #2, but I just know that I will be counting the days until October 1st when it releases. I think this story is one you wont want to miss if you enjoy and emotional read and can get past a cliffhanger.

**ARC provided by NetGalley**

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |



Guest Post with Author Amanda Usen and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author Amanda Usen to RFTC. Amanda is celebrating the recent release of her book Into the Fire and has stopped by to chat. Please give Amanda a warm welcome.

Amanda Usen knows two things for certain: chocolate cheesecake is good for breakfast, and a hot chef can steal your heart. Her husband stole hers the first day of class at the Culinary Institute of America. She married him after graduation in a lovely French Quarter restaurant in New Orleans, and they spent a few years enjoying the food and the fun in the Big Easy. Now they live in Western New York with their three children, one hamster, two guinea pigs, a tortoise, and a new-to-them beagle. Amanda spends her days teaching pastry arts classes and her nights writing romance. If she isn’t baking or writing, she can usually be found chasing the kids around the yard with her very own hot chef husband.

Want chimichurri, chocolate cake or Chicken Alighieri? Visit Amanda at http://www.amandausen.com, where you can find recipes for many of the yummy dishes in her books.

Places to find Amanda: 
| Site | Facebook | Twitter

Feature: All Out of Love by Lori Wilde


The second book in a dazzling new Cupid, Texas series by Lori Wilde. Welcome to Cupid, where every wish for love comes true…

For years, a small group of women in Cupid, TX, led by Millie Greenway, have taken it upon themselves to keep the Cupid legend alive. Now Millie has roped her four disbelieving granddaughters into joining the cause.

Lace Bettingfield knows for a fact that the Cupid legend is bogus. As a shy sixteen-year-old, she left a letter at the statue and got nothing in return but heaps of embarassment when her letter ended up printed in the school newspaper. But now the boy she longed for is back in town and Lace can't help wondering...what if?

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble |

Thursday, June 27, 2013

ARC Review: Unbuttoned by Maisey Yates


UNBUTTONED is a novella that kicks off category author Maisey Yates’s new Silver Springs series of full-length contemporary romances set in the heart of rural Oregon’s ranch country. Small-town romance AND cowboys? I’m sold! While it suffers from some of the issues typical of novellas due to the short length, it is a sexy, compelling read that definitely has me looking forward to the first full-length entry in the series in August.

Straitlaced councilwoman Carly Denton lives locked in a prison of respectability of her own making, focused on being in control at all times and afraid to take hold of anything she feels passionately about for fear of losing her hold on that prized control. The spectacle her parents have repeatedly made of themselves in public with flagrant philandering and screaming matches have made Carly determined to always be seen as ‘respectable’ and afraid of anything that inspires passion—especially romantic relationships. Sexy cowboy and former bronc rider Lucas Miller has abandonment issues and a major case of ‘not good enough’ syndrome thanks to his mother leaving him and his father when he was young and reducing his father to a maudlin alcoholic. He’s also Carly’s older brother Mac’s best friend and grew up with Carly and Mac to escape his home life, so he’s initially conflicted about his attraction to Carly and his desire to get her to loosen up and forego some of that rigid control. Carly’s been in love with him since she was a teenager but is afraid to take a chance because she’s convinced all men stray and Lucas was a bit of a player in his youth. Lucas doesn’t think he’s good enough for Carly to want to stay with him in the long run, despite wanting forever after with her. Cue relationship drama! The two of them have plenty of childhood issues to work through in between bouts of hot sex on the road to a HEA—and this is where the deficiencies of the novella format are most evident. Given the extent of Carly’s hang-ups and how putting on a stifling respectable façade is such an integral part of her character, her transition from running from the relationship to being willing to publicly put it all out there for the man she loves feels a bit rushed, and Lucas seems to forget about his abandonment issues the second Carly is willing to take a chance. The characters are skillfully written and realistic and the dialogue is both hilarious and emotive, but the story’s emotional arc would fare better in a longer format where readers have more time to savour the delightful couple the two of them make (and the hotness that is Lucas).

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed UNBUTTONED; it’s a great start to what looks to be a promising new small-town contemporary series and has introduced me to a new-to-me author who writes enjoyable characters with great emotional depth, witty dialogue, and steamy love scenes. The excerpt at the end of the novella for UNEXPECTED, the next book in the series, sounds like a great take on the secret baby trope, and I’m excited to see what Ms. Yates does with the story and the longer length.


