Weekly Winners

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

KV Headen
Rookie Move by Sarina Bowen

All winners have been notified via email and are posted on the Rafflecopter form from that giveaway post. Thank you to everyone that stopped by and entered. =)

ARC Review: Retrieval by Aly Martinez

I am a huge fan of Aly Martinez and I have enjoyed everything I have read from her. She always writes such beautiful and emotional stories, and that was definitely the case with Retrieval. Retrieval is the first book in Aly's Retrieval Duet. Readers should know that this book is the first book in the duet, however the second book is about different characters. The two books in the duet are connected, but the story doesn't continue in the same way that duets usually do in a traditional sense. 

Retrieval is the story of Roman and Elisabeth. They were married and had everything until a tragedy destroyed everything. Years later they see one another again, and all the feelings they felt before come rushing back. But can they find a way back to each other and have the future that they were always meant to have, or are there too many things still standing in their way? 

I was fascinated by these characters right away. Their story was captivating, and I couldn't put it down. Elisabeth and Roman had been through so much, and they were very much still struggling because of that. It was clear that love was never their problem, but that life had come between them and my heart broke for what they had been through. 

Overall, I really can't say much about the story itself because you need to read this one with absolutely no spoilers! Trust me when I say that Aly Martinez blew me away though, and I cannot wait for the next book in this series. That book will be Clare's story, a character that you meet here in Retrieval. After the cliffhanger ending, I need to know what happens and I know that it is going to be every bit as captivating as this book was! I have loved everything that I have read from Aly, but this book was so good and honestly is probably my favorite book of hers yet! It was emotional and I never knew what was going to happen next. This book had it all, and I can't wait for more!

**ARC Provided by TRSOR Promotions**

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

Feature and Giveaway: Love's Sweet Revenge by Rosanne Bittner

Their Passion Shaped a Nation

Over the years, Jake and Miranda Harkner have endured all the dangers a wild and brutal West could throw at them. Now, settled on their ranch in the beautiful Colorado hill country, they’ve finally found peace. But for a man like Jake Harkner, danger is always lurking, and the world may not be ready for an infamous outlaw-turned-lawman-turned-legend to hang up his guns.

Threatened by cruel men in search of revenge, the Harkner clan must be stronger than ever before. Yet nothing can stop the coming storm. With the Old West dying around them and the rules of this new world ever-changing, Jake vows to end the threat to his family no matter what it takes…

Even if it means sacrificing himself so his beloved Miranda may live.

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

ARC Review: The Protector by Jodi Ellen Malpas

I have really enjoyed everything that I have read from Jodi Ellen Malpas, but her new book The Protector was one that instantly appealed to me. There is nothing sexier than a man protecting his woman, especially if he is her bodyguard. As always, the writing was fantastic and I was captivated right away with Jake and Cami's story. 

When Cami's life is threatened due to her father's business, she finds herself with Jake as a bodyguard. Cami doesn't see the need for a bodyguard and continues to live her life as though nothing has changed, while Jake takes his job very seriously and is determined to keep Cami safe. Soon things between them begin to heat up and things get more personal than professional as they find themselves unable to fight the growing attraction they feel towards one another. 

I really liked both Jake and Cami. The chemistry and sexual tension between them was off the charts! I was so interested to see them as things were building, and I couldn't get enough. I just kept waiting for the spark to finally ignite, as I knew things were bound to explode once it did. Cami was independent and strong, and different than you would first expect. She was an easy heroine to relate to, even though I never would have expected that considering who she was. Jake was sexy and alpha, but there was so much more to him as well. With his past, he had a vulnerability to him that he tried not to show or acknowledge, but I thought that Cami was exactly what he needed to help him move forward. These two fit really well together, and I thought that they balanced each other out in ways that each of them needed. 

I will say that there were times that things got a bit slow and seemed to drag a little, but things definitely picked up in the second half of the book. While things were a bit slow at times, I never lost interest though as I really liked these characters and where the story was headed. The tension was great, there was enough suspense to keep you turning pages, and there was a great amount of steam. I will say that the ending was a bit rushed, with the resolution to everything being a bit too easy. But ultimately I enjoyed the story and would recommend. If you are a fan of Jodi's already, this is one that you will want to check out. If you are new to her books, this is a great place to start and I highly recommend going back and reading her previous books as well as I have loved everything I have read from her.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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

Guest Post with Author Carolyn Brown and Giveaway

Meet Carolyn Brown author of Lullaby Sky.

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author and RITA Finalist, Carolyn Brown, has published more than seventy books. These days she is concentrating on her two loves: women’s fiction and contemporary cowboy romance. She and her husband, a retired English teacher, make their home in southern Oklahoma.

| Site | Facebook | Goodreads |

Feature: Entrapment by Aleatha Romig

"The snare is set—leaving, friendships, lives, and futures dangling in the balance"

ENTRAPMENT continues the epic new romantic suspense series INFIDELITY, featuring Lennox "Nox" Demetri, Alexandria "Charli" Collins, the Montagues, and the Demetris.

The thrills, heat, and suspense continue to add up...

One chance meeting

plus...

One sexy, possessive alpha and one spunky, determined heroine

plus...

One week of uncontainable, unbridled passion

plus...

One impulsive decision

times...

Two declarations of love

divided by...

The sum of intertwining pasts, lies, and broken rules

equals...

ENTRAPMENT

"Infidelity - it isn't what you think"

Don't miss this latest novel in the Infidelity series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig. The classic twists, turns, deceptions, and devotions will have readers on the edge of their seats, discovering answers that continue to pose questions. Be ready to swoon one minute and scream the next.

Have you been Aleatha'd?

ENTRAPMENT is the fourth of five full-length novels in the INFIDELITY series: Betrayal, Cunning, Deception, Entrapment, and Fidelity.

*This series does not advocate nor does it condone cheating.

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |

ARC Review: Behind Closed Doors by J.L. Berg

Behind Closed Doors is a standalone contemporary novel by J.L. Berg. While you do not need to read any other books to understand this story, fans of Berg's Walls Duet will recognize Roman as well as some interconnected characters. After reading the Walls Duet, I was intrigued by Roman and wanted more of him. While there were things that I liked about this book, this one wasn't exactly what I had been expecting.

Running a business isn't easy, and Roman makes it his top priority to succeed. So if that makes him a jerk, he has no problems with that. But when his assistant goes on leave, his new temp Cara challenges him in ways he never expected. She should have been off-limits, but he soon finds himself unable to stay away from her. 

As I said before, I liked Roman in the Walls Duet and couldn't wait to get to know him better. While I do feel as though we got to see more of him here as it was his story, I still feel as though I don't really know him. It just felt like there wasn't a lot of depth to him, despite the potential for it. He did have a different side to him here than what fans will have previously seen, but ultimately it wasn't enough for me. I also felt like I wasn't really able to relate to Cara either. Not that she was unlikable, because that wasn't the case, but I just couldn't really connect with her and I struggled to see a real bond forming between her and Roman. They had chemistry, but a lot of this story just didn't really go beyond the physical attraction for me. 

I think part of what had me struggling here was that there was quite a bit that we learned about through Cara or Roman describing, rather than actually experiencing it with them. Because of that I felt a bit detached from the story and would have preferred for things to happen in the present by them being shown to us rather than told. It was just hard to feel invested in the story when it felt like the reader wasn't emotionally connected to what was happening. Overall, there were still some really good moments and I did enjoy seeing more of some familiar faces. But if i'm being honest, this wasn't the story I had been hoping for when it came to getting more of Roman.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

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

Interview with Author Alice Gaines and Giveaway

Meet Alice Gaines author Just One Week.

Alice Gaines loves her romance hot. She’s been writing since forever and has no plans to give it up.

Alice lives in the San Francisco Bay Area in a fixer-upper she never fixed up. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her knitting, crocheting, cooking, or vegetable gardening. Her main companions are her pet corn snake, Casper, and a collection of neglected orchids.

She loves to hear from readers at authoralicegaines@gmail.com. You can join her newsletter at http://alicegaines.blogspot.com. She periodically gives out her handmade items to people on her mailing list.

 | Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

ARC Review: Hard to Hold by Katie Rose

Hard to Hold is a spinoff of Katie Rose’s Bad Boys of Summer series. Here we have New Jersey’s soccer team The Hurricanes. This first book is focused on Logan Hart and Isabella Bennett, if you have read the Bad Boys of Summer the last name Hart should ring a bell. Logan is one of Jessica Hart’s, from The Heat of the Moment, many athletic brothers. In fact we see Jessica and Gavin as well as a few of the other characters from the other series in this book. Like her other books Katie Rose has created a team that needs work, they are a talented bunch but their arrogance, egos and sport politics are getting in the way; there are some I really look forward to reading about. I liked the book it is just as good as her other series, romance with a touch of heart break and misunderstanding and where insta-lust quickly turns into love. I really liked the characters, Logan is supposed to be a playboy but you really don’t see it but he is used to getting his way and woman falling at his feet. Isabella has a strong enough personality that she easily proved she has what it takes to not just handle Logan but everything that comes with it.

