Monthly Archives: September 2015

Primal Force by D.D. Ayres – a Review

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Primal Force by D.D. Ayres – a Review

 

Primal ForceAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM / The Book Depository

Description
Passion is always worth fighting for…

Jori Garrison trains dogs for Warrior Wolf Pack, which provides service animals for disabled veterans. Four years ago, she was wrongly convicted of a crime—thanks to her no-good ex-fiancé. Now she just wants to live her life in peace with her beloved dogs. No men, no complications. But it’s hard to play it cool when a lethally hot male is on her tail—and the attraction is fierce, mutual, and dangerous…

PRIMAL FORCE

Lauray “Law” Batisse is a Military Police veteran who was wounded in Afghanistan. Haunted by the loss of his K-9 partner in combat, he’s reluctant to accept a service dog named Samantha into his life. But once he meets her trainer—the gorgeous Jori Garrison—he can’t fight his primal instincts. And neither can Jori. This sexy alpha male might be the only man strong enough to unleash her desires. And when unseen enemies start hunting them down, he and his new K-9 partner might be her only hope… to survive.


Review:

Primal Force by D.D. Ayres is the 3rd book in her K-9 Rescue series. This reads perfectly as a standalone, as it had nothing to do with the previous books, other than the K-9 background.

Laurey Batisse (Law) is our hero, and a damaged one at that. Law was injured in Afghanistan, losing one leg, as well as his K-9 dog, Scud. Law has a hard time with nightmares about that attack, which he has a hard time controlling. He is assigned a service dog, Sam, who is very much like the K-9 dogs, overly protective of their owner, but Law is not too keen on another dog.

Jori Garrison is our heroine. Jori is an ex-con who now helps train service dogs for the Warrior Wolf Pack, which gives dogs to disabled veterans.   Jori was the one who trained Sam, and does her best to get Law to give Sam a chance.   Law finds Jori attractive, and makes it known how much he desires her. Jori does find Law sexy, but also knows how difficult it is to work with him, since he has a bad attitude.

It doesn’t take long for them to succumb to their fierce desires, which turns into a very sexy affair that each consider to be very short term. She knows Law is difficult, and doesn’t need the headaches; and Law just feels like he doesn’t deserve any happiness. While Law must deal with his PTSD, Jori has her own issues. She went to prison for a crime she did not commit, and in a short time, Law makes it his business to find out the truth.

What follows is an exciting adventure that will put both of them in danger, as well as Sam. The second half of the book was very suspenseful, as Law uses his contacts in law enforcement to investigate who was really responsible for the crime Jori was accused for. Law’s own questions regarding the attack on his team, and his dog, somehow bring both items strangely close together. Secrets become unraveled, and as we race to the finish, we hold our breaths to see if Law, Jori and Sam survive.

Primal Force was a nice romance suspense, with an explosive and exciting finish. I did like Law and Jori together, though in the beginning I wasn’t crazy about him. Sam was a wonderful addition to the story, as he was a major piece of the puzzle. If you like romance, suspense, animals, and a couple that sizzles the pages, then you need to read this book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Wilde at Heart by Tonya Burrows – a Review

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Wilde at Heart by Tonya Burrows – a Review

 

Wilde at HeartAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM

Description:
He has everything under control. Except her.

Reece Wilde put everything in his life on the backburner to protect his brothers and their struggling company, Wilde Security. With a major contract on the line, Reece can’t afford any mistakes…like getting caught in a red-hot, X-rated moment with wild child Shelby Bremer, who’s more trouble than he can handle. Now he’s being blackmailed.

Shelby’s mile-long impulsive streak gets her in more trouble than she’d like to admit. Between her sister’s wedding, her coffee shop set on fire, and getting down and dirty with the groom’s brother, things are definitely coming off the rails. With both their careers and their safety on the line, Reece is determined to keep them both safe…even if it means a Vegas-style shotgun wedding.

But gambling on a wild card—and a wild soul—is risky…and sometimes, it can get a guy killed.

Review:

Slam, bam, thank you, ma’am?! I’m familiar with the scenario, but this one packed a punch from the very beginning. Reece “worships” Shelby in spectacular fashion *steam emanated from my Kindle* only to be interrupted by his inside voice, the chiding one…and the flames licking at the ceiling of the very building where their tryst began! As far as warnings went, this was a doozie. If workaholic Reece loses himself in the moment, he stands to lose sight of the prize. Then again…perhaps Shelby’s heart is better than any professional advancement? Welcome back, Tonya Burrows! In Wilde at Heart, we revel in all that revolves around Reece and Shelby and this wonderful family dynamic. It is a joy to go Wilde again!

The last time Ms. Burrows made us swoon, Wilde for Her, Cam and Eva figured out that best friends made forever kind of love. With their nuptials just around the corner, Reece, the most dependable of the Wilde siblings, is dispatched to “oversee” impetuous Shelby (younger sister to Eva) and ensure she tamps down any overt vivaciousness that could prevent her from participating (or ruining) the wedding. Babysitter he’s not, Reece catches himself ogling from afar…fantasizing…hoping Shelby could ever consider him romantically.  

“…she was completely, 100 percent anti-permanent. Hell, even her hair color changed every other week. Reece was the human equivalent of tattoo ink. She was henna.

They’re on opposite spectrums overall, but their differences are obsolete when they’re face to face. When magic happens and their sexy exploration is caught for all to see, their romance (intimate photos) becomes the subject of extortion. Someone out to sabotage the security firm or was it more personal, singling out Reece who stood on the precipice of financial gain?

“Of course, logically speaking, this was the perfect time to hit him with blackmail. So it had to be someone he knew…Someone who knew his government contracts were running out this year and he needed Irving James’s investment if he wanted to keep both DMW and Wilde Security afloat. Someone who knew one moral misstep on his part would bring everything he’d built crashing down.

     But who?

It only took me a minute to fall right back in love with this series, with this book, but a pivotal plot line, Reece and Shelby’s solution to “a whole host of problems”, impeded my enjoyment. Shelby is a bit of a hot mess and the beneficial (though mutual) agreement felt opportunistic. It was probably due to the intermittent telling of her background story, so it’s hard to point fingers when Reece was caught in his own desperate situation. Having said that, Ms. Burrows executes the storyline pursuant to her vision and the outcomes aren’t proportionally skeevy, lol. Far from it! I loved the coming together of such polar personalities. Together they stop running. Together they soar.