**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |



Interview with Author Lindsey Piper and Giveaway

Please give a warm welcome to Lindsey Piper. Lindsey is celebrating the recent release of her book Caged Warrior and has stopped by to answer a few questions.

Lindsey Piper is the alter ego of an award-winning historical and contemporary romance author. Her hotly anticipated DRAGON KINGS series is her first foray into paranormal fiction. She lives and writes in Chicago.

Places to find Lindsey:

Interview with Author Tonya Burrows and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome back author Tonya Burrows. Tonya is celebrating the recent release of her book SEAL of Honor and has stopped by to answer a few questions. Please give Tonya a warm welcome.

Writing has always been my one true love. I wrote my first novel-length story in 8th grade and haven't stopped since. I received a B.A. in creative writing from SUNY Oswego and I'm now working on a MFA in popular fiction at Seton Hill University.

When I'm not writing, I spend my time reading, painting (badly), exploring new places, and enjoying time with my family. Give me a good horror movie over a chick flick any day. (And, let's be honest, I'll take a bad horror movie too!) I'm a geek at heart and pledge my avid TV fandom to Supernatural and Doctor Who. I'm also a big fan of The Voice. What can I say? Guilty pleasure.​​

I share my life with two dogs and a ginormous cat. We live in a small town in PA, but I suffer from a bad case of wanderlust and usually end up moving someplace new every few years. Luckily, my animals are all excellent travel buddies.

Places to find Tonya:

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

ARC Review: Don't Bite the Bridesmaid by Tiffany Allee


Not wanting to disappoint her family as well as show her ex-boyfriend that she hasn’t moved on from the train wreck that was their relationship, Alice Shepard is on the hunt for a date for her sister’s upcoming wedding. Being hurt and loaded with baggage has kept her off the dating scene causing her even more difficulty finding someone who could pull off acting as though they were together, as well as being someone she wouldn’t mind being cooped up with in the close confines of a cruise ship for several days. Not wanting to ask a coworker because she’s worried about the awkwardness that would surely result after her sister has tied the not, she feels she has no options other than asking her very handsome and stoic neighbor. It helps that she’s been obsessing over him since she first set eyes on him after moving in, but also adding a whole other level of stress to trying to accomplish her goal of showing everyone that she’s emotionally sound and able to find a man for herself without their intervention.

Noah Thorpe has watched his neighbor since she moved into the place next door. Though, from both an great emotional and physical distance. Being a vampire and under threat of being forced into a union he wishes to avoid from his maker, he has no dreams of doing more than enjoying Alice from a distance. To his shock he, in the most opportune time, he’s offered a proposition from the young woman that he has little option other than accepting. He needs to get out of town, and spending time on a cruise ship out of the view of his peers is the perfect cover. However, it doesn’t go unheeded that he will be closer to the creature he’s been working so hard to avoid than ever. Worrisome that his desires and her temptation seem to rise exponentially relative to their proximity.

This was my first opportunity to read Tiffany Allee’s works and I truly enjoyed myself. This was a very light read full of many sweet and endearing moments. As well as the steamy and dreamy chemistry between Alice and Noah. Though their relationship grew at a quick rate, Allee did a great job of starting it off with a simmer and ending with a lively boil. Taken on the journey of these two falling in love you definitely get to enjoy watching them battle their own insecurities as well as fight for what they truly want in their lives. Finishing this book has left me interested in checking out other titles from Allee’s Sons of Kane series. If you are looking for an enjoyable light read about a sweet romance, and two strong individuals finding themselves through the ones they love I can genuinely recommend you pick up this book.


**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |



Guest Post with Author Christine Warner and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author Christine Warner to RFTC. Christine is celebrating the release of her book Bachelor's Special and has stopped to chat. Please give Christine a warm welcome.

Christine Warner is living her dream in Michigan along with her husband, three children, one laptop and a much loved assortment of furry friends.

Besides laughing and a good round of humor, she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading, writing but no arithmitic. A confessed people watcher, she finds inspiration for her stories in everyday activities. She loves to read and write about strong heroes and determined, sometimes sassy, heroines.

