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Saturday, September 19, 2015

ARC Review: Hotel of Seduction by Marina Anderson


Ok, I have very mixed feelings about this book. My overall impression is that for you erotic romance fans who do not mind non-monogamous sexual relationships, you should check this out. For any readers who have sensitivities about dubious consent or non-consent sexual scenes, I’m going to advise you to proceed with extreme caution. If you like your sex with a lot of blushing and euphemisms, pass on this for sure.

So this book is about Grace and David. I gather from reading this one that another book preceded it that talked about Grace’s initial exploration into an alternate sexual lifestyle. This book is about Grace’s journey towards becoming the first woman David really loves and is willing to commit to. Of course David has some major issues caused by his past and his misunderstanding of what it means to be married and in love. These issues make it difficult for him to stop testing Grace’s commitment to him and even more to stop waiting for the other shoe to drop on the relationship. Grace is…very patient. She is aware of David’s issues, she is aware that David is testing her but she loves David and thinks if she’s patient, he will come around. At the same time, David’s mind games leave Grace in a state of perpetual insecurity. She is plagued by the fear that David only wanted her because she was relatively innocent and offered him a new sexual adventure. Now that Grace has been initiated into the freaky lifestyle, she fears David will lose interest in her.

My struggle with this book was because I am not the right reader for a multi-partner sexual relationship. Through the course of this book, David and Grace host couples at their “hotel of seduction” and while couples are there, David and Grace cater to their every sexual fantasy even when it involves their participaton. This sets the scene for an already insecure Grace to watch David be sexually interested in other women. It also allows David to have his first run ins with jealousy as grace is getting it on with other hotel guest. This whole thing just made me uncomfortable and not because of the sex. It made me uncomfortable because it wasn’t romantic and even though I LOVE the freaky deaky, I need my romance fix and I just can’t get it where the male Hero is willing to share.

Of course all the sharing led to the development of a subplot involving two characters who want to break David and Grace up. Things reach a boiling point in a very….unexpected way. I want to be able to tell you how I felt about the climax of the book but I’m still not sure. It was just a lot to take in. As for the sex scenes in this book, again I have mixed feelings about it. The sex scenes were explicit, varied and there were many of them. The thing that was kind of off is that the language could be almost clinical. There are several references the “vagina” and “penis”…see how uncomfortable that made you? Imagine reading several sex scenes with those words generously tossed around. Sometimes it felt like being at the doctors office.

All in all, I’m glad I read this book and I recommend to the people I mentioned in my first paragraph. Read this review and consider what I’ve said, if you think you are alright with those things, I think you will really like this book.

**ARC provided by RockStarLit PR**

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


ARC Review: Luck Be a Lady by Meredith Duran


This is my second novel by Meredith Duran. I am absolutely blown away by her! It’s not every day that I am completely absorbed in a story and can’t put it down. The first novel of hers that I read was “Fool Me Twice” which I loved. I find her to be a very creative and inventive author. I never know where her story is going and her hero and heroine are always so raw and filled with flaws. I just want to sit and binge on all her books. I’ve requested her books at my local library but I don’t think that they understand the dire situation I am in to read all her books.

What makes her so great? First, I love the tension between her characters. Catherine Everleigh is known as the “ice queen” because she has no interest in securing a husband. She is more interested in Everleighs her family’s auction house. Despite the conventions of the time, Catherine’s father taught her how to run an auction house for antiques. He also left her half of the business but he left a stipulation in his will. She had to marry. Catherine spends most of her time at the auction house. It is her heart and soul. When she realizes that her brother is determined to marry her off, actually sell her to the highest bidder, she takes things into her own hands.

Nick O’Shea is the perfect choice for her. They are complete opposites. He does not come from a noble birth, he made his money in the poor and lowly life in the seedy side of London. Nick owns the “undesirable” parts of London. He is the owner and landlord of much of the buildings. He is however facing come confrontation on one of his buildings and needs a critical vote from the board. Catherine can provide him with this vote.

