Monthly Archives: June 2015

Yours All Along (Loving on the Edge 6.5) by Roni Loren-Review and Book Tour

Posted on by
11

YOURS ALL ALONG (Loving on the Edge # 6.5) by Roni Loren-Review and Book Tour

Yours All Along Tour Banner

Yours All Along
Loving on the Edge 6.5
by Roni Loren
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, M/M romance
Release Date: June 16, 2015

Yours all along

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / iTunes / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 16, 2015

Four years after an accident tore their friendship apart, Hunter and Devon are living separate lives. Hunter is now the all-America hero—a congressman’s son and a pro pitcher in Houston preparing to marry his beauty-queen girlfriend. Devon is in Dallas running a new restaurant.

But when Hunter unexpectedly shows up in Devon’s bar, Devon can’t turn him away. Damn it if the man isn’t still gorgeous. But engaged? Hell no. All he’s doing for Devon is bringing back memories of their college-roommate days, and the night their relationship went too far. Turns out Hunter has never forgotten it either.

Now Devon can’t help but be drawn in all over again by the only guy who’s ever gotten close enough to break his heart. Maybe one more night together would be enough for both of them to finally move on. Or maybe one night will change everything…

•••••••••••

REVIEW: YOURS ALL ALONG is the latest novella in Roni Loren’s adult, contemporary Loving on the Edge erotic romance series. This is restaurateur Devon Crowe, and MLB baseball pitcher Hunter Riley-a friend to lovers, M/M romance storyline that can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Devon and Hunter) YOURS ALL ALONG looks at the history –college years to present day- between Devon and Hunter, and what transpired to end their tight knit friendship. Fraternity brothers whose lives couldn’t have been more different, Devon and Hunter had one another’s back but Devon’s gay lifestyle was not conducive to Hunter’s family plans.

Throughout the storyline we watch as a friendship leads to love, and a sexual relationship between roommates uncovers a need and want in Hunter Riley. But Hunter’s politically connected family had other plans, and following an accident that found Hunter in critical condition, Hunter was ripped from Devon’s life when Hunter’s father suspected the truth about his son’s roommate’s sexual behavior.

YOUR ALL ALONG is a story of a building romance and love connection between best friends and eventual lovers. It is a M/M storyline with some graphic sexual imagery and a hope for a happily ever after. Roni Loren pulls the reader into an uplifting, impassioned and sometimes heartbreaking story about two people whose friendship and love for one another were destroyed through discrimination, bigotry and homophobic ideals.

Reviewed by Sandy

Copy supplied by Author’s Pal through Netgalley

Excerpt beige

 

“But first . . .” Phil said, wincing a bit. “I have one more customer who requested to see the manager.”
“Ah, fuck.” One more complaint tonight and Devon might lose it. “Where?”
Phil pointed to a booth near the front window. “Big guy in the baseball cap. He’s nearly polished off a bottle of cabernet, so be warned.”
Great. Only thing worse than an unhappy customer was a ranting, drunk one.
Devon swallowed another sip of his own drink, then headed toward the corner booth. The guy’s back was to him, and he seemed to be staring out the window at the cars passing by on the downtown street. The flatbread he’d ordered was sitting mostly untouched in the center of the table.
Damn, Bryce couldn’t have managed to screw up a simple pizza, could he? Devon squeezed between two empty tables and straightened his suit jacket before stepping around to face the man, an apology poised on his lips. “Sir, how can I help—?”
But the question died in the air as the man looked up from beneath the bill of his ball cap. Dark, soulful eyes stared back at Devon from a face he knew better than his own. Any cogent response melted right out of his ears. “Jesus Christ.”
Hunter looked Devon up and down, his brows knitting in that way that indicated alcohol-blurred thoughts. “Wow, you look . . . important.”
Devon couldn’t help taking his own eyeful. Shaggy black hair peeking out from beneath the cap, tight T-shirt spread over shoulders and pecs honed for top athletic performance—a body Devon had ogled way too many times when he and Hunter had shared a room in the frat house.
“And you look . . .” Fucking amazing. Perfect. Even better than on TV. “Drunk. What the hell are you doing here, Hunt?”
His grin was lazy, lopsided. “I’m on vacation.” He raised a finger to his mouth. “Shh, don’t tell anyone. Top secret.”
Devon braced his hands on the table and sank onto the bench seat on the other side of the booth, not sure his legs were going to continue to hold him up. “Vacation?”
Hunter lifted his glass. “You know I haven’t had alcohol in four years.”
Four years. Which was exactly how long it’d been since Devon had last seen him. He tried to take a breath, but the room seemed to have less air in it than a moment before. He ran through the reasons why Hunter could possibly be here right now. Drinking. In his bar.
The guy had become the poster child of clean living after college. And over the last few years, the sports media had nearly canonized him for the turnaround. The congressman’s son. The stellar pitcher. The all-American guy with the beauty queen girlfriend.
Not that Devon had been paying attention. Or recording every game he pitched.
God, he was pathetic.
He cleared his throat, trying to come up with something to say. “Why are you drinking now?”
Hunter pointed at him, his finger wavering. “Good question.”
He followed up with a sage nod like he’d explained everything.
Fuck. The guy was hammered. The waitress probably hadn’t blinked at letting Hunter order a few glasses. He was big and broad—a guy who looked able to handle his liquor. But Hunter’s tolerance had always been low, and if he’d been sober for four years, that would only have made it worse. Devon grabbed the stem of Hunter’s half-empty glass, moved it to the side, and then replaced the spot in front of him with the flatbread. “You need to eat something, big man.”
The old nickname rolled off of Dev’s tongue before he caught it, and Hunter stiffened. Sober awareness flickered in his dark eyes, as if the words had snapped him temporarily from the wine haze. He shook his head. “Need to go.”
He shifted as if to stand, but Devon jumped up and put a firm hand on Hunter’s shoulder, pushing him back down. Their gazes locked for a moment, Devon looming over Hunter, the position dragging him back to memories he didn’t want to access right now, fantasies he’d conjured since. He shook them off and cleared his throat. “No way. You’re not going anywhere.”

 


Guest Post beige

Favorite Experiences or…Worst experiences

Top 5 Favorite Experiences as a Writer

1. Seeing my book on the shelf of a bookstore – Even eight books in, this never ever gets old. Every time I walk through my Barnes and Noble and see one of my books sitting there, I get an inner squee. It never feels real. Maybe that’s because I grew up a reader, and bookstores and libraries have always been hallowed places for me. Now I’m on those shelves. Surreal.

2. Breaking through writer’s block – Some people say writer’s block doesn’t exist, it’s just fear or a sign that you’ve taken a wrong turn. My response—well if it’s fear or a wrong turn, it’s still a thing, which means it exists. And it definitely exists for me. I hit a block at least once in every book. The wrong turn this is usually the answer, but finding exactly what and where that wrong turn is can drive me up the wall (or into the fetal position.) Now I’ve learned to accept a block as part of my process. Doesn’t make it easier, but I at least know that I always get through them eventually. And that moment when the light bulb goes on—that’s the best.

3. When a reader goes fangirl/boy at an event/signing – This first few times this happened to me, I looked over my shoulder because I figured someone was getting that giddy look on their face because there was an important author behind me, lol. I still have the instinct to check behind me, but I can say that nothing is more flattering and thrilling than someone being excited about my books. It makes my day every damn time.

4. Having a story idea knock me over the head – You can’t really force story ideas. Well, at least I can’t. I’ve tried. So there is something so wonderful about that moment where an idea hits me. It’s usually when I’m not thinking about writing at all. Showers. Washing dishes. Going on vacation. Watching TV. The idea for YOURS ALL ALONG happened when I was watching last season of Big Brother (The Zankie bromance for those who watched it.) That’s one of the best parts of being a writer. Getting that idea that lights you up.

5. Giving characters happy endings – I write romance for a reason. I put my characters through hell, but there’s nothing more satisfying then giving them their happily ever after at the end. When I finish a book and write those last lines, I always have the biggest, goofiest smile on my face (and not just because I finally finished the damn book, lol.) Life can be grim. I get to write the happy. Best job ever.

About The Author beige

Roni LorenRoni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. Though she’ll forever be a New Orleans girl at heart, she now lives in Dallas with her husband and son.

If she’s not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to rockstars, er, rock concerts. Yeah, that’s it. She is the National Bestselling Author of The Loving on the Edge series from Berkley Heat.

 

Places to find Roni Loren:
Site: www.roniloren.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoniLoren
Twitter: https://twitter.com/roniloren
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4877863.Roni_Loren

rafflecopter giveaway

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

author's pal

Share

Red Nights by Shari J. Ryan – a Review

Posted on by
10

Red Nights by Shari J. Ryan – a Review

 

red nightsAmazon / Barnes & Noble / BAM

Description:
I’m Felicity Stone, a twenty-five-year-old with my whole life ahead of me. Well, until recently.

I didn’t do it. Why would they think I did? Why would I want my twin brother dead? Why is everyone looking at me like I’m a criminal?

Well, everyone except him… Hayes Peyton, the charmingly beautiful stranger I met in the park at midnight; a totally legitimate place to meet the man of my dreams. Plus, he knows I’m innocent.

Believing him is easy. So very easy. Maybe too easy?

But when you hear things like: ‘All good is laced with some bad, and everything you think is the truth, is nothing more than a blatant lie,’ it makes you question reality.

In Shari J. Ryan’s latest Romantic Suspense, Red Nights, you wonder how dark your world can get before all you see is red.

Review:

Red Nights by Shari Ryan is a fiery romantic suspense thriller. The story begins with 25 year old Felicity Stone awakened to a fire that is engulfing her, her home and quickly burning away everything that she knows and holds dear in her life. As she struggles to save herself from the flames and smoke that are more than likely going to take her life, she is thankful that her twin brother Blake had decided to go out with friends for the night. At least if there is going to be one tragedy its going to be her not him. Just when she gives herself up to the chaos around her she is miraculously saved, but as she is carried away on a stretcher she hears someone say there is a male in the house with severe burns and unconscious. It has to be Blake. And her world slips out of control and spirals down to rock bottom.  

After losing her twin she wonders how she will continue on. How can she live in this world without him? Her friend Aspen and her ex-boyfriend Tanner are right by her side to comfort her in her time of sorrow. But all she really wants to do is run away and leave all her problems behind her. One night she finds herself at the local park, lying in the grass, staring up at the night sky that looks amazingly red to her. It’s late and she knows she shouldn’t be out alone all by herself. And that is exactly when a stranger walks into her life. One that will change the course of her life and quite possibly change her. Not long after meeting Hayes Peyton ex police detective, her world slides even further into oblivion when the prime suspect in the fire that took her brothers life is herself. She knows she didn’t set that fire, but could something she did inadvertently cause it? Hayes vows to help her figure out who the arsonist is and why someone would want to hurt her or her brother.

I absolutely loved the character of Felicity Stone. She is a 25 year old chef, she is loyal to her family and friends. And she has the sense of humor needed to deal with everything that is going on in her life – well most of the time. When she accidentally meets Hayes Peyton at the park in the middle of the night, he chastises her for being out all alone by herself so late at night. He is a protector right from the start. And the fact that he is tall, dark and handsome doesn’t hurt matters. Hayes draws you in from the first moment you meet him. He is mysterious and he has secrets and a past that seems to haunt him on the deepest of levels. The meshing of what now haunts Felicity and what has been haunting Hayes makes the chemistry between the two almost addicting. You want to know what secrets Hayes has and why he won’t share them with this woman that he professes to care so much about. And will he truly be able to help and protect Felicity? I truly enjoyed the suspense of not knowing who the arsonist was. There were definitely a lot of signs pointing in different directions and you never truly knew who you could trust.

In true Shari Ryan fashion she weaves a story of suspense coupled with a hot and steamy romance that makes this book a page turner from page one!

Reviewed by Erin

Copy provided by Author

Share

Descent (Kissed by Death) by Tara Fuller – a Review

Posted on by
8

Descent (Kissed by Death) by Tara Fuller – a Review

 

DescentAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM

Description:
Easton doesn’t believe in love. He believes in Death. Darkness. Sin. As a reaper for Hell, it’s all he’s known for over four hundred years. When he gets slapped with the job of training the boss’s daughter, an angel who knows nothing but joy, he knows he’s in for a world of trouble.

Though he’s made it clear he wants nothing to do with her outside of work, Gwen would do anything to get closer to the dark and wounded reaper—even taint her angelic image and join the ranks of her father’s team of reapers. But in all her planning, she forgot to factor in one thing—how far the demons Easton doomed to hell would go to get revenge.

When the dangers of the Hell threaten Gwen, Easton will do whatever it takes to save her. But as the darkness closes in on them both, will he be able to save himself?

 

Review:

Easton has finally arrived…and resides in my heart. He stays, goes nowhere – I’ve waited too long! I have been dying for Easton’s book, Ms. Fuller can attest to several pleading emails, lol. The enigmatic, dark horse reaper for hell is uncomfortable in the spotlight, but he’s made himself too irresistible to hang back any longer. I was swept anew thanks to the layered world building and amazing character developments. Descent was well worth the wait!

A reaping gone wrong introduces Easton to Gwen. A yellow card for interference, but to whom exactly?! Easton’s the ultimate soul reaper, cold and detached, ready to collect his charge, but for heavenly Gwen, Easton intercepts one of her “projects”.

“I should have felt guilty, but that would require feeling. I didn’t do feeling. Not anymore.”

Regardless of claim or purpose, the unflappable Easton is shaken to the core. From that unexpected moment on, Gwen’s brief observation of Easton (and the error they inadvertently contributed to) catapults her to shake off expectations and explore the darker side she’s never been privy to. With such foundations breaking, someone higher up, or below, is bound to notice.

“You’ve been requesting a replacement for Anaya for months. Here she is. Your job is to train her. If you don’t think you can handle the task, I’m sure I can find a more suitable assignment.”

So now big, bad Balthazar (his boss) considers Easton management material? Could Balthazar simply be setting up Easton for failure? Gwen is his daughter after all! I know, how very intriguing! The mounting tension and desire was too impossible to deny; Easton is helpless to reject the offer. Lucky for us, Ms. Fuller doesn’t deprive us of the swoon-worthy. Moreover, we again are shown a different side to Balthazar. His dynamic as the big bad coupled with being a father is a unique story begging to be told.

I have to say Gwen was too chipper for me to start. She’s an angel, it’s par for the course, but her beatific, angelic outlook was off-putting. She was on a personal, irreversible mission of “salvation” whether Easton wanted her help or not.

“I felt too much. I wanted too much…I needed a new challenge. Whatever the reason, I felt an unquenchable need to bring this reaper joy.”

Again, it’s in her angel nature. I just took umbrage at Easton being her objective; I’d gladly take Easton as is!

It was Gwen’s acceptance of Easton’s rough edges that shattered my impression, however. Angel or no, Gwen is no pushover; especially when she realizes she would love Easton by her eternal side. For the time being, she’ll settle for his help to fix the huge reaping mistake. Who wouldn’t fight for this guy?!

Will their collaboration on the “pointless rescue mission” be a success? Will Easton’s tour of hell scare the curiosity out of Gwen? Someone’s getting fired…one way or the other.

A descent implies downward movement, but I could not have been more uplifted. I really recommend you begin at Inbetween, the introduction to the Kissed by Death series. The terminology will not only clarify this complex world, but it sets the mood for tremendous developments and heart. When you arrive at Descent, though, prepare for a fabulous read centered on Easton, the ever enthralling character, and Gwen, one outstanding woman in her own right, as well as his worthy counterpart. Love, love, looooooooved this book!!!

Reviewed by Carmen

Copy provided by Publisher

Share

Beat (Life on Stage #2) by Vi Keeland-review and book tour

Posted on by
8

BEAT (Life on Stage Series #2) by Vi Keeland-review and book tour

beat blog tour

BEAT
Life of Stage 2
by Vi Keeland
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance, rock and roll
Release Date: June 15, 2015

Beat

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 15, 2015

Dimpled smile of a boy
Hard body of a man
Sings like an angel
Fucks like the devil

I was stuck between a rock(star) and a hard place.

At fifteen, his poster hung on my bedroom wall. At twenty-five his body hovered over mine. Every girl’s fantasy became my reality. I was dating a rockstar. Yet I was slowly falling for another man. The problem was—the two men—they shared a tour bus.

Flynn Beckham was the opening act.
Dylan Ryder was the headliner.

What happens when the opening act begins to shine so bright, it seems to dim everything else in its wake?

I’ll tell you what happens. Things get ugly.

•••••••••••

REVIEW: BEAT is the second stand alone storyline in Vi Keeland’s adult, contemporary Life on Stage erotic romance series. This is rock star Flynn Beckham, and bar owner/ voice coach Luciana ‘Lucky’ Valentine’s storyline. We were first introduced to Flynn in book one of the series –THROB-where Flynn was the male contestant in a reality TV series akin to the Bachelor. Flynn did not get the girl, and his second chance at love finds our hero falling for a woman who is already in a committed relationship. The storyline focuses on a love triangle between Flynn, Lucky, and Lucky’s current boyfriend, rock god Dylan Ryder. I am sensing a pattern in this series, as there was a bit of a love triangle in the first installment THROB where Flynn fell for the girl but the girl fell for someone else.

Told from alternating first person points of view (Flynn and Lucky) BEAT focuses on Flynn Beckham’s rising star, and Lucky’s growing attraction to a man who is not her boyfriend. Lucky has been in a year long relationship with rock star Dylan Ryder-her teenage crush-and a man whose own idea of fidelity leaves something to be desired. Lucky will meet Flynn, the sparks will fly, and everything will begin to fall apart when Lucky discovers that Flynn’s band ‘In Like Flynn’ will be the opening act for Dylan’s band –Easy Ryder- for their summer tour. What ensues is a forbidden relationship between Lucky and Flynn, and Dylan’s attempts to win back the girl-any way he can. As per the storyline premise, Dylan was never a neglectful boyfriend, but he was never a very doting boyfriend either.

The attraction between Flynn and Lucky is immediate, sensual, emotional and physical. There is no denying the sexual chemistry or that Flynn and Lucky will become lovers but Lucky must make a decision as it pertains to her current relationship with Dylan Ryder. For all intents and purposes, it appears that Dylan is in love with Lucky Valentine, but he is also a bit of a manwhore with a number of willing partners at various stops along the tour. I am not sure if our heroine knew about the other women, or if she was oblivious to Dylan’s actions and infidelity, but it didn’t bode well for a heroine who was never aware of her boyfriend’s other lover(s). Intellectually, Flynn and Lucky have more in common as revealed during their morning writing sessions, as well as similar likes and dislikes. Lucky’s own music career was cut short when stage fright destroyed any chance at success. The $ex scenes are erotic, provocative and compelling.

The secondary characters include the members of Dylan’s band-Duff, Linc, and Mick, as well as Lucky’s best friend and bar co-owner Avery who has had issues with Dylan Ryder for as long as she can remember. We are also introduced to Flynn’s friend Nolan; his sister Becca, as well as his five year old niece Laney whose obsession all things FROZEN™ adds some humor to Flynn and Lucky’s side story. The world building focuses on life on the road, behind the scenes, and into the private lives of rock stars and the men (and women) whom they love.

BEAT is an intoxicating storyline; a moving and seductive look at falling in love with the person who calls to your heart and your soul. Some readers may take issue with the heroine’s choices but we must also address that her relationship with her boyfriend was already threatened by his infidelity and lovers on the side. The premise is controversial but will suck you in; the romance and sexual chemistry is off the charts; and the happily ever after revealing-in more ways than one.

Copy supplied by the tour operator.

Reviewed by Sandy

Click HERE for an audio clip of THROB (Book 1) by Vi Keeland

beat... Teaser

Series Spotlight

ThrobThrob
by Vi Keeland
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance
Release Date: January 26, 2015

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of THROB

Click HERE for an audio clip of THROB (Book 1) by Vi Keeland

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 26, 2015

The rules:

No dating.
No sex outside of the game.
No disclosing the terms of the contract.

Rules were made to be broken, right?

Eight weeks ago I signed a contract. One that seemed like a good idea at the time. A handsome bachelor, luxury accommodations, and a chance to win a prize my family desperately needed. There were some rules though. Lots of them actually. Follow the script, no dating, sex, or disclosing the terms of the deal. After my self-imposed moratorium on men the last year, it wouldn’t be hard to live up to my end of the bargain…so I thought. Until I realized the deal I’d made was with the devil…and I was in love with his dirty-talking brother

excerpt

 

Getting through Flynn singing is incredibly hard. The way his throat moves, the way his mouth caresses each syllable of the low, raspy sound that falls from his lips. I should be watching his posture, his breathing, the way his larynx forces out the words—but instead I’m focused on the beauty of his mouth and how the sound of his voice glides over my body, making it feel both warm and tingly at the same time. I’m lost when the song finishes, yet I haven’t really observed him yet.
“So. Give it to me straight. What am I doing wrong?”
Ummm…absolutely nothing from what I can see. Everything was perfect. Don’t change a thing. Shit. “Could you do it again? Maybe a different song, one you haven’t sung in a while. So the sounds are less familiar to your body. Sometimes that can give me a different view.” At least I make it sound like a real thing when the words come out.
He sings again, and this time I force myself to observe. “Hmm…your posture is great. Most people have a tendency to favor one side of their neck, which makes them tilt a bit when they speak, and it becomes magnified when they sing, which puts strain on the muscles around the vocal cords. Your alignment is perfect.”
“Thank you, it goes with the rest of my perfectness,” he says with a teasing arrogance that, from the little I know about him, I know isn’t real.
“You didn’t let me finish.”
“You can’t now tell me I’m not perfect. I was already basking in the glow.”
“Actually, it was perfect…but almost a little too perfect. Which makes me think you don’t usually stand this way when you sing.”
“It isn’t the way I normally sing. On stage, I usually have a guitar over my shoulder. Even if I’m not playing it, it’s there.”
“Well, I need to see you holding your instrument to assess you fully, then.”
Flynn’s eyebrows quirk up and the dirty grin on his face is unmistakable.
“The guitar. I’d need to see you holding the guitar.”
“That’s a shame.” He shrugs, the playful smile still on his face. “But okay. It’s your call. Whatever instrument you want to see me hold is fine with me.”
“How big of you.”
“So now we’re talking about the other instrument again?”
I roll my eyes, although this conversation is having more of an effect on me than I let on.


>/center>

About The Author

Vi Keeland is a native New Yorker with three children that occupy most of her free time, which she complains about often, but wouldn’t change for the world. She is a bookworm and has been known to read her kindle at stop lights, while styling her hair, cleaning, walking, during sporting events, and frequently while pretending to work. She is a boring attorney by day, and an exciting New York Times & USA Today Best Selling smut author by night!

Follow: Goodreads / Website / Facebook / Twitter

 

rafflecopter giveaway

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TRSOR logo

 

Share

Witness to Passion by Naima Simone – a Review

Posted on by
14

Witness to Passion by Naima Simone – a Review

 

Wtiness to PassionAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM

Description:
Under his protection and in his bed…

For Fallon Wayland, birthdays are just another reminder of her looming spinsterhood. This year is shaping up to be no different. Fired from her job, dumped by her boyfriend, and oh yes, witnessing the murder of a high-ranking lieutenant in the local crime family… Yeah, birthdays suck.

Ever since a disastrous, hot-as-hell kiss years ago, soldier-turned-security specialist Shane Roarke has avoided his baby sister’s reckless – and gorgeous – best friend. Yet when her life is threatened after she witnesses a gang hit, he insists on protecting her…even if she objects.

The two are forced to hole up in a safe house. Alone. Passion long denied erupts between them, burning away their inhibitions. But even as layers – and clothes – are peeled away, danger closes in. Shane and Fallon might finally have a chance at love…if they survive long enough to see it.

Review:

Witness to Passion by Naima Simone is book one in The Guarding Her Body Series. Fallon Wayland has lived her entire life simply hating her birthdays. They seem to be one disappointment after another. This year on her twenty fifth birthday she was hoping it would pass by unnoticed. Unfortunately, that would not be the case. While picking up coffee before work for her unyielding boss, Fallon’s life takes a drastic change in a few short minutes. Her boyfriend dumps her via Twitter, she witnesses a cold blooded murder of a high ranking gang member – to which she is the sole witness, and upon being late for work she loses her job. She moves forward. Getting a job as a waitress, while becoming the State’s star witness in a gangland murder trial Fallon is short to realize that her life is in danger. But her best friend Addy takes the situation into her own hands and calls in her older brother Shane Roarke. Shane is a war vet turned security specialist running his own security firm. And he is the last person Fallon wants to see. The history between these two runs deep. From her ill-fated eighteenth birthday which she stole a kiss from him, to his crushing comment of not interested – the strife between them runs deep. But now that Shane has taken on the job of looking after Fallon, will his body betray him. Will he be able to be close to her and protect her like she needs without giving into the one thing he has thought about since her birthday years ago? And will Fallon be able to be near the one man she has yearned for since time can remember without falling for him? And will both of them be safe from the men that are now after both of them? 

Fallon Wayland is a beautiful young woman who grew up spoiled with rich parents, who a few years ago turned her back on the luxurious house, credit cards and wealth, to strike out on her own. Strong willed and determined to make it on her own – she has set about to do just that. But her life is incomplete. She doesn’t want the happy ever after, she doesn’t believe in them. From her parents disastrous marriage she has learned that this is not what she wants. But there is one man – one who she has wanted for some time – but the one man she has yearned for – pined after – even made a complete fool of herself for wants nothing to do with her. Not only is he her best friends brother, he made it quite clear she is not what he wants. That is until they are holed up together in a safe house while he is trying to protect her. 

Shane Roarke is a military vet turned security specialist. His life is black and white. Strict rules, strict lifestyle and he has no time for free spirited, careless, fun loving rich girls. He wants it all. Good job, wife, kids, the picket fence. He doesn’t want or need his sisters best friend in his life in any way shape or form. Even though the kiss she laid on him years ago has stuck with him. Something he just can’t seem to forget but wants to. That is until his sister calls in a favor and asks him to look after Fallon. From the moment he lays his eyes on her again he is protective. Wants nothing more than to ensure she is safe. But what he doesn’t bargain for is – who or how will he protect his heart? I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I loved Fallon’s free spirit and determined nature. She is stubborn and strong-willed and just says what she needs to say. Sometimes to a fault. But she knows what she wants and she isn’t afraid to go for it. Shane rubbed me the wrong way at the start of the story once he started to let his guard down I truly started to enjoy him. The sexual tension in this story was thick and tangible. You could literally feel it dripping off the pages. The moment the two of them touch you just know it’s going to be amazing. And it was…. Hoping that the series continues with Shane’s partners in the security firm stories! Wonderful storyline, with twists and turns and plenty of hot, steamy romance! 

Reviewed by Erin

Copy provided by Publisher

Share

Zack (Cold Fury Hockey 3) by Sawyer Bennett-Review and Book Tour

Posted on by
13

ZACK (Cold Fury Hockey 3) by Sawyer Bennett-Review and Book Tour

Zack Tour Banner

ZACK
Cold Fury Hockey 3
by Sawyer Bennett
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance, hockey
Release Date: June 9, 2015

Zack

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 9, 2015

Rising star Zack Grantham has been stuck in a downward spiral of grief ever since the car accident that left him a single dad and put his career on hold. Back on the road with the Carolina Cold Fury and still crippled by emotional baggage, he’s in need of some serious help with his son. But while the nerdy new nanny wins his son’s heart, Zack isn’t sure he’s ready for a woman’s touch—even after getting a glimpse of the killer curves she’s hiding under those baggy clothes.

Kate Francis usually keeps men like Zack at a distance. Though his athlete’s body is honed to perfection, he refuses to move on with his life—and besides, he’s her boss. Still, the sparks between them are undeniable, tempting Kate to turn their professional relationship into a personal one. But before she makes a power play for Zack’s wounded heart, Kate will have to open him up again and show him that love is worth the fight

•••••••••••••••

REVIEW: ZACK is the third installment in Sawyer Bennett’s adult, contemporary Cold Fury Hockey romance series focusing on the players of the Carolina Cold Fury professional ice hockey team. This is twenty seven year old, single father Zack Grantham, and twenty three year old, child psychology graduate student Kate Francis’s storyline. ZACK can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Each storyline focuses on a different member of the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team.

Told from alternating first person points of view (Zack and Kate) the storyline focuses on Zack’s recovery following the death of his girlfriend (and mother of his son Ben), and the need for a live-in nanny to help Zack while he attempts a come back with the Carolina Cold Fury hockey team.

It has been four months since the accident that killed Zack’s girlfriend Gina, leaving a grieving and injured Zack to raise his three year old son-alone. Enter Kate Francis-a nerdy, post graduate student whose care and love for Ben is rivaled by her attraction and growing love for Zack. Kate is a fan of the Cold Fury hockey team, and a bigger fan of Zack Grantham.

Zack’s trust of, and attraction to Kate is slow to build as our heroine hides behind baggy clothes, thick glasses and snarky comments. When Zack sees Kate for the beautiful woman that she is, Zack’s need for Kate is palpable but he is a man unwilling to commit to anything beyond the present. Zack claims to not do relationships; and their sexual affair is only a ‘friends with benefits’ arrangement that Kate is all too quick with to agree. As the storyline builds, so too does the attraction and relationship between Zack and Kate, but Kate will soon discover that when Zack said he doesn’t want anything more, he makes sure everyone else knows it as well. Zack pushed a few of my buttons with his attitude and expectations.The $ex scenes are erotic, intimate and provocative.

Kate is an intelligent woman; a female who tells it like it is, and there are times that Kate has had to step up her game to regain control of her life. But there were moments throughout the story, including her sexual relationship with Zack, that were difficult to accept. The couple had crossed the line between employer and employee, and in this Zack took issue with some of the developing friendships between Kate and other player’s girlfriends and wives. At this particular juncture in the storyline my emotional attachment to Zack, and at times, Kate waivered. Yes, the man suffers horrendous guilt but his treatment of Kate is almost bipolar in nature. Kate will become his lover; his go to woman at every opportunity, and in this, Kate becomes a willing ‘victim’ to Zack’s need to control his ‘employee’s’ life. In public, Kate is Ben’s nanny and Zack is her employer; in private, Kate is Zack’s willing lover who knows that the man with whom she is falling in love wants nothing more than sex and a warm body at night. Please note, Kate was not forced into the relationship; it was a mutual attraction and need; there were no threats of sexual harassment or loss of job; Kate went into the relationship knowing there was no possibility of a happily ever after but what the heart wants isn’t always what the heart gets.

ZACK is an ensemble storyline with all of the previous storyline couples playing a supporting and secondary role throughout the story. We are reacquainted with Alex and Sutton (Alex #1) as well as Garrett and Olivia (Garrett #2). The reader will be introduced to newcomer and goalie Ryker Evans whose own life as a single father finds Ryker looking to Kate as a possible nanny for his two girls. Ryker’s story will be told next.

The build up to Zack’s rejection of Kate is tense and not unexpected. My emotions were all over the place with this storyline; I despised Zack’s treatment of Kate; and disliked Kate’s eager acceptance as a ‘temporary lover’ but saying that, ZACK is a fictional storyline where controversy and anxious moments push the proverbial envelope of emotional restraints. ZACK is a story with grief, heartbreak, acceptance and moving on; there are moments of romance and love; humor and fun; betrayal and letting go. But the overriding issue is Zack’s guilt surrounding the death of his girlfriend and his inability to commit to the mother of his son. Survivor’s guilt is a psychological condition wherein the survivor is unable to accept what has happened and blames his/herself for a traumatic event, in this, Zack is unable to move forward and out of the protective bubble he has created for himself and his son.

Sawyer Bennett is a ‘go to’ author every time. Despite my anxiety level ratcheting up with this particular storyline, Sawyer’s COLD FURY HOCKEY series is a must read. The premise is engaging, imaginative and emotional; the characters colorful, controversial and heartbreaking; the happily ever after and reconciliation impassioned, hopeful and intense.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Series Spotlight

Alex
Cold Fury Hockey #1
by Sawyer Bennett
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance, hockey
Release Date: October 14, 2014

ALEX by Sawyer Bennett

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: October 14, 2014

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of ALEX by Sawyer Bennett

Hockey star Alexander Crossman has a reputation as a cold-hearted player on and off the rink. Pushed into the sport by an alcoholic father, Alex isn’t afraid to give fans the proverbial middle finger, relishing his role as the MVP they love to hate. Management, however, isn’t so amused. Now Alex has a choice: fix his public image through community service or ride the bench. But Alex refuses to be molded into the Carolina Cold Fury poster boy . . . not even by a tempting redhead with killer curves.

As a social worker, Sutton Price is accustomed to difficult people—like Alex, who’s been assigned to help her create a drug-abuse awareness program for at-risk youth as part of the team’s effort to clean up his image. What she doesn’t expect is the arrogant smirk from his perfect lips to stir her most heated fantasies. But Sutton isn’t one to cross professional boundaries—and besides, Alex doesn’t do relationships . . . or does he? The more she sees behind Alex’s bad-boy façade, the more Sutton craves the man she uncovers.

____________

GarrettGarrett
Cold Fury Hockey #2
by Sawyer Bennett
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance, hockey
Release Date: February 17, 2015

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of GARRETT

Amazon.com / Barnes and Noble / KOBO / iTunes

GARRETT (Cold Fury Hockey #2) by Sawyer Bennett

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 17, 2015

Carolina Cold Fury star Garrett Samuelson never wants to miss out on a single minute of fun. Whether he’s playing hockey, hanging out with friends, or walking the red carpet with a new date on his arm, he lives every day to the fullest. When he meets Olivia Case, he sees someone who’s exactly his type—confident, sexy, smart . . . his next fling. But the more he pursues her, the more Garrett shares a side of himself that other women don’t normally get to see.

Olivia has been keeping a secret. While Garrett lives for the next thrill, Olivia’s not sure she’ll live to see the next day. She’s undergoing treatment for some serious medical issues, and she doesn’t have time for a relationship with no guarantees—especially one with a hot-as-sin womanizer who won’t take no for an answer. But as she gets to know the real Garrett, Olivia can’t help falling for him . . . hard. To reveal the truth would mean risking everything—but you can’t score without taking the tough shots.

Excerpt

As soon as I get out of the club and into the silence of my car, I dial Delaney.

She answers on the first ring. “You scared the shit out of me. Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I murmur as I start the engine and wait for my Bluetooth to connect. When I hear the subtle click telling me she’s on speakerphone, I put the car in drive and say, “Just driving around…thinking.”
I hear her blow out a gust of sympathetic frustration, but her voice is gentle. “Okay. Just get home.”
“Is Ben okay?” I ask.

“He’s fine. Sleeping. Have you gone over the applicants I picked out for you?”

My hands tighten on the steering wheel, and a tiny pain shoots through my wrist, a pain I’d never admit to the team doctors, so I ignore it and tell her, “Not yet.”

“Tomorrow,” Delaney says sternly. “You have to make a decision tomorrow.”

“I know,” I mutter, realizing that the time for dragging my feet and procrastinating is over. “I promise. Tomorrow.”

“Okay,” she says softly. “That’s good.”

I don’t say anything else, my mind already starting to shut down. I abhor the thought of culling through her final recommendations for a nanny for Ben. Because that means this is final…that Gina is really dead and Ben’s mommy is definitely not coming back. In my mind, it’s putting the final nail in her coffin.
“I love you,” Delaney says, almost desperately, into the phone.
I bite my lip…hard, and feel my tooth slice down into the delicate flesh. “Back at ya,” I say, my voice harsh and raspy.
Words of love to my older sister—the woman who has been my rock-solid support the last four months since Gina died—unable to materialize. I disconnect the call and stare blankly out the windshield. I’m practically on autopilot as I drive home.
Out of the silence of my car, an unbidden, sarcastic snort bursts forth from me, and then I start snickering to myself.
Home.
What a fucking joke.
My five-bedroom house on Marchand Street feels like a prison, the walls closing in on me and causing me to seek out strippers named Candi Apple at midnight. I can’t escape my memories there, my guilt devours me as I look at Gina’s pictures throughout the house, and every day, rather than rise above my pain, I get swallowed up in it a little deeper. I hate that fucking house now, and I’ve pretty much resolved myself to sell it. Maybe moving will help leave the ghosts behind and give Ben and me a fresh start.
If it wasn’t for Ben…
Beautiful, blond-haired, blue-eyed Ben.

The spitting image of Gina.

My little boy, who seems to have bounced back fine after losing his mother, giving me toothy grins and cuddling with me on the couch at night. If it wasn’t for him…

No, I don’t even want to think about where I’d be if it wasn’t for Ben. Let me just appreciate the fact that I have the most wonderful child in the world, and it’s only because of him that I at least have some sort of desire to want to feel again.
While I can’t seem to feel outside the bounds of pure and unconditional love for my child, it doesn’t mean I want to be this way. I’m smart enough to know that Ben will look to me for guidance on how to live this life without Gina, and I’m savvy enough to know that if I don’t get my shit together, for his sake, I stand a really good chance of fucking his head up.
So I try the only way I know how—by seeking out the Candi Apples of this world—and dig down deep for something to interest me in this life outside of my child and my hockey career.
Taking a deep breath, I pull onto the outer belt line that circles around Raleigh, and let it out slowly. Yeah, tomorrow I need to start the process of removing my head from my ass. I also know the first step is to do as Delaney says and make a choice from the final applicants and hire a nanny for Ben. Once I start back at practices next week, I’ll need someone to help me with him.
Delaney has been down here in Raleigh for the past week, interviewing prospects and checking out references. She’s narrowed it down to a choice of three, and while I really don’t want to care about whom to pick, I know that for the sake of my son, I need to be satisfied the person I do choose is right for the job. I trust Delaney implicitly, but I also know that I need to show some interest . . . at least for her peace of mind. The day after tomorrow she’ll head back to Manhattan, where she works as a financial analyst, and I can’t let her leave with undue worry over me and Ben.
It pisses me off that I have to hire a nanny. It feels like I’m replacing Gina . . . hiring a new mommy for my boy. Deep down, the rational side of me knows this isn’t true. While I’ve been able to handle Ben just fine on my own for the last four months while I recovered from my wrist injury, there is no way I can be a single parent to Ben when much of my career is spent on the road. I will need someone to be with him full-time when I’m gone, and it has to be someone trustworthy.
So I’ll do my duty tomorrow and give the applicants thoughtful consideration. Then I’ll make my decision and start the process of introducing a new woman who will become a provider and mother figure to my son.
That thought causes pain to shoot through my chest, and while I know it’s unfair, a little part of me already hates this woman because she will be taking Gina’s place in that respect.

About The Author

Sawyer BennettUSA Today and New York Times Best-Selling Author, Sawyer Bennett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, the Legal Affairs Series and the Last Call Series. She will be releasing her third book in the Cold Fury Hockey Series with Random House Loveswept, June 2015.

 

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Blog Tour Schedule

Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/03/zack-cold-fury-hockey-3-by-sawyer.html

Rafflecopter Giveaway

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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

tasty-book-tours-button

Share

Leave Yesterday Behind by Lauren Linwood-a review

Posted on by
20

Leave Yesterday Behind by Lauren Linwood-a review

Leave Yesterday Behind

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 3, 2015

Callie Chennault vaulted to fame on the nighttime soap Sumner Falls, but after a decade of playing the same role, she is ready for a new acting challenge. When Callie is attacked by a stalker on the streets of New York, she takes a leave of absence from the show and returns to her roots in Aurora, Louisiana, to heal both physically and emotionally and determine her next career move.

Former professional baseball pitcher Nick La Chappelle has also come to Aurora to lick his own wounds after a messy divorce. A Cy Young winner and one-time ESPN broadcaster, Nick longs for the quiet of a small town in order to write murder mysteries under a pen name.

Sparks fly when Callie believes Nick is taking advantage of her great-aunt’s hospitality, but they resolve their differences—and surprise themselves by falling in love. Their bond is tested when both Nick and Callie become the focus of a serial killer nicknamed Lipstick Larry. Can they outwit a murderer bent on seeing them dead and survive to build a lasting relationship?

•••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: Leave Yesterday Behind is Lauren Linwood’s new crime and romance thriller. I do mean thriller. It’s well plotted with myriad twists and surprises. It’s incredible terror, murder, personal issues and romance all rolled into one exciting package.

The story revolves around Callie Chennualt, who plays Jessica on a soap called Summer Falls. The other main character is Nick La Chappelle, former baseball star turned best-selling writer of crime novels.

I’m leaving a lot out…I think you’ll need to discover this wonderful story for yourself and I hate spoilers. The two had met as teenagers, but life took them on different paths. Now they come back home and find each other again, both damaged and healing. Then the terror begins again as they find the stalker they arrested for assaulting Callie isn’t the serial killer, he’s still out there and he’s coming back.

Okay, no more spoilers. This is a marvelous fast paced, but twisty story. It’s exciting, sexy, romantic, terrorizing….and so much more.

If you love thrillers and mysteries with sizzling romance thrown in…this is your next read! I thoroughly enjoyed the story and found it very hard to put down! So yourself a solid and pick this up and give it a read, you’ll be glad you did!

Enjoy everyone, I truly did!

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Georgianna

Share

Opening Up (Ink and Chrome #1) by Lauren Dane-a review

Posted on by
9

OPENING UP (Ink and Chrome #1) by Lauren Dane-a review

Opening Up

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

About the book: Release Date June 16, 2015

The men of the Twisted Steel custom motorcycle shop are great with their hands… and they’re not afraid to get dirty.

PJ is exactly the kind of woman Twisted Steel owner Asa Barrons doesn’t need. The last thing he wants to do is mix business with pleasure, and PJ has some of the best custom detailing he’s ever seen. But the chemistry between them won’t be denied, and soon he’s introducing her to a whole new world in the bedroom, pushing her far beyond anything she’s ever experienced. PJ finds she can’t get enough, but how far is too far before he consumes her completely?

••••••••••••••

REVIEW: OPENING UP is the first installment in Lauren Dane’s adult, contemporary Ink and Chrome erotic romance series focusing on the men of Twisted Steel- a custom motorcycle and car shop. This is Twisted Steel co-owner/former soldier Asa Barrons, and PJ (Penelope Jean) Colman’s storyline.

Told from dual third person perspectives (PJ and Asa) the storyline follows twenty five year old (and free spirit) PJ Colman as she attempts to bring the family owned tire business- Colman Enterprises-into the twenty first century. With her purple striped hair, tattoos, piercings and the lack of a college diploma, PJ is the black sheep of the Colman family, and is the bane of her father’s existence. When PJ issues an ultimatum regarding her latest attempts at diversifying Colman Enterprises, PJ walks away looking to Twisted Steel to help promote her upstart custom detail business. Enter Asa Barrons-twleve years PJ’s senior and the man who will break her heart.

On the surface, Asa is a tattooed and pierced bad boy; the personification of perfection, and a man who has the ability to make women swoon, and PJ is no exception. But Asa has issues with PJ’s age, and in this, our hero is constantly pushing PJ away. Their attraction to once another is palpable, and while PJ continues to work for Twisted Steel, Asa is unable to stop his need and want for the woman who calls to his heart. When one too many men pay attention to the woman he wants, Asa will mark his territory making sure everyone knows that PJ belongs to him.

The relationship between Asa and PJ is highly sexual. Asa likes to talk dirty and prefers a little kink in the bedroom; paddles, whips, canes. PJ is the woman who is willing to try anything for the man with whom she is falling in love. Asa also has a bit of a quick temper and a jealous streak that requires our hero to reign it in on several occasions. PJ is a strong female heroine who isn’t afraid to speak her mind; defend her ideas; or tell the truth. PJ will learn that it is difficult for most women to be accepted into the misogynistic world of custom cars and garage mechanics. The $ex scenes are steamy, erotic, and provocative.

OPENING UP is an ensemble storyline with a large cast of characters in both secondary and supporting roles. Throughout the novel we will be introduced to PJ’s dysfunctional family: Siblings Colman CEO Jay, Shawn, and Julie, as well as Uncle Fee and their father Howard Colman Jr. There is some bad blood between PJ and her father, that when revealed is heartbreaking and painful to comprehend. Uncle Fee has some sort of control over Howard Jr that is never quite revealed about the how and why. Lenore Colman, PJ’s mother, is a bit of a door mat as it pertains to her emotionally abusive husband, but in the end, Lenore will open her eyes and see what it is Howard Jr has created through his acidic personality and jealous ways. Asa’s mother Pat Barrons, and his sister Courtney will welcome PJ into their family; PJ’s best friend Audra is our heroine’s sounding board when things begin to fall apart.

Twisted Steel co-owner (and former soldier) Duke Bradshaw plays a supporting role throughout the storyline. Duke’s story will be told next in FALLING UNDER; his love interest is Carmella Rossi-a woman also introduced as Duke’s neighbor in OPENING UP. Mick Roberts, former soldier and initially an all around a$$hole, runs into some trouble with Asa, when he is not willing to accept Asa’s relationship with PJ-the age difference is a constant source of anxiety and frustration.

OPENING UP is an engaging and fascinating introduction to Lauren Dane’s Ink and Chrome erotic romance series. The characters are colorful, emotional and at times, heartbreaking; the premise is moving, hopeful and enjoyable; the romance addicting and seductive. Although the next two installments focus on Asa’s friends and fellow soldiers, I am hoping there will be a few storylines involving PJ’s brothers and sisters at Colman Enterprises. The family dynamics have resulted in an intense struggle for acceptance and love.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

Share