A girl gone wild, at least where social media is concerned, she enjoys meeting other avid readers and writers on facebook, twitter and her website.

Places to find Christine: 
| Site | Facebook | Twitter

A Royal Pain Baby Name Game and Giveaway

It’s time to play A Royal Pain Baby Name Game! To celebrate Megan Mulry’s upcoming July release, If the Shoe Fits, Sourcebooks would like to know what you think the name of Will & Kate’s new addition will be! Comment below with your boy name and girl name prediction! We will pick one winner who will receive a print copy of Megan’s first book A Royal Pain!

Coming July 2nd!


The only thing worse than being in the spotlight is being kept in the dark...

With paparazzi nipping at his heels, Devon Heyworth, rakish brother of the Duke of Northrop, spends his whole life hiding his intelligence and flaunting his playboy persona. Fast cars and faster women give the tabloids plenty to talk about.

American entrepreneur Sarah James is singularly unimpressed with "The Earl" when she meets him at a wedding. But she's made quite an impression on him. When he pursues her all the way across the pond, he discovers that Miss James has no intention of being won over by glitz and glamor—she's got real issues to deal with, and the last thing she needs is larger-than-life royalty mucking about her business...

Pre-Order: | Amazon | Kindle | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository |

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

ARC Review: Dire Desires by Stephanie Tyler


Dire Desires is the third installment in the Eternal Wolf Clan series written by Stephanie Tyler. I will admit that jumping in on the third book was a little challenging at the start due to the story being told from several characters points of view, and their histories with each other, but not so difficult that it detracted from the story. Which I highly enjoyed. Stephanie Tyler has been an author I’ve had in my TBR pile for a while and am happy I had the opportunity to dive in.

Jinx is a Dire Wolf, (think immortal super werewolf) and he can see ghosts. After being tricked into opening Purgatory in the previous book he is now dealing with the fallout. Not only is he currently on the outs with his King, but his brother is in a coma and he’s discovered that several beasts from Purgatory have escaped into the world. Now focusing on tracking down the monsters before they do too much damage he gets a lead on one wreaking havoc in a local psychiatric hospital. On the way to check it out Jinx, and his vampire roommate Jez, get word that a wolf has been a patient there for several years after her parents believed her to be suffering from mental illness. Once Jinx walks into her holding room he is not only shocked to discover that she is in fact a Dire wolf, but also his mate.

Gillian has been living in a drugged up haze for the past several years. A traumatic event in her past caused her adoptive parents to have her locked up fearing that she was dangerous to herself and those around her. In her muddled mind she knows she does not belong in a hospital, but she also knows she does not feel like a normal human being anymore. Under the cover of darkness she often escapes to run through the forest located behind the facility. She always returns though, believing that there is no place for her to go. Then out of the blue a man walks into her room claiming he’s there to rescue her. Get her out of that horrible place. She knows in her head that she shouldn’t trust him, but something inside her is telling her to go to him. That he is someone who will change her life for the better. That he is offering her the chance at freedom she’s been yearning for.

Though Jinx and Gillian’s relationship can be categorized as insta-love, as so many in this genre tend to be, it works for me in this book. Jinx treading water in his depression and self-loathing had been granted a gift in the form of a beautiful, strong woman to cherish and protect. Taking hold of his heart and pulling him out of the depths of his despair. Being a prisoner herself, due to misunderstandings by all parties in her life, Gillian was rescued by a strong and caring man who offered her freedom, love, and the chance to get to know herself as the woman she truly is. Under his protection she is given the opportunity to explore every aspect of being a Dire, and while there are several surprises along this journey you can feel the happiness that Gillian projects at getting the opportunity to thrive as the person she was born to be.

This book was fairly quick paced. Full of action and romance. The sideline plots were also an interesting detour from the main storyline and appear that they are an extension from the two previous books in the series. The supporting characters all added greatly to the world Stephanie has created here and I found myself wanting to read the previous installments so I can get a better handle on their stories. I will also be waiting patiently for the next book in this series to be written and released.

In summary, if you like strong alpha males...and even stronger female heroines thrown into a paranormal world of magic, love, and hellhounds I definitely recommend you pick up this title.