Logan just returned from playing a year on the European circuit, he’s glad to be back home and playing for The Hurricanes. But one one-night stand before he left to Europe and now he’s a Daddy. The poor baby girl, Cinnamon, was abandoned by her mother and left in the care of her father. Logan isn’t even sure that baby is his but he takes her anyways, he doesn’t want her to go in to the foster care system. First thing he does is call his sister, Jessica rushes over after buying some essentials and gives him the name of a nanny agency.

Isabella is expecting the worse when she is assigned the job and when she gets there it is pretty much what she expected, Logan is in over his head and the baby is crying. Isabella acts quickly setting Logan straight and taking care of the baby. Isabella is however surprised when Logan takes to being a dad like a duck to water. He is eager to learn even when the whole mess is still unresolved, Logan isn’t sure of Cinnamon’s paternity and her mom has vanished. Logan at a loss of what to do he asks his Dad for advice, Logan then hires a PI to track down Cinnamon’s Mom. All the while Logan is falling more in love with Cinnamon as well as her nanny, Isabella. Isabella has fallen in love with the both of them too but she has a secret one that ruined her last relationship and Isabella is afraid to commit to anything with Logan for fear that he will find her lacking for it. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. The romance between Logan and Isabella is nice and little baby Cinnamon is sweetheart. Logan isn’t afraid to admit when he’s wrong or even to apologize and Isabella well she has issues to work out. I look forward to more.          

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |

ARC Review: Junkie by Heather C. Leigh

I have been a fan of Heather C. Leigh's for awhile now, and with each new book I read from her I find that she always writes a story that pulls me in right away. That was definitely the case with Junkie. Once I started this one, I was immediately captivated by this dark and gritty world, and I had to know what would happen for these characters.

Junkie is about Miri, an addict that will do anything for her next fix. Even if that means putting herself up close with Austin's biggest drug trafficker, who would not hesitate to kill her. But Boss (Jagger) finds himself drawn to her, and soon Junkie and Boss are unable to deny what is growing between them.

I have to admit that when I saw this was a dark series, I was really excited. Even with the dark and gritty feel that this book had though, there was so much more to this story. For someone who had to be tough and hardened because of his position in the world, Boss was actually softer than you would expect. Not that he was soft, because he definitely wasn't, but he was more relatable than you would think. I loved him and Miri and I honestly can't wait for more. I found them very interesting, and I couldn't get enough of their world.

Overall, another great story from Heather C. Leigh. I am looking forward to the next book in this Broken Doll series, Jagger. I need to know what happens next, and I am excited to return to this interesting world that Heather has created. If you are a fan of Heather's, you are definitely going to want to check this series out. If you are new to her though, this is a great place to start, and I think a lot of readers will enjoy this one just as much as I did.

**ARC provided by TRSoR Promotions**

Purchase: | Amazon |

Guest Post with Author Sara Jane Stone and Giveaway

Meet Sara Jane Stone author of Mixing Temptation.

After several years on the other side of the publishing industry, Sara Jane Stone bid goodbye to her sales career to pursue her dream-writing romance novels. Sara Jane currently resides in Brooklyn, New York with her very supportive real-life hero, two lively young children and a lazy Burmese cat. Join Sara Jane’s newsletter to receive new release information, news about contests, giveaways, and more!

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |

Feature and Giveaway: Love Restored by Carrie Ann Ryan

In the first of a Montgomery Ink spin-off series from NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan, a broken man uncovers the truth of what it means to take a second chance with the most unexpected woman…

Graham Gallagher has seen it all. And when tragedy struck, lost it all. He’s been the backbone of his brothers, the one they all rely on in their lives and business. And when it comes to falling in love and creating a life, he knows what it’s like to have it all and watch it crumble. He’s done with looking for another person to warm his bed, but apparently he didn’t learn his lesson because the new piercer at Montgomery Ink tempts him like no other.

Blake Brennen may have been born a trust fund baby, but she’s created a whole new life for herself in the world of ink, piercings, and freedom. Only the ties she’d thought she’d cut long ago aren’t as severed as she’d believed. When she finds Graham constantly in her path, she knows from first glance that he’s the wrong kind of guy for her. Except that Blake excels at making the wrong choice and Graham might be the ultimate temptation for the bad girl she’d thought long buried.

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Google | Kobo |

ARC Review: Wicked Bond by Sawyer Bennett

This is the fifth book in the series about the Silo sex club, it's members and employees. This installment is the story of own of the two Silo Owners, Bridger, and the young mother he falls for, Maggie. Here's the thing, I've read and generally enjoyed all of the books in this series. I think I've said this before and I will offer this word of advice again: These books are super freaky. If you are a light weight when it comes to erotic content or you like hardcore vanilla stuff, this series and this book probably aren't for you. I'm a serious erotic romance reader and even I blush at some of the stuff in these books. So you've been warned. If you have fragile panties, stay away from this series.

For all the rest of you, I think you will enjoy this book. I was surprised by how deeply emotional this book felt. When I think back about the series, I guess all of the books have had serious emotional components but Bridger's back story was just so agonizing to me. The book starts out with a description of how Bridger was abused as a teen. As the book goes on we learn more and more about the abuse he suffered and the kind of horrible things he went through even after escaping his abuser. Whenever we've seen Bridger in other books, he's been the stoic sex machine with randomly deep insights on life. In this book he is still a stoic sex machine but we find out why. He has very little insight about his own life or value as a human being and that was really something to discover as well.

As for Maggie, that is another interesting story. Maggie is a flawed heroine. She was a wild child who "escaped" her parents only to use her body to get by in life. I found it really interesting that both Maggie and Bridger could admit that they operated as if sex was only valuable for what it could get them. Maggie has discovered the error of her ways because she winds up with a child with a complete psycho. What I liked most about Maggie was that she was resilient. Bridger was a complete hot emotional mess. He hurt Maggie, of course, but she was able to rebound from the hurt and see his need for real healing.

In the background of this story is Maggie's psycho ex who is looking for her and her daughter. That adds a little thrill and some action to the plot and reduces some of the angst. The book still veers towards the angsty side and some of the stuff with Maggie's ex didn't make total sense to me. Those were very small issues overall that do not change the fact that this book is my recommended reading list.

**ARC provided by Author**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |

ARC Review: Roman Crazy by Alice Clayton & Nina Bocci

I have been a fan of Alice Clayton's since I first read Wallbanger. I absolutely loved that book and have enjoyed everything I have read from her since. I was excited to see what a book from her and Nina Bocci would be like, since this is the first I have read from Nina. While there were things that I liked about this story and I did find it entertaining, I have to admit that this one didn't work entirely for me personally. 

After catching her husband cheating on her and getting a divorce, Avery heads to Rome to get away and spend time with her best friend Daisy. Avery never expects to run in to the man that she once fell in love with while in college. Marcello was always the one that got away, but now that Avery is newly single and looking for an adventure, can she find a way to have a second chance with him? 

I liked both Avery and Marcello. They were easy characters to like, and I felt both the chemistry and connection between them. I am a huge fan of second chance romance stories, and these two definitely had some history that I found interesting. But I have to admit that as much as I wanted to get behind their story, I found it kind of difficult to really see what had happened in the first place. I just felt like it was a bit weak and didn't entirely make sense.

The other big issue I had here was a personal one, and one that is likely not to be a problem for most readers. I mainly read romance novels at this point, and because of that when a story is said to be in the romance genre I want that to be the focus. Not that I don't want there to be a good story to go along with that, but I do expect that to be the main part of the story. I felt like this book was more chick lit than it was romance, with much of the story focusing on Avery herself and her adventure in Rome. I loved the rich backdrop that Nina and Alice gave us, and I really felt like we were there right alone with the characters. But if I am honest, I found myself skimming through parts at time because I was bored and didn't care about some of what was happening. I wanted more of the focus to be on the relationship and romance between Avery and Marcello and at times that got lost in everything else. Overall, it was still a good story filled with humor, adventure, and love. I just personally wish that the focus had been the couple rather than the adventure. If you are looking for a great summer read about traveling with romance, this is definitely one worth checking out. I am interested to see what these two authors write together in the future, and I did enjoy this book even with the criticisms I did have.

**ARC Provided by Bocci PR**

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