So I will have to say at first Catherine was hard to understand. It was also hard to understand why her father, who really gave her skills that were not typical of women in this time period, why would he attached the stipulation that she had to marry in order to come into her inheritance? Also, I thought that there was a little bit of a missing spark between Nick and her. However, these were small issues. Nick and Catherine were great characters. The plot is fantastic. Catherine is at her brothers’ mercy. He is a complete slime ball. With Nick’s help she is finally able to turn the tables around on him. Nick might not be of noble birth but he earned his riches. He was dirt poor and lived through horrible situations as a small child. Instead of removing himself from London’s poor and helpless, he turns into their protector.

I loved this book on so many levels. I really loved Catherine’s spirit. I loved Nick’s kindness and his rebellious nature. He made and lived by his own rules. Needless to say, I’m counting down the days until Meredith Duran’s next book!

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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


Guest Post with Author Sara Humphreys and Giveaway

Meet Sara Humphreys, author of Brave the Heat.

Sara Humphreys is the award winning author of the Amoveo Legend series. The third book in the series, UNTAMED, won two PRISM awards--Dark Paranormal and Best of the Best. The first two novels from her Dead in the City series have been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award. Sara was also a professional actress. Some of her television credits include, A&E Biography, Guiding Light, Another World, As the World Turns and Rescue Me.

She loves writing hot heroes and heroines with moxie but above all, Sara adores a satisfying happily-ever-after. She lives in New York with Mr. H., their four amazing sons, and two adorable pups. When she's not writing or hanging out with the men in her life, she can be found working out with Shaun T in her living room or chatting with readers on Facebook.

Feature and Giveaway: Luck Be a Lady by Meredith Duran


LUCK BE A LADY in this fourth sexy novel in the Rules for the Reckless series!

THE WALLFLOWER

They call her the “Ice Queen.” Catherine Everleigh is London’s loveliest heiress, but a bitter lesson in heartbreak has taught her to keep to herself. All she wants is her birthright—the auction house that was stolen from her. To win this war, she’ll need a powerful ally. Who better than infamous and merciless crime lord Nicholas O’Shea? A marriage of convenience will no doubt serve them both.

THE CRIME LORD

Having conquered the city’s underworld, Nick seeks a new challenge. Marrying Catherine will give him the appearance of legitimacy—and access to her world of the law-abiding elite. No one needs to know he’s coveted Catherine for a year now—their arrangement is strictly business, free from the troubling weaknesses of love. Seduction, however, is a different matter—an enticing game he means to ensure she enjoys, whether she wishes to or not...

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

Friday, September 18, 2015

RFTC Back to School Event Winners


There are many winners to announce but before we do so, we just wanted to take the time and say a SUPER BIG THANK YOU to each and every author that participated in the RFTC Back to School event and donated items for giveaway. You all rock our socks!

ARC Review: Recipe for Temptation by Gina Gordon


Recipe for Temptation is the fourth and final book in the Madewood Brothers series from Gina Gordon. Each book features a separate couple and can be read as a standalone. The blurb really drew me in here, as I was unfamiliar with Gina Gordon before this book. So I really went into this one blind and having no expectations. While there were things to like here, this one was a bit confusing to me and I ended up forcing myself to finish this one after it started out pretty decent if a bit confusing. 

Penn Foster and Cole Murphy have worked together for the past three years, with Cole somewhat being her boss. (again the situation is sort of confusing...) Penn wants to be on the board of a charitable foundation in which Cole's family runs. Cole had a traumatic childhood and does his best to stay out of the spotlight and keep his life private. Though Cole and Penn both want each other, they both have their reasons for staying away. But when Penn goes on a family vacation and Cole shows up, things quickly escalate and they find themselves finally giving into temptation. But can their relationship last past the vacation, or are they destined to be a fling that ends in disaster? 