**ARC provided by Publisher via NetGalley**

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



Guest Post with Author Wendy Soliman and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome author Wendy Soliman to RFTC. Wendy is celebrating the release of her book Beguiling the Barrister and has stopped by to chat. Please give Wendy a warm welcome.

Wendy Soliman was brought up on the Isle of Wight in Southern England but now divides her time between Andorra and West Florida. She lives with her husband Andre and a rescued dog of indeterminate pedigree named Jake Bentley.

The Isle of Wight is full of historic buildings, which is where she acquired her love of history, absorbing it like osmosis. She is the author of nine single-title Regency romances and is excited about her up-coming series charting the fortunes of the Forster dynasty.

When not writing she enjoys reading other people's books, walking miles with her dog whilst plotting her next scene, and is on a one-woman mission to save the wine industry from the economic slump. Well, someone's got to do it!

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

Guest Post with Theresa Meyers and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome back to RFTC author Theresa Meyers. Theresa is celebrating the release of her newest book, The Switched Baby Scandal and has stopped by to chat. Please give Theresa a warm welcome.

Raised by a bibliophile who made the dining room into a library, Theresa has always been a lover of books and stories despite dyslexia that made it difficult for her to write and read until the fourth grade. First a writer for newspapers, then for national magazines, she started her first novel in high school, eventually enrolling in a Writer's Digest course and putting the book under the bed until she joined Romance Writers of America in 1993. In 2005 she was selected as one of eleven finalists for the American Title II contest, the American Idol of books.

She is married to the first man she ever went on a real date with (to their high school prom), who she knew was hero material when he suffered through having to let her parents drive, and her brother sit between them in the backseat of the car. They currently live in a Victorian house on a mini farm in the Pacific Northwest with their two children, two cats, an old chestnut Arabian gelding, an energetic mini-Aussie shepherd dog, a parakeet and an out-of-control herb garden.

She collects teapots, teddy bears and steampunk gadgetry, and when not writing can be found sewing, painting, canning, baking, or hiding out in a comfy chair reading a wonderful book. On occasion, you might find her scuba diving or riding her white quad with hot pink flames on the sand dunes. Her favorite television shows are Supernatural (Dean Girl), The Vampire Diaries, Once Upon a Time and Grimm (is it any wonder she writes fiction?).

Places to find Theresa:

Monday, June 24, 2013

ARC Review: Playing the Part by Robin Covington


Playing the Part is my first Robin Covington book, but I can tell you it won't be the last. This book was enjoyable and hot, and for me it was a natural progression of two people falling in love. Mick is an action movie star who wants to broaden his career. He is struggling wih his first non-action role and the director decides that he needs a little insight into the part from the author of the book which the movie is based on. Piper is struggling to please her publisher and relaunch her career after a devasting and very public break-up. Piper and Mick have a ton of chemisty right from the start, and the attraction and passion between them is explosive. As Mick and Piper spend more time together, they decide to have a fling while she is on set. After Piper's break-up she is hesitant to get involved with anyone who isn't safe, and Mick is anything but. Mick doesn't believe in love and is a known ladies man, but as they get to know each other they begin to rethink their no-strings attached fling and start to think about the future.

Mick is confident and sexy, but he is also deeper than what you see on the surface. I really loved how even though he was out for publicity and making sure that his career was always on top he was sweet and did things he could have made himself look even better for in private. The scenes between Mick and Piper were witty and fun and had the full range of romantic and sweet to scorching hot. Piper was extremely likable and a heroine I was rooting for from page one. She wasn't afraid to be herself and say what she felt. I found that I related to her character very easily. Although the time period of this book is somewhat short, I had absolutely no problem believing in the growing relationship between the two of them. Covington did a great job of developing the characters and the plot so that Mick and Piper grew as individuals and as a couple with a future that neither of them could have predicted.

Overall, I thought this book was great. It was a quick enjoyable read, and I just couldn't put it down. The characters were likable and perfect for each other. If you are looking for something light and fun to read with explosive chemistry, this is definitely a must read. After reading this book, I am looking forward to reading more of Covington's books in the futre!

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |



Guest Post with Author Ruthie Knox and Giveaway

Today I would like to welcome back to RFTC author Ruthie Knox  Ruthie is celebrating the recent release of Flirting with Disaster, book 3 in her Camelot series and has stopped by to chat all about her newest hero. Please give Ruthie a warm welcome.

