Bingeworthy Books

Category: 4.5 Stars

Review: Ain’t She Sweet by Marie Force

This book knocked me on my ass. I was not prepared for the emotional wallop that it delivered! See, Charley is one tough cookie and she has a hard shell. Tyler sees through the smartass and pursues Charley even though she has made it clear that she is not interested. Now, to be clear, Tyler isn’t an overbearing alpha stalker, he just somehow gets Charley and he is a very patient man.

There is no doubt in my mind that I will read this book again. From beginning to end, I gobbled it up! From the moment where Charley gets hurt and Tyler is there to get help, I held my breath. Those scenes were so tightly written and I was absolutely swallowed up in the story and that was the beginning of the book.

There were times where Charley’s “issue” from a past relationship bothered me a bit, I guess I felt like she needed to let it go and let Tyler into her heart. But let me tell you, Tyler has to be one of the most determined heroes that Ms. Force has ever written. He was so freaking sexy, affectionate, passionate, honest, and a dirty talker on top of all of that. Holy Crap.

In the midst of Tyler battling Charley’s issue, she has the benefit of having her big family around for counseling purposes. The family is one of the BIG reasons why I love this series so much. Nothing like having people who know you so well, hold up a mirror and help you see the big picture. Plus, we get to catch up with all of the previous couples and characters, which I absolutely love. Force also plants the seeds of new couples (Grayson and Emma) and then, there’s Max father to a sweet baby. I just… I need Max’s story and I know it’s coming, I don’t when and it drives me nuts.

This review is basically me gushing about how much I adored Charley and Tyler and how I need more of this series PRONTO. So, I guess you could’ve skipped all of that other gobbledygook and read this last sentence. It was great and I LOVED it!

Purchase:

[br]

May 2, 2016
Review: Seducing the Bachelor by Sinclair Jayne

Sinclair Jayne is a brand new author to me and I cannot wait to read more from her. Last week, while on a short vacation, I read the whole Bachelor Auction series. Of the 4 authors, 3 were new reads for me! I enjoyed all four of the BA books but for some reason, Colt and his wounded military, cranky, badass self-stole my heart.

Ms. Jayne packs a whole hell of a lot of emotion in 179 pages. A lot – so much that I just did not see this book coming that way, you know? Shorter novels aren’t always able to dip down into the nitty gritty emotional stuff that shows the reader what a character is made of and how they came to be who they are. But there is no doubt why Colt is the way he is. (I have to say that there was no scrimping emotionally in any of the Bachelor Auction books.)

Military guys and single parents are my book catnip and this book gave me a full portion of each. Talon is an incredible mother to Parker and has made herself an impressive life and home when she meets Colt. He comes home between deployments to deal with his uncle’s estate and to stare his childhood right straight in the eye. Talon happens to be living on the farm and in the house he grew up in and he does not have happy memories of the house or his uncle. While he raised Colt, he was not a loving man in any way and Colt is rather hardened because of it. He left Marietta as fast as he could when he turned eighteen.

The attraction between Colt and Talon is immediate and they come to realize that they are going to have this time together no matter what, so why not get busy? And GET BUSY they do! Holy moly. While the sexytimes are ridiculously hot, the time they spend together on the farm and with Talon’s son, Parker, pushes Colt to look at the farm for what it is now…not the terrible place it used to be.

I know I’m repeating myself, but I feel like it bears repeating- these were really well-crafted characters and relationships. Colt’s blossoming relationship with Talon’s son Parker was just as important as his with Talon. Sometimes those secondary relationships get glossed over in favor of sexytimes and this was not the case.

While the title may be “Seducing the Bachelor”, this book is about so much more. A man coming home to deal with long gone ghosts, a woman trying to create a fulfilling life for herself and her son and how they all come together like pieces of a puzzle to create a family.

Purchase:

[br]

The Bachelor Auction Returns series
Book 1: Bachelor for Hire by Charlene Sands
Book 2: Falling for Her Bachelor by Robin Bielman – read Maria’s Review -> HERE
Book 3: Seducing the Bachelor by Sinclair Jayne
Book 4: Weekend with Her Bachelor by Jeannie Moon

[br]

April 25, 2016
Review: This is Love by Caroline Nolan #Interview
Let’s get this out of the way shall we? Caroline Nolan is the real deal. I’m not pulling your leg, I really think Ms. Nolan is FOR REAL. I obtain books to review from several sources- NetGalley, pitches from publicists, PR companies, blog tour companies, books I read and buy on my own and books that are submitted via the SSBR review request. I’d have to say, that the last way yields the most interesting variety of books where quality is concerned. Needless to say, I vet those pretty thoroughly and sometimes it pays off and I discover a new author and sometimes… not so much.

In the last few months, I’ve been completely underwhelmed by the books I’ve read, to the point that my review writing muse has all but deserted me at times. So, I made a resolution to look harder at the review requests I get from self-published authors. After reading This Is Love, I’m super psyched that I followed through on my reading resolution because I truly enjoyed this book and I’m truly excited about what this author has to offer.

This Is Love is not a depressing book so don’t be afraid to read it for fear that it’s sad and angsty. Rachel loved her fiance very much and they were well on their way to a happy life together when he died. After his death, Rachel has an extremely difficult time moving forward in her daily life. Thankfully, she has family and friends who love and support her and are there to help her take those steps to start her life again. Rachel’s subconscious kicks in- in its own way as far as coping is concerned and she begins to have dreams where she and Ben interact. In these dreams, her time with Ben satisfies her despair over him. I really enjoyed this part of the story because it’s a totally different way for a character to process how to move forward after losing a loved one. The moments were sweet and the reader learns a lot about Rachel and Ben and their relationship. I’m tip-toeing through this part of the review because I don’t want to give away too much of the book and Rachel’s journey.

While Rachel interacts with Ben in her dreams, she meets the most amazing man and let’s face it, he would have to be amazing to get Rachel to even think about anyone other than Ben. Jackson is a complete gentleman and he doesn’t push Rachel but he makes no bones about how he feels about her.

[br]

His eyes darken slightly. “This isn’t romance,” he says, correcting me. “This is a restaurant with good food and wine. Romance is what happens in the between. Moments I haven’t had a chance to show you yet.”

[br]

And he delivers. Holy moly. The sexytimes between these two are equal parts sexy and romantic without being over the top. The moments between them flow so smoothly and feel true to the characters and the pace of the development of their relationship. As I write my review, I look at my highlights and notes and it reminds me of how much I liked Jax (Jackson). (He’s a gentleman without being a beta but isn’t an alpha asshole.)

Nolan gently leads the reader and Rachel through the grieving process and through the process of falling in love. I really hope that this author gets noticed more because I think there is a lot of potential and I just love the way she writes.

Other things to know:
- FYI- this book made me cry. Yep. It doesn’t happen often but I totally lost it with this one and it was a completely bittersweet moment. 😢
- Technically, it was well edited and beautifully formatted. As I read it, I kept thinking “I need a hard copy of this book. It’s so pretty.”
- I want more from Rachel and Jax… hint, hint. I could totally read more about them 😉
- If you like: Tracey Garvis- Graves or Claudia Connor you’ll enjoy Ms. Nolan
[br]

I do hope you take a chance on this author, I think she is worth your reading time and money. Check out the interview and giveaway below! And if you read it, come back by and let me know what you thought.

[br]

Purchase:

[br]

[br]

Can you tell us a little about your journey to becoming an author?

It’s hard for me to pinpoint a beginning…lol. Years ago, I started a career in writing, but it was as a fashion coordinator for online magazines. From there, my career led to different paths and my writing was put on hold. At the same time, my husband’s career took him in a direction where our schedules didn’t always match up. So I had a lot of down time. I started reading…a lot. I was introduced to many Indie Authors, sometimes reading a book a day! While reading, I couldn’t help to but think, ‘what would I have this character say?’ or ‘how would I end this story?’ Before I knew it, I was creating my own stories. So I started putting some down to paper.

What made you want to write Rachel’s story?

The idea for Rachel’s story came to me while watching an episode or Criminal Minds. A strange connection, I know. But after the thought popped in my head, it wouldn’t go away. Ideas just kept getting added and added, so much so I started keeping notes. I think Rachel’s story was a test for me to see if I could do it. If I could put my ideas down to paper, if it would make sense, and if I would follow through to the end. I’m so happy to say I passed my own test!

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

I’m a plotter in the sense that I have the major arcs, catalysts, and ideas planned beforehand. How I got there, that surprised me a bit. Things characters said actions they took, sometimes I was even surprised at the words I wrote. The one thing that happened with both This Is Love and the novel I’m working on now is that the epilogue was planned out before anything else. I suppose it gives me direction on how I have to finish.

Do you have any rituals when you write?

Rituals, no. I’m fairly inconsistent when I write. Sometimes I have light music playing, other times I need silence. Sometimes I write on my couch, other I’m sitting at a desk. The one consistency that I have, is that I write during the daytime only.. By nighttime, I’m tired, my brain doesn’t work and my typing gets scary…

Favorite snack?

Unfortunately, I’ll eat anything and everything. Crackers, fruit, hummus. I recently gave up dairy. I’m still struggling with not eating cheese.

Favorite drink?

While writing, coffee. The weird thing is, I think I like having the smell of it near me more than I like drinking it. Most time, my mug is still half full after I’ve reached my goal.

What’s a typical day like in your writing life?

Typical day… I go to the gym in the mornings and then I’m back and writing by 10 or 11 am. I don’t follow a rule of how many hours I need to put in a day. When I write, my goal is to complete a chapter. Sometimes those chapters are longer, some are shorter. I’ll spend anywhere from 4-8 a day writing, depending on the chapter I’m working on.

Who are some of your favorite authors and books?

Too many to count! Perhaps my favorite book is The Time Traveler’s Wife. I LOVED that book when I first read it. The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher is the first indie book I ever read. From there, it led me to so many fantastic authors and books. Everyone from Christina Lauren to Emma Chase, Colleen Hoover to Mia Sheridan. Like everyone, I loved the Harry Potter books, the Bronze Horseman trilogy. I’m a very eclectic reader.

What’s up next for you?

Up next is Everything Unexpected. It’s my second novel, set to release this summer (fingers crossed!) It’s a dual POV so that’s interesting to write! I’m currently going through edits and then it will be sent to my editor!

[br]

a Rafflecopter giveaway
February 15, 2016
Review: Love in the Light by Laura Kaye

Love in the Light is a success story where a highly anticipated sequel is concerned. It’s hard for me to believe that I read Hearts in Darkness almost four years ago! In March of 2012, I had just discovered Goodreads and was just sticking my toe in the romance pool. Up until that time, I had read mostly nonfiction (biographies etc) and some mainstream fiction and then I jumped on the Fifty Shades train and the romance genre was busted wide open for me. Hearts in Darkness has always stood out in my brain as far as romance is concerned because I loved and I wanted more from Cayden and Makenna. I’m pretty sure that I was resigned to the fact that there wasn’t going to be a follow-up and I was okay with that.

Fast forward to 2015 and the news that we are getting the conclusion to their story and here we are! The short story of this review is that I LOVED this lovely piece of Cayden and Makenna’s love story. After reading Darkness, you had to know that it wasn’t going to be as easy as we’d like to think between them. I re-read Darkness before Light, just to refresh my memory of their meeting and simply because I enjoyed it.

Cayden has some major issues to deal with and after two blissful months of living together, Cayden’s issues are not going to be ignored any longer, especially after meeting her family at Thanksgiving. He questions whether he is worthy of Makenna- plain and simple. The man has some work to do on himself and he eventually pulls away from Makenna due to his PTSD and depression.

You know, it’s hard when you have things that you have to deal with and you’re the only one that can do that work. Why pull someone down into the pit with you? What if that person loves you endlessly and will go down into the pit with you? That’s Makenna.

Needless to say, there is a fair amount of angst and drama created by Cayden’s situation but not so much that it was too much. He had work to do within himself that had to be done in order for him to move forward in his relationship/future with Makenna.

I enjoyed this book as much, if not MORE than Darkness. The sexytimes were almost incendiary and my Kindle was smokin’!!! I’m so glad that Ms. Kaye gave us the rest of Makenna and Cayden’s love story and it was totally worth the wait!

Mandy

Makenna unbuttoned her jeans, pushed them down, and took them off altogether, leaving her standing there in an oversized, faded red and blue Penn sweatshirt that was just long enough to cover her panties. “You should get undressed, too,” she said, coming to Caden and starting on the buttons of his shirt.

Press and release, press and release. Until she was pulling his shirt from his dress pants and exposing his skin.

She gave a little moan and kissed the center of his chest. “Just like unwrapping a present.” She trailed a line of kisses and licks from one nipple to the other.

“Fuck, Makenna,” he whispered. “What are you doing?”

“Tasting you,” she said.

The words were like a blowtorch to his blood. He was hard in an instant. “We can’t,” he said, though his hands went to the back of her head, encouraging her, guiding her as she continued to kiss and tease and drive him wild with her mouth.

“We can if we’re quiet.” Slowly, she dropped to her knees and bared him to mid-thigh. She took his cock in hand and gripped him firmly, tearing a soft grunt from his throat. “I’ve been wanting you all day,” she whispered, her lips teasing his head with soft kisses. “Wanting to touch you and kiss you and hold you. I can’t hold back anymore.” She licked him from root to tip. Once, twice, three times. And then she sucked him into her mouth.

It felt so fucking good that Caden’s hands flew to her hair, digging in, grabbing hold. She moaned at the contact and pushed herself deeper, burying his cock in the back of her throat. The intensity of it nearly took his knees out from underneath of him.

Makenna pulled off his length. “Lay down on the floor.”

He was too far gone to debate the wisdom of having sex in her father’s house. He needed this. He needed her. He needed the connection and the coming together of the act. Caden locked the door, took the rest of his clothes off, and spread himself out on the beige carpet.

She undressed, too, all that beautiful red hair spilling around the bare porcelain of her shoulders and making him think of peaches and cream. And, fuck, he was starving.

Caden grasped his length. “Take me back in your mouth.”

He didn’t have to ask twice. Makenna settled herself between his legs and wrapped her lips around his cock. She sucked him deep and slow, than fast and shallow, her baby blues flashing up at him so fucking sexy. He needed to see her eyes, so he fisted her hair into a ponytail to keep it out of her face. He used his grip to urge her harder, faster, deeper. He needed it. God, he needed it. And she took it. She took everything he gave her and so much more.

“Fuck, Red, I’m gonna come if you don’t stop,” he whispered.

She pulled off him, her lips shiny and swollen. “I want you inside me first,” she said, already

crawling up his body.

Purchase:

[br]

Book 1- Hearts in Darkness is on sale for only 99 cents:

Purchase:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

January 13, 2016
Review: It’s Only Love

Ok, so this is Ella and Gavin and I’ve been wanting to read their story for sooooo very long. Lo and behold this review copy showed up in my mailbox and I immediately moved my review schedule a bit so I could go ahead and read it.

These two are so gone for each other from the very beginning and truthfully, their attraction has been simmering for months. The only thing stopping them was the spectre of Gavin’s brother’s death and it’s strangling hold it has on Gavin.

Gavin FINALLY takes his foot off of the proverbial brake and lets sweet but strong Ella into his heart and oh what a ride is. One thing I really appreciated with this book was that there wasn’t a whole lot of going back and forth between Ella and Gavin. She has had feelings for him for what seems like forever and he was the only thing that was holding them back from each other. Gavin has a moment where he realizes how much better he feels when he is with her as opposed to how he feels when he does not let her in. Why keep fighting the feelings for someone when you know you feel better with them than you do without them! Is it a perfect bump in the road free romance? Heck no. But that’s one of the many things I love about Force’s writing. Not to mention she always does an incredible job of baiting the hook for the next couple. I think I say this after every one of her books where she is setting up a new couple. I go into the book alllll about the current couple and then I’m completely giddy about the couple in the next book. 😉

If you’re not a fan of sweet and sultry kisses, overflowing attraction, interfering but well-meaning family members and emotional sexy times, then this book is not for you. 😉

Toss in a little Charley, Max, cousin Grayson, Fred the Moose, and you’ve got another heart-stoppingly romantic addition to the Green Mountain series.

Mandy

Purchase:

The Green Mountain Series:

GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the release of IT’S ONLY LOVE, book 5 in the Green Mountain Series, Marie Force is giving away five prize packs that include:

•    A signed copy of It’s Only Love
•    $50 gift card
•    Swag from the Green Mountain Series including Fred the Moose

Entries must be received by midnight, Saturday, Nov. 7.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

November 3, 2015
Review: All I Want by Jill Shalvis

This is the kind of book that makes me rethink doing video reviews. Why? Well, I could talk about this book for a while. In fact last Friday I was at lunch with my BFF (S) and I was telling her how much I enjoyed this book. Then, I had to actually sit down and think about what I wanted to say and then I decided to record a video review. God help us all. Then I decided that even I wouldn’t sit through a 10-minute video.

Anyhoo, I loved this book. LOVED IT. This is my favorite series from Jill Shalvis and it keeps getting better. I was worried that Zoe might be one of those characters that is hard to connect with because of a previous relationship issue. While she does have a very bad relationship experience in her past and she does find it hard to trust Parker, it isn’t crippling. Parker has his own limitations, mainly his commitment to his job but he is truly a great guy.

Zoe and Parker have sizzling chemistry from the very beginning and their first meeting is quite memorable. Their relationship is set on a slow burn and I was ok with that even though I kept screaming “Just get together already!!” But that was because they were MFEO. (Made for each other… Sleepless in Seattle) It was little things that they noticed about each other: Parker repairing things around the house for Zoe and taking in kittens. For Parker, Zoe was the first time he truly felt like he could have someone to come home to and be happy. Let’s face it, in real life and relationships, it’s the little gestures that add up to make a big difference.

As always, Ms. Shalvis’s cast of animal characters play an integral role in this series. Oreo, Zoe’s dog was an addition that I personally loved, then add in some gregarious kittens and I was sold. Not only are the humans funny and interesting, the animals are just as fun if not more so.

As for the next book, I’d like to make a request for Kel, the sheriff’s book. You’ll see what I mean…

Purchase:

October 9, 2015
Review: Truth or Beard by Penny Reid

I didn’t want this book to end. Isn’t that endorsement enough for you? Ha! While reading Truth or Beard, my husband thought I was crazy, due to all of the “laughing out loud” I was doing. I also read out loud to him several times- I could not help myself! The Winston men are completely addictive, every single one of them.

Now that Jessica is back in town, Duane decides that he is going to make his move on her. Jessica has had a massive crush on his twin brother, Beau for YEARS. Beau is the sweet one, while Duane has always been the one to drive her nuts by teasing her and giving her a hard time. In fact, Jessica has always believed that Duane just plain ole didn’t like her. Well, you know what they say about the little boy that was constantly teasing you on the playground?

“See? This is what I’m talking about. I don’t know if we can call a truce. All we know how to do is argue.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Jessica,” he whispered, “arguing with you is one of my favorite things to do.”

Yep, he’s got a crush on you. Once he decides that he and Jessica need to be together, he vows to make it happen honorably and properly. Unfortunately, Jessica cannot keep her hands to herself and she makes it very hard for Duane to take things slowly. Ms. Reid throws in a little bit of suspense plot involving a local MC that several characters have ties to. I thought this was a great addition to the overall plot because it shed some light on the depth of several characters like Claire (I cannot wait for her book).

I loved the longtime connection that Jessica and Duane have with each other. Even though they’ve given each other a hard time all of their lives, they have incredible chemistry that screams relationship. Is the path to a relationship like this one ever smooth? Not so much. Duane knows that Jessica wants to travel and he is firmly entrenched in Green Valley with no intention of ever leaving. He has family and a business and a little bit of trouble that pops up (see MC plot) that he feels ties him to home. Of course, he does not want to hold her back in any way because he truly does care for her deeply. I have to say that Duane is completely swoon-worthy.

I’m a little bit of a newcomer to Ms. Reid’s books but every one I read, I fall deeper in love with her writing. I absolutely cannot wait for more from this series! As if I couldn’t have fallen more in love with the whole family, Cletus was one of the most entertaining characters ever written. Ever.

If you love a book with romance and humor with a nice bit of sexytimes thrown in, you’ll LOVE Truth or Beard!

“You look tense,” Duane remarked between spoonfuls of chili.

I realized I’d been frowning at the line of cars revving their engines. I glanced at Duane and lifted my chin toward the starting lineup.

“I’ve heard stories about cars smashing into the rock walls, and head-on collisions causing broken bones and leaving people unconscious.”

“Those rumors are true.”

I felt my frown deepen. “Why would anyone do it, then? If it’s so dangerous?”

He shrugged. “Because it isn’t easy, it takes patience and skill. Because it is dangerous and it’s fun to be a little scared sometimes.”

“A little scared?”

He gave me a crooked grin, his eyes on my mouth. “That’s right. Just a little.”

I snorted my disbelief. If dirt racing made Duane a little scared and sky diving wasn’t all that dangerous, I wondered what could possibly frighten Duane.

At the same moment a shot went off. The cars lurched forward and sped out of the starting line like demons from hell, the engines drowning all other sound. My eyes were glued to the action in front of me, how the cars—some old, some new, all souped-up—slipped and skidded all over the dirt track. Two of the seven spun out at the first turn, one of them bouncing off the rock wall.

I sucked in a startled breath and felt Duane’s hand close over mine. “He’ll be fine. He wasn’t going that fast.”

I leaned against his solid frame and watched the remainder of the race with rapt attention. Only three of the cars made it to the finish line and it was sickeningly close. The whole affair was irresponsible and dangerous, and I thought I’d disdain it.

I was wrong. I loved it. My heart was beating fast and yet I was sitting still.

I loved the sound of revving engines, the smell of engine oil mingled with smoke and earth. I loved the general air of excitement, comrade, adventure. I loved how these people loved their cars and raced them hard, used them, risked them. When the cars sped by I felt the rush of wind, the vibration in my chest.

Of course it helped seeing the people who crashed walk away from their cars with no assistance, looking more upset about losing the race and what had befallen their automobiles than about their cuts and bruises.

It was thrilling and everything seemed larger, brighter, clearer—likely a byproduct of the adrenaline pumping through my veins.

I surmised the turns were by far the most dangerous part of the race. Maintaining control of over a thousand pounds of steel, around a sharp corner, while traveling in excess of ninety miles per hour, on a dirt track basically sounded impossible to me. But some of the cars managed it beautifully, artfully.

By the end of fourth race I’d basically crawled into Duane’s lap, and I squealed unthinkingly each time the cars rounded a curve. My squeals made Duane laugh and he held me tighter.

As soon as the—five this time—remaining competitors crossed the finish line, Duane peeled my fingers from where I’d dug them into his legs.

“Having a good time?” He nuzzled my neck, kissing it, then set me away and stood.

I turned to him and I’m sure my eyes were huge, as was my smile. “Yes, I’m having the best time. I never thought I’d enjoy all this craziness, but it’s amazing and I’m so glad you brought me.”

He gave me and my run-on sentence a distracted half smile as he pulled out a pair of leather gloves from his jacket. “Good. That’s good.”

I glanced between him and the gloves he was pulling on, felt my own smile wane. He took off his jacket and handed it to me.

“Where are you…?” My mouth couldn’t quite form the question because I already knew the answer. Abruptly, my heart thudded in my chest quite painfully, jumping around like it was trying to break free.

“Oh my God, Duane. Don’t you dare.”

Mandy

Purchase:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

August 3, 2015
Review: Fighting For Forever by JB Salsbury

Some authors are one trick ponies where series are concerned. Their books run together because the characters are too similar. Ms. Salsbury is no one trick pony. While I haven’t been crazy googly eyes over all of the Fighting guys, I’ve always appreciated that they have been interesting and unique characters.

Love and revenge. Trix is hell-bent on avenging the death of her sister and takes it upon herself to find her sister’s killer and even the score. Which is why we (and Mason) meet Trix as a stripper. She is using the position as a way to find information on who took her sister’s life. She comes from a loving and happy family and they were a welcome addition to the book. I think there is an impression (that is perpetuated in many books) that to be a stripper, you have to have had a horrible family life. Not the case for Trix, she is hell-bent on avenging her sister’s killer and will do anything to find that person. Her parents know what she is doing and while they aren’t exactly happy about what she is doing, they love and support her. I enjoyed learning about her and the time that she and Mason spent with her brothers and sisters was sweet.

Ahhhh, Mason. I really liked Mason. For me, he was reminiscent of Jonah and let’s face it, if it wasn’t for Jonah I wouldn’t be reading this series in the first place! Despite his lighthearted demeanor at times, Mason is an intense guy and he is what I’d call a “sweet and sensitive Alpha”. He cares so very much for those around him and has been hurt for allowing himself to be that vulnerable.

Another very enjoyable to this book was the complex suspense aspect. I really enjoyed how Ms. Salsbury wove both characters into the suspense plot and how she let it all unfold.

Mason will definitely be on my list of favorite Fighting series guys. I have to admit that initially, I was a little bit skeptical of how much I’d like Trix but I really did enjoy Trix and Mason’s story.

Purchase:

~ Purchase the Series

#1 Fighting for Flight

Amazon

#2 Fighting to Forgive

Amazon

#3 Fighting to Forget

Amazon

#4 Purchase Fighting the Fall:

Amazon

#5 A Father’s Fight

Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

June 23, 2015
#Review: One Night with the Billionaire by Jessica Clare

I LOVED this book. Normally, I would not pick up a book in the middle of a series but I fell in love with Ms. Clare when I read The Billionaire and The Virgin. I jumped at the chance to read anything by her and dove into Cade and Kylie’s book. Cade makes an appearance in The Billionaire and The Virgin and I was immediately interested in his story. This guy…. is so freaking sweet and HOT and holy crap, I LOVED him. He is Book Boyfriend material for sure.

Cade is such a good guy. Really. He has put up with so much from Daphne and she pretty much kept his balls in a jar for a while there. Not to mention that he wonders if their feelings for each other are deeper than the one disastrous time they slept together. Daphne is an addict, plain and simple. She is a hot mess and her record company hires Kylie to keep Daphne looking like she is in much better shape than she is actually in. What does Daphne do? Act like an asshole. Cade has been best friends with Daphne and her twin sister Audrey (The Wrong Billionaire’s Bed) since they were kids. So, he has dealt with her drama for years.

Kylie is a sweet and loveable character. She works extremely hard as a very talented makeup artist in order to support herself and her ailing grandmother. Kylie has some issues and they are thanks to her grandmother, who was never very nice to her.(And that’s putting it lightly) Thanks to that, Kylie is very conscious of her size/figure. Kylie is fuller figured and I love that Ms. Clare writes characters that aren’t the same old same old skinny minnies. I had this kind of luscious pin up girl image of Kylie in my head. I really liked Kylie. She worked so hard and dealt with Daphne’s craziness like a pro.

Enter Cade. He goes to the concert to hang out with Daphne, meets Kylie and there is an instant attraction to her. The connection between Cade and Kylie is so easy and I enjoyed the build up to the beginning of their relationship. Kylie is hesitant to hook up with Cade because she knows how much Daphne cares for Cade and frankly, she doesn’t want to piss off Daphne and lose her job. Cade, to his credit, finally pulls his head out of his ass and sees the difference between Kylie and Daphne and goes full speed ahead for what he wants- Kylie.

God…good guy Cade with sexy talk.

“I don’t look like Daphne.”

“Thank fucking Christ for that,” he said, and put his hands at the sides of her neck and drew her in for another searing kiss. “I love the way you look,” he mumured against her mouth. “I love your lush body. It’s one on the reasons I’m attracted to you.”

His hands slid to her shoulders, and then down her arms, and he studies her wuth pleasure. “Your breasts. Your hips. Your curves. Your softness. Fuck, you’re pretty.”

Sigh. So yeah I loved Cade. I thoroughly enjoyed this book so much that I went back and read book three in the series (The Wrong Billionaire’s Bed) to get some more backstory on Cade/Daphne/Audrey. Holy hot tamales, that was a hot book too. I intend on reading all the books in that series.

Even though she is jerk in a good portion of this book, I’d like to see Daphne get herself straight and get her own HEA. 🙂

Purchase:

June 5, 2015
Review: Shuttergirl by C.D. Reiss #excellent #BIGgiveaway

I’ve read one whole book by Ms. Reiss and I have several more on my Kindle. The first book I read, Beg (Book 1- Songs of Submission) was EXCELLENT and I am constantly kicking myself about needing to read more of the series.

Enter Shuttergirl. When I hosted the cover reveal, I knew this was a book I needed to read. I was not disappointed one single bit. Not one bit.

I have a notebook that I keep review notes in and sometimes I take lots of notes and sometimes I get so wrapped up in a book, I don’t. Fortunately (unfortunately?) I did not take a lot of notes on this one because this book totally ATE MY BRAIN.

From the very beginning, the connection between Michael and Laine is undeniable even after their years spent apart and living on different sides of the camera lens. Laine is the paparazza and Michael is her prey. Every time she takes a picture of him, she remembers him. She remembers the kindness he offered her when they were schoolmates. His kindness to her does not keep her from selling the pictures to the highest bidder. Laine is nothing if not a survivor and she is an INCREDIBLE character. None of this whiny, oh woe is me crap from her. Thank the baby Jesus for a well written damaged but strong and confident female MC.

Due the nature of their professions, Michael and Laine have no business orbiting in each other’s worlds any closer than the already do. So I kept wondering how the heck Ms. Reiss was going to make it work. You want to know how? CHARACTER GROWTH. Shit happens you know? We make decisions and they impact our lives in all kinds of ways. Michael and Laine navigate their relationship amidst the twists, turns and pressures of their lives. Laine goes from being on one end of the camera- the paparazza, to the girlfriend of a movie star. Her professional life is thrown into turmoil in a matter of hours after a picture of her and Michael is taken. Laine’s life changes as fast as the click of the shutter.

One of the signs of a good book for me is the ability of the author to keep me wondering how in the world two characters can overcome their circumstances to be together. Ms. Reiss and her raw, elegant and lyrical prose kept me riveted and her depiction of Los Angeles creates a character all on its own.

As Shakespeare so famously wrote- “The course of true love never did run smooth”. Ms. Reiss gives us a raw, passionate and brave love story between Michael and Laine and I for one am glad I took the journey with them.

I stroked his hair, waist deep in peace, all worry gone for the moment, and floating in no more than an ocean of gratitude. I must have been more vulnerable than I realized, or he’d reopened some wound with his kindness, because though my sweet reverie stayed, as the minutes passed, a layer of need fitted itself on top of it.

I needed to tell him, if not the details, the outlines of who I was.

“I want you to know,” I whispered, starting somewhere small, then everything I didn’t want to say spilled out. “I have stuff. I’ve never been to jail, but you know, it’s stuff, and it’s ugly, and it scares me. Because, I mean, you’re so perfect, and I’m… I’m just a mess. I’m not whole. I’m a bunch of pieces of a person I cobbled together.” My eyes got wet when I thought of the comparisons between us and that picture in my silverware drawer. “So if you have to move on when you realize that, I’ll understand. You have an image, and if anyone understands protecting a career, it’s me. I mean, I’ll be mad, don’t get that wrong, but also.” I swallowed and blinked, shifting my head so he wouldn’t feel the tear on his forehead. “I won’t blame you.”

I waited for an answer. Anything. A change in position or a word on any subject. The weather. Sports. Something. But all he did was breathe.

I smiled so wide, tears fell into my mouth. He was sleeping.

Purchase:

ShutterGirl Book Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u2QJM0key0&feature=youtu.be

GIVEAWAY & NOTE FROM AUTHOR

I am so happy with the response to Shuttergirl, and I cannot wait to send Michael and Laine out into the world, because who doesn’t swoon over a second chance at love?

It’s a new genre for me, and I’m exploding with excitement, so I’ve dropped some fantastic reasons for readers to get the book right away.

TREAT YOURSELF LIKE A MOVIE STAR!

$500 Spa Gift Card

If you could get an hour, or ten away from the daily grind of paparazzi and interviews (or the job and kids), what would you do?

Get a foot rub/slash/pedicure? A massage? Maybe something called a Sleep Treatment that right now sounds better than sex?

Maybe you’d bring a friend or two, or maybe you’d just get a manipedi when you wanted one. Because the life of a megastar ain’t for the weak-willed or lazy, and running from paparazzi can really wear down a girl’s nails.

Woodhouse Spas are no joke. They’re all over the country and they’re….sigh. Fabulous. But if you don’t live near one, we can do Burke Williams, Halcyon Days or Red Door.

HOW TO ENTER

Take the fun SHUTTERGIRL READER QUIZ!

The link to the quiz is in the back of the book, and yes, that’s the ONLY place to find it! There are bonus questions relating to Jonathan and Antonio for extra prizes. You have until June 3rd to enter! That gives you a solid two weeks to read the book and get your chance at a $500 movie star spa treatment!

If you are a paperback reader, email me and we’ll work it out .

Thank You!

May 22, 2015