A Scandalous Proposal...with Darcy Burke and Giveaway

Darcy Burke is the USA Today bestselling author of hot, action-packed historical and sexy, emotional contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily-ever-after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations.

A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, their two hilarious kids-who each seem to have inherited the writing gene in some form-and two Bengal cats. In her "spare" time Darcy is a serial volunteer enrolled in a 12-step program where one learns to say "no," but she keeps having to start over. Her happy places are Disneyland and Labor Day weekend at the Gorge.

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ARC Review: Undeniable by C.A. Harms

C.A. Harms is one of my absolute favorites at this point and I really enjoy her books. That being said, I really couldn't wait to get my hands on Jude's book! I knew there was so much more to him than what we had seen and I couldn't wait to dig deeper when it came to what made him who he is. I really liked Jude's story and it was great to finally get to know more about him. Undeniable is the fourth book in the Key West series and fans will love to see familiar faces. But if you haven't read any of the previous books, this book is a complete standalone and you will have no problems understanding anything. 

Jude has always kept his life as private as possible, choosing not to let many people in. He knows what can happen when you do, and he has seen enough hurt to know that he will do whatever it takes to make sure his family never has to go through loving and losing again. Jude has also seen the interest Callie has shown in him, and he knows that he has to keep her at arm's length because she could very easily get under his skin. But when the unexpected happens and Jude is forced to allow others into his life, Callie is determined to help him and his family. Can Jude allow Callie into his life and heart, or will he continue to push her away?

I really liked Jude and Callie together. These two were perfect for one another. They were sweet and supportive and it was obvious just how well they worked together. Callie was so kind and good-natured, and I don't think I have ever seen a heroine with more heart than her. She is one of those characters that you just instantly love. Jude on the other hand started off really gruff and rude, but it was all a front to try and protect himself. He lashed out when he felt cornered or as though others were doing something out of pity when it concerned him, so it was really nice to see him start to rely on those around him more. He had a great support system and group of friends, and loved that he started to open up to them and let them in. 

Overall, this was a great story filled with love and friendship. It was an emotional read, and while it was uplifting and heartwarming, it was also sad. It was so good though, and I knew C.A. Harms would do the story and characters justice here. While I did love this book, the one thing I will say is that for me it did feel a little rushed. Callie and Jude's relationship changed very suddenly as did Jude's whole attitude towards her. While I believed that he always had feelings for her, it did seem like he just flipped a switch and decided to be with her. I would have liked a little more build-up between them so as not to feel like it just went from zero to sixty in no time at all. As much as I loved them, it just wasn't truly believable for them to go from nothing to everything. I still think that C.A. Harms is a fantastic writer though, and I love the emotion she brings to her stories. I can't recommend her books enough, and Undeniable is one that I think readers will really enjoy.

**ARC Provided by Enticing Journey Book Promotions**

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ARC Review: Dear Professor by Blaire Drake

Dear Professor is the debut novel for Blaire Drake, a pseudonym for a New York Times bestselling author. This being a debut novel I didn't really know what to expect, but I figured coming from a bestselling author that it would be better than your average debut. While there were things that I liked a lot here (the heat!), there were also things that just didn't work for me. This one left me with mixed feelings and I honestly am still kind of confused on what I am feeling. 

Darcy is working as a cam girl to pay her way through school. Though she has several clients, there is one that is always there and gets her hotter than all the others. So when she finds out that it is her history professor and the only one standing in the way of her getting the final recommendation letter she needs to get into law school, she worries that he will be the one to ruin everything. But when he offers her the letter in exchange for her body, she knows that she will do whatever it takes to get what she needs. 

I have to admit that a lot of my problem here was the characters. Jordan was sexy and alpha, and I kind of loved to hate him here. But I figured that as the story progressed that I would end up loving him, and honestly while I did begin to love him, toward the end he pretty much ruined that for me. There were some things that happened here that I wasn't okay with and unfortunately it really soured me on the book and the characters. I also had some issues with Darcy, and I just didn't really care for her character. I didn't feel invested in her, and it made it kind of hard to really get behind these two. The one thing that I will say though is that these two were so hot together. I definitely felt the chemistry and attraction between them and I couldn't get enough of their steamy scenes. These two were super sexy and those parts were my favorite and why I kept reading. 

While I had been expecting a steamy taboo story, this one just didn't deliver what I had been hoping for. There was a ton of potential here, and I really thought that the set-up was going to make for a great story. I just didn't get it though, and to be honest this felt like the same thing that I have read before, like this was a bit of a mash up of several alpha heroes and stories in one book. There wasn't really anything new or exciting here, and I felt like there was so much more that could have been done with the characters and story itself. The biggest thing for me though was that Jordan something completely unforgivable in my eyes and it was just brushed aside as though it was nothing and Darcy just bought his BS excuse. I lost so much respect for her at that point that even though I didn't really like her to begin with, I couldn't possibly bring myself to like her after that. As much as I didn't like Jordan, I disliked her even more at that point. That would have been game over for me. So while I really loved the heat and steam in this one, I didn't care for the rest. If you are looking for a sexy teacher/student romance, you might give this one a shot. It definitely has heat. But if you are looking for more than that, this one might not be for you.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

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ARC Review: Tattooed Scars by Alicia Rae

Tattooed Scars is the second book in the Tattooed series from Alicia Rae. This book is not a standalone as it continues Raelyn and Damien's story. Readers should start with Tattooed Emotions before reading this story. I couldn't wait to dive into this one after the way things left off in TE, and I wasn't disappointed. Alicia Rae is one of my favorite authors, and I always know that I will enjoy her books. 

Raelyn Jennings and Damien Heathman didn't plan on falling in love, but they know that what they share is the kind of love you only find once in a lifetime. Though their love is stronger than anything they have felt before, their pasts threaten to destroy everything. Raelyn has a life changing decision that only she can make, and Damien's secrets resurface as he tries to focus on his future with Raelyn. 

I loved these two in the first book, and I loved them even more here. Raelyn did frustrate me a few times, but it was completely understandable. While I wanted her to handle things a bit differently than she did, I really felt for her. She was in a terrible situation and regardless of what she did it wouldn't be an easy choice. Damien was so fantastic here. He was still the same sexy and commanding guy that we had met before, but his love for Raelyn here was beyond anything words can describe. He showed just how supportive he could be and I really believed that he would go to the ends of the earth for Raelyn. Their connection is undeniable and their chemistry was as strong as ever. But their relationship and bond just continues to intensify and I loved seeing how these two pulled together and were able to lean on each other here. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I am already looking forward to the next chapter of their story, Forever Tattooed, which is set to release in March 2016. I love all of Alicia Rae's books that I have read, but I find that I am especially loving Damien and Raelyn's books. Alicia Rae is a talented writer that always evokes such raw emotions and shows her readers what true and unconditional love is, and that is definitely the case with the Tattooed series. I highly recommend any of her books if you haven't had the chance to read her work yet. Her characters are always so genuine and easy to relate to, and her stories are emotional and heartfelt. Alicia Rae is an author that is at the top of my auto-buy list, and I really would read anything with her name on it at this point.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

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A Duke Surrender's His Heart...with Sophie Barnes and Giveaway

Born in Denmark, Sophie Barnes spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all around the world. She's lived in five different countries, on three different continents, and speaks Danish, English, French, Spanish, and Romanian. But, most impressive of all, she's been married to the same man three times—in three different countries and in three different dresses.

When she's not busy dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, cooking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading.

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