USA Today bestselling author Ruthie Knox writes contemporary romance that's sexy, witty, and angsty—sometimes all three at once. After training to be a British historian, she became an academic editor instead. Then she got really deeply into knitting, as one does, followed by motherhood and romance novel writing. Her debut novel, Ride with Me, is probably the only existing cross-country bicycling love story. She followed it up with About Last Night, a London-set romance whose hero has the unlikely name of Neville, and then Room at the Inn, a Christmas novella—both of which were finalists for the Romance Writers of America's RITA Award. Her four-book series about the Clark family of Camelot, Ohio, has won accolades for its fresh, funny portrayal of small-town Midwestern life. Ruthie moonlights as a mother, Tweets incessantly, and bakes a mean focaccia. She'd love to hear from you, so visit her website at www.ruthieknox.com and drop her a line.

Places to find Ruthie:

Feature and Giveaway: Tristan's Lyceum Wolves by Kym Grosso



An erotic paranormal romance...

Charismatic and powerful Lyceum Wolves' Alpha, Tristan Livingston, is out for revenge after a devastating attack on his pack. Not only did he survive a building collapse, he orchestrated the rebuild of his chic, state-of-the-art nightclub within a week. Determined to mete out justice, he rescues a beautiful witness who may be the key to helping him find the perpetrators.

Dr. Kalli Williams, dedicated veterinarian, is hiding a secret that endangers not only her own life but the lives of wolves across the country. After being tortured by a savage vampire, she's reluctantly agrees to help the sexy Alpha in his quest to identify suspects; ones who'd kill her on the spot if they knew she existed. As Kalli places herself in the hands of the dominant wolf, she soon finds she wants nothing more than to submit.

Tristan, committed to ruling his pack as a lone wolf, is inexplicably drawn to the mysterious and enticing woman, who seems more than human, but not quite supernatural. As he discovers her secret, he teaches her the meaning of trust, helping her learn how to be true to her nature. After living a lifetime alone, will he succumb to the visceral need to claim her, acknowledging the soul binding connection between an Alpha and his mate? And will he prevail against the menacing enemy who threatens to destroy Lyceum Wolves?

Warning: This book contains several erotic love scenes, including m/f/m menage, and is intended for adult readers only.

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |

Sunday, June 23, 2013

ARC Review: Skin in the Game by Jackie Barbosa


Even being probably the least athletic person I know, I have always had a love of sports. For me, some of my absolute favorite reads are sports romances. I had never read a book by Jackie Barbosa before Skin In The Game, but jumped at the chance to read this football centric story. I found this story to be a wonderful mix of football and romance, without it being too heavy on one or the other. It was a great read, and I can't wait to read more from Jackie Barbosa in the future.

Cade is a successful NFL quarterback for the Texans, but due to an injury on the field he is currently out of the game. He agrees to come home after 16 years away to help out his high school coach and father figure by temporarily taking over his head coaching job. What he doesn't expect to find is Angela, the freshman girl who once gave him the advice he needed to turn his game around and win his senior championship, to have grown into the stunning woman she has become. The chemistry and attraction is instant, and Angela and Cade proceed to have a hotter night together than either one of them have ever experienced. What neither of them knows is that they will also be working together for the next 3 weeks, as Angela is the assistant coach to the Eagles football team. As the two of them work together, they find it impossible to only have one night with each other.

Despite Cade being a somewhat cocky football player, I found his character to have so many different sides to him. I especially enjoyed how real he was. Often times he would say something other than what he actually meant, showing he was just as normal as the rest of us. It was nice to see his character develop from a football player set on advancing his career to a man in love.

I found Angela to be an extremely likable character as well. Her strength and ability to pursue a career in a male dominated field was really inspiring. I also enjoyed seeing a heroine who wasn't your typical girly girl, and who not only enjoyed sports, but also knew what she was talking about. There were a few times that I felt that her character overreacted, but she was a heroine that I found myself rooting for from page one.

Overall this book was an enjoyable read, and I loved watching Cade and Angela fall in love and grow both as individuals and as a couple. I am really looking forward to seeing where the author takes this series and hopefully getting to see more of some of the characters from this book. If you like some sports with your romance, this is one I would recommend that you pick up!

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |