A Hunka Hunka Nursing Love by Kathryn Maeglin-a review

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Sandy

A Hunka Hunka Nursing Love by Kathryn Maeglin-a review

A Hunka Hunka Nursing Love

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release June 25, 2013

Imagine a visiting-nurse service with hot young guys as caregivers. What golden girl wouldn’t dig that?

Valerie Palka is a savvy businesswoman who is obsessed with keeping her elderly mom, Helen, safe from all the lethal disasters that can befall widows living alone. Helen thinks the workaholic Valerie should focus on having as much luck in the bedroom as she does in the boardroom. But when Helen takes a spill and is rushed to the ER, a handsome male nurse, Keith Nuber, strikes her fancy, and she tells her daughter, “If you could get a handsome devil like that to take care of me, I’d be willing to consider it.” So Valerie creates a care agency, Home Health Hunks, staffed by attractive younger men.

Valerie’s idea is filled with potential . . . and potholes. As she navigates the tricky road to satisfying her mom as well as her own ambition, she finds herself falling for one of her employees—Keith—and is forced to examine her beliefs about the true meaning of success.

*********************

I must admit this story really surprised me. Judging from the title and looking at the cover gave me the impression this was going to be a cheesy story that would be a play on fantasies. Don’t get me wrong as “cheesy” is not a bad thing as cheesy can be fun or comical. So my preconceived notions of this book was it was going to be a story of steamy and racy play on fantasies of “hunky” male nurses “treating” their patients if you get my drift complete with a cheesy plot….boy was I wrong…

While there are hot males nurses and steamy sex scenes, there are a lot of good life messages in this book. Life messages of family, love, friendship and the overall appreciation of what you have as cliché as that sounds.

Workaholic Valerie Palka cares for her mother to the best of her abilities what with her mother’s stubbornness to be independent on top of being able to run a successful childcare business. On paper you would say that Valerie is your typical superwoman who can do it all but with one little rough patch in her life, her failing marriage. On one faithful day after a little accident that injures Valerie’s mother’s ankle, Valerie meets hunk nurse Keith Nuber which gives Valerie an idea to run a caregivers business in which hunky men are the caregivers. At first I thought the idea was a little silly but as I read more into the story I thought the idea wasn’t so silly but actually pretty creative. Valerie is in for a roller coaster ride of facing a divorce, running two businesses, caring for her mother, and falling for her employee Keith. The ride only gets crazier when the unexpected blows up in Valerie’s face. So did Valerie really bite off more than she can chew? This book reminds me of the movie Click where the hero gets so career driven that he loses sight of the really important things in life except Valerie wises up in time but with a sad price.

This story had a lot of fun and interesting elements in it. Cougar, senior citizen, and same sex love stories yet for some reason the author knows how to tie them together seamlessly and make it sweet and heartwarming. I really liked Keith from the get-go with his good looks, sincerity that he cares, and his overall goody-two shoes ways but I must admit that the only thing that bothered me was that Keith was well too “prefect.” I really enjoyed this story and even admit that I wouldn’t mind reading it again. This book brought me back to earth again not to judge a book or even title as this book had a lot of good significances with a good touch of humor going on in it.

Copy supplied by the author

Review by Xtina

Vicious Moon Blog Tour-Interview and Giveaway with Lee Roland

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Sandy

VICIOUS MOON Blog Tour-Interview and Giveaway with Lee Roland

Vicious Moon Tour Banner
About the Author Black and Orange Lee Roland

Lee Roland began her writing career in middle school when she wrote a short story for her brother. He turned the story in to his teacher as his own work. To his amazement and terror, the teacher was so impressed that she read it aloud to the class—and asked him to write another one.

Lee notes that, other than motherhood, she’s never had an exciting job. She might have dreamed of being a lawyer, nurse or police officer, but finding the right person to share her life with changed her plans. Her only credentials for writing are a terrific imagination, life experience and the love of words in a good story. She reads voraciously, but particularly loves Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance.

Lee lives in Florida and is a full-time writer. She is a member of RWA National and the Florida based First Coast Romance Writers.

Before being published, Lee won many RWA Chapter contests and garnered a Golden Heart nomination in 2008 with her post apocalyptic novel, LILITH’S CHILD.
Lee is the author of the Earth Witches series published by NAL, beginning with VIPER MOON in 2011.

Contact Links: Website / Twitter/ Facebook

Interview orange:black

TRC: Hi Lee and welcome to The Reading Café. Congratulations on the release of Vicious Moon.

TRC: Vicous Moon was released on July 2, 2013, which is part of your Earth Witches series. Would you please tell us something about the premise of Vicious Moon?

Lee: “A powerful witch might live a long time, but a single well-placed bullet could change that. While my preferred weapon was magic, I was not averse to shooting anyone or anything offering my sister or me harm.”

Ex-soldier and earth witch Nyx Ianira is working as a PI in San Francisco when she sees the last thing she ever wants to see: the Sisters of Justice—the mysterious earth witch police force. A Triad of Sisters usually means an execution mission, but the Sisters’ only goal is to capture and escort Nyx across the country.

Nyx is badly needed back in Twitch Crossing, Georgia, the place she ran away from ten years ago to escape the stiff rules and duties of being a true witch. She wanted a life of her own. Now she’s being dragged back to her swampy hometown because another life is in danger: Her little sister is missing, and Nyx is the only one who can track her down in Duivel, Missouri.

But the key to finding her may lie with dark and tempting Etienne—a sinister criminal with a fearsome reputation, a ruthless attitude, and a total immunity to magic….

TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters from each of the three storylines in the series, which actors or models would best represent your hero/heroines?

Lee: I would prefer the primary actors and actresses in my stories be fresh new faces, not established stars. I hope there would be a few established stars to draw an audience, but the main protagonists should be new.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series?

Lee: At the present time there are only the three, in the Earth Witches Series, but the future holds some promise. Stay tuned to my website.

1.     Viper Moon:
2.     Vengeance Moon:
3.     Vicious Moon:

TRC: What challenges did you face on the road to publication?

Lee: Since I wanted to be published by one of the major houses, I dealt with a lot of rejection. It also took a long time, but I refused to give in to the temptation to hurry the process. Being naturally shy, I had difficulty doing pitches. My tongue would get twisted in knots. Not a great impression.Once I found a supportive agent, things went much easier.

TRC: What part of the book(s) was the most difficult for you to write?

Lee: The romantic scenes. I want my books to be story and character driven. I like action and adventure and while relationships are very important, I don’t want the romance to slow the story down. Save the world first, then fall in love.

TRC: What five things would you like to accomplish in the next ten years?

Lee:
Write more books
Publish more books
Make more friends
Develop a good relationship with fans
Take care of myself and remain healthy

TRC: If you were a contestant on one of the reality television programs, which ‘reality program’ would you chose and why?

Lee: I would not be on a reality program. I would not be chosen for such. Reality programs seem to be looking for people who are rude and constantly misbehave. They are like characters in a fiction book, possibly interesting, but certainly not real. Maybe they should be called unreality programs.

TRC: Would you please tell us how you deal with the stress and anxiety of deadlines while trying to balance family life and writing?

Lee: I try to exercise and eat a proper diet. Try. I really try. Sometimes I have to just let go, yell and cry a lot. Then I settle down and go to work. Family life isn’t a problem. I’m lucky to have a supportive bunch around me.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Lee: I’m currently working on an urban fantasy with some pretty quirky characters.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Burgers

Favorite Dessert: Cheesecake

Favorite TV Show: Whatever’s on when I have time to watch TV

Last Movie You Saw: The Avengers

Dark or Milk Chocolate: Not a chocolate fan.

Favorite Flower: Lilies

Thank you Lee for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of VICIOUS MOON.

Dynamic Urban Fantasy by Lee Roland
The Earth Witches, the keepers of the world’s magic, find chaos and desire in the hidden ruins of the Barrows. Servants of the enigmatic Earth Mother, they battle men, monsters and personal conflicts to protect the world. With magic, modern weapons and strong companions, they persevere to save mankind from evil.

Earth Witches Series

VIPER MOON (Earth Witches #1)
by Lee Roland
Release Date: July 2011

ISBN-13: 978-0451233769 (352 Pages)
Cassandra Archer is the huntress. She has faithfully served the earth Mother for years, rescuing kidnapped children from monsters—both human and supernatural—dwelling in the ruins of the Barrows District. But when two children are kidnapped under similar circumstances, all clues point to a cataclysmic event on the next dark moon. Aided by police Detective Flynn and Michael, mysterious and dangerous resident of the Barrows, Cass must race against the clock and prevent a sacrifice that could destroy the entire town…

**********************

VENGEANCE MOON (Earth Witches #2)
by Lee Roland
Release Date: June 2012

ISBN-13: 978-0451236432 (352 Pages)
Madeline Corso can’t rest until she hunts down the three men who killed her father and witch mother. Two of them are now dead by her hand. Unfortunately, her second kill had witnesses. Sent to prison, she is rescued Sisters of Justice—a mysterious order of female warriors with ties to her mother. Her fighting skills are honed by the Sisters, and they have tracked the last murderer to Duivel, Missouri. He is hiding in the dark underworld of the Barrows. Once in the Barrows, she discovers that things aren’t what they seem. The danger goes far beyond her need for revenge. Can she rely on Michael, a handsome and possibly deadly stranger, to help her navigate a world of men and beasts? Or will she lose her heart before the mission is complete?

***********************

VICIOUS MOON (Earth Witches #3)
by Lee Roland
Release Date: July 2013

Click HERE for our review.

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

ISBN-13: 978-0451238269 (320 Pages)
Ex-soldier and Earth Witch Nyx Ianira is working as a PI in San Francisco when she sees the last thing she ever wanted to see: the Sisters of Justice—the mysterious Earth Witch police force. Three Sisters, a Triad, is usually a squad of executioners. This time, thought, the Sisters mission is to capture and escort an unwilling Nyx back to Twitch Crossing, Georgia. Nyx ran away from Twitch Crossing ten years ago to escape the stiff rules and duties of being a true Witch. She wanted a life of her own. Now she’s been dragged back to her swampy hometown because another life is in danger—her little sister is missing, and Nyx is the only one who can go to Duivel, Missouri and track her down. But the key to finding her may lie with the dark and tempting Etienne—a sinister criminal with a fearsome reputation, a ruthless attitude, and a total immunity to magic…

Rafflecopter Giveaway Black and Orange

Lee is offering all 3 books of the Earth Witches Series (US Only) (June 25 – July 31)

NOTE: The Reading Cafe is NOT responsible for the rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vicious Moon (Earth Witches #3) by Lee Roland-a review

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Sandy

Vicious Moon (Earth Witches #3) by Lee Roland- a review

Vicious Moon

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

Vicious Moon
(Earth Witches #3)
by Lee Roland
Release Date: July 2, 2013

ABOUT THE BOOK: “A powerful witch might live a long time, but a single well-placed bullet could change that. While my preferred weapon was magic, I was not averse to shooting anyone or anything offering my sister or me harm.”

Ex-soldier and earth witch Nyx Ianira is working as a PI in San Francisco when she sees the last thing she ever wants to see: the Sisters of Justice—the mysterious earth witch police force. A Triad of Sisters usually means an execution mission, but the Sisters’ only goal is to capture and escort Nyx across the country.

Nyx is badly needed back in Twitch Crossing, Georgia, the place she ran away from ten years ago to escape the stiff rules and duties of being a true witch. She wanted a life of her own. Now she’s being dragged back to her swampy hometown because another life is in danger: Her little sister is missing, and Nyx is the only one who can track her down in Duivel, Missouri.

But the key to finding her may lie with dark and tempting Etienne—a sinister criminal with a fearsome reputation, a ruthless attitude, and a total immunity to magic….

••••••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW:
I will have to confess, I haven’t read the first two books !!! And I think in this case, I may have to go back and read them, this isn’t a stand alone book, it definitely needs to be read in order, I did feel I was missing something, probably background on some of the characters that I meet in this book. But saying that, it was still a good read.

Witches aren’t usually my thing, and I needed a little convincing (Barb) 😉 But once I started it, it was very detailed. Lee writes a very descriptive world, and I could imagine it very easily.

Nyx is a witch, who doesn’t DO spells (her words), she relies on her fire magic, and her gun !! She has a comfy life in the human world, she is a private Investigator. and has no wish to visit her roots.

We meet up with Nyx on a job. But this turns out to be the start of a REALLY bad day ……. After bungling a sure fire job, Nyx is chased by a triad of warrior women, which I find out are women who police the witches. (They are catted the Sisters of Justice). After chasing Nyx across country, they drag her witchy butt back to her grandmothers home. (But not before terrorising Nyx, as these Sisters of Justice usually kill bad witches)

After a very emotional reunion, Nyx notices her baby sister is missing, Marisol is a smart witch, and she can cast spells, and is a powerful women in her own rights. The Grandmother explains that Marisol went to learn lessons from a more powerful witch. But hasn’t been seen or heard of since. So she sent the sisters of justice to find and bring back Nyx.

Nyx goes to where Marisol was being taught by the other witch. And meets a pair of thugs who are trying to drive the witch out. After teaching the thugs a quick lesson, Nyx meets our hero Etienne, who I have to admit, upon first reading him, I wanted to smash his face in !!Totally arrogant, and obnoxious, and yes we know they will become an item, but I really did not like him.

Etienne may know where Marisol is, or who saw her last. So Nyx follows Etienne into the Barrows. The Barrows is a place of old magic, and harbours a Dark and evil presence (more on that later)

In a place called Archangel, we meet a very charismatic couple (Micheal and his mate, Madeline, they were in book 2)

Nobody seems worried that Marisol is missing, and everyone is very interested in Nyx. Etienne then takes Nyx to meet his boss, and this is where we meet the dark and malevolent being that the Mother Earth has trapped in the Barrows. He wants out, but if he escapes then the earth as we know it will be destroyed !!
There is also a zombie zone, which I thought would produce Zombies (Well I thought I so …… ) But apparently it only means a portal that is one way, THINGS come out, but nothing can go in.

We meet a few of those things through the book (Giant crabs !!) And it keeps the reader on their toes.

Etienne is a very closed off character. We learn through the book, that he was a witches pet ! But not a willing one, so he REALLY doesn’t like nor trusts witches. And unlike most of our hero’s Etienne really is a bad guy !! He steals whatever his past and current bosses want, it doesn’t seem to worry him. And several times through the book, I did think that the PROPER hero would come in and sort Etienne out 🙂

But slowly the two characters come together, and it was nice that it wasn’t within the first few chapters. There was a two steps forward, one step back kind of movement going on. Trust had to be earned, and even then I think it was all one sided.

There were a few surprises along the way, and a few moments that I still wanted to slap Etienne.

Nyx has a familiar (Which a witchy fans will know, that a familiar helps it’s owner along the way, well not Nyx’s, it farted, drooled and at one point totalled ignored it’s mistress, and it was a total joy to read those parts, it lightened the moments, and stopped it getting to morose.

There were a few battle scenes, and these were written very well. In fact I could see this making a great movie.

And do Etienne and Nyx find Marisol ? and do they live happily ever after ? Your going to have to read It and find out for yourself 😉

Reading Order:
1. Viper Moon
2. Vengeance Moon
3. Vicious Moon

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Julie B.

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella – a Review

Posted on July 14, 2013 by Barb

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella – a Review

wedding night

Links to order Wedding Night: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository / Kobo

Description:
Lottie is tired of long-term boyfriends who don’t want to commit to marriage. When her old boyfriend Ben reappears and reminds her of their pact to get married if they were both still single at thirty, she jumps at the chance. There will be no dates and no engagement—just a straight wedding march to the altar! Next comes the honeymoon on the Greek island where they first met. But not everyone is thrilled with Lottie and Ben’s rushed marriage, and family and friends are determined to intervene…

Review;

What can I say other then, Ms. Kinsella has done it again. She’s scored another best seller with Wedding Night. This book satisfied my need for a good chuckle from beginning to end. I have no idea how Ms. Kisella does it book after book coming up with her crazy ideas that take place within her books. It just seems there is one disaster after another for poor Lottie and Ben. Little do they know, these disasters are all part of a plot to keep them apart by Lottie’s sister Fliss. However, soon Ben’s co-worker/friend Lorcan, along with Lottie’s recent ex Richard all get pulled into this outrageously funny story. You see, Lottie is known for going off on some hair-brained scheme after a breakup, and her most recent one in a very long list of hair-brained schemes is running off and marrying Ben, a former teenage boyfriend after all these years.

I must say that I very much enjoyed the way Ms. Kinsella set up this book. We get to see Lottie through two POV’s, her own, and her big sister Fliss. So instead of having a book set around one heroine, we get a story that has two, each giving us separate viewpoints on the same situation. Having the two POV’s doesn’t deviate at all from the flow of the story, but in fact helps to develop it even further, thus giving more depth and personality to the characters, well at the same time advancing the plot and sub-plots. The main plot being Lottie running off and marrying Ben on a whim after breaking up with Richard, and Fliss still dealing with a bad divorce and placing much of her feelings towards men and relationships on Lottie, thus creating the catalyst for her plot to interfere with Lottie and Ben’s honeymoon.

Instead of a honeymoon on a beautiful Greek island, while staying at a 4 star plus hotel Lottie and Ben get Disasters R Us, lol. The events that Lottie’s sister sets in motion to keep the two love birds apart until she can get there and talk some sense into her sister had me howling out loud in fits of laughter many times. My cheeks and sides hurt from laughing so hard during a couple of scenes. As if Fliss and her scheming weren’t enough, enter Lorcan and Richard. The addition of these two characters, allows for further plot development between Lottie, Ben, and Fliss, while at the same time adding to more funny situations.

As the story progresses, we get to see Fliss begin to deal with and examine her life since her divorce, well Lottie finally, finally sees through her lack of judgement issues and realizes what a huge mistake she’s made. Has Lottie’s lack of judgement made it too late to be with Richard, or are she and Ben really meant to be? Will Fliss finally accept her divorce and move on, is Lorcan the right man for her? Will Lottie find out that Fliss was behind all the disasters that happened to them, and if she does, will she forgive her sister? If you want to find out, you’ll have to read the book. I wouldn’t want to spoil all the fun in this one by giving away the answers.

If you are looking for a fast paced, funny read then look no further. Wedding Night is well written, with well developed and charming characters. You can’t help but become attached to all the characters in this one and hope that there’s a HEA in the end after all the disasters that take place. It will have you turning page after page wanting to see what Fliss will do next to poor Lottie and Ben, well at the same time holding your sides from laughing so hard. You might even want to make sure you are reading this one someplace quiet, or people might be looking at your strangely as you break out in fits of laughter over some of the events that take place. Ms. Kinsella has definitely done it again, and I for one can’t wait for her to announce the title of her next release. I know she’ll have me in stitches once again.

Until next time, happy reading everyone.

Reviewed by Marcie

Escaping Reality Blog Tour and Giveaway-INTERVIEW with Lisa Renee Jones

Posted on July 14, 2013 by Sandy

Escaping Reality Blog Tour and Giveaway-INTERVIEW with Lisa Renee Jones

Escaping Reality (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen) #1
by Lisa Renee Jones
Genre: New Adult
Release Date: July 22, 2013

Interview

Lisa Renee Jones Photo

TRC: Hi Lisa and welcome back to The Reading Café. Congratulations on a very successful 2013. For anyone who does not know Lisa Renee Jones, would you please tell us a little something about yourself?

FOLLOW: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

Lisa: I write full time and live in Colorado. I use to be the CEO of a staffing agency but left that world behind to chase the dream of being a writer.

TRC: Please tell us about LISA’S UNDERGROUND ANGELS?

Lisa: The angels are just that. Angels! This is my street team and I am truly blessed with some very special ladies. I feel like I know many of them and like they are extended family.

TRC: How interactive are you with the Angels?

Lisa: VERY. I love these ladies. I talk with them on a yahoo group daily. I’ve gotten to feel like many are friends who live next door.

Escaping Reality July 2013 TRC: ESCAPING REALITY: The Secret Life of Amy Bensen (July 22, 2013) is your latest release and first entry into the world of New Adult fiction. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk / KOBO / Smashwords / Barnes and Noble

Lisa: This series is much like INSIDE OUT, narrated by the main female character and you live a mystery and a romance through her eyes. This is like that series in that way. It’s very different though. Amy is younger, sheltered in that she is running from something and cannot truly live. Mature in that she has had to survive on her own. Liam Stone is rich and talented and a mix of dominant and gentle at just the right times for Amy’s personality to click with him. He enters Amy’s life and dares her to live and experience passion at a time when the past has come back to haunt her.

Amy is on the run from danger, that I can’t say much about without spoilers. Her family is dead and she isn’t sure who did it, only that they are after her as well. She meets Liam Stone, a protege, prodigy architect who inherited a fortune from his mentor. He makes her feel she isn’t alone but she fears she will drag him into danger as well. And can she really trust him?

And Liam Stone is a bit of a cross between Mark Compton and Chris Merit in INSIDE OUT but very different in his own right. He handles things much different than either of the INSIDE OUT men.

TRC: How many books do you have planned for the series?

Lisa: Three books now. If there are more it will be like INSIDE OUT and feed off secondary characters.

TRC: WITHIN THE FIRE is book two in the series. Would you please tell us something about the premise and do you have an expected date of release?

Lisa: Actually the title has changed to INFINITE POSSIBILITIES. It is book 2 and it picks up at the end of book 1. So I really can’t tell because it’s a spoiler. But at the end of book 1 Amy is determined to find out what happened to her family rather than hiding. As for release date I haven’t set it yet because of some things going on with INSIDE OUT but will very soon. And it won’t be a long wait. I want them out quickly.

TRC: Are any of the characters or experiences based on events in real life? Or are they an amalgamation of many characters and your imagination?

Lisa: Actually it’s set in Denver in the exact area we plan to live and the area we stay at least one weekend a month. Last weekend I was there writing to get the scenes exactly right. I started getting to know Amy about two years ago, jotting notes and plotting, but it was all imagination. Now she feels very real.

The hotel is actually the real hotel I stay in. And I am from Texas:) Oh and there are many places in the Denver neighborhood including the coffee shop Diego proposed in that are in the book.

being Me

TRC: BEING ME is the second installment in your Inside Out Trilogy. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Lisa: Being Me is a continuation of If I Were You. It answers many many questions. People will be surprised just how many.

BEING ME picks up the moment after IF I WERE YOU ends and IF I WERE YOU ends with a huge cliffhanger. So all I can say is you will be shocked how many details you get in this book and how many answers. I have a long series plan so I knew I would reveal many things in book 2. There is much more you don’t know about yet to come.

Revealing Us

TRC: REVEALING US (September 2013) is the final installment in the trilogy. Is there anything you can reveal about the storyline?

Pre Order: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository

Lisa: This is Chris’s book. Being Me was about Sara finding herself. Revealing Us is about Chris letting Sara find him. It has a mystery that leads into a spinoff series and readers will know what that is at the end.

The Master Undone Aug 13

TRC: THE MASTER UNDONE (August 2013) is a story written from ‘the master’s’ POV. Is it an epilogue (of sorts) or does the timeline follow parallel to Rebecca’s Lost Journals novella series?

PRE ORDER links: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Barnes and Noble /

Lisa: No. This story takes place the day after BEING ME. It is not past and Rebecca is not part of the story. The Master Undone leads into books 4 and 5 that will be mainly about Mark. You meet a new female named Crystal and you get to see what really goes on in Mark’s head

TRC: What challenges or difficulties (logistical, research etc) did you encounter writing the Inside Out series and novellas?

Inside Out Series 2

Reading Order: Inside Out Series

Inside Out Reading Order

Lisa: They were emotional dark books that pushed my limits. I lived those books sunup to sundown while writing them and the characters became a part of me in a way I have never experienced.

Timelines were critical since there are journals in all of the books.I had to make sure they matched up perfectly. I did a lot of planning to make that happen.Then I couldn’t write with names in the journals or I’d give away things. That was hard.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the main characters in The Inside Out series, which models or actors would be represent your ideal image?

Lisa: Well, I have my dream cast but I am doubtful they are available:) Chris Hemsworth is my Chris. He’s a little busy being THOR darn it! And Alexander Skarsguard was always my Mark and Tru Blood is going strong. For Sara it’s Odette Annablel who many know from the show House.

TRC: When a popular (both writer and reader) series comes to an end, do you go into withdrawal and hope to revisit the series or characters one day? Perhaps with a novella or epilogue storyline?

Lisa: I am in major Chris, Sara, and Mark withdrawal which is why I cannot wait to start book 4. I really have a hard time letting them go. And those who know Tall, Dark and Deadly know Blake Walker. I was so attached I had him show up in BEING ME and REVEALING US .

TRC: If you could change something about yourself personal or professional, what would it be and why?

Lisa: I worry and stress. It is just my nature and I’m thankful my fiancee is the opposite. He brings me down a lot and handles my stress so well he often makes me laugh when I think it is not possible.

TRC: Who is the first person you think about when you need someone to talk with and why?

Lisa: My fiancee. He gets me. He really does. And he really listens.

TRC: Is there a question that you would like to be asked in an interview, but nobody has asked? If so, ask away!

Lisa: No I think you covered them. Great questions!

TRC: What five things would you like to accomplish in the next ten years?

Lisa: Less stress! To travel and enjoy life a little more. I have some careers goals to but the main thing is just to be happy.Life is short.

TRC: What are your thoughts on book reviews-good or bad?

Lisa: Both come with being a writer. You have to take the bad with the good. Over time you get thicker skinned. I only have a problem if I feel someone is personally attacking an author. They know them or whatever. I had someone posting dirty messages and 1 star reviews on one of my books on Barnes and Noble a while back. Like 15 reviews and they would have graphics typed out to look like male body parts or be one bad word and nothing else. All in a matter of hours. Apparently there are kids that play games on there for points and have no care that it effects an authors sales.

Another time on Barnes I had a werewolf release. This same group of gamers all started posting things like “Sheba” and “Wolf wolf” with 5 star reviews. Then people accused me of fluffing my reviews. I guess they were getting points for posting on wolf books for this game.

Both times I got Barnes and Noble to take them off but it took days.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Lisa: Aside from preparing Amy for Net Galley, I have a novella I’m doing for a NY house I haven’t announced yet, and then straight into book 4 of INSIDE OUT

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Lisa: Just thank you for all your support and thank you to all the readers and bloggers out there that do so much to support my books!

TRC: Thank you Lisa for taking the time to answer our questions. Once again, congratulations on all of your success. We are looking forward to ESCAPING REALITY, REVEALING US and THE MASTER UNDONE.

Rebecca's Lost Journals

ORDER YOUR COPIES of Rebecca’s Lost Journals:

Rebecca’s Lost Journals are a supplement to The Inside Out series and should be read after IF I WERE YOU and before BEING ME.

THE SEDUCTION: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca/ Amazon.uk / Barnes and Noble / KOBO

THE CONTRACT: Amazon.com/ Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk /Barnes and Noble/ KOBO

HIS SUBMISSIVE: Amazon.com/ Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk /Barnes and Noble/

MY MASTER: Amazon.com/ Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk /Barnes and Noble/

special deals

ebook box sets by Lisa Renee Jones

THE WEREWOLF SOCIETY ebook box set ONLY .95cents
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TALL, DARK and DEADLY ebook box set ONLY .95cents
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THE DELUXE CINDERELLA CHRONICLES ebook box set ONLY .95cents
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ALPHA BAD BOYS ebook box set .95cents
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series spotlight

Escaping Reality July 2013 ESCAPING REALITY
Lisa Renee Jones’s first New Adult release
Book 1 of THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN Series
Publication Date: July 22, 2013
RELEASE DATE: July 22, 2013

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk

Infinite possibilities….
Infinite passion…..
Infinite danger….

His touch spirals through me, warm and sweet, wicked and hot. I shouldn’t trust him. I shouldn’t tell him my secrets. But how do I not when he is the reason I breath? He is what I need.

At the young age of eighteen, tragedy and a dark secret force Lara to flee all she has known and loves to start a new life. Now years later, with a new identity as Amy, she’s finally dared to believe she is forgotten–even if she cannot forget. But just when she lets down her guard down, the ghost’s of her past are quick to punish her, forcing her back on the run.

On a plane, struggling to face the devastation of losing everything again and starting over, Amy meets Liam Stone, a darkly entrancing recluse billionaire, who is also a brilliant, and famous, prodigy architect. A man who knows what he wants and goes after it. And what he wants is Amy. Refusing to take “no” as an answer, he sweeps her into a passionate affair, pushing her to her erotic limits. He wants to possess her. He makes her want to be possessed. Liam demands everything from her, accepting nothing less. But what if she is too devastated by tragedy to know when he wants more than she should give? And what if there is more to Liam than meets the eyes?

And look for Book 2: INFINITE POSSIBILITIES !

Blog Tour Schedule

July 1 – July 31

Click HERE for the complete Blog Tour Schedule and List of participating tour hosts

giveaway

The Reading Cafe and Lisa Renee Jones are offering an additional giveaway for two lucky commentors

First Prize: a signed copy of IF I WERE YOU (Inside Out #1) by Lisa Renee Jones

Second Prize: an ecopy of ESCAPING REALITY by Lisa Renee Jones

1. You must post a comment to qualify for this giveaway.

2. This giveaway is in addition to the rafflecopter giveaway and is the sole responsibility of The Reading Cafe and its administrators.

3. Giveaway runs from July 14 to July 31, 2013

4. ESCAPING REALITY ebook Giveaway open to US and Canada only.

5. Signed copy of IF I WERE YOU is open INTERNATIONAL

rafflecopter giveaway

Lisa is giving away a canvas bag with Escaping Reality on one side and Revealing Us on the other side, and a package of signed INSIDE OUT and ESCAPING REALITY goodies to one lucky winner when the tour ends.

NOTE: The Reading Cafe is NOT responsible for the rafflecopter giveaway. If you have any questions, please contact the tour promoter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Escaping Reality: The Secret Life of Amy Bensen by Lisa Renee Jones-a review

Posted on July 14, 2013 by Sandy

ESCAPING REALITY (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen #1) by Lisa Renee Jones-a review

Escaping Reality July 2013

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 22, 2013

Infinite possibilities….

Infinite passion…..

Infinite danger….

His touch spirals through me, warm and sweet, wicked and hot. I shouldn’t trust him. I shouldn’t tell him my secrets. But how do I not when he is the reason I breathe? He is what I need.

•••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: ESCAPING REALITY is the first storyline in Lisa Renee Jones’s contemporary New Adult series The Secret Life of Amy Bensen and as the series name states-Amy Bensen’s life is awash in secrets.

Lisa pulls the reader into a storyline of mystery and romance, suspense and heartache. As the tension builds, so too does the anticipation of the final revelation but like every good series the reader is left with a cliff hanger of epic proportions. Where does she go from here?

Amy is a heroine with a secret past of pain and sorrow; she is strong and resilient yet amazingly tender and vulnerable. Liam is an alpha male-who goes for what he want and he wants Amy; Amy’s presence in his life will throw our hero into a world he never expected and into a relationship where his heart will forever be tied. But is this the something or someone Liam is looking for? You can feel the heat; the sexual tension is high; and the angst and pull is palpable..

Lisa Renee’s foray into the world of New Adult romance is a fascinating look at one woman’s struggle to survive in a world of people hoping to bury the truth along with the past. In a genre where the storylines overlap in similarity, ESCAPING REALITY and Lisa Renee Jones moves to the head of the pack with her first installment in The Secret Life of Amy Bensen.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

It’s A Crime (Blood and Tears) by C.E.Hansen-A Review and Interview with the Author

Posted on July 13, 2013 by Sandy

It’s A Crime by C.E.Hansen-A Review and Interview with the Author

Its A Crime

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk

IT’S A CRIME by C.E. Hansen

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 12, 2013

Wealthy New York socialite Grace Preston uses men for amusement, holding her heart inside an ice fortress for protection. Spurned by a sociopathic male model, Grace picks up a new man with all the right moves; smooth as bourbon, Cole slides under her wall and touches her in places she thought were well-guarded. But after a weekend of fiery passion, he leaves, devastating her.

Cole Grayson has spent ten years building his commercial real estate firm and chasing the arsonist who killed his family when he was a boy. Women are a dalliance, and have no place in his personal quest. Then Grace rocks his world—not only sexually-but, in her arms his nightmares cease. To protect her, he pushes her away; he’s close to finding the culprit and Grace must not get tangled in the cross-fire.

When women matching Grace’s description start turning up dead in Central Park, Cole is forced to divide his influence between personal revenge and protection for the woman he has come to love. But throwing money at the problem only goes so far. Grace is in danger—can he get to her in time?

••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: IT’S A CRIME is an erotic, contemporary, suspense storyline with many similarities to Fifty Shades and the Crossfire Series. The premise follows several intersecting timelines going from past to present as the reader is pulled into a story of a psychopathic killer, murder, revenge, love, lust and sex. All timelines will eventually coalesce in the present day when a killer seeks revenge against the woman he believes wronged him many years before.

The storyline can best be described as an erotic tale of murder and sex. The main characters meet and their attraction is instant. There is no question that each is looking for a one-night stand but in the end, they will both lose their hearts to each other. The murder and suspense saga weaves throughout the story as a serial killer murders his way through New York hoping to find the one woman who drives him on his quest.

It’s A Crime is an interesting storyline and one I felt contained many similarities to Fifty Shades and the Crossfire series. The sex is explicit and verbal; and the storyline is rife with profanity-almost too much profanity. I am by no means a prude, but at times, I was overwhelmed with the continuous use of certain four letter words.

The storyline develops slowly as C.E. Hansen intertwines different background stories and timelines building up to the final scenes, but in doing so lost some of the momentum of the story. Then all too quickly, the final resolution is revealed and the storyline heads deeper into FSOG territory.

C.E. Hansen has written a storyline about sex and love; betrayal and revenge; murder and hate. It’s A Crime is a novel of erotic sex, billionaire moguls and a man who will not stop until the final plunge of the knife. There is mystery and suspense with a twist that begins to reveal the truth behind a murderous rampage and a man’s need to avenge the death of someone close.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

Interview-RED

TRC: Hi Cindy and welcome to The Reading Café.  Congratulations on the release of It’s A Crime.

Cindy: Thank you so much. It’s a pleasure to be here, thanks for having me.

TRC: We would like to start with some background information.  Would you please tell us something about yourself?

FOLLOW: Goodreads / Website / Twitter/

C.E.Hansen

Cindy: First and foremost, I’m a wife and mom. I currently work full-time at a beautiful fine wine store in Central New Jersey. I have a wonderful husband and a beautiful daughter who just turned 25.

TRC: What difficulties or challenges have you faced as an author?

Cindy: Keeping all the characters in my head busy and talking so I could write it all down is probably the most challenging, but once I get them talking the going gets smooth…It’s quieting them down so I could sleep that becomes the issue…It would also be helpful if one of them were a good secretary, that knew how to keep files properly.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas and information with other authors or friends and family.  With whom do you bounce ideas?

Cindy: I’m lucky enough to have a few great friends that have been my biggest critics as well as my biggest fans, Donna, Michelle and Gee, and my daughter, Katie whom I’m constantly bombarding with questions.

Its A Crime

TRC: It’s A Crime is the May 2013 release in your erotic new adult series. Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk

Cindy: It’s a contemporary Adult Romance/Suspense story which takes place in New York City, and is about a beautiful, wealthy socialite, Grace-the stories heroine, who meets and falls in lust with Cole Grayson, our hero, very wealthy as well, who is unable to feel love after suffering the loss of his family when he was a boy, he’s turned himself off emotionally.

The two meet, at a bar and one thing leads to another, and they end up having an affair…

Of course they have their share of obstacles; Cole is close to finding the man who started the fire that killed his family, and Grace is close to being the killer’s next victim…

TRC: How do you keep the plot unpredictable without sacrificing content and believability?

Cindy: That has been a challenge for me as a first time author, in fact everything has been a challenge, but I love writing about crazy killers, the sex scenes just comes easy.

TRC: What difficulties did you encounter (logistical, research, etc) outlining and writing this particular novel?

Cindy: My biggest challenge was trying to combine the various story lines together to make it flow without giving anything away. Lets hope I was able to accomplish that.

TRC: If you could virtually cast the leading characters, which actors or models would best represent your ideal image?

Cindy: Chris Hemsworth as Cole, Elisha Cuthbert as Grace, and in a perfect world, Ryan Gosling would be Jonathan…lol

TRC: How many books do you plan for the series and will the characters and storylines overlap?

Cindy: Two books in this series and yes they do overlap. I loved them when I first wrote them, so I had no choice but to continue their story in book 2. But there will only be two books…I don’t want to stretch their story too thin. I also have a young adult book currently being edited and it’s sequel currently in my head.

TRC: It’s A Shame is the December 2013 release in the same series.  Would you please tell us something about the premise?

Cindy: Well, in It’s A Crime, I had started one or two story lines that fell to the background of the first book…I am now delving into those plot lines a little more in It’s A Shame…suffice it to say, it is just as twisted and crazy as the first book, but I was able to bring some of the smaller characters back and give them a much bigger pressence.

TRC: How thoroughly do you plan out your characters and story before you begin the first draft?

Cindy: I write out my outline by hand, which is constantly evolving as I bounce the ideas and storyline off my daughter…I enjoy picking her brain, she gives me a totally different perspective and she’s full of ‘what if’s’. She keeps me on my toes.

TRC: Do your characters direct the storyline or do you have a semblance of control?

Cindy: For the most part, I tell them what to do…once in while they take me on a joy ride at their expense.

TRC: If you could become a contestant on a television reality program, which show would you prefer and why?

Cindy: The Voice…because I always wanted to sing!

TRC: How do you handle the pressures and anxiety of deadlines?

Cindy: Poorly, which is why I typically don’t give myself any.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

Cindy: I’m currently working on the last few chapters of It’s A Shame, and I have the sequel to the Young Adult ‘hero’ series rattling around in my head. I also have an idea for another erotic adult book and plan to create new people to talk to me. I will miss Cole and Grace though.

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Cindy: I wanted to thank you personally for being so kind to have me on and review It’s A Crime. I follow your blog and love your taste in books, they are so similar to my own. Again, thank you so much.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food
big juicy hamburger

Favorite Dessert
ice cream

Favorite TV Show
Game of Thrones

Last Movie You Saw
Pitch Perfect with Anna Kendrick

Dark or Milk Chocolate
Milk

Favorite Flower
Iris

Early riser or Late sleeper
Early riser against my body’s better judgment

Favorite Pastime
Writing and reading

TRC: Thank you C.E for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on the release of It’s A Crime.  All the best with your upcoming novels.

MacRieve (Immortals After Dark #13) by Kresley Cole-a review

Posted on July 13, 2013 by Sandy

MacRieve (Immortals After Dark #13) by Kresley Cole-a review

MacRieve July 2013

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/ Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

Release Date: July 2, 2013

A Beast In Torment

Uilleam MacRieve believed he’d laid to rest the ghosts of his boyhood. But when a brutal torture revives those ancient agonies and destroys his Lykae instinct, the proud Scot craves the oblivion of death. Until he finds her—a young human so full of spirit and courage that she pulls him back from the brink.

A Beauty In Chains

Seized for the auction block, Chloe Todd is forced to enter a terrifying new world of monsters and lore as a bound slave. When offered up to creatures of the dark, she fears she won’t last the night. Until she’s claimed by him—a tormented immortal with heartbreaking eyes, whose touch sets her blood on fire.

A Full Moon On The Rise

With enemies circling, MacRieve spirits Chloe away to the isolated Highland keep of his youth. But once he takes her to his bed, his sensual mate becomes something more than human, evoking his savage past and testing his sanity. On the cusp of the full moon, can he conquer his worst nightmare to save Chloe . . . from himself?

••••••••••••••••••••••••

Review:

After surviving The Order’s torturous imprisonment, Uilleam “Will” MacRieve is using whiskey to numb himself to the horrible nightmares that plague him. Not only nightmares from his imprisonment, but also the devastating things that were done to him as a child and ultimately cost him and his brother both parents and unborn sister. His twin, Munro, knows that Will is near to giving up, and is helpless to try and save his twin. The only thing that Will joneses for is a good fight or a good war. I guess he should have been careful what he wished for………….

Chloe Todd is a world class soccer player. She eats, sleeps and breathes soccer. She is focused, determined, fierce and has earned her nickname, T-Rex. She lives in a “McMansion”, her words, with her father who is away on business a lot and has always been her biggest supporter. Her mom died when Chloe was a baby, so it’s just been her and her dad. When Chloe starts feeling out of sorts, she talks to her dad about it and he hands her The Book of the Lore, tells her to read it and that he’ll love her no matter what she is, and promptly leaves on another “business trip”. Yep, things are about to get interesting.

Chloe ends up being kidnapped by witches and put up on the auction block for the highest bidder in the Lore to acquire. Why would they want Chloe you ask? Because she is the “Daughter of Webb”. The despicable leader of the order who has tormented all factions of the Lore. He’s killed, vivisected and tortured Lorean beings for a long time, determined to rid the Earth of these vile creatures. Once the call goes out about the auction, all of the Lore beings, good and evil, are determined to be the one to buy her in order to lure her father out of hiding. Munro and Will head to the auction, and, yes, you guessed it, once Will encounters Chloe on the auction block, he knows she is his fated mate.

Once Will secures Chloe within their compound, he sets out to woo her. And, woo he does, until she comes into her immortality. I can’t tell you what she is without ruining the story, but let’s just say that she becomes something that Will loathes. Will takes Chloe to Conall, his childhood home, in order to try and salvage some kind of relationship with her and overcome his own demons. Will he be successful? Well, of course he will. This is, after all, a romance, but they are in for a bumpy ride.

MacRieve is a wonderfully written story of betrayal, guilt, and ultimately love and redemption. The things that were done to MacRieve as a child will make your heart pound. And, the way he treats his mate once she comes into her immortality will make you want to cut his throat. That is the ONE thing that is held higher than anything among the Lykae, but he has to come to terms with his past in order to revel in his future. I have to be honest. Those parts were hard to read at times. He says the most awful things to her, but Chloe being Chloe, she basically thumbs her nose at him and walks her own path. Once he figures out that she is nothing like the creatures he loathes, he does everything in his power to make her feel safe and treasured. There are a few surprises along the way. One in particular that I NEVER SAW COMING!!! HOLY COW!!! And, it changes EVERYTHING!!! We get to meet a few new characters, who are great, and we also get to see our favorite Valkyrie, the one and only Nucking Futs Nix!! (I can’t wait for her book!!) If you haven’t read this series, you are sooooo missing out!!! Great series and this book was a great addition!! Can’t wait for the next installment, which we know will be Will’s twin, Munro’s book, and based on the snippet at the end of MacRieve’s book, WOW!!!

Vickie M

The Reading Cafe

One stop pertaining to books and more

Monthly Archives: July 2013

A Hunka Hunka Nursing Love by Kathryn Maeglin-a review

A Hunka Hunka Nursing Love by Kathryn Maeglin-a review

Vicious Moon Blog Tour-Interview and Giveaway with Lee Roland

VICIOUS MOON Blog Tour-Interview and Giveaway with Lee Roland

Vicious Moon (Earth Witches #3) by Lee Roland-a review

Vicious Moon (Earth Witches #3) by Lee Roland- a review

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella – a Review

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella – a Review

Escaping Reality Blog Tour and Giveaway-INTERVIEW with Lisa Renee Jones

Escaping Reality Blog Tour and Giveaway-INTERVIEW with Lisa Renee Jones

Escaping Reality: The Secret Life of Amy Bensen by Lisa Renee Jones-a review

ESCAPING REALITY (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen #1) by Lisa Renee Jones-a review

It’s A Crime (Blood and Tears) by C.E.Hansen-A Review and Interview with the Author

It’s A Crime by C.E.Hansen-A Review and Interview with the Author

MacRieve (Immortals After Dark #13) by Kresley Cole-a review

MacRieve (Immortals After Dark #13) by Kresley Cole-a review