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Saturday, June 7, 2014

Weekly Winners

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

Alex N.
RFTC Monthly Giveaway

Lori M.
Mended by Kim Karr

Maggie S.
Make It Count by Megan Erickson


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

ARC Review: On The Rocks by Alyssa Rose Ivy


 On The Rocks is the second book in Alyssa Rose Ivy's Mixology series and can be read as a standalone. While we get to see Colin and Maddy from the first book, this book focuses on Carly (Colin's little sister) and Maddy's friend and roommate Macon. I really enjoyed this story, and loved getting to know Macon better. This book was a quick and easy read to get sucked into, and I really liked the story.

After college with no plans and nowhere to turn, Carly heads to stay with her brother Colin while she figures things out. She gets a job at the bar her friend Maddy works as a hostess, but she has the opportunity to become a bartender and make more money. She doesn't want to cramp her brother and Maddy's style, so Macon offers to let her live in Maddy's room at their house with him and Brody and Maddy moves in with Colin. Needing to learn how to bartend, she turns to Macon for help. They have an easy relationship and get along well, but they are also really attracted to one another. As they get closer and learn more about each other, their relationship quickly turns passionate. But with the end of the summer fast approaching, what will happen to their relationship?

I liked Macon a lot. He was so sweet and thoughtful, and completely unlike his reputation would lead you to believe. He let people make assumptions about him and think that he was a player when he actually wasn't. I loved how open he was with Carly and that he really respected her. He treated her right and looked out for her. Carly was great also. She was smart and fun, and I loved seeing her with Macon. They had such a natural relationship and everything was just really easy for them. They got along really well, and they brought out the best in each other. I felt like their relationship was so real and that they just fit together. They had great chemistry together and were really hot. But I loved that they also had such a great emotional connection as well.

Overall, I really liked this story. I loved that we got both Macon and Carly's POVs. Even though the chapters were clearly labeled which POV it was, there were a few times that it would switch for a paragraph or two and it was a bit confusing. The book was well written though, and the characters were likable and easy to root for. I really liked Brody as well, and I am interested to get to know him better. It was also great to see Carly and her sister Kim start to repair their relationship. I would recommend this book if you are a fan of the NA genre, and especially if you read the first book. I really like Alyssa Rose Ivy's writing style, and she always has such fun and likable characters. If you haven't read anything by her, you should definitely check her books out. I can't wait to read more from her in the future.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |





ARC Review: Blue Crush by Jules Barnard


Blue Crush is the second book in Jules Barnard's Blue Series and can be read as a standalone. I really enjoyed this book and I liked the characters a lot. I hadn't read the first book in the series before reading this one, but I can't wait to go back and read it. This book takes place at the same time that the first book does, but it is about Genevieve and Lewis while the first book is about Cali and Jaeger. I was drawn in instantly with this story, and didn't put it down until I had finished. This one was a quick and enjoyable read, and I look forward to the reading more in this series.

After finding out that her boyfriend betrayed her, Genevieve Tierney decides to spend the summer with her best friend Cali working at a casino to save money for grad school. She is determined to avoid men and relationships and quickly makes friends with another casino employee, Nessa. Nessa introduces her to her friends, and Gen is instantly drawn to Lewis. Lewis however had a complicated relationship with Mira, another friend of Nessa's. Gen decides to try to stay away from Lewis, but the connection between them is hard to fight. When Gen decides to sign up for the Alpine Mudder Competition, she ends up with Lewis to help her train. He was a finalist in the competition a year before and knows how to help her prepare. As they train together, they find it impossible to stay away from each other, and soon Lewis and Gen give in to their passion. Lewis might not be with Mira, but he does tend to put her before others and it becomes an issue for his relationships. Can Lewis find a way to make Gen his top priority and give their relationship a chance?

I really liked Lewis. He was strong and sexy, sweet and loyal. He was fiercely protective of Gen and Mira, and went out of his way to try to always look out for them. I thought that he let Mira get away with far too much, but it was nice to see him care so much about her as well as Gen. I think he definitely should have handled a few things differently, but he meant well and didn't always know what to do. Gen was strong and determined, but she was also insecure at times and had a tendency to run first and ask questions later. She jumped to conclusions at times, but she had been hurt and that was understandable. I did like that she was able to dedicate herself to doing something for her and that she took the competition seriously. She wanted to prove to herself that she could do it, and I admired her determination a lot. I also really loved that she refused to settle for less than she deserved. Regardless of her feelings for Lewis, she wouldn't allow him make someone else his priority over her and put their needs above her own. I thought that Lewis and Gen had amazing chemistry right off, and they were seriously hot together! But I also loved their playfulness and watching them fall for each other as they trained together and got to know each other.

I have to say, I had an intense dislike for Mira right from the start. I didn't understand why Lewis put up with some of her crap, regardless of what she had been through. I understand that she had it tough, but that doesn't excuse her to act like a bitch and take over his life the way she did. I am curious to see what is between her and Tyler (Cali's brother), but I am a bit skeptical on how I am going to get behind her story. Hopefully she can turn her life around and redeem herself, but frankly she has a lot to make up for. She took advantage of Lewis's friendship and did a lot of things she shouldn't have. I will say that the ending of this story was also pretty abrupt and I felt like even though things were happy for now with Lewis and Gen, that their story felt unfinished to me. We are left with a cliffhanger, and that will get me to read the next book alone despite the fact that it is Mira's story. I would recommend this book to NA fans, especially if you have read the first book in the series. I look forward to reading more from Jules Barnard in the future.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |





Guest Post with Author Susannah Sandlin and Giveaway

Meet Susannah Sandlin, author of Allegiance

Susannah Sandlin is the author of paranormal romance set in the Deep South, where there are always things that go bump in the night.

A journalist by day, Susannah grew up in Alabama reading the gothic novels of Susan Howatch and the horror fantasy of Stephen King. (Um…it is fantasy, right?)

The combination of Howatch and King probably explains a lot. Currently a resident of Auburn, Alabama, Susannah has also lived in Illinois, Texas, California, and Louisiana.

Places to find Susannah:

Feature and Giveaway: Death's Redemption by Marie Hall


As a Seer, Mila O'Fallen is one of the last humans capable of channeling visions of the past and future. The one thing she can't see is her own fate, but she knows it's grim. All types of ruthless, supernatural creatures want to use her abilities, and they will do anything to gain access to her powers. When vampires descend upon her, it looks like the end-until a formidable figure appears. She feels a connection to him that is instant, unearthly, and explosive.

Grim reaper Frenzy never thought he would see the eyes of his lover again. She was murdered centuries ago, but her amber eyes are alive in Mila. Though it's not his job to protect humanity, something tells him protecting this human is what he was born to do. Yet vampires are the least of their worries. Frenzy and Mila quickly learn that a dark force is matching their every step. And even as they crave each other, the darkness craves them . . .

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes |

Feature and Giveaway: Chasing Forever by Lisa Cardiff


Regan Pierce’s life is finally on right path . . .

She’s on track to graduate at the top of her class. She’s just been offered a summer associate position with one of the largest law firms in San Francisco. She’s in control of her future and the painful secrets of her past are long forgotten.

Her life is perfect . . . until Lucas Evanston, sexy former college baseball star turned lawyer extraordinaire, her boss for the summer, walks back into her life.

Six years ago, Lucas thought he’d met the woman of his dreams. Regan was everything he never knew he wanted until he ruined it all and left her broken and unable to trust.

Just like six years ago, the chemistry between them is as explosive as it is unexpected, but Regan wants nothing to do with the man who turned her life upside down and trampled her heart.

Lucas has other plans. Regan owns him, heart, body and soul and he’ll do whatever it takes to win the heart of the woman who haunts his dreams.

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N |

ARC Review: Chasing Forever by Lisa Cardiff


Chasing Forever is the first book that I have read by Lisa Cardiff, and I found it to be enjoyable. I liked the characters and the story. I am a fan of second chance romance stories, and this one was entertaining and kept me interested. I did have a few things that kept me from rating this one higher, but overall this was a good story.

Regan Pierce is in law school and is starting her summer associate position with one of the best law firms in San Francisco. When she shows up to meet her mentor for the summer, she finds none other than Lucas Evanston the guy who humiliated her and broke her heart in college. Forced to work together, she makes an uneasy truce with him to try and keep things professional and to never bring up the past. But soon, their attraction and feelings from long ago are more than either of them can fight. Can Regan protect her heart and keep Lucas at arms length? Or will Lucas find a way to get Regan to give him a second chance and a shot at a future together?

I liked Lucas, but I didn't always understand him. I honestly still have no idea why he did what he did, and why he never spoke up and told Regan the whole story. It doesn't really make sense to me, and I have no idea what he was thinking. He was sexy though, and determined. I loved that he was so dedicated to getting Regan to change her mind about him and give him a chance. He was relentless, and I liked that he pursued her though everything. I also thought that he had some really sweet moments, and that he never forgot a single thing about her. He remembered all of her favorites and he even saved something from the first time that he met her and never went without it. Regan was easy to want to root for, but at times she also made it really hard to like her. She forgave Lucas really easily and yet then she would throw it back in his face at times. She also never gave him the chance to explain things and jumped to conclusions really easily. I kept wanting to smack her upside the head and tell her to just listen for once. I do understand that she had been hurt and had a lot of pain from everything that had happened, but you can't agree to give someone a shot one second and then constantly assume and judge the next second. It was a bit of whiplash, and even Lucas said as much in the story. I did think that they had great chemistry, and once they finally went there things were steamy between them.

I think that this was a good story, and I do think that Lucas and Regan were great together. I think that they fit well and you could feel the attraction between them. But I also feel like their past was dropped way too quickly and that their feelings were rushed. I wanted to see more of them working towards a future, and I felt like things were just resolved a bit too easily. I think that the past and everything that had happened between them was a bit anticlimactic for the reader because the characters just seemed to sort of brush it under the rug. I couldn't quite get behind the relationship because of how things were handled. I also felt like even though I hated Olivia, that she was pretty much a non-factor in this story. For being the villain and the one that we are supposed to hate, she had a fairly small part in the story, and was too easily vanquished. I was happy enough with the ending, but I do feel like we could have been given a bit more. I hope that in the next book things are a bit more resolved, because to me their story just felt unfinished. I do think that Regan and Lucas's story is one that a lot of romance fans will enjoy, and I am interested to read the next book in the series and see what else Lisa Cardiff has planned next.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N |





Friday, June 6, 2014

ARC Review: Gimme Some Sugar by Kimberly Kincaid


Carly di Matisse, chef and soon to be divorcee, has fled New York. Pine Mountain’s La Dolce Vita restaurant has provided her with a soft landing. She and her friend, Sloane Russo, are renting a cottage. When a storm damages the back deck, Jackson Carter is hired to fix it. The mutual viewing through the sliding glass door sets Jackson and Carly up for a scorching kiss. Both decide to slow down and get to know each other. Jackson takes Carly to his mother’s house for the Fourth of July. The party is also to recognize his brother’s recent engagement. She falls in love with his mother’s extensive vegetable gardens. She has an idea to create one by the restaurant. She meets his ‘pretend’ girlfriend and he learns she’s still sort of married. Their misunderstanding grows and demands both make full apologies and disclosure. Both step out of their comfort zones and talk about their lives. His mom wants him to settle down so he asked a friend to be his girlfriend for the party. Her husband tries to drag out the divorce. They were a cooking team and hosted a local cable cooking show. He’s nothing without her and needs her back to save his career. Carly gets an offer to return to New York as a master chef. Is this her dream job or does she already have it?

Jackson has a cowboy vibe, a man of few words and many talents. He comes to Carly’s aid before she asks. He’s dependable and reliable, even when he’s out of his element. Carly is trying to pick up the shreds of her life and put them back together. Betrayed personally and professionally by her ex-husband, she’s vulnerable. She’s determined to be successful and dig down deep to find her passion for food and Jackson. They make an excellent couple.