I really didn't understand all the dynamics between these two and their relationship. At first it seems as though they don't like each other at all, yet they are attracted to one another. But then as you get into the story a bit it almost seems as though these two are close friends that very much admire one another, and just don't act on their feelings. It was all a bit confusing and contradictory here and I really didn't know what the deal was. I also didn't really get the whole situation as far as their jobs went either. Cole is a successful chef and his family has a charity that helps out children. It was clear that Penn worked with them on the the charity and had been around the family for the three years that was constantly stated, yet I didn't really see what her exact job was beyond the charity. It was all just a bit jumbled for me, and I found myself getting lost in what all was going on. The main focus here seemed to be on Penn and the dynamics with her family, which was a whole other mess. I loved the heat and chemistry between Penn and Cole, but I felt sort of detached when it came to the connection between them as I didn't really know what was going on. The physical side between them though was clear, and those scenes were honestly the best parts of this book hands down. 

I have to say though that I absolutely hated Penn's entire family. These characters were beyond horrible, and I couldn't stand a single one of them. Every time it looked like one would have some redeeming quality, something would happen and I would hate them even more than before. The end was too little too late when it came to them, and I honestly felt like they weren't genuine at all at that point. It seemed too easy and unrealistic, and they came off as extremely fake. I also hated how Penn was so strong in her everyday life, yet with them she was this weak shell of herself that refused to be herself. Cole did his best to try and help her embrace that around them, but when she would even remotely try it would just wind up with her awful family being completely close-minded and judgmental. So while there were some really great moments here between Penn and Cole and they definitely had some steam between them, the rest of this story was just a mess for me. I did finish because I wanted to see what would happen, and because this one was thankfully pretty short. I think if it had been any longer though that I would probably have given in and quit. The only reason that I am giving this one three stars, is because when it was just Cole and Penn together things were good. It was the rest of the story that ruined what could have been a really good book for me. Looking at other reviews and ratings for this one, I seem to be in the minority though with plenty of people really enjoying this book. So if it sounds like something you might like, you should give it a shot. This very well could be an example of not every book is for every person, and that person was me in this case.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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





Interview with Author Gina Gordon and Giveaway


When her dream of becoming a mafia princess didn’t pan out, Gina Gordon went after her second dream: becoming a writer. And she hasn’t looked back. A self-proclaimed happily-ever-after junkie and cupcake connoisseur, Gordon loves spinning contemporary tales of knee-bending first kisses, unconditional love, and super-hot sex. She lives in Milton, Ontario, with her husband and their lovable dog.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

ARC Review: Because of Sydney by T.A. Foster


Because of Sydney is a spin-off from T.A. Foster's Kissing Eden Series. Fans of the series will recognize the main character Mason, who is Grey's uncle. While new readers can certainly pick this one up and read it as a standalone, I think it is best read following the Kissing Eden series. There is a lot between Grey and Mason that is just briefly touched on here, and I think it is best to have that knowledge while reading this one so as not to feel as though part of Mason's backstory is missing or glossed over. 

Mason Lachlan is used to knowing what he wants and getting it no matter what. He is set to develop a new resort in one of the biggest land deals Padre has ever seen. But when he meets the young reporter Sydney Paige, he quickly becomes the focus of her story. Mason hates reporters, and he knows that Sydney could end up ruining his deal if she pushes too much. Yet he can't help but be drawn to her despite knowing just how badly things could go if he pursues her. Sydney needs this job, and she will do whatever it takes to get in good with her boss. But when the lines start to blur, she finds herself torn between her job and Mason. Can Mason and Sydney find a way to explore what is between them while also being successful, or will their feelings get in the way and destroy everything that they have each been working for? 

If I am being honest, it was hard for me to get into this book. I had read the Kissing Eden series, so I always expected Mason to end up with Taylor. I felt like the author had started to develop that connection and that while it needed work, it was something that could have turned into such a great relationship. So for me, it was hard for me to like or support Sydney from the start. Not that she wasn't likable, although she did have her moments, but I just felt invested in Taylor and Mason. Because of that, I really feel like I was at a disadvantage to accept these two. Mason's reason for breaking up with Taylor is that he could tell she was looking for more and he didn't want any commitment, yet he immediately gets into a relationship here with Sydney. I felt like he should have been able to own up to his feelings, and the fact that he just apparently didn't want a future with Taylor. That wasn't at all a part of his reasons for dumping her, considering that he said that he liked her and they had a good time together but that he was just looking for casual fun. Mason was more wishy washy here than I had seen him before, and it didn't fit with the same guy from Kissing Eden. While I enjoyed seeing him developing a relationship with Eden and Grey and how they were becoming closer as a family, I didn't like it in regards to Sydney. One minute he is pushing her away and the next he was pulling her closer. It happened on several occasions, and I just didn't care for it. How he could go from wanting a one night stand and basically daring her to follow through on it, to wanting her to spend the night, bringing her breakfast in the morning and inviting her on a trip within a matter of hours was beyond me. And this is all the first day they met! Sydney for the most part was likable, yet she also was pushy and fit the description of the typical annoying reporter. Getting in people's business and not really caring what it takes as long as she gets her story. She got emotionally involved, and then would react to things accordingly. Because of that her communication skills with Mason were lacking and she did some really immature things. I thought Mason was a part of the communication issues as well, but Sydney's actions were worse to me. 

While this is a standalone story, there is a lot to Mason's background when it comes to his family and I felt like that wasn't as well developed here as it could have been. The reader doesn't really find anything out until about 70% of the way through this book, and even then it felt brief and not thoroughly explored. I think that readers that are looking for depth and want to really see more into Mason and why he is the way he is should start with Kissing Eden in order to really get the full picture. I wanted that to be a bit more explored here, especially for those that are just getting to know Mason. While Because of Sydney doesn't end on a cliffhanger, the ending was rushed and abrupt and things were left open for more. I'm not sure if the author has plans to write more for these characters, but it definitely felt like that was her intention. The storyline with Sydney's sister was also left open, so i'm sure something is in the works. Honestly, I am not sure that I will continue reading about these characters as the last few books have just been okay for me. While I loved the beginning of the Kissing Eden series and some of Foster's other books, the last few haven't been my favorites. I might give the new ones a shot just to find out what happens with everyone, but I am not sure that I would have started this series if I would have known how things will play out.

**ARC Provided by Mark My Words Book Publicity**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |





ARC Review: Anything But Broken by Joelle Knox


The thing that will stand out to you about reading this book is that it is exceptionally well written. There is an intensity of emotion that is conveyed to us completely on the strength of the authors’ ability to tell this story. I am giving this book 4 stars and I am not even a NA reader, I usually stick to contemporary and erotic romance. This book, however, was really something special in terms of the characters, the story told and the clear ability of the authors.

Anything But Broken is the story of Sean and Hannah. What you may not find in the synopsis (but that won’t spoil things for you) is how intensely messed up Hannah is in this book. Hannah is suffering from a self hatred of the highest order and she guards it with a zealousness that is heartbreaking. One of my favorite things about this book was watching Hannah discover a new way of thinking and viewing the world. The other thing you might not get from the synopsis is what a good guy the Hero Sean is. If you are looking for a book boyfriend, you found him. Sean is strong, consistent, tolerant and understanding. Add in his rough edge and fast driving and we are in major swoon territory. I think you will love Sean.

I have to say, I’m still a little mystified about why the emergence of the romance between Sean and Hannah didn’t raise more eyebrows given Sean’s prior relationship with Hannah’s dead sister but ok, I guess. The relationship between the characters is very well developed, the connection is heartfelt and conveyed through a number of sweet interactions that make you feel the realness of the love between the two. I was captivated by Hannah’s isolation and agony and Sean’s slow break down of her defenses. The issues from Hannah’s past add a rich context to this story. Her struggle with the decision about her mother was layered with so many emotions it was just fascinating.

I also like the supporting cast, particularly Sean’s best friend. I liked the fact that people wanted to protect Sean from the Casey drama, that made sense to me and gave more credibility to the plot. The reason I’m not giving this book 5 stars is because there were some parts that you might find a little slow. There is a lot of effort put into building the story and explaining character emotion. The downside to that effort is that sometimes you might feel like the plot isn’t moving forward as quickly as you might like. Despite that minor issue, this book is worth your time, especially if you are a NA romance fan.

**ARC provided by Author**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |


September Book Subscription Box Unpacking

So we decided to start a new feature here on RFTC. With book subscription boxes becoming all the rage we thought that it would be fun to share our thoughts and reviews for the boxes that we currently are subscribed to.

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I have been getting a few book boxes over the last few months, and I always love to talk about them with my friends and family. So when Dani asked me if I would be interested in sharing them with the blog, I thought it was a great idea! Subscription boxes have become extremely popular over the last few years, and there are some really great ones available for those of us who love books! So we thought we would put something together for those that might be interested in getting more information about those available. I love getting a surprise in the mail, and the best part is that I get to discover books or authors that I might never have heard about otherwise. I currently get two book box subscriptions, The Bookworm Box and The Book Candy Box. Below are the boxes that I received in September, but here is a little information on the boxes before I get into sharing the content.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

ARC Review: Dragons Will Fall by Susan Scott


Kas is half Human and half Magician. So, to the other races of the realm (Human, Magician, and Dragon) she is considered an abomination. She has found a group of others like her hiding out in the wilderness trying to survive the hunt of their kind. Kas has two gifts, healing and invisibility. She tries to spy on the humans to help her people, but a strange visitor to the palace finds her even though she using her invisibility magic.

The man who finds her, takes her with him as he flees from the castle. It turns out he is a dragon, who Kas thought no longer existed. Cullen is desperate to save his people and hopes that Kas' unique healing powers can save them. He brings her to his kingdom where she is just as despised as everywhere else. The two face the strange illness as well as unrest of Cullen's people together and become close.

I liked Dragon's Will Fall, but I didn't love it. Some parts didn't make sense because they seemed hypocritical. A human/magician is considered an abomination, but a dragon/magician isn't notable? I had a hard time grasping the difference. The story did flow well and was engaging, but I didn't find the story line very unique. It highly reminded me of two other books, Vengeance Born by Kylie Griffin, and Shadow Kin by M.J. Scott. They all are about "half breed" women who are hated by everyone but have special powers that can save everyone.

The romantic plot wasn't bad, but I did feel it needed a little more. I just never felt the butterflies in my stomach from the growing relationship. If you have never read a story with this type of plot line and enjoy magic and fantasy in your books, I think you might really enjoy it. I liked the book, it just was too similar to other books I've read so I never got crazy excited.

**ARC provided by Author**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |


ARC Review: Screwed by Kendall Ryan


I am a big fan of Kendall Ryan's, so I was really excited to hear that she was writing a standalone romantic comedy. I couldn't wait to dive into this one and I absolutely love the cover. Unfortunately this one wasn't what I was expecting at all, and it just fell flat for me. While I love Kendall Ryan, this one was not my favorite and I will admit that I was disappointed here. 

Hayden Oliver is a manwhore and he doesn't do commitment. After yet another disaster with a tenant that he hit and quit, his business partner/best friend forces him to keep it in his pants where their residents are concerned. But when Emery moves in, he can't help but feel drawn to her. Knowing that he needs to avoid having sex with her, he vows to be Emery's friend and show her around the city. But before long Hayden realizes that not only does he want to sleep with Emery, but that he actually likes her. 

Part of my problem with this book was that while I didn't dislike Emery or Hayden, I didn't love them either. In fact, I didn't really feel much connection to either of them. I wasn't invested in their story, and I didn't really seem to care much about what happened between them. Emery was smart and dedicated to her job, wanting to be successful as a lawyer. But she was bland and there wasn't much to her that made me want to root for her. Hayden was supposed to be this cocky manwhore, yet despite the opening scene and some sexual innuendos throughout the book, there wasn't much to him either. He didn't even seem to be interested in in anyone else the entire story through after meeting Emery right at the beginning. He never went out, there was never anyone that challenged Emery as far as even being a hookup for him, and it was just kind of hard to believe that he was quite the manwhore he claimed to be. There was something with another tenant in the building Roxy, but even that wasn't really anything except a past that went unexplained for most of the book only to be revealed in the end as something completely expected.

I just felt like this whole book was predictable, and there wasn't anything new or exciting. I kept waiting for a huge plot twist or anything to differentiate this book from so many others that I have read, and nothing ever happened. Everything that you would expect happened here, and that was really disappointing for me. This was supposed to be a romantic comedy, and I didn't find it funny. It felt as though the author was trying too hard when it came to the humor, and I just didn't really think that it ever achieved what the intention was. I have seen people compare this to Tangled by Emma Chase, but to me this wasn't like that at all. So while this wasn't a bad story, it wasn't great either. I was bored and wanted to skim through a lot of it and I just felt like this one was a miss. There was a preview of Monster Prick at the end of this book which features Hayden's little sister and his best friend, and I have to say it sounds very similar to Kendall's Lessons with the Dom series, as well as a book that I absolutely loved from another author. Younger sister wants to lose her virginity so she goes online to hire someone and brother's best friend steps in to stop her, offering himself. I am really hoping that there is something new or unique there because I have to say it would be pretty disappointing for yet another predictable story similar to so many already out there. I love Kendall Ryan, but this one wasn't her best. I know I will read more from her in the future though and I have really loved books from her before. If this one sounds like something you might like, I would still recommend giving it a shot as it could just be me that this one didn't work for.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

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





Guest Post with Author Katie Rose and Giveaway



Award-winning historical author Katie Rose makes her contemporary debut with the Boys of Summer novels, Bring on the Heat and Too Hot to Handle, which combine Katie’s true loves: baseball and romance! When not watching baseball, Katie is at her lake house in New Jersey, hard at work on her next book.


Tuesday, September 15, 2015

ARC Review: Falling for Danger by Chanel Cleeton


I am so sad now that I've finished this series. From the first page of Falling for Danger I was hooked. No lie. The prologue had me feeling butterflies and it just made me all that more anxious to get to the story and oh what a good story it was. I honestly couldn't put the book down. It was sexy and intense and had me guessing right up until the end.

First let me just say that reunion stories are my crack. Crack I tell you! They are my ultimate favorite trope and Chanel Cleeton did this trope justice. Matt and Kate were perfection and they were everything that I was wanting when I picked up this book and more. I've been dying for their story and oh what a story it was. I won't really get into because I don't want to give away any spoilers but oh how my heart broke for these two at times. Throughout most of the book I had butterflies in my stomach because of these two. To say they had crazy chemistry just isn't cutting it. The sparks between these two were electric and you can't help but root for them and hope that they can get things figured out so they can have their long awaited HEA.

In the previous books I wasn't really quite sure of my feelings for Kate. It was evident that she was still reeling from Matt's death but other than that I wasn't sure how I would like her. Once I started reading this book and got inside her head I was able to understand her and where she was coming from. There is just so much pain that she is still dealing with regarding Matt and she will stop at nothing to avenge him and honor his memory. I found her to be incredibly brave and endearing.

Matt oh Matt. How my heart broke for him and everything that he's been through. The last four years have been hell for him and at times it hurt to read about the things he had to deal with. Understandably Matt was an intense character and the bits and pieces we see through his eyes were hard to see.

The thing that I loved about this book is there isn't any petty drama and even though the characters are young they don't act immature and play games. Off the bat you get a real sense of the feelings these two have for one another and that they will do anything to keep the other save. I will say that I was slightly disappointed by the ending because I don't feel like it was wrapped up well enough. I feel like the whole book leads up to this explosive finale and then it just kind of fizzled out. Not the ending I would have picked for these two especially after everything they went through.

All in all I still loved this book. It was definitely my favorite in the series and I just couldn't get enough. I'm sad that it's over.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |