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Saturday, August 5, 2017

Weekly Winners


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

Janie
eBook of Choice from Maggie Robinson

Kate
Last Chance Cowboys: The Lawman by Anna Schmidt


**Monthly Newsletter Giveaway Winners**

Patty
Mystery Box of Books

Krysten
Swag Pack


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. =)

Feature and Giveaway: Saving Mr. Perfect by Tamara Morgan


She’s a famous jewel thief.
He's FBI.
What's that saying? Keep your friends close...and your husband closer.

Being a retired jewel thief certainly has its perks.

1. Oh, wait.
2. No it doesn’t.

Without the thrill of the chase, life’s been pretty dull. Penelope gardens, drives her gorgeous husband up the wall, and watches as her old world slowly slips away. But what’s that old saying? When one thief closes the door…a copycat jimmies open a window.

And now all fingers at the FBI are pointed at her.

Set up to take the fall for thefts worth millions, Penelope have no choice but to strap on her heels and help her FBI agent husband track the thief. Grant might not think he needs a partner, but this is one case only a true professional can solve. Besides, she’s got to know who’s been taking her bad name in vain.

Let's just hope curiosity doesn't kill the cat burglar.

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

Friday, August 4, 2017

ARC Review: Enrage by Rachel Van Dyken


I have loved the Eagle Elite series by Rachel Van Dyken since the moment I first started it. It has been a series that has continued for several books and never once disappointed me. Instead of losing steam like some do, this series has continued to get better and better, with each book being just as epic as the previous one. While this book can technically be read as a standalone, I wouldn't recommend it. Not only is the entire series worth the read, but I think that you might be a bit overwhelmed if you try and jump in here without the full backstory from the previous novels. 

As the Nicolasi heir, Dante has been taken under the wing of the bosses for training. While Dante hates the world and family that he is a part of, he also wants revenge. El was rescued from the Russians by the Italians and is now under their protection. They are sent to Eagle Elite with Dante as her protector. The pull between them becomes hard for them to fight, but Dante also knows that the person El most needs protection from could be himself. 

I really liked these two for one another. The connection and chemistry between them was so strong, and I felt like they were such a good fit. El had been through a lot, and while Dante had darkness he was also impossible for me to dislike. He did some things that drove me nuts and I hated how he was with El at first. He viewed her as the enemy, but luckily Dante was able to redeem himself here. El had been a pawn for so long and it was nice to see her finally being wanted for who she was really and not just for what having her meant. 

Overall, this book was so good. I don't want to go into details and spoil what happens, though I know that there are those out there that will seek them out. I honestly never expected where this story went though, and I am glad that I just went into this one blind. I will say that while I did see things throughout this story leading to something big, it didn't make it any easier to read it when it happened. My heart breaks for a character that I have loved since the beginning and I need the next book to see what happens now. I know it won't be easy, but I trust that Rachel has a plan. If you have read this series from the start like I have, this book was so much fun to read because it really felt like we were back in beginning with the return to Eagle Elite and the power struggles going on. It was like returning home after being gone for awhile, and I loved getting back to everything I first fell in love with about Eagle Elite while also getting the next chapter in this epic saga. I seriously cannot recommend this series enough. It is one of my all time favorites and these books are ones that I could read over and over again without ever getting sick of them.

**ARC Provided by Social Butterfly PR**

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




Guest Post with Author Alyssa Alexander and Giveaway


Despite being a native Michigander, Alyssa Alexander is pretty certain she belongs somewhere sunny. And tropical. Where drinks are served with little paper umbrellas. But until she moves to those white sandy beaches, she survives the cold Michigan winters by penning romance novels that always include a bit of adventure. She lives with her own set of heroes, aka an ever-patient husband who doesn’t mind using a laundry basket for a closet, and a small boy who wears a knight in a shining armor costume for such tasks as scrubbing potatoes.

Feature and Giveaway: The Importance of Being Scandalous by Kimberly Bell



A horse race in trousers on Rotten Row. Visiting a gaming hall in a dress that would make her mother faint. Sneaking an invitation to a masquerade ball attended by only the wickedest, most debauched members of society…

None of these things are scaring off bookish but strong-willed Amelia Bishop’s stuffy, egotistical fiancé.

The only thing left is to entice childhood friend Nicholas Wakefield into a truly engagement-ending scandal. The Wakefields are the height of propriety, and Nicholas’s parents have made it clear a wife from the neighboring Bishop family would be unacceptable…

But Nicholas would give up his family and his fortune if Amelia would ever see him as more than just a childhood friend. He’ll go along with her scheme, even if it means ruining them both, because he’s got a plan that will change her mind about him being merely the boy next door.

