Monthly Archives: December 2016

Max (Cold Fury Hockey #6) by Sawyer Bennett-a review

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MAX (Cold Fury Hockey #6) by Sawyer Bennett-a review

Max

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 13, 2016

The ice is a cold mistress. As the league’s most eligible goalie, Max Fournier has access to his fair share of willing puck bunnies, but right now he’s more interested in bringing home another championship than a one-night stand. A romantic at heart, Max believes in love; he’s just not great at relationships. So when he finally meets a nice girl who’s not blinded by his celebrity, he’s feeling the heat—and the pressure to save her from herself.

Between working two jobs and raising her sister’s kids, Julianne Bradley doesn’t have time for sports—or men. All she knows about Max is that he’s the sexiest customer to ever grace her gas-station counter. And he sees past her tired eyes and makes Jules yearn for things she can’t have: a glamorous fling, a passionate lover, and the time to enjoy both. Max makes her feel like Cinderella, even though Jules has enough baggage to crush a glass slipper. Luckily, he’s no prince—only a fierce competitor determined to win her heart.

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: MAX is the sixth installment in Sawyer Bennett’s contemporary, adult COLD FURY HOCKEY erotic, sports romance series focusing on the members of the Carolina Cold Fury professional hockey team. This is team goalie, twenty seven year old Max Fournier, and twenty five year old nursing assistant and artist Julianne Bradley’s story line. MAX can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Some of the events of MAX run parallel to the events of HAWKE (book 5).

Told from dual first person points of view (Max and Julianne) MAX follows the building relationship between Montreal born, Carolina Cold Fury goalie Max Fournier, and Julianne Bradley-a young woman struggling to make ends meet when she becomes a single mom to her late-sister’s three young children. Constantly hassled by rude and drunk customers as she works late nights at a local gas and convenience store, as well as her full time job as a nursing assistant Julianne struggles with her new found position as mother to her rambunctious niece and two nephews. Enter Max Fournier, goalie for the Carolina Cold Fury, and Julianne’s hero and white knight when life begins to overwhelm and threaten our story line heroine. What ensues is the building love and relationship between Max and Julie, and Julie’s less than positive encounters with social media, paparazzi, and the team’s condescending and spiteful puck-bunnies. Max’s need to help Julie places our heroine in a negative light as the media and paparazzi are constantly on the look out for damaging and heartbreaking stories.

The relationship between Max and Julianne begins as friends as our heroine endeavors to maintain order in her life. Two jobs, three kids and the ongoing grief from the loss of her sister find Julianne close to the edge of exhaustion and breakdown. Max is a man immediately drawn to Julianne, and the man who goes after the woman with whom he will fall in love. The $ex scenes are intimate and erotic.

Several of the previous story line couples play secondary and supporting roles, as well as a closer look at Hawke Therrien as he struggles with his relationship demise in book five.

The world building looks at personal lives of Cold Fury professional hockey players; the media and fan attention, as well as some of the behind the scenes promotions and struggles to keep their personal and public lives separate.

MAX is a sweet and sexy story line about a professional hockey player with an affinity for junk food, and a woman whose life changed in the blink of an eye. The premise is emotional and intense; the romance is passionate and provocative; the characters are real and inspiring. Sawyer Bennett writes from the heart; her stories are genuine; her characters are dynamic and fresh.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews

Alex
Garrett
Zack
Ryker
Hawke
Max

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Max teaser

about the author

SIGN UP for Sawyer Bennett’s newsletter HERE

Sawyer BennettBest-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. She is married to a mobster (well, a market researcher) and they have two 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.

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter / Goodreads

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Jaded Hearts (Loaded Replay #1) by Harper Sloan-review and book tour

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JADED HEARTS (Loaded Replay #1) by Harper Sloan-review and book tour

Jaded Hearts banner

JADED HEARTS
Loaded Replay #1
by Harper Sloan
Release Date: December 13, 2016
Genre: adult, contemporary, rock, romance

Jaded Hearts

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

About the book: Release Date December 13, 2016

Signing with Brighthouse Records was supposed to be everything we ever wanted—our better life. Our chance at everything we never had but always wanted. All our dreams would finally come true and we were on top of the world. It was our chance at the happiness we never had in life.

Our every desire was at our fingertips and the power of that feeling was all consuming. But then it took every dream we thought would come true and it slapped us in the face with the cold hard reality.

Dreams were just that…something that floated on the cusp of untouchable, taunting you with every graze of your fingertips before slipping even further away.

Happiness…that feeling is a joke.

In the end it became painfully obvious that each of us would always have each other, but we would forever be alone.

*Jaded Hearts is the first book in the Loaded Replay series.*

••••••••••••••

REVIEW: JADED HEARTS is the first installment in Harper Sloan’s contemporary, adult LOADED REPLAY erotic, rock romance series focusing on the members of the band Loaded Replay. This is lead singer Wrenlee ‘Wren’ Davenport, and thirty one year old security specialist Chance Nash’s story line. LOADED REPLAY is a spin off from Harper’s Corps Security and Hope Town series.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Wren and Chance) LOADED REPLAY follows the band as they embark on their final tour for Brighthouse Records, and the threats against our story line heroine. Following Loaded Replay’s most recent concert appearance a threatening letter and personal images of Wren Davenport surfaced forcing the band to hire their own personal security. Enter Chance Nash from Corps Security, and the man with whom Wren would fall in love.

Chance Nash is all about protecting his charge but his first meeting with Wren Davenport finds our story line hero immediately smitten and falling in love. Wren’s attraction to Chance is off the charts and she isn’t afraid to make her feelings known. JADED HEART’s story of insta-love finds our leading couple in a ‘fake relationship’ scenario when the band’s recording company refuses to accept Chance Nash as Wren’s personal security.

The attraction between Wren and Chance is immediate but Chance struggles with duty before personal life, and in this Chance tries but fails miserably to view Wren as his employer to his employee. Wren continues to push at Chance at every opportunity until our story line hero succumbs to the desire and demands of his heart. The $ex scenes are intimate and seductive.

We are introduced to the other members of the band: Wren’s twin brother Weston Davenport; drummer Jamison Clark, and guitarist Luke Madden; Wren’s best friend and stylist Dyllan who may or may not be in a relationship with Jamison Clark; as well as the band’s manager from Brighthouse Records Dix, roadie Kellie, and journalist Casey Brookes.

The world building takes the reader on tour with Loaded Replay-behind the scenes, onto the stage, and up close and personal with the members of the band. There is a bit of a twist to the story line conflict when the truth about the threats against Wren are revealed.

JADED HEARTS is an energetic story line about two people pushed together by circumstance and necessity. The heartwarming romance is a case of insta-love; the conflict is all but forgotten for most of the story; the happily ever after will be passionate and dynamic. The premise is captivating; the characters are heartwarming; the romance is fated and intense. Harper Sloan adds another fun and sensual addition to her popular romance series.

Copy supplied for review.

Reviewed by Sandy

excerpt

 

 

Goddamn, that smile is dangerous.
Who am I kidding? He is dangerous.
I do my best to ignore him, but it’s impossible. The steady brush of his arm against where mine is resting on our shared armrest constantly reminds me how much my body wants his touch. The scent of his delicious cologne hits my senses, making me want to climb in his lap and rub my face over his chest to get a potent lungful of it.
I can’t even remember the last time I was this horny, which is pathetically sad, since it was probably around the same time I actually got laid. Years. I think. Close to three. Maybe that’s why I’m a hot mess lately. I turn my head to study the side of his face and wonder if I can use this situation to my advantage. I mean, after all, we are in a ‘relationship’ now.
He turns and gives me a questioning arch of his dark brows, but I brush it off in favor of playing Disney Emoji Blitz on my phone.
By the time we had hit cruising altitude, I could hear the other men around me snoring away but not Chance. He’s fiddling with his phone, completely ignorant of the fact I’m about to start humping his leg.
“Excuse me,” I breathily say, unbuckling my belt and standing to move around him. I stand there, my head bent slightly because of the overhead, and wait. He doesn’t move, though. Instead, he drops his phone to his lap and gives me his complete attention; his eyes even dance a little like he’s finding this whole damn thing funny. “Excuse me,” I repeat, no longer breathy, and seconds away from coming.
No, that’s a lie. I’m still breathy and very much seconds away from soaking my panties even more than they already are.
His large hands grab my hips, and he guides me down on his lap with no resistance from my treacherous body.
“Not what I meant,” I say through clenched teeth, trying to sound harsh and offended, but I just sound dazed and turned on. I wiggle in his hold, trying to get free, but he’s too strong for me.
He leans up in his seat, his chest hitting my back and buries his face in my neck. I’m sure anyone who saw us would see a loving couple who just can’t keep their hands to themselves. He’s playing a dangerous game, though, because the second the solid, hard length of him presses against my backside, I forget this is supposed to be a game and squirm a little more. His teeth nip at my shoulder at the same time his groan hits my ears.
“Stop moving, Wren,” he demands, tightening his fingers on my hips.
“You’re the one who put me on your lap.” I curl my fingers over the empty seat in front of me and squeeze my eyes shut when I feel him growing harder under me.
“Yeah, because the flight attendant who just walked by had her phone out and pointed right at us. She’s doing a shit job of making it look like she’s doing something with her paperwork.” His hand comes off my hip, and he cups my jaw, turning my head to the side just when I was about to look up at where I last saw the attendant, forcing me to shift until all it would take is me throwing one leg over his body to be face-to-face. “Do not look at her,” he stresses; the sudden movement of twisting my body makes me bounce slightly in his lap, rubbing my legging-clad ass against his erection. His eyes drop to my mouth where I pull my bottom lip between my teeth and groan.
“Give me a reason not to look,” I dare him.
“You don’t want to go down that road, Wren. I’ll protect you from the world, but you need to protect yourself from me.”
“No one is asking you to.”
Not even knowing if we’re still being watched, I twist my torso the rest of the way, pulling my legs up until they’re bent at his stomach between us. Now that I’m facing him completely, I bring my hands up to curl them both around his shoulders before dragging them up to wrap around the corded muscles at the sides of his neck. His nostrils flare, but he doesn’t stop me. I give him the chance, but it never comes. Dropping my head, I press my lips to his. I explore his lips with small pecks and little licks of my tongue, learning his mouth before pressing more firmly. He sucks in a breath when I open my mouth and slowly drag the tip of my tongue over his bottom lip.
And then his control snaps.
His hands—still at my hips—lift me effortlessly until my legs are no longer folded between us, but now digging into the hard armrests with my knees pushing into his thighs, my back hitting the seat in front of me. His mouth opens, and his tongue meets mine, no hesitation whatsoever, as he deepens the kiss.
Our breathing echoes around us, making it sound like everyone on this plane could hear us, but I know it’s just because our faces are so close. I let out a moan, one that he swallows, that turns into a whine when he pulls back.
“That can’t happen again,” he softly scolds, just as breathless as I am.
What the hell? I might not have been into this whole fake-boyfriend-slash-bodyguard thing before, but I’ll be damned if I’m not going to take advantage of the situation. Especially now that I know how alive he makes me feel. Three years since I had pleasure from anything other than my own hand, and if that kiss is anything to go by, what Chance could make me feel is ten times more powerful than anything I’ve ever felt in my whole life.
I’m not passing that up.
Nope.
No fucking way.
“We’ll see about that.”


 

about the author

Harper SloanHarper is a NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL and USA TODAY bestselling author residing in Georgia with her husband and three daughters. She has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books, hibachi, tattoos and Game of Thrones. When she isn’t writing you can almost always find her with a book in hand.

Facebook | Website | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

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The Affair by J.C. Valentine-a review

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THE AFFAIR by J.C. Valentine-a review

The Affair

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 13, 2016

While the husband is away, the wife will play…

Bradley is a good man. He’s loyal and loving and a great husband and father. But the spice is gone from our marriage. It’s time to liven things up a bit.

I’m done being good. Done following the rules. I’ve spent half my life playing wife, mother, chauffeur, and maid. Now, it’s time to play the vixen. It’s time to reclaim the woman I used to be—the woman I was always meant to be. It’s time to shake things up.

Warning: This book is short and filled with dirty, steamy sex. It’s going to speak to your adventurous side, the side of you that craves a fantasy. So, if you’ve ever wondered what if, then this is the book for you. It requires an open mind, so read it till the end. You won’t be sorry.

••••••••••

REVIEW: THE AFFAIR by J. C. Valentine is a contemporary, adult novella that focuses on a woman we know only as Jasmine. Jasmine’s married life has fallen into a rut, and our heroine searches for some sexual excitement in her life. Enter ‘Will’, a gentleman she meets at a local bar, and the man who is about to make her fantasies come true.

Told from first person point of view (Jasmine) THE AFFAIR is a very quick read; an erotic short story that focuses on a one night stand between two people looking for a night together to explore their sexual wants and needs. The premise is entertaining but predictable; the $ex scenes are erotic and intense but we know very little about either character other than their desperate coupling and desire.

THE AFFAIR will make you blush; make your heart beat a little faster; and give you the warm fuzzies when all is said and done.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

The Affair Teaser

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Rules of Contact by Jaci Burton – Review & Giveaway

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Rules of Contact by Jaci Burton – Review & Giveaway

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RULES OF CONTACT
Play by Play #12
by Jaci Burton
Genre: adult, contemporary, sports, romance
Release Date: December 6, 2016

 

Rules of ContactAmazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
A football player with all the right moves on the field needs a better game plan for his love life.

A defensive end for the San Francisco Sabers, Flynn Cassidy is used to being in the spotlight—he just doesn’t enjoy it. But if getting in front of the cameras will help his new restaurant succeed, he’s willing. Now if he could just meet a woman who loved him and not his fame…

After her divorce, Amelia Lawrence is thrilled to start over as head chef at Ninety-Two. It’s just the opportunity she needs to heat up her career—if only she wasn’t wildly attracted to her sexy new boss. Their chemistry might be sizzling hot, but Amelia has no intention of being burned again.

Amelia is genuine and fun and Flynn can’t get enough of her—and Amelia loves every second she spends with the tough but tender Flynn. But trust is a hard fought battle for both of them. Breaking the rules of contact and surrendering to their passion was easy, but are they willing to risk their hearts to win at the game of love?

 

Review;

Have I mentioned in past reviews how much I love this series?  Jaci Burton has done it again, and found another hit story with Rules of Contact.  This book is once again filled with well-defined characters, cameo appearances from past characters, a strong sense of family, storyline and a steamy romance.  I swear her keyboard must start smoking and set off fire alarms after she’s typed a sex scene, because Amelia and Flynn definitely brought the heat in this one.  Even though they did steam up the pages in this one when they are together, Jaci also lets the reader learn about our hero and heroine regarding their past relationships and how they get to be where they are by books end.  Both Flynn and Amelia have issues regarding trust and understanding due to various reasons; Amelia it’s her failed marriage, and for Flynn it’s his career and the fame that comes with it.  He wants someone to see him, Flynn Cassidy, not Flynn Cassidy the football player and the fame that comes with his career.  Amelia just wants someone to love and respect her and see her as an equal with a career of her own. 

I loved both Flynn and Amelia from the get go.  I found they balanced each other out and made a fun and charming couple.  Amelia is a strong, independent woman, who can make decisions for herself and knows what she wants both in a career and personal matters of the heart.  She’s also funny and quirky and seeing her flirt, banter and pretty much drive poor Flynn crazy trying to figure her out was amusing.  I liked that she kept him unbalanced at times and caused him to look deeper into who she really is.  Flynn, well what can I say about Mr. Cassidy besides the fact he’s smoking hot and irresistible to the female race.  No really, Flynn is every women’s dream; sweet, charming, respectable, caring, heart of gold, tough on the outside with a teddy bear interior.  Flynn just wants what’s best for Amelia and wants to make her happy.  Like I said, who wouldn’t want a man like Flynn Cassidy?  Plus he can cook, damn right I want a man like this.  Speaking of cooking, there were times Ms. Burton had me salivating for a taste of what her characters were cooking either at Flynn’s restaurant, or just at their respective homes.  My only complaint about this book is that it didn’t come with the recipes to the various dishes both Amelia and Flynn created in the book.  I could seriously see me attempting these dishes if only I had the recipes to go with them, lol!!  Sorry, I digress once again, now where was I?

Ah yes, back to my review; another aspect of Rules of Contact I enjoyed was catching up with past couples from this series as they made cameo appearances to help further Amelia and Flynn’s story.  I think one of my favourite parts of this one, and all the books about the Cassidy siblings is when they go home to visit on the family ranch. The family dynamic is one that anyone would want to be a part of.  The siblings are all pro athletes, love to tease and razz each other, but love one another deeply and will be there for each other no matter what.  The sibling rivalries and camaraderie just flows off the page and makes you feel like part of their family.  It really is a fun part of the story, and one I look forward to every time I get to read about one of the Cassidy siblings.  They really do have a cool family.

Rules of Contact is a delightful and fun addition to the Play by Play series by Jaci Burton.  It had everything one comes to expect from Burton’s Play by Play series; smoking hot athletes, strong independent women, a fun storyline filled with strong family ties, fast furious sports action, flirty/playful banter between our couple that leads to a steamy romance and a HEA.  For any fan of Jaci Burton you can’t go wrong with Rules of Contact.

Until next time, happy reading my fellow sports fans!!

Reviewed by Marcie

Copy provided by Publisher

 

giveaway

Jaci’s publisher is offering a paper copy of RULES OF CONTACT 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.

NOTE:  If you are having difficulty commenting after logging-in, please refresh the page at the top of your computer.

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

3. Please LIKE and Follow Jaci Burton on Facebook

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

5. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

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

7. Giveaway open to USA only.

8. Giveaway runs from December 16th – 19th, 2016

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Pocket Full of Tinder (Noon Onyx #4) by Jill Archer-a review

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POCKET FULL OF TINDER (Noon Onyx #4) by Jill Archer-a review

Pocket Full of Tinder

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / KOBO /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 15, 2016

Noon Onyx is back! In this long-awaited fourth installment, Jill Archer returns readers to the dangerous world of Halja, where demons, angels, and humans coexist in an uneasy state of détente.

Maegester-in-Training Noon Onyx feels like she’s done it all – mastered fiery magic, become an adept fighter, learned the law, killed countless demons, and survived having her heart broken by both love and an arrow, but now she’ll face her greatest challenge yet…

Far to the north lies an outpost famous for its unrest – Rockthorn Gorge. The town’s patron has specifically requested Noon’s help. Her assignment? Help the neophyte demon lord build his fiefdom and keep what’s his. The problem? Lord Aristos – Noon’s new employer – is her erstwhile lover, Ari Carmine, the aforementioned heart breaker. And the number one thing he wants is her.

When Rockthorn Gorge’s viaduct is destroyed by Displodo, an enigmatic bomber, killing a dozen settlers and wounding scores more, Noon sets off early to aid in the search and rescue. Ari is listed among the missing and the suspects are legion. But Noon’s search is just the beginning. Her journey forces Noon to confront not only those she loves, but also enemies hell-bent on destroying them.

•••••••••

REVIEW: POCKET FULL OF TINDER is the fourth installment in Jill Archer’s UF/Dystopian/Post-Apocalyptic NOON ONYX series.

BACKGROUND : Archer’s series focuses on the simmering truce between Angels and Demons 2000 years after Armageddon , and the destructive nature of the Maegester and their dark ‘waning’ magic. But for 22 year old Nouiomo Onyx (aka Noon) a reversal of fortunes has occurred at her birth-she was imbued with the dark waning magic (once only accorded to men) and her twin Nocturo (Nightshade) was the waxing magic (once only accorded to women). Women are the creators not the destroyers. Noon’s ability to wield waning magic will become both a curse and a blessing- in more ways than one.

Told from first person point of view (Noon Onyx) POCKET FULL OF TINDER is the continuing story of Maegester-in-Training Noon Onyx, as she struggles with who she is and what she has become. At the end of book three-White Heart of Justice-Noon walked away from the only man she has ever loved after a perceived betrayal and lie of omission forced our heroine to choose between love and a happily ever after, and living a life she knows as a lie. POCKET FULL OF TINDER is witness to Noon’s latest assignment that will bring our heroine face to face with her new employer at Rockthorn Gorge-Lord Aristos aka Ari Carmine aka the man that she loves. What ensues is the rebuilding romance between Noon and Ari, and the search for the person(s) responsible for the continued attacks against, and the destruction of a dam project near Rockthorn Gorge.

POCKET FULL OF TINDER is a heartbreaking story line; a revealing look at two people whose hearts were shattered by betrayal; whose lives will be destroyed by power and greed; whose happily ever after is never meant to be. We get up close and personal with the hierarchy of demonkind, angels, and the political elite in a post-apocalyptic world governed by magic and power. The premise is complex and original; the characters are passionate, magical and unique; the romance is emotional and intense. Jill Archer NOON ONYX is an amazing, imaginative and fantastic series with flawless text, and a breathtaking premise.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Dark Light of Day
Fiery Edge of Steel
White Heart of Justice
Pocket Full of Tinder

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

About The Author

Jill ARcherJill Archer writes dark, genre-bending fantasy from rural Maryland. Her novels include Dark Light of Day, Fiery Edge of Steel, White Heart of Justice, and Pocket Full of Tinder. She loves cats, coffee, books, movies, day tripping, and outdoor adventuring.

Website: http://www.jillarcher.com/
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bAzF7n
Blog: https://jillarcherauthor.wordpress.com/blog/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/archer_jill
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jillarcherauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5782149.Jill_Archer
Discussion Questions: http://jillarcherauthor.wordpress.com/book-clubs/

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Drakon’s Promise by N.J. Walters – a Review

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Drakon’s Promise by N.J. Walters – a Review

 

Drakon's promiseAmazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
Darius Varkas is a drakon. He’s neither human nor dragon.

He’s both.

He’s also the target of an ancient order who want to capture all drakons for their blood. When fresh, a drakon’s blood can cure any illness and prolong a human’s life, and the Knights will stop at nothing to get it.

When librarian Sarah Anderson stumbles across a rare book belonging to the Knights of the Dragon, she’s quickly thrust into a dangerous world of secrets and shifters and things she never would have believed possible. When the Knights realize Sarah has a secret of her own, she becomes just as much a target as Darius. Her scary dragon shifter just might be her best chance at survival.

Review:

Drakon’s Promise by N.J. Walters is a really good start to what I’m hoping will be a great series. It is a very well written and thought out book; the, characters are very 3 dimensional, and I really did enjoy the ride. 

Darius has lived for centuries, nothing really holds his interest anymore, except for protecting his brothers. He has amassed a great fortune and seen many changes in the world, but he has grown tired of it, and is thinking of going to sleep …….. 

They don’t die, they just fall into a deep sleep and somehow turn to stone ! 

But after receiving a call, his interest is peeked, his old adversary is back, the knights of the dragon (now when I read this, I thought they were the good guys, but no, anything but good guys) 

They want to capture all dragons, but dragons don’t live in this realm anymore, only their offspring (called Drakon). The knights want to live forever, and have been told that the blood of a Dragon or Drakon will prolong their life, but it can’t be bottled, it has to be fresh. So they need to be captured and kept in captivity. 

Darius lost many family members and friends to this order, and he won’t be next on their list. 

Sarah is a librarian with a difference, she can see the emotions locked in the book she reads, so she is in high demand to find rare books. 

She gets made redundant from the library; and is promptly hired by the eccentric to catalogue his private library.  He asks her to put any interesting or rare books to one side so he can look at them. He’s looking for a spell book to capture dragons. 

Sarah gets scary memories from a book inside a bible, and overhearing her new employer talk about a Mr Darius Varkas and the trouble they are with capturing him, Sarah decides to run with the book and warn Darius in person. 

Darius is drawn to Sarah and is certain that she is his mate, but doesn’t trust his feelings or Sarah at first. Will Darius and Sarah conquer the knights ?  Will he realise before it’s too late that Sarah is the one for him ? 

The book is pretty action packed and the story goes at a nice steady pace. The interaction with his brothers was fun, and I’m hoping they get books as well. 

Reviewed by Julie B

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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Sweet Escape (Sugar Rush #2) by Nina Lane-Review and Book Tour

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SWEET ESCAPE (Sugar Rush #2) by Nina Lane-Review and Book Tour

Sweet Escape Banner

SWEET ESCAPE
Sugar Rush #2
by Nina Lane
Release Date : December 6, 2016
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance

Sweet Escape

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

Add to your GOODREADS shelf.

Cover design by Perfect Pear Creative Covers http://www.ppccovers.com/

Photography by Wander Aguiar http://wanderaguiar.com/

Model: Andrew Biernatt
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 6, 2016

When dessert goes wrong…

Hannah Lockhart travels the world and blogs about love. At least she used to before she promised to look after her sister’s bakery. Now, stuck in small town California for the next six months, Hannah is desperate to find romantic content for her blog or risk losing both readers and income.

Then a whipped cream disaster sends her into the arms of sexy, charming Evan Stone, heir to the Sugar Rush Candy Company.

Since childhood, Evan has been trying to overcome family concerns about his defective heart. Known as “The Heartbreaker,” he’s found an outlet with women. And when bad news strikes him, he seeks a diversion by offering to show Hannah the romance of the Bay Area.

Hannah jumps at the chance…as long as they keep things platonic. But soon Evan’s hot combination of charm, perfect kisses, and a serious sweet tooth melts her defenses.

As Hannah and Evan surrender to their delicious attraction, they are forced to confront the reality of her wanderlust and his heart condition. When love and hearts collide, can Hannah and Evan find their sweet ending?

••••••••••••

REVIEW: SWEET ESCAPE is the second installment in Nina Lane’s contemporary, adult SUGAR RUSH romance series focusing on the Stone family who own and operate the Sugar Rush Candy Company. This is heir to the Sugar Rush company and current head of operations Evan Stone, and bakery shop co-owner/ blogger Hannah Lockhart’s story line. SWEET ESCAPE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. We were first introduced to Hannah and Evan in book one-Sweet Dreams.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Hannah and Evan) SWEET ESCAPE focuses on the building relationship between Hannah Lockhart and Evan Stone. Hannah is Evan’s brother Luke’s fiance’s sister (say that again five times), and a woman whose presence in Rainsville, California has caught the attention of Evan Stone. Hannah is working at the family owned Wild Child bakery while her sister Polly attends an exclusive baking school in Paris, France but Hannah’s need to be on the move is increasing our heroine’s anxiety. Never one to stay in one place for very long, Hannah isn’t ready to set down roots especially in Rainsville, California where memories of the past continue to haunt our heroine’s life. At a local bachelor auction for charity, Hannah bids fifty thousand dollars to protect Evan Stone from his former fling, and in doing so steps into a relationship that changes her perspective about travel, being on the move, and the man with whom she will fall in love. What ensues is the building love between Evan and Hannah, and Evan’s need to push Hannah away when his heart condition threatens once again.

The relationship between Evan and Hannah is a friends to lovers trope full of fun, romance, and very relatable interactions and emotions. Evan struggles with the knowledge that his heart condition threatens any possibility of a long term relationship but Hannah is a woman determined to prove that nothing will stand in the way of happiness and love. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense.

There are six Stone siblings with stories to tell-Luke, Evan, Adam, Hailey, Spencer and baby brother Tyler. We are reintroduced to several members of the Stone family including Aunt Julia and their father Warren, as well as Hannah and Polly’s co-workers and friends at Wild Child- Ramona and Mia. Gavin Knight of Knight security silently sits to the side while Mia tries her best to attract the quiet man’s attention.

The world building focuses on the relationship between Hannah and Evan; Hannah’s need to run when life becomes overwhelming; the Fair Trade Foundation (aka Cocoa Bean Team) –where Evan and Adam Stone will lead in the sustainability of cocoa bean crops; and Evan’s health issues that threaten his relationship with the woman he loves.

SWEET ESCAPE is a romantic journey; a provocative tale of heartbreak and love. The premise is encouraging and real; the romance is passionate and inspiring; the characters are dynamic and heartwarming. SWEET ESCAPE is a sweet, sultry and intense story where fates intervenes to bring two lonely hearts together for a lifetime.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

Sweet Escape Teaser

series spotlight

SWEET DREAMS
Sugar Rush #1
by Nina Lane
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance
Release Date: September 20, 2016

Sweet Dreams

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of SWEET DREAMS

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: RELEASE DATE September 20, 2016

He may own a candy company, but this wealthy bachelor is no Willy Wonka.

Sugar Rush Candy Company CEO Luke Stone is a devoted businessman who doesn’t do relationships. He does short-term affairs with clearly defined rules. But when a sexy bohemian angel propositions him in a bar, Luke is tempted to want more.

Polly Lockhart is horrified when she wakes the morning after her twenty-third birthday to realize she made a fool of herself with a sinfully delicious man. She tells herself she doesn’t have time for romance anyway, as she’s fighting to keep her mother’s beloved bakery afloat and finish her culinary studies. That all changes when her class tours the famed Sugar Rush headquarters, and Polly collides with her dream man again.

As she succumbs to their hot attraction, Polly soon realizes her bakery isn’t the only thing that needs saving. Luke, driven and unyielding, will burn out unless someone convinces him to taste the sweetness of life. But can Polly remember this sugar rush is only temporary?

about the author

\Connect with Nina: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Nina Lane writes hot, sexy romances and spicy erotica. Originally from California, she holds a PhD in Art History and an MA in Library and Information Studies, which means she loves both research and organization. She also enjoys traveling and thinks St. Petersburg, Russia is a city everyone should visit at least once. Although Nina would go back to college for another degree because she’s that much of a bookworm and a perpetual student, she now lives the happy life of a full-time writer.

Did you know newsletter subscribers have access to ARRIVE, a free novella written by Nina Lane? Find out more and subscribe to NEWSLETTER on her website!

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Moonshadow (Moonshadow #1) by Thea Harrison-a dual review

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MOONSHADOW (Moonshadow #1) by Thea Harrison-a dual review

Moonshadow

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 13, 2016

Her past is a blank, her future uncertain….

Recovering from a shooting, LAPD witch consultant Sophie Ross leaves her job and travels to the U.K. to search for answers about her childhood. When she encounters a Daoine Sidhe knight of the Dark Court, she becomes entangled in an ancient hatred between two arcane forces.

He has given his body and soul to fight for his people….

Barred from his homeland along with his surviving brother knights, Nikolas Sevigny is embroiled in a conflict that threatens everything he holds dear. Only by uniting his people’s resources can they hope to prevail against Isabeau, the deadly Queen of the Light Court. He will do anything and use anyone to return home to Lyonesse.

When Nikolas encounters Sophie, he sees a tool to be used. The insouciant witch might be the key to unlocking every passageway that has been barred to the knights of the Dark Court, even as a fascination for her takes root in what’s left of his soul.

Sophie has no intention of becoming anyone’s pawn, yet the fierce Nikolas is so compelling, she can’t deny the temptation that endangers her guarded heart.

As magic threatens Lyonesse, Queen Isabeau unleashes her merciless Hounds, and Nikolas and Sophie become embroiled in a race for survival. Meanwhile, the passion that ignites between them burns too hot to be denied and quickly turns into obsession.

Thank goodness they both know better than to fall in love…

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Sandy’s Review

REVIEW: MOONSHADOW is the first installment in Thea Harrison’s MOONSHADOW paranormal romance series focusing on a hybrid species of triple threat creatures with the blood of three different races including the Wyr and the Fae. MOONSHADOW is a spin off from Thea’s Elder Races series but you do not have to have read the original series to follow. This is twenty nine year old witch, LAPD consultant Sophie Ross, and Daoine Sidhe Knight of the Dark Court Nikolas Sevigny’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Sophie and Nik) MOONSHADOW follows Sophie Ross as she embarks on a journey to uncover the truth, and straddles a timeline between worlds in the land of her ancestors in the UK. Sophie knows nothing about her heritage -the who, what or why-and when a stranger offers Sophie a chance to seek the answers to her questions, our heroine heads to the UK where the Knights of the Dark Court become the family she has always imagined. Enter Daoine Sidhe knight Nikols Sevigny- the man with whom Sophie will fall in love. What ensues is the search for the portal that leads back to Nikolas’s homeland, and the struggle to survive against more than one enemy of the Dark Court.

Nikolas Sevigny and his brethren have been trapped on this side of the crossover passageway for hundreds of years. In their quest to return to Lyonesse, most of the Knights have perished or left for other places but Nik and his few remaining warriors continue to battle and stay ahead of the evil Queen Isabeau of the Light Court, her Hounds, and their captain Morgan le Fae. Sophie’s appearance will coincide with the Hounds reappearance, and the Knights renew their quest for the passageway home.

The relationship between Sophie and Nik is fraught with the push and pull of attraction. Nik’s Wyr DNA knows Sophie is their mate but Nik’s lifestyle isn’t conducive to love or a relationship that could end with the death of a mate. Sophie is a woman who offers to help the Knights in their quest to return home, and is continuously pushed away by the man that she loves. The $ex scenes are intimate, provocative and intense.

We are introduced to a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Nikolas’s fellow warriors, as well as Robin- a little shapeshifting imp (or puck) whose presence will be familiar to followers of Alexandra Ivy’s playful and heartbreaking gargoyle Levet. The requisite evil comes in many forms including captain of the Hounds Morgan Le Fae, Queen Isabeau of the Light Court, and someone close to the Knights of the Dark Court.

MOONSHADOW is a wonderful story of magic; where fantasy meets reality; where timelines and otherworlds collide. The premise is imaginative and wondrous; the characters are passionate and dynamic; the romance is fated and inspired. Thea Harrison’s word of the Moonshadow is a brilliant new series with engaging characters and a decadent story line.

Barb’s Review
Moonshadow by Thea Harrison is the first book in her new Moonshadow trilogy, which does use her Elder Races theme.  In Moonshadow, the story switches to England, with the focus on the Fae’s, both Dark and Light.   Sophie Ross, our heroine, is a witch consultant for the LA police department.   On leave from her job & suffering from constant nightmares due to being shot on assignment, Sophie decides to accept a quest that will take her to the U.K.   Her quest: Enter a broken down mansion that has been empty for hundreds of years, with no one able to get in, even with a key.

Nik  Sevigny is our hero, and a Daoine Sidhe knight from the Dark Court.  Nik recognizes Sophie from a vision, and thinks she is the enemy.  Nik has seen many of his warriors killed over the years, leaving only a select few, as they try to find a way to get back home to the Dark Court in Lyonesse.  Queen Isabeau, of the Light Court, and her knight, Morgan had destroyed all the portals that would allow any access to Lyonesse.  Nik has become difficult to deal with, trusting no one, especially trying desperately to keep his men alive. It will take Nik awhile to learn to trust Sophie and try to get her to use her witch/djinn powers to help them find the way home, and get help to defeat Isabeau and her vicious hounds. 

Sophie is determined to enter the mansion, and if she is able to enter it (many before her  have failed), she would then inherit it and receive a nice annuity for life.  Both Sophie and Nik do not get along in the beginning, especially since he is surly and demanding, and she being very independent, causes lots of clashes and words.  Their attraction for each other grows over a short time, but with Morgan on their trail, and Sophie’s life now in danger, they bond to help one another survive.  I loved the addition of Robin, an injured puck (brownie), who Sophie saves and nurtures like her “pet” during this story.  Whether a dog, monkey or a strange little boy, Robin was a great character.  I also liked some of Nik’s warriors.

What follows is a non-stop action packed story that was not only tense at times, but also lots of fun.  The romance between Sophie and Nik becomes hot and steamy, and I loved them together. They were both very strong, tough and independent heroes.  Will Nik and his men get back to Lyonesse and  the Dark Fae?   Will Sophie allow herself to be part of Nik’s life in the Dark Court?  Will they survive the onslaught by Queen isabeau?

Moonshadow was a wonderful addition to the Elder Races series, and I for one cannot wait for the second book in this trilogy.  There was so much action, excitement, danger, intrigue, wonderful characters and a great couple.  This story line had a bit of everything, from the Fae, Witches, Puck, and Djinn.  I loved ever moment of this story.

Copy supplied for review

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