I adore the camaraderie between brothers who mask engaging verbal quips for intuitive insight. They worry after each other even while they rib each other mercilessly; they are devoted to their family unit. Ms. Burrows writes energetically, realistically, and passionately. I’m so happy I read this!

Ms. Burrows ties up all the loose ends plaguing our H/H and gives you an impactful finish. My heart suffered a bit, but that’s what a well-written story is supposed to do — I was thoroughly invested in Reece and Shelby’s development and was hopeful for a HEA. Clever author that she is, Ms. Burrows already planted the seeds for the next storyline. Ummm, yes…

More…I want more…I need to get Wilde some more!  

Reviewed by Carmen

Copy provided by Publisher

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Touching the Boss (Billionaires in the City #5) by Mallory Crowe-Review and Book Tour

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TOUCHING THE BOSS (Billionaires in the City #5) by Mallory Crowe-Review and Book Tour

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TOUCHING THE BOSS
Billionaires in the City #5
by Mallory Crowe
Release Date: September 10, 2015
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic romance

Touching the Boss

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 10, 2015

He’s tall.
He’s sexy.
He’s a criminal.
And he’s her boss.

Lacking enough evidence to go the police and not enough money in her bank account to quit on a moral basis, Lori Briggs is stuck, and it’s quite clear that her boss, the criminal mastermind, intends to start mixing business with pleasure.

Michael Devereaux will do anything to protect his family’s interests–even if it means posing as a criminal for an undercover FBI operation. He’s got to keep Lori close, and his enemies closer. But when the intimacy with Lori deepens, Michael must decide what’s more important: his family or his heart?

••••••••••••••

REVIEW: TOUCHING THE BOSS is the fifth installment in Mallory Crowe’s contemporary, adult Billionaires in the City erotic romance series. This is billionaire businessman Michael Devereaux, and IT specialist Lori Briggs’s storyline. TOUCHING THE BOSS can be read as a stand alone without any difficult although there is a continuing premise running throughout the series involving Michael’s cousin Joslyn Devereaux whose escapades have placed everyone in danger and the potential for financial ruin.

Told from dual third person perspectives TOUCHING THE BOSS is a storyline of forbidden romance and suspense. Lori has worked three weeks for Michael Devereaux’s corporation DevX when a mysterious assignment finds Lori caught between breaking the law or following the boss’s orders. She knows she is in over her head especially when the she is unable to discern the bad guys from the good, and with it comes threats from another player in a game where the FBI will place Lori at the center of a financial disaster where people will die, and Lori will go missing. What ensues is Michael’s need to protect his employee, but also the woman with whom he is falling in love.

The relationship between Michael and Lori is one of forbidden love. Michael is Lori’s boss, but he is the one who has pulled Lori into a high stakes investigation involving the FBI, dangerous criminals, and missing funds. Lori knows that to enter into an office romance could mean the ruination of her career but Michael’s pull is unlike anything she has ever had before. The $ex scenes are provocative and intense. Michael is a man determined to keep Lori by his side both in and out of the bedroom.

The secondary characters include Michael’s brother Luke- a man with a reputation for the ladies; we are also reintroduced to FBI special agent Evelyn who may or may not have an attraction to Michael’s brother Luke; and Ken Kemmerling, a man who connections to both Michael and Lori go much deeper than a friendly business arrangement.

The world building continues to focus the investigation into a high stakes financial scheme where several of the players are in jail or found dead by either their own hand or by assistance from an outside source. The FBI and the Devereaux brothers have firmly planted themselves into the mix hoping to bring down the people involved and return the missing money to its rightful owners.

BILLIONAIRES IN THE CITY is a series with mystery, suspense and intrigue. TOUCHING THE BOSS continues to look at the business of illegal investments, money schemes and missing funds in the wake of profits and losses. There are moments of heartbreak and loss; friendship and family; falling in love and happily ever after. Mallory Crowe’s Billionaires in the City series is addicting with exceptional characters and intoxicating couples.

Copy supplied by the tour promoter through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

Touching the Boss promo

excerpt

“You son of a bitch,” said a familiar female voice. “What did you get me into?”
“Lori Briggs?”
“Hunter just showed up at my apartment, thanks to you. I don’t like random guys knowing where I live. How would you like it if I blasted your address to anyone who wanted it?”
He sat up straighter and rubbed his temple. “I didn’t give him any of your information.”
“I know that! But they wouldn’t even know who I am if it weren’t for you! This is all your fault.”
“Hunter came to your apartment and threatened you?”
“Not exactly…but that’s not the point.”
He clenched his jaw. He knew her point. Hell, he probably got her need for privacy more than most. Thanks to his high profile in the city, his cell number and address were things that very few people knew. Which brought up the question… “How did you get my number?”
“Oh, you have no idea how much I could find out about you if I really wanted to. All I need is some Wi-Fi and a computer.”
“Hold on. Don’t do anything rash.” The last thing he needed was some crazy woman who knew her way around firewalls with a vendetta against him. Funny, since he hadn’t gotten the crazy vibe from Lori. She’d seemed more innocent and freaked out by what he was asking her to do.
“Rash like accepting a job offer from an international crime syndicate? Or rash like setting up a dating profile for you with your private cell number and address listed?”
Mother fucker. “Are you serious?”
“So it is an international crime syndicate? I was taking a shot in the dark there…”
“No, it’s not an intern—” He cursed under his breath. This wasn’t going anywhere. “Where are you? This would be better discussed in person.”
“So you can threaten me again?”
“So I can talk some sense into you. I can explain everything that happened today.”
There was a pause on the line. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Michael was already up and grabbing his keys and wallet from the table in the foyer and heading out the door. “Where are you? I’m already on my way.”
“You can’t come here. I’m in my pajamas.”
He frowned. “I’m sure you’ll have time to change.”
“But I’m not home.”
She was in pajamas and not home? “Are you at your boyfriend’s place?”
She snorted through the phone. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
A rush of satisfaction shot through him at her admission, but he didn’t let himself dwell on the unexpected feeling. “I’m officially confused.”
“It doesn’t matter. You’re not coming here.”
“Fine. You can come to me then. You know my address already, right?”
“I can’t go to your place like this! I know that building! The doorman will laugh me right out of the lobby!”
He rolled his eyes. Why was this so difficult? “The doormen are paid lots of money to not laugh at anyone. Just come over and we can sort this all out. I’ll pay your cab fare.”
“I’m not meeting you alone somewhere. You could kill me.”
Michael paced in front of the elevator, still not sure whether he was leaving or not. “I promise I’m not going to kill you.”
“That sounds like something a murderer would say.”
And now he had the sudden urge to hit a wall. “Lori! There will be at least three people who see you coming into the building. You’ll be safe.” There was another pause and Michael held his breath. Was he finally getting through to her?
“Okay, but you better not judge me for wearing pajamas over.”
This woman couldn’t be serious. “This is a joke, right? Is Luke behind this?”
“Do I sound like I’m laughing?”
“Just…get over here.”

Series Spotlight Black and White

TEACHING THE BOSS
(Billionaires in the City #1)
by Mallory Crowe
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance

Teaching The BossABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 11, 2015

FREE ebook: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO /

STAND ALONE CONTEMPORARY BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE

Business-school student April Morgan is ready to graduate–from school, from the secretary pool, and from never-gonna-happen fantasies involving Sam Hunt, her hunky billionaire boss. But when Sam’s girlfriend of the week pushes her too far, April finds herself quitting on the spot with only a mountain of student loan debt to keep her company. In steps Sam’s worst enemy, his father, with a job offer she can’t refuse.

Sam was born into privilege, but refused to live life with a silver spoon in his mouth. After a decade of hard work, he’s on the verge of taking his business public and proving to his tyrannical family that he can make it without their help. When he finds out that April is working for his father, he knows she’s been turned into a pawn in his father’s twisted games.

Despite Sam’s warnings, April is determined to prove she doesn’t need him to make in New York City. But when she finds documents that could lead to Sam losing everything he’s worked for, April realizes that she and Sam have to work together to save the empire they’ve both worked to build.

______________

Teasing The BossTEASING THE BOSS
(Billionaires in the City #2)
by Mallory Crowe
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance

ABOUT THE BOOK : Release Date March 11, 2015

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

STAND ALONE CONTEMPORARY BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE

Premier business consultant Simon West can turn around any struggling billion dollar corporation in New York City, but he can’t get what he wants most: revenge against Mark DuFord. The slick investment banker’s shady dealing led to Simon’s best friend’s suicide. Wealthy, and well-protected by the political influence he’s been able to purchase, DuFord has become untouchable—or so he thinks. But when DuFord’s former girlfriend asks Simon for help, he knows that Grace Bell is the weapon he needs to finally destroy his enemy completely. All Simon has to do is pretend to love her.

Grace Bell knows that approaching hot-shot Simon West to save her business is a long shot, but she’s desperate. After growing up with a family that expected her to be a happy housewife, she’d proved them all wrong when she became the go-to event-coordinator in New York City. But after the tabloids took a completely innocent picture of her with a married senator and misinterpreted the situation, she’s losing clients left and right. When she approaches Simon and begs for his help to resuscitate the business she put her heart and soul into, she never expects him to agree. Or that the payment would be posing as his lover as an excuse to get close to her ex.

Simon knows if he goes forward with his plan, it’s only a matter of time before Mark realizes what they’re up to and Mark’s enemies have a way ending up broke, in jail or six feet under. As Simon and Grace grow closer, Simon must decide if putting her in the line of fire is worth avenging the past.

_____________

Tempting The BossTEMPTING THE BOSS
(Billionaires in the City #3)
by Mallory Crowe
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 26, 2015

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

As the CEO of a multi-billion dollar retail chain, Victoria Green isn’t used to asking for help, especially not from too attractive for their own good repairmen like Dean Carey. After Victoria is attacked at her own party and Dean fights off the culprit, she’s forced to tell him her secret: Victoria’s father is on his deathbed, and her brother, who nearly ran the company into the ground, might be willing to do anything to make sure controlling interest goes to him.

Dean wants nothing to do with the ice princess CEO, even if he can’t keep his eyes off certain… assets of hers. He’s got enough on his plate between trying to get enough work to pay the bills and raising his little sister who’s growing up much too fast for his liking. Despite his misgivings, when Victoria offers him a blank check if he will keep his mouth shut about what he saw and shadow her until she can hire a more qualified bodyguard, he can’t bring himself to turn down that kind of cash.

Over the next few days, Dean learns Victoria isn’t as cold as he first thought and Victoria realizes that Dean is so much more than a handyman. But someone wants her dead and if they don’t figure out who and stop them, they might never get their happily ever after.

______________

Trusting the Boss
Billionaires in the City #4
by Mallory Crowe
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance
Release Date: June 19, 2015

Trusting the BossAmazon.com / Amazon.ca /

TRUSTING THE BOSS (Billionaires in the City #4) by Mallory Crowe

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 19, 2015

Billionaire heiress Emma Devaroux has been living a safe-yet-mundane existence in Georgia for too long, but when she learns her sister, Joslyn, has been arrested, she heads to New York City to find out what really happened. Unfortunately, as an unemployed debutante, she’s not exactly qualified to be leading an investigation. But help is at hand in the form of the handsome, former military man Jace Lance who happens to be the one who got her sister arrested in the first place.

Jace thinks Emma is crazy for even considering working with him since he’s the one who stopped Joslyn from killing his former client. However, he can’t deny that the sexy southerner is in over her head when her tycoon cousins try to hire him to make sure Emma doesn’t find out the truth about what really caused her sister’s murderous actions.

As they begin to uncover the truth together –and get to know each other intimately – it becomes clear that the more answers they get, the more danger Emma is in. Jace is determined to protect her, but how can he keep her safe when her whole family is in on the conspiracy?

About The Author Black and White

Mallory CroweMallory Crowe has lived in Michigan her whole life and has been in love with romance ever since she’d skip to the end of every novel, just to make sure the hero and heroine survived and ended up together. She lives with her husband and three dogs. When she’s not writing, she’s spending too much time in front of the TV, hiking, or working with various animal rescues.

Website: http://www.mallorycrowe.com/home.html
Twitter: https://twitter.com/croweink
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005600806967&fref
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13623321.Mallory_Crowe

Rafflecopter Giveaway Black and White

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

$50 Amazon Gift Card

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A Widow’s Salvation by Becky Lower – a Review

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A Widow’s Salvation by Becky Lower – a Review

 

A Widow’s Salvation
Cotillion Ball series – Book #8
by Becky Lower
Release Date: September 7, 2015

A Widow's SalvationAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM

DESCRIPTION:
In 1862 America, the Civil War has raged for twelve months. Pepper Fitzpatrick Brown’s heart was broken when her husband died with the first volley at Manassas. Now she’s a widow raising three young boys and plans to honor his sacrifice by volunteering at the army hospital.

When Colonel Elijah Williams can grab a few minutes to nap between his duties as head surgeon at MacDougall Army Hospital in the Bronx, his sleep is invaded with nightmares of the atrocities he’s seen. His life has narrowed to nothing but the bloody war … until he meets Pepper Brown. But her father is concerned Elijah doesn’t have the best intentions, and Pepper is fearful of loving and losing again.

It’s hard to find happiness in a war-torn United States, but these two stand a fighting chance—if they can save what’s left of their hearts. 

 

REVIEW:

5 out of 5 for this reader folks!

I swear every time I review for Becky Lower I say that this is her best book .. this time I am saying it again!  This is her best book of the series .. LOL  Likely her best book until she writes her next one!  

A Widow’s Salvation by Becky Lower is the 8th book of her Cotillion Ball series.  A beautiful historical romance that takes place in one of my fave historical eras, the American Civil War.  

Well it has happened .. the Fitzpatrick family is now enduring the consequences and life living in the Civil War.  Pepper Fitzpatrick Brown is the oldest Fitzpatrick daughter and has been made a widow with three sons to raise.  Tired of the year of mourning and ready to make a difference, she decides to volunteer at the military hospital providing care and comfort to those in need.  Little does she realize that care and comfort comes in many packages and to many different people.

Colonel Elijah Williams is a field surgeon that has been run ragged during this war.  Day in and day out he experiences sights no man should have to endure and to be honest he is getting close to having had enough.  If it wasn’t for a little ray of sunshine called Pepper, he’d of lost his mind.  

Together, these two see what true war can do physically, emotionally and morally to a human being.  Sharing these experiences brings them close together and inevitable love blooms in a place that feels hopeless.  Can these two take a chance on the other??  Will families be able to merge and will acceptance be gained?  

UUHHH … my heartstrings .. I don’t know if it’s because we are now reading of battles and carnage, but the stolen moments of love and whispers of words really struck me in this book.  It’s wonderful to imagine two people finding something so pure in something so tainted.  What a well matched couple.  I have to say Becky, the love scenes were yummy and I adore that you progressed this series into a part of history that I love to read about.You sure did your homework too!  WINK! 🙂

If you like a bit of history mixed with a wonderful love story, then you have to check this series out.  I am always feeling so full and happy when I put down a Becky Lower novel and am always pleased when the review request from her comes in.  WONDERFUL WRITING INDEED! 🙂

HAPPY READING! 🙂

Reviewed by Rachel

Copy provided by Author

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Unbroken (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen 4) by Lisa Renee Jones-Review and Book Tour

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UNBROKEN (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen #4) by Lisa Renee Jones-Review and Book Tour

broken book tour

Unbroken
The Secret Life of Amy Bensen #4
by Lisa Renee Jones
Release Date: September 7, 2015
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romantic suspense

Unbroken

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 7, 2015

From bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones comes the fourth and final part in the sexy, suspenseful The Secret Life of Amy Bensen series—finally revealing the long-awaited wedding between Amy and Liam. But with the explosive secret they’re hiding, will their enemies ever let them live happily ever after?

For six long years I lived on the run, in fear and devastated by loss. That began to change the day I met Liam Stone, who is so much more than his money and power, and even the protection he has offered me. He is passion. He is friendship. He is love and happiness, and the man who made my enemies his own. And now with his help, the secret that drove me into hiding is buried, our enemies contained. Liam and I can finally start our life and put this behind us. The nightmare is over. Unless…it’s not.

••••••••••••

REVIEW: UNBROKEN is the fourth and final installment in Lisa Renee Jones’s adult, contemporary The Secret Life of Amy Bensen romantic suspense series focusing on Amy Bensen and billionaire businessman Liam Stone. UNBROKEN should not be read as a stand alone as much of the series premise and prior history is revealed in the previous three installments. UNBROKEN overlaps some of the events of FORSAKEN (book three) where the truth about what happened to Amy’s brother Chad, and Amy’s life on the run is revealed.

Told from first person point of view (Amy Bensen) UNBROKEN is the conclusion of Amy and Liam’s adventure. Throughout the series we are witness to Amy’s need to hide from the people who are hoping to end Amy and her brother Chad’s life. Chad has something the most powerful people in the world are hoping to find, but with it comes heartbreak and grief in the wake of their parent’s murder, destructive fire and Chad’s presumed death. UNBROKEN focuses on the Amy’s life following the loss of her brother Chad, and the continuing relationship with the love of her life Liam Stone.

UNBROKEN is a storyline that focuses on Amy and Liam’s preparations for their upcoming nuptials but it also finds our couple proactive as it pertains to their personal safety and the appearance of the CIA and an agent who may or may not be on their side. Chad’s loss finds Amy the target of some powerful government agencies, and Liam is consumed with the need to keep Amy safe. Amy and Liam’s backstories are heartbreaking-both are broken souls who found one another at a time when it was needed the most.

The relationship between Amy and Liam continues to be sexually aggressive. Liam is a man who expresses his love for Amy through $ex and physical contact; Amy is a woman who has fallen for a man whose overriding need to protect what is his finds Amy surrounded by body guards at all times. The $ex scenes are erotic and intense.

UNBROKEN is the culmination of Amy’s life on the run in the hopes of staying one step ahead of the people who destroyed her life. The premise is intriguing and suspenseful-the truth about what happened is a mystery until book three. There are moments of action and drama wrapped in a bubble of questions and mystery. The characters are colorful, engaging and charismatic; the romance is the stuff of fairy tales and happily ever afters.

Lisa Renee Jones UNBROKEN is a satisfying conclusion to The Secret Life of Amy Bensen- a series in which the heroine’s story is shrouded in mystery-revealed in layers of intrigue and suspense-ending with Christmas celebration no one will forget.

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Sandy

unbroken 3

excerpt

“Let’s make more good memories, baby.”
“Yes. Please,” I say, and my words land on his tongue as he kisses me tenderly. His mouth lingers over mine, my body coming alive, and I feel him breathing with me. Sometimes it feels as if he’s the only way I can breathe.
Liam shifts the spell between us to new places, turning me to face the massive four-poster bed that stirs wonderful, intimate memories, and I am most definitely ready to make more. He unzips my skirt and with deft fingers undresses me, removing one of the barriers between us. Slowly. Seductively. Somehow he never touches my skin but I feel him everywhere. My skin tingles the way my backside had when he smacked it. I know he’s teasing me, driving me to a place where there is only this man, this room, and me. I feel the energy shift and know that he’s no longer directly behind me, leaving me naked and untouched. The freedom to be vulnerable with this man, which I don’t dare with anyone else, is sexy in a thrilling way.
“Turn around,” he orders, and the rough, aroused quality of his voice tells me I affect him, too. I like that even when he’s in control, there’s a part of him that I set free.
I face him, finding him close, but not close enough. He shrugs out of his jacket and I’m mesmerized by him, his power, his grace. Every move he makes is controlled. Every action calculated. And I realize something I think I’ve known all along: we are the same. Both damaged. Both shattered in some deep way. Both defending ourselves from future wounds with our self-control.
He tugs his tie off and wraps it around his hand, silently promising me that soon I’ll be at his mercy. It’s not the first time he’s tied me up, and each encounter is different in a good way. Yet tonight feels like the first time—as if we really are starting a new chapter.
During our first encounter, he’d said, “Sometimes having a safe place to give it away is the best way to block everything else out. I’m asking you to let me show you that I’m that safe place.”
And Liam is my safe place.
“Amy.”
His voice commands my attention, and I look up to find I’ve missed the delicious moments leading up to him now being gloriously naked. My gaze lands on the “pi” tattoo on his belly, the 3.14 etched above a row of numbers in an upside-down triangle that is all about the infinite possibilities of life. It’s both thrilling and terrifying at times when I consider them with this man.
“Hold out your hands,” he orders, and it speaks volumes that I no longer hesitate to give myself fully to Liam.
He twists his tie around one of my wrists, and I think of the many ways he has helped me escape my past. But what about his past, which is just as etched in heartache as mine? He doesn’t talk about his mother, not since his sole emotional breakdown. Since then, he’s protected me—but who protects him?
He completes the knot binding my hands and pulls me to him. “And now, you’re mine to please and tease.”
“Yes, I am,” I agree.

series spotlight

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

Escaping Reality

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

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of ESCAPING REALITY

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.

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.

______________

Infinite Possibilities
The Secret Life of Amy Bensen #2
by Lisa Renee Jones
Release Date: November 11, 2013
Genre: New Adult, contemporary, romance, suspense

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

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of INFINITE POSSIBILITIES

INFINITE POSSIBILITIES (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen #2) by Lisa Renee Jones

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 11, 2013

Secrets and lies. They are everywhere: haunting her, tormenting her. In the midst of it all, he’d been her escape, her passion. The only person she’d trusted in six years. And then he’d made her doubt that trust, cutting her deeply. But as she’d once told him, she was damaged, not broken. She is ready to fight and not just for survival. She is fighting for the truth and she won’t stop until she has it, not even for…him.

____________

Forsaken
The Secret Life of Amy Bensen 3
by Lisa Renee Jones
Genre: new adult, contemporary, romantic suspense
Release Date: August 18, 2015

 

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 18, 2015

In this third book in the sexy, suspenseful “The Secret Life of Amy Bensen” series from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones, we meet Amy’s brother Chad—and the woman who either loves him or wants him dead.

Six years ago, Chad’s hunt for a dangerous treasure turned deadly when his family home was set on fire, his parents killed. Faking his and his sister Amy’s death to protect her from further retaliation, he set her up in a new life with a friend’s help, letting her believe he’d died.

But now the men who hired Chad to find the treasure have found him, imprisoning and torturing him to learn where it’s hidden. A dark-haired beauty named Gia helps him escape, promising him access to his worst enemy. And as he tries to unravel the deep secrets of the past, he starts falling for her…only to discover she’s not what she seems.

Unable to trust anyone, Chad focuses on only two things: protecting his sister Amy and getting revenge. Is love even possible in the midst of heartache?

•••••••••

about the author

Jones_Lisa_Renee-1ABOUT LISA RENEE JONES

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT TRILOGY which has sold to more than ten countries for translation with negotiations in process for more, and has now been optioned by STARZ Network for a cable television show, to be produced by Suzanne Todd (Alice in Wonderland).

Since beginning her publishing career in 2007, Lisa has published more than 30 books with publishers such as Simon and Schuster, Avon, Kensington, Harlequin, NAL, Berkley and Elloras Cave, as well as crafting a successful indie career. Booklist says that Jones suspense truly sizzles with an energy similar to FBI tales with a paranormal twist by Julie Garwood or Suzanne Brockmann.

Prior to publishing, Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by Dallas Women Magazine. In 1998 LRJ was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her through her website and she is active on twitter and facebook daily.

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Sleeping With the Enemy by Tracy Solheim – Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

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Sleeping With the Enemy by Tracy Solheim – Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

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Sleeping with the Enemy
Out of Bounds #4
by Tracy Solheim
Release Date: September 1, 2015
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance, football

sleeping with the enemy

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Description
Dot-com millionaire Jay McManus is discovering that owning a pro football team like the Baltimore Blaze isn’t easy. An anonymous blogger is out to destroy his reputation, and now his team is being sued by its own cheerleaders. If Jay’s not careful, he could lose big—and not just financially.

Bridgett Janik’s brother may play for the Baltimore Blaze, but she’s not thrilled to be defending Jay McManus, the man who broke her heart. It’s bad enough she has to mingle with Jay during games, but working beside her former lover may be too much for her body—and her heart—to resist.

Jay’s determined not to let Bridgett slip away from him a second time. But, as the two follow the mysterious blogger’s trail, secrets—both past and present—are revealed, and Jay and Bridgett must decide if their relationship can be something more than just sleeping with the enemy.


Review:
Sleeping With the Enemy by Tracy Solheim is the 4th book in her Out of Bounds series. I have not read the earlier books, but after reading this book, I do plan on going back and read the other three. Sleeping With the Enemy reads very well as a standalone,

Bridgett Janik is our heroine, and she is a strong, smart, savvy one at that. Bridgett is a top notch lawyer, and isn’t too happy to be assigned to a case defending the Baltimore Blaze football team. The reason for her unhappiness? Jay McManus is our hero, and the owner of the Blaze. Jay and Bridgett had a relationship years before, which broke both of their hearts, with each having walked away blaming the other person.

With a scandal and threat of a lawsuit, Jay and Bridget are thrown together, and their feelings for each have not been forgotten. The chemistry between them is undeniably hot, and Jay is determined to win Bridget back, but only as a mistress; he will not allow his heart to fall for her again. Bridgett wants nothing to do with Jay, but she cannot control her lust for him.

In between the hot sex scenes, and the slow build romance being resurrected, there is a mystery of who is behind the false rumors and innuendo about the team and Jay. As secrets become unraveled, Jay begins to suspect that someone from his past is out to hurt him, but what he doesn’t know is how far this person has gone in trying to destroy his life.

This was a very nice second romance between Jay and Bridgett, but what I really enjoyed about the story was all the wonderful secondary characters that made up this story. Jay’s sister, Charlie was great, and I hope Solheim plans to give us her story soon. I also enjoyed Bridgett’s sister, though at times she needed to be smacked at her comments to Bridgett; and Linc was a good character that will need his story, too. The key to the story as we race to the finish: Will Jay allow himself to open his heart to Bridgett? Will Bridgett be able to trust Jay again? Will the truth come out what really happened all those years ago?

Tracy Solheim has written a wonderful story that has a bit of everything; great couple, sizzling romance, wonderful secondary characters, mystery, betrayal, and many secrets that will be revealed. I recommend you read Sleeping With the Enemy, as you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

Guest post-White and Red

Play List for Back to Before

 

I have a secret to share with you: I’m a huge music junkie. While everyone in my family will walk into a room and head straight for the television remote, I’m the one reaching for my iPod. In fact, I do some of my best scene development while listening to music. Unfortunately, I’m usually ironing or on the treadmill so those scenes sometimes get lost before I can reach a computer. But, trust me, before it evaporated, that prose was amazing.

Anyone who knows me will tell you that my musical tastes are somewhat eclectic. When I’m plotting, I tend to cycle through a variety of playlists—including rock, alternative, dance, musical theatre and country. The genre I select, in my mind, either represents the character or the scene I’m writing at the time. Here’s what I came up for my latest release, SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY:

  1. Cheerleader, by OMI. Okay, so I had to list this one, since the book revolves around the Baltimore Blaze’s litigious cheerleaders, the Sparks. But have you listened to this song? It’s so upbeat and lively that it’s the perfect song to write to, much less tromp around on the treadmill. Besides, my only other option here was Mickey, by Toni Basil and none of us needed that earworm.

     2.  We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Taylor Swift. Bridgett repeats this
          mantra every time she gets near Jay.

  1. Can’t Feel My Face, The Weeknd. Jay is such an Alpha male that he’d never admit to needing Bridgett. But if he did, he’d totally sing this song. Okay, maybe not. It is kind of ridiculous. But you have to admit, Tom Cruise did a great job lip syncing to it on The Tonight Show!
  2. Photograph, by Ed Sheeran. The first line of the lyrics says it all: “Lovin’ is hard.” Jay and Bridgett’s story is poignant and, at times, painful in the re-telling. This song is about the perseverance of love. Jay and Bridgett’s love definitely withstood the test of time, geography, and deceit. Plus, Ed Sheeran is a fellow Ginger and I have to give him his props.
  3. Like I’m Gonna Lose You, by Meghan Trainor and John Legend. This is a soulful song that epitomizes Jay’s determination to win Bridgett back. Of course, Jay’s idea of a win would be luring Bridgett back into his bed. He’s determined not to let his heart become engaged again. That would give Bridgett too much power over him and Jay plays to win. All the time.
  4. Lips Are Movin’, by Meghan Trainor. This would be Bridgett’s other theme song. She doesn’t trust Jay as far as her football playing brother can throw the team’s owner. Too bad her body isn’t listening to her Harvard educated brain on this one.
  5. Reason to Believe, by Bruce Springsteen. If you follow me on social media or read my blog, you’ll know I’m a huge Springsteen fan. He’s not only my favorite singer, but one of my favorite authors as well. No playlist of mine would be complete without one of his songs. And this one says so much about Jay and Bridgett’s relationship. Both have gone on with their lives and have dealt with the mess life has thrown at them. Both are struggling with the reaction of their bodies to each other despite the hurt they’ve afflicted. In the end, they have to find a reason to believe in their attraction—their love.
  6. Let’s Get It On Like Marvin Gay, by Charlie Puth (with Meghan Trainor. Are you sensing a theme here? MT is my “it” girl right now.) There are some steamy scenes in this book. Nuff said.
  7. A Thousand Years, Christina Perri. No matter how Bridgett thinks Jay has deceived her, she still can’t help loving him. No matter how long they have been apart, her love for him won’t die.
  8. Feel Again, by One Republic. The lyrics sum up how Jay and Bridgett’s happily ever after would sound if it were written about in a song instead of a book. “My heart was numb, but I feel again.” “I was a lonely soul, but that’s the old me. A little wiser now…I feel again.” Love it.

Are you a music fan? What genre is your favorite? Do you have a song that best describes your life right now?

 

excerpt

Jay and Bridgett are stranded in a motel together during a tropical storm.

Bridgett shook her head, the brief glimpse behind the cool veneer she kept in place closed. Instead she gestured to his pants, which she’d hung over a chair. “They’re still damp at the cuffs but I squeezed as much of the water out as I could. You may have to roll them up at the ankles.”

He arched an eyebrow at her. “Worried you might not be able to keep your hands off me without my pants on?”

Her blush was obvious even in the candle light as she quickly stood and walked over to the dresser filled with the food he’d brought back—a can of potato chips, peanut butter crackers, two apples, and the necessity of women everywhere: a bag of Dove chocolate. He’d also grabbed a couple bottles of water, a bottle of chardonnay, toothpaste and two toothbrushes. The wine wasn’t the best vintage, but he knew they’d both appreciate something a little stronger than water right about now.

“Thanks for leaving the roller food at the gas station, but you forgot the corkscrew.”

She kept her back to him as he pulled on his pants. He stepped behind her, reaching past her shoulder into his briefcase and pulled out his pocket knife. Bridgett’s breath caught as his arm brushed over hers. When he clicked a button on the bottom, a corkscrew emerged. Jay handed it to her and went into the bathroom to grab the two plastic cups.

“I should have known,” she said as she worked the screw into the cork. “You never went anywhere without one that summer. Frankly, I’m surprised you went into the dot-com industry and didn’t go into the wine business like you’d planned.”

“Who says I didn’t,” he asked, taking the bottle from her and finishing the job.

Bridgett held the glasses while he poured. “I guess there’s a lot about each other we’ll never know.”

Her words sounded almost wistful and the warm wine went down rough as Jay swallowed. “Even without being chilled, our chardonnay is definitely better than this.”

She sat on the bed, leaning on one arm as she sipped from her cup with the other. “So tell me, how did the guy who wanted to rule the world one bottle of wine at a time end up establishing a major dot-com business instead?”

“There’s a lot more money to be made on the Internet than in the vineyards.” He sat down on the bed across from her, leaning up against the headboard and crossing his feet at the ankles.

“But wine was your passion.”

Jay eyed her over the rim of his cup. “I’ve learned that it’s not always a good idea to be ruled by passion.”

Bridgett kept her gaze level with his. “Exactly what I’ve been telling you all along.”

“I didn’t say I gave up on passion, Bridgett. I’ll never do that.”

That got the reaction he was hoping for as she gulped the remainder of her wine and began prying open a package of peanut butter crackers.


 

 

About The Author
Tracy SolheimMy creative writing career started in the fourth grade when I published my first book. It was a bestseller–mainly because my dad bought all ten copies I’d made on the school’s prehistoric Xerox machine. From there, I moved to newspaper reporting with a monthly column in a local newspaper. A bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee landed me in Washington, DC, where I wrote reports for Congress while pursuing a Master’s degree in Legislative Affairs from The George Washington University.

Aside from a brief stint in television production for NBC Sports at the Seoul Olympics, most of my early writing consisted of crafting lengthy government reports. Not exactly the most scintillating backlist, I know! My creative writing projects had to wait until I could squeeze them in between my paying gig and my family’s busy schedule. I finally realized the dream of becoming a published author in May, 2013 with the release of my debut novel, GAME ON, through Berkley Publishing.

I went on to release four books in the Out of Bounds series during my first year as an author. In addition to the books about the fictitious Baltimore Blaze football team, I also write the Second Chances series for Berkley and digital novellas set in the small coastal town of Magnolia Bay for Tule Publishing. Check out my books page for excerpts and buy links.

Currently, I live in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, with my husband, two kids, a wild Labrador Retriever puppy and a mare named after my debut novel. When I’m not writing, I enjoy photography, cooking, and reading–shocker, right? Be sure to friend me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter. Or, leave me your email address to receive my newsletter.

I look forward to hearing from you and thanks for stopping by.

 

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Tracy’s publisher is offering a papercopy of SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY to ONE(1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please LIKE and Follow Tracy Solheim  on Facebook

4. Please FOLLOW The Reading Cafe on TSU

5. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

6. FOLLOW us on Twitter for an additional entry.

7. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

8. Giveaway open to USA only.

9. Giveaway runs from September 8-12, 2015

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One of These Nights by Kendra Leigh Castle – Review & Giveaway

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One of These Nights by Kendra Leigh Castle – Review & Giveaway

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One of these nightsAmazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / BAM / The Book Depository

Description
Moving to Harvest Cove has been like a dream come true for Zoe Watson, providing her with a job she loves and close friends she considers practically family. The only problem: a certain prickly—albeit handsome—park ranger who can’t seem to help tracking mud into her art gallery…or showing up in her dreams.

Jason Evans swore off relationships the day his ex-wife walked out the door, and the local gallery owner is no exception. But when an accident forces him to accept the one thing he hates most in the world—help—he discovers that with Zoe in his life, there are more highs than lows. Despite their long-simmering attraction, neither Jason nor Zoe thinks that two people with so little in common could possibly have a future together. But one of these nights, they may just discover how alike they are.…


Review:

One of These Nights by Kendra Leigh Castle is the 3rd book in her Harvest Cove series. Zoe Watson is our heroine, having moved to Harvest Cove to be near her friend Sam (previous book heroine) and they now run a successful art gallery.

Jason Evans, our hero, is a park ranger and constant visitor to the gallery. Jason and Zoe do not get along. He has an attitude and annoys her every time he comes to the gallery, which always ends in arguments. She is stubborn, tough, and will not put up with him. But things are about to change. Jason during a storm, rescues a mutt, and breaks his leg; but he does adopt the mutt, who he names Rosie. When Sam tells Zoe she should bring a gift to Jason, since he is a good customer.

Before she gets there, Jason receives a call from his mom that she will come to visit him and help take care of him. Jason dreads this, as his mom is one of those pushy, bossy and not very well liked mothers. He is desperate, right at the point when Zoe arrives with her gift, and tells his mom that she doesn’t need to come, since his girlfriend “Zoe” is taking care of him. His mother says she is coming anyway, and poor Zoe is shocked, but agrees to become his fake girlfriend to help Jason keep his mothers visit short.

What follows is a battle of two people who think they hate each other, and slowly find themselves enjoying the ruse. Zoe becomes protective of Jason, especially to his mother, who is a piece of work. Jason begins to see Zoe in a different light. It is a slow build romance, as the arguments do continue for a bit, but we watch as they slowly succumb to their true feelings.

Jason does have issues of committing due to a failed marriage, and his fears hold him back. Will Zoe be able to win Jason over totally? Though he knows he is falling in love with Zoe, will Jason put his past behind him?

This was a fun story of a romance that had its hardships, especially with two stubborn people. Zoe and Jason were a difficult couple that in time we found ourselves rooting hard for them. It was also a heartwarming story, and always great to see the other characters we have come to know. Harvest Cove is a fun romantic storyline and One of These Nights continues this trend. I suggest to you read this series.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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Kendra’s publisher is offering a papercopy of ONE OF THESE NIGHTS to ONE(1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

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3. Please LIKE and Follow Kendra Leigh Castle  on Facebook

4. Please FOLLOW The Reading Cafe on TSU

5. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

6. FOLLOW us on Twitter for an additional entry.

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8. Giveaway open to USA only.

9. Giveaway runs from September 8-11, 2015

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Nightbloom by Juliette Cross – Review, Blog Tour & Giveaway

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Nightbloom by Juliette Cross – Review, Blog Tour & Giveaway

 

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Nightbloom
Nightwing series – Book #3
by Juliette Cross
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Release Date: September 1, 2015

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Description
All her life, Ella Barrow has allowed others to make her decisions. Forced to stifle her artistic talents and stay in a loveless relationship with Clayton Kerrington, the man her mother believes to be her perfect match, Ella’s life may be safe—but it’s not her own. Paxon Nightwing, on the other hand, is anything but the safe choice.

A charming and alluring Morgon, Paxon sees Ella for the woman she truly is. His bold confidence and protective nature ignites a passion she’s never felt before. But a dark family tragedy forces their secrecy—until Clayton makes it impossible to hide their clandestine affair. Will Ella be strong enough to fight for herself at last? Or will she succumb once more and risk losing the only man she’s ever loved?


Review:

Nightbloom by Juliette Cross is the 3rd book in her terrific Nightwing series. All the books in this series are novellas, or a bit more. I love this series, and whenever I find out a new one is coming, I cannot wait to get my hands on it. These are perfect fast reads that you devour in one sitting…exciting, action, sexy couples, and scorching hot….did I say hot, hot. When I discovered Juliette Cross in the first book, Soulfire, I knew then she would become one of my favorite authors, and nothing has changed that opinion.

The Nightwing series is about Morgan men, who are all totally irresistible, and the woman who will become their mates. Ella Barrow is our heroine, as we met her in the earlier books, since Ella is best friends with Scorcha and Jessen, our earlier heroines. Ella is smart and a talented artist, but her mother has put the fear of Morgon men into her life since she was a child. Ella is dating Clayton, her family’s choice as the perfect man, but Clayton is not a nice man, as she will soon find out.

Paxton Nightwing has been watching Ella from afar, but her shyness and fears keeps him from attempting to get to know her. Until one night when her boyfriend offers her to kiss anyone who wins a wager. Paxton, in trying to protect her, enters the battle and wins a kiss.   She has always found Paxton enticing, someone forbidden, and now the kiss has changed her, especially after she finds Clayton having sex with a waitress. It is here that Ella will change, begin to drop the veil she has lived under for so long, and allow her feelings for Paxton to rise up in a blaze of fire. That is how hot their chemistry was.   I thoroughly enjoyed watching Ella come out of her shyness, and go after what she wants….Paxton.

It was a beautiful and totally hot relationship between them. I loved both Paxton and Ella together, and enjoyed her marvel when he flies her to places. Morgon men are Dragons, and can fly. Most of all, I loved Paxton’s devotion to Ella, as well to protect her against the evil Clayton and to help her face her family to prove all Morgon men are not always bad. It was an emotional moment when mother and daughter finally came face to face again.

Juliette Cross has done it again with another sensational story in this fabulous series. The story is beautifully done, the sex is scorching hot, and the couple are super great together. If you have not read this series, you are missing a gem. I am happy to say that I have discovered Juliette Cross, and I am not missing anything she writes.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

excerpt

I blotted my Petal Pink lips on a piece of memo paper and capped the lipstick.

“Dangit!”

Trying to retrieve the tube with the tip of my open-toe heel, I only succeeded in pushing the lipstick farther away. “Ugh.”

Unable to bend that far in my pencil skirt, I hiked the hem up to my thighs and crawled on all fours, shimmying my behind, then stretching my arm till my fingers finally gripped my favorite lipstick.

That’s when I heard a low, masculine whistle from someone standing behind me.

Scooting back, I shot off the floor and slid my hemline back to my knee, all under the steady gaze of Paxon Nightwing, silhouetted by the sunlight that filtered into the foyer of Linden and Burke.

Towering above me with jet-black hair and matching sharp-edged wings, wearing a charcoal button-down, black slacks, and a devilish smile, his voice crooned when he spoke. “Now that’s what I call a warm welcome.”

“I, um, well, I…”

He extended a bronzed hand. I reached out with my right, nearly dropping the lipstick again. I shifted it to my left hand. “I like pink.”

I like pink? I like pink! For God’s sake, Ella. How old was I? Five?

His extended hand engulfed mine, then he drew our bodies closer. Grinning wide and stroking his thumb across my knuckles, his melodious voice sounded sultry and sinful.

“So do I.”

I blinked stupidly till my brain started functioning again. He didn’t say a word, mesmerizing me with ridiculously deep brown eyes.

“I’m, uh, Ella Barrow.”

“Paxon Nightwing. Pleasure to meet you. But I think we’ve met before.”

I tugged on my hand. He didn’t let go, tightening his hold.

“Uh, well, I’m friends with Sorcha and Jessen.”

“Yes.”

I knew this guy was a player, the kind to make a girl swoon with a glance and charm the pants right off her. Literally. Jessen had even kissed him in a club once. And while his carousing behavior should make me want to run away, I couldn’t forget that Jessen had said on a scale of one to ten, his kiss was a ninety-nine.

He still held my hand, angling his body closer. “I’ve also seen you at the Vaengar games. With Kerrington.”

“Yeah. We’re, um, dating.”

“That’s a shame.”

I tugged again.

He released me. “I have an appointment with Sorcha Nightwing.”

“Yes. I know.”

Pulling myself together, I pressed the comm device on my desk and cleared my throat. “Mr. Nightwing is here.”

“Thanks, Ella. Show him to my office, please.”

Rounding behind the desk, I gestured down the hall. “This way.”

“After you.” A sly grin.

I tilted up my chin, pretending I wasn’t afraid of him, then led him toward Sorcha’s office. I was good at pretending.

As soon as I stepped in front of him, a primal shiver vibrated through my bones.
His eyes were on me. I felt his gaze, as if his gaze were a caress, brushing up my legs, curving over my behind, rounding my hips to the dip of my waist and finally settling on the blond waves that fell past my shoulders. By the time we reached the door to the office, my heartbeat hammered in my throat.

Gesturing for him to enter, I kept my eyes on the floor, trying desperately to regain control. He stopped in front of me, but I held my gaze until I realized I was fixated on his crotch. I jerked my head up. Amusement flickered across chiseled features. He was about to say something, but I didn’t give him the chance. I marched back up the hall to the receptionist area.

 

 

About The Author

Juliette Cross Juliette calls lush, moss-laden Louisiana home where the landscape curls into her imagination, creating mystical settings for her stories. She has a B.A. in creative writing from Louisiana State University, a M.Ed. in gifted education, and was privileged to study under the award-winning author Ernest J. Gaines in grad school. Her love of mythology, legends, and art serve as constant inspiration for her works. From the moment she read JANE EYRE as a teenager, she fell in love with the Gothic romance–brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines, and dark, sexy heroes. Even then, she not only longed to read more novels set in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own.

Juliette is a multi-published author, including her Nightwing series with Kensington Publishing and The Vessel Trilogy with Samhain Publishing.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Pinterest / Amazon Author Page / Newsletter

 

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