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

Thursday, August 3, 2017

ARC Review: Trashy Foreplay by Gemma James


I will admit that I have never read a book from Gemma James before, and the only reason I was drawn to this book was because of the sexy cover and blurb. I am really glad that I took a chance on a new to me author though as I couldn't put this book down! This book had so much of what I look for, and I cannot wait for the next one! 

With her life in ruins, Jules heads to Seattle to start over. But things get off to a rough start when the sexy stranger she finds herself captivated with on her flight turns out to be none other than her new and married boss. She knows that she can't go there after everything she just left behind, but she has never felt the way she feels about Cash with anyone else.

I know that some will have a problem with this book simply because it has cheating and I really don't want to go into detail and spoil things here. This story is worth the read and in my opinion best experienced blind. Cash and Jules had such a strong connection and chemistry right from the start, and right or wrong I felt like they belonged together. There were so many reasons that they shouldn't be together, and yet all I wanted was to remove every last obstacle standing in their way.

To me, this book is definitely worth the read even if you are a bit skeptical due to the content. Things aren't so cut and dried here, and the story is far from over. This does end with a cliffhanger and I will be honest and tell you that at the end of Trashy Foreplay we are left with more questions than answers. But the other thing I will also tell you is that I will be anxiously waiting for the next installment in this series as I am dying for more! This might have been my first book from Gemma James, but it won't be my last.

**ARC Provided by L. Woods PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |




Feature and Giveaway: The Way it Hurts by Patty Blount



There may be two sides to every story, but sometimes there's only one way to set things right...

Music is Elijah's life. His band plays loud and hard, and he'll do anything to get them a big break. He needs that success to help take care of his sister, who has special needs. So he'd rather be practicing when his friends drag him to a musical in the next town...until the lead starts to sing.

Kristen dreams of a career on stage like her grandmother's. She knows she needs an edge to get into a competitive theater program--and being the star in her high school musical isn't going to cut it. The applause and the attention only encourage her to work harder.

Elijah can't take his eyes off of Kristen's performance, and snaps a photo of her in costume that he posts online with a comment that everybody misunderstands. It goes viral. Suddenly, Elijah and Kristen are in a new spotlight as the online backlash spins out of control. And the consequences are bigger than they both could have ever imagined because these threats don't stay online...they follow them into real life.

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

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

ARC Review: Illicit by M.N. Forgy


Illicit is the 4th installment in the Sin City Outlaws MC series. I read the book before this but I have not read any of the other books in the series. So, let's start there. I do NOT recommend you read these books out of order or as standalones. I also suggest that you take my opinion of these books with a grain of salt for the reason that I did read them out of order and don't have the best context for understanding all the background information. When I write reviews like this I try to separate the things that are objective from the things that are just the result of my history with the series or other personal bias. I'll try to do that here. But don't read this review if you want to get into this series and you haven't read the books before this one, there will be spoilers of past books.

We met Raven in book 3 and Machete, a member of Sin City Outlaws in prior books. Raven is the "bad guy" from book 3 but it's kind of hard to say that because the lines between good and bad don't really exist between Raven and Machete. Raven is seriously out of her skull. She's a trained killer who was taken as a child and placed in a survival compound where it was hurt somebody else or starve. Raven learned from an early age to give pain, to take it and to push her emotions way down deep. In other words, she's crazy as all hell. If you read the last book (which I assume you did if you're reading this review) then you know that Raven held a grudge against Alessandra who was also at the kiddy killer compound. That didn't end well and as a result, Raven is now the prisoner of the Sin City MC club. 

Machete is...a total psycho. He's sexy but in past books we learned that people are generally scared of him and those people are smart because he's scary. Machete is drawn to Raven because he sees the darkness inside of her and it's a total turn on for him. When I say a total turn on, I really mean that. The crazier Raven is and the more she is unaffected by the "torture" Machete is supposed to be doling out, the more he wants her.

Ok, so here are the issues. There was a lot of redundancy in the book, especially at the beginning. I felt like I was reading the same scene over and over again. Machete couldn't figure out how to get through to Raven by torture and then he would want her and there would be endless internal monologue about how drawn he was to her darkness. Another thing is that it seems like this book is going to be really hot and there are all these lusty morsels dangled but it takes a long time to get down to the actual business. I was also just mystified by the length of time it took for Raven to choose sides. I felt from the beginning of the book that she had absolutely no reason to be loyal to Cross. At one point pretty early in the story, Raven realized that she wasn't really on team Cross but she still refused to give in to Machete and tell him what he needed to know. My last thing is that there isn't the traditional amount of MC club stuff you might expect if you are a fan of MC romance.

In the end, I felt like the book was pretty good but I just needed to be much more invested in the series to really enjoy it.

**ARC provided by TRSoR Promotions**

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


ARC Review: The Brightest Sunset by Aly Martinez


As soon as I had finished The Darkest Sunrise by Aly Martinez, I couldn't wait to get The Brightest Sunset. This duet needs to be read in order, so make sure to start at the beginning. I also recommend going into this series blind, don't try to find spoilers as this one is best just experienced. Aly Martinez is one of those authors that I have loved since I first read something by her, yet she just seems to keep getting better. This duet is one that I won't soon forget, and I think a lot of readers are going to feel the exact same way. 

Porter and Charlotte had each been through their share of pain and tragedy, but together they were working towards leaving the darkness behind. Just about to step into the light together, the past came back threatening to destroy everything that they were building. Can they find a way to leave it behind once and for all and embrace the future together, or will there be too much for them to overcome?

I loved these two in the first book, and that just intensified here. Both of them feel so real and genuine to me, and Aly did a great job of making them seem as though they could be anyone. They were human and far from perfect, yet there was so much about them that I admired. They were strong while also being vulnerable, and I loved seeing how they grew and changed over the course of these two books. Porter and Charlotte had a ton of chemistry and it was clear that they were good for one another. While they understood each other and were exactly what the other needed at times, they were also capable of being a weakness for the other as well. I found the dynamic between them very interesting and I couldn't get enough of them. I can't imagine being put through all they were, but I knew that if any two could make things work it would be them.

Overall, this was a great ending to the duet and I didn't want to put this book down. While there were so many heartbreaking and painful moments for each of them, this duet was filled with hope and love. Aly Martinez brought so much depth in these books and while there were times they struggled, I had faith that she would put everything back together exactly as it should be. Not only did she not disappoint, but I felt like this was exactly how things should have ended and I really loved how things turned out. I definitely recommend this duet to those that like emotional and character driven stories. These books are ones that will captivate you from start to finish and stay with you for long after they are over.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |


Tuesday, August 1, 2017

ARC Review: The Edge of Us by Veronica Larsen

http://amzn.to/2v9lm5v
The Edge of Us was my first book by Veronica Larsen, but it definitely won't be my last! I absolutely loved this book and I felt so connected to these characters. I was captivated from the very beginning and I couldn't put this one down until I had devoured every last word. 

Mila thought that she had found the love of her life in Cole Van Buren, until he left her at the altar with a broken heart. Eight years later she has managed to fulfill her dreams when it comes to her career and her best friend Andrew has helped her put her life together. But as much as everything else has come together for her, Mila has never been able to fully move on. Just as she starts to see a future worth exploring with Andrew, Cole shows back up. Though he says he isn't there to win her back, they both quickly realize that their past might not be worth letting go of. 

My heart broke for Mila and everything that had happened with Cole. She had been hurt so badly and the worst part was that she had no idea why or what had happened. I can't even imagine being in the position she was. I was so glad that she had Andrew though. He was her best friend and I loved their relationship! I have to admit for a good portion of this story I was all aboard Team Andrew. But then Cole showed back up and we got to see that he wasn't at all like what he appeared to be on the surface. He was struggling with a lot, and the more we learned about him the more I saw everything that Mila did with him and why she had never been able to move on. This story was raw and emotional, and I loved all three of these main characters. I couldn't get enough of them and I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how things would turn out. 

I won't spoil the story or how things end, but I will say that I thought that it turned out exactly as it should have. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and while things weren't easy, it all felt so real and genuine. There was of course one character here that didn't win the girl as with any love triangle, and I truly hope that we get his story. I would love to see more of all of these characters and I would especially love for him to get his HEA after everything here. I honestly can't wait to read more from Veronica Larsen in the future after The Edge of Us.

**ARC Provided by L. Woods PR**

Guest Post with Author Melanie Munton and Giveaway


Melanie grew up in a small town in rural Missouri. After marrying her husband, she decided she wanted to try coastal life. A few months later, they moved to North Carolina where she discovered her passion for writing, and they never looked back.

Melanie’s other passion is traveling and seeing the world. With anthropology degrees under their belts, she and her husband have made it their goal in life to see as many archaeological sites around the world as possible.

She has a horrible food addiction to pasta and candy (not together…ew). And she gets sad when her wine rack is empty.

At the end of the day, she is a true romantic at heart. She loves writing the cheesy and corny of romantic comedies, and the sassy and sexy of suspense. She aims to make her readers swoon, laugh out loud, maybe sweat a little, and above all, fall in love.

Monday, July 31, 2017

ARC Review: Big Shot by Kim Karr


I could not wait for Big Shot by Kim Karr after getting to know Jace a little bit in Sexy Jerk. I knew that his story wouldn't be easy and that there was a lot in his past with Hannah just from the little glimpses we were given. Having lost his wife though and being a single dad, I knew that this was going to be an emotional story and it was. Kim Karr definitely delivered like only she can though, and I loved this book! 