The relationships Carly and Jackson have with their mothers are realistic. Carly’s mom sees divorce as a sin. She wants her to reconcile with her husband. Marriage for life is how it works. After an illness, she softens her stance with Carly. Plus she admits Carly’s husband is a jerk. I’ve heard many conversations over the years where moms get mixed up in their children’s marital problems. A no win for all sides. Jackson’s father was abusive. He’s afraid he’ll be the same way. He keeps Carly at arm’s length to keep her safe. His mom sets him straight. Jackson is nothing like his father and would be missing a life time of happiness if he believes otherwise. She’s the only one who can discuss and explain the past.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |



ARC Review: Never Doubt Me by S.R. Grey


I honestly couldn't wait to read Never Doubt Me the second I had finished I Stand Before You. S.R. Grey has created such fabulous and real characters, that you can't help but feel emotionally invested in their story. Never Doubt Me should only be read after you read I Stand Before You as it is the continuing story of Chase and Kay. I was so glad to get to know Chase's little brother Will better and to get more of Chase and Kay. This series is so good, and this book definitely did not disappoint. This series is becoming one of my favorites that I have ever read and if you haven't already read these, you are seriously missing out!

Chase and Kay are together and things are going well for them. But as we left them at the end of I Stand Before You, Chase's little brother Will has just appeared on his doorstep with his girlfriend Cassie. Chase tells Will that they need to head back to Vegas, but with everything going on with Cassie's creepy step-dad as well as things with Will and their mom they end up staying a little longer. As Chase and Kay try to help Will and Cassie, their pasts find their way into affecting their future. Will is troubled and is struggling with drugs the way that Chase did, and Chase will do anything to turn his brother's life around before he ends up following the same path he did. But with Chase facing temptation he will have to stay strong and rely on Kay to help him avoid falling into old habits. Kay is determined to support Chase and be there for him and Will in any way she can, but with her ex Doug reappearing in town, and more truths revealed about the night her sister died, she is thrown for a loop. Her mother also suddenly reappears and though she wants to apologize and set things right, Kay is not sure that she can let her in again. Can Chase and Kay find a way to lean on each other and get through things together? Or will they be broken when Chase makes the decision to leave Kay behind when he rushes off to Vegas to stop his brother Will from making a deadly mistake?

Chase and Kay are so sweet together. They are absolutely adorable together, and I love how perfect for each other they really are. They faced some really tough things together in this installment of their story, and yet they were able to lean on each other and draw strength from one another. They are committed to each other and are determined to make things work. Their relationship is so natural and strong in all aspects. I freaking love these two, and they seem so real to me. You can't help but not only root for them, but also fall in love with them. I was so glad to see that the drama and angst in this story isn't about their relationship for the most part, but about things that they are forced to deal with. Even when they had issues, their relationship remained solid and that was so nice and refreshing to see, especially in a NA story. I also really loved getting to know Will and Cassie. They are really cute together as well, and I really hope that things work out for them also.

Overall, this was a great second installment in this series. I couldn't put it down, and just like the first book this one was really well written and I was engaged right from the start. These books are so worth the read, and I can't wait to get more of Chase and Kay. Chase, Kay, Will and Cassie have a lot more ahead of them, and I know that it is going to be interesting. We are left with another cliffhanger and the story will continue in Just Let Me Love You. It cannot come soon enough, and I know I will be stalking the book sites until it releases. This series is so good, and is a must read for me. I highly recommend this series to romance fans, and this is one of those series that really has something for everyone. I can honestly say that I have loved every word of Chase and Kay's journey so far and am anxiously waiting to see where S.R. Grey takes them next.

**ARC Provided by AToMR**

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





Feature and Giveaway: Never Doubt Me by S.R. Grey


Can a tattooed, former bad boy leave his past behind? Can he find lasting happiness with the love of his life?

Gorgeous and sexy Chase Gartner hopes to do just that with Kay Stanton. But when Chase’s troubled teen brother, Will, stays on in Harmony Creek, Ohio—-after an unexpected arrival-—Chase and Kay’s bonds of love and commitment are soon tested.

Chase finds himself caught up in secrets—-and revisiting a past he thought he’d left behind—-when Will makes a number of irresponsible decisions. Despite Chase’s attempts to keep his brother out of trouble, Will’s reckless behavior continues, affecting not only Chase and Kay, but other residents in town...one disastrously so.

But it’s the final, potentially deadly decision Will makes when his girlfriend runs into trouble back in Las Vegas that leads Chase to make a fateful decision of his own. A choice that threatens his relationship with Kay.

Never Doubt Me is a touching, poignant story of love, redemption, and coming to grips with the fact that escaping the past is never easy.

New Adult/Contemporary Romance genres. 2nd novel in the Judge Me Not series.

Warning: contains explicit sexual situations, drug use, some violence, and profanity

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

Feature and Giveaway: Gimme Some Sugar by Kimberly Kincaid


Out of the frying pan. . .and into the fire!

Desperate to escape the spotlight of her failed marriage to a fellow celebrity-chef, Carly di Matisse left New York City for a tiny town in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The restaurant she's running these days may not be chic, but in Pine Mountain she can pretend to be the tough cookie everybody knows and loves. Until she finds herself spending too much time with a way-too-hot contractor whose rugged good looks melt her like butter...

Jackson Carter wasn't looking for love. But he's not the kind of man to walk away from a worksite—or from a fiery beauty whose passionate nature provides some irresistible on-the-job benefits...

It's the perfect temporary arrangement for two ravenous commitment-phobes, except that Jackson and Carly keep coming back for seconds... and thirds... and fourths...

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |

Feature and Giveaway: Honor Reclaimed by Tonya Burrows


Former Marine scout sniper Seth Harlan is new to HORNET and anxious to prove he can still do his job despite an ongoing battle with PTSD. He remembers all too well what it's like to sit inside an enemy camp, praying for rescue and waiting for death. So when a black ops soldier contacts HORNET to rescue a buddy who was left behind, all sorts of nasty memories strain his newfound stability.

When an interview with a runaway Afghan child bride leads photojournalist Phoebe Leighton to an arms deal involving a suitcase bomb powerful enough to wipe out a mid-sized town, she realizes this is one battle she can't win on her own. Forming an unlikely alliance with a ragtag team of military and government delinquents, she meets Seth, a sniper carrying as many emotional scars as physical, who impresses her with his steely will and ignites passions within her she thought long dead.

Suddenly this mission is about a lot more than an abandoned soldier. Racing against the clock, Seth, Phoebe, and the rest of HORNET struggle to stop that bomb before it reaches it's final destination: The United States.

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

ARC Review: Honor Reclaimed by Tonya Burrows


It’s no secret that I love military heroes and will read most anything starring one... a finely honed physique, the ability to kill a handful of insurgents with a paperclip, and outstanding sense of Honor and duty—what’s not to like? And though I’d seen the great buzz surrounding Tonya Burrows’s debut, SEAL OF HONOR, which kicks off her military romantic suspense HORNET series, I hadn’t gotten around to reading it or its companion Wilde Security series. But after devouring HORNET #2, HONOR RECLAIMED, I’m getting caught up on Ms. Burrows’s backlist, stat! With HONOR RECLAIMED, Ms. Burrows delivers a compelling, multilayered story that is suspenseful, action-packed, sexy, humorous, and poignant at the same time and features two of the most emotionally complex and superbly written characters I have come across in a while. Both the action-packed plot and the characters’ complex emotional arc kept me glued to my Kindle and unable to put the book down until I was finished. [Sleep? Who needs sleep?]

The tortured hero isn’t usually my favourite, but Ms. Burrows’s Seth Harlan has made me a convert. As a Marine sniper, he spent fifteen months as a prisoner of war in Afghanistan before being rescued by a team of Navy SEALs. For the past two years, he has suffered from severe PTSD—paranoia, flashbacks, nightmares, panic—and the overwhelming guilt of being unable to save his team from being captured and tortured by terrorists and being the only one to survive. No longer apt for the military but not civilian either, he’s searching for a place to belong and thinks former SEAL Gabe Bristow’s ragtag private hostage rescue team, HORNET, could be it—if he didn’t keep flashing back to the past in the middle of training missions and getting his team ‘killed’. Convinced he’s getting axed from HORNET after the latest failed training mission, he instead gets the call to go wheels-up on an operation to rescue an Army Ranger deep undercover in Afghanistan who’s been captured by the Taliban. The rest of the HORNET team rags on Seth and doesn’t feel like he can have their backs in the field, but returning to the place where you were tortured for fifteen months takes a brass set of balls. It’s a testament to Seth’s great strength that he does it without a major meltdown and manages to face his demons to carry out the mission. Ms. Burrows does an excellent job portraying Seth’s anxiety and struggles to rise above the fear and guilt in a way that connects with the reader on a deep emotional level. I love it when a romance hero (especially a military one) can be badass and alpha but has a vulnerable edge that humanizes him, and Ms. Burrows nails it with Seth. I was rooting for him from the beginning

Heroine Phoebe Leighton plays a huge role in Seth’s growth as a character. A former tabloid reporter, she’s now freelance photojournalist and is in Afghanistan doing a story on a women’s shelter in Kabul started by an American relief worker. She has a pseudo-history with Seth, having written a sensationalist piece about him after his rescue for her tabloid that demolished his credibility, so when she thinks she spots him in a Kabul market, she follows him and ends up tangled in the HORNET mission. I absolutely loved Phoebe as a character: she’s feisty, smart, incredibly brave to do the things she does, committed to the cause of doing good with her journalism to atone for the fame-seeking tabloid reporter she used to be, and loyal to those she cares about. She’s also flawed, which makes her realistic and relatable: a bit overly naïve about the power of journalism (splashing a suspected terrorist’s plans on Page One does not your personal safety guarantee!), and afraid to ‘fess up to Seth about her role in his post-rescue public flaying for fear of ruining their budding romantic relationship, even when she knows the longer she remains silent, the worse the fallout will be. I especially liked how she saw Seth for who he truly is underneath the scars of his captivity and how she kept coaxing him out of his shell (even when he was being a complete asshat) and back toward the humanity he believes he lost. The two of them have explosive chemistry and a scorching attraction from the get-go, but their relationship is also sweet and touching on top of HOT. They’re one of my favourite couples.

In addition to two great protagonists, the ragtag group of operators that makes up the HORNET team—a gimpy Navy SEAL commander, an executive officer with a traumatic brain injury, a womanizing Cajun linguist, a boy-genius CIA analyst, a true-blue cowboy medic, a hostage negotiator with connections to the mob, and an asshole of an explosives expert—and their attempts to exist as a cohesive unit add an extra level of emotional complexity and some much-needed comic relief. Ms. Burrows writes excellent male banter (bromances in the making!) and does a great job integrating the other team members into the story so that they feel like three-dimensional characters rather than simple series fodder. I’m especially intrigued to learn the story behind Ian Reinhardt’s complete wankerdom.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed HONOR RECLAIMED and have discovered a new auto-buy author. If you like your romance equal parts hot suspenseful, and poignant, be sure to check it out!

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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



Thursday, June 5, 2014

ARC Review: Possessed by a Warrior by Sharon Ashwood


The Company of the Dead has Four Horsemen: Death, Plague, Famine, and War. Someone is trying to kill Jack Anderson (Death). He makes an urgent call to Sam Ralston (War), but it’s too late. Both Jack and Sam are vampires. Sam is the executor of Jack’s estate. Jack’s niece, Chloe, was told to trust Sam. Fat chance. First thing she doesn’t trust is the story surrounding Jack’s death. Drunk driving billionaire crashed his car into a tree. He didn’t drink and loved his car almost as much as Chloe. She’s a wedding planner and heir to what’s locked in his wall safe. A gorgeous wedding dress, encrusted with diamonds, is her property. It’s been stolen from the Kingdom of Marcari. Chloe recognizes the designer of the dress as a woman who has been murdered. The same night, someone breaks in the house and tries to steal the dress. Chloe is attacked and Sam comes to her rescue. He calls in the other Horseman to protect the dress and figure out what to do next. Chloe is determined to find out what happened to Jack and not fall in love with Sam. And who or what are these men, claiming to be Jack’s friends? In the midst of all this, Chloe has to plan a wedding which can make or break her career. An old picture in Sam’s room reveals his former life and love to her. Plus his old friend decides to crash the wedding, with a weapon and without a gift. Will Chloe survive long enough to become a vampire and live undead happily ever after?

I like Chloe. She takes his blood sucking status in stride. Many weird things have happened since her parents’ deaths, nothing surprises her. She wants to be independent and make her business a success. Having Sam join her journey adds chaos and calm to her life.

Sam is a true alpha hero. He declares himself her bodyguard and means it in every sense of the word. He was a soldier in his former life and brings that vibe forward. His confidence in his teammates and mentor is shaken, but he pushes through to find the truth. His bond to Jack and devotion to Chloe are real.

The concept of the story isn’t new, but the author offers a fresh look. The men are loners who are assigned missions and carry them out. The women in their lives have to accept it. When the men question the price of their jobs, it’s because of love. A lesson true in real life too.

**ARC provided by Author**

Purchase: Amazon | Kindle | B&N |




ARC Review: Fall From India Place by Samantha Young


Whenever I see any book by Samantha Young, I jump at the chance to read it! I absolutely loved “Before Jamaica Lane (On Dublin Street, #3)” and the novella “Castle Hill (On Dublin Street, #2.5) “so I had high hopes for “Fall from India”. One of the many reasons that I like Young is that she really gets into the heart and soul of her women characters. She breaks down their emotions and all the complexities. She also really gets to the heart of relationships.

In Hannah’s story, she is now all grown up! In the previous books she was still fairly young and played a smaller character but this is definitely her story! She is all grown up and a working professional. She loves teaching and volunteering her time to help adults struggling to read. I loved that Young stayed true to Hannah’s character. In the previous books she seemed like a sweet young lady and had a very wonderful relationship with Cole. (I’m hoping his story is next!)

True to Young’s style many of the characters from the previous books make an appearance in Hannah’s story which makes sense since they are all a sort of family. Now, if all these wonderful things above… why a three star? So I love that many of Hannah’s story is about her finding herself and who she is. However… for pretty much all her life after her “relationship” with Marco she is affected by him. She is basically (emotionally) on hold. When Marco reappears in her life he becomes her main focus again. Also, I liked Marco but I thought him and Hannah had an uneven relationship. He leaves, comes back he wants her after years of being apart… Although Hannah resists him, she gives into her feelings.

Overall, this was a fun book and anyone that has followed the series will be happy to read Hannah and Marco’s story. It’s also a great coming up age story, seeing Hannah become an adult was gratifying. Although the romance was not as chemistry driven as Young’s previous books I was happy to see that Hannah got her happily-ever-after.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |



Interview with Author Samantha Young and Giveaway


New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young is a 27 year old book addict who graduated from the University of Edinburgh. She lives in Scotland.

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

ARC Review: Hiring the Player by Allie K. Adams


Hiring the Player is the second story in the Campus Players series by Allie K. Adams. This is another short read and is only about 170 pages long. This New Adult read starts when Kayla is dumped by her boyfriend just a few weeks before her college graduation. Suddenly alone with all her plans shattered, Kayla turns to her sexy neighbor Jake when she comes across him in a bar one night. They had previously hooked up, and it took her months to get over him the first time. She decides to have fun with him for the night. But when her apartment gets set on fire, she and Jake are left with the only option of becoming roommates in another apartment building. Kayla's friends make an agreement with Jake that they will cover part of his portion of the rent if he will help give Kayla some fun. But soon their passion and feelings are more than just him helping to loosen her up a bit. Can they turn the fun and sex into a real relationship?

I liked Jake. He was sexy and sweet, and I loved that he was a firefighter. He was so particular when it came to everything being done correctly and about fire hazards, it was pretty cute. I liked that he was always open and honest about his feelings with Kayla. He was fun and brought out a whole different side to her. I liked them together a lot. Kayla was a bit uptight and she was scared to let anyone in. Even when Jake was being open with her and telling her how he felt, she would pick a fight or try to run. But I thought that they had a lot of chemistry together and were really hot. I liked seeing them figure things out between them and start a relationship together.

Overall, this was a short and fun read. Even though the characters had known each other for awhile, they weren't close and I felt like their relationship was rushed. It was a bit too insta-love to me considering Jake's transformation from player to serious boyfriend happened so quickly. I just felt like I had missed a huge portion of his transformation, and it didn't make sense that he would change so quickly even with his developing feelings for Kayla. I thought that there should have been more time from the start of things to the point where he is telling her he loves her. It was surprising to me to see him be the one admitting his feelings and wanting a commitment though. Usually it is the girl and the guy fights it, so that was interesting to see. I would recommend this story if you are looking for something quick and sexy that is fun and enjoyable. If you are looking for a deep connection though, I am not sure this one is for you. I did like the characters though, and will look for more from Allie K. Adams in the future.

**ARC Provided by Tasty Book Tours**

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