Jace had no idea what his future looked like until he met Hannah Michaels. But as his best friend's girlfriend she was off limits, or so he thought. But then everything changed and suddenly Jace found himself alone and Hannah gone. He was able to move on and thought that things were fine, with a career he loved and a wife and daughter that made him happy until he once again found himself alone and heartbroken trying to pick up the pieces. So when Hannah comes crashing back into his life 10 years later and things get off to a rough start, both Hannah and Jace begin to wonder how they will ever survive in such close proximity to each other once again. But there is a fine line between love and hate, and both of them must face the fact that their feelings for one another have never died and they definitely didn't stay buried in the past. 

I loved these two. At first I was worried about liking Hannah. I felt so much for Jace and Hannah came off a bit hard to relate to or like at first. But that quickly changed and soon I found myself rooting for these two and wanting nothing more than for them to be together. They had both been through so much and it was clear that their connection was special. It had been there years before and more than they could fight, but after everything that had happened nothing had changed when it came to how they felt. I knew that they were great for one another, and the chemistry was so strong. 

Overall, this was a great story and I couldn't put it down. It was sexy and emotional, with a depth that I have come to know and love from Kim Karr. She is a fantastic writer and I have never been disappointed by her. I really love this world she has created, and I already can't wait to get the next book in the series. Kim Karr is one of my favorite authors, and I definitely recommend anything by her. Sexy Jerk and Big Shot are right at the top of my favorites from her though, and I think readers are going to love Jace and Hannah as much as I did.'

**ARC Provided by The Next Step PR**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle |




Guest Post with Author Laura Trentham and Giveaway


An award-winning author, Laura Trentham was born and raised in a small town in Tennessee. Although, she loved English and reading in high school, she was convinced an English degree equated to starvation. She chose the next most logical major—Chemical Engineering—and worked in a hard hat and steel toed boots for several years.

She writes sexy, small town contemporaries and smoking hot Regency historicals. The first two books of her Falcon Football series were named Top Picks by RT Book Reviews magazine. Then He Kissed Me, a Cottonbloom novel, was named as one of Amazon’s best romances of 2016. When not lost in a cozy Southern town or Regency England, she's shuttling kids to soccer, helping with homework, and avoiding the Mt. Everest-sized pile of laundry that is almost as large as the to-be-read pile of books on her nightstand.

Sunday, July 30, 2017

ARC Review: Glamour: Contemporary Fairytale Retellings Anthology


I have a love/hate relationship with anthologies, but when I saw the list of authors attached to Glamour: Contemporary Fairytale Retellings, I knew I had to read it. I am so glad that I took a chance on this one as it was one of the best anthologies I have ever read. Each story was one I enjoyed, without a single disappointment in the bunch. 

Glamour includes novellas based on classic fairytales, including the following stories: 
Knot by Lili St. Germain (Rapunzel) 
Red Hot Pursuite by A.L. Jackson (Little Red Riding Hood) 
Ripples by Aleatha Romig (Prince and the Pauper) 
In A Stranger's Bed by Sophie Jordan (Goldilocks) 
Bedtime Story by Skye Warren (Sleeping Beauty) 
Royal Mattress by Nicola Rendell (Princess and the Pea) 
Music Box Girl by Sierra Simone (Twelve Dancing Princesses) 
Broken Harp by Nora Flite (Jack and the Beanstalk) 

Each one of this was quick and sexy, and just what I was looking for. These are the perfect quick bits steam for those that don't have time to sit down and read a full novel. I loved that they were modern retellings, taking what we have grown up loving about classic fairytales and putting their own modern twists on them. While I enjoyed all of these and would recommend this to readers, my absolute favorite here was Music Box Girl by Sierra Simone. I loved each story, and I think fans of Erotica as well as fans of fairytales will definitely want to check this one out.

**ARC Provided by Enticing Journey Book Promotions**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | iTunes |





Feature and Giveaway: Never Dare a Dragon by Ashlyn Chase


Third in Ashlyn Chase’s light paranormal romance series featuring hot dragon shifters. No one would believe that lovely Lt. Kristine Scott of the NY Fire Department is an actual dragon, but there’s no denying the flames that ignite when she meets firefighting phoenix shifter Jayce Fierro.

One Boston Phoenix + One New York Dragon = Scorching Heat
You think it’s tough being a dragon? It’s a piece of cake compared to being a phoenix shifter. Dragon shifters just have to worry about accidentally setting their stuff (or a loved one) on fire. A phoenix can rise from the ashes, but then they have to start over…as if growing up once wasn’t tough enough..

Meet Lt. Jayce Fierro of the Boston Fire Department, and Kristine Scott of the FDNY. A long distance relationship could never work—especially not with the secrets they’re keeping. But when Kristine lands herself in a blaze of trouble, she’s in no position to turn down Jayce’s help. Even if it means letting down their guards…and giving in to their sizzling attraction.

Purchase: | Amazon | KindleB&N